The UN Doesn’t Use Science to Dictate Cannabis Policy – Here’s Why You Should Ignore Them
We are often told that we need “science” to guide our cannabis policy. However, the people who call for “science” to dictate policy typically don’t use science when forming their own rules.
This is exemplified perfectly by the latest statements from the UN’s Office on Drugs and Crime who is calling for an international ban on cannabis advertisement.
You heard that right, they want to censor all global cannabis branding and marketing because they “think” it might have a negative effect on people.
UNODC research and trends analysis head Angele Me said the main reason was to make sure ads do not trick young people into thinking cannabis is a healthy choice. - Source
Except, if the main reason is to ensure that the ads don’t “trick young people” into thinking that cannabis is a healthy choice – why do we need a ban? Aren’t there regulatory agencies that make sure when targeting kids you have to play by the rules?
I mean, Youtube gave me a strike on a video because it featured people rioting and because it wasn’t “acceptable for children”. I was making a statement about the fickle nature of humanity, but the censors do not understand art.
However, the point of the Youtube Strike is to simply illustrate that there are indeed agencies that watch what we market to children. Thus, a global ban on cannabis advertisement is ludicrous to say the least.
The question is; did these “researchers” actually do the proper research to justify a global ban?
What the UNODC Actually Said…
The UNODC released its annual World Drug Report. It says public health should take priority over the cannabis industry’s business interests as reported on Today Health Science.
This is a position that any rational person would support. We don’t want “industry” to trump public health, and that’s precisely why there are regulations in place.
We make sure that the cannabis being sold is properly labeled, public education campaigns are being funded by the very industry, and age restrictions are placed so that kids can’t simply walk into a store and buy weed.
Here’s a snippet from the article on their “findings”.
The special focus is on the cannabis crisis. The report analyzes the changes in cannabis use and risk perceptions over time. The UN anticipates the challenges that may arise soon and address them head-on.
The latest estimates and trends of cannabis use show a substantial rise in marijuana products over the past few years. Long-term, heavy use of the drug can lead to mental health disorders.
Moreover, the agency noted that the strength of cannabis products has almost quadrupled in the US over the last two decades and doubled in Europe.
A greater cause for concern is that the percentage of adolescents who view marijuana as harmful has decreased nearly 40% over the past 20 years.
So the UNODC suggests that private firms and social media channels need to stop the aggressive marketing of cannabis products, especially those with high THC content.
At the moment, we don’t know how such a ban would work. But the UNODC says that it will be similar to those set by the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. (emphasis added)
The problem with this approach is that there’s many “maybes” in the air. There is no hard science backing up any of their fears and it seems more like the projections of people who have never consumed cannabis a day in their lives.
Yet, these people are the ones “suggesting” how countries should act.
If it wasn’t for the UN, the global drug trade would not have swollen to the size it is today. Their “science” suggested a complete ban on all “illegal drugs” was the best course of action.
Yet these decisions were the very reason why cartels grew in power and the prevalence of drugs became increasingly more available – specifically for kids.
A young Reginald at age 16 – Drugzapalooza!
I remember when I was a teenager, the drug war was in full swing. We were getting told from every authority figure that we shouldn’t do drugs – however, whenever we asked “Why” we were told, “Because it’s bad!”
Except, anyone who actually tried drugs realized that the opposite was true. Sure, there’s risks involved – but you could explore the vastness of your own consciousness from the comfort of your couch.
Due to the illegality of drugs, cartels were manufacturing a great deal – contemplating that some of their product would be seized. This was part of their business model.
As a result, there was an influx of drugs, which decreased the price point and made it accessible for young kids with pocket money to buy all sorts of psychedelic treats.
There was no advertising for these drugs – you simply had to “know a guy”. That “Guy” wasn’t too difficult to track down.
Why the UN should fuck right off!
The reason I pointed out the previous example of a young me consuming drugs like it’s tic tacs, is because policies like the ones suggested by the UN helps create those conditions.
Of course, we want to protect the public health – we want to sway kids away from using drugs. But we don’t do it by hiding the existence of drugs, we do it by properly educating them.
I used to do a lot of drugs as a teen, but this doesn’t mean that I advocate that teens do drugs also. On the contrary, I have plenty of reasons why kids should wait until they are about 25 to begin to experiment with these kinds of substances.
However, the UN is suggesting that we take drastic actions on a whim – and then, in the same breath asks “science to dictate drug policy”.
Listen, if you’re not going to restrict alcohol ads, then you definitely shouldn’t restrict cannabis ads. You should simply – like with alcohol – ensure that it’s targeting the right demographic.
Fortunately, the UN can never enforce anything, they only “suggest” – but honestly, we don’t need their input on cannabis or any drugs for that matter – they have a piss poor track record at making smart decisions about these kinds of things.
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