THE CANNABIS QUESTION

It's not often that I'll goad myself into attempting to publish an OP. Self and internet technology are not good mates. But here's a subject I both know something about and feel strongly about. So I will pass it along. The Nova special below is an indicator of how society is evolving... and slowly coming to grips with a complex question: the cannabis question. 

In six or seven chapters it covers different aspects. The actual physiological changes it makes in brain and body, as the molecule attaches to one's cannabinoid receptors. The effect on epileptic and autistic children. Its use in combating PTSD and other psychological impairments. And the effect on society our War On Drugs has had. Here our poster kids are Sean and Eboni, whose lives are upended unexpectedly one afternoon in an encounter with the Alabama police.

The piece is very nicely produced and covers a lot of ground. Two issues are not addressed though, and they are issues I think are worth mentioning. One is amotivational syndrome, especially a risk with young users. At a time when you are supposed to be expanding your toolkit and learning new things-- teenage and early adulthood-- you find this is such a pleasant groove you set everything else aside and proceed to stay high all the time. Your career trajectory crashes, because you haven't a care. And practical tasks have become a drag, so are permanently set aside. It's a problem. One that could easily be addressed in a society slightly more evolved than ours. 

The other thing is CID. Cannabis-induced dementia. Since legalization, we have found that many lifelong users succumb to the groove, and stay there permanently. They go around with beatific smiles on their faces. But if you ask them anything complicated, like what do they plan to do this afternoon, and they'll say something like "It's all good." They don't connect their thoughts any more. I have a lifelong friend who ended up like this, and his wife has slowly become his caretaker. So cannabis may be nirvana... but there are pitfalls. 

Anyway, now that you've eaten your vegetables in the form of a ton of written prose, on to dessert. The video.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-dxMTDzMLY

posted by milo

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