I have been told time and again that the great thing about dope is that it is harmless. I have witnessed a parade of conference speakers and experts (not always coincident) opine on the safety, efficacy, and harmlessness of weed. They are synchronized, emphatic, and sincere. There is another choir that sings about dope being inevitable. Their refrains often include the comparison analysis, "at least dope isn't as bad as _________."
I have written about the substance repeatedly. There is Mischaracterizing Pot Again (February 2020); Decriminalizing Marijuana (May 2021); Medical Pot Evaluation in Florida (July 2021); Justice Thomas and Pot (August 2021); Dope in the News (June 2023); and more. It is a persistent subject. Its ubiquity makes it newsworthy, but that is not why it is in the news.
Back in 2016, I wrote about the promise of more accurate testing related to pot. The news back then was about a customer who did not read the label and mistakenly ate an entire pot cookie in one sitting. I said it then, and I will repeat, you cannot rationally expect me to eat half of a cookie and stop. Half a package? Still not realistic. New Testing for Marijuana (April 2016).
I heard from readers back then. The lamented my lack of understanding of their cannabis. They poo-pooed my criticism, and assured me once again of either message one ("harmless") or message two ("not as bad as ______"). They are confident, committed, and clear.
Unfortunately, we naysayers appear to be amassing evidence on the "less than absolutely harmless" side of the debate.
A December 2021 study causes some doubt about whether dope will help you sleep. In fact, there is some suggestion that using it will be detrimental for sleep. CNN reports that sleeping too much or not enough can be a path to a variety of other medical complaints.
A recent 2023 study is discussed in the Johns Hopkins Magazine. This suggests that use in adolescence can affect the brain and the immune system. The scientists warn "Studies in animals suggest there may be long-lasting and negative effects of marijuana use during adolescence." Negative? say it isn't so. Who are these scientists?
USA Today claims that "Mississippi has seen a spike in calls regarding child poisoning from marijuana-laced treats." How can someone be poisoned by a substance that proponents heartily and enthusiastically tell us cannot harm anyone? You see, some of us mistakenly think that "harmless" actually means no harm.
ABC News reports that the frequency of involvement of poison centers is increasing: "Between 2000 and 2020, reports to poison centers for child and teen marijuana use increased by 245%." Why are people calling poison centers for something that is absolutely safe?
Last week in New York, some well-meaning (perhaps) neighbor slipped THC-laced "edibles" into children's trick-or-treat bags. KFYR Television reported that "children who eat edibles containing cannabis can experience vomiting, dizziness, difficulty walking, a rapid heart rate, drowsiness, confusion, and breathing difficulties. In severe cases, hallucinations, an abnormally slow heart rate and low blood pressure may occur." That seems at odds with the "harmless" crowd.
It seems Vanderbilt is on this bandwagon. Forbes has published about poisoning. The New York Times claims children are becoming ill. The Washington Post is on the same page. WebMD says that these edibles are not safe for children. NBC, People, and more. Hold on. Is it possible that the "harmless" choir is incorrect? That is hard to believe, they have all sung so persistently and consistently from the same music for decades.
Or are all of these news publications and websites in a conspiracy to hide the absolutely harmless nature of these so-called "edibles" and weed?
Last week in Paradise, a teenager happened upon a classmate in the school bathroom. Finding the student in distress, this young lady picked her friend up and carried her to help. I probably would not be strong enough to do that, but am most impressed. WEAR Television reported the teenager was incapacitated by those harmless pot gummies. That is intriguing. Perhaps the choir has another explanation? Maybe the student had a pre-existing incapacitation and the pot just exacerbated it?
It is not just edibles. Well, perhaps it is not. We cannot completely discount the "harmless" choir. The New York Times says that weed itself and the derivative oils and by-products are increasingly powerful. They suggest that harm can come to teenagers, in addition to the naysayers above complaining in support of children. The Times claims "Marijuana is not as dangerous as a drug like fentanyl, but it can have potentially harmful effects - especially for young people, whose brains are still developing."
Well, that is perhaps good news. It is not as harmful as fentanyl. Turns out beating people with sticks is not as harmful as hammers. Good news indeed.
The Times article says that frequent use by teenagers may result in
- uncontrollable vomiting
- addiction,
- psychosis
- increased likelihood of developing depression and suicidal ideation,
- changes in brain anatomy and connectivity
- poor memory.
CNN says uncontrolled vomiting is on the increase. People are apparently coming to emergency rooms. How can it be, pot is "harmless." They are not calm, but in acute distress. One doctor describes them as "writhing" and complaining of nausea, and unrelenting pain. The physicians are diagnosing this as "cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, or CHS.”
There are those who see the onset of pain after dope use as counterintuitive. They note that weed has been used to treat pain. They seem flummoxed by this association between pot use and pain onset.
Amazingly, there is little to nothing in the news about the revelation of yesteryear "hyperalgesia." Harvard reminds us of when we realized that harmless opioids were both dangerous and curious. It turns out that chronic use of pain relievers actually made some people more susceptible to pain. Thus, they needed more pain relievers. It was a vicious cycle. Remember when we were all told opioids were THE answer? Remember doctors prescribing fentanyl lollipops for back pain?
Well, at least none of those dope reactions numbered above sound too bad. A little psychosis never hurt anyone, right? And, there is always a chance that the alarmists at the Times are just mistaken, misinformed, or anti-dope. Maybe the "harmless" choir is right. I mean they seem to be pretty adamant in their "pot is harmless," and "leave us alone" messages. And the world seems inclined to agree with them. They are insistent that dope is fine. They even advocate on how to ensure that children are persistently exposed to it.
Doctors are increasingly recommending dope to patients (I remember when they recommended cigarettes). Society is increasingly accepting of weed. The downsides, if there really are any, will be for the young to face. At least society's youth today are otherwise amazingly well-adjusted and capable. We can only imagine how all this THC, reefer, and loud would affect a population that was not so well-adjusted, balanced, and prepared.
In case the point has been lost, there is significant sarcasm above. The fact is simple. Dope is not harmless. Weed is in fact dangerous. There is a dose-response, the more someone uses, the more danger and impact can be expected. The "harmless" crowd is wrong. The effects of this drug use pandemic will be with us for generations to come. It is a juggernaut, unstoppable, and irresistible. But, at least it is not as bad as Fentanyl. At least it only impacts those who make conscious, informed, and mature decisions about its use (sorry, sarcasm again).