By Keith Mansur

Oregon Cannabis Connection

The Brexit leading Prime Minister of the United Kingdom recently went on ITV News for a live Fabebook chat and started spewing canna-bigotry lies and reefer madness nonsense about marijuana. Her comments border on hysteria and are reminiscent of Donald Trumps constant, stupid comments that get him into hot water regularly.

Theresa May, the conservative Tory party leader, trotted out the typical lies that are repeated by ignorant prohibitionist fools, like Mary Fallin’s recent comments in the U.S.A. Conflating marijuana use with drug abuse, the British leader displayed her ignorance for the world when she answered a question from Emma, a Facebook viewer who wanted to know why she can’t support cannabis legalization:

“There have obviously been some studies into the use of cannabis or the derivatives in relation to the medical use, but the reason I don’t believe in legislating … making cannabis use legal … is because of the impact that I see it having on too many people in terms of the drug use, and I think what we’ve seen is stronger forms now being used. I think it can have a real impact impact on people in terms of their mental health. But, it can also, of course, lead to people going on to harder drugs.”

“There’s a wonderful woman in my constituency, Elizabeth Burton-Phillips, who runs DrugFam which supports families … One of her twin sons—they both started on cannabis when they were at school—went on to heroin and one of her twin sons committed suicide. This has a huge impact on families.”

Lets unpack this short but ridiculous comment this ignorant and truly uncaring leader said.

“There have obviously been some studies into the use of cannabis or the derivatives in relation to the medical use…” commented May. That is the WHOLE point Prime minister! You just ignore the studies that show the rest of your statement is full of lies and fear mongering.

“I don’t believe in legislating … making cannabis use legal … is because of the impact that I see it having on too many people in terms of the drug use…” she said further, which sounds like a compassionate position, but it’s based on falsehoods and lies. It does not matter what you think, Prime Minister, because your opinion is irrelevant to facts. You should consider the evidence and not anecdotes from people that blame cannabis for the demise of their children. There are likely a lot of reasons the “people” you see having trouble with drug abuse and none of the factors pushing those kids to drug use are related to cannabis.

“I think it can have a real impact impact on people in terms of their mental health…” is another stupid comment not based in fact and based in conjecture and reefer madness. There is no evidence that cannabis makes people crazy or causes mental health problems in normal people. In fact, we know from “some studies” relating to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder have shown cannabis greatly benefits people suffering from that “mental health” problem.

“It can also, of course, lead to people going on to harder drugs…” is an old red herring that is often used and now considered to be a completely fallacious. The gateway drug theory has been destroyed by numerous studies. It turns out, Prime Minister, that drug abuse is not caused by the drugs, but by the person using them. The tendency to move from one drug to another is not due to the drugs, it is due to the personality of the abuser. If a person is susceptible to addictive behavior, it’s only normal to start with a legal and acceptable drug, like alcohol or cigarettes, and then move on to more serious drugs that have a stronger effect. The gateway drug theory was just that, a theory, and it has been discredited by most doctors and quack science today.

“They both started on cannabis when they were at school—went on to heroin and one of her twin sons committed suicide.” Those final comments are beyond the pale. For a national leader to use the death of a man from heroin as the reason to disallow cannabis is beyond disingenuous, it is the definition of “reefer madness”. That “wonderful woman” in your constituency has blamed the drugs for her son’s death. Both of you have decided that cannabis is evil because heroin kills people? That makes no sense at all. I understand that it’s easier to blame the drugs for a loved ones death under the horrible circumstances she described, but to blame cannabis, or even the heroin, instead of the individual who made the choices is simply removing the responsibility from the individual. The truth is that cannabis provides a way for addicts to stop using opioids, and that is also backed by “some studies”.

Prime Minister May, it turns out that Mary Fallin will have company in the underworld when she finally is removed from this planet. I am certain the devil has plenty of room for both of you, right along side Harry Anslinger, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and your own Margaret Thatcher for how they handled the drug war and the imprisonment of millions of people under draconian drug possession laws … and most were minorities. All jailed for making a personal choice that hurt no one but themselves.

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