The State of Oklahoma Is Going to Pot
They’ve been popping up everywhere it seems. Ever since the passing of State Question 788 legalizing medical use of Marijuana last year, medical marijuana dispensaries are nearly as prolific as Dunkin’ Donuts shops are in New England. One local shop had a sign out front, “doctor on premises.”
Oklahoma now has one of the least restrictive medical marijuana programs in the country. It requires that the applicants be Oklahoma residents, they have to be 18 years or older, and finally, a signature of a physician who is licensed by and in good standing with the state medical or osteopathic oversight agencies. Special circumstances can be allowed for minors if applications receive two physician signatures as well as a signature of the applicant’s parent or guardian. In fact, according to the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) as of June 3, 2019, over 129,000 patient applications have been approved as well as nearly 1,500 licenses for dispensaries.
We’ve heard the arguments, “it’s less harmful than cigarettes,” “it’s natural” or “it’s only pot.” But it is a drug, and it’s becoming more and more “acceptable” as more and more states are legalizing its use.
Some of the short-term effects of marijuana include: short term memory problems, severe anxiety, lowered reaction time, increased heart rate (risk of heart attack), increased risk of stroke, problems with coordination (impaired safe driving).
Long-term effects include: lowered IQ, impaired thinking and ability to perform complex tasks, antisocial behavior including stealing money or lying, lowered life satisfaction, a greater chance of being unemployed or not getting good jobs.
People take drugs in order to change something in their life. Perhaps to run away from a problem, to rebel, to relieve boredom, or to experiment. They think drugs are a solution, but eventually, they become the biggest problem of all. Difficult as it may be to face one’s problems, the consequences of drug use are always worse than the problem one is trying to solve with them. The real answer is to get the facts and not to take drugs in the first place and to learn tools to deal with life’s problems.
