Replies

The medical and statistical evidence and arguments that I refer to are authored by serious-minded medical and policy experts -- some of whom may be said to prefer to agree with you. Be skeptical and feel free to disregard anything that was authored by someone who also wrote on COVID-19.

The risk of course is that you might learn something new that does not fully fit with your current views -- and then be compelled to change your views. I do not mean any form of insult but only to prod you toward engaging with the evidence and to think for yourself based on the evidence. Otherwise, discussions on the issue are an expression of belief and prejudice instead of logical and informed opinion.

I speak from experience. Decades ago, I was given the task by my employer at the time (a senior level judge) to research the current medical evidence on the harms of marijuana and to write a short summary. The judge was in favor of legalization while I opposed it. To my surprise, at the time, there was a lack of persuasive medical and scientific evidence as to the harmful effects of marijuana.

This had legal consequence because the case for marijuana being illegal then had to be anchored on the constitutional authority of legislatures to rely on common experience that marijuana was harmful. The judge felt vindicated, while I moved to being a skeptic on the issue and expecting that medical and scientific research might within a decade or two lead to the legalization of marijuana.

That did not happen though because medical and scientific research -- much of it undertaken by skeptics -- gradually accumulated as to the harms of marijuana. As I became aware of that material, I slowly shifted to again be strongly in favor of keeping marijuana illegal.

So, to summarize, for me medical and scientific evidence matters and twice shifted my views on marijuana legalization. So also does experience matter. A friend I knew well who was on heavy prescription pain medication for a back injury sometimes smoked illegal marijuana at times when his prescription medications did not fully work for his pain.

Similarly, a woman I once knew well smoked marijuana regularly (and illegally) to cope with physical pain due to injuries and anxiety from a traumatic childhood. Yet she also hated marijuana and wanted it illegal because it led her daughter to opioid addiction and death from an overdose.

For me, the marijuana issue therefore has complications that make an absolutist position implausible and unwise. My two friends surely merited medical exemptions, so I voted for that when it was on the ballot -- even though I oppose full legalization.

Again, I urge you to research and engage with the evidence and to take account of not just your life experience but of the experience of others as well.