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June 27, 2003

But Don't Let Facts Get In The Way

A new study has found that marijuana does not appear to cause any deleterious long-term mental effects.

"The findings were kind of a surprise. One might have expected to see more impairment of higher mental function," said Dr. Igor Grant, a UCSD professor of psychiatry and the study's lead author. Other illegal drugs, or even alcohol, can cause brain damage.

Naturally, we can expect the anti-marijuana lobby to conveniently ignore these findings, given that their current slate of anti-pot advertisements are full of lies. You know, the ones that indicate that marijuana leads stoned people to run over little girls outside of fast-food restaurants (while neglecting that accidents involving marijuana tend to also involve - you guessed it - alcohol). The true effects of marijuana on driving are much less severe:

Both simulation and road trials generally find that driving behaviour shortly after consumption of larger doses of cannabis results in (i) a more cautious driving style; (ii) increased variability in lane position (and headway); and (iii) longer decision times. Whereas these results indicate a 'change' from normal conditions, they do not necessarily reflect 'impairment' in terms of performance effectiveness since few studies report increased accident risk.

I would not, of course, support plopping yourself behind the wheel while stoned, drunk, or even overly tired; the larger point is that the evidence is mounting that marijuana just isn't that harmful.*

Yet, it remains illegal. Many people who might actually benefit from it medicinally cannot do so. Why? All because a bunch of morality mental midgets deem they should have control over your life and your body.

Contrary to what one particular lefty kook has said in the past, libertarians are not just "conservatives who want to smoke pot." I have absolutely no desire to do so simply because, and this is the same reason I don't use cigarettes, I like my lungs to work properly (my liver, well, that's a different story). However, I have no problem if you want to light up in your own home and use it responsibly (don't give it to your kids - don't get high on the highway - don't smoke it while cleaning your guns - that sort of thing).

We should not punish use, only abuse.

And, no, I don't know how this turned into an anti-anti-drug-lobby rant. But it did.

I'm done now.

* Especially, say, in comparison to our nonsensical "War on Drugs."