Arthur Peterson, R-Clarendon, spoken in the context of the latest wave of legislation to create a legal cannabis marketplace in Vermont.
In fact, over the decades, there have been at least half a dozen government-commissioned scientific studies to determine whether or not cannabis is dangerous.
This means we consider cannabis to be more dangerous than Dilaudid, OxyContin, morphine, opium, codeine and phenobarbital — which are all Schedule 2.
It’s also been an invaluable medicine, helping with everyday issues like menstrual cramps, hot flashes, headaches, insomnia, muscular pain and mood elevation.
More significantly, though, five years ago I got hit with a burst appendix and sepsis.
During my hospitalization, and when I was released, I was given a host of opioid pain meds, for which I got no instructions other than how much to take and how frequently to take them.
If I’d had kids or a job, I imagine I’d have given up and gone back on the pain meds in the hopes of being able to get off them later.
It is, and THC is a powerful substance — which is why over 5,000 Vermonters and over 5 million Americans who suffer from everything from cancer to MS to chronic pain to Parkinson’s to PTSD are legally registered medical cannabis patients.
And yes, it is possible to consume so much you don’t feel well and get disoriented, confused and paranoid.
Also, some folks who have a propensity toward mental illness should definitely not consume cannabis.
That’s because the neurological receptors for cannabinoids aren’t located in the part of the brainstem that controls breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.
There are many things in the world to genuinely fear, but THC isn’t one of them.
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