I just visited a site that on first glance looks like it is designed to help young people become self-assured individuals who are not affected by the social pressures to have sex, smoke, drink, abuse prescription drugs, or use marijuana. In fact, the site is primarily an anti-marijuana site. It has a section called “Mythbusters” that contains some questionable material of its own. For example, there are the following “myths”:
“Pot is harmless.”
“Marijuana cures cancer.”
“Everyone’s smoking pot.”
Ok, let’s address each of these.
- “Pot is harmless.” Is there anyone who actually believes this? I don’t believe that this is a valid “myth.” I think just about everyone knows that if you inhale unfiltered plant smoke, there are going to be health risks. However, despite the site’s lies, there ARE benefits to smoking marijuana that very well might outweigh those risks.
- “Marijuana cures cancer.” What?? Again, I do not believe this is a valid “myth.” I have never heard any person or organization make this claim. In fact, the groups who are fighting to have marijuana legalized for terminally ill patients do not make this claim. The claim is, and I have witnessed the proof, that marijuana helps greatly reduce the negative effects of radiation and chemotherapy treatments. The benefits include the reduction of nausea and increase of appetite in these patients. There are also benefits for patients with chronic illnesses like MS, Crohn’s, epilepsy, spinal cord injury and migraine headaches by reducing muscle spasms, seizures and pain. Reduction of pressure within the eyes of glaucoma patients is another reported benefit. For more on the science behind medical marijuana use, please visit MedmjScience.org.
- “Everyone’s smoking pot.” This one is just ridiculous. Everyone knows that a minority of people are smoking pot. This just gives groups like the Office of National Drug Control Policy (the agency responsible for the “abovetheinfluence” site) a reason to spout statistics.
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