Do you think patients should have the right to use medical marijuana?

I am in no way presenting my own experience as research. However, like any other human being, I base my opinions on what I've observed.

That said, I am VERY familiar with the life of the alcoholic and the life of the "pothead". There are extremes in both of these cases as well. My grandfather was an alcoholic. He was abusive to my father, his mother, and his siblings. Most of my father's siblings were/are alcoholics. My dad was a pothead. Most of his siblings ended up in psychiatric care at least once in their lives, and two of them ended up in LTC facilities for psychiatric issues due to alcoholism. His brother killed himself while intoxicated and severely depressed due to a long ETOH bender. My dad on the other hand always provided for his 4 children, was never admitted for psychiatric issues, and I had NEVER known he even smoked pot until I was in my 20s.

There is the extreme for those who smoke MJ as well. Some of my dad's friends were always broke and one in particular lived with his daughter in a shack so small you could consider it a shed.

I was in the US Navy as well and witnessed violence, DUIs, pregnancies and accidents than I even care to think about due to the use of ETOH. In high school I knew plenty of my peers who were smoking pot and always had that glazed-over look on their faces and no motivation--most of whom dropped out in 10th and 11th grade.

From what I've witnessed, I know without a doubt I feel more comfortable with the general population smoking pot than drinking alcohol. Those who drink ETOH can be unpredictable, while those who get stoned are almost always sitting around finding something docile to amuse themselves.

I won't lie. I've smoked marijuana. I'd smoke it on my days off if it were legal. I have drank alcohol as well. I never drink alcohol anymore. During a wild night, it is fairly easy to get alcohol poisoning. I heard some statistics years ago that a human would have to consume pounds of marijuana in order to overdose. If marijuana were controlled and legalized, the dangers of the "laced doobie" would be a lot less likely too.

I'm not a religious person. I don't think it has a place in a legal system that is supposed to be run "by the people and for the people" seeing as not ALL of "the people" are going to agree on religion. And personally, I feel like employer mandated drug testing violates the constitution.

And if you don't like any part of my argument thus far, remember this: no matter WHAT is illegal, there will always be a way to get it illegally. There are always going to be those who will break the law. But then, we knew that being in the country with the largest percentage of its citizens behind bars. By supporting such a rule-for-the-sake-of-having-a-rule, we're not helping those who need the most help. We're keeping those with plenty enough self control from participating--including those who might even benefit but are afraid of spending their last days in jail.

I live in ohio, and medical marijuana is not legal. However, last week I had a patient on Marinol which is a synthetic cannabinoid to stimulate appetite. Just curious if anyone knew what the difference is? If they are going to allow a synthetic why not just make it legal. Doesn't make any sense to me.

I think everyone should be able to use marijuana just like alcohol is used, same laws and all. You can use pot without being a 'pothead' just like you can drink alcohol without being an alcoholic. After we took boards in the 70's, we celebrated by drinking champagne and smoking pot in the motel room. At nursing parties in CA and TX and AR we smoked pot and drank whatever. It did not affect our jobs the next day nor did it turn us into blank-staring potheads. In fact, the drinking was more likely to hurt us (or someone else) than the smoking.

It's ridiculous that patients in pain can't legally obtain it because so many people don't care enough to have the silly law changed. Just because it's illegal now doesn't mean it should be.

absolutely. Regulated and taxed medical marijuana should be available for a variety of conditions.

I mean we give a version of heroine all the time. Morphine

Absolutely. Yes. I think everyone should have the right to. Call me a hippy, but I think the "system" put a an illegal stigma on it to make sure the cig biz didn't go dry.

I entirely think that pot should be legal for medical use. I read an interesting article which i felt was relevant...

Marijuana use among Dutch citizens is lower than the European average, according to survey data published last week in a report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). According to the 2009 annual report, entitled "The State of the Drugs Problem in Europe," among adults in the Netherlands, 5.4 percent are cannabis users, compared with the European average of 6.8 percent.

Pretty interesting considering that in the Netherlands, pot is not only legal, it is sold in coffee shops on almost every corner.

During the last 2 years of his life, my son-in-law struggled to gain weight. He had end stage Cystic Fibrosis and could not keep his weight up despite tube feedings etc. His doctors finally prescribed marrinol for him and it did help. Weight was a very important issue for him since he was awaiting a lung transplant and wouldn't be eligible if he kept losing weight. Unfortunately, he died the same week he was to be put on the list for transplant. We miss him so very much!

So sorry for your loss.

Dear CountryMom, Thanks so much!