Date: 12th December 2017
When it comes to Marijuana has common sense gone to pot
For decades manufacturers’, marketing companies and sometimes governments promoted the use of alcohol and tobacco as good lifestyle choices, even suggesting they could be taken to reduce stress. Today those same manufacturers are legally obliged to adorn their product packaging with health warnings. Could, this be history repeating itself with another lifestyle choice, that of marijuana.
Marijuana comes in many forms, it can be smoked, it can be baked, it can be taken in tablet, it can be taken orally in the form of oil, and it can also, be injected. Likewise it can be taken for many reasons including recreation and medicinal. One of the most recent given is
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History on the other hand would suggest that this is most certainly not the case, indeed history strongly demonstrates that control does not take away any of the harm, be that economic or health. Historically control does not always make things better or right. Would it not be more prudent to invest the money and resources currently spent on lobbying and arguing for the legalisation of marijuana on prevention and educate those who may be vulnerable or predisposed to becoming addicted to this drug.
Have we learnt nothing from past experience? What about duty of care? Have society and policy makers not a duty of care to protect those individuals who may be vulnerable or coerced into taking drugs that may cause harm? Has society a duty of care to protect those who may be predisposed to mental health issues such as psychosis? Would these same influential people, who call for the legalising of drugs such as cannabis not be failing in their duty of
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The employment of tens of thousands of people who would otherwise be unemployed is also seen as a benefit. But what if, in years to come, when there will be empirical data that gives rise to the notion that health benefits forecast are seen to be wrong. The cost to the health system could be huge and far outweigh the benefits of revenue made. There may also be costs in compensation claims that the authority gave permission for individuals to take marijuana without fear of prosecution and therefore it was deemed