Thursday, June 13, 2019
Sensible conclusion
For once a sane headline in RealClearScience.
Marijuana probably won't stop the opioid crisis.
I didn't bother to read the article, but it's a good question and a non-trivial answer. Before legalizing pot, you could rationally ask whether opening up one currently illegal drug would ease the pressure on other illegal drugs. Would heroin addicts switch to pot and be satisfied? Seemed plausible.
The answer here in Spokane is clearly NO. Heroin overdoses are increasing steadily, while problems related to pot remain zero, as they were before legality.
Marijuana belongs in the same category as tobacco. The smoke itself is hard on the lungs, just as inhaling smoke from any fire would damage the lungs. The intoxication is relatively mild. It can make you feel better and calmer, but it doesn't consume your life. Heroin and meth become your entire life.
After legalization the folks who had already been using pot continued using pot. There wasn't a huge burst of new users or crossover customers from other drugs.
Labels: Constants and Variables
¶ 6:17 AM
