How Can We Trust Science to Dictate Cannabis Policy When It’s Obviously Not Ojective?

science based cannabis research
I recently stumbled on this article published on “The Hill” entitled “To Safeguard public health let science guide marijuana legalization” written by Dr. Richard S. Rosenthal.

In this article, the good doctor argues that “Science should be sitting at the center of all policy decisions regarding cannabis!” of which I actually agree.

But then, upon further reading, my insides started cringing as the so-called “science” that Rosenthal utilizes to solidify his point is highly fickle in nature.

Claims like, “cannabis can be nearly as addictive as prescription opioids” in the minds of adolescents is outright bullshit! The study he cites comes from NIDA or the National Institution against Drug Abuse which funds 95% of its studies to look at the negative effects of cannabis.

That’s not biased science!

Nonetheless – now that I saw this drivel being posted on a website that is often read by the very policy makers that vote on the bullshit laws that YOU have to live under…I thought I’d do the world a service and analyze the good doctor’s opinion – which is all that it is, the opinion of one man.

As is mine – an opinion…albeit an opinion with far more entertainment value but an opinion nonetheless.

Kids are taking drugs at the same rates as other drugs

One of Rosie’s arguments is that kids are allegedly trying cannabis at the same rates as that they are trying opioids.

Let me put it into Rosie’s words:

Adolescents are particularly at risk: The NIDA study in JAMA Pediatrics shows that nearly 11 percent of children ages 12 to 17 met the criteria for addiction just a year after first trying marijuana. That’s about the same rate as those who try prescription opioids — the drug fueling the opioid epidemic and tragic surge in overdoses. In other words, there’s a growing body of compelling evidence showing that cannabis isn’t as benign as legalization supporters claim. - Source

Essentially, Rosie says that because kids trying weed at roughly the same prevalence as they are trying “other drugs” – weed is bad!

Yes, it’s tough to follow that logic. Especially when he concludes with – “weed isn’t as benign as we thought!”

To set the record straight – never has any advocate of legal cannabis argued that kids should smoke weed. Thus, the fact that kids are experimenting with cannabis at the same rates that they are experimenting with other drugs tells me a few things:

The same kids that are smoking weed and testing drugs, are trying out other highs
If the argument is “because weed trying is at the same level as opioid trying” then wouldn’t it be simply far easier to prohibit opioids in the same measure as cannabis?

I mean, if prohibition or “strict regulation” is the way to save the children – then we should apply the same measure to all drugs including alcohol and tobacco.

High Potency Pot is BAD!

As I’ve mentioned in earlier articles – this is the new red herring within the world of cannabis. Lawmakers and prohibitionists will now begin to wage battle on putting caps on THC levels in products.

Once again, “kids” are the main motivator behind the need to place a cap. But once again – the cannabis marketplace is not for kids.

It’s insane to me that we can live in a society that has the ability to distinguish between adult activities and child activities – yet still have people like “Rosie” over here trying to argue that we need to protect the kiddos!

An adult of sound mind should have the right to decide the potency of the weed they consume. At most you can put a warning label on it like you do with near 100-proof alcohol, “Don’t Drink this shit!” or in the common English “Not for human consumption!”

Kids smoking dabs is never okay, and we already have rules in place to stop this. But you cannot control every single human and no matter what you do – a kid with enough motivation will find a way to get their hands on ANY drug.

Just like the opioid prescription example Rosie gave before. The fact that you “prohibit” or “Cap” something will only create a vacuum that the black market will fill. And then, you have the Vape Scare of 2019 happening at a mass scale!

Good job Rosie! SCIENCE LEADING THE CHARGE!

But what about the Drugged Drivers?

Once more, Rosie cites dubious claims about the impairment of cannabis and the relation of fatal traffic accidents.

This makes me question whether Rosie is even a real doctor? I mean, if you can’t understand that the presence of THC does not indicate impairment – what kind of doctor are you anyway?

The Truth Behind Rosie

Upon further investigation, you can see that Dr. Richard S. Rosenthal – or “Rosie” as his friends call him – makes his money off drug abuse.

Dr. Rosenthal is a nationally renowned psychiatrist and founder of Phoenix House, one of the nation's leading substance abuse services organizations.

Dr. Rosenthal led Phoenix House as President and CEO from 1967 to 2007, an organization with more than 150 programs in ten states, serving 7,000 program participants each day. During those four decades, he built Phoenix House by expanding government contract support, increasing third-party revenues, developing a robust fundraising capacity and instituting new management systems. He continues to work on clinical programming and remains a chief spokesman for the organization and is a leading advocate for the field as head of the Rosenthal Center for Clinical and Policy Studies. - Source

In other words, a man who literally makes money off drug policy is “encouraging” us to let “science” lead the discussion in terms of drug policy.

I have no problem with making objective decisions when it comes to drug policy Rosie – my problem comes when it’s tainted with such ideology as yours, with science that is only fueling one side of the argument and with policy that limits individual adults and their freedom.

I agree, we need to give our kids the opportunity to succeed – but you don’t achieve that by stealing their freedoms when they grow up.

We can have both a robust treatment option for those who are truly afflicted with addiction, and have an industry that caters to those that don’t have an issue with addiction.

It doesn’t have to be one or the other Rosie – we can have both.