Cannabis is by far the most commonly used drug worldwide, according to the latest Global Drug Survey (GDS). Cocaine and MDMA are used to a far lesser extend in comparison. The figures used here do not consider alcohol, tobacco or caffeine, which of course are also heavily used. Also, the GDS seeks out younger respondents more involved in drug use. Their overview therefore concentrates on people likely to use drugs than the general public.
The mean age of the surveyed population in the 28 countries covered was 29.1 years, while 46.7 percent of the respondents were under 25 years of age and 47.6 percent went clubbing at least every 3 months. GDS also asked more men (68 percent) than women (32 percent) for their survey.
Infographic courtesy of: statista
War on Drugs: Medical Marijuana
The war on medical marijuana is causing uncertainty.
The war on medical marijuana has arisen due to President Trumps latest document, causing uncertainty in the community. Medical marijuana programs exist in 29 U.S. states and have large public support.
White House aides argue that the President’s objections do not cause immediate policy changes. “It just creates a lot of uncertainty, and that uncertainty is deeply concerning for patients and providers,” said Michael Collins, deputy director of the Drug Policy Alliance. The public is concerned because the government insists that although weed is federally illegal, it will not impose strict punishments.
And yet, Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently directed federal prosecutors to pass harsher punishments for drug defendants.
Does the government know what it wants?
Recreational weed smokers have more to fear from federal intervention. The President says that he sees a big difference between medical marijuana prescribed to patients by doctors and recreational weed.
The provision in question prohibits the Justice Department from spending money that interferes with state medical marijuana programs. “I will treat this provision consistently with my constitutional responsibility to take care that the laws be faithfully executed,” Trump wrote in the signing statement.
Trump has objected on constitutional grounds to a program that helps black colleges and universities get low-cost construction loans.
According to Tom Angell, founder of Marijuana Majority, Trump is essentially saying that he reserves the right to ignore the congressionally approved provision. James Cole, a Deputy Attorney General had prosecutors enforce all federal drug laws, even in places where marijuana is legal. On the other hand, Cole wrote that federal authorities should stay out of states that have regulatory systems in place. Medical marijuana is to be revised again by Congress in the next few months. It seems like the trend is to allow the government to pick and choose who to prosecute for marijuana offenses.
