FROM THE PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE

I've heard every reason in the book to legalize the use of marijuana:
"After all it's legal in parts of Europe." "Hell I could just go to
California and get it, what's the big deal?" "It helps me mellow out,
what does it matter if I take a few hits?" "Xanax is worse if you ask
me." "If doctors prescribe it, what can be so bad about getting high
on a little weed?" And therein lies the rub. What really is the big
deal?

From a purely professional point of view as a therapist and chemical
dependency counselor, I will speak only to the stories of disaster
that I have witnessed. Number one, in all the years I have worked with
people who have what a professional describes as cannabis dependency,
I have yet had a person appear at my door that did not have a
disastrous story to share. Contrarily, I have had countless others who
struggle with anxiety who have managed to keep their lives afloat to
the point they appear seeking help as they have grown tired,
discouraged and find that what worked or helped them cope in the past
does not help them any longer so they wisely reach out looking for
help.

Now let me speak to the so-called "usefulness of weed." It is true
that those in California who have a medical issue can now "legally"
acquire cannabis with a prescription. For those of you who argue,
"See, if it's legal and doctors prescribe it, why not use it here?"
For the same reason, I hope you would not share with a friend other
medicines prescribed by the doctor, nor go beyond the dosage that
meets your medical need.

Yes, I hear countless stories of those who thought at age 16 that they
would be "cool" and take a hit with friends. I have yet to see a
client who is on a court-ordered evaluation that did not feel he or
she started innocently, perhaps did not even like it at first, only to
find that they eventually liked it more than they could afford. Of
course, since they were up for trying a hit, more would be better,
they thought, and down the slippery slope the journey began: "I
thought if I sold that I wouldn't have to pay for it myself." "I
thought a hit of weed didn't hurt so why not try a hit of meth. And on
and on it went until they have now lost family, home, freedom, the
ability to get a job due to felony charges, prison time for robbing to
support the habit which they thought was so innocent and most of all
the ability to maintain family relationships because, once addicted,
the only love relationship that matters is the relationship with their
mood-altering chemical. There is not one aspect of their life that is
not affected as the entire person becomes seen through the spectrum of
placing their need for their mood-altering chemical above all be it
family, work, friends, a spiritual life, values or morality.

In my opinion, there is nothing worth losing your "self" and the brain
cells that God has given you. Nothing seems worth a lifetime of waste
due to lost energy, drive, values and a wholesome perspective that
gets dulled beyond belief by "just a joint." That joint may end up
costing more than one would think.

Alberta L. Vassarkovy

licensed mental health practitioner

drug and alcohol counselor

Catholic Charities, Omaha NE