HEALTH
Debunking Cannabis Myths Pt. II
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Consider these cannabis rumors false.
Published on December 31, 2015

Marijuana has always had a bad rep. It took so much beating from every possible angle that we’re kind of surprised it wasn’t completely exterminated at some point. It has taken decades for cannabis to live up to its rightful reputation. The struggle to clear its name is still ongoing and we are only halfway there. With the recent wave of legalization initiatives, we feel times are changing but cannabis myths still need some serious debunking.  

  1. Legalization Will Not Hurt Cartels

  According to a study released by the RAND Corporation, it is estimated that cartels make up to $2 billion per year off of marijuana alone just by selling it to US wholesalers. And, that’s only an estimate. The number is probably much higher. Legalizing marijuana will not only hurt cartels but just might be the deciding factor in ending the war on drugs.  

  1. Medical Marijuana Is A Joke

  Hey, if the head of DEA says so, then it must be true. Erm, no, not at all. We were not expecting Mr. Rosenberg to be an avid advocate of cannabis but showing some courtesy to medical marijuana patients around the world that have immensely benefited from the drug goes a long way. You know, like that time it helped a little girl deal with epilepsy, or helped cure cancer, or helped war veterans deal with PTSD, etc.  

  1. There’s No Difference Between Strains

  We love this one. Whoever said it first must have been smoking hay for most of his life. Without preaching to the choir, it is a well-known fact that cannabis is divided into three basic sub-species: indicas, sativas and ruderalis. Naturally, the strains that stem from those sub-species all have vastly different properties and medicinal values. No, they are not all unique snowflakes but to call them the same would be practically blasphemous.  

  1. You Are Imagining The Munchies

  Wait. What is this? The Matrix? Are we in a desert? Are we so deprived of food that we can’t even think straight? Highly unlikely. In reality, the endocannabinoid system controls food intake via olfactory processes, and yes, we have the study to prove it. Also, we have a hard time believing that chemotherapy patients are only imagining their sudden food cravings once they resort to cannabis.  

  1. Marijuana Is Worse Than Alcohol

  That’s a pretty broad statement to begin with. For the sake of argument though, if that is indeed the case, then how so? Does cannabis damage your liver, heart and pancreas beyond the point of full recovery? Does it make people violent? Or maybe it makes us prone to miscarriage, traffic accidents and poisoning? You get the picture. If anything, recent research shows that it is far better to drive under the influence of cannabis than it is drunk. Neither option is acceptable but the former is definitely less harmful. Luckily, the research was partly funded by the federal government so we reckon it’s pretty solid.  

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Holden Caulfield
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A storyteller with several years of professional experience in copywriting, branding and digital production. Currently, he is researching transmedia production and creative technologies while pursuing a degree in ‘Media Studies’ at The New School in New York.
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