The issue of legalizing cannabis is one that has been on going since the discovery of the healing properites of the plant. If there were no positive effects the issue would be moot. The human body and its funcutions are one that will never be understood in its entirety, yet time has educucated us on the complexities to a great degree, from nerve recpetors to the firing of dentries, which differ from one individual to another. Enately the decision on what benifits our bodies is a concious one, just as what we wear or we we choose to live. Yes, for every rule there are exeptions--if we cannot consiouly decide, there are instruments that assist us--medically speaking. We rely on doctors who have the knowledge and power to do what is best suited for any given situation. The right passed down by our founding fathers allows each person to make a concious choice to live as we see fit as long as it is not endangering others. Why should that inate right be taken from us? It may be that the hippocratic oath needs to be reaccessed. The faith that we have in healthcare providers is blind. The goverment issues the right to take control of our needs when nesssery, but far from be it to allow the goverment to infinge upon the right to live a life that the consitution gave us in the first place. The issue of medical use and personal use are truely seperate entities. I hope that regulations continue on what power and abuse of a PHD gives, but I find it utterly contradictory to allow my right as a citizen of the United States to be regulated. I was given the right to have a private dweelling which is protected from all others, unless permission granted. It should go hand in hand that in my home I may choose to put whatever substance in my body. Futhermore if it is benificial then it's in the boundaries to my pursuit of happiness. Each and every day our rights are being infingrd upon. What will America be to my grandchildren if we don't take a stand and fight for our rights that our government has deemed to be the very fibers that make up this great nation that homes the free and the brave. The world is in crisis and much bigger issues are at hand, but if we allow one consitutional right to be bent the ends are boundless. If you want to smoke pot for whatever reason, then smoke it!

A Medical Miracle

"Cannabis is a 'wonder drug' capable of radically transforming the lives of very sick people, according to the results of the first clinical trials of the drug."

Here's someone's story about how medical marijuana changed his life:

Tyrone Castle, a former publican, started suffering from multiple sclerosis when he was 21 and became so incapacitated he needed two helpers to winch him out of bed. He also suffered from uncontrollable spasms. Cannabis has transformed his life.
'It has really helped sort out my spasms. It helps me sleep because I don't spend the night jumping about. The difference in my legs is unbelievable - they are no longer stiff as a board,' he said.

Stories like this are impossible to ignore. The fact that marijuana can give someone their life back is unbelievable. Who are we to deny people from living without pain? If smoking marijuana works for them, then let them do it! I don't think anyone deserves to live in pain and not be able to function on a day to day basis. "Life, liberty, and the persuit of happiness" These are the words from our founding fathers. Smoking marijuana allows people to have life, liberty, and happiness.

Marijuana in the Work Force

California: In an important victory for medical marijuana patients, the Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment last week approved Assembly Bill 2279 in a 6-2 vote. The measure will now go to the Assembly floor. If passed, AB 2279 would protect patients from employment discrimination on the basis of their state-licensed medical cannabis use in off-work hours. (The bill exempts workers in safety-sensitive jobs, including law enforcement). Californians are strongly encouraged to contact their Assemblymembers via NORML’s online advocacy system.

Found this on NORML's website--this is a website dedicated reforming marijuana laws. If someone is legally perscribed a medical marijuana license, they shouldn't be discriminated at work. They have a license because they have an illness of some sort that requires them to use marijuana for medicinal purposes. The work place has no right to invade the privacy of one's personal medical records. HAPPA laws prohibit any and all medical information without with a signed concent from the patient. US laws don't allow any form of discrimation, so why are they getting away with this discrimination in this particular field? I think this is unfair and goes against our civil liberties.

Myths and Facts about Marijuana…

It’s always nice to know what the real deal! So here are some facts about Mary Jane…always good to know what you’re getting into before you dive in and enjoy! I want to clear some things up and lay the facts on the line. You think you know, but you have no idea.

Myth: Marijuana can cause permanent mental illness
Fact: There is no convincing scientific evidence that says marijuana causes psychological damage or mental illness, but some people experience anxiety or paranoia after ingesting it.

Myth: Marijuana is highly addictive. Long term users experience physical dependence and often need professional drug treatment to break the habit.
Fact: Most marijuana smokers only smoke on occasion. Less then 1% smoke every day. People who smoke daily usually have no problem quitting, but some do seek medical treatment. It does not cause physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms, if any, are mild.

Myth: Marijuana is more potent today then it was in the 1960s and 1970s. Adults think today’s youth are using a stronger and more dangerous drug.
Fact: Today’s youth are smoking the same drug as adults did back in the day. Data shows that there is no increase in the average THC content of marijuana. Even if the potency did increase it wouldn’t necessarily make the drug more dangerous.

Myth: Marijuana is more damaging to the lungs than tobacco. Marijuana smokers are at high risk of getting lung cancer, bronchitis, and emphysema.
Fact: Moderate smoking causes minimal damage to the lungs. Like tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke does contain certain irritants, but marijuana smokers don’t smoke as much as tobacco smokers. Over time, they inhale less smoke then tobacco smokers. There are no reports of lung cancer directly caused by marijuana smoking. In a 2006 study, heavy users of marijuana didn’t have any increase risk of lung cancer. This is because marijuana smoke doesn’t obstruct the lung’s small airway.

http://www.mjlegal.org/gateway.html

Marijuana a Gateway Drug?!...

Gateway Theory: “Some people claim that using marijuana will make you want to use other drugs, like heroin, cocaine, LSD, amphetamines, and ecstasy. They argue that marijuana acts as a stepping stone, or a gateway, that leads people to harder drugs. They support their argument with statistics that show that most people who use hard drugs have tried marijuana before.”

My Opinion: I really don’t think marijuana is a gateway drug. It really doesn’t make you make bad decisions. I can honestly say that I’ve made some of my worst decisions while I was drinking. Drinking makes your perception or view on things distorted. Alcohol definitely alters your mind a lot more then marijuana does.
Driving stoned isn’t a good thing to do, but it’s not as bad as driving drunk. Driving drunk can cause harm to you and those around you. I think I drive better when I’m stoned-I’m more aware of what’s going on around me and I’m not in any kind of rush. I’m pretty sure there are more accidents caused by drunk drivers then by drivers who are stoned.
http://www.mjlegal.org/gateway.html

Punishment for possession or selling of marijuana varies from state to state. In California, if you’re caught with less than 28.5 grams, you get a misdemeanor, no jail time, and a $100 fine. So basically, you get a slap on the wrist. Anything over that, you will most likely get 6 months in fail and pay fine of at least $500 and have a misdemeanor on your record.
Selling any amount of marijuana is completely illegal. It’s a felony and you’ll get 2-4 years in jail. If a minor is selling and gets caught they’ll get a misdemeanor and no jail time. Any amount sold to someone under or over 14 years of age get 3-7 years in jail and a felony record.
If you’re caught growing any amount of marijuana you automatically get a felony and will spend up to 3 years in jail. I mean like that doesn’t seem like that big of deal. If people are so against it and it’s so wrong, you’d think they make it a really bad punishment or something.
With the “War on Drugs” and all concern for how marijuana is connected to crime and violence, the government sure doesn’t give too harsh of a punishment. It’s almost like its okay to have it on you, but you really shouldn’t because it is illegal.
I mean…not that I’m going to wave my pot around or leave it out in the open for people to see, whether I’m at my house or in my car or wherever, but I’m not going to be so worried about keeping it hidden or too obvious—assuming what I’ve got is under the “legal” amount!!!

Legal Information brought to you by: Legal Match

More Shenanigans...More Denial...

Marijuana is one of the most studied plants in history and “one of the safest therapeutic agents known to mankind,” direct words from DEA administrative law Judge Francis Young. He ruled that marijuana has been proven to have medical benefits in 1988.
The UN World Health Organization reported that marijuana is safer than tobacco or alcohol. There isn’t one recorded death from a marijuana overdose in medical history, but a over-the-counter drug, approved by the government known as Aspirin kills about 1,000 people a year in the United States.
Even with all this evidence, federal officials still think that we need more “recognized studies” before they can stop arresting sick people. Another problem is that they also refuse to acknowledge existing studies and have blocked repeated attempts to perform new studies. Yet they still claim that marijuana causes harm, even though all claims are hypothetical and have no proven evidence to back them up.
UuuMM…this is sounding all too familiar—my last post about the FDA denying studies like it’s their job! How can you deny something that’s been tested and proven to help people medically?

~For More Info: http://www.hr95.org/medicalmarijuana.html

FDA Denys Medical Benefit of Marijuana…

In an article in the New York Times, the FDA said that there are “no sound scientific studies” that support the medical use of marijuana, which just happens to contradict a study done in 1999 by a number of highly regard scientists.
The FDA is directly dismissing the review made by the Institute of Medicine, which is considered the nation’s most prestigious advisory agency. The review stated that marijuana is “moderately well suited for particular conditions, such as chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting and AIDS wasting.”
2006 Representative Maurice D. Hinchey, who is a New York Democrat that supports medicinal uses of marijuana, thinks the FDA is being influenced and pressured by the DEA to help them fight against the drug.
~ I’d give the address and tell you to check out the article, but it’s way too long and you need to log in. So…If you have a membership or account with the New York Times log on to their website and check out the article.

I don’t understand why the Institute of Medicine—“the nation’s most prestigious advisory agency” and “the adviser to the nation to improve health” —isn’t being taken seriously considering its credibility?! It’s an agency that the government looks to for answers when concerning health issues. The government needs to take what the institute is trying to say into some consideration.

Some useful information...

The issue of legalizing marijuana for both medicinal and recreational use is a controversial topic for a lot of people. According to NORML, only thirteen states in the US have made it legal for medical purposes. Some of the states include California, Hawaii, Arizona, and Nevada. The state laws say that marijuana can only be used to treat diseases such as arthritis, cancer, chronic pain, HIV or AIDS, seizure disorders, and muscle spasticity disorders.
The legal status of these measures is very debatable and the US government has challenged the California law several times. California’s federal law does not recognize the medical use of marijuana. They believe it’s illegal under any circumstance.
So if the federal law doesn’t think it’s legal for medical purposes, then why is medical marijuana legal? Make a decision.

~Some information brought to you by http://ask.yahoo.com/20030718.html

I've got somethin to say yo!

So I was having a convo with some friends and we saw one of those anit-marijuana commercials...so we started talking about how the commercials always make ALL stoners and pretty much anyone who smokes pot are completely useless and just become lazy pieces of you know what!! Well...I have to disagree...it's false advertising in my opinion!

Clearly I'm what they call a "stoner"...you could say I've had some experience-wonderful and quite fabulous experiences--anywayz...When I started smoking, you could say that I was taught well when it came how to smoke. I had to learn to be functional--functional and stoned at the same time! It's not that hard. In fact it's quite easy and don't understand why people can't do it!

Smoking doesn't make you completely useless...you can easily do things while being stoned--be in class, do homework, driving, family dinners, parties, being in public, etc.... you know what I couldn't do at most of those events--be buzzed or be drunk! Drinkin alcohol doesn't let you function--very well!

Point of my story or points of my story...not ALL stoners are pieces of s**t and super lazy and we (they) can function! Advertising should be a lil more realistic or maybe not discriminate against stoners. And I guess the other point I was trying to make or hint at was the whole theory behind pot being the "gateway drug"--cuz the name of that is alcohol!