Long Island Reefer Madness (guest column)

This guest column from Beryl Solomonfounder and CEO Poplar, an e-commerce marketplace selling a carefully curated range of hemp-derived CBD products. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of NY Cannabis Insider.

In late December, the first licensed adult cannabis dispensary opened in New York with great fanfare. Hundreds of New Yorkers waited patiently in the outdoor queue during the winter cold to buy legal, regulated cannabis products made in New York. New York City’s legal cannabis market is currently supporting a steady stream of tax revenue and new jobs while helping to prevent underage access.

However, you wouldn’t get that impression if you only talked to people on Long Island. Not only are most communities resisting the opening of licensed dispensaries, they are pushing back the cannabis conversation.

Earlier this month, I was approved and assigned to speak about cannabis at a PTA meeting at Long Beach High School. The purpose of my presentation was to educate local parents about the applicable rules and regulations, the current projected schedule for full retail availability, the potential benefits of a subscription for both the community and our families, safe storage tips, and resources for educating kids about cannabis.

On the day of the presentation, I was not invited. The local parent contacted the regional and national chapters of the parents’ committee, filed a formal complaint about my scheduled performance, and I was “sorry.”

I suggested removing any mention of “consent” from my presentation and focusing only on legal, security considerations and practices. But, alas, there was no opportunity for discussion, let alone intellectual exchange or compromise. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to speak, and I was informed that only people who are “actively supportive of abstinence” from cannabis are allowed into the pulpit. The only presenters were two doctors who spoke only about the dangers of children smoking nicotine and using cannabis.

We all agree that children should not smoke nicotine or use cannabis. But the best way to mitigate any trauma is to raise awareness through education, which was the focus of the presentation I intended to give. Instead of a lively conversation about the safe use of cannabis by adults, only the alleged dangers of cannabis were presented, shamelessly misrepresenting statistics and distorting research results.

Sweeping cannabis under the carpet will not make the cannabis disappear. Safe, regulated cannabis is essential and our children will be safer than silent silence on the sidelines.

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