Marijuana Politics

Marijuana on American flag background.

We live in a weird society where people censure you for smoking a cigarette in public but you can smoke marijuana on the street. Pot shops now outnumber Starbucks stores in states such as Colorado and Oregon. So-called trustable magazines such as TIME and Newsweek published articles on how great cannabis is and write about how die-hard conservatives like John Boehner and Greg Abbott are suddenly high on the legalization of cannabis and sit on the board of Acreage Holdings, a multimillion dollar corporation involved in cultivating, processing and dispensing operations across 12 states, with plans to keep on expanding.

Money changes everything. California and other states where cannabis is legal were expected to make as much as $11 billion in 2018 and projected to make as much as $21 billion by 2021, according to Newsweek.

Politicians like Dana Rohrabacher who championed legalization efforts in California are beginning to see the benefits of supporting the cannabis industry through campaign fundraising. In 2016 Rohrabacher received more than $80,000 in marijuana industry money.

The truth about Cannabis is that the FDA has not recognized or approved the marijuana plant as medicine. Cannabis is classified as a Schedule 1 drug which is a distinction shared with heroin and ecstasy. Drugs, substances, and certain chemicals used to make drugs are classified into 5 distinct categories, or schedules, depending upon the drug’s acceptable medical use and the drug’s abuse or dependency potential. The abuse rate is a determinate factor in the scheduling of the drug; for example, Schedule I drugs have a high potential for abuse and the potential to create severe psychological and/or physical dependence. As the drug schedule changes—Schedule 2, Schedule 3, etc.—so does the abuse potential. Schedule 5 drugs represent the least potential for abuse.

It’s a myth that marijuana is not addictive. In 2016 in California over 41% of adolescents aged 12-17 were admitted into a drug treatment facility because of marijuana addiction. This means that nearly half the people who check into drug rehab will be abusing marijuana.

Over 50% of all drug arrests in 2010 were marijuana related.

You can find the 5 distinct categories or schedule forms on the United States Drug Enforcement Agency website https://www.dea.gov/drug-scheduling

If you or a loved one need help with addiction, Narconon Ojai is here to help.


Resources:

https://www.newsweek.com/2018/08/24/legal-weed-republicans-love-marijuana-1072761.html

https://www.dea.gov/drug-scheduling

AUTHOR

Fabian Padro

Narconon Ojai, the premier Narconon center in the United States, is led by Fabian Padro, AS, RADT. After starting a career in International Business and earning an Associates Degree, Fabian changed course and has now dedicated his life to helping those trapped in the downward spiral of addiction.

NARCONON OJAI

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