I agree. Marijuana is a minor issue. I worry though, that this will be only the first step, as was discussed above. I feel strongly that no amount of heroin should ever be considered safe. Same with meth, IV fentanyl, ketamine, PCP and multiple other substances. Those drugs are instantly addicting and will lead to nothing constructive and will likely destroy lives if allowed. It will not only destroy the lives of those who abuse them, but also the lives of family, friends, and others who have to care for them or those who become victims of their criminal activity that these drugs often lead to.
I do not believe that "recreational" meth, heroin, or IV fentanyl is a real thing. once you are taking it, you are changed forever. There is PET scan evidence to show permanent changes in brain signaling and cravings. Some are in recovery, but they are always at risk of complete and total relapse at any moment. Those relapses often result in them being found dead. The specialty I work in is acutely tied to this issue, so I must be very aware of my colleagues. Everyone is susceptible. Trying a small amount of these drugs just to "see what it feels like" is not the same as smoking a little pot. That's why dealers are always willing to let you try the first time (so I have heard). Once you try, they know they have a long term customer. It is a steep escalation and the subsequent highs are never as good as the first, but the user is always seeking it, so they escalate higher and higher.
My best friend in high school was the most prolific drug dealer in our school (to his credit, he never even offered me drugs). He was also one of the smartest people I knew (scored a 1430 on SAT with no prep at all-yet never went to college). He wanted to go to medical school and actually inspired me to look into it. His upbringing was very different than mine and drugs were a big part of his parents' lives, so it was not a big surprise that he got caught up in it. He got a mid 6 figure salary job with his dad's real estate company, but then started using heroin. He embezzled several hundreds of thousands from the company before getting caught and losing everything. His brother even donated a kidney to him. That eventually failed him too and he died in his mid forties.
I have seen colleagues get caught up in drugs and lose their careers that they had studied for 12-14 years to get to. I know other physicians who died from overdoses, leaving behind spouses and kids.
I had a couple of in laws with similar drug issues. I have seen it in family, friends, colleagues, patients, etc. It is terrible. Having a kid get messed up in these drugs may be worse than having a child die. They will never be the same and they will almost never be trustworthy again. They will steal from you, they will lie, they will abuse you. Anything to serve their need. Eventually, they will likely become completely dependent on you for basic needs such as money, food, clothing, shelter. If you buy them anything of real value, they will likely trade or sell it for more drug. Picture 80+ year old parents still providing daily needs for their two >60 year old kids who have been on welfare their entire adult life. It is sad to see. I pray that my kids never go down that path.
