Will Medical Marijuana Laws Affect Marijuana Use by Young People?
Marijuana has always been consumed for many different reasons, but now the drug – especially in its medicinal form – has officially gone mainstream. Thirteen states have legalized medical marijuana and some dispensaries have reported a 300 percent sales increase since Barack Obama was elected president. Yet as more marijuana clubs dot the landscape and pot transforms from taboo to acceptable, how will that affect young people? Will parents struggle to explain why pot is permissible in certain instances but not in others? Will kids do more drugs?
Making Cannabis More Available Might Actually Reduce Use
Legal Doesnt Equate to Laudable
Because something is legal does not automatically make it laudable.
Increase use doesn't necessarily equate to an increase in net harm either.
Set and Setting do define harm risk (a point that prohibitors prefer to overlook). Making cannabis [use] less stigmatized would enable quality epidemiological research.
A patient (or recreational user, practicing preventative early intervention) has a fundamental right to 'informed consent', where fully informed is fully armed and consent is 'self determination'.
I would expect a reported increase in use post ANY prohibitory regime. That should surprise no one.
But at least a little bit of pot sitting somewhere hurting no one will cease to lead to arrest and incarceration and the life long stigma of a conviction for what MOST thinking people believe to be 'of little matter'.
- MildGreens July 28, 2009 4:48PM
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