Cross-posted at Immizen.com with links to sources.
So he smoked Marijuana. I recall a Republican president who did booze and cocaine…
We learn today that someone is writing a tell-all book about the president and in it the author is describing Obama’s use of drugs, especially marijuana during high school.
Although alcohol is legal and I do admit to enjoying a glass of red wine here and there, most people are aware that alcohol comes with many negative health consequences, yet it is a “legal substance”.
According to the CDC, alcohol can lead to the development of chronic diseases, neurological impairments and social problems. These include but are not limited to:
Neurological problems, including dementia, stroke and neuropathy; Cardiovascular problems, including myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, atrial fibrillation and hypertension; Psychiatric problems, including depression, anxiety, and suicide; Social problems, including unemployment, lost productivity, and family problems; Cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, colon, and breast; In general, the risk of cancer increases with increasing amounts of alcohol; Liver diseases, including Alcoholic hepatitis; Cirrhosis, which is among the 15 leading causes of all deaths in the United Gastrointestinal problems, including pancreatitis and gastritis.
What is interesting is that I could not find “Marihuana nor marijuana nor mariguana” in the CDC list, only a 1982 warning of “Suspected chronic effects of marijuana”. Well, suspected is just that, suspect. The National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA) has a Marijuana page but there is no clear-cut evidence of any serious health risks.
Isn’t it ironic? That the legal substance is the one with most health risks and the one with few health risks is illegal. I don’t smoke weed, ever, probably because of the social stigma of it and I drink socially. But I hope somehow I will be spared the negative effects of it.
NIDA also has a page on effects of Cocaine use, but I am only going to link to it.
And we know of course that George W Bush was arrested for cocaine possession in 1972 and did some heavy drinking before his born-again-Christian resurrection.
But I can bet that Fox News and every single Tea party member won’t be able to contain their Schadenfreude at hearing this old news. But we know how they are. They had no problem accepting Bush’s drinking and drug problems and his inept leading style, his costly mistakes and his slow speech pattern which may all be the consequences of excessive abuse of alcohol and drugs.