Utah Legalizes Medical Marijuana

So, I am reading that Utah approved medical marijuana.  What is more surprising, is that the Church of Jesus Christ is reported as supporting medical marijuana legalization. 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/10/04/utah-mormon-church-supports-medical-marijuana/1527873002/

The LDS Church hopes the compromise will push heavily to make the marijuana products that are legalized “medical” and not “recreational”.  Every effort is being made to assure that the drugs are available as pills or other medical products, not as things that can be eaten or smoked.  Also to make sure that patients actually have the qualifying medical conditions and that the drugs are distributed by pharmacies under the prescription of at least 2 physicians.  

However, we should remember, Utah banned cannabis in 1915, making it one of the first states to do so. The state legalized non-psychoactive CBD oil to treat severe epilepsy in March 2014, making it the first state to legalize only CBD oil without legalizing other forms of cannabis.

Marinol, Dronabinol and other Orecigenics are schedule 3 substances, CBD oil was recently moved to schedule 5 and already legal in Utah.  So, I’m really not sure this new medical marijana compromise really accomplishes anything good.  I think the Church maybe was hood-winked on this. I only see this new legalization making illicit forms of cannabis more available and socially acceptable. Medical forms were already legal.

I am in agreement with the Academy of Pediatrics that marijuana possession should be decriminalized but there are no proven effective medical uses for marijuana in addition to problems with quality, purity and potency. 

https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/American-Academy-of-Pediatrics-Reaffirms-Opposition-to-Legalizing-Marijuana-for-Recreational-or-Medical-Use.aspx

“For adolescents, marijuana can impair memory and concentration, interfering with learning, and is linked to lower odds of completing high school or obtaining a college degree. It can alter motor control, coordination and judgment, which may contribute to unintentional deaths and injuries. Regular use is also linked to psychological problems, poorer lung health, and a higher likelihood of drug dependence in adulthood.”

https://www.glaucoma.org/treatment/should-you-be-smoking-marijuana-to-treat-your-glaucoma-1.php

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/medical-marijuana-glaucoma-treament

Okay, if you are one of the few kids with Dravet sydrome or Lennox-Gastaut syndrome then those kids are welcome to gave access to FDA approved CBD oil (Cannabidiol without the THC).  

My thoughts on this:

1. the brain rewards productive behavior.

2. artificial stimulation of reward centers is an exploit, and robs a person of motivation.  Chemically stimulating reward centers is a lie, and constitutes self-abuse. (you didn’t earn that dopamine surge). 

3. If you have a terrible job that’s not fulfilling, then get a new job. You may have earn the right to reward yourself afterwards with a good meal, relaxation, reading, and a productive hobby, etc; but not to harm yourself with non-productive and harmful psychoactive chemicals. 

4. Recreational activity and even relaxation can still be productive (hobby, rest, exercise, socialize) without needing to chemically trigger dopamine reward centers.

5. New high-THC cannabis is harmful and causing paranoia and psychosis in addition to causing hyperemesis and negatively affecting judgement.

6. People will buy cannabis off the street where quality, potency, purity is very uncertain. 

7. There are no proven medical uses for marijuana.  CBD oil, Dronabinol, Marinol can are already being used in specific FDA-approved cases for seizures, appetite stimulation and nausea. 

8. Possession and using marijuana should be decriminalized. Over-enforcing/interpreting the law can be as bad a under-enforcing.  Its not right and wrong, but a straight middle road and 2 wrongs on either side. (Aristotles Golden Mean). 

9. People should be free to grow cannabis in their back yard, or brew their own beer, but distrubution and sales of a recreational substance to an addicted person who lacks capacity constitutes harm. This was the legal basis of the 18th Amendment.

10. Addicted people who abuse themselves need rehab and not jail. Rehab abd self-abuse is the jurisdiction of the Church.  The State jurisdiction punishes those who harm others.

11. Loses in worker productivity and increased medical costs will exceed potential tax revenue.

12. Legalization is leading to greater social acceptance and widespread use by adults, adolescences and children.

13.  Like alcohol, the recreational vs. medicinal use is tied to its formulation (packaging). Medicinal cannabis is in a pill or gel cap.  Recreational cannabis is smoked or is in a brownie (edible).