Sunday, January 20, 2019

Is marijuana really the tool of the devil?

This letter appeared in the Baytown Sun, January 2019
I'm going to counter what this well-meaning fellow Charles Kelly submitted concerning marijuana being the tool of the devil.

(1) First off "after many years of medical research" is a serious deviation from the truth. There is ONE lab in the United States that gets a token (yeah, I know) amount of funds to give the appearance research is being conducted. One under-funded lab.

"Under the 1961 international Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and the 1970 Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the federal government is the single “agent” allowed to provide marijuana for research. As of now, the DEA has only authorized one grower, the University of Mississippi, which grows marijuana under contract with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). As part of this contract, UM holds a DEA Schedule-I Bulk Manufacturer registration to cultivate plants for this purpose."

They openly admit that the strict Schedule 1 drug classification hobbles them to do research by purchasing other strains of the weed, while illegal independent labs are miles ahead of them in research. The classification makes research almost impossible.

(2) He claims that marijuana has caused "accidents, deaths, and murders!" I would like to see data on that one. I would be willing to wager that cell phones cause 100X more accidents and deaths than pot usage and I would like to see sources quoted on the murder part. In other words, this is false or at the very least a gross exaggeration.

(3) Anytime anyone introduces "God" into an argument, they automatically invoke righteousness on their part. It appears the man believes it is sinful to even live next door to someone who uses medical marijuana and as bizarre as his argument is, visiting a state where it is legal also makes you guilty by association.

In summary, a person with an argument is not in the same league as someone with experience. My suggestion for this fellow is to get more education on the subject and leave his personal religious fervor out of it.
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2 comments:

. . . . . said...

Allyce Lankford: I concur with you Bert

Cheryl Kimble Erb: I thought at first you were using quotes from “Reefer Madness”! I don’t understand how people can be so close minded. 🤦‍♀️

Gordon Little: I'd rather take my chances with a cannabis smoker than with an alcoholic with mood swings from drinking any day.

. . . . . said...

Susan BM: I saw his letter and thought it was a little over the top, but I guess everyone is entitled to their own view. That's freedom of speech. I disagree with a lot of "letters to the editor".


Stephanie G: Reefer Madness 2.0 what a crock!! Your take is spot on pops.

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