Mr. Seafire is attempting to cast shade on weed using the societal ills of his AO as justification. It's weak sauce, but more to the point, is old as the hills. We pot people have been hearing that one for a very long time. It was bullshit then and it's bullshit now.
I live in Oregon too. I'm a musician and made a 20-year career out of working with musicians.... suffice it to say I have been around this stuff a lot. My own personal usage rate (burn rate? haha) is pretty minimal and has been for a looong time. I'm a dad, fer chrissakes. But I know scads of people who partake, some heavily. Lawyers. Doctors. Businessmen. Welders. Guys who get up at 6 am and GRIND. In my long association with this plant, starting in the 70's, I've seen people who used it too much, sure. Had a college roommate who was a wake-and-bake guy. Last I heard he'd gotten his Masters in Civil Engineering along with an MBA and was killing it. Another guy I knew was a 24/7 stoner who grew in his garage. Quite the operation. Last I heard he'd been headhunted out of his PhD program in some sort of microbiology and was banking fat stacks in the Bay Area. Myself, in the past five years I've taught myself to be a machinist while battling through a bad head injury those first couple years. How does THAT fit in the picture Seafire is trying to paint? So I just have to shake my head at the weepy, sky is falling stuff about weed. It is simply not true.
I don't doubt that his area has its issues. Southern Oregon is different place. It had a biker infestation in past decades- outlaw bikers- and has that kind of outlaw, white trash vibe. I was down there some months ago looking at a lathe to buy and was surprised by how different it is. I agree that it's very possible that the CRIMINALIZATION of weed and the influx of people exploiting that (NoCal and SW Oregon are absolutely ideal for growing high quality outdoor pot) has caused some real issues. But blaming the weed for that is 180 degrees wrong. Blame the idiotic LAWS for that. Look in the dang mirror.
