It’s easier for kids to get drugs than alcohol! A new study has good news and bad news for parents of today’s teenagers. If you worry about your teenager drinking alcohol, then it is good news. Teenagers are not able to acquire alcohol or tobacco products very easily these days, and that has to do with the legalities on the sale of these products. These addictive products are legal and regulated.
However, teens are finding it easier to get other substances. At http://blog.norml.org/2009/08/28/study-says-its-easier-for-teens-to-buy-marijuana-than-beer/ one can find the statistics. A large majority of teens can get marijuana in less than a day. Many of these teens can also get prescription drugs as well.
Personally, I wouldn’t worry as much about the pot. The unstated fact is that teenagers can get illegal drugs easier than alcohol and tobacco. Cannabis is only one illegal drug–and one that is not physically addicting. The point is that, If your son or daughter can get pot, then they can get other (much more addicting) drugs as well. Crack cocaine and methamphetamines are drugs that have the potential of being physically addicting and truly life-ruining.
More and more states are now legalizing marijuana for medicinal usage because of the benefits. At one time in this country, marijuana was legal. The logging industry lobbied for it to be made illegal because they did not want the competition when it came to making paper. Now, one state at a time is changing that. However, our government is sticking with the sentiment that pot is as dangerous as other drugs. Yet the real war on drugs is continuing to go on-mostly with our youth.
It is good to know that our teens cannot just walk into the local liquor store and purchase alcohol. It is disheartening to know that it is far easier for them to get illegal drugs. With the economic woes of our time, one would think that our government might come to the point of recognizing that the legalization of marijuana could provide the money that is needed to continue to fight the war on life-destroying drugs. California is going to try for the full legalization of marijuana, and the administration fully expects this to be a huge cash cow for their economy. The legalization of marijuana on a national scale could be a way to help our economy and provide the money necessary to police other, far more dangerous substances.
In January of 1920, Prohibition went into effect. This was an effort to stop people from using alcohol, but the measure failed. Thirteen years later, prohibition was repealed with the passage of the 21st amendment. It was during the Prohibition years that organized crime got rich–by supplying a market demand. One failed experiment for our government, and still they have not learned from history.
