Is That High Legal?

I was listening to Sean Hannity on the way home today, and he had a debate going on between a Doctor who's name I can't recall and one of his regular guests on the dangers of Marijuana.

This Doctor was an idiot.

It was his contention that occasional, recreational use of weed is so dangerous that it is lowering the IQ of the kids of the users, by affecting the genome of the parents.

Really? He wants to stand by that assertion?

Basically my belief is that nothing is harmful in reasonable amounts, and everything is dangerous in unreasonable amounts.

Pick a substance. Sugar? The detrimental effects of sugar are well known, when consumed in excessive amounts, yet it is a requirement for healthy living in smaller amounts. Same with salt; to much can kill you; not enough can kill you.

Vitamin A is a required nutrient, yet excessive amounts can kill. Morphine, in limited amounts, is a life saver for pain relief, yet in larger quantities can kill.

Beer was a staple for Medieval monks during Lent, when they were fasting, and was a staple drink of the Puritans at Plymouth Rock, in an era when the water was sometimes deadly, yet when consumed in excessive amounts- deadly.

How about water itself? The very essence of life in some respects, yet when consumed in excessive amounts, murderous.

Coffee; a few cups a day are very beneficial. A few pots a day on the other hand, well, that's a different story.

How about Digitalis? A miracle cure for some forms of heart disease in small amounts, and poisonous in larger ones.

Almost any substance you can name is beneficial in certain amounts and dangerous in other ones.

Even chemicals- and that's what we are talking about; chemicals- produced by our own bodies can be both good and evil.

Why do we make somethings illegal and others legal? Why are some uses of a substance legal, and others illegal?

Who sits on high and makes these seemingly random decisions; Where do they get that authority? Do they have some special wisdom?

As usual, I have more questions than answers.

Maybe its time for a re-examination of how we deal with what is legal and illegal.

Or better yet, let competent adults make up their own minds, and get the government out of the way.