The LA Times posted a much-needed flare piece citing some emergent research out of Washington given their recent deregulation of cannabis.
“Across the country, there has been a decreased perception of risk associated with marijuana among adolescents,” says study leader Magdalena Cerda, an epidemiologist — an expert in the spread of disease — at the UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program.
It’s going to be interesting to work on these public health campaigns. Policy makers built 10 million annually into “substance abuse programs” in Proposition 64.
The lack of proper funding is an absolute shame. The recreational law in Cali will generate 1 BILLION annually just in taxes. Come on guys, 1 percent?
Without proper education coming with deregulation, our legal freedoms might be costing kids.
All kinds of good data in the post….oh wait. Hold my ice tea. The LA Times blogger goes on to cite Cerda who makes a comparison to alcohol. Ugh.
The reefer madness broad stroke does more damage then help. The data does not reflect a comparison; not by a long shot. My instinct is that teens will instantly discredit this comparison or any messages of over-simplified advocacy.
Lets not start our multi-million dollar public health campaigns down this line of interpretation.
As the DEA’s own administrative law judge in 1988, Francis Young, concluded after an exhaustive review of the evidence:
“Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within a supervised routine of medical care.”
We need advocacy, awareness, and regulation of advertising of cannabis ASAP.
But, let’s watch the debate closely. Tobacco and alcohol companies and other conflicting interests surely will have their hand in the emergent cannabis recreational marketplace.
Here’s the source: http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-skelton-marijuana-legalization-teens-20170105-story.html
