cannabisnews.com: Let's Dance With Mary Jane





Let's Dance With Mary Jane
Posted by CN Staff on December 13, 2007 at 05:38:17 PT
By Theresa Schneider
Source: Spectator
Wisconsin -- Usually when I get into this discussion, people think I'm just another college stoner who wants to legalize marijuana so I can have cheap access to pot without the potential legal consequences. That's not the case.Evidence suggests that marijuana has medicinal benefits and is safer than some prescription drugs and even some substances available to the general public. That being the case, people should have access to prescribed medicinal marijuana.
Marijuana use in the United States began in the medical world. Starting in the mid-1800s up until the beginning of the 20th century, Western medical literature actually recommends and advocates for the use of marijuana cigarettes to help treat certain ailments, specifically nausea associated with some disorders. It wasn't until the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act, which severely restricted physicians' ability to prescribe the drug, did marijuana leave American pharmacies.The American Medical Association protested at the time because the act limited medicinal options for patients.Later, in 1972, the Nixon-appointed National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse announced that there was a lack of sound evidence for the prohibition of the drug. Despite the findings in the 70s, marijuana is still prohibited. Why are fewer restrictions placed on more harmful substances, such as tobacco and alcohol? With no conclusive evidence that the drug has reason to be banned, is a patient's access to the drug still restricted?Traditionally, medicinal marijuana has been suggested to help treat nausea, especially for people going through cancer treatments such as chemotherapy. It has also been suggested for people with gastrointestinal disorders who experience severe nausea. Marijuana does, in fact, relieve nausea and could be used to relieve suffering for many patients.Some recent studies also suggest marijuana could not just be used as a pain-relieving drug, but that it also has the potential to delay the progression of some diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel syndrome and perhaps even Alzheimer's and Lou Gehrig's disease. It is now believed that marijuana is actually safer than people once thought. Some studies suggest heavy use of marijuana produces significantly less damage on the lungs of the smoker and the lungs of others than equal use of tobacco cigarettes. Interestingly enough, the government requires cigarette companies to place surgeon general warnings on packages and advertisements, and the government even restricts how tobacco companies can advertise. But with all the evidence clearly linking tobacco cigarettes to cancers, there is no restriction on how much tobacco can be consumed. If a harmful substance like tobacco is not limited, why is something with clear medicinal benefits prohibited? Studies also suggest that marijuana cigarettes are significantly less addictive than narcotics, alcohol, tobacco and even caffeine. Marijuana use proves to be much less addicting than many substances, some of which are not controlled.Although physicians may not legally prescribe marijuana to patients, they can recommend marijuana's use to treat symptoms. On Sept. 7, 2000, a U.S. District Court judge ruled in Conant v. McCaffery that federal authorities may not sanction doctors who recommend marijuana to patients. I am one of those patients.As someone who suffers from a chronic gastrointestinal disorder, I have seen doctors who have actually suggested I consider smoking pot to alleviate some of my symptoms. But upon this kind of recommendation, I face a tough situation. I can break the law and buy and smoke weed to cope with symptoms, I can try medications or I can chose not to treat my uncomfortable symptoms at all. Yes, there are many anti-nausea medications available too, but some, such as prescription based Reglan, can have side effects worse than their intended good. Some of the mild side effects include drowsiness, fatigue, headaches and confusion. Other side effects include insomnia, tachycardia (irregular heart rhythm) and mental depression with intentions of suicide. That's a large risk to take for anti-nausea medication. I would know - I've experienced some of those side effects. I'd rather not treat my symptoms.Medicinal marijuana is safer than many available substances including prescriptions and it has established medicinal benefits. There is no reason why patients who could benefit from the drug should not have access to it.Note: Medicinal marijuana really does kill the pain.Source: Spectator, The (U of WI, Eau Claire, Edu)Author: Theresa SchneiderPublished: December 13, 2007Copyright: 2007 The SpectatorContact: http://tinyurl.com/2n8fsy Website: http://www.spectatornews.com/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #6 posted by Truth on December 14, 2007 at 19:51:17 PT
or we can
Legalize pot, redirect the dea to deal with real crime such as robbery and rape, go veggie and go green. We win, the dea wins, the pig is happy and we can all party in the promised land. : )
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Comment #5 posted by dongenero on December 14, 2007 at 12:07:41 PT
hey now
that is an insult to pitbulls everywhere.The DEA is more like a big pile of crap from a pitbull...and you porkchop is embedded in it.We need a REALLY big pooper scooper for the DEA. Hold your nose and put 'em out in the trash.Then um, get a new pork chop. There are plenty of pork chops and there always will be, long after the DEA has been put out with the trash.
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Comment #4 posted by PatrioticDissension on December 14, 2007 at 11:52:43 PT
DEA
In the case of the DEA id rather shoot the pitbull....then douse it with gasoline set it on fire...lay it in the road and let it get crushed under passing semi's and then throw the remains in a farmers field for the vultures to feast on. mmmmmmmmm yeah.
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Comment #3 posted by Max Flowers on December 13, 2007 at 16:49:10 PT
runruff
Unfortunately, the only two options are probably to shoot the pit bull and take your pork chop back, or let him have the pork chop....
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Comment #2 posted by runruff on December 13, 2007 at 10:02:54 PT:
Stupid or dumb like a fox?
Noam Chomsky says there ain't no need to tell our leaders the truth, they already know the truth.There are industries in America that make billions of dollars for every day that cannabis is prohibited. There are career bureaucrates and politions who make a living off of probition in verious ways. Every day they can stave off the enevitable truth is one more day of wealth and power for these people. Don't wait for the light to come on in the heads of these profiteers, it ain't gonna happen.Ever try to remove a pork chop from the jaws of a pitbull?
It's the samething.
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Comment #1 posted by OverwhelmSam on December 13, 2007 at 08:06:17 PT
Money Down The Drain
One would think that those elected officials, judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officials who are against legalizing marijuana for adult use are getting sick and tired of the internal investigations, law suits, voter initiatives, budget woes, letters demanding the law is changed, pro-marijuana news and OPEDs, and career ending stances over marijuana. Too bad they can't see the manifest benefits of simply letting adults consume cannabis by letting go of the ridiculous laws against marijuana possession.I think those in the position to make changes happen would have come to this conclusion, but stupid is as stupid does.
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