Bill Nye the Science Guy has taught the world about many amazing things, including the solar system, volcanoes, and gravity. But the avuncular host of the titular 90s children’s show and current star of the aptly-named Bill Nye Saves the World on Netflix is taking on a new subject: cannabis legalization.
In the second season premiere of the Emmy – nominated show, Nye discusses the science behind marijuana. After exploring the history of hemp, he then visited a dispensary and to legally purchase cannabis. However, fans did not actually see the Science Guy smoke pot on camera. One of the conclusions Nye did find is that marijuana prohibition is “not based in science.”
Federal Ban on Marijuana Restricts its Research
Nye argues that because of federal prohibition, it’s impossible to get an accurate idea of what cannabis does to the human body.
“What’s happened with marijuana is it’s a Schedule I drug, which means it’s presumed to be addictive and it’s presumed to have no medical value,” he stated in a recent interview with NowThis. “Yet people are using it for all these medical applications,” he said. “So well, let’s study it. Well, you’re not allowed to study it because it’s a Schedule I drug… So that has to be sorted out.”
Science Guy Also Sees Financial Benefit of Cannabis
In another interview with CNET, Nye touts the economic benefits of legalization.
“I lived in Washington State for a long time, and Washington State legalized it in 2012. We legalized marijuana, we tax it,” he said. “We have a lot of tax revenue. It’s no longer criminalized. We don’t spend money on the police department. We spend money regulating the industry in the same way we regulate other substances.”
Nye joins fellow scientists Carl Sagan and Neil deGrasse Tyson in voicing his approval of legal cannabis, thus adding to the chorus of voices who state that it’s the only way to truly understand the plant.
Source: The Weed Blog
