Activity 7 Post

        In the panel discussion, the six panelists and the mediator covered a great deal of information in dealing with medical marijuana, all of which had to be based on fact, evidence, first-hand experimentation, etc. One of the early arguments for legalization that was made in the discussion was comparing marijuana to Marinol. In the study, it was shown that marijuana was just as effective as Marinol in increasing appetite, which is the designed purpose for Marinol. Marinol, however, is a Schedule III drug, while Marijuana is a schedule I drug with the argument being made that the reason is the abuse potential of marijuana. However, one panelist makes the case that amphetamines, including prescription ones like Adderall, have higher abuse potential than marijuana, yet Adderall is Schedule II because of its medical benefits, while marijuana is Schedule I despite its medical use in some states.

A strong argument against legalization of marijuana is the issue of public health. One panelist made the point that studies have shown that as the danger level of a substance goes up or is played up, the usage goes down, especially for ages in which initiation usually starts (8th, 10th, 12th grade). On the contrary, it’s also been shown that as the danger level or perception is toned down, the usage goes up, especially among younger users that are trying for the first time. Another argument for the prohibition of marijuana beyond the medical level is the study that was recently done by one of the panelists that shows that states with distilleries have a direct correlation to an increase in adult recreational use. However, it should also be noted that there was no supporting evidence that showed a change for minors, so the public health issue is mainly dealing with adults.