cannabisnews.com: Haze of Misinformation Clouds Issue of MMJ





Haze of Misinformation Clouds Issue of MMJ
Posted by CN Staff on July 22, 2003 at 11:41:21 PT
By Andrea Barthwell
Source: Los Angeles Times 
As a physician with more than 20 years of experience dealing with patients who are addicted to drugs, I am often asked my professional opinion about a contentious public health question: What is the medical basis for smoking marijuana? The answer needs some context.Americans today have the world's safest, most effective system of medical practice, built on a process of scientific research, testing and oversight that is unequaled. 
Before the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1907, Americans were exposed to a host of patent medicine "cure-alls," everything from vegetable "folk remedies" to dangerous mixtures with morphine. The major component of most "cures" was alcohol, which probably explained why people reported that they "felt better." Needless to say, claimed benefits were erratic and irreproducible.Marijuana, whatever its value, is intoxicating, and it's not surprising that sincere people will report relief of their symptoms when they smoke it. The important point is that there is a difference between feeling better and actually getting better. It is the job of modern medicine to establish this distinction.The debate over drug use generates a great deal of media attention — including the focus on the administration's appeal this month to the U.S. Supreme Court against medical marijuana — and frequent misinformation. Some will have read, for instance, that the medicinal value of smoking marijuana represents "mainstream medical opinion." It is time to set the record straight. Simply put, there is no scientific evidence that qualifies smoked marijuana to be called medicine. Further, there is no support in the medical literature that marijuana, or indeed any medicine, should be smoked as the preferred form of administration. The harms to health are simply too great. Snipped:Complete Article: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-barthwell22jul22,1,7984251.story Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)Author:  Andrea BarthwellPublished: July 22, 2003 Copyright: 2003 Los Angeles TimesContact: letters latimes.comWebsite: http://www.latimes.com/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #44 posted by Jose Melendez on July 26, 2003 at 07:51:41 PT
It's the hypocrisy, stupid.
from:http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1127/a01.html?397Drug testing costs a lot.  A supervisor for the Decatur City Schools said his school system spent $16,000 last year on drug tests.  Morgan County is trying to save money on its drug tests by not testing for tobacco.  The company that would conduct the tests charges $25 to $30 for each test. 
The Message to Kids
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Comment #43 posted by Jose Melendez on July 26, 2003 at 04:21:26 PT
Former Drug Czar Denies Hypocrisy
Former Drug Czar Denies Hypocrisyhttp://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030725/ap_on_re_us/bennett_gambling_1
How to Arrest Prohibition
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Comment #42 posted by SoberStoner on July 23, 2003 at 18:29:01 PT
I have to laugh
Look at the roll call number...You can't make this stuff up if you tried.
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Comment #41 posted by FoM on July 23, 2003 at 16:05:01 PT
CorvallisEric
Thank you. Thanks for the compliment about CNews. Maybe that's why I have problems with some news and links etc. I try hard to keep it simple. I understand it that way. I forget numbers easily too. I remember Prop 215 but any of the others I don't remember. Woooosssh they're gone!
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Comment #40 posted by CorvallisEric on July 23, 2003 at 15:55:00 PT
The links in comment #39 won't work
Try this http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d108query.html and enter H.AMDT.297 (medical MJ) or H.AMDT.289 (FCC) in the top search slot.Why can't all websites be simple, useable, attractive, and logical like CNews? Grrrrrrrr.
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Comment #39 posted by CorvallisEric on July 23, 2003 at 15:42:23 PT
FoM
Searched for Hinchey as sponsor.Rollcall 407 is H.AMDT.289 
AMENDMENT PURPOSE: An amendment to prohibit any funds in the bill for the Federal Communications Commission to implement part of its recent ruling which would allow ownership of a newspaper and radio or television station in the same market.http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d108:8:./temp/~bd1NED::|/bss/d108query.html|Ours (rollcall #420:)is H.AMDT.297 (A012) Amends: H.R.2799 Sponsor: Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] (offered 7/22/2003) AMENDMENT PURPOSE: An amendment to prohibit use of funds in the bill to prevent the States of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, or Washington from implementing State laws authorizing the use of medical marijuana in those States.http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d108:9:./temp/~bd1NED::|/bss/d108query.html|
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Comment #38 posted by FoM on July 23, 2003 at 15:23:25 PT
CorvallisEric 
What's the other one?
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Comment #37 posted by CorvallisEric on July 23, 2003 at 15:13:50 PT
I think this is the one you want
http://clerkweb.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.exe?year=2003&rollnumber=420
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Comment #36 posted by druid on July 23, 2003 at 12:19:59 PT
huh?
U.S. Reps. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), with
the support of Reps. Ron Paul (R-TX), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), and many
other House members, are planning to propose a medical marijuana
amendment to the Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations bill.
both Paul and Rohrabacher are on the list of noes.I don't get it.
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Comment #35 posted by druid on July 23, 2003 at 12:17:55 PT
Rohrabacher
I thought Rohrabacher was for this????Why is she on the list of noes?http://clerkweb.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.exe?year=2003&rollnumber=407
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Comment #34 posted by afterburner on July 23, 2003 at 11:29:23 PT:
My Weaselly Representative Voted "Nay"
At least I tried. I sent him a fax urging an "Aye" vote. For those interested in other legislative cannabis issues, I recommend California NORML http://www.canorml.org/ . They have links to California and Federal cannabis issues under "Take Action." Let's bombard our Senators and Representatives with the truth, until they either get tried of hearing it, or actually start listening and voting the way the majority wants. Don't be afraid to mention that we are watching their voting record, and their jobs are at stake in the next election!ego transcendence follows ego destruction, but not without a stout heart, eager hands, and freedom of mind.
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Comment #33 posted by FoM on July 23, 2003 at 11:01:55 PT
Thank You byrd 
I wish I had an answer to your question.Paul Armentano sent me the text and I quick put it on my personal page so here's the link. Congressional Record: Text of yesterday's House vote on med-mj: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/dofcomm.htm
 http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread16929.shtml#3
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Comment #32 posted by byrd on July 23, 2003 at 10:52:45 PT
FOM - The Hinchey-Rohrabacher Amendment
The Hinchey-Rohrabacher Amendment to HR2799 failed. The final vote: Ayes 174, Noes 254, Not Voting 7.There's a list of who voted and what the vote was at the below link.I'm wondering how much public support Congress will need before they act on the will of the people.
http://clerkweb.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.exe?year=2003&rollnumber=407
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Comment #31 posted by Jose Melendez on July 23, 2003 at 08:28:43 PT
correction
should read: "...which have demonstrable anticarcinogenic and neuroprotective properties, and reduce physical and mental pain ..."
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Comment #30 posted by Jose Melendez on July 23, 2003 at 08:27:07 PT
goneposthole!
Eating high EFA foods, like cannabis seeds, walnuts etc. makes sense to me. Using substances proven to regulate the dopaminergic pathways, and which have demonstrable anticarcinogenic and neuroprotective and reduce physical and mental pain without damaging the liver make sense to me. Even substances created in cannabis smoke that act as precursors to steroid and hormones make sense. (BTW Ms. Barthwell, we know you are lying about smoked, or "smoke" marijuana as you have been recently quoted. Caryophyllene Oxide in and of itself proves you are misinforming the public. You might be able to buy off and/or bully CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS and even NPR, but the truth remains: Cannabis is illegally, unconstitutionally and inhumanely criminalized.)Those other treatments (ummm... flukeworm? urine therapy? ozone?) make no sense to me.Still, they are no reason to arrest someone, unless your career depends on the prohibition of these therapies.
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
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Comment #29 posted by FoM on July 23, 2003 at 07:58:42 PT
Just a Note
I hope that this is the calm before the storm. I just checked my email and no news concerning the vote. I will go look for news but so far I haven't found any to post. I looked on C-Span and couldn't find a video. Maybe later. If someone finds news please let us know! Keeping my fingers crossed!
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Comment #28 posted by goneposthole on July 23, 2003 at 07:57:24 PT
clear the haze
As thick as a London fog. Some folks end up with Elephantiasis of the brain, unfortunately. Those 'fat heads' need to open there clinical parasitology textbook and read through some of the pages.Alternative Health and Healing  It would be nice, in these modern times, if health professionals and doctors in conventional medicine had the best interest of the patient in their hearts. This is not the case, unfortunately. Most doctors today make an incredible amount of money charging for their services and "Operations", not to mention the investments they have in stocks of the pharmaceuticals they prescribe. Since this is the case, Conventional Medicine Doctors Are Nothing More Than MILLS For Pharmaceutical Prescriptions!!  Conventional Medicine Doctors do not have the time to consider your health and it is not in their best interest to treat you with preventative medicine, i.e. nutrition or alternative therapies where there is no money in it for them. So it's back to THE MILL to churn out more Pharmaceutical Prescriptions.
  These days more and more people are thinking for themselves and rejecting the Rockefeller-Controlled AMA (American Medical Association). They are seeking the help of Alternative Health Practitioners.
  There are cures for Cancer, AIDS, and many other so-called "deadly" diseases. All of the "cures" and treatments are being kept from the public. This can be explained and understood by looking at what we can term "The Microsoft Complex". This is where someone like Bill Gates, sitting in the master control room, these days they call them "Board Meetings", decides they have a product to sell in the marketplace. They know right off the bat that they have a new, more streamlined version with less bugs in it, but the eager "Joe Public" can't wait so they must sell them version 2.1 before they can have the upgraded version 2.2 . Well, all along they have version 7.0 sitting on the shelves collecting dust and the company is reaping "Huge Profits". So the company sits back and sits on it's lazy ass while we STARVE FOR PERFECTION.
  In the case of pharmaceutical corporations, the Doctors own stock, the JUDGES OWN STOCK, the bureaucrats all own stock, and on top of all that, most of them are criminals for their behavior and lack of compassion for the overall health of society. At least, they are MORALLY BANKRUPT!!  Probably the single greatest remedy/cure for MOST diseases and ailments is one's own urine. "Urine Therapy" is a practice which predates the phamaceutical industries and even goes back thousands of years, having it's roots in ancient India Ayervedic tradition. I will not go into this here in detail but, there are links from my site to Urine Therapy Websites with more info. If this were widely known, there would be almost no need for pharmaceutical companies. Urine is cheap!! Martha Christy, whose book "Urine : Your Own Perfect Medicine" is a living testimonial to the healing powers of urine. She had suffered continual health problems which started with her first menstrual cycle when she awoke in her bed in a pool of blood. By the time she turned 30, having been plagued by "feminine" problems her whole life, she turned to natural therapies. She went through mega-vitamin therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic care, herbal preparations, and drug-free natural health therapy. Within 2 years many of her chronic ailments decreased. She concieved her son at 34 , which ended with a near fatal disaster and emergency surgery. A new set of ailments set in that resulted in her having a hysterectomy. At that point she tried everything and she spent her 40th year in bed. In desperation, her husband came upon a little book on urine therapy and that was the beginning of the change in her life. She experienced instantaneous relief from incurable constipation and fluid retention. Within a week severe abdominal and pelvic pain dissappeared, and within months she was hiking.  In her 3 books first published around 1995, Dr. Hulda Regher Clark exposed a very little known fact in medicine. That the cause of most diseases was the direct result of the combination of two factors. One, the built-up of Benzene and Propyl alcohols in the body especially in the thymus and other organs of the body, and an intestinal fluke worm that has an altered cycle where it hatches in the body before being expelled. The build-up of these worms and the breakdown of the immunity of the body from the toxins and alcohols leads to AIDS, Cancer, and a variety of other life-threatening diseases. She has had success curing these diseases and the case studies are examined in her books. The Cure for all Cancer. The Cure for all Diseases and the Cure for HIV and AIDS. This lady has a Track Record!! She is also now currently in Jail!!!! for "Healing People".  For 150 years in America, Cannabis/Marijuana was used in nearly 2/3 of all common medicines and remedies for over 100 medical illnesses. It was also the 2nd highest ingredient on the average. There is currently an attempt in America by the pharmaceutical industries, aided by the JUDGES, and politicians, to remove natural medicines and herbs from the public's use and replace them with SYNTHETIC CHEMICAL ALTERNATIVES, thereby enabling the conspirators to reap HUGE PROFITS at the expense of the public safety and health. What happened with Cannabis/Marijuana is happening with all sorts of herbs and medicines nowadays because of the DEA and FDA, both federal agencies which do not belong in the State regulating people's health and lives.
  If you don't believe that chemical comanies would want to destroy life in exchange for the ability to profit from synthetic cheap alternatives then read this quote by Lammott Dupont (President of Dupont) in the 1930's: "Synthetic plastics find application in fabricating a wide varieyt of articles, many of which in the past were made from natural products," ..."Consider our natural resources. The chemist has aided in conserving natural resources by developing synthetic products to supplement or wholly replace natural products". -Popular Mechanics--June 1939
  The Cannabis / Marijuana seed is the highest source of essential fatty acids. (Essential meaning "Essential for life"). No other single plant source can compare with the nutritional value of Hemp seeds. Only soybeans contain a higher percentage of protein, however, the composition of the protein in hemp seed is unique in the vegetable kingdom. 65% of the protein content in Hemp seed is in the form of globulin edestin. (Edestin comes from the Greek "edestos" meaning edible.) The exceptionally high edestin content of hemp seed combined with albumin, another globulin protein contained in all seeds, means the readily available protein in hemp seed contains all the essential amino acids in ideal proportions to assure your body has the necessary building blocks to create proteins like disease fighting immunoglobulins--antibodies whose job is to ward off infections before the symptoms of sickness set in. More information on the Hemp Seed Nutrition Here.
  Even more important to building a strong immune system, hemp seeds are the highest source of essential fatty acids. These "essential" oils, linoleic and linolenic acids, are responsible for the luster in your skin, hair, eyes, and even your thought processes. They lubricate (clear) the arteries and are vital to the immune system. These essential fatty acids were used by Dr. Joanna Budwig (Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize every year since 1979) to successfully treat "terminal" cancer patients, as well as those suffering from cardiovascular disease, glandular atrophy, gall stones, kidney degeneration, acne, dry skin, menstrual problems and immune deficiency. They do you think they outlawed it? Money, greed, ignorance and plain stupidity!  Essiac is a Tea developed by Rene Caisse. Essiac is Caisse spelled backward. This tea has been used successfully to treat cancer and other life threatening diseases. One of the most prestigious doctors in America, President Kennedy's personal physician Dr. Charles A. Brusch M.D. helped perfect the original formula, curing himself using only Essiac of deadly bowel cancer, and has achieved remarkable results with Essiac on Cancer patients in his Cambridge clinic.  Ozone Therapy : Cancer cannot exist in an "oxygen-rich" atmosphere. Ed McCabe, currently jailed on trumped-up tax charges, has written on the subject of Ozone therapy for years. His book "Ozone Therapies" teaches about the cases where ozone has been used and also explains the background of why it works.  In a clinical trial in 1934, Royal R. Rife successfully used his resonant frequency device to cure all 16 test patients of their cancer. The breakthrough was suppressed by medical authorities.  Flouride does NOT prevent tooth decay any more than McDonalds Apple Pie keeps the doctor away.  If you love your child, then DON'T VACCINATE THEM!! Vaccines are the #1 cause of "Sudden infant death syndrome".http://www.freedomdomain.com/altmedhealth.html 
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Comment #27 posted by Jose Melendez on July 23, 2003 at 07:22:25 PT
psst: DEA, check this out:
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1107/a02.html?397
Ancient Headache Cures Proven Effective
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Comment #26 posted by goneposthole on July 23, 2003 at 06:42:48 PT
Nicht So Schnell, Andrea
"Americans today have the world's safest, most effective system of medical practice, built on a process of scientific research, testing and oversight that is unequaled."-Andrea BarthwellSeems as though the snakeoil keeps flowing: "Most of the attorneys Of Counsel talked with immediately mentioned pharmaceuticals and medical devices as the products most vulnerable to class-action litigation. "I think the drug Baycol will be the next fen-phen," says Philadelphia's charismatic attorney Jimmy Binns, referring to the anticholesterol drug recalled in August because of 31 deaths and many more serious ailments. "Medicine is a necessary evil, and there will be constant efforts to bring to market new medications. There are so many things that go wrong with the product itself or the manner in which the product was administered, or misadministered. That includes these muscle-building supplements.Of course, makers of medicines and supplements are vulnerable to risks for several reasons. For example, the market is so competitive - not to mention extremely remunerative - that drug companies rush their products to market without proper testing. Moreover, they do so knowing or suspecting that they have a faulty product, all the while crossing their fingers that it won't cause any actual harm."http://www.corboydemetrio.com/news/articles/09_01.htmlGotta be a credibility gap somewhere in those words of writ, Dr. Barfwell...oops, I mean 'Barthwell'.
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Comment #25 posted by kaptinemo on July 23, 2003 at 05:29:23 PT:
The lady doth protest too much
"Dr." Barthwell may be a physician in name, but as others have pointed out, she seems to be lacking in the 'First, do no harm' department. Not through any direct actions of her own, but in her support of the system which, by the way, provides her with an income.She reminded me of the quackery that passed for early drug treatment in the beginning of the last century; see Drug War: Covert Money, Power & Policy: White Hope 
http://www.drugwar.com/whitehope.shtmFrom the article:*Charles B. Towns' cure, officially endorsed by the AMA, was famous throughout the country in the teens and twenties. It almost certainly would make anyone stop taking anything. It consisted of huge simultanous doses of foxglove, belladonna, prickly ash bark and strong purgatives, coupled with constant prayer. Foxglove and belladonna are two of the most famous witchcraft herbs of Europe. Foxglove contains the cardiac stimulent digitalis, and belladonna contains the powerfully psychoactive scopolamine and hyoscyamine. Towns claimed his cure was effective for opium, cocaine or alcohol addiction. His New York sanitarium charged between $200-$350 for a private room for the five-day course, and $75 for a double occupancy, big money in those days. Towns' theoretical and commercial partner was Dr. Alexander Lambert, chief of the AMA's Medicolegal Bureau during the fight to pass Harrison, later head of the AMA. Together they profitably administered the Towns-Lambert method.*Yes...proving decisively that not all the 'witch doctors' were in 'primitive' societies, back then; America had quite a few running around loose, and still does today. And that the Hippocratic Oath means nothing when dollar signs are dancing in the eyes of the 'physicians'. The same is true today, for what is "Dr." Barthwell's treatment for 'cannabis addiction'? Since there is no such addiction, the 'treatment' is usually not even chemically augmented, but consists of psychological manipulation of the victim of this system using methods perfected in North Korean prison camps and given an American veneer. Such as in places run by the execrable STRAIGHT, Inc.:Anonymous Anonymous (Survivors of 'Drug Treatment')
http://www.fornits.com/anonanon/CULTS and KIDS 
A Study of Coercion By Robert W. Dellinger
http://www.fornits.com/anonanon/singer.htmI remember the terrible treatment given to Mr. Rob Kampia a few years back when the matter of medical MJ was being 'discussed' on Capitol Hill and he was testifying on it. Arch-prohib tool Souder was saying that we shouldn't even have a dialogue at all, as you don't consult child molestors and murderers about the efficacy of the laws against those behaviors.It's said that "you are known by the company you keep." Thusly, "Dr." Barthwell damns herself in her first breath as being on the side of those who would force very young victims of these programs to sit in their own feces and endure spitting matches and suffer enduring psychological traumas that have in many cases led to suicides of those victims; she's in the same bed with officially approved child molestors.
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Comment #24 posted by Jose Melendez on July 23, 2003 at 04:37:44 PT
proof Barthwell is Lying
Those who repeat the mantra that "there is no scientific evidence that qualifies smoked marijuana to be called medicine" necessarily and intentionally ignore the thousands of studies that prove otherwise. Here is just one:http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/ccu.pdfIn fact, careful investigation or even a few simple internet searches will prove that anti-marijuana zealots have modified the canard, including the "smoked" term as plausible deniability. I guess my president has been saying "new killer" weapons. Meanwhile WMD's labelled MARLBORO, BUDWEISER and OXYCONTIN are marketed legally. Television and doctors profit from Claritin, Prozac, Nexium and more. Drug War has been shown to increase crime. Legalize marijuana. It's the hypocrisy, stupid. here is one:http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/ccu.pdf 
Drug War IS Crime.
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Comment #23 posted by Jose Melendez on July 23, 2003 at 04:19:06 PT
Barthwell ignores truth
What the article fails to mention is that "approved" drugs have side effects that are often exponentially more harmful than marijuana. Here is the list, for 2003http://www.centerwatch.com/patient/drugs/druglist.htmlNote the toxic side effects of these drugs. Drug war is treason. Try this link:http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22drug+war+is+treason%22
Because Drug War is Treason
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Comment #22 posted by global_warming on July 23, 2003 at 03:08:43 PT
Last Night on CSPAN
I watched the debate in the US House of Representitives last night, It was televised on CSPAN, could not find a link, but they do sometimes archive the hearings.They were dabating about medical marijuana, I heard so much, much of what I have read at this news CannabisNews.Com site.I finally got to see some of the names that I hear so much about.I saw Souder, Kucinich, and many more, the one who brought tears to my eyes was Rohrbackur from California.Mabe some one can find the link to the media stream record.
Thanks
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Comment #21 posted by Virgil on July 22, 2003 at 20:02:17 PT
Thanks 312- there has been a slight oversight
Using the advanced feature at Google and looking for the exact phrase "Cannabis prohibition is treason" produced no results. There is remedy for that.Cannabis Prohibition is treason.Cannabis Prohibition is treason.Cannabis Prohibition is treason.
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Comment #20 posted by 312 on July 22, 2003 at 18:50:14 PT
DEA Watch
The words of a DEA agent himself:"What is there to laugh about?Is it funny that DEA is twenty years behind in arrests and that drug dealers are sprouting up all over our country?Is it funny that more babies are being born addicted today than ever before?Is it funny that American productivity is operating far below full capacity because hundreds of thousands of workers blatantly use drugs on the job?Is it funny that an average 17% of police officers in every major city and 3% in small cities are working hand-in-glove with drug dealers?Is it funny that virtually every lockup in America cannot keep its prisoners from obtaining illegal drugs?Is it funny that the president of the United States has officially designated DEA a "Poor Performing" federal agency?Is it funny that since our country took control of Afghanistan more opium is being grown today than in Afghanistan's entire history?Is it funny that since 11 Sept 2001 DEA has failed to make a single arrest of a terrorist operative involved in drug money financing?" [Blows that whole drugs-terrorism link out of the water, then. You'd think it would be a drug operative involved in terrorist financing, or so the Shrub misadministration would have you believe]"I know that we have a lot of mental midgets in DEA who applied for their government job because they are too lazy, incompetent and immoral to work in private industry. I know that we have a lot of people in DEA who fall under the classification of "Working Welfare".""The only people who have a right to laugh are the drug dealers who are laughing all the way to the bank because too many DEA personnel are in this agency for the ride and their recession-proof paycheck.""No office should laugh until drug availability in its area of responsibility is down to zero and our agents are twiddling their thumbs because they have no cases and no reports to investigate." [a realistic goal? I think not]Anyone still think prohibition works? Prohibition is murder and treason.
DEA Watch
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Comment #19 posted by Virgil on July 22, 2003 at 18:04:14 PT
A government of incompetents
I realize she was hired for the Nazi cause and her ability to repeat the party lies with a straight face. We have another person that dare not step on stage with a public at large and will never be on a panel discussion with doctors that really know.I would say we have an upside down pyramid that needs toppling back over. There really needs to be drug trials for these criminals that serve the Nazis in balancing this upside down pyramid. They are criminals. They need banishment or imprisoned themselves and their pensions need to be returned to the public funds.There is no reason to mince words. The criminals are running things. The rest of the world will be talking more as the rape of the planet continues and more millions are stuck on coming up with their daily bread. If someone would like to gag on current policy there is a posting of Colin Powell and Hastert's get together on the Andean Counterdrug Initiative that replaces the old Plan Colombia is up at DEAwatch- dated July 22 at 14:03- http://members.aol.com/deawatch/daily.htmI again call treason.
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Comment #18 posted by Petard on July 22, 2003 at 16:47:18 PT:
Placebo Effect
Funny how this learned and experienced "Drug Warrior", aka imprisoner of humans for plants, fails to account for all the studies involving the placebo effect and how that can play into the smoking aspect and how simply "believing" in the act can influence the efficacy. Really strange considering how effective the placebo effect has been in the success of the propaganda stage of the War on People. Hell, there's a large number of people that through the placebo effect won't stop jailing their fellow person, they believe in it even in the face of facts demonstrating the harm.It's a War, their words not mine. Use their most effective weapons against them. Since the governments have all the money, make it cost them dearly. Every penny spent on imprisoning one of us is a penny not in the budget to harm another of us. Do not cooperate, resist (non-violently), do not plea bargain, make them pay your legal fees, make them pay to incarcerate you, do not perform work while imprisoned (study and improve one's self instead , preferably study law to fight on using the law against them), use their legal and medical services, appeal if you lose, appeal like Rosenthal, even if the punishment is nil, to change the laws. Tie up the court, fill up the prisons, drain the coffers, keep the cops filling out paperwork while keeping them off the street and out of citizens lives and homes. War is hell, let's give 'em Hell to pay!  
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Comment #17 posted by global_warming on July 22, 2003 at 15:27:53 PT
Pity The Fool
I agree with Dr. Barthwell, for were it not for the
guidance of such medical interests, we might still be
trapped in the dark ages, and medicine might still be used
by greedy and unscroupulous people with no regard for the
final outcome or the sick patiant.It is a pity that such an educated women is so blind
to the needs of people. She is so entrenched in the system that she forgets that a sick and dieing person has so few choices. I cannot imagine that a person who is battaling some form of cancer will ever have to deal with the longer term health risks of cannabis. Remember this Dr. Barthwell, all your academics have not prepared you or anyone for the moment that we will depart this plane of exisence.
Our knowledge is but a scratch in the infinite night of this universe.I hope that Dr. Barthwell never has to find out that she
has some incurable illness, cancer, aids, a brain tumour.
For it will be in those final moments of her life that she
will begin to explore the alternatives to easing her
discomfort.I for one would rather see these really ill people find some way to ease thier passage into the next world. Perhaps in this next world we all might find comfort.
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Comment #16 posted by BGreen on July 22, 2003 at 15:22:39 PT
Yeah, what BigDawg said
I enjoy both smoking and vaporization. I enjoyed rolling up and burning a "J" in a Coffeeshop or in the Vondelpark on a sunny day in Amsterdam, whereas I usually avoid such a "smell-a-thon" in the police states.I'll give up smoking when they show me the bodies.The Rev. Bud Green
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Comment #15 posted by FoM on July 22, 2003 at 15:09:07 PT
BigDawg 
Thank you. I've wondered that for a while now.
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Comment #14 posted by BigDawg on July 22, 2003 at 14:35:52 PT
The people that I know 
who have tried vaps vary alot on their acceptance of it. Those looking to eliminate potential lung problems... or who don't like smoke in the first place seem to love the vaporizors. Then there are those who enjoy the smoke... I've heard it said that the smoke is more "natural" and "earthy" and makes them feel more connected to the earth.So the answer is yes... some enjoy the smoke.
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on July 22, 2003 at 13:49:53 PT
Hi BGreen
I have a question and maybe you or EJ or someone can answer it for me. If a person normally smokes a joint or bowl or bong do they mind giving up using their former delivery system? Are old habits hard to break when switching to a vaporizer? 
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Comment #12 posted by BGreen on July 22, 2003 at 13:37:01 PT
Volcano Vaporizer
I just came back from another week in the Netherlands and got to experience the Volcano Vaporizer that has been the subject of a recent study and recommended by Dr. Russo, and I agree with E_Johnson that "it rocks."It is expensive but not nearly as expensive as prescription poisons.We need to bring up the issue of vaporization at every mention of the supposed "dangers" of smoking cannabis. Emotionalism needs to be replaced by facts.The Rev. Bud Green
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on July 22, 2003 at 12:48:51 PT
What About Those Who Have a Compromised Liver
When will the medical profession understand that there are many people who can't take pills. Most pills are metabolized in the Liver. Cannabis doesn't cause Liver trauma. Don't people who can't take pills count for anything anymore?
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Comment #10 posted by Sam Adams on July 22, 2003 at 12:39:29 PT
Dr. Grubb revealed!
Apparently she actually found someone to marry her, how frightening.  Poor Mr. Barthwell.Everyone's comments are right on target. It can only be normal and conventional for the cannabis plant to be banned in a fascist society. This is what Dr. Grubb represents - the modern day American system of medical fascism. Individuals can no longer decide how to medicate themselves, what dose they need, how much they suffer and when to die.If this sounds radical to you, I suggest you try living with a catastrophic or chronic illness for a few years. Virtually everyone I've ever met in this category is disgusted and fed up with the American health system.The Food and Drug act has NOT reduced the number of hard-drug addicts in the US; it has changed the demographics. In the 1800's and early 1900's, the average opiate addict was a middle-aged white woman in a rural area. Now it's mostly young minority men in urban areas - and of course, they are buying it from a heavily armed and violent criminal organization, whereas before it was purchased from the apocethary, or yes, the traveling snake oil salesman - at least he didn't blast anyone with an Uzi when he drove through town!Gotta run - I'm off to destroy my stomach, small intestine, liver and kidneys with Dr. Grubb's prescriptions.  But my lungs are fine! Thank God I'm not smoking anything......Perhaps Dr. Grubb would like to meet my uncle, who is slowly dying from failed kidneys. He's on dialysis three times a week. He's waiting for a kidney transplant. Sadly, the ones he has are ruined, and a couple of his doctors think it's from taking prescription NSAID meds for decades. Thanks again Dr. Grubb.
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Comment #9 posted by Kegan on July 22, 2003 at 12:38:08 PT
More Spin From a Doctor
Needless to say, claimed benefits were erratic and irreproducible.Bull. Tell that to Christine Lowe. She was having 5 grand Mal seizures a week when she was on Epilesy pills, and nearly died from the toxic effects.Now, she has had 5 seizures since Jan 1, 2003. 5 seizures in 203 days, and her best record was 75 days without a seizure.....THERE is your PROOF!
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Comment #8 posted by afterburner on July 22, 2003 at 12:24:27 PT:
What's Next, "Standardized" Cannabis?
The major component of most "cures" was alcohol, which probably explained why people reported that they "felt better."...Marijuana, whatever its value, is intoxicating, and it's not surprising that sincere people will report relief of their symptoms when they smoke it."So, people are stupid. They don't know the difference between a cure and a high. Still, none of this explains why people should be put in a cage for a medicine that could be eaten or vaporized. "Do no harm"? Then, why do all the pharmaceuticals have long lists of side effects? At least they are now hedging their extreme lie, "marijuana is not a medicine." Now, they admit it may contain medicinal compounds, like THC. The main problem is the "active ingredient" paradigm. The good Lord did not give us active ingredients, he gave us whole organic healing herbs.ego transcendence follows ego destruction, it's a planetary imperative, a global quest.
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Comment #7 posted by GentleGiant on July 22, 2003 at 12:22:06 PT:
Ignorance by major porportions........
Perhaps this lady needs to do a little more researching. After all, there is 5000 years of literature on the medical uses besides the ones she spoke of, which is what the gov't prescribes, word for word. It upsets me that someone of her stature would be so dumb to talk about something she doesn't have the slightest idea about. If she did research, she would find herself to be pretty damn ignorant.
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Comment #6 posted by JustGetnBy on July 22, 2003 at 12:17:00 PT
And if I did prefer !!!
 To take my aspirin by chewing willow bark, or smoking willow bark, would that justify putting me in a cage, or taking my children away from me?
 If I had the audacity to grow a few willow trees in my backyard, so I could use the bark to treat my headaches,would that justify seizing my house and property?
 It might make more sense, and even be more economical to buy a bottle of aspirin to treat my headaches, but it damn sure don't give the Govt. the right to treat me the way they would if was cannabis instead of willow.
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Comment #5 posted by BGreen on July 22, 2003 at 12:14:02 PT
Which is more harmful, Prison or Cannabis?
"The overarching charge to any physician is: "First, do no harm.""I would argue that arrest, incarceration, forfeiture of property, losing your children and career are all much more "harmful" than smoked cannabis.I would also like to see malpractice charges brought against ANY physician who believes otherwise.The Rev. Bud Green
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Comment #4 posted by BigDawg on July 22, 2003 at 11:46:45 PT
Oh I forgot
the rest of the article cleared it up. It is only medicine if it can be patented.
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Comment #3 posted by darwin on July 22, 2003 at 11:46:02 PT
Paid schill
http://www.asam.org/pressrel/andrea_barthwell.htm"The United States Senate confirmed Andrea Grubb Barthwell, M.D. today as the Deputy Director for Demand Reduction of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Dr. Barthwell brings extensive experience in the research, policy, and practice of substance abuse treatment at the federal, state, and local levels." 1/30/02She's on the take like the rest of them.
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Comment #2 posted by BigDawg on July 22, 2003 at 11:44:44 PT
If there is a difference...
... between feeling better and getting better. And only drugs that get you better are truly medicine... then why did I get a prescription for opiate based pain killers last week?
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on July 22, 2003 at 11:44:00 PT
Complete Article from Publicbroadcasting.net
Misinformation Clouds Issue of Medical Marijuana By Andrea Barthwell (2003-07-22) As a physician with more than 20 years of experience dealing with patients who are addicted to drugs, I am often asked my professional opinion about a contentious public health question: What is the medical basis for smoking marijuana? The answer needs some context.Americans today have the world's safest, most effective system of medical practice, built on a process of scientific research, testing and oversight that is unequaled.Before the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1907, Americans were exposed to a host of patent medicine "cure-alls," everything from vegetable "folk remedies" to dangerous mixtures with morphine. The major component of most "cures" was alcohol, which probably explained why people reported that they "felt better."Needless to say, claimed benefits were erratic and irreproducible.Marijuana, whatever its value, is intoxicating, and it's not surprising that sincere people will report relief of their symptoms when they smoke it. The important point is that there is a difference between feeling better and actually getting better. It is the job of modern medicine to establish this distinction.The debate over drug use generates a great deal of media attention -- including the focus on the administration's appeal this month to the U.S. Supreme Court against medical marijuana -- and frequent misinformation. Some will have read, for instance, that the medicinal value of smoking marijuana represents "mainstream medical opinion." It is time to set the record straight.Simply put, there is no scientific evidence that qualifies smoked marijuana to be called medicine. Further, there is no support in the medical literature that marijuana, or indeed any medicine, should be smoked as the preferred form of administration. The harms to health are simply too great.Marijuana advocates often cite the 1999 National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine report as justifying the drug's medical use. But, in fact, the verdict of that report was "marijuana is not a modern medicine." The institute was particularly troubled by the notion that crude marijuana might be smoked by patients, which it termed "a harmful drug-delivery system."These concerns are echoed by the Food and Drug Administration, the agency charged with approving all medicines. As the FDA recently noted: "While there are no proven benefits to [smoked] marijuana use, there are many short- and long-term risks associated with marijuana use."Compounds in the marijuana plant do potentially have a medical value. For instance, a synthetic version of an ingredient in marijuana has been approved for treating nausea for chemotherapy patients, as well as for treatment of anorexia associated with weight loss in patients with AIDS.Admittedly, these medications have limitations, including the relatively slow onset of relief. Researchers are exploring drug-delivery systems that allow rapid relief -- perhaps an oral inhalator like those used by asthma patients -- as a response to patient needs.But these medications are a far cry from burning the crude weed and gulping down the smoke. Every American is familiar with aspirin, and some know that it was first found in willow bark, from which the therapeutic agent acetylsalicylic acid was eventually synthesized. Surely no one today would chew willow bark, much less smoke a piece of tree, to cure a headache.Medical science does not fear any compound, even those with a potential for abuse. If a substance has the proven capacity to serve a medical purpose, then it will be accepted. We have done so with substances as dangerous as opium, allowing the medical use of many of its derivatives, including morphine, Demerol and OxyContin. The key term is "proven capacity." Only if compounds from marijuana pass the same tests of research scrutiny that any other drug must undergo will they become part of the modern medical arsenal.Our investment in medical science is at risk if we do not defend the proven process by which medicines are brought to the market. All drugs must undergo rigorous clinical trials before a drug can be released for public use.The overarching charge to any physician is: "First, do no harm." That is the test smoked marijuana cannot pass.http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wxxi/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=524735
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