Anybody following my columns has to be confused at this point. Monday’s column was about how people are going to do drugs, so we should work from that point. Today, I’m going to tell you why marijuana isn’t as harmless as people make it out to be.
First, let’s get something straight. Alcohol and tobacco are more harmful to your health than marijuana. However, just because weed isn’t the worst vice around doesn’t make it a good idea to smoke it “all day errey day” or whatever else Wiz Khalifa says.
If somebody did a line of cocaine before they left the house in the morning, a bump before lunch and another couple throughout the day, most people would say that person has a drug problem. Replace the cocaine with alcohol and I’d say the person is an alcoholic.
Why then, is this not the same for weed smokers?
If a group of students skipped class to go smoke in the Enchanted Forest, most weed smokers wouldn’t think twice about whether or not they’re shirking their responsibilities.
The common argument against this is that I’m mischaracterizing marijuana smokers. I’m sure many people will read this and think, “I smoke weed and I don’t skip class. This columnist is ignorant.”
I’m not writing to call out responsible drug users. I’m writing to call out the people who are so caught up in stoner culture, they’ve failed to realize that they’ve lapsed into drug abuse and addiction.
Although there’s no evidence of a physical dependency on marijuana, the potential for mental addiction is real. People can be addicted to just about anything. If you’ve ever spent much time on the cable channel TLC, you might’ve run across “My Strange Addiction” where people can’t stop drinking bleach, eating light bulbs and snorting baby powder.
It’s not hard to understand why. Studies show people who frequent fast food restaurants like McDonald’s get a surge of dopamine when they start eating it. This chemical reward is similar to the rush a drug addict gets when they use after a long period of no use.
As much as I hate Nancy Grace for her vitriolic, sensationalist opinions, her sentiments on children and marijuana use are correct. I hate to be the cliche who says “think of the children,” but hear me out.
Just like it’s not a good idea for kids to get wasted, they shouldn’t “get blazed” either.
A 2014 study from Northwestern University and Massachusetts General Hospital shows heavy marijuana use during teenage years can cause abnormal changes in the structure of the brain up to two years after stopping smoking. The abnormalities correlate with a poor working memory, meaning … oh, I know I had something to write here … whatever, I’ll move on.
Memory is only the tip of the iceberg. The same study found strong correlations between heavy marijuana use and schizophrenia, compounding earlier studies. If you’ve got schizophrenia or other mental illnesses in your family history, consider not sparking that blunt.
The same advice works for pregnant mothers, whose babies are at risk of cognitive deficits and psychiatric disorders if they smoke while pregnant.
While all of the things I’ve said can probably also be said of alcohol, consider taking it to heart. I’m not saying you should become a drug warrior and give up the “dank bud” forever, but at least be smart about it.
James Richards is a 20-year-old mass communication sophomore from New Orleans, Louisiana. You can reach him on Twitter @JayEllRichy.