Ballots, Betting, and Black Market Buds:

Current Events,
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Here’s a quick recap of the week’s top stories from Family Council and our friends:

From Family Council

Equipping Christians for the Ballot. Voting is a right and responsibility. It is something many men and women have fought and died for to preserve. Though many Christians exercise this right, others choose not to participate. Keep Reading.

Arkansas Sees a Tenfold Increase in “Medical” Marijuana Users in Pandemic’s Wake. The number of “medical” marijuana patients in Arkansas has risen more than tenfold in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Along the way, the reasons people list for wanting to use marijuana have also changed. Keep Reading.

Revisiting Marijuana’s Mental Health Crisis. A troubling study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that cannabis use among people with a history of psychosis “sharply increased” in states where recreational marijuana was legalized. Keep Reading.

Oklahoma Authorities Seize Illicit Marijuana in Raid. There is evidence that Oklahoma’s lax marijuana laws have actually emboldened drug cartels and contributed to the spread of illegal marijuana on the black market. Keep Reading.

How Sports Betting Corrupts College Athletics and Exploits Student-Athletes. Sports betting is putting student-athletes at risk of harassment, bribery, and exploitation. Keep Reading.

Fortune 500 Companies Abandon Pro-LGBT Pandering. The pro-LGBT Human Rights Campaign’s 2026 Corporate Equality Index lost a whopping 65% of its Fortune 500 participants, dropping from 377 companies in 2025 to just 131 this year. Keep Reading.

As States Legalize Assisted Suicide, Pro-Lifers Must Stand Strong. Just like abortion, euthanasia and assisted-suicide are murder, and they violate the sanctity of human life. Pro-lifers must stand strong against them. Keep Reading.

Super Bowl Betting Explosion Shows Gambling’s Growing Grip. Americans wagered more than $1.7 billion on the Super Bowl this month, highlighting how online gambling has become a dangerous new norm in our culture. Keep Reading.

From Our Friends

Western Civilization is Worth Defending. From Breakpoint.

80% of Republicans Want Trump to Stop Mail-Order Abortions. From LifeNews.

Female Athletes Beg California Interscholastic Federation to Keep Boys Out of Girls Sports and Locker Rooms. From Daily Citizen.

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

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Equipping Christians for the Ballot

Elections,

Early voting is underway and candidates are making their final push to reach the voters before Election Day arrives. The rush of election season can be a demanding process as voters and candidates get to know one another and discuss the issues of the day. 

Voting is a right and responsibility. It is something many men and women have fought and died for to preserve. Though many Christians exercise this right, others choose not to participate. 

According to a George Barna survey conducted in 2024, 56% of self-identified Christians voted but 44% did not. Although turnout was historically high overall, millions of Christians still did not participate. This can always be approved upon. 

The American electoral process gives millions of Americans the opportunity to choose who leads federal, state, and local government. It is important to vote wisely. This is one reason Family Council produces the Arkansas Voter’s Guide. Many of the issues that are important to Christians are decided at the ballot box and that is one more reason Christians should engage in the political process.

The voter’s guide is a non-partisan, educational resource that shows voters where candidates stand regarding the issues that matter most to them. Candidates get the opportunity to answer a survey with a wide variety of issues and Family Council publishes their answers. Simply put, Family Council provides an impartial resource and voters get to decide who they want to represent them. 

Since Family Council first began publishing the Voter’s Guide in 1990, staff members have contacted hundreds – if not thousands – of candidates and distributed millions of guides to churches, individuals, civic groups, libraries, and others across Arkansas. Countless supporters have contributed to this effort because they recognize it as a vital resource for voters. 

Founding Father Samuel Adams once wrote in the Boston Gazette, 

“Let each citizen remember at the moment he is offering his vote that he is not making a present or a compliment to please an individual – or at least that he ought not so to do; but that he is executing one of the most solemn trusts in human society for which he is accountable to God and his country.”

Christians are accountable for many things, including how they steward voting. May it not be a responsibility that is taken lightly.

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Revisiting Marijuana’s Mental Health Crisis

Marijuana

Marijuana legalization is creating a mental health emergency among America’s most vulnerable populations.

A troubling study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that cannabis use among people with a history of psychosis “sharply increased” in states where recreational marijuana was legalized. The increase in prior 30-day use was three times higher than in the general population.

This is especially alarming because high-potency marijuana can trigger serious mental health problems.

Another study from Massachusetts General Hospital showed teen psychiatric emergencies spiked after marijuana commercialization began in the state. Teen marijuana use jumped from 5% to 17.3% in psychiatric emergency cases, while cannabis-related disorders among teens increased from 3.2% to 12.1%.

Today’s marijuana is not the same drug from decades past. Modern marijuana — and the drugs and extracts made from it — is far more dangerous. High-potency marijuana can contain 15% to 30% THC, sometimes even 60% THC, compared to just 3% THC in marijuana from the 1960s.

Arkansans should learn from experiences in other states when it comes to marijuana’s legalization and expansion.

All of this simply 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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