cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Can Solve Your Problem 





Marijuana Can Solve Your Problem 
Posted by CN Staff on March 01, 2005 at 21:52:24 PT
By Calista Schenk
Source: GSU Signal
If our government were truly concerned about rescuing our economy, it would legalize marijuana. It is already a prime cash crop (nationally it is the fourth largest), and an increase in usage would also bolster the fast food industry. If combating terrorism were the primary goal, our government would legalize marijuana. There is that government-funded commercial saying that buying marijuana supports terrorism because the money goes to Al Qaeda.
Now half the marijuana consumed in the United States is grown domestically, and the major foreign sources are Mexico, Colombia, Canada, and Jamaica, but the minute percentage that funds terrorism would be eliminated if Americans had no reason to use foreign sources. There! I solved that tear-jerking problem for the DEA. I could go on, but I want to focus on the main issue of this column, one that is more important to me than the economy or terrorism: medicine.A plethora of scientific research has found that marijuana is a highly versatile drug. It can be used in comprehensive treatment plans for multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, cancer, HIV/AIDS, chronic neuropathic pain, Tourette’s Syndrome, glaucoma, Alzheimer’s, anorexia, fibromyalgia, arthritis, post-traumatic stress disorder, endometriosis. There are literally hundreds of medical and psychological conditions marijuana can assuage. It selectively kills cancer cells, acts as an antioxidant, and reduces inflammation and pain, which are just a few of its positive effects.Some people point out that marijuana also has negative effects. It releases carcinogens when smoked — although this effect can be circumvented by the use of a vaporizer, which heats (but does not burn) the marijuana to a temperature that releases the active ingredient THC. Its effects on heart rate and the brain also raise concern, but what legal medicine is free of side effects? Every drug out there used to treat medical conditions has side effects, but the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. If marijuana causes a tumor to go into remission, isn’t some memory impairment acceptable?Drugs that contain selected components of marijuana or allow it to be taken orally (in pill form) have been found to not be as effective for some conditions such as vaporized, inhaled Cannabis sativa. In 2001, U.K.-based GW Pharmaceuticals noted “extracts of cannabis provide greater relief of pain than the equivalent amount of cannabinoid given as a single chemical entity.”Currently, marijuana is a Schedule I drug in the United States. This classification means that there is no accepted medical use for marijuana (despite all the evidence to the contrary), and it has a high potential for abuse (although it is less addictive than both alcohol and tobacco). Other Schedule I drugs include LSD, heroin and mescaline. Schedule II drugs also have a high potential for abuse but are appropriate treatments for certain medical conditions. Cocaine, morphine and dextroamphetamine fall under Schedule II. What this means is that your 7-year-old child can take amphetamine so that he can sit still in class, but your 70-year-old grandmother cannot smoke marijuana to alleviate the nausea and pain associated with her cancer and chemotherapy treatment. Marinol, a marijuana derivative, is a Schedule III drug, which means it is more legal than marijuana, but it is not as effective in treating various conditions. In 2001 in the International Journal of Drug Policy, Harvard psychiatrist Lester Grinspoon, M.D., stated that he had not found “a patient who has used both smoked marijuana and Marinol who finds the latter more useful. The most common reason for using Marinol is the illegality of marijuana, and many patients choose to ignore the law when they believe that the difference between the two puts their health, comfort or economic well-being at risk.”I know that our nation is not necessarily fond of policies based on science (evolution and stem cell research, anyone?), but when the only barrier to a drug that offers so much while costing so little is legality, couldn’t we make an exception? Everyone has or has had a friend or family member suffer from a condition that could be treated by marijuana. If other treatments had failed your friend or relative and you knew that clinical trials had shown that marijuana was an effective treatment, what would you do? Source: GSU Signal, The (GA Edu)Author: Calista SchenkPublished: March 02, 2005 Copyright: 2005 The GSU SignalWebsite: http://www.gsusignal.com/Contact: spilkington gsusignal.comCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #24 posted by dongenero on March 03, 2005 at 08:44:06 PT
nuceular
Of course, this is in deference to our eloquent leader.
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Comment #23 posted by dongenero on March 03, 2005 at 08:25:51 PT
Sukoi
That King County , Washington Bar Association plan for drug policy reform is an amazing plan.At the end of the article it is stated: "If this gets any kind of legs, the federal government will go nuclear."Actually, it should probably read ".....the federal government will go nuceular."
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Comment #22 posted by fearfull on March 03, 2005 at 06:20:27 PT
Perhaps
Perhaps what we all need to start doing is to say a little prayer before we toke up. Something like: "We thank you dear lord for this wonderful herb. We thank you for allowing us another day, another breath, another buzz. We ask you to bless it and us. Amen!" 
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Comment #21 posted by Hope on March 02, 2005 at 19:28:17 PT
Sukoi
No apology necessary. Your post is truly exciting.My exclamation was just over seeing old Leo show up on That 70's Show. I didn't read any previous comments before I posted. All the exclamations were just a coincidence. Hopefully, we'll have a lot more reasons for happy exclamations in the near future. It would be nice.Chong really looked happy to be back or I should say, he looked happy to be out and back and he had the aura of someone who knows that a lot of people really cared about what happened to him.It was nice to see him.It's good to have some moments of positive excitement...although I am trying to stay as level headed about the bills in Texas as I can be. I can't bear the let down so I won't allow myself to get too up and then have to be sooo miserable. I'm tickled about the bills...but cynical, too. I've learned to be that way the hard way.I'm hopeful but I'm trying to stay calm and hope for the best. There is so much that goes on in government that is just not about doing the right thing. I don't trust most of them to do the right thing. There are, of course, already some legislators trying to do the right thing...but sadly they are all too often in the minority. Experience tells me that there might not be enough of our legislators with the guts or power to carry this thing across the finish line...or at least past one of the goals. Actually, I don't have any confidence in them, as a whole, at all. It'll be a wonderful surprise if they do the right thing and move us nearer more rational drug policy.
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Comment #20 posted by Sukoi on March 02, 2005 at 18:08:45 PT
Sorry Hope
I just couldn't contain myself, as this is a very good happening!
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Comment #19 posted by Hope on March 02, 2005 at 17:55:58 PT
Siege
That's wonderful news about your granddaughter. I'm so happy for all of you.
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Comment #18 posted by Hope on March 02, 2005 at 17:50:38 PT
!!!
Never saw so many exclamations in a row at CNews.For a change, they aren't punctuating anger.That's good.:-)
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Comment #17 posted by mayan on March 02, 2005 at 17:25:19 PT
miscellaneous
Great article! Once people realize how amazing the cannabis plant is(industrial hemp,also) they begin to understand just why the greedheads want to eradicate it!Thanks for the links,Sukoi and Taylor121!Sorry if this has been posted...Senate endorses three medical marijuana bills(NM)
http://www.kobtv.com/index.cfm?viewer=storyviewer&id=17531&cat=POLITICSHere's Molly Ivins' take on the smear-campaign against the AARP... They're at it again:
http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/1/2005/1079The wars aren't just about oil...Afghan heroin crop threatens to flood UK:
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/crime/story.jsp?story=615995The draft is coming... Selective Service Ready To Restore The Draft:
http://rense.com/general63/draft.htmNO DRAFT,NO WAY!:
http://www.nodraftnoway.org/THE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...On-the-Record: Representative Cynthia McKinney Rocks
Rumsfeld on War Games:
http://copvcia.com/free/ww3/030105_mckinney_question.shtml#0Other Fires in Steel-Structure Buildings:
http://www.serendipity.li/wot/other_fires/other_fires.htm9/11 on Trial - WTC Revisited:
http://batr.org/view/022805.html
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Comment #16 posted by Hope on March 02, 2005 at 17:13:58 PT
off topic
Leo's back!
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Comment #15 posted by Taylor121 on March 02, 2005 at 17:07:58 PT
Fox News just had Dutton on Texas Decrim, ACTION!
Fox Report With Shepard Smith just had a segment interviewing the lead sponsor Rep. Dutton (D) a Houston Texas lawmaker trying to reduce penalties of small amounts of marijuana to a fine only offense. Some Republicans are behind the proposal, although one other Rep (R) Fox interviewed said Dutton's bill goes too far. Gimmie a break, it reduces it to a class C, not a civil infraction. How does it go too far when use doesn't even go up in the states that make it a civil infraction? They reported it would reduce penalties for 2 ounces, but in reality the bill would lessen penalties to a fine for less than an ounce, and maintain penalties for cases that are over 1 ounce and less than 2.It is imperative that you contact your elected officials as soon as humanly possible AND you spread this action alert to other Texans that would be willing to support this. MPP's alert
https://ssl.capwiz.com/mpp/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=6928941NORML's alert:
http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=6847791&type=STIs it imperative that you take action to let your reps know that you fully support this bill. Also please take action and let Fox News know that HB 254 would not reduce penalties for amounts greater than an ounce and up to as much as 2 ounces, rather it simply modifies the sentencing category by making less than an ounce a $500 fine, but keeps all other penalties static.Comments foxnews.comEmail Fox and let them know!
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Comment #14 posted by Sukoi on March 02, 2005 at 17:03:59 PT
WOW, This is AWESOME!!!
Big News! King County Bar Association tells Washington State to defy Feds and Completely Revolutionize Drug Policyhttp://blogs.salon.com/0002762/2005/03/02.html#a800
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Comment #13 posted by cannabliss on March 02, 2005 at 16:37:02 PT
Slightly OT - Re: Bumper Sticker
http://www.lestdarknessfall.com/Pages/gun_rights.htm#POLICEHAVENODUTYTOPROTECT
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Comment #12 posted by siege on March 02, 2005 at 16:15:01 PT
O T 
*Approximately 8% of all hospital admissions in the U.S. are due to adverse reactions to synthetic drugs. That's a minimum of 2,000,000. At least 100,000 people a year die from them. That's just in the U.S., and that's a conservative estimate. That means at least three times as many people are killed in the U.S. by pharmaceutical drugs as are killed by drunken drivers. Thousands die each year from supposedly "safe" over-the-counter remedies. Deaths or hospitalizations due to herbs are so rare that they're hard to find. The U.S. National Poison Control Centers does not even have a category in their database for adverse reactions to herbs.*
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Comment #11 posted by runderwo on March 02, 2005 at 15:07:37 PT
Easy
"I know that they will ignore and rationalize any argument we could present, but how can you argue with God? How can any truely believing Christian accept the situation as it is?"God created everything that the fundamentalist judges to be good, and the devil created everything else.Or else you could use the whole "forbidden fruit" argument.The best way to counter these people is to contradict them with their own scripture and hope that while floundering for rationalization, they'll realize that they are the ones dealing judgement onto you instead of God, and hopefully realize how wrong that is.
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on March 02, 2005 at 12:53:09 PT
Heads Up: Tommy Chong on That 70s Show!!!
Next up on "That '70s Show" Eric decides to hit the road as a documentary filmmaker but his plan goes off track when he gets a flat tire and he runs into his old friend Leo. Tommy Chong guest stars this Wednesday, March 2, at 8:00PM (7pm CT) on FOXhttp://www.that70sshow.com/
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Comment #9 posted by siege on March 02, 2005 at 10:26:47 PT
Coalition for Higher Education Act Reform (CHEAR)
Ask the Senate to Repeal the HEA Drug Provisionhttp://ga0.org/campaign/hea_senate_109th/kg5kxd405535tk
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Comment #8 posted by siege on March 02, 2005 at 10:11:57 PT
COPTIC CHRISTIAN
COPTIC CHRISTIAN (Egypt/Ethiopia) Some sects believe the sacred "green herb of the field" in the Bible ("I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more." 
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on March 02, 2005 at 09:53:27 PT
fearfull 
I believe that God doesn't make mistakes. 
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Comment #6 posted by fearfull on March 02, 2005 at 09:33:45 PT
Supreme Courts 8th ammendment ruling
After the Supreme Court has rulled against the death penality for minors and the mentally retarded I got to thinking about things and come up with the following stoner drivel.Any adult human regardless of stature, wealth or color has the God given right to own or grow or put to beneficial use any plant given to humans by their creator. I believe that the lord our God gave to all humans all of the seeded plants, not just kings and hypocrites. No man has the right to say to his neighbors that they are forbidden to possess any plant simply because he himself dislikes that plant. After all it was the lord God who gave us those plants and the lord God himself said that all things were good, and that all seeded plants were good and that they shall be as food. Who are you to question the word of the lord our God? 
It is necessary for each man to decide for himself and in his own way how to best use these plants then, so given to us by the lord our God. 
It is both cruel and unusual for any one human to persecute any other human because of a plant. It is cruel and unusual to take away a persons home or other possessions because they possess any particular plant. It is cruel and unusual to jail a person because they possess any particular plant. Remember the lord our God gave them all to us and said that they were all good, not bad. For if they are good and given to all of us by the lord our God, then how can you tell me that you know better than him? I claim that my 8th amendment rights are being violated when you outlaw me on the basis of a plant.Yes I know that it probably dosen't hold water as a legal argument, but I guess that more than that I was trying to show how the religious right could be cought up in their own lies. I know that they will ignor and rationalize any argument we could present, but how can you argue with God?
How can any truely believing Christian accept the situation as it is?
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on March 02, 2005 at 08:25:53 PT
siege
I'm so happy for you! Yes we know that Cannabis is GOOD medicine.
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Comment #4 posted by siege on March 02, 2005 at 08:18:35 PT
HOME
You have missed some 
It marijuana stops KILLS (Brain tumors) the granddaughter is home and it is gone!!! And these Dr. have started two work ON Hodgkin's Disease or Hodgkin's lymphoma is a malignancy (cancer) of lymph tissue found in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, and bone marrow. SO MUCH FOR THE (US Gov't.) 
to Learn Learn Learn When it come to Medicine Medicine!!!
That we have Free.
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on March 02, 2005 at 08:16:36 PT
CorvallisEric
I like that bumper sticker too. 
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Comment #2 posted by rchandar on March 02, 2005 at 04:52:54 PT:
corvalliseric
that's a good idea! Hippies are great people, and who better to teach you stuff about smoking, its potential!--rchandar
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Comment #1 posted by CorvallisEric on March 01, 2005 at 23:12:31 PT
What would I do?
If other treatments had failed your friend or relative and you knew that clinical trials had shown that marijuana was an effective treatment, what would you do?I'd literally follow the advice of a sarcastic 1960's right-wing bumper sticker, something like:If you don't like the cops, next time you're in trouble call a hippie.
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