Legalizing Marijuana is a Terrible Idea

Gloria Romanorum ^ | 11/5/17 | Florentius

[Antoninus]

It seems that many states, my home state of New Jersey included, are hell-bent on legalizing recreational use of cannabis. The arguments in favor of this, though loud and dominant in the media, are not particularly convincing.

Most of the advocates tout the desire to legalize the drug so that the state can raise additional tax revenue off of the sales. Enhancing the ability of an over-bearing confiscatory high-tax state like New Jersey to extract even more revenue from its citizens is never going to be a compelling argument for me.

Slightly better is the argument that legalizing the drug will result in fewer individuals in prison for usage. While I agree that we have far too many individuals in jail for such petty crimes, full-scale legalization of recreational usage seems like an over-reaction to a problem which may be fixed by simply reducing the penalties involved.

But the absolute worst argument in favor of legalization is that cannabis is harmless or somehow beneficial to users. You will find these types of claims all over websites which market marijuana-related products, and they are absolutely false and extremely dangerous. If there are any mild benefits for a healthy person using cannabis, they are far outweighed by the negatives. Sadly, the proponents of marijuana usage will often laugh off any suggestion that using their drug of choice can do harm as a return to "Reefer Madness," a supposedly comical early 20th century belief that using cannabis can cause you to go crazy.

The sad facts are these: the more research that's done, the more science has realized that cannabis usage for healthy people is detrimental, both on a personal neuro-cognitive level, and on a societal level. It is particularly bad for youth as the impact of the active ingredient in cannabis--tetrahydrocannabinol or TCH--on the developing brain can be profound and long-lasting. Here is a list of articles detailing some of these findings. I would encourage anyone interested in this issue to at least skim over these studies:

Cannabis as a Neuro-Toxin:

Does Cannabis Cause Lasting Brain Damage? (2012)
"Recent studies using high-resolution imaging techniques, combined with more robust delineations of specific brain regions in very heavy cannabis users, have revealed evidence of dose-related alterations, mostly in the hippocampal and parahippocampal regions."

Is Cannabis Neurotoxic for the Healthy Brain? (2013)
"Our results suggest that in the healthy brain, chronic and long-term cannabis exposure may exert significant effects in brain areas enriched with cannabinoid receptors, such as the hippocampus, which could be related to a neurotoxic action."

Long-term Effects of Marijuana Use on the Brain (2014)
"Our findings of negative correlations between connectivity indexes and measures of marijuana use suggest a cumulative deleterious effect of marijuana on OFC (orbitofrontal cortex of the brain) connectivity."

Persistent Cannabis Users Show Neuropsychological Decline from Childhood to Midlife (2012)
"Persistent cannabis use was associated with neuropsychological decline broadly across domains of functioning, even after controlling for years of education. Informants also reported noticing more cognitive problems for persistent cannabis users."

Impact of Cannabis on Memory

Effects of Cannabis on Memory and Cognitive Function
"Cannabinoids appear to disrupt short-term memory by interfering with the filtering of information, such that a greater volume of information reaches consciousness, overwhelming the ability to store, or prioritise such information for storage in memory."

The Chronic Effects of of Cannabis on Memory in Humans: A Review (2008)
"Sufficient evidence has accumulated from recent studies of cannabis users in the unintoxicated state to conclude that long-term heavy cannabis use is associated with impaired memory function."

Study Shows Memory Loss Due to Cannabis Related Harm to Mitochondria (2016)
"Acute cannabinoid intoxication induces amnesia in humans and animals, and the activation of type-1 cannabinoid receptors present at brain mitochondria membranes (mtCB1) can directly alter mitochondrial energetic activity."

Even pro-cannabis sites admit that the substance impacts memory in a negative way...
9 Ways to Prevent Cannabis-induced Memory Loss

Impact of Cannabis on Executive Function
(Note: Executive function is the set of mental skills that govern time management, attention, planning and the ability to cope with multiple tasks at the same time.)

Cannabis Use Before age 15 and Subsequent Executive Functioning (2011)
"The results suggest that chronic cannabis users process complex information more slowly and performance worsens in cognitive overload tasks as lifetime consumption increases."

Executive Function Deficits in Short Term Abstinent Cannabis Users (2008)
"The cannabis users, compared to both control groups, had deficits on verbal fluency, visual recognition, delayed visual recall, and short- and long-interval prospective memory....These findings suggest that cannabis use leads to impaired executive function."

Cannabis and Cognition: Short- and Long Term Effects (2011)
"A range of cognitive functions, encompassing attentional, memory and executive and inhibitory processes, are impaired both during the acute intoxication period and following long-term use of cannabis."

Impact of Cannabis Usage on the Developing Brain

Cannabis and Neurodevelopment: Implications for Psychiatric Disorders (2006)
"The effect of cannabinoids in the adolescent suggest long-term deleterious outcomes in cognition, depressive symptoms, schizophrenia and substance use disorders."

Effects of Cannabis on the Adolescent Brain (2014)
"Teens who engage in heavy marijuana use often show disadvantages in neurocognitive performance, macrostructural and microstructural brain development, and alterations in brain functioning."

Cannabis and Adolescent Brain Development (2014)
"Accumulating evidence from both animal and human studies suggests that regular heavy use during this period is associated with more severe and persistent negative outcomes than use during adulthood, suggesting that the adolescent brain may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of cannabis exposure."

Adverse Effects of Cannabis on Adolescent Brain Development (2016)
"These data provide compelling longitudinal evidence suggesting that repeated exposure to cannabis during adolescence may have detrimental effects on brain resting functional connectivity, intelligence, and cognitive function."

Societal Impact of Cannabis Legalization

While the above articles are mostly from scholarly journals, here are some news stories on the impact of cannabis legalization is having on society, largely from mainstream media sources that are otherwise favorable toward legalization:

Vagrants Overrun Colorado Town. Residents Cite Legalized Marijuana as Reason. (2017)
Pot Fuels a Surge in Drugged Driving Deaths. (2014)
Traffic Fatalities Linked to Marijuana are Up Sharply in Colorado. (2017)
Legalized Pot Sends More Teens to the ER in Colorado. (2017)
Is Colorado's Homeless Surge Tied to Legalized Marijuana? (2017)
Colorado Drug Overdoses Up in Almost Every County and Ahead of National Average (2016)
Survey: Colorado Stands Out for Consuming Drugs, Alcohol (2016)
Marijuana-related Fatal Car Accidents Surge in Washington State after Legalization (2016)
Fatal Road Crashes Involving Marijuana Double after State Legalizes Drug (2016)
How Big is Colorado's Drug Problem? (2017)

The message here is that even if voters and state legislatures are stupid enough to legalize this substance, if you care about the health of your brain, you would do well to avoid smoking weed. Fears of "reefer madness" may be overblown, but the conventional wisdom regarding the degraded behavior and reduced prospects of "pot heads" is pretty much on the money.

And let's not forget the ulterior motives of politicians and businesses who are looking to reap the benefits of legalization. Do they really care about the health and safety of the people they supposedly serve? Or are they simply looking for a way to make society more docile, stupid and ultimately easier to rule, while raking in big money? On this question, history is instructive:

A Disgraceful Little War -- The Opium War and Commissioner Lin

[rb22982]

MJ isn’t chemically addictive, far less so than even caffeine and alcohol. Heroin is far more addictive, even on the first dose. Plus the levels of damage to ones bottle aren’t even comparable.

[rb22982]

I’ll bite. Why is CO in big trouble?

[Snickering Hound]

CO citizens can grow up to 6 plants, yet the tax revenues are on track to exceed $200M in 2017.

Some strains can grow bigger than Christmas trees.

That's a lot of weed...

[gundog]

What’s CO’s budget? Oregon can blow through that in no time and ask for more with a straight face.

[Dilbert San Diego]

I do support the 10th amendment. And you are helping make my overall point. You are saying that the 10th amendment considerations should override all other considerations. Others have differing opinions as to the criteria they think should override all others.

[Ken H]

“You are saying that the 10th amendment considerations should override all other considerations. Others have differing opinions as to the criteria they think should override all others.”

And you think there is legitimacy in a position that supports fedgov overriding the Constitution?

[Dilbert San Diego]

I’m not taking any position on marijuana legalization. I’m just making observations about the discussion.

[bagster]

Since we're on the topic, Fungi old shoe. What is your position on legalizing "magic" mushrooms.

I'll hang up and take your answer off the air.

[scripter]

There are a whole lot of positive benefits to marijuana. One huge benefit is pain relief. My mother-in-law is in her 90s and uses a cream for arthritis. My mom will start using it soon. I've used the same cream for arthritis and it works very well for us.

I sleep about 3-4 hours a night. I've tried a number of sleep aides and nothing works and some cause hallucinations. Marijuana edibles help me sleep at least 8 hours and they lower blood pressure and stress considerably.

I don't have a problem legalizing marijuana, or at least letting people grow their own so they can reap the medical benefits. Not everybody who wants to legalize marijuana wants to smoke it all day as there are far better consumption methods with excellent medical benefits.

[Ken H]

I don’t know, but the pro-legalizers put out a study in 2012 that projected tax revenues of $100M annually by 2017. It was panned by their opponents as being wildly optimistic.

[Ken H]

Fair enough, but who do you think should decide intrastate mj policies, state or federal?

[a little elbow grease]

Legalizing Marijuana is a Terrible Idea

_______

Given the rather brain dead, amoral children that our schools are purposefully grinding out by the millions these days ............. as a 70 year old guy who smoked a good bit of marijuana in a responsible way back in the mid-70's, and since then has had a fine and productive life in that context, I say marijuana legalization THESE days may not be such a great idea. Bummer

This society presently is a large steaming stench-ridden turd. And these young people today generally have little to no base to keep them steady and solid in any way.

*****

[Bellflower]

It’s not worth a full word, admit it.

[bagster]

Haha.

Touche.

[bagster]

Don’t forget to tell ‘em to get off your lawn.

[C210N]

Gotta be 21 to get in.

Yes, it will probably work like liquor - kids under 21 will scheme to get it from older "kids", or just plain strangers. "From an unrelated adult" is the most common way according to the below, by far (28%).

[wyowolf]

Agreed I can’t use it because of where I work so doesn’t matter to me, but it’s no worse than alcohol afaik

[Sign Petition to Arrest Comey]

Legalize it. Alcohol is waaaaayy more dangerous than marijuana and it’s not even close. Besides I’d rather someone smoke pot than get addicted to the growing killer of opioids that are often times prescribed legally.

[bigdaddy45]

I’m trying to find the constitutional authority for the federal government to regulate something that i can grow in my own backyard, and use in my own house without anyone else being involved.

So since we’re a nation of laws, and not opinions, lets set our opinions aside and look at the Constitution. Where do you see this authority given?

[eclecticEel]

Trans-fats and HFCS do more to wreck the health of the country than cannabis ever could - let’s outlaw them.