Seniors need to be made aware of the health risks posed by marijuana | READER COMMENTARY

In 2023, I experienced three seizures, two that sent me to the emergency room and one near fatal incident driving on a lonely stretch of interstate in California where my wife was able to commandeer the wheel.

The cause of seizures is often difficult to diagnose, and I have been lucky to be under the care of Maya Carter, a gifted neurologist in Annapolis.

But I only learned that prolonged use of marijuana can cause seizures from reading the letter to the editor from Don Mathis that appeared last summer in The Baltimore Sun (“Legalized pot carries health risks, and not just for kids,” July 3, 2023). Don works with Voices of Hope in Havre de Grace and made us aware of cannabis risk for seniors.

I have smoked marijuana for over 50 years but stopped in May and haven’t had a seizure since. The combination of increased availability, higher potency and more leisure time proved toxic for me. I was reading that marijuana helped prevent seizures, but Don’s letter alerted me that the opposite effect can also happen.

I still support cannabis legalization but believe we need a better awareness of negative medical consequences, just as we do with alcohol. As a society, we are better off not having marijuana use be a criminal activity.

I still suffer neuro-muscular issues and practice physical therapy every day. I also support the Voices of Hope with a small monthly contribution. Thank you, Don and The Sun, and let’s all have a wonderful 2024.

— Eric Greene, Annapolis

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