If Pennsylvania lawmakers follow Gov. Josh Shapiro and the marijuana industry in pushing industrialized and addictive marijuana for recreational sale, the consequences for our children, mental health, and road safety will be severe.
Despite previously expressing concern as a father and former law enforcement official, Shapiro has now clearly aligned himself with Big Marijuana—ignoring the mounting evidence of its dangers.
The governor is proposing to take a drug that the CDC associates with a variety of health risks and SAMHSA links to addiction and commercialize it to generate tax revenue for the state. In essence, this results in the state being incentivized and benefiting the more an addicted user purchases marijuana.
Commercialization means more addiction and more profits at the expense of people’s lives—just like Big Tobacco. Companies like Trulieve, which already operates in Pennsylvania’s medical program, spent over $100 million in Florida on a ballot initiative to bring commercialization to the Sunshine State. Florida voters smartly said no.
As a father, you have to wonder what Gov. Shapiro was studying. Colorado has had commercialized marijuana since 2012, and according to the state Department of Revenue, there are over 1,000 pot shops, more than Starbucks and McDonald’s combined. Commercialization is, as a mom in California put it, an “in-your-face culture” with billboards colorfully advertising marijuana flavored vapes like Red Sundae and Kushy Punch. The son of Colorado Democratic state Rep. Judy Amabile was “broken” by marijuana use; “Everywhere he went, this product was available and in greater and greater concentrations and potency.”
Research by the Monitoring the Future survey of 8th and 10th graders (2023) found students who see marijuana billboards more than once a day were four times more likely to have used marijuana in the past year and seven times more likely to have used marijuana in the past month (a sign of addiction).
In New Jersey, pot shops advertise with Disney characters and even host kid-themed events like pumpkin carving contests. This isn’t about responsible adult use—it’s predatory marketing aimed at getting the next generation hooked.
Today’s marijuana product is vastly different from what used to be just the leafy plant with single-digit THC. Now, it’s a candy store of fruit-flavored concentrates and edibles with THC contents often in the 60-90 percent range.
Examples of the type of high-potency THC flavored vaporizers from a company like Trulieve include: Lemon Scoop, 81 percent THC; Strawberry Apple, 77 percent THC; Watermelon 77 percent THC; Mac and Cheese, 73 percent THC; and Raspberry Rain, 85 percent THC.
The CDC warns that high-potency THC can trigger psychosis, paranoia, and long-term mental disorders. And the earlier someone starts, the greater the risk. We are sadly seeing a surge in mental health problems among young users. Despite efforts to curb youth use, legal markets are hurting more children. As a 2023 study by Temple University found, when you allow commercialization of marijuana, more children and young adults will use it.
The many risks to children and the increase in use in legalized states are in large part why health organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Family Physicians oppose legalization for recreational use.
“It’s just getting worse in terms of the number of kids who are being impacted by cannabis because the potency is so high,” said Dr. Leslie Walker-Harding with Seattle Children’s Hospital to The Seattle Times, highlighting how children are the collateral damage of commercializing high-potency THC. “We’re now seeing many more mental health issues – schizophrenia, psychosis, depression, anxiety. I’ve seen it and it’s scary.”
While law enforcement shares concerns on the impact specific to children, public safety on the roads is another chief concern.
The dangers on our roads will only get worse. The data is clear; marijuana legalization leads to more crashes and fatalities. Science Direct found up to 1,400 more traffic deaths per year in states that legalized weed. And according to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, Pennsylvania can expect at least 40 more fatal crashes and over 1,000 additional accidents annually. Is this really a risk we’re willing to take?
As the National Safety Council points out, “Intoxicating cannabis products, including marijuana, can have a major impact on safety at work and have been proven to slow reaction time, impact memory and impair skills essential to driving. State legalization of the drug creates new challenges for employers.”
The primary voices for law enforcement – the National Fraternal Order of Police and the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association – are opposed to the type of marijuana plan that Shapiro proposed. Even safety groups like American Automobile Association (AAA) are opposed “due to the inherent traffic safety risks.”
In short, Shapiro is taking a position on marijuana commercialization that goes against mainline health organizations and law enforcement agencies.
Gov. Shapiro, are you prioritizing Pennsylvania’s children and public safety—or are you more concerned with political ambitions, and pleasing corporate donors and political allies? The evidence is clear: this policy will harm our communities. Stop selling out Pennsylvanians for Big Marijuana’s profit.
If Pennsylvania lawmakers follow Gov. Josh Shapiro and the marijuana industry in pushing industrialized and addictive marijuana for recreational sale, the Read More
