“Lets’ not let facts get in the way of a good story!” The old adage is ever more true, particularly in the now ‘post-truth’ culture of the less and less enlightened ‘west’. Once Fact/Truth have their authority stripped in the public square (at least in the delusional thinking of the current cultural psyche) then anecdote steps in to fill the void My story passionately told, based on nothing more than visceral self-reassurance – ‘trusting the gut’ – now over all other authorities in what is embraced as ‘true’?
It is important to note that lived experience and earned resiliency are significantly greater than anecdote as they are always the outcome of lessons learned from bumping into reality, truth, and fact, and learning the right lessons from them. Anecdotal musings are little more than mere felt needs being met or a psycho-social self-affirmation of a preferred perception, regardless of evidence. So called Confirmation bias is no more prevalent than in this fact-less arena.
So, what or more importantly, who is ‘educating’ you on this psychotropic toxin?
Research: Sources of Information and Beliefs About the Health Effects of Marijuana
Abstract – Background: Marijuana is currently legal for recreational use in 10 states and Washington DC while a total of 34 states have implemented varying degrees of medical marijuana. The commercialization of marijuana has been accompanied by a proliferation of false claims regarding the therapeutic potential of marijuana, which are popularized by several different information sources. To date, no study has examined where US adults get their information regarding marijuana.
Objective: To determine the sources of information associated with believing unsupported claims about marijuana.
Key results: There were 9003 respondents (response rate 55%). Forty-three percent believed unsupported claims about marijuana. The most influential sources of information were health professionals, traditional media, friends/relatives, and social media/internet. Individuals reporting social media or the Internet (1.46 CI [1.30, 1.64]), the marijuana industry (e.g., advertisements, dispensaries) (2.88 CI [2.15, 3.88]), and friends or relatives (1.41 CI[1.26, 1.58]) as the most influential source of information about marijuana were more likely to believe any statement consistent with misinformation about marijuana in comparison with those who reported other sources as most influential.
Conclusions: Individuals reporting the most significant source of information regarding marijuana was from social media or the Internet, the marijuana industry, or friends or relatives were more likely to believe unsupported claims about marijuana. Public health campaigns to counter the misinformation about marijuana to the public are needed.
Also see
- Cannabis as ‘Medicine?’: Pot Propaganda, Emotive Anecdote, Marketing Manipulation, and the Side Stepping of Science
- Science vs Marketing: Addiction for Profit off the back of Peoples Grief – unconscionable!
- Medical Marijuana Is Not Regulated as Most Medicines Are (dalgarnoinstitute.org.au)
- Association of State Recreational Marijuana Laws With Adolescent Marijuana Use
- Medical marijuana laws in 50 states: investigating the relationship between state legalization of medical marijuana and marijuana use, abuse and dependence
- Geotemporospatial and causal inference epidemiological analysis of US survey and overview of cannabis, cannabidiol and cannabinoid genotoxicity in relation to congenital anomalies 2001–2015
- Cannabis is ALL Forms takes a ‘Weed-Whacker’ to Your Chromosomes! Radio Interview with Professor Reece wethepeopleradiorecords.com/20211212/we_the_people_radio_2021-12-12_64Kbps.mp3
Communications Team – Dalgarno Institute.