Medical Marijuana Opinions

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Specializes in Case Management, ICU, Telemetry.

What do you think about the possible legalization and taxation of Medical Marijuana in the US?

I think that this is a very interesting subject and I like to hear other people's opinions.

Please see my reasons and tell me what you think about each of them. :) Thank you!

My Opinion:

I think that Marijuana should be legalized, taxed and regulated (Like alcohol and tobacco).

Reasons:

1)__ It is VERY beneficial with people with some ailments, and with the lack of dependency and withdrawls is a great alternative to things like narcotic pain medication.

2)__ Taxing Marijuana can be extremely rewarding for the economy, a SINGLE dispensery in northern California paid over $800,000.00 in taxes in a SINGLE year... we could use this money during a recession to avoid cutting costs on government programs that people depend on.

3)__ There are very little downsides to people using marijuana, if it is eaten or used via vaporizor there are ZERO downsides other than the possibility of people driving while impaired, but this danger is exists with everything from Alcohol to NyQuil to Sleep Deprivaiton.

4)__ Not is single death has been recorded exclusively because of the use of marijuana.

5)__ MILLIONS of dollars are spent each year arresting, presecuting and detaining people that have consume, sell, or cultivate marijuana. 70% of the Federal drug enforcement budget goes to enforcing laws reguarding marijuana, the other 30% is divided between Meth, Crack, Heroin, Cocaine, Extacy, Date Rape Drug, Illegal Perscription Drugs, Acid, mushrooms ect.

What do you guys think? Why do you think that it is still Federally illegal, even for medical purposes? What do you think should happen?

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There are a bunch of existing threads here about this same question -- you could use the "search" button to find them if you want to read what folks have already discussed.

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Specializes in Case Management, ICU, Telemetry.

I did search for it and the most recent threads that came up were from up to six months ago...

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

One could bump it and get a few more comments.

This a very old argument with valid points on both sides. Very little has changed, though bumping it could get a few more.

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Item #4 sounds like an internet myth. I recall years ago, a high school party where a stoned classmate electricuted himself after climbing an electric pole. Plenty of instances of stoned auto drivers crashing as well.

We could use the revenue for sure. It'd would be a profitable way to help shut down mexican drug cartels, reduce crime, encourage small biz, etc.

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Specializes in VA-BC, CRNI.
Item #4 sounds like an internet myth. I recall years ago, a high school party where a stoned classmate electricuted himself after climbing an electric pole. Plenty of instances of stoned auto drivers crashing as well.

We could use the revenue for sure. It'd would be a profitable way to help shut down mexican drug cartels, reduce crime, encourage small biz, etc.

I think he is referring to no overdose ever recorded....

Either way there is 0 reason to legalize it since there is already Marinol.

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I think he is referring to no overdose ever recorded....

Either way there is 0 reason to legalize it since there is already Marinol.

Many people complain that Marinol doesn't work as well for their sxs as "the real thing," although I have no idea how valid those complaints may be.

You say there is no reason to legalize it -- well, what reason is there for it to be illegal? It is a lot less dangerous, and does a lot less damage to individuals and society, than alcohol or tobacco, which are legal. What is the rational, practical reason why MJ is illegal, other than that is has been for a long time?? As many others have pointed out, if it were taxed and regulated, the government would make a lot of money from the taxes; it would remove all the negative effects of the drug traffickers from the equation; and would remove a lot of the "forbidden fruit" mystique of pot.

I'm no MJ advocate, but I don't understand why tobacco and ETOH are legal but MJ isn't, other than that's the way it's been for a long time (I can't say that's the way it's always been, because MJ hasn't always been illegal in the US).

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Specializes in VA-BC, CRNI.
Many people complain that Marinol doesn't work as well for their sxs as "the real thing," although I have no idea how valid those complaints may be.

You say there is no reason to legalize it -- well, what reason is there for it to be illegal? It is a lot less dangerous, and does a lot less damage to individuals and society, than alcohol or tobacco, which are legal. What is the rational, practical reason why MJ is illegal, other than that is has been for a long time?? As many others have pointed out, if it were taxed and regulated, the government would make a lot of money from the taxes; it would remove all the negative effects of the drug traffickers from the equation; and would remove a lot of the "forbidden fruit" mystique of pot.

I'm no MJ advocate, but I don't understand why tobacco and ETOH are legal but MJ isn't, other than that's the way it's been for a long time (I can't say that's the way it's always been, because MJ hasn't always been illegal in the US).

Because I hate hippies and do not want to encourage them.

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Because I hate hippies and do not want to encourage them.

Well, that's a good reason ...

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Specializes in VA-BC, CRNI.

Ok to get serious about this...

Tobacco and ETOH are regulated differently, they are not scheduled drugs by the FDA and are regulated through different laws and methods.

Marijuana is a schedule I because it has shown to be of no use in medicine...or at least the case has not been adequately shown to be better than Marinol and in fact the use of Marijuana has been linked to several cancers and brain disorders...most likely from the tar, smoke and other nasties in the actual plant itself.

Marinol, synthetic THC, is a schedule III since it has shown to be of a benefit. It offers all the benefits of Marijuana without the carcinogens and other nasties.

To answer the question why is it illegal in the first place well you would have to make the Constitutional argument of why is ANYTHING illegal. My body, I can put anything in it I want right? Well good luck with that argument...

Now to answer the "Well Marinol is not as effective as Marijuana" dilemma well consider the placebo effect and dosage. Your 2.5mg dose of Marinol BID cannot compete with Q1h bong hits. Plus just the act of smoking can be very stimulating. Its why nicotine patches suck and having a nice long drag on a smoke is more soothing.

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Marijuana is a schedule I because it has shown to be of no use in medicine...or at least the case has not been adequately shown to be better than Marinol and in fact the use of Marijuana has been linked to several cancers and brain disorders...most likely from the tar, smoke and other nasties in the actual plant itself.

MArijuana is a schedule one because the moral overlords of this country decided it should be...

The policy in effect was the same policy that spawned movies like 'Reefer Madness.'

The federal government WILL be legalizing it though. The writing is on the wall.

MAny states have legalized it. It's a shoo in in DC and Obama's DOJ has already stated it will no longer pursue medical marijuana users/distributers.

The battle is over.

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Specializes in VA-BC, CRNI.
MArijuana is a schedule one because the moral overlords of this country decided it should be...

The policy in effect was the same policy that spawned movies like 'Reefer Madness.'

The federal government WILL be legalizing it though. The writing is on the wall.

Many states have legalized it. It's a shoo in in DC and Obama's DOJ has already stated it will no longer pursue medical marijuana users/distributers.

The battle is over.

Any argument as to the medical benefits over Marinol?

8 out of 50 is not many...

And yes the Feds do have the right to regulate substances under the Commerce Clause. This has been held up many times in the Supreme Court including the recent Gonzales v. Raich case. The fact is not only do they have the right but the moral obligation to control and limit certain substances... You don't want Heroin being sold over OTC at Walmart.

The Feds will not be legalizing it anytime soon...most likely not in our lifetime. To think otherwise is silly and you must be smoking too much lol. Marijuana is too divisive of an issue to be settled anytime soon (much like abortion), not without a major Supreme Court decision, which the Supreme court has many many times upheld the illegalization of Marijuana.

Obama's DOJ says they will not pursue but a couple more years and it won't be Obama's DOJ anymore... Plus who cares about the DOJ? The DEA is a different animal with their own intentions.

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