Tag Archives: Oregon

Vaping Deaths Test marijuana industry’s resistance to Regulation

All eyes on Governor Kate Brown

The marijuana industry proves that “tax and regulate marijuana” cannot work.   One year ago, October 3, 2018, the Washington Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB), announced new regulations that would ban marijuana edibles.  The LCB responded to 382 cases of toxic overdose of marijuana products in 2017, 82 of them involving children ages five and under.

A week after the announcement, the LCB rescinded the regulations in response to fierce objections from the industry.

Governor Kate Brown of Oregon

Now Oregon Governor Kate Brown has a good opportunity to ban marijuana vaping products in Oregon. Continue reading Vaping Deaths Test marijuana industry’s resistance to Regulation

Veteran grieves his mistake — using marijuana for PTSD

Disabled Marine Says Marijuana is Not Preferable to Pharma Drugs

By Andrew ,  a veteran’s testimony from Oregon

I wish there were better warnings and awareness on marijuana (there aren’t, currently, under Oregon regulations), especially in regards to mental health.

I am a 100% disabled combat veteran who served in the U.S. Marines during the Iraq War in 2003-2005. I never made any progress in my post-traumatic stress disorder when I was self-medicating under the elusive medical marijuana card. Continue reading Veteran grieves his mistake — using marijuana for PTSD

Oregon Mom Laments the Harms brought on by legalizing pot

By Maggie

My husband and I have four sons.  Our oldest, Trevor is 16.  It gives me a great deal of pleasure and emotion to be able to write this letter, because he has overcome so much in the last six months. Since Trevor was 12 or 13, we had emotional difficulties with him and trouble in school. He started experimenting with cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana with his friends, which was a shock.  Trevor hadn’t been exposed to any substance at home, since we don’t even drink, let alone consume drugs or smoke anything.  Right about the same time, the discussion about legalization was hot, and Oregon voted to legalize marijuana in 2014.

We knew something was off with Trevor, but at first we didn’t know if it was just typical adolescent troubles, a phase, or what.  When we discovered he had been exposed to marijuana, and was using it, parenting became such a challenge.  The availability of substances became rampant in the wake of legalization, and yes it was affecting our oldest son.

The Slippery Slope

Trevor moved beyond marijuana and got involved in so much more:

  • Dealing/trading other drugs, pills and alcohol
  • Stealing from friends and family
  • Driving without a license or even a permit
  • Skipping school, lying and promiscuity

How we finally got help

The effects of drugs on the teen brain are horrific.   Many adults don’t even know, and many kids have no idea what they are doing to their brains when they’re doing pot. One must live through it in their own home, with their own child, to understand the dynamic and heartache this behavior brings.  In our situation, the county juvenile services became imperative.  We were forced to turn our own son over to authorities.   Without the police and the county services, Trevor would not have progressed so far in the right direction.

Trevor has a support system in place: parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and therapists.  Counseling was pivotal for him.  With time and much effort on everyone’s part – particularly, Trevor’s efforts, he appears as of now to be on the mend.  We’re also thankful for cognitive therapy and accountability.  It is vital that we somehow teach our kids the importance of their daily decisions and how it can impact the rest of their life.  Our culture and media influence in many cases does not help.  Our kids are being exposed to images and ideas promoting substance use.

As a mother, I’m aware that at any point this could turn and he could be headed down a dark path once again.  Trevor’s probation is over I pray he has learned some valuable lessons.  I’m on a community coalition board for a non-profit educator and our city.  I’m determined to make a difference and would like to be able to help other families as they face similar challenges in the wake of drug legalization and normalization. Our communities are up against so much in terms of our youth.  Legalizing pot is a mistake!

(We published another testimony from a parent affected by legalization in Oregon about two weeks ago, )

 

My neighbor’s marijuana almost killed my dog

By Erin  My neighbor’s marijuana almost killed my dog…..and that could’ve been my child.  The guy continually smokes on his porch, in front of me and my four year-old child, then throws his half-smoked smoked marijuana cigarettes on my porch. He’s my upstairs neighbor.   My dog ate one of his butts and almost died.

It easily could’ve been my child. The thing is, no matter who I call — police, property management, they treat me like I’m some overzealous, anti-drug mom. Continue reading My neighbor’s marijuana almost killed my dog