• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Drug Policy and Law
  • Harm Reduction
  • Activism

Drugreporter

News and Films from the Frontline of the War on Drugs

  • News
  • Café
  • Videos
  • About Us
  • EN
    • HU
    • RU

5 Common Myths Among Cannabis Smokers

January 27, 2018 | Author: Péter Sárosi

Tweet

We know that there are persistent myths about cannabis among opponents of reform, from the gateway drug theory to demotivational syndrome. But there are also myths among cannabis smokers.

1. Natural is better than synthetic

Many people who smoke cannabis feel superior to the users of other drugs, especially of synthetic drugs. “I only smoke natural man, no synthetic shit enters my body,” they say. That sounds great – only if you don’t know the real risks and harms of drugs, which have nothing to do with how the drug is produced. There are very natural plants that are so toxic that they can easily kill you. And there are synthetic drugs produced in laboratories with relatively low risks, if used appropriately, such as MDMA.

2. Decriminalisation is enough

There are people who smoke pot but don’t support legalisation. They think that it is enough to decriminalise the possession and cultivation of drugs for personal use; that this will solve everything. I don’t agree with this position. First of all, if you only decriminalise drug use the harms caused by the illicit drug market will stay. Organised crime, violence, mass incarceration, and all the uncertainties of the black market. People do not only deserve not to be punished because of what they put into their bodies – they deserve to access legal, taxed, quality-controlled products. Of course we can have a civilised debate about how drugs should be regulated – but regulation itself is a must.

3. Cannabis cures cancer

Just because you saw a Youtube video with someone talking about his/her miraculous cure from cancer with the help of cannabis oil, it doesn’t prove that cannabis cures cancer. Yes, according to preclinical research (that is performed on lab mice and rats), cannabis has promising potential to reverse some forms of cancer. But it is far from being a universal cure for all forms of cancer. As Dr. Franjo Grotenhermen argues, it is especially dangerous to persuade people to avoid proven therapies and use cannabis instead. What we hate in the war on drugs is that it is not based on human rights and scientific evidence. Let us also keep to the evidence when it comes to medical marijuana!

4. Soros wants Monsanto to control cannabis

According to some conspiracy theorists American philanthropist George Soros is funding cannabis legalisation efforts because he wants to make profit from investing in Monsanto’s genetically modified weed. This is a hoax, widely spread even among pro-cannabis folks, and was smashed to pieces by Chris Conrad, a recognised expert in cannabis cultivation and use. There is absolutely no evidence that supports these allegations. But conspiracy theories are like zombies: you can kill them as many times you want but they still move.

5. We have to legalise pot because it’s not harmful

When alcohol prohibition was ended in 1933 it was not done because people realised that alcohol is harmless and “it will save the planet”. They had had enough of the black market controlled by violent criminal gangs and wanted to create a regulated legal market, addressing the real harms of alcohol with social and public health policies instead of punishment. It’s not so different with cannabis. It obviously has fewer harms than alcohol but that doesn’t make it harmless. If you are a cannabis patient it may be even beneficial for you to smoke pot and occasional recreational pot smoking for most adults is not particularly harmful. But don’t forget the young, the marginalised, the vulnerable people for whom pot smoking can be problematic. While most people don’t become dependent on cannabis, a sizeable minority do.

Peter Sarosi

Filed Under: Articles Topics: Drug Policy and Law, Marijuana Policies

Access to this article is free - but to produce articles and videos is not. Drugreporter is a non-profit website that needs your support to provide you with high quality contents.

Become a supporter and make a donation of 5 $ today!

Kapcsolódó cikkek:

The Italian Anti-Rave Law Violates Human Rights – Interview with Susanna Ronconi

February 1, 2023 - Péter Sárosi

Decriminalisation in Portugal: Through the Lens of People who Use Drugs

December 5, 2022 - István Gábor Takács

Drugreporter News | 2022 November

November 24, 2022 - István Gábor Takács

Kapcsolódó videók:

Decriminalisation in Portugal: Through the Lens of People who Use Drugs

December 5, 2022 - István Gábor Takács

Drugreporter News | 2022 November

November 24, 2022 - István Gábor Takács

Harm Reduction in Athens – With the Eye of an Outsider

November 23, 2022 - Péter Sárosi

You can browse our topics here:

Activism COVID-19 Criminalisation Dose of Science Drug Consumption Rooms Drug Policy and Law European Drug Policy Harm Reduction Hepatitis HIV/AIDS Marijuana Policies Medical Marijuana Needle and syringe programs New Psychoactive Substances Opiate Substitution Overdose Prevention Psychedelic Medicines Regulation and Control Russian Drug Policy Sex Work United Nations Drug Policy US Drug Policy

Primary Sidebar

BECOME A SUPPORTER OF DRUGREPORTER! INVEST THE PRICE OF A COFFEE MONTHLY AND MAKE SURE DRUGREPORTER KEEPS RUNNING!
Subscribe to the Newsletter!

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

Drugreporter Video Database

Hundreds of videos on drug policy, harm reduction and human rights for streaming and download, also on a world map!

DRUGREPORTER NEWS

Monthly drug policy news from around the world

Drugreporter café

In our new online video show, we regularly discuss new developments in the world of drug policy with professionals, activists and decision makers. You can also listen to the Drugreporter Café in Podcast format on Spotify or Apple Podcasts!

COVID-19 Harm Reduction Update

On this info page Drugreporter provides regular updates about resources and news on how harm reduction service providers respond to the COVID-19 Epidemic.

Drugreporter Video Advocacy Network

Browse videos produced by members of our Drugreporter Video Advocacy Network, from all around the world!

DRUG USERS NEWS

Russian language videos on drug policy, harm reduction and human rights.

Our award winning animated documentary movie is based on the original audio recording of Kostya Proletarsky, a drug user and HIV activist who died as a result of mistreatment and torture at a Russian prison. Festival appearances, news and resources are available here!

Footer

Rights Reporter Foundation
Hungary, 1032 Budapest
San Marco Street 70.
Email: rightsreporter@rightsreporter.net

Search

Our other websites:

The Rights Reporter Foundation

The Autocracy Analyst

Room for Change Campaign

Room in the 8th District Campaign

A Day in the Life movie website

Drugreporter