Marijuana legalization has been a surprisingly big and controversial issue over the last few years. There has been plenty of evidence to show why marijuana should not be legalized, yet both non-supporters and supporters of the drug have made many lopsided claims to push for legalization, however, could a recent CBS report put an end to supporters claims?
On December 28, 2016 CBS journalist Jonathan Lapook wrote an article “Mysterious illness tied to marijuana use on the rise in states with legal weed” One large claim of supporters is that unlike legal drugs such as alcohol which causes alcohol poisoning or cigarettes which can increase your risk of cancer weed does not have that kind of effect on a person’s body. Despite the prior evidence that it can decrease motivation and productivity, there was little else to prove that marijuana had negative side effects on healthy adults and could even help adults with certain diseases as it could help calm their nerves. However, Lapook writes of a disease that little is known about and has really only appeared in the last decade. CHS or cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome is a disease that is linked to heavy long-term use of marijuana. The disease was barely heard of and was commonly misdiagnosed because of its rarity. The problem is the cases of CHS doubled after the legalization for medical use and has now become a frequent issue in hospitals in states such as Colorado where recreational use is legal. CHS causes dehydration and kidney failure. The problem this poses for supporters of the drug is one of their reasons for legalization is above with alcohol. Heavy drinking can cause dehydration and liver failure. Marijuana causes dehydration and kidney failure so not quite the same but now a major argument is gone.
Lapook’s article also brings up that outside of Colorado in states where the drug is not legal CHS is commonly misdiagnosed. That brings up another problem for weed supporters as the question now has to be raised of how many people are actually affected by CHS and does it have more long-term side effects. The disease being relatively new means that these questions need to be answered before legalizing the drug. A quote Lapook uses also may raise problems as the quote is from a man who suffered from CHS who says “Now all kinds of ambition has come back. I desire so much more in life and, at 37 years old, it’s a little late to do it, but better now than never,” Lance Crowder has admitted to feeling less ambitious while smoking marijuana an issue that non-supporters have raised before so now there is just another piece of evidence to prove this claim.
Lapook, may have slowed the push for the legalization of marijuana, but he may have also delivered the dagger depending on future CHS research. The disease as previously mentioned is relatively new and there is much to be learned about it, future research may show the disease is more serious, but may also show it is less serious. One may just bring the final blow to the legalization of marijuana and the other may keep it as an issue to be pushed for.
