Surgeon general: No 'value' to locking people up over marijuana use • Hacker News Board

Re: Surgeon general: No 'value' to locking people up over marijuana use

#61

Post by bagacrap » Tue, Jul 20, 2021, 2:03 PM UTC

hajile wrote: post #57

Locking people up over marijuana may be stupid, but it’s not medical. I didn’t elect him and he needs to keep his non-medical opinions separate from his job. From global warming to the pandemic, medical experts and scientists taking political sides has lead to disinformation, hesitancy to do what should be done, stonewalling or even outright censorship of the facts.

Who should we ask then, the chief of police?

Clearly the basis for banning drugs is the harm they may cause to the health of both their users and others. A medical expert's opinion is relevant in assessing harm. It's not like he weighed in on net neutrality.

Re: Surgeon general: No 'value' to locking people up over marijuana use

#62

Post by hajile » Tue, Jul 20, 2021, 5:19 PM UTC

ayane_m wrote: post #60

hajile wrote: post #57

Locking people up over marijuana may be stupid, but it’s not medical. I didn’t elect him and he needs to keep his non-medical opinions separate from his job. From global warming to the pandemic, medical experts and scientists taking political sides has lead to disinformation, hesitancy to do what should be done, stonewalling or even outright censorship of the facts.

Arguably, it is medical. Substance use disorders, of which cannabis can be an example, are medical disorders which are better treated medically than with punitive justice.

Everything from chronic theft to murder to and many things in-between could all be viewed as medical disorders in many cases. That isn't particularly relevant to whether or not it should involve jail sentences. Cannabis is not an addictive substance more than many other crimes.

Pointing out cannabis isn't harmful is what I'd expect a surgeon general to say (and I think they should say), but he didn't. Instead, he made a "value" argument which is strictly non-medical.

Re: Surgeon general: No 'value' to locking people up over marijuana use

#63

Post by rpmisms » Tue, Jul 20, 2021, 11:01 PM UTC

Auracle wrote: post #39

rpmisms wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's healthier than most alcohol or tobacco use. I don't see why it should be controlled.

That depends on what you mean. Tobacco - bad for lungs, throat, mouth. Alcohol - bad for pretty much all of you. Pot - bad for your brain, and other areas depending on how you take it. Can also trigger psychological disorders like schizophrenia. I fear that legalization won’t come with the education that’s necessary to counteract the “marijuana is healthy” crowd that make that leap because you can’t die from it. It’s…

I have used all three, and cannabis is the least habit-forming, in my personal experience. Even if it was able to produce the same negative physical effects as tobacco or alcohol, that makes it less pernicious, imo.

Re: Surgeon general: No 'value' to locking people up over marijuana use

#64

Post by antifa » Tue, Jul 20, 2021, 11:23 PM UTC

president wrote: post #8

It's not so much as punishing people for weed but punishing them for knowingly breaking the law right? Maybe locking people up is a bit harsh but people know the consequences no? Maybe we should recognize that there is value in having people in a society follow the rule of law.

Authoritarianism for authoritarianism's sake is pretty objectively bad.