News-Record.com

I find it difficult to believe that a doctor is going to sign a prescription for a product that you smoke. I think this is just a way for people to get high.

If you want to legalize marijuana, do that. Don't goof around with gimmicks.

One can't help thinking that if the bill would pass, Earl just happens to know some well established business men who could step right in and fill the supply needs of all the doctors and medical facilities right in here GC.

Earl just wants to know "Where the Bud at".

A letter to the prohibitionists A letter to those whom pollute the peoples minds with more superstitions and bigotry-isms You stand against People in pain, people who have tried the differences and prefer the natural herbal solutions over synthetics, You Stand against people who want to live naturally, We see you for what you are. You Call us dopers and wish to rob us of life and make us live out our lives as slaves in your prisons A letter to Federal Enforcers of unjust Marijuana laws created to keep Mexicans and blacks under oppressive submission and prevent Industrial hemp from ever being a corporate competition to Duponts Nylon or William Randolph Hearsts capitalist ambitions A letter to the morality squad that wrongfully thinks they have a monopoly on GOD You Whom try to dictate to society how a man should medicate him or herself. YOU CRY "BUT ITS ILLEGAL UNDER FEDERAL LAW" You show whom you serve when you make those cat calls and its not the will of god or of the people

Hank,
who said that smoking is the only route of ingestion of cannabis for therapeutic
purposes?
Many medical marijuana patients eat the cannabis in various forms for the long term effect it affords. Some render the cannabis with heat in oil and fill capsules that can be swallowed. It can be made into a suppository and used that way. For various skin disorders, cannabis can be mixed with various neutral lotions and applied topically.
A British pharmaceutical company named "GW Pharmaceuticals" has patented an aerosol spray delivery system (like an asthma inhaler).
But the all-round best means of ingestion of cannabis currently is the vaporization method where heat is applied to the material and the active ingredients of the cannabis are flashed off just under the temperature of combustion and then the cooled vapors are very gently ingested for maximum medicinal effect.
Why not google: "therapeutic value of cannabis sativa or cannabis indica", and prepare to be amazed.
Cannabinoid Therapy is the wave of the future for medicine.

ME: If using weed can keep people out of prison, I think you'll get a lot of people on board.

Maybe this can be part of Skip's program to keep the jail population down.

Cannabis is a useful anti-nausea and anti-emetic - far more potent and safe than anything else for that purpose, and thus a critical component of care for both chemotherapy (cancer) patients as well as AIDs patients.

In addition, cannabis has noted antioxidant and neuroprotective effects, meaning it could be useful in a variety of brain diseases and even surgery. For example, it is well known that amphetamines damage nerve cells via over-excitation (true for Ritalin, Adderall, and the other blockbuster ADHD drugs, as well as for ice, speed, meth, crank and Ecstacy) - cannabis has a protective effect in such cases.

Furthermore, cannabis has potent pain relief ability - certainly far better and safer than the NSAIDs like Vioxx and Celebrex - the ones that also cause heart damage?

Finally, cannabis is a safer antidepressant and calming agent for many people, although the key difference in this last use is that low dosages are effective. In the other cases, very potent and concentrated high-THC strains of cannabis are desired.

So, why is cannabis kept off the market? It's true that there is a bias against natural products by drug corporations, but that is mostly because they cannot usually be patented and branded, unlike the latest blockbuster drugs. Thus, no one is willing to put up money to conduct clinical trials - even if cannabis was proven clinically to be a safe and effective medication, no one's stock price would explode - in fact, they might drop, as people tossed out their old prescriptions in favor of cannabis and derivatives thereof.

The reason cannabis is kept illegal is that people would likely quit their Prozac and Paxil and Budweiser and Marlboros and turn to something less toxic and harmful. I don't think 19th century notions of medicine have much to do with it - more the rise of totalitarian state mentalities, I'd say. "We must have order and discipline! Here - booze and tobacco and speed! - no pot, no mushrooms!"

This also provides a good excuse for the schmucks at the DEA to keep drawing their paychecks while they run around busting college kids for smoking pot, all while taking kickbacks from the major drug corporations to look the other way while they peddle oxy-heroin to everyone and their dog. What else is the DEA good for, anyway? Covering up the fact that heroin is now coming in from Afghanistan, much as it came in from Vietnam, much as cocaine came in from Central America.

Legalize it already. Cannabis prohibition is a fraud that inflicts many harms on society including denying the beneficial use of the greatest medicinal plant in the history of man.

Fred Gardner writes at CounterPunch.org and if the NC legislature wants to know anything about medpot they should invite him to speak before the appropriate committee and if they were really, really interested in the truth and best path they would invite the unquestioned leading authority on all things cannabis/hemp, Jack Herer.

Fred Gardner has said that the only way to fully utilize the medical miracle that is cannabis is to legalize it. That is what needs to be done, but in the meantime we should act urgently to create a loophole in the injustice so the sick and dying are not involved in the battle.

P.S.

The committee should also invite Dr. Ethan Russo of Missoula, Montana that is a researcher for GW Pharmaceuticals and Dr. Grinspoon of Harvard, who is the granddaddy of all cannabis researchers. Dr. Melemede of the University of Colorado.

Of course Fred Gardner or Jack Herer are best to advise on the cannabis researchers that can speak some scientific truth with authority.

Cannabis has been safely used as a medicine for thousands of years -- by MILLIONS of people -- without a single credible account of an overdose, which is remarkable; especially when you consider FDA-approved medications kill tens of thousands of people PER YEAR - even when they are properly prescribed and properly taken.

Because of cannabis' safety profile and because of cannabis' proven efficacy at treating a wide array of conditions, MEDICAL cannabis has the support of the following health organizations (maybe the News-Record could do an article(s) on why all the following organizations support medical marijuana):

American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Medical Student Association, American Nurses Association, American Preventive Medical Association, American Public Health Association, American Society of Addiction Medicine, Arthritis Research Campaign (United Kingdom), Australian Medical Association (New South Wales), Limited Australian National Task Force on Cannabis, Belgian Ministry of Health, British House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology, British House of Lords Select Committee On Science and Technology (Second Report), British Medical Association, Canadian AIDS Society, Canadian Special Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs, Dr. Dean Edell (surgeon and nationally syndicated radio host), French Ministry of Health, Health Canada, Kaiser Permanente, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Lymphoma Foundation of America, The Montel Williams MS Foundation, Multiple Sclerosis Society (Canada), The Multiple Sclerosis Society (United Kingdom), National Academy of Sciences Institute Of Medicine (IOM), National Association for Public Health Policy, National Nurses Society on Addictions, Netherlands Ministry of Health, New England Journal of Medicine, New South Wales (Australia), AIDS Action Council, AIDS Treatment News, Parliamentary Working Party on the Use of Cannabis for Medical Purposes, Dr. Andrew Weil, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Medical Student Association, American Nurses Association, American Preventive Medical Association, American Public Health Association, American Society of Addiction Medicine, Arthritis Research Campaign (United Kingdom), Australian Medical Association (New South Wales), Limited Australian National Task Force on Cannabis, Belgian Ministry of Health, British House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology, British House of Lords Select Committee On Science and Technology (Second Report), British Medical Association, Canadian AIDS Society, Canadian Special Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs, Dr. Dean Edell (surgeon and nationally syndicated radio host), French Ministry of Health, Health Canada, Kaiser Permanente, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Lymphoma Foundation of America, The Montel Williams MS Foundation, Multiple Sclerosis Society (Canada), The Multiple Sclerosis Society (United Kingdom), National Academy of Sciences Institute Of Medicine (IOM), National Association for Public Health Policy, National Nurses Society on Addictions, Netherlands Ministry of Health, New England Journal of Medicine, New South Wales (Australia), AIDS Action Council, AIDS Treatment News, Parliamentary Working Party on the Use of Cannabis for Medical Purposes, Dr. Andrew Weil...
Alaska Nurses Association, Being Alive: People With HIV/AIDS Action Committee (San Diego, CA), California Academy of Family Physicians, California Nurses Association, California Pharmacists, Colorado Nurses Association, Connecticut Nurses Association, Florida Governor's Red Ribbon Panel on AIDS, Florida Medical Association, Hawaii Nurses Association, Illinois Nurses Association, Life Extension Foundation, Medical Society of the State of New York, Minnesota Nurses Association, the Minnesota Public Health Association, the Minnesota AIDS Council, Mississippi Nurses Association, New Jersey State Nurses Association, New Mexico Medical Society, New Mexico Nurses Association, New York County Medical Society, New York State Nurses Association, North Carolina Nurses Association, Rhode Island Medical Society, Rhode Island State Nurses Association, San Francisco Mayor's Summit on AIDS and HIV, San Francisco Medical Society, Vermont Medical Marijuana Study Committee, Virginia Nurses Association, Whitman-Walker Clinic (Washington, DC), Wisconsin Nurses Association, etc...

And this is just a fraction of the support, as this list just begins to touch on the international support for medical marijuana. I have the position statements or supportive comments from most of the organizations, if anybody is interested in learning more about a particular group.

So, when someone tells you there is "no real medical support" for medical marijuana, you can feel confident that they are either lying or not too informed.

Please End the Lies.

AMERICAN COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA:

"A CLEAR DISCORD exists between the scientific community and federal legal and regulatory agencies over the medicinal value of marijuana, which impedes the expansion of research...

"EVIDENCE NOT ONLY SUPPORTS THE USE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA BUT ALSO SUGGESTS NUMEROUS INDICATIONS FOR CANNABINOIDS"

The science on medical marijuana should not be obscured or hindered by the debate surrounding the legalization of marijuana for general use."

- Reference: "Supporting Research into the Therapeutic Role of Marijuana" Released January 2008. Here's a link to the whole landmark position paper:

http://www.acponline.org/acp_news/medmarinews.htm

The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization and the second largest physician group in the United States, representing 124,000 member doctors specializing in internal medicine and related subspecialties, including cardiology, neurology, pulmonary disease, oncology and infectious diseases. The College publishes Annals of Internal Medicine, the most widely cited medical specialty journal in the world.

I'm not all together sure what the controversy is here. I could be wrong, but it seems almost everyone out there who wants to enjoy the benefits of this plant, medicinal or otherwise, have largely by now found their way to various underground marketplaces by now.

Barriers to legalization are largely pyschosocial. and socioeconomic.

A far as people throwing away their conventional medication if they start smoking weed, hard to envision this since most medical problems today, especially the epidemic of Type ll diabetes are caused by Acute Loadism (sitting on your butt and eating and not exercising-essentially being a "load") all which would be exacerbated by cannibas phenomoni such as the munchies, sitting a listening to music etc.

One also has to consider legalization and the effects on youth if this was in every medicine cabinet. Unauthorized use of perscription meds by other family members ie kids is a tremendous problem. There is no way marijuana use by kids who's brains are still developing is harmless. It kills motivation. Our schools are already laregly in the crapper. Now if the legalization folks are going to assure that the Chinese, Indian and European kids our kids are going to be competing against in the future are lighting up, if the Asian kid down the street who's on the fast track to Stanford is also on the bud, then maybe we'll talk.
Probably not true.

You hear these prohibitionists clamor about “more studies need to be done” BS
(the studies HAVE been done inside and outside USA and promptly suppressed when the desired and intended negative results got overturned by positive results)
and wonder have they never heard of anecdotal evidence?

Never underestimate the great power of anecdotal evidence.

I think of the recent story of Nova Scotian, Rick Simpson who has collected over 300 examples of anecdotal evidence that cannabis is a miraculous botanical medicine.
Mr. Simpson maintained that he grew cannabis indica on his farm and turned it into “hemp oil” (distilled the essential oils of the female flowers down to a concentrate which he freely administered to the sick and dying) to give to more than 300 patients who he strongly maintains were cured from a variety of diseases ranging from cankers to cancer.

I don’t know that I’ve ever heard of a more altruistic, empathetic or compassionate man than Rick Simpson.
Simpson grew and processed hundreds of pounds of cannabis indica and gave it away FREE of charge to the ailing. (what would be the price of a just One Pound
of potent indica on the black market?)

What did the Canadian Gummint do when they heard of the activities of Mr. Simpson? Why, arrest him of course, and try him and find him guilty of being too kind and benevolent and put him on probation, fine him and consficate his equipment and so bum the man out that he’s planning to leave the country…

Someone put together a quality hour-long documentary about Rick Simpson and it’s broken up into seven parts.
It would be worth your time to view it and hear the words of plain and simple folks’ encounter with this ancient medicine which regenerated them:

http://www.youtube.com/chrychek

http://www.phoenixtears.ca/

Can Someone get word to Teddy Kennedy that his glioma would practically wither away under the presence of THC in his system? Kennedy’s people need to get up with Rick Simpson and his people – if he wants to live, that is, and NOT go thru the nightmare of cut, poison and burn (surgery, chemotherapy and radiation).

Show Me The Money,
no one showed Rick Simpson any $$$.

From your comments, it appears you've graduated from The Grate Amerikan Skhool of Kitschy Reefer Madness Kraziness.

Show Me the Money said:
I'm not all together sure what the controversy is here. I could be wrong, but it seems almost everyone out there who wants to enjoy the benefits of this plant, medicinal or otherwise, have largely by now found their way to various underground marketplaces by now.

No. Not true at all. How about all the very sick people who can hardly get out of bed? Can they "grow their own". Can they go cruise the streets for some blackmarket medicine? Hardly.

Show Me the Money said: A far as people throwing away their conventional medication if they start smoking weed, hard to envision this since most medical problems today, especially the epidemic of Type ll diabetes are caused by Acute Loadism (sitting on your butt and eating and not exercising-essentially being a "load") all which would be exacerbated by cannibas phenomoni such as the munchies, sitting a listening to music etc.

Ahhh, the ol' "amotivational syndrome".
BS. You Reefer Madness Prohibitionists can't have it both ways.
First you say reefer makes you stone lazy and then you say that it hops you up so aggressively that you want to go out and chop people up with an ax... Well, which is it?

Show Me the Money said: One also has to consider legalization and the effects on youth if this was in every medicine cabinet. Unauthorized use of perscription meds by other family members ie kids is a tremendous problem.

Oh, good grief! When will people who bring their spawn into the world start attending to them?! Monitor your children. Lock the medicine cabinet. Teach them. Take responsibility for them. Educate them that there are many things that they will have to wait until adulthood for.

Show Me the Money said: There is no way marijuana use by kids who's brains are still developing is harmless.

Sure is. Look at the case histories of pediatricians who've recommended to parents of kids with ADD or ADHD, to chuck the Ritalin and Adderall and use cannabis instead. The parents would not trade in their "new" kids for anything after cannabinoid therapy. They give junior or missy a little brownie in the morning after their breakfast and it will last them all day in school. They focus on their studies and their grades improve.

Show Me the Money said: It kills motivation.

There you go again.

Given the length and profundity of your post above Tom, it appears I may have to rethink my position about cannibis making one a-motivational. I seriously doubt however you are in 7th grade.

Does anyone remember that NC had a medpot law back in the 70s when all the other states were acknowledging the need for medpot laws. It is our fascist/corporate government and their desire for a police state with profit and power for the few that rolled back these laws and warped science, justice, and all of society along with their fraud of prohibition.

The way you can tell that cannabis prohibition is a fraud is because nobody can produce a cost/benefit analysis of the policy- a policy that doe not even prohibit, thank goodness.

This article is up at cannabisnews.com although it has not received any comment so far. For people wanting to read the latest news on medpot there is a section on the bottom right at cannabisnews.com under "medical"- cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml

For someone that wants to justify prohibition with cannabis use while driving, the real argument is that cannabis does not cause driving and driving while impaired is always going to be illegal.

For those that want to get bogus with the gateway theory they should study on how cannabis is the safe harbor for addiction and that cannabis is not physically addictive. Cannabis is the gateway from addiction as witnessed in the writing of Dr. Tod Mikuriya- www.ccrmg.org/journal/05aut/conditions.html

SMTM said:
Given the length and profundity of your post above Tom, it appears I may have to rethink my position about cannibis making one a-motivational.

Good for you!

SMTM said: I seriously doubt however you are in 7th grade.

I'm not.
I used to be a long time ago, tho.

Now, I'm an scientist, like regular cannabis user Carl Sagan.
Whoa-boy!
Dr. Sagan... whadda lazy bum loser he turned out to be.

NON-SMOKING DELIVERY METHODS & DELIVERY "SYSTEMS" FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA:

When weighing the "Pros & Cons of Marijuana as Medicine," it is important to keep in mind there are many delivery methods -- besides SMOKING -- including:

1. VAPORIZERS - a relatively new technology/device that heats the cannabis (marijuana) to a point where the beneficial compounds are released in a vapor or fine mist, which is inhaled into the lungs. Because vaporization occurs at temperatures much lower than actual combustion, the carcinogenic potential of smoked cannabis is largely eliminated.

According to a June 2006 article in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences:

" Vaporization offers patients who use medical cannabis the advantages of the pulmonary routes of administration … while avoiding the respiratory disadvantages of smoking.”

“Using the (brand name) device for the pulmonary administration of THC, a delivery is reached that is comparable to smoking, but without the presence of degradation products or harmful byproducts in significant amounts.”

— Hazecamp, A., et al., “Evaluation of a Vaporizing Device (brand-name) for the Pulmonary Administration of Tetrahydrocannabinol,” Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, June 2006

2. CANNABIS-INFUSED BUTTERS AND OILS FOR COOKING & BAKING - Many patients use the marijuana leaves or flowers (BUDS) to make cannabis butter or oil that can be cooked, baked, or added into foods like brownies, cookies, cakes, CHOCOLATES, spaghetti sauce, tamales, and even ice cream, to name just a few. Oils also can be added to salads, veggies, yogurt, etc...

3. CANNABIS TINCTURES - a medicinal extract can be made using an alcohol or glycerin solution. Tinctures are a great option to avoid the respiratory implications of smoking.

Until the scandalous Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, well known pharmaceutical companies -- like Eli Lilly & Co; Merck; Parke-Davis & Co (today known as Pfizer, Inc); Squibb & Sons (today known as Bristol-Myers-Squibb); and Sharp & Dome (today a part of Merck & Co.) -- made cannabis tinctures that were many times more potent than any cannabis strain grown today. If abused, these tinctures could put you to sleep for a while; BUT you always woke up! (I wish I could say the same for modern FDA-approved pharmaceuticals, which kill tens of thousands of people per year).

4. CANNABIS TEAS AND TONICS - Usually the leaves of the plant are dissolved in water, milk, or alcohol to make teas, tonics and even fruit smoothies. In India cannabis tea have been made for centuries.

5. CANNABIS **PILLS** MADE OUT OF REAL CANNABIS - With access to real/natural cannabis, you can make your own cannabis pills, for a fraction of Marinol's cost. And Marinol contains only one (THC) of the 60-something cannabinoids found in real cannabis, which is one of the reasons many patients find real cannabis superior to synthetic THC/Marinol.

6. CANNABIS BALMS & RUBS - Some patients find that cannabis balms help relieve arthritic pain as well as reduce muscle spasms.

There are more delivery methods for cannabis, but these seem to be most popular for medical patients.

Here's a great link to "Marijuana's History as a Medicine," by Lester Grinspoon, M.D., one of the top authorities on medical marijuana. This history was expert testimony for the 2005 DEA hearings on medical marijuana research.

http://www.maps.org/mmj/grinspoon_history_cannabis_medicine.pdf

On Dr. Grinspoon's Credibility --from the Center for Cognitive Liberty & Ethics (CCLE):

"Dr Grinspoon served for 40 years as Senior Psychiatrist at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center in Boston. A Fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Psychiatric Association, he was the founding editor of both the Annual Review of Psychiatry and the Harvard Mental Health Letter. He is the author or coauthor of over 160 journal articles or chapters and 12 books. A major area of interest has been “illicit” drugs.

His first book, "Marihuana Reconsidered," originally published in 1971 by Harvard University Press, was recently republished as a classic. His latest book, "Marihuana, the Forbidden Medicine," co-authored with James B. Bakalar, was published by Yale University Press in 1993 (revised and expanded edition, 1997) and has now been translated into ten languages."

And here's another "must read" link, if you're serious about separating fact from fiction concerning medical marijuana, "Exposing Marijuana Myths: A Review of the Scientific Evidence" – a summary based on the work of John P. Morgan, M.D. and Lynn Zimmer, PhD.

William F Buckley surprised the whole establishment -- conservatives and liberals -- when he praised Zimmer's and Morgan’s larger book on medical marijuana as "a miracle of intelligent concision,” adding “legislators who write marijuana laws and judges who sentence marijuana cases should...consult this little book."

http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/

Sharon K said:
3. CANNABIS TINCTURES - a medicinal extract can be made using an alcohol or glycerin solution. Tinctures are a great option to avoid the respiratory implications of smoking.

Sharon,
my Dad, who is 86 years old can remember his maternal grandmother using a tincture of Cannabis Indica to treat her arthritis (probably rheumatoid arthritis).

This was in the late 1920s when he was a boy. He said she was terribly gnarled and disfigured in the hands and that it was wonder that she was able to use them at all, but she had a reputation in the community for being a fantastic cook and especially for baking scratch biscuits that she called "Hots".
When the "Hots" were coming out of the oven, people came running to her house.

Dad said she used the tincture daily and she told him it kept her out of pain and able to do things.

People today don't know that many of the current pharmaceutical giants used to market tinctures and tonics containing imported "Indian Hemp" a hundred years ago.

I am a very stronger believer that marijuana should be legalized for medicinal purposes.

Why? Because I live in severe chronic pain due to a car accident several years ago. I am prescribed fentanyl patches along with my nerve stimulator to try to help manage my severe chronic pain. But fentanyl patches have many nasty side affects and not that effective.

My highly respected neurosurgeon told me to try some marijuana to help manage my pain. I did and it helped tremendously compared to the fentanyl patches. Marijuana has less side affects and I was able to manage my severe chronic pain alot better than with a fentanyl patch. I was able to live a better quality of life with marijuana instead of a fentanyl patch.

Unfortunately my marijuana connection for many years was recently arrested and I no longer have marijuana as an option to manage my pain. I do not want to be a criminal just because I medically benefit from the use of marijuana.

I appluad Rep. Earl Jones looking out for those with medical conditions who could strongly benefit from medicinal marijuana. I look forward to the day when I can legally use marijuana for managing my severe chronic pain in North Carolina. If not, as my wife and I have already discussed, we will probably move my family to a state that already has legalized medicinal marijuana.

Tom,

Your great grandmother was ahead of her time for treating her Rheumatoid Arthritis with "Hots," as it appears cannabis:

1. MAY SUPPRESS RA'S PROGRESSION
2. Provides relief of joint pain and swelling
3. Suppresses joint destruction

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food" - Hippocrates

SOURCES:
[1] Blake et al. 2006. Preliminary assessment of the efficacy, tolerability and safety of a cannabis medicine (Sativex) in the treatment of pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology 45: 50-52.
[2] No author. 2003. Cannabis-based medicines. Drugs in Research and Development 4: 306-309.
[3] Malfait et al. 2000. The nonpsychoactive cannabis constituents cannabidiol is an oral anti-arthritic therapeutic in murine. Journal of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 97: 9561-9566.
[4] Sumariwalla et al. 2004. A novel synthetic, nonpsychoactive cannabinoid acid (HU-320) with antiinflammatory properties in murine collagen-induced arthritis. Arthritis & Rheumatism 50: 985-998.
[5] Croxford and Yamamura. 2005. Cannabinoids and the immune system: Potential for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Journal of Neuroimmunology 166: 3-18.

Make it legal and charge $200.00 a pack.
$150.00 to pay for the mess that it creates for all the tax payer's. Jail time etc. $ 25.00 for Manufacture.
$ 25.00 for the the give away programs that
Greensboro loves.

WOULD A MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM BE ANOTHER TAX BURDEN?

If North Carolina allowed the medical marijuana patient or a legally designated "caregiver" to grow the cannabis/medicine for the patient, a medical marijuana program could in fact generate revenue for North Carolina, by collecting a reasonable permit fee (which would allow only the patient or caregiver to grow a reasonable amount of plants).

The money from permit fees could easily pay the salaries/expenses for the 2-3 people needed to process the applications for permits/licenses.

Even though Oregon reduced its yearly permit fees from $150 to $55 -- because $150 was determined to be too much for people on fixed incomes -- its Office of Medical Marijuana had a $1.1 million surplus at one point in 2005.

If done correctly, a medical marijuana program could at least pay for itself, and maybe even generate a little revenue. No need for another tax burden.

Mark,
I too would like to hope that North Carolina miraculously becomes enlightened to the point of passing a medical cannabis law, but...

This state is so full of self-righteous religious hypocrites that it makes the above outcome dim to say the least,
but there is always hope, hope that the legislators will take steps to supplant their willful ignorance with the facts about cannabis and its myriad medical uses and even industrial hemp as a viable crop for hurting Carolina farmers.

In the meantime, though, because chronic pain is my affliction, IF I had the resources to re-locate to a state that had medical marijuana laws in place, I do it and then move back to the state of my birth when they finally see the light.

- - -

Sharon,
my great-grandmother, by all accounts, was a real character and had good vibes. She dealt with her affliction by simply going down to the apothecary and purchased various forms of cannabis indica. This was her way of doing what she had to do to lead a full and functioning, productive life.

From Tom: "In the meantime, though, because chronic pain is my affliction, IF I had the resources to re-locate to a state that had medical marijuana laws in place, I do it and then move back to the state of my birth when they finally see the light."

I'm in the process of moving to the coast of Maine (one of the more quiet medical marijuana states), because many of our NC elected officials choose to stay in the "dark ages" (what an embarrassment that our NC elected officials are so superstitious and so hostile to Science, Medicine, Facts, and other stuff like that).

These Dunces really need to catch up in the Science Dep't; or their legacy will be that they did everything they could to WITHHOLD MEDICINE FROM SICK PEOPLE.

The winds have shifted from the lies and propaganda toward the truth, and the lawmakers better wake up and stop protecting the pharmaceutical industry at all costs; or their political careers will be quite short.

History will not be kind to the liars, fools, cowards, and crooks who have waged a war against our sick and against Medicine.

2 GREAT LINKS ON THE FEDERAL MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM - The COMPASSIONATE IND (Investigational New Drug) PROGRAM

Yep, you heard me correctly: the federal government has been quietly in the medical marijuana business for the last 30 years, while simultaneously vilifying medical marijuana with reckless lies and fear-peddling.

Every month, the federal government (NIDA) sends huge canisters with hundreds of marijuana "joints" in each -- grown at the University of Mississippi and rolled into "joints," right here at a semi-secret spot in North Carolina -- to a handful of qualifying patients.

Bush Senior closed the program to new applicants in 1991, but approx. ten patients were "grandfathered in," and approx. 5 still receive monthly supplies of federal medical marijuana.

The first link is to a great article on one of the few federal marijuana patients, George McMahon of Texas, who suffers from Nail Patella Syndrome (NPS) - a hereditary neurological disorder that attacks internal organs and the immune system and is usually characterized by some deformity of fingernails (and can be quite deadly).

From the article:

"Before he began smoking marijuana, McMahon was taking nearly 20 different medications -- a total of 51 pills daily. The cost, as well as the numerous side effects, was too much for him to bear. "All those pills damaged my stomach and made it nearly impossible to eat, as I was continually nauseated. Now I only take one medication. It's all I need."

The second link is to a youtube video of another federal patient, Irv Rosenfeld, testifying on marijuana's medical value, before Michigan Congress.

Irv suffers from a rare bone disease, multiple congenital cartilaginous exostoses, which is marked by tumors that grow on the body's long bones, stretching the surrounding tendons and veins, making movement excruciating and almost impossible.

With the aid of FEDERAL MEDICAL Marijuana (11 ounces every 25 days for over 25 YEARS), Irv has been able to successfully suppress the growth of these tumors; and live a full life (successful stock broker, husband, and volunteer for children).

Amazing video and article. Enjoy

Link 1. http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:164587

Link 2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvzX8aNwxgM

NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE

" A] federal policy that prohibits physicians from alleviating suffering by prescribing marijuana for seriously ill patients is misguided, heavy-handed, and inhumane…"

"Federal authorities should rescind their prohibition of the medical use of marijuana for seriously ill patients and allow physicians to decide which patients to treat. The government should change marijuana's status from that of a Schedule I drug ... to that of a Schedule II drug ... and regulate it accordingly."

Reference: Editorial by NEJM editor Dr. Jerome Kassirer, January 30, 1997

AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION

"Marijuana 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..."

"[The APHA] encourages research of the therapeutic properties of various cannabinoids and combinations of cannabinoids, and ... urges the Administration and Congress to move expeditiously to make cannabis available as a legal medicine."

Reference: Resolution #9513: "Access to Therapeutic Marijuana/Cannabis," adopted November 1995

A LITTLE ON THE PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA - A FEW POLLS

Would you favor or oppose making marijuana legally available for doctors to prescribe in order to reduce pain and suffering?

Favor Oppose
2005 78% 22
2003 75% 22

POLLS: National - Gallup
DATE: October 13-16, 2005 & November 10-12, 2003

SAMPLE SIZE: Approx. 1,000 in 2005 & 1,004 in 2003

A FEW MORE POLLS

85 percent of respondents favored "making marijuana legally available for medical uses where it has been proven effective for treating a problem."

POLL: ACLU Topline Poll
DATE: November 1995
SAMPLE SIZE: 1,001

72 percent of respondents agreed with the statement, "Adults should be allowed to legally use marijuana for medical purposes if a physician recommends it."
POLL: AARP
DATE: November 2004
SAMPLE SIZE: 1,706

80 percent of respondents supported allowing adults to "legally use marijuana for medical purposes."
POLL: Time Magazine/CNN Poll
DATE: October 2002
SAMPLE SIZE: 1,007

SAMPLING OF STATEWIDE PUBLIC SUPPORT

NEW JERSEY

86 percent in New Jersey support medical marijuana generally and 71 percent support a specific medical marijuana bill.

POLL: DPA DATE: June 2006

VIRGINIA

75 percent of respondents agreed "doctors should be legally allowed to prescribe marijuana for medical use when it reduces pain from cancer treatment or for other illnesses."

POLL: Quality of Life in Virginia Survey
DATE: June 2001

WISCONSIN

70 percent of respondents supported "allowing seriously ill or terminally ill patients to use marijuana for medical purposes if supported by their physician."

POLL: Scott Rasmussen Public Opinion Poll
DATE: October 2002
Sample size: 1000

80 percent of respondents supported the Wisconsin state legislature "passing a law to allow seriously ill or terminally ill patients to use marijuana for medical purposes if supported by their physician."

POLL: Chamberlain Research
DATE: February 2002
Sample Size: 600

NEW MEXICO

81% of New Mexico voters support making medical marijuana available to seriously or terminally ill patients in order to reduce their pain and suffering from illnesses such as cancer, AIDS, and multiple sclerosis. POLL: Research and Polling Inc. March 2001 DATE: March 2001

ALABAMA

75 percent of respondents supported legalizing marijuana for medical use under a doctor's supervision.
POLL: Mobile Register-University of South Alabama
DATE: July 2004

THE HONORABLE FRANCIS L. YOUNG'S (DEA) CONCLUSION ON THE SAFETY OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA:

"Marijuana, IN ITS NATURAL FORM [capital letters added], is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis cannabis can be safely used with
a supervised routine of medical care...

The evidence in this record clearly shows that cannabis has been accepted as capable of relieving the distress from great numbers of very ill people, and doing so with safety under medical supervision.

It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for the DEA to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this substance in light of the evidence in this record."

- In the Matter of MARIJUANA MEDICAL RESCHEDULING PETITION, September 6, 1988. Docket No. 86-22. Francis L. Young, Administrative Law Judge, DEA

Here's a link to a summary of Judge Young's landmark decision that the DEA completely ignored.

http://www.fcda.org/pdf/young88.fcda.pdf

WILLIAM F. BUCKLEY SUMS IT UP:

"Taking marijuana when young is a stupid thing to do, but the young generation is not (yet) suffering from cancer and AIDS and other diseases from the ravages of which they might find relief, if they can dance through the congestion of laws and opinions that beset us...Nothing is more infuriating to a person who has been relieved of crippling nausea than to be told that he has not been relieved." -- William Buckley from "The Court on High - Medical Marijuana and the Supremes" The National Review - June 07, 2005

"The anti-marijuana campaign is a cancerous tissue of lies, undermining law enforcement, aggravating the drug problem, DEPRIVING THE SICK OF NEEDED HELP [capital letters added], and suckering well-intentioned conservatives and countless frightened parents..."

"Narcotics police are an enormous, corrupt international bureaucracy ... and now fund a coterie of researchers who provide them with 'scientific support' ... fanatics who distort the legitimate research of others." -- William F. Buckley, Commentary in The National Review, April 29, 1983, p. 495

Maybe - but anyone who has tried to drive a car, or find his/her car in a large parking lot while under the dizzying alure of Mary Jane knows that it distorts reality, confuses the head, and addicts the emotions (if not the body). But alleviating pain IS better than assisted suicide - so perhaps medicianally it's OK. But it should NOT be a popularly available mind number of emerging youth and doting boomers. TV is bad enough!!

Gadfly,

Thanks for being open.

The effects of marijuana can vary greatly, from patient to patient. Some patients feel very little of the "psychoactive" effects, as their pain/condition "absorbs" the psychoactive effects (similar to how people with real pain experience less of the narcotic effect of opiates).

With a little experimentation with dose and dosage, a patient can quickly determine what they can and cannot do, while using medical cannabis. Even though he goes through 11 ounces of marijuana every 25 days, Irv Rosenfeld, one of the federal patients mentioned earlier, barely experiences any psychoactive effect at all! In fact, he couldn't function at all, without his medicine.

But I do agree with you that certain activities like driving, babysitting, or operating a chain saw should be avoided, while impaired. Keep in mind though, there are already millions of people who use marijuana, albeit illegally; so, adding medical marijuana patients would be just a drop in the bucket.

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS

"The American Academy of Family Physicians [supports] the use of marijuana ... under medical supervision and control for specific medical indications."

Reference: 1996-1997 AAFP Reference Manual - Selected Policies on Health Issues

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE (IOM)

"Scientific data indicate the potential therapeutic value of cannabinoid drugs… for pain relief, control of nausea and vomiting, and appetite stimulation. … For certain patients, such as the terminally ill or those with debilitating symptoms, the long-term risks [associated with smoking] are not of great concern. … [Therefore,] clinical trials of marijuana for medical purposes should be conducted. … There are patients with debilitating symptoms for whom smoked marijuana might provide relief..."

Reference: "Marijuana as Medicine: Assessing the Science Base," National Academy Press: Washington, DC. 1999

FEDERATION OF AMERICAN SCIENTISTS

"Based on much evidence, from patients and doctors alike, on the superior effectiveness and safety of whole cannabis compared to other medications, … the President should instruct the NIH and the Food and Drug Administration to make efforts to enroll seriously ill patients whose physicians believe that whole cannabis would be helpful to their conditions in clinical trials, both to allow data-gathering and to provide an alternative to the black market..."

Reference: FAS Petition on Medical Marijuana, November 1994

LYMPHOMA FOUNDATION OF AMERICA

"Be it resolved that this organization urges Congress and the President to enact legislation to reschedule marijuana to allow doctors to prescribe smokable marijuana to patients in need; and, Be it further resolved that this organization 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."

Reference: Resolution approved by Lymphoma Foundation President Belita Cowan: January 20, 1997

LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY

BE IT RESOLVED that the 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; and be it further…

RESOLVED, that the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society encourage the federal government to authorize the Drug Enforcement Administration to license privately funded production facilities that meet all regulatory requirements to produce pharmaceutical-grade marijuana for use exclusively in federally approved research; and be it further RESOLVED, that 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.

Reference: Resolution approved by Leukemia & Lymphoma Society 2007

BRITISH HOUSE OF LORDS SELECT COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

"Cannabis can be effective in some patients to relieve the symptoms of MS, and against certain forms of pain. This evidence is enough to justify a change in the law. … The Government should allow doctors to prescribe cannabis for medical use: this is the conclusion of a report by the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, published today."

Reference: Press release ("Lords Say: Legalise Cannabis for Medical Use") of the House of Lords: November 11, 1998.

BRITISH HOUSE OF LORDS SELECT COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (SECOND REPORT)

"We are concerned that the MCA [Medicines Control Agency] approach to the licensing of cannabis-based medicines … place the requirements of safety and the needs of patients in an unacceptable balance. … Patients with severe conditions such as multiple sclerosis are being denied the right to make informed choices about their medication. There is always some risk in taking any medication, … but these concerns should not prevent them from having access to what promises to be the only effective medication available to them."

Reference: Select Committee on Science and Technology, Second Report: "Therapeutic Uses of Cannabis:" March 14, 2001.

HEALTH CANADA

“There is no problem, basically, with marijuana as a medicine. ... Marijuana is no different than morphine, no different than codeine, no different than Aspirin."

Reference: statements of Health Canada spokesman Dann Michols: Ottawa Citizen, December 19, 1997
* The Canadian government legalized the use of medical marijuana on July 31, 2001.

ON THE DISCOVERY OF AN ENDOGENOUS (inside us) CANNABINOID SYSTEM:

"The discovery of an endogenous cannabinoid system, with specific receptors and ligands, has progressed our understanding of the therapeutic actions of cannabis from FOLKLORE TO VALID SCIENCE [capital letters added].

It now appears that the cannabinoid system evolved with our species and is intricately involved in normal human physiology -- specifically in the control of movement, pain, reproduction, memory, and appetite, among other biological functions. In addition, the prevalence of cannabinoid receptors in the brain and peripheral tissues suggests that the cannabinoid system represents a previously unrecognized ubiquitous network in the nervous system.

-- Gregory Carter, M.D., clinical professor of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, and co-director, Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA)/Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Center

TRENDS IN NEUROSCIENCES (May 2005)

“Use of cannabis as a medicine for numerous conditions has a well-documented history stretching back thousands of years. With the identification of an endogenous system of receptors and ligands in recent years, abundant experimental data have reinforced the anecdotal claims of people who perceive medicinal benefit from the currently illegal consumption of cannabis.

This, combined with data from recent clinical trials, points to the prospect of cannabis as a medication in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and numerous other medical conditions.”

--"Emerging properties of cannabinoid medicines in management of multiple sclerosis" -- Gareth Pryce and David Baker Department of Neuroinflammation, Institute of Neurology, University College London, 1 Wakefield Street, London, WC1N 1PJ, UK)

AND IF YOU PREFER NUMBERS TO WORDS:

ANNUAL AMERICAN DEATHS CAUSED BY DRUGS (APPROX.)

1. TOBACCO .........................................400,000
2. FDA-APPROVED MEDICATIONS.........106,000*
(properly taken and properly prescribed)
3. ALCOHOL ..........................................100,000
4. ALL ILLEGAL DRUGS ..........................15,000
5. CAFFEINE ............................................2,000
6. ASPIRIN .......... .......................................500
7. MARIJUANA ................................................0

Source: United States government
National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bureau of Mortality Statistics, except* (*JAMA - Incidence of Adverse Drug Reactions in Hospitalized Patients - A Meta-analysis of Prospective Studies. Jason Lazarou, MSc; Bruce H. Pomeranz, MD, PhD; Paul N. Corey, PhD; JAMA.1998; 279:1200-1205)

Today's final thoughts:

"Is it not sad enough that illness robs people of years with their loved ones? Do we need to compound that by denying patients access to a treatment that will not only alleviate their pain and nausea, but that can also stimulate their appetite, making them stronger, so that the days, weeks, or months they have left can be filled with memories and dignity? Medical marijuana is used very successfully in other states and in other countries. We should not be asking 'why should we legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes?' but rather 'why shouldn't we?' ''

-- . Nora Bertocci, R.N. and chair of the New Jersey Hospice and Palliative Care Organization...

And to close, a little something from the Lancet:

"Meanwhile, politicians have largely remained silent, seemingly afraid of offending powerful segments of the electorate or merely of being perceived as weak in the face of rising crime figures…”

“Cannabis has become a political football, and one that governments continually duck. Like footballs, however, it bounces back. Sooner or later politicians will have to stop running scared and address the evidence: cannabis [especially medical cannabis] per se is not a hazard to society but driving it further underground may well be.”

-- The Lancet, Volume 346, Number 8985, November 11, 1995, p. 1241 Editorial

"The discovery of an endogenous cannabinoid system, with specific receptors and ligands, has progressed our understanding of the therapeutic actions of cannabis from FOLKLORE TO VALID SCIENCE [capital letters added].

It now appears that the cannabinoid system

evolved with our species and is intricately

involved in normal human physiology --

or, OR, to address the Creationists who do not put any truck in EVOLUTION-
they gots to ask themselves WHY the Creator
designed the human body with all those receptors for endocannabinoids,
and then creates arguably the most unique plant in the Plant Kingdom
for his human creation to partake of... ?

Did the Devil make him (God) do it?

And then these prohibitionist, fundoMENTAL, whacko, religiousFanatic Hypocritz
have the audacity to call
cannabis "DevilWeed"!!!
The sacrilege! The BLASPHEMY!
To spit on God's holy creation like that!

Their Bible plainly says on the very first page that God created all plants,
vegetative matter, and HERBS and declared them "Good",
and perfect and for the service of mankind.

I've read the Bible meself and cannot find it there where Satan the Devil
was used in any capacity as a "co-Creator" along with God.

It is my contention that these religious nutjobs are the REAL DevilWeeds.
(See Jesus parable - "The Wheat & the Tares")

Dear People,

With the discovery of the "endogenous cannabinoid system," we finally have enough evidence to "haul God in" on manufacturing AND intent to distribute.

As many of you are well aware, we have been accumulating clear evidence of the manufacturing/creating for thousands of years (said "devil weed" is all over the darn planet). However, establishing that God intended to distribute said "devil-weed" has proven to be a more difficult task.

It is now evident God created man & all other mammals (and maybe even fish) with "receptor sites" that act as "landing strips" for this said "Devil Weed," thus ensuring distribution forever. It is also evident that Jazz musicians have been playing a "pivotal" role in God's syndicate.

God's "Grand Cannabinoid Scheme" makes the French Connection look like amateurs. We cannot condone this type of lawlessness, especially from God and Jazz musicians (we WILL have a national roundup of Jazz musicians within the next few months).

We will be in touch soon as to how we should proceed. We look forward to continued cooperation from the "powers that be."

Warmest regards,

Lucifer;
Harry Anslinger (America's first Drug Czar: FDR - JFK);
Dr. James "After-two-puffs-on-a-marijuana cigarette-I-was-turned-into-a-bat" Munch
(Official Medical Expert to the Federal Bureau of Narcotics 1937-1962);
& A Few Thousand Really Bitter Prosecutors

God & The Devil's Weed said:
Dear People,

With the discovery of the "endogenous cannabinoid system," we finally have enough evidence to "haul God in" on manufacturing AND intent to distribute.

Man!
that must've taken a LOT of specimen cups.

many of you are well aware, we have been accumulating clear evidence of the manufacturing/creating for thousands of years (said "devil weed" is all over the darn planet).

You would think that, huh, but the scuttlebutt is that those blasted Keebler Elves have been raiding the Cosmic Evidence Locker for "ingredients" to make those yummy brownies!

awww hell,
I wuz gonna finish this but I've gonna go look again and see if I can find some alcohol receptor sites...
: : h i c : :

THE SCANDALOUS MARIHUANA TAX ACT OF 1937

For a complete understanding of why the federal government continues to wage such an ignorant and inhumane war against our fellow citizens -- despite the medical and public support for medical marijuana -- it is important to understand that the first laws against marijuana were mostly industry-fueled and racially-fueled (against Mexicans & Black Jazz Musicians) & had absolutely no scientific basis whatsoever.

In fact, Dr. William C. Woodward, doctor and Chief Counsel to the American Medical Association, testifying before Congress regarding the "Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, stated "the American Medical Association knows of no evidence that marihuana is a dangerous drug," and warned that a prohibition "loses sight of the fact that future investigation may show that there are substantial medical uses for Cannabis."

Despite the AMA's objections, the "Marihuana Tax Act of 1937" was passed with the help of a corrupt Federal Bureau of Narcotics' "expert," pharmacologist Dr. James Munch, who claimed that he was "turned into a bat," after he experimented with marijuana; and the with the help of William Randolph Hearst, who was cranking out racially-fueled "Reefer Madness" stories that now seem ludicrous, but are the basic "underpinnings" for our ignorant laws against marijuana.

Here's a great link to "The History of the Non-Medical Use of Drugs in the United States," (A Speech to the California Judges Association 1995 annual conference, by leading marijuana historian Charles Whitebread, Professor of Law, USC Law School). There is also a link to the whole "Marihuana Tax Act of 1937" hearing contained in this link:

http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/history/whiteb1.htm

A SAMPLING OF MARIJUANA PROPAGANDA (the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) -- the precursor to the DEA -- & cohorts "hoodwinked" our elected officials and the American public 70 years ago, by exploiting fears, mostly fears about other races and cultures. Though the FBN's claims may now seem absurd, they are the real "underpinnings" or "foundation" to our current marijuana laws):

“There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others. -- Harry J. Anslinger, America’s 1st drug Czar (FDR – JFK), from 1937 testimony to Congress in support of the Marijuana Tax Act.

"The primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races." -- Harry J. Anslinger - America's 1st Drug Czar (FDR - JFK)

"Marihuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men's shadows and look at a white woman twice." -- William Randolph Hearst - Newspaper Tycoon (1936)

"All Mexican's are crazy and this stuff [marijuana] makes them crazy." Texas Senator Pre-1937

"I wish I could show you what a small marihuana cigarette can do to one of our degenerate Spanish-speaking residents. That's why our problem is so great; the greatest percentage of our population is composed of Spanish-speaking persons, most of who are low mentally, because of social and racial conditions." – Harry J. Anslinger, . America's 1st Drug Czar (FDR - JFK) quoting Floyd K. Baskette

"If the hideous monster Frankenstein came face to face with the monster of marijuana he would drop dead of fright." -- Harry J. Anslinger - America's 1st Drug Czar (FDR - JFK)

"Marihuana leads to pacifism and communist brainwashing" -- Harry J. Anslinger - America's 1st Drug Czar (FDR - JFK)

"Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death." -- Harry J. Anslinger - America's 1st Drug Czar (FDR - JFK)

"Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind." -- Harry J. Anslinger - America's 1st Drug Czar (FDR - JFK)

"Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men." -- Harry J. Anslinger - America's 1st Drug Czar (FDR - JFK)

"You smoke a joint and you're likely to kill your brother." -- Harry J. Anslinger - America's 1st Drug Czar (FDR - JFK)

"[Marijuana is taken by] musicians. And I'm not speaking about good musicians, but the jazz type..." -- Harry J. Anslinger - America's 1st Drug Czar (FDR - JFK)

"Today's marijuana is also twice as strong as it was in the mid 80's." -- John Walters - US Drug Czar (Bush II)

"[Marijuana] is highly intoxicating and constitutes an ever recurring problem where there are Mexicans or Spanish-Americans of the lower classes." -- New York Times - Newspaper (1933)

"A California man decapitated his best friend while under the spell of the smoke." -- Newsweek - Magazine (1937)

"I want a Goddamn strong statement on marijuana, I mean one that just tears the ass out of them. You know, it's a funny thing, every one of the bastards that are out for legalizing marijuana is Jewish." Richard M. Nixon - Former President

"You have to face the fact that the whole problem is really the blacks. The key is to devise a system that recognizes this all while not appearing to." (about the War on Drugs to Chief of Staff, H. R. Haldeman, according to Halderman's diaries) -- Richard M. Nixon - Former President

"[S]oft-headed psychiatrists who work in places like NIMH (National Institute for Mental Health) favor marijuana because they're probably all on the stuff themselves." -- Richard M. Nixon - Former President

"Not only are we here to protect the public from vicious criminals in the street but also to protect the public from harmful ideas." -- Robert Ingersoll - Former DEA Director (1972

"In some districts, inhabited by Latin Americans, Filipinos, Spaniards and Negroes, half the violent crimes are attributed to marijuana craze. Dr. Lee Rice of San Antonio reports that eighty per cent of all the murders committed by Mexicans are done while the killers are drugged by marijuana." -- The Christian Century (newspaper) – 1938

"Marijuana causes people to lose their memory and lose their energy, and it makes them stupid... It is the last thing that one would want to see happen on or around a university or state capital.... And people who are casual about drugs ought to realize that a lot of people are dying in America." -- William Bennett - Former Drug Czar (Bush I)

"Marihuana is a short cut to the insane asylum. Smoke marihuana cigarettes for a month and what was once your brain will be nothing but a storehouse of horrid specters. Hasheesh makes a murderer who kills for the love of killing out of the mildest mannered man who ever laughed at the idea that any habit could ever get him...." -- William Randolph Hearst - Newspaper Tycoon (1936)

"Marihuana makes fiends of boys in thirty days -- Hashish goads users to bloodlust." -- William Randolph Hearst - Newspaper Tycoon (1936)

"Users of marijuana become STIMULATED as they inhale the drug and are LIKELY TO DO ANYTHING. Most crimes of violence in this section, especially in country districts are laid to users of that drug." -- William Randolph Hearst - Newspaper Tycoon (1936)

"Was it marijuana, the new Mexican drug, that nerved the murderous arm of Clara Phillips when she hammered out her victim's life in Los Angeles?... THREE-FOURTHS OF THE CRIMES of violence in this country today are committed by DOPE SLAVES -- that is a matter of cold record." -- William Randolph Hearst - Newspaper Tycoon (1936)

"I doubt it was in the scheme that the Great Creator would put one plant on Earth that could cure everything wrong with you." -- Andrea Barthwell - Former Deputy Drug Czar (Bush II)

"Marijuana leads to homosexuality ... and therefore to AIDS." -- Carlton Turner - Former Drug Czar (Reagan)

"Under the influence of hashish those fanatics would madly rush at their enemies, and ruthlessly massacre every one within their grasp." -- Dr. A. E. Fossier - New Orleans Medical & Surgical Journal (1931)

"While in this condition [high on marijuana] they become raving maniacs and are liable to kill or indulge in any form of violence to other persons, using the most savage methods of cruelty without, as said before, any sense of moral responsibility. . . . If this drug is indulged in to any great extent, it ends in the untimely death of its addict." -- Emily Murphy - Canadian Prohibitionist (1923)

“After two puffs on a marijuana cigarette, I was turned into a bat” -- Dr. James Munch, Official Expert to the Federal Bureau of Narcotics 1938 - ? & US Official Expert on Marihuana from 1938 to 1962

Please help expose & END the lies.

NATIONAL POLL
74 percent of respondents agreed "people who find that marijuana is effective for their medical condition should be able to use it legally."
POLL: Family Research Council
DATE: June 1997
Sample size: 1,000

ALASKA
74 percent of respondents said that they supported existing Alaska state law legalizing the medical use of marijuana under a doctor's supervision.
POLL: Lucas Organization
DATE: February 2002
Sample Size N/A

HAWAII
77 percent of respondents favored "the Hawaii State Legislature passing a law in Hawaii to allow seriously ill or terminally ill patients to use marijuana for medical purposes if supported by their medical doctor."
POLL: Qmark Research Poll
DATE: February 2000
Sample size: 703

CONNECTICUT
83 percent of respondents said they "think adults should be allowed to use marijuana for medical purposes if a doctor prescribes it."
POLL: University of Connecticut Center for Survey and Research Analysis
DATE: June 2004
Sample Size: 501

COLORADO
77 percent of respondents said that they supported existing Colorado state law legalizing the medical use of marijuana under a doctor's supervision.
POLL: Lucas Organization
DATE: February 2002
Sample size: N/A

End the lies.

EFFECTIVE PAIN INHIBITOR

"The clinical potential of the cannabinoids is large; some people suggest that cannabis could be ‘the aspirin of the 21st century' … Cannabinoids inhibit pain in virtually every experimental pain paradigm."

— Baker, David, et al., "The Therapeutic Potential of Cannabis," The Lancet Neurology, May 2003

A FANTASTIC SUMMARY

Here’s a link to an incredibly informative, well researched and well sourced summary of "Emerging Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids: A Review of the Recent Scientific Literature, 2000 - 2006" - Paul Armentano, Senior Policy Analyst, NORML.

This summary covers therapeutic use of cannabis and cannabinoids for 17 separate clinical conditions: Alzheimer’s disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Diabetes mellitus, Dystonia, Fibromyalgia, Gastrointestinal disorders, Gliomas, Hepatitis C, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Hypertension, Incontinence, Multiple sclerosis, Osteoporosis, Pruritis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Sleep apnea, and Tourette’s syndrome.

http://www.norml.org/pdf_files/NORML_Clinical_Applications_for_Cannabis_and_Cannabinoids.pdf

THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS FOR MS AND NEUROPATHIC PAIN:

"[R]ecent randomised controlled clinical trials have pointed to potential therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids for patients with MS and chronic neuropathic pain. This suggests that patients' reports of the effectiveness of cannabis … could serve as a valid indicator of target diseases and symptoms for cannabinoid drug development."

— Ware, M.A., et al., "The Medicinal Use of Cannabis in the UK: Results of a Nationwide Survey," International Journal of Clinical Practice, March 2005

ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PATIENTS:

"Cannabis smoking, even of a crude, low-grade product, provides effective symptomatic relief of pain, muscle spasms, and intraocular pressure elevations in selected patients failing other modes of treatment. These clinical cannabis patients are able to reduce or eliminate other prescription medicines and their accompanying side effects; Clinical cannabis provides an improved quality of life in these patients."

— Russo, Ethan, et al., "Chronic Cannabis Use in the Compassionate Investigational New Drug Program: An Examination of Benefits and Adverse Effects of Legal Clinical Cannabis," Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics, 2002

MEDICAL MARIJUANA BENEFITS RELATED TO AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS (LOU GEHRIG’S DISEASE):

"[M]arijuana has now been shown to have strong antioxidative and neuroprotective effects, which may prolong neuronal cell survival. From a pharmacological perspective, marijuana is safe with minimal possibility of overdose. In states where it is legal to do so, marijuana should be considered in the pharmacological management of ALS.”

— Carter, Gregory T. Rosen, Bill S., "Marijuana in the Management of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis," American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care, July/August 2001

VAPORIZATION OF MARIJUANA REDUCES HARMFUL BYPRODUCTS:

“Vaporization offers patients who use medical cannabis the advantages of the pulmonary routes of administration … while avoiding the respiratory disadvantages of smoking.”

“Using the Volcano device for the pulmonary administration of THC, a delivery is reached that is comparable to smoking, but without the presence of degradation products or harmful byproducts in significant amounts.”

— Hazecamp, A., et al., “Evaluation of a Vaporizing Device (Volcano®) for the Pulmonary Administration of Tetrahydrocannabinol,” Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, June 2006

HELPS FACILITATE ARV THERAPY ADHERANCE IN HIV-INFECTED PATIENTS:

"These data suggest that medicinal use of marijuana may facilitate, rather than impede, [antiretroviral therapy] adherence for patients with nausea. … Adherence to medications is a challenge to any chronically ill patient and is critically important to HIV-infected individuals …"

— DeJong, Bourke, "Marijuana Use and Its Association With Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy Among HIV-Infected Persons With Moderate to Severe Nausea," Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 2005

FACILITATION OF TREATMENT COMPLIANCE:

“Cannabis users were significantly more likely than non-users to remain on HCV treatment for at least 80% of the projected treatment course”

—Sylvestre, D., et al., “Cannabis use improves retention and virological outcomes in patients treated for hepatitis C,” European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, October 2006

IMPROVEMENT IN TOLERATION OF CHALLENGING TREATMENTS

“… [O]ur results suggest that moderate cannabis use during HCV treatment may offer significant benefit to certain patients … related to … improvement in the tolerability of the challenging medication regimen.”

“… [W]ith legal prescriptions against cannabis use limiting its study, the design and conduct of randomized, prospective research studies is virtually impossible at this time.”

— Sylvestre, D., et al., “Cannabis use improves retention and virological outcomes in patients treated for hepatitis C,” European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, October 2006

DECREASED TUMOR BURDEN IN LEUKEMIA CELLS EXPOSED TO CANNABIDIOL:

"Exposure of leukemia cells to cannabidiol led to CB2-mediated reduction in cell viability and induction in apoptosis … [and] a significant decrease in tumor burden and an increase in apoptotic tumors in vivo."

— McKallip, Robert J., et al., "Cannabidiol-Induced Apoptosis in Human Leukemia Cells: A Novel Role of Cannabidiol in the Regulation of p22phox and Nox4 Expression," Molecular Pharmacology, June 5, 2006

PROMISING ANTI-TUMOR EFFECTS OBSERVED:

"A strong and statistically significant anti-tumor effect was observed … In particular, for a highly malignant human breast carcinoma cell line … cannabidiol and a cannabidiol-rich extract counteract cell growth both in vivo and in vitro as well as tumor metastasis in vivo."

— Ligresti, Alessia, et al., "Anti-Tumor Activity of Plant Cannabinoids with Emphasis on the Effect of Cannabidiol on Human Breast Carcinoma," Journal of Pharmacology And Experimental Therapeutics, May 25, 2006

THC AND INHIBITION OF TUMOR CELL PROLIFERATION:

"[THC] inhibited tumour-cell proliferation in vitro and decreased tumour-cell Ki67 immunostaining.”

— Guzman, M., et al., "A Pilot Clinical Study of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in Patients With Recurrent Glioblastoma Multiforme," British Journal of Cancer, July 2006

NIDA-FUNDED EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY SHOWS NO DETECTABLE MARIJUANA USE AND CANCER CORRELATION:

"We did not observe a positive association of [marijuana] use — even heavy long-term use — with lung ca[ncer], controlling for tob[acco] smoking and other potential confounders.”

“Even lifetime use totaling 20,000 cannabis cigarettes did not result in an increase in risk of lung cancer."

— Tashkin, D.P., et al.,"Marijuana Use and Lung Cancer: Results of a Case-Control Study," presentation at the 2005 meeting of the International Cannabinoid Research Society Conference, 2005

STILL DON'T BELIEVE IT?

HERE ARE LINKS TO A 2-PART INTERVIEW WITH DR. DONALD TASHKIN, NOTED FEDERAL RESEARCHER & PULMONARY SPECIALIST FROM THE UCLA GEFFEN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE:

Part 1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJmQ16cGBHU

Part 2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6pBw0bgmgA&feature=related

To All North Carolina Legislators:

In all seriousness, please pass the necessary legislation to enable the use of cannabis for sick folks.

You may be wonderful politicians, but you are not physicians and you are out of your depth when you deny a physician to prescribe what he or she thinks best for their patient, and if that medicine is cannabis so be it.

By keeping this ancient medicine illegal in North Carolina, you are "playing doctor" and making a medical decision that shackles highly trained medical doctors from practicing the art of medicine.

The evidence is in for cannabis. If you are such that you remain willfully ignorant- how well does that speak of you and your professed promise to serve the citizens of North Carolina?

No need to get bogged down in studies. The studies have been done. The science of medical cannabis is sound. The anecdotal evidence is overwhelming... and never forget- it is ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE that got all you legislators elected to office in the first place.

LISTEN TO THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE!!!

sincerely,

Yes, cannabis helps many people with a variety of medical conditions. People who are other wise law abiding citizens should not be put in criminal status for using something that they found works for them....thank you

Blood Cancer is a cancer of the blood and is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of blood cells, usually white blood cells (leukocytes). There are 2 types of blood cancer or Leukemia. Treating Blood Cancer with Ginseng Root. How to make "Powder some ginseng dried roots of ginseng. Put 1 tablespoon of this powder in a cup of water and bring it to boil. Strain and cool it. Drink this tea twice daily for 6 months". This is Definitely going to help you. For any type of further help you can search it on medical dictionaries. I am sure this is going to help.

I fully support cannabis' use as medicine and see that a great deal of my fellow North Carolinians agree. Now that everyone has Blogged to their hearts content it is time to pester and I mean writing letter after letter to your state/county and local paper editor regarding our supportive stance. This blogging is great but let's get some action going. If you agree and have Ideas email me dbocker@ec.rr.com and letts get the ball rolling. Yes I know that this year it is too late but now is the time to start rattling cages for the next session and/or next year.

I suffer from arthritus in my hips, but mostly in my right hip. I find the VA offering me whatever kind of opioid type medication, and thats fine for several days, but within a week or so I find it mostly ineffective, and then theres the adiction part to deal with too. I currently take a drug called 'Tramadol' which is a prescription only anlgesic that pretty much adresses the pain, but as with the stronger opiate type drugs, becomes less and less effective over time. I wish I could have just one day without pain, and the ever-present not knowing when I'm going to drop to my knees from splitting pain. Just one day.... you canot imagine the daily routine of pain, that is for most people blessed with good health, and the compromises one must make due to pain. If Marijuana could alleviate my pain, I would be highly inclined to try it, and if sucessfull I would use it. I understand there are several ways of ingesting the plant, through smoking and actual eating it in cookies or some other form of eating it. Smoking it would not be the way I would ingest it if I had a choice, I supose I would include it in a cookie or some other like substance. If I could find relief, I would use this drug, if legal.

I have suffered from Rheumatoid arthritis since I was 2 1/2 years old. I was in a wheel chair and on a thousand different medications. When I was 20, I began smoking marijuana. Now I am off the medications and am actually able to get out of bed in the morning (usually after my first joint). My family is constantly terrified that I'm going to be arrested for my "self-medicating", but marijuana is the first medicine to give me relief from my symptoms without any adverse side affects. Contrary to many's beliefs, it does not make me stupid or unmotivated. In fact, I am two months away from graduating law school. I look forward to the day that the medical marijuana bill is passed in my state so that I and others like me can have access to effective medicine that will treat our symptoms and our disease.
Medical marijuana is not an excuse to smoke pot. It is a useful natural product that has helped millions deal with their diseases.