cannabisnews.com: Medicinal & Recreational Peace Medicinal & Recreational Peace Posted by CN Staff on September 17, 2007 at 21:34:02 PT Opinion Source: ProgressiveU.org Michigan -- Medical and Recreational Peace, a special interest group in Michigan, is fighting for our right to free choice. The organization got its legislative petition approved and collected signatures to get the proposal on the 2008 state ballot. Here in Michigan, marijuana use can bring unique benefits. Legalization could bring more people to the state as well as boost Michigan's failing economy, which has a record deficit of $900 million. This proposal would make it legal for adults over 18 to use and grow marijuana on private property, with regulations. The use of the drug in public would incur a $50 fine, and a misdemeanor with repeated offenses. For this proposal to make it onto the ballot, the group had to obtain 304,000 signatures by June 2007. Michigan voters may soon have the chance - and hopefully, the wisdom - to decriminalize the drug. It's been clear that the war on marijuana is failing miserably. We need to reform these laws. More than 750,000 Americans were arrested for marijuana possession last year. If marijuana were decriminalized, many cases that are currently clogging up the court system would be eliminated, and tax money wasted prosecuting marijuana users could be spent on worthier goals, such as education. Despite massive efforts to intercept supplies and prosecute users, marijuana is still the most widely abused drug. Earlier generations found that the prohibition of alcohol was unsuccessful. Cancer-causing cigarettes and other tobacco products are legal. Yet marijuana, which has the worst reputation, is less harmful and certainly less addictive, remains banned. Many have recognized the absurdity of criminalizing marijuana and have joined a growing movement to legalize it. Ann Arbor voters approved an ordinance that allows the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes by a three-to-one margin in 2004, and the city punishes marijuana possession with a meager $25 fine. Just last year, Denver voted to allow adults over 21 to own up to one ounce of marijuana. This demonstrates the drug's growing mainstream acceptance. The government has had a trend of discrediting research and only reporting lies creating myths about marijuana. Overwhelming evidence shows that marijuana is not physically addictive. Even given facts people believe that prolonged use can lead to a form of mental dependency. There is also no evidence that shows the use of marijuana will cause brain damage. Studies performed on actual human populations will confirm these results, even for chronic marijuana users over many years. People believe that marijuana makes you lose the ability to recall and store short-term memories. Although marijuana does impair short-term memory, it is only during intoxication. One of the key reasons for the legalization of marijuana is its valuable medicinal qualities. Research over the last few years has shown that marijuana can be a cure-all for many serious diseases. Such medical conditions include: Glaucoma: Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the nation. Smoking marijuana is an effective way to reduce the internal pressure of the eye caused by this disease. Asthma and Emphysema: It can treat symptoms of lung congestion by promoting the discharge of phlegm or other fluid from the respiratory tract. AIDS and Anorexia: Marijuana is a significant appetite stimulant to help patients gain weight. This could be lifesaving for AIDS patients who develop wasting , a severe weight-loss condition. Cancer: The use of marijuana can also help reduce nausea and increase appetite. It also reduces the pain associated with cancer. Breathing can be restored to fullness, to eliminate built up toxicity, cleanse poisons at the cellular level, as well as lessen contraction and nervousness. Epilepsy and Multiple Sclerosis: Marijuana can help to control and reduce muscle spasms and tremors. It can also help with bladder control and plasticity involved with Multiple Sclerosis. In all of these diseases it helps to reduce fear, dread, and depression. Marijuana can also help to reduce pain and complications due to migraines, rheumatism and arthritis, and any other source of pain. Even if you do not believe marijuana is Michigan's ticket to economic salvation, we can at least agree that using the drug is a personal choice. Adults exercise the freedom to use tobacco and alcohol, and the same should be true for marijuana. The first step to restore rights taken away nearly 70 years ago is to get the legalization of marijuana on the state ballot. Everyone can and should be important allies in helping their fellow residents reclaim their right to choose whether or not to use and/or grow marijuana. Source: ProgressiveU.org (CA)Published: September 17th, 2007Contact: editors progressiveu.orgWebsite: http://www.progressiveu.org/CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by whig on September 18, 2007 at 16:48:19 PT PatrioticDissension 1 Timothy 4:3 [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by whig on September 18, 2007 at 16:42:44 PT PatrioticDissension Matthew 15:11 [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by PatrioticDissension on September 18, 2007 at 16:06:34 PT christians Hey dont knock the christians. I am one and I smoke pot. Marijuana is in the bible before it was mistranslated as calamus. Marijuana was an ingredient in the holy nazer/annointing oil. The so called christian republicans like to pick and choose what they consider sinful instead of letting the bible choose. Think about it Jesus drank wine/alcohol and yet there are those so called christians that think all alcohol use is evil and sinful. THATS BS, if jesus did it it cant be a sin. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by fight_4_freedom on September 18, 2007 at 09:55:34 PT: First I've heard about this since the spring The guy that was(is) running this little campaign sent me a petition earlier this year. I heard that he had been trying this for years now, never getting enough signatures to get it on the ballot. And I believe the reason he doesn't, is because he feels he doesn't need the help of any big organization such as Michigan NORML or MPP. Why he doesn't want the help I don't understand. Maybe so if he did actually get it on the ballot, he'd be the one getting all the credit for it. I really don't know.So anyways that is why I decided not to get involved in this campaign. Plus at the time I knew the Medical initiative was on it's way to be introduced. Which is backed by MPP, with a lot of the work being done by MINORML members. So I knew this had some force behind it.I mean don't get me wrong. I give the guy credit for trying. But atleast try to bring everyone fighting here in Michigan together as one to do it. Otherwise it has no chance of passing.Hope everyone has a wonderful day. Stop Arresting Patients [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by OverwhelmSam on September 17, 2007 at 22:57:49 PT The Evil Behind Marijuana Prohibition. It's My Body And My Right! If I want to live the life of a health nut or take every drug on the face of the planet, or ride my motorycle off a cliff, it's my life and my right.How dare the government force me to be a Republican with Christian values through abuse of the legislative process, and law enforcement. This is inherently wrong on so many different levels I really don't see how our legislatures and law enforcement sleep at night.Greed, one of the seven deadly sins. Unfortunately, it's all about using religious reasons to make money for the sinfully greedy. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment