双语新闻：大麻的危险性低于酒精与烟草？

2014-08-25 17:52:31来源：可可英语

　　For Michele Leonhart, the administrator of the DrugEnforcement Administration, there is no differencebetween the health effects of marijuana and those ofany other illegal drug. "All illegal drugs are bad forpeople," she told Congress in 2012, refusing to saywhether crack, methamphetamines or prescriptionpainkillers are more addictive or physically harmfulthan marijuana.

　　在美国禁毒署署长米歇尔·莱昂哈特(Michele Leonhart)看来，大麻引起的健康问题和其他违禁药品引起的健康问题是没有区别的。“所有违禁药品都对人们有害，”她在2012年的时候对国会做了上述表示，但她不愿意评价精炼可卡因、冰毒或处方止痛药是否比大麻更容易上瘾、对身体的危害更大。

　　Her testimony neatly illustrates the vast gap between antiquated federal law enforcementpolicies and the clear consensus of science that marijuana is far less harmful to human healththan most other banned drugs and is less dangerous than the highly addictive but perfectlylegal substances known as alcohol and tobacco. Marijuana cannot lead to a fatal overdose.There is little evidence that it causes cancer. Its addictive properties, while present, are low,and the myth that it leads users to more powerful drugs has long since been disproved.

　　关于大麻，科学上已经有清晰的共识，认为它对人体健康的害处远比大多数禁药要小，危险性也比酒精饮料和烟草等合法的高成瘾性物品要低，但莱昂哈特的证词反映出，陈旧的联邦法规强制措施与科学共识之间有着巨大的鸿沟。过量使用大麻不会引起致命后果。几乎没有证据表明它能致癌。它虽然有成瘾性，但极其微小，关于它会导致使用者尝试更强烈的毒品这一神话早就被证明是假的。

　　That doesn’t mean marijuana is harmless; in fact, the potency of current strains may shockthose who haven’t tried it for decades, particularly when ingested as food. It can produce aserious dependency, and constant use would interfere with job and school performance. Itneeds to be kept out of the hands of minors. But, on balance, its downsides are not reasons toimpose criminal penalties on its possession, particularly not in a society that permits nicotineuse and celebrates drinking.

　　这并不意味着大麻完全无害;事实上，当前品种的药效可能会令几十年没有尝试过它的人感到震惊，特别是作为食物口服使用。它可以造成严重的依赖，持续使用会影响工作与学习表现。未成年人必须远离它。但是总体来说，它的副作用并不足以支持对持有者施加刑事惩罚，更何况这个社会允许使用尼古丁，还赞美饮酒。

　　Marijuana’s negative health effects are arguments for the same strong regulation that hasbeen effective in curbing abuse of legal substances. Science and government have learned agreat deal, for example, about how to keep alcohol out of the hands of minors. Mandatoryunderage drinking laws and effective marketing campaigns have reduced underage alcohol useto 24.8 percent in 2011, compared with 33.4 percent in 1991. Cigarette use among high schoolstudents is at its lowest point ever, largely thanks to tobacco taxes and growing municipalsmoking limits. There is already some early evidence that regulation would also help combatteen marijuana use, which fell after Colorado began broadly regulating medical marijuana in2010.

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