Medical Marijuana States
Posted by admin | Filed under Uncategorized
As emotions over medical marijuana and the locations, and numbers of the dispensaries allowed heats up in every city across the state of California… There is still no greater place to live. In one afternoon a properly documented marijuana patients can visit a marijuana doctor, be evaluated, and with 30 min be on his or her way looking for their new favorite medical cannabis club. Of which there are more than a few to choose from.
Currently, people who are found with even a bit of marijuana could be fined up to $2500 and could receive jail time. On March 5th, a bill calling for lighter sentencing of those carrying less than .25 ounces of marijuana will be voted on by the House of Criminal Justice (Long). This makes much more sense because jails and policing are meant “to serve and to protect.” For people who clearly are not intending on using that twamp to inebriate and rape or murder an unsuspecting victim, why should the threat of jail even be hanging over their shoulders? Even if the effects of marijuana are considered to be harmful to the smoker, this same reasoning could bring tattoos, piercings, and other forms of self-mutilation to a criminal level. People shouldn't be complacent over the iron fist US law has on weed.
A recent article found in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence focused on the withdrawal symptoms of marijuana, as serious as “irritability, anxiety, and sleep problems” as substantiated by the twelve people who served as the research sample (Norton). This sheds light upon the new lows people have reached in trying to stigmatize marijuana. With such feeble withdrawal claims, and even more ludicrous charges of dangerous effects, no valid explanation is given as to why marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 drug. Well, for every con, there is a pro, as evidenced by the Top 10 Pot Studies Government Wished It Never Funded, which involves twin studies and the myth that weed is a gateway drug.
Because of the flip-flopping legality of weed-prescriptions, those who sought its medicinal benefits during the early 90's had to resort to seedier modes of attainment, putting them at even more risk. Though states like Arizona and California have passed propositions allowing for the medical use of marijuana, the war on marijuana marches on through Bush and Clinton's administration, who went as far as to threaten loss of prescription-writing privileges, Medicare, and Medicaid (CNN).
The medical field is merely one arena that the anti-drug administration has cornered. The White House got first dibs on scripts for prime time, and Clinton made no hush about it; nor did newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post, who gave a smug nod of front-page approval of Bill Clinton's ingenious way of saving our kids (Fiona). From subliminal to propaganja, the White House demonstrates astounding commitment to the War on Drugs. An influx of government-sponsored commercials in 2006 involved scenarios of death and destruction of young potheads. Magazines Seventeen, Parade, Family Circle, USA Weekend, and a few others have been bartering with the government's Office of National Drug Control Policy for credits in advertising contracts (Forbes). This has raised concerns over governmental influence in magazine output altogether.
10 commercials, 10 primetime scripts, 10 nationally syndicated magazine deals: millions in advertising costs. When the government has this type of money to spare, one wonders why messages about the health risks of alcohol and smoking take second stage. Nevermind preventative measures, what steps are being taken by the government to help impoverished people who live below a poverty line that hasn't been adjusted since the 50's?
References
Cable News Network, Inc. (1997). Medicinal marijuana: the struggle for legalization.
Health. (no. 9702, 19-22).
DrQuickBeam. (2006, Sept 2). Top 10 Pot Studies Government Wished It Had Never
Funded. Wordpress,Retrieved February 24, 2008 from http://www.nerdshit.com/wordpress/2006/09/02/top-10-pot-studies-government-wished-it-had-never-funded/
Forbes, D. (2000, Mar 31). The drug war gravy train: How the White House rewarded US
News, Seventeen, and other magazines for publishing anti-drug articles.
Salon News, 1, 4-7. Retrieved February 24, 2008 from
http://archive.salon.com/news/feature/2000/03/31/magazines/index.html
Long, T. (2008, Feb 24). Bill would decriminalize marijuana. Boston Globe, p.A1.
Morgan, F. (2000, Jan 5). White House defends TV drug-ad deal. Salon News, 1, 9-11.
Retrieved February 24, 2008 from
http://archive.salon.com/news/feature/2000/01/15/drug_coverage/index.html
Norton, A. (2008, Jan) Marijuana withdrawal rivals that of nicotine. Drug and Alcohol
Dependence, p. 22.
Tags: cannabis club, dispensaries, medical marijuana, state of california
Will Ca. Pass First Marijuana Legalizations Bill
Posted by admin | Filed under Uncategorized
California electorate is divided over an initiative on the November ballot that would legalize marijuana for recreational use.The Public Policy Institute of Ca. poll out Wed (05/19/2010) found t 49 percent of likely voters would support legalization of cannabis, while 48 percent oppose it. The poll has a margin of inaccuracy of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
The state of California already allows medicinal use of cannabis, but would become the first state to legalize recreational use if voters approve the initiative.The poll found that Democrats and independents are far more likely to support the initiative than Republicans. Not overly surprising. Support also is higher in the Bay Area, while L.A. and the Central Valley remain divided.The survey found that men are more likely to favor legalization than women.
Among the many excuses some people (especially young people) use for their utilization of marijuana is that is it not a “hard drug” like heroin or crack, and that it is not addictive- just a recreational drug. This is false thinking. What is worse, there are some people who believe that advertising the dangers of the drug will do a lot to dissuade young people from either trying or continuing its use. “For many years, the anti-drug movement in America has been using public service announcements (PSAs) to deliver messages about the dangers of drug use…A… study, however, indicated that teens don't pay attention to the ads or don't feel that the message is real to them. Communicating the truth about drugs to our nation's youth requires more than just a message…Many young people are told that drugs are dangerous, but not how or why” (Anon 12). The sad fact is that many young people today are merely disaffected by what adults tell them, because these youths feel that their lives are overly controlled by older people who do not understand their needs and motivations.
There are many people who believe legalizing the use (and sale) of marijuana- other than for approved medical purposes, would reduce arrests and not increase usage. They tend top be wrong about this assumption. “Drug abuse alone cost an estimated $55 billion in 1998 (excluding criminal justice costs), and deaths directly related to drug use have more than doubled since 1980. Would increasing this toll make for a healthier America?” (Walters A10). Walters also points out that by removing penalties and reducing price, would increase drug demand. Make something easier and cheaper to obtain, and you increase the number of people who will try it. Those who want to legalize marijuana love to point out that the Dutch decriminalized marijuana in 1976, with little initial impact. But as drugs gained social acceptance, use increased consistently and sharply, with a 300% rise in use by 1996 among 18-20 year-olds.
Strict control of marijuana may not be sufficient to stop usage. And, what is worse, the drug- like it or not- even affects non-smokers. “The idea that marijuana affects only the people who smoke it is just one of the myths surrounding the drug. Kids who are hooked on marijuana do become less motivated to study, be active, and hang out with their friends and family. But the effects of marijuana go much further. 'If teens are frequently on drugs, they are likely to miss out on the emotional highs and lows of their teenage years,' says addiction expert Ronald Kadden, a psychologist at the University of Connecticut's health center” (Tucker 11).
Local authorities all across the country have made a concerted effort to make sure that marijuana trafficking in schools (or on school property) is eliminated. “Nearly two-thirds of teenagers say their schools are drug-free, according to a survey…But it's good news, bad news for parents, because the survey group of a thousand 12-to 17-year-olds also says that marijuana is as easy to get as tobacco and even easier to buy than alcohol…Although parents listed drug use as their biggest concern, 35% say they have “little influence” over whether their teen uses drugs, up from 25% in 1999, and only 51% of parents described their children's schools as drug-free” (Patrick A8).
The thesis that marijuana should be more tightly controlled tends to lead to the argument of legalization. Again, this is a specious argument for many, especially in the medical field, who see the dangers of ever-younger kids smoking or, somehow, using marijuana. It is not the old wives' tale that the use of pot may lead obviously to use of harder, more addictive drugs. It is that drugs are drugs, and therefore dangerous within their own sphere. A good case can be made for controlling marijuana only for medical, not general use. “Most arguments for legalization in all its different forms start with the contention that the “war on drugs” has been lost and that prevailing criminal justice and social policies with respect to drug use have been a failure. To support the claim that current drug policies have failed, legalization advocates point to the 80 million Americans who have tried drugs during their lifetime. Since so many individuals have broken drug laws, these advocates argue, the laws are futile and lead to widespread disrespect for the law. A liberal democracy, they contend, should not ban what so many people do” (Kleber and Califano, Jr. 4). The fact remains that all the multi=million dollar campaigns to discourage use of marijuana and criminalization has only ended up that teens claim they are not smoking for fear of getting caught. There seems to be little concern about health problems or addition, merely being afraid of getting caught, going to jail or, at the very least, being out on trial, getting fines and probation. Kleber and Califano (2006) claim that legalization of marijuana, cocaine, and heroin for adults would mean that increased numbers of teenagers would smoke, snort, and inject these substances at a time when habits are formed and the social, academic, and physical skills needed for a satisfying and independent life are acquired.
Despite many authorities and medical practitioners' beliefs that marijuana is (or may be) harmful, more and more Americans tend to not feel that strongly: “Never before have so many Americans supported decriminalizing and even legalizing marijuana. Seventy-two percent say that for simple marijuana possession, people should not be incarcerated but fined: the generally accepted definition of 'decriminalization.' Even more Americans support making marijuana legal for medical purposes. Support for broader legalization ranges between 25 and 42 percent, depending on how one asks the question. Two of every five Americans–according to a 2003 Zogby poll–say 'the government should treat marijuana more or less the same way it treats alcohol: It should regulate it, control it, tax it, and only make it illegal for children” (Nadelman 30). Nadelman (2004) makes some good points: He explains that Marijuana prohibition is unique among American criminal laws. No other law is both enforced so widely and harshly and yet deemed unnecessary by such a substantial portion of the populace. Police make about 700,000 arrests per year for marijuana offenses. That's almost the same number as are arrested each year for cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, Ecstasy, and all other illicit drugs combined. Roughly 600,000, or 87 percent, of marijuana arrests are for nothing more than possession of small amounts. Millions of Americans have never been arrested or convicted of any criminal offense except this. Enforcing marijuana laws costs an estimated $10-15 billion in direct costs alone.
“This is clearly an overreaction on the part of government. No drug is perfectly safe, and every psychoactive drug can be used in ways that are problematic. The federal government has spent billions of dollars on advertisements and anti-drug programs that preach the dangers of marijuana–that it's a gateway drug, and addictive in its own right, and dramatically more potent than it used to be, and responsible for all sorts of physical and social diseases as well as international terrorism. But the government has yet to repudiate the 1988 finding of the Drug Enforcement Administration's own administrative law judge, Francis Young, who concluded after extensive testimony that “marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man” (Nadelman 32).
Controlling marijuana use is not legalizing it. But, simplistic as it sounds, a strong effort must be made by the medical establishment to once and for all determine whether marijuana, for recreational use, is not dangerous or addictive. This is not something for politicians, churches, teachers or even parents to determine. There are warnings on cigarette packs, but people still smoke (although in fewer numbers). Alcohol can be dangerous to some, yet people- including young people, still drink. Just look at fraternity and sorority keg parties in many colleges. Taxation on cigarettes and alcohol brings in billions of dollars to state and federal governments. How many more billions could be garnered by the controlled sale of marijuana? Nadelman, among m any others claims that the bigger battle, of course, concerns whether marijuana prohibition will ultimately go the way of alcohol Prohibition, replaced by a variety of state and local tax and regulatory policies with modest federal involvement. All those anti-marijuana ads pretend to be about reducing drug abuse, but in fact their basic purpose is sustaining popular support for the war on marijuana. What's needed now are conservative politicians willing to say enough is enough: Tens of billions of taxpayer dollars down the drain each year. Control the sale and use of marijuana, yes! Make sure that it does not affect the health, intellectual and physical abilities of young people, and, especially, don't make marijuana a choice due to peer pressure. The danger may be more social (or anti-social) than physically harmful. There are too many dangers in our world affecting young people. Marijuana, wantonly used, is surely one of them.
REFERENCES:
Anonymous: “Repetition & insight help dissuade teens from drug use” Park
Ridger IL: Professional Safety.: Nov 2003 .Vol.48, Iss. 11
Kleber, Herbert, and Califano, Joseph A., Jr. “Marijuana: Panacea or Pandora's Box” World and I , National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University., Jan. 2006
Nadelman, Ethan A.: “An End to Marijuana Prohibition- The drive to legalize picks up” National Review July 12, 2004
Patrick, Robert:: “The Nation; Annual Teen Drug Study Finds Mixed Results; Survey: Most schools are free of illegal substances, but pot is easier to buy than liquor, students say” Los Angeles Times, Aug. 21, 2002
Tucker, Libby: “Burnings myths: This teen has lost friends to marijuana. Here, he teams up with experts to bust common myths about the drug” Scholastic Choices, Jan. 2005, vol. 20, i. 4
Walterrs, John P.: “Don't legalize drugs” New York: Wall Street Journal. (Eastern edition). New York, N.Y.: Jul 19, 2002.
Tags: california electorate, central valley, democrats, inaccuracy, independents, initiative, legalization of cannabis, marijuana, medicinal use of cannabis, percentage points, poll, public policy institute, republicans, state of california, survey found that
Marijuana…Legal In Ca.?
Posted by admin | Filed under Uncategorized
California electorate is divided over an initiative on the November ballot that would legalize marijuana for recreational use.The Public Policy Institute of Ca. poll out Wed (05/19/2010) found t 49 percent of likely voters would support legalization of cannabis, while 48 percent oppose it. The poll has a margin of inaccuracy of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
The state of California already allows medicinal use of cannabis, but would become the first state to legalize recreational use if voters approve the initiative.The poll found that Democrats and independents are far more likely to support the initiative than Republicans. Not overly surprising. Support also is higher in the Bay Area, while L.A. and the Central Valley remain divided.The survey found that men are more likely to favor legalization than women.
The history of the Obama marijuana position shows that he is in favor of decriminalization but at the same time doesn't want to legalize marijuana. Why are so many voters surprised?
January 2004 - Will Obama Legalize Marijuana?
A YouTube recording shows a younger Barack Obama discussing the failure of the war on drugs. He suggests that he is in favor of decriminalizing marijuana; however, he does not want to legalize it. What is the happy middle ground?
July 2008 — Obama Marijuana Take against a Failed War on Drugs
In an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, then-candidate Obama mentions a pattern change when it comes to combating drug use. He determines that moving the issue into the public health arena - much like smoking tobacco or using a seat belt - rather than letting the legal system deal with it is bound to have the best results.
December 2008 - Voters Want to Know: Will Obama Legalize Marijuana?
With his groundbreaking use of the Internet to connect with voters, the Obama campaign took a question posted on their website. It dealt with the legalization of marijuana for the sake of taxing and properly regulating it. The unequivocal response was that then president-elect Barack Obama was against legalizing marijuana.
March 2009 - Obama Online Town Hall Meeting Once Against Brings Up the Obama Marijuana Stance
There is nothing new on the western front, and no matter how many times Barack Obama is asked whether or not he will legalize marijuana, the answer is a consistent no. It is interesting to note that the specific Obama online town hall meeting question dealing with pot is - at least according to CNN - virtually identical to the one asked on the Change.gov site toward the end of last year.
Is the Democratic Party Divided when it comes to Legalizing Pot?
San Francisco, California democrat Tom Ammiano has come forward with a controversial Marijuana Bill that proposes to legalize cannabis while also imposing a cannabis tax. Public sentiment is divided about the legalization of the drug, although more and more voters appear to be in favor of it as this point.
This stands in sharp contrast to the president's position on the issue, and has more than just a few of those in favor of legalizing marijuana wondering just where the change is.
Sources
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQr9ezr8UeA; http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/21472234/a_conversation_with_barack_obama/print; http://change.gov/newsroom/entry/open_for_questions_round_2_response/; http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/03/26/obama-marijuana-is-not-a-good-strategy-to-spur-economy/; http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1510881/california_marijuana_bill_proposes.html
Tags: california electorate, central valley, democrats, inaccuracy, independents, initiative, legalization of cannabis, marijuana, medicinal use of cannabis, percentage points, poll, public policy institute, republicans, state of california, survey found that
Medical Marijuana States
Posted by admin | Filed under Uncategorized
As emotions over medical marijuana and the locations, and numbers of the dispensaries allowed heats up in every city across the state of California… There is still no greater place to live. In one afternoon a properly documented marijuana patients can visit a marijuana doctor, be evaluated, and with 30 min be on his or her way looking for their new favorite medical cannabis club. Of which there are more than a few to choose from.
Currently, people who are found with even a bit of marijuana could be fined up to $2500 and could receive jail time. On March 5th, a bill calling for lighter sentencing of those carrying less than .25 ounces of marijuana will be voted on by the House of Criminal Justice (Long). This makes much more sense because jails and policing are meant “to serve and to protect.” For people who clearly are not intending on using that twamp to inebriate and rape or murder an unsuspecting victim, why should the threat of jail even be hanging over their shoulders? Even if the effects of marijuana are considered to be harmful to the smoker, this same reasoning could bring tattoos, piercings, and other forms of self-mutilation to a criminal level. People shouldn't be complacent over the iron fist US law has on weed.
A recent article found in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence focused on the withdrawal symptoms of marijuana, as serious as “irritability, anxiety, and sleep problems” as substantiated by the twelve people who served as the research sample (Norton). This sheds light upon the new lows people have reached in trying to stigmatize marijuana. With such feeble withdrawal claims, and even more ludicrous charges of dangerous effects, no valid explanation is given as to why marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 drug. Well, for every con, there is a pro, as evidenced by the Top 10 Pot Studies Government Wished It Never Funded, which involves twin studies and the myth that weed is a gateway drug.
Because of the flip-flopping legality of weed-prescriptions, those who sought its medicinal benefits during the early 90's had to resort to seedier modes of attainment, putting them at even more risk. Though states like Arizona and California have passed propositions allowing for the medical use of marijuana, the war on marijuana marches on through Bush and Clinton's administration, who went as far as to threaten loss of prescription-writing privileges, Medicare, and Medicaid (CNN).
The medical field is merely one arena that the anti-drug administration has cornered. The White House got first dibs on scripts for prime time, and Clinton made no hush about it; nor did newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post, who gave a smug nod of front-page approval of Bill Clinton's ingenious way of saving our kids (Fiona). From subliminal to propaganja, the White House demonstrates astounding commitment to the War on Drugs. An influx of government-sponsored commercials in 2006 involved scenarios of death and destruction of young potheads. Magazines Seventeen, Parade, Family Circle, USA Weekend, and a few others have been bartering with the government's Office of National Drug Control Policy for credits in advertising contracts (Forbes). This has raised concerns over governmental influence in magazine output altogether.
10 commercials, 10 primetime scripts, 10 nationally syndicated magazine deals: millions in advertising costs. When the government has this type of money to spare, one wonders why messages about the health risks of alcohol and smoking take second stage. Nevermind preventative measures, what steps are being taken by the government to help impoverished people who live below a poverty line that hasn't been adjusted since the 50's?
References
Cable News Network, Inc. (1997). Medicinal marijuana: the struggle for legalization.
Health. (no. 9702, 19-22).
DrQuickBeam. (2006, Sept 2). Top 10 Pot Studies Government Wished It Had Never
Funded. Wordpress,Retrieved February 24, 2008 from http://www.nerdshit.com/wordpress/2006/09/02/top-10-pot-studies-government-wished-it-had-never-funded/
Forbes, D. (2000, Mar 31). The drug war gravy train: How the White House rewarded US
News, Seventeen, and other magazines for publishing anti-drug articles.
Salon News, 1, 4-7. Retrieved February 24, 2008 from
http://archive.salon.com/news/feature/2000/03/31/magazines/index.html
Long, T. (2008, Feb 24). Bill would decriminalize marijuana. Boston Globe, p.A1.
Morgan, F. (2000, Jan 5). White House defends TV drug-ad deal. Salon News, 1, 9-11.
Retrieved February 24, 2008 from
http://archive.salon.com/news/feature/2000/01/15/drug_coverage/index.html
Norton, A. (2008, Jan) Marijuana withdrawal rivals that of nicotine. Drug and Alcohol
Dependence, p. 22.
Tags: cannabis club, dispensaries, medical marijuana, state of california
Californnia Medical Marijuana… Not all are so lucky!
Posted by admin | Filed under Uncategorized
As emotions over medical marijuana and the locations, and numbers of the dispensaries allowed heats up in every city across the state of California… There is still no greater place to live. In one afternoon a properly documented marijuana patients can visit a marijuana doctor, be evaluated, and with 30 min be on his or her way looking for their new favorite medical cannabis club. Of which there are more than a few to choose from.
Tags: cannabis club, dispensaries, medical marijuana, state of california
