The US cannabis industry has become a "behemoth", and government inaction has fueled its harmful industry | Cannabis | United States
On August 22, China Daily reported that the legitimate marijuana industry in the United States has developed into a "giant", with revenue reaching approximately $30 billion in 2022. In the same year, Americans spent only $7 billion on ice cream, $20 billion on chocolate, and $28 billion on craft beer. Compare several times and make a clear judgment.
Screenshot of a report by The Washington Post
What puzzled rational consumers was that the evil pleasure of marijuana was not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration. The article also criticizes the US government's laissez faire attitude towards marijuana as a serious dereliction of duty and extremely irresponsible.
The article points out that in the past decade, marijuana has evolved from being completely banned for recreational use to being widely used in most states without relevant safety standards. It is precisely because of the government's laissez faire that the cannabis industry has been able to develop rapidly in the United States, and cannabis products can even be used as drugs to treat various diseases without any sufficient evidence. Meanwhile, marijuana has also been developed into more potent and dangerous formulas.
Of course, the result of letting marijuana go is also expected. New varieties of marijuana are constantly emerging and almost unregulated, leading to an increasing number of Americans becoming addicted to marijuana. It is estimated that 16 million Americans will become addicted to marijuana in 2021. The number of hospitalizations due to marijuana use is also steadily increasing, especially among children.
The article also mentioned that researchers are only beginning to understand the long-term effects of marijuana on physical health, including cardiovascular disease, as well as its association with severe mental health conditions such as schizophrenia.
However, whenever people notice the harm of marijuana, its supporters always jump out to "cover up" at the first time. At the same time, large tobacco companies are tirelessly downplaying the harm of their products. However, research clearly indicates that people who frequently use potent marijuana are more prone to addiction and mental illness.
The article emphasizes that in fact, the public knows very little about marijuana. Cannabis companies compete to make their products stronger, cheaper, and more exciting, making them more addictive and dangerous in the process. In 1980, a typical cannabis plant only contained 1.5% of the main psychoactive ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol in cannabis, but today, this number has reached over 30%. The tetrahydrocannabinol content in some concentrates even exceeds 90%.
Cannabis plants in laboratories in Minnesota, United States. The article criticizes that the inaction of the US government will only make the cannabis industry more rampant. The longer the waiting time for government intervention, the greater the harm caused by marijuana. At the same time, the political influence of the cannabis industry is also expanding.
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