This may seem like an odd post to read. I’ll be right up front: I don’t use cannabis products. However, I fully support adult-use cannabis (aka, recreational). Beyond support, I am a proponent and have focused my energy on helping the industry. If you’re puzzled, let’s peel this onion a bit to see how I arrived at this decision and how I’ll be taking action.
A non-user’s perspective
Family members and friends have asked why I don’t use cannabis products. I feel it’s a pretty simple reply: I don’t feel the need. Like a lot of people, I enjoy a beer, glass of wine or some bourbon on occasion. I just don’t feel the need to add cannabis to that list.
In my family history, there are instances of lung cancer. There is some limited research that may associate smoking cannabis and lung cancer. The researchers are clear that they have not established the correlation and need to continue the study. Given inconclusive research and my family history, I will stick with my general, subconscious aversion to smoking anything. There are lots of alternative methods to smoking cannabis. I just don’t have any interest in trying them either. I also realize that it isn’t fair for me to project my preferences on other people.
Lastly, there are addiction tendencies that run throughout my family. While I do not have any expertise, I have personally observed that people with addictive tendencies will take nearly any substance to extremes. Regardless of a substance’s propensity to addiction, I have noticed that some people will switch to any substance or method to achieve their objective. The fascinating thing about cannabis is that it has less harmful effects than alcohol. So while some people try to label it as a “gateway” drug toward broader addiction, I feel that is an unwarranted label for something that is less available and less harmful than alcohol. I feel the reality is a person with addictive tendencies will use any substance as a gateway down their path. Frankly, nicotine is a more likely gateway than cannabis.
Is cannabis overdose a risk?
While growing up in the “just say no” era, we heard constant reinforcement about the dangers of cannabis. Based on the literature, you might think every city’s back allies would be littered with cannabis addicts overdosing. The plot thickens when you start researching the “dangers” of cannabis. While many people have spent decades vilifying the plant, the simple fact is that using cannabis has never killed anybody.
There are many readily available substances that can have a toxic effect. While we have been trained to focus on the dangers of cannabis, let’s see where the theoretical “toxic dose” compares to other readily available substances:
- Water – 6 liters
- Potatoes (raw) – 10 pounds
- Aspirin – 40
- Alcohol – 13 shots
- Fentanyl – 2 milligrams (and yes, this is readily available on our streets)
- Cannabis – 1,500 pounds
So compared to other readily available substances, you stand a greater risk of dying from a large bale of cannabis falling on you than consuming a lethal dose. There isn’t a single recorded death from excessive cannabis use. As many people joke, you will fall asleep before you can smoke enough to hurt you. If somebody wants to chill out in the evening with some cannabis, who am I to judge them? Their preferred substance is safer than my bourbon.
What I’ll be doing
Since cannabis is natural and safe, I have decided to listen to facts and research that will help accept it rather than unjustly vilify it. While it may not be a substance that I prefer, what gives me the right to project my choice on others?
I intend to focus my skills on helping growers produce higher yields and a more consistent product with environmentally friendly operations. The industry needs more research and optimization. With the removal of long-term criminalization and unjust vilification, we can accelerate and formalize that research. I cannot tell experienced growers how to grow a better product. However, I can help them refine and automate their process so they can scale more efficiently.
The decriminalization of cannabis is hopefully going to arrive soon. We intend to meet that accomplishment with products that will complement increased use. If you are curious about how our products will support the industry, check out our next post for the details.
