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!

Pot and Prison

About one third of the prisoners in jail are in for drug-related violations. Most of these prisoners have prior records including violent crimes and other drug violations. First time offenders don’t usually go to jail for possessing marijuana, it’s the repeat offenders who spend time in jail. According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission in 1998, only 33 people sentenced for federal drug crimes involving marijuana were convicted for less then 5,000 grams. Also during 1998, 1,299 people were convicted for possessing between 100,000 and 2,999,999 grams.

To make the numbers at bit easier to understand (or in other stoner terms):
5,000 grams = 10.9 pounds = 9,965 joints
100,000 grams = 219 pounds = 199,500 joints
2,999,999 grams = 6,563 pounds = 5, 985, 285 joints

The US spends $30 billion a year on state prison systems. Drug law enforcement costs the US $20 billion a year. This “War on Drugs” is costing a lot of money, but I feel like it shouldn’t be almost as much as our prison system.
http://www.isp.state.id.us/investigations/marijuana.pdf

One small step for stoners...

Things are moving right along in Congress for stoners thanks to Representatives Barney Frank (MA) and Ron Paul (TX). According to NORML, National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, Frank and Paul have introduced H.R. 5843, an "Act to Remove Federal Penalties for Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults to the House of Representatives.

This measure, if passed, would strip the federal government of its authority to arrest responsible adult cannabis consumers. NORML founder and Legal Director Keith Stroup worked extensively with Frank’s staff to write this important legislation, which represents the first cannabis decriminalization measure introduced in Congress in 24 years.Under current federal law, the penalty for cannabis possession is up to one year imprisonment and a $1,000 fine.

So in honor of this introduction and help it pass, I’m asking and so is NORML to take some time to write your local representative and ask them to support this bill. To make life easier-NORML has the letter already written and can be emailed or printed out for mailing.
http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=11280301&type=CO

Cops are Hypocrites

Talk about hypocritical…this cop got busted for stealing pot from criminals, goes home and makes brownies for him and his wife, calls 911 and claims that they are overdosing and might be dying. So after all of that, the cop resigns and doesn’t get in trouble of course. The article stated that “The AP reports that Sanchez managed to avoid criminal prosecution, even though he admitted taking the marijuana and, with his wife, baking it into brownies.”

If I did the same thing I’d probably go to jail or least have to pay the wonderful government a decent amount of money. “It’s fair to say that many people who face similar circumstances in this country see a substantially different outcome, including arrest, court, prosecution, fines, jail and prison time. Then there is always probation, and private corporations offering counseling that a person is mandated to attend and pay for.” I mean really, what is that about? SO NOT FAIR!!!
Check out the news video and read this article:
http://salem-news.com/articles/may182007/cop_brownies_51807.php

Medical Marijuana Vending Machine

This is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. How awesome would that be to buy marijuana out of a vending machine?! I think it’s a great solution and it makes life easier for those who need to purchase, especially if it’s in the middle of the night. It’s completely safe and takes precautions: personal card, video, photograph, etc. This way the store can keep track of their customers and not just anyone can use it. Now if only marijuana was legal and this vending machine was out on the streets—instead of buying a can of soda, I’d be buying cannabis. Cannabis is much healthier then a can of soda anyways!