Jacob Lavoro and pot brownies
Judging from today’s news reporting, the story is fairly simple and goes like this: A Texas teenager with no criminal record faces from five years to life in prison for allegedly making and selling pot brownies. Possession of up to 2 oz. of marijuana in its...
Another marijuana study and day of spin
Another study, another day — OK, make that months — of misleading news reports about what it means. This time, the study is published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. While many news organizations are beginning to pick it up, I’ll focus on...
Obama on marijuana: where’s the full story?
News coverage about marijuana legalization is fairly predictable. If there’s even a toehold to support driving this addictive substance into the country, count on splashy headlines. Today’s breathless summaries of President Barack Obama’s remarks on...
When journalists hide marijuana use
I’m just adding this internal memo, sent to The Denver Post’s staff Dec. 31 by Linda Shapley, director of newsroom operations, to our files. Earlier the same day, The New York Daily News called, asking if I could file a story about the opening of...
We need ‘health-first’ approach to pot
I’m glad the New York Daily News thought to contact me for tomorrow’s editions. I understand from my wife, a longtime newspaper reporter, what happens to copy when space is tight. However, I also want you to see the full version of what I wrote because the...Read the book
Clearing the Haze is a guide designed to help parents determine whether their child may have a substance problem and, if so, how to begin to address it. This book includes the voices and insight of experts in substance abuse counseling, young people in recovery, and parents who have lived the nightmare of adolescent addiction.