For several years I have postulated that marijuana is not, in the strict sense of the word, an intoxicant.
As I wrote in the book Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink? (Chelsea Green, 2009), the word ‘intoxicant’ is derived from the Latin noun toxicum (poison). It’s an appropriate term for alcohol, as ethanol (the psychoactive ingredient in booze) in moderate to high doses is toxic (read: poisonous) to healthy cells and organs.
Of course, booze is hardly the only commonly ingested intoxicant. Take the over-the-counter painkiller acetaminophen (Tylenol). According to the Merck online medical library, acetaminophen poisoning and overdose is “common,” and can result in gastroenteritis (inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract) “within hours” and hepatotoxicity (liver damage) “within one to three days after ingestion.” In fact, less than one year ago the U.S. Food and Drug Administration called for tougher standards and warnings governing the drug’s use because “recent studies indicate that unintentional and intentional overdoses leading to severe hepatotoxicity continue to occur.”
By contrast, the therapeutically active components in marijuana — the cannabinoids — appear to be remarkably non-toxic to healthy cells and organs. Further, they mimic compounds our bodies naturally produce — so-called endocannabinoids — that are pivotal for maintaining proper health and homeostasis.
In fact, in recent years scientists have discovered that the production of endocannabinoids (and their interaction with the cannabinoid receptors located throughout the body) play a key role in the regulation of proper appetite, anxiety control, blood pressure, bone mass, reproduction, and motor coordination, among other biological functions.
Just how important is this system in maintaining our health? Here’s a clue: In studies of mice genetically bred to lack a proper endocannabinoid system the most common result is premature death.
Armed with these findings, a handful of scientists have speculated that the root cause of certain disease conditions — including migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and other functional conditions alleviated by clinical cannabis — may be an underlying endocannabinoid deficiency.
Now, much to my pleasant surprise, Fox News Health columnist Chris Kilham has weighed in on this important theory.
Are You Cannabis Deficient?
via Fox News
If the idea of having a marijuana deficiency sounds laughable to you, a growing body of science points at exactly such a possibility.
… [Endocannabinoids] also play a role in proper appetite, feelings of pleasure and well-being, and memory. Interestingly, cannabis also affects these same functions. Cannabis has been used successfully to treat migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and glaucoma. So here is the seventy-four thousand dollar question. Does cannabis simply relieve these diseases to varying degrees, or is cannabis actually a medical replacement in cases of deficient [endocannabinoids]?
… The idea of clinical cannabinoid deficiency opens the door to cannabis consumption as an effective medical approach to relief of various types of pain, restoration of appetite in cases in which appetite is compromised, improved visual health in cases of glaucoma, and improved sense of well being among patients suffering from a broad variety of mood disorders. As state and local laws mutate and change in favor of greater tolerance, perhaps cannabis will find it’s proper place in the home medicine chest.
Perhaps. Or maybe at the very least society will stop misclassifying cannabis as a ‘toxic’ substance when its more appropriate role would appear to be that of a supplement.
Are you kidding? Seriously? OMG you people are truly too high to realize how ridiculous you are!!! Now you’re claiming marijuana is a health supplement??? I hope people don’t buy the snake oil you are selling.
[Paul Armentano responds: Helen, did you even read the commentary, the study by Ethan Russo, or the Fox News link? Apparently not.
‘Supplement’ — defined as ‘something that compensates for a deficiency or constitutes an addition’
According to the theory postulated in the above links and most recently reported by Fox News, the definition would seem appropriate. Certainly more so than classifying cannabis and all of its constituents as Schedule I controlled substances lacking any medical efficacy, as they are presently classified today.]
This is very accurate. Marijuana helps me control my depression better than Celexa (which I still take daily), but the pot is actually restoring my sense of well being . I also have herniated discs, and have found relief from the pain by smoking pot.
I have been waiting since 1966 for our marijuana laws to change!
Look, I’m as pro-pot and anti-drugwar as anyone. But claiming it’s not an intoxicant is a very bad idea as far as public perception goes. Arguing the latin root of the word is semantic at best. At worst, it makes you sound ridiculous.
From the dictionary:
Intoxicate: To stupefy or excite by the action of a chemical substance such as alcohol.
I think that marijuana intoxicates, just as do any of the other myriad legal drugs in the US. Intoxicant does NOT imply toxicity, despite the common roots of the two words.
[Paul Armentano responds: Nobody is trying to imply that THC doesn’t temporarily alter mood; though it is worth noting that a myriad of cannabinoids that have been shown to possess therapeutic properties — such as CBD, CBN, etc. — are not euphoric. That said, the focus of the commentary is on toxicity issues. Your modern day definition of the word intoxicant is correct, as is my premise that the root origin of the word comes from poison.
https://www.msu.edu/~defores1/gre/roots/gre_rts_afx2.htm
Nevertheless, for clarity I’ve edited the final sentence to try and better draw this distinction.]
I really appreciate this information. Thank you for the word study that has set me straight on mj not being an “intoxicant.” Also thanks for the information on how the body uses endocannabinoids. Great work, great article.
I have IBS and cannibis is the only medicine that works for me. Being in Indiana i will probally never see medical cannibis
I saw this article not too long ago.
It just goes to prove what we’ve been saying all this time. Hopefully a lot of people will pick up on this. This is a good excuse to raise public awareness on the issue
What would people think if it is found that cannabis promote a healthier you and extend life , then , what would people think of our leaders and government , you know , the ones that have demonized cannabis and any one using it. That they have done this for greed, power , money , control , ignorance. Boy I bet that doesnt sit well with our leaders.
Cannabis is a mild anesthetic. Perhaps we’ve all had a case of the Mojaves…much like anyone gets after an operation.
Happy 4:20, people.
Darn time difference
I’ve been saying exactly the same thing; the root word of ‘intoxicant’ is ‘toxic,’ as in ‘it will kill you.’
Much better Happy 4:20
I’m not cannabis deficient now… only when I wake up and before I bake, which is not too long.
I find this very intersting and always speculated as most users do that marijuana is a needed substance in life,just like milk you can survive without it but better off with it.
Idk though I just think the government has their own private agenda and no matter what we do nothing can happen
I find this very intersting and always speculated as most users do that marijuana is a needed substance in life,just like milk you can survive without it but better off with it.
Idk though I just think the government has their own private agenda and no matter what we do nothing can happen
I really want to thank Paul and the other authors of the book. This has helped me understand the science and knowledge behind what I’ve felt all along regarding cannabis. I now feel empowered to discuss this ridiculous prohibition with my parents (conservative) and even my boss (not so conservative). A lot of people are beginning to see through the bullshit we call prohibition.
I love how people come in and bash studies like this. To people who haven’s experienced Cannabis, you can please leave the room. There is no way someone who hasnt experienced the effects to pass judgment. When i use my med. cannabis, i dont get “intoxicated”. i agree with the alcohol and acetaminophen, and even caffeine being intoxication. a better word would be euphoric with cannabis. i am myself but in a better state. alcohol, changes who you are, to an extent. im a quiet guy, i drink i become a raging asshole who wants to punch everyone in sight. yea that may be my personality deep down, but alcohol brings that to the surface. caffeine, i feel all jittery and not myself. hypervigilance, etc. with cannabis, i feel relaxed. stress melts away and i get my stuff done. if it wasnt for cannabis, i wouldnt be doing so well in my collegiate career.
Just for the record, the low toxicity of marijuana is actually attributable to the low concentration of cannabinoid receptors (specifically CB1) in the brain stem (the area of the brain where autonomic functions such as breathing are controlled).
Almost every recreational drug mimics a neurotransmitter that is already naturally present in the body, not just marijuana, so that has no influence on its toxicity.
[Paul Armentano responds: You are correct regarding the low concentration of CB1 receptors in the brain stem/CNS. This fact explains why cannabinoids do not possess LD-50 levels comparable to many other common susbtances. I discuss this subject in greater depth in Marijuana Is Safer.]
Cannabis helps me with my temper an i dont take any pills not even tylenol never have an never will,for those that say theres something in pill form u can use for your temper i say NOPE my remedy works just fine and it comes from nature.
Excellent news. Thanks Paul and Fox News. Good to see more truth in the media.
Hope the current findings influence the medical community to recommend to the states with MMJ to include the tratment of mood disorders (not just pain and eating disorders).
Is it possible we as humans were used to having cannabis in our system for thousands of years and with the prohibition of the last hundred have caused this deficiency?
helen is ignorant.
When you give a bureaucracy 15 billion dollars a year for drug control and the main justification for that budget is marijuana,you can bet that the government,or at least the ONDCP has an agenda. If you go to ONDCP’s website and scroll down their funding for all the federal agencies and the amounts of money that many federal agencies receive from ONDCP,you can get an idea of how much impact legalization of marijuana and the very possible reduction of ONDCP funds,you get a bit more of the picture on how many people in our government are paid supporters of prohibition.
I have suffered from IBS my entire life. The ONLY thing that has ever helped is Cannabis. I have tried everything. Some days I can’t even get out of bed. I toke up and five minutes later i’m fine and ready to start my day.
I’m hoping Ohio moves to medical soon.
good article!!!
The use of the Endocannabinoid system is well documented in medical studies, one even posulates that the endocannabinoid system is reponsible for human evolution.
Marijuana helps me stabilize my moods, have an appetite, relieves my headaches, have regular bowel movements(gross, but true), and most of all, it helps me deal with all these crazy people in this world! I’ve never seen anybody overdose on weed, or kill anybody…we just need it to have a normal day…I’ll smoke weed over having a drink or popping any pills ANYDAY…LEGALIZE MARIJUANA, MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE!!…haters stop hatin, we aren’t goin anywhere
Marijuana is not an intoxicant at all. If you do believe so consider this, anything that is toxic, literally anything that is an intoxicant will kill you if you take too much, or at least make you feel terrible. Marijuana does not. And also, marijuana is the only illicit drug that is not a designer drug because marijuana doesn’t simulate anything, the thc actually attaches to receptors in the brain that are specifically for thc and scientists have not come up with any other use for the receptors. (found mostly around the cerebellum).
Good article Paul; next step is getting the medical field involved to the point politicians listen. Then to the politicians who think it’s risky talking about cannabis but it’s not when 80% of America approves medical marijuana and 44% for recreational. Now that America sees that our government keeps screwing stuff up we’re getting more involved. I know I hate politics but I’m trying to stay involved and make educated choices in choosing a representative or calling them telling them what I as a constituent want done. Keep pushing forward; I sure hope change is coming.
Excellent article, Paul! It doesn’t surprise me that many of us are cannabinoid deficient and that cannabis provides everything we need. I love that I’m being good to my body when I choose not to drink alcohol or do any other drugs for that matter. I just choose marijuana and nothing else. I take pride in my choice.
Is there anything this magical plant CAN’T do?!?!? I’ve smoked since I was a teenager and I always sensed that pot had some medicinal properties, even when a friend of mine developed multiple sclerosis and years later now they’re finding that pot helps abate the spasticity and perhaps evens slows myelin plaque buildup.
And then there was the time at work some nurses came in and did glaucoma tests. Well guess who’s was the lowest in that workplace? They did mine twice because they couldn’t believe the first reading.
The beauty of marijuana is that it does so much, and does it all SO gently, just as long as you don’t tamper with it. But when you change the basic molecule and extract only certain components, you create something that is potentially toxic. Marinol is NOT marijuana.
I’m a 38 year old male living with ADD & Tourette Syndrome. I’ve taken everything from Haldol to buspar and it only made my symptoms worse. Marijuana’s the only medicine that works without the severe side effects you get from prescription medication. Some say marijuana is Toxic. I say do your research. For those who are too lazy to research, the number of people overdosing or dying from Marijuana is “0”, that’s ZERO. Great article & Thank You Paul Armentano for all your hard work.
Great article! I just want to comment on our governments recent trip to Mexico. The Obama administrations answer is to throw more of our money at the Mexican government so that they will continue to kill as many people as possible that make a living importing cannabis into the U.S. I wonder how long it will take for our elected officials to realize that people in a somewhat free society will consume whatever the fuck they want regardless of what the government says or does. If they understand this basic truth they will come to the conclusion that trying to control what people consume is impossible. Legalize, regulate and taxation is a much better public policy. It will get a lot less people killed if that is truly what we want.
Precisely! You hit the nail on the head! Since about a year ago, I, too, stopped referring to cannabis as an intoxicant. Alcohol is toxic to the human body–very much so. Cannabis is non-toxic. The science on this is very clear. “Intoxicant” never was intended to be a mere synonym for “inebriant”–the two terms are quite different due to the etymology, as you pointed out. Alcohol, intoxicant. Cannabis, inebriant. …Well, all right, you call it a “supplement,” which is quite a bit different. Perhaps you are right! Unfortunately, there is a trick in determining the precise dosage needed of said supplement. This is where Pharma stands to step in with their scientists and laboratories, and change dear old Mary Jane from an inebriant into a pill, measured, sealed, and standardized.
Thank you guys so much for getting the truth out there. Sometimes this is very hard to do since so many people are misinformed and stuck in there beliefs that it blinds them from the real truth about cannabis.
#20 wash voter very interesting idea
“Is it possible we as humans were used to having cannabis in our system for thousands of years and with the prohibition of the last hundred have caused this deficiency?”
i wonder if this is possible, that humans have been accustomed to cannabis that it is a minor part in effective management of mood and other internal mechanism, perhaps it was even cannabis that led our ancestors to evolve in to the first humans who were civilized
Its all about money and jobs in todays culture – Prison unions have more power than america knows about – Thats my take about the weed – until we insist that who we put in government office stop the drug war – its funded by hate and years of crooks in DC – they all know it to. Every one of them know the money goes to all there buddys in all those offices – and we know how honest these great leaders are. Maybe our time has come to make whoever is going into office sign a legal paper saying it before we give them a dime of money..
#17 That sounds just like me
I used to suffer from Major Depression. I was on effexor, prozac, zoloft at one time or another and Xanax for 14 years. When my kids grew up and left home, I was very lonely and depressed. An old friend came by with a joint she had for her glaucoma. We smoked it and after that, I remembered how great it used to make me feel. I had been away from it for 25 years. I am happy to say, I am off all my depression medicine and down to 1/2 xanax a day. I know what works best for me and it is surely not the pharmacy drugs! I know I am very proud that I kicked antidepressants and most of the Xananx with just 2 hits of hydro a day. Why is it illegal?
As time moves on, I think that all of us will come to find that the marijuana plant is in itself a gift from the almighty. We already are aware of the increditable products that can be derived from hemp. Everything from fuel,synthetic biodegradable plastics, to paper and some of the strongest cloth known.
We have only begun to see the medical benefits that we can derive from this wonderful plant. With time and the support of all who believe in the cause, we will make the changes needed to unleash all of the wonderful benefits that this plant have to offer the world. I urge everyone to write their representives regularly. Only we can make the changes needed! As for the #1 post made by Helen, I pitty her, she is not to blame for her ignorance. You see she has been brain-washed with propoganda. This brain-washing began nearly 70 years ago. Since then our Govt. has reinforce such rubish in schools and in Reefer Madness articles. You see the major corporations that have been spawned from the industrial revolution are in danger from the positive aspects of marijuana. This includes everything from the Pharmacuticle companies, paper, textiles, oil, and lumber companies. All of the previously listed companies have a very large influence on our Govt., in the way of campaign contibutions. You see cannibus prohabition has been bought and paid for by Corporate America. For that reason I pitty the ignorance of people such as Helen. I pitty the fact that they are being deceived by such lies formed by our Govt. and corporations accross America, and fail to see the truth. The only way we can show our representives that we mean buisness is to use the power of our combine votes to elect officals that will change given perception of this wonderful plant. It wont be easy but it can be done. This is our America, fight for what is ours, its not only our right but also our responsablity.
Have to tell you NORML, for at least today anyway, there is hope in my heart. My M.D., in as discreet a way as possible, all but said he is anxious to prescribe medical marijuana when the state we live in goes medical. He had a glint in his eye and a serene happiness that was obvious. He even pulled a memo pad out of his shirt pocket to share with me how many states now have medical marijuana.
The doctor’s know, they know and they’re excited over the prospect of prescribing an effective medicine to treat their ailing patients.
Never, ever, never, did I believe that I’d hear this from a doctor in the state I currently call home.
And this doctor is as straight-laced as they come.
Regarding Helen’s initial post:
Please remember that Endorphins a.k.a. endogenous MORPHINE (like Endocannabinoids) are naturally occurring chemicals ALREADY PRESENT IN OUR OWN BODIES.
To put this another way: if you had read or heard a news report about an all natural herb with anti-depressant, anti-nauseant, muscle relaxing, pain relieving, appetite stimulating, sex enhancing and anti-oxident properties (just to name a few), you would probably be buying it by the truckload.
Even more so: If Dr. Oz came endorsed regular consumption of this magnificent herb/spice, the whole NATION would probably get on board.
Please go to http://www.erowid.org and look up “Cannabis” to get REAL information instead of the anti-drug Government propaganda that you’ve been fed all these years.
I think you’ll be pleasantly surpised by how much you will “expand your mind” when you do some research yourself. . .which makes me wonder:
Why would anyone refer to “mind-expanding drugs” as a bad thing? Isn’t the mind something that you would WANT to expand?
END SLAVERY. . .
LEGALIZE FREEDOM!!!
Matt
God is the ultimate pharmacist and alchemist.
Eric Blair
“When a man-made law is contrary to the law of nature it has no validity anytime, anywhere, under any circumstances.
Elvy Musikka
It’s a vasodilator and works so much better than my bp medicine 😉
For years I suffered from mood swings, depression, and the general feeling that I needed something to take the edge off. Antidepressants and alcohol exacerbated the condition or came with their own adverse effects. Enter cannabis–gone is the depression, the alcohol use and I feel much better with the equivalent of 1 joint/day! And my morning meditation session has become enlightening. Its time to reschedule, research, educate, FREE THE WEED! Its not the cannabis thats the problem, its the ignorance.
Once again I have to point it out— You at NORML ***KNOW*** about the dangers of tylenol, and you are great champions of medical marijuana… yet you’ve never once mentioned that for those people who are NSAID intolerant (no aspirin, no ibuprofen, no advil, no motrin etc etc), and who have chronic pain their ONLY two “legal” options are tylenol or opiates, both of which are dangerous.
Otherwise, great article.
helen thanks for scientific views, based on research,
I can’t wait to see the vast new info we will learn about ECS , Thc and cannabis in the years to come.
I have a feeling it shall all we positive!
I have nerve pain in my left leg that goes to 10 and stays there without mj But then if it were legal it probably would begin to extend life and that would mess with government’s genicide programs The problem with mj is the lack of knowledge by the general public which is supressed by government Hemp laws are the foundation of control of the economy and treason against the republic Another word for pothead is patriot Like the founders before us Yes George and Thomas did inhale
Paul Armentano I was wondering how much money you make annually??? Sorry for the personal question I just need to know how rich the topic of marijuana has made you???
[Paul Armentano responds: Sorry to disappoint you but nobody at NORML is getting ‘rich.’ NORML is a non-profit organization and our tax returns are available online for the world to see.]
Here is a website I found on someone else’s blog reply. Check it out! small but deviant.
Here is their main page, Altria.com ( A tobacco and Wine distribution group ) that on their Anti-marijuana page.. (posted above) dont support any intoxicant!?
Im confused, wouldnt they be out of business then?
thats very interesting!! so we all have endocannabinoids and when they get low things like migranes and the other things u listed are a possible explanation? that actually makes sence becausei have ulcerative colitis and ITP which is low blood platelets and when i dont smoke my stomach hurts and fell like shit but as soon as i smoke it literally it helps right away. its going to suck having to quit smokingcuz im going to be on probation for two years. fucking minneasota sucks
Fox News asks, “Are You Cannabis-Deficient?”
– I have to answer with a resounding “Yes!”.
(It’s the primary reason for my NORML-blog
screen-name “Gone2PotLESSness”).
– The information provided in the Fox health-article is actually old news to me,
however it’s very nice to see it presented in mainstream media more often,
and…
It would be even better to see this noble plant restored to its former rightful place in
botanical-medicine, alongside other recognized herbal-supplements.
(BTW, pot-foes, it DOESN’T have to be smoked!!!).
FYI,
Another plant-source of anandamides is…CHOCOLATE!!!
Should cocoa be lowered to the status of an “illegal-drug”,
(with an ensuing “War On Chocolate”, despite consequential black-market carnage),
or
should cannabis be returned to the spice-rack as the essential culinary ingredient it IS?
I would have to answer, “The latter”.
@#1 Helen:
Did you even read the Fox News article???
The ENTIRE article…
http://health.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/03/10/are-you-cannabis-deficient/
In particular, this quote:
“Anandamide also plays a role in proper appetite,
feelings of pleasure and well-being, and memory.
Interestingly, cannabis also affects these same functions.
Cannabis has been used successfully to treat migraine,
fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and glaucoma.
So here is the seventy-four thousand dollar question:
Does cannabis simply relieve these diseases to varying degrees, or
is cannabis actually a medical replacement in cases of deficient anandamide?”
Again, I would have to answer, “The latter”.
Article confirms what we all know. I’m working on gathering signatures on petitions in WA State to fully decrim / legalize MJ. I just can’t believe this is still such a huge issue when our last THREE PRESIDENTS have admitted to smoking. If you are a WA state resident or just interested in what is going on here check out the website for I-1068
http://sensiblewashington.org/
Thanks to Paul Armentano for responding to the comments that would otherwise get my blood boiling…
I too suffer from anxiety, I take Cymbalta daily, but cannabis does things no pharmaceutical has ever been able to do for me.
I believe that marijuana is natures cancer blocking plant. I believe that the reason
Americans have 1 chance in 3 of contracting cancer is because our government outlawed marijuana,and removed cannabis from our medicine cabinets after 1942,when the FDA started up. When the Tax Act was passed in 1937,there were 150 medicines with cannabis in them,used by everyone in America. When the doctors of the AMA found out that “marijuana” was cannabis,they told the congressional committee writing up the Tax Act that marijuana was a medicine and refused to support the Tax Act or any law against the use of it.
The committee lied to congress and said that the AMA was in complete agreement that marijuana was not a medicine. When the AMA complained about the passing of the bill,they were told that the “medicinal uses for marijuana were not the target of the tax act and they would probably not be intervened with but after the FDA came into being,they shut down the medicinal use of marijuana,because no big pharmaceutical companies were willing to spend the money proving that it was a medicine,when people would be able to grow it themselves. This whole prohibition was started on lies and the lies are what will stop it. America is getting tired of being lied too,even if it is for their own “good” or a politician’s idea of what is good for them.
I predict that the legalization of marijuana will cause our epidemic cases of cancer in our society will drop too 1 chance in 6 or 7.within 5 years of legalization. It is not just the prescription drugs that the pharmaceutical companies will lose that causes them as much concern as the loss of 2/3 of their cancer treatments.
All the pharmaceutical companies sell is treatments,they don’t have and don’t want a cancer cure or a cancer blocking medicine stopping the profits.
And the above legacy of the lies are in the congressional record.
NORML is completley derelict in inviting the opinion that cannabis serves to supplement some defficiency in human biochemistry as if it were a vitamin or something. Nobody smokes pot to make up from some biochemical difficiency, everybody smokes pot to get high. Everybody. This is just another feeble attempt to dignify the whole medical marijuana facade.
Oh wait. Now that this weird health care bill has passed, maybe we can get some of this medical care money into the fat black market by way of the dispensaries. But nobody is that stupid. Or stoned. Are they?
[Paul Armentano responds: Thanks for your non-medically trained opinion. There are now thousands of primary care physicians in some 14 states who are legally recommending cannabis therapy to their patients in compliance with state law. I suppose that in your opinion these physicians care nothing about the health and welfare of their patients, or their Hippocratic Oath, and just like to help their patients get ‘high.’ Yeah right. Further, there are dozens of therapeutically active compounds in marijuana that are not psychoactive at all. See: http://www.cell.com/trends/pharmacological-sciences/abstract/S0165-6147(09)00128-X.%5D
ONE THING IS AS CLEAR AS THE NOSE ON YOUR FACE!
The government has a monopoly on pot, and controls it world-wide.
IF YOU, FOR SPLIT SECOND, THINK THAT THEY ARE GOING TO GIVE UP CONTROL, YOU GOT ROCKS IN YOUR HEAD!
When we know how many billions of dollars are involved at a state level, just think of how much that is on a national level, or even a world-wide level.
IT’S EASY FOR THEM TO SAY, WE OWN IT, AND YOU CAN’T HAVE IT.
Remember Air America! The only way we are going to get it is to take it away from them, just like they took it away from us.
This is ridiculous and stupid. Stop picking fights with Fox News. I just watched them cover the latest developments in California and D.C. They reported the ballot measures and that was it, yet here you are picking a fight with them to satisfy the base. We need their viewers and you are trying to piss them off.
What the heck is wrong with you? Do we have so many supporters that you can afford to alienate everyone else?
Get your head together.
[Paul Armentano responds: Um, I praised Fox News in my commentray for covering this story. I just appeared as a guest on Fox News’ Freedom Watch programming. What are you talking about?]
no wonder cancer has run rampant the past 80 90 years we arent getting enough cannabinoids
Ed Rosenthal has been writing since last November that the President is suffering from MDS, Marijuana Deficiency Syndrome. Guess he was on to something asking us all to send joints to Obama.
F.Y.I.
Just to clarify previous posting…
“ANANDAMIDE”
is another name for the brain’s
ENDOCANNABINOIDS…
Fine article, Paul.
In 1988, 16 years after NORML first filed an administrative petition asking that the DEA reschedule marijuana to allow it to be prescribed as a medicine, the DEA’s very own Chief Administrative Law Judge issued a ruling that still says it all! After a review of all the appeals and evidence (and there wasn’t but a fraction of the evidence that has piled up today), Judge Francis L. Young in 1988 found, “Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest theraputically active substances known to man…It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for the DEA to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this substance in the light of this record.” Judge Young was subsequently over-ruled by the political hack, then the Drug Czar, John Lawn, and the courts declined to hear our appeal. After his stint in government, Lawn retired to lobby for the hard alcohol industry and brought forth a short-lived publication, Healthy Drinking.
If you’ve smoked it, you know it’s an intoxicant. Call it what you want, you’ll still be rocked.
What’s with all these extremely ignorant people leaving comments? Helen and Plubius, do you not know how to read or comprehend English? Why can’t stupidity be outlawed, then you people can happily rot away in prison, while everyone else can enjoy a substance of nature that humans have been using for thousands of years.
yeah Plubius you must be one ignorant MF, As of late all I have seen is Fox portraying Marijuana like it is and without some twisted fate, Rather shocking yet pleasing to see one of the networks not butcher MJ Facts. Additionally no where in this post does Paul say anything about fox except “Fox News Health columnist Chris Kilham” If this is picking fights and alienation what does it take to please you!
So Jabari are endorphins an intoxicant? I feel pretty damn good after a hard workout… Just because it naturally feels good doesn’t mean its an intoxicant
Looks like ol’ Helen needs help pullin her head outta her ass too Snake oil lol
I don’t know if I am cannabis deficient, but I am not taking any chances. Now, where’s the lighter?
Just from my own experience I can tell anyone without any scientific research Ive never felt healthier than when I was smoking pot daily in the evenings. Its a muscle relaxer and a mood enhancer. It promotes normality in eating, sleeping and positive behavior(anger management,depression cure). It definately assists in homeostasis.
Its not addictive I had no problem quitting after over a decade of everyday use. To relax in the evenings I drink a few beers but that definately is not a better alternative its a depressant not a mood enhancer and it makes me sluggish and lazy but oh well its legal.
GOVERNMENT HAS EXPRESSED ITSELF IMPERFECTLY. IT HAS TREATED [WE THE PEOPLE] AS AN AUDIANCE ONLY TO HEAR AND NOT TO SPEAK. SO! THIS IS WHAT THE AUDIANCE HAS TO ASK. “WHEN THE LAW BREAKS THE LAW…WHAT DO WE HAVE?” THIS IS WHAT THE AUDIANCE HAS TO SAY!…”WE HAVE A BUNCH OF COMMON THUGS, BAD COPS, THAT ARE NO BETTER THAN ANY CRIMINAL, AND DESERVE ALL THE SEVERE PENLATIES ANY CRIM8INAL RECEIVES [INCLUDING] EXPULSION FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT. LACK OF RESPECT IS A FOREGONE CONCLUSION.” [WE THE AUDIANCE] WHO ONLY HEAR AND NOT SPEAK, JUDGE VERY WISELY AND SUPERIORLY HOW WRONGHEADED AND UNSKILFUL THESE THUGS ARE.
THE EMPLOYEE SAYS TO HIS BOSS: “You’re a jerk!”
THE BOSS SAYS TO THE EMPLOYEE: “Don’t ever say that again.”
THE EMPLOYEE SAYS TO THE BOSS: “You can stop me from saying it, but you can’t stop me from thinking it.”
THE SIXTH DAY
The sixth day [is the day] our creator gave us our Holy Sacrament.
“I have given you every ‘green herb’…to you it shall be for food/meat.”
Genesists praise God and give thanksgiving for the sixth day.
In response to Arementano:
I tried posting a response once before and it was deleted.
I’ll try again.
If doctors “prescribing” medical marijuana cared anything about the actual health of their “patients”, they would be monitoring both the health and the dosage of what they are allowing. But they don’t. The “prescriptions” are nothing but a license to purchase and consume as much marijuana as you can for as long as you want. There is no such kind of prescription anywhere for any other kind of drug. It says a lot about the medical community that there are so many doctors willing to do this. Although, we might also observe the popularity of some prescription drugs consumed as recreational drugs as a clue to what is going on.
The only reason that people consume “medical marijuana” is to get high. The exceptions to this only prove the general rule and of course there must be exceptions in order to dignify the whole facade. But now the facade is getting even more shallow and desperate. Now we are being told that cannabis supplements something that we are missing like a nutritional supplement or something. That’s of no consequence to the consumers of cannabis. People smoke pot to get high, not out of some neurological deficiency. What is the effect of such an announcement on the prospects of complete legalization? If this stuff is legalized for over the counter sales, what are you going to tell the parents of children caught trying to the buy the it who report to their parents that they were using it as a neurological supplement to prevent migraines?
The only thing that the “medical marijuana” facade has done for the struggle to Reform Marijuana Laws is to point out that allowing people to purchase and consume cannabis for as long as they want has absolutely no medical consequences. None. That’s good news for NORML and we should hear more about that.
[Paul Armentano responds: Unlike you, I do not possess a crystal ball that allows me to magically know the motivations of the hundreds of thousands of medically-authorized marijuana users or their thousands of physicians. But I do know that over the decade-plus that I have worked with said patients and doctors that the overwhelming majority have told me that they use and/or recommend marijuana medicinally because it is safe and effective at treating a broad range of symptoms and indications. To arbitrarily imply that all of these folks are engaging in a ‘facade’ is ignorant and insulting.]
I have suffered from bi-polar/anxiety issues since i was 14. I have been treated with probably 15+ different anti-depressants as well as the slew of A.D.D. Stimulants and Benzos and all that other fucking poison. This is all before i tried the sacred medicine that comes from the Cannabis plant. For the first time in my life i felt happy and comfortable in my own skin. I never understood why until about a year or so ago and thanks in large part to NORML and there articles or papers from a scientific perspective and specifically in regards to our bodies own production of cannabinoids or endocannabinoids (excuse spelling if wrong)
CANNABIS DOESN’T INTOXICATE ME, IT MAKES ME FEEL NORML!
I believe this is because i have a endocannabinoid deficiency. Problem is i don’t live in a med state. I’m prescribe MARINOL but it sucks! It really does! With that being said it is still the best pharmaceutical i have ever been treated with. Thats a testament to how horrible the majority of pharma drugs are. I experience side effects, inconsistent effects(trouble dosing) and i have even thrown it up several times after taking it. I go from not having any relief to being overwhelmed when it finally does kick in. It is unreliable waiting for relief sometimes takes 30 mins sometimes 2+ hours probably fluctuates with my diet. THE MAIN THING IS GOD GOT IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME! WE DON’T NEED TWEAKER CHEMISTS IN LABS COOKING UP A SYNTHETIC VERSION.
“It’s God’s Plant & Planet, so let us Plant it.”
to #1. so helen….you know first hand that this article is bullshit..you know huh? have you used cannabis for awhile and KNOW huh…it is you , the ignorant who keep cannabis from being realized by millions. let me tell you something lady..up until feb of last year, i have used cannabis responsibly off and on for thirty years. i am a functioning member of my community, i have held the same job for the same length of time.i have raised two families and, i am surrounded by their love. im good to my neighbor and, i obey the laws where other peoples safety is concerned. this last year has been the worst, physically and emotionally for me since my job of thirty years began drug testing. everything in this article is the truth ma’am. if your goin to get on this site and call out liers before you even bother to attempt to learn the truth then you dont belong here. how can you question something you know nothing about? why dont you try reading and listening and learn the whole story before you pass judgement? it is because of corperate greed and personal gain from government officials as well as predjudice that got cannabis outlawed in the first place..you have NO right to slam the good people here when, you have no idea what your talking about…..try listening to peoples stories and facts from the professionals here on this site.responsibilty is learning the whole story before you decide dammit.
Nobody needs a crystal ball to know that the whole reason for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws is to free pot smokers from the clutches of law enforcement and destroy the vast and wealthy blacket market that controls the distribution of cannabis.
While the self indulgent minority of pot smokers get high under the pretext of medicine and the dispensaries grow fat selling herbal remedies at black market prices, the rest are either under the thumb of law enforcement or live in fear of it.
Please, no more foolishness about the medical benefits of pot. No more until there is not one person under the thumb of law enforcement and nobody has to ever imagine spending $50 a gram for the leaves and flowers of some plant.
Paul it’s not as complicated as you make it seem. Let me get straight to the point; Marijuana is safe. You can use Marijuana for a variety of reasons and they’re not “only to get stoned” as you put it. What medication would you rather take for depression, Marijuana or Paxil? You’d take Paxil or some other depression medicine (which contains god knows what)? I see it all the time now a days — “Have you felt this, felt that? Well tell your doctor about *insert bullshit medicine name here*” only to have it recalled a year later. Oh and that’s if you haven’t developed some life threatening disease by then. Marijuana is safe. It’s not harmful to your health. It’s that simple. Otherwise, so many people wouldn’t be feeding into it. Isn’t it obvious? Get a clue.
omg, i seriously can not understand the ignorance of some people. Really Paul, “no more foolishness about the medical benefits of pot.” So you would much rather have all these people addicted to 20 different medications and ultimately overdose. Haven’t you seen all the news stories about how people die and are addicted to oxycotin and vicodin. So, you would rather see that? Are you kidding me? When have you heard of someone smoking so much weed in one day that it killed them? But yet how many times do you hear of someone taking too many kinds of pills and overdosing? Doctors don’t worry about how much a person smokes because its unheard of someone overdosing because of smoking so much. I suffer from a whole lot of conditions. why on earth would i want to be stuck taking 15 pills a day then just smoking a bit and be good for ALL my conditions. Getting addicted to all the drugs and dealing with the side effects. I suffer from bipolar 2, adhd, anxiety, and eating disorder. Yes I’m screwed up. but if marijuana is the only thing that actually helps then screw it. All my life i have struggled with my weith being 5’7 and weighing between 110-113 for the past ten years. weed is the only thing that helps me get hungry and eat. I loose weight so fast and nothin has helpd. I hope one day this government will wake up and stop seeing the american people as such huge prescription drug addicts. We are the only country that is sooooo addicted to prescription medication, and you think that’s good and better for us. Yea right.
The popularity of cannabis consumption has nothing to do with its medical benefits and everything to do with its intoxicating effects.
People have made similar claims about red wine, but nobody drinks red wine for these claims.
Claims like this only serve as a shallow cover for those who are embarrased about consumiing things for their intoxicating effect, or to seek some refuge from law enforcement or regulation.
This is not news and nobody is fooled.
There are two minor things. Even though the word intoxicant has the same Latin root as the word toxic, ie. poison, in modern usage the word intoxicant refers to any type of psychoactive, deliriant, hallucinogen, etc. There are lots of things with meaningless or dated Latin roots, for example in my field (Biology) we have the common organic lactic acid meaning “milk acid,” even though lactic acid is derived from pyruvate fermentation and has nothing to do with milk.
The other is that you stated moderate alcohol use is toxic to living cells, this is not true. Moderate alcohol consumption has no higher recorded rates of cancer or organ damage, in fact moderate alcohol consumption contributes to a lower risk of diabetes, lower chance of mental decline, stronger bones, lower risk of heart disease, reduced risk of kidney stones, and decreased risk of developing arthritis.
This isn’t to say alcohol isn’t dangerous, but when used in moderation it isn’t any more harmful than cannabis.
It is, however, a lot easier to damage your body with alcohol. Binge drinking and alcoholism contribute to all types of cancer and mental disorders.
In the same way, though, cannabis can also be considered something to consume in moderation. It may not kill you, but heavy smoking still causes airway irritation, increased risk of respiratory infection, and in some people increased risk of irritating an existing mental condition.
One or two joints a day and a beer with every meal is plenty to get all the health benefits with few, if any, of the negative effects. I hope to get a response if I’m wrong, Paul.
[Paul Armentano responds: Moderate consumption of alcohol is linked to elevated risk of cancers.
http://women.webmd.com/news/20090224/alcohol-linked-to-cancer-risk-in-women
Feb. 24, 2009 — Women who drink as little as one alcoholic beverage a day — be it beer, wine, or hard liquor — have an increased cancer risk, a study shows.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/08/alcohol-beer-wine-cancer-risk.html
August 3, 200 — Compared with people who had less than one drink per week, those who drank daily were nearly three times as likely to get esophageal cancer. Moderate drinkers (who consumed between one and six drinks per week) were 67% more likely to get stomach cancer, according to results published in the new issue of Cancer Epidemiology.
I discuss this in depth in Marijuana Is Safer.]
Science really is a wonderful thing! I was once a skeptic and thought “drugs are bad” mainly from the asinine propaganda delivered by the reefer madness bunch…. I have seen the lighter and it’s lighting cannabis!
As it mat be common knowledge that smoked cannabis is very helpful with my bouts of insomia( It helps with falling asleep as well as making the dreams not as vivid, so as not to wake me up after I have smoked). I have found that believe it or not it helps with hemmeroids( it tones down the inflammation, so watch out Preperation-H.
yet another reason for
FULL LEGALIZATION, NOW !!
finally proof pot does NOT rot your brain.
marijuana keeps your brain healthy.
NOT smoking pot,
ROTS YOUR BRAIN !!!
this is why the people who never smoke weed,
are the way they are;
ARROGANT, INTOLERANT, think they know it all,think they are better than you, lying assholes, control freaks, ignore facts that prove them wrong, make up their own ‘facts’, etc.
they are suffering from BRAIN DAMMAGE caused by
severe MARIJUANA DEFICIENCY !!
this also PROVES that;
ALL MARIJUANA USE is MEDICAL USE !!
KEEP YOUR BRAIN HEALTHY, MY BROTHERS !!
I found all of this quite amusing, because when we are ready to get high we refer to our “deficiency of THC”. But I found it aggravating as well, because it is denigrating our serious need for legalization. Grasping at straws for reasons to legalize pot is not necessary… there are enough good reasons already. By the way, how could a former Drug Czar think that $50 an ounce for legal pot would be more expensive than we already pay?
Cannabis does not create anything [but] embellishes what alredy exists, heightening the awareness of latent thoughts and imagination. Cannabis only effects the imagination, it does not create visions, but merely extrapolates these from existing stimuli.
re; #9.Rick Says:
March 23rd, 2010 at 3:20 pm
Happy 4:20, people.
10.Rick Says:
March 23rd, 2010 at 3:30 pm
Darn time difference
NO !!
LOVE THE TIME DIFFERENCE !!
use it to your advantage.
east coast can smoke with their BROTHERS at
420, 520, 620, or 720.
west coast can smoke with their BROTHERS at
420, 320, 220, or 120.
(work out the other zones yourself, including hawaii, if desired)
so smoke in unison with MILLIONS of your BROTHERS, my BROTHERS,
-and say ‘420, my BROTHERS, 420’.
(all smokers are BROTHERS, IMO)
RE: #84 James Custer McCarthy
James,
– This is not mere “grasping at straws”
for reasons to legalize…
It’s the steering-wheel…!!!
– The research covered in the Fox News article
establishes that ENDOcannabinoids are INTEGRAL,
ESSENTIAL components of our human-physiology,
(and NOT “foreign-substances” as some would erroneously conclude),
and the absence / or deficiency of these compounds
can lead to serious health problems…even premature-death.
(See studies on side-effects of the cannabinoid-blocking drug Rimonabant for more information).
– By being denied this essential botanical,
(through its present contrived illegality),
we are being denied certain, vital components
necessary for a healthy life!
smoke a joint and lighten up
A couple of responses to previous posts . . .
EMORY, you talked about Altria group and their “anti-marijuana page”. Sorry, you’ve been duped. There’s no connection visible between “altria DOT com” and “altriacannabis DOT com”. Some idiot prohibition group just spent an extra $10 for another website to use the word “altria”, just to fool people like you.
CTB, I’ve known and worked with people at NORML since 1972. They ain’t rich, and you’d know that if you had bothered to check the information which is already on the public record.
PAUL, you have made one of the stupidest series of postings I’ve ever had the displeasure to read. You also contradict yourself. How can you, in the same paragraph, say ‘The only reason that people consume “medical marijuana” is to get high’, and then IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER admit that there are exceptions to that? The TRUTH is that marijuana DOES have medical uses, AND that most people who use it do so for non-medical purposes. Those two truths are not mutually contradictory.
PAUL ARMENTANO, Great article, very informative. Thanks.
RE: #86 jon ganj-ovi Says:
March 27th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
To work out the remaining time-zones,
let’s just do what the news networks do…
And say…
“Twenty Minutes past the Hour…”
(It’s always 4:20 / 16:20 somewhere then…)
Helen, these claims are not new,they are now just being verified through unbiaed research. Due to some greedy authoritive morons did this plant become demonized.Do you really think man can do a better job than Mother Nature?
This is so true! I am so glad they are finally realizing that it is not as bad as they make it out to be. I believe it is a great medicine! It helps me tremendously with my depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder! LEGALIZE IT ALREADY! Alcohol is way worse and it is legal.
I agree with the above, marijuana helps tremendously with identifying negative mental problems and resolving them. Bipolar, anxiety, depression, pain management and even anger and sex. It helps me notice these problems and I learn how to deal with them better.
Things like this are the Exact reasons why marijuana is still illegal.What we see as a miracle the pharmacuteical companys see as a threat to there profits. And they and others who also stand to lose profits will pay any price (political bribes)necesarry to make sure it stays illegal.
Helen is blinded by propaganda, just like so many others. Recent SCIENTIFIC STUDIES have PROVEN that our bodies NATURALLY PRODUCE ENDOCANNABINOIDS. Not only that, but Israeli, Argentinian, European, and even recent UCLA research have found it to be an anticarcinogen. Type in “ANTICARCINOGEN” into google, and some of the first results you find are on cannabis.
My proof?
Prolonged use in monkeys failed to produce carcinogenic effects (Talaska et al, 1992)
Exposure to marijuana smoke was shown to retard the growth of sarcoma in rats (Watson, 1992)
Cannabinoids may control the growth of human cancers through the cannabinoid receptor 2 gene (CNR2) (Schaffer et al 2005)
Spiking tobacco tar with Delta9THC MARKETDLY REDUCED CARCINOGENIC ACTIVITY (Roth et al 2001)
or perhaps most shocking is the unique case of Dr. Stephen J. Gould who in 1982 was diagnosed with mesothelioma and given less than one year to live on conventional treatment (radiation and chemotherapy) after doing some research on studies done on mice who were exposed to cannabis and experienced tumor shrinkage, Dr. Gould started a regimen of cannabis use. He credited it with EXTENDING HIS LIFE BY 20 YEARS.
Now I’m not saying its “snake oil” or a “cure all”, but its about the best damn thing we’ve got.
Its time to stop the nonsense and legalize it. For real.
LONG LIVE KING CANNABIS!!! -Chris
I have no need to smoke marijuana, and I don’t.
…but my husband has muscles in his lower back that tore and didn’t heal correctly and it causes him a lot of pain, he also has social anxiety he also has no appetite unless he smokes. The Marijuana helps the pain in his back. He is less anxious when he smokes. I can cook dinner and he will eat a nice portion on food if he smokes. He went from (5’8″) 110 lbs to a healthy 145 lbs.
He is also a smart man and makes 50,000 a year but it is really hard to choose him being “safe” by not smoking for work but be in pain etc. at home.
Jabri 64 03.24.10
Cannabis does not fit the definition of intoxicant.
health risk myths & realities
Marijuana Overdose
There is no existing evidence of anyone dying of a marijuana overdose. Tests performed on mice have shown that the ratio of cannabinoids (the chemicals in marijuana that make you high) necessary for overdose to the amount necessary for intoxication is 40,000:1.
For comparison’s sake, that ratio for alcohol is generally between 4:1 and 10:1. Alcohol overdoses claim approximately 5,000 casualties yearly, but marijuana overdoses kill no one as far as any official reports.
Brain Damage
Marijuana is psychoactive because it stimulates certain brain receptors, but it does not produce toxins that kill them (like alcohol), and it does not wear them out as other drugs may. There is no evidence that marijuana use causes brain damage. Studies performed on actual human populations will confirm these results, even for chronic marijuana users (up to 18 joints per day) after many years of use.
In fact, following the publication of two 1977 JAMA studies, the American Medical Association (AMA) officially announced its support for the decriminalization of marijuana.
In reality, marijuana has the effect of slightly increasing alpha-wave activity in your brain. Alpha waves are generally associated with meditative and relaxed states, which are, in turn, often associated with human creativity.
Memory
Marijuana does impair short-term memory, but only during intoxication. Although the authoritative studies on marijuana use seem to agree that there is no residual impairment following intoxication, persistent impairment of short-term memory has been noted in chronic marijuana smokers, up to 6 and 12 weeks following abstinence.
DON’T YOU JUST LOVE THE TRUTH.. TOP THAT PAUL AND HELEN. THAT IS COMING FROM TRUE STUDIES. WHAT DO U HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT NOW HUH? NOTHING!! EXACTLY.. go ahead and make up some bs about weed being so bad for your brain, go for it.
I wish that we would have decriminalization in the UK! What we need is proper legislation and taxation of Canabis and Canabis Seeds fast. Education is key. On http://www.Magicdragonseeds.com and other sites you can find over 900 strains of cannabis freely available in the UK. These strains have various amounts of CBD and THC, although illegal to germinate and grow them, these plants could be used for various medicinal reasons, helping the terminal ill, Psychological Stressed people etc… Educating and research about the benefits of legalizing marijuana, safe use and growing(for personal consumption) would reduce the impact on the NHS and generate new revenue for the State… We have been campaigning for years as it has been proven that moderate use of Marijuana is significantly less harmful than using alcohol moderatly…
I have a serious question: Why are people coming to this web site and posting negative comments? Are we going to your houses and imposing our will on you? NOOOOOOOOOO, so if you don’t agree that’s fine but don’t come in here and shove your BS down our throats. I am a free Amercian, that does not give my the right to be an anal jerk. So, please stay off the site with your BS.
Truth: Ansligner started it, Nixon bolstered it, Ronnie and Nancy gateway demonized it and Bush Sr. classified as a DANGER. For them that’s fine, but for me no one has the right to tell me what I can and can not use as medicine. Tramadol a pharmie pill nearly killed me. There isn’t a single pharmie painkiller I can take. Side effects are horrible. Cannabis has never almost killed me. Side effects??? NONE!!!! Prohabition kills everything in it’s path. To all you parents out there: “Oh, if it’s legal, our kids ,our kids will be in danger.” The only danger to children are lazy parents. Be a parent. Send Lil Johnny to the store for beer and smokes he will come home empty handed. Send him out for Marijuana he will need a dumptruck to bring home what he scores, drug dealers don’t ID you!!!!!! Legalize and tax!!! The answer for people whom choose to grow their own charge them a $50.00 yearly fee license like cars tabs problem solved!!!!
It’s very obvious that some people are “Sheeple” and have fallen hook-line-and-sinker for the “Reefer Madness” Propaganda perpetrated on USA residents for more than 60 years! PROPAGANDA is the correct term for the years of ANTI-marijuana campaigns in this country, similar to the McCarthy Era of Communist smearing.
Indeed, it is hard for a department, company, etc. to have to give up $million$ for drugs not sold, prison cells not occupied, and special law-enforcement units that would face serious reductions in funding, or complete elimination WHEN Cannabis is finally legalized, again, in the very near future. These above things WILL happen as more people use Medical Cannabis instead of dangerous drugs, people are not arrested and incarcerated for mere possession (MORE than a rapist or murder gets!). Has anyone searched the internet for the COUNTRIES that have now legalized marijuana??? It is becoming very obvious that the US is politicizing this issue, and it is becoming very embarrassing for the “greatest nation” to be so stupid. But then again, when you have congressmen getting kickbacks from BPDC to keep them in power, and family members that are alcohol magnates, of course you would not want marijuana getting legal foothold. But then, Sheeple cannot not see what they are not told from “authority figures”.
But what really fries me, is that since 1998, our own NIH (National Institutes of Health) has filed for and received TWO PATENTS ON THE MEDICINAL USES OF CANNABIS. So, WHO speaks with FORKED TONGUE? The FDA, of course: How can the FDA say that cannabis has “no” medicinal value, when their own branch of Federal Government (NIH) now OWNS two patents on its MEDICINAL USE? I WANT TO SEE AN ATTORNEY TAKE THIS TO COURT TO RELEASE PRISONERS WHO ARE INCARCERATED FOR POSSESSION AND USE WHEN THEY HAVE MEDICINAL NEED FOR IT.
BTW–I helped to bring in marijuana back in college, gradually let it go as I became “more responsible” –family, kids, jobs, etc., then 3 years ago, in HORRIBLE pain from many years of medical mis-diagnoses resulting in my entire bone and cartilage structure falling apart; I am totally intolerant of BPDC drugs which give me instant diarrhea (thank God!)–I went to see some friends illegally smoking pot, and I tried it for the first time in YEARS, and within minutes, I was PAIN-FREE! I got my cannabis medical license and get the BEST results by using cannabis-infused TINCTURES: 4 drops under my tongue every 4 hours–my blood pressure drops to that of a teenager, I have ZERO BONE PAIN, it stimulates my appetite so I can eat enough to thrive, it makes my body “hum” (NOT to be confused with “high”) and feel good, it relaxes my tense muscle spasms, and it also makes me sleep soundly and deeply.
Add up all the drugs that I am NOT buying from Big Pharma Drug Companies (BPDC) and you see the fear. But WAIT! HOW many PATENTS are held for Cannabis??? Ahhhhh, yes! I see the BPDC have beat everyone to the punch and are grabbing medical cannabis patents by the truckload! Go ahead! Do a GOOGLE PATENT SEARCH for “cannabis” and see what you get! Should silence ANY gripes that marijuana has “no medical benefits”. When Big Pharma companies patent something, that mean it has medicinal use. Period! They are simply waiting for it to be legalized en masse. Do they know something WE don’t?
FYI–I do not “smoke” cannabis, and I do not get “high” — it is IMPOSSIBLE TO GET HIGH USING A CANNABIS TINCTURE! You may get anxiety, but NOT HIGH! PERIOD! Just more proof that anti-cannabis people have ZERO CLUE as to what marijuana is all about–just their FEARS from their brain washing resurfacing. BTW–recent peer-reviewed studies have concluded that cannabis DOES help PTSD, which I believe nay-sayers have because of their Reefer Madness brain-washing. I’m a mid-60’s female, so I have been around the block a few times.
I bought Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink? last year at a Cannabis Health Fair in Boulder–OUTSTANDING BOOK! EVERYONE IN AMERICA SHOULD READ IT–IT IS 100% ACCURATE. I am currently watching a dear friend of mine drink himself to death to try to control his pain (perpetrated by medical surgeries gone bad), and his severe PTSD (from military horrors); he used to smoke cannabis in his teens, but because he is 100% disabled vet, he is in total fear that they will “zap” him with their once-yearly blood testing, so he refrains from using cannabis. THIS IS THE TRUE INJUSTICE BEING DONE WITH THESE ARCHAIC LAWS PROHIBITING CANNABIS FROM BEING USED FOR MEDICINAL USE! People killing themselves with alcohol (and legal drugs) when they could be revitalizing their bodies with cannabis use.
Read the book and shut up.
@Holy Cow I concur totally! The problem in legalization is in essence due to the millions that pharmaceutical and other companies make. I have been suffering from excessive stress over the years and I ended up 3 times in the hospital directly with cardiac pains as a direct result. I then made the necessary changes to my lifestyle and the doctors prescribed drugs… which just created more problems… After months of trying with different drugs I decided to try cannabis while I was on business in Amsterdam… and guess what… My stress dissapeared and I had none of the side effects I get from drugs the next day… I am now thinking of ordering some seeds from online websites such http://www.cannabis-seeds-superstore.com However they informed me I could not germinate or grow the seeds! as they only sell them as souvenirs. In the end I have two options either grow cannabis myself or buy it in the criminal circuit.Both are not really an option! So the government is forcing me either to engage in criminal activities or to get expensive drugs that have side effects. The law is indeed very archaic!
B.C. Mounties have busted what amounts to a marijuana grow op on steroids — 23,000 plants, some measuring as tall as a teenager.
The RCMP say officers had been monitoring Carpenter Lake near Lillooet, northeast of Vancouver, since last year after seeing some suspicious activities on the lake.
When they checked again last weekend they spotted marijuana plants growing along the shore and eventually found a total of 23,000 plants ranging up to 1.5 metres in height.
The massive outdoor grow operation was on Crown land and included a sophisticated watering system with pumps, gravity fed water lines and kilometres of hoses.
Police say the plants were mature and would likely have been harvested within the next few weeks.
No one was on the property at the time and no arrests have been made but the RCMP say they are still investigating.
useful information. Great to have these information from you. hope for more useful information