审视大麻应继续保持非法的3个理由：英语精读讲义

All around the world,

在世界各地，

marijuana is being decriminalized or even made legal. 講解

大麻正在被除罪化，甚至合法化。

But is this really a good idea?

但这真的是个好主意吗？

In the online debate,

在网络讨论中，

the harmful sides are often downplayed. 用詞

它的危害常常被轻描淡写。

So,

所以，

let's look at the three most powerful arguments against legalizing marijuana.

让我们来看看反对大麻合法化的三个最强有力的观点。

Argument number one.

论点一。

In the last few decades,

在过去的几十年里，

marijuana has been engineered to become much more potent. 用詞

大麻被人工培育得越来越强效。

Today,

今天，

marijuana is so potent 語法

大麻的效力如此之大，

that it's actually a strong drug

实际上它已经是一种

that may cause psychosis.

可能引起精神疾病的强效毒品。

The main active ingredient of marijuana is THC, 短語搭配

大麻的主要活性成分是 THC，

and there's strong evidence that THC is related to psychosis

有强有力的证据表明 THC 与精神疾病有关，

regardless of other risk factors.

且与其他风险因素无关。

Marijuana also contains a substance called CBD

大麻还含有一种叫 CBD 的物质，

that seems to counteract its effect. 短語搭配

似乎能抵消这种影响。

It's even being tested as a treatment against psychosis and anxiety. 短語搭配

它甚至正在被测试作为治疗精神疾病和焦虑症的方法。

But because it doesn't make you high, 用詞

但因为它不能让人产生快感，

growers have gradually decreased the amount of CBD in marijuana over the last few decades 語法

种植者在过去几十年中逐渐减少了大麻中 CBD 的含量，

while increasing THC levels.

同时提高了 THC 的水平。

Sample testing showed that THC levels have risen from around 4% in the 1990s 短語搭配

抽样测试显示，THC 的水平已经从上世纪 90 年代的大约 4%

to nearly 12% in 2014,

上升到 2014 年的近 12%，

shifting the ratio of THC to CBD 短語搭配

使得 THC 与 CBD 的比例

from 1 to 14 in 1995

从 1995 年的 1 比 14

to about 1 to 80 in 2014.

变成了 2014 年的大约 1 比 80。

It's unclear how precise those tests were, 表達脈絡

目前尚不清楚这些测试到底有多精确，

however.

然而。

Overall,

总的来说，

recent findings suggest that the more marijuana you consume 語法

近期的研究结果表明，你摄入的大麻越多，

and the stronger it is,

且大麻效力越强，

the higher your risk of developing psychosis.

患上精神疾病的风险就越高。

But how high is the risk of psychosis

但普通人群患精神疾病的风险

for the general population?

究竟有多高呢？

A study from Britain found

英国的一项研究发现，

that while marijuana use has risen significantly 語法

尽管大麻的使用在 1996 年至 2005 年间

between 1996 and 2005,

显著增加，

the number of schizophrenia cases,

但精神分裂症的病例数，

a type of psychosis,

这是一种精神疾病，

remained stable.

却保持稳定。

The risk of marijuana-induced psychosis

大麻引发精神疾病的风险

remains the highest

对于那些本身就有极高精神疾病风险的人来说，

for people who already have a high risk of psychosis

依然是最高的。

to begin with. 短語搭配

一开始就是如此。

For them,

对他们而言，

it seems more likely that marijuana speeds up

大麻似乎更有可能是加速了

the development of their condition

他们病情的恶化，

rather than causing it, 語法

而不是导致了这种疾病，

as far as we know right now. 短語搭配

至少就我们目前所知是这样。

So,

所以，

the reasoning goes, 表達脈絡

顺理成章的推论是，

if fewer people have access to marijuana, 語法

如果接触大麻的人越少，

the lower the risk of marijuana-induced psychosis.

大麻引发精神疾病的风险就越低。

But actually,

但实际上，

you could argue that precisely because marijuana is illegal, 表達脈絡

你可以辩称，恰恰因为大麻是非法的，

more people will end up with psychosis.

才会有更多人最终患上精神疾病。

Prohibition makes illegal drugs stronger and more potent

禁令使得非法毒品变得更加浓缩和强效，

because this way you can ship more product

因为这样一来，你就能在更小的空间里

in a smaller space

运输更多的产品，

and sell it at a greater profit. 短語搭配

并以更高的利润出售。

This is what happened during the prohibition of alcohol 文化背景

这正是美国禁酒令期间

in the US,

发生的事情，

where hard liquor became the norm. 用詞

烈酒成为了常态。

And the same is happening with marijuana now.

而同样的事情现在也发生在大麻上。

Imagine a world where liquor is the only alcohol available. 表達脈絡

想象一个只有烈酒可买的世界。

You have the choice of either not drinking at all 語法

你要么选择一滴不沾，

or getting much drunker than you would like to.

要么就会醉得超出你的预期。

This is the situation for many marijuana smokers today.

这就是如今许多吸食大麻者面临的处境。

People didn't stop drinking during prohibition,

人们并没有在禁酒令期间停止饮酒，

and the numbers show that laws don't deter people 短語搭配

数据也显示，法律并不能阻止人们

from using marijuana.

吸食大麻。

We can't make marijuana go away, 語法

我们无法让大麻消失，

but we can make it safer.

但我们可以让它变得更安全。

If marijuana were legal, 語法

如果大麻合法化，

there would be more options for consumers,

消费者就会有更多选择，

and regulators could,

监管机构也可以，

for example,

比如说，

insist on a high level of CBD.

强制要求提高 CBD 的含量。

Just like most people don't drink an after-work bottle of vodka, 表達脈絡

就像大多数人下班后不会直接喝掉一整瓶伏特加一样，

many people would gladly consume

许多人会非常乐意吸食

the after-work beer version of marijuana.

“下班后喝杯啤酒”那种温和版本的大麻。

Argument two,

论点二，

marijuana is a gateway drug. 文化背景

大麻是一种入门毒品。

If it's legalized,

如果它被合法化，

there will be a spike in the use of much more dangerous drugs. 短語搭配

使用更危险毒品的人数将会激增。

A 2015 study found

2015 年的一项研究发现，

that about 45% of lifelong marijuana users

大约 45% 的终身大麻使用者

took some other illegal drug at some point.

在某些时候也曾使用过其他非法毒品。

Legalizing marijuana could reinforce this trend.

大麻合法化可能会强化这一趋势。

As more young people try legal marijuana,

随着越来越多年轻人尝试合法的大麻，

they might end up trying harder drugs. 短語動詞

他们最终可能会去尝试更烈性的毒品。

But it turns out that the real gateway to drug use 表達脈絡

但事实证明，真正的吸毒诱因

comes much earlier,

出现得要早得多，

cigarettes.

那就是香烟。

One study showed that teens who started smoking

一项研究表明，在 15 岁之前

before the age of 15

开始吸烟的青少年

were 80% more likely to use illegal drugs 語法

使用非法毒品的可能性

than those who didn't.

比不吸烟的人高出 80%。

And a 2007 study found

而 2007 年的一项研究发现，

that teenagers between 12 and 17 who smoked

12 到 17 岁之间吸烟的青少年，

were three times more likely to binge drink, 語法

酗酒的可能性是其他人的 3 倍，

seven times more likely to have used drugs like heroin or cocaine,

使用海洛因或可卡因等毒品的可能性是 7 倍，

and were also seven times more likely to resort to marijuana. 短語搭配

求助于大麻的可能性同样是 7 倍。

But if that's the case, 短語搭配

但如果是这样，

how could making more drugs legal stop the use of hard drugs?

让更多毒品合法化怎么能阻止人们使用烈性毒品呢？

At first,

首先，

it's important to acknowledge that people don't use drugs 表達脈絡

必须承认，人们使用毒品

because they're legal or not.

并不是因为它们是否合法。

If you want to buy any drug,

如果你想买任何毒品，

you'll always find someone happy to sell.

你总能找到乐意出售的人。

The real question is, 表達脈絡

真正的问题在于，

why do people develop an unhealthy relationship with drugs at all?

人们为什么会与毒品建立起不健康的关系？

Studies show that certain conditions make people

研究表明，某些情况会使人

especially vulnerable to drugs and addiction. 短語搭配

特别容易受到毒品和成瘾的影响。

A difficult childhood,

艰难的童年，

early trauma,

早期创伤，

low social status,

社会地位低下，

depression,

抑郁症，

even genetic factors.

甚至是基因因素。

Which drug they get addicted to

他们对哪种毒品上瘾，

is more often than not a matter of chance. 習語

往往只是个偶然。

Addicts take drugs to escape their problems,

成瘾者吸食毒品是为了逃避问题，

but drugs don't solve any of those problems,

但毒品无法解决任何问题，

and instead become a new problem.

反而成了一个新问题。

But punishing people for their unhealthy coping mechanisms 用詞

然而，惩罚人们使用不健康的应对机制

doesn't change anything about the underlying causes either.

也无法改变任何潜在的根本原因。

So,

因此，

some argue we need to take a completely different route. 習語

有人主张我们需要采取一条完全不同的道路。

In 2001,

在 2001 年，

Portugal had one of the worst drug problems in Europe.

葡萄牙面临着欧洲最严重的毒品问题之一。

So,

于是，

it was desperate enough to try something radical. 語法

在走投无路之下，他们尝试了激进的举措。

Possession and use of all illegal drugs was decriminalized. 文化背景

所有非法毒品的持有和使用都被除了罪。

You would no longer be arrested.

你不再因此被逮捕。

Instead,

相反，

authorities launched a major health campaign.

当局发起了一项重大的健康运动。

People who were found with a small amount

被发现携带少量毒品的人

were referred to support services 文化背景

会被转介到支持服务机构，

and got help with treatment and harm reduction. 文化背景

并获得治疗和降低伤害的帮助。

Drug use was seen as a chronic disease, 表達脈絡

吸毒被视为一种慢性疾病，

not a crime.

而不是犯罪。

The results were stunning.

结果令人震惊。

The number of people who tried drugs and kept using them

尝试过毒品并持续使用的人数比例

fell from 44% to 28% by 2012. 短語搭配

到 2012 年从 44% 降至 28%。

The use of hard drugs decreased,

烈性毒品的使用量下降了，

as well as HIV and hepatitis infections and overdoses.

艾滋病、肝炎感染和服药过量的比例也随之下降。

Making drugs legal might overall help society 語法

让毒品合法化，从总体上来说对社会的帮助，

much more than it harms it.

可能远远大于它的伤害。

Argument number three.

论点三。

Marijuana is addictive and unhealthy.

大麻会让人上瘾且不健康。

It needs to remain illegal to keep harm at a minimum. 短語搭配

它必须保持非法，以将伤害降到最低。

While marijuana addiction is more psychological than physical, 表達脈絡

虽然大麻成瘾更多是心理上的而不是生理上的，

it is still a real problem.

但这仍是一个切实存在的问题。

The demand for treatment for marijuana addiction

针对大麻成瘾的治疗需求

has more than doubled in the past decade alone. 語法

仅在过去十年里就增加了一倍多。

In total,

总的来说，

about 10% of people who try marijuana will become addicted.

大约 10% 尝试过大麻的人会上瘾。

This is also related to higher THC levels.

这也与更高的 THC 含量有关。

A study released in 2017 tracked the potency of marijuana

2017 年发布的一项研究追踪了荷兰咖啡馆里大麻

in Dutch coffee shops over a period of 16 years.

在长达 16 年间的效力变化。

For every 1% increase in THC, 語法

THC 含量每增加 1%，

60 more people entered treatment nationwide.

全国就有多 60 人进入治疗。

In terms of negative health effects,

在负面健康影响方面，

some studies linked marijuana use 短語搭配

一些研究将大麻的使用

to increased blood pressure and lung problems,

与血压升高和肺部问题联系起来，

while a 2016 study found that marijuana use

而 2016 年的一项研究发现大麻的使用

was unrelated to physical health problems 語法

与身体健康问题无关，

except for a higher risk of gum disease.

除了会增加患牙龈疾病的风险。

Some studies showed that marijuana use alters teenagers' brains

一些研究表明，吸食大麻会改变青少年的大脑，

and decreases their intelligence,

并降低他们的智力，

but when more recent studies took drinking and smoking into account, 短語搭配

但当近期的研究把饮酒和吸烟因素考虑进去后，

the results were inconclusive. 用詞

结果就变得不确定了。

Overall,

总的来说，

research shows that taking any drugs

研究表明，在大脑还在发育阶段

while the brain is still in development

使用任何毒品

is bad for you.

都是有害的。

But the truth is,

但事实是，

we don't know yet how unhealthy marijuana is. 語法

我们目前还不清楚大麻到底有多不健康。

We need more funding for research,

我们需要更多的研究资金，

which is hard to get while marijuana remains illegal.

而只要大麻还是非法的，这笔资金就很难拿到。

We can put what we know into perspective, 短語搭配

但我们可以把已知的情况

though.

做个比较。

16% of people who consume alcohol become alcoholics,

16% 喝酒的人会变成酒鬼，

and 32% of people who try cigarettes become smokers.

32% 尝试吸烟的人会变成烟民。

We know for sure alcohol affects your brain,

我们确切知道酒精会影响大脑、

destroys your liver,

摧毁肝脏，

and causes cancer,

并导致癌症，

while tobacco clogs your arteries,

而烟草会堵塞血管、

destroys your lungs,

破坏肺部，

and also causes cancer.

同样也会导致癌症。

3.3 million people die from alcohol abuse each year,

每年有 330 万人死于酗酒，

while smoking kills more than 6 million people.

而吸烟造成的死亡人数则超过 600 万。

Nobody is suggesting tobacco and alcohol are harmless

没有人因为烟酒合法

just because they're legal. 語法

就认为它们是无害的。

Also,

同样，

nobody is seriously proposing to prohibit them,

也没有人认真提议要禁止它们，

even though they are extremely dangerous. 語法

尽管它们极度危险。

Legality is a way to exercise some control over them, 短語搭配

合法化是对它们进行一定程度控制的方法，

especially when it comes to protecting young people. 短語搭配

尤其是在保护年轻人方面。

It's often much harder to buy legal drugs for teenagers 語法

对于青少年来说，购买合法毒品往往

than to buy illegal ones.

比购买非法毒品要困难得多。

Official sellers can get hefty fines and lose their license 短語搭配

官方卖家如果向未成年人出售商品，

if they sell to underage kids.

将会面临巨额罚款并吊销执照。

Legality creates incentives here that drug dealers can't exploit.

合法化在这里创造了毒贩无法利用的诱因。

So,

所以，

making marijuana legal doesn't mean endorsing 表達脈絡

让大麻合法化并不意味着认可

it. It means taking responsibility for the risks it poses. 短語搭配

它。而是意味着要为其带来的风险承担责任。

It could also open the floodgates to tons of new research 習語

这也可能为海量新研究打开闸门，

that shows us how harmful it really is

让我们看清它到底有多大危害，

and to whom.

以及对谁有害。

Conclusion.

结论。

Marijuana is a drug,

大麻是一种毒品，

and just like any other drug,

就像其他任何毒品一样，

it has negative consequences for a sizable portion

它会对相当一部分使用它的人

of the people who use it.

产生负面后果。

It is not harmless.

它并不是无害的。

The best way to protect society from its negative consequences

要保护社会免受其负面影响，

seems to be legalization and regulation. 表達脈絡

最好的方法似乎是合法化并加以监管。

Thanks to our partnership with Funk,

感谢我们与 Funk 的合作，

this video has already been available on our German channel

这部影片在两周前

for two weeks.

就已经在我们的德语频道上线了。

Check it out and subscribe to practice your German skills.

去看看吧，可以订阅来练习你的德语听力。

And if you want to support the creation of videos

如果你想支持我们制作这些

that take months to research and prepare

需要数月时间研究和准备的影片，

and get a bunch of cool stuff in return,

并得到一堆很酷的回报，

you can do that on patreon.com/kurzgesagt.

你可以去 patreon.com/kurzgesagt 支持我们。