Marijuana, Mary Jane, pot or weed— it's all been a part of the human condition dating back 6,000 years ago, despite legalization only coming into the mainstream in 2012, with Colorado and Washington becoming the first states to legalize marijuana. Since then, many states have followed that trend.
Now with April 20 here— the day celebrating marijuana use and its culture, comes much misinformation about the drug itself. So if you're looking to be better informed, look no further. Here's six debunked misconceptions about marijuana:
1. "Marijuana is a gateway drug"
While it's true that most people start drug experimentation with marijuana, it's also true that most marijuana users won't try other drugs. Many argue that if you try marijuana at some point in your life, you risk moving onto other drugs, but that's the same case if you use other drugs such as alcohol, caffeine and even tobacco cigarettes -- all substances that have been a part of our society for a while now.
2. "Marijuana leads to violent crime"
This misconception came about around 2019 with the publication of "Tell Your Children: The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness and Violence," a piece written by Alex Berenson, who speaks heavily against the legalization of marijuana. Berenson goes as far as linking marijuana to violence and psychosis. Psychosis and marijuana use have been connected and well-documented. According to an NPR report, 45.7 per 100,000 persons-years in London, 46.1 in Paris and 37.9 in Amsterdam were diagnosed with having a psychosis episode and had easy access to potent marijuana. However, this doesn't prove causality. "It's simply not supported by the data," according to Dr. Diana Martinez, a psychiatrist and addiction researcher at Columbia University.
However, little claim supports marijuana being linked to violent crime. It's very much the opposite. Mark Kleinman, a drug expert and professor of Public Policy at New York University, in an interview with New York Magazine, stated, "Cannabis use has been on the rise since 1992; over that period, national homicide rates have fallen more than 50%." Furthermore, an Office of National Drug Control Policy study states, "While marijuana is commonly used by individuals arrested for crimes, there is little support between its use and violent or property crime."
3. "You can't overdose on marijuana"
Yes, this question is controversial; however, overdoses on marijuana can happen. Some good news, though, is you can't overdose on cannabis like you can on opioids such as heroin. You'd need to consume about 1000 pounds per minute, to get even close to an overdose on marijuana. As defined by the National Institutes of Health, "An overdose occurs when a person uses enough of the drug to produce life-threatening symptoms or death. There are no reports of teens or adults dying from marijuana use." Responsible use equals responsible rewards. So keep in mind, if you participate in 420 activities, start with small doses, drink water and relax.
4. "Legalization has become a public health disaster"
While there's insufficient evidence to prove this, there is enough evidence to say that legalization has reduced alcohol use among teens. A comprehensive review of public health and marijuana laws by two economist professors found that states with recent medical marijuana laws were associated with reduced binge drinking among college students. At the same time, recreational legalization reduced it by roughly 20%. Legalizing recreational sales in states such as Maine and Massachusetts was associated with a 16-21% decrease in opioid-related mortality. It sounds like a massive win for public health if you ask me.
5. "Different strains produce different intoxicating effects"
Cannabis contains hundreds of chemical compounds and can lead to several combinations that could produce other intoxicating effects. However, research suggests a thin correlation between the label and what that strain does to the person taking it. A 2018 study concluded that the concept of a strain of cannabis "does not reflect the crop domestication, breeding programs or plant chemistry." In a 2015 study, it was found that six of 17 strains with identical names (35%) were more genetically similar to samples with different names than ones that are identical in the name—inferring that different strains of marijuana aren't all that different but do have different effects.
6. "Marijuana prohibition effectively protects kids"
Time to burst the bubble, parents. The use of marijuana by teenagers hit a 30-year peak according to a study stating that one to 15 students smoke pot more than tobacco cigarettes; roughly 70% of teens and adolescents believe there is "no great risk" in smoking once a month; according to VICE News, and in Colorado, the rate of teen pot use slightly dipped from 22 to 21.2% debunking the theory that legalization would only increase teen use, according to a Scientific American report. If anything will protect your kids from marijuana, it's education and legalization.
