Does Cannabis Truly Help AIDS Patients

Medical Cannabis:AIDS Patients in a Controlled Study Had Significant Pain Relief… AIDS patients suffering from debilitating nerve pain got as much or more relief by smoking marijuana as they would typically get from prescription drugs — and with fewer side effects — according to a study conducted under rigorously controlled conditions with government-grown pot.

In a five-day study performed in a specially ventilated hospital ward where marijuana patients smoked three marijuana cigarettes a day, more than half the participants tallied significant reductions in pain.

By contrast, less than one-quarter of those who smoked “placebo” medical marijuana, which had its primary psychoactive ingredients removed, reported benefits, as measured by subjective pain reports and standardized neurological tests.

Medical marijuana is something I have personally seen, and seen succeed. I know a man who used to be in the timber industry. At one point, a tree collapsed as he was cutting it down and landed on him, causing massive injuries including a broken back. He barely survived, and barely escaped paralysis, but suffers from intense pain from the lingering damage to his ribs and the section of crushed vertebrae in his back.

Now, he could be reliant on strong pain medications, narcotics like hydrocodone (commonly known as Vicodin) or oxycontin. His doctors are very willing to prescribe these for him. But these drugs can cause a lot of problems, especially when they are used for every-day pain management. They can cause digestive problems, such as nausea, vomiting, and constipation. They are addictive, and an overdose can be fatal. They can also heighten anxiety.

Instead, he has a medical marijuana permit for the state of Washington. I've spent a good deal of time looking for studies that show the benefits of marijuana. Instead I mostly encountered media reporting that such studies are generally blocked by the FDA and Federal drug law enforcement, such as in the New York Times. However, according to Wikipedia there are a good number of well-known and respected organizations that support medical marijuana use, including the American Medical Association, the American College of Physicians, the British Medical Association, Health Canada, and many more.

Instead of the side effects of pain pills, I see this man get significant pain relief. He tells me the marijuana eases the inflammation and the pain with far better results than narcotic pain killers. It allows him to function at a level he otherwise couldn't. Personally, I would much rather see someone using a substance like marijuana than taking narcotic pain killers on a daily basis. It's my experience that narcotics are far more addictive (if marijuana is even addictive at all, I don't believe it's addictive, just potentially habit forming like anything else people might really enjoy), and far more harsh on the body. When this man has no access to marijuana, he has no problem waiting until he does, except for the pain. He'll simply spend a lot more time sitting still and schedule additional acupuncture appointments.

To me, it seems sad that the American government is not more tolerant of using marijuana medicinally. Cancer, AIDS, painful permanent injuries, these are all very real things that thousands of people suffer from every day. Why not use every tool available? It is my feeling, that the Federal issue with medical marijuana has more to do with the fact that people can grow it themselves. The government can't tax it, the big drug companies can't patent it, and it can more easily get into the hands of recreational users. However, recreational users already have no problems accessing marijuana. Worse, the marijuana they are buying now is often from Mexico, where drug cartels are causing chaos and carnage to get it to them. Wouldn't home grown relief for cancer patients, chronic pain suffers, and others, be better?

As someone who has trained for various sports and with a personal trainer certification, I still prefer marijuana over narcotics. I can easily imagine people using it medicinally as much better able to digest and ingest a proper diet, without such interruptions as nausea and vomiting. I can also easily imagine them still being able to be active to the extent that their illness or injury will let them. Whereas, as someone very familiar with the effects of narcotic pain killers from previous surgeries and injuries, narcotics really throw you for such a loop, between messing with your stomach (after a few days of use, in my experience) and making your mind truly cloudy and drowsy, not much activity is accomplished.

Overall, I think it is far and away an excellent alternative to harsh narcotics. I look forward to a day when society and the federal government realize they have much more to worry about than the stigma, the difficulty of regulation, and the possibility for abuse, such as the health and well-being of it's citizens.

Sources:

Researches Find Study of Medical Marijuana Discourages - NYTimes.com, Gardiner Harris

Medical cannabis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Wikipedia

Marijuana as Medicine is nothing new!

Marijuana as medicine is nothing new, despite the current groundswell of laws making pot legal for medical uses. Here's a quick fact file on Marijuana and its medical history.
1. “Marijuana” is a Mexican term that originally was applied to low-quality tobacco.
2. Cannabis was cultivated in China for therapy (and recreation) over 4,700 years ago.
3. More than 20 prescription medicinescontaining marijuana were sold in U.S. pharmacies at the turn of the 20th century. Pot-based medications were commonly available until 1942, when cannabis was stricken from the U.S. Pharmacopeia, the official compendium of drugs considered effective. From 1937 to 1942 the federal government collected a tax of $1 per ounce for such drugs.
4. About 17,000 studies on marijuana and its components have been published, according to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, an advocacy group, but fewer than 20, all of them small, have included human subjects.
5. The federal government is in the pot-growing business. Under a federal contract, the University of Mississippi in Oxford cultivates marijuana for use by researchers, who have to be cleared by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
6. The plant has nearly 500 chemical compounds, called cannabinoids.
7. Fourteen states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. But patients in these states face federal prosecution for using it—or for growing or possessing pot for medical purposes.
8. Federal law prohibits physicians from prescribing or otherwise actively supplying patients with the drug. But in 2002 the U.S. Supreme Court backed an appellate court ruling that physicians who discuss it with patients, or provide oral or written recommendations, are protected.

Marijuana use has many effects on the body. Some of these effects can be quite serious, while others are more benign. The issue of marijuana as a cause of cloudy urine is somewhat open to controversy. Some people believe that marijuana use can cause cloudy urine, others are not so convinced.

Normally, human urine is not cloudy at all. There are many different causes of cloudy urine, most of which are not particularly dangerous to the average person. Urine can come out in a wide range of shades - typically varying between completely clear and dark yellow. Under normal circumstances, no matter what shade of yellow your urine is, it will be crystal clear.

Most cases of cloudy urine are caused foods that you have eaten. This cause is followed closely by bladder infections - which are more common in women. Once the offending food is no longer being eaten, or the infection is cleared, the cloudiness of the urine will go away on its own after a couple of days.

Now, let's take a closer look at the issue of cloudy urine and marijuana use. Many people believe that you can tell if someone has smoked marijuana based on the look of their urine. This is NOT the case. There are too many other causes of cloudy urine to make that determination. Simply looking at a sample of urine that is cloudy is not enough evidence to prove that you have smoked marijuana.

However, urine can be tested to determine if a person has smoked marijuana. The active chemical in marijuana, THC, is excreted in the urine. The chemical can be tested for by a doctor. THC is not generally visible in the urine. It will not make a person's urine change color or become cloudy. THC can remain detectable in the urine for quite some time - so you can test positive even if you haven't smoked marijuana in a while.

As a doctor, it is always my recommendation to avoid smoking marijuana. There are simply too many negative effects of the drug to justify it's use, especially over a long period of time. Although marijuana use does not cause your urine to become cloudy, it does have many other effects on the body, many of while are not always good. Yes, there are some cases of marijuana being used for medicinal purposes, but these are somewhat rare cases and it remains a controversial treatment.

If you have questions about marijuana use and how it can effect your urine, it's best to have a talk with your doctor. Your doctor can give you more details on the effects of marijuana use and what it can do your urine.

Why Does Marijuana Make Me Feel Good

Well, first off, there are many active ingredients in Marijuana, which is to say it is not a single drug molecule, such as alcohol or cocaine, rather a combination of more than 400 diverse chemical components. In fact, they're so different that 60 of them (called cannabinoids) are exclusive to cannabis.

While we're discussing numbers, let’s point out that the primary mind-altering cannabinoid is a little item by the name of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, or “THC”, for short. It's this chemical that triggers marijuana's main drug reactions and in turn effects the body and the brain.

THC is a mind altering compound that breaks up into at least 80 different byproducts (or metabolites) prior to being eliminated from the body… Which can take a while.

The mood altering process starts as soon as the medical marijuana's THC enters the bloodstream, and begins zeroing in on Cannabinoid receptors (anandamides) in the brain and the central nervous system.

Marijuana is the name for the drug that comes from the leaves and flowers of the Indian hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. (Elizabeth Schleichert, 1996) The plant originated in central Asia and spread to several corners of the globe. All over the world, people have used the plant as a source of fiber, cloth, paper, edible seeds, oil, and medicine. It has also been used in many cultures as an intoxicant.

The intoxicating part of the plant lies mostly in its strong-smelling, sticky, resin. This is given off by the hemp flowers, especially the flowers on the female plant. The most powerful psychoactive compounds found in the flower is called delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as delta-9 THC or just THC. THC is the chemical in the flower of the plant that is the key chemical to produce a “high.”

Marijuana affects different people in different ways. It usually causes the heart rate to accelerate. This can cause panic in first-time users. (Jack Mendelson, M.D., and Nancy Mello, Ph.D. 1985) The first-time user may think that they are having a heart attack. Because of the effect of accelerated heart rate, marijuana can be very dangerous if the user has a preexisting heart problem or high blood pressure. Marijuana dries the mouth. It also dries and reddens the whites of the eyes. The eyes become red because the marijuana causes the blood vessels of the eyes to dilate or widen. This causes more blood to flow through the vessels. As other blood vessels expand, the body's blood pressure drops. This low blood pressure can cause some people to experience dizziness.

From the time it was commonly used earlier in the 19th century, marijuana was viewed as a dangerous drug. It was viewed to be much worse than alcohol and tobacco and very likely to lead to hard drug addiction. A lot of information about the harmfulness of marijuana has been written to prove or disprove this viewpoint. Marijuana is considered to be a gateway drug by serious researchers. Yet, while many researchers argue on the exact nature of the damage that smoking marijuana causes to the body, they all seem to agree on one thing. Use of marijuana is unsafe, especially to the lungs and short-term memory. There is still a lot that remains to be learned about marijuana, but studies do show a link between marijuana use and experimentation with harder drugs.

Experts have pointed out another negative aspect of marijuana: THC accumulates in the body and stays there for long periods of time. Unlike water-soluble drugs that are eliminated quickly from the body, THC accumulates in the body fat . People who smoke marijuana on a regular basis may never rid of it entirely.

Studies have shown that heavy use of marijuana can damage the reproductive and endocrine systems. These are the systems responsible for distribution of hormones in the body. THC decreases the number and quality of men's sperm and damages their ability to move around. Marijuana can also disrupt women's menstrual cycles. Failure to ovulate normally, resulting in unpredictable periods of infertility, has also been linked to marijuana use.

Because marijuana crosses the placenta, it can harm the fetus in a pregnant woman who uses the drug. Children of marijuana users may be born with abnormal nervous systems. They also have lower birth weight and are generally smaller at birth. Animal studies have suggested that marijuana may also cause an increase in fetal and early infant deaths. Marijuana is secreted a woman's breast milk and may be toxic when passed to the nursing infant. Some studies have also shown that the children of marijuana using mothers may demonstrate symptoms of depressant withdrawal and suffer from convulsions. Heavy marijuana use may cause increased breakage of and damage to the chromosomes. The birth defects that result might be seen in the offspring of the marijuana user, or they may skip a generation and affect grandchildren. Obviously, the use of marijuana during pregnancy represents a significant risk to the unborn child.

Research has shown a link between smoking marijuana and lung damage. Marijuana smoke contains over 150 cancer causing substances. Scientists have found that the lung damage caused by smoking a single marijuana cigarette is equivalent to the damage caused by smoking five tobacco cigarettes. So, smoking three to four marijuana cigarettes a day causes the kind of lung-cell damage that twenty cigarettes does. It has also been discovered that smoking marijuana will deposit three times more tar into the lungs and also releases five times more poisonous carbon monoxide into the bloodstream than cigarettes do.

Marijuana smokers suffer from more infections from bronchitis, and long-term incurable conditions such as emphysema. It is also common for marijuana smokers to have constant sore throats and coughing. Various kinds of cancer have been diagnosed in young marijuana smokers from age twenty-six to thirty. These included cancers of the lung, sinus, larynx, tongue, and tonsils. It has also been shown that marijuana smokers appear to be getting lung cancer at a much younger age, at forty-five, than other people, at sixty-five.

Another reason that marijuana smokers suffer from more infections than non-users is because marijuana effects the immune system. The immune system is an important part of the body that helps to fight off infection. The most important parts of the immune system are the white blood cells. When an infection enters the body, the white blood cells divide and grow at a fast rate to fight the infection. But, when blood samples were taken from marijuana smokers, they had a significantly lower immunity level than that of nonsmokers. Further studies showed that THC causes certain types of the white blood cells to stop growing during mid-cycle. This obviously impairs the immune systems ability to properly fight off infections.

Most drugs cause withdrawal symptoms when the user stops using them. Marijuana is no exception. When a heavy marijuana smoker decides to quit, they may suffer from one or more of the following symptoms: insomnia, loss of appetite, weakness, irritability, sweating, depression, anxiety, restlessness, abdominal cramps, nausea, an increased pulse rate, low blood pressure, aching muscles, and slight tremors. These symptoms last for up to one week after the person stops smoking, and continue in a milder form for up to a month.

Many marijuana smokers believe that smoking marijuana heightens their senses. The truth is, the brain is dulled. It is more difficult for a person to learn material under the influence of marijuana. The information may never be put into their long-term memory. This means that they will not be able to recall the information later.

Richard H. Schwartz, M.D., of Georgetown University School of Medicine In Washington, D.C., studied teenagers who were using marijuana. He discovered that they did much worse on short-term memory tests than another group who had not used drugs. After six weeks of abstaining from marijuana, the teenagers showed some memory improvement, but they still did worse than the other group of non-using teens.

Many factors, both genetic and environmental, can encourage marijuana use. Studies have shown that children with a drug-addicted parent or children of alcoholics are more likely to become abusers themselves.

Feelings of inadequacy are often a factor to drug abuse. A former marijuana abuser said that her self-esteem was, “non-existent.” Another marijuana and drug abuser said, ” When I was in the ninth grade, I started getting high every day. I was feeling really lonely, and I thought that nobody could understand my pain…I finally realized that I did drugs to hide from myself. I was really insecure and had a very low self-esteem.”

A lot of young people feel distant from their families. Intense confusion is usually experienced as young people enter adolescence. If a certain crowd that appeals to them is willing to allow them be a part of their group, it is very tempting for them to join. Even if that means the price of admission to the desired group is drug use. Once a part of the group, it is hard to stop using out of fear that they will no longer be accepted.

Although marijuana is illegal, there has been much debate on legalizing it for medical benefits. Many believe that marijuana has been shown to be effective in decreasing the nausea caused by chemotherapy. Others feel it alleviates some of the symptoms associated with AIDS, such as severe leg cramps, nausea, headaches, and loss of appetite. Another alleged medical advantage of marijuana is that it lowers the pressure that builds up in the eyes of glaucoma patients which in turn helps prevents them from going blind. It is also said to relieve tremors and loss of muscle coordination caused by multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. Yet, it is illegal for physicians who believe in the medical benefits of marijuana to prescribe it. So, the question of whether it should be made legal for medical purposes has become a hot political issue.

Marijuana is classified by the Drug Enforcement Administration as a Schedule I drug. The drugs that are in this category are said to have a high potential for abuse. These drugs also produce dangerous side effects and have no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.

Advocates have wanted marijuana to be moved to a Schedule II drug for a long time. Schedule II drugs also have a high potential for abuse and bad side effects, but are considered medically useful and can be legally prescribed by physicians. Interestingly, cocaine and morphine, which can be highly addictive, are Schedule II drugs.

As for the future of marijuana, research is being done and data is being collected to help obtain a better understanding of the effects of marijuana on our health, as well as the motivation behind its abuse. Researchers hope that with new insight, the public and government will be better equipped to establish consistent policies to regulate, control, or put a stop to the complicated reality of marijuana use in the United States.

Medical Marijuana States

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.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that on Monday, a 34-year-old Apple Valley, Minn., man was arrested and jailed for allegedly growing more than 1,200 marijuana plants in his home. Police were tipped off when the electric company responded to a burned out transformer outside the man's home and found he had tapped into the electric line ahead of the meter, apparently to power grow lights for his crop without suspiciously affecting his electrical bill.

According to the Tribune, Dakota County Drug Task Force officers removed 1,264 marijuana plants from the man's house on Saturday. On Monday the man returned to the home and was subsequently arrested; charges are pending.

Although this is a significant bust, it does not rival one of Minnesota's largest marijuana busts that took place about eight years ago. In that incident, federal and state agents raided a Vernon County farm and seized more than 4,000 marijuana plants. The husband and wife team responsible for the marijuana crop were ultimately sentenced to prison for 10 years and three years, respectively.

In December 2005, four individuals were arrested in Washington County, Minn., after approximately 2,400 marijuana plants were seized from three separate houses. This marijuana growing operation was estimated to produce about a million dollars worth of pot a year, according to KARE 11 TV.

According to state public health officials, marijuana remains the most commonly used and readily available illegal drug in Minnesota. The importation of bulk marijuana shipments into the state is controlled by Mexican drug trafficking organizations, but large quantities of marijuana are also readily available from local cultivators, who sell to street-level distributors.

Each year thousands of marijuana plants are seized from numerous indoor and outdoor growing operations across the nation. And the major indoor marijuana-growing operations, such as that in Apple Valley, are serious business. Major in-home growers use sophisticated hydroponics cultivation techniques, including high-tech equipment to electronically regulate temperature and light and plant feeding.

According to Drug Science, American marijuana growers produced 22.3 million pounds of marijuana in 2006 with a value of $35.8 billion. These figures include both outdoor and indoor crops. Outdoor marijuana growers produced 56.4 million plants worth $31.7 billion; indoor growers produced 11.7 million plants worth $4.1 billion. California was the top producer of both outdoor and indoor marijuana plants worth more than $1 billion. Most of the marijuana cultivated in the United States is for local, in-state use.

Despite the fact that Minnesota's drug of choice is marijuana, Minnesota is not in the top 10 producers nationwide.

Source:

Minneapolis Star Tribune, Huge pot-growing operation busted in Apple Valley;http://www.startribune.com/crime/story/1255352.html

KARE 11 TV, Four arrested, thousands of pot plants seized; http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=114190

Marijuana…Legal In Ca.?

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.

One of the biggest cash crops in the United States is marijuana. Several states have legalized it for sale for medical use. If you compare where “pot” is now to where alcohol was back in the days of prohibition, there are some similarities. Even though recreational use is illegal in most parts of the country, its use, like alcohol back in the twenties, is still very widespread.

The only difference is that marijuana has some use medically while you'd be hard pressed to find a medical use for booze. Back in the twenties, the use of marijuana was primarily confined to Black jazz musicians in the south. Since it wasn't used by many whites, propaganda films like “Reefer Madness” were put out by the government to discourage Caucasians from using it.

The films carried all kinds of dire warnings. Just one little puff on a marijuana cigarette would lead to madness and like the character in the film, murder. Of course, this has been proven not so by scientific research.

But the real reason for it being outlawed was because of DuPont Chemical Company. It was a business decision. Hemp fibers in many ways did a better job for making clothing than cotton and DuPont was right on the verge of developing synthetic fibers like nylon and rayon. They didn't want the additional competition from hemp.

The argument for legalizing marijuana has been around for a long time. Why waste all of those billions of dollars that are going underground when you can legalize it and tax it. It could potentially go a long way towards solving the national deficit.

What is the downside to using marijuana? The only thing that the government has been able to find so far is that excessive use might cause you to become apathetic. At least it doesn't cause an inability to drive an automobile alike alcohol does.

According to CNN, in states where medical marijuana is legal, many families are becoming growers and processors. There are even some mother and son teams.

With more and more states legalizing at least medical marijuana, I think that it won't belong before the prohibition ends. I don't use marijuana anymore. A lot of my friends do. When you get older the thrill of a long afternoon nap outweighs getting that buzz.

It might be a good idea though to legalize the pot and put more restrictions on alcohol, or prohibit its use all together. Then we can go after cigarettes and solve the national health crisis.

How many lives could be saved if people no longer smoked cigarettes and drove drunk? Not to mention the tremendous savings on health cost. At least the tobacco companies don't have the enormous sway with the politicians that it used to have.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2010/03/09/spellman.marijuana.family.cnn?hpt=C2

L.A. County to Medical Marijuana Collectives: Stop! Or Else…What?

Well, the day both anticipated and feared by the medical marijuana community came today, when the new Los Angeles county law regulating Marijuana Dispensaries took effect.
A steady parade of filed into City Hall and paid their $324 registration fee, then were placed on the priority list of collectives that will be contacted within a month and notified if they are eligible to continue operation as a medical cannabis collective.
It was uncertain; however, what the outlook is for the more than 440 dispensaries that opened after the City Council imposed a cessation in November 2007. Many are ready to close, while still others hold out hope that a June 18 court hearing will topple the city law and allow them to continue operation.

Dear President Elect Obama;

Dude what is the change you keep talking about?

It looks like the same old crap all over. You know Status Quo, quid pro quo?

Hey if you want to make change happen, make a presidential decision and pardon all the Soldiers, Sailors and Marine vets who have now been busted for smoking marijuana. Doctors recognize it as helpful not harmful. Even the VA realizes that medical Marijuana is useful to aid the sick veterans who suffer from illness caused by Agent Orange from Vietnam days, to the PTSD of WWII through the Gulf & Afghanistan wars.

You have the chance to appoint a new Drug Tsar, choose one that understands the will of the people, and choose one that recognizes the sacrifice of our Soldier's, Sailors and Marines.

They sacrificed their lives and limbs for our freedom, suffered, bled and still suffer and bleed for their service to us. They still are sacrificing their freedom. We all owe them. We all voted and the many states have voted to allow medical use of marijuana, only to be thwarted time and again by Washington's hill of fools.

Please give back their dignity; please write a presidential executive order allowing medical marijuana use, for our veterans. Ease their suffering, you have the authority with the stroke of your pen you can make it so.

We have in our society a standard. Rules, a well defined measure of conduct. When these rules of society are broken there are penalties. For the most part we as Americans say yes, and work hard trying to stay within the rules of our society.

Most Americans try to live by the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. A great motto and standard for us all.

We as Americans believe in freedom. So much so that we will oblige anyone who wants to try and take it by fighting them so we can keep it. Such as it was Prior to 1776, and after in 1812. Then again prior to 1876, and again in 1917 & lets we forget 1940's.

Did I mention 1950's and then again in the 1960' 70's.

In all of the aforementioned we lost over a million people. Good faithful, loyal, patriots. By Patriots I mean Men who are now dead, and gave up their lives. Many times they surrendered their life to save another brother in arms. But the issue is they sacrificed life and limb so that we could be able to pursue Life liberty and yes the rights afforded by the bill of rights.

Those who were not killed or maimed, those who are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and various other battlefield aliments. Or Chemical exposure or any number of other battle field ailments. Now get to come home to an apparently ungrateful nation. America is a nation of People who have apathy toward its vets.

I say apathy because we are willing to set back while they suffer, tucked neatly away out of site out of mind.

The purpose of this site is to enlighten our young Pot smokers to the world where it isn't just a recreational choice, but a matter of survival.

So sign up, sign on and let's roll.

http://shakedownstreet.ning.com

Smokey and the Bear

A young Montana man who was mauled after he smoked marijuana and entered a pen to feed a grizzly bear at Great Bear Adventures Park where he worked was awarded workers' compensation benefits. “When it comes to attacking humans, grizzlies are equal opportunity maulers; attacking without regard to race, creed, ethnicity or marijuana usage,” Judge James Jeremiah Shea is quoted as saying in the Flathead Beacon. “Hopkins’ use of marijuana to kick off a day of working around grizzly bears was ill-advised to say the least and mind-bogglingly stupid to say the most. However, I have been presented with no evidence by which I can conclude that Hopkins’ marijuana use was the major contributing cause of the grizzly attack.” I wonder if this young man will know qualify for a medical marijuana card?

According to a report on Eyewitness News at 10 on Fox Providence, there is a commission led by senator Joshua Miller (Democrat representing Cranston) reviewing the benefits of decriminalizing and/or legalizing marijuana in the state of Rhode Island. Rhode Island is currently suffering from a massive deficit, and a new law on marijuana could save the state millions of dollars, while also creating tax revenue.

Monetary Reasons to Decriminalize Marijuana
With possession being a prosecutable offense that can result in jail time, decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana can save the government of Rhode Island millions of dollars. A cop who is arresting someone for possession of marijuana would still be on the street spending their time and tax dollars keeping the streets safe by responding to more important situations.

At the court level, costly lawyers representing the state and the person charged would be avoided. Judges would be able to see more cases a day, and the court system as a whole would be more efficient. Additionally those guilty of possession would not be incarcerated - freeing up space and saving money in a crowded penal system.

Monetary Reasons to Legalize Marijuana
The simplest reason to legalize marijuana is monetary. It could be bought and taxed in a grocery market or gas station akin to cigarettes. By imposing a “$35 sin tax” on each ounce of marijuana sold, the state would be able to raise millions of dollars of desperately needed funds.

Regulating Marijuana Could Lead to Safer Pot
If marijuana was legalized in full, there would certainly be regulations on any product sold in stores. This would create jobs as a whole industry would be formed. Mass production and competition would keep prices in check. If given the choice between buying from a dealer or at a grocery store where all the ingredients were listed, it would be a safe bet that most would choose the grocery store. Legalization of marijuana would also give medical companies researching alternative uses validation to seek their products being approved by the FDA.

Legalizing Marijuana Could Help Fight Organized Crime
If those who smoke pot decide to obtain marijuana legally, it could be a major blow to both organized crime in the states and drug cartels across borders.

Just this past year Massachusetts has decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana. If other states adopt similar policies, the money saved and earned could be put to use on more important things, such as schools and other public infrastructures.

Source:
Eyewitness News at 10 (November 18, 2008). WPRI Fox News Providence.

Oaksterdam “U” Unionizes

Medical Cannabis-friendly Oakland California is working hard at bring in money by licensing, and taxingmedical cannabis growers. Meanwhile, Oaksterdam “U” which has over 100 employees voted on Friday (5/29/10) to unionize as part of a retail agriculture and community patient care union. The Local 5’s organizer Dan Rush stated that medical cannabis clubs , medical cannabis doctors and the industry as a whole “will get the same respect as law enforcement, nurses, doctors” …. Rebecca Kaplan, Oakland City councilwoman and prospective contender for mayor, told CBS that the unionization was “a good day for Oakland,” the city of Oakland has an unemployment rate of over 17 %.

Just like any other NFL season, 2007 has seen its fair share of Fantasy Football surprises and disappointments. Previously unheard of players have emerged as Fantasy Studs (see my previous article: Fantasy Football Surprises); while highly regarded players who were penciled in on draft-boards everywhere have turned out to be Fantasy Duds. After 11 weeks of the NFL season, it is time to look at my Top 5 disappointments of the year that have already sent some Fantasy owners looking towards 2008.

Top 5 Fantasy Disappointments:

1) Shaun Alexander - I don't want to hear any complaints from Fantasy owners who picked Alexander. Either they were living in a bubble for the last five years or they just chose to ignore the impact of the “Madden curse” (see my previous article: The Madden Curse: Believe It). Alexander was picked very high in leagues around the country and deservedly so - he was the 2005 NFL MVP. However, 2006 has been a much different story. He started off the year with a poor performance against the brutal Detroit Lions. He followed that up with two mediocre (by his standards) performances against the Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants. After that Giants game, it was revealed that Alexander had suffered a broken left foot, sidelining him for weeks; decimating the Seattle Seahawks and Fantasy Football teams everywhere. Alexander is finally back, but is still not 100% and no one is certain when he will regain his 2005 form. His return has made it even tougher for Fantasy owners - do they play him even though he isn't 100%? Do they continue to sit him? It appears to be a lose/lose situation. If only EA Sports had asked another star to be the cover-athlete for Madden `07.

2) Edgerrin James- I do not like to brag, but I cannot help myself in this situation. I told everyone in my league to beware of Edgerrin James, as he is running behind a brutal Arizona Cardinal's offensive line and he is no longer going to have the passing game that he did in Indianapolis which helped set up the run so effectively. James has struggled mightily this season and has disappointed any Fantasy owners who blew a first-round pick on him. Through 11 weeks of the season, James only has 680 rushing yards and has yet to amount a 100-yard performance. Moreover, he only has 3 touchdowns! Through 11 games last season, James had 1,116 rushing yards, seven 100-yard games, and 11 touchdowns!

Arizona is bad, James is bad, and your Fantasy team is probably bad because of it.

3) Randy Moss- Where do I begin? Moss is a rare talent who has the capabilities to become an all-time great receiver. However, his attitude and work ethic has made Moss just an average receiver. Granted, most playmakers would probably struggle to put up great Fantasy stats in that atrocious Oakland offense, but it doesn't help that Moss goes public in saying that he tries only when he wants to and that he would probably try harder if he was on a good team AND that he admits to smoking marijuana. Moss' stats reflect his lack of effort - posting only 455 receiving yards through 11 weeks and only 3 touchdowns. A bad attitude combined with a bad offense is a disastrous combination for any Fantasy Football owner. 

4) Drew Bledsoe - Oh how I feel for Drew.Bledsoe begins the year as the starting quarterback for a contending team and is replaced during the year for an unproven rookie who goes on to enjoy tremendous success. Sound familiar? First Brady, now Romo. Believe it or not, Drew was picked quite high in many Fantasy leagues, due to the weapons he had around him - Terry Glenn, Jason Witten, some guy called “T.O.” and Julius Jones out of the backfield. How could someone not succeed with these types of players? Drew found a way. He played in a total of six Cowboys' games - threw only 7 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. For anyone who watched the games, it wasn't just the interceptions he threw, it was when he chose to throw them (first and goal from inside the 10-yard line trailing by 7 with under one minute to play against Philadelphia comes to mind). Considering how early  Bledsoe was chosen in many leagues and the expectations that surrounded him has made poor Drew a poor choice.

5) Cadillac Williams - After an outstanding rookie campaign, Carnell “Cadillac” Williams has taken a step backwards rather than another step forward. Williams was taken early in most Fantasy Football drafts, but has struggled to post adequate stats through 11 weeks. While Cadillac's rushing yards are respectable (619), he has only found the end zone once all season. Williams does not catch enough balls out of the backfield (23 receptions for 149 yards) to make up for his lack of touchdowns. His lack of production may be due to his nagging back injury that has plagued him all season, but whatever the case, Williams has been unreliable and ineffective thus far.

Other notable disappointing Fantasy player's this season are:

-         Daunte Culpepper - (4 games played, 2 TD, 3 Interceptions)
-         Reggie Bush - (1 rushing TD, 0 receiving TD)
-         Ben Roethlisberger - (17 Interceptions, Broken Face, Appendicitis, Concussion)
-         LaMont Jordan - (434 rushing yards, 2 TD, Injured Reserve?)

Congress Asks For Banking Rules on Medical Cannabis

U.S. Representative Barney Frank is among 15 members of Congress urging for the Treasury Dept. to set policy that would help facilitate the banks in providing financial services to medical cannabis collectives.

“Legitimate state-legal medical cannabisbusinesses are being denied access to banking services, which does not serve the public interest,” the lawmakers said in a May 20 letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner.

In other words if you are a MMJ collective, or a MMJ Doctor’s office, etc… and in a medical marijuana state, you will be able to get a merchant card services account for your business.

Elicit drug use among adolescents, especially college students, is considered a large problem among society. The government has tried many things to wipe out this problem, everything ranging from “This is your brain on drugs” TV commercials; to student wide random drug testing has been put into effect. These are all consequences of the “War on drugs” instated by the Nixon administration. More specifically, marijuana has been steadily increasing among college students over the last decade (from 41% to 47%) (Mohler-Kuo, Lee, Wechsler). But how large of a problem is it? And furthermore, how prevalent is the use of marijuana among Drexel students? Well from my experiences here over the past months, I can honestly say I had trouble finding students who don't smoke the plant.

I conducted interviews with peers about the subject of marijuana; this is just one of their tales of a typical smoking session. VP wakes up on a Tuesday afternoon, groggy and hungry; he grabs a bight to eat and says “hey, why not find some weed to smoke”. He then calls up his buddies to see if they are willing to split a “bag” with him. Usually at least 2 or 3 friends will oblige, and then VP attempts to procure this bag. Some days are tougher than others to find some weed but it generally takes no more than a half hour to call, meet up with, and buy the marijuana. “The consumption can really vary, whether it be a bowl, or a joint, or a blunt, or any of the above… or all of the above,” explains VP as he drags on his cigarette. Then of course, they meet at one of the various smoking spots to consume the marijuana. “Puff puff pass to the left, in a circle as it should be.” VP says this with conviction. After the friends finish the session, they tend to get the “munchies” and find some food, then lay around in the dorms.

According to one source, marijuana is said to have a direct link to “amotivational syndrome” in which the user is unmotivated in their lives and their achievement of career, academic, and personal goals (State University Blog). When I asked VP if smoking weed effects his schoolwork negatively or even positively, he said “sometimes I smoke some weed and I'm like, Oh My God I can't move. And other times I will be like, grr I'm going to write this paper, PAPER, PAPER, PAPER. And I will do my work and it will be decent.” There is no proof that says that marijuana causes amotivational syndrome, rather the fact that individuals who are not motivated, also tend to smoke weed. This doesn't mean that weed will actually cause one to lose all motivation in life. In fact, some of the world's greatest artists found their motivation and their “muse” under the influence of none other than, marijuana.

When I asked my interviewees how prevalent marijuana use is among their peers they all responded as if most of the people they know partake in smoking. VP had this to say, “Since being at college I have only met one or two people that don't smoke weed.” I think this exemplifies the prevalence of marijuana throughout Drexel. According to one source, illicit drug use among college students has risen from 41% to 47% over the last decade; no such statistic was stated for marijuana specifically (Mohler-Kuo, Lee, Wechsler).

When VP was asked, would he consider himself a “pot-head” he responded that “pot head is such a derogatory term, I like to consider myself a dope fiend.” This exemplifies the humor many smokers find in the hypocrisies of societies judgment of marijuana users. This leads me into the next area I will be examining, marijuana versus alcohol. When VP was asked which he prefers, smoking pot or drinking alcohol, he responded “I would choose marijuana because I can do that at any time of the day, and nobody will judge me about it. And if they do who gives a shit.” When I asked another interviewee, AL which he thinks debilitates his judgment and motor skills the most, weed or alcohol, he had this to say. “Alcohol, by far.” This seems to be the general consensus. Alcohol tends to be more intense than marijuana. When AL was asked which he prefers, he simply exclaims, “Weed! With weed you can literally do absolutely nothing and be completely content with your life.” In contrast with alcohol, which tends to make people want to be more reckless, usually translating to getting behind the wheel of a car, or picking a fight with someone. According to one source, alcohol is by far the most prevalent drug used among college students. In fact about 45 percent of college students report drinking alcohol on a weekly or more basis (Presley, Meilman).

Unfortunately, because alcohol is legal, most students find it to be the lesser of the two evils, and safer than marijuana. This is also due in part to the war on drugs tireless campaign against marijuana specifically. This is sadly just misinformation, in fact according to drugwarfacts.org, 85,000 people die per year from alcohol. Marijuana, in contrast has never killed anybody. There are zero deaths linked to marijuana in history. (drugwarfacts.org). Also, alcohol has a higher risk of dependency than marijuana. College students still drink much more then they do smoke weed.

I asked VP what he preferred, joints, blunts, or bowls, he said without even thinking, “Joints all the way.” But how college students consume marijuana varies and is mostly up to personal preference. I have learned from my time here that blunts tend to be the most popular form of smoking weed on campus, mostly because they are convenient to smoke outside, and they are the perfect amount of cannabis for a small group of friends. A blunt is a cheap cigar, cut down the middle and gutted of all its tobacco, then filled with broken up cannabis and rolled into a slow burning, long joint. The blunt is rumored to actually originate from the city of Philadelphia. When I asked AL what method he prefers, he explained, “I like bongs, but you can't smoke a bong wherever you want, so I prefer a well rolled joint.” A bong is a type of pipe primarily used for marijuana; it has a long wide chamber for collecting smoke, and a water chamber at the bottom. The smoke is drawn down the bowl and stem, and filtered through the water, making the bubbling sound familiar to most “stoners”. Bongs tend to create the largest hits compared to joints or even regular bowls, but because of their large size they are not as versatile as other methods of smoking.

At Drexel, marijuana tends to be a drug mostly used by guys, but I myself know plenty of girls who smoke the plant. I think the reason it seems more prevalent among guys is the fact that Drexel as a very large male population compared to females. Also, many girls believe that it isn't very “lady-like” to smoke weed. So if they do smoke, they may not admit it, or do it often.

Marijuana is in fact a drug, there is no denying that. But its effects are not as serious as other hard drugs, or even as alcohol. Marijuana tends to make people silly. I asked AL to give me a story of a time he was high, and he referenced a time he smoked with none other than VP. “We started asking each other random questions, then we started rhyming, saying things like, if you were a mouse, would you live in a house?” They continued in this Doctor Seuss rhyming trend for almost a half an hour. Only taking breaks for their uncontrollable laughter.

Walking around Drexel's campus, it is easy to find someone smoking weed. There are certain spots where smokers tend to culminate. One of which is the benches by race street. Prior to the opening of the Northside Dining Terrace, I would go out to Race Street and literally every bench would be full of people, and a cloud of cannabis will be rising over the horizon. After the dining terrace opened, it seems like the area is less populated, but still, on any given night one could run into a group of smokers or two.

There doesn't seem to be any relation between the types of people smoking, and the place they are smoking. Pot smokers tend to smoke wherever they think its safe, at any given time there can be groups of people from all different social backgrounds. Another place commonly used as a place to smoke is Pearl St. Morally I can't say where on Pearl Street, but since it's a narrow street there is very little wind and plenty of cover; making for a great place to partake in illegal activities such as marijuana smoking.

Another great place to smoke (and my personal favorite) is Drexel Park. It is nothing more than an open field on a hill off of Powelton Ave. There are just a few benches and some streetlights, but it has one of the most amazing skyline views of Philadelphia you can find in the area. Of course, the view is that much more breathtaking when you are under the influence.

The Schuylkill Banks is a long pathway running along the banks of the Schuylkill River. It is frequented by joggers during the day but during the night it is almost desolate. The pathway runs under several bridges such as Market and Chestnut Street. These underpasses provide adequate cover from the pouring rain on those off days where you want to smoke some weed but the weather isn't cooperating. It is the farthest walk of all the spots but it is definitely worth the walk. This spot isn't really frequented by a multitude of pot heads, but has been a choice spot for my friends and I over the last few months.

Of course sometimes the most obvious spots are safe enough to smoke a quick joint at. For example, late at night, one can spot a small group of people forming a crude circle on the steps leading up to Calhoun Hall. This is because the steps are far enough away from the building that not many people walk by, and late at night it is easy to miss a bunch of people sitting on the steps. The few people that walk by always flash a dirty look or a giggle when they smell the sweet marijuana smell permeating through the air.

Smokers tend to go unnoticed. We are an unorganized group of people with a common goal. That goal is of course to get as high as possible. We are walking down the sidewalk, we are around the corner from your workplace, we are eating at your favorite restaurant and we deliver your pizza. Smokers are everywhere, and unless you are a smoker yourself, you may walk by a group or an individual smoking weed and not notice at all. When you are a smoker yourself you can always spot a fellow pot head. It is like a sixth sense acquired from years of marijuana use. The smell is the first thing noticed, then a quick glance around your surroundings will reveal someone passing a small white something to another person, or the sound of someone coughing uncontrollably is another dead giveaway. I spot the person smoking weed and I can't help but smile. I know that smokers will be around forever. The legality of it has no affect on the amount of people smoking marijuana in the world. The alcohol prohibition did nothing but increase the amounts of people dying from alcohol poisoning, and the marijuana prohibition is just putting innocent kids into jail or giving them a record that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. Marijuana will never die. No matter how hard the government tries. Hopefully the prohibition will eventually be lifted, and smokers can finally live in peace without constantly looking over their shoulder. That's the world I strive to live in.

Works Cited

“Annual Causes of Death in the United States.” Drug War Facts. October 2009. Web. 1 Mar 2010. http://drugwarfacts.org/cms/?q=node/30>.

Lalli, Andrew. Personal Interview by Paul Benedetti. 1 Mar 2010

Martindale, Gayla. “Marijuana Use Among College Students.” StateUniversity.com/blog. 21 Dec 2010. Web. 2 Mar 2010.

Mohler-Kuo, Meichun, Jae Lee, and Henry Wechsler. “Trends in Marijuana and Other Illicit Drug Use Among College Students: Results From 4 Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study Surveys: 1993-2001.” 52.1 (2001): n. pag. Web. 20 Feb 2010.

Pathak, Vishal. Personal Interview by Paul Benedetti. 28 Feb 2010.

Presley, Cheryl, and Phillip Meilmen. “Alcohol and Drugs on American College Campuses.” (1992): n. pag. Web. 1 Mar 2010. .

Will Ca. Pass First Marijuana Legalizations Bill

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.

In California, medicinal marijuana has been legal since 1996. Since then there has been an ever growing surge in supporters to legalize and tax marijuana, much the way alcohol and tobacco are. The Tax and Regulate Marijuana 2010 Campaign has just achieved its first major victory in that fight. With over 700,000 signatures, they have gathered nearly double the amount necessary for inclusion on November's ballot.

January 13th 2010, the Sac Bee reported, “Assemblyman Tom Ammiano emerged Tuesday from a victorious committee vote to legalize marijuana proclaiming history was in the making.

It didn't matter that his bill was dead on non-arrival. A separate Assembly health committee won't take up the bill this week, meaning it will miss a legislative deadline for reaching the Assembly floor.

But the political theater Ammiano stirred in winning a 4-3 vote in the Public Safety Committee for pot's legalization raises the curtain on a near-certain November ballot fight and heated skirmishes in the Legislature over the future of marijuana use in California.” For the full story go to http://www.sacbee.com/capitolandcalifornia/story/2457715.html

In the 1920's and 1930's, America clearly learned that prohibition only increased criminal activity, violence and the frivolous spending on a battle that could not be won. Many people feel that our country continues to implement laws that only drive the crime rate up as well as add to our national deficit. The use of marijuana does not affect a person's mental state so as to become violent. The financial and criminal gains cause a person to become violent. Wars over territory bring about violence, murder and theft as well as a host of other crimes. The criminals are the only ones who gain from keeping marijuana illegal. There is an annual $14 billion illegal market. Imagine what would happen if that criminal economy was brought to an end and given to society as legal profits.

Those opposed to legalizing marijuana would have you believe that marijuana is harmful to your health in a way that far exceeds the affects of recreational alcohol and tobacco. Tobacco is single handedly responsible for the deaths of 500,000 Americans each year. 100,000 people die each year from alcohol related causes. To date, no deaths have ever been attributed to marijuana use.

According to the US Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Statistics reported in December of 2008, there are over 600,000 people incarcerated for drug offenses in state and federal prisons. As also reported by the Department of Justice in 2008, the average annual cost of incarceration per inmate is $25,895. That is an annual cost of $15,537,000,000.

The Board of Equalization estimates that legalizing marijuana could generate about $1.4 billion in tax revenue annually.Public support for legalization of marijuana is at an all time high. Nation wide polls range from 44 to 52 percent. In California 56 percent of the population supports legalization of marijuana. It is an exciting and historical time for California as the battle for legalization is nearing an end, with victory lingering around the corner.

Sources:

Sacramento Bee http://www.sacbee.com/capitolandcalifornia/story/2457715.html

U.S. Department of Justice http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2008/about/index.html