News
Cannabis Legalization Discussed at JCPC Meeting
The US Senate’s Finance Committee has released a “discussion draft” of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA), which would legalize marijuana at the Federal level.
The Johnson County Prevention Council, at their recent meeting, discussed the legislation and its possible effects on Wyoming and other states if it is passed.
Bill Hawley, Community Prevention Specialist with the JCPC, tells us more about the legislation.
Hawley said the legislation could feel to some like federal over-reach with the federal government telling Wyoming what they can and can’t do.
From a prevention standpoint, Hawley said data on the negative health effects of marijuana use is of concern and he gave a few examples including 1 in 6 users that start in their teenage years will become addicted or chronic users; recreational use commercialization results in a substantial increase in calls to poison control centers due to the increase in THC levels, especially in youth and minors; and that marijuana is addictive and harmful to the developing brain.
Hawley discussed the increased costs that may come with legalization, both financial and in human costs, and how that may affect Wyoming and we will have that in upcoming stories.
The US Senate’s Finance Committee is taking public comment on the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA), both pro and con, via e-mail, and we have provided a link with this story at sheridanmedia.com.
Comments can be sent to Cannabis_Reform@finance.senate.gov
Mark Steingass
August 31, 2021 at 3:16 pm
an open and frank discussion on legalization is warranted…one impact seldom discussed is that in California for example, frequent users of marijuana can’t find the keys to their own cars at home and if they do find their car keys they can’t remember where they parked
TK Steingass
September 1, 2021 at 7:59 am
Another concern about more available marijuana is that it destroys drive and reasoning skills in a young persons’ brains. So why should any government enrich itself at the expense of the success of our future taxpayers?
Dean Seever
September 1, 2021 at 9:13 am
Are you sure this isn’t an Onion News article? This guy really thinks that ending the prohibition of something is the government telling you what you can and can’t do? Hopefully he gets a dictionary and a history book soon.