"The Ronan Report" provides insight about the activities at the Western Maryland Health System in Cumberland, Maryland, and about the changes taking place in healthcare today from a CEO's perspective.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Legalizing the Use of Marijuana in Maryland

So I thought that I heard it all when Senator Zirkin, who is sponsoring a decriminalization bill (from criminal to civil), said that he is not trying to get teens to smoke pot; he just wants to unclog the judicial system with marijuana possession cases.   Then Delegate Anderson, in sponsoring his bill to LEGALIZE marijuana possession and use, says, "Marijuana is not addictive at all unlike other drugs and alcohol." Well, Delegate Anderson, it's time for a reality check.

Marijuana has proven to inflict a long lasting, negative impact on your brain and the younger you are the worse it is.  Marijuana can result in functional brain deficits affecting communication skills and learning capabilities and shortening one's attention span.  It also affects the lungs and can lead to use of stronger drugs.  Studies have shown that the younger that you start to smoke marijuana, the more dependent that you become on other drugs.   Today's marijuana is not the marijuana that was smoked in the 70's; THC, the main ingredient, is far more potent today than the pot from the 60's and 70's.  And, don't even get me started on the effects of marijuana on the fetus when women smoke it while pregnant.  In fact, researchers aren't even sure what the overall or long-term effects are on children whose mothers smoked marijuana while pregnant. 

If you can't tell from today's blog, I am adamantly opposed to decriminalization and certainly legalization.  I would support a bill legalizing medical marijuana with strict conditions as I think that there are enough people who would benefit from such a law.  Hopefully, some sense will prevail in Annapolis during this legislative session and the bills sponsored by Senator Zirkin and Delegate Anderson are defeated.

1 comment:

  1. Ever heard of Darwin's theory of natural selection? well that's how this is works out the people who smoke it to abuse it die off and only recreational/none abusers survive to build a better future for everyone else. that = WIN! i just see it as a dumb idea that people have gone to jail for possession of a drug like this for almost the same amount of time as a drug that has actual dangerous side effects like opiates or hallucinogens. put those guys away and lets see maryland shut down the labs and put those people in jail not people that choose to smoke/ingest MJ to get rid of chronic pain they have or any other ailment which MJ helps them with.

    and for the pregnant women that drink, smoke, use drugs well thats there damn problem they obviously have something wrong with them if they want there child coming into this world deformed or mentally challenged!

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