{"id":2587541,"date":"2026-04-06T09:19:56","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T13:19:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/neighbor-state-peer-pressure-is-a-terrible-reason-to-legalize-weed-in-indiana\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T09:27:52","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T13:27:52","slug":"neighbor-state-peer-pressure-is-a-terrible-reason-to-legalize-weed-in-indiana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/neighbor-state-peer-pressure-is-a-terrible-reason-to-legalize-weed-in-indiana\/","title":{"rendered":"Peer Pressure Is A Terrible Reason To Legalize Weed In Indiana"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fneighbor-state-peer-pressure-is-a-terrible-reason-to-legalize-weed-in-indiana%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2587541&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Curtis Hill, the former attorney general of Indiana, argues against marijuana legalization and urges Gov. Mike Braun to take a clear, evidence-based stance rather than remaining agnostic. He contends that legalization-whether recreational or <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >loosely regulated medical-poses substantial public-health risks<\/a>, including much more potent cannabis (THC concentrations rising from under 4% in the 1990s to 15-25% or higher), higher cannabis-use disorder rates, more emergency-room visits, increased psychosis risk among youth, and persistent black-market activity. He rebuts the claim that medical marijuana reduces <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fentanyl-floods-across-u-s-southern-border\/\" title=\"Fentanyl floods across U.S. southern border\">opioid deaths<\/a>, citing complete later studies that show no reduction and, in some analyses, a potential increase, and he argues that genuine medical treatment should go through FDA-approved medical channels rather than politics or the ballot box. He warns that labeling something as \u201cmedical\u201d can be a Trojan horse for full legalization and the marketing of high-potency products to new users. The piece concludes by calling for Indiana to lead with evidence and public safety, not ambiguity, and notes that hill is a former Indiana attorney general.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>As Indiana&rsquo;s 43rd attorney general, I <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ghislaine-maxwell-convicted-in-epstein-sex-abuse-case\/\" title=\"Ghislaine Maxwell Convicted in Epstein Sex Abuse Case\">spent years fighting<\/a> to protect Hoosiers from the dangers of drug abuse, including the push to legalize marijuana. I wrote op-eds warning that marijuana legalization would open the door to greater opioid harm, not less. I stood with law enforcement and prosecutors across the state in opposing any form of recreational or loosely regulated &ldquo;medical&rdquo; marijuana. My position was rooted not in politics, but in the evidence: marijuana is not harmless, and government has a duty to shield our families, especially our children, from its risks.<\/p>\n<p>That is why Gov. Mike Braun&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.stateaffairs.com\/in\/politics\/braun-indiana-marijuana-legalization\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recent comments<\/a> demand a response. In a March 2026 fireside chat, the governor described himself as &ldquo;kind of agnostic&rdquo; on medical marijuana. He noted that Indiana is surrounded by four states that have legalized either medical or recreational cannabis and suggested we will &ldquo;probably have to address it&rdquo; to avoid lagging behind.<\/p>\n<p>With respect, agnosticism is not a governing philosophy when it comes to a substance that alters young brains, fuels addiction, and carries proven public-health costs. If Indiana must &ldquo;address&rdquo; this issue because neighboring states have caved, then Hoosiers deserve to know exactly where their governor stands. Leadership requires clarity, not ambiguity on a question that will shape the health and safety of our state for generations.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Known Risks<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The evidence against recreational legalization is overwhelming and has only grown stronger. Today&rsquo;s marijuana is not the low-potency product of decades past. High Intensity Drug Traffic Areas (HIDTA) <a href=\"https:\/\/nida.nih.gov\/research\/research-data-measures-resources\/cannabis-potency-data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reports<\/a> from the Midwest and other regions document THC concentrations that have skyrocketed &mdash; from an average of under 4 percent in the 1990s to 15&ndash;25 percent or higher in modern strains and concentrates. This hyper-potent cannabis is linked to sharply higher rates of <a href=\"https:\/\/themig.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Midwesst-HIDTA-2024-Marijuana-Impact-Report.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cannabis use disorder<\/a>: roughly 1 in 10 users becomes addicted, rising to 1 in 6 for those who begin before age 18. <a href=\"https:\/\/nida.nih.gov\/news-events\/news-releases\/2023\/05\/young-men-at-highest-risk-schizophrenia-linked-with-cannabis-use-disorder\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Emergency-department visits<\/a> and poison-control calls have surged in states that legalized. Psychosis and schizophrenia risks have climbed, particularly among young males. Unregulated products continue to flow through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/eric-adams-defends-using-taxpayer-dollars-to-give-immigrants-debit-cards\/\" title=\"Eric Adams justifies using taxpayer funds for immigrant debit cards\">black-market channels<\/a> even after legalization, with cartels and illicit growers exploiting the legal gray areas.<\/p>\n<p>These are not abstract statistics. They represent real Hoosier kids whose developing brains are being rewired, real drivers impaired on our highways, and real families bearing the costs of increased mental-health crises and lost productivity. The notion that &ldquo;it&rsquo;s just marijuana&rdquo; was never true; today&rsquo;s unregulated, high-potency product makes the old slogan dangerously na&iuml;ve.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>False Arguments<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Proponents of so-called medical marijuana have long presented it as the reasonable first step &mdash; the camel&rsquo;s nose under the tent. We were told it would ease the opioid crisis by giving patients a safer alternative. That claim has been thoroughly debunked. Early <a href=\"https:\/\/med.stanford.edu\/news\/all-news\/2019\/06\/medical-marijuana-does-not-reduce-opioid-deaths.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">studies<\/a> suggesting a drop in opioid deaths were overturned by more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.1903434116\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">comprehensive research<\/a> &nbsp;covering later years. Stanford University researchers and others <a href=\"https:\/\/med.stanford.edu\/news\/all-news\/2019\/06\/medical-marijuana-does-not-reduce-opioid-deaths.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">found<\/a> that states with medical-marijuana laws experienced no reduction &mdash; and in some analyses, an actual increase &mdash; in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jd-vance-blames-the-childless-left-for-the-decline-of-the-american-family\/\" title=\"JD Vance Blames The \u2018Childless Left\u2019 For The Decline Of The American Family\">opioid overdose deaths<\/a>. Marijuana did not substitute for opioids; in many cases, it became a companion drug. The promised public-health victory never materialized.<\/p>\n<p>Equally troubling is the notion that politicians can simply declare a substance &ldquo;medical&rdquo; by legislative fiat. Legislators and governors are not the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/news-events\/public-health-focus\/fda-and-cannabis-research-and-drug-approval-process\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">We do not subject marijuana to the rigorous clinical trials<\/a>, dosing standards, purity requirements, and safety protocols demanded of every other medicine. The active intoxicating ingredient in marijuana &mdash; THC &mdash; has already been isolated, synthesized, and approved by the FDA for legitimate medical use. Dronabinol (Marinol and Syndros) and nabilone (Cesamet) are available by prescription for chemotherapy-induced nausea and AIDS-related appetite loss. If a genuine therapeutic need exists, the proper path is through established medical channels, not an end-run through the ballot box or the statehouse that inevitably expands into recreational access.<\/p>\n<p>The push for &ldquo;medical&rdquo; marijuana has always been a Trojan horse for full recreational legalization. Once the door cracks open, the industry follows with high-potency edibles, vapes, and concentrates marketed to new users. Perceived risk plummets. Youth use climbs. Black-market diversion persists. Indiana has wisely resisted this path while other states have learned its costs the hard way. Even The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/10\/04\/us\/cannabis-marijuana-risks-addiction.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New York Times<\/a> editorial board has reached the conclusion that today&rsquo;s marijuana is far more dangerous than previously believed.<\/p>\n<p>There is nothing agnostic about the data. Government&rsquo;s first responsibility is to protect its citizens, especially the most vulnerable. As a former prosecutor and attorney general, I saw firsthand how drug policy decisions ripple through courtrooms, emergency rooms, and family living rooms. Indiana should not follow the crowd. We should lead with evidence, common sense, and a commitment to public safety.<\/p>\n<p>Gov. Braun, the people of Indiana are watching. On an issue this consequential, agnosticism is not leadership. Hoosiers deserve a governor who will stand firm against the &ldquo;just marijuana&rdquo; trap and protect our state from the very real dangers documented by HIDTA reports, federal health data, and years of painful experience in other states. The evidence is clear. The time for clarity is now.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Curtis Hill is the former attorney general of Indiana.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here\u2019s a paraphrase of the passage:<\/p>\n<p>As Indiana\u2019s 43rd attorney general, I spent years defending Hoosiers from drug abuse and opposing marijuana legalization. I wrote pieces arguing that legalizing marijuana would likely increase opioid harm rather than reduce it. I joined law enforcement and prosecutors across the state in opposing any form of recreational or loosely regulated \u201cmedical\u201d marijuana. My stance was based on evidence: marijuana isn\u2019t harmless, and government must protect families, especially children, from its risks. Gov. Mike Braun\u2019s recent remarks warrant a response. In a March 2026 chat, he said he was \u201ckind of agnostic\u201d about medical marijuana, noted that four neighboring states have legalized medical or recreational cannabis, and suggested Indiana may need to address it to avoid falling behind. But agnosticism isn\u2019t a governing approach when a substance changes young brains, fuels addiction, and carries public-health costs. If Indiana must \u201caddress\u201d the issue because neighbors did, Hoosiers deserve to know exactly where the governor stands. Leadership requires clarity, not ambiguity, on a question that will affect the state\u2019s health and safety for generations.<\/p>\n<p>Known Risks<\/p>\n<p>The case against recreational legalization is strong and has only grown stronger. Today\u2019s marijuana is far more potent than in the past, with THC levels rising from under 4% in the 1990s to around 15-25% or higher in modern strains and concentrates. This higher potency is linked to greater rates of cannabis use disorder: about 1 in 10 users, increasing to 1 in 6 for those who start before 18. States that legalized have seen increases in emergency visits and poison-control calls. Risks of psychosis and schizophrenia have risen, particularly among young men. Even after legalization, unregulated products continue to reach people through black-market means, as cartels exploit regulatory gaps.<\/p>\n<p>These numbers reflect real effects on Hoosier kids\u2019 developing brains, impaired drivers on the roads, and families facing more mental-health crises and lost productivity. The claim that \u201cit\u2019s just marijuana\u201d was never true; today\u2019s potent, unregulated product makes that idea dangerously na\u00efve.<\/p>\n<p>False Arguments<\/p>\n<p>Proponents often portray \u201cmedical\u201d marijuana as a reasonable first step to address the opioid crisis, but that claim has been debunked. More comprehensive research later showed no reduction in opioid-overdose deaths in states with medical-marijuana laws, and some analyses show increases. Marijuana did not replace opioids; it often accompanied them. The promised public-health victory did not materialize.<\/p>\n<p>Another troubling idea is that officials can simply declare a substance \u201cmedical\u201d by legislative act. Legislators and governors aren\u2019t the FDA. Marijuana hasn\u2019t undergone the rigorous trials, dosing standards, purity requirements, or safety protocols required of other medicines. The active ingredient, THC, has been isolated and approved for certain uses, but genuine therapeutic need should go through established medical channels, not ballot measures or state laws that expand recreational access.<\/p>\n<p>The push for \u201cmedical\u201d marijuana has long been a Trojan horse for full recreational legalization. Once opened, the industry pushes high-potency edibles, vapes, and concentrates to lure new users; risk perception falls, youth use rises, and black-market activity endures. Indiana has wisely resisted this path while others have learned its costs the hard way. Even The New York Times editorial board now argues that today\u2019s marijuana is far more dangerous than previously thought.<\/p>\n<p>There is nothing agnostic about the data. The government\u2019s primary duty is to protect its citizens, especially the vulnerable. As a former prosecutor and attorney general, I saw how drug-policy choices ripple through courts, emergency rooms, and homes. Indiana should not chase fashionable trends; it should lead with evidence, common sense, and public safety.<\/p>\n<p>Gov. Braun, the people of Indiana are watching. On a matter this consequential, agnosticism is not leadership. Hoosiers deserve a governor who will resist the \u201cjust marijuana\u201d trap and shield the state from the real dangers documented by HIDTA reports, federal health data, and years of experience in other states. The evidence is clear. The time for a clear stance is now.<\/p>\n<p>Curtis Hill is the former attorney general of Indiana.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019d like, I can also provide a shorter 55-character version or a bullet-point summary<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":533,"featured_media":2587542,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Mike_Braun_-_54874760142-e1774985601753.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546,33651],"tags":[77242,7006,77240,77241,73916],"class_list":["post-2587541","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","category-the-western-journal","tag-cannabis-policy-2","tag-indiana","tag-marijuana-legalization-2","tag-peer-pressure","tag-public-policy-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Mike_Braun_-_54874760142-e1774985601753.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2587541","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/533"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2587541"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2587541\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2587545,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2587541\/revisions\/2587545"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2587542"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2587541"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2587541"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2587541"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}