Medical Pot a Political Ploy, Bush Drug Czar Says

The Associated Press ^ | August 15, 2003

[robertpaulsen]

PORTLAND -- Drug czar John Walters said Thursday that medical marijuana is being used as a political ploy to support efforts to legalize marijuana in a state where it already poses the most serious drug abuse problem for teenagers.

Walters said about 25 percent of teens in the metro area who report drug abuse problems say they are dependent on marijuana, compared with 15 percent who report alcohol abuse.

[robertpaulsen]

"Raley noted that Oregon law differs from California by restricting marijuana cultivation to the patients who use it."

Oh, really? From another article I posted:

"Plaster said the problem is that the law doesn't limit the number of cardholders another person, or caregiver, can grow the plant for."

So who's right?

[Skooz]

I'll go ahead and get this out of the way before the bullets start flying:

What about CHEESEBURGERS?? Shouldn't they be made illegal?? Cheeseburgers kill!!! Quick, bring up the CHEESEBURGER argument!!!!

[MrLeRoy]

Oxycontin is abused, and (unlike marijuana) can kill---so should it not be available to patients whose doctors recommend it?

[robertpaulsen]

You're messin' up my nice clean thread. First, Skooz want to ban cheeseburgers, now you're questioning Oxycontin.

Three posts, three different subjects. Difficult to defend medical marijuana?

[Jim Noble]

"Medical" marijuana is a scam, and that fact is neutral with regard to whether or not pot should be legal.

It is a mistake to allow false assertions about medicine to drive a policy debate.

People want to get high-it's fine by me. But that has NOTHING to do with my professional expertise.

[mr.pink]

I agree fully that the "Medical Marijuana" movement is a political ploy. The folks I've seen out lobbying for it in my neighborhood look like leftovers from last night's Pfish concert.

But while that sort just want to get high, the folks who really need the door opened via "Med mari" loophole are the professional classes who don't want to risk their careers just because they like to smoke weed.

I find the stealth qualities of this movement dishonest and cowardly. A bit like how in the partial birth abortion debate alot of pro-PBAs hide behind the "healh of the mother" language, where everyone with half a brain knows that that is a loophole easily navigable by the very best of oceanliners.

BTW- I support the legalization of marijuana, but find it hard to garner respect for those lobbying for something while knowing it's a ruse.

[4Freedom]

There is no need for a patient to smoke marijuana. THC and all other derivatives are available in tablet and liquid form by prescription. They have been for years.

[doberville]

So, you're very interested in avoiding medical marijuana.
What's it to you?

[Skooz]

You want a WOD (which all these quickly degenerate into) to actually stick to the subject of the post?

What you smokin'?

Actually, I admire your optimism.

Medical marijuana is, without question, a ploy used by shrewd NORML types to destigmatize iilegal drugs. Kind of a backdoor way to legalization. They put forth the reasonable proposition that marijuana may help with some side effects of chemotherapy, but their ultimate aim is "Dude, I'm feelin' kinda gnarly today. Think I'll spark one up."

[Skooz]

Correction:

You want a WOD (which all these quickly degenerate into) = You want a WOD thread (which all these quickly degenerate into)

[jmc813]

WOD Ping

[robertpaulsen]

Care to guess the #1 reason for recommending medical marijuana? Did you guess glaucoma? Nausea fron cancer/chemotherapy? AIDS wasting?

#1 reason? Pain.

"Data from (the GAO report for) Hawaii and Oregon also showed that about 75 percent -- and more than 80 percent respectively -- of the physicians' recommendations were for severe pain and conditions associated with muscle spasms ..."
-- cannabisnews.com

[jmc813]

The folks I've seen out lobbying for it in my neighborhood look like leftovers from last night's Pfish concert.

First of all, it's Phish. Second of all, who, pray tell, are some of your favorite artists?

[jmc813]

Medical marijuana is, without question, a ploy used by shrewd NORML types to destigmatize iilegal drugs.

Are you calling the several FReepers who have either used MM themselves or had a close family member use it liars?

[MrLeRoy]

Difficult to defend medical marijuana?

Not at all---what's difficult to defend is Walters' claim that "sick and dying people are being used as a political prop to legalize marijuana", which is no more true of marijuana than of Oxycontin.

[Skooz]

I smoked dope for 12 years. It never had any effect on my physical pain whatsoever. I did notice that if I had a bad cold, it would either make me feel much better or much worse. But, that is just my anecdotal knowledge. Just my experience.

[MrLeRoy]

"Medical" marijuana is a scam

False.

"there are patients with debilitating symptoms for whom smoked marijuana might provide relief. [...] Until a nonsmoked rapid-onset cannabinoid drug delivery system becomes available, we acknowledge that there is no clear alternative for people suffering from chronic conditions that might be relieved by smoking marijuana, such as pain or AIDS wasting."
- Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base (1999), Institute of Medicine

[Skooz]

Are you calling the several FReepers who have either used MM themselves or had a close family member use it liars?

Oh, lighten up. I am specifically addressing the leaders of the MM movement. The people who populate the airwaves advocating it. I never said MM does not have some benefit to some people, I stated that the ultimate aim of the MM advocacy groups is total legalization, but they will never admit to it.

[MrLeRoy]

THC and all other derivatives are available in tablet and liquid form by prescription.

Nausea patients sometimes have a hard time keeping oral drugs down; and smoked marijuana is more easily titrated (according to the Institute of Medicine).

[MrLeRoy]

"Data from (the GAO report for) Hawaii and Oregon also showed that about 75 percent -- and more than 80 percent respectively -- of the physicians' recommendations were for severe pain and conditions associated with muscle spasms ..."

So people with severe pain should just take it for the War On Some Drugs?