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Thursday, February 11, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Et tu K2?
After I interviewed Colby Compton for my K2 story in this issue of CFP, he asked me if I thought the product-- a mix of herbs blended with a synthetic cousin of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana-- should be made illegal. I told him I didn't have an opinion. And that was true.
Now that the story is out, I've thought a lot about that question. For years I've thought marijuana should be made legal. In short, I think the prohibition of marijuana hasn't done anything to deter its use, and it's common knowledge that the stuff smokers toke today is more potent than their parents weed. Has anyone seen the potency of cigarettes increase since the 60s? I won't argue that its safe, but I would argue that it should be legalized and regulated.
Well, K2 aint weed, but it may soon be treated like the dope. Legislators are pushing an initiative that would make it a controlled substance. In the meantime, as the story points out, those taking certain drugs and smoking K2 may want to be careful.
When I spoke to Terry Barks, St. John's clinical information specialist, he said the prohibition of K2 was a significant social issue. And I think that's true.
Over the last several months, we've seen a large number of people stand up against a nationalized health care system-- effectively stopping reform measures in Congress with an unexpected Senate victory in Massachusetts. I personally would have liked to see some form of regulation pass because I think costs are out of control. However, I will say the most powerful argument I've heard against reform came from a friend. It was what I would call the Constitutional argument. It went like this:
If I have religious freedom including freedom from religion in America, why can't I have freedom from health care?
The plan in Congress would have required all Americans choose a plan. And I didn't have a comeback for my friend. "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" is good enough for me. If people want to smoke incense, I'm not going to stand in their way. But I want them to know what their smoking.
Now that the story is out, I've thought a lot about that question. For years I've thought marijuana should be made legal. In short, I think the prohibition of marijuana hasn't done anything to deter its use, and it's common knowledge that the stuff smokers toke today is more potent than their parents weed. Has anyone seen the potency of cigarettes increase since the 60s? I won't argue that its safe, but I would argue that it should be legalized and regulated.
Well, K2 aint weed, but it may soon be treated like the dope. Legislators are pushing an initiative that would make it a controlled substance. In the meantime, as the story points out, those taking certain drugs and smoking K2 may want to be careful.
When I spoke to Terry Barks, St. John's clinical information specialist, he said the prohibition of K2 was a significant social issue. And I think that's true.
Over the last several months, we've seen a large number of people stand up against a nationalized health care system-- effectively stopping reform measures in Congress with an unexpected Senate victory in Massachusetts. I personally would have liked to see some form of regulation pass because I think costs are out of control. However, I will say the most powerful argument I've heard against reform came from a friend. It was what I would call the Constitutional argument. It went like this:
If I have religious freedom including freedom from religion in America, why can't I have freedom from health care?
The plan in Congress would have required all Americans choose a plan. And I didn't have a comeback for my friend. "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" is good enough for me. If people want to smoke incense, I'm not going to stand in their way. But I want them to know what their smoking.
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