Marijuana – Page 2 – Family Council

Arkansas Authorities Continue Seizing THC Products from Out of State

Apr 21, 2026Jerry CoxMarijuanaMarijuana

Arkansas State Police continue to seize THC products from out of state.

THC is the main psychoactive substance in marijuana, and some states have legalized these products in hopes to weakening the illicit drug market. But instead, legalization has emboldened drug cartels and other criminals across the country.

On April 4, a State Trooper discovered approximately 650 pounds of mushroom‑based edible gummies and 718 pounds of THC‑infused gummies during a traffic stop on I-40 in Crawford County. The driver told investigators he was traveling from California to Georgia.

Stories like these are all too common in Arkansas. As Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said last month, “Arkansas sits at the heart of major drug‑trafficking corridors.” Arkansas State Police routinely confiscate illegal marijuana products from Oklahoma and other states.

Despite promises of regulation, oversight, and tax revenue, states that have legalized marijuana still battle organized crime, black market operations, and public safety threats.

Arkansans should remember all of this when it comes to any proposals to expand marijuana. 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.

Study Links Marijuana to Lung Cancer Risk

Apr 16, 2026Jerry CoxMarijuanaMarijuana

A recent study shows heavy marijuana may be linked to lung cancers.

Across the U.S., many states have legalized marijuana either for “medical” or “recreational” use, but a growing body of scientific research reveals marijuana is actually much more dangerous that many people realize.

A study by researchers from Keck Medicine of USC in Southern California shows heavy marijuana use may increase a person’s risk of developing different lung cancers.

The study’s findings underscore what the American Lung Association has said for years: Marijuana smoke clearly damages the lung, and it contains many of the same toxins and carcinogens found in tobacco.

In 2024, researchers from Keck Medicine also found daily marijuana use is linked to a higher risk of deadly head and neck cancers.

Besides cancer, marijuana has also been tied to a number of deadly heart problems — including heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.

Experts now say marijuana use raises a person’s risk of stroke by 20%, and it doubles a person’s risk of death from heart disease.

Research also links marijuana to a 400% increased risk for developing diabetes.

In Arkansas, marijuana industry insiders worked unsuccessfully to expand marijuana via the state’s ballot initiative process in 2022 and 2024. Fortunately, neither of those bad measures passed.

All of this 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.

Marijuana May Trigger False Memories: Study

Apr 15, 2026Jerry CoxMarijuanaMarijuana

A recent study shows marijuana may actually trigger false memories in users.

Nationwide, many states have legalized marijuana, and in Arkansas “medical” marijuana use has skyrocketed since the COVID-19 pandemic. But a growing body of scientific evidence shows marijuana is harmful.

Researchers at Washington State University published a study in the Journal of Psychopharmacology linking marijuana use to poor memory and recall. The study found “cannabis increased susceptibility to false memories and detrimentally impacted verbal memory.”

This is not the first study to find that marijuana hurts users’ working memory and causes cognitive problems.

High-potency marijuana can trigger serious mental health problems.

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.

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%.

Heavy marijuana use has also been linked to reduced brain activity.

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.