Oct 6, 2019 2 min read

Wise up, Pennsylvania!

The legalization of marijuana will go a long way in helping to ease the strain on our judicial system, but it will create a litany of other problems similar to the ones encountered with DUI enforcement. Its legalization will no doubt put enormous amounts of money in the government till, but will suck out funds and manpower in other ways. So be it. The greatest concern that cannot be minimized, however, is the effect it will have on our young people.

With legalization will come restrictions for purchase and use in a weak attempt to protect those who are not “adults.” But as youth always does, if it’s out there, and they are not supposed to have it, they will find a way. Only a fool would believe that paper tiger regulations would work. The dangers of facing a high 16-year-old behind the wheel are obvious, but how about coping with the stunted mental development that it will undoubtedly have on the developing brain – a lifelong sentence. There are numerous studies that are coming to light that conclude that marijuana use in formative years permanently alters the brain, probably similar to fetal alcohol syndrome.

Is this what we want for our youth? We have already have created an environment in which our young people today live an unhealthy lifestyle. They are the most physically inactive, overweight, socially isolated and depressed generation in our culture’s history. Thank you, technology. Now we’re going to throw in the selective opportunity of stunting brain development.

We have to put our kids before self-indulgent personal gratification and the almighty dollar. Wise up, Pennsylvania!

Sally Brown-Pawlosky

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