Infographic | The U.S. Government Classified the Wrong Substance as Schedule 1
The U.S. Government Classified the Wrong Substance as Schedule 1. Let’s start this off with a very straight forward fact. ZERO people have ever died solely from using cannabis. 18,893 people in the U.S. died in 2014 due to opioids, or prescription pain relievers. Yet, cannabis is considered to be a Schedule 1 controlled substance with no known medical benefits by the U.S. Federal Government on the Controlled Substances Act, while opioids are considered Schedule 2. Why is this a big deal? Schedule 1 controlled substances, including marijuana / cannabis, are considered to have a high potential for abuse with no known medical benefits, with Schedule 2 controlled substances, including cocaine, methamphetamines and various opioids, considered to have “currently acceptable medical usage.” Below, we will be presenting some scary facts and statistics that will prove the U.S. Government classified the wrong substance as Schedule 1! Marijuana / Cannabis should not be Schedule 1.
Facts & Statistics about Opioids
Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illicit drug heroin as well as the licit prescription pain relievers oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, fentanyl among others.
- As of 2014, 1.9 million people in the U.S. are addicted to opioids.
- Accidental drug overdose is the leading cause of death in the U.S. at 47,055 overdoses in 2014 alone. Of the 47,055, 18,893 were due to opioids.
- In 2012, 259 million prescriptions were given to Americans.
- Four in five new heroin users started out misusing prescription opioids.
- 94% of respondents in a 2014 survey of people in treatment for opioid addiction said they chose to use heroin because prescription opioids were “far more expensive and harder to obtain.”
- Prescription opioid overdose deaths among women increased more than 400% from 1999 to 2010, compared to 237% among men. Heroin overdose deaths among women have tripled in the last few years. From 2010 through 2013, female heroin overdoses increased from 0.4 to 1.2 per 100,000.
- The prescribing rates for prescription opioids among adolescents and young adults nearly doubled from 1994 to 2007.
All opioid facts and statistics from: http://www.asam.org/docs/default-source/advocacy/opioid-addiction-disease-facts-figures.pdf
Facts & Statistics about Cannabis
Cannabis is a plant that has long been used for hemp fibre, for hemp oils, medicinal purposes, and as a recreational drug.
- Only 9% of cannabis users become addicted.
- Approximately 8.7 billion dollars would be saved per year by legalizing marijuana / cannabis.
- It would take approximately 800 joints smoked in one sitting for fatality. This has never happened.
- Currently, 25 states + Washington D.C. recognize the medicinal value of cannabis.
- Cannabis has over 700 proven medicinal uses.
- ZERO people have ever died as a result of consuming cannabis.
So, what do you think?
Did the U.S. Government classify the wrong substance as Schedule 1? Based on the facts and statistics above, we think so! Let your voice be heard and leave a comment below or share this article with your friends on social media.
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