Marijuana legalization: Cannabis has downsides, especially for kids

There was a time in my life, in the not-so-distant past, when cannabis was immensely important to me.

Not because I used it - I've tried it but don't like the way it makes me feel - but because voters in California were being asked whether pot should be legal for adult recreational use. I took it upon myself to try to fully understand the upsides and downsides of the 2016 ballot initiative, so I could help readers make informed decisions.

The No. 1 worry I heard then was the effect that legalization would have on children. In fact, my position is the same as the one voters embraced when they overwhelmingly approved legalization: No one under the age of 21 should use marijuana. Nor should children be bombarded with cannabis ads.

https://www.startribune.com/marijuana-legalization-cannabis-has-downsides-especially-for-kids/573421511/