Archive for April, 2009

The use of cannabis for medicinal purposes has been a source for heated debates for quite some time now, but recently we’ve seen more states vote on legislation that would make it legal to use cannabis for medical afflictions such as migraines, insomnia, chronic pain, and illnesses that would otherwise be treated by common drugs like anti-depressants, sedatives, and/or opiates. The newest state to join this group is Arizona. Next year’s general election may very well contain an initiative for the legalization of cannabis as a treatment for the sick. This is a very touchy issue, as opponents of the measure tend to believe that cannabis is just another dangerous drug like heroin and cocaine, while proponents claim that the drug, when used responsibly, has less side effects and is more effective than prescription drugs. Personally I have much to say about this whole debate, but I’ll try to keep it short. First of all, the medical effects of cannabis have never been given serious attention, however, I’d venture a guess that people who genuinely suffer from chronic illnesses know their disease better than people who either haven’t or aren’t currently experiencing the same thing thus, they are in a better position to say whether or not a certain treatment works for them. Second, cannabis was made illegal for political and racial reasons—it had absolutely nothing to do with science. Indeed, the technology to accurately test many of the claims made about “the dangers of Marijuana” and it’s effects on the human brain, didn’t even exist when they were made! Third, tobacco and alcohol are known killers yet they are legal. While it’s tempting to say that nobody has ever died from smoking cannabis, I can’t prove it; but if cannabis was as dangerous as we are told, then you’d think that the news would be all over any reports of illnesses or hospitalization caused by long-term usage or overdose… instead we hear about lung cancer, emphysema, cirrhosis, and other illnesses cause by smoking and drinking. Fourth, the idea that you can outlaw something and it will go away is seriously flawed. If there’s a market for a particular item, that market will continue to exist regardless of law. Prohibition will only create a black market and drive up the demand. We should have  learned this with alcohol prohibition.

If you can’t already tell, I’m in favor of legalization. You would think that a substance so demonized would have been studied thoroughly—but it hasn’t been. Occasionally you’ll hear about some government funded study confirming all the misinformation that we’ve been told, but how do you reconcile the disparity between that and reality? People are not dying in the streets from smoking cannabis, but according to the government, they should be. Conversely, every now and then you’ll see a report about how scientists in Europe or elsewhere are having success in treating cancer (or some other malady) in mice, but by and large, those reports are not heard by the majority of Americans—this is a taboo subject, but not because there’s a proportionate amount of scientific evidence to warrant such a high level of condemnation.

Thoughts?

Relevant links:

http://www.azcentral.com/…

http://newmexicoindependent.com/…

http://blogs.salon.com/…

http://www.philly.com/…