The ‘No On 64: Wrong for Colorado’ campaign is using the same old Reefer Madness misinformation.
This Weedist series is dedicated to stopping the misinformation [~3 meg PDF, No On 64 ‘fact’ sheet] being spread by the campaign to prevent Colorado voters from legalizing marijuana with Amendment 64. For those who didn’t catch Moirai’s recent article, the No On 64 campaign is principally funded (95%) by alleged former child abusers and rehab profiteers.
In part 1 of “Colorado Amendment 64: Know the Lies“, Old Hippie tore apart the No On 64 campaign’s argument that marijuana is not safer than alcohol and tobacco. Marijuana clearly is a much safer substance than either alcohol or tobacco. In part 2, I am attacking their claim that marijuana is addictive.
This is a direct quote from their ‘fact sheet’ and, as Old Hippie pointed out, there are no sources for their information. They simply say it, and people are supposed to believe it. Well, here at Weedist we know better.
MYTH: Marijuana isn’t addictive.
FACT: Marijuana is both physically and psychologically addictive, according to the world’s top medical researchers. Marijuana use is the No. 1 reason why adolescents are admitted to substance-use treatment in the United States and the No. 2 reason (behind alcohol) adults are admitted for substance-use treatment in the U.S. Today’s marijuana is also more addictive than ever. Marijuana sold today is up to 10 times more potent than marijuana consumed in the 1960s.
REAL FACTS:
- “Marijuana is both physically and psychologically addictive, according to the world’s top medical researchers.” This would have been an extremely easy ‘fact’ to debunk if this group of prohibitionists had included the sources of their ‘research’. Luckily for me, our own Lakota has been writing about Granny Storm Crow’s List, an extensive collection of actual research and facts about cannabis. In a 1990 study about the addiction potential of various drugs, experts were asked to consider two questions: How easy is it to get hooked on these substances and how hard is it to stop using them? Here are the results (higher numbers are more addictive): “The numbers below are relative rankings, based on the experts’ scores for each substance: 100 Nicotine, 99 Ice, Glass (Methamphetamine smoked), 98 Crack, 93 Crystal Meth (Methamphetamine injected), 85 Valium (Diazepam), 83 Quaalude (Methaqualone), 82 Seconal (Secobarbital), 81 Alcohol, 80 Heroin, 78 Crank (Amphetamine taken nasally), 72 Cocaine, 68 Caffeine, 57 PCP (Phencyclidine), 21 Marijuana, 20 Ecstasy (MDMA), 18 Psilocybin Mushrooms, 18 LSD, 18 Mescaline. Research by John Hastings. Relative rankings are definite, numbers given are (+/-)1%.”
- “Marijuana use is the No. 1 reason why adolescents are admitted to substance-use treatment in the United States and the No. 2 reason (behind alcohol) adults are admitted for substance-use treatment in the U.S.” This fact may actually be a fact, I haven’t checked because I do not need to. It is irrelevant. Many parents put their children into drug treatment programs (usually out-patient treatment such as counseling) if they find their teenagers smoking marijuana. And, as many are aware, arrests for simple marijuana possession usually end in probation for the marijuana user, regardless of whether that user is an adult or minor. Substance abuse treatment is a standard requirement of probation for drug offenders in most states. In 2006, “More than half (58%) of primary marijuana admissions were referred to treatment through the criminal justice system.” In 2009, “Primary marijuana admissions were less likely than all admissions combined to be self or individually referred to treatment (15 percent vs. 33 percent).” Statistics from National Admissions to Substance Abuse Treatment Services, TEDS 1999-2009 [~3 meg PDF] and TEDS 1996-2006 [~8 meg PDF]. The No On 64 campaign thinks that marijuana is addictive just because people are forced into treatment for it. While the occasional marijuana craving is not unheard of, I have a harder time going without my morning coffee than I do going a few days without marijuana.
- “Today’s marijuana is also more addictive than ever.” This one is simple, obvious BS. Since marijuana is not addictive, its addictiveness has obviously not increased. Moreover, the only difference between ‘today’s marijuana’ and the marijuana of fourty years ago is the potency. Potency has no effect on addiction, it would simply take less to get you addicted, if the substance we were discussing was an addictive substance.
- “Marijuana sold today is up to 10 times more potent than marijuana consumed in the 1960s.” Yes, it sure is! Thanks to sinsemilla (seedless) growing, energy that the marijuana plants would use to produce seeds instead gets used to make extra cannabinoids. Intoxication itself is not a bad thing, especially concerning a substance that can safely replace a worse legal drug: alcohol. When people drink too much, they may go commit destructive and/or violent crimes. When people smoke too much, they sit on the couch for an hour forgetting what show they’re watching on TV.
Vote Yes on Amendment 64!
Read more about the fact that marijuana is safe here on Weedist:
- Marijuana, Safer Than Peanuts – by Lakota
- Round 1: Marijuana Safer Than Peanuts, Round 2: Caffeine – by Moirai
- Marijuana is Safer than Soda – Share this Information – by DGB
- Infographic: Another Reminder That Marijuana is Safe – by DGB
- Colorado Amendment 64: Know the Lies – by Old Hippie
More of Colorado Amendment 64: Know the Lies
Tags: 2012 election, addiction, alcohol, amendment 64, colorado, legalization, prohibition, tobacco.
By:
Zeke Becker. Permalink: 
Shortlink: http://weedi.st/Cjv8h