No matter how many people say something is true, there will always be a segment of the population that will deny the truth of it no matter what evidence they are shown. To be clear, there is something to be said for a healthy amount of skepticism; humanity wouldn’t have lasted long without it.
But the stalwart denial of something in the face of overwhelming evidence goes beyond mere skepticism. In most cases, it doesn’t matter on a practical level. For instance, if people gather in groups online and in real life to discuss why they believe the Earth is flat, it really doesn’t affect anyone else. Prohibitions haven’t been enacted by governments over adult human beings based on Flat Earth. People haven’t gone to jail for thinking the Earth is round and acting accordingly.
Marijuana, however, was prohibited by those who claimed it had no worth and was dangerous for people to use. For their own good, citizens had to be barred from possessing, growing, selling or consuming cannabis.
While much of this has been wiped away, there still remain to this day people who claim that cannabis has no medical value. I’m not talking about government officials who say that because the only substances they will admit are medicine are those that are FDA-approved; I’m talking about people who really believe that every person who claims to have medical ailments alleviated by cannabis use is either delusional or lying because they are trying to justify their urge to get high.
Is this group of people small? Maybe so, relatively speaking. But they each have a vote and many of them also have deep pockets and they use those deep pockets to fight legalization measures across the country.
Sadly, all it would take for these people to see their error is for someone they know to get sick and be helped by medical cannabis. It happens all the time. But some refuse to see. The evidence is there, even if they don’t see what medical marijuana can do on a personal level. Studies show people using cannabis to get off prescription painkillers, and there are studies that show cannabis use being effective for treating pain, nausea and a myriad of other ailments.
But beyond the studies are the millions of people who will tell you that they use cannabis to help with medical problems – millions of people who are able to function because cannabis exists. Telling those people that you think marijuana has no medical value makes you sound like a moron.
And if you truly believe that cannabis has no medical value, maybe moron is the best word to use to describe you. Perhaps your absolute refusal to look deeper into an issue you espouse an opinion on brings you the ridicule you deserve.
This is SO true! It reminds me of the people that see UFOs in our skies, but are afraid to say anything about their sightings, because SO many people will label them as NUTS!
The persons who DO receive new relief from MMJ must start being advocates for its use and maybe it will become more accepted? Research is already proving the effacacy of cannabis to treat many different diseases and conditions, it is also up to the Medical Professionals (if they are truly compassionate?) to start speaking up to MMJs medical benefits. If the nationwide surge for its use continues, I don’t see how the TRUTH can be silenced? Then again, it was for the love of money and Big Business that it became demonized in the first place. I truly hope the “Stoner Culture” does not keep giving its medical use a black eye, also! It’s time to start opening up about the true benefits of cannabis medically and STOP worshipping it!
Or maybe stop using comparisons to UFO’s as your opening statement……That always seems to help credibility here in the Bible thumping south.