Tag Archives: Marijuana

Podcast: The Eddie Martinez Story

eddie-martinez
A Young Eddie Martinez.
Eddie-Martinez
Eddie Today.

 

One of Parents Opposed to Pot’s biggest fans in Facebook is an ex-convict who now shares his story. Eddie Martinez was a marijuana smoker at a very young age, which led to his joining a gang, dealing drugs and being in and out of prison for many years.

marijuana-testimony
Use of marijuana opens you up to taking just about any drug, in Eddie’s experience. “It all started with the pot,” he said.

Eddie tells his story today, in hopes of changing the minds of young people who think marijuana is cool. He also wants to encourage parents as they work to set a good example and teach their children the pitfalls of getting swept up in today’s pro-drug culture. His marijuana testimony is powerful and persuasive against going down the drug road.  Fortunately, he turned his life around.

For those who are casting a vote this year on the marijuana issue, we urge you to consider the impact on the poor, and communities of color. This immigrant’s story is an example of how drugs derail the American dream, leading to unthinkable outcomes after the drugs are introduced into his life.

This YouTube video podcast contains a slide show of Eddie’s personal photos.

If you have a testimony to share about how drugs have hurt you or your child, we encourage you to contact [email protected]. We are happy to  publish your story anonymously. In this case, Eddie was willing to use his full name.

Eddie-Martinez-Ex-Con
This is a meme Eddie helped us make when we first started PopPot.

Blown Away by this New Drug Culture

We thank Nancy in Nevada for her testimony

My husband and I are 67 and 69. Last year we went to a Steely Dan concert and our neighbor (36 yrs old) gave us some marijuana and with a smile said “be careful.” We hadn’t smoked pot for 30 or more years and we thought “why not?” and we blew off his warning saying, “We know, we’ve smoked pot before.”

Off we went and with true teenage abandon we took two puffs each in our car in a casino parking garage. We looked at each other and agreed… we didn’t feel anything. A few minutes later we attempted to step out of our SUV and almost fell. It came on so fast and so strong. We had to navigate an elevator, walk through the casino, out to the street and two blocks to where the concert was being held. We were having to focus 100% on the act of walking.

The doors to the venue weren’t open and we stood up against the building, away from people just waiting to be able to get to our seats and ride it out. My husband wanted to slide down the wall and sit on the sidewalk but he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to get up… Everything visual and auditory was exaggerated and distorted.

Potent Weed
A Washington Post chart is now outdated, as marijuana from Washington and Colorado routinely tests more than 20% THC. When it comes to edibles, BHO and wax, the THC can be 50-95%.  Top: Drug culture is celebrated at  420 Denver AP Photo is by Brennan Linsley

This new marijuana is waaaaaaay beyond simple medical use for pain. It lasted about six hours with the first three hours being at its strongest. There is no way we could have or would have driven the first three hours. Sit in a classroom and learn, impossible. Sit at the dinner table with your family and enjoy a conversation, impossible. This is not a couple of beers. This is not a couple of martinis. This is being drugged.

Nancy in NV

Bennett, William J.; White, Robert A. (2015-02-03). Going to Pot: Why the Rush to Legalize Marijuana Is Harming America (p. 18). Center Street. Kindle Edition.

Marijuana and Domestic Violence – A Personal Testimony

Breaking the Cycle of Marijuana and Domestic Violence, a 28-year Journey

I started smoking pot when I was 17. My father died suddenly when I was 13, and my home was no longer happy.  I couldn’t see that I was anesthetizing my pain.  I loved the way marijuana made me feel and I took every opportunity to smoke it. At first I was afraid to try it, but once I put my fears aside and smoked it, I decided my parents had been wrong when they warned me against using all drugs.

Instead of going to college, as my mother wished, I dropped out because my marijuana habit got in the way of studying. I had a bad early marriage and a daughter. I constantly thought about the decisions I had to make in life and felt that I had tried hard Continue reading Marijuana and Domestic Violence – A Personal Testimony

The Weed-Altered Brains of Pretty Little Killers: Conclusion

As parents, we’re trying to distinguish between normal teenage behaviors and warning signs of real danger. As a society, we are trying to figure out the triggers for abhorrent behaviors in order to prevent tragedies such as Skylar Neese’s murder.

A family friend of Rachel Shoaf, who had known her since she was an infant, was shocked that the teen with ‘potential, morals’ turned into a murderer.  Marijuana is the single influence that — if taken out of the picture — could have prevented this tragedy. Continue reading The Weed-Altered Brains of Pretty Little Killers: Conclusion