Halleluyah!!! Medical Marijuana approved!!!!

[daisax]

There ARE pill forms available, but apparently they don't give the same relief of symptoms and restoration of appetite as smoking does.

I'm happy about the decision. I'm sure the justice department has bigger fish to fry.

 

[KAMLEM]

when I was going through chemo I didn't get nauseous but I couldn't eat. I lost 48 lbs. (I did find it again and it brought some friends along)

I wish there was a way to make it into a pill form; the fact that it has to be smoked is what I object to most of all... other than the effect on mental capabilities, but I suppose that can't be helped.

The effect on mental capabilities is not any worse than the effect of other painkillers such as oxycontin or morphine.

 

[imabrat]

I know I would never be able to do such a thing, legal or not. I hope I never come to a point where I wish I was able to.

I wish there was a way to make it into a pill form; the fact that it has to be smoked is what I object to most of all... other than the effect on mental capabilities, but I suppose that can't be helped.

You would be surprised. When I was on chemo, my highest weight loss was 6 pounds in one day. Between nausea and mouth sores caused by chemo, I hadn't eaten in days and lost 6 pounds in a day. I was allergic to several anti-emetics which didn't help me out any. I was DESPERATE for an appetite, sleep, and to be pain free. FWIW, I'm totally against smoking marijuana for myself (I don't really care if someone else chooses to do it) but if I ended up in the same situation again I wouldn't hesitate to do it. I, too, hope no one ever has to end up in my situation though.

I absolutely support this! When I was on chemo I lost 60 pounds in 6 months due to no appetite and not sleeping. I really didn't care about lung cancer because, hey, why not add more medications into the mix?

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I'm about as conservative as they come, but even I can't understand why medical marijuana (WITH a valid prescription) should be illegal. It just seems crazy to me that it's OK to give cancer patients morphine in order to help with their pain, but it's not OK to prescribe them medical marijuana. I mean, the cancer patient could be come physically addicted to the morphine, making it much more dangerous than medical marijuana. I'm not in favor of legalized marijuana in general, but as long as it's prescribed by doctors and controlled by pharmacists (the same way other narcotics and controlled substance type medications are), then it seems like a much more practical, safe alternative to medicinal morphine or other heavy-duty narcotics that can be addictive.

My opinion as to why it's not used frequently is: (1) the pharmaceutical companies don't have their hands in it, thereby not making money where they can make money on morphine, etc.; (2) the government would then have to become pot farmers; or (3) they would have to pay pot farmers and trying to regulate that might be an issue.

I think it's bizarre that when people are at their most vulnerable, the government refuses to step in and help them, causing them more pain and suffering. People don't need to suffer unnecessarily when there is a perfectly logical alternative.

 

[IloveWINNIEthePOOH]

You could always put it in some brownies...no smoking required for that..lol
Honestly not a consumer of pot, but have plenty of friends who favor that recipe. lol

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

My cousin, before she died of tongue cancer at the age of 37 (leaving a 4 and 6 year old behind) found great relief in pot. It was the only thing that settled her after toxic chemo.

It was ridiculous to have to go "score" pot from a dealer and have no idea what you were getting. The whole family took turns - including my 70 year old dad getting the pot.

How can this possibly be a crime? There is no valid reason we as Americans should not be allowed to ingest what we want!

 

[PrincessKsMom]

You could always put it in some brownies...no smoking required for that..lol
Honestly not a consumer of pot, but have plenty of friends who favor that recipe. lol

So I guess you remember Barney Miller?

 

[lemondog]

The effect on mental capabilities is not any worse than the effect of other painkillers such as oxycontin or morphine.

ITA! I am very against illegal drug use, but there are plenty of legal drugs that mess with the mind as much as marijuana does.

 

[mjkacmom]

ITA! I am very against illegal drug use, but there are plenty of legal drugs that mess with the mind as much as marijuana does.

Except marijuana isn't physically addicting. I'm also against illegal drugs, with the exception of marijuana (and no, I don't smoke it). Even alcohol is physically addicting, and can be considered a gateway drug, and it's legal. Cigarettes are extremely addicting. I think I'd rather have them legalize marijuana, and ban cigarettes!

 

[aristocatz]

Well, it's disgusting and harmful to your lungs, that's all I can think of off the top of my head. Plus you can't be around other people while you're smoking it, unless they're looking for a contact high...

I'm not at all trying to start a confrontation here; I'm just mentioning my opinion/thoughts on the matter. I hope noone is offended by that; I won't post anymore on this thread as I have some strong views in this area (not the medical part, the illegal use of drugs part) and I don't want to cause offense, nor am I looking for someone to change my mind for me.

Peace, y'all

I do respect your opinion , but just to clarify facts:

-You cannot get lung cancer or permanent damage by smoking pot. The most you can get is heavy pot smoking might lead to throat irritation but it is reversible.

-People who do use medical marijuana smoke in the privacy of their own home so no other people need to smell the smoke. Pot smoke, by the way, does not permanently get into furniture and walls and such like cigarette smoke does.

 

[aristocatz]

I think I'd rather have them legalize marijuana, and ban cigarettes!

ITA!!!!

 

[DawnCt1]

I know I would never be able to do such a thing, legal or not. I hope I never come to a point where I wish I was able to.

I wish there was a way to make it into a pill form; the fact that it has to be smoked is what I object to most of all... other than the effect on mental capabilities, but I suppose that can't be helped.

It is in a pill form. Its called Marinol. It works quite well.

 

[DawnCt1]

But it is precribed for seriuosly ill people undergoing chemo and such.. They aren't exactly concerned about developing lung cancer or socializing.

Actually in many of the states it is prescribed very loosely.
http://www.opposingviews.com/arguments/marijuana-is-not-prescribed-by-medical-professionals

None of the major medical associations recommends smoked or raw marijuana (link to list).

* In the states with marijuana dispensaries, the vast majority of users are not terminally ill. Confiscated patient records from San Diego note that only 2 percent of marijuana users reported having AIDS, glaucoma or cancer.

* Doctors would be liable and not covered by insurance for recommending a non-FDA approved drug.

* Patients’ rights would be negatively impacted
Evidence

IcotextText
Smoked Marijuana As Medicine Has Been Rejected by the:
American Medical Association
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
American Glaucoma Society
American Academy of Ophthalmology
American Cancer Society
American Society of Addiction Medicine

IcotextText
Marijuana Rescheduling Petitions
Bonner, R., Marijuana Rescheduling Petitions, 57 Federal Register 10499-10508; Alliance for Cannabis Therapeutics v. DEA and NORML v. DEA, 15 F.3d 1131 (D.C. Cir 1994)

IcotextText
Institute of Medicine
Recently, the federal Institute of Medicine also conducted research on this issue and they see "little future in smoked marijuana as a medicine." SOURCE: John A. Benson, Jr., Co-Principal Investigator, in releasing Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base, Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, 1999.

IcotextText
FDA Statement
Inter-Agency Advisory Regarding Claims That Smoked Marijuana Is a Medicine

Claims have been advanced asserting smoked marijuana has a value in treating various medical conditions. Some have argued that herbal marijuana is a safe and effective medication and that it should be made available to people who suffer from a number of ailments upon a doctor's recommendation, even though it is not an approved drug.

Marijuana is listed in schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the most restrictive schedule. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which administers the CSA, continues to support that placement and FDA concurred because marijuana met the three criteria for placement in Schedule I under 21 U.S.C. 812(b)(1) (e.g., marijuana has a high potential for abuse, has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and has a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision). Furthermore, there is currently sound evidence that smoked marijuana is harmful. A past evaluation by several Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA), concluded that no sound scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data supported the safety or efficacy of marijuana for general medical use. There are alternative FDA-approved medications in existence for treatment of many of the proposed uses of smoked marijuana.

FDA is the sole Federal agency that approves drug products as safe and effective for intended indications. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act requires that new drugs be shown to be safe and effective for their intended use before being marketed in this country. FDA's drug approval process requires well-controlled clinical trials that provide the necessary scientific data upon which FDA makes its approval and labeling decisions. If a drug product is to be marketed, disciplined, systematic, scientifically conducted trials are the best means to obtain data to ensure that drug is safe and effective when used as indicated. Efforts that seek to bypass the FDA drug approval process would not serve the interests of public health because they might expose patients to unsafe and ineffective drug products. FDA has not approved smoked marijuana for any condition or disease indication.

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.

IcotextText
Officials Say Drug Raids Found Clubs Were A Front
Murphy, D. Officials say drug raids found clubs were a front. New York Times; June 24, 2005.

IcotextText
Authorities Raid Eleven San Diego Dispensaries
10News.com; July 7, 2006.

Post a Comment

 

[JimFitz]

I say legalize the whole thing. I don't smoke marijuana but always wondered why Alcohol and Tobacco are legal and marijuana isn't. States could make alot of money if marijuana was legalized.

Glad to hear that it's officially legalized for medicinal purposes.

 

[ZPT1022]

The effect on mental capabilities is not any worse than the effect of other painkillers such as oxycontin or morphine.

There are even meds that seem much more innocuous than those that can alter your mental state. I'll give a personal example- I'm currently taking prometrium, a progesterone supplement, twice daily. I'm taking it to prevent another miscarriage. It makes me completely and totally looped. I feel like I've had 3 glasses of wine. I'm seriously like a drunk- slurring words, feeling very "loose" in my muscles, etc.... until the overwhelming tiredness hits and I go and sleep it off. I hate taking it but I hate the thought of losing another baby even more. I guess sometimes you just have to weigh your odds and make a choice.

FWIW, after watching many loved ones basically wither and die from cancer, I think this is a positive step.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

There are even meds that seem much more innocuous than those that can alter your mental state. I'll give a personal example- I'm currently taking prometrium, a progesterone supplement, twice daily. I'm taking it to prevent another miscarriage. It makes me completely and totally looped. I feel like I've had 3 glasses of wine. I'm seriously like a drunk- slurring words, feeling very "loose" in my muscles, etc.... until the overwhelming tiredness hits and I go and sleep it off. I hate taking it but I hate the thought of losing another baby even more. I guess sometimes you just have to weigh your odds and make a choice.

FWIW, after watching many loved ones basically wither and die from cancer, I think this is a positive step.

Prayers and good wishes for you that you are able to have a very uneventful and long pregnancy.

 

[shrubber]

I do respect your opinion , but just to clarify facts:

-You cannot get lung cancer or permanent damage by smoking pot. The most you can get is heavy pot smoking might lead to throat irritation but it is reversible.

-People who do use medical marijuana smoke in the privacy of their own home so no other people need to smell the smoke. Pot smoke, by the way, does not permanently get into furniture and walls and such like cigarette smoke does.

umm your wrong here...
http://www.nida.nih.gov/infofacts/marijuana.html

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

definitely a move in the right direction!

 

[Octoberbride03]

Glaucoma

You're kidding me right? About dad's entire family has glaucoma and I'm about thisclose to having it. Pot because my eyes are going. Yeah that sounds like a good idea.

As for the cancer bit I have no opinion. Know plenty of ppl who've had cancer but none of them tried pot medicinally.

 

[AshleyW]

Glaucoma

You're kidding me right? About dad's entire family has glaucoma and I'm about thisclose to having it. Pot because my eyes are going. Yeah that sounds like a good idea.

As for the cancer bit I have no opinion. Know plenty of ppl who've had cancer but none of them tried pot medicinally.

Actually, THC enlarges passageways in your eyes (like it does in your lungs) which helps to lower intra-ocular pressure - which helps to keep glaucoma under control.

Personally, I think this is a step in the right direction. They may as well just completely legalize it and tax it.