Oh no, not this again

So I came across this little gem this morning via Reddit. It seems that a group of scientists have found a way to interfere with THC’s interaction with various molecular receptors, meaning that they can now create THC-based pills with effective, long-term pain relief properties that avoid the high associated with marijuana use. My thought: “Pain pills without the high? Wonderful!”

I wonder how many of the “medical” marijuana advocates will agree.

Given that they’re starting trials, it seems like this is something that could actually become viable on the market. If this happens, I think it will make the lines clearer as to who is in this fight for actual pain relief and valid medical applications versus those who are in it for a way to get high legally.

Should be interesting…

You keep using that word

…I do not think it means what you think it means.

Charles Johnson, over at LGF, has grown a (rather well-deserved) reputation as an anti-Creationist – to the point where he vehemently opposes allowing anything other than the theory of evolution in a classroom setting. He defends himself most recently by saying that if prominent Republicans believe intelligent design theories should be taught, then they will cost us elections, because they are anti-science.

Unfortunately, intelligent design is not “pseudo-science.” It is a scientific theory that explains the facts we have available to us – much like Darwinian evolution. Both follow the scientific method as far as they can, both have holes in their theories, and both can never be proven as scientific fact. The key difference is that one allows for the existance of a god and one does not (or at least does not allow him/it to be involved).

Mr. Johnson considers himself an agnostic, last I read – however, over the years, he seems to be turning more and more into an athiest, bordering on the evangelical variety. His mental leap from “anti-exclusionist” to “Creationist” to “anti-science” is only further evidence of the violent reaction he has to the idea of science accepting the possibility of God – and so he uses his immensely popular blog to preach against the ID movement with almost the same fervor he uses to decry terrorism, presumably thinking he is being noble, or a “true scientist.” However, stifling a legitimate theory that is supported by a large number of scientists is not noble, or scientific – it is simple censorship, and it’s a sad thing when such a brilliant writer as Mr. Johnson succumbs to this type of thinking.