At Least 1 – 1.5 Million Americans are Legal Medical Marijuana Patients
Market for these patients in sixteen states and D.C. estimated at between $2 – $6 billion annually
MAY 31, 2011 – We don’t know his or her name, but somewhere in one of sixteen states and the District of Columbia is America’s 1,000,000th legal medical marijuana patient. We estimate the United States reached the million-patients mark sometime between the beginning of the year to when Arizona began issuing patient registry identification cards online in April 2011.
Between one to one-and-a-half million people are legally authorized by their state to use marijuana in the United States, according to data compiled by NORML from state medical marijuana registries and patient estimates. Assuming usage of one-half to one gram of cannabis medicine per day per patient and an average retail price of $320 per ounce, these legal consumers represent a $2.3 to $6.2 billion dollar market annually.
Based on state medical marijuana laws, the amounts of cannabis these legal marijuana users are entitled to possess means there is between 566 – 803 thousand pounds of legal usable cannabis allowed under state law in America. These patients are allowed to cultivate between 17 – 24 million legal cannabis plants. There may possibly be more, as California and New Mexico “limits” may be exceeded with doctor’s permission and some California counties explicitly allow greater amounts, so there may be as much as 1 million pounds of state-legal cannabis allowed under state law in America.
| Active Medical Marijuana State (Total population of sixteen medical marijuana states + D.C. = over 90 million. D.C., Delaware, and New Jersey programs are not yet active.) | # Legal Medical Marijuana Patients (% of state population) |
| California (1996) – No central state registry, 2% – 3% of overall population estimate by Dale Gieringer at California NORML by comparing rates in Colorado & Montana. | ~750,000 (2.00%) ~1,125,000 (3.00%) |
| Washington (1998) – No registry, 1% – 1.5% of overall population estimate by Russ Belville at NORML by comparing rates in Oregon & Colorado. | ~67,000 (1.00%) ~100,000 (1.50%) |
| Oregon (1998) – Centralized state registry data published online. | 39,774 (1.04%) |
| Alaska (1998) – No data online, verified by author’s call to Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics. | 380 (0.05%) |
| Maine (1999) – Centralized state registry data published online. | 796 (0.06%) |
| Nevada (2000) – 2008 figures from ProCon.org, awaiting return call from state for official number. | 860 (0.03%) |
| Hawaii (2000) – Estimate from Pam Lichty of Drug Policy Forum of Hawaii; program is run by law enforcement who are reluctant to release data. | ~8,000 (0.59%) |
| Colorado (2000) – Centralized state registry data published online. | 123,890 (2.46%) |
| Vermont (2004) – No data online, verified by author’s call to Vermont Criminal Information Center. | 349 (0.06%) |
| Montana (2004) – Centralized state registry data published online. | 30,609 (3.09%) |
| Rhode Island (2006) – Centralized state registry data published online. | 3,069 (0.29%) |
| New Mexico (2007) – Centralized state registry data published online. | 3,615 (0.18%) |
| Michigan (2008) – Centralized state registry data published online. | 75,521 (0.76%) |
| Arizona (2010) – Centralized state registry data published online. | 3,696 (0.06%) |
| TOTAL US LEGAL MARIJUANA USERS | ~1,100,000 (1.22%) ~1,500,000 (1.67%) |
Yet after fifteen years, one million patients, and a million pounds of legal marijuana, few if any of the dire predictions by opponents of medical marijuana have come to fruition. Medical marijuana states like Oregon are experiencing their lowest-ever rates of workplace fatalities, injuries, and accidents. States like Colorado are experiencing their lowest rates in three decades of fatal crashes per million miles driven. In medical marijuana states for which we have data (through Michigan in 2008), use by minor teenagers is down in all but Maine and down by at least 10% in states with the greatest proportion of their population using medical cannabis.
| Medical Marijuana State | Age 12-17 Monthly Use When Passed | Age 12-17 Monthly Use in 2008 | Highway Fatalities When Passed | Highway Fatalities in 2009 | Workplace Injuries / Illness When Passed | Workplace Injuries / Illness in 2009 |
| California (1996) | 7.70% | 6.86% | 3,989 | 3,081 | 7.1% | 4.2% |
| Washington (1996) | 9.90% | 7.17% | 662 | 492 | 9.2% | 5.3% |
| Oregon (1998) | 9.60% | 8.22% | 538 | 377 | 6.8% | 4.5% |
| Alaska (1998) | 10.40% | 8.03% | 70 | 64 | 7.4% | 4.6% |
| Maine (1999) | 7.20% | 9.06% | 181 | 159 | 8.8% | 5.6% |
| Nevada (2000) | 9.54% | 7.52% | 323 | 243 | 7.2% | 4.4% |
| Hawaii (2000) | 8.72% | 7.07% | 132 | 109 | 6.2% | 4.2% |
| Colorado (2000) | 10.80% | 9.10% | 681 | 465 | n/a | n/a |
| Vermont (2004) | 11.11% | 10.86% | 98 | 74 | 5.6% | 5.1% |
| Montana (2004) | 10.00% | 8.60% | 229 | 221 | 7.2% | 5.3% |
| Rhode Island (2006) | 9.74% | 9.46% | 81 | 83 | 5.2% | n/a |
| New Mexico (2007) | 8.73% | 8.19% | 413 | 361 | 5.0% | 4.8% |
| Michigan (2008) | n/a | 7.36% | 980 | 871 | 4.5% | 4.2% |
Fourteen of the seventeen medical marijuana jurisdictions have mandatory registries while two (California and Colorado) offer optional registries and one (Washington) has no registry system. Estimating California’s patient numbers is hampered by its registry system being on a county-by-county basis. California NORML’s Dale Gieringer estimates between 2% – 3% of the state’s population are holding medical marijuana recommendations – meaning possibly over one million medical marijuana patients in California alone.
California’s patient population can be estimated from data from other medical marijuana states where patients are required to register, shown in the table below. The top two of these are Colorado and Montana, which, like California, have a well developed network of cannabis clinics and dispensaries, and which report usage rates of 2.5% and 3.0%, respectively. Other states, where medical marijuana is less developed, report lower rates of 1% and less. However, California is likely to be on the high side because it has the oldest and most liberal law in the nation. Significantly, California is the only state that permits marijuana to be used for any condition for which it provides relief – in particular, psychiatric disorders, such as PTSD, bipolar disorder, ADD, anxiety and depression, which account for some 20%-25% of the total patient population. Adjusting for this, usage in California could be as much as 25% to 33% higher than in Colorado and Montana, which would put it well over 3% of the population (1,125,000).
A 2%+ patient population estimate is supported by data from the Oakland Patient ID Center, which has been issuing patient identification cards to its members since 1996. The OPIDC serves patients from all over the state, but especially the greater Oakland-East Bay area of Northern California, where its cards are honored by law enforcement. As of 2010, the OPIDC had issued ID’s to 19,805 members from five East Bay cities (Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Hayward and Richmond), amounting to 2.4% of the local population.Because the cards were issued over a period of 14 years, they include numerous patients who have lapsed, moved, or deceased. On the other hand, they do not include many other local patients who have current recommendations but never registered with the OPIDC.
We have made a similar estimate for Washington State’s patients, who are the only ones in the nation with no registry system in place (Gov. Gregoire recently signed a bill that initiates a voluntary registry). With a law very similar to Oregon’s concerning qualifying conditions, applying Oregon’s 1.04% patient population figure gives us about 69,000 patients in Washington. However, Washington State’s larger urban centers (Seattle and Spokane), combined with a more liberal law than Oregon’s regarding who can sign recommendations (osteopaths, naturopaths, and nurse practitioners can recommend in Washington) and the lack of a state registry’s burden to patient compliance with the program suggests a higher estimate of 1.5% – 2% may be appropriate. Numbers like Colorado’s 2.5% and Montana’s 3% are improbable as Washington lacks the greater patient access to dispensaries seen in those states.
Delaware, New Jersey, and D.C.’s programs are not operational yet, so they are not shown in our data table. Most of the other state’s programs produce reports of patient registry numbers. With Arizona signing up over 3,600 patients since mid-April, when it’s online-only registration went into effect, Arizona is on track to register over 30,000 patients this year.
Quick Facts about Medical Marijuana States:
- The 1.1 – 1.5 million estimated and registered medical marijuana patients in America are legally entitled to cultivate 17 – 24 million cannabis plants and possess 283 – 402 tons of harvested buds.
- The seventeen jurisdictions with medical marijuana encompass over 90 million Americans and 162 votes in the 2012 Electoral College.
- Patients make up over 3% of the population of Montana, almost 2.5% of Colorado, over 2% of California. and over 1% of Oregon, and Washington.
- After Michigan at 0.76% of population, every other medical marijuana state has less than 3 in 1,000 (0.3%) patients in its population.
- California, Colorado, Washington, Michigan, Oregon, and Montana comprise over 98% of the legal medical marijuana patients in America.
- More than 3 out of four (77% – 83%) of all medical marijuana patients live on the West Coast.
- Rhode Island and Vermont, two states where over 10% of the adult population uses marijuana monthly, have patient populations of 0.29% and 0.05%, respectively.
- Monthly teen use of marijuana is down in every medical marijuana state except Maine.
- Annual highway fatalities are down in every medical marijuana state except Rhode Island.
- Incidents of workplace injuries and illnesses are down in every medical marijuana state.
Have been a patient for over 10 yrs ever since program began in Oregon. Senior citizen and the only other medication I use other than vitamins are additional eye drops for glaucoma which is why I have a card – for my glaucoma and migraines. I have 0 other problems other than osteoporosis – prescription medication for that did more harm than good and now use calcium & vitamin D.Big Pharma hates folks like me.
any words yet on when maybe texas or ohio will join up with the medical marijuana plans?
it seems to me that legalizing marijuana would be a good thing so why is it so difficult to get it legal when there is so much documented evidence of its benifits?
Its dificult cuz of the poilitiking. Big Pharma wants to run the MMJ show, the government is set on reaping all the benefits. So until all the details are hammered out on how the 1% can keep the money in the grimey little hands im sure we wont see it legal on a federal level. Texas legalize weed?????? Even MMJ??????????? Have you ever been to Texas????????????????????????????????????? If your caught with paraphernalia here its a fine up to $500 The feds will legalize it before we can roll it here lol
“Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf [feds]? We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”
We the Genesist people – have a legitimate grievance to act – and – our grievance is in accordance with federal law. We have legal standing. A violation has been committed. Our Constitutional right [First Amendment – Establishment Clause] has been violated – “by law.” The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 itself has been violated, and is deemed voidable on the grounds that Compelling Justification and Prior Competing Governmental Interests [law] denies Genesists our Faith, Sacrament, and the “free exercise thereof.” Free Exercise means: that portion of the First Amendment to the Constitution that “proscribes laws” prohibiting the free exercise of religion, and includes the application of that proscription under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.
Of course, and without question or margin of doubt, Genesists are in favor of total legalization for all. Medicinal use is absolute in its value and efficacy as a medicine – but – both or either, are inconsequential to religious use and the “Free exercise thereof.” – or – any exercise of religion, whether or not compelled by, or central to a system of religious belief, and any conduct protected as exercise of religion under the First Amendment of the Constitution.
It’s crucial that government understand that – “It can yell until it asphyxiates itself, turns blue in the face holding its breath, or go to its room {go to your room!] and punch holes in the walls with its fists – but – they should get this straight, once and for all, government “CAN NOT” have our Faith and our Sacrament – and – “THAT’S THAT.” They can beat me unconscious or to death – but – they will never hear me utter the words they demand to hear – “I give.”
Genesists, myself in particular, are not here to “play God and rule the world” – evil is doing an outstanding job at that. My purpose is only to minister my brethren’s Faith and Sacrament, as well as enlighten those who have an interest in the Genesist Faith.
In response to #3 (joe oint):
Short answer: peeplz iz ignant
Long answer: Because facts and math don’t matter to some poeple. If it seems that the sun is going around the earth it doesn’t matter to them that we can demonstrate mathematically and observationally the earth is the one circling. -look at those who think the earth is a few thousand years old, yet we can see light from distant reaches of space that HAD to be traveling for billions of years to hit your eye.
The problem, as I see it, is that everyone has a different set of “facts”. This is a bad concept (obviously because there can only be one set of true facts). There are people who post on this website who think cannabis is a gateway drug (there is no chemical in weed that makes you crave coke or heroin). There are people who post on this site who restate that 10% get addicted stat. This is inaccurate. You cannot develop a physical addiction to cannabis (you will not shake or convulse… you might be in a bad mood, but that is not the same thing -ask a heroin addict about addiction!). You CAN be psychologically addicted; but you can be to cheeseburgers too and nobody thinks you should outlaw them.
Basically everyone seems to have their own set of “facts” and until we all get on the same sheet of music we are going to continue to be those “crazy potheads who just want to get high”.
That’s why I stay away from that whole debate now. It’s a personal choice and I own my body and I should get to own my choices regarding what I put in my body. Period.
After 40+ years of Daily Cannabis use, Im more than delighted to see the stats for this God Given herb.
PA4MM the bill is in just waiting on the verdict. I pray that we will be the 17th state(412©)
What about rates of schizophrenia in medical marijuana states? This fear has gotten a lot of press…
[Russ responds: Schizophrenia rates worldwide have remained at about 1% of the population since those rates have been recorded. Early 60’s before pot became popular, late 60’s as it gained users, late 70’s when it peaked, late 80’s when it bottomed out, now with medical, doesn’t matter, schizophrenia rates remain the same.]
I’ve been saying for years that the decline in traffic accidents are contributed through the usage of Marijuana but ” they have always said that ” they don’t know why traffic fatalities are decreasing ” . Crime also is being reduced by the increasing usage of Marijuana . Unlike with pharmaceuticals and especially Alcohol use which more often than not increases aggression leading to murders, violence and blood and mayhem on our highways, Marijuana is just the opposite . I’ve been assaulted more than once by a drunk but never by someone who has just smoked Marijuana .There has been a decrease in Homicides here in Cali. but they will never tell you that that is due by the increasing usage of Marijuana . Instead of telling you the truth they will say, ” they don’t know why murders are decreasing ” So now you say….
NOT TRUE , Mexico’s crime problem is out of control by drugs & Marijuana . Legalize it and the problem will go away .It’s the illegality of Marijuana in Mexico ( & in America )that causes violence .
The correlation between legal medical marijuana and the decreases displayed are incredibly weak. The decreases are present in the other states as well, there is no evidence showing that these declines are in any way related to the legalization of medical marijuana.
Thanks for the stats. There are a bunch of folks who relate better to numeric data than discussions. The more ways we develop to get the word out, the better. We have a lot of brainwashing to iron out.
in peace,
Russ,
Thanks for all this work.
Doing the math, that means the average user spends between $1,333 and $6,000 a year. Doesn’t that sound high? I’m wondering about the assumption of usage of one-half to one gram of cannabis medicine per day per patient 365 days a year.
Keep up the good work.
[Russ responds: As a near-daily recreational user, when I lived in Idaho and unregulated weed cost $300 an ounce, I very accurately estimate the value of my annual usage to be $3,000.]
Pretty soon it will be 11 mullion then 115 million.. This is just the beginning.
I read the last artical with much happiness, for I live in st. petersburg fl. Is there no legislation for these grand parents to vote on.If not what can i do to help.
Well now, with all that legal MMJ and traffic fatalities down at least in my state of Colorado. I wonder how the feds will lie their way out of this one? I bet it will be good.
i’ve been smoking cannibis daily for over 35 years, hence for me it was not a gateway drug as the government claims i havent gone crazy, become a crazes murderer i havent even been in a fist fight since before i started smoking. the feds can take a flying leap at a rolling doughnut im gonna continue smoking til the day i die.thats my definition of pursuit of happiness.by the way im guaranteed this by the bill of rights. its oneof my inalienable rights ie life, love ,and the persuit of happiness.
attach to above statement
The Congress has to make the change at the federal level, obviously, because no one is going to inform the emperor that he has no clothes. For people who are against it, it’s like: Don’t bother me with the facts. I’ve already got my mind made up.
What politicians do best is delegate work to their staff and enrich themselves.
More states need to jump on the band wagon, even if only on paper and they don’t actually open up any dispensaries.
Yo, East Coast!
11. anonymous
“Don’t know why murders are decreasing”
There decreasing everywhere but Jose Guerena’s house. 60-70 bullets in him. I don’t call that a non-violent murder.
Price varies highly by location(Border vs central states), quality(4% schwag vs 18% medical) and quantity(The more you buy the cheaper it is). Here in Texas, I consistently see Mexican dirt weed go for $50 an ounce(last price I paid for schwag) and for around (so my dealer says) about $400 a pound. This seems right as with illegal markets, studies have shown prices down at each level of distribution and have heard $200 a pound (when working in Laredo right by the border) is the norm for smugglers coming from the other side(Most small time smugglers are not part of gangs and use the profit to travel to where they plan on working).
At a 1/4 ounce a week and assuming cheap herb like schwag(and healthy competition), $200 a pound for production + %50 Tax + 10% Profit at each stage (grow, transport, sale, etc..) = $400 a pound at a profit is quite reasonable legally and a price at which anyone could afford their meds. ($400/16=$25/4=$6.25*52=$325 a year) I can easily see prices for hydro dropping to levels that will all but put the border gangs completely out of the MJ game. Capitalism would secure our border then instead of guns. The illegality keeps up the market price. (Note: $125 per 1/4 ounce is common here for hydro.)
That and quality control are why you don’t have have a huge “Bathtub Gin” black market anymore. Where they is money to be made at high profit margins there is a black market. It can and never will be able to compete with legitimate industry.
Legal prices would quickly fall in line with illegal prices due to competition(if it were legalized across the board), but right now the legal MMJ monopoly keeps the price of MMJ up(as monopolies always do, see label vs generic drug prices in Big Pharma). The MMJ industry knows it and is why many in the industry campaigned against Prop 19.(Legalized schwag would = generic herb…)
Note: Texas has some of the lowest prices due to competition between competing gangs, low transport costs (close to the border), and high supply(again close to a very long and unprotected border) vs. demand(Texas is Bible belt conservative country).
Honestly though, I’d pay 2-4X what I do now for legal vs border weed.
As the population ages less crimes are commited. As the price of gasoline increases the amount of miles driven decreases. ….Now, as the amount of registered cannabis users increases the utter stupidity of having marijuana listed as a Schedule One drug becomes a more obvious lie. Marijuana should be legalized and not just for medical reasons.
We don’t want Cannabis decriminalized,taxed or regulated.We want to grow Cannabis without any ramifications from any law enforcement agency or any entity that has any thing to do with law enforcement.It is a plant!We don’t want the government to have any control over Cannabis! Medical Marijuana is controled by state government where it is legal! No decriminalization,No regulation,No government! The government has enough control of us as it is,We don’t need the government to tell us what we can grow or what we can smoke or eat. It’s Bullshit and everyone knows it. Do you want the government to tell you what you can wear?,or eat ?,or watch on tv? Cannabis is no different. Join MERP!
GlobalMarijuanaReLegalization-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To everyone, the real truth is behind our government agencies that began in the 30’s as creating prohibition of Bud, Beer and Gold, etc. for more money, Gold and Beer was repealed but Bud was not repealed, The CIA is making millions today on different types of illegal drugs good or bad, that is the holy grail truth behind our prohibitionist tyrannical government and now on aavaz.org there has been a petition signed by more than 500,000 people to try and end the war on drugs meaning decriminalization and regulation allthough there should be a law repealed beyond prohibition saying it is not a crime to possess more than an ounce of Bud cuz that is Prohibition only leveled to a wrong way of thinking. Go Liberty! (freedom from repression, oppression, millitary or foreign control)
Don’t buy FDA pills Bud pills! They don’t care about you and put diseases in pills to cause u to have more symptoms and get more money from you, they are a disgrace to our country, go American people!
It was made a crime in order to employ cops, and it remains illegal for the same reason.
P.S. Thanks for the map. This is just the sort of resource I need while I ponder where to retire to in a few years.
Ok if this is so, then why doesnt anyone or Norml go to the news to submit this information that 1- 2.5 marijuana patients medicianal marijuana brings about 6 billion dollars anually? i say this because govt is talking about the debt ceiling and the want to create jobs, stimulate the econmomy, and cut spending. i find myself saying , well if you legalized marijuana , then so many jobs will be create and the debt will be reduced greatly. Someone one has to go to the media or the news/newspaper with this info. please.
[Editor’s note: The media have been alerted as NORML has a huge media list that has already received the info.
Will they choose to cover it? Also, most every elected politician in America also receive these alerts from NORML. Neither the media or government can claim ignorance!]
Why don’t they do this – why don’t they do that?
Because there are those who are “intent” on destroying our country, our Constitution, and the American way of life – and – they are doing a “damned good job” of it. They are an enemy of the people, and of the state [our state].
“They all laughed at Christopher Columbus – when he said the world is round.” There are “Flat Landers” [then] there are “Profiteers.” Flat Landers have an opinion they cling to. Profiteers have a profit they cling to. We the People take it in the shorts either way.
Interesting…it’s proof that cannabis is good and safe for everyone if it’s legal.
Stay focus because there are a lot of ambitious candidates running for president, but there are only one Ron Paul and Gary Johnson.
with my only soul and breath I stand as witness before all the great empires that have been reduced to dust and archeological history, here ‘we are
Free Cannabis
The Gateway to the mind and the soul
Are you aware the DEA just licensed 55 pharmaceutical companies to grow pot? MSN money is running a story (“Could legal pot give Big Pharma a much-needed high?”) that,
“Just last week, the Drug Enforcement Administration said 55 unnamed companies have been granted licenses to grow cannabis in the United States. Observers say the pharmaceutical companies need the pot farms to cultivate weed so they can produce a generic version of the THC pill Marinol, which is marketed by Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (WPI ), and at least one other cannabis-based pill for a wide variety of new uses.
But to grow pot and put organic THC and CBD in pills, the DEA to would need to move organic THC down from Schedule I to the far less restrictive Schedule III, where synthetic THC Marinol currently resides. That’s exactly what drug companies have requested. And by all indications, their wish is likely to be granted.”
In other words, if big corporations grow dope with the government and put it in a pill, it’s medicine. But if you grow it at home or at a dispensary and then put it in a vaporizer, it’s a felony. If they suspect you, they break down your door shoot you 20 times and accuse you of being a drug dealer as happened to a Marine veteran in Tucson recently.
http://money.msn.com/top-stocks/post.aspx?post=44407b1b-e13c-43f3-8ac4-1b01edebbea5
[Paul Armentano responds: The source of this story were some purposely misleading e-mails sent to David Downs at the East Bay Express by DEA. There may be several licensed entities to produce generic formulations of Marinol (Valeant Pharmaceuticals and Par Pharmaceuticals already have these), but there is only ONE single licensed manufacturer (ElSohly/UMISS) that may legally produce cannabis. DEA’s Michelle Leonhart actually confirmed that there’s only one federal grow license (Elsohly’s), and that there can be only one federal grow license, when she on behalf of DEA rejected the Judge Bittner’s decision in Craker v DEA in 2009. Leonhart wrote, “I have determined that Respondent’s proposed registration is inconsistent with United States obligations under the Single Convention and with the public interest. … Respondent’s … goal of ending the Federal Government’s monopoly on the wholesale distribution of marijuana can not be squared with the requirement under the Convention that there be precisely such a monopoly.”
@39. – Gary Johnson heard the message loud and clear which is why he advocated legalization before he ever used it for pain follow a bad accident. It was a fiscal decision for him. He doesn’t smoke any more and doesn’t think people should, but believes it is their right to do so. I think his number one problem in getting the nomination isn’t pot, it’s name recognition. We need to get the word out. No need to mention legalization, but instead promote his record as a Gov. It stands for itself.
On harder drug an a real solution to the problem:
That being said, the “hard” drugs like heroin where an addict would sell their own family members for their next “fix” are a stumbling block as well. For those I say, decriminalization not legalization and use work farms where they can get a prescription for their drug of choice. Work to pay for it. Refuse to work? Go to jail. Work, get clean, get released or even stay and help others. The addicts would be supporting themselves instead of being given criminal records and forced in to a life of criminal activity. You can include rehabilitation and allow religious ministries to help fund and aid with that part. The tax payer(40k per year inmate savings and work farm are self supporting and can be run for profit even), society(gets addicts off the streets, lowers crime, etc…), addicts(gives a chance for redemption and a possible future) and religious groups(save more “lost” souls) all win!
You can’t help those that don’t want help, but if you put them in a positive circumstance more often than not they will seek help.
I base this on those I’ve known that have overcome addiction. Does this sound like a solution to anyone else?
How is it I live in a state where the federal govt could actually fund anti-pot raids but 1.5 million Americans live in states where citizens actually go to a govt building and register their criminal intent? We are not all equal and given the same federal right of “Life liberty and THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
I think the quick facts at the end of the article are the most telling:
Monthly teen use of marijuana is down in every medical marijuana state except Maine.
Annual highway fatalities are down in every medical marijuana state except Rhode Island.
Incidents of workplace injuries and illnesses are down in every medical marijuana state.
15 out of 16 down in two categories and all 16 for one category… It must be the reefer madness making teens go crazy and not use it(or maybe more parental awareness and openness) and then go crazy and obey traffic laws(wait MMJ is bad for public safety right?)
Both under-stating and over-stating the harms of cannabis use can cause equal, but possibly opposite, detrimental effects to society. Marijuana can be harmful, marijuana can cause damage, marijuana does attribute to some poor health effects; but simply making it the most illegal drug in the world hinders substantially important, often vital, aspects of its already acceded benefits.
Anyone who agrees that we should continue to arrest people, like jailing a non-violent offender for five years, in a medium security prison with mostly violent offenders, all for selling a seed the bible deemed was to be used, should *seriously* and carefully study the definition of ‘arbitrary’. Otherwise, there may be no hope for this society any time soon.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/arbitrary
Fact: 1 – 1.5 Million Legal Marijuana Patients from USA, whose population is about 100 Million. (Seems like there should be more patients)
My Prediction: 50 – 70 Million Marijuana Users / Patients
……User can equate to occasional to every day user…..
Warning, the following paragraph contains a high dose of reality. Don’t read if you can’t handle the truth.
How in the fucking world can we rationalize giving cancer patients a toxic, but important, chemo chemical treatment, but God forbid they consume THE safest substance, on a toxicity level, known to man??? Excuse me, but don’t you think I’m going to let some fucking gold-seal of approval be what I need to improve MY quality of life. Quit fucking with people’s live you fucking belligerent government with your belligerent policies! The truth will prevail!
We are breaking this marijuana police state. LET FREEDOM RING!
@50. – The #1 harmful effect I see of actual use is lung damage which can be mitigated(vaporizer/eating it/etc..). Next on the list is a small percentage of the population which is already predisposed to mental health issues may possibly(no conclusive studies on it yet as 99% of research isn’t allowed) cause or exacerbate mental problems. Next is the slight chance of mental addiction (but that can be said for Cheeseburgers as well…).
Prohibition has far worse affects on society. Number one there is tearing apart of families and ruining lives. (Hint: Try to get a job with a federal offense on your record.) Second is government mistrust. I doubt one supporter of the MJ or MMJ movement trusts their government after 50 years of lies(at least where MJ is concerned). This erosion of trust will lead to a lack of patriotism by some and fuel conspiracy theories by others.
There are many more examples of prohibition related problems, but most legalization problems as shown by this article are founded on pure fear and speculation. I’m sorry, but reefer madness has stopped and education is the only way to stop it(and the best way to reduce teen use as well as shown by the study and other anecdotal evidence).
P.S. As write this I’m currently more addicted to caffeine than I am marijuana. I get headaches if I don’t get enough caffeine in a day, but never once have I craved MJ and frequently stop by choice for long periods for known upcoming drug tests.
I’ve taken about a dozen in my adult life and never failed one. Luckily I don’t have much fat in my system.
Differences in fat content and metabolism make DUID laws hard to apply even handed. I could smoke a bowl and my wife could(she significantly overweight). In one week I would pass a drug test, but it would take her three weeks and they have a higher cut-off than the DUID law proposed in Colorado. You shouldn’t be smoking and driving(even cigarettes as they are a distraction), but a solution has to be reasonable and even handed in application.
The human lung [any lung] is not equipped to contain smoke [carbon]. Tobacco prohibs are quite correct on this point – ask “any” fireman or doctor.
@57. That is exactly why I posted what I did. Smoking is BAD for you (no matter the source), but a vaporizer doesn’t released carbon(or only in very low levels) and eating is the safest way to go, but for those needed more immediate relief using it medically it just not practical to be in pain waiting for it to “kick in”.
Honestly though, caffeine is more addictive(physically and mentally) and more toxic than THC. The LD50 for caffeine is between 150-200 mg/kg(or ~45 NoDoz pills(9g caffeine) available over the counter, but hospitalization can be required in as little as 2g total intake) in humans and 192 mg/kg in rats, but for THC 666 mg/kg in rats which means it’s ~3x more toxic in rats given orally(pill form).
The absolute most toxic way to administer it is intravenously (29 mg/kg in rats) or in others words directly injected ~1.3g pure THC straight into your veins.
It only 1/1000th of the lethal dose to be effective though, but alcohol only has a 10:1 effectiveness (~10x what will get you drunk can kill you).
100x safer than alcohol(available for any adult with no limit on purchase amount) based on toxicity and 3x less toxic than caffeine (available even to kids)… makes one think…
One more thing Asprin = about the same LD50 as THC… yes, pill form THC is literally as safe as aspirin.
And nicotine? 50 mg/kg or about 10-15x more toxic than THC taken orally…(but that doesn’t include long term effects like stomach cancer which THC has never been linked to).
I posted this because I know how much you Genesists love facts. 😀
Note: All this information is easily available on Wikipedia and MJ has approx 3%-20% THC by weight(or if you eat 145.85G of 20% MJ(about 5-6 ounces) or about 1.5lbs of schwag and your body takes all the THC in(it can’t and won’t) you can suffer toxicity problems)… Draw your own conclusions.
Realistically, you would have to eat more herb than you stomach can hold. So fill your stomach wait for it to digest and fill it again(if you have passed out first which you will before this point) and you might end up in the hospital… In other words, you can’t eat enough herb to kill you(physically impossible). You can’t inhale enough to kill you(vaporizer)and you can smoke enough either(bong/joint, etc..). There are three ways to die from it though, direct injection into your blood, suffocation due to smoke inhalation, and getting into an accident from being irresponsible.
Conclusion: THC is safer than Alcohol, Nicotine, and Caffeine by multiple times and about as toxic as Aspirin in pure form.
I am a medical Marijuana Patient, but only till June 20th because under our new law which is a back door repeal and don’t let them lie to you I and many other patients will loose their card. I have a very rare bone disease that only affects one in a 100,000 people. Dr. in my town Missoula knew nothing about my disease and I believe don’t care to. There is lots of chronic pain. My kidneys can be affected by anything that I put in my body. I was using pain medication like society wants me to from the pharmacist. I let my pills run down to the last pill and had a trip planned. Thought I could just call my pharmacist and have them fax a refill request to my Dr. and it would be ready when I got back to town. Well I got home early evening and the night before I had a horrible time sleeping to a message from the pharmacy that they couldn’t refill for me because my Dr. wants to see me. By the time I got in to see him the next day I was having the most horrible experience of my life. that was on only 6 non narcodic. I told my Dr. that I didn’t want any more pain pills but he needed to give me something to get through it, so he did. I never want to go through that again. The next day I saw my bone Dr. a very reputable ones in town. When I told her about my experience she said there is always Medical Marijuana. I told her I already did but with the new law the only Dr. that can give it to me is the Dr. that have diagnosed me with chronic pain and I have to show proof that I have been treated for chronic pain. That would be you or my internist not giving names because of privacy that I am not allowed to have under the new State Law. My medical Information would be available to any Law enforcement agencies out there and who ever else. And I will have to have both of them recommending it. She said that wasn’t possible and not because she just doesn’t want to but because she can’t. I’m guessing because she accepts Federal money and she is attached to our Hospitals here and I don’t know what rules or regulations they have laid out. So even though I can show all the proof of being treated for chronic pain I can not get my medical Marijuana. I am shocked at the ignorance of so much of the people. And can’t see past there mistakes they have made. Now I am being punished and forced to obtain my medication illegally. And I will not be able to get it in liquid form which I prefer.
The goverment is ignorant, why do you think marihuana is still illegal?
Global leaders are listening and speaking out!
Gary congratulates them on their courage:
http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/gary-johnson-global-commision-on-drug-policy-gets-it-right
There is a massive news story today…
The Global Commission on Drug Policy issued a report that says the war on drugs has failed and cannot ever be won, and they called for the legalization of marijuana and decriminalization of hard drug addicts!
The White House drug tzar rejected the report out of hand.
This is fascinating because 40 years ago, the Shafer Commission came to almost the exact same conclusion, and President Nixon had almost the exact same reaponse.
In fact, that report pushed Nixon over the edge because he soon after created the DEA and declared a War on Drugs!
Obama is the new Nixon.
“History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.” Mark Twain
60. Charles
Thank you – Genesists love the truth – no matter who receives it – and – we like the bad news first. Cannabis is the most therapeutically safe substance known to man. What facts we demand are evidence derived from scientific research, from all sources of science, and brought to Scientific Conclusion. We demand that this evidence/facts be presented to a candid audience, the American people. THE TRUTH IS IN THE SCIENCE.
greetings i the name of the most HIGH…JAH! WTF 1.5 grams a day. that nothing, when George in iowa who has a federal goverment prescription for medical marijuana, has to smoke 10grams a day. doctor orders… mi rastafar-i, roll at lest 5grams in mi spliff… and when mi back in the mother land(jamaica), i can smoke 4oz or more a day no problem mon. you that have been to jamaica know that true. you people in america have not begun to somke the blessed herb… and get the true meaning… weed of wisdom… ya mon, PEACE & LOVE
Please please please just legalize it. I don’t want to be breaking the law, but I won’t give up my medicine. I’m so tired of living below the law, which exists for no good reason. It’s safe, it’s healthy, it’s beneficial. Enough is enough.
Mike Says:
May 31st, 2011 at 2:21 pm
“The correlation between legal medical marijuana and the decreases displayed are incredibly weak. The decreases are present in the other states as well, there is no evidence showing that these declines are in any way related to the legalization of medical marijuana.”
That is true, however, it does show that medical marijuana legalization has clearly not led to the massive increases in these statistics that the prohibitionists have long been predicting would happen with legalization.
Charles,
To the best of my knowledge there has never been a single death directly attributed to marijuana use (if you don’t count being shot to death by cops during the serving of a search warrent for it) in all of recorded history. Yet, thousands of people die each year from aspirin. Marijuana is clearly much safer than aspirin, and has no practical LDL50 rating.
“All I can say is – there’s nothing as powerful as an idea that’s time has come – and – then make it reality.”
It’s not what we have done [call it history] – it’s what we can do. One thing we can do – every single one of us – right this very minute – is best said like this:
“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of ocean are dirty, the ocean does become dirty.” Gandhi
Is it really “good intentions” government has for its fellow Americans. The road to hell is paved with “good intentions.” What we have to do is “be indifferent to” any past, present, or future propaganda [which violates the Data Quality Act] prohibitionists disseminate. “Government can’t hurt us – if we don’t let them.” The right government will make you feel like a “good American.” Is our microphone powerful enough to reach real Americans that will preserve, protect, and defend our country, Constitution, Faith, and American way of life? This remains to be seen – but – government can’t govern without us – if they have nothing to govern – no mindless puppets they seek to create.
The statistics are hardly surprising in my estimation and probably most other regular users of cannabis but I’m happy to see the real deal. There is little left to grasp for the prohibitionists but their power and influence (the unholy alliance of government, big business & media conglomerates) and the relative gullibility of the populous at large will likely keep this charade going on the flimsiest of pretenses.
Long time NORML supporter endorsed by Willie Nelson and his Teapot Party has been excluded from the NH Primary Debate this can not be left to stand. I just started this petition at change.org please sign it and show your support. He has given you his and we must show ours!
http://www.change.org/petitions/demand-cnn-and-sponsors-invite-former-gov-gary-johnson-to-the-june-13th-nh-primary-debate
……..but, but, but didn’t they tell us that passing Proposition 19 would make for a dangerous workplace and that accidents would increase . Yep, sure is a dangerous drug .
where are you on this day, can you hear the children crying, they cry for their mothers and fathers
Russ,
Can you provide the citations for your statements re: teen marijuana use, traffic accidents and workplace injuries being down in most mmj states. Before I start using those statements in other posts elsewhere, I’d like to know more about them. Thanks kindly. You can send the info to tracevu@bellsouth.net .
Bernie
@80 – The studies are linked to in the article itself.
One thing to note is that “decrim” may not be the cause, but it does show definitively that the explosion of use predicted just isn’t happening.
Thanks Charles. Since I am dial-up internet-challenged out here in my Tennessee deep hollow home, links sometimes do not work.
The information presented is useful. However, what would be particularly useful would be to compare the positive trends in mmj states with either the national trends for these same indicators or (even better) a grouped comparison of trends in mmj states vs. non-mmj states for these same three indicators. If you can show that mmj states have done better (or at least no worse) in reducing these indicators, that would be most persuasive. Otherwise, skeptics might say that these indicators may be declining everywhere so what you’ve shown for mmj states doesn’t prove anything. It would be good to know the answers to that challenge beforehand.
BTW, if people are drinking and driving less in mmj states (vis a vis substitution), that would help explain the declines in traffic fatalities. I have always said that there are clear differences between drunk and stoned drivers. Drunk drivers run through stop signs at high speeds, while stoned drivers sit patiently at the sign, waiting for it to say “Go”. The first one will kill you, the second might just annoy you (or, more likely, make you laugh.)
Bernie
The one thing it does show for sure is the explosion of use hasn’t happened and contrary to predictions the world hasn’t ended…
This blog turns out to be one of the most discussed issues in the internet today. In fact, there are many people who signed for the legalization of marijuana which caused a big debate between the government and the non-supportive.
Back in school, I’m doing so much leanrnig.
the one thing i dont understand about this country.. is that people constantly get shit faced with alcohol…..but if you are a pothead..god forbidd..ur going to hell… if people are gonna say this plant is sooooo horrrible for you and keep it illegal..the alcohol should go away too… (LEGALIZE) everything in life is meant to be balanced.. if you are able to do this with substances..that alter the state of mind there is no harm done.. WEED is not addictive at all…and at one point believed in all of that bullshit propaganda against weed..but the first time i got high i felt like i was betreyed by all the lies of how bad this herb was suppose to be for you..when clearly it has medical properties…
Here in Brazil marijuana was ‘discriminated’ ie, the user does not go to prison to jail for smoking, but if the police catch you with any amount of marijuana you are arrested and placed in the police car, taken to the district police to register bletim an occurrence and then the user is forwarded to a judge, who judges the user to pay a fine small value and service to the community.
But the millions of users in Brazil are required to purchase marijuana illegally feeding the chain of crime. Politicians in Brazil begin to discuss the possibility of the user plant some marijuana plants in his home.
I carry the VHC1 and started using marijuana to eight years to relieve side effects of chemotherapy that I did – and I still liked using every day.