STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE
SENATE PRESIDENT STANLEY ROSENBERG WANTS his fellow lawmakers to consider raising the age for legal marijuana use to 25, a policy change he expects to be unpopular.
Marijuana use, possession and home-growing become legal for adults aged 21 and over on Thursday after the passage of a ballot question in the Nov. 8 election. Rosenberg said he wants to put a future age change “on the table and at least have it discussed, even if the decision is to stick with 21.”
“The research that I’ve done indicates from the neurological scientists that the full development of the brain is not complete until approximately age 25, and that smoking marijuana, especially in large quantities, can affect the completion of that brain development and have lifelong impacts,” the Amherst Democrat told reporters. “So it’s a personal opinion. I will certainly be raising it with my colleagues. It’s not going to be a popular proposal, I’m sure of that.”
Rosenberg, who said in October that he would vote in favor of the ballot question, said no other states with legal marijuana have set their minimum ages at 25.
“What they put in the ballot question is not unreasonable given what’s happening in other states, but there is this element that I think is worthy of consideration even if it doesn’t result in changing of the policy,” he said
I don’t even care about the pot itself personally (the smell alone makes me sick), but do care about the civil liberties part. But pot or anything — the fact that we’re talking about gov’t control of people’s lives and treating everyone like children until age 25 now is just angering — especially after the people already voted on this. What’s next — raising the drinking age to 25? It’s one thing to tweak the tax rate, which most everyone agrees needs to happen — but this is the blatant removal of civil liberties that the people just voted on. So much for “the will of the people”, which apparently was just lip service.
Again, this is not about pot — this is about raising the definition of an adult for anything to 25 now, which is ridiculous.
I doubt this proposal will go anywhere.
But it says a lot about Mr.Rosenberg.
If Mr Rosenberg is truly concerned about adolescent brains, then he should also raise alcohol drinking age to 25 as well. As research shows that alcohol and marijuana effect the adolescent in the same manor. Not too mention that alcohol is much more addictive and more harmful to their general health. It is time to put some common sense in our laws.
Pot and alcohol do not affect the brain in the same way. If you have any credible evidence, please share. Otherwise stop the false facts.