Op-ed: The stakes are high

Posted: 6:00 am, August 12, 2025 by Guest Contributor

Ron Cuff.

– In 1998, the Master Settlement Agreement between 46 U.S. states and major tobacco companies forced R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company to remove its iconic Joe Camel billboard from Times Square in New York City, ending the cartoon character’s reign of blowing smoke rings over Broadway.

This year, the cannabis industry launched advertising campaigns in Times Square as a lead-up to April 20, 2025 (4/20) – the unofficial marijuana holiday when enthusiasts celebrate cannabis consumption at 4:20 PM. A cannabis industry spokesperson told Adweek magazine, “It’s essential to normalize this plant.”

Former Vice President Al Gore famously coined the phrase “an inconvenient truth” in his 2006 documentary about climate change. There are many inconvenient truths. One is that people enjoy intoxication, and another is that multiple industries exploit this desire to create chemical dependency among young people. The cannabis industry has become the new “Big Tobacco,” generating enormous profits from people suffering from addiction disorders.

The cannabis industry manufactures increasingly potent products, many in edible or drinkable forms containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentrations approaching 100%. Their marketing strategies appear designed to appeal to minors, similar to tactics employed by the alcohol industry with products like flavored seltzers and candy-flavored vodkas.

When adults legalize addictive, neurotoxic substances and make them widely available, youth perception of harm drops dramatically. This pattern is evident with adolescent alcohol consumption and nicotine vaping through products like JUUL e-cigarettes.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 90% of people with substance use disorders began using before age 18. Polysubstance abuse is common, with individuals typically progressing from one substance to others. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that substance abuse has caused more American deaths than all U.S. military conflicts combined.

The cannabis industry claims marijuana is medicine. This is misleading. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only three prescription medications containing synthetic THC: Marinol (dronabinol), Syndros (dronabinol oral solution), and Cesamet (nabilone). The FDA has determined that raw marijuana itself has no accepted medical use.

While cannabis taxation generates revenue, these receipts are dwarfed by documented long-term societal costs: increased demand for mental health services, Medicaid expenditures, subsidized housing programs, law enforcement resources, and suicide prevention services.

The media and cannabis industry suppress another inconvenient truth: THC metabolites have been detected in toxicology reports of numerous mass shooters, though establishing direct causation requires further research.

Because cannabis products have been linked to serious health consequences – including cannabis-induced psychosis, cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, and increased suicide risk – specialized law firms are forming litigation groups targeting cannabis manufacturers and distributors. Municipal and county governments permitting cannabis cultivation facilities and retail dispensaries may face legal challenges. Elected officials voting to expand access to federally illegal addictive substances could be named as defendants in these lawsuits.

On August 19, 2025, dozens of people will appear before the Paso Robles City Council in San Luis Obispo County, California, to advocate for cannabis businesses. They will seek profits from selling these products, convenient access to cannabis, and many will share anecdotal stories about marijuana’s supposed medicinal benefits.

As a former U.S. Navy officer and advocate for evidence-based public policy, I strongly urge elected leaders in San Luis Obispo County to reject proposals for marijuana cultivation sites and retail cannabis outlets.

Sound public policy requires elected officials to heed warnings from the medical community, including organizations like the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, which have expressed concerns about cannabis legalization’s impact on public health.

The stakes are high…and our children shouldn’t be.

Editor’s note: Opinion pieces and letters to the editor are the personal opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Paso Robles Daily News or its staff. We welcome letters from local residents regarding relevant local topics. To submit one, click here.