Hi, CV!

A USC doctor told us he sees approximately one to two people from CV in the ER weekly. When I asked if those people were 18 and younger, he said no. Although there were people 18 and younger being seen, they were not the majority of cases. With a sigh of relief, this is a cue to pitch all adults, and kids of appropriate ages, to watch HBO’s documentary about heroin use in Cape Cod.

I have posted information on our website because watching it stunned me. I kept saying, “Please don’t die, please don’t die,” only to be disappointed. It’s eye-opening and important and, since we originally got our grant because young people were using heroin and getting arrested, it is happening here. Maybe we have money and can bypass the courts and head directly to rehab so it’s a hushed situation. But let us be real, please. Young lives are at stake.

The good doctor said he sees kids, toddlers really, who ingest marijuana and need to go to the ER. Edibles are pot-infused candy bars, brownies, cookies, lollipops, gummy bears. They are made for adults but tempting to children. Remember when Maureen Dowd ate an entire cannabis-laced candy bar in Colorado and experienced extreme anxiety and paranoia for eight hours? Without instructions, she ate it like a normal candy bar instead of breaking it into 16 pieces, the recommended dosage.  What you do with your mind and body is your choice but, please, don’t be reckless with your child’s life.

That’s why we ask you to start thinking about how you feel about legalized marijuana in California. Since marijuana will probably be legal for adult recreational use, you need to set the ground rules for your child’s behavior. Brains finish developing at around 25ish, so please be mindful of underage marijuana use. Because “everyone” says this “wonder medicine” cures whatever ails you, many kids don’t think it’s dangerous. Granted there are exceptions, but remember: it’s dangerous to their brains. My generation asked, “Are you stoned or stupid?” Little did we know our observations would later be supported by science.

  Suzy JACOBS