Pompo

Medical Marijuana is Snake Oil Remedy
4/26/08|Duluth News Tribune| by David Taylor and Jeanette McDougal

Most Minnesota government officials want the best possible health and safety measures for their fellow citizens. Legalizing as medicine marijuana cigarettes not approved by the Food and Drug Administration or Minnesota Health Department is not such a measure.
What is called “medical marijuana” is a toxic, tar-laden weed used in various forms (cigarettes, bowls, bongs and brownies). Users generally are seeking the “high-producing” chemical, tetrahydrocannabinol — THC — one of the 66 bio-active chemicals (cannabinoids) found only in marijuana.

THC pills have been available by medical prescription for at least 20 years. Do we really need a THC cigarette when a THC pill is legally and medically available?

Smoking a weed for medicine is the pharmacological equivalent of eating moldy bread for penicillin or eating poppy seeds for morphine. All contain contaminants, and none in their raw form is approved for safety and efficacy by the FDA.

Physicians worldwide — in the United States, England, Holland, and especially Canada — are concerned about their liability, should harm result to their patients.

There already has been “medical marijuana” fallout in this country. Several homeowners’ insurance companies in California have paid claims for marijuana plant theft. A user sued Delta Airlines for not being able to smoke at the airport or take his pot on the plane. The California Supreme Court has ruled that employers may fire workers for using physician-recommended marijuana.

Legislation legalizing medical marijuana would bypass the eight factors passed by Congress in 1970 that must be considered by the FDA and the Drug Enforcement Agency when scheduling a controlled substance.

There is a growing body of scientific evidence, including a 2005 study done in The Netherlands, that shows the use of marijuana leads to increased psychotic symptoms. Numerous studies have linked marijuana use to early-onset schizophrenia.

Does the state of Minnesota have a process for approving medicine? If not, might the state (or its doctors) be held liable for harms caused to citizens by non-medically approved, toxic, tar-laden marijuana cigarettes? Who would pay damages to citizens after toxic marijuana cigarettes made some of them sick? Who would pay treatment and/or mental health costs for those who become addicted? Develop psychosis?

Would school students be able to smoke their medical pot on school grounds? In California, some have.

Is smoking medical marijuana cigarettes covered under the Minnesota Clean Air Act? If so, what are the provisions?

How would children and others be protected from secondhand marijuana smoke?

Would users be able to drive vehicles after smoking?

Does the state of Minnesota have the necessary law enforcement resources to patrol medical marijuana grows and dispensaries?

The known and potential hazards are too great. Minnesota citizens want safe and effective medicines, and they look to their public officials to protect them from harmful snake oil remedies.

David Taylor of Duluth is a social worker for the school district and served as a chemical health specialist for 20 years in Douglas County and the Duluth Public Schools. He’s associated with Drug Watch International and Drug Watch Minnesota and has researched and lectured extensively on “The Truth About Marijuana.”

Jeanette McDougal of Osceola, Ark., is a retired violence and drug abuse prevention teacher in St. Paul Public Schools, chairwoman of the Hemp Committee of Drug Watch International, and former Co-Chair of Drug Watch Minnesota. She helped draft the Minnesota Vulnerable Adults Protection Act in 1980 and was recipient of the Minnesota Professional Journalists Freedom Of Information Award in 1982 for work to keep public records public.

Freedom_User

Things like this piss me off... They immediatly go to sources such as the D.E.A and the FDA. The D.E.A will do anything to keep money in there pockets, so of course... They will say its 'harmful snake oil remedies.'(Hey! Great new age propaganda!) The FDA doesn't want medical marijuana because it isn't cooked up and formed into a pill.

Everything we do in this world today, has serious side effects. I would much rather go with a medicine that I cannot die from, and has little to no side effects.

I know, let me look behind this prescription that I paid $100 for and read off these side effects. Oh but wait, I must read it well, because I don't want to take to many and later have my stomach pumped!

__________________
The feds continually use and twist this simple clause as an excuse to expand their own power - at the expense of our liberty.

"If you shot a ton of pot to the Sun, will it burn up and get everyone high?"

Vicki

Yes we do because the THC capsule (Marinol) sucks, and does not work as well as the natural plant does. I'd rather have a natural plant than a capsule you make, and who knows what other ingredients you're sticking in there too.

So what? Just because the FDA doesn't approve the plant because it's not to their advantage, doesn't bother me one bit.

Yes, they should be protected from snake oil remedies, so why do you go start talking to the Pharmaceutical Companies/Doctors that are using patients as guinea pigs, trying these drugs just to see if they work. "Oh, that didn't work? Let's try this one, and this one, and this one...." I can say truthfully that I have seen side effects everytime I've taken an RX medication, but never with marijuana. Gee, why is that?

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eltone

[quote] Here, Here, you took the informed, experienced words right out of my mouth. So far 160 Deaths have happened where Marinol was the prime suspect, 0 Deaths where marijuana was the cause, I've been on Marinol now going on 2 years, first the 2.5mg strength then the 5mg strength and soon to try the 10mg version. Why? Because it takes an hour to work, it costs more than the plant and is not as effective. I can testify to the fact that Marijuana is much better than Marinol any day, as long as it is at least 10% THC, preferably 20-25% Cannabis has proven to reduce if not illiminate addiction to opiate anelgesics. I was addicted, by doctors, to opiate anelgesics I've gotten off all but one which I will finish detoxing off in July. Its been almost 2 years getting me off opiates and on MMJ. My quality of life has been improved 100% by being off of opiates, especially methadone. Someday politicians will look back at this time and they will ask themselves, "What the hell were we thinking?" I for one am already yelling this question at the top of my lungs. There does not exist a medication as effecient and safe for the control of chronic nausea and vomiting that I have from Diabetic Neuropathic Gastro Paresis as marijuana. I smoke it and my friend knows how to turn the plant into pills that contain all the cannabinoids for it is from the plant. Peace....

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Peace Out

kcbennie

The only time that Marinol is effective and satisfying is when you take 10 of them and smoke a joint.

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Unregistered

iF ANYBODIE IS LISTNIN I DONT THINK THE 2 PEOPLE WHO WROTE THIS BS EVEN EXIST PROBABLY CREASHUNS OF THE BAD AJINSEES GOOGLE SEE WHAT I MEAN THEY AINT REAL HELP ME EXPOSE THEMPLEZE

albertjames

What is called "medical marijuana" is a toxic, tar-laden weed used in various forms (cigarettes, bowls, bongs and brownies). Users generally are seeking the "high-producing" chemical, tetrahydrocannabinol — THC — one of the 66 bio-active chemicals (cannabinoids) found only in marijuana. THC pills have been available by medical prescription for at least 20 years.
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albertjames
Minnesota Drug Treatment

Vicki

I don't know where you got your quote, but you are wrong. I do not seek a "high." I am seeking relief from pain and nausea, and I am getting it. I have tried Marinol, and it did not work for my pain and nausea.

I find it offensive that you come here plugging a drug treatment program for people that use marijuana as medicine. Since you are not a sick individual, and have never tried using marijuana as medicine, of course you will buy into all the propaganda. Very sad. Maybe you should do some real research, like I have, and continue to do. You will find truth.

GREENFOODGAMES

Like the D.E.A. and F.D.A. are really credible resources do 30 minutes of research on each (as far as mairijuana is concerned, lots of misinformation). Notice the pushing of a THC pill because the drug companies are getting paid on that as opposed to a plant that can be simply grown by most people. I cant believe the long list of body damaging physicly addicting drugs that are legal but pot which is soooooooooooooooo much safer than a lot of them is illegal. I think when it comes to medicine people should have 100% say in what treatment they want(as long as it is a legitiment treatment not weed for athletes foot), if they want a THC pill then let them take the pill if they want to smoke it because for them it works better then let them smoke it just let them have their treatment! It is no one elses buisness how they injest their medicine, if they are oppossed to marijuana treatment then let them discuss it with their doctor not there senator/president - do they have practicing PHD's in medicine to help these people? Now as for the driving on this what about the people who drive on vicadin - handle it the same way.

Herbania

Most anti-depressant drugs are snake oil. Over prescribed for profit and more often than not harming the patient's well being. They were meant for a small minority of people, and now are prescribed for just about everything. We are human, we are meant to be sad sometimes, few patients actually have the "chemical imbalance" the drugs were designed to treat.
Marinol is horrible and insanely expensive, and THC pills don't work. My own doctor has said smoking it is better than taking the medically approved versions.
These are people with an agenda, scare the people about drugs, so more tax money gets spent on them.