Daily marijuana use: Dr Jessica Gray busts safety myths
In the United States, daily marijuana use is on an upward trend, prompting experts like family physician Dr. Jessica Gray to debunk common safety misconceptions. Dr. Gray emphasizes that just because cannabis is derived from plants, it does not automatically imply it is safe. Citing a review from JAMA Internal Medicine, she highlights the lack of substantial evidence supporting cannabis as an effective treatment for anxiety or insomnia. Additionally, she points out that obtaining marijuana has become surprisingly easier than securing consultations for mental health counseling.
Authorities made a significant interception on Tuesday, halting a shipment of approximately 1,800 pounds of what is suspected to be black-market marijuana from California. This substantial haul was reportedly on its way to two major cities: Atlanta and Orlando.
According to the Butts County Sheriff’s Office, the haul began its journey in Sacramento, a place where recreational marijuana use is legal. Sheriff Gary Long stated that roughly half of the confiscated marijuana was destined for Atlanta, while the other half was meant for Orlando.
The Sheriff’s office has kept details about the interception under wraps, including the precise location and method of capture, any arrests made, or potential charges filed.
The suspected illegal shipment was traced back to Sacramento, California, before being seized in Butts County, Georgia, law enforcement officials reported. (Facebook/Butts County Sheriff’s Office)
Long used the seizure to make his case that legalizing marijuana does not eliminate illegal sales.
“But here is the reality: the black market isn’t going away,” Long said in a press release announcing the seizure.
Marijuana laws vary among the three states connected to the shipment. California allows recreational marijuana, while Georgia and Florida allow marijuana only for certain medical uses.
“The illegal marijuana trade does not stop at the state line,” Long said.
Authorities seized about 1,800 pounds of suspected black-market marijuana. (Facebook/Butts County Sheriff’s Office)
Long said Mexican drug-trafficking organizations and other criminal groups continue to move large amounts of marijuana across state lines. The sheriff’s office did not say the shipment seized Tuesday was connected to a cartel or any other criminal organization.
The sheriff also argued that illegal sellers can undercut licensed marijuana businesses because they don’t pay taxes or licensing fees or have to follow testing and other regulatory requirements.
“As long as there is demand and money to be made, illegal dealers will continue to operate,” Long said.
Long urged Georgia lawmakers to look closely at what has happened in states that have legalized marijuana before making changes to Georgia’s laws.
Butts County Sheriff Gary Long said about half of the marijuana was bound for Atlanta, while the rest was headed to Orlando. (Facebook/Butts County Sheriff’s Office)
He pointed to California, which has changed its cannabis tax and regulatory system while continuing to fight illegal marijuana sales. He also cited past ballot initiatives filed in Colorado seeking to repeal constitutional provisions that legalized recreational marijuana, though those efforts did not reverse legalization.
“That should be a warning to Georgia,” Long said. “We should learn from the experiences of states that have already gone down this road instead of repeating the same mistakes and then spending years trying to fix them.”
Long said his statement was not meant to settle the question of whether marijuana should be legal. Instead, he argued that lawmakers need to consider how illegal sales and trafficking would fit into any changes to Georgia law.
“Georgia, let’s get it right the first time,” Long said.