One of the most common problems the US has with marijuana is the fact that it has been classified as a Schedule I drug, which basically puts it in the same class as cocaine and heroin. As far as we know, placing marijuana in the same place as truly heavy drugs will not to do anyone any favors. If anything, that classification serves only to give cannabis a bad reputation. To be fair, marijuana had its fair share of bad luck. Being prohibited, it truly caused some vicious incarceration over the years. Who knows how many lives were ruined because of minor cannabis possession.
Regulatory Problems
However, nothing has caused as many regulatory problems to a state as marijuana has. One of the main reasons California kept getting raided even after medical marijuana was legalized was because of the discrepancy between state and federal law. The state has indeed legalized marijuana but the government still doesn’t really agree with that on a somewhat national level. If it sounds complicated, don’t worry about, that’s because it is. Many state officials believe that this attitude and dubious regulations towards marijuana were intentional.
This way the country can still make some tax money off of marijuana but also keeps the power to shut down dispensaries for any violation or in some cases – on a whim. The problem is not just down to California; a lot of states that have legalized medical marijuana in the past have had problems with authorities on both the state and federal level. You can’t really blame them but you can blame the sneaky officials that supported the dubious regulations in the first place.
Attitude Is Shifting
However, as the overwhelming attitude of the general public is shifting and leaning more towards positive cannabis regulations – the government acts accordingly. For instance, recently Vivek Murthy was appointed as the new US Surgeon General. His attitude towards marijuana seems to be somewhat different than that of his predecessors. Mr. Murthy is claiming that medical marijuana can actually be helpful. He gave the statement to CBS News and went on record adding that he will be using data for further policy developments. So, things are definitely looking up in terms of medical marijuana.
The Battle Is Not Over Yet
On the other hand, his statement is not in line with marijuana’s classification, which states, among other things, that marijuana is not accepted as a medicinal aid in any shape or form. Hopefully, this healthy attitude of the newly appointed Surgeon General will mark a new step forward in declassifying marijuana as a Schedule I drug. The taboo of marijuana is ending slowly but surely and as states keep legalizing cannabis for either recreational or medical purposes, the support of the general public is growing as well. For instance, Colorado is making so much money off of medical marijuana that it doesn’t know what to do with it. Luckily, most of it will go to education and further marijuana research. Basically, it is only a matter of time before we all embrace marijuana as a safe alternative to regular medicine.
