Free Marijuana

Honestly, I thought this site was dead. I am still getting a lot of hits to this site and figured I would start posting again to this Blog about Marijuana. DruU's Timeline:

- When I was a teeneager I smoked Marijuana on a regular basis. I may not of had a great High school Grade point average but I played sports and worked the whole time.

- When I went to College I quit smoking Marijuana and started drinking since my new friends were so anti Marijuana. I got kicked out after the first semester.

- I was anti-marijuana up until a few years ago when I tried it in Amsterdam for pain. It worked great.

- I started researching Medical Marijuana and I have been advocating for it for almost 3 years now. However, I have slowed down as I have learned the Politics of the US.

- After years of researching the benefits vs. harms of Marijuana and other medications and recreational drugs I now believe that there is no reason for Marijuana to be illegal.

I need someone to explain with facts why it is illegal and give me an honest reason why they believe it should be illegal. I do not believe there is a good reason at all.

Canabis Laws - You Need to know

There are now 14 States with Medical Marijuana Laws:
Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, Maryland, Michigan, New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, California, Alaska, Hawaii

There are now 12 States that have Decriminalized Marijuana:
Maine, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Mississippi, Ohio, Minnesota, Nebraska, Colorado, Oregon, California, Alaska.

There are now 12 States that allow industrial Hemp:
Vermont, Virginia, Maryland, Maine, West Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, Illinios, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, California.

The good news is the laws are changing in the states. However, the bad news is that the Federal Government does not agree with these states.

The Cancer Drug - A MUST READ

Editorial in the LA Times This is a great article and needs to be seen by all.

My New Rx - MS-Cotin vs Marijuana

I am amazed how the medical community, opps, strike that, the Government gets involved in what Perscriptions are best for me. How I long for the day I can make a couple of brownies and eat them when I need relief from my pain. The doctor was looking at my perscription of Hydrocodone and decided it was time to put me on a Time release pain killer. This does work great and I love the fact that I can take it before work and I am good until night when the kids are getting into bed. I do not have to carry my Rx Bottle around anymore and I don't get the fatigue from the "come down" effect until it is almost time for bed. Great Drug and awesome pain killer. Of course since I am one of those that has to worry about side effects with medication I had to look it up. MS-ContinSide Effects & Drug Interactions - Information found Here Not to shabby for a chemical created in a Lab. But: Constipation, lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, nausea, vomiting, sweating, dysphoria, and euphoria. These top the list of Most Frequently Observed... Marijuana = This is what kills me, the Government (McCain, you have said this before) view of Marijuana is that people want it for medical purposes so they can get High, or a feeling of Euphoria. Well MS-Cotin gives that feeling also, make it illegal. One issue I have with all the opioid based medication I have been put on is the Nausea I get from it. This really sucks since I was up to 200 pounds (my ideal weight) and now have a hard time getting back above 190. Eating just 2 times a day because I have to force myself is not good. Marijuana = One of the main benefits of Marijuana is the ease of Nausea in Chemotherapy patients, and help AIDS Patients feel hunger to stop the wasting away most of them go though. Why not use it for pain so I can actually get back on my well fed diet of 5 meals a day? ohhh, Nooo I feel a rant coming on...

Now I know I am starting to sound as Biased as I am on this subject where I am supose to and always wanted to post Facts instead of my opinion. Anyway, here I go... How in the hell can Mr. (I am not a doctor) Politician tell me that MS-Cotin is a safe drug for use with chronic pain and talk about the sterotypical crap they heard from Mrs. Nancy Reagan in the "Just Say No" Campaign. Or lets talk to those D.A.R.E officers that used to come to my school as I was growing up to talk to me about the hazards of Marijuana. The D.A.R.E project by the way that has not received funding in a long time in many states, that any of the officers that are still on the Drug Campaign are on it under a new acronym LEAP Mr. Politician please let me know your background of Marijuana use and let me know if you have ever had it for Pain Management. Sure I have used it for Medical purposes and know the effects of to much Marijuana will put me to sleep and may make me a little more light headed. Guess what I am now on a medication that is MORE Likely to get me addicted, and if I take to much I can fall asleep and never wake up. This drug scares the crap out of me and many others that have realized that they have addictive personalities. Look at the WARNINGS associated with my new medication, but it is okay for me to take this time released version so I have a feeling of euphoria for 12 hours instead of 2 hours... Mr. (I don't want to know the facts) Politician, Please let me know how this plant that is 100% natural can kill me and why it is a federal offence for me to use it for my pain.

Now since my rant is over I would like to discuss the whole "Serious Side Effects of Marijuana" One of the side effect I would really like to talk about is the mild to severe anxiety. This is something that I can not speak about with facts but I can speak of it in my own experience. When I smoked Marijuana in the US as a teenager it was against the law, I did have Parinoid feelings and was very nervous because I was afraid I would get arrested. However, when I used Marijuana in Europe I was not breaking the law, actually I was using under the advice of a doctor and in a place that it was socially acceptable. I had no worries, did not have any anxiety and felt the wonder of a pain free walk around the city. Now, I would like to return to my new medication, under the side effects again,

alterations of mood (nervousness, apprehension, depression, floating feelings

Not to good, So I guess Marijuana is not the only drug out there that people claim to be nervous about ;) But when you look even farther into the details of MS-Cotin on the Central Nervous System you also notice that it says, "uncoordinated muscle movements," would that be like the reported "clumsiness, loss of coordination," that you get from Marijuana? Now here is another issue I have with most medications, insomnia, I have had a problem with insomnia for a very long time, I do not like the fact that this medication I am on makes it even harder for me to sleep. If I had my choice I would look for something that would be more like tiredness, sleepiness, lethargy, I wonder what would have that side effect? Now a subject that I hate, when it come to this medication...

Gastrointestinal: Dry mouth, biliary tract spasm, laryngospasm, anorexia, diarrhea, cramps, taste alteration, constipation, ileus, intestinal obstruction, increases in hepatic enzymes

That is not anything that I would ever want from any of my medication but unfortunatly if I would like to stay out of Jail I will have to deal with it. There is another reason why I am on medication, this is do to Muscle spasms I get in my Legs and feet. One great thing was when I tried Marijuana I was able to sit there and my legs did not twitch at all for as long as I had any effects of the marijuana and for quite a time after the effects were gone. MS-Cotin may cause muscle tremors, once again the side effects look like a perfect fit for me. I am not going to sit here and talk bad about MS-Cotin because I really do like this medication it helps with the pain for a long time and I don't get any side effects that I can't live with (except the Headache's really hurt, and I love to eat and the Nausea sucks). When you look at all the "BAD" things that we are told about Marijuana and all the reasons these Politicians will not allow these laws to be passed I really do not think they are doing the correct comparison of the medications that they are supporting. The side effects and dangers of most perscribed medications are much more dangerous to the body than anything that Marijuana can cause. If you are on medication for any reason look into the side effects and warnings, do some research on these medications and you may change your view of Marijuana. This isn't just for perscription medications either, Even over the counter medications have more dangers than Marijuana, Check it out.

Drinking - The Acceptable Drug

I say that drinking is acceptable but I am totally confused right now. It is not only acceptable but encouraged. This is the end of the holiday season, the time where friends and family get together to celebrate many different things. The time where companies take some of their profits and throw parties for those that have made them have a profit. This is a time where stores carry more beer than usual and liquor stores look forward to. Why is it that most people feel the need to drink alcohol during this time of year? Thanksgiving, a holiday for Americans to celebrate the pilgrams having a plentiful harvest to make it though the winter. Do you think the Pilgrams were thinking, "Lets throw a huge feast and see if Aunt Tonya will dance on the table with Running Dog." Christmas, the holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus. I have not fully read the bible but did the three wise men bring, a Keg, Bottle of Scotch and Jello Shots? New Years, time to celebrate the end of one year and the begining of a new one. Was your year so horrible that you want to forget it? Is the view of the future year so grim that you don't want to remember how it came in? I enjoyed a New Years party this year with a few people all of which feel drinking alcohol is a requirement. As I sat their drinking my soda I heard every crack on me about being anti-social. However by the time the ball dropped in Time square I was the one that had the kids in PJ's, in sleeping bags and helping them regain control after all the excellent Sugar treats they were able to eat until late at night. While most of them had parents that by that time were running around in a drunken state and not realizing how many of them were so loud the kids were laughing at them. I talked to one of my friends that was at a different party and he told me today that out of the people at that party, two had to leave before midnight because they got into a fight, one missed the ball drop because he was hugging the porceline, and another spend the first day of the new year in jail for driving after the party. How is this not only acceptable but encouraged? I am not Anti-drinking but the way I see it is why can my friends and family act this way but I am the one that is looked down at because I would prefer a drug that is currently illegal. I am the uncle, nephew, son, grandson, cousin, etc... that you need to stay away from because my drug of choice makes me want to sit on the couch and ponder the universe, wake up the next day functioning correctly, be able to remember the old year and enjoy the New Year. Most of them can't even tell when I have been doing my drug of choice but believe me they all make idiots of themselves and look like fools to their kids, nieces and nephews, and younger cousins. And because of society, these are the drunken animals that these kids are suppose to look up to. I am a burn out druggie that can not function in society because the drug I like is illegal.

Trust in the FDA???

Do you trust the FDA? This is what the FDA has reported on Medical Marijuana:

A growing number of states have passed voter referenda (or legislative actions) making smoked marijuana available for a variety of medical conditions upon a doctor's recommendation. These measures are inconsistent with efforts to ensure that medications undergo the rigorous scientific scrutiny of the FDA approval process and are proven safe and effective under the standards of the FD&C Act. Accordingly, FDA, as the federal agency responsible for reviewing the safety and efficacy of drugs, DEA as the federal agency charged with enforcing the CSA, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy, as the federal coordinator of drug control policy, do not support the use of smoked marijuana for medical purposes.

Here is a list of Medications the FDA has Approved, surprisingly most of these are still getting perscribed and some even to children: VIOXX - cause heartburn, nausea, diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infection, swelling of the lower extremities, high blood pressure, itching, stomach ulcers or bleeding, fatigue, vomiting, dark urine, and black stools. Additionally, recent studies have also linked VIOXX to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Bextra - can cause a number of serious side effects, from stomach bleeding to upper respiratory infection Celebrex - has been linked to at least 10 deaths, 11 cases of gastrointestinal bleeding that required hospitalization, and an increased risk of stomach ulcers. Celebrex can increase or double users' risk of blood clots, heart attack, and stroke. Crestor - has been linked to a slew of serious health problems, ranging from muscle weakness and asthenia to kidney damage and total renal failure. Baycol - it was also linked to at least 31 deaths in the United States and more than 52 worldwide. It has also been said to cause rhabdomyolysis, a typically non life-threatening but nonetheless serious muscle ailment that puts undue stress on the kidneys. Symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include fatigue, muscle pain, joint pain, dark urine, nausea, and other discomforts. Viagra and Cialis - possibility of heart attack, sudden death due to cardiac complications, hypertension, and priapism, a serious disorder requiring immediate medical attention in which a man develops a painful and prolonged erection. Risperdal - has been linked not only to type 2 diabetes, but to hyperglycemia, other blood sugar disorders, and pancreatitis—a dangerous inflammation of the pancreas. Seroquel - is linked not only to type 2 diabetes, but to hyperglycemia, other blood sugar disorders, and pancreatitis – an inflammation of the pancreas. Adderall - the occurrence of heart attacks, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular complications that may result in sudden death. The FDA report cites 51 deaths Ritalin - may pose serious health risks including heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and other potentially fatal cardiovascular problems. The report finds that 51 deaths These are just some of the Medications with Dangerous side affects that the FDA has approved.

Medical Marijuana Endorsements and Statements of Support

Found at http://www.veteransformedicalmarijuana.org/ The following is a representative sample of the large number of medical practitioners and organizations who have publicly stated their support for medical access to marijuana or their opposition to criminal penalties for medical marijuana users. “[T]he Leukemia & Lymphoma Society supports legislation to remove criminal and civil sanctions for the doctor-advised, medical use of marijuana by patients with serious physical medical conditions...[the] Leukemia & Lymphoma Society strongly urge that in a state where patients are permitted to use marijuana medicinally for serious and/or chronic illnesses and a patient's physician has recommended its use in accordance with that state's law and that state’s medical practice standards, the patient should not be subject to federal criminal penalties for such medical use.” —Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, July 2007 "[A] federal policy that prohibits physicians from alleviating suffering by prescribing marijuana for seriously ill patients is misguided, heavy-handed, and inhumane." —Dr. Jerome Kassirer, "Federal Foolishness and Marijuana," editorial, New England Journal of Medicine, January 30, 1997 "[The AAFP accepts the use of medical marijuana] under medical supervision and control for specific medical indications." —American Academy of Family Physicians, 1989, reaffirmed in 2001 "Approved medical uses for marijuana or [THC] for treatment of glaucoma, illnesses associated with wasting such as AIDS, the emesis associated with chemotherapy, or other uses … should be administered only under the supervision of a knowledgeable physician." —American Society of Addiction Medicine, April 16, 1997 "[We] recommend … allow[ing] [marijuana] prescription where medically appropriate." —National Association for Public Health Policy, November 15, 1998 "[AAHIVM supports] state and federal legislation not only to remove criminal penalties associated with medical marijuana, but further to exclude marijuana/cannabis from classification as a Schedule I drug." —American Academy of HIV Medicine, November 11, 2003 "Therefore be it resolved that the American Nurses Association will: … Support the right of patients to have safe access to therapeutic marijuana/cannabis under appropriate prescriber supervision." —American Nurses Association, resolution, 2003 "The National Nurses Society on Addictions urges the federal government to remove marijuana from the Schedule I category immediately, and make it available for physicians to prescribe. NNSA urges the American Nurses' Association and other health care professional organizations to support patient access to this medicine." —National Nurses Society on Addictions, May 1, 1995 "[M]arijuana has an extremely wide acute margin of safety for use under medical supervision and cannot cause lethal reactions … [G]reater harm is caused by the legal consequences of its prohibition than possible risks of medicinal use." —American Public Health Association, Resolution #9513, "Access to Therapeutic Marijuana/Cannabis," 1995 "When appropriately prescribed and monitored, marijuana/cannabis can provide immeasurable benefits for the health and well-being of our patients … We support state and federal legislation not only to remove criminal penalties associated with medical marijuana, but further to exclude marijuana/cannabis from classification as a Schedule I drug." —American Academy of HIV Medicine, letter to New York Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, November 11, 2003 "[The LFA] urges Congress and the President to enact legislation to reschedule marijuana to allow doctors to prescribe smokable marijuana to patients in need … [and] urges the US Public Health Service to allow limited access to medicinal marijuana by promptly reopening the Investigational New Drug compassionate access program to new applicants." —Lymphoma Foundation of America, January 20, 1997 "The American Medical Student Association strongly urges the United States Government … to reschedule marijuana to Schedule II of the Controlled Substance Act, and … end the medical prohibition against marijuana." —American Medical Students Association, March 1993 "[T]he use of marijuana may be appropriate when prescribed by a licensed physician solely for use in alleviating pain and nausea in patients …" —The Medical Society of the State of New York, May 3, 2004 "[T]here is sufficient evidence for us to support any physician-patient relationship that believes the use of marijuana will be beneficial to the patient." —Rhode Island Medical Society, 2004 “[The] CMA continue to support scientifically rigorous research, including all FDA-approved Phase II and Phase III clinical trials and examine the current science concerning the therapeutic role of cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals” “[The] CMA continue to support the ability of physicians to discuss and make recommendations concerning the potential benefits or harm to the patient of smoked herbal cannabis consistent with state and federal law and oppose criminal prosecution of patients who possess or use smoked herbal cannabis for medical reasons upon the recommendation of a physician” —California Medical Association, October 30, 2006 "Marijuana has proven to be effective in the treatment of people with HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, cancer, and those suffering from severe pain or nausea … The legalization of medical marijuana would be a step forward for the health of all New Yorkers." —New York State Association of County Health Officials, resolution, 2003 "The SFMS takes a support position on the California Medical Marijuana Initiative [legalizing medical marijuana]." —San Francisco Medical Society, August 1996 "Present evidence indicates that [cannabinoids] are remarkably safe drugs, with a side-effects profile superior to many drugs used for the same indications…" —British Medical Association, November 1997 "[We] support pharmacy participation in the legal distribution of medical marijuana." —California Pharmacists Association, May 26, 1997 "We think people who use cannabis to relieve the pain of arthritis should be able to do so." —Arthritis Research Campaign, October 23, 2001 "The evidence is overwhelming that marijuana can relieve certain types of pain, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms caused by illnesses like multiple sclerosis, cancer and AIDS — or by the harsh drugs sometimes used to treat them. And it can do so with remarkable safety. Indeed, marijuana is less toxic than many of the drugs that physicians prescribe every day." —Former U.S. Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders, M.D., "Myths About Medical Marijuana," Providence Journal, March 26, 2004 "We must make sure that the casualties of the war on drugs are not suffering patients who legitimately deserve relief." —Scott Fishman, president of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, February 2006 "It [medical marijuana] should be an option for patients who have it recommended by knowledgeable physicians." —Dr. Jesse L. Steinfeld, former U.S. Surgeon General, July 2003 "Whitman-Walker Clinic supports the valid use of marijuana, under a physician's supervision, to help alleviate AIDS wasting syndrome and nausea associated with treatment regimes." —Whitman-Walker Clinic, April 1998 "[I]t cannot seriously be contested that there exists a small but significant class of individuals who suffer from painful chronic, degenerative, and terminal conditions, for whom marijuana provides uniquely effective relief." —HIV Medicine Association of the Infectious Diseases Society of America; American Medical Students Association; Lymphoma Foundation of America; Dr. Barbara Roberts; and Irvin Rosenfeld, Amicus Curiae brief filed in the U.S. Supreme Court (in the case of Gonzales v. Raich), October 2004 "Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known … The evidence in this record clearly shows that marijuana has been accepted as capable of relieving the distress of great numbers of very ill people, and doing so with safety under medical supervision. It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for DEA to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this substance." —Francis L. Young, DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge, 1988 "[The American Bar Association] recognizes that persons who suffer from serious illnesses for which marijuana has a medically recognized therapeutic value have a right to be treated with marijuana under the supervision of a physician." —American Bar Association, May 4, 1998 "I consider the most important recommendation made by the IOM (Institute of Medicine) panel [to be] that physicians be able to prescribe marijuana to individual patients with debilitating or terminal conditions … I believe such compassionate use is justified." —Andrew Weil, M.D., July 1999 "Cannabinoids and THC also have strong pain-killing powers, which is one reason medical marijuana should be readily available to people with cancer and other debilitating diseases." —Dean Edell, M.D., March 2, 2000 "I'm an oncologist as well as an AIDS doctor, and I don't think that a drug that creates euphoria in patients with terminal diseases is having an adverse effect." —Dr. Donald Abrams, 2005 "Cannabis will one day be seen as a wonder drug, as was penicillin in the 1940s. Like penicillin, herbal marijuana is remarkably nontoxic, has a wide range of therapeutic applications and would be quite inexpensive if it were legal." —Dr. Lester Grinspoon, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Los Angeles Times, May 5, 2006 “In states where patients are permitted to use marijuana medicinally for serious and/or chronic illnesses and a patient's physician has recommended its use in accordance with that state law and that state’s medical practice standards, the patient should not be subject to federal criminal penalties for such medical use.” “Well-designed and scientifically rigorous research, including all FDA-approved Phase II and Phase III clinical trials that lead to investigation into the potential therapeutic role and commercial licensure of prescription marijuana should be encouraged, and that production facilities that meet all regulatory requirements should be licensed by the DEA to produce pharmaceutical-grade marijuana for use exclusively in federally approved research.” — HIV Medicine Association, October 30, 2006 “Not everybody needs marijuana for medical illness. But for those who really do, it’s very helpful. As more and more states are taking medical marijuana – New Mexico just did it the other day – eventually it will just be overwhelming. And it will happen. But I’m shocked that it’s taken this long.” — Dr. Thomas Ungerleider, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at UCLA and member of President Nixon’s National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse, “3rd Degree,” interview, LA City Beat, March 29, 2007 “[T]he American Association for Social Psychiatry supports full legal status for states to implement their own doctor-advised, medical marijuana programs for patients with serious physical medical conditions…[T]he American Association for Social Psychiatry strongly urge that in a state where patients are permitted to use marijuana medicinally for serious and/or chronic illnesses and a patient's physician has recommended its use in accordance with that state's law and that state’s medical practice standards, the patient should not be subject to federal criminal penalties for such medical use.” —American Association for Social Psychiatry, May 20, 2007 “Overall, by comparison with other drugs used mainly for ‘recreational’ purposes, cannabis could be rated to be a relatively safe drug … In contrast, cannabis might have beneficial effects in some medical indications … It seems likely that medicinal cannabis will re-enter the pharmacopeia.” —Leslie Iversen, pharmacologist at Oxford University and member of the British government’s Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, “Long-tem effects of exposure to cannabis,” Current Opinion in Pharmacology, 2005 “Cannabinoids, the active components of cannabis sativa and their derivatives … exert palliative effects in patients with cancer and inhibit tumour growth in laboratory animals.” —Manuel Guzman, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Complutense University, Madrid, Spain, “Cannabinoids: Potential Anti-Cancer Agents,” Nature Reviews – Cancer, October 2003 “54% of oncologists favor the controlled medical availability of marijuana, and 44% have advised at least one of their cancer patients to obtain marijuana illegally.” —Doblin/Kleiman (Harvard University) scientifically valid, random survey of oncologists, Journal of Clinical Oncology, 1990 “I have spent my entire career in search of more effective treatments for this awful disease [amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, aka Lou Gehrig’s disease)]. We have now found that the cannabinoids, the active ingredients in medical marijuana, work remarkably well in controlling the clinical symptoms of ALS. Even more exciting is that we are now discovering that the cannabinoids actually protect nerve cells and may prolong the life of patients with ALS.” —Testimony of Greg Carter, M.D., Clinical Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine and Co-Director, Muscular Dystrophy Association clinics and the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research Center, submitted to Illinois Senate Public Health Committee, March 2007

Quotes of Marijuana History

This is fun... I really like looking into this it lets you know how some of our misconceptions in the history of the USA. My first Quote, this is probably the most important quote I have seen in my research. 1."Mr. Speaker, what is this bill about?" To which Speaker Rayburn replied, "I don't know. It has something to do with a thing called marihuana. I think it's a narcotic of some kind." "Mr. Speaker, does the American Medical Association support this bill?" "Their Doctor Wentworth came down here. They support this bill 100 percent." The above quotes are the only thing that was said when the bill was brought up on the floor of Congress in 1937. The amazing thing is look at the Doctors name used. Who testified for the American Medical Association? 2. This leads me to go backwards in time. There was one testimony from the American Medical Association before it was passed up to Congress. That was made by Dr. William C. Woodward, both a lawyer and a doctor and at the time was Chief Counsel to the American Medical Association. His Testimony, "The American Medical Association knows of no evidence that marihuana is a dangerous drug." Immediately one of the Congressmen said, "Doctor, if you can't say something good about what we are trying to do, why don't you go home?" The next Congressman said, "Doctor, if you haven't got something better to say than that, we are sick of hearing you." So far we now have what was debated when the bill was sent to Congress and the testimony to get the bill to Congress. I wonder why was the bill Created? Lets go a little farther into the past. 3. I want to take a step a little farther in time to see why the bill was being taken up. in the early 1900's there was a large influx of Mexican Americans coming into the western states. Around the time the Great Depression started there was a large battle between the small farms and the large farms that would hire Mexican Americans at a low cost of labor. The western states needed to decrease the amount of low cost labor for the bigger farms so the smaller farms could compete again. The only difference that could be found was the amount of marijuana use among the mexican workers. "When some beet field peon takes a few traces of this stuff... he thinks he has just been elected president of Mexico, so he starts out to execute all his political enemies." In Texas, a senator said on the floor of the Senate: "All Mexicans are crazy, and this stuff [marijuana] is what makes them crazy." As the proponent of Montana's first marijuana law said, "Give one of these Mexican beet field workers a couple of puffs on a marijuana cigarette and he thinks he is in the bullring at Barcelona." This is how most of the states decided to fight the use of marijuana. 4. As you know the North East has never had a vast majority of Mexican American's. That was not an issue even back in the early 1900's. Therefore there had to be another reason that The north east would jump on the band-wagon for fighting Marijuana. The New York Times in an editorial in 1919 said, "No one here in New York uses this drug marijuana. We have only just heard about it from down in the Southwest, But, we had better prohibit its use before it gets here. Otherwise all the heroin and hard narcotics addicts cut off from their drug by the Harrison Act and all the alcohol drinkers cut off from their drug by 1919 alcohol Prohibition will substitute this new and unknown drug marijuana for the drugs they used to use." So as you can see Racism of the Mexican community has had a large influence on Marijuana Prohibition. If the American Medical Association of the time says things like the AMA, "knows of no evidence that marihuana is a dangerous drug." Why did it become illegal and why haven't the correct studies been completed on Marijuana. Marijuana should be tested and evaluated the same way that all medications are. But then again how many times have I been taken off medication that was approved by the FDA but later found out that it was more damaging than helpful.

Legal in Denver... Feds Stay out

Marijuana is not the Gateway Drug

The myth of the gateway drug has been determined not by statistics that are incorrect but by the wrong statistics. The Partnership for a Drug-Free America, in cooperation with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the White House Office of Drug Control Policy released the "Gateway Drug" theory as a campaign against Marijuana. They state that marijuana users are 85 times more likely than non-marijuana users to try cocaine. We need to look at how they came up with this Statistic. The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse taken in 1991 is useless when it comes to the statistic on Marijuana users likelihood of using "Hard" drugs. It was calculated by dividing the proportion of marijuana users who have ever used cocaine (17%) by the proportion of cocaine users who have never used marijuana (.2%). The high risk-factor obtained is a product not of the fact that so many marijuana users use cocaine but that so many cocaine users used marijuana previously. When you think about it, Marijuana is the most common illicit drug for many decades so chances are that a user of a less popular drug has tried a more popular drug. This goes for even more popular drugs as well, for example most cocaine users also smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol. Now my opinion on legalization of marijuana will also cut down on use of other drugs. I do believe that there are a lot of users that started off with Marijuana and because of the way they have to go about getting marijuana they come in contact with hard drugs like cocaine and heroin. Because of my stance on Marijuana but do not have experience with it illegally I have talked to a few people in the Marijuana crowd. I have heard certain things that encourage my belief that legalization of the substance. I was talking to a Marijuana dealer. He was explaining to me that he loves dealing with marijuana because he has never had to deal with weapons when taking the product to his customers. He does however deal with other substances where weapons were required and shown as a threat. When he is dealing with customers of the other substances he is always worried about it "going bad" He also told me that when ever he deals with his marijuana customers he offers them the high profit drugs. If a marijuana user was able to buy this substance legally they would not be put in the situation that they are being offered harder drugs.

The Gateway Drug - Blame the Right Drug

The other day I was listening to a speach that a mother was giving about her son in his early twenties that overdosed on Heroin. It is a very upsetting situation and I strongly believe that no parent should out live their children. On the other hand she said one thing that after I thought about it I got kind of upset. During her speach about keeping Marijuana illegal, She said, "Marijuana is the gateway drug, My son started smoking cigarette's then drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana and it was all down hill from there." Now the reason this upset me is because out of the three drugs she mentioned and the drugs that her son was known to take and eventually overdosed on Marijuana was the safest one. Then I started thinking about it even more. At what point does she consider the Gateway? Was she worried about her son when he started smoking cigarettes? That was the gateway from not having an addiction to having an addiction. His life was the same but he added the addiction to it.How about when he moved from cigarettes to Drinking Alcohol? Her son went though the gateway of reality to an escape from reality. Now if you follow the path she is saying her son took the next step was no change just a different way of getting to where he wanted to. He was dealing with an addiction by smoking cigarettes, he went on to drinking alcohol to escape reality and forget about his worries. After that he went to smoking Marijuana, The least addictive drug including Nicotine and Alcohol. Marijuana also gives you a relief from reality but nothing more than alcohol, (and you have to remember your actions the next day). So here she is talking about Marijuana being the Gateway drug but that seams like the only step her son has taken that didn't change the effects he was receiving from his drugs at the time. I believe you can say that Tobacco or Alcohol were the Gateway drugs. I feel sorry for this woman that she has dealt with the pain of losing her child and my thoughts and prayers reach out to her, but please Blame the Right Drug.

Save the Children Part one

I am a firm believer that Marijuana prohibition should come to an end. I have researched and talked to lots of professionals to come up with my beliefs and which side of the fence I should stand on. I believe Marijuana should be legalized for medical purpose and legalized for responsible adults. I believe that with laws comparable to Alcohol and Tobacco marijuana would become a recreation that many adults could responsibly enjoy and will help society more than harm it. I am not alone in these beliefs and I am not ignorant to believe that everyone believes the same thing as me. I have discussed my beliefs with many people and have come across my fair share of debates. I have made posts in many places challenging people to debate me on the issue. The main debate I get is about the children of a community. “Legalization will make it easier for children to have access to Marijuana.” To this I have one main point that needs to be made. All organizations for the end of Marijuana prohibition have all agreed that no one under the age of 21 should be able to gain access to Marijuana when it becomes legal. I am also going to add in there that in some states where Marijuana has been either decriminalized or legalized for medical purposes have special penalties in place for underage use and possession near or on school grounds. This is like Alcohol and tobacco in many ways. Here in New York Smoking on school grounds in prohibited. Selling or giving cigarettes or alcohol to a minor can land you a fine or incarceration. Why would this be any different than Marijuana. No one is saying that marijuana use should be encouraged when it comes to the children. Marijuana has been on an increase since 1972 among High School children while Smoking has been decreasing over the same time frame. Why is this? Smoking Cigarettes has become monitored and taxed by the government for years. In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s I was able to walk up to a machine that was taller than me and put three quarters in and get a pack of cigarettes. No one would look twice at me or tell me I wasn’t allowed to buy them. There was a sign everywhere that said you must be 18 to buy tobacco. No one cared. Years later people were fined for selling cigarettes to minors, television ads were showing the lungs after years of smoking and children were taught about the hazards of smoking cigarettes. This is because of years of research and tests that have proven smoking is bad for you. There have been many people researching the benefits of marijuana for medical use there has also been research that has been reaccomplished since the early 70’s to prove that Marijuana does not cause cancer, does not make you schizophrenic and will not make you want to grab a needle full of heroin. This is the time on information. Children grow up learning how to search the Internet to learn about what ever they want. Children go to class to hear how bad marijuana is and then search the Internet to realize that they were taught inaccurate and embellished information. This is a discredit to our school systems and to our teachers. You gain a lot of respect from the young of a community by teaching them the truth. Well then how do you teach your children not to use Marijuana? My first response to this question is always another question, How do you teach your children not to drink alcohol? This usually gets the response that they teach their children that alcohol is illegal until they turn 21. Why not teach children that marijuana is illegal until they turn 21? The people that I run across that do not understand this way of thinking are those that have never done a minute of research on their own about marijuana. I hear things like, “All stoner’s are lazy and can not hold a job.” or, “everyone I know that smokes weed is stupid.” I again have an easy response to these. “how many alcoholics have a problem holding down a job?” then there is the, “If a stupid person is stupid and you see them smoke marijuana you blame the marijuana, is it possible the person was stupid to begin with?”

Why are teens selling drugs? Not Alcohol or Tobacco

According to the federally funded Monitoring the Future Survey,“Marijuana has been almost universally available to American high schoolseniors over at least the past 28 years.” Since 1972 marijuana use by teenagers has increased from 14% to todaywhere 16% of 8th graders and 45% of 12th graders have tried pot. Incontrast, daily cigarette use by high school seniors has declined from 27%in 1975 to 16% in 2004! Credible education — as opposed to exaggerated claims — actuallyworks! Prohibition makes things worse: more availability, more violence,unidentifiable and possibly impure drugs, and a system that exploitsteens to enrich drug dealers. Quotes and Stats Published in the Rocky Mountain News October 21, 2006

Marijuana Study 1944 release

New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia released a Marijuana study in 1944 that infuriated Harry Anslinger. Anslinger, appointed as the first Commissioner of the Treasury Department's Federal Bureau of Narcotics, led the fight against Marijuana for 32 years. The Laguardia Commission, prepared by the New York Academy of Medicine, was to study the effect marijuana had on the City of New York in the early 1940's. The most interesting findings are still being argued today by multiple organizations and medical research companies.The following are the findings of The Laguardia Commission. Pay close attention to numbers 7, 9, and 10: 1 Marijuana is used extensively in the Borough of Manhattan but the problem is not as acute as it is reported to be in other sections of the United States. 2 The introduction of marijuana into this area is recent as compared to other localities. 3 The cost of marijuana is low and therefore within the purchasing power of most persons. 4 The distribution and use of marijuana is centered in Harlem. 5 The majority of marijuana smokers are Blacks and Latin-Americans. 6 The consensus among marijuana smokers is that the use of the drug creates a definite feeling of adequacy. 7 The practice of smoking marijuana does not lead to addiction in the medical sense of the word. 8 The sale and distribution of marijuana is not under the control of any single organized group. 9 The use of marijuana does not lead to morphine or heroin or cocaine addiction and no effort is made to create a market for these narcotics by stimulating the practice of marijuana smoking. 10 Marijuana is not the determining factor in the commission of major crimes. 11 Marijuana smoking is not widespread among school children. 12 Juvenile delinquency is not associated with the practice of smoking marijuana. 13 The publicity concerning the catastrophic effects of marijuana smoking in New York City is unfounded And people think he is remembered for bringing New York out of the Great Depression

Marijuana vs. Aspirin

Most people use products that are more damaging to the body with out any thought to what they are doing to the body just because they were raised to think it is safe. Although heavy use of marijuana is not safe it is a lot safer than most of the common used drugs in today's market. This is article one and I am going to compare the effects of two popular pain killers, Marijuana and Aspirin.

Lets start with the history of Marijuana first. Marijuana can be traced back for thousands of years to almost every culture in the worlds history. Up until the Marijuana was prohibited by the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 the US Pharmacopoeia listed cannabis as the drug of choice for over 100 different diseases. This reference was the reference used by doctors since 1820. Cannabis was added to the US Pharmacopoeia in 1870. Since recorded history Marijuana has never been found to cause death by overdose.

The History of Aspirin is not so long and distinguished. Aspirin patented on March 6, 1889 by Bayer who also had the trademark for Heroin. Aspirin causes an average of 500 deaths per year. This is from a Medication that is used for pain and heart disease.

Now that we understand the history of the two pain medications lets look at the legality of both। While Marijuana does have side effects and is know to assist in over 100 diseases without causing any deaths it has been prohibited by the US Federal Government since 1937. Marijuana side effects include problems with memory and learning; distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch); difficulty in thinking and problem solving; loss of coordination; and increased heart rate, anxiety, and panic attacks. THESE SIDE EFFECTS DO NOT LAST AFTER THE MARIJUANA WEARS OFF. There have been research results that indicate that Marijuana can cause respiratory irritations among heavy marijuana users if smoked. This can be easily solved by switching to vaporized marijuana or taking marijuana orally. Marijuana has not been linked in any research to lung cancer.

While marijuana is prohibited in the US, with minor side effects and multiple benefits to the drug, any age child can go to a store and purchase aspirin over the counter. The effects of aspirin can be very dangerous. Heartburn; nausea; upset stomach; rash; hives; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue; black or bloody stools; confusion; diarrhea; dizziness; drowsiness; hearing loss; ringing in the ears; severe or persistent stomach pain; unusual bruising; vomiting; Reye syndrome.

In the book, 'The Science of Marijuana' by Dr. Leslie Iversen of the Oxford University Department of Pharmacology said “Tetrahydrocannabinol is a very safe drug,” she said. “Even such apparently innocuous medicines as aspirin and related steroidal anti-inflammatory compounds are not safe.” So if safety is your concern, cannabis is clearly a much better choice than aspirin. By eating it or using it in a vaporizer, Marijuana would be the wonder drug, Safe and effective.

Am I a Pot Head Now?

This is in response to a comment made by one of my friends today. I have become a member of NORML and MPP both are lobbyist against the criminalization of Marijuana and both are trying to get bills passed to legalize marijuana. I believe just like them that there is a lot of good that can come from cannabis. The ability for the farmers of this country to grow cannabis would free up a lot of other resources that have deteriorated our environment. Please look up the uses of cannabis and you will notice that it could be a very profitable crop for the US for products that we export and it has nothing with rolling joints. I also am a firm believer that Marijuana has many benefits to the medical community and they are still researching those benefits. They do know that it can help Chemo patients with nausea, It can help AIDS patients with their appetite, They are using it for those with chronic Pain, and they are using it to help those that have eating disorders. I for a fact know that my life would have a lot less pain in it if I was able to eat a pot brownie instead of taking Vicodin. I also know for a fact that I can take Marijuana for 2 years straight and quit cold turkey but if I took vicodin for 2 months straight I would have a hard time getting off of it. I am also a firm believer that Marijuana is classed as a Type 1 Narcotic along with Heroin and Cocaine. I do not believe that this is the correct classification. I believe that Even Coffee and Alcohol are both more addictive. I also know that Alcohol and Nicotine are both more hazardous to your health. When i was growing up i was told that one Joint was like smoking a full pack of Cigarettes. Current research is now saying that one Joint is like smoking 5 cigarettes. The Way I was raised and taught about marijuana was mostly made up of myths because I back then the government was not allowing the proper research. Current research shows that not only is it a great medical device the side effects and damage that it does is not nearly as bad as most of the prescription medications that are allowed by the FDA. I have had worse side effects from some of the over the counter medications I have taken. I am also a firm believer that the War on Drugs is a failure. The amount of money that is spent on fighting Marijuana could be used for a lot of better Wars… How about the war on teachers and Nurses Pay. How about the War on illiterate children, how about the war on Health Care. Last year over 60% of drug related arrests were for small amounts of Marijuana. (under an Ounce) These arrests now spend Jail time for these offenses. (NY has already decriminalized Marijuana so it would only be $100 Fine) But then you add in the bad drug arrests, Those who sell marijuana… What would happen if it was sold in Coffee shops like over in The Netherlands? If we wanted to sell Marijuana we could Tax it 114% to make it comparable to how much it sells now. We would get the drug dealers off the street and opening coffee shops, (You think Star-bucks is all over the place now) The money we would save by chasing these Pot Heads down and Trials for them is nothing compared to the amount of money we could make by Taxing it. Even if we were to tax it like Alcohol and Cigarettes we would make enough in one year to lower everyones income tax. So far there are a few presidential candidate’s that are for Ending the war on Drugs. pay attention to them and then find out why the others will not even touch the issue. Most of the time it is because they do not want the Stigma of “Soft on Drugs” They do not have a good argument on why marijuana can not be used for medical purposes. Most states that were getting close to the legalization of Marijuana for medical purposes have stopped everything because of the Presidents issues. President Bush said when he first took office, “Let the States Decide” So 12 states have made it legal. Lately the DEA has been making arrests in those states because they have found the other statement made by the President, “If the federal and state governments do not agree then the federal law is the one that counts. So even though there are Medical Marijuana users in these states legally they are getting arrested. Anyway if you do not believe me on any of these please feel free to debate me on it. I am up for it. I have been sending letters and fighting my Senators about it so I would be more than willing to discuss this with any of those that feel they need to disagree. But My first argument is “Its my body why can the Government stop me from doing it?” But before you answer that remember they let me smoke while drinking a bottle of JACK. .. So to finalize this blog, “Am I a pot head now?” No I am not a Pot head. I have not taken anything that is illegal for me to take. I did Smoke in Amsterdam since it was legal and the pain I deal with everyday was completely gone. Will I start making Marijuana butter to make brownies and Cookies with? No, I follow the laws of the US and NY State, I will not break any laws. I will not stick up for anyone that does willingly break the law. I am currently using my voice as a registered voter to make people think about the things I believe in. Do I have a selfish Motive? Yes I do, I just filled my prescription again for 800mg of Motrin… It does not do anything. it takes a little edge off the pain but it still Flipping hurts. I know I can not go back to Vicodin, Percocet, or Codeine because I will easily abuse those and there is such thing of overdose (been close a few times) Marijuana will not allow you to overdose on it.