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'Medical' MJ For Teens
03.23.07|New York Post|By Bill O'Reilly

It seemed like a good idea at the time, the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, which allowed Californians to use marijuana with a doctor's permission to alleviate pain. Golden State voters passed the ballot measure into law by 56 percent to 44 percent.

The biggest bankroller of the referendum was George Soros, the billionaire who champions drug legalization. He pumped about $350,000 into pro-medpot ads, according to published reports.

Since the act was passed into law, thousands of pot "clinics" have opened across the state. In San Francisco, things got so out of control that Mayor Gavin Newsom, a very liberal guy, had to close many of the "clinics" because drug addicts were clustering around them, causing fear among city residents.

In San Diego, there's another problem: Some high school kids have found a loophole in the Compassion Act. Incredibly, there is no age requirement to secure medical marijuana in California - and no physical exam needed, either. So some kids tell a doctor they have a headache, pay him $150 for a card, and then buy all the pot they want. Unbelievable, but true.

Catherine Martin, a school official in San Diego, actually sent letters to parents in the Grossmont Union School District warning that some students are getting the medical-MJ cards and then selling them to other students. The result: an increasing number of kids arriving at school stoned. Martin warned parents to supervise their children.

San Diego DA Bonnie Dumanis told me that some "clinics" are even marketing medical marijuana under names like "Reefer's Peanut Butter Cup," and "Baby Jane." Cheech and Chong would be proud.

Now, I'm sure George Soros doesn't give a hoot about this, but the unintended consequence of non-prescription medical-marijuana legalization is that some kids are making an industry out of it. Sure, pot is available illegally in most places, but now children have a legal option. Why work at Burger King when you can sell pot cards?

Of course, there is nothing "compassionate" about kids being intoxicated. It changes them forever. Once a child alters himself with chemicals, childhood vanishes. A national study by the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse says more teens are in rehab for marijuana than any other intoxicant, including alcohol.

Society needs to rethink its strategy on intoxicants in general. If marijuana can help those suffering with debilitating diseases, then doctors should have the power to prescribe it and licensed pharmacies should carry it.

But storefront "clinics" run by irresponsible adults who are aided by corrupt doctors are a joke only a confirmed stoner would find funny.

Bottom line: Be careful what you vote for. Compassion can easily turn into chaos.

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Buzzby

This sounds like a reason to amend the act to require parental permission for minors.

What has that got to do with minors? Many adult medical marijuana users, like Montel Williams, prefer administration via the oral route.

How true! Ever since I got drunk on Passover wine when I was four years old I've been a stone alcoholic.

If offered a choice between rehab and a criminal record, what would any sane person do? I wonder how many kids would be in rehab for cannabis if you subtracted those who are in it because of a court order?

Prescription medicines must be approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration. The federal government is intransigent about changing cannabis' classification. Without the less-than-perfect systems worked out in medical marijuana states, current sufferers who need cannabis would be long dead before they could get any.

Desperation often results in flawed solutions. The current system is flawed but it's better than not having medical marijuana available to sick people who need it.

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IbeToken

Medical MJ in california for teens...why doesnt every pot head live in Cali? It blows my mind that my friendly neighbors in the west can enjoy a product legally, which is illegal in my state, yet I live in the same country. Nuts, crazy nuts.

Buzzby

For me it's cost-of-living. I couldn't afford to keep a roof over my head in California. I couldn't afford to buy weed for $400 an ounce, either.

Victor_vicious

I believe you are right. If I were facing jail time or treatment for 'an addiction' I would choose the treatment. I'm sure that subject hasn't been researched. I think there may be some well meaning parents that have gotten thier teenagers into treatment as well. I'm sure there isn't any research to back that up either.

 

Migz420

Great point. I suppose when I was 16 and got a ticket for having an empty dugout (paraphernalia) and had to go to 8 classes and do some community service that counted as a teen in rehab? what a joke.

I don't condone highschool kids getting medical cards and selling bud to their peers. It's easy to set a 21 age limit, or 18. I'm pretty surprised that an age limit wasn't included in the first place.

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Migz420

growing your own is an easy solution to the 400$/oz dilemma. At least that's the route I took. Everywhere I've lived, for the good chron it's always in that price range. Now I just live off the pot-market grid.

Cali is insane though as far as housing prices go. I'm west-coast-ish and live on .19 of an acre. My house is worth 450k these days, in a shitty market. I paid 187k. I'll love reaping the benefits of the crazy prices in this part of the country.

Lothar121

What Bill is not telling you is the kid has to have a recommendation from a doctor and parental consent. From what I understand, the teens that have marijuana recommendations are few and far between, but I could be wrong.

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