Maybe I’m just biased because I’m from an area where they grew a lot of weed before legalization anyhow, but I don’t know that the youths are consuming any more cannabis (or that a larger proportion of them do it) now. It was already there, readily available, and highly prized amongst the same kind of people 20 or 30 years ago. So to me, the major difference is…how bad they’re made to feel about their drug of choice, I guess?
Potency continues to increase and the message being heard by the general population is that cannabis is “safe”, that’s why it’s increasing legal. My own children believe “it has medical purposes”. The billboards and advertisements also convey this message.
This idea cannabis has “health” benefits is beyond absurd.
Unfortunately it will trigger and already has a serious mental health epidemic society wide.
Sometimes, actually frequently, the empirical realities are hard for societies to accept rationally.
Users all enjoy it. Businesses profit from it. Governments collect tax revenue. Politicians collect votes and support.
It’s like pollution or other externalities, this one the cost being numerous lives ruined with schizophrenia etc.
> My own children believe “it has medical purposes”.
Well, it is being used medicinally, ergo, it does.
But my kids don't believe it's a harmless medicine, they know it can be harmful if smoked excessively - not just from a health POV, but also from a "being stoned all the time is harmful to motivation and information retention" POV.
They also know that it can be harmful to a developing teenage brain when smoked consistently, and they also know that anyone with a family history of schizophrenia should stay well away from it.
They also know you shouldn't smoke weed after drinking a lot unless you fancy getting the spins and puking, and that you can't die from smoking it, although if you smoke a large amount, you might end up freaking out and thinking that you're dying, you're not, but it won't be a fun experience.
So you know, if you're going to smoke it, don't do that.
And they know these things because I taught them that, because I want to ensure they're safe.
Same reason I taught them to call an ambulance or me if any of their friends become unconscious from drinking alcohol, and to put them in the recovery position to ensure they don't aspirate their own vomit.
