Last updated : November 11, 2024
Some see the passing of pro-marijuana legislation in Colorado and Washington as a triumph for individual rights and medical progress. However, public understanding of the situation is masked in misinformation. The nature of the law means that consumption of the drug can still be legally and professionally hazardous, and the benefits suggested by proponents of marijuana use are often untrue or untested.
Federal law still prohibits the use of marijuana. While state law in Colorado and Washington allows citizens to possess certain amounts of the drug for recreational use, federal authorities still classify marijuana as a Schedule I drug “with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse”.
Due to these federal restrictions, transporting marijuana over state lines is still a dangerous proposition. While federal authorities have indicated a willingness to overlook the sale of marijuana within the state of Colorado, they’re still legally entitled to do so, and they have no compunctions against doing so in the case of interstate commerce. This is in large part due to the need to protect states in which marijuana hasn’t been legalized from the effects of drug smuggling.
Even Colorado has strict regulations on where you can smoke. State law still prohibits the consumption of marijuana in public places. Users are limited to consuming the drug only within private residences and must buy from a vendor licensed with the state.
Employers are still legally within their rights to test you for marijuana and fire you if you fail the test. While employers aren’t required to test their employees for drugs, they are still allowed to under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Due to federal restrictions on the drug’s use, your employer can still dismiss you for testing positive even if you possess a prescription. The Supreme Court firmly ruled in a 2015 case that the federal designation of marijuana as a controlled substance trumps Colorado’s statute allowing recreational or medicinal use.
Despite pressure from advocacy groups to recognize the positive medicinal effects of the drug, scientific analysis suggests the beneficial effects of marijuana may be overstated. A double-blind study using placebos which determined that the positive effects of marijuana to treat chronic pain are inconclusive. Further, nearly 1 in 4 medical marijuana products tested displayed higher amounts of THC tested, a result that could have negative effects on patients.
Marijuana may still be dangerous and addictive. The federal government follows definitions that qualify marijuana as a “gateway drug”. Studies performed on adolescent rats indicate that marijuana users have a significantly higher vulnerability for addiction and drug abuse later in life. Rats exposed to THC exhibited a higher behavioral response to other drugs than those who had not been exposed. Social hypotheses suggest that marijuana users are more inclined to associate with individuals who will expose them to harder drugs.
While laws legalizing marijuana on a state level seem to signify a shift in America’s attitudes towards the drugs, potential users should still be vigilant. Medical consensus is still inconclusive in regards to its positive effects, and there are reasons to suggest a number of harmful side effects. Regardless of an individual’s attitude towards the drug, it’s still federally prohibited and could have a disastrous effect on the livelihood of its users. Our understanding of the drug is still in its early stages, and we should wait to embrace it until we know more.
