Pubdate: Thu, 24 Apr 2014
Source: Star Press, The (Muncie, IN)
Copyright: 2014 Bryant Wagner
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/m0DXtEYZ
Website: http://www.thestarpress.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1925
Author: Bryant Wagner

MARIJUANA USE PRESENTS RISKS

The legalization of marijuana is becoming an ongoing issue and is one
that doesn't deserve all of the media attention that it gets.

On March 14, an article was written in The New York Times titled
"Medical Marijuana Bill Dies in Washington State." The article was
aimed toward the House and Senate attempting to pass a bill that would
bring Washington state's largely unregulated medical marijuana system
under control of local governments.

The amendments were made anticipating that revenue from marijuana
sales could be distributed to local governments. Many medical
marijuana dispensaries and patients opposed the new regulations
fearing that their system would be crushed by the commercial market.

In the rush to decriminalize, legalize and accept marijuana into
society as just another harmless social activity, we may be creating
massive problems for the future.

Media coverage of the issue seems to leave out the science. The
majority of mainstream-media stories on the subject only briefly
reference the science of opposition views. There is rarely any
in-depth discussion or presentation of facts, leaving most of us just
hearing the "it's not dangerous" refrain. Some of the dangers include
addiction, mental illness, poor academic and job performance, and loss
of quality of life.

Whatever the situation is, the fact remains that people are consuming
an abundance of marijuana. Marijuana is a much bigger part of the
American addiction problem than most people realize.

Bryant Wagner

Muncie
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D