Kerby Anderson

Every few months, another credible study is published that warns of the dangers of frequent use of marijuana. The most recent study came from researchers at the University of California, San Diego of 11,000 adolescents. They discovered that marijuana users experienced impaired brain development compared to non-users. This affected everything from verbal recall to working memory and spatial skills.

As I have said in previous commentaries, we are seeing more and more states legalizing marijuana as we are learning more and more about its dangers. The editors of the Wall Street Journal referred to this as “Marijuana Is for Dummies.”

More than two dozen states have legalized marijuana, while 40 allow it on the market for medicinal use. Last month, the Trump Administration decided to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug. The editors rightly ask: “Is the goal to reduce America’s collective IQ?”

We are certain to see more marijuana since this reclassification will now allow marijuana growers and retailers to deduct expenses from their taxes like other companies. More marijuana means more opportunities for this drug to harm young brains. We were assured by the pot lobby that legalization wouldn’t result in more teen use. That is just the opposite of what has taken place.

Two months ago, I quoted from the New York Times that had the headline, “It’s Time for America to Admit That It Has a Marijuana Problem.” The editors had accepted the view that marijuana “was a harmless drug that might even bring net health benefits” and “that legalization might not lead to greater use.” They concluded “that many of these predictions were wrong.”

These states and the federal government are proving that marijuana is for dummies.