“If you are arguing that medicine is good, I agree, but what is being discussed is recreational use of drugs.”
Actually, the discussion is about the editorial linked by the OP. That aside, I’ve never advocated the full legalization of all drugs. I do think all drugs should be regulated to some degree, including cannabis.
“For most people, claiming “medicinal use” is just a lie.”
Pure fallacy. Neither you nor I have the ability to know whether “most people claiming ‘medicinal use’ is just a lie”. Unless you did proper interviews of all medical marijuana patients in America. Did you?
“For some, it is likely a valid claim.”
It’s my personal experience in observing people I see at my favorite dispensary that 90%+ of those folks are legitimate patients. YMMV of course :)
Read an article written by a journalist that got his "medicinal" marijuana license in California. (I think it was from Rolling Stone.)
It was all theater. They had an on site doctor/PA that could write the prescription immediately, and on the basis of him saying he had "anxiety" (over getting caught) he got a medical marijuana license in California.
Now do you think I need a complete study of all people who received such licenses to determine that they are issued for any d@mn reason at all?
I think the one example is sufficient enough to surmise the truth without any further data.
“Unless you did proper interviews of all medical marijuana patients in America. Did you?”
A study with a large and representative sample is generally considered acceptable.
Not that I’ve seen one of those, either.