cannabisnews.com: Legal Aspects of `Medical' Marijuana Legal Aspects of `Medical' Marijuana Posted by FoM on April 02, 2001 at 09:06:36 PT Editorial Source: Tampa Tribune Voters in seven states have approved the medicinal use of marijuana (there is a movement in Florida to do the same), but Washington warned physicians against abiding by the referendums because federal drug laws prohibit the cultivation, possession or distribution of the plant. The result is a legal mess, which is why it was appropriate for the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the issue last week. Supporters of Medical Marijuana have long claimed it is useful in treating glaucoma, mitigating the side effects of cancer chemotherapy and preventing the ``wasting'' associated with AIDS. But such use of the drug lacks the approval of the Food and Drug Administration. So the court's decision, expected later this term, should be based not only on the legal ramifications of using ``prescription pot,'' but, more importantly, whether the drug is actually effective in the treatment of certain ailments. We already know of some of the things marijuana does to its users. The drug - and it is a drug - causes disorientation and, among those who smoke it frequently, a telltale pop-eyed look. It has also been associated with mental problems and lung cancer. It's also known that although the substance may lower eye pressure in glaucoma cases, there are six other sets of medicines that do the same job (not to mention laser procedures and surgery) without the social risks. Arguments could be made that those in great discomfort or facing death may simply want relief in their last days. But the court should not get into that issue. Anyway, there are legitimate and effective ways to ease pain and illness-induced depression. So what should the justices do? They should decide whether ``medical necessity'' cases violate federal drug laws - period. That's important because a less comprehensive ruling might allow ``cannabis clubs'' to distribute marijuana for medical use, which in turn might well open the door to unrestricted use for anyone who claims to be ``sick.'' There is no doubt that some supporters of prescription pot see it as an opportunity to smoke the illegal substance without fear of criminal prosecution. But that should not enter into the court's ruling. The decision should be a far-reaching one based on factual therapeutic data and whether use of the plant for medicinal purposes violates federal law. Anything less and the justices will surely be dealing with the issue again. Source: Tampa Tribune (FL)Published: April 2, 2001Copyright: 2001, The Tribune Co.Contact: tribletters tampatrib.comWebsite: http://www.tampatrib.com/CannabisNews Medical Marijauan Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #10 posted by J.R. Bob Dobbs on April 03, 2001 at 04:31:36 PT ... 'Cause I smokes me spinach! "Interesting" that the people who only want what's "best" for you that wrote this "article" haven't heard of a government study done in 1974 that says cannabinoids can destroy otherwise-untreatable tumors. I can't find a link to a text version, but it's discussed at length on the 4/2/01 4:20 Marijuana News at Pot-TV... http://www.pot-tv.net/archive/shows/pottvshowse-615.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by craven on April 02, 2001 at 17:23:20 PT Popeye?? Does he mean you'll talk with a sailor accent.. "oye!", wear a little white hat, spinnach gives you super human strength, always keep a yellow pipe in your mouth (hey.. maybe thats true.. hehe) and your forearms will be larger than your biceps? Will you have an uncontrollable urge to chase a thin little woman named Olive Oil? Beat the hell outta Brutus? hehe [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by observer on April 02, 2001 at 13:52:34 PT Pop-eyed Look The drug - and it is a drug - causes disorientation and, among those who smoke it frequently, a telltale pop-eyed look.[illustration A]http://www.reefermadness.org/clips/fsizepages/38.htmlTelltale Pop-eyed Look --exhibited by a Boy Scout,who committed a gruesome Axe MURDER:after smoking the deadly weedfrom the DEVIL'S GARDEN! Reefer Madness! [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on April 02, 2001 at 12:57:13 PT What About Growing Big Breasts Don't forget men get big breasts from smoking. I wonder why woman don't? If it worked for woman there would go breast enlargment surgeries so they wouldn't tell us that. LOL!I couldn't resist. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by TroutMask on April 02, 2001 at 12:43:32 PT Pop-eye! Ah, the tell-tale pop-eyed look. Did you know that playing basketball will make your skin turn black and that you can tell a lot about a person from the bumps on their skull?Science!!!-TM [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Pontif3x on April 02, 2001 at 12:30:04 PT: "Tell-tale pop-eyed look"? LOL! I've heard a lot of reefer madness in my day, but "tell-tale pop-eyed look" is like something out of the '50s.Let me tell you, if there were an ounce of truth to this bizarre and unsupported observation, my eyeballs would be dangling at belt level."Don't smoke that weed, man! It'll make your eyes pop out!"I guess Gary Johnson is an evil drug pusher who wants to make children's eyeballs explode.Man, this one has potential! I hope a big news outlet picks it up so Richard Cowan can tear it to shreds. :) [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on April 02, 2001 at 11:36:54 PT I guess you've graduated! No longer an outcast! Yeh! Cool! Cool! Cool! LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on April 02, 2001 at 11:31:46 PT: I'm Bragging Now Does this mean I'm not an disreputable outcast anymore? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on April 02, 2001 at 11:18:57 PT: Many Doctors Open To Medical Marijuana Use Source: Post and Courier (SC)Author: Johnathan Maze of The Post and Courier staff Published: April 2, 2001Copyright: 2001 Evening Post Publishing Co.Contact: editor postandcourier.comWebsite: http://www.charleston.net/http://www.charleston.net/pub/news/bizrev/bzfyi0402.htmPhysician's Onlinehttp://www.po.com/F.Y.I. As the U.S. Supreme Court agrees to take on the issue of marijuana for medical purposes, a recent survey suggests that more than half of the doctors who took part in it favor the drug's use. Very few discount the idea altogether. Slightly more than half of the physicians in a survey, 51 percent, believe that marijuana should be used for medical reasons when other treatments don't work. The drug is often used to treat chemotherapy- related nausea or AIDS-related appetite loss as well as other problems. Only 6.2 percent of the 756 physicians and doctors-in-training said that marijuana should not be used at all. Of the rest, nearly 18 percent said more scientific study is needed before it should be used, and 24.6 percent said it should be used in a purified alternative form so patients don't have to smoke it. Currently, patients who take marijuana for medical purposes must smoke it first. The survey was conducted by Physicians Online over a two-week period in January and February.Note: Excerpt from the above newspaper article. My Medical Marijuana Page [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on April 02, 2001 at 09:14:31 PT: Deja Vu Didn't we already pummel this one into submission? Or, am I suffering memory loss? Here's what I said last round:If Lies Made Me Laugh, I'd Be in Hysterics "The drug - and it is a drug - causes disorientation and, among those who smoke it frequently, a telltale pop-eyed look. It has also been associated with mental problems and lung cancer."I have seen some incredibly high people on cannabis, and they were sedated, or slow, or out there, even paranoid or confused, but I have never seen someone "disoriented." He must be thinking of someone who is drunk on that legal inebriant, booze. What is a pop-eyed look? Is that what a walleye looks like, or someone with Graves Disease (Barbara Bush)? The mental problems angle was debunked in 1893-1894 by the India Hemp Drugs Commission report, in the 1940's by the LaGuardia Commission, and more recently by Lyketsos et al.:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10221315&dopt=AbstractSee also, "Cannabis: A Breed Apart" in Russo, E. 2000. Handbook of Pyschotropic Herbs. Binghamton, NY: Haworth Press.Although cannabis in chronic smoked usage may cause bronchitic symptoms or some "precancerous changes" in the cells, there are no proven cases of lung cancer due to cannabis in people that did not also smoke tobacco. Some mouth and throat cancers have been alleged. Likely all could be prevented through judicious use of high potency cultivars, especially with vaporizers. It is a shame that anonymous ideologues are allowed to disseminate this nonsense unchallenged. 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