Several years ago, I penned New Testing for Marijuana (April 2016). That post centered on the drive for decriminalizing pot and the arguments many advocates raised. Back in 2016, the FDA had proposed changing the pot listing, removing it from Schedule I. The point would be to further promote the availability of this substance. In August, Politico reported that the Health and Human Services Administration is again advocating for "weed." Time will tell if that process moves forward.
I have written of the hypocrisy of dope. See Marijuana May be a Problem (January 2016); Measuring Marijuana Intoxication (July 2015); and Medical Pot Evaluation in Florida (July 2021.
But, there is a punch line in the New Testing. It focuses on the pot consumption in what is called "edibles." A great deal of cannabis is converted to foodstuffs and consumed without the dangers associated with smoking. That said, some believe that smoking pot is not even potentially dangerous to your health. See Agnotology (February 2023). That is indeed interesting, but I digress.
There are many who preach that marijuana never killed anyone. Politifact concedes that it is difficult to overdose on pot. That said, there is some evidence that pot can lead to accidents, injury, and even death. Some claim it is second only to alcohol in that. As an intoxicant, it is hard to see how it would not be troublesome for a vehicle driver to have ingested it.
But overdose? We have heard for years it is not possible. Florida Atlantic University has published a study that claims it is not only possible, but that it has occurred. The study suggests the odds of death are highest for old, non-hispanic white, males. Uh, hold on there a minute.
Furthermore, possibly, some cannabis gummies recently caused illness in children. US News is more direct in claiming that exposure to cannabis is increasing. And the concern is about "pediatric exposure." As much as one might want to find the article credible, its lead with the false premise that pot is legal or that there has been legalization undermines its credibility horribly.
It turns out that many children are hospitalized following exposure to edibles. Some require critical care. Poison experts claim that "life-threatening side effects can occur in children who consume cannabis edibles." NBC reports that such exposures are on the increase. The rate of increase? a 1,375% over just four years. Yes, it appears that kids are getting ahold of this "harmless" stuff and it is making them ill. Adults are suffering medical complications and challenges from this "harmless" stuff.
To make it worse, there is a raft of regulations protecting kids from harm. The federal government forbids "candy and fruit-flavored cigarettes that appeal to kids." The alcohol industry agrees to not market to kids, and various states preclude such advertisements. There are efforts that react to the recognition that kids need and deserve protection.
But the dope dealers are big on dressing their products up like candy. So much so that "big candy" is angry according to the New York Times. There are a multitude of "look-alikes" and their products may well fool a few adults. If alcohol, big tobacco, and others can be steered away from children, why are dope dealers (an illegal product) allowed to persist with the charade?
In the end, the bottom line is that kids are at risk. This is due to their naivete, their thirst for adventure, and their perception that everyone is doping and it is cool, hip, or down (the author has no clue what these kids today are saying sometimes). They are doing it because it has been decriminalized. They are allowing the weed or "edibles" to fall into young hands. They are responsible for the result.
