Brad Lamm, CIP
| Done. It’s gonna be legal. The pot war is nearly over. The debate to legalize marijuana has been covered countrywide. The New York Times, like all other main media outlets, have reported the facts and now has moved further.
The paper of record, New York Times editorializes on this front, “The federal government should repeal the ban on marijuana.† Their opinion calls to legalize marijuana. My opinion calls for decriminalization. There’s a difference but on the street, it’s probably the same thing.
According to the Times, “There were 658,000 arrests for marijuana possession in 2012.†That was almost twice as much as cocaine, heroin, and other hard drugs combined. The results in arrests were also racially disproportionate, as young black men were targeted more than anyone else. Such lack of legal standards has lead to biased judgment. Those numbers must improve.
Pot’s problem is it’s viewed as harmless by most.  The truth, just the truth, is that THC, the active ingredient in pot will cause dependency and damage many of the brains it enters.
Smoke gets in your eyes and tampers the brain’s ability to function.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, THC in pot, the main ingredient that affects the brain, has gone up from a concentration of 4% in the 1980s to 15% in 2012. This has lead to higher addiction rates, and harsher wear and tear on users’ bodies.
Pot was never my thing. Made my mouth dry and drove me to munch on food. Not for me.
As a recovered addict 11 years removed from alcohol and crystal meth dependence, I devote my life and career to helping others who struggle down that similar path. Legalizing and regulating pot may make it safer. It will certainly free up resources now thrown at prison populations and the weight of the criminal costs elsewhere. Even if the government does legalize marijuana, it still comes with health risks, no different than alcohol and other drugs. Moderation is crucial.
Be smart, be safe, and be healthy.
If you or someone you love is struggling from this disease, call our Breathe Life Healing Center’s HelpLine today and get our caring feedback for guidance and support. We treat all substance addictions including marijuana.
