A Response to 'ganga' distortions
Just Because The Drug Czar Wants Something To Be True, Does That Justify Using Propaganda?
ONDCP's 2003 "Open Letter" About Marijuana
Below is the text from ONDCP's 2003 open letter about marijuana. Following each assertion, a response is given.
"Marijuana is not a benign drug. Use impairs learning and judgment, and may lead to the development of mental health problems." American Medical Association
RESPONSE: Alcohol is even worse, yet adults aren't put in jail for having a drink. There's no proof that marijuana use actually leads to mental health problems, though there are people with mental health problems for whom drug use may be a symptom. This is no justification for prohibiting responsible adults from possessing marijuana.
"Smoking marijuana can injure or destroy lung tissue. In fact, marijuana smoke contains 50 to 70 percent more of some cancer causing chemicals than does tobacco smoke." American Lung Association
RESPONSE: Moderate tobacco use is defined as 15-24 grams of tobacco per day. Very few marijuana users consume more than a gram or two, so the risk from tobacco is much greater. There is still no evidence that marijuana use has ever actually led to cancer, but the point is that our society already tolerates substances which pose much greater risks. Better smoking devices can eliminate some of the problem. This is no justification for prohibiting responsible adults from possessing marijuana.
"Teens who are high on marijuana are less able to make safe, smart decisions about sex -- including saying no. Teens who have used marijuana are four times more likely to have been pregnant or gotten someone pregnant than teens who haven't." National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
RESPONSE: What this really means is that young people who engage in one risk-taking behavior, such as alcohol or other drug use, may also engage in other risk-taking behavior, such as unprotected sex. For example, alcohol abuse and teen pregnancy are widely perceived to go hand in hand. There's no evidence that marijuana is as much of a danger. This is no justification for prohibiting responsible adults from possessing marijuana.
"Marijuana can impair perception and reaction time, putting young drivers, their passengers and others on the road in danger. Teens, the highest risk driving population, should avoid anything that might impair their ability to operate a vehicle safely." American Automobile Association
RESPONSE: On an individual basis, alcohol is much more powerful in terms of impairing perception, reaction time, and overall driving abilities, yet we don't throw adults in jail for having a drink. On the other hand, there is no evidence that adult drivers on marijuana pose or are at any special risks, and in fact some research indicates that adult marijuana using drivers are aware of their possible impairment and respond by driving a bit slower. This is no justification for prohibiting responsible adults from possessing marijuana. For more info see http://www.drugwardistortions.org/distortion12.htm.
"Marijuana use may trigger panic attacks, paranoia, and even psychoses, especially if you are suffering from anxiety, depression or having thinking problems." American Psychiatric Association
RESPONSE: Caffeine can trigger the same responses in such individuals. This is no justification for prohibiting responsible adults from possessing marijuana.
"Marijuana can impair concentration and the ability to retain information during a teen's peak learning years." National Education Association
RESPONSE: The same is true for alcohol. Marijuana doesn't have that effect on everyone, but if the NEA's point is that kids should not do their homework while stoned or drunk, I'm not going to argue with them. This is still no justification for prohibiting responsible adults from possessing marijuana.
"Recent research has indicated that for some people there is a correlation between frequent marijuana use and aggressive or violent behavior. This should be a concern to parents, community leaders, and to all Americans." The National Crime Prevention Council
RESPONSE: Research shows that marijuana use is more likely to lead to passive, nonviolent, meditative behavior than anything else. However, that's not what this assertion is about. What they're saying -- what the research, such as the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey, really shows -- is that people who engage in risk-taking such as tobacco, alcohol or other drug use are also more likely to engage in other risk-taking such as aggressive or violent behavior. There's no proof of causation and to the NCPC's credit, there's none claimed, though the implication is clear enough to mislead. This is no justification for prohibiting responsible adults from possessing marijuana.
"And, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana can be addictive. In fact, more teens are in treatment with a primary diagnosis of marijuana dependence than for all other illicit drugs combined."
RESPONSE: Most of those kids are sent to treatment by a judge in a plea agreement, or by their own lawyers before going to court, to avoid criminal punishment -- a huge waste of resources when one considers that these kids probably don't have a drug problem, yet they take up one of the limited treatment slots available. For more info see http://www.drugwardistortions.org/distortion14.htm.
Back to top
ONDCP's 2003 "Open Letter" About Marijuana
Below is the text from ONDCP's 2003 open letter about marijuana. Following each assertion, a response is given.
"Marijuana is not a benign drug. Use impairs learning and judgment, and may lead to the development of mental health problems." American Medical Association
RESPONSE: Alcohol is even worse, yet adults aren't put in jail for having a drink. There's no proof that marijuana use actually leads to mental health problems, though there are people with mental health problems for whom drug use may be a symptom. This is no justification for prohibiting responsible adults from possessing marijuana.
"Smoking marijuana can injure or destroy lung tissue. In fact, marijuana smoke contains 50 to 70 percent more of some cancer causing chemicals than does tobacco smoke." American Lung Association
RESPONSE: Moderate tobacco use is defined as 15-24 grams of tobacco per day. Very few marijuana users consume more than a gram or two, so the risk from tobacco is much greater. There is still no evidence that marijuana use has ever actually led to cancer, but the point is that our society already tolerates substances which pose much greater risks. Better smoking devices can eliminate some of the problem. This is no justification for prohibiting responsible adults from possessing marijuana.
"Teens who are high on marijuana are less able to make safe, smart decisions about sex -- including saying no. Teens who have used marijuana are four times more likely to have been pregnant or gotten someone pregnant than teens who haven't." National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy
RESPONSE: What this really means is that young people who engage in one risk-taking behavior, such as alcohol or other drug use, may also engage in other risk-taking behavior, such as unprotected sex. For example, alcohol abuse and teen pregnancy are widely perceived to go hand in hand. There's no evidence that marijuana is as much of a danger. This is no justification for prohibiting responsible adults from possessing marijuana.
"Marijuana can impair perception and reaction time, putting young drivers, their passengers and others on the road in danger. Teens, the highest risk driving population, should avoid anything that might impair their ability to operate a vehicle safely." American Automobile Association
RESPONSE: On an individual basis, alcohol is much more powerful in terms of impairing perception, reaction time, and overall driving abilities, yet we don't throw adults in jail for having a drink. On the other hand, there is no evidence that adult drivers on marijuana pose or are at any special risks, and in fact some research indicates that adult marijuana using drivers are aware of their possible impairment and respond by driving a bit slower. This is no justification for prohibiting responsible adults from possessing marijuana. For more info see http://www.drugwardistortions.org/distortion12.htm.
"Marijuana use may trigger panic attacks, paranoia, and even psychoses, especially if you are suffering from anxiety, depression or having thinking problems." American Psychiatric Association
RESPONSE: Caffeine can trigger the same responses in such individuals. This is no justification for prohibiting responsible adults from possessing marijuana.
"Marijuana can impair concentration and the ability to retain information during a teen's peak learning years." National Education Association
RESPONSE: The same is true for alcohol. Marijuana doesn't have that effect on everyone, but if the NEA's point is that kids should not do their homework while stoned or drunk, I'm not going to argue with them. This is still no justification for prohibiting responsible adults from possessing marijuana.
"Recent research has indicated that for some people there is a correlation between frequent marijuana use and aggressive or violent behavior. This should be a concern to parents, community leaders, and to all Americans." The National Crime Prevention Council
RESPONSE: Research shows that marijuana use is more likely to lead to passive, nonviolent, meditative behavior than anything else. However, that's not what this assertion is about. What they're saying -- what the research, such as the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey, really shows -- is that people who engage in risk-taking such as tobacco, alcohol or other drug use are also more likely to engage in other risk-taking such as aggressive or violent behavior. There's no proof of causation and to the NCPC's credit, there's none claimed, though the implication is clear enough to mislead. This is no justification for prohibiting responsible adults from possessing marijuana.
"And, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana can be addictive. In fact, more teens are in treatment with a primary diagnosis of marijuana dependence than for all other illicit drugs combined."
RESPONSE: Most of those kids are sent to treatment by a judge in a plea agreement, or by their own lawyers before going to court, to avoid criminal punishment -- a huge waste of resources when one considers that these kids probably don't have a drug problem, yet they take up one of the limited treatment slots available. For more info see http://www.drugwardistortions.org/distortion14.htm.
Back to top
posted by BLONDIE at 2:39 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home