Scott Morgan has a good post: Why Legalizing Marijuana Protects Young People, where he quotes from a parent in Psychology Today:
As a parent, I ask myself, “what are the dangers to teens?” And, what are the likely scenarios? If pot is still illegal to anyone under 21, how will teens get it? I think the most likely scenario is the same as beer and cigarettes. Older brothers and sisters, with IDs, will legally buy packaged marijuana cigarettes at gas stations and share them with younger ones on Friday night parties. As a parent, I ask myself, “how do I feel about this?” And… after a little thought, I actually feel better knowing my child is with trusted friends, ingesting measured substances than on a corner at night buying an illegal substance from a stranger.
Exactly – a rational thought process.
One additional benefit that parents might consider. Under prohibition, if their child has a joint and is caught, the consequences can be much worse to their future.
I totally agree. I get frustrated when people keep saying: “Legalization would give kids a reason to smoke”. This is absurd because people are more tempted to use a prohibited substance. Just look at alcohol prohibition which quickly caused alcohol consumption to rise 60-70% according to many reports. If marijuana was regulated and taxed and sold at authorized retailers, people would benefit from knowing there isn’t toxic substances mixed in, they would feel safer knowing they won’t end up in prison, and they won’t be associating with the violence related to the sale of illegal substances.
What really gets me about all this is that in our Grandpa’s day, they didn’t need all this ‘adjusting’ after alcohol Prohibition ended. People just went back to being free again, is all.
Sure, some abused the freedom, as happens in every generation, but the sky didn’t fall as the crazy prohib and preacher Billy Sunday ranted and raved would happen when the 21st Amendment passed…and his modern counterparts like ‘cigs & slots’ professional (and sham) moralizer Billy Bennett says will happen after cannabis is re-legalized.
I’ve had it with all these freakin’ Nanny-Staters and moral scolds like Bennett (whose own gambling addiction hardly qualified him to write books on ‘virtues’). I don’t need such as them counseling me on keeping on the ‘straight and narrow path’ when they’re swerving all over the highway. The Golden Rule (the social version, not the capitalist one) has always been good enough; a pity they never seem able to follow its’ dictum, but are willing to kill you to ‘save’ you.
more and more people are starting to think that way, the rational way. We need to keep spreading the truth around to everyone that keeping marijuana illegal put kids in harms way instead of protecting them.
The only thing i didnt like about that comment is that some people still think we want marijuana to be sold all over the place. I personally dont think its a good idea and there should be designated pot stores, just like liquor stores, where you can go and have your pick of whatever strain you like. I dont like the idea of factory rolled joints because you never know what crap, if any, will be put in to “prove” that marijuana is bad. And dont let them get out of control. Make the licenses hard to get and easy to lose.
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My thought on this topic is this…GEE , I guess parents will just have…dare I say it..PARENT again. Back years ago, I was much more worried about Dad catching me than the law.
As legalization moves closer too reality,the parents of today are the tokers of yesterday. At least,many of them are.
As more and more debates,public activities and even news shows educate the uninformed on the marijuana issue,it is getting easier and easier to at least have discussions with people about marijuana. It is a lot different than when we had to use code names for pot and we whispered those.
And our parents were definitly not tokers!
If they get caught with a joint they could be facing down 100 community members, newspaper reporters, and TV cameras. Their kid getting caught with a joint could be the 5,6, and 10 pm news.
There is a new drug war program playing Peoria. Using a public event to “shame” drug offenders into getting right.
http://www.pjstar.com/news/x1659495647/Alleged-drug-offenders-offered-a-second-chance
“Faced by more than 100 members of the community, thick blue folders of evidence and undercover police surveillance video, the six were given a choice: possibly join the ranks of the violent and repeat offenders represented in foot-tall mug shots on display in jail or walk a different path.”
I had the talk with my parents. I laughed the whole way through it, because I was clearly more educated on the subject. I wish I’d bring it up again but I haven’t seen the need.
Inside the Army’s Far-Out Acid Tests Nov 6 2009
The new movie The Men Who Stare At Goats is bringing the CIA’s LSD use and abuse back into the spotlight.
Dumbing it Down on Medical Marijuana Nov 3 2009
Is CNN mellowing out or just dumbing it down? Dr. Eric Goth – full of hot air on CNN.
Legalizing Marijuana for Dummies
Need proof? Nearly 18,000 people die in alcohol-related traffic accidents each year. Hundreds more die from alcohol poisoning. Alcohol is toxic. Alcohol is addictive. Alcohol is a carcinogen. Alcohol abuse contributes to domestic violence and sexual assault. Alcohol is highly associated with other violent crimes. Alcohol is bad for your skin and makes you look older. Alcohol makes you fat. Alcohol has many long-term negative effects that are obvious to everyone, including dissolving the lacquer on the dining room table if you spill it there.
Dude, Where’s my Trauma?
Marijuana Could Treat PTSD
Many millions have been made in Hollywood by lampooning the acute effects of marijuana on memory—but Israeli researchers suggest that they might one day be harnessed to prevent or treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
alcohol abuse is also deadly if you are not able to treat it at the right time ;,”
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