Democrats' Agenda Is Extreme: Legalizing Marijuana Dangerous & Destructive, Says MN GOP State Senator

Minnesota state senator Glenn H. Gruenhagen (R) on Friday attacked Democrats’ efforts to legalize marijuana, highlighting what he said are proven dangers emanating from this type of reform. In a post on the Minnesota Republicans webpage, Gruenhagen called the Democrats’ agenda ‘extreme.’

“The sheer volume of research and data we have about the dangers of legalizing marijuana would stop most reasonable people in their tracks. Unfortunately, Democrats do not seem to care,” he wrote, further stressing some of the findings.

He began by pointing out recent reports on higher rates of pediatric cannabis edibles exposure. “Last year’s law that legalized cannabis edibles in Minnesota is already having terrible consequences for children,” he wrote linking to a story published in Post Bulletin saying there were 94 children under 6 who were reported to have accidentally ingested edibles in 2022. That’s a 334% increase compared to 2021.

In May 2022, Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed large-scale legislation that included provisions providing permanent protections to Minnesota-based hemp businesses for legal sales of CBD-infused foods and drinks. Besides CBD, the measure allows all hemp-derived cannabinoids to be legally sold in food items, beverages, and topicals, to name a few. The products must contain less than the federal limit of 0.3 % THC. The bill also allows up to 5 mg of hemp-derived THC to be legally sold in edibles and drinks to those 21 and older.

At the time, bill sponsor State Rep. Heather Edelson, (DFL), noted her worries about the safety of legal delta-8 marijuana products already being available via a loophole in Minnesota law, reported Duluth News Tribune. 

 “Products were targeting young people and contained thresholds of THC that were too much for the average consumer,” she said in a social media post announcing the bill’s passage in May. “Minnesota saw poison control numbers go up dramatically in 2020 and 2021 for youth under 12 because of lack of child safety on the packing and (its) appeal to their age group.”

This indicates that cannabis pediatric cases were already rising each year, even before the law, which, according to Democrats, was brought for the sake of protecting children.

‘The Dangers Of Legalizing Marijuana Are Significant’

Gruenhagen further lists possible dangers:

• “Approximately 30% of people who use marijuana become addicted, and the risk of developing a use disorder is much greater if you start during youth or adolescence.”

• People who marijuana have higher rates of temporary psychosis and long-lasting mental disorders such as schizophrenia. Marijuana has also been linked to depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Again, the link is stronger the earlier you start.”

• Marijuana use is especially risky for young people and developing brains. Marijuana use in teens has been linked to higher rates of mental health issues, the potential for addiction, difficulty problem-solving, memory and learning problems, lack of focus, and more. Marijuana can cause permanent IQ loss of as much as 8 points when people start using it at a young age, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association. In 2019, 37% of US high school students reported using marijuana at some point in their life, and 22% reported use in the past 30 days. We know if marijuana is legalized, these numbers will spike.”

He continued by saying that when a substance is legalized for a certain age, youth consumption usually starts about three years earlier, meaning if cannabis becomes legal for people aged 18, many children aged 15 will start consuming it illegally.

“The dangers of legalizing marijuana are significant and far-reaching. From the impact on health to the potential harm to young people and society as a whole, the negative consequences are too numerous to ignore. Marijuana may have an easy-going reputation, but it is incredibly harmful. The Democrat effort to legalize it here is taking us down a dangerous and destructive path,” he concluded. 

It is important to note that due to marijuana’s legal status as a Schedule 1 Substance, research on it has been (and still is) severely limited. As more states legalize it, and federal laws shift slightly, new research is starting to reveal both negative and positive effects, and there is no conclusion yet. What’s more, other countries, like Israel, have been focusing on the medical potential of the plant with recent studies revealing some astonishing results, like medical marijuana driving 6x improvement in killing breast cancer cells, and more. 

Ex-Gov. Jesse Ventura: ‘Cannabis Saved My Life' 

Gruenhagen’s post comes on the heels of Minnesota’s Senate Environment Climate and Legacy committee approving a measure concerning Sen. Lindsey Port’s bill — which creates a regulatory framework for recreational and adult-use cannabis — with a 5-4 vote. On this occasion, former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura testified in support, claiming cannabis saved his life. The retired professional wrestler said. “Not me personally, but the 38th first lady of Minnesota," he told the committee referring to his wife Terry’s seizures beginning 10 years ago.

They were the type of seizures “where you can't do anything but comfort the person, make sure they're breathing, make sure they're not swallowing their tongue." After doctors tried several anti-seizure medications and none worked plus produced side effects, they went to Colorado where she got her first dose of medical marijuana. 

"My wife took the first three drops under the tongue and has not had a seizure since. None. Marijuana cannabis stopped the seizures. Not our medicine," Ventura said. 

Photo: Courtesy of Kym MacKinnon on Unsplash