National Drug Control Strategy 2008

I'm not a fan of drugs. Here's my take on one of the most interesting parts of the Bush Administration's report which can be found here.

In 1996, California became the first State to allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes. California’s Proposition 215, also known as the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, was intended to ensure that “seriously ill” residents of the State had access to marijuana for medical purposes, and to encourage Federal and State governments to take steps toward ensuring
the safe and affordable distribution of the drug to patients in need.

California now has more than 12,000 registered medical marijuana cardholders and an estimated 310 medical marijuana dispensaries. The quantity of medical marijuana moving through each dispensary is staggering: conservative estimates suggest at least 500 pounds of marijuana per year per dispensary. This means 155,000 pounds of marijuana moved for “medical” purposes or 12.29 pounds of marijuana per registered patient. As approximately 1,200 marijuana cigarettes can be made per pound, each user would be provided with 14,734 marijuana cigarettes per year, or 41 marijuana cigarettes
a day.

To anyone who says that these dispensaries are perfectly well handled, WAKE UP. This means that the government of California is basically handing out marijuana to anyone who can pretend they are in pain. And don't give me that people with Glaucoma need it. Only 2% of the users in California who use medicinal marijuana have either Glaucoma, AIDS or Cancer. Its not being used predominantly by senior citizens either. Only 2% of users prescribed with use for medicinal marijuana are 60 or older, while over 60% are under 40.


I didn't read the entire report, but one positive thing that came out of it is that, despite glamorization of drugs by Hollywood, drug use is down in youths across the country, for all major drugs including marijuana. For those who say we're losing the War on Drugs, look again.