Editor’s note: This story was submitted for the Onsite Op-Ed competition at the Southeast Journalism Conference on Feb. 14, 2020. Though it did not win, I am posting it here for the entertainment of our readers and the validation of my peers.
This November, Mississippi voters will decide whether to legalize medicinal marijuana. 33 other states have already legalized medical marijuana, including Arizona, Florida, and Texas.
Medical marijuana was first legalized in California in 1996. Before that, it was prohibited in 29 states, such as New York and Illinois. California legalized medical marijuana with Proposition 215. The proposition was conceived by activist Dennis Peron, whose partner, Jonathan West, had used marijuana to treat symptoms of AIDS.
Physicians in California who recommend medical marijuana must first fully examine the patient before prescription, and qualified patients may possess up to eight ounces of dried marijuana, plus six mature or 12 immature plants. It is also recommended that patients possess a state-issued identification card. Patients are not allowed to smoke marijuana wherever regular tobacco smoking is prohibited by law, and it is still legal to terminate an employee who tests positive for marijuana use.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine studied the use of chronic pain treated by medical marijuana and found that products containing cannabinoids are effective at relieving chronic pain. Clinical Psychology Review found that marijuana may be able to relieve depression and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. In cancer patients, the NASEM also found that cannabinoids can relieve nausea caused by chemotherapy, and the American Cancer Society found that marijuana can treat neuropathic pain and can slow growth and cause death in certain types of cancer cells. While marijuana has not yet been deemed effective in the treatment of any medical condition by the Food and Drug Administration, cannabidiol, a substance present in marijuana, has received approval as a treatment for some types of epilepsy.
Those against the legalization of medical marijuana fear that its use will lead to use of harder drugs. However, different drugs work differently. Cocaine and methamphetamine are stimulants, meaning they increase alertness and energy. Marijuana, meanwhile, is a depressant, meaning that it relaxes the body and mind. Why would someone taking a drug meant to calm them down switch to something that makes them hyper? Another depressant is alcohol, which is legal for those over 21 in all 50 states. A study by the American School Health Association found that “alcohol represented the ‘gateway’ drug, leading to the use of tobacco, marijuana, and other illicit substances. Moreover, students who used alcohol exhibited a significantly greater likelihood of using both licit and illicit drugs.” Why aren’t there concerns that alcohol is a gateway drug? Why isn’t alcohol restricted the way marijuana is?
There is also the concern that medicinal marijuana use will lead to recreational use. Once again I turn to alcohol as an example. Regular consumption of small doses of certain alcohols can lead to lower risk of heart disease and some cancers, but nobody is prescribing medical alcohol. Alcohol is a strictly recreational drug.
I do not use marijuana, but I live in a state where it is legal medically, and I have two friends (who I shall leave anonymous) who use it for chronic pain and stress relief. They are upstanding members of the community with full-time jobs and responsibilities — far from the usual caricature of the stoner.
There are three medical marijuana dispensaries in my hometown of Hot Springs. No one without a state-issued medical cannabis card is allowed to enter the building, which is an edict directly from the state. Clearly, this is no back-alley operation.
If you’re still on the fence, I look at the list of pre-existing conditions that medical marijuana covers. In my state, the list includes cancer, glaucoma, HIV, hepatitis C, Lou Gehrig’s, Tourette’s, Chron’s, PTSD, arthritis, fibromyalgia, Alzheimer’s, and epilepsy. Do you have any of them? Do your friends? Do your family members?
While I will not be eligible to vote in Mississippi this November, I encourage anyone who plans to vote “no” to reconsider, especially if you do not use medical marijuana. Consider who really benefits if you vote “no.”
Categories: Opinion
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