Despite Promises, Marijuana Legalization Will Not Be a Benefit to Ohio’s Communities
(COLUMBUS, OH) –– As retail sales of commercially-produced marijuana and high-potency THC-infused drugs begin this week in Ohio, Dr. Kevin Sabet, President and CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) and a former White House drug policy advisor to Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton, released the following statement as a warning for parents, law enforcement and public officials:
“Every time another state embraces Big Marijuana the data consistently proves that legalization is a disaster for public health and safety. Ohio will prove to be no different. Ohioans are facing an onslaught of potent, psychoactive drugs that medical science consistently links with depression, IQ loss, suicidality, psychosis, schizophrenia, and heart conditions.
“The industry has spent millions telling Ohioans that their products are safe and even a form of ‘recreation.’ That’s an outright lie. These are dangerous, addictive drugs that can have serious consequences for users of all ages, especially young people. Meanwhile, parents, law enforcement, and community leaders across Ohio will be left with fewer resources to clean up the mess from marijuana commercialization.
“As we have seen in nearly every other state that has experimented with legalizing THC drugs, this new policy won’t make the state safer or healthier and it is not the cash cow that Big Marijuana promises.
“Ohio’s legislators should look to strengthen policies that place meaningful oversights on the addiction industry and strict potency caps to protect public health. Marijuana products should also carry health warning labels, as is already required for all tobacco and alcohol products. Specific reporting requirements should also be established so that the public can understand the harms created by legalization, and strict ethics guidelines should be established for members of governing and regulatory bodies.
“Ohioans will lose with this policy. Parents, law enforcement and community leaders should brace for the impact.”