Recreational Marijuana Rejected by Voters

Americans in Florida, North Dakota and South Dakota voted against legalizing recreational marijuana, reflecting research showing cannabis use causes physical and mental health problems.

Citizens in North and South Dakota rejected ballot measures legalizing recreational marijuana for people over 21 years old by 3- and 6-point margins, respectively.

Florida put a pro-marijuana amendment on its ballot, which would have enshrined the right to buy and use recreational marijuana in the state constitution. A majority of Floridians (55.9%) actually voted in favor of Amendment 3 — but citizens can’t change Florida’s constitution without a 60% supermajority.

Hopefully, these results indicate a growing awareness among citizens that marijuana is not nearly as safe as manufacturers make it seem.

The most recent U.S. Survey on Drug Use and Health found 18 million marijuana users, about a third of all users over 18-years-old, demonstrated symptoms of cannabis use disorder (CUD), or inability to control their use.

Addiction or dependence on high-potency cannabis increases users’ likelihood of developing cannabis-associated psychotic symptoms (CAPS) or triggering a chronic psychotic disorder. In 2019, The Lancet reported that people who smoked high-THC marijuana daily were five-times as likely to develop a psychotic disorder as those who didn’t smoke.

Reports of these dangerous side-effects have finally trickled into mainstream media reporting, but perceptions of marijuana as harmless don’t go away overnight.

Voters in Nebraska, for instance, overwhelmingly chose to legalize medical marijuana (70.7%), making them the 39th state to do so. Cannabis, especially products without THC, can offer some medical benefits. But using marijuana for medical purposes can also carry the same mental and physical risks as using it for fun.

One woman interviewed by the New York Times said she began using marijuana in 2019 when her doctor suggested it could help her migraines. The drug helped for a couple of months, she reported, before she started experiencing severe stomach pain. Doctors did not connect her symptoms to marijuana. A dispensary employee even advised her to up her dose.

She had begun experiencing debilitating nausea and vomiting when she learned she had cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, a disease that affects long-term marijuana users. Left untreated, CHS can lead to dehydration, seizures, kidney failure and cardiac arrest. The Times claims the disease is on the rise — and most cannabis users don’t know about it.

Nebraska’s new medical marijuana law limits how much of the drug can be dispensed, which could help prevent some of these dangerous consequences. Another approved ballot establishing a medical cannabis commission could further regulate consumption to prevent further use. But, historically, the marijuana industry has managed to work around such limits.

Florida, North and South Dakota’s rejection of recreational marijuana is an encouraging sign that citizens are recognizing how dangerous marijuana can be for their families, neighbors, co-works and communities.

Nebraska’s support of medical marijuana suggests Americans aren’t ready to relinquish cannabis and its potential health benefits. It’s up to citizens and believers to continue warning others about the harms of this powerful drug.

Additional Articles and Resources

Parents — Time to Tackle Marijuana Myths

THC-Laced Snacks Marketed to Kids, Hemp to Blame

Marijuana Causing Psychosis in Young People, Legacy Media Late to Party

Talking With Tweens About Marijuana

Talking With Your Teens About Drugs and Alcohol

How the Marijuana Industry is Campaigning to Hook Your Kids on a Drug that Will Damage their Brain

The Surgeon General Announces New Advisory on the Dangers of Marijuana for Pregnant Women and Adolescents

Federal Legalization of Marijuana Gains Steam. Here are the Downsides to Legalization.

Focus on the Family Resources for Mental Health