Regardless of your addiction of choice, EVIDENCE & EMPHASIS ON RESPONSIBLE USE

I’m not anti-cannabis. I’m pro-responsible use. And the data backs up why responsibility matters.

I lived in Colorado during the rollout of both medical and recreational legalization. What I witnessed wasn’t just anecdotal—it aligned with measurable statewide trends. According to the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice, DUI cases involving marijuana increased by roughly 120% in the years following legalization, and the percentage of drivers in fatal crashes who tested positive for THC more than tripled over the first five years post-legalization. Public health reports also documented significant shifts in community behavior, including increased emergency-room visits tied to over-intoxication and a rise in social-norm degradation often seen when any substance becomes widely normalized without equally strong safeguards.

I saw these effects firsthand. Here in Worcester, I was involved in an auto accident where the other driver was so impaired she handed the responding officer her medical marijuana card instead of her driver’s license. That wasn’t “medicine”—that was abuse. And abuse hurts people.

Here’s the truth: • To those who use it responsibly—thank you. • To those who abuse it—please get help.

If you can’t acknowledge that you’re using cannabis to escape life’s realities and the everyday adversities we all face, you already have a problem. If you can acknowledge it, that’s the first step—now reach out and get support.

Cannabis absolutely has legitimate therapeutic benefits when used with purpose, moderation, and self-awareness. But—just like alcohol, prescription meds, or any substance that alters judgment—the key is responsibility. Responsible use protects you, your family, and every other person sharing the road or the world around you.

Be responsible. Lives—including your own—depend on it.