THC danger
In the past two weeks, I saw more than five preschool children requiring hospital admission because their breathing and mental state was altered from eating marijuana edibles. As a pediatrician, I know these accidents can expose children to harmful medical procedures such as brain radiation and being on a ventilator, but they are preventable.
In 2022, we voted to make THC products more accessible beyond medical use. The problem now is that we stopped treating them like medicine. Children are at risk. High-potency edibles designed to look like brightly colored, tasty candies are particularly a problem. The packaging requirements were changed last year but still allow for colorful labels and minimal childproofing.
We can do more to protect our children. We should learn from Hawaii and require safer and less-appealing THC products and packaging. In the meantime, I urge you to treat your THC and CBD edibles like all your other medicines and keep them inside a high cabinet or locked drawer. Please don’t let the mythical “first person to die from weed” be your son, daughter, niece, cousin or grandbaby.
– Hank Unterschuetz, Kansas City
Fighting words
After the recent assassin’s attack on Donald Trump, I am further convinced that many far-right candidates’ views are furthering incitements of violence from all political extremes.
A candidate for governor proudly posts: “Here in Missouri, we believe in boys and girls. Not its, theys, or thems. We worship God, not abortion. We cling to guns, not government. And we know where illegal immigrants belong … the HELL out of here.”
What should be any sane and reasonable person’s reaction to this inciting rhetoric?
– Andy Hickerson, Leawood
Not the same
Refugees are a specific class of immigrants.
I have spent much of my adult life ministering to refugees. They fled from political events that put their lives in immediate danger. They spent years in refugee camps waiting for American and United Nations workers to confirm that:
They were not fleeing because of financial hardship.
They were not criminals fleeing justice in their homelands.
These safeguards can’t be applied to border-jumpers who enter our country illegally. Most refugees flee their homelands fearing for their lives, then begin working hard shortly after entering the United States. They must live in the U.S. continuously for five years before applying for citizenship. Criminal offenses can jeopardize their dreams.
Please stop equating border-jumpers — who exhibit in that very act a willingness to live lawless lives once they arrive here — with refugees.
I know a few border-jumpers, too. They often live in the same neighborhoods as refugees. Many border-jumpers often return home and reenter the U.S. illegally multiple times.
In their origins, motives, goals and level of commitment to the United States, refugees and border-jumpers are different. Things that are different are not the same.
– Michael Sands, Kansas City
Tax mistake
On Aug. 6, Kansas City residents will vote on a Missouri constitutional amendment that would exempt child care facilities from property taxes. While this proposal may be a sympathetic one, it’s a bad idea. Any small benefit to families with children would be offset by higher taxes on everyone else.
This proposal does nothing to restrain government spending. Any reductions in the property tax base would result in higher property taxes on other entities that don’t get this special exemption, such as your home. I, for one, think Jackson County homeowners have had enough of property-tax increases.
Many child care companies are for-profit businesses. Nonprofit child care facilities, including those in churches, are already tax exempt. I see no reason for-profit child care companies deserve a tax exemption but other businesses don’t. The argument that something should be tax exempt because, as the ballot language states, it “would support the well-being of children, families … and society,” is essentially meaningless. Anything could be made tax exempt by that logic.
The property tax base should be wide so rates can be as low as possible. Shrinking that tax base does real harm. Kansas City voters should remember that next month.
– David Stokes, Director of municipal policy, The Show-Me Institute, St. Louis
Time for anthem
I thought at first Ryan Rusak’s suggestion of eliminating the national anthem at sporting events was a joke. (July 25, 11A, “You won’t like this idea, but it’d protect the national anthem”) His reason? A drunk country singer butchered her rendition at the recent Major League Baseball Home Run Derby. Social media went vocal. Why? Because it showed disrespect to our flag, our country and those who have died or been wounded saving it.
If there ever were a time to promote the flag and the song that exalts it, that time is now. A few bad renditions are hardly reason to do away with history. There may be time clocks controlling the speed of the game, but we have time to honor our flag with a two-minute song.
– Rick Merker, Olathe
Future bright
In Kamala Harris, we have a viable candidate to dethrone Trump, the Don of delusional drivel, in the November election. In the interim, we have that same capable vice president to assist President Joe Biden in fulfilling his duties during his remaining term.
Our future is bright; our democracy is safe again. V.P. Harris: You go, girl.
– Maria Coughlin, Kansas City
Just trashing
Just imagine Kamala Harris and Donald Trump proudly speaking about their own accomplishments and what they want to accomplish if they are elected president.
It appears to be very difficult to promote yourself exclusively without trashing your political opponent with hate speech.
– Steve Shaw, Kansas City
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