Legalizing Marijuana: Good or Bad?

March 31, 2014

With the United States on the cusp of legalizing marijuana and Colorado and Washington already legalized, there are so many questions concerning this hot topic. Are there benefits to this drug? What are the harmful effects of marijuana- on our kids, adults or our society as a whole? With the legalization of this drug, what will the costs of buying it? How will law enforcement be able to keep ahold of the ramifications of people overusing this drug? Joining Lon Woodbury and his co-host Liz McGhee today on LATalkRadio.com was Chris Kelly, the founder of Prevention Plus, a non-profit dedicated to prevention education and a former addict himself.

Chris has traveled the world and has learned that countries like the Netherlands, have not had a huge increase in the Dutch natives with the legalization of marijuana, but there is an increase in "narco tourism" where tourists from other countries come there for an awesome vacation with legal use of marijuana and in doing so has been good for the economy there. Chris explained that "their attitude in sex, nudity, prostitution and marijuana use is rather blas�'. They don't have that much of a thrill attached to it. But it makes you think: do I want people to come into my community to smoke marijuana and bring that element to it? In Portugal, with the legalization of drugs there, it has taken the criminal aspect out of it and therefore easier for people to get help with their addictions. Laws will never solve drug problems. People use it to cope, there is just so much suffering in the world. Drugs have risks and benefits- we need a broader understanding of drugs."

"I see it heading to legalization in our country�it wouldn't shock me" Chris stated. "But we need to be prepared for it. How will law enforcement measure or set standards for those that are impaired by marijuana? How about the workforce and industries? There are no easy answers- how do you ascertain if someone is impaired by it? They will need to be able to test for all substances- and create a standard. States seem to 'jump the gun' and it is almost like stoned people wrote the laws and didn't think it through all the way. Liz agreed and added "it's like they invented a game with no rules."

In looking at benefits- the lists come down to: less citizens in prison, less shame in coming forward for help with addiction to this drug, it is obtainable for families with children needing medicinal marijuana, people are in favor of the government not spending huge amounts on the "war on drugs" - people are really fed up with the "war on drugs" - and with the savings from the campaign on the war on drugs, use the money for prevention and treatment on demand�put the money to good use.

Chis summed up his feelings with marijuana as" I encourage kids to abstain from mind altering substances until their brains mature. They need to experience life sober. Addiction is an equal opportunity destroyer and a mental health issue. And for many- denial is a multi-level problem."

To listen to the full interview, go to Legalizing Marijuana - Good or Bad? on LATalkRadio.
Also available in Podcast

Lon Woodbury is the owner/founder of Woodbury Reports, Inc. and www.strugglingteens.com. He has worked with families and struggling teens since 1984 and is the host of Parent Choices for Struggling Teens.

Elizabeth McGhee is the Director of Admissions and Referral Relations at Sandhill Child Development Center and has over 19 years' of clinical, consulting and referral relations experience to her position and is the co-host.

Chris Kelly, a former marijuana addict, now sober for 24 years, has worked with children, teens and parents as a health educator all over the world. In 2009 he started Prevention Plus, a non-profit dedicated to prevention education with a mission to reduce suffering.

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