Ok... THIS really ticks me off...

[Deleted]

www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/09/feds-rule-marijuana-has-no-accepted-medicinal-use_n_893894.html

[Deleted]

You are going to call me a conspiracy theorist. But i expect to hear any day now that, as a part of the debt ceiling package, pharma will be giving new concessions, bargaining drug prices, returning rebates... etc...

My guess is the fed just bought some pharma good graces by keeping canibus classified as a Schedule I... where it has NO BUSINESS being classified...

Flame away...

[deziloooooo]

Jul 9, 2011 19:57:16 GMT -5 oped said:

www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/09/feds-rule-marijuana-has-no-accepted-medicinal-use_n_893894.html

I wonder if they , court, felt that by putting on the list of acceptable drugs, those same type medicals who prescribe the other drugs that are abused, it's a cottage industry in many ways, would find that these same types would just be doing the same thing..and in reality it is almost impossible to stop these practices, as many as they prosecute there are so many more who take the risk because the financial rewards are so great.

Possible better to just have it a underground economy, those who want o use for their own enjoyment grow a plant or two in the closet, and those who don't want to take the time just pay the $300 per oz that seems to be the going rate, according to a user friend of mine, a nice senior lady by the way..I couldn't beleive the cost today, it's been 30 years or so since I endulged ..bad stuff , bit harsh, but still did the job was $35 per oz..so you had to sift the seeds out but still, $35 vs $300 plus ??

[henryclay]

I have no need for pot, so I'm not qualified to comment on it's medical benefit. and this may only be remotely related, and some may say it's not related at all, but , , ,

Walgreen Drug Stores has had a running dispute for several years with Express Scripts, it's 5 (plus) BILLION dollar Medicare/Tricare facilitator. (It must have been one helluva dispute.)

As of January 1, 2012 Walgreens will no longer dispense Tricare funded prescriptions. Sorry, but I don't know whether any other form of insurance is affected.

Here is a blurb from just one of it's stores.

skokie.patch.com/articles/walgreens-breaks-contract-w-express-scripts

[Deleted]

Canibus has had medical uses for THOUSANDS of years.... It has applications for lots of conditions, is inexpensive and non-addictive... Pharma would risk massive $$ if it was found to have legitimate, common medical usages...

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Jul 9, 2011 19:57:16 GMT -5 oped said:

www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/09/feds-rule-marijuana-has-no-accepted-medicinal-use_n_893894.html

And alcohol does? Some people are never gonna get this issue. It DOESN'T MATTER if it has or does not have a medical use. It's not up to the federal government what substances we use, or for what purpose.

[privateinvestor]

.

California and many other states have legalized marijuana for medicinal reasons and a push to legalize it in general is expected to appear on the 2012 ballot in California as Proposition 19, writes LAist.

You can always move to California it you are so hung up on marijuana ...California is just about broke so our Progressivs and Liberals who run this state think they can earn revenue with taxes on marijuana

[Deleted]

Canibus has had medical uses for THOUSANDS of years....

Oped just to point out.....a lot of things have had medical use for a long time & they still don't work or are bad for you (like arsenic).

HOWEVER I have talked to people that have said that it did affect inter ocular pressure & did help with nausea after chemo. I believed them. I would "assume" that it did help if only they felt better because they thought that it helped. I believe that it should be legalized. Oh & I don't have an axe to grind with it because I've never tried it.

[privateinvestor]

It could be for general use in California if the legislature can get the bill passed....right now they are busy trying to get a bill passed that teaches Gay Lifestyle in our public schools

[Deleted]

Jul 9, 2011 20:04:54 GMT -5 oped said:

You are going to call me a conspiracy theorist. But i expect to hear any day now that, as a part of the debt ceiling package, pharma will be giving new concessions, bargaining drug prices, returning rebates... etc...

My guess is the fed just bought some pharma good graces by keeping canibus classified as a Schedule I... where it has NO BUSINESS being classified...

Flame away...

I think you could be right about this and it is completely ridiculous.
I was a little annoyed today when some cops had some kids pulled over (not little kids-18,19) in front of the house, searched the van and found a little weed. 5 kids, 3 cop cars and 4 cops.
I think they are wasting time and money with this stupid stuff.
I also think for some conditions it is likely less harmful than some of the other drugs they are so eager to prescribe for you.

[henryclay]

oped said:

Canibus has had medical uses for THOUSANDS of years.... It has applications for lots of conditions, is inexpensive and non-addictive... Pharma would risk massive $$ if it was found to have legitimate, common medical usages...

Inexpensive? I don't know, but I'm always reading about theft, chicanery and bloodbaths in orderr to get access to it.

Non-addictive? I don't know, but there must be something to derive from it for people to rob, commit chicanery and spill blood in order to get access to it.

And it strikes me that after these many THOUSANDS of years if somebody is STILL trying to justify maryjane as serving a medical purpose they probably need to take up a more promising line of work.

[privateinvestor]

Jul 9, 2011 22:24:29 GMT -5 henryclay said:

oped said:

Canibus has had medical uses for THOUSANDS of years.... It has applications for lots of conditions, is inexpensive and non-addictive... Pharma would risk massive $$ if it was found to have legitimate, common medical usages...

Inexpensive? I don't know, but I'm always reading about theft, chicanery and bloodbaths in orderr to get access to it.

Non-addictive? I don't know, but there must be something to derive from it for people to rob, commit chicanery and spill blood in order to get access to it.

And it strikes me that after these many THOUSANDS of years if somebody is STILL trying to justify maryjane as serving a medical purpose they probably need to take up a more promising line of work.

We have drugs wars out here in northern California in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, and East Palo Alto and the drugs are marijuana in many of these crimes.. So will legalizing marijuana eliminate these crimes??

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

nope.

[Deleted]

Why wouldn't legalization end it molly? ...

No one has had to justify canibus for 1000s of years henry... a 100 years ago it was still legal and journals from Europe and America listed hundreds of medicinal uses...

Until it the 1930s when it provided a great tool for spurring racial conflict and establishing a Federal Bureau of Narcotics...

I'm actually with you Paul on this one... except that It ticks me off even more, not just that its considered an illegal drug... but that they insist on placing it Schedule One... like people are insane and can't see that it has NO BUSINESS being classified Schedule One...

[cereb]

"It's not up to the federal government what substances we use, or for what purpose."


You might want to drop a line to the FDA and let them know, since there appears to be some confusion on someones part.

[Deleted]

Jul 9, 2011 22:24:29 GMT -5 henryclay said:

oped said:

Canibus has had medical uses for THOUSANDS of years.... It has applications for lots of conditions, is inexpensive and non-addictive... Pharma would risk massive $$ if it was found to have legitimate, common medical usages...

Inexpensive? I don't know, but I'm always reading about theft, chicanery and bloodbaths in orderr to get access to it.

Non-addictive? I don't know, but there must be something to derive from it for people to rob, commit chicanery and spill blood in order to get access to it.

And it strikes me that after these many THOUSANDS of years if somebody is STILL trying to justify maryjane as serving a medical purpose they probably need to take up a more promising line of work.

The crimes you cite are normally to get access to the money that selling illegal drugs provide. Territory and customers, similar to what prohibition brought to us. I am not advocating drug use but often think the illegality of them causes more problems than legality would.

[Deleted]

Yeah... ok. I guess i'm not for getting rid of the FDA, in fact i'd like it to be stronger when we are talking about monitoring Pharma and the substances it produces and dispensces...

I just do not think making drugs illegal works very well... and am expecially against the misclassification/ inconsistency of classification of drugs...

[henryclay]

When I was a kid marijuana was all around me and everybody else. It grew wild. It was used on fence rows because it was effective and money was hard to come by to repair broken posts and falling down fences.

There was no drug problem. What happened? Why do we have a drug problem today?

[reasonfreedom]

Jul 9, 2011 22:24:29 GMT -5 henryclay said:

oped said:

Canibus has had medical uses for THOUSANDS of years.... It has applications for lots of conditions, is inexpensive and non-addictive... Pharma would risk massive $$ if it was found to have legitimate, common medical usages...

Inexpensive? I don't know, but I'm always reading about theft, chicanery and bloodbaths in orderr to get access to it.

Non-addictive? I don't know, but there must be something to derive from it for people to rob, commit chicanery and spill blood in order to get access to it.

And it strikes me that after these many THOUSANDS of years if somebody is STILL trying to justify maryjane as serving a medical purpose they probably need to take up a more promising line of work.

It was the same way with booze during prohibition. Alcohol actually kills your brain cells though, Marijuana does not it covers the brain cells with chemicals that can wear off after a certain amount of time. Somebody smoking marijuana and driving is less likely to kill you or your family in a car accident. Your less likely to find a belligerent pot smoker then you are a drunk. The main thing I see damaging is that it has more lung damage capability then smoking, now if you do it in moderation I don't see that much damage being done. They would be much better off regulating and taxing it like tobacco. Then again who knows what people in government are making money off of the illegal movement of marijuana.

[reasonfreedom]

Jul 9, 2011 22:29:21 GMT -5 @privateinvestor said:

Jul 9, 2011 22:24:29 GMT -5 henryclay said:

oped said:

Inexpensive? I don't know, but I'm always reading about theft, chicanery and bloodbaths in orderr to get access to it.

Non-addictive? I don't know, but there must be something to derive from it for people to rob, commit chicanery and spill blood in order to get access to it.

And it strikes me that after these many THOUSANDS of years if somebody is STILL trying to justify maryjane as serving a medical purpose they probably need to take up a more promising line of work.

We have drugs wars out here in northern California in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, and East Palo Alto and the drugs are marijuana in many of these crimes.. So will legalizing marijuana eliminate these crimes??

It would eliminate a lot of crimes and you would have a lot less trafficking from Mexico. There will be no demand for foreign countries when you can grow your own. This is the biggest problem for the government, they won't make as much money off of it if you taxed it because most people would just grow it themselves.

[privateinvestor]

Is There a Link Between Marijuana Use and Mental Illness?

Research in the past decade has focused on whether marijuana use actually causes other mental illnesses. The strongest evidence to date suggests a link between cannabis use and psychosis (Hall and Degenhardt 2009). For example, a series of large prospective studies that followed a group of people over time showed a relationship between marijuana use and later development of psychosis. Marijuana use also worsens the course of illness in patients with schizophrenia and can produce a brief psychotic reaction in some users that fades as the drug wears off. The amount of drug used, the age at first use, and genetic vulnerability can all influence this relationship. One example is a study (illustrated) that found an increased risk of psychosis among adults who had used marijuana in adolescence and who also carried a specific variant of the gene for catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) (Caspi et al. 2005), an enzyme that degrades neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine.

In addition to the observed links between marijuana use and schizophrenia, other less consistent associations have been reported between marijuana use and depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts among adolescents, and personality disturbances. One of the most frequently cited, albeit still controversial, is an amotivational syndrome, defined as a diminished or absent drive to engage in typically rewarding activities. Because of the role of the endocannabinoid system in regulating mood, these associations make a certain amount of sense; however, more research is needed to confirm and better understand these linkages


www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/marijuana/Marijuana4.html

[privateinvestor]

Jul 10, 2011 6:47:33 GMT -5 reasonfreedom said:

Jul 9, 2011 22:24:29 GMT -5 henryclay said:

oped said:

Inexpensive? I don't know, but I'm always reading about theft, chicanery and bloodbaths in orderr to get access to it.

Non-addictive? I don't know, but there must be something to derive from it for people to rob, commit chicanery and spill blood in order to get access to it.

And it strikes me that after these many THOUSANDS of years if somebody is STILL trying to justify maryjane as serving a medical purpose they probably need to take up a more promising line of work.

It was the same way with booze during prohibition. Alcohol actually kills your brain cells though, Marijuana does not it covers the brain cells with chemicals that can wear off after a certain amount of time. Somebody smoking marijuana and driving is less likely to kill you or your family in a car accident. Your less likely to find a belligerent pot smoker then you are a drunk. The main thing I see damaging is that it has more lung damage capability then smoking, now if you do it in moderation I don't see that much damage being done. They would be much better off regulating and taxing it like tobacco. Then again who knows what people in government are making money off of the illegal movement of marijuana.

How Does Marijuana Use Affect Your Brain and Body?

Effects on the Brain
As THC enters the brain, it causes the user to feel euphoric—or high—by acting on the brain's reward system, which is made up of regions that govern the response to pleasurable things like sex and chocolate, as well as to most drugs of abuse. THC activates the reward system in the same way that nearly all drugs of abuse do: by stimulating brain cells to release the chemical dopamine.

Along with euphoria, relaxation is another frequently reported effect in human studies. Other effects, which vary dramatically among different users, include heightened sensory perception (e.g., brighter colors), laughter, altered perception of time, and increased appetite. After a while, the euphoria subsides, and the user may feel sleepy or depressed. Occasionally, marijuana use may produce anxiety, fear, distrust, or panic.

Marijuana users who have taken large doses of the drug may experience an acute psychosis, which includes hallucinations, delusions, and a loss of the sense of personal identity.Marijuana use impairs a person's ability to form new memories (see "Marijuana, Memory, and the Hippocampus") and to shift focus. THC also disrupts coordination and balance by binding to receptors in the cerebellum and basal ganglia—parts of the brain that regulate balance, posture, coordination, and reaction time. Therefore, learning, doing complicated tasks, participating in athletics, and driving are also affected.

Marijuana users who have taken large doses of the drug may experience an acute psychosis, which includes hallucinations, delusions, and a loss of the sense of personal identity. Although the specific causes of these symptoms remain unknown, they appear to occur more frequently when a high dose of cannabis is consumed in food or drink rather than smoked. Such short-term psychotic reactions to high concentrations of THC are distinct from longer-lasting, schizophrenia-like disorders that have been associated with the use of cannabis in vulnerable individuals. (See "Is There a Link Between Marijuana Use and Mental Illness?")

Our understanding of marijuana's long-term brain effects is limited. Research findings on how chronic cannabis use affects brain structure, for example, have been inconsistent. It may be that the effects are too subtle for reliable detection by current techniques. A similar challenge arises in studies of the effects of chronic marijuana use on brain function. Although imaging studies (functional MRI; fMRI) in chronic users do show some consistent alterations, the relation of these changes to cognitive functioning is less clear. This uncertainty may stem from confounding factors such as other drug use, residual drug effects (which can occur for at least 24 hours in chronic users), or withdrawal symptoms in long-term chronic users.
www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/marijuana/Marijuana4.html

[mmhmm]

Both dronabinol and nabilone are available for prescription. They're cannibinoids (synthetic THC). So, it's fine for the pharmaceutical companies to create these drugs for use by those who benefit from them, but the natural substance is taboo. That never has made much sense to me.

[reasonfreedom]

Jul 10, 2011 6:54:39 GMT -5 @privateinvestor said:

Is There a Link Between Marijuana Use and Mental Illness?

Research in the past decade has focused on whether marijuana use actually causes other mental illnesses. The strongest evidence to date suggests a link between cannabis use and psychosis (Hall and Degenhardt 2009). For example, a series of large prospective studies that followed a group of people over time showed a relationship between marijuana use and later development of psychosis. Marijuana use also worsens the course of illness in patients with schizophrenia and can produce a brief psychotic reaction in some users that fades as the drug wears off. The amount of drug used, the age at first use, and genetic vulnerability can all influence this relationship. One example is a study (illustrated) that found an increased risk of psychosis among adults who had used marijuana in adolescence and who also carried a specific variant of the gene for catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) (Caspi et al. 2005), an enzyme that degrades neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine.

In addition to the observed links between marijuana use and schizophrenia, other less consistent associations have been reported between marijuana use and depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts among adolescents, and personality disturbances. One of the most frequently cited, albeit still controversial, is an amotivational syndrome, defined as a diminished or absent drive to engage in typically rewarding activities. Because of the role of the endocannabinoid system in regulating mood, these associations make a certain amount of sense; however, more research is needed to confirm and better understand these linkages


www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/marijuana/Marijuana4.html

There is many legal pharmaceutical drugs that would do the same. Like any other drug, ask a doctor if it will have any severe side effects on you from any conditions you have.

[privateinvestor]

Does Marijuana Use Affect Driving?

Because marijuana impairs judgment and motor coordination and slows reaction time, an intoxicated person has an increased chance of being involved in and being responsible for an accident (O'Malley and Johnston 2007; Richer and Bergeron 2009). According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drugs other than alcohol (e.g., marijuana and cocaine) are involved in about 18 percent of motor vehicle driver deaths. A recent survey found that 6.8 percent of drivers, mostly under 35, who were involved in accidents tested positive for THC; alcohol levels above the legal limit were found in 21 percent of such drivers.

www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/marijuana/Marijuana4.ht
ml
Where Can I Get More Scientific Information on Marijuana Abuse?

To learn more about marijuana and other drugs of abuse, or to order materials on these topics free of charge in English or Spanish, visit the NIDA Web site at www.drugabuse.gov or contact the DrugPubs Research Dissemination Center at 877-NIDA-NIH (877-643-2644; TTY/TDD: 240-645-0228).

What's New on the NIDA Web Site


Information on drugs of abuse
Publications and communications (including NIDA Notes and Addiction Science & Clinical Practice journal)
Calendar of events
Links to NIDA organizational units
Funding information (including program announcements and deadlines)
International activities
Links to related Web sites (access to Web sites of many other organizations in the field)

NIDA Web Sites


drugabuse.gov
backtoschool.drugabuse.gov
marijuana-info.org
teens.drugabuse.gov

For Physician Information



www.drugabuse.gov/nidamed





Other Web Sites

Information on marijuana abuse is also available through the following Web site:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Health Information Network: www.samhsa.gov/shin


Marijuana

Brief
Description:
Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the U.S. It is made up of dried parts of the Cannabis sativa hemp plant.

Street Names:
Pot, ganga, weed, grass, 420
More at Street Terms (Office of National Drug Control Policy Web Site)
Effects:
Short-term effects of marijuana use include euphoria, distorted perceptions, memory impairment, and difficulty thinking and solving problems.

Statistics
and Trends:
In 2009, 28.5 million Americans age 12 and older had abused marijuana at least once in the year prior to being surveyed. Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration Web Site). The NIDA-funded 2010 Monitoring the Future Study showed that 13.7% of 8th graders, 27.5% of 10th graders, and 34.8% of 12th graders had abused marijuana at least once in the year prior to being surveyed. Source: Monitoring the Future (University of Michigan Web Site)

[reasonfreedom]

Jul 10, 2011 6:56:35 GMT -5 @privateinvestor said:

Jul 10, 2011 6:47:33 GMT -5 reasonfreedom said:

It was the same way with booze during prohibition. Alcohol actually kills your brain cells though, Marijuana does not it covers the brain cells with chemicals that can wear off after a certain amount of time. Somebody smoking marijuana and driving is less likely to kill you or your family in a car accident. Your less likely to find a belligerent pot smoker then you are a drunk. The main thing I see damaging is that it has more lung damage capability then smoking, now if you do it in moderation I don't see that much damage being done. They would be much better off regulating and taxing it like tobacco. Then again who knows what people in government are making money off of the illegal movement of marijuana.

How Does Marijuana Use Affect Your Brain and Body?

Effects on the Brain
As THC enters the brain, it causes the user to feel euphoric—or high—by acting on the brain's reward system, which is made up of regions that govern the response to pleasurable things like sex and chocolate, as well as to most drugs of abuse. THC activates the reward system in the same way that nearly all drugs of abuse do: by stimulating brain cells to release the chemical dopamine.

Along with euphoria, relaxation is another frequently reported effect in human studies. Other effects, which vary dramatically among different users, include heightened sensory perception (e.g., brighter colors), laughter, altered perception of time, and increased appetite. After a while, the euphoria subsides, and the user may feel sleepy or depressed. Occasionally, marijuana use may produce anxiety, fear, distrust, or panic.

Marijuana users who have taken large doses of the drug may experience an acute psychosis, which includes hallucinations, delusions, and a loss of the sense of personal identity.Marijuana use impairs a person's ability to form new memories (see "Marijuana, Memory, and the Hippocampus") and to shift focus. THC also disrupts coordination and balance by binding to receptors in the cerebellum and basal ganglia—parts of the brain that regulate balance, posture, coordination, and reaction time. Therefore, learning, doing complicated tasks, participating in athletics, and driving are also affected.

Marijuana users who have taken large doses of the drug may experience an acute psychosis, which includes hallucinations, delusions, and a loss of the sense of personal identity. Although the specific causes of these symptoms remain unknown, they appear to occur more frequently when a high dose of cannabis is consumed in food or drink rather than smoked. Such short-term psychotic reactions to high concentrations of THC are distinct from longer-lasting, schizophrenia-like disorders that have been associated with the use of cannabis in vulnerable individuals. (See "Is There a Link Between Marijuana Use and Mental Illness?")

Our understanding of marijuana's long-term brain effects is limited. Research findings on how chronic cannabis use affects brain structure, for example, have been inconsistent. It may be that the effects are too subtle for reliable detection by current techniques. A similar challenge arises in studies of the effects of chronic marijuana use on brain function. Although imaging studies (functional MRI; fMRI) in chronic users do show some consistent alterations, the relation of these changes to cognitive functioning is less clear. This uncertainty may stem from confounding factors such as other drug use, residual drug effects (which can occur for at least 24 hours in chronic users), or withdrawal symptoms in long-term chronic users.
www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/marijuana/Marijuana4.html

I agree it could have effect like this if you smoked an ounce a day. Did you know you can hallucinate from drinking to much water? Yes, my mother worked at an insane asylum and there were people with this issue. It is called moderation and I know thousands of people(yes thousands) that use this in moderation that have none of these issues listed. You can also die from drinking to much milk in one sitting, you can also die from drinking to much alcohol in one sitting, you can permanently damage your lungs from smoking 1 carton of cigarettes in a day. This articles don't prove much. The Indians used peyote multiple times in there lives, in moderation( for spirit gathering and such). Peyote is medicinal in moderation, but over use could lead to psychosis problems. This article could be used for most drugs.

[cme1201]

Nice information P.I now for the opposite side of the coin, from a medical journal and not from a government Anti-Drug propaganda website.

The Lancet
(The Lancet is a British medical journal)
Volume 346, Number 8985, November 11, 1995, p. 1241
Editorial
The smoking of cannabis, even long term, is not harmful to health. Yet this widely-used substance is illegal just about everywhere. There have been numerous calls over the years for the legalisation, or at least decriminalisation, of soft drugs, among which cannabis remains the most popular with all social groups. In this highly contentious area, the Dutch attitude has been often mentioned as the voice of sanity. In the Netherlands, customers of coffee shops can buy up to 30 g of cannabis for about 10 pounds ($15) although the drug is technically illegal. The shops are not allowed to advertise, or to sell cannabis to individuals aged under 16 years.

Prominent among those currently calling for legislative reform -- and going further by making constructive proposals -- are police chiefs and city medical officers, people who know only too well that the existing policies in most countries are ineffective and unworkable.

Meanwhile, politicians have largely remained silent, seemingly afraid of offending powerful segments of the electorate or merely of being perceived as weak in the face of rising crime figures. When the occasional politician raises her head above the parapet -- as the British opposition MP Clare Short did recently in calling for a fresh debate on decriminalisation of cannabis -- the response is tediously predictable: widespread condemnation from political colleagues and overwhelming support from those who have to cope with the end result of political inertia.

In the case of Ms. Short, not only was she speedily reprimanded by the party leader, but also party officials claimed that their non-legalisation stance was entirely logical since legalisation of cannabis would "increase the supply, reduce the price, and increase the usage". According to a Home Office report earlier this year, the number of people taking cannabis has doubled in a decade -- without any help from "liberal" measures. Perhaps the politicians' real fear was that freedom to use soft drugs would automatically progress to increased use of substances such as cocaine and heroin. If so, they must have overlooked the recent Dutch government review which pointed out that decriminalisation of possession of soft drugs has not led to a rise in the use of hard drugs.

If the Dutch approach is so successful, why are changes afoot in The Hague to tighten up that country's drug policy? First Amsterdam's mayor proposed closing down half the city's coffee shops that sell cannabis, and in doing so he rejected a report by his health department in favour of legalisation of soft drugs. Then the Dutch government, which had made an election promise to legalise cannabis, last month issued a discussion paper which mirrored the Amsterdam plan. If, as expected, the Dutch parliament agrees the latest proposals, half the country's 4000 cannabis-selling coffee shops will close and the amount that can be sold to an individual will be cut to 5 g. Since the government's own review provides no ammunition for such a change in policy, the real reason behind the new measures must lie elsewhere. One need look no further than the Netherlands' neighbours and co-signatories of the Schengen agreement, which introduced a border-free zone between the Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain, Luxembourg, and Belgium. When France, in particular, threatened to end the agreement, claiming that the Netherlands was the major supplier of Europe's drugs, some action had to be taken and the coffee shops became the scapegoat.

Leaving politics aside, where is the harm in decriminalising cannabis? There is none to the health of the consumers, and the criminal fraternity who depend for their succour on prohibition would hate it. But decriminalisation of possession does not go far enough in our view. That has to be accompanied by controls on source, distribution, and advertising, much as happens with tobacco. A system, in fact, remarkably close to the existing one in Dutch coffee shops. Cannabis has become a political football, and one that governments continually duck. Like footballs, however, it bounces back. Sooner or later politicians will have to stop running scared and address the evidence: cannabis per se is not a hazard to society but driving it further underground may well be.

The Lancet
655 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10010
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

The Lancet
42, Bedford Square
London, WC1B 3SL
Tel: [phone]

[reasonfreedom]

Jul 10, 2011 7:10:03 GMT -5 @privateinvestor said:

Does Marijuana Use Affect Driving?

Because marijuana impairs judgment and motor coordination and slows reaction time, an intoxicated person has an increased chance of being involved in and being responsible for an accident (O'Malley and Johnston 2007; Richer and Bergeron 2009). According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drugs other than alcohol (e.g., marijuana and cocaine) are involved in about 18 percent of motor vehicle driver deaths. A recent survey found that 6.8 percent of drivers, mostly under 35, who were involved in accidents tested positive for THC; alcohol levels above the legal limit were found in 21 percent of such drivers.

www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/marijuana/Marijuana4.ht
ml
Where Can I Get More Scientific Information on Marijuana Abuse?

To learn more about marijuana and other drugs of abuse, or to order materials on these topics free of charge in English or Spanish, visit the NIDA Web site at www.drugabuse.gov or contact the DrugPubs Research Dissemination Center at 877-NIDA-NIH (877-643-2644; TTY/TDD: 240-645-0228).

What's New on the NIDA Web Site


Information on drugs of abuse
Publications and communications (including NIDA Notes and Addiction Science & Clinical Practice journal)
Calendar of events
Links to NIDA organizational units
Funding information (including program announcements and deadlines)
International activities
Links to related Web sites (access to Web sites of many other organizations in the field)

NIDA Web Sites


drugabuse.gov
backtoschool.drugabuse.gov
marijuana-info.org
teens.drugabuse.gov

For Physician Information



www.drugabuse.gov/nidamed





Other Web Sites

Information on marijuana abuse is also available through the following Web site:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Health Information Network: www.samhsa.gov/shin


Marijuana

Brief
Description:
Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the U.S. It is made up of dried parts of the Cannabis sativa hemp plant.

Street Names:
Pot, ganga, weed, grass, 420
More at Street Terms (Office of National Drug Control Policy Web Site)
Effects:
Short-term effects of marijuana use include euphoria, distorted perceptions, memory impairment, and difficulty thinking and solving problems.

Statistics
and Trends:
In 2009, 28.5 million Americans age 12 and older had abused marijuana at least once in the year prior to being surveyed. Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration Web Site). The NIDA-funded 2010 Monitoring the Future Study showed that 13.7% of 8th graders, 27.5% of 10th graders, and 34.8% of 12th graders had abused marijuana at least once in the year prior to being surveyed. Source: Monitoring the Future (University of Michigan Web Site)

18% for all drugs so that could be 1 percent for marijuana to vague of a viable statistic to prove any point. \

"who were involved in accidents tested positive for THC"

You can test positive for THC a week after use and the effects only last a few hours, another pointless statistic.


" In 2009, 28.5 million Americans age 12 and older had abused marijuana at least once in the year prior to being surveyed. "

Alcohol is worse. Did you know it is considered abuse if you drink 2 to 4 beer more than one time a week. Yep it is, go ask the county counselors. Did you know you could die from withdraw of alcoholism, but can't die from withdraws from marijuana(which I never heard of withdraws from marijuana). Did you know President Clinton abused marijuana, geez smoking marijuana can prevent you from thinking and becoming president. ROLFMAO

"The NIDA-funded 2010 Monitoring the Future Study showed that 13.7% of 8th graders, 27.5% of 10th graders, and 34.8% of 12th graders had abused marijuana at least once in the year prior to being surveyed. Source: Monitoring the Future (University of Michigan Web Site) "

I am curious if they just asked them or they actually tested them. Children do lie to be cool you know. Surveys are not far fetched valid statistics at best.

[reasonfreedom]

Jul 10, 2011 7:31:15 GMT -5 cme1201 said:

Nice information P.I now for the opposite side of the coin, from a medical journal and not from a government Anti-Drug propaganda website.

The Lancet
(The Lancet is a British medical journal)
Volume 346, Number 8985, November 11, 1995, p. 1241
Editorial
The smoking of cannabis, even long term, is not harmful to health. Yet this widely-used substance is illegal just about everywhere. There have been numerous calls over the years for the legalisation, or at least decriminalisation, of soft drugs, among which cannabis remains the most popular with all social groups. In this highly contentious area, the Dutch attitude has been often mentioned as the voice of sanity. In the Netherlands, customers of coffee shops can buy up to 30 g of cannabis for about 10 pounds ($15) although the drug is technically illegal. The shops are not allowed to advertise, or to sell cannabis to individuals aged under 16 years.

Prominent among those currently calling for legislative reform -- and going further by making constructive proposals -- are police chiefs and city medical officers, people who know only too well that the existing policies in most countries are ineffective and unworkable.

Meanwhile, politicians have largely remained silent, seemingly afraid of offending powerful segments of the electorate or merely of being perceived as weak in the face of rising crime figures. When the occasional politician raises her head above the parapet -- as the British opposition MP Clare Short did recently in calling for a fresh debate on decriminalisation of cannabis -- the response is tediously predictable: widespread condemnation from political colleagues and overwhelming support from those who have to cope with the end result of political inertia.

In the case of Ms. Short, not only was she speedily reprimanded by the party leader, but also party officials claimed that their non-legalisation stance was entirely logical since legalisation of cannabis would "increase the supply, reduce the price, and increase the usage". According to a Home Office report earlier this year, the number of people taking cannabis has doubled in a decade -- without any help from "liberal" measures. Perhaps the politicians' real fear was that freedom to use soft drugs would automatically progress to increased use of substances such as cocaine and heroin. If so, they must have overlooked the recent Dutch government review which pointed out that decriminalisation of possession of soft drugs has not led to a rise in the use of hard drugs.

If the Dutch approach is so successful, why are changes afoot in The Hague to tighten up that country's drug policy? First Amsterdam's mayor proposed closing down half the city's coffee shops that sell cannabis, and in doing so he rejected a report by his health department in favour of legalisation of soft drugs. Then the Dutch government, which had made an election promise to legalise cannabis, last month issued a discussion paper which mirrored the Amsterdam plan. If, as expected, the Dutch parliament agrees the latest proposals, half the country's 4000 cannabis-selling coffee shops will close and the amount that can be sold to an individual will be cut to 5 g. Since the government's own review provides no ammunition for such a change in policy, the real reason behind the new measures must lie elsewhere. One need look no further than the Netherlands' neighbours and co-signatories of the Schengen agreement, which introduced a border-free zone between the Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain, Luxembourg, and Belgium. When France, in particular, threatened to end the agreement, claiming that the Netherlands was the major supplier of Europe's drugs, some action had to be taken and the coffee shops became the scapegoat.

Leaving politics aside, where is the harm in decriminalising cannabis? There is none to the health of the consumers, and the criminal fraternity who depend for their succour on prohibition would hate it. But decriminalisation of possession does not go far enough in our view. That has to be accompanied by controls on source, distribution, and advertising, much as happens with tobacco. A system, in fact, remarkably close to the existing one in Dutch coffee shops. Cannabis has become a political football, and one that governments continually duck. Like footballs, however, it bounces back. Sooner or later politicians will have to stop running scared and address the evidence: cannabis per se is not a hazard to society but driving it further underground may well be.

The Lancet
655 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10010
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

The Lancet
42, Bedford Square
London, WC1B 3SL
Tel: [phone]

Some good info CME, I noticed in here how it mentions that marijuana could lead to more extreme drugs. I don't believe it is a gateway drug at all, I believe it all depends on the social atmosphere. It really depends on the people you hang around and the peer pressure. If it is a case to where it is a gateway drug, cigarettes should be considered the true gateway drug.

I am in no way advertising the use of drugs, but if you look at our history you can see multiple great thinkers, artist, literature geniuses, great actors and musicians that have abused drugs. So who is to say that drugs aren't a tool for greatness?

[privateinvestor]

Some good info CME, I noticed in here how it mentions that marijuana could lead to more extreme drugs. I don't believe it is a gateway drug at all, I believe it all depends on the social atmosphere. It really depends on the people you hang around and the peer pressure. If it is a case to where it is a gateway drug, cigarettes should be considered the true gateway drug.

I am in no way advertising the use of drugs, but if you look at our history you can see multiple great thinkers, artist, literature geniuses, great actors and musicians that have abused drugs. So who is to say that drugs aren't a tool for greatness?


You can believe whatever you want about marijuana and dismiss the medical reports by a government agency and go with one from Great Britain. It is an individual choice to smoke, drink or do drugs and if that is your thing then so be it.. I have no problem with the use of marijuana for medical purposes it it indeeds helps but I don't want my kids smoking anything period but that is my choice.. It took me a lot of years just to get my oldest daughter to stop smoking cigarettes but I finally won that one..