WSJ: Pot and health
WSJ: Pot and health
Being naturally lethargic, marijuana isn’t for me. Being naturally libertarian, I don’t care what other people do so long as it doesn’t ruin things for everyone else.
The “marijuana is good for everything and has no downsides” angle that shows up most in media sounds too much like propaganda. The Reefer Madness side isn’t convincing either.
A 2022 survey sponsored by the National Institutes of Health found that 28.8% of Americans age 19 to 30 had used marijuana in the preceding 30 days—more than three times as many as smoked cigarettes. Among those 35 to 50, 17.3% had used weed in the previous month, versus 12.2% for cigarettes.
Marijuana is everywhere. People should be a little more concerned.
For starters, she says, the “addiction potential of marijuana is as high or higher than some other drug,” especially for young people. About 30% of those who use cannabis have some degree of a use disorder. By comparison, only 13.5% of drinkers are estimated to be dependent on alcohol. Sure, alcohol can also cause harm if consumed in excess. But Ms. Madras sees several other distinctions.
Professor Madras sounds scientific, impartial and alarmed. I don’t know if she is correct, but more actual scientific research and informed policy would be prudent.
Instead of bankrolling ballot initiatives to legalize pot, she says, George Soros and other wealthy donors who “catalyzed this whole movement” should be funding rigorous research:
George Soros seems evil and only funds chaos in order to undermine civilization, so this is troubling. Maybe I’m wrong.
