“Before We Get High” (Illinois Family Spotlight #078)

This week’s Spotlight features the conversation of IFA’s David E. Smith and Stephanie Trussell, on joined the Stephanie Trussell Show on 890 AM this Saturday.

Stephanie questions him about the recreational marijuana question on the ballot in Cook County.

At the very start of the show, host Trussell spoke about “the significance of a sitting president speaking at the March for Life.” “No other president in modern times has had the courage to come out and speak for those who can’t speak for themselves.” Dave Smith noted that that hasn’t happened in the 45 years since Rov v. Wade made abortion legal. “We have a guy who isn’t afraid…isn’t it nice to have a president that actually respects the base enough to show up?”

Stephanie Trussell opened discussion about marijuana by parroting those supporting the legalization of recreational marijuana: “Pot is just so innocent…it’s not a gateway drug…and it will solve all of our financial problems…pot is no big deal…everybody does it.”

Dave Smith addressed the tax revenue myth by saying that in the four years since Colorado legalized recreational marijuana, the revenue has added up to 8/10ths of 1 percent of the budget. “It solves nothing,” he said, and emphasized the need to not just look at the potential tax revenues but the downside of the cost to society.

Smith questioned how will legalization will impact:

School dropout rates?
Test scores in “STEM” (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) programs in schools?
Highway accidents?
Job site safety?
Heart and lung disease?

He also cited the shocking statistic that during those four years in Colorado there has been an 800% increase in kids being hospitalized for accidental overdoses.

Both Smith and Trussell agreed that despite what many people think, legalizing recreational marijuana is a big deal, it will impact society negatively, and it will lead to the growth of the nanny state.