Letter to the editor: Drawbacks to legal pot

Lt. Gov. John Fetterman was in Greensburg recently to discuss making recreational use of marijuana legal (“Fetterman’s marijuana tour stop in Greensburg draws large, divided crowd,” March 4, TribLIVE).

If medical professionals believe cannabis is a good tool in their medical bag for treating chronic pain or other issues, I can support that. But legalizing recreational use is not something I support.

As a law professional with over 35 years of experience, I have interviewed thousands of incarcerated people. All indicated that they started with marijuana and then graduated to other drugs. So in my mind, it is a gateway drug; the evidence is overwhelming.

Furthermore, much evidence supports the fact that people who use marijuana and have the AKT1 gene are seven times more likely to develop psychosis or other mental health issues.

I feel supporters of recreational use are being short-sighted and selfish. They want to get high and eliminate any possible criminal prosecution. They fail to look at the long-term effects on young people and society as a whole.

I would also question why politicians, specifically Democrats, are pushing this issue. Maybe because a chronically stoned population is a more easily controlled population.

The marijuana of today is much stronger than that of the ’60s and ’70s. I would hope that before you want to legalize it, step back from your bong and ask yourself, “Do I want my kids and grandkids being stoned all the time?”

Richard Bell

Ligonier Township