super cool nickname, “CANCER sticks,” can be smoked freely and legally, but cannabis can’t? Wait, so you mean to tell me we’ll let our families and friends smoke a product with the following side effects, but that can’t smoke marijuana?:
Low to moderate doses
- initial stimulation, then reduction in activity of the brain and nervous system
- feelings of mild euphoria
- increased blood pressure and heart rate
- decreased blood flow to fingers and toes
- decreased skin temperature
- nausea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting
- headache
- coughing, due to smoke irritation.
Higher Doses
- an increase in the above unpleasant effects
- feeling faint
- confusion
- a rapid decrease in blood pressure and breathing rate
- seizures
- respiratory arrest (stopping breathing)
- death.
I won’t even bore you with the actual ingredients; I’ve never been a fan of easy wins anyway, especially when it comes to marijuana vs. cigarettes.
Now, let’s quickly look at our good friend, alcohol and its somehow invisible global impact:
- DUI’s
- Drunk driving accidents and deaths
- Domestic abuse
- Child abuse
- Alcoholism
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Delirium
- Loss of memory
- Hyper aggression
- Liver damage
Both products are legal, but here’s the thing: the term “legal” is a very tricky concept because the reasons for legality may trump morals, values, ethics and the greater good of a people. Is this legal because it enhances the quality of life and convenience? Does it maintain or restore order? Is it generally harmless? Or is it so profitable that regardless of impact we’ll allow it to thrive to some degree? Are we feeding off addiction and eventual demise? Or has history proved that legislating morality is a lost cause anyway (Prohibition-era ring a bell)?
Let’s be clear, I’m not condemning anyone who smokes or drinks, but let’s call a spade a spade. To demonize medicinal marijuana in the name of cigarettes and alcohol is not only disingenuous but at the highest form of hypocrisy. I’ve never met anyone whose doctor prescribed a pack of Marlboro or two Hennessey and cokes a day to make the pain go away. Medicinal cigarettes and alcohol don’t exist but if it did I’m sure marijuana would be back on the chopping blocks of illegalization.
Why is marijuana all of sudden legal in Cali? Wait, why are cigarettes even legal? I have no idea why I even asked myself this. The main answer is easy (to me at least): Money, money, money, moneyyyy!! MONEYYYYYY! I don’t think Proposition 64’s proposal for broad