President Trump directed the federal government to reclassify cannabis as a less dangerous drug

Good news! Bravo! As a classical liberal I am all for it! President Trump don't stop here.

I have just blogged here about the legalization of psychoactive drugs in Western countries.

"This is a huge shift in U.S. drug policy, but it doesn’t legalize marijuana federally. The move is an effort to expand medical research into cannabis applications, including medical marijuana and CBD, senior administration officials said. Trump’s executive order is expected to eliminate tax burdens that have made profitability difficult for many in the legal pot industry."

The Wall Street Journal What's news

On the legalization of psychoactive drugs in Western countries since the 1960s

Since the 1960s or so, Western countries have struggled to find a way to deal with psychoactive substances.

Now President Trump is reported to sign an order to reclassify cannabis to a lower schedule.

The spectrum of tried and adopted policies regarding psychoactive drugs in Western countries range from decriminalization, legalization to harsh prohibition, criminalization, law enforcement and military suppression. Perhaps alcohol is a good example!

In many Western countries, the historic moral, religious and cultural rejection of psychoactive substances has lessened or has been waning since the 1960s. More individuals have been willing to try or to consume.

Then there are the many empirical findings of medical benefits of some psychoactive substances as treatment for patients with specific health conditions.

In my opinion, one of the major reasons why legalization was not too successful in many cases is the issue of individual responsibility and accountability of each individual when using psychoactive substances. With freedom/liberty comes great responsibility!

Common sense would suggest that individual responsibility and accountability is automatically elevated when using psychoactive substances. This also means that in case of accidents or crimes the culpability for drug using individuals is automatically higher.

The excuse/reason of addiction for milder circumstances or as a mitigating factor to reduce individual culpability should be eliminated in cases of accidents or crimes. Therefore, more severe punishment or sentences compared to sober individuals are to be expected!

Individuals should be required to seek immediate medical help and treatment when addiction is diagnosed or suspected. Some individuals may have to be required to undergo drug testing for addiction. Some unwilling addicted individuals may have to be forced to undergo treatment like e.g. repeat offenders.

Another important issue is the distribution/sale of psychoactive drugs. Here are some critical questions for which Western countries have not found good and acceptable answers yet:

• Should they be allowed to be sold at stores like alcohol & tobacco?
• Should they be available only via prescription and through pharmacies? 
• How to protect children/minors?

Today, it the diagnosis of and testing for psychoactive substance use/abuse is much more advanced and better. The near future is even more promising. This fact by itself would suggest that more legalization ought to be tried.

The major benefits of legalization have been also known and repeatedly discussed since at least the 1960s:

1. A major illegal business would be largely reduced or perhaps even almost eliminated (remember the failed alcohol prohibition)
2. The many health risks of illegal drugs would be significantly reduced. The quality and safety of the drugs available would be enhanced a lot. Much less adulteration!
3. Better medical care for individuals suffering from addiction would become available
4. Better public education about the use of psychoactive substances would be possible

In conclusion, as a classical liberal I would say at the end of the first quarter of the 21st century it is time to allow for more legalization of psychoactive drugs in Western countries.

Here’s what happens when a school is located near a cannabis dispensary. Really!

Why would anyone in their right mind allow a cannabis dispensary to operate near a school?

I don't think e.g. liquor or gun shops are allowed near schools.

This article provides no actual examples except for a vague "Oregon in 2015" without any further details! Pretty bad! 

So what is this article actually about? The article is written by a professor and a statistician.

Here’s what happens when a school is located near a cannabis dispensary

Laws on Medical Marijuana Use Enters Force in Ukraine

What a force multiplier for the Ukrainian military! High, lethal, and dangerous! Just kidding! 

More Russian soldiers will surrender! War is just the right time to legalize  medical marijuana. Caution: satire!

"A new law that legalizes medical marijuana use in Ukraine entered force on Friday, Aug. 16.

The law, signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky in February, declassifies cannabis, its resin, extracts and tinctures from the list of “particularly dangerous substances” (List 1) and moves them to the list of “permitted under strict control” (List 2), lifting existing ban on circulation but with certain restrictions. ..."

Laws on Medical Marijuana Use Enters Force in Ukraine "Cannabis-based medicine will be available in the form of oral drops, hard capsules and toothpaste and require an electronic prescription, with recreational cannabis remaining illegal."

Oregon hat als erster US-Gliedstaat harte Drogen entkriminalisiert – und zahlt nun den Preis dafür

Die Freigabe von Drogen ist kein Wundermittel! 

Die Versuchung Drogen einzunehmen ist gross. Wie schützt man Kinder und Jugendliche? Jeder neue Fall von Drogensucht bedarf medizinische Behandlung usw. usw.

Oregon hat harte Drogen entkriminalisiert – die Folgen sind verheerend Fentanyl, Meth, Heroin – seit 2021 kann in Oregon jeder harte Drogen nehmen, straffrei. Besonders in Portland sind die Folgen dramatisch: Die Überfälle auf Geschäfte nahmen zu, und die Mordrate stieg auf den höchsten Stand der Geschichte.

Cannabis legalization has led to a boom in very potent forms of the drug that present new hazards for adolescents

Food for thought! Concerning! Serious stuff! A nation of junkies?

Despite legalization, a user may not be aware about the potency of the drug the user intends to consume.

Young people try all sorts of things. When it comes to drugs, the big question is whether it becomes habit forming or whether it becomes addictive behavior over long periods of time.

"... As a professor of psychology, [the author] focus my research on substance use in adolescents and young adults. A major change during my time in research is the legalization and explosion of cannabis availability across the U.S.

There are arguments for and against increasing legalization of cannabis for adult use in the U.S., but expanded access to legal cannabis also may have unintended consequences for adolescents. These consequences are compounded by the increasing potency of some cannabis products. ...

Cannabis now comes in a larger variety of forms than it used to. ... dried form for smoking. This cannabis was not particularly strong: The average THC concentration of cannabis seized by the Drug Enforcement Agency in 1995 was 4%, while it was roughly 15% in 2021. ...

Today there are many different cannabis concentrates that have high levels of THC, typically ranging from 40% to 70%, and more than 80% in some cases, depending on the method of extraction. ...

THC and cannabidiol, or CBD, are the most common chemicals in cannabis. Each one interacts with the brain in different ways, producing different perceived effects.

CBD does not produce the same “high” that THC does, and cannabidiol may have benefits as a medication for severe epilepsy, as well as other potential but as yet unproven medical uses. ...

One of the reasons why young people are drawn to these sorts of products is that vaping or dabbing the concentrated form makes it easier to hide cannabis use. Vaping cannabis does not create the typical smell associated with weed.

A 2021 systematic review found that past-year cannabis vaping nearly doubled from 2017 to 2020 in adolescents - jumping from 7.2% to 13.2%. A more recent study in five northeastern U.S. states found that 12.8% of adolescents vaped cannabis in the past 30 days, a more narrow time frame that suggests potential increases in use. In addition, a 2020 study found that one-third of adolescents who vape do so with cannabis concentrates. ..."

Cannabis legalization has led to a boom in potent forms of the drug that present new hazards for adolescents

Swiss capital Bern considers legal cocaine project

The Swiss are going high!

The problem with drug legalization is that more individual liberty comes also with increased individual responsibility. The latter part is usually omitted and/or ignored!

"Switzerland's capital is examining a pilot scheme to allow the sale of cocaine for recreational use - a radical approach to the war on drugs that is not thought to have been tried elsewhere.

Parliament in Bern has supported the idea, which still needs to overcome opposition from the city government and will also require a change in national law.

Drugs policy around the world is evolving, with the U.S. state of Oregon, for example, decriminalising possession of small amounts of cocaine in 2021 in favour of drug treatment.

Many European countries, including Spain, Italy and Portugal, no longer have prison sentences for possession of drugs including cocaine, although nowhere has gone as far as the proposal under discussion in Bern.

 ...

Wealthy Switzerland has one of the highest levels of cocaine use in Europe, according to the levels of illicit drugs and their metabolites measured in waste water, with Zurich, Basel and Geneva all featuring in the top 10 cities in Europe. ..."

Swiss capital Bern considers legal cocaine project | Reuters

Credits: Palki Sharma news

Cannabis laced sweets sold by street vendor near a school. 60 teenage students had to be rushed to hospital

Drug legalization can be very trickery and sometimes dangerous! One should keep that in mind.

Ganja-laced sweets scare - Jamaica Observer 7 of more than 60 children still in hospital [as of 10/3/2023] The on-again, off-again sore issue of regulating vending at school gates was revived on Monday when more than 60 Ocho Rios Primary School students were rushed to St Ann's Bay Hospital after consuming sweets laced with THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), a compound found in marijuana.

Credits: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: Global Health NOW

The front of the package of sweets sold to children at Ocho Rios Primary School on Monday by a mystery vendor.

Thailand’s prime minister vows to end ‘free use’ of cannabis in 6 months

Could that be a warning to some Western countries where cannabis was made available almost like candy!

Psychoactive substances are a double edged sword!

"Thailand’s lax cannabis laws will be rewritten to permit medical use only, says the country’s new prime minister—in order to stem the “rampant” proliferation of weed shops that have opened since the drug was legalized last year." (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: Global Health NOW)

"Thailand’s leader on Wednesday vowed to restrict the use of cannabis to medical purposes after thousands of weed shops opened across the country since it became the first in Asia to decriminalise cannabis in 2022.

The government will seek to “rectify” its cannabis policy and the rampant growth of dispensaries that freely sell weed within a six-month timeframe ...

“It needs to be rectified. We can have that regulated for medical use only,” he said, adding that there cannot be a middle ground for recreational use. ... An ongoing regulatory vacuum, following the move to declassify marijuana as a narcotic, has led to the mushrooming of nearly 6,000 dispensaries all over Thailand.

They sell everything from cannabis buds to oil extracts containing less than 0.2 per cent tetrahydrocannabinol – the psychoactive compound that gives users a “high” sensation.

Thai farmers are also allowed to freely grow cannabis after registering with the nation’s Food and Drug Administration. Local dispensary owners have also complained about unbridled imports and depressed prices. ...

Thailand is considered the main conduit for drug trafficking along South-east Asia’s vast Mekong River valley, with enforcement agencies perceived to often turn a blind eye. ..."

Thailand’s prime minister vows to end ‘free use’ of cannabis in 6 months | The Straits Times

High levels of dangerous metals like lead and cadmium found in exclusive marijuana users

Recreational poisoning!

"... cannabis plant is known to accumulate metals found in water, soil, fertilizers and pesticides. ...
After adjusting for age, sex, race and ethnicity and education, the researchers found higher levels of cadmium and lead in the blood and urine of participants reporting exclusive marijuana use when compared with non-marijuana/non-tobacco use. Cadmium and lead levels were also higher in exclusive marijuana users who’d reported using the drug within the last seven days, with metal levels falling with increased time since last use. ...
In terms of limitations, the researchers recognize that their study did not include how the marijuana was used, such as vape, combustibles and edibles, so they were unable to determine the difference in metal concentrations by method of use. ..."

"... Marijuana is the third most commonly used drug in the world behind tobacco and alcohol. As of 2022, 21 states and Washington D.C., covering more than 50 percent of the U.S. population, have legalized recreational use of marijuana; and medical marijuana is legal in 38 states and Washington D.C. However, because marijuana is still illegal at the federal level, regulation of contaminants in all cannabis-containing products remains piecemeal and there has been no guidance from federal regulatory agencies like the FDA or EPA. As of 2019, 48.2 million people, or 18 percent of Americans, report using marijuana at least once in the last year.
While 28 states regulate inorganic arsenic, cadmium, lead, and total mercury concentrations in marijuana products, regulation limits vary by metal and by state. ..."

From the abstract:

"Abstract

Background:

Marijuana is the third most used drug in the world.

Objectives:

Because the cannabis plant is a known scavenger of metals, we hypothesized that individuals who use marijuana will have higher metal biomarker levels compared with those who do not use.

Methods:

We combined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005–2018) for 7,254n=7,254

 participants, classified by use: non-marijuana/non-tobacco, exclusive marijuana, exclusive tobacco, and dual marijuana and tobacco use. Five metals were measured in blood and 16 in urine using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; urinary metals were adjusted for urinary creatinine.

Results:

Participants reporting exclusive marijuana use compared with non-marijuana/non-tobacco use had statistically significantly higher mean cadmium levels in blood [1.22 micrograms per liter1.22μg/L (95% CI: 1.11, 1.34); less than 0.001p<0.001] and urine [1.18 micrograms per gram1.18μg/g (95% CI: 1.0, 1.31);  0.004p=0.004] and statistically significantly higher mean lead levels in blood [1/27 micrograms per deciliter1.27μg/dL  (95% CI: 1.07, 1.50); 0.006p=0.006 ] and urine [1.21 micrograms per gram1.21μg/g  (95% CI: negative 0.006−0.006, 1.50); 0.058p=0.058].

Discussion:

Our results suggest marijuana is a source of cadmium and lead exposure. Research regarding cannabis use and cannabis contaminants, particularly metals, should be conducted to address public health concerns related to the growing number of cannabis users. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12074"

High levels of dangerous metals found in exclusive marijuana users A new study has found that people who exclusively use marijuana have higher levels of potentially dangerous metals in their blood and urine than those who don’t. The findings suggest that marijuana may be an overlooked source of metal exposure, an important consideration given the rise in its use.

Blood and Urinary Metal Levels High among Exclusive Marijuana Users

Blood and Urinary Metal Levels among Exclusive Marijuana Users in NHANES (2005–2018) (open access)

18 States that eased marijuana laws see more impaired driving and fatalities, report says

Definitely a cause for concern. Now we have THC and alcohol impaired drivers on the road.

Perhaps, we need more self driving cars soon! 😊

It looks like many users are also clueless about the potency and quantity of THC they are consuming. E.g. many THC containing products (e.g. gummy bears, cookies) are not labeled as to how much THC they contain. 

Another issue: How much THC ends up with minors?

"The Drug Free America Foundation released a new report showing that states that have legalized or weakened restrictions around high-THC marijuana, either for medical or recreational use, saw 32% more marijuana-impaired driving than states that have not adopted the same policies. ..."

"Adding to the concern is the fact that fatalities in the U.S. from marijuana-impaired drivers have risen dramatically between 2000 and 2018, rising from 9 percent of all fatal crashes to 21.5 percent."

"Simultaneously, marijuana potency has also grown exponentially, from the “Woodstock Weed” that contained THC levels of 1-3 percent to the modern commercial marijuana that averages THC levels of between 19.2 and 21.5 percent. ..."

States that eased marijuana laws see more impaired driving, report says | Just The News Study also warns that the potency of marijuana has skyrocketed in recent decades.

DFAF study reveals marijuana-impaired driving more dangerous in states where the drug is more permissive

New study released coincides with Labor Day impaired driving crackdown, reveals marijuana-impaired driving more dangerous in states where the drug is more permissive

The Effect of Cannabis Legalization on Driving Under the Influence of Cannabis (DUIC)

Portugal Rethinks Drug Decriminalization

Legalization of drugs is not an easy topic! There are no easy or simple answers!

As a classical liberal I am certainly for legalization similar to alcohol. However, what about increased individual responsibility/culpability or possibly forced medical treatment etc. etc.

"Harm reduction activists have long applauded Portugal’s 2001 decision to decriminalize all drug use, but now even its staunchest supporters are having doubts.

The Good:

• Quickly after decriminalization, HIV transmission via syringe plummeted.
• From 2000 to 2008, prison populations fell by 16.5%.

The Bad:

• Overdose rates have almost doubled in Lisbon since 2019.
• Sewage samples in Lisbon indicate Portugal’s cocaine and ketamine usage surpasses all European countries.
• Crime related to drug use has risen sharply.

Calls for re-criminalization in urban areas and near schools have been opposed by pro-decriminalization groups, even though their own allies are pushing for change."

Global Health NOW: Europe’s Lethal Summer; Portugal Rethinks Drug Decriminalization; and Pandemic Preparedness Did Save Lives

Australia approves medical use of MDMA (Ecstasy) & Psilocybin in a few medical cases

What an experiment! One of the few cases is treatment resistant depression. This might make sense and it could be helpful!

Pot is making people sick. Congress is playing catch-up

Something to ponder about when a nation becomes stoned! There are no panaceas in this world! We are only beginning to see the downsides of drug legalization!

The famous/infamous so called "unintended" consequences kick in! One can only hope that consumers will learn quickly!

"... Only recently has a steady flow of data emerged on health impacts, including emphysema in smokers and learning delays in adolescents. Lawmakers’ reaction to the bad news raises the prospect that the loosely regulated marijuana marketplace, worth $13.2 billion last year and growing 15 percent annually, could come under pressure. ...
They’re now talking about standards on dosing, mandates for childproof containers for edibles, and advertising restrictions aimed at protecting children. They’re also concerned about high potency cannabis and its effects. ...

Before ..., “what was in the literature was extremely limited” because “it’s very hard to study something that’s illegal.”

But recently ...  new scientific studies have uncovered evidence of a rise in children accidentally ingesting edibles, a slight uptick in teenagers getting asthma in states legalizing marijuana, and growing rates of simultaneous use of alcohol and marijuana among young adults. ..."

Pot is making people sick. Congress is playing catch-up. - POLITICO Now that a growing body of evidence says marijuana is bad for you, more regulation is in the offing.

Cannabis 'addictions' have quadrupled in Thailand after decriminalization in June of 2022

Legalization of drugs is no panacea! It comes with a host of issues!

"In the six months since Thailand essentially legalized marijuana, the number of people considered to be addicted to the drug by health authorities here has nearly quadrupled, sparking a wave of finger-pointing among politicians.

In June 2022, the Thai government struck medical marijuana from a list of narcotics banned for use or distribution and made it legal for medical and culinary uses. To curtail the abuse of the drug, policymakers added a number of guardrails, including the prohibition of sales to the pregnant and those under the age of 20. Smoking marijuana is also outlawed in public spaces. ..."

Cannabis 'addictions' surge in Thailand after decriminalization - Nikkei Asia

Navigating the haze that are Cannabis ETFs (bubble)

Get stoned, get rich! What a proposition! 😊 Cannabis is becoming a traded commodity!