Posted on 06/09/2008 5:24:53 AM PDT by Invisigoth
There are a few constants in the discussion of American domestic politics: Rising costs, shady politicians and our Puritan ethics. Gas prices are depressing and politicians are repetitive, so that leaves us with the contraband.
The 11 states that have legalized medicinal marijuana have their share of grief from opposition groups ranging from scared parents to DEA officials trying to monitor the production of the leafy painkiller. But besides being controversial, the distribution of marijuana for medicinal purposes has now officially become ridiculous.
The boundaries between the justifiable purpose of the substance and the not-so-underground culture of recreational use have blurred, and it’s not doing law-abiding users any favors. We’re an image-driven culture, so no matter how many reports and physician testimonials another acronym-happy organization comes up with, a single shot of a “pharmacy” with a neon 420 sign flashing and Grateful Dead poster speaks for itself.
In California, the ease with which a prescription can be obtained relying solely on the patient’s word and then filled by a vending machine is laughable. To convince the nation that marijuana is a legitimate drug reserved for extreme cases, either start putting Vicodin in Pez dispensers or start treating Mary Jane like a potent controlled substance.
(Excerpt) Read more at northstarwriters.com ...
This calls to mind a tale from my youth. A long-serving deacon in the Baptist church I attended as a child, in rural North Carolina, in the early 80’s, was busted for growing pot in his basement. Here was a pillar of the community who had raised an upstanding family, had multiple grandchildren, was active in the community, a member of the PTA, and never had a criminal record. It turned out that the drug was strictly for his personal use to combat the effects of debilitating chronic bursitis, so that he could play a weekly round of golf at the local country club. Apparently, there was never a prescribed drug that could alleviate the pain of his affliction. I know very little about the marijuana and it’s supposed benefits, but I do believe that it’s a little naive to stereotype the people who claim that there is potential good in the plant as junkies. I don’t know whether it was the associated embarrassment or his health, but after the incident he relieved himself of his duties as a deacon.
I once knew a lady with cancer, who when she went to the oncology specialist, everybody there, doctors, nurses and patients, all chatted about “The ‘M’ word”.
From their perspective, marijuana gave cancer patients six months to a year longer to fight. Time critical to their struggle, which may mean at least a chance for life.
It did give her six months, and she still lost. But it was six more months she wouldn’t have had otherwise.
So is Vicodin. And Oxycontin. I guess the latter is only ok to abuse for famous talk show hosts...
You just said it helped you. If you could do it legally, you would.. So be glad it’s not. You’re simply not strong enough to avoid it, and neither are most people. When it comes to drugs, people need to laws to protect them from them. Sad state of affairs, but it’s the truth.
Medical marijuana is not a scam. It is good for some things
But the medical marijuana industry is a scam largely.....it’s turned into a way to cop dope legally and grow it legally for large profits
and the DEA’s obsession with it is a scam too....a scam of undue attention on something RELATIVELY harmless...compared to hard drugs or even to a degree hard drinking.
with all due respect I don’t think marihuana has anything to do with surviving cancer as a cure
a subject I know a lot about from very recent experience
it can help with nausea from chemo and radiation which is good to stave weight loss...like an anti-emetic with a nice buzz
but some folks go off the Pied Piper trail extollling pot and cancer....enhances Opiods for example...maybe but I’m well acquainted with both Morphine and Pot and have not found that pot enhances Morphine....in fact I would prefer any Opiod without Pot....if one must have something mixed with Opiods for pain I’d prefer moderate alcohol and/or hypnotics which is precisely what some pain docs do for the most severe pain
It’s not the same argument Nate.
Folks abuse regulations to cop Opiods through script docs and doctor shopping
The Medical Marijuana industry in Kali and elsewhere are largely just a pretend game to provide legal pot to heads.
Surviving cancer is solely due to being able to eat, and also to keep down oral chemotherapy drugs. One of the nagging problems of cancer patients is that they are often required to consume enormous numbers of drugs orally, when they can’t even swallow water without vomiting.
Being able to eat is pretty important whether one has cancer or not.
I have been primary care giver to two family members including one who just died. Most chemo is done thru IV although some is on occasion daily oral ..maybe one pill. If the nausea is so bad the patient cannot even swallow one to three pills without vomiting most Oncologists would suspend treatment till they can prepare better.
Likwise, there are many anti-emetics today that are very effective. The biggest problem with chemo is not nausea anymore but tiredness. Tiredness that is enveloping to the point that speech is taxing.....that and some pain maybe. Surviving the poisoning of the body.
Anyone taking a handful of pills for cancer treatment is taking supplements not a handful of chemo or blood inhibiter pills.
Except in the case of a strong probability of remission, I would not opt for chemo myself. I have learned that just watching. All that agony is not worth a few months. Enjoy what one has left with family and friends, make yer peace with God and don't skimp on the narcotics or sedatives if one is apprehensive badly.
The down side is that it causes lung cancer at a higher rate than cigarettes, leads to psychosis and may promote Alzheimer’s.
Other than these reasons and that it funds organized crime, there’s really nothing wrong with it.
The lady I knew was back in the 1980s, when therapy was very different.
Today, however, there has never been a better time to fight the big C, of course, depending on the type. In addition to the conventional treatments, which keep getting better and better, there are some amazing breakthroughs in unconventional therapies as well.
For instance, just today, the Chinese announced a major breakthrough with red yeast rice concentrate, that has been independently tested by western doctors and is tentatively believed to increase survivability by as much as 2/3rds.
And they now regularly use very concentrated enemas of green tea for lower GI cancers, with considerable effect.
So even if chemo is not your bag, there might be some very real alternatives available.
Researchers say yes.
Causes cancer? that is a new one on me
Causes Psychosis? I agree- if you smoke it to excess. In moderation (like alcohol) I have never seen it. However I have seen much worse effects from excess alcohol
Funds organized crime? Also true- because it is illegal. If it was legal anyone could grow it in their backyard - it is remarkably easy and cheap. The only reason it is so expensive is that it is illegal.
talk about adding 2+2 and gettign 5 ... or 7... geez- where did I say ANY of that?
Peole who mis-read your post and then pronounce judgement about what they think about THEIR misinterpretation are getting really annoying here
Still yes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.