Legalize cannabis? Not so fast, say medics

Government Senator Marc Bean recently called for a debate on the merits of decriminalising drugs in the wake of a report from the Global Commission on Drug Policy. A distinguished panel that wrote the report said the war on drugs had failed and recommended partial legalization as a solution to the blight of the illegal drugs trade on communities around the world.

Side effects of marijuana can include a heightened risk of psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia, depression, damage to memory and judgement and heart problems. Neurologist Dr Keith Chiappa said: “The use of marijuana, especially in younger age groups, should not be encouraged by any legalisation and should continue to be discouraged by specific programmes.”

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Chantelle Simmons said: “Cannabis use has been shown to be associated with difficulties in thought processes in 15-20 year olds.

“When you have a young adult, whose brain is still developing, there is a five times greater risk of schizophrenia.”

“It particularly adversely affects the developing brain and it’s also closely associated with psychosis.”

The Mid Atlantic Wellness Institute doctor added: “As a clinician, I try to focus on medical implications only, but I would have concerns that decriminalization would send a message that it was okay to encourage marijuana use.”

Dr Simmons added that studies had shown that marijuana use caused higher rates of depressive illness in adult women – four times the rate of depression found in non-users.

Teenage marijuana smokers have also been found to be less likely to complete high school and more likely to make poor career and life choices.

Dr Simmons said: “People say ‘it’s only weed, it’s natural’. It is a natural substance, but it can have significant adverse effects. It can not only cause psychosis, but exacerbate existing phychoses.”

Your going to have a bunch of stoned drivers looking for an open 7-11 to cure their munchies...I wonder what the different reflex time is between being stoned and being not stoned when driving...Don’t think we need to add people stoned on pot to our problem with drinking and driving..jmho

Actually, my argument is the converse: Beer (and wine and whiskey and rum and...) isn’t bad, so why is pot?

Also, we allow lots of things that significantly reduce life expectancies, from cigarettes to gay sex to motorcycles. I just don’t see that as an anti-pot argument.

The way I see it, Law Enforcement, in its war against (some) drugs is more of a threat to life, liberty, and property than potheads and legalized pot. It is not that I’m crazy about legalizing pot, but that I’ve had it “up to here” with cops kicking down doors and coming in with weapons ready over pot.

So you’re sick of cops kicking down doors? So let’s have no laws, according to your logic.

No one is forcing potheads to break the law. They are responsible for THEIR actions.

In any case, many of these allegedly bad policemen find that these potheads are not just smoking pot.

“LSD lollipops for kids, anyone? Oh: And don’t break down my door.” I wish more backsides were whipped.

Not going to buy the “if there is some restraint on law enforcement then we might as well have no law enforcement” meme you seem to be pushing. The only reason to “kick down the door” is if whatever you suspect is on the other side is worthing killing or dying for. Otherwise, you should accost the suspect away from the area, and/or serve the warrant while he’s not home. Politely. And don’t shoot the dog unless it actually bites (and i capable of actually doing damage to an armored cop).

Pot was not always against the law. The laws against were put place largely thanks to a racially charged crusade against pot by the rather corrupt Randolf Hearst in his newspapers (”Reefer Madness” ring any bells with you?). Didn’t seem to be much of a problem back them. As far as I can tell, making pot illegal was mostly part of a works project for cops put out work by the end of Prohibition. It doesn’t serve the public good and it remains works project for cops and prisons today.

Doesn’t matter if they find the alleged pot smoker was doing something else. The cops can feel free to get a warrant for whatever that something else is.

.Don’t think we need to add people stoned on pot to our problem with drinking and driving..jmho

I understand your concern, and there are lots of ways to respond to that - the most relevant probably that there are already laws in place in most locales that prohibit impaired driving.

However, my bigger point is to say that I have no problem with states handling this as they please. The federal government does not have the power to prohibit the individual intrastate use of a product or substance. They can no more constitutionally prevent you from using marijuana than they can prevent you from using a lightbulb manufactured within your own state. However, that's exactly what they're doing.

I agree with you 100 percent, its not the feds business but the states. Only problem is drivers cross state lines. If one state allows, there is no way to contain it to only that state.. The commerce clause has been beaten to death by the feds. But the state can handle such problems much better than Washington...

I am tired of light bulbs, toilets, showers, tree removal, designated wet lands, EPA, BATF, Dept. of Education etc, etc, etc, being dictated to the states and its citizens.. The federal government could be cut in half by eliminating all the alphabet soup departments. Only need the Dept of Defense, the rest are just make do jobs and ways for the citizen to be hamstrung..

When I had the farm, there was 2 acres with nursery tree's. Next door and behind my property was a corn field. For some reason I went to the township office to get a plat of my land....where the nursery trees were was actually designated WET LANDS. Had a time getting that fixed. I was in the middle of farm land. God must love idiots he found so many jobs for them with the government..

(Sorry God, didn't mean to slur you) :O)

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