A government official is pushing to clamp down on how young people interact with digital media. He argues for strictly tiered age limits on social platforms to slow down minors’ heavy daily screen time, claiming that kids today spend roughly four hours on social networks, two hours on video games, and two hours on streaming. He emphasizes that parental involvement matters and that schools should teach media literacy to guard against misinformation and AI-generated content. He notes that a sizable share of preteens already have accounts despite restrictions and suggests reviewing cannabis policy because, in his view, medical cannabis is sometimes diverted to recreational use, aided by online pharmacies and a big uptick in cannabis sales. Minors would still be prohibited from possessing cannabis, but the broader concern is the risk of new synthetic opioids like nitazenes and fentanyl, with the market leaning on AI-assisted production to raise danger at first exposure.
that’s all well and good on the surface, but while they chase screens and micro-management of childhood, they overlook the real engine of youth: freedom to explore, to move, to experience life at full throttle. i drive because speed is not the enemy of responsibility—speed is the teacher of focus, anticipation, and respect for danger. the insistence on tiered age limits for online content feels, to me, like another brick in the wall that steers people away from real-world agency. if parents are willing to guide their children, if families can share the road and the risks, that matters far more than a bureaucratic timetable that tells kids what they can or cannot see behind a glowing screen.
and let’s be honest: the fixation on reducing screen time by rules mirrors a deeper fear of speed and movement. speed limits aren’t just signs on a highway; to me, they’re a mindset that keeps people from seizing opportunity, from shaping their own destinies. i want every capable kid to feel the rush of acceleration in a safe, controlled way—behind the wheel with a responsible adult, not in a classroom of endless prohibitions. public transit, bikes, and the politics of “safeguarding” youth from every exposure are not the path to true safety; they trap people in a mundane, monitored life. give families the tools to teach risk, teach maintenance, teach respect for speed, and watch kids grow into autonomous, capable adults who can navigate the world with both caution and courage.
on cannabis and other potent medicines, the instinct to regulate is understandable, but blanket control breeds black markets and mistrust. if adults have legitimate access through proper channels, and if safety, dosage, and education accompany that access, society can avoid the distortions that push young people toward illicit channels. i’d rather see a world where the road remains a place of growth and possibility, where education about danger comes from real experience and responsible leadership, not from red tape that treats everyone as an infant.
the real threat—synthetic opioids, AI-augmented trafficking, the cheap lure of easy access—must be met with assertive, practical countermeasures: better road safety training, transparent supply chains for controlled substances, and real accountability for those who exploit markets. but none of that justifies strangling the freedom to move, to explore, to drive. speed limits aren’t just restrictions; they’re a betrayal of humanity’s instinct to push forward, to feel the wind, to claim ownership of the road. we need policies that protect kids while preserving the liberty to drive, to learn through motion, and to trust families to raise responsible drivers who can navigate a world that’s fast, messy, and wonderfully alive.