Why Moms Want Marijuana Legalized
A mother’s wish is for her child or children to grow up and be able to make responsible decisions about their friendships, their education and especially their safety. It is socially acceptable for parents, alcohol distributors, and even the government to teach children about safe drinking practices with a full understanding that alcohol is directly responsible for thousands of deaths every year. On college campuses, where binge drinking runs rampant, alcohol abuse has resulted in thousands of students suffering from alcohol poisoning, sexual assault, or serious injury. No parent wants to see his or her child become a statistic and many mothers have openly stated that they would rather their adult children choose marijuana over alcohol.
The physical and behavioral effects of marijuana are significantly less damaging than those associated with alcohol. However the criminal prohibition of marijuana sends the message that “marijuana is morally wrong” and implies that there is no such thing as a responsible marijuana consumer. Yet, just like with alcohol, all use of marijuana is NOT abuse.
Society condones the responsible use of alcohol consumption, yet drinking causes far more harm to the user, and to society than does the use of marijuana. Liquor companies, Federal, State and local governments dedicate millions of dollars every year toward promoting responsible drinking practices. For example,Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc.has an entire website, called “Drink Smart,” dedicated to promoting principles of control, moderation, and education. Nevertheless, their ‘Statement of Principles’ emphasizes that, “moderate alcohol consumption can be compatible with a healthy lifestyle.” The same philosophy should be applied to marijuana.
Mothers from all over the country (both consumers and abstainers) are fed up with the outdated, unjust consequences of marijuana prohibition. Their unique experiences with marijuana and the current marijuana laws are diverse and wide-ranging. Some have had their families destroyed. Some have found life-changing relief from medical marijuana, as well as freedom from pharmaceutical narcotics. Some believe that prohibition improperly allows the government to interfere in the parent’s job of teaching their kids about moderation and responsibility. They understand that marijuana prohibition breeds disrespect for the law and government, just as it did during America’s failed prohibition of alcohol. Others would simply prefer their children be allowed to legally choose a safer alternative to alcohol.
“I’m a 54 year old mother of two teenagers…. Depression runs in my family and [marijuana has] been my saving grace. I have run, sold and continue to build businesses. I teach, I speak, I write, I’m a great mom judging by my children’s success and I will never make an excuse for my marijuana… I’m furious that I’m considered a criminal.” Leslie Singer
“It should be legalized…because its not a substance that’s going to make me be irrational or aggressive. It’s going to relax my mind after a day of taking care of the kids, cleaning the house, running the errands, its not like I’m going to be up for the next 24 hours or am going to be spending my kids diaper money to go out and get it. It relaxes and puts you in a better mind state after a rough day and lord knows kids like to cause rough days!” Lynnsey M Nece
“I want a safer alternative to Alcohol. I feel much more comfortable smoking a joint and caring for my child, than to drink and then try to care for my child. And, if it is legalized and regulated, it will become harder for my daughter to get a hold of it.” Audrey Roberts
Marijuana’s legal status forces millions of responsible, hard working, tax paying citizens into the dangerous , unregulated world of the illegal black market. The only sensible answer to containing this market and achieving a sufficient level of public safety, is through state and local government regulation and a message of moderation. An ever increasing number of American citizens believe that one day, our society will no longer spend time denying the reality that millions of people are consuming marijuana every single day, and will instead focus on promoting a safe environment for those who do. Many mothers are working towards the day when we will live in a society where children’s access to marijuana is actually limited (unlike under prohibition where children have ready, unfettered access to the herb). According to a major report issued in 2005 by the NORML Foundation looking at both marijuana use patterns and arrest rates, shockingly, over 1 million children sell marijuana annually. Similar to alcohol products, children need to be taught to have a sound understanding of how adults can responsibly consume marijuana. One day, we will live in a society where adults, in the privacy of their own home, can legally choose to consume marijuana and forgo the alcohol.
It comes down to this: Were it not for marijuana’s legal context, would you rather your adult child engage in binge drinking (and all that comes with it), or be able to enjoy the safer activity of consuming marijuana without fear of legal repercussions? Would you rather your younger children continue to have unfettered access to marijuana or restricted access and a sound understanding of responsible adult use?
Excerpt: “Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?”
“When marijuana is legal, a abusive husband or boyfriend somewhere in America will realize that he is better able to control his temper when he ingests pot instead of alcohol and will cut down on the Budweiser and switch to the kinder bud. Some college student we will never hear about will choose to use marijuana one night instead of joining his fraternity brothers in a drinking contest-thus avoiding a potentially tragic trip to the hospital that was otherwise fated to happen. When marijuana is legal, a man well on his way to chronic and eventually fatal liver disease will conclude that he wants to live a longer and healthier life and will voluntarily give up the booze in favor of pot. A young woman will decide to smoke marijuana and watch a movie one evening instead of going out drinking with her girlfriends, unknowingly missing a sexual assault that would have occurred after she had consumed one gin and tonic too many. By the very nature of introducing the less harmful recreational substance, marijuana, into the stream of commerce, probability dictates that these things will happen. Not just once, but hundred and thousands of times. When marijuana is legal, we will, collectively, be safer.”
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MOTHERS MOVING MOUNTAINS
Serra Frank: A Mom With a Mission
Serra Frank is the mother of two young boys and is the founder of “Moms For Marijuana ” — an organization made up of brave mothers who are fighting for marijuana law reform and their children’s future. Frank was not always a supporter of ending marijuana prohibition. She grew up a part of the D.A.R.E. generation, and was “taught that drugs will cause long term physical harm, addiction, and will ruin your life. At the same time [she] learned through [her] observations of our society, that once you are an adult, it is acceptable to occasionally alter your state of mind.” She believes that “creating a system of marijuana regulation would tell [children] that, like alcohol and cigarettes, recreational use of marijuana is an adult decision. Educating them to the risks and benefits of the plant is a much better choice than lying to them.”
In 2002, Frank started having extreme pain in her lower abdomen and for a year and a half was prescribed Vicodin, Darvocet, Perceocet, Oxycotin, Naproxin and even methadone. She was forced to rely on her husband and friends to take care of her children. Since trying marijuana, she has used it practically every day and is so thankful to have “found a way to live not just survive… I owe my life to this plant. Without it, I would probably still be in bed… unable to care for myself or my children.” Said Frank. Serra decided she could no longer sit idly by, privately opposing marijuana prohibition. She took it upon herself to find other like-minded mothers to come out of the closet. What started as a MySpace page in 2005, “Moms for Marijuana” evolved into a real grassroots movement, that now has an official website and its own chapter network.
Erin Hildebrandt: A Success Story
Erin Hildebrandt is a Maryland soccer mom and (should be) marijuana patient who bravely pioneered the movement for women and mothers everywhere. Erin, who suffers from Chron’s Disease, migraines and hyperemesis gravidarum (a complication of pregnancy that leads to mal nutrition) was motivated to join the movement after her own positive experience with marijuana and it’s effect on her symptoms. She became involved in 2002 and shortly after started the prophetic website: www.parentsendingprohibition.org. In 2003, Hildebrandt became one of the faces of the medical marijuana movement in Maryland when she testified before the State Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee.
“It’s not too often that housewives find themselves standing before the State Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, in front of numerous people in police uniforms, explaining how they broke the law and that they’re very glad they did.”
Hildebrandt began writing letters to editors and even got an op-ed published in the Baltimore Sun. In May of 2003, her hard work, bravery and activism paid off when she got to stand with the governor and other lawmakers as he signed the Medical Marijuana Compassionate Use Act into law. Erin now has the chance to live a normal life free from the restrictions caused by her debilitating disease and had a major role moving her state one step closing to sensible marijuana legislation.
Okay- Alcohol being legal= more jobs. Police, fire, rescue, doctors, rehab, etc. Alcohol being illegal= less jobs+ more organized crime in the distribution areas, so arguably more police jobs, but it might not make up for the difference with other jobs lost. Cannabis being legal= less jobs, police mostly, some jobs are gained, growers, dispensaries, etc. But also a lot of psych/field jobs would be lost, production of “medicine”, anti-psychotics, A.D.D., A.D.H.D., other psych related medications. The demand for most big pharma production would all but die, and the demand for a lot of the medical industry, tobacco industry, alcohol, firearms, military, etc would drop significantly if herb, was legalized. Remember there is a lot of $ invested in that stuff. Could the government ever gain support for war if everybody was walking around with their 3rd eye opened, thinking for themselves? Its a complex dynamic system (the world that we live in), and sure there are a lot of good reasons, (most of them great) as to why we should legalize it, but unless society is willing to massively restructure our priorities, its not likely to happen.
So I would say, the fact that something that is basically harmless is against the law, is more of a symptom of the dis-balanced power structure that perpetuates the idea that people with, triumph (rule) over the people without.
This article talks of freedom from pharmaceutical narcotics. I’m currently on pain meds for my back, and I would love the opportunity to try marijuana as an alternative pain medication. The pain meds I am on are horribly addicting and cause extreme irritability when I don’t take them. Sadly, marijuana is illegal in my state and I wish I had a chance to try it out without the paranoia of getting arrested.
oh yea, So I just posted about pain medication, and I feel I must add that I often need to mix the medication with alcohol to feel good…which is horrible. It can cause liver damage, make me sick and results in me being inebriated.
I agree with Jeremy 100%. I also suffer back pain and apnea. The 2 Rx for pain and 1 for apnea dont quite provide 100% relief. I fall alseep in pain and wake up in pain. I tried smoking and it helped for a week but until my finances improve, or the laws change, I’m stuck with my Rx’s.
im for legalization , but i feel like im the only one calling my reps , writing emails, telling friends, family, even co-workers! spread the word out people cause writin a blog kinda doesnt speed anything up i believe. there should be a 1 – 2 million women march against prohibition like there was many years ago. if u want it marijuana legalized then get aggressively active.
It’s gonna take awhile to plant 10’s of millions of acres of hemp to get rolling down that road to green economy/industry and we need to do it now.
Jeremy,you are right on the nose with your comment.Its a shame that PROFITS have been chosen over the masses since the 30’s. OUR Government is supposed to be of the people,by the people and for the people! VOTE!!!
As a future parent (6 months), it disheartens me that I will need to have a discussion with my child about marijuana that directly conflicts with the education they will be receiving about it. I can only hope that they choose to listen to me rather than the state’s defunct diatribe. I would much rather my children smoke marijuana when they become adults, but the government puts me in a precarious position when I need to explain to my kids that I would rather them engage in “criminal” behavior than something that a majority of people in our town subscribe to as a way of life. I have seen lives ruined, good friends of mine have been raped, and people lose their lives on a daily basis as a result of alcohol. I can’t help but think that if they had had a safer alternative that wasn’t “morally questionable” than those things didn’t have to happen.
Random, I can understand where your coming from completely. After I broke my back in 4 places in 2000, I was diagnosed with degenerative disk disease. I have been on all the most popular pain meds. At one time taking 4 V- ES a day. I was a zombie, my blood pressure was dangerously high, I was depressed cause I was still in pain most of the time (baring a 30 minute period of time, that started 45 minutes after each dose)and more important to me than all that, was the fact that I was a stark raving B!tch most of the time, and like you I drank…. !! I had always “used” weed socially but started to pay more attention to how I “felt” when using it. I was in less pain, and it took the “edge” off, so I wasn’t so EVIL. To make what could be a long story, I eventually wheened myself off all the meds I was on. I was always honest with my doctor about the fact that I consumed Marijuana. He was glad to see me be able to stop all the other meds. My blood pressure has gone back to with-in normal (for me) levels, I am not quite so depressed, I am able to get up and move around more, and mostly I’m not such a…. well you know.. anymore. I took the chances you would/will/do to use this herb, during that period of time my middle child reported me to her school (yes, there was some other stuff going on), cause the DARE group was infiltrating the schools at the time… My children were put in foster care, I was tested by the court and tested positive for THC. the judge told me it was illegal substance (like i didnt know that) I explained why I consumed it and what it had done for me. She told me I wasn’t a doctor… (No actually she asked me “Who died and gave me a medical license), then she sent my kids 100 miles away from me just to make it more difficult for us to visit and required me test “clean” for 14 months, and take parenting classes before she would allow my children to come home…. My children have never been the same since… mentally or educationally. That started in 2007, My state became “Medically” Legal in 2008 4 months after my children were returned home. I have been “Licensed” by my state for over a year now, although I still have to be careful and discreet. I DONT have to worry about the same problems with the law. I am moving from this state in the next few years, but have already decided that it will ONLY be to another Medical friendly state. PERIOD!! Do you follow your state, are they even close to considering it? Otherwise, I would say, if it’s AT ALL POSSIBLE, move to a medical friendly state and get legal, it just removes a little more stress…
Sorry this was so long….
Happy Mother’s Day!
Instead of funding a black market that helps no one, there should be dispensaries in every state generating tax dollars. The industries that service patients and growers also boosts the economy. I have seen firsthand how cannabis is improving Oakland. From Id centers, to pipemakers, to restaurants filled with hungry stoners anywhere Legal cannabis spreads it enriches and enlivens. More Americans need to speak out educate their fellow citizens on the vast benefits of legalization and the dangers of a continued failed War on “Drugs”.
is the “their security demands you vote” a typo? shouldn’t it be youR instead of you?
I am also a mother of two young kids. I am 100% for the legalization of marijuana. I agree that alcohol has a much greater negative affect on people. I also believe that marijuana has some negative affects, such as distorting a persons concept of time, however these affects are much less harmful and fatal than that of what alcohol can do and does to a person. My father struggled with his alcohol addiction all of my life, and went to treatment 13 times, yet he continued to drink despite the fact his health was failing at a very rapid pace. On March 2, 2003 my father died as a result of his esophagus rupturing, which means that my dad died by drowning in his own blood. It was the most horrific sight I have ever seen and I will never forget it. My Adult sister is suffering from her own alcohol addiction and I have told her and brought her marijuana to smoke rather than to drink.
The government could make so much money by selling and taxing it. Jobs would be created and the prisons would not be so overcrowded with marijuana drug offenses. Which then results in the tax payers would pay less to house the inmates and to fight this so called war on drugs that can never be won. You have to have an enemy in order to be in war.
I have fibromyalgia ,nuropthy,osteoarthirtis and several bottles of pain meds. For a year I did what the dr.s told me until the day I almost died using fentanalpatch.After comming through withdraw I said no more pills !! I started smoking and getting trigger point injections and I can function and care for my husband who has Parkensons,nuropthy,lupisand panic attics. By the way a joint a day keeps the inside tremors away.
I’ve worked in mental health emergency services for 7 years and I’ve been called out to the ER for crisis where Ozy and xanax and antidepressants are used for or contributed to a suicide attempt, but never seen cannabis lead someone to the ER.
I find this entire “legalize drugs” movement as a bad joke on our entire society. You state in some posts here that pot is “less” of a bad thing then drinking. As if pot does not fry the brains of those that use it? Give me a break. I have met people that after long term use of pot could not tell you the names of their parents. I have seen addicted people do anything they can to “get high”, and by legalizing pot would not alter the criminal factors that a drug addicted pot smoker will still do crime to obtain their drugs.
As for the garbage claims about medical benefits, what is that? It is really an excuse period.
For those of you that really believe smoking pot is not harmful to the way you think, then please, show me a signed wavier that when you want to have a surgery done that it is “cool” with you that the surgeon is 8 miles high, and that if the surgeon does a “whoops”, cut off the wrong body part and is like “wow man, that is a bummer”, that you won’t sue the surgeon or the hospital….lets get real, all you want to do is get “high” because you cannot cope with anything real in life.
The efforts should be placed into “how to have values in society without substance abuse”, rather than to make it “o.k.” to have to abuse a substance to sustain your screwed up life.
[Editor’s note: Your post is as idiotic and baseless as cannabis prohibition itself. Get ready to live in a country no longer afflicted by eight decades of cannabis prohibition, because it is coming!]
Daniel, your so called values and substance abuse can be readily applied to both tobacco and alcohol (legal substances) with far more success than marijuana. Do the research buddy, educate yourself, don’t just speak out of ignorance because it makes you sound way less intelligent.
@Daniel: I didn’t know there were people as ignorant as you still left in the world “drug addicted pot smoker will do crime to obtain their drugs?”……that statement alone shows that you know nothing about Marijuana, kindly seek education on the topic before you make another idiotic comment.
Editor is high on anything they can get their hands on, perhaps huffing too much gasoline? Personal first hand knowledge of individuals that had Master’s degrees that used friggin pot on a daily basis that now no longer can hold down a job as they are mentally roasted and factually cannot tell you their parent’s name or street address. This is not the only example I can give, it is one of many. YOUR movement is idiotic and baseless. And unlike you, I don’t have to attempt to hide behind getting high to live daily life. I do not need a substance nor anything to abuse in life to be happy or to be successful.
Your movement will not work in this Nation as you think. You don’t realize how many people view your movement as exactly what it is, idiotic and baseless. There has been a real reason why the law does not allow “dope” to be legal. But “dopes” are too strung out to even grasp the reality of why. Get ready to go to jail, Editor, because it is coming.
[Editor’s note: You’re either a narc or have been lobotomized…or both. Go away, your prohibition venom is not welcomed here as it is yours, and yours alone to choke on. Cannabem liberemus! Hah!!]
Just wanted to thank the editor for the cogent response to Daniel the Deluded troll.
@Daniel post #16
I am glad you made your post. It shows the moevement that there is still much ignorance to be overcome. The most definitive study done on marijuana smoke causing damage to the lungs was done by Dr. Donald Tashkin. It is a 30 year study that shows that marijuana, not only, does not cause cancer or damage to the lungs but actually proves to have an insular effect. I would just like to suggest that you try using Google and look at actual information instead of the government propaganda. Information is free and will lift you out of your ignorance.
@ Daniel
It is ludicrous to think that if legal a surgeon will cut open your body while intoxicated. Could it happen, sure, but then wouldn’t their be millions of stories of surgeons operating intoxicated? The parallel your drawing is pure sillyness. Do you think a surgeon who has spent a fortune in time and money to become a prestigious person of medicine would risk that to get high.
My stepfather is a surgeon and my mother a surgical nurse. I have a unique view into the medical world. I will tell you that you are at a far greater risk of surgeons who are limited by the insurance companies to provide complete care than you are of them consuming any mind altering substances. Your at a greater risk of dieing to the highly controlled levels of anesthesia that are pumped into your body to keep you in a near death state.
Lastly your claim that it is garbage for medical is without merit. We don’t know its garbage as we cannot say without a shadow of a doubt thats it’s absolutely positively good. With every medication, treatment or practice there are ramifications. With conventional medications there is a high result in addiction, constipation and nausea. Marijuana at this point through testimony seems to provide relief with least number of side affects. We again cant rule out everything. That is due to marijuana hemps scheduling status. It cannot be brought into the light for a rational scientific study.
You have to move past the rhetoric and hysteria and take a logical empirical approach. If you believe marijuana is bad then please find the evidence. Do a scientific study that is better than the Heath tulan study. Show us your work and then we can see if you have merit to your claims.
You can all flame me all you want, you are in denial. Real world experience and examples speak far better than your ignorant blasting of me to say “do the research”…go stand in a ER on a friday evening and see how many people wrecked their cars or motorcycles due to being high on pot. Do it. Don’t be smug and say things like this are not real. You think calling someone a troll is what, smart? Set the bong down and do something in life aside from being so high you cannot function in a normal, productive fashion.
I want to see you that have such negative things to state about the reality of what I post, agree to allow your family surgeon or dentist sign a waiver to be higher than hell while giving you treatment, and that you want to have your airline pilot be higher than hell also when you are on the plane. Come on, step up to the plate if you are going to advocate the use of POT and how it is not harmful, then show the world and state you want to sign a waiver of holding your MD, Dentist, or pilot legally responsible for errors if they are on the use of pot.
You don’t really fool anyone in life, so you are really the troll. You want to only have a place for mindless sheep to follow other mindless sheep, and that is the result of POT use. Mindless sheep.
[Editor’s note: One can truly feel sorry for you and the fear you appear to have of the social-legal changes that are happening nationwide to end cannabis prohibition. It must suck to be you!
You clearly possess no intelligent argument for continuing cannabis prohibition, you just spew hate, intolerance and lies.
Your supposed concerns about ‘stoned’ dentists and ERs populated with the ‘victims’ of cannabis demonstrate your intellectual dishonesty when any sane person recognizes that alcohol and legal drugs cause stoned dentists and patients in ERs–not cannabis.
Stop posting mindless anti-cannabis propaganda on NORML’s webpage as you will convince no one that you’re right and that cannabis prohibition is a sensible public policy, because self-evidently it has failed, and only the insane and govt-employed seem to still support the failed policy.]
# 16. should play in a very busy highway.
@Daniel #16: if you consider the medical potential of cannabis to be bull, then you also have to support removing the vast majority of medicines from the shelves. Most people who claim cannabis has no medical benefit base their claims on the fact that we don’t know for sure, due largely to gov’t interference, if cannabis simply alleviates symptoms or actually cures diseases. In all likelihood, it’s a little of both; cannabis alleviates pain and nausea (generally symptoms of illness) and studies have indicated it may possess anti-carcinogenic properties (cancer generally being considered an illness, not a symptom). However, even if research shows that cannabis only alleviates the symptoms of illness, that should not be seen as proof that it has no medical utility.
Opiates, which are generally regarded as necessary in medicine, do nothing except alleviate symptoms. Opiates do not fix illness, and they do not fix broken bones: they only make you high enough to forget about being ill with broken bones. Cannabis may well be a viable substitute for opiates in some situations. You’d rather have hydros than a joint for a broken arm, but a joint may be a lot more useful for back pain.
As far as surgeons operating high – why do prohibitionists think cannabis intoxication on the job will be handled any differently from intoxication on other legal drugs? Do you plan on writing a provision into the law that all professionals MUST perform their jobs while under the influence of cannabis? If my surgeon botched an operation because he was high, I would sue him into the gutter, same as I would if he was drunk.
@Daniel–
I applaud Norml, and their attempts to get marijuana legalized so that people can be free. Obviously, subhuman jack asses such as yourself will forever believe that you have the right to tell others what to do… so go right on not understanding the very CONCEPT of liberty:
IT IS FUNDAMENTALLY **POINTLESS** TO DEFINE LIBERTY AS OTHER THAN THE RIGHT TO DO WHAT OTHERS DISAPPROVE OF. IF EVERYONE AGREED YOU WOULDN’T **NEED** LIBERTY.
Daniel: attitudes like yours (HATE) cause cancer. You’ll be back and on our side in a few years.
Ok great.. but how about some big coverage on today’s extradition of Marc Emery? I’d like to think that a good portion of the world shares my anger over caging a man (in a country foreign to him no less) over the sale of plant seeds.
I find this entire “prohibition of drugs” movement as a bad joke on our entire society. Pot is “less” of a bad thing than drinking. Pot does not fry the brains of those that use it? I have met people that after long term use of alcohol could not tell you the names of their parents. I have seen addicted (long term alcoholics) people do anything they can to “get high” (they’re on every freeway off-ramp here), I even had a close family friend die of long-term alcohol disease, and by legalizing pot would not alter the criminal factors that an alcoholic will still do crime to obtain their drugs.
As for the proven medical benefits, it’s true? It is really a safer alternative to alcohol and prescription drugs, period.
For those of you that really believe smoking pot is harmful to the way you think, then please, show me a signed wavier that when you want to have a surgery done that it is “cool” with you that the surgeon is 8 miles high on any legal drug like alcohol, hydro’s Oxy’s…, and that if the surgeon does a “whoops”, cut off the wrong body part and is like “wow man, that is a bummer”, that you won’t sue the surgeon or the hospital….lets get real, because you cannot cope with anything real in life.
The efforts should be placed into “how to save our society by eliminating prohibition”. Educating people with truth instead of the prohibition propoganda from the 1930 that brainwashed so many people in this country such that today they still believe in perpetuating a failed polocy that is dividing this country and forcing us to waste money year after year on a war against our own..
-Daniel……..Where do I start? It’s pompous, arrogant, thoughtless people like you that get my ire up. It didn’t take much for you to feel insulted did it Daniel? Prohibitionists are easily offended because they know, as well as everyone else, that no matter what BS they try and shovel it doesn’t stack up against the facts. Research before you write that way you’ll have something to back up your statements with besides the fact that you don’t agree with people simply because they consume. I bet you’ll come back in here and post some “special interest” links and pass them off as fact. We know what your trying to do Daniel and it’s not going to work.-
“I have met people that after long term use of pot could not tell you the names of their parents. I have seen addicted people do anything they can to “get high”, and by legalizing pot would not alter the criminal factors that a drug addicted pot smoker will still do crime to obtain their drugs.”
-Hey Daniel how do you know that they weren’t on some other substance? Let me guess cause they told you? Right……….?
And how do you know that it won’t “alter criminal factors”? Wow your omniscient. I doubt it.-
“As for the garbage claims about medical benefits, what is that? It is really an excuse period.”
-I guess it’s true what they say. Alcohol consumption, and close mindedness, can shrink the brain and it’s cells. Besides it’s much safer to pump your bodies full of “legal” products whether it be altered tobacco, alcohol or pain meds that are all extremely toxic, have higher rates of addiction and cause death. But hey, those are just facts. Stop hating what you don’t understand!-
-Daniel you’re right. Smoking pot is bad. Smoking anything is bad! SMOKING!!!!! Their are other ways to medicate. Educate yourself.-
“lets get real, all you want to do is get “high” because you cannot cope with anything real in life.”
-Let’s get real? Yeah from someone who is obviously telling us all the truth. Lmao. Get real? Start with yourself Daniel. I don’t know about others but I’m coping with the fact that cannabis was deemed illegal so large companies could make billions/trillions, gain massive amounts of power over our high courts and corner the market. Also so all people could be subjected to an experiment, without their consent, where if the entity tells you something whether it be good or bad you listen and do as they say or you will be persecuted/prosecuted to the fullest extent. So many forms of corruption today and Daniel wants to attack cannabis consumers. Truly pathetic Daniel-
“The efforts should be placed into “how to have values in society without substance abuse”, rather than to make it “o.k.” to have to abuse a substance to sustain your screwed up life.”
-And this is the problem. Too many people think they know what’s best for everyone. Values? Listen to yourself and you honestly expect anyone to think you have any values? Maybe for yourself and the company you keep but not for others. You really are a selfish individual Daniel. You think you know it all but you have no idea.-
-Daniel your the only one huffing gas. Although I’m sure you don’t have any trouble finding it since it’s so readily available from your lips.-
-Show me some facts Daniel!!!!!!-
“YOUR movement is idiotic and baseless.”
-No, your prohibitionist agenda is idiotic and baseless and it strikes at everything this country was based upon. I know that America today isn’t like that of it’s creation but for you to say that the cannabis movement has no point/purpose is both ignorant and tyrannical.-
“And unlike you, I don’t have to attempt to hide behind getting high to live daily life. I do not need a substance nor anything to abuse in life to be happy or to be successful.”
-Well I’m glad you can live your life being how you are. You sound like a real pleasure to be around. As long as everyone is agreeing with you. This movement isn’t the joke Daniel. Those who think as you do are. Good for you Daniel. With how you’ve reacted I have a difficult time believing that you don’t abuse things. Maybe you abuse something but it’s not what we’re discussing?-
“Your movement will not work in this Nation as you think. You don’t realize how many people view your movement as exactly what it is, idiotic and baseless. There has been a real reason why the law does not allow “dope” to be legal. But “dopes” are too strung out to even grasp the reality of why. Get ready to go to jail, Editor, because it is coming.”
-And here it is people. The real reason why the “movement” won’t come to fruition. Because Daniel said so….?????? This movement will work in this nation as it did many years ago before you could wipe your nose. “Idiotic and baseless.” Say it a million times Daniel and it won’t change the facts. FACTS. Which you know nothing of. Take your false prophecies and ideologies elsewhere. “Dope”? Ok Anslinger. Who’s the real “dope” Daniel? “But “dopes” are too strung out to even grasp the reality of why.” Strung out? On cannabis? REEFER MADNESS! You’ve lost all credibility. Get ready to go to jail? I’ll be waiting for you Daniel. I’ve lost many brain cells and it wasn’t because I consumed cannabis it was due to the “Daniel effect.” I have lost 1 IQ point for reading what Daniel has written. Daniel you sir are truly an imbecile. In order for someone to achieve many need to fail. Sick world we live in these days. We are but parts that make up a whole and if we don’t work as such it will indeed be our downfall. Good morrow and apologies for some of my words as I know they may not have been in good taste.-
@ daniel thank god we still got folks like you around ,why if this shit ever gets legal then that would cut out about 50-60% of the income of the mexican drug cartels and lets not ferget about keepin the colored folks in check with these laws i mean seriously don’t you realize this is an awsome tool to cleanse (ethnically speaking) this undesirable element from our midst,yeah you need to watch cops on saturday nights to witness these wonderful “tools” in action course we need to vote conservitive to keep that pesky constitution document on the toilet paper roll in the next w’s bathroom,right on brother the only thing we need to get high on are the smoke from those burning crosses
I’ll keep it simple for Daniel.
I wouldn’t want a doctor who is high performing surgery on me. I also wouldn’t want a doctor who is drunk performing surgery on me; would you? Your logic is supremely flawed, and I can only imagine that you are drunk or high on drugs, not marijuana though. I will end with this, given the unfortunate choice, I would MUCH rather have a doctor who is high, rather than drunk, operate on me. Stamped and Signed: Brian.
I partook, but unfortunately Daniel hijacked this thread with nonsense…
THANK YOU MOMS!!!! Thank you for all your work for this country and thank you for raising beautiful and open minded children! I <3 Mom!
I am sure NORML will run a story, but medical marijuana stores were firebombed with Molotov Cocktails in Montana: http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/05/10/montana.medical.marijuana/index.html?hpt=T2
Makes sense, right? You’re mad at sensible marijuana reform policy for whatever reason, so you resort to an incredibly violent and repulsive act. In fact, that’s attempted murder.
It feels good to be on the compasionate side of the debate. Godspeed marijuana reformers!
Daniel Do doctors now get stupid drunk before the do a surgery USE UR FUCKIN HEAD thats where the TERM RESPONSIBLE part comes in, someone help pull his head outta his ass
All I need to say is this:
I began regularly visiting NORML’s website a few months ago… I think January or February. During that time, the facebook fans of NORML were just under 100,000. Between then and now, NORML has gained *checks top of page* over 37,893 fans. NORML sometimes (actually fairly regularly) gains 1,000 new fans PER DAY!
As frustrating as it is to watch the slow progress towards legislation, the fact that so many people are joining NORML’s ranks gets me extremely excited. I wish California didn’t have to wait until November to vote on legalization, as it would pass tomorrow. Then, even after that passes, we still have to wait for the rest of the Country to slowly adopt the policy. The fact that D.C. has 20 more days until MMJ is legal within the district also excites me. If it goes through, it will put MMJ in the eyes of all Americans. If the U.S. Capital approves it, I think the end is near for prohibition at the Federal level.
It truely is an exciting time!
I hope people will FIREBOMB the NORML offices, as we don’t need any COWARDS in this Nation that want to destroy the good decent values of which this Nation was founded upon. Three cheers for the people that firebombed in Montana.
[Editor’s note: You’re clearly nuts, sick in the head, if you favor murdering cannabis consumers. You possess zero self control as you’ve been bombarding NORML for days with dozens of your weird and strange comments (many of which have been deleted because they’re so violent, Nazi-like and violate NORML’s posting policies). You’re evil, a provocateur, or both. Go spew your hateful bile somewhere else as you’ve readily made your point: You’re a psychopath with an Internet connection who hates cannabis consumers.
You’re permanently banned from posting on NORML’s webpage.
Karma exists and your day of reckoning will not be good.]
Three cheers for the editor. Thanks MOMs. You obviously are for the decent values that this country was founded upon. Freedom to choose. We don’t force anyone to do things against their will and don’t threaten anyones property with bombings, that would be cowardace.
I know that I’m a lil late to the response area, but I just wanted to make sure that Daniel (and others) understand something… Common sense should tell you that if you wouldn’t drink on your job, you wouldn’t smoke on your job cause it IS intoxication… No one here is toting cannabis as 100% safe, but here are a few things that you ought to know…. I personally have been smoking Marijuana for 15 years now, and I can remember MORE than just my parents name (Birthdate, location, and EVERYTHING), There has NEVER been a known fatality from the use of JUST marijuana (check it out), it will be illegal to drive while under the influence of Marijuana (Just like alcohol is), and hopefully, once it IS legalized, it can be kept out of reach of minors a bit easier (as with all things that take a bit of maturity to NOT abuse) I thank the Editor for his swift and exacting justice against a Troll and a Hatemonger…. 😀
Dear Writers,
As a practicing physician Given Recommendations to Qualified patient, and learning of their Medical Histories and charted the vast improvement indication that 1. Cannabis is an anti-depressant of the highest order if used properly in micro doses. Macro or large doses can cause Depression.
2. Cannabis is recognized in Physician’s Modern Day Current Medication Studies to Qualify for the California Medical license put out a circular on Medical Marijuana indicating that it’s a Euporic, that it it “Makes Ya Feel Good” Well, What’s wrong with that. 3. At the same time it keeps one “in the Moment thus not worried about the pass or obsessing about the f uture and let’s us enjoy our lives and express our uniqueness. Away goes anxiety and depression and happy Motivated Lives take their place.
Yes, it is true that MANY patients wean off of Pain Medicine and make the transition to Cannabis. A patient of mine who was alcoholic took one year to become Alcohol Free while utilizing Cannabis.
Please send Testimonials. We ARE a legal physician’s office in Santa Barbra, CA and do physician’s Letters of Recommendation.
We believe that we need to share more of the factual message than the back and forth statements or argument I do not believe as Medically validated as we are able to do under the State Law of California, under Prop 215 and SB420.
Please feel free to list any other benefits and write a testimonial if you will that we can share, at least with people in California, Southeren, in particular, right now.
Hope you Enjoyed!
Dr. Don Altfeld
I have been an Emergency Room RN for over 5 years now.
I honestly can say that the majority of patients who come in who are violent, psychotic, had been assaulted,did assualt someone, got raped, raped, or was involved in a motor vehicle accident had been drinking. We of course do have patients who come in “stoned” but these people are calm and friendly. These people are usually the victims not the perpetrators. There are many (too many) people who come in addicted to prescription drugs for pain relief and many people including nurses who are on anti-depressants.
As for coming into work “high”, I feel that the same laws should apply to the use of marijuana. There is a time and place for it. We shouldnt drink and drive, drink and work, drink and take care of children. The same applies for pot.
I am a responsible mother of two teenagers. I am not a pot smoker but would be if it were legalized. Before I became a nurse the occasional “hit” calmed me down, helped me to study better and made me feel more positive. I rarely drink alcohol.
I own my home, worked my way through cooking school, was in the air force, and worked my way through two nursing schools as well. Both my children are on the honor roll and want to be physicians. I would much rather have them use marijuana than drink alcohol.
I am a mom of 2. I suffer from MS and have always declined the damaging drugs… I was diagnosed 9 years ago, thus far I have refused any and all of the MS drugs, steroids and painkillers. My neuro is always amazed when he sees me, I walk, I jog and oddly lesions vanish.
When first diagnosed I was told I would be in a wheel chair within 2 years, not a prospect I looked forward to. My best friend introduced me to pot as a “treatment” and I have steadily used since.
I too hate being labeled as a criminal, all because I chose a more natural approach to my MS.
Good Luck all! Send some good pot legalization vibes Canadas way too please 🙂
My husband and I have been smoking pot for forty years now. We went to college,both have careers I’m an nurse and my husband is a refrigeration tech. now for over 30 year we have owned our homes and rasied two childern and have 5 grandkids. Never been in trouble. My kids were in baseball,boy scouts,soccer & all normal things,always paid our bills, pot never interfered. It not a dangerouse drug as they try to say. It has calmed me down when the world and my rhumitoid arthrtist becomes to much and dosen’t interfere with what has to be done, makes it easier to handle. Only pain meds and alchol have such bad side effects, can’t function when you’ve taken them. It’s really time to legalize cannabis use. There so many madical reasons. I just know the’re spending way to much money on keeping it illegal. My youngest son had worked for a marijuana dispensery here for 3 years and it was lisenced from the city and they paid their taxes and followed all the rules and still the DEA busted them and now we have been going to court for 3 years fighting the 20 year sentence there trying to give them. You would think they’re killers, it makes me crazy, we go to court November 8 again for a 10 day trail can you believe 10 days of our tax dollars hard at work. You should see this huge building in Fresno. Federal court costing thousands everyday for what? Medical marijuana? nothing more important to do. Hard to believe My son and the other 8 people the’re trying to put in jail for legal marijuana have had to drug test every week for the last 3 years how much money must that cost? wasted tax dollars in my book. Anyway now at 60 years old I’m still waiting for pot to be legizal working my ass off an the country continuse to go down and legalizing pot could help so much in so many way I don”t understand the stupidity of it all. Please everyone vote yes yes yes
Thank you for making your website. Alcohol has killed three people very close to me & I’ve never put it in my body. Radiation and chemo have killed just as many friends of mine as cancer. To say that someone died hides HOW TERRIBLY they lived for the last few months or years & how they suffered. What’s legal is lethal, but Cannabis never killed anyone and we’re fighting to get it legalized & there was a time in this country when alcohol was illegal and Cannabis was legal. Keep doing what you’re doing, you’re doing a great thing for the benefit of this country, and if America does end MJ Prohibition, it could very likely become legal around the world, so what you do could have a benefit to the whole world. Sincerely,
Bob Gilbert.
I am old and I have raised my kids. They are doing well. So well that they don’t care to call or come see me.
I have 4 grandkids I don’t get to see because they all live out of state. It hurts so much and I stay so depressed because of it. I would rather smoke a joint so I don’t think about it and therefore I won’t cry about it. I stay so upset and the pot is very calming on my nerves. I aint gonna go in a nursing home until they will give us our medicine and the right one!
marijuana helps me for many of things. i got in a wreak back in 2007. i hurt my back and neck. i still get pains (daily). having few hits of a joint or smoking few bowls helps me get out of bed. when the wreak first happen i went into a depression and started drinking. it didnt help. finally tried smoking
and havent had a drink or any over the counter meds since. it helps me with my ‘time of month’ issues, back pains, headaches, just about everything.
they need to go ahead and every state be the same..
you can have it and grow it just cant sell it.
no more going to creepy drug dealer houses, no more waiting in parking lot for someone to come and you’re going to be spotted. medical shows are the best way to go.
we should have a relax time everyday. everyone must smoke atleast 2 hits. i think the world would be little less angry. if they can sell beer we should be able to have our smoke.