Pubdate: Thu, 09 Jan 2014
Source: Chattanooga Times Free Press (TN)
Copyright: 2014 Chattanooga Publishing Company, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.timesfreepress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/992
Note: Paper does not publish LTE's outside its circulation area
Note: Arkansas-Democrat Gazette editorial

KEEP YOUR EYES ON COLORADO

Groups are said to be working on getting medical marijuana laws on
the books in more states. You'll remember that's how it all started
in Colorado: with medical marijuana. You know, just to be humane to
those who are ill and need the "medication." Never mind that the drug
in weed that can help folks ease the pain of some diseases can be
found in a pill distributed by legal pharmacists. But few really
thought that those pushing marijuana would stop at its "medical
uses." It's all about complete legalization. Always has been.
The Associated Press Employees help customers at the crowded sales
counter inside Medicine Man marijuana retail store, which opened as a
legal recreational

After Colorado legalized medical marijuana, it wasn't long before the
state legalized pot for recreational use, at least for those over 21.
Then just last month the city council in Denver decided that the law
wasn't fair to 18-year olds and is still considering whether to lower
the age restrictions in the city limits. Wow. Talk about a slippery
slope. Call it a dead drop off a cliff.

It's always a good idea to read the news coming out of Colorado when
it comes to the legalization of marijuana.

Here's more news off the news wire:

Some rehab centers in Colorado are prepping for an increase in
patients. Teenaged patients. How can that be? The law is the law, and
it says young people can't have ... .

Yeah, right. They also can't drink booze, either, but somehow kids get
into the liquor cabinet. If it's around, the kids will get into the
stash. And in Colorado these days, pot is around. It's all over the
place.

The papers quoted a Dr. Christian Thurstone, a professor of psychiatry
at the University of Colorado. He's also the head of a teen rehab
center. He says 95 percent of the referrals to his clinic - for teens,
mind you - is for marijuana use. He's had to double his staff since
November, and he still has a waiting list for folks wanting to get
in.

ABC News quoted an addictions expert named Ben Court who works at the
University of Colorado's Hospital Center for Dependency. He's seen
first-hand how teens already dealing with mental illness can be harmed
by marijuana, especially the highly potent stuff going around these
days. He saw one kid act so crazy he was almost shot by cops.

"For the person on shaky ground, you add this to the equation and it's
gas on the fire," Mr. Court said.

Every week, it seems, there is another story or two coming out of
Colorado that should scare parents, and everybody else, in other
states. It's a drip, drip, drip of scary news. Or make that a toke,
toke, toke.

It's bad enough watching what's happening in Colorado. Let's not bring
those problems here.

Medical marijuana? No thank you please. Some of us still have eyes to
see.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D