It’s nearly impossible to wrap your head around the government’s policy on marijuana. Certain states legalized it completely. Some just medicinally and others totally forbid it… all while the federal government says it’s totally illegal anywhere no matter what. Which is odd considering Washington DC, where the fed is based, recognizes medical marijuana allowing patients to have up to 2oz. Don’t even try to figure it out. It’ll just make your head hurt.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who is CNN’s chief medical correspondent, appeared on Piers Morgan’s show on CNN recently to publicly apologize for his former stance against marijuana. Speaking about marijuana, Gupta says “We’ve been terribly and systematically misled in this country for sometime and I did part of that misleading.” He points out how ridiculous it is to have medical marijuana as a schedule one drug, which means there is no currently accepted medical use for it and it has a high potential for abuse. More dangerous drugs such as cocaine and oxycontin are schedule two, which according to the government means they’re less dangerous and have some form of acceptable medical usage. Gupta challenges the current policy saying, “Every 19 minutes someone dies of a prescription drug overdose. It just doesn’t happen with marijuana.” If heroin is schedule one and oxycontin is made from the same plant as heroin how can they be on separate drug schedules when they’re virtually the same thing? I’m in no way saying heroin isn’t dangerous. Just pointing out one of the many inconsistencies in our current drug policy.

Sanjay’s new view on cannabis most likely stems from his upcoming documentary “Weed” which is slated to air on CNN this month.

Matt McCusker

Matt is a writer and sometimes comedian and mixed-martial artist. He graduated from Drexel University in 2009 with a degree in international business. He enjoys the company of his wife and two Akitas in his humble South Jersey abode.

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