#9 – Cannabis

It’s overdue that we finally get our heads out of the sand on this issue.  Make no mistake, it is a class 1 drug because President Nixon ignored the Shafer Commission’s recommendation that it not be classified that way.  A politician, with no medical or science background, made the decision.  While many states are taking the 21st century lead on moving forward with various levels of legalization, Congress is still stuck in the 20th century mindset on this issue.  Let’s be frank, alcohol and sexual assaults are very, very common.  So common, that our society has become numb to that kind of drug induced violence.  The same cannot be said for cannabis.  In fact, alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine are the most used recreational chemicals in the United States.  It is a scientific fact that those legal drugs have serious long-term side effects with overuse and lead to some serious dependencies.  Cannabis has the lowest risk of dependency.  On the medical front, cannabis shows a positive potential in treating seizures, pain, cancer and other conditions.  Modern and renewed research into this is warranted and the potential benefits should not be ignored. Decriminalizing the use of this drug is the first and easiest step Congress can take.  Making it legal in all 50 states for medical use and research is the next sound step to take.  Using science and the medical facts will help us make the right decision on its recreational use.  With the increased opioid addictions and deaths in our nation, we need to get our priorities straight regarding which drugs are truly harming our society. It is a serious discussion we need to have.  John Carter is stuck in the 20th century on this issue.  Mike Clark has an open mind and level head to tackle this issue using 21st century science and facts.