I can definitely understand peoples’ issues with it being consumed, especially in a political context, but how do yall feel about “weed”? I won’t hide my feelings, I am very much pro-weed, it’s not great that I started in my mid-teens but in my area it’s FAR from uncommon. I don’t smoke daily or anything, I’m not addicted to it (people say it’s non-habit forming but any drug can be addictive with enough frequent usage) but I do smoke and dab w/ friends often. That’s not why I believe in legalization tho, my main thing is you shouldn’t make a naturally occurring plant an illegal substance. I’d point to the DEA’s destructive (legal) burning of thousands of naturally occurring marijuana plants found in nature; This seems eco-fascist to me and to deny the uses of hemp as a production material seems dogmatic to me. The USSR used hemp for industrial purposes during the war and it helped in a major way. I’m sure most of us are familiar with the badge given for Hemp growers. If you have any criticisms, I’m more than open to it, but I feel that marijuana won’t be easy to get rid of in future society and would probably be put to use in different more productive ways.
im curious what the definition of harm in this study is because cannabis causing almost as much harm to the user as benzodiazepines and mephedrone is a little bit strange to me.
I’ve included some of this definition in my reply, which you may find useful.
Edit: In sum, it’s not a comparison of the drugs but of the harm caused to the number of individuals and to society (comprised of individuals—it’s a bourgeois paper) in total. As cannabis is more widespread, there is more recorded harm than e.g. benzos. Not to mention that one of the criteria is the harm caused in/by policing; and the police target cannabis users/dealers at a far higher rate than benzodiazepines user/dealers.
mephedrone causes a relatively low level of harm due to it being prescribed by medical professionals, it comes to the user in a clearly defined dose that will be uncut; most heroin addicts die due to accidental overdoses or cut drugs with fent.
I imagine benzos are still the same; and you should note while cannabis is similar to more dangerous drugs its likely only considering smoking.
I know where the OG study is though its avilable to read, I know the conclusions but the methods they use il need to brush up on.
https://www.ias.org.uk/uploads/pdf/News stories/dnutt-lancet-011110.pdf