ViewPoint | Illinois political priorities are a wreck

Dear Editor:

Governor Pritzker considers marijuana "essential". He must believe that being high is fundamental to survival. Whatever his reasoning, he has done a great injustice to Illinois families, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 is a greater threat to those with a weakened immune system or impaired lung function. There’s ample evidence that regular use of marijuana lowers immunity and damages the lungs.

"There is evidence that marijuana smoke is genotoxic, immunosuppressive, and can alter endocrine function… Prolonged exposures to marijuana smoke in animals and humans cause proliferative and inflammatory lesions in the lung," research from California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

"Cellular immunity is impaired, pulmonary immunity is impaired, and the impaired ability to fight infection is now documented in humans," according to research from the The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

A "multitude of toxic microorganisms, many of which are known causes of serious lung infections, including Cryptococcus, Mucor, and Aspergillus fungi and Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria" are found in so-called "medical" marijuana, according to UC at Davis. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, titled, "A microbiome assessment of medical marijuana."

There’s also the issue of increased risk of psychosis, increased risk of traffic fatalities, increased hospitalizations, increased use by children, and the consequences go on.

Illinois political priorities are a wreck.

Kathy Valente, Director of Operations
Illinois Family Institute

Real Talk:Six questions with Taylor Wells

Spartan Taylor Wells go up for a shot against an Illinois Valley Central player in their home game in January. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

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Last week, The Sentinel caught up with St. Joseph-Ogden sophomore Taylor Wells for a little one-on-one. No, not the kind on the hardwood where this reporter would be schooled like a kindergartner, but about student school, sports and life in the new, and hopefully temporary, Covid world. Observing social distancing guidelines, I asked six questions to the student-athlete via Twitter.

Sentinel: What was your reaction and those of your fellow students when you first learned that schools would be closed due to the COVID-19 virus?

Wells: I was sad that I would be missing out on playing softball, competing in my AAU travel basketball tournaments, and seeing my friends.

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Sentinel: How is e-learning going? What really sucks about it?

Wells: It’s going okay. It’s not optimal. I would prefer to be in the classroom with my classmates.

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Sentinel: What do you think teachers can do to make it better?

Wells: I think the teachers are doing the best they can for us. I’m sure it’s very stressful being thrown into a situation like this.

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Sentinel: Besides shooting baskets at home, what else are you doing to pass the time?

Wells: I’ve walked a few trails at Homer Lake with my family and my dog, working out to stay in shape, and doing basketball drills.

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Sentinel: When we are done sheltering in place, and hopefully soon, name three things you are going to do the first week.

Wells: I am definitely going to hangout with my friends, go to SJO softball practice, and go to Heart of Illinois basketball practice.

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Sentinel: Looking into the future, what do you think will be the new normal as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Wells: I think people will wash their hands more often, and I think people will no longer take friends, family, and sports for granted.