Medical Marijuana - Yay or Nay?

[SoCalifer]

This is a personal subject to me as you can see from a copy of my CA Prop 215 prescription ID Card below. And if you might happen to be one of the persons who is skeptical (which is ok because I respect everyone's opinion), I would like to ask you to review the video "Reefer Madness 2" of which I provided a link to below..

Discuss:


http://www.pot-tv.net/ram/pottvshowse1270.ram - ((excellent video))

[Downtown Hound]

1. Yay all the way!

Recreational too. :smoke:

[SoCalifer]

2. Downtown Hound

Oh Yes!.. :)

[jswordy]

10. I like yer thinking, but...

In the late '70s, pot was $25-35 an ounce. I understand now that $100 an ounce may be considered very cheap.

In the '70s, you never heard news stories about dealers getting shot over pot. Nowadays, they are quite frequent, as the money factor has been added in and the so-called "war on drugs" has helped in that regard.

Fact is, the government at all levels makes money off the war on drugs (Congressional authorization to states and localities, military budget line items, and also from confiscation of private property), so money is being made on both sides of the recreational pot issue.

So I doubt it will be legal anytime soon. Both sides are winning right now.

[American Tragedy]

16. The electorate has only to resolve that it should be legal

Almost all sensible individuals that I know of think that it should be decriminalized. If everyone made it a legitimate issue, politicians would have to capitulate.

[Pawel K]

18. Pricing

Currently for low grade you pay around $40-$50 an ounce and for high grade you pay around $300-$400 an ounce. Don't ask how I know, just wanted to clarify.

[Freebird12004]

57. Yay

:smoke:

[mike_c]

3. absolutely yay....

:smoke:

[stellanoir]

4. Yayyy !!!

[JimmyJazz]

5. absolutely "yay" - I don't even understand why it's an issue.

Bill O'lielly looked like even more of an ass than usual when he tried to debate Montel Williams on the issue. I'll edit if I can find a link to the transcript.

[lojasmo]

6. Yey + decriminalization for casual users N/T

[wtbymark]

13. Yay- decriminalization 100%

politically speaking, everyone should know the social philosophy of the 'Harm Policy'- too long to explain the concept here, but, it sure does negate the concept of big brother. The classic question in the harm policy asks; "If John Doe really wants to cut off his arm, as a society, should we let him" - don't be so quick to answer, you might be endorsing a police state.

[lojasmo]

20. My answer is yes. N/T

[Kber]

7. I'd like to see a 'reality based" scientific evaluation of any drug

Personally, I had an interesting experience recently. I am pregnant and was actually hospitalized for extreme morning sickness. My Dr thought it necessary to bring up the topic of medical marajuana because, in her opinion, while she would gladly recommend it if my nausia was caused by cancer treatments or something else, she thought the danger to a developing fetus greatly outweighted the potential benefit.

What struck me about the conversation was how awkward it was. If it were legal, it could be 1) better researched for its benefits and dangers and 2) be easier to discuss openly between doctor and patient w/out any legal or moral issues intruding on what should be a medical discussion. (No medical marajuana option where I live, so it has to be discussed on the QT.)

Anyhow - you asked for my 2 cents, for what it's worth. :)

[Downtown Hound]

11. The notion that there haven't been any

scientific studies on it is propaganda. There have been many, and most of the unbiased ones show it has clear medical benefit. Simply look them up. But I agree with your doctor about not smoking while pregnant. Bad idea.

[Kber]

14. Sorry, let me clarify

i have read that there have many studies, especially in Europe. I guess I was tring to make the point that if it were decriminalized, we could base medical practice on science, probably even do research to find new benefits, and discuss possible dangers in an open way.

I had a cousin with AIDS, and a joint was truly the only thing that allowed him to keep anything down at all. Like with my doctor, the conversation had to take place in "secret".

[rockedthevoteinMA]

32. Here's the website of a doc from Harvard...

http://www.rxmarihuana.com/index2.htm

And I am a YAY.

[tyedyeto]

8. A definite yay here

I have a bro who has a permit to grow pot (for personal use only) from the S_____ County DA's office in CA (trying to keep a little of this private which is why the underlining). He has a medical condition in which the meds he takes for it make him nauseous and kills appetite as well. Pot relieves the symptoms so his Dr. gave him a prescription for marijuana.
I have also known cancer patients who received scripts for pot during their chemo treatments.
Some states are very progressive when it comes to this issue, but the Feds don't want to back down on their 'war against drugs'.

Edit for dumb typo

[Rick Myers]

9. A BIG Yea!!!!

:thumbsup:

[w4rma]

12. Yes. The "War on some drugs" is a waste of resources. (nt)

[American Tragedy]

15. Absolute decriminalization

There is no practical reason for the government to make a plant illegal, much less imprison those who choose to grind it up and smoke it.

I am sick of this big paternal government. If we as adults do not own our bodies and our property, what exactly do we own?

[murray hill farm]

17. Make regular tobacco illegal...

It kills millions...and, truly...i doubt there would be much of a market for it illegally..so, that problem solved! To not make marajuana legal for medical reasons is cruel and irresponsible..it has none of the side effects of pharm. meds that dont really work all that well...sooooooo..pot should be legal...regular tobacco products illegal.

[American Tragedy]

22. It's pretty inconsistent to make tobacco illegal and marijuana legal

It would be effectively impossible to prohibit cigarettes anyway.

[murray hill farm]

23. of course it would never happen...ha

and it would be inconsistant..hahahaha....but...if...if...they are going to make a substance illegal....it just makes toooooo much sense to prohibit the really, really dangerous one...so...just a quirky thought..not something i seriously think could happen.

[SoCalifer]

19. Kber

I know of a book that reviews probably the most comprehensive scientific study done on Marijuana to date. I put a LOT of faith in the study because it was headed up by former Governor Raymond Shafer, appointed by Richard Nixon for the purpose of "proving" once and for all the danger of Marijuana and thus the justification to keep it illegal. But it ends up "proving" what we who have smoked it, already know.. :)

So Nixon (of course) found someone such as himself who was big anti-pot, and appointed him to head of a government committee to scientifically destroy Marijuana. Well to Nixon's dismay, after this government's anti-pot committee spent millions of dollars and a number of years. THEY themselves found out the TRUTH about Marijuana and went from anti-pot to pro-legalization.. heheh :)

Well of course Nixon wouldn't have any of that.. So the biggest scientific report was filed away from public view.. It's what's known as the "Shafer Commission".

And this book (which I provide a link to below, where you can read a few pages from it) reviews this commission's study.




Marijuana Myths - Marijuana Facts (a review of the scientific evidence)
v v v

http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0964156849/ref=sib_dp_pt/002-1499215-7154402#reader-link

[LeftyMom]

21. I'm all for it

I don't really have a problem with recreational use either, although I have no personal interest in it.

[BooyaGAli]

24. Hell ya!!!

[Wiley50]

25. I'm a Pain Management Patient

I am on the Duragesic Fentanyl Patch ( a narcotic 100 times more powerful than Morphine)
It makes me horribly nauseous. I've puked up 50 pounds of my body weight.
Grass makes it so much more tolerable. But they pee test me every month to make sure that I don't smoke it. I have been terminated from two pain management programs already. This is my last chance and I'm scared shitless about it.
I dream of being able to move from TN to a state with sane medical marijuana laws. But I've been fighting for my SS disability for four years now and don't have any money to move until my claim is honored.
They can't test for alcohol ( after 24 hrs) so I get to drink beer but it's both not effective or safe.

[pelagius]

28. There's something criminal going on here...

...and it's not your desire to use cannabis.

I have three friends who literally owe their lives to cannabis they used regain their appetites while on chemotherapy.

[burn the bush]

26. pul-lease! We have opiates. We have all kinds of harder drugs

there is no sane reason not to allow medical marijuana. As a matter of fact, there is no good reason to lot make it legit to all. We all know it is not nearly as dangerous as alcohol. Growing wild, it has uses for rope, clothing, and perhaps fuel. The courts could spend a lot more time on real crime it they quit worrying about pot possesion.

[pelagius]

27. Yea. And legal for recreational use by adults. n/t

[Contrary1]

29. yea. (from someone who has been through chemo) n/t

[MissB]

30. There was an article about MM in yesterday's Oregonian

Apparently the program is very successful. Too successful. They've issued 20x more cards than they expected (10,000 all together) and the program posted a surplus last year ($1 million). They do not receive general funds for the program - it is self-supporting. The program dropped the fee this year from $150 to something like $55 so that they do not have a surplus.

[Blue_In_AK]

31. Marijuana should not be illegal at all

To state the obvious, it causes far fewer problems than the legal drug alcohol.

[Dragonfli]

33. My wife was fading fast till I got her some-

I suppose that the fact that my wife is in her second round of chemo is no excuse for her to want to eat, keep it down, and reasonably endure the pain she has felt. They should flog her and put her in prison I suppose for using an herb that has proven to be the only thing effective for her.

IF THEY CAN GET THROUGH ME.

She tried the Marinol, didn't work, made things even worse in fact turned her face beat red and made her feel "crappy".

Leave it to the Pharmaceutical Companies to take an effective herb that is cheap to grow, very effective and seemingly devoid of negative side effects and turn it into something expensive, ineffective and with newly improved bad side effects.

I think you can deduce my answer

[Contrary1]

34. Best wishes to your wife...

I know how difficult this is. I am a breast cancer survivor.
If she would like to have someone to listen to her rant and
rave, just let me know.

[disillusioned1]

35. Yay

I had surgery a few years ago to remove my gall bladder. I was so nauseous before and after the surgery, I couldn't eat or drink anything.

I forced down two glasses of water so I could be discharged after the surgery. I kept it down long enough to get my walking papers. They gave me an Rx for an anti-nausea drug, which didn't work at all.

It was 3 days after surgery, and I still couldn't eat or drink because of the nausea. My doctor was called daily and continued to change the anti-nausea medication, which didn't work. I couldn't sleep, either. I spent $60 on useless drugs.

So my husband walked across the street to our known neighborhood potheads (good people), and came home with my cure. Two puffs and my nausea disappeared, never to return. I was able to eat and keep down soup and dry toast within 30 minutes of two puffs. It was like a miracle to me.

YAY

[pookieblue]

36. Yea. nt

[in_cog_ni_to]

37. I say yay! n/t

[Columbia]

38. Nay

All drugs should be legal, not just marijuana and not just for medicinal purposes.

[MrSlayer]

39. Yay for all legal pot!!!

Medical or otherwise. Stop turning law abiding citizens into criminals.

[SoCalifer]

40. Ibogain

There's another drug that most people haven't heard about; it's a powerful psychoactive hallucinogen called "Ibogain". What some people around the world and in the counter culture have known about this drug for years, is that this drug has the properties of curing addictions.

Other strong hallucinogens such as LSD, peyote, and magic mushrooms have also shown limited properties of alleviating addictions, but not to the degree that Ibogaine has.

So if you know someone who is strung out on hard drugs or can't get off alcohol, and might be interested in a one time treatment. This may be a possible avenue for them to research to see if it's for them.



Text from the Ibogaine-therapy website. - http://www.ibogaine-therapy.net/

What is Ibogaine?

Ibogaine is a naturally occurring medication obtained from the root bark of the shrub Thabernante iboga, indigenous of West Africa, where it has been used as a sacrament in religious ceremonies and to mitigate thirst and hunger for hundreds of years. Ibogaine has anti-addictive properties, interrupting the symptoms of the opioid withdrawal syndrome and reducing drug craving for extended periods of time, allowing an addict to detoxify with minimal symptoms. Ibogaine appears to reset the brain to a pre-addictive state. Ibogaine has been studied at the University of Miami in an FDA approved Phase 1 clinical trial.

"alleviating drug craving and diminishing the possibility for relapse..."

At the Ibogaine Association we administer Ibogaine Hydrochloride (98% pure Ibogaine) orally in capsule form based on body weight and the type of drug the patient has been using. This medication is non-addictive and is usually administered only once.
Ibogaine is unavailable in the United States due to the ongoing ‘War on Drugs’. Ibogaine cannot be purchased in pharmacies and it cannot be shipped to the United States. We do not sell Ibogaine; we only administer Ibogaine under the care of a physician.

[DistressedAmerican]

41. Hell Yay!

*Big shot out to to SoCali*

The mindset that allows the use of cocaine and medical grade smack to be prescribed while outlawing something as relatively benign as marijuana is beyond me.

I want my medicines prescribed by a doctor not a politician. What the hell do they know about the efficacy of medical marijuana anyway? Is Congress really qualified to decide what my doctor treat me with? Are they the FDA now?

Where does it say in the freaking Bible that a dying person shouldn't catch a buzz as a side effect to a medical treatment. Lord knows the other things that can be prescribed have that effect!

Freedom means having the freedom to choose your own medical care!

[SoCalifer]

42. Here, here

Thank you brother DestressedAmerican :toast:

[leesa]

43. ALL marijuana growth and use should be legal.

[fishwax]

44. I say yea

and not just medical, either. I'm for decriminilization period.

[proudbluestater]

45. YAY!

[Scout1071]

46. Ab-So-Effin-Lutely

[Cozmosis]

47. 100% Yay. No question.

[dog_lovin_dem]

48. Yay...

I totally agree that medical marijuana shoud be legal, and recreational marijuana, too! In my opinion, cannabis eleviates symptoms of PMS, including headache and cramps. Not to mention the calming effect!

[Dark]

49. Yay.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

50. Dude....eer...

Seriously, my mom has MS, horrible leg spasms. My bro always makes sure she has a little stashed away. She gets them a couple times a month, and it's the only thing that helps immediately. Pills take to long to start to work.

[American Tragedy]

51. So, are there any nays??

I don't think I've seen an issue on which we were so united. Why don't the voters just demand it be decriminalized? Trust me, it could be done.

[Acryliccalico]

52. YES it should be legal, always should have been

It is not addictive. :)

[Runcible Spoon]

55. no but Cheetos....

eaten when "Mary Jane comes over for a visit" are certainly addictive! ;)

[Sugarbleus]

53. Absolutely YAY...

However, if we want to keep the programs credible and truely medical (no picking up then going outside to sell it), there needs to be better accounting of who's using and much better organization of the coops and clubs.

Santa Cruz here. Hubby is a devoted member, in good standing, of WAMM. (we know some folks from the oakland club too)

Eventually, I'd like to see the decriminalization of marijuana (NORML), while continuing to restrict it from underage teens/kids.

To go even further, I'd like to see the end to this expensive, failed, bogus "War on Drugs". That is keeping people from even getting the proper pain management from their own doctors, let alone using street drugs!

It's my opinion that the Pharmeceuticals can't make a buck off of natural pain killers/easers so they produce crap like VIOXX/CELEBREX for example..these types of meds are suppose to be pushed with all due diligence so Pharma can make it's enormous bucks! These corp's "needs" are whats behind the anti-opiate/alternative meds HYSTERIA.

[Runcible Spoon]

54. yay plus total legalization for everyone, and the sooner the better

my *ahem* "special friend" lives too damn far away...would be much easier to just walk to the quickie-mart. that way i can get my nestle quick fix at the same time ;)

[jonnyblitz]

56. yay. n/t

[Dragonfly]

58. A definite "yay" and one can add...

...spiritual and relationship-oriented uses,as well.

Yes, it's certain to assume that pharmaceutical giants and legislators on the take frown upon Americans (and other global citizens) having easy access to a simple plant with "antidote" and/or "pain relief" and/or "appetite-enhancer" written all over it.