La-La Land Loves their Marijuana

Apr 8, 2010 | Stacy Matson | Celebrity Health
La-La Land Loves their Marijuana

image by: elsaolofsson

Unlike alcohol or pharmaceuticals, marijuana is not addictive, does not kill brain cells, does not induce violent behavior, does not cause side effects, and is relatively inexpensive. Yet, 800,000 people are arrested annually. So, what's La-La land doing about it?

It's a controversial and very California subject - the legalization of marijuana – it can be as divisive as religion. If you’re pro-legalization you’re equivalent to the drug dealer in the school yard trying to get 10 year old kids high. If you’re anti-legalization you’re a right wing, religious, nut case who doesn’t care if sick people suffer needlessly.

California is a fairly liberal state and usually accepting of alternative lifestyle choices (think vegetarian, homeschooling, and anti-vaccine movements). But when it comes to pot people get scared – images of dirty, tattooed drug dealers setting up shop next door come to mind.  First comes marijuana grow houses then meth labs, right? In 1996, California voters passed Prop 215 which allows patients with a doctor's permission to use marijuana for “medicinal purposes”.  Most people who use marijuana as medicine suffer from chronic pain, cancer, AIDS, or glaucoma, and some people report that it also alleviates the symptoms of epilepsy and other diseases in which muscle spasms or seizures are common.

Unfortunately though, prop 215 does not legalize marijuana; it just changes how patients and their primary caregivers/doctors are treated by California's legal system if they are caught using or dispensing it. But Californians and their many celebrity activists are trying to change that.

Over the last year, hundreds of thousands of California voters have signed petitions to put a legalize marijuana/decriminalization measure on the November ballot. Passage of the measure would make California the first U.S. state to legalize marijuana possession and distribution. In support of the bill, Hollywood, the land of the famous and politically active, have come out in force:  Tommy Chong (duh), Alanis Morissette, Snoop Dogg (again, duh), John Mayer, Montel Williams, Alicia Silverstone, Jennifer Anniston and Woody Harrelson are all active supporters of the legalization measure.

For many years, Woody Harrelson has been a very outspoken supporter of the pro-marijuana movement.  He says, "I do smoke, but I don't go through all this trouble just because I want to make my drug of choice legal. It's about personal freedom. Seventy-two million people in this country have smoked pot, eighteen to 20 million in the last year. These people should not be treated as criminals." Harrelson was arrested in Kentucky in the early 90’s for planting four hemp seeds as a political statement.  He is also a board member for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana (NORML) a D.C. based organization that supports legalization.

Bill Maher is also a proponent of marijuana legalization. Like Harrelson, Maher is also on the NORML board of advisors.  Maher is frequently seen at pro-marijuana festivals and events and like the majority of marijuana supporters, he openly admits to being a regular user.  In addition to NORML, Maher serves on the advisory board of the Marijuana Policy Project along with actor Jack Black and comedian Adam Carolla.

Musician Sting feels the money spent to jail users of the drug would be better used to fight poverty and violent crime.  He says, "The War on Drugs has failed. It is actively harming our society. Violent crime is thriving in the shadows to which the drug trade has been consigned. We are spending billions, filling up our prisons with non-violent offenders and sacrificing our liberties.  For years, the Drug War has been used as a pretext to lock people in prison for exorbitant lengths of time - people whose ‘crimes’ never hurt another human being. Meanwhile, resources to fight genuine crime - violent crime - have been significantly diminished.”

Woody Harrelson

Sting is right…More than 800,000 people are arrested annually in the U.S. for marijuana-related offenses. California’s overcrowded prison system is 70% over its maximum capacity. And due to our enormous deficit, budget cuts and layoffs, California prisons are set to release 40,000 inmates to reduce overcrowding.  Many of the inmates to be released are not of the pot smoking/buying type. They are criminals convicted of assault with a deadly weapon, battery, domestic violence and attacks on children.(God forbid those pot smoking trouble makers are released!)

Whatever side you’re on just remember there are many fallacies associated with marijuana. Marijuana does not lead to harder drugs. Marijuana does not cause brain damage, genetic damage, or damage to the immune system. And unlike alcohol or pharmaceuticals, marijuana is not addictive, does not kill brain cells, does not induce violent behavior, does not cause side effects, and is relatively inexpensive. The health risks are minimal. The most common problem is overuse, which may cause lethargy.  Marijuana can cause short-term memory loss, but only while under the influence. Marijuana does not impair long-term memory.

One more thing for you to think about; the annual death rate attributed to various drugs: tobacco-400,000, alcohol-100,000, prescription drugs-20,000, illegal drugs-15,000, caffeine-2,000, aspirin-500, and marijuana-0.


Stacy Matson is a health enthusiast from Southern California and regularly blogs on Celebrity Health for A Healthier World, as well as contributing to the Best of the Best.

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