Sanjay Gupta Apologizes for Opposing Marijuana

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unokitty

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2012
3,346
1
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Why I changed my mind on weed

I apologize because I didn't look hard enough, until now. I didn't look far enough. I didn't review papers from smaller labs in other countries doing some remarkable research, and I was too dismissive of the loud chorus of legitimate patients whose symptoms improved on cannabis.

Instead, I lumped them with the high-visibility malingerers, just looking to get high. I mistakenly believed the Drug Enforcement Agency listed marijuana as a schedule 1 substance because of sound scientific proof. Surely, they must have quality reasoning as to why marijuana is in the category of the most dangerous drugs that have "no accepted medicinal use and a high potential for abuse."

They didn't have the science to support that claim, and I now know that when it comes to marijuana neither of those things are true. It doesn't have a high potential for abuse, and there are very legitimate medical applications.
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"Citizens in 20 states and the District of Columbia have now voted to approve marijuana for medical applications, and more states will be making that choice soon. "

Okay, can we now release the non violent drug offenders from jail?

Can we relocate some of DEA's budget to something productive?

Can we allow the government to generate a revenue stream from a pot tax?

Seriously, what is wrong with the 30 states that haven't voted for medical marijuana?

Uno
 
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xBiffx

xBiffx

Diamond Member
Aug 22, 2011
8,232
2
0
That guy was always fucking up the rotation. It's puff, puff, give man!
 
S

s0me0nesmind1

Lifer
Nov 8, 2012
20,842
4,785
146
No, we can't legalize it.

No, we can't release non-violent pot prisoners.

But we can continue to plenty of under the table government contracts to keep those people in jail cells. So that those political corruption scandals can continue. While we waste infinite amounts of tax dollars in an effort to justify usage.

Legalize it and tax it. Any real conservative other than religious nutbags will agree. At the same time though, we justify cutting government costs and jobs across the board.
 
S

Slick5150

Diamond Member
Nov 10, 2001
8,760
3
81
The major opposition to legalization comes from the tobacco and alcohol industry. They don't want legit competition.
 
Kadarin

Kadarin

Lifer
Nov 23, 2001
44,296
16
81
It should be legal for both medical and recreational (by responsible adults) use. It clearly has valid medical uses and is far, far less harmful than alcohol and cigarettes.

Props to Sanjay Gupta for writing that, and huge props to CNN.com for making that the top story right now.
 
JimKiler

JimKiler

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 2002
3,561
206
106
Wow a level 1 drug, that is so invalid, how did they come to that conclusion.
 
S

s0me0nesmind1

Lifer
Nov 8, 2012
20,842
4,785
146
nehalem256 said:
Seriously, you think people want marijuana legalized for its "medical" uses?
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lol I have to agree. Absolute stupidity. Here I am arguing to legalize it.. but at least I'm not going to smirk while saying I want it for "medical" purposes.

Nope, I just want it so that uncle sam will pay their bills (or rather, not be in as much debt).
 
davmat787

davmat787

Diamond Member
Nov 30, 2010
5,512
24
76
nehalem256 said:
Seriously, you think people want marijuana legalized for its "medical" uses?
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MMJ helped me tremendously. If you are seriously interested with an open mind, ask for the details, and you shall receive.

I don't know why anyone would be surprised at the plants medicinal properties, so many of our modern medicines have been derived from plants, and then synthesized. I am also aware of several groups working on creating strains with extremely low THC, so the patients aren't really getting "high", but still receive the benefits of its medicinal properties.
 
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unokitty

Diamond Member
Jan 5, 2012
3,346
1
0
nehalem256 said:
Seriously, you think people want marijuana legalized for its "medical" uses?
Click to expand...


I agree with Sanjay that the scientific evidence for making Marijuana a Schedule 1 illegal drug doesn't exist.

Further, I don't think that the incarceration of Marijuana users is an inappropriate use of public resources. Nor do I think that the funding of groups like the DEA to enforce Marijuana Laws is an appropriate use of government resources.

Whether people want to legalize marijuana for medical or recreational use, doesn't matter to me. Though, I think that from a political point of view, the former is more likely than the latter.

Personally, I think that Uruguay is on the right track. Though, its not clear to me that, given the present US political climate, that is a politically acceptable solution.

Uno
 
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Geosurface

Geosurface

Diamond Member
Mar 22, 2012
5,773
4
0
I personally don't give a shit about marijuana... I've never been a substance user of any kind and have always been somewhat puzzled at much of the rest of humanity's fascination with putting strange chemicals into their bodies to impede their mental faculties.

Whether it's alcohol, weed, spray paint, compressed air, cocaine, heroin, meth, prescription drug abuse... or even jenkem, it's clear that a very large percentage of humanity is absolutely dedicated to getting high at any cost, using any means available.

I don't think laws can stop them and I don't think legislating personal behavior which damages (for the most part) only the user themselves... is really the place of government. Government needs to be smaller and less invasive in peoples' lives, and ending the war on drugs would be a good step in that direction.

So I say legalize it. Some of my best friends smoke weed religiously. They're fine people.

But as nehalem said, how about some honesty? Don't try to hide behind "medical uses duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude" - yes yes, I realize it has some legitimate applications in that regard... but that is not the main thing driving the push for legalization and we all know it.

I also think there's a lot of exaggeration of it's medical usefulness for that same purpose. I think the passionate pot boosters are right now in a mindset of "say anything and everything to get this shit legalized" ... fine fine. I hope they get their wish.

But I fully expect, 20 years from now, to be hearing them complain about how the entire weed culture was ruined by it being legalized, that it's "so commercialized now man, and the stuff the big weed companies sell is weak and bland and I miss the varieties and local stuff you used to be able to find!" etc etc.

I think there are a lot of very negative consequences to drug use, on a personal and a societal level... and I wish people wouldn't do it, but I believe some people are simply hard wired to abuse substances and nothing short of genetic engineering will change that.

This video is part of why I believe that (3 minute video about monkeys who steal alcoholic beverages, the percentage who will not drink alcohol is the same as the percentage of humans who won't, genetics is destiny)
 
davmat787

davmat787

Diamond Member
Nov 30, 2010
5,512
24
76
JimKiler said:
Wow a level 1 drug, that is so invalid, how did they come to that conclusion.
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Money probably. And don't forget, COCAINE (!!!) is a schedule 2. Since MJ is most prevalent, more busts equals more confiscated property and money, which equals more money for police departments.
 
davmat787

davmat787

Diamond Member
Nov 30, 2010
5,512
24
76
unokitty said:
I agree with Sanjay that the scientific evidence for making Marijuana a Schedule 1 illegal drug doesn't exist.

Further, I don't think that the incarceration of Marijuana users is an inappropriate use of public resources. Nor do I think that the funding of groups like the DEA to enforce Marijuana Laws is an appropriate use of government resources.

Whether people want to legalize marijuana for medical or recreational use, doesn't matter to me. Though, I think that from a political point of view, the former is more likely than the latter.

Personally, I think that Uruguay is on the right track. Though, its not clear to me that given the present US political climate that that is a politically acceptable solution.

Uno
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Uruguay is actually a very underrated country in my opinion that is largely off peoples radar. Moderately progressive, and perhaps the greenest country in all of the Americas.

Plus, some of the best beef in the world is grown in Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina!

Uruguay_CV5A.jpg
 
poofyhairguy

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
126
Geosurface said:
I also think there's a lot of exaggeration of it's medical usefulness for that same purpose. I think the passionate pot boosters are right now in a mindset of "say anything and everything to get this shit legalized" ... fine fine. I hope they get their wish.
Click to expand...

The exaggeration is in-kind. When the DEA is out there using OUR tax dollars to run ads against Colorado and Washington following the will of the people in a democratic process, then you know its not a fair fight.

The DEA will never fight fair. Ask the IRS or the NSA. They will lie, cheat and steal to keep their cushy jobs. Or get someone else to do that for them:

http://www.businessinsider.com/dea-agents-tell-obama-to-sue-pot-states-2013-3

No one should be surprised if drug policy advocates fight fire with fire.
 
B

bradley

Diamond Member
Jan 9, 2000
3,671
2
81
Now Dr. Gupta should apologize for having such an obnoxiously callous and unprofessional opinion.

Instead, I lumped them with the high-visibility malingerers, just looking to get high.
Click to expand...
 
Pr0d1gy

Pr0d1gy

Diamond Member
Jan 30, 2005
7,774
0
76
Geosurface said:
I personally don't give a shit about marijuana... I've never been a substance user of any kind and have always been somewhat puzzled at much of the rest of humanity's fascination with putting strange chemicals into their bodies to impede their mental faculties.

Whether it's alcohol, weed, spray paint, compressed air, cocaine, heroin, meth, prescription drug abuse... or even jenkem, it's clear that a very large percentage of humanity is absolutely dedicated to getting high at any cost, using any means available.

I don't think laws can stop them and I don't think legislating personal behavior which damages (for the most part) only the user themselves... is really the place of government. Government needs to be smaller and less invasive in peoples' lives, and ending the war on drugs would be a good step in that direction.

So I say legalize it. Some of my best friends smoke weed religiously. They're fine people.

But as nehalem said, how about some honesty? Don't try to hide behind "medical uses duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude" - yes yes, I realize it has some legitimate applications in that regard... but that is not the main thing driving the push for legalization and we all know it.

I also think there's a lot of exaggeration of it's medical usefulness for that same purpose. I think the passionate pot boosters are right now in a mindset of "say anything and everything to get this shit legalized" ... fine fine. I hope they get their wish.

But I fully expect, 20 years from now, to be hearing them complain about how the entire weed culture was ruined by it being legalized, that it's "so commercialized now man, and the stuff the big weed companies sell is weak and bland and I miss the varieties and local stuff you used to be able to find!" etc etc.

I think there are a lot of very negative consequences to drug use, on a personal and a societal level... and I wish people wouldn't do it, but I believe some people are simply hard wired to abuse substances and nothing short of genetic engineering will change that.

This video is part of why I believe that (3 minute video about monkeys who steal alcoholic beverages, the percentage who will not drink alcohol is the same as the percentage of humans who won't, genetics is destiny)
Click to expand...

LMFAO! Won't smoke a joint, will spend half an hour + writing up a sermon about how awful chemicals into your body is while ignoring the fact that humans have been ingesting marijuana for thousands of years and that it grows naturally in the ground. Probably also drinks sodas, drinks fluoridated water, and/or eats Monsanto/GMO/etc type foods on a regular basis, but chooses a harmless plant to be the dangerous chemical. Where the hell do they find these people? Denial, Egypt?

REEFER MADNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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