“Dr Nahas has come to the conclusion, which I share, that the innocuousness of cannabis is being overstated, and its dangers underestimated.” ­­—William Patton, as quoted in the British Medical Journal Gabriel Georges Nahas, distinguished physician and researcher, received many awards including the French Legion of Honor (for his service in the French Resistance), the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Order of the British Empire. Above all, he should be honored and remembered for his long battle against the legalization of marijuana. Raised in the Middle East, he saw hashish users “everywhere, sleeping in the most unlikely places, begging for alms, or simply shuffling along the streets in a semistupified way.” The sight horrified him. Today, federal law still prohibits the use and sale of marijuana; but as of June 2023, 47 states allow some form of marijuana use.

The recent increase in marijuana use has been accompanied by a parallel increase in marijuana use disorders. Adolescents and young adults have seen the most dramatic increase in marijuana use. What will this mean in the future for America as mental health costs rise? What will this mean as more people become addicted, neglect responsibilities and relationships, become unable to complete tasks at work, and use marijuana in risky situations? The long-term price to be paid for the profits accompanying marijuana legalization has yet to be calculated.

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