By Bill Maher

Just a word about weed. Even though 30 states and D.C. have legalized marijuana in some form and almost two-thirds of Americans believe it should be legal, it’s still almost impossible to properly study because it’s classified as a Schedule I drug, which, by definition, means it has no medical value. A lawsuit currently winding its way through the courts hopes to change that – as others have tried and failed to do – and the Trump administration is fighting it tooth and nail.



The studies that have been done have found marijuana effective in treating chronic pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea, muscle spasms associated with MS, etc. You’d think those things alone would be enough to make reasonable people agree that marijuana in some forms is a valid medication in some instances and therefore not Schedule I. But no, the Jeff Sessions and the Chris Christies of the world insist it’s a gateway-drug scourge that must be stamped out.



People who want to keep marijuana thought of as an evil street drug with no redeeming value often cite studies about how weed smoking can be associated, in some cases, with bronchitis or low birth weight or impaired academic achievement. To which, I say, “So what?” Have you seen the drug ads on TV? Every single one has a list of possible side effects as long as the Constitution: “May cause depression, double vision, diarrhea, constipation, headaches, vomiting, nausea, dry mouth, confusion, night terrors, some forms of cancer…”



Why, to even be studied responsibly, does weed have to be the first perfect, no-side-effects drug?