Therapies out there. Drug of choice is not necesarilay the best.
...a lot of serious research done around the potential benefits of cannabis sativa and range in scope from large scale research facilities such as the Mayo right through to more focused research that has been conducted by pharmaceutical companies. Across the board, the research indicates that particularly in terms of being an alternative treatment for certain types of cancer and the inarguable benefits for glaucoma patients...I would certainly agree and look at it as merely another chemical that can provide therapeutic relief. Any number of drugs, including those that are prescribed by physicians...are derivatives of plants and/or other organics, so there is not difference other than this one has been abused broadly by the public and is currently illegal in many countries to posses in any large quantity.
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If you look historically at why it became illegal, such as in the United States by example...it was not necessarily related to the dangers of it's use. If that were the case, all alcoholic beverages would be illegal and tobacco would never have been allowed to get such a strong foothold. You may even find that in the US, it was a thriving and taxable tobacco industry that kicked up the biggest fuss. There's a novel concept...a competing consumable with less health risks got knocked back by a larger industry...just ignore the slaves working the plantations at the time please.
The fundamentals of the law revolve around the fact that it was entering the country and not subject to any sort of tax....do the research for yourself or if you want a good giggle, find a copy of the movie called "Reefer Madness". I would suggest that even the regular use of marijuana has a lower risk in pure terms relating to your health than either...however the revenue that could be generated through the tax system over 100 years ago made it and "illegal substance".
As most here would seem to know....there are any number of varieties of this plant and the variety of those that now produce a higher THC content are the result of growers focusing on the recreational use of the substance. There are several varietal forms of this that grow abundantly in the US with the blessing of the government. Why? Very simply because it is the home of an species of bird whose populations have been reduced by farming other areas of land where these birds once lived. There was a plan at one time to burn out these growth...however it would have wiped another species of animals into extinction.
I agree with it as an optional therapy and if it gave certain areas a chance to turn otherwise arid and fundamentally useless land into a farm-based and legal income...that would be hard to argue. Of course you could have a couple of glass of wine (damn, liver disease and even though not illegal to drive makes you a hazard to others) and pop 40mgs. of Cialis (double the prescribed dose...but it's fun so abuse it) and head out into the night.
If I had terminal cancer (particularly in the stomach) and it provided relief...law or no law, I would pretty much do what I god damn well pleased and catch a few of the folks with cirrhosis of the liver or had been run down in a crosswalk in palliative care out back where I was firing up a joint, legal or otherwise.
Make that a hell yes, thanks.
Other countries can and do manage to regulate cannabis.
If it helps those in need and I do understand that there are specific health issues that can actually benfit from the use of it, then where is the problem? We spend billions of dollars on community and health related issues dealing with alcohol, cigarettes and gambling and yet none of these are made illegal. Maybe it is because the government makes an aweful lot of revenue from those legal pursuits.
It is fair enough saying " No. I have tried it and I dont like it" The same can be said for an ex smoker or a reformed alcoholic as well.
I had acute myeloid leukaemia when I was 19 and again when I was 44......chemo when I was 19 was indescriable and I truly would not wish that drug/treatment upon my worse enemy.....thank god drugs have improved since then.
When I was rediagnosed again, I was 44 and all I could focus on was how I couldnt go thru chemo again ...nope I was ready to chuck it all in because I remember distinctly the issue of the chemo drugs /treatment and the ravages it left on my body last time.......predominantly nausea..it was debilitating....and your body never forgets it...chemo drugs can stay in your system for up to 7 years depending on what drug is used...
This time, Ill be first to tell you, that I smoked dope...it helped alleviate the nausea,(not eradicate it..but helped) .and I smoked it probably every second to third day depending on where I was sick in my treatment cycle...and my "supplier" gave it to me for free (he is a good and kind and understanding friend..ok ..yep his a med student who I was mentoring) I dont even smoke so I had to learn how to smoke...(that was endlessly amusing to the so called good friend !!!) I didnt particularly like it but after the 5th hit and the relief it brought, well I was euphoric, but not high from the drug but from the thought that I wasnt going to be spending the next two hours crouched over the toilet, vomiting like there was no tomorrow...always such a good look.......
I finished chemo in the summer of 2009 and so far all indicators are that my white blood count is level - so Im technically in remission..I havent smoked dope since because I actually do not enjoy smoke of any kind...so is it addictive..?? can be...but hell Im more addicted to those little white chocolate Lindt balls..nows theres a fatal addiction...!!!
I say legalise it..Im a doctor and although oncology is not my speciliality...Ive spent enough time in the Onco ward to see what dope can do to help alleviate nausea, pain and stress....we offer people a alcoholic drink all the time when one is stressed, in pain, or just to be social..I say the same for dope....we used morphine as pain relief - under strict medical supervision, I say do the same for dope...any drug that can give anyone peace and relief is a good thing in my book...because even though at times I had the odd bourbon to get me thru chemo...all I did was throw it up....and its sad to watch a perfectly good Wild Turkey with Coke, dribble into the toilet bowl...and flush away.....expensive too........ sorry to be so graphic...
And btw I told my oncologist what I was doing ( was responsible in knowing what drugs were mixing with what in my body) ..he was cool..he nodded his head and said.."Whatever gets your thru..."
Another drug criminalised? Yeah, why not? How could prison and a criminal record hurt anyone?
btw Let me know who won the drug war.