The momentum to legalize marijuana is undeniable and likely to happen nationwide in the next 5-10 years. The question is: how wise a decision is it?
Five years ago I probably would have come down pretty firmly on the side of legalization. After all, Weed is largely safe of detrimental health risks that are much more common with other illegal drugs like cocaine, and heroine. I don’t ever remember hearing of a reported death from overdosing on pot. On the other hand death from acute alcohol poisoning is not uncommon, and alcohol is a legal drug. Besides death alcohol abuse is well-known to cause innumerable problems.
But is the imminent possibility of death from over-use the only reason to make a drug illegal? The answer is obviously No. Regular marijuana use causes its users to lose motivation, drive, goals, aspirations and work ethic. It’s also well documented that pot is a gateway drug that leads far too many users to the more dangerous drugs.
Marijuana growing Islamabad 01 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
On the first point, a study is hardly needed. The loose, brain-dead pot smoker is so stereotypical its a cliche`. It’s a cliche` most frequently represented by the portrayal of the fictional Jeff Spicoli, by Sean Penn,
Sean Penn
in the 1982 movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High:
Do we want a nation of Spicoli’s?
The fact that a regular use of Mary-Jane can diminish drive and work ethic is not without documentation or plenty of examples. I’ve been witness myself to a straight “A” student catching the “pot” habit and slowly decreasing into such a state of lethargy that their high school grades diminished to a point where they failed to graduate; something 75% of all kids manage.
Were pot legalized another big question is whether the number of users would remain as-is or increase. Put simply, would you not smoke pot if it remained illegal, but choose to do so if it were legal? I think the obvious answer is many would. I’d be one of them. My history with pot is minimal. I’m not sure that I ever bought even a gram. But in my youth I wouldn’t turn it down if it were offered. That stopped for me at the age of 19. At that young age I determined I had too many vices and committed to eliminate some. It made sense to make one of them that which is illegal. In the nearly 30 years since I made that decision I’ve partaken in a little pot only a hand full of times, and only when sex was imminent. So sue me. Sex is GREAT when high on weed.
Another reason to oppose marijuana legalization is the fact that it is addictive. Legalization advocates can argue all they want that it’s not. But common sense and repeated studies prove otherwise.
The debate extends far beyond the minimal points that can be made in this blog. But for my part the momentum to legalize is so omnipresent that I felt a moment of pause to recognize there really are detrimental effects to such a move and taking a deep breath is appropriate. A deep, clean breath.
Thanks for visiting. Comments are welcome.
Related articles
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- Notable new study reporting increased marijuana use by teens (sentencing.typepad.com)
- Enforcement Group Protests Fed Crackdown on Colorado Pot Dispensaries (danielrrosen.com)
2 Comments
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M Schuett blah blah blah 
First off- even NIDA no longer accepts the gateway theory. In fact, pretty much the only link between cannabis and harder drug use that is still accepted is that due to cannabis being illegal- users are more likely to come in contact with users/sellers of other illegal drugs.
As to the unmotivated stoner “cliche” – it is just that. The evidence- both ancedotal and scientific, is that such effects apply to onmy a very small subset of users, and that it is less of an effect of the marijuana then it amplifying the issues already there. (I have known far more people with such issues who did not use drugs, then those who did)
And the evidence is that almost no users remain heavy users for long- that long time studies following users can not collect enough long term data from heavy users for meaninful analysis- because people may go through periods of heavy use, but do not remain heavy users.
And the fact remains- millions use cannabis regardless of legality. Prohibition has failed, and the laws do more harm to society then good.
First let me thank you for your comment and visiting my blog. Second let me tell you that you provide no support for your factually incorrect comments. The “Stoner” cliche` is a cliche` because of how accurate it is. Pot does leave you lazy and unmotivated and BTW DUMBER.
And of course pot is a gateway drug. I don’t need a study to tell me that. But there are plenty that do.