To the Editor:
South Dakotans defeated recreational marijuana in 2022 by a 53% to 47% margin and for good reason.
Bertha Madras, Psychobiology Professor, Harvard Medical School, one of Americas foremost experts on marijuana, recently warned, Theres mounting evidence that cannabis can cause schizophrenia. A large-scale study last year that examined health histories of some 6.9 million Danes between 1972 and 2021 estimated that up to 30% of young mens schizophrenia diagnoses could have been prevented had they not become dependent on pot. Marijuana is worse in this regard than many drugs usually perceived as more dangerous (WSJ: What You Arent Hearing about Marijuanas Health Effects, 5-10-24).
Madras also warned, more pregnant women are using pot, which has been linked to increased preterm deliveries, admissions of newborns into neonatal intensive care units, lower birth weights and smaller head circumferences. THC crosses the placenta and mimics molecules that our bodies naturally produce that regulate brain development. Years later, during adolescence, they are more prone to increased incidence of aggressive behavior, cognitive dysfunction, and symptoms of ADHD and obsessive-compulsive disorders. They have reduced white and gray matter.
The Gatestone Institute (6-21-24): Marijuana legalization has led to increased homelessness and drug abuse. It boosted illegal migration and organized crime. It made life worse in every state and city where its been tried without delivering tangible benefits to anyone
These are important considerations for the recreational marijuana issue coming up in South Dakotas November election.
Bernie Hendricks
Brookings
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