--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Marijuana is not not harmful, but is the…" description: "\"Marijuana is not not harmful, but is the least harmful psychoactive substance that we have, with the possible exception of caffeine.\" — Maia Szalavitz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/maia-szalavitz-21394_caffeine_marijuana-is-not-not-harmful-but-is-the_447880.jpg" --- # Marijuana is not not harmful, but is the least harmful… ![“Marijuana is not not harmful, but is the least harmful psychoactive substance that we have, with the possible exception of caffeine.” quote by Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/maia-szalavitz-21394_caffeine_marijuana-is-not-not-harmful-but-is-the_447880.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/maia-szalavitz-21394_caffeine_marijuana-is-not-not-harmful-but-is-the_447880.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/maia-szalavitz-21394_caffeine_marijuana-is-not-not-harmful-but-is-the_447880.jpg) > “Marijuana is not not harmful, but is the least harmful psychoactive substance that we have, with the possible exception of caffeine.” [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Marijuana is less harmful than most psychoactive drugs, possibly only caffeine is less risky. **In simple terms:** Marijuana is relatively low risk compared to other drugs. Key Takeaway Consider marijuana's relative safety in policy debates. Themes health policy substance use risk assessment Mood cautious analytical Type informative policy‑oriented When to use this quote - legislative hearings - public health campaigns - medical research - education programs Key Concepts harm reduction comparative toxicity public health Questions to Reflect On - How should policymakers weigh relative harms? - What evidence is needed for regulation? A Different Perspective Cultural acceptance varies; long‑term effects still need study. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Caffeine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caffeine/) [Exception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exception/) [Harmful Psychoactive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harmful-psychoactive-3915293/) [Marijuana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marijuana/) [Marijuana Harmful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marijuana-harmful-1688949/) [Psychoactive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychoactive/) [Psychoactive Substance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychoactive-substance-3915294/) [Substance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/substance/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) ## Related quotes > [ For instance, they \[The Federal Narcotics Bureau \] give out that marijuana is a harmful and habit-forming drug, and it simply isn't. They claim… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/for-instance-they-the-federal-narcotics-bureau-give-out-that/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) > [“The legalization of marijuana is not a dangerous experiment – the prohibition is the experiment, and it has failed dramatically, with millions of victims…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marincolo/the-legalization-of-marijuana-is-not-a-dangerous-experiment-the/) [Sebastian Marincolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marincolo/) > [“The movie Koyaanisqatsi shows non-commented time-lapse footage and focuses our attention on the very rhythm of our civilized modern life and nature. A marijuana…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-marincolo/the-movie-koyaanisqatsi-shows-non-commented-time-lapse-footage-and/) [Sebastian Marincolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-marincolo/) > [Now it is one thing to say I say it that people shouldn't consume psychoactive drugs. It is entirely something else to condone marijuana…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-buckley-jr/now-it-is-one-thing-to-say-i-say-it-that-people-shouldn-t-consume/) [William F. Buckley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-f-buckley-jr/) > [Entheogens are not to be lightly trifled with... However, if taken with the right attitude and in the proper setting, psychoactive drugs may produce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/entheogens-are-not-to-be-lightly-trifled-with-however-if-taken-with/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [We have friends who don't use psychoactive materials but who are still interested in how the brain works and psychology and spiritual training. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-shulgin/we-have-friends-who-don-t-use-psychoactive-materials-but-who-are/) [Ann Shulgin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-shulgin/) > [Another very common use, in all cultures, of psychoactive substances is to give people transcendent experiences. To allow them to transcend their human and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-weil/another-very-common-use-in-all-cultures-of-psychoactive-substances-is/) [Andrew Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-weil/) > [I know of no culture in the world at present or any time in the past that has not been heavily involved with one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-weil/i-know-of-no-culture-in-the-world-at-present-or-any-time-in-the-past/) [Andrew Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-weil/) > [ The use of psychoactive drugs - including both antidepressants and antipsychotics - has exploded...\[yet\] 'the tally of those who are disabled...increased nearly two and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcia-angell/the-use-of-psychoactive-drugs-including-both-antidepressants-and/) [Marcia Angell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcia-angell/) > [Drugs don't have spiritual potential, human beings have spiritual potential. And it may be that we need techniques to move us in that direction,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-weil/drugs-don-t-have-spiritual-potential-human-beings-have-spiritual/) [Andrew Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-weil/) > [“If God wanted us to get high, he'd have created plants that became psychoactive when eaten or smoked.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/if-god-wanted-us-to-get-high-he-d-have-created-plants-that-became/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Writers aren't born, they're made - from practice, reading, and a lot of caffeine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/writers-aren-t-born-they-re-made-from-practice-reading-and-a-lot-of/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [People often say that writing is ten percent inspiration and ninety percent perspiration. This is nonsense, of course. It's pretty much one hundred percent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caprice-crane/people-often-say-that-writing-is-ten-percent-inspiration-and-ninety/) [Caprice Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caprice-crane/) > [American coffee can be a pale solution served at a temperature of 100 degrees centigrade in plastic thermos cups, usually obligatory in railroad stations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/american-coffee-can-be-a-pale-solution-served-at-a-temperature-of-100/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [I would drink gallons of coffee a day. Even now, off caffeine, I talk faster than anyone you've ever met. I finally recognized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-englander/i-would-drink-gallons-of-coffee-a-day-even-now-off-caffeine-i-talk/) [Nathan Englander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-englander/) ## More by Maia Szalavitz > [Punishment by definition isn't going to help. So what you need to do is to help people to change and recover is to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/punishment-by-definition-isn-t-going-to-help-so-what-you-need-to-do/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [There's traditionally been two different ways of seeing addiction. Either it's a sin and you're a horrible bad person and you are just choosing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/there-s-traditionally-been-two-different-ways-of-seeing-addiction/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [The thing about our drug laws is that they're not based on science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/the-thing-about-our-drug-laws-is-that-they-re-not-based-on-science/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [There is a safe, nontoxic drug called naloxone that can instantly reverse opioid overdose and prevent most of these deaths. But the drug war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/there-is-a-safe-nontoxic-drug-called-naloxone-that-can-instantly/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [When President Nixon declared war on drugs on June 17, 1971, about 110 people per 100,000 in the population were incarcerated. Today, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/when-president-nixon-declared-war-on-drugs-on-june-17-1971-about-110/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [Because of the war on drugs, pain patients are treated with skepticism and pain doctors live in fear of being prosecuted for overprescribing. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/because-of-the-war-on-drugs-pain-patients-are-treated-with-skepticism/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [I think our drug laws need to be made scientifically, as best as possible, recognizing that values will always be part of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/i-think-our-drug-laws-need-to-be-made-scientifically-as-best-as/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [Addiction is when you fall in love with a drug instead of a child or a lover and the learning that takes part in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/addiction-is-when-you-fall-in-love-with-a-drug-instead-of-a-child-or/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [We should not be putting kids in cages and hoping that is going to fix their psychological problems of any type.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/we-should-not-be-putting-kids-in-cages-and-hoping-that-is-going-to/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [I don't have kids, but I've often noticed when people first become parents they seem to completely forget their own adolescence and they start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/i-don-t-have-kids-but-i-ve-often-noticed-when-people-first-become/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [In order for people to recover, we can't just say 'love is all we need.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/in-order-for-people-to-recover-we-can-t-just-say-love-is-all-we-need/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [If you're worried about a kid and drug use, the safest, best thing to do is individual counseling or family therapy, none of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/if-you-re-worried-about-a-kid-and-drug-use-the-safest-best-thing-to/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [Incarceration is as useful for addiction as it is for diabetes - i.e., not useful and potentially harmful, particularly for kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/incarceration-is-as-useful-for-addiction-as-it-is-for-diabetes-i-e/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [In a criminal justice setting, it's very hard to create a therapeutic environment where people do feel safe, but the real important thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/in-a-criminal-justice-setting-it-s-very-hard-to-create-a-therapeutic/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) > [We absolutely should legalize marijuana.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/we-absolutely-should-legalize-marijuana/) [Maia Szalavitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) [Explore all 29 Maia Szalavitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/) ## More Caffeine quotes > [I would drink gallons of coffee a day. Even now, off caffeine, I talk faster than anyone you've ever met. I finally recognized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-englander/i-would-drink-gallons-of-coffee-a-day-even-now-off-caffeine-i-talk/) [Nathan Englander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-englander/) > [American coffee can be a pale solution served at a temperature of 100 degrees centigrade in plastic thermos cups, usually obligatory in railroad stations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/american-coffee-can-be-a-pale-solution-served-at-a-temperature-of-100/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [People often say that writing is ten percent inspiration and ninety percent perspiration. This is nonsense, of course. It's pretty much one hundred percent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caprice-crane/people-often-say-that-writing-is-ten-percent-inspiration-and-ninety/) [Caprice Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caprice-crane/) > [Writers aren't born, they're made - from practice, reading, and a lot of caffeine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-chee/writers-aren-t-born-they-re-made-from-practice-reading-and-a-lot-of/) [Alexander Chee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-chee/) > [I drink mate every day during training camp, and just in general. It's packed full of vitamins and nutrients and a lot of B…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-algieri/i-drink-mate-every-day-during-training-camp-and-just-in-general-it-s/) [Chris Algieri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-algieri/) > [Usually she ordered a cup of coffee and a cup of tea, as well as a brownie, propping up her sadness with chocolate and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/usually-she-ordered-a-cup-of-coffee-and-a-cup-of-tea-as-well-as-a/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [Caffeine restricts blood flow to the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/caffeine-restricts-blood-flow-to-the-brain/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sleep is just a symptom of caffeine lack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-friele/sleep-is-just-a-symptom-of-caffeine-lack/) [Herman Friele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-friele/) > [“When he turned round with the cup to his mouth, nostrils titillated by the aroma of a sun that had once shone on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jussi-adler-olsen/when-he-turned-round-with-the-cup-to-his-mouth-nostrils-titillated-by/) [Jussi Adler-Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jussi-adler-olsen/) > [“The Reacher brothers' need for caffeine makes heroin addiction look like an amusing little take-it-or-leave-it sideline.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/the-reacher-brothers-need-for-caffeine-makes-heroin-addiction-look/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) > [“Love is a beautiful man bearing caffeine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sierra-dean/love-is-a-beautiful-man-bearing-caffeine/) [Sierra Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sierra-dean/) > [I'm totally off any caffeine now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-boyle/i-m-totally-off-any-caffeine-now/) [Frankie Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-boyle/) > [By now, it is probably very late at night, and you have stayed up to read this book when you should have gone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/by-now-it-is-probably-very-late-at-night-and-you-have-stayed-up-to/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [“Coffee, my delight of the morning; yoga, my delight of the noon. Then before nightfall, I run along the pleasant paths of the Jardin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/coffee-my-delight-of-the-morning-yoga-my-delight-of-the-noon-then/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) > [“Maybe those verses in Ezekiel about the dry bones coming back to life were actually a prophecy in reference to caffeine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erynn-mangum/maybe-those-verses-in-ezekiel-about-the-dry-bones-coming-back-to-life/) [Erynn Mangum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erynn-mangum/) [Browse all 228 Caffeine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caffeine/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Marijuana is not not harmful, but is the least harmful psychoactive substance that we have, with the possible exception of caffeine.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Maia Szalavitz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/marijuana-is-not-not-harmful-but-is-the-least-harmful-psychoactive/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Caffeine" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/marijuana-is-not-not-harmful-but-is-the-least-harmful-psychoactive/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/maia-szalavitz-21394_caffeine_marijuana-is-not-not-harmful-but-is-the_447880.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/maia-szalavitz-21394_caffeine_marijuana-is-not-not-harmful-but-is-the_447880.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f99/maia-szalavitz-21394_caffeine_marijuana-is-not-not-harmful-but-is-the_447880.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Marijuana is not not harmful, but is the least harmful psychoactive substance that we have, with the…” — Maia Szalavitz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Maia Szalavitz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maia-szalavitz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Marijuana is not not harmful, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/marijuana-is-not-not-harmful-but-is-the-least-harmful-psychoactive/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maia-szalavitz/marijuana-is-not-not-harmful-but-is-the-least-harmful-psychoactive/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```