High Times – October 2019

preferred causes or as a cudgel to beat

back a cause they don’t like. Often,

there’s some truth in the scientifi c part

of their claims, which they will highlight

while ignoring the iff y parts. We cannot

change those people, but we can bring

healthy skepticism to bear when assess-

ing purported scientifi c “facts.”

Earlier this year, it was widely

reported that a 39-year-old Louisiana

woman had died from a cannabis over-

dose, a shocking event that went against

all of experiential history. The story had

the imprimatur of the coroner, Christy

Montegut, who told the New Orleans

Advocate, “It looked like it was all THC

because her autopsy showed no physical

disease or affl ictions that were the cause

of death.” A huge story, if true. Was it?

Experts like Keith Humphreys, a

NEWS

SHROOMS

Oakland became the

second US city to decrim

magic mushrooms (and

other psychedelics). p.26

ENTERTAINMENT

IVAN MOODY

Five Finger Death Punch

frontman Ivan Moody quit

drinking with the help of

cannabis. p.32

JIM^ BELUSHI^

EXPANDS^ HIS

POT^ EMPIRE!

GOOD POLICY USUALLY has sound science

behind it. We like it when laws and

regulations are formed after a sober con-

sideration of tested, or at least testable,

results. But how do we know when the

science is truly sound?

Throughout the push for weed legaliza-

tion, both advocates and prohibitionists

have touted scientifi c research to promote

their ends. A genuine study will appear

that shows that megadoses of THC can

inhibit tumor growth in lab rats, and it

is a certain bet that some of the more

enthusiastic among us will declare, “Weed

cures cancer!” The study itself might be

sound, but the conclusions drawn are

premature, to say the least.

Similarly, a peer-reviewed study might

report that the long-term, daily ingestion

of high levels of THC is associated with

higher rates of psychosis, and then the

Reefer Madness crowd will exaggerate

the results, confl ate correlation with cau-

sation and predict the end of the world.

People with an agenda will always

try to wield science as a cover for their

MORE SCIENCE, PLEASE

AS CANNABIS GAINS ACCEPTANCE IN MAINSTREAM CIRCLES, THERE

WILL BE MORE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INTO OUR FAVORITE PLANT

AND ITS DERIVATIVES. THAT’S A GOOD THING. BY MIKE DIPAOLA

OCTOBER 2019 I HIGH TIMES 23

Analyze this.

HIGHWITNESS NEWS

SHU

TTE

RST

OC

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