The federal government last week warned medical marijuana dispensaries to shut down or face consequences and now those dispensaries have received the support of a powerful group, the California Medical Association.
Members of the association believe that marijuana must be legalized and regulated so they can study and test the effects marijuana has on the body in patients most in need.
Speaking about the groups decision CMA president-elect Dr. James T. Hay announced:
“This was a carefully considered, deliberative decision made exclusively on medical and scientific grounds. As physicians, we need to have a better understanding about the benefits and risks of medicinal cannabis so that we can provide the best care possible to our patients.”
Dr. Hay says that while his organization is the first to take such a stance “it won’t be the last” as other states lawmakers begin to realize the positive effects marijuana can have on medicine.
The California Medical Association represents the largest group of doctors in the state and the measure was passed unanimously by association leaders.
According to the group it’s impossible under current policies to fully understand the effects of marijuana on the body since better research can not be conducted when Marijuana is classified as a Class 1 drug. As the organization has pointed out, marijuana is currently decriminalized but it is not legal on a federal level, leaving many physicians to stray away from in-depth research.
Who would have thunk it? More than 35,000 California physicians have finally decided to call for some 'effective harm reduction'. I wonder when they'll decide it's time to fully recognized 'sound medical science'?
OOPS, MARIJUANA MAY PREVENT CANCER (PART 1):
Federal researchers implanted several types of cancer, including leukemia and lung cancers, in mice, then treated them with cannabinoids (unique, active components found in marijuana). THC and other cannabinoids shrank tumors and increased the mice's lifespans. Munson, AE et al. Antineoplastic Activity of Cannabinoids. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Sept. 1975. p. 597-602.
OOPS, MARIJUANA MAY PREVENT CANCER, (PART 2):
In a 1994 study the government tried to suppress, federal researchers gave mice and rats massive doses of THC, looking for cancers or other signs of toxicity. The rodents given THC lived longer and had fewer cancers, "in a dose-dependent manner" (i.e. the more THC they got, the fewer tumors). NTP Technical Report On The Toxicology And Carcinogenesis Studies Of 1-Trans- Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, CAS No. 1972-08-3, In F344/N Rats And B6C3F Mice, Gavage Studies. See also, "Medical Marijuana: Unpublished Federal Study Found THC-Treated Rats Lived Longer, Had Less Cancer," AIDS Treatment News no. 263, Jan. 17, 1997.
OOPS, MARIJUANA MAY PREVENT CANCER (PART 3):
Researchers at the Kaiser-Permanente HMO, funded by NIDA, followed 65,000 patients for nearly a decade, comparing cancer rates among non-smokers, tobacco smokers, and marijuana smokers. Tobacco smokers had massively higher rates of lung cancer and other cancers. Marijuana smokers who didn't also use tobacco had no increase in risk of tobacco-related cancers or of cancer risk overall. In fact their rates of lung and most other cancers were slightly lower than non-smokers, though the difference did not reach statistical significance. Sidney, S. et al. Marijuana Use and Cancer Incidence (California, United States). Cancer Causes and Control. Vol. 8. Sept. 1997, p. 722-728.
OOPS, MARIJUANA MAY PREVENT CANCER (PART 4):
Donald Tashkin, a UCLA researcher whose work is funded by NIDA, did a case-control study comparing 1,200 patients with lung, head and neck cancers to a matched group with no cancer. Even the heaviest marijuana smokers had no increased risk of cancer, and had somewhat lower cancer risk than non-smokers (tobacco smokers had a 20-fold increased Lung Cancer risk). Tashkin D. Marijuana Use and Lung Cancer: Results of a Case-Control Study. American Thoracic Society International Conference. May 23, 2006.
OOPS, MARIJUANA DOES HAVE GREAT MEDICAL VALUE:
In response to passage of California's medical marijuana law, the White House had the Institute of Medicine (IOM) review the data on marijuana's medical benefits and risks. The IOM concluded, "Nausea, appetite loss, pain and anxiety are all afflictions of wasting, and all can be mitigated by marijuana." The report also added, "we acknowledge that there is no clear alternative for people suffering from chronic conditions that might be relieved by smoking marijuana, such as pain or AIDS wasting." The government's refusal to acknowledge this finding caused co-author John A. Benson to tell the New York Times that the government "loves to ignore our report … they would rather it never happened." Joy, JE, Watson, SJ, and Benson, JA. Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base. National Academy Press. 1999. p. 159. See also, Harris, G. FDA Dismisses Medical Benefit From Marijuana. New York Times. Apr. 21, 2006
Soooooo it seems to me that the "US Govt" legalized all this medical marujuana for a couple of years for the sole purpose of getting all thenames and addresses of these individulas who are using it and now they are going to come gunning for everone!
lol
so do u think they should do it
The government has had more than 40 years to do the studies on the effects of medical cannabis.
Just what the hell are they waiting for? People are in need of good medication that really works. Instead, they give you vicodan, that can kill your liver! get with the program. Cannabis is all natural. It has been on this planet for millions of years. Do you want something to kill the pain that man created? Or something that has been in use since the dawn of time?
Marty Putnam I dont trust anything "they" do or say ! I think it should be just as legal as any other herb that grows from the earth is. And taxed in the same manner. Its unimaginable that with all the health consequences that tobacco causes that this is even an issue. If doritos caused the same health issues that tobacco does "they" would take it off the market in two seconds. They dont have a single right to accept one more dollar of tax money from anything until they stop their incessant corruption. This country has gone to Hell in a bucket.
I have two knees that are shot, two shoulders that are shot, 1 hip that is shot. I'm always in pain, and tried every pain killer out there and still have pain. Some days, just getting out of bed to go to work is an adventure all of it's own. And to boot, NO HEALTH INSURANCE!!!!! So, What is the answer?
Heather Roy wow
I think it should be made legal for medicinal purposes. I am sick and tired of the pharmaceutical companies pushing their poison on us. God put these herbs on this earth for a reason. all of the prescription drugs out there cause more problems than they help. I have fibromyalgia, degenerated discs, neuropathy, and arthritis and I opt for herbals and homeopathic. they all work if you give them a day.
It is a NATURAL HERB, it is NOT a DRUG, it has HEALING PROPERTIES & we now know it can CURE , TOTALLY REMOVE/CURE MOST CANCERS! It helps with MOST pains we "WORKING -CLASS " have, due to the fact we actually WORK, most of us @ HARD LABOR JOBS, THESE JOBS WILL/DO make our bodies, joints, etc. wear out, especially if you are one of the lucky ones, like myself who worked over a total of 33 YEARS at a repetitive job, like, EVERY DAY scanning/stocking/sacking groceries at our local Kroger stores, at all hours, day & night & before that I worked at a machine shop for about 5 yrs… all of that moving, motion ALL DAY L-O-N-G WILL WEAR-OUT YOUR JOINTS IN YOUR BODY, PRETTY FAST, that's what happened to me! When I worked I ALWAYS GAVE THEM 11O %+. Now I'm on disability, like MOST my age.
& we NEED Medical marijuana, but can't have it! 
& DON'T want to go around like a criminal, either! 
I think it should be LEGAL & FREE FOR ALL, I DON;T THINK IT SHOULD EVEN HAVE A PRICE ON IT! LIKE I SAID… IT'S A NATURAL -GOD-GIVEN-HERB! & IF it is prices/sold… it needs to be at a price ALL can AFFORD! TAXED, LIKE ANY OTHER HERB IS, NO MORE!
Bottom line MJ is less dangerous than alcohol and more effective than narcotic pain meds, legalize it, tax it and lets move on already! More money in the economy and less people in prison, its a win-win duh!
I was told by the doctor this would help relieve my pain and help me to relax. I'm really high stung instead of taking pain killers all the time. which can be bad after a length of time. and my pain and sickness be a length of time. shoot, I hear there is businesses in ca that actually make different sort of foods that have it in it. so you wouldn't have to smoke it.
Cannabis needs to be legalized and taxed and regulated. I am a 26 yr old cancer survivor from NE. Ne has no tolerance on marijuana. I tried everything I could for the nausea and pain that I was having going through radiation and chemo therapies. None of the prescribed medications worked for me @ all. I think that the government needs to get off a their high horses and actually allow the herb, that has no man made ingredients, in which to have side affects.
that wont harm you. At least allow the research. All medications now have research studies done.
Yup here in CA we have dispensaries all over that provide everything from straight buds, to edibles (mostly cookies, fudge, cakes, suckers, jello etc) and even butter and oils that are produces from cannibus extracts. As long as you have a doctors recommendation for use of such substance, you can freely walk in, pick out your desired products, pay and walk out with no problems. The local government gets paid taxes (both in sales and property) local co-ops get employed (more taxes paid) and the local thug loses interest in selling this product illegally on the street so guess what…crime goes down in the area (taxes saved). It works out well and here in CA the Feds can bark all they want, we just show them they are ..|.. (#1) and move on with our lives.
Tom Morris i totally agree…. plus comparing it to alcohol…. 1. have never seen a person want to fight smoking weed; 2. no drunk killing. usually they drive slower or not even go out. 3. they don't get mad. and 4. will help the sales in stores go up in food. it's all a win;win. smile. and i'm not a weed smoker.
WE NEED 54 MORE SIGNATURES TODAY.
END MARIJUANA & HEMP PROHIBITION.
WHITE HOUSE PETITION.
DEADLINE TOMORROW OCT. 23
http://wh.gov/gP1
Please! Hurry & click & sign,
so our petition will.
Qualify for an official White.
House response! It needs
5,000 total signatures.
Adults & kids age 13 & up can sign!
http://wh.gov/gP1
This is an UMBRELLA petition that.
covers all hemp, cannabis and marijuana.
legal issues by Ending Prohibition.