It is time to prevent marijuana becoming legal in Ohio. Teens among others will have greater access to this gateway drug, which puts our citizens in great danger.

The legalization of marijuana will potentially be the worst decision in our state’s history. It is worse than you think. Drugged up drivers, high school dropout rates increasing, lower IQ levels, and mental illness will rise according to The Federalist.

Peter Hecht of the Sacramento Bee wrote, “Pot-related traffic fatalities have spiked by 32 percent.”

We need to save the safety of our friends and family by making this gateway drug stay illegal. Letting people drive under the influence is endangering everyone, if not directly, indirectly. It is absolutely ridiculous that our government is turning their heads to a 32% spike in car accidents since weed has become legal in California.

Teens, school students, and even young adolescents will have complete access to marijuana. Even though there will be a set age on access, teens can obtain a fake ID just like they use for alcohol. In their minds, it is now seen as a normal thing that everyone does, but they don’t fully understand what it will eventually do to them.

In the article “How Legalizing Marijuana Will Hurt Americans Long-Term,” by Joseph Turner wrote, “There may be higher dropout rates and lower average levels of professional and academic achievement.”

Junior Alyssa Prevesk said, “People now are resisting smoking because it’s illegal but if it becomes legal those people will start the drug.”

The population of Ohioans that smoke weed will rise. We need doctors, we need scientists, we need these people to find the cure for cancer, Alzheimer’s, and Pica to make the world a better place to live in. To do this, we must have exceptionally educated students, not people who sit on their couch and smoke pot all day.

Anatomy teacher Michael Verdi believed that marijuana has terrible long-term effects. He said, “Many types of cancer, affects your brain, also I worry about it being normalized in teens.”

These children are being normalized to marijuana, thinking that it is completely safe and non-harmful which, ironically is the complete opposite.

Studies by Calm USA have proven that marijuana could be far more dangerous than cigarettes, a cancer-causing product. Calm USA says, “Marijuana is terrible for your mental health: Marijuana may even be WORSE than cigarettes.”

Many people argue to say that marijuana has no long-term effects, but I beg to differ. Long-term weed smoking can cause mental illness. Joseph Turner from The Federalist wrote, “Studies link cannabis use to onset of schizophrenia and other manifestations of mental illness.”

We will deteriorate completely as a state. What’s next? Our state governor high and happy while making important life-altering decisions for millions of Ohioans? Or maybe showing symptoms of an undiagnosed mental illness?

In the same article from the website, The Federalist, Turner states, “Overindulgence in cannabis may result in an empty wallet.” People may get so wrapped up in smoking cannabis that they spend most of their money on marijuana which, can affect their own family.

Normalizing marijuana to young developing minds will only lower their ability to further their brain capacity and their level of education.

In an article on NPR.com, Patti Neighmond states, “Think of the teen years as the last golden opportunity to make the brain as healthy and smart as possible.”

People’s values will drop drastically, motivation to get an education will dissipate, and so will our personalities.  

So take a stand, and vote against the legalization of marijuana in Ohio, unless you want our state to be filled with drug-crazed, car crashing, and ill people.