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Is It Finally Time to Legalize the Devil\’s Lettuce?
On April 1, 2022, while you and I were consumed by The Slap Heard Around the World, the US House of Representatives quietly passed a landmark bill. The bill, which gained bipartisan support, decriminalizes the recreational use of Marijuana.
The vote was 220 to 204. Three Republicans voted to support the bill, allowing it to move to the US Senate for a vote.
The bill seeks to expunge the criminal records of those convicted of non-violent crimes associated with the heavenly herb. Proponents of the bill suggest that these non-violent crimes unfairly target people of color. The resulting criminal records can permanently restrict one’s right to vote, find employment and secure financial aid at colleges and universities.
Other provisions of the bill prevent federal agencies from rejecting security clearances for users of the gigglesmoke. It also opens the door to the Veteran’s Administration (VA) to prescribe medical marijuana for the treatment of certain conditions, particularly Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In states where wacky-weed is already legal, the bill will allow for a federal sales tax.
Sweet 420
The bill will now move to the Senate, where the upper chamber will consider its passage along with its own bill seeking to de-criminalize the national flower of Jamaica.
Many suggest that the Senate will expedite the vote in the hope that a final vote can take place on April 20, 2022, that is 4-20-22. See, 420 is the number most associated with marijuana. Sneaky, huh?
Street Legal Reefer
All of this raises the question of whether it is time to legalize reefer, once and for all. (I love the word reefer.) To date, 36 states and D.C. have legalized medical cannabis.
The Garden State (New Jersey) will begin the sale of recreational reefer starting next Thursday, April 21. Imagine how boring Jersey Shore would have been with Snooki and “The Sitch” high on legalized weed.
It’s is the 18th state to allow recreational reefer, (including Washington, D.C.) It all started with the nutty states (Colorado and Washington), but the wave is spreading faster than a Covid variant.
In 2020, Arizona, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota approved ballot measures to legalize recreational grass, with South Dakota becoming the first state to legalize recreational use without first legalizing medical use.
The Hockey Stick
According to a Pew Research Center survey, the support for legalization of The Holy Herb between 2000-2019 looks like a hockey stick (see below). In 1969 only 12% supported legalizing herb. Today, two-thirds of Americans support the complete legalization of the Sinner’s Spinach.
The chart below shows how overall usage has soared since 2000, when Colorado approved medical cannabis use. Over 10 percent of Americans over age 26 reported getting high during 2020. That’s twice the rate of consumption in 2010.
All the Kids Are Doing It
According to the Pew Research Center, 91% of Americans support legalization. Only 8% think it should not be legal at all.
Big Weed
Today’s weed is big business. It is formulated into all sorts of edibles. It’s sold as candies, gummies, lollipops, etc. by big, publicly traded companies. In fact very few users, other than Snoop Dogg, actually smoke their weed. Most people just eat it.
Gettin’ jiggy has some negative consequences, though. Using pot on a regular basis is associated increased anxiety and depression. It can also result in poorer life outcomes like failure to launch for young adults. I wrote about that trend in a piece called The Laziest Generation in American History.
It’s not all bad news, though. A New Zealand study that followed a group of regular weed users for 20 years had some interesting results. Consistent weed usage resulted in better cholesterol levels, lower BMI and reduced waist circumferences.
The simple truth is that Marijuana gummies are easier to obtain than Claritin-D 24 hour allergy medication at Walgreens. And, gummies offer a nice alternative for those looking to relax without calories or a hangover.
Delta-8
Even in states where Marijuana is illegal, you can still order Delta-8 weed gummies via the interwebs. Delta 8 gives you the benefits of euphoric sleep, relaxation and discomfort relief, without the groggy “high” that high-test marijuana can cause. Delta 8 is more powerful than CBD but not quite as intense as high-test weed. You can buy Delta 8 gummies here.
If you have trouble sleeping, a company called Five markets a combo platter of 25 mg of CBD, 2 mg of THC and 3 mg of Melatonin in a single gummy. THC is the chemical that makes you feel high. Yes, you read that correctly. You can order THC products here even if they’re illegal in your state. In full disclosure I’ve used this product for insomnia. They are effective without the next-day grogginess that comes from drugs like Ambien.
So it appears that everyone is on board with making the grim reefer legal. But, there’s a big difference between the stems and seeds you smoked in college and today’s modern herb. Today’s ganja has been re-engineered and genetically modified. And, today’s weed packs a serious wallop. As a result, many people struggle to eat the appropriate amount. If you’re not careful, you can find yourself in the fetal position in your closet making all kinds of promises to Jerry García and God about going to seminary. (see also, Tequila)
The Downside of Ganja
While weed is much safer than other drugs, Cannabis can and does cause psychosis. For some, a single dose is enough to push them over the edge into a psychotic break. Often these individuals are not even aware they had a predisposition to mental illness. At least until they wake up in the psych ward without a belt or shoe laces.
The Gateway Drug
So, how can we be certain that legalizing the evil edamame won’t add to our booming addiction epidemic? After all, isn’t weed the “gateway drug”?
According to Ian Henyon, Executive Director of the Birmingham Recovery Center, “we should decriminalize Marijuana”.
According to Henyon, “people who want to use these substances do so regardless of whether it’s legal. Their addiction is only exacerbated by the myriad of legal problems they find themselves in”.
Henyon has spent 14 years as a treatment professional. During that time he hasn’t ever heard a patient say they couldn’t find enough drugs. Yet, the United States has the largest incarcerated population in the world. And, last year we had over 100,000 deaths from drug overdoses. So, clearly our current approach is not working.
More importantly, according to Henyon, Marijuana is not the gateway drug. “If you trace back the root cause of addiction to hard drugs you’ll find it’s root cause of addiction is nicotine, not Marijuana,” says Henyon. Apparently nicotine, not weed, serves as the training wheels for someone who has a predilection for addiction.
What About You?
So the polls suggest that people think weed should be legal. And, at least one treatment professional thinks it makes sense. What about you?
Is it time to decriminalize the Devil’s Lettuce on April 20th? What about other drugs? This is tough stuff so I need to hear from you. Tell me what you think, below. And, please do me a favor and forward this article to a few friends who might want to join the debate.
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