Governor Josh Stein has made it clear he wants to legalize marijuana in North Carolina, not just for medical use, but for recreational use as well. He’s created a 24-member “North Carolina Advisory Council on Cannabis” to pave the way, claiming it’s about public safety, protecting kids, and regulating an existing market.

But let’s be honest — this is the same sales pitch every other state heard before opening the door to Big Marijuana, and the results have been disastrous.

Yes, marijuana is already in our state. Yes, vape shops sell THC products that can get people high. Yes, there’s a problem with unregulated sales. But legalization will not fix this – it will only make it worse. Regulation will not make a dangerous drug safe. It will simply give it the government’s stamp of approval and flood our communities with more of it.

Here’s the reality: today’s marijuana is not the milder weed of the 1960s or 70s. THC, the chemical that causes the “high,” was under 1% back then. Now, the average is over 12%, and in some products it’s as high as 75% or more. That’s like comparing a sip of beer to a shot of grain alcohol. The higher the potency, the greater the risk of addiction, psychosis, and permanent brain damage, especially for teenagers.

The governor’s statistics show ER visits among children and teens for cannabis ingestion have exploded, up 600% for those under 17, and over 1,000% for older teens. That’s before legalization! Do we think easier access will make those numbers go down? States that have legalized marijuana consistently see teen use rise. Even when laws are passed to restrict marketing to minors, the marijuana industry, like Big Tobacco before it, will inevitably look for ways around them. History shows that addictive industries adapt quickly, exploiting loopholes, using flashy packaging, flavored products, and online sales to reach the next generation. Even if laws are written to stop these practices, the industry will find ways to skirt around the rules. It’s what they do, and they do it well. Once the drug is normalized, more young people will try it and use it. The most effective way to keep this predatory industry in check and minimize its harms is through prohibition.

Marijuana also damages mental health. Heavy use is strongly linked to schizophrenia, psychosis, depression, suicidal thoughts, and anxiety. Up to half of those who suffer from marijuana-induced psychosis later develop schizophrenia or a related disorder. This is not “safe if used responsibly.” We’re talking about lifelong mental illness for some, and the most vulnerable brains are those still developing in adolescence.

Legalizing marijuana means more impaired drivers on the road. States that have legalized have seen fatal traffic accidents involving THC-positive drivers increase. THC impairs judgment, reaction time, and coordination for hours, even when the user feels “fine.” Are we ready for more roadside crosses and grieving families?

Some claim legalization will bring in tax revenue. It will, but whatever money comes in will be outweighed by the costs: more ER visits, more addiction treatment, more crashes, more workplace accidents, more lost productivity. Alcohol and tobacco bring in billions in taxes, yet cost society far more. Marijuana will follow this same pattern.

Commercialization is another danger. Once marijuana is legal, it becomes big business. Like Big Tobacco before it, Big Marijuana pushes high-potency products with slick advertising. Its biggest profits come from heavy users, often young people, the poor, and those battling mental health issues. They will talk about being “committed to safety,” but their business model depends on addiction. That’s the reality, no matter how carefully they disguise it.

We must also consider the damage marijuana does to the developing brain. Teens who use regularly show measurable declines in IQ, memory, attention, and school performance. These effects can last even after they stop. Is it worth sacrificing the potential of our young people for another “freedom” that’s actually an open door to bondage?

Legalization changes a community’s moral climate. It normalizes drug use and tells the next generation that getting high is not a big deal. Once that shift happens, it’s nearly impossible to reverse. Look at the ongoing battles with alcohol abuse and cigarette smoking today, both legal, both deadly, both woven into our culture and relatively normalized.

Communities in legalized states face other consequences: more homelessness, more black-market activity, more cannabis-related ER visits, and in some cases, more crime. Legalization doesn’t eliminate the black market. Instead, it often fuels it, as illegal sellers undercut legal prices to avoid taxes.

Governor Stein says he wants to protect our youth and keep our communities safe. Perhaps that is his genuine motive. But if that’s the goal, legalization is the wrong approach. Instead, we should enforce existing laws, crack down on unregulated sales of hemp-derived THC products, which are capable of getting users high, products you can now find at gas stations and convenience stores. We should seriously invest in education and prevention, not open the floodgates to more addiction, accidents, and broken lives.

North Carolina is one of the few states that has resisted this trend, and we should be proud of that, not embarrassed by it. We don’t have to follow Colorado, California, and others down a path that’s left them with regrets and various forms of social chaos. We must protect the next generation, not hold up a joint and say, “It’s okay – this is like medicine. It’s alright now — the government even says so.”

Marijuana may be popular in the polls, but popularity is no substitute for wisdom. Authentic leadership stands against the tide when the tide is wrong. We don’t need an “Advisory Council on Cannabis,” no matter how large or impressive its résumés. The evidence is already overwhelming: for the sake of our children, our public safety, and the future of our state, North Carolina must resist this trend and say a clear, unwavering “no” to marijuana legalization.