Man Driving Under Influence of Marijuana Gets 4 Years for Killing Pedestrian

Marijuana-Cannabis-Weed-Bud-GramA 27-year-old Oregon man has been sentenced to 4 years in jail for striking and killing a pedestrian shortly after smoking marijuana.

The case is significant, because it is one of the first cases of deadly drugged driving to come up in Oregon since the state legalized so-called “recreational” marijuana.

According to news sources, the driver in question will be eligible for release from jail with good behavior in just a little over three years.

This tragic case underscores what we have said time and time again: The idea that marijuana somehow is “harmless” or has never killed anyone simply is not true. Marijuana has caused and contributed to many deaths. There are no two ways about it.

You can read more about this story here.

Marijuana Edibles Continue to Plague Schools

Kush_closeWe have written multiple times how marijuana edibles–food infused with marijuana or marijuana extracts–have been a recurring problem for many schoolchildren.

Across the country we have seen instances in which marijuana edibles are brought to school, where students eat them–sometimes without knowing the food’s contents–and are subsequently hospitalized for THC overdose.

Police in Illinois reported recently that three teens brought marijuana-laced food to their high school.

In Ohio, doctors are concerned about the danger of marijuana edibles, telling local news sources,

[M]arijuana edibles can create dire situations if consumed by children.

“Respiratory depression — in other words, not breathing right or not breathing often enough… Yeah, absolutely life-threatening,”

All of this underscores what we have been saying for years: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.

Marijuana Use May Lead to Amputation

Australian news sources report daily marijuana use can cause a condition that may result in loss of limbs.

The Sydney Morning Herald writes,

Cannabis arteritis is a condition caused by long-term daily cannabis use that results in lesions growing on arteries.

It is a rare condition that can lead to limb amputation . . .

In a nutshell, marijuana-use can cause plaque to build up in arteries, restricting blood flow, damaging tissue, and possibly leading to amputation.

Doctors say stopping marijuana-use can improve a cannabis arteritis patient’s prognosis.

Read more here.