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Medical Marijuana - Welcome to the club Washington DC

I could write for days and days about this but for brevity's sake, here's how I feel:

Marijuana should be legal. Prohibition DOES NOT WORK. The war on drugs is a miserable failure. We're spending money to put innocent people in jail when we could be making billions in through legalization/taxation and the hemp industry.

Pot prohibition was founded on greed, lies, and racism. There is absolutely no reason that it should still be illegal today.

Marijuana was a plant and a medicine for thousands of years; it has been illegal for around 70. I don't know about anyone else but I would much rather smoke some pot than pump my body full of chemicals and synthetics. Legalize it!
 
Teddy Roosevelt said:
I call shenanigans on this. You can become addicted to absolutely anything and everything, regardless of any chemical reward. Every stoner I've ever known has claimed there's no withdrawal... and then guess what happens when they go a week without their precious weed? "Bawwwwwwwwwww, it's been soooo long since I got high, I would do anything to smoke out right nowwww".
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I WAS one of those "potheads" back in my teens and 20's, until I got pregnant with my son. I quit without any withdrawals or a feeling of NEEDING to smoke pot. I also smoke cigarettes and have tried quiting MANY times. You cannot compare the 2. Marijuana is not addictive at all. I smoked it on a daily basis for almost 10 years. If that isn't long enough to know if its addictive or not then I don't know how long is.
I have been around people who still smoke marijuana and I have no feelings of needing or wanting to take a hit off their joint. Cigerettes on the other hand when I tried quiting, if I were around it boy there was this intense NEED to have one for myself.
Please, don't try to said something is addictive by spouting nonsense "studies" that are merely opinions. Try talking to people and researching actual studies before stating something is fact.
 
tyflier said:
I wouldn't either. But if I had to choose, I would choose stoned over drunk or hungover. I think either case should be grounds for loss of medical license, but the point I was trying to make was that doctors regularly drink while "on call", and often show up for office appointements after some morning Bloody Marys on the golf course. I wasn't saying a stoned doctor would be good. Absolutely not. But certainly no worse than a drunk doctor...
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Umm. Most physicians these days don't drink alcohol while "on call" and almost NONE who aren't alcoholics and going to lose their licenses soon are going to show up at the office after drinking at the golf course.

Other than that I agree with you about the topic of the thread.
 
There is nothing medicinal about taking smoke into your lungs. If the effects of components in marijuana prove medicinal then extract them and prescribe them but to inhale them isn't helping make you better.

I smoked pot from age 13 to 23. It made me, ummmmmm..... I forgot what I was saying..... oh yeah, forget what I was saying. It made me think I was flying while going 40mph in the fast lane, it made me eat red raspberry jelly right out of the jar, it made me think, "pot ain't all that bad, grown ups don't know sh*t, sure I'll snort that line!" It made my heart race, it made me paranoid, and at least while high, it made me completely unmotivated and IT MADE ME STUPID. But that's just me!

I don't know the scientific facts so while there may not be actual withdrawl, hit the bong a few times at 2:00 and see if you ain't crashing by 7:00.
 
dwyn127 said:
There is nothing medicinal about taking smoke into your lungs. If the effects of components in marijuana prove medicinal then extract them and prescribe them but to inhale them isn't helping make you better.

I smoked pot from age 13 to 23. It made me, ummmmmm..... I forgot what I was saying..... oh yeah, forget what I was saying. It made me think I was flying while going 40mph in the fast lane, it made me eat red raspberry jelly right out of the jar, it made me think, "pot ain't all that bad, grown ups don't know sh*t, sure I'll snort that line!" It made my heart race, it made me paranoid, and at least while high, it made me completely unmotivated and IT MADE ME STUPID. But that's just me!

I don't know the scientific facts so while there may not be actual withdrawl, hit the bong a few times at 2:00 and see if you ain't crashing by 7:00.
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You're definitely in the minority here. You're over exaggerating the effects, which is what a) gives the rest of us a bad name and 2) is keeping marijuana illegal. First off, I would never condone driving while in any altered state of mind. Maybe a high driver is a little less of a risk than a drunk driver but it's still a stupid idea in any case. Pot isn't the reason you "snorted that line." There has been no supporting evidence whatsoever that marijuana is a gateway drug, like you've just made it out to be. That's your own poor decision. Yes it makes your heart race and your eyes red and, if you're in an environment that is not conducive to your high, you might experience some paranoia. Nothing an experienced head can't deal with. And yes, it is just you and a vast minority that become unmotivated and stupid. Personally, I enjoy quite a boost in cognitive function and ability. I can concentrate better, I think deeper, and I couldn't even begin to list the things I've accomplished while high; not just me, but nearly every other smoker with whom I've come into contact.

I also find it laughable that you mention "crashing." That's not how it works. A high gradually wears off, it doesn't just end. Yeah, maybe you'd notice that a few hours have passed and you're not high anymore, but that does not constitute withdrawl. A cigarette smoker or an alcoholic might crave or feel the need for another cigarette or another drink, but a pothead out of weed just thinks, "bummer, man...I'll have to pick up another bag some time soon," and goes about their life. All your anecdotal evidence is doing is giving the rest of us responsible users a bad name.
 
dwyn127 said:
I smoked pot from age 13 to 23. It made me, ummmmmm..... I forgot what I was saying..... oh yeah, forget what I was saying. It made me think I was flying while going 40mph in the fast lane, it made me eat red raspberry jelly right out of the jar, it made me think, "pot ain't all that bad, grown ups don't know sh*t, sure I'll snort that line!" It made my heart race, it made me paranoid, and at least while high, it made me completely unmotivated and IT MADE ME STUPID. But that's just me!
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So if it was "just you," why should it matter what other adults do in the privacy of their own homes? NOBODY here is condoning the act of driving high so I'm not sure why your anecdote about that is relevant; all it shows me is that you did not use marijuana responsibly. Not everyone turns into a zombie who indiscriminately eats all their condiments, and the fact that you used the relative harmlessness of pot as a justification for doing harder drugs was entirely YOUR decision and more a reflection of the failure of the war on drugs than anything else.

I have never understood the whole "gateway drug" theory anyway. If people want to try harder drugs they're going to regardless of whether or not they have used marijuana in the past. Personally, I was into much harder drugs way before I starting smoking pot. It didn't interest me as much as those other drugs did so I didn't use it much until later in my life when I finally got fed up with having withdrawals and spending hundreds of dollars to keep myself from getting sick and crashing. Believe me when I say that wanting to smoke after not doing so for a week or going to sleep 5 hours after you hit the bong are NOT withdrawal symptoms in the least. In fact, during that period of my life I pretty much only smoked pot as a way to help me get through the withdrawals. Eventually I realized that it was doing wonders for my otherwise crippling anxiety, my panic attacks, and my insomnia...and the rest is history. I would MUCH rather deal with some sleepiness and pizza cravings over all the nasty side-effects & addictive qualities of the benzos and SSRIs I tried in the past. If you run out Xanax, you can have a seizure. If you run out of pot, you save some money on take-out. Which is more harmful?

It's fine if you don't want to use marijuana, but please at least do your research before demonizing it and implying that people who use it are lazy and irresponsible.
 
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/drug

"Any article, other than food, intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of humans or other animals."

And you know what, Chuck? I knew someone who's grandma smoked almost her ENTIRE life and never got cancer... must mean cigarettes don't cause cancer! Yup, one situation is enough to base an entire opinion on.

You really can't deny that smoking pot can cause cancer. Memory loss, paranoia, depression, psychosis are all temporary effects, and like I said not something I want to experience for even a LITTLE while.

Taking THC in other ways takes out the risk of cancer, but doesn't stop it from all of the negative effects.

I still say it should be used medically, and NEVER recreationally. Prohibition was done very abruptly, and pretty stupidly if you ask me. I'd like to see a slow withdraw of cigarettes, alcohol, and pot from the US. I'd also like to see support groups set up all over the country to help people deal with quitting.
 
VickyChaiTea said:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/drug

"Any article, other than food, intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of humans or other animals."
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A plant that has medicinal properties is very different than a manufactured, extracted, or altered plant used as medicine. Name one other plant that is regulated by the Federal Government as a Class A Controlled Substance in it's natural state. Just one...that's all I ask...

And you know what, Chuck? I knew someone who's grandma smoked almost her ENTIRE life and never got cancer... must mean cigarettes don't cause cancer! Yup, one situation is enough to base an entire opinion on.
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Actually, it is easily the minority that shows addiction and withdrawal. It is also the minority that shows paranoia and psychosis. What you seem to be missing is that all of your fears over the "deadly marijuana" are not even statistically relevant when you look at the actual data, rather than the Anti-Drug Commission's perception of the data. Read the research in the links on the NORML page that I gave you. Even the research that is designed to show how dangerous it is does not support the claims you are making. Do everyone in this topic a favor, and start to base you complaints on actual evidence, rather than anecdotal paranoia and opinions.

You really can't deny that smoking pot can cause cancer. Memory loss, paranoia, depression, psychosis are all temporary effects, and like I said not something I want to experience for even a LITTLE while.
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Smoking ANYTHING can cause cancer. Walking down the street in any major US city can cause cancer. Eating food with FDC Red #9 can cause cancer. Walking into any building that hasn't been renovated since 1983 can cause cancer. Your exposure to carcinogens is greater in your daily routine than it is after smoking a joint.

Memory loss, paranoia, and psychosis are temporary effects found only in a small minority of research test subjects. If you don't ever want to experience it, don't ever take the chance and smoke a joint. Making something illegal based on statistically irrelavant data is senseless.

Taking THC in other ways takes out the risk of cancer, but doesn't stop it from all of the negative effects.
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What negative side effects? Oh, you mean the negative side effects experienced by less than 20% of all test subjects? Those side effects? A higher pecentage of individuals experience adverse reactions to the flu shot on a yearly basis...

I still say it should be used medically, and NEVER recreationally. Prohibition was done very abruptly, and pretty stupidly if you ask me. I'd like to see a slow withdraw of cigarettes, alcohol, and pot from the US. I'd also like to see support groups set up all over the country to help people deal with quitting.
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When are you going to realize that forbidding grown adults from altering their perception is not going to work? People smoke and drink because we enjoy it. It feels good to have a beer, smoke a joint, or have a cigarrette. Human beings are creatures of pleasure, and as such, we will always seek out ways to feel pleasure. Tobacco and alcohol are 2 very destructive, and perfectly legal methods of accomplishing this.

Marijuana is a MUCH less destructive method that is currently outlawed because of very ridiculous myths created from governmental paranoia. Wake up, and give grown adults the ability to decide for themselves if the risks associated with recreational marijuana use outweigh the benefits or not.

Nobody will ever require you to smoke a joint. Nobody will ever take away your right to decide for yourself that pot, tobacco and alcohol are not something you wish to try. Stop for bidding me, and stop trying to run MY life without my permission.

That's all anyone is asking...
 
Vicky, first off, learn to spell and do grammar checks. My name is CHUK, not Chuck. Second, do you have grandma's medical history to know she never had cancer? Most people tend to lie about their medical history or never bother going to the doctor. As far as temporary side effects go, what about alcohol, cough medicine, etc. You are ignorant to the facts. You need to go to hulu and watch "The Emperor Wears No Clothes". Maybe then you can gain some insight on the conversation. You have no basis for your argument and yet you continue. If you knew exactly what everyone does when no one is watching, you would be shocked. Half of the legal system(if not more) is made up of cokeheads and alcoholics. I'm done with this subject for today. Take your 19 year old lack of knowledge and.......you know. Chime in when you have an intelligent argument supported by facts, not opinion. Which is basically not anytime soon........
 
tyflier said:
Go ahead. I'm sure they already know. But if you look at clinical addictions, not just your personal, inexperienced opinion, the physiological addiction to opium is very mild compared to synthetic opiates. Do some research...


So what? It's the SMOKE that causes cancer...NOT the plant. Just because people CHOOSE to smoke it does NOT change the fact that marijuana itself is not a carcinogenic. Smoke is.

Read the research. Whether you are convinced or not, the research speaks for itself.


Addiction, by definition, requires physiological symptoms of withdrawal. Without this withdrawal, there is no addiction. Marijuana does not have a physically addicting chemical reaction. Just because your friends are stoners does not mean marijuana is addicting.

The experience you describe is purely a mental habituation. Hook them up, check their pulse, brain waves, heart rate, respiration, and metabolic rate, and you will see no difference between a person who smokes, and a person suddenly without. there is no addiction. This is not a matter of opinion. This is a fact.



NOBODY claimed that cancer was "slowed" by weed. It isn't. Cancer is associated weith a multitude of painful and detrimental symptoms, as is chemo-therapy. Marijuana is very good at relieving a good percentage of these symptoms, including pain, sleeplessness, nausea, lack of appetite, and vomiting. If you ease these symptoms, the patient has stronger recuperative abilities.


And you expect me to believe that you aren't biased? Just because all of your 15 year old friends smoke too much, too often, and can't control themselves does not mean that grown adults are the same. If recreational marijuana is legalized, it will be regulated much like alcohol, and unavailable to you and your friends. This is BECAUSE children should not be using it.


That's not a choice, it's the law. Become an adult.


So? Your friends are not the average, the normal, or the net result of people that use marijuana. Your experience is incredibly minimal, and your viewpoint is, therefor, incredibly narrow minded.


Nobody ever said pot wasn't harmful because it is natural. NOBODY. Pot isn't harmful because research has shown that it isn't harmful. It has nothing to do with it being natural.

I said it is an herb, not a drug, in referance to it being called "an illegal drug". It shouldn't be, in my op-inion. And research supports this.


You have no idea what you are talking about. You are a child.
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chuk_138 said:
Vicky, first off, learn to spell and do grammar checks. My name is CHUK, not Chuck. Second, do you have grandma's medical history to know she never had cancer? Most people tend to lie about their medical history or never bother going to the doctor. As far as temporary side effects go, what about alcohol, cough medicine, etc. You are ignorant to the facts. You need to go to hulu and watch "The Emperor Wears No Clothes". Maybe then you can gain some insight on the conversation. You have no basis for your argument and yet you continue. If you knew exactly what everyone does when no one is watching, you would be shocked. Half of the legal system(if not more) is made up of cokeheads and alcoholics. I'm done with this subject for today. Take your 19 year old lack of knowledge and.......you know. Chime in when you have an intelligent argument supported by facts, not opinion. Which is basically not anytime soon........
Click to expand...

Here we go again. You've run out of actual arguments so you're switching to "YEAH WELL UR YOUNG SO SHUT UP". And some of you actually wonder why Rich removed the age bar on posts. When I talk about stoners, I don't just mean my 17 and 18 year old "friends" (since you've all decided to call them that); I also mean my 40 to 50 year old friends, and 20 to the 30 year olds. The amount of people I know who have ever admitted to still using marijuana past their teens drops significantly from 20 to 30 and is almost nonexistant from 40 to 50. I'm sure an unbiased study on the demographics of marijuana users vs age would prove true to my statements. And speaking of studies, where is this "research" that will open my eyes to the magic of pot? Show me an article from an accredited medical journal, and I'll read it.

By the way, it IS a choice. You've lived a sheltered life if you think that drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes aren't readily available at any decent party or friend. I can't even count all the times during my high school career where I had to defend myself for NOT doing those things.
 
VickyChaiTea said:
I still say it should be used medically, and NEVER recreationally. Prohibition was done very abruptly, and pretty stupidly if you ask me. I'd like to see a slow withdraw of cigarettes, alcohol, and pot from the US. I'd also like to see support groups set up all over the country to help people deal with quitting.
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It's my body, it's my choice; like I said, prohibition DOES NOT WORK in any situation. There is a psychological concept known as reactance that will (hopefully) help you to understand WHY it doesn't work. Stop trying to categorize marijuana with other more harmful substances and citing its least common effects as "proof." The marijuana industry is enormous, and it would be even more enormous being legalized and regulated. And if you're going to keep arguing against it, please at least back up your arguments with facts, numbers, and real evidence.
 
Lexie, I think the age demographics on using marijuana might surprise you. As well as city to city to town, and state to state.

But the bigger picture here, my friend, I think is this, and I will relate it in first person as best I can so as not to insinuate or insult these being anyone else's feelings :
When I was in high school, on the inside, I was always wondering what the "cool" kids were doing, and why was I such a dork for not doing it. On the outside I made my pronouncements like they were universally correct, and made me feel OK, and usually condemning anyone unlike me.
As I grew somewhat older, what was/is cool and uncool has flip-flopped so much...that sometimes I found myself all over the board.
As I have grown even older, I feel at peace in my skin, pretty much out of touch with what is cool for the 45-50 y/o age group,....and I have friends similar, as well as very different, from me,....that I do not need to classify in black or white, right or wrong.

Lexie, you are bright, and my money is on you, over time, coming to a deep understanding of exactly what I have just said.
 
Shiraa said:
You're definitely in the minority here.
I can live with that.
You're over exaggerating the effects,
No, I haven't. Go back and reread my post. Although my effects probably speak for more people than you may think, NEVER did I speak of anyone's experience but my own.
which is what a) gives the rest of us a bad name and 2) is keeping marijuana illegal.
I take responsibility for my "name". I'm not that powerful to be responsible for the good name of all you responsible smokers nevermind keeping it illegal.
First off, I would never condone driving while in any altered state of mind. Maybe a high driver is a little less of a risk than a drunk driver but it's still a stupid idea in any case.
On this we both agree.
Pot isn't the reason you "snorted that line."
Again, I speak for myself and yes, having minimal consequences from pot did make it easier for me to justify trying coke.
Yes it makes your heart race and your eyes red and, if you're in an environment that is not conducive to your high, you might experience some paranoia. Nothing an experienced head can't deal with.
All in the name of recreation.
And yes, it is just you and a vast minority that become unmotivated and stupid.
Yup, just me and Cheech and Chong.
Personally, I enjoy quite a boost in cognitive function and ability. I can concentrate better, I think deeper, and I couldn't even begin to list the things I've accomplished while high; not just me, but nearly every other smoker with whom I've come into contact.
:roflmao: ...sorry, couldn't help it.
All your anecdotal evidence is doing is giving the rest of us responsible users a bad name.
If I didn't know better, I'd say you were paraniod. :rolleyes:
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*************
 
requin said:
So if it was "just you," why should it matter what other adults do in the privacy of their own homes?
Go back and reread my post. I spoke of "me", never did I express an opinion on anybody else.
and the fact that you used the relative harmlessness of pot as a justification for doing harder drugs was entirely YOUR decision
Yes!! That's what I said!
and more a reflection of the failure of the war on drugs than anything else.
????:confused:
It's fine if you don't want to use marijuana, but please at least do your research before demonizing it and implying that people who use it are lazy and irresponsible.
:headbang: Again, go back and reread my post. NEVER did I demonize or imply anything about anyone except speak of MY OWN experience. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were paranoid.

Wooo, dejavu...:grin01:
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***********
 
LOL Eric. Danny I agree some people experience more severe reactions than others. I have a friend who would get panic attacks every time she smoked and therefore it's not for her. However, I look at it like any other drug- there is always a list of possible side effects, but the majority of people do not experience them all let alone one in most cases. I think if regulated just like our legal pharmaceuticals people would quickly see if THC effected them in these ways and look for other treatments- no drug works the same for everyone. Your experience may not be common, but sure others have had similar experiences:)
 
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