A Quick Note on Policy Reform

Usually I wouldn’t diverge so much from the usual topics of the blog, but considering it is 4/20, and I am otherwise a very vocal pro-legalization advocate, I’d like to take a little time to talk about the positive, beneficial aspects of the decriminalization and medical distribution of marijuana.  Full post below the fold:

Marijuana contains chemicals called cannabinoids, including tetrahydrocannabinol, THC, the compound that elicits the “high” effect. However, some of the other forms of these chemicals can combat nausea, insomnia, and pain, and can be used in treatment in correlation with AIDS-related therapy, to prevent pain and nausea during chemotherapy, and even for physiological and psychological disorders like ADD/ADHD, OCD, Parkinson’s, PTSD, and Autism.

Marijuana laws in our country are skewed, because the original intent was to prevent the disruption and breakdown of the timber, tobacco and cotton industries, all of which were threatened by the cheaper, more available, more versatile hemp. However, the message that is portrayed to support these laws is one of pain, addiction, and negative effects. To take apart one such example:

(original link) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEvAUvN9aDE

1) “I stole from my little sister”

I smoked marijuana, therefore I commit ed petty larceny. How does this make sense? I guess the premise is that he was so ‘addicted’ to marijuana or at least so influenced by it that he stole from his sister to buy more. However, I think this goes less to prove the point that “smoking marijuana is bad”, just that “people with addictive personalities will feed their addictions”

2) “I got straight ‘D’s’.” The implication is that smoking marijuana some how caused a decline in school performance, althought that’s mistaking correlation with causation. The girl is too young to handle the substance responsibly, and is ill-educated about it, therefore she uses it improperly. This doesn’t prove the substance is bad, only that it can be used improperly, like alcohol, a perfectly legal, albeit controlled substance.

3)”I left my ex-girlfriend 27 messages last night.” This doesn’t prove that marijuana caused anything, except again, a lapse in judgement due to improper use, because of mismanaged drug policy.

4)”I made my mother cry.” I’m assuming the point is that her mother was against her using marijuana, and when she caught her, she was upset to the point of tears. Why is that marijuana’s fault? Is it not the government’s fault that the mother was so misinformed in her childhood to be so close-minded in her adulthood?

5)”I let people draw on me.” I’m not even sure where to begin here. Firstly, among the ill side effects of the use of marijuana, blacking out, incompetence, paralysis, or whatever caused the kid to be incapacitated, are not prevalent. The first two are oft-found related to alcohol though.

6)”I ditched my friends, and let them find their own way home.” Obviously, this kid is just a douche bag, regardless of whether he’s stoned or not.

The point of these commercials  is lost on me, because I don’t see any correlation A more valid argument would be an older gentleman with lung cancer because he only smoked marijuana, rather than vaporizing or cooking. As far as the intoxicating effects of the drug, they’re nowhere near as mind altering or uncontrollable as those of alcohol, and, used correctly by responsible individuals, using marijuana can be as much a recreational activity as drinking. Therefore, I think it is imperative, for the sake of our civil liberties, scientific and medical communities alike, and the general welfare of the people, that marijuana be decriminalized immediately.

EDIT: Added, related to topic:

- CJ