As States Legalize Marijuana, Law Enforcement is Struggling to Address Drugged Driving

Marijuana,

As states around the country legalize marijuana, law enforcement agencies are wrestling with drugged driving.

A recent story in The Wall Street Journal highlights how the growing use of marijuana among drivers is raising concerns about road safety.

New data suggests marijuana legalization may contribute to over 1,400 additional traffic fatalities annually in the U.S.

Many drivers remain unaware of the risks of driving while high — with only 70% recognizing the danger of driving after using marijuana, compared to 94% for alcohol.

Law enforcement agencies are grappling with the challenge of detecting marijuana impairment. Current testing methods like saliva swabs can indicate recent use but not impairment levels. Unlike alcohol, where blood concentration correlates with impairment, THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis, behaves differently in the body — making it difficult for law enforcement to determine which drivers should not be on the road.

All of this comes as Arkansans wrestle with whether or not to expand marijuana in the state.

Right now the group Arkansans for Patient Access is working to pass a marijuana amendment in Arkansas.

Under this measure, marijuana users would no longer need to show they suffer from a specific medical condition listed in state law — making it easier to use marijuana recreationally.

The amendment would give free marijuana cards to immigrants and out-of-state residents who come to Arkansas to use marijuana.

The amendment would guarantee marijuana growers and sellers a monopoly over the state’s marijuana industry.

The measure also fails to limit the amount of THC in marijuana products, and it repeals restrictions designed to protect children from marijuana advertising.

All of this would lead to more marijuana in Arkansas. Family Council Action Committee has materials available regarding the marijuana amendment:

You can learn more at FamilyCouncilActionCommittee.com.

Drugged driving is a serious public safety problem, and it underscores what we have said for years: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Illegal Marijuana Continues to Plague California, Oklahoma

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Above: Authorities in California seized more than 2,000 illegal marijuana plants during a raid on a massive grow operation.

Despite legalization, black market marijuana continues to plague states like California and Oklahoma.

Since January, authorities in California have confiscated more than $120 million worth of illegal marijuana — including nearly 123,000 illegal plants.

For example, on August 23, California’s Merced County Sheriff’s Office reportedly seized more than 2,000 marijuana plants and 300 pounds of marijuana at a massive, illegal grow site.

Earlier this month California’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce announced it had seized more than 2.2 million packages of illegal marijuana in Los Angeles. Many of the packages reportedly contained food and candy laced with marijuana — which has a strong appeal to children.

Above: Examples of some of the illegal marijuana seized in Los Angeles.

On Tuesday, Oklahoma’s Moore Police Department issued a statement saying its officers seized more than 150 pounds of illegal marijuana at an Airbnb.

The marijuana appeared be vacuum sealed in packaging for illegal distribution.

Above: Illegal marijuana seized at an Oklahoma Airbnb.

News outlets have reported repeatedly how legalization of marijuana has actually fueled black market operations rather than reducing them — emboldening drug cartels that operate industrial scale marijuana cultivation sites. Some of these marijuana operations are tied to labor trafficking and violent crime.

A CBS News segment last year highlighted how Chinese investment is driving illegal marijuana production across the U.S., and CBN reported last October that Chinese investors with “suitcases full of cash” are buying U.S. farmland to grow black market marijuana.

Right now the group Arkansans for Patient Access is working to pass an amendment drastically expanding marijuana in Arkansas.

Under this measure, marijuana users would no longer need to show they suffer from a specific medical condition listed in state law — making it easier to use marijuana recreationally.

The amendment would give free marijuana cards to immigrants and out-of-state residents who come to Arkansas to use marijuana.

The amendment would guarantee marijuana growers and sellers a monopoly over the state’s marijuana industry.

The measure also fails to limit the amount of THC in marijuana products, and it repeals restrictions designed to protect children from marijuana advertising.

All of this would lead to more marijuana in Arkansas. Family Council Action Committee has materials available for volunteers and churches regarding the marijuana amendment:

You can learn more at FamilyCouncilActionCommittee.com.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Researchers Once Again Find Link Between Marijuana Use and Schizophrenia, Health Problems

Marijuana,

Marijuana use during adolescence poses serious risks to mental health — particularly increasing the risk of psychosis — according to a recent story in Psychiatric Times.

The article highlights a case study involving a teenage girl whose marijuana use worsened her mental and behavioral problems. Researchers point out that during adolescence, the brain is growing and changing, and marijuana use affects teens’ memory, cognition, impulse control, and other brain functions.

The story is part of a growing body of evidence that shows marijuana is harmful — especially for teens and young adults. 

Recent studies have found marijuana use is a leading indicator of workplace accidents and that it leads to schizophrenia among young men.  

Right now the group Arkansans for Patient Access is actively working to drastically expand marijuana in Arkansas.

If passed, the amendment would give free marijuana cards to immigrants and out-of-state residents who come to Arkansas to use marijuana.

The amendment would guarantee marijuana growers and sellers a monopoly over the state’s marijuana industry.

Marijuana users would no longer need to show they suffer from a specific medical condition listed in state law — making it easier to use marijuana recreationally.

The measure also fails to limit the amount of THC that marijuana products can contain, and it repeals restrictions on marijuana advertising.

All of this would lead to more marijuana in the state.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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