There is little doubt in my mind that should prop 19 pass, there will be a substantial change in the role of marijuana in our society. That said, within some parts of our culture the shift may have happened a while ago. Perhaps this Halloween costume is just one sign of the times. The irony it employs is deft, and clearly there is no harm in a costume, but it reflects an understanding that the current medical exemption is, for many, a joke allowing for recreational use already. I mean, since when is a doctor who treats terminally ill cancer patients the life of a party. Again, Gorman and Huber's (2007) assertion that linking marijuana to sick people would deter use is looking more and more off the mark. Neither the model in the Dr. Herb costume nor his female nurse "Medical Mary Jane" costume look sick to me, nor do I expect that their friends would shy away from being treated.

Gorman, D. M., & Huber, J. C. (2007). Do medical cannabis laws encourage cannabis use? International Journal of Drug Policy, 18(3), 160-167.  

My guess is this story is but the beginning of what will be a flood of stories on how Proposition 19 will affect colleges. It appears to be a well balanced, and thoughtful exploration of the issue. It’s going to be an interesting month.

Tags: Marijuana, Proposition 19, College Drug Abuse, Prevention

I’ve got the new website for the California members of The Network Addressing Collegiate Alcohol and Other Drug Issues up and running now. Feel free to check it out. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be populating the user list with member institutions and hopefully generating some traffic to it.

Also, I’ve decided to craft an online class on the impact of legalization on marijuana prevention strategies. It will be a free six-week class. You can find it at the iPrevention class platform.