The Hidden Dangers of Medical Marijuana: A Call for Caution
As South Carolina again considers medical marijuana legalization, Palmetto Family Alliance urges lawmakers and citizens to consider the significant health risks and the slippery slope toward recreational marijuana use. While proponents promote cannabis as a therapeutic solution, prevailing evidence reveals serious dangers—to individual and public health as well as the social fabric of our state. Legalizing medical marijuana is not a benign policy choice; it carries profound consequences that could reshape our communities for the worse.
While we empathize with those seeking relief from medical conditions, the risks associated with marijuana, both to individual health and the fabric of our communities, outweigh the purported benefits.
One cannot ignore the health risks of marijuana use are well-documented and cannot be ignored. Regular cannabis use is related to a range of adverse effects, particularly on mental and physical health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention documents that marijuana directly affects brain health, heart health, lung health and mental health.
A recent Wall Street Journal op-ed states that, “due to legalization, today’s pot is far more potent than it was decades ago. Research links marijuana use, especially in young adulthood, to IQ loss, schizophrenia, heart attacks, strokes and lung disease.”
Psychosis, schizophrenia, and other mental health disorders are especially concerning for adolescents, whose developing brains are vulnerable to cannabis’s psychoactive effects. One study found “that those who had tried cannabis by age 18 were 2.4 times more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia than those who had not and the risk of this diagnosis increased with the frequency of cannabis use.”
According to the American Heart Association, cannabis use is connected to an increase in heart attack and stroke risk. These findings challenge the narrative that marijuana is a safe therapeutic option, particularly when smoked, as it exposes users to carcinogens like those in tobacco.
Beyond health concerns, medical marijuana legalization often serves as a Trojan horse for recreational use, undermining public safety and social order. Evidence from states like Colorado and Washington shows that medical marijuana programs frequently pave the way for recreational legalization. Anyone who has studied this issue knows that it just takes one more vote of the state legislature to flip the switch and transition from medical to recreational marijuana.
In states with medical and recreational marijuana, legal access has increased the risk of unintended pediatric exposures. This trajectory is alarming for South Carolina, where relaxed policies could fuel a surge in youth access and addiction.
The argument for medical marijuana often hinges on its potential benefits, such as pain relief or nausea control. However, the evidence is inconclusive, and safer alternatives exist. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved medications like Marinol and Cesamet, which deliver controlled doses of cannabinoids without the risks of smoking or inconsistent potency. Bypassing rigorous FDA approval for medical marijuana sets a dangerous precedent. South Carolina should prioritize these regulated options over a plant-based product with variable THC levels and unproven long-term safety.
Palmetto Family believes South Carolina must protect its citizens—especially our youth—from the risks of marijuana. Legalization not only endangers health but also normalizes a drug that leads to increased recreational use, higher addiction rates, and social costs. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration underscores that 1 in 10 cannabis users develop addiction, with higher rates among adolescents, and modern marijuana’s THC potency is three times more potent than decades ago, amplifying risks.
We urge lawmakers to resist the push for medical marijuana as proposed in S. 53 and instead invest in research for safe, regulated alternatives. Our state’s health and future depend on it.
Op-ed Source:
https://www.fitsnews.com/2025/10/01/guest-column-the-hidden-dangers-of-medical-marijuana/