Excessive attempts to alter your mental state isn’t actually good for anyone. A drink or two or a puff of dope may provide some relaxation and maybe most people can keep it at that. But we have plenty of people who have serious alcohol and drug abuse problems, so why we want to add to that toll is puzzling. But there is a big wave to legalize marijuana, and other drugs. Marijuana use causes serious mental health issues in adolescents and young adults, this is uncontroverted. It is addictive, contrary to earlier claims. And the potency of current strains causes worse mental health and addiction issues. Just as with alcohol, it affects people’s behavior, so we are all endangered by workers, drivers, etc. who are high. And communities which have legalized have significant issues with public use.
And let’s be honest, this trend is as usual driven by money. Politicians are getting millions of dollars in contributions to support legalization. They will ignore the bad consequences because they love the money. They will keep ignoring the bad consequences as long as they can keep getting the contributions. Our system of financing elections always leads to terrible policies and worsens every problem. Two pieces of research illustrate how marijuana legalization is harming children especially. This is a meta-review of the effects of legalization on marijuana poisoning. There were over three times the number of poisonings following legalization, with the biggest increase in children. These poisonings have very serious health harms. (Addiction Study)
And the CDC reports that there is a dramatic increase in cannibis related ER visits among young adults and children in recent years, with the biggest increases occurring among children aged 14 and under. They call it dope for a reason. Because you are really stupid if you use it excessively, make it available to children, or leave it where children can accidentally get access to it. Tens of thousands of ER visits occur every year because of marijuana use, but yeah, its really safe. (CDC Study)
So Minnesota’s legislators took the money and legalized marijuana. How many poisoned children, how many adolescents and young adults who develop schizophrenia, how many people killed in car and other accidents, are an acceptable price for these politicians to keep getting their precious contributions? The answer is there is no limit, they don’t care who gets hurt as long as they get the money.
The Healthy Skeptic is a website about the health care system, and is written by Kevin Roche, who has many years of experience working in the health industry. Mr. Roche is available to assist health care companies through consulting arrangements through Roche Consulting, LLC and may be reached at 
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Disappointing post. Resorts to the time-worn canned rhetorical “Anti-Pot troupes. The “children.” Pot causing “mental illness.” “The “dope industry.” Does that “Dope Industry” include Pfizer, Eli Lily? The opening salvo wins the day “Excessive attempts to alter your mental state isn’t actually good for anyone.” Oh really? Who gets to define “excessive attempts?” Do you include being prescribed daily anti-depressants as excessive attempts?” Do SSRIs cause mental illness? Do children get poisoned” by those? Worst of all: “CDC reports…blah, blah…” As if CDC as any credibility. Silly
look at the research before you comment. This isn’t about being anti-pot, it is about being honest about the harms and risks, especially to young people. They are massive.
Assuming politicians are all doing it for that money is giving them too much credit. Most of them aren’t that smart. Lots of them probably support this because it’s cool just like the diversity bullshit and transvestite bullshit.