w00t another win for medical marijuana: AZ narrowly passes ordinance

[EagleKeeper]

The problem may be the government. However, it is the people that control the government. The government is the people as a whole

Presently you have three types

• Those for MJ
• Those against MJ
• Those on the fence.

The combination of the latter two presently overrides the first group.

As those for MJ use MMJ to thumb their noses; it makes it more diffucult for those that on on the fence to support MMJ , let alone MJ.

People can get the laws changed as long as there is a majority and it is constitutional.
People will also put out FUD with respect to laws (on both sides of the fence).

Education can cut through the FUD as long as it is felt that there is no ulterior motives.

People are willing to accept MMJ when presented with the facts and no bull.
People are not going to accept MJ at this time while they see MMJ being abused - it makes the fence sitters suspicious.

 

[LunarRay]

My issue is that, at present, MJ is illegal except for MMJ.

I have no problems with those that need MMJ to have access to it.

I have a problem with those that use MMJ as an excuse to bypass the fact of using MJ illegally.

Those that are doing so are making it more difficult for MMJ to be accepted.

By abusing the system for their own benefit, they are actually making it worse for those that need it becuase the abusers are openly flaunting the loopholes.

If you want MJ to be legal, then get it legalized openly, not through some false backdoor which takes advantage of patients that actually benefit from it.

Doing so, makes those that propose MMJ as phony as those that want it to remain illegal for their own purposes.

I view the MMJ issue as containing some illegal activities... But, like in banking the folks who rob the banks don't usually give the honest consumer of banking services a bad name nor do they close the banking industry over it.

Regardless of the misuse of MMJ by criminal activity, the chemical HAS been shown to be effective in various legitimate testings. This then removes the 'No medical use' label from MJ... It then ought to be moved to schedule 2 along with the other chemicals that ARE subject to abuse like Oxy and the like but also have a medical use.

 

[Poptech]

Regardless of the misuse of MMJ by criminal activity, the chemical HAS been shown to be effective in various legitimate testings.

It has also been shown to cause brain damage, cancer, gum disease, heart disease, infertility, lung disease, obesity, pregnancy complications and viral infections.

Addiction:
Animals Exposed To Marijuana's Active Component Will Self-Administer The Drug (NIDA, National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Marijuana Withdrawal As Bad As Withdrawal From Cigarettes (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)
Marijuana Withdrawal Reported By Teens Seeking Treatment (University of Vermont)
Smoking, Drinking, Drugs: The Younger They Start, The Harder It Is To Quit (Center For The Advancement Of Health)

Gateway Drug:
Cannabis linked to use of amphetamines (Addiction Journal)
Brain Studies Tie Marijuana to Other Drugs (Science/AAAS)
Early cannabis abuse 'leads to heroin addiction' (Mount Sinai School of Medicine)
Early marijuana use increases risk of drug and alcohol problems later in life (Washington University School of Medicine)
Illicit Drug Use Starts With Cannabis (University of Otago, New Zealand)
Marijuana use linked to hallucinogen use (Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health)
National Study Shows "Gateway" Drugs Lead to Cocaine Use (Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse)

Brain Damage:
Cannabis and adolescence: A dangerous cocktail (McGill University Health Centre)
Cannabis 'can cause psychosis in healthy people' (Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London)
Cannabis Could Increase Risks Of Psychotic Illness By 40 Percent (The Lancet Medical Journal)
Cannabis Increases Risk Of Psychosis (British Medical Journal)
Cannabis increases risk of depression and schizophrenia (British Medical Journal)
Cannabis ingredient causes toxic psychosis (University of Lausanne, Switzerland)
Cannabis smokers 'are taking huge risk of psychotic illness' (Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London)
Cannabis Triggers Transient Schizophrenia-like Symptoms (Neuropsychopharmacology Journal)
Cannabis use 'dulls the brain' (Journal of the American Medical Association)
Concerns over mental health risk of smoking cannabis (British Journal of Psychiatry)
Daily Consumption Of Cannabis Predisposes To Appearance Of Psychosis And Schizophrenia (University of Granada)
Daily Pot Smoking May Hasten Onset of Psychosis (Emory University)
Early Cannabis Use Increases Risk of Schizophrenia (University of Otago, New Zealand)
Early cannabis users three times more likely to have psychotic symptoms (University of Queensland, Australia)
Frequent Marijuana Use May Affect Brain Function (NeuroReport Journal)
Heavy Cannabis Use May Lead to Psychotic Symptoms (University of Otago, New Zealand)
Heavy Marijuana use has a detrimental impact on intelligence (Canadian Medical Association Journal)
Heavy Marijuana Use May Damage Developing Brain In Teens, Young Adults (Children's Hospital of Philadelphia)
How Marijuana Causes Memory Deficits (Nature Neuroscience)
How Smoking Marijuana Damages The Fetal Brain (Science Journal)
Lab study shows THC exposure as adolescents linked to negative effects of THC as adults (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology)
Long-term cannabis use causes brain injury (Archives of General Psychiatry Journal)
Marijuana And Alcohol Taken Together Induced Widespread Nerve Cell Death In Brains Of Young Rats (Annals of Neurology Journal)
Marijuana Damages Brain (King's College London)
Marijuana Is Linked to Brain Damage (The Lancet Medical Journal)
Marijuana Use Affects Blood Flow In Brain Even After Abstinence (Neurology Journal)
Marijuana use in pregnancy damages kids' learning (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)
Marijuana Use Takes Toll On Adolescent Brain Function (University of Cincinnati)
Memory, speed of thinking get worse over time with marijuana use (American Academy of Neurology)
More Evidence Of Cannabis-induced Psychosis (BMC Psychiatry Journal)
New research reveals how cannabis alters brain function (Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London)
Scans reveal brain damage from cannabis is like schizophrenia (Albert Einstein College of Medicine)
Schizophrenia Linked To Dysfunction In Molecular Brain Pathway Activated By Marijuana (Archives of General Psychiatry Journal)
Skunk 'poses greatest risk of psychosis' (Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London)
Skunk smokers 18 times more likely to be psychotic (Royal College of Psychiatrists)
Starting marijuana use during teens may result in cognitive impairment later in life (NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Teen Drug Use Associated With Psychiatric Disorders Later In Life (NIH/National Institute On Drug Abuse)
Teen Marijuana Use Worsens Depression, Leads To More Serious Mental Illness (Office of National Drug Control Policy)

Cancer:
Cannabis alters human DNA (University of Leicester, UK)
Marijuana ingredient promotes tumor growth, impairs anti-tumor defenses (NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Marijuana Use Linked to Increased Risk of Testicular Cancer (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)
Marijuana Use Associated with HPV-Positive Head and Neck Cancer (Journal of the National Cancer Institute)
Smoking Marijuana May Increase Risk Of Head And Neck Cancers (Cancer Epidemiology Biomarker and Prevention Journal)
Tobacco is 'less risky than dope' (Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center)

Gum Disease:
Heavy Marijuana Use Linked To Gum Disease (Journal of the American Medical Association)

Heart Disease:
Adolescent binging on marijuana linked to stroke (Saint Louis University)
Marijuana use can trigger heart attack (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center)
Marijuana Use May Pose Health Threat To Baby Boomers (American Heart Association Circulation Journal)
Possible Connection Between Marijuana Abuse And Stroke Or Heart Attacks (Molecular Psychiatry Journal)
Regular Cannabis May Increase Risk Of Stroke In Young Users (British Medical Journal)

Infertility:
Abusing Marijuana May Overload System, Inhibit Fertility (American Society for Cell Biology)
Marijuana-Like Compounds May Alter Human Fertility (American Society of Cell Biology)
Sperm From Marijuana Smokers Move Too Fast Too Early, Impairing Fertility (American Society of Reproductive Medicine)

Lung Disease:
Growing Evidence Of Marijuana Smoke's Potential Dangers (American Chemical Society)
Impact on lungs of 1 cannabis joint equal to up to 5 cigarettes (British Medical Journal)
Long-term Marijuana Smoking Leads To Respiratory Complaints (Archives of Internal Medicine Journal)
Marijuana associated with same respiratory symptoms as tobacco (Yale School of Medicine)
Marijuana Smoke Contains Higher Levels Of Certain Toxins Than Tobacco Smoke (American Chemical Society)
Marijuana Smokers Face Rapid Lung Destruction -- As Much As 20 Years Ahead Of Tobacco Smokers (Respirology Journal)
Marijuana Smoking Increases Risk Of COPD For Tobacco Smokers (Canadian Medical Association Journal)
Marijuana Worsens COPD Symptoms In Current Cigarette Smokers (American Thoracic Society)
Research Confirms Adverse Effects of Cannabis on Respiratory Health (University of Otago, New Zealand)
Smoking One Joint is Equivalent to 20 Cigarettes (Medical Research Institute of New Zealand)

Obesity:
Machinery Of The 'Marijuana Munchies' (Neuron Journal)

Pregnancy Complication:
Marijuana Use Causes Early Pregnancy Failure (Journal of Clinical Investigation)
Marijuana use could cause tubal pregnancies (Vanderbilt University Medical Center)

Viral Infection:
Marijuana Component Opens The Door For Virus That Causes Kaposi's Sarcoma (Cancer Research Journal)
Regular Marijuana Use Increases Risk Of Hepatitis C-related Liver Damage (AGA Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology Journal)

Myth - Alzheimer Treatment:
Marijuana ineffective as an Alzheimer’s treatment (University of British Columbia)

Myth - Multiple Sclerosis Treatment:
Smoking Marijuana Impairs Cognitive Function in MS Patients (American Academy of Neurology)

Myth - Nausea Relief:
Severe Vomiting Sickness With Chronic Cannabis Abuse (World Journal of Gastroenterology)

Myth - Pain Relief:
Active ingredients in marijuana found to spread and prolong pain (University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston)
Cannabis 'no better than codeine' for headaches (The Independent, UK)
Doubts on cannabis for pain relief (Flinders Medical Centre, Australia)
Drug trial casts doubt over cannabis-based painkiller for MS sufferers (Daily Mail, UK)
Endocannabinoids can promote pain (Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences at ETH Zurich)
Oral Cannabis Ineffective In Treating Acute Pain (Journal of Anesthesiology)
Side effects rule out cannabis for pain and nausea (New Scientist)
Too Much Marijuana Makes Pain Worse, Not Better (University of California, San Diego)

Sociological:
African-American Girls Who Use Marijuana Engage In Riskier Sex, Have Higher STD Rate (School of Public Health, Emory University)
Cannabis Almost Doubles Risk Of Fatal Crashes (British Medical Journal)
Children who smoke cannabis are twice as likely to offend (Queen's University Belfast)
Driving under influence of cannabis more common and riskier than drink driving (University of Otago, New Zealand)
Early Exposure To Drugs, Alcohol Creates Lifetime Of Health Risk (Psychological Science Journal)
Emotional Intelligence And The Use Of Tobacco And Cannabis (UAB Department of General, Development and Educational Psychology)
Father's incarceration associated with elevated risks of marijuana and other illegal drug use (Bowling Green State University)
Frequent Family Meals Might Reduce Teen Substance Use (Journal of Adolescent Health)
Glamorization Of Drugs In Rap Music Jumped Dramatically Over 2 Decades (Addiction Research & Theory Journal)
Malt Liquor Linked To Marijuana Use Among Young Adults (Psychology of Addictive Behaviors Journal)
One Of Every Three Popular Songs Contains References To Substance Use (American Public Health Association)
Pot and pop: New research finds stronger link between music and marijuana use among teens (University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences)
Pop Stars More Than Twice As Likely To Die An Early Death (British Medical Journal)
References To Explicit Substance Use Common In Popular Music (Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine Journal)
Religiosity Curbs Teen Marijuana Use By Half (Journal of Drug Issues)
Researchers Find Factors That Encourage Cannabis Use Among University Students (Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research)
Rising Teen Marijuana Use Is Fueled By Change In Attitudes (American Journal of Public Health)
Teens who frequently go out with friends more likely to use marijuana (Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine)
United States Has Highest Level Of Illegal Cocaine And Cannabis Use (PLoS Medicine Journal)

 

[Scotteq]

...not to mention headless corpses in the desert.

 

[jhu]

It has also been shown to cause brain damage, cancer, gum disease, heart disease, infertility, lung disease, obesity, pregnancy complications and viral infections.

...

And how are any of those things different from tobacco, EtOH use? Or eating Twinkies for that matter?


BTW, have you read any of the articles you listed?

MJ as a gateway drug? You can say the same thing about tobacco, alcohol.

MJ as a cancer risk? Not the active ingredient. It's inhaling the smoke, same as inhaling any other smoke: tobacco, gasoline, wood, etc.

MJ as a heart attack risk? quote from one article: "As an immediate trigger for heart attack, marijuana is less risky than a spurt of exercise for a couch potato or a snort of cocaine. But marijuana smoke is about twice as dangerous as exercise for a fit person, sex for a sedentary person, a tantrum of anger or a bout of anxiety. " Big deal. Not.

MJ risk for viral infection? Geez, look at the title of one of the articles: "Regular Marijuana Use Increases Risk Of Hepatitis C-Related Liver Damage". Look if you have hepatitis C, you're screwed already.

How about that Kaposi sarcoma article? "While most people are not at risk from Kaposi's sarcoma herpes virus (KSHV), researchers say those with lowered immune systems, such as AIDS patients or transplant recipients, are more susceptible to developing the sarcoma as a result of infection." No kidding, eh? KS overwhelmingly occurs in immunosuppressed people.

I could go on, but I have better things to do than refuting an MJ naysayer who is also not supportive of making tobacco and alcohol illegal.

 

[xj0hnx]

And how are any of those things different from tobacco, EtOH use? Or eating Twinkies for that matter?


BTW, have you read any of the articles you listed?

MJ as a gateway drug? You can say the same thing about tobacco, alcohol.

MJ as a cancer risk? Not the active ingredient. It's inhaling the smoke, same as inhaling any other smoke: tobacco, gasoline, wood, etc.

MJ as a heart attack risk? quote from one article: "As an immediate trigger for heart attack, marijuana is less risky than a spurt of exercise for a couch potato or a snort of cocaine. But marijuana smoke is about twice as dangerous as exercise for a fit person, sex for a sedentary person, a tantrum of anger or a bout of anxiety. " Big deal. Not.

MJ risk for viral infection? Geez, look at the title of one of the articles: "Regular Marijuana Use Increases Risk Of Hepatitis C-Related Liver Damage". Look if you have hepatitis C, you're screwed already.

How about that Kaposi sarcoma article? "While most people are not at risk from Kaposi's sarcoma herpes virus (KSHV), researchers say those with lowered immune systems, such as AIDS patients or transplant recipients, are more susceptible to developing the sarcoma as a result of infection." No kidding, eh? KS overwhelmingly occurs in immunosuppressed people.

I could go on, but I have better things to do than refuting an MJ naysayer who is also not supportive of making tobacco and alcohol illegal.

Come on, don't stop now, it's just getting good. Gateway drug is the most laughable, yea, because no one gets started with alcohol, pot's the dangerous one. It's amazing how many people in this country are so blindly lead by industry, and government bullshit.

 

[Ns1]

wall of text

You should try a similar analysis with legal things as well.

Start with alcohol, lunesta, and ambien.


here, I love this one so I'll start. Would you rather smoke or take ambien to PTFO?

Side-effects at any dose may include:

* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Anterograde amnesia
* Hallucinations, through all physical senses, of varying intensity
* Delusions
* Altered thought patterns
* Ataxia or poor motor coordination, difficulty maintaining balance[30]
* Euphoria and/or dysphoria
* Increased appetite
* Decreased libido
* Amnesia
* Impaired judgment and reasoning
* Uninhibited extroversion in social or interpersonal settings
* Increased impulsivity
* When stopped, rebound insomnia may occur
* Headaches in some people
* Short term memory loss

Some users have reported unexplained sleepwalking while using zolpidem, and a few have reported driving, binge eating, sleep talking, and performing other daily tasks while sleeping. Research by Australia's National Prescribing Service found that these events mostly occur after the first dosage taken or within a few days of starting therapy.[31] Rare reports of sexual parasomnia episodes related to zolpidem intake have also been reported.[32] The sleepwalker can sometimes perform these tasks as normally as they might if they were awake. They can sometimes carry on complex conversations and respond appropriately to questions or statements so much so that the observer may believe the sleepwalker to be awake. This is similar to, but unlike, typical sleep talking, which can usually be identified easily and is characterised by incoherent speech that often has no relevance to the situation or that is so disorganised as to be completely unintelligible. A person under the influence of this medication may seem fully aware of their environment even though they are still asleep. This can bring about concerns for the safety of the sleepwalker and others. These side-effects may be related to the mechanism that also causes zolpidem to produce its hypnotic properties.[33] It is unclear whether the drug is responsible for the behavior, but a class-action lawsuit was filed against Sanofi-Aventis in March 2006 on behalf of those that reported symptoms.[34]

where's the outrage?

Risk of OD with MJ = none
Risk of OD with ambien =

An overdose of zolpidem may cause excessive sedation, pin-point pupils, depressed respiratory function, which may progress to coma and possibly death. Zolpidem combined with alcohol, opiates or other CNS depressants may be even more likely to lead to fatal overdoses. Zolpidem overdosage can be treated with the benzodiazepine receptor antagonist flumazenil, which displaces zolpidem from its binding site the benzodiazepine receptor and therefore rapidly reverses the effects of zolpidem

 

[Ns1]

Lunesta is great too

Side effects

Eszopiclone has fewer anticholinergic side effects than racemic zopiclone.[10] The following side effects may occur from usage of eszopiclone (Lunesta):[11]

Common side effects can include:

* unpleasant bitter or metallic taste
* headaches
* chest pain
* cold-like symptoms
* pain
* dry mouth
* daytime drowsiness
* lightheadedness
* dizziness
* upset stomach
* decreased sexual desire
* painful menstruation (periods)
* heartburn

Less common side effects can include:

* rashes
* itching
* incoordination
* swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
* painful or frequent urination
* back pain

neuropsychiatric adverse effects reported include;[12]

* aggressive behavior
* confusion
* agitation
* auditory and visual hallucinations
* worsening of depression
* suicidal thoughts
* depersonalisation
* amnesia

If a person does not sleep immediately after taking eszopiclone or if they get up shortly after taking the medication they may experience dizziness, lightheadedness, hallucinations (seeing things or hearing voices that are not there), as well as problems with coordination and memory.

Increased risk of depression

Some researchers have claimed that insomnia causes depression and hypothesized that insomnia medications may help to treat depression. However, an analysis of data of clinical trials submitted to the FDA concerning the drugs zolpidem, zaleplon and eszopiclone found that these sedative hypnotic drugs more than doubled the risks of developing depression compared to those taking placebo pills. Hypnotic drugs therefore may be contraindicated in patients suffering from or at risk of depression. Hypnotics were found to be more likely to cause depression than to help it. Studies have found that long term users of sedative hypnotic drugs have a markedly raised suicide risk as well as an overall increased mortality risk. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for insomnia on the other hand has been found to both improve sleep quality as well as general mental health.[13]

 

[xj0hnx]

Risk of OD with MJ = none
Risk of OD with ambien =

An overdose of zolpidem may cause excessive sedation, pin-point pupils, depressed respiratory function, which may progress to coma and possibly death.

Fear not, even with side effects similar to heroin it's ok because the government said so, and soccer moms aren't afraid of it.

And just a small correction, I believe they did finally come up with how much weed you'd need to smoke to "OD", if I remember correctly it's something like 28 lbs worth all at once. Of course I don't think that's from the active cannabinoids, but probably toxic shock from the smoke lol.

 

[LunarRay]

PopTech,

I think we are... or at least I am speaking to the Medical Use of MJ...

IF a person has let's say Aids and can't eat and MJ enables her to eat that is a good thing regardless of her getting fat from 'munchies'... Or if she lives another 40 years she may have heart issues and etc...
Usually, folks who benefit from MMJ are folks who are not all that concerned with tomorrow's factors while they deal with today's. (quality of life vs quantity of life)
Studies show substantial pain relief when used in conjunction with Opioids... Reducing the need to increase the one in favor of the other.
Gateway drug is not a term used by folks already Rx'd Oxy for instance... Standing on the beach during a rain storm creates little worry about getting your feet wet from the ocean surf...

There is at least as much Medical benefit from the chemicals in MJ as there are from any of the (CSA) schedule 2 chemicals... AND, I don't think one can argue that there is a greater propensity for abuse from MJ as there is from say Oxycontin.

 

[Zebo]

State telling you what you can put into your body is saying they own your body. And people bitch about taxes? Chump change whatever you pay compared to person. And I didn't see money in listed among the "unalienable rights" or "sovereign rights of man" but I did see "life."

 

[Zebo]

nanny drivel

What gives you the right to tell someone what they can do to their own body?

 

[EagleKeeper]

What gives you the right to tell someone what they can do to their own body?

When it impacts your ability to safely interact with the public

 

[Ns1]

When it impacts your ability to safely interact with the public

welcome to a laundry list of already legal substances.

 

[alchemize]

Re: in the order of your statement.

The first two Para indicate a belief that folks can scam and MDs don't screen (in all cases, I presume). An MD who Rx's Oxy uses the same criteria based on diagnosis as they would MJ... in fact MJ augments Oxy quite nicely raising the efficacy of the pain reduction properties according to a recent UCSD study on the topic.
Folks brag about lots of stuff and if they can get Rx'd MJ then I'd imagine they'd get Rx'd Oxy too. It is all about the objective analysis that provides the diagnosis that enables folks to consume any CSA chemical.

I don't know about Colorado or anywhere else but in California the statute is pretty clear... The 'prescribing' Physician has to have more than a simple subjective statement from the patient. There are six people I personally know (at the VA) who were denied - by a clinic outside VA - because their records did not indicate those folks met the criteria... Now, it is incumbent on the individual to get the testing done to confirm a malady that does meet the criteria...

I don't use MJ.... I have a card... Someday I may use it to replace the Oxy or augment it... I'm personally not in favor of my using it cuz it is still Illegal Federally... that bothers me. But I do support others who I know benefit and hope that the laws get tightened to eliminate the abuse you speak to... I just have not seen that abuse locally.

End of day.... MJ is a chemical... and the criteria for the CSA among the four per level... Schedule 1 has no medical use.. While Schedule 2 does... and then there is the propensity for abuse etc... (there are other criteria as well)


I don't think MJ will ever be legalized for over the counter vis a vis cigarettes/booze in this century because the findings don't support it... Get rid of the medical use restriction and you've still the abuse... and the rest.
MJ seems to be no different than booze from my perspective... both chemicals that alter the mind function to some extent...

MJ is *not* a chemical, any more than a chocolate is a chemical. It is a vast composition of cannabanoids created only created in nature. It is a unique combination of chemicals with infinite possibilities in that composition.

Alcohol is a chemical: C2H5OH
Meth is a chemical: C10H15N

 

[xj0hnx]

When it impacts your ability to safely interact with the public

Apparently that doesn't matter since I can have truck loads of alcohol, and bottles of Xanax, both of which "impact ones ability to safely interact with the public". Fact is that doesn't have ANYTHING to do with it whatsoever, it has 100% to do with politics and industry.