Moving to the year’s halfway point. Slowly, but inexorably. And even in 2021, we’re still full of the myths of cannabis.
Cannabis myths you should know about before using the drug
I shouldn’t be astonished, but I still am. The mythology in this story is myth itself. There is more misinformation, half baked information and just plain lies in this story than I’ve seen in a long time. Starting with what cannabis is or isn’t and how it affects our bodies. The myth that people who use are underachievers, since most of the other myths have proven themselves to be just that. Myths. Why there can’t be honest reporting that sticks to the facts is beyond me, but there you have it. Many people are still caught up in the 1970s. There are still many naysayers about cannabis in the world, just as there are many abolitionists for alcohol. These people just don’t learn that abolishing anything doesn’t abolish it. Abolishing something just creates a ‘black’ market for the same goods and takes taxes out of the government coffers.
Up in smoke: Bronx DA Clark dismisses more than 6,000 cases in wake of cannabis legalization
This shouldn’t be surprising, but it is. There are too many people who have been arrested all over the US whose cases should be dismissed or charges dropped in the wake of cannabis legalization, but aren’t. Why? It’s a damn good question and one that has a very elusive answer. Many prosecutors are still living in the past. Many prosecutors see cannabis as a possible source of revenue for their districts. Who knows, but it’s time for all cases for cannabis possession to be expunged (as was done in Illinois).
On marijuana, Republicans are canceling their own votes
I don’t get it. I just don’t get it. Republican voters are casting in favor of cannabis legalization, but their elected state officials are opposing it. The republicuns in office were elected by people who wanted them to do what they said they were going to do. They are not. By diluting the will of the people, can these ‘elected’ officials, were apparently elected for their own aggrandizement. It kind of sux, but that’s politics in the USofA these days.
San Bernardino County seeks illegal grow solutions amid 224% rise in seizure of marijuana plants
This is so reminiscent of the 1940s and 1959s with revenue agents seeking illegal stills replaced by sheriffs looking for illegal cannabis grows. Just because cannabis is legal to buy in California, it doesn’t mean that the black market in weed will just go away. On the contrary, it might even bigger than ever after cannabis legalization. Nothing can be proved, but cannabis is a HUGE market that’s barely been tapped. Colorado has lots of illegal grows that get busted. So does California. So does Michigan. So does every legal cannabis state in the US. Until those republicun lawmakers get their heads out of their asses, the black market for cannabis will continue to thrive. Even if those heads do pop back into the sunshine, it’ll take time for the market to become predominately legal. It’s the nature of anything that had a prohibition placed on it. Time for those idiots to figure it out.
Billions in black-market weed still selling in Illinois 18 months after marijuana legalized
Following the story above, of course, Illinois is no different than any other state that followed the path of adult use cannabis legalization in the last few years. The issues are many and ham-fisted legislators believing they can just tax the bejeebers out of cannabis and the black market will just go away are living with their heads stuck firmly up their asses. Why humans cannot learn or refuse to learn from the past is beyond me. Illinois has the highest taxes and therefore prices for cannabis in the US, so why wouldn’t the black market continue to thrive? Idiots.
California offers $100 million to rescue its struggling legal marijuana industry
And in California, the thriving black market for weed. I promise. Each state has it’s own issues with illegal cannabis outpacing the legal market. But California’s is perhaps the largest and worst. The state is well meaning. They’ve been trying to get their ‘provisional’ licenses converted to regular legal licenses. But the task list for this is so long and onerous, the environmental and legal hoops that potential licensees have to jump through are so great that many of them are of the ‘why bother’ stage. Come on California, get your head out of the sand and wake up to making the pot market into a majority legal market. Once those hurdles are passed, it’ll be a huge market indeed.
Cannabis use tied to poor nightly sleep patterns
Ending with more Cannabis Misinformation: Here the study author says one thing and the reporter and editor twist the words from out of his mouth. Gee. Isn’t that what media does? Those with poor nightly sleep patterns were heavy users of cannabis, not the lightweight users who only have a few puffs of their favorite plant. Of course, editors and reporters still feel the need to sensationalize everything about cannabis. That’s media for you: Take the easy way out and grab eyeballs where you can and the truth be damned.
