Misam Abidi on Drugs

Marijuana is not a gateway drug

A: Strongly Oppose. Marijuana does not inevitably lead a person toward harder drugs, and treating every adult user as a criminal has created enormous human and social harm. Tennessee should regulate responsible adult use, protect children, prevent impaired driving, expand legitimate medical research, and treat addiction primarily as a health and healing challenge. We should also support carefully controlled clinical research into ibogaine, ketamine, psychedelics, and other promising therapies that may help people break severe patterns of addiction and reclaim their lives. Our standard should be scientific evidence, patient safety, and measurable healing--not fear, stigma, or loyalty to a failed drug-war model.