About that Vaccination...

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“And I think once you get
that accepted, it seems to me
the logical next step is that
marijuana itself for nonmedicinal
purposes, what’s
wrong with it, seems to be the
next question that’ll be raised.”
will most likely lean benefit pharmaceutical companies, for which reason he
is afraid to support legalization.
JP is similarly wary: “The pharmaceutical company is going to make it
hard for me when I start to show how great marijuana is for day-to-day use,
how great it is for athletes.”
While in Seattle, Washington, there are 15 more medical marijuana dispensaries
than Starbucks Coffee shops, there is still significant opposition
to legalization. A majority of the opposing
group are medical marijuana patients, believing
that legalization is the most “heinous”
way to deal with the issue.
“If I can’t drive, or use the only
medication that works,” Darianne Clary
says at a press conference in Seattle. She is
concerned about being given a DUI. “I will
no longer be able to hold a stable job. I will
no longer be able to live a productive life,
or be a productive citizen of society.”
“What's the future? I don't know,” Henderson
asks. “And I think once you get that
accepted, it seems to me the logical next
step is that marijuana itself for non-medicinal
purposes, what's wrong with it,
seems to be the next question that'll be
raised.”
Marijuana contains the active ingredient
cannabis, which is composed of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol
(CBD), cannabinol (CBN), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), and
acidic cannabinoids. SC Labs has shown marijuana works as an immunosuppressive
drug, anti-insomniac, antiepileptic, and a pain reliever.
As of 2012, there are ten cannabis-based pharmaceutical drugs produced
by companies like GW Pharmaceuticals and Valeant Pharmaceuticals
Inc. In the meanwhile, according to Forbes magazine, companies that
produce drugs like Vicodin and Oxycontin have united with police unions
to further enforce marijuana-related laws. While large pharmaceutical
companies worry about their income, their publicized argument is what’s
called the “gateway theory”: use of marijuana leads to more dangerous
drugs.
“That’s been roundabout disproved by every medical study that’s ever
been done,” says Fox. He believes the gateway theory lacks credibility:
the damage that could be done has already been done. “Marijuana is
frequently fully available right now, so if people are going to abuse it,
they’re going to do it one way or the other.”
Alternatively, a study by Brown University claims that in 11-14%
of cases, marijuana has the potential to be highly addictive. Withdrawal
symptoms can include insomnia, anxiety, intense dreams, and long-term
erectile dysfunction. Concern for public health, related to both the inhalation
of the smoke and possible addiction to more serious drugs, was the
reason behind the majority of opposing votes in California in 2010.
Dr. Mark Kleinman, a professor at University of California Los Angeles
(UCLA), told NPR “the drug problem we really have isn't much about
marijuana.” Kleinman says that 75% of the “drug using population” is using
marijuana, most of which are occasional marijuana smokers. He also
explains that the drug is being used as something of a battle ground over
the “drug problem,” as it is the most commonly used illicit drug.
Ultimately, Kleinman says marijuana is so prevalent because it’s virtually
harmless. Of course, he acknowledges that “the adolescent use issue
is a serious one. I think it's probably bad for 14-year-olds to get stoned.
I'm sure it's bad for them to get stoned in school; they're not going to
learn anything.” Kleinman, and the School of Public Policy and Social
Research at UCLA, are working to put together a plan for marijuana that
will anger the fewest people.
¨A major concern of legalization or even decriminalization is how people
respond,¨ explains Sinai. One possible response is that of Portugal,
where offenses were changed in 2001 from criminal to administrative,