Originally Posted by cosmomiller

Why? Because the effects of pot linger longer than the short term high. It is cumulative and depends on how heavy the use is. It affects recall, ability to retain facts, process them, and impacts judgement. Flying can be hours and hours of boredom with a few moments of sheer terror. That is when you need everything your brain can produce.

Can accountants, doctors, police, and other folks in occupations do a decent job if they are regular users? Probably. The FAA, military, and DOT have a different scientific take. Funny how almost all drug use (legal and otherwise) disqualifies you from flying. Even Viagra. (Blue/green vision issues) I don't know of a single pilot that uses recreational drugs. 20 years Navy and 33 years airline. We are all very happy with that, thank you.

Of course legalization brings out a Pandora's box of unintended consequences. How well does the 21 age limit work for elementary/high school/underage alcohol consumption? We know the answer to that. So is making pot legal except for those less than 21 going to work? Is the Pope Catholic? Decades of science proves the adolescent brain is in a critical formative stage during those years when teenagers are going to use pot illegally. There is no question of the damage pot inflicts on that growing brain. DUIs, accidents, death, maiming are just part of the story. Long term deficient mental abilities are going to be the norm. That is just great. We are going to have a new generation of youth with varying degrees of brain damage.

We are going to reap what we sow.