Rocky Mountain High

Keep your eyes on the COLO news wires

Monday, January 6, 2014

“They call marijuana a gateway drug. Medical marijuana could be called a gateway law. And the fight to keep such a law off the books in Arkansas isn’t over yet. More petitions and votes are coming. Brace yourself. And until then, let’s all keep a close eye on Colorado. Which might be hard. It’s like watching a family member struggle with an addiction.”

-Arkansas Democrat-Gazette March 12, 2013

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A COUPLE of groups are said to be working on getting a medical marijuana law on the books in Arkansas-again. The last effort was barely defeated at the polls. But the fight ain’t over.

You’ll remember that’s how it all started in Colorado: with medical marijuana. You know, just to be humane to those who are ill and need the “medication.” Never mind that the drug in weed that can help folks ease the pain of some diseases can be found in a pill and distributed by legal pharmacists. But few really thought that those pushing marijuana would stop at its “medical uses.” It’s all about complete legalization. Always has been.

After Colorado legalized medical marijuana, it wasn’t long before the state legalized pot for recreational use, at least for those over 21. Then just last month the city council in Denver decided that the law wasn’t fair to 18-year olds and is still considering whether to lower the age restrictions in the city limits. Wow. Talk about a slippery slope. Call it a dead drop off a cliff.

It’s always a good idea to read the news coming out of Colorado when it comes to the legalization of marijuana. The better to arm yourself when those outfits in Arkansas start knocking on your door, wanting you to sign a petition in favor of medical marijuana.

Here’s more news off the COLO wire: Some rehab centers in Colorado are prepping for an increase in patients.

Teenaged patients.

How can that be? The law is the law, and it says young people can’t have … .

Yeah, right. They also can’t drink booze, either, but somehow kids get into the liquor cabinet. If it’s around, the kids will get into the stash. And in Colorado these days, pot is around. It’s all over the place.

The papers quoted a Dr. Christian Thurstone, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado. He’s also the head of a teen rehab center. He says 95 percent of the referrals to his clinic-for teens, mind you-is for marijuana use. He’s had to double his staff since November, and he still has a waiting list for folks wanting to get in.

ABC News quoted an addictions expert named Ben Court who works at the University of Colorado’s Hospital Center for Dependency. He’s seen first-hand how teens already dealing with mental illness can be harmed by marijuana, especially the highly potent stuff going around these days. He saw one kid act so crazy he was almost shot by cops.

“For the person on shaky ground, you add this to the equation and it’s gas on the fire,” Mr. Court said.

Every week, it seems, there is another story or two coming out of Colorado that should scare parents, and everybody else, in this state. It’s a drip, drip, drip of scary news. Or make that a toke, toke, toke.

It’s bad enough watching what’s happening in Colorado. Let’s not bring those problems to Arkansas.

Medical marijuana? No thank you please. Some of us still have eyes to see.

Editorial, Pages 10 on 01/06/2014