Medical Marijuana Cards Abound

The Oregonian ^ | January 23, 2005 | Don Colburn

[robertpaulsen]

"Each of those 10 physicians has signed more than 100 applications, and the top two have signed 2,796 and 1,783 apiece."

Meaning two doctors have signed about half the "medical" marijuana applications.

"More than 80 percent of the current cardholders cited severe pain on their applications. About 30 percent cited persistent muscle spasms, and 22 percent cited nausea."

Pain, huh? What about glaucoma and cancer and AIDS and all these other horrible illnesses for which nothing else works?

What a joke! We're being scammed, people.

[billorites]

[NautiNurse]

10 doctors account for two-thirds of the current and pending marijuana card requests.

Word got around.

[Born to Conserve]

I haven't seen any pot in twenty five years.

I remember it be very effective in relieving that deep bone ache you get in your shoulders with the flu sometimes. Aspirin and ibuprofen don't touch it.

[MisterRepublican]

Libertarians rejoice!

[festus]

The fee-based program, which gets no money from the state general fund, has grown so fast that it built up a cash surplus of nearly $1 million last year.

One of, if not THE, only government programs to ever remain solvent.

[robertpaulsen]

"Word got around."

Yep. Go to these guys and tell them you have pain or muscle spasms or nausea -- you know, things they can't check or confirm.

Then you can grow your own and chill out. Plus, your employer must accomodate your "illness", which means you're golden on all future drug tests.

Dude!

[LPM1888]

The board in October also stripped Bogart,, a 66-year-old psychiatrist who said he has signed more than 1,000 medical marijuana applications during the past five years,

At least he didn't "Bogart".

[Mr. K]

I used to use it when I was younger- I dont any more, I just speak from experience.

I believe it is FAR LESS harmful than alcohol, and I would be in favor of decriminalizing it.

That would take the profit out of the criminal behavior. This article notes that the state made so much money they lowered the cost of the card- THAT is that part I cannot believe. When other states hear about the way to generate income I predict they will follow, soon.

[Max in Utah]

Yeah, I remember that effect. Back in, oh, 1977 I was home sick with a bad case of flu, felt terrible. Seemed like my body was one big ache. I smoked some Columbian, and for good measure took a big dose of Nyquil.

Between the effects of the two, I was zombiefied. But I did feel much more comfortable.

[robertpaulsen]

"I believe it is FAR LESS harmful than alcohol, and I would be in favor of decriminalizing it."

I agree that it is less harmful. Then again, many recreational drugs are less harmful than alcohol (Ecstasy, MDMA, GHB, nitrous, shrooms, peyote, LSD, etc.)

I could understand your position if we knew that alcohol drinkers would all switch to marijuana, if legalized.

But they wouldn't, meaning that we're simply adding to the problem.

[robertpaulsen]

"One of, if not THE, only government programs to ever remain solvent."

Which brings up a good point.

10,000 "patients" at $150 each is $1.5 million. They claim a $1 million surplus. Which means the program costs $500,000.

But they only expected to get 1/20th the number of "patients", or 500. 500 "patients" at $150 each is $75,000.

They expected, therefore to lose $425,000. And where was that money to come from?

[robertpaulsen]

MDMA = Ecstasy

[eno_]

10,000 people laughing their ass off at narcs.

Makes you sick, doesn't it?

.

.

.

Makes ME laugh.

[eno_]

But they wouldn't, meaning that we're simply adding to the problem.

Look at all the cheap beer being swilled. If pot were legal and dirt cheap, it would almost certainly displace a lot of blue collar beer swilling, much to everyone's (except the giant factory "breweries").

[Freebird Forever]

Then again, many recreational drugs are less harmful than alcohol (Ecstasy, MDMA, GHB, nitrous, shrooms, peyote, LSD, etc.)

I'm not sure that your statement is correct.

Please post the relative LD50's if you have them handy.

[Lazamataz]

This has got to chap your butt so bad.

And for that reason alone, I would like to see this law stay in place.

[Freebird Forever]

When other states hear about the way to generate income I predict they will follow, soon.

Wouldn't that prove to be an interesting turn of events?

[SunnySide]

"Nearly 10,000 Oregonians carry medical marijuana cards, about 20 times more than officials predicted when the program started six years ago." A big Duh An Honest Bum

[TigersEye]

Good news on a fine Sunday morning.