“I want to be unequivocally clear that this continued decline in e-cigarette use among our nation’s youth is a monumental public health win,” said Brian King, the director of the Food and Drug Administration’s tobacco division. He was celebrating the news that fewer than 8 percent of teenagers are using e-cigarettes, a 10-year low.
That’s good news but why isn’t the federal government as concerned about the growing use of marijuana among teens? Last year it was reported that teen marijuana use was at its highest level in 30 years.
It’s easy for young people to use marijuana undetected by adults. They can smoke it in a rolled cigarette joint, pipe or bong; they can smoke liquid or wax marijuana by vaping; “edibles” are available; drinking beverages with marijuana products is another option; and oils and tinctures can be applied to the skin.
According to the CDC, the negative effects of marijuana are: difficulty thinking and problem-solving; memory and learning issues: reduced coordination; and difficulty maintaining attention. The increase in traffic accidents since the widespread use of marijuana is another serious problem; unlike alcohol, the police have no way of determining marijuana use.
Both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are in favor of legalizing marijuana. She took that position in 2018 and Trump endorsed legalization this past week. Both should be asked how they can justify their position given what we know about the psychological and physical problems associated with marijuana use, especially among young people. It is much more harmful than previously thought.
Harris and Trump should also be asked why the black market in marijuana and other more lethal drugs has spiked since weed was legalized in many cities and states. What did they think would happen when Uncle Sam got into the act? Street drug dealers never go away: they don’t charge tax and they can be depended on to sell an unlimited quantity of unregulated drugs.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Mr. Science, has said next to nothing about marijuana use. He is in a position to start a national conversation about this issue, but he appears not to have any interest in doing so. Perhaps he should ask those who work in ER facilities about this.
Only 1.6 percent of teens are smoking traditional cigarettes. The percent who experiment each year with marijuana ranges from 32 to 37 percent.
There is something terribly screwed up about our priorities. Why is Marlboro unacceptable but marijuana is? And aren’t we having serious respiratory issues since Covid? The disconnect is startling.
