Marijuana’s dopamine boost terrifies prohibitionists

Reactionaries who oppose recreational marijuana rest their objections solely upon its ability to produce pleasure in its users. Cannabis advocates argue that pleasure is as much a legitimate medical treatment as a trip to a luxury health spa. The political and moral divide involving recreational drugs is bound up in antiquated philosophical debates regarding stoicism and Epicureanism. Beginning with early Christian leaders like the stoic Ambrose of Milan (339–397 CE) hedonism via chemicals was believed to be a source of decadence in people and particularly those in leadership positions. It was presumed that decadence and debauchery could trigger the destruction of empires. It was never that simple.

The culprit at the center of the dispute is a neurochemical called dopamine. Dopamine increases its concentration in the brain as THC interacts with cannabinoid receptors. It’s called the feel-good neurotransmitter because of the vital role it plays in brain chemistry with regard to motivation, pursuits of pleasure and mental and physical rewards.

Believing that THC is morally harmful because it increases dopamine makes little sense once it’s understood that dopamine blood levels will also increase with physical exercise, a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, meditation, listening to music, spending time outdoors in the sunlight, attending health spas, and pursuing positive social activities that include hobbies, achieving goals, and socializing. Foods rich in tyrosine such as almonds, avocados, bananas, eggs and beans also boost dopamine levels. None of these activities or foods are prohibited or criminalized in the manner of marijuana.

U.S. federal drug policies that currently criminalize marijuana consumers lag behind many cultures that accept its medical use, like modern Islam. American religions, sects, and cults rejecting marijuana use tend to be at the forefront of drug enforcement. Despite endless arguments condemning hedonism no evidence exists that cannabinoids ever destroyed empires and societies or killed people.

Confucianism is another religion that scapegoats drugs for the self-indulgences of leaders and other social disruptions. As Confucianism became a state ideology in the 6th century CE cannabis use in Japan, China, and Korea was suppressed. East Asian prohibition of cannabis was due largely to its use being associated with nomadic Central Asian invaders.

Early Egyptian, Greek, Carthaginian and Roman civilizations were kind enough to allow their citizens the use of cannabis during all the empires’ phases from rise to fall. Cannabis never hindered a great civilization’s empowerment or world dominance. Lazy stoner stereotypes didn’t exist. Instead, stoned Egyptian stonemasons and engineers built the pyramids and fit the large stones together with a precision unequaled for its time. Greek and Roman architecture, culture, science and intellectualism flourished along with the use of cannabis. Hannibal and his fellow Carthaginians consumed marijuana in the form of a tea. As for the fall of empires or city states, historians typically attribute the causes of decline to economic instabilities, corruption, military defeats, mega-droughts, famine, meteors, salinization of farm soil, isolationism and social upheavals—never marijuana.

Marijuana’s usefulness and its effect upon empires can be better understood by treating it as a dopamine booster or accelerator. Combining marijuana with music seems to make the music sound better. It gives its users an improved appetite—the munchies. Combining THC with meals can improve the taste of food, which is why it can be used medically to stimulate the failing appetites of cancer patients.

Public polling in the U.S. indicates marijuana’s role as the scapegoat for society’s ills is coming to an end. When its federal criminalization ceases it will mark a horribly traumatic defeat for prohibitionists. Rejecting the use of mind altering drugs the drug warriors will have no reliable way to treat their mental pain and anguish when they clock out from their jobs for the very last time.

On the other hand, stoic reactionaries who believe suffering is good for the soul, that life is nasty, brutish, and short, and that it should remain that way, may require public assistance and specialized attention that guarantees their continuing misery. Torture salons and pain spas might work. Packaged vacation trips to the Guantanamo Bay detention camp could become a big thing. Patrons of misery could relish the rack or the cat o’ nine tails. Christianity could revive and promote its practice of self-flagellation.

Whatever new or old services emerge, systemic wretchedness will always be available in stoic societies in the form of social stagnation, a lack of empathy and social bonding, suppressed emotions, inflexibility leading to a lack of adaptability, and detachments from external events or outcomes—a prohibitionist’s paradise.