The Empire State is now in the business of spending your money to sell weed to teens.<\/p>\n
For proof, look no further than the Office of Cannabis Management\u2019s new campaign, \u201cCannabis Honestly.\u201d<\/p>\n
The OCM runs New York\u2019s legal marijuana program, and this latest initiative went live in July.<\/p>\n
One of its ads, which I spotted on the R train this week, shows a dreamy-eyed teenager (or a model who looks like one) staring at her phone, along with the helpful tagline MIXING WEED AND ALCOHOL IS RISKIER.<\/p>\n
It may as well be: STICK TO WEED, KID, AND YOU\u2019LL BE FINE.<\/p>\n
Marijuana advertising aimed at anyone under 21<\/a> is illegal under state law; such ads are specifically banned from public transit.<\/p>\n OCM sure seems like it\u2019s breaking the law.<\/p>\n An eagle-eyed X user spotted an even worse subway ad on Tuesday, featuring a photo of another teen and his apparent mom.<\/p>\n This one proclaims CANNABIS IS LEGAL FOR ADULTS 21+ IN NEW YORK STATE.<\/p>\n The inherent takeaway: You can\u2019t buy it yourself yet, so get your parents to cop some sour for you at the dispensary.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n Imagine the state Liquor Authority running a similar ad for vodka \u2014 or the Department of Taxation and Finance, which handles cigarette excises, doing one for Kools.<\/p>\n Remember: These are taxpayer-funded ads from a state agency, normalizing weed use for literal kids.<\/p>\n But the \u201cCannabis Honestly\u201d website, the focal point of the campaign, makes the ads themselves look almost benign.<\/p>\n The section of the site aimed at parents contains such howlers as: \u201cStore cannabis like you would other medications.\u201d<\/p>\n Yikes.<\/p>\n Raw marijuana is not and can never be a medicine<\/a>, no matter how many states declare it one by political fiat.<\/p>\n It has no accepted medical use; it cannot be prescribed.<\/p>\n Study after study shows that it fails to treat the conditions doctors \u201crecommend\u201d it for.\u00a0<\/p>\n As leading marijuana policy expert Kevin Sabet recently noted in STAT News, an April systematic review in The Lancet Psychiatry<\/a> found \u201cno evidence any form of cannabis is effective in treating anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder.\u201d<\/p>\n In November, the Journal of the American Medical Association found<\/a> that \u201cevidence from randomized clinical trials does not support the use of cannabis or cannabinoids for most conditions for which it is promoted.\u201d<\/p>\n Yet OCM\u2019s official messaging slyly frames it as a \u201cmedication\u201d like any other.<\/p>\n The site advises parents to do \u201crisk reduction coaching\u201d with lines like, \u201cI\u2019d like to start with understanding what you enjoy about using weed.\u201d<\/p>\n And \u201cAvoid mixing with alcohol.\u201d<\/p>\n And \u201cBe aware of potency \u2014 stronger products increase risk.\u201d<\/p>\n Huh? Such comments flash a clear green light for teen drug use \u2014 increasing the risk that they\u2019ll go right ahead.<\/p>\n For kids, it\u2019s the same soft soap.<\/p>\n \u201cWeed can change how you think and feel in the moment,\u201d the website explains soothingly.<\/p>\n \u201cIt can make you feel anxious, panicked, or paranoid. It can even make anxiety or depression feel worse.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tGet opinions and commentary from our columnists\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter!\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n This gentle-parent pablum is how New York state speaks about a drug linked to a more than double risk of later-in-life psychotic disorders following adolescent use, per a massive JAMA Health Forum study from February.<\/p>\n A drug linked to a similar risk for bipolar disorders and elevated risks for depression and anxiety, according to that same study.<\/p>\n A drug that decades of Danish data show may drive as much as 20% of psychosis among young men.<\/p>\n The state\u2019s website also \u2014 and insanely \u2014 advises \u201cwaiting to use cannabis\u201d as one way teens could mediate the danger (though it does concede that \u201cavoiding higher-THC products\u201d altogether might be a good idea).\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s essentially saying: \u201cJust tough it out till you\u2019re 21, junior, then you\u2019re golden!\u201d<\/p>\n Sure, the site mentions in passing risks like psychosis, depression and even cannabis hyperemesis syndrome<\/a> \u2014 uncontrollable vomiting caused by weed use that can require hospitalization<\/a>.<\/p>\n