I have been publishing on current.com on this issue, and think it deserves a wider audience. Post it anywhere you think useful, with attribution to this website if you can please.
                         
I am a Certified drug and alcohol counselor. In my youngyears I personally saw two persons smoke pot for the first time, and have a psychotic break. A recent UK study shows that one out of four psychiatric emergency room visits by under 21 year olds are persons with heavy pot use. A client came to me as a hypnotherapist and said, "I have lost all motivation and I am having short term memory problems." Later, after his heavy daily pot smoking came out, I said, "As pot can cause "amotivational syndrome" and short term memory problems, we will never know if pot is responsible unless you stop smoking it!" He did, and recovered with counseling and hypnotherapy for his associated problems. Unless outside help can present another picture, it is almost impossible to be aware of the effects of a drug with the organ affected by the drug, i.e. the brain. Like any psychoactive drug, including prescription drugs and alcohol, some, but not all, will have to pay a heavy price for using it.
                            

Even though I know pot is not a harmless teddy bear drug as many would like to think, I am in still favor of decriminalization as I have written elsewhere. Not because it is harmless relative to alcohol. Simply because attempts at suppression generally increase the amount of drugs available, and foster multi-billion dollar criminal organizations conspiring to spread drug use. 

Discovery Channel is preparing a program on Keith Barry, a mentalist/hypnotist. They wanted comments from various professionals, such as psychologists etc. I was invited and interviewed for an hour as an expert on hypnosis. I have no idea how much will be used, its the nature of the beast, but they said and seemed very happy with me. The program is scheduled tentatively for early next year.

Hi Brian.  Please don't put my name or email address anywhere.  I would prefer just JR or some such abstraction.  Thanks.  - J
                                               

I came to Brian because I needed someone to break through all of the stories that I already knew about myself and my problems and my history.  I needed to get below the surface of my conscious understanding because I felt that I was unable to make any further progress on my own.  The sessions with Brian were wonderful and nurturing and facilitated some real change in my life and in my person.  Not only was I able to overcome the specific problems that I wanted addressed, but I also developed a significant increase in my self-esteem, self-love and inner stability.  Brian has an understanding of the intricacies of hypnotherapy that goes above and beyond your average practitioner.  His presence is soft and safe, and his words and processes are skillfully designed to do the trick.  JR.

Brian's comment:- I try to initiate general improvement processes as well as the specifics a person brings me, on the principal, "A rising tide lifts all boats." as well as giving the person as much benefit possible for the time and money they are expending. This young lady saw me for a few sessions spread out over a relatively short period of time.

My first post. I find my host does not enable people to post directly into this blog. But if you use the "Contact Me" box, I will post your words and ideas here for all to see. If you need more than the 25 lines in the "Contact Brian" box, use the box twice or use an email. Don't forget to add "For Blog" to get it displayed here if you do so.