Reader: Isn't marijuana less addictive than the caffeine kids are drinking?

On December 10, the same day he signed Amendment 64 into law, Governor John Hickenlooper assembled a 24-member task force charged with developing policy recommendations. One of its members? "Addiction" expert Dr. Christian Thurstone. "I was personally sad for kids about the passing of 64," Thurstone told Sam Levin. "But...

By Patricia Calhoun

December 21, 2012

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On December 10, the same day he signed Amendment 64 into law, Governor John Hickenlooper assembled a 24-member task force charged with developing policy recommendations. One of its members? "Addiction" expert Dr. Christian Thurstone. "I was personally sad for kids about the passing of 64," Thurstone told Sam Levin. "But I think that if my service on that task force helps one kid's life, then it'll be worth it to me...."

"I'm not a big fan of full legalization of marijuana, I didn't support it," he continues. "At the same [time]...if I can contribute to one kid not destroying his or life getting addicted to marijuana, then I will have accomplished my goal."

And that's not all: "I've been trying to get the word out there that...marijuana use during adolescence can have very profound impacts that are biological as well as social," Thurstone says. "It's not a joke. It's not harmless."

But is it more harmful than other things that kids encounter?

Says Charlie Whiskey:

Isn't marijuana less addictive than the caffeine that kids are drinking (along with the heaps of high fructose corn syrup) in sodas that they can buy in their schools?

What do you think of Thurstone's inclusion on the task force?

From our archives: "Amendment 64: Marijuana task force meets for the first time, plots "aggressive timeline."

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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