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Marijuana Legalization

By Sydney Lennon

Cannabis is the most widely used illegal substance in the US. Some 4.3% of Americans have depended on the drug at some point in their lives. Due to the rampant usage of the drug, cannabis dependence is twice as prevalent as dependence on any other illicit psychoactive substance such as cocaine (1.8%) or heroin (0.7%)¹.  Despite this, legalization has become a hot topic in the past 10 years, beginning with Washington, Colorado, Washington, D.C., and most recently in New Jersey. With more and more states pushing to legalize the drug, it becomes increasingly important to educate yourself on the dangers and potential benefits of usage… if only it were that easy. Marijuana is notoriously underrepresented in scientific research, and the results of the little research that has been done are inconclusive and oftentimes contradictory. Moreover, the legalization of marijuana affects a much broader population than your average stoners. Marijuana arrests are alarmingly common for black Americans, and legalization raises serious sociological questions of race, class and the prison system in the US.  

The legal standing of cannabis in the US is complex, full of gray areas and confusing wording. The most common legal standings include full out prohibition, decriminalization, medical marijuana legalization and finally recreational legalization. Policies within these standings can also be complicated: for example, decriminalization does not actually end arrests of marijuana users³. Research literature disregards these nuances by lumping multiple legal standings together in one study². This can have misleading effects on results, as cannabis usage in a state with recreational usage versus a state with just medical legalization would presumably be very different. When research literature fails to distinguish between the legal standing of cannabis in different states, the margin of error increases. When research articles also fail to distinguish the way in which marijuana is consumed and the type of marijuana that is consumed, that increase becomes exponential. So, how can you truly educate yourself when the only data that exists is flawed, inconclusive and sparse? 

Coming up with a scientifically informed prerogative on something that has barely been studied is no easy task. The best we can do is focus on the few studies that have been done and put together the basics. The component that gives cannabis its psychoactive properties is called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. It was discovered in 1964, and the average concentration of THC in marijuana products has been on a steady rise from 3% in the 1980’s to about 12% in 2012-2014². So, we know that marijuana products are becoming more potent with time. But are adverse reactions also increasing with potency? We’ve probably all heard of the idea that it is “impossible” to overdose on marijuana. Medically speaking, it is highly unlikely to suffer a fatal overdose of marijuana- but serious adverse reactions are still possible⁴. In one longitudinal study conducted over 40 years, a total of 4,779 adverse events were reported from the usage of ingested medical cannabinoids. Of these 4,779 events, 3.43% were deemed serious while an overwhelming 96.57% were non-serious². Clearly, adverse events are still entirely possible. The research suggests that the likelihood of a serious adverse event, including the relapse of multiple sclerosis, vomiting, or a urinary tract infection is small, but still present. Despite these results, we cannot conclude that marijuana will not cause a serious adverse event in most people. The writers of the article even state that “...High-quality trials of long-term exposure are required to further characterize safety issues related to the use of medical cannabinoids”².  

But what about marijuana dependence? While overdose is unlikely, dependence on marijuana is extremely likely. As stated previously, marijuana dependence is twice as prevalent as any other psychoactive drug¹. Treatment for marijuana dependence does exist, most commonly in the forms of cognitive-based therapy and motivational enhancement therapy. These therapies hinge on the development of effective coping skills and a strong support system. Sufficient evidence has accumulated to conclude that these behaviorally based therapies do help users seeking treatment, however rates of “success” are modest at best. Only one-half of users enrolled in treatment will achieve an initial two-week period of abstinence from marijuana, and of those who do approximately one-half will resume usage within one year¹. So, should treatment programs seek moderation rather than abstinence? Probably- however, little is known about what constitutes non-harmful usage of marijuana. These issues all stem from the severe lack of research that has been conducted on marijuana. 

At this point, many have inquired why legalization of marijuana is on the rise when we have barely enough scientific evidence to make a conclusive statement about the drug. In one 2017 article, Dr. David L. Nathan et. al make the physician’s case for marijuana legalization. The doctors argue that marijuana prohibition has largely failed, and mere decriminalization does not give the government the power to regulate product labeling or purity. They advocate for legalization of marijuana on the basis of effective regulation: while marijuana is illegal, it is impossible to ensure the safety of it³. Money from taxation of marijuana would also theoretically be used to fund more research, effectively resolving our central issue. But aside from the biological and economical advantages, the legalization of marijuana opens quite the sociological can of worms. With black Americans being arrested for marijuana-related offenses at almost four times the rate of their white counterparts, legalization will have serious racial consequences⁵. 

None of us have forgotten about the Black Lives Matter movement which resurged in full force last June, especially not our lawmakers. Legalizing marijuana seems like a step in the right direction for racial equality; it would directly result in a decrease of incarceration of black individuals from drug-based offenses. However, reading the fine print presents a different story. Firstly, nobody serving a sentence for a marijuana-related offense will be released: while arrest rates will change, the heavy imbalance of incarcerated blacks to whites will not. Additionally, in many states those with a controlled substance offense are excluded from a vast majority of jobs, even after that substance has been legalized. For example, in Colorado anyone with a controlled substance felony from the past decade cannot apply for a cannabis business license⁶. With the majority of legal states holding legislature like Colorado’s, and the majority of convicted controlled substance felons being black, marijuana legalization has effectively excluded black people from an industry that they helped create. Furthermore, in the US convicted felons cannot vote. This bars them from a chance at changing this legislation in the future. You could easily argue that the black community essentially created the marijuana industry by popularizing it in the media, from Bob Marley to Snoop Dogg to Jimi Hendrix. To erase black people from the industry is deeply racist, and will definitely be something that New Jersey will have to reckon with. 

In short, marijuana legalization is a highly complex topic with issues surrounding the drug itself and those who use it. From the lack of scientific research on marijuana to its inescapable nuanced racial ties, it is extremely difficult for the average person to have a true understanding of it. Perhaps the best thing to do for now is to proceed with caution. Marijuana is an under-researched, racially charged, deceptively harmless drug that should be treated with a level of sensitivity. As Bob Marley once said, “herb is the healing of a nation”, and in the coming years I have a feeling we’ll find out if he was right.