Myths and realities about majijuana legalization

There are several arguments being used by both sides in the marijuana legalization argument. I sought to dispel some myths and excuses used by the anti-legalization effort but I tried to keep an open mind when reviewing the true "scientific studies" that I could find.

The first argument against legalization is always that marijuana is a gateway drug. The University of Pittsburgh recently published a 12 year study on marijuana as a predictor for substance abuse. I think it is important to note that the study was on the incidence of substance abuse and not on whether or not marijuana was a gateway drug. This is important because the progression of substance abuse is what the end argument against legalization is all about. The argument goes something like this:

"We can't legalize marijuana because it leads to harder drugs. Many people who try marijuana will look for something stronger and will eventually become crack smokers or meth heads."

The study focused on the prevalence of long term abuse, but the methods used also helped to show patterns in the prevalence of a "gateway" contributor. The study found that the reverse gateway pattern - the use of marijuana prior to tobacco and alcohol use - was exhibited in almost 25% of the test group. This alone would help dispel the idea that it is the contributing factor in drug abuse (anything over 10% means it is part of the norm rather than an anomaly.) What the researchers found is that the prevalence of marijuana usage was actually based on access. Several of the test subjects found it easier to purchase marijuana because it wasn't regulated like alcohol. The use of marijuana prior to alcohol or tobacco also had no increase in the number who eventually became chemically dependant on any substance. This is important because it shows that marijuana isn't an indicator of future substance abuse. The numbers were nearly identical in the study of those who never tried marijuana but became chemical dependant and those who did.

I think it is important to note that I don't advocate the use of marijuana for recreational purposes, however, I believe alcohol and tobacco are much greater threats to our nations health and prosperity. I don't believe there would be a higher incidence of drug abuse by legalizing marijuana. In fact, I think you would see no "net gain" in drug abusers. I do believe that the medical benefits of marijuana could far outweigh the dangers of legalizing, taxing, and regulating the sale. If you had to go into a state run liquor store to buy marijuana, the ease of purchasing it for underage kids would actually decrease. Marijuana is easier to obtain in our public schools because it isn't regulated.

Enough Complaining (for now)

I am going to try another way to get the idea across that we need to address tort reform with the health care reform that is going to happen. I know many of us are not happy with what is happening but I am willing to bend if the other side will actually listen to reason. I have written letters to my legislators and I encourage everyone else to do the same. I also have included a link to send our President an email. If enough people ask for tort reform, maybe we'll get it. To keep the message simple, I haven't suggested putting dollar limits on damage awards. All I ask is for anyone who cares to please ask for a cap on punitive damage awards at 100% of actual and future damages. If your earning potential is 100k per year and you have 30 years left to work, then you should be awarded no more than 6 million bucks. I know that sounds harsh to some people but I end up paying for your 20 million dollar award. If you would like to send an email to Obama please use this link http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact

Let's discuss healthcare...again.

The House of Representatives went home without passing a health care bill (We can breath for a few days now) but Nancy Pelosi is spreading her poison again. She is pointing the finger at the the insurance companies and blaming them for the mess. Wake up Democrats. The reason our healthcare costs are so high is the fault of the litigious society we live in and the Democrats support that. Insurance companies are in business to make a profit, or at the very least break even. If we try to limit that, these companies will invest their cash somewhere else and the American people will be stuck holding the bill. WE cannot afford to keep increasing our deficit without some major changes to the way business is operated in this country. The good ol' USA is no longer the innovator we once were. This is because the risks are sometimes not worth the reward with the large settlements offered in lawsuits. Once again, I understand people wanting to be compensated for a mistake or a design flaw, but I don't think you should force a company out of business if it was an honest mistake. We are also forcing many of the best doctors to find other careers. This means that the quality of care is actually going down as a result of all the malpractice damages awarded. The hardest hit sectors seem to be specialties. Obstetricians in Beaver County Pensylvania have reported an increase in liability premiums over 150%. Most have decided to become gynecologists only so they don't have to pay the premiums. This means that there are fewer and fewer doctors out there to deliver babies. The average award has grown to over $1 million dollars. This doesn't seem like a huge amount, but only 5% of these cases were the result of death or permanent disability. Most are awards for pain and suffering. The actual damages were less than $250k on average. If we continue to allow these frivilous lawsuits, we are actually causing more consumer harm than we are helping.