Los Angeles Marijuana Clinic Blog

Cannabis experts now discourage smoking the plant as the only real downside to its use is the damage of the smoke to the lining of your lungs. Both methods of inhalation put the active compounds in cannabis directly into your bloodstream, which carries them to your brain where they attach to receptors and cause the well known effects.

You can also eat cannabis in the form of what is called edibles: cookies, brownies, and other food products. When you ingest cannabis, it goes into your intestines, then passes through your liver. Your liver processes THC into a by product called 11-hydroxy-THC, which then travels to the bloodstream and then to your brain.

Edible hemp is quickly becoming a very popular natural food source. As a matter of fact, edible hemp sales have increased some thirty-five percent from last year. Right now, the novelty of the product may be driving the sales up, but the fact is the fad of this new healthy food will not fade away any too soon.

Speaking of facts, I need to clear some negative thoughts out of your brain. Hemp is a cannabis plant like marijuana, but here is where the similarities end. I will explain the difference. Cannabis is the only plant that contains molecular compounds called cannabinoids. There are many different cannabinoids, but I will deal with just two. THC is the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, whereas CBD is the anti-psychoactive cannabinoid. Marijuana is the cannabis that is high in THC (the psychoactive cannabinoid and low in CBD (the anti-psychoactive cannabis). On the other hand, hemp, (Industrial Hemp), is high in CBD and very low in THC.

Still not convinced? Here is another fact; Industrial Hemp contains so little THC that no one can get high from it. In addition, the CBD in Industrial Hemp actually blocks the ability of anyone wanting to get high. You might say it is the “anti-marijuana.”

Now that we have cleared all that up, let us look at the nutritional value of hemp.

* It is an excellent source of protein. The seeds from hemp contain all of the nine amino acids the body needs to build and repair muscle. This is a very rare quality in a plant. This is also good news for vegetarians. They can use hemp seeds as a complete source of protein.

* Hemp also contains omega-3 fatty acids, which can help prevent a heart attack and reduce inflammation. In addition, hemp is mercury free, unlike some seafood that also provides us with our omega-3 fatty acids.

* Hemp is also loaded with nutrients such as fiber, B vitamins, iron and vitamin E. Whole seeds can be purchased in bulk and can be sprinkled on cereal and salads, or mixed in bread dough and muffins, for starters. There is no need to grind them to release the nutrients, which makes them a more convenient health food to use. Hemp oil has a mild and nutty taste to it.

* You can also purchase hemp food products such as butter, cereal, baked goods, and snacks.

All things considered hemp, or Industrial Hemp, is an ideal source for natural protein and several other nutrients.

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Medical marijuana is increasingly becoming the treatment of choice for many chronic back pain patients. Cannabis is much safer than conventional treatment therapies such as over the counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications – NSAIDS – (such as ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, or aspirin) can be helpful but can cause side effects such as stomach upset, nausea, gastric bleeding, and ulcers.

Marijuana, crack cocaine, heroin and crystal meth. According to the US government these are the original terrorists which have been the bane of our society. The government will throw all kinds of statistics out there to show how their war is being won, but they fail to highlight the stats that show the scary rise of prescription drug abuse. Humans are naturally curious creatures and some will find any way to make themselves feel good. Now, thanks to pharmaceutical companies, they can do this legally and not even have to make the trip to the inner city corner and risk arrest or worse. It's as easy as going to your doctor and complaining of an ailment and being given your “ticket” to the pharmacy to score some good dope. Better than the stuff on the street. Best of all, your insurance might actually pay for this. This is the comedy that happens every day in our country and our government sits back and allows it to occur. But when the world's most powerful drug dealer is given free rein on the public and we allow it, then it is our own fault for being so out of touch.

There no longer is such a thing as someone just being plain old crazy, or a child just being hyper. Now these are diagnosed conditions which need to be treated with drugs or extensive therapy. If a child has a lot of energy and expresses this energy the answer is, “he's got ADD” or Attention Deficit Disorder. A child naturally has a deficit of attention; this is part of being a child and quite frankly one of the perks of childhood. There's no need to pay attention, and honestly what most adults have to say doesn't deserve attention. Those few special adults out there who can catch a child's interest are the ones that we need as teachers and mentors. Psychiatrists and doctors do not interest children. Most of them are creepy people who get paid too much money and are out of touch with what that child really needs. Their answer to a child's misbehaving is medication. Parents want that magic pill to make their child “normal”, when in fact most of the time the answer is staring at them every day in the mirror. Better parenting can be the best medication for a child and affect them for the rest of their lives. Instead of a child learning to deal with all the normal feelings of childhood they instead become human drones, told that they need their medication to function. While being told this they are being raised by the live in nanny who shows them murder, sex, war and sometimes even glorifies the same things we tell them not to do. This live in nanny never goes to sleep and will definitely capture the attention of a child (and most adults); she is none other than that box called television.

Thanks to TV, pharmaceutical companies can peddle their wares and invented diseases straight into our living rooms, and by the time a child is twelve years old he will have heard the words erectile dysfunction and depression several thousand times. Words like “restless legs syndrome, seasonal affective disorder (or SAD) and chronic fatigue syndrome” will be part of our culture and people will continue to think that because they are tired or sad something is wrong with them. Having “ants in your pants” now has a real medical name along with being sad, and laziness is a real medical condition.

Organizations like The Partnership for a Drug Free America continue their war against marijuana and the other “bad” drugs, but for some reason they have never spoken out against the tobacco or alcohol industry. Up until a few years ago Philip Morris and Anheuser Busch were two of the biggest donators to The Partnership, and only until this was realized by the public have they ceased to take donations from either organization. Now, the pharmaceutical industry is still one of their biggest supporters giving nearly $5.4 million in 2002 alone. This so called donation might as well be called a bribe because the drug industry doesn't want anyone coming after their products. Alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs kill more people than “illegal” drugs do. So why doesn't The Partnership go after one of them? The simple answer is lobbyists, lots of them. Capitol Hill is full of lobbyists from all three of the legal drug industries who have lots of power and unfortunately any lobbyist for the marijuana industry (if there was such an industry) wouldn't be welcomed. America's war on drugs is not a war against drugs, but instead a war against its own people. Our leaders pass drug laws so that they can all pat each other on the back and make themselves believe that they are protecting us, when they are really only protecting their wallets. But do we really know what our country would be like if drugs were legalized? How could we know if they never have been? Would our children suddenly go on drug binges and become drug addicts overnight? We will never know the answer to this as long as the pharmaceutical industry runs our country with their big payouts to government officials, and if we continue to buy into their “pill for everything theory”.

I have a close friend who for a little over two years now has been struggling with an addiction to the pain killer Percocet. The doctor who he was going to kept giving him new prescriptions for this drug for two years even though it was obvious that he was developing a problem, and everyone else around him knew this. That drug completely tore my friend apart and has probably changed him forever thanks to a doctor who thought just writing a prescription was the answer. Instances like this happen every day and this is usually how people get hooked on pain killers. Because of careless doctors and psychiatrists who know nothing of addiction and how to read the signs, people who otherwise would never touch a drug are becoming drug addicts. A lot of this is caused by pressure from pharmaceutical companies put on the medical profession to sell more of their brands, which is what drugs have become; a brand. Lobbyists for the three legal drug companies need to leave Capitol Hill and the government has to step up its oversight of the entire pharmaceutical industry. After all, we don't want our children to grow up thinking that ants in your pants or being lazy are treatable diseases.

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Marijuana can be used topically (on the skin) to relieve pain from certain conditions. The medication can be a balm, lotion, ointment or rubbing alcohol solution. This is not a new use for marijuana. In fact prior to the time when most many patients became available and people only had plants to use for medication, many patients would soak marijuana leaves in alcohol and apply them as a poultice to an arthritic or swollen joint. It is not known how the topical treatment works as researchers have not fully studied how the medication passes through the skin.

The one major enjoyment that comes along with the season of summer is not just swimming, camping, and enjoying smores by the camp fire. For most woman nowadays tanning has become a summer priority.
We want tans before summer becomes official. We want to look smoking hot, we want to be bronzed, and we want the results as fast as possible. Some woman even cheat the winter months by visiting tanning salons regularly.

I'm going to be honest, like getting a base tan when the sun comes out, and after that I will tan minimally. I do not bake for hours. I just take sun in slowly. However when I want a base tan I usually use a tanning lotion with no SPF. I know, bad! However I do not sit for longer than an hour, and I do not, and will not allow myself to sun bathe for more than 3 or 4 times a summer season.

When I get a base tan I usually bring along a tan enhancer. When I came across an interesting Marijuana leaf logo on the bottle of a tanning lotion, I must say I was intrigued.
This company knows what it's doing, it's attracting a younger generation of teens that may be smoking pot, and it also attracts us older adults who remember being teens, and recall fond memories of getting friendly with Mr. Hippie Grass. I smiled at the little leaf staring back and me, and picked up the bottle. HEMPZ. Oh how original. I found myself laughing next. Then, laughing more, then recalling stoned memories, and before I knew it I was heading out of the store with a $40 bottle of Hempz.

When I cam to my senses I realized the pot had once again sucked me in… it must have a tight hold on me, because I just bought an 8 ounce, $40 bottle of lotion because I thought the label was cute! God am I stoned!? This better be some good sh– haha!
But hey, $40 for 8 ounces… um never mind…

The lotion I so randomly picked up was called Hempz Hot Ultra Dark Tan Maximizer. Okay, so even with the cute pot leaf it still sounded good. Cool man, cool.

The bottle itself is brown of course it clearly reminds me of the color of blunts I once… um never mind…The bottle probably is brown so that way the pot leaf logo can stick out even more. You know, the company wants to make sure all of us pot heads, past, and present notice it.

So I read the bottle, and it claimed that pot, or HEMP, is good for the skin and what not. Blah blah… the lotion also stated that it would leave a red tingly effect after application. Hmm… yeah I know that feeling, it's like the beginning of a buzz…. Gee, how can they be selling this stuff? A buzz for my skin!?

I clicked open the top, and applied my pot lotion all over me. It was white, and absorbed easily. The lotion didn't smell like pot at all. I'm sort of glad though, even when I smoked the greens, I was never fond of the BO like scent.

About 5 minutes later I felt it. SKIN BUZZ! Oh but it wasn't a good skin buzz, my skin felt like it was on fire, being chewed up from the inside out. Fire ants can't even sting this bad. I looked at my body. Red blotches everywhere. I'm burning up…I'm melting…

I quickly ran into the water, but the burn didn't stop. I felt only slightly refreshed, but as my skin dried the burning sensation came back. This was awful. I now looked like a monster. Red splotches all over me. I looked like I broke out in rashes.

A beach goer asked me about the lotion I used, turns out any lotion with a warming tingly sensation will cause you to feel like you are on fire. Then she laughed. I kicked dirt at her though, don't worry.

So much for a base tan. I didn't get any color at all. I did get a burn though, not a sun burn, a pot lotion burn. Basura!- Which is Spanish for GARBAGE! Thats what Hempz Hot Ultra Dark Tan Maximizer is!

OVERALL:

This was a total waste of money. Next time I will pay more attention to the fine print, and not worry about cute logos. It's my own stupidity. Pot smoking was stupid idea when I was a teen, and pot lotion was a stupid idea as an adult. Smoking pot was a better experience, and that made me feel dumb. Wearing it as a tanning enhancer was also a dumb idea, but it hurt hell of a lot more than smoking it ever did.

RECOMMENDATION:

Heck no.

INGREDIENTS:

Contains skin stimulator's to create a redness and extreme warming and tingling sensation on the skin for an enhanced tanning experience. Unipertan P-2002 enhances the tanning process for maximum tanning results. Enriched with pure hemp seed oil and extract for dramatic skin hydration, nourishment and conditioning. Trace minerals help bond moisture to the skin and provide antioxidant properties. Vitamins C and E help neutralize environmentally triggered oxidants and help minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Ordenone helps reduce after-tanning odor. THC-drug free. Has a banana and fresh breezy floral fragrance.

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Some patients find that cannabis keeps them awake but using a good Indica strain will combat this. As many patients know, illness, pain, the ability to recover and to have a decent quality of life all improve with sleep.

The Tiger Woods affairs, scandals, and mistresses all keep getting more and more interesting. Tiger Woods, Ambien, and an alleged sexual relationship with alleged mistress Rachel Uchitel are currently linked together, reports Daily Mail. Whether or not Rachel Uchitel and Tiger Woods had an affair and whether or not the couple had “Ambien sex” has not been confirmed - and don't look for that confirmation any time soon.

Ambien is a sedative that many people take to help them sleep. Many people take Ambien to treat temporary insomnia. Some people report that it makes sex a whole lot better right after taking it. Although the medical information doesn't state that Ambien enhances sexual experiences, it does state that while taking Ambien you may not remember things that you did the night before, and specifically mentions reports of people not remembering that they had sex.

Sources leaked that Rachel Uchitel told them that she and Tiger Woods had “Ambien sex” all the time, and that she even allegedly told one person “'You know you have crazier sex on Ambien - you get into that Ambien haze. We have crazy Ambien sex.”

Ambien sex isn't the only drug-related piece of the Tiger Woods affair pie. Former reality TV extra and alleged mistress #2 Jaimee Grubbs is reported to have worked in a medical marijuana store. Sources say she hasn't been seen around the store in a month.

Even though Jaimee Grubbs working in a medical marijuana store doesn't really mean much - there's no proof that she or Tiger Woods partook in her product - it still is a very interesting piece of her character. Not only did she work as a medical marijuana store clerk, she's been a Las Vegas cocktail waitress, a reality show contestant, and she has a criminal record.

Yes, Tiger Woods allegedly hooked up with someone who has sold legal drugs, worked as a Las Vegas cocktail waitress, and has appeared on national TV.

There are conflicting reports as to why Rachel Uchitel cancelled her news conference yesterday. Some say that Tiger Woods' people paid her seven figures to keep her story to herself. Other reports indicate that she was scared of who she would implicate if she spoke out publicly.

Whether or not Tiger Woods and Rachel Uchitel had “Ambien sex” is something that we won't ever know. It could be a far-fetched rumor. However, it is very unlikely that Tiger Woods will come forward with any details of the alleged affairs. It's also unlikely that Rachel Uchitel will talk. However, stories like this is what keeps the rumor mills going and what keeps the Tiger Woods scandal on the forefront of everyone's mind.

Sources:

Ambien Product Information

UK Daily Mail

New York Daily news

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Many medical marijuana patients are happy to learn about tinctures of cannabis. A tincture is an alcohol-based liquid mixture. It is like a concentrated extract. Currently there are tinctures of cannabis made with alcohol, oil or glycerin. It is a very effective way to use medical cannabis.

After nearly a decade of training and work in the ER, Dr. Craig S. Cohen was ready for something new. “I have followed the Medical Cannabis movement from the sidelines,” he says. “I now joined those physicians who make it a practice to discuss Medical Cannabis with their patients.”

Many people are not aware that although Medical Marijuana or Medical Cannabis is not legal in many states, it is fully legal in some counties in California, despite the efforts of the federal government trying to stop it. Medical Marijuana became legal in California in 1996 when a Bill known as The Compassionate Use Act was passed. It is also known as Proposition 215.

Dr. Cohen says that many people with Cancer have trouble eating because of the medication that they are taking. “Drugs taken for Cancer or Aids,” he says, “can cause nausea or anorexia, and some drugs can make a patient constipated.” Some, with Aids, lose their appetite and lose a tremendous amount of weight.

Because of the negative after effects from drugs or chemotherapy, Dr. Cohen feels very strongly about the use of Medical Marijuana. He tells his patients that there are many ways that they can use marijuana besides smoking it. He suggests to them to add it to their butter or put it into their tea. They can even mix it in a batter when making cookies. “It's a delicious combination,” Dr. Cohen said. He then continued, ” Patients with serious medical problems come to see me, including HIV, AIDS, Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Pain, and Glaucoma.” Although he does not recommend the use of cannabis for recreational use, he does not form any personal judgment if individuals do use it for such a reason.

Dr. Cohen related that he strictly adheres to the guidelines set forth by the Medical Board of California. Each of his patients can expect a thorough medical history and a physical exam before making a recommendation. “I discuss the gargantuan health risk smoking presents to everyone, and recommend use of tinctures, teas, edibles and vaporization,” he stated

Victoria Pellikka, a retired school teacher, after having breast cancer, went for her first chemotherapy treatment. She became so sick after this treatment. “My oncologist ordered a very expensive pill,” she said, “and it didn't help.” Her friend, who tried to help her, made a recipe with marijuana mixed with butter, and cooked it in a tub. She spread it on her toast and it made her feel better. Pellikka went for her chemotherapy once a week for a month. “I took one piece of toast with the butter after my chemo and it helped,” she said.

A patient of Dr. Cohen said that the recipe works well for him. “It has more of an impact than smoking it,” he remarked. At the dispensary, he pays approximately $50 - $100 a month for this product. He said that California State gives each county the right to decide whether they want the drug to be legal or not.

Dr. Cohen said he gets great satisfaction helping his patients feel better. For anyone who is contemplating going through chemotherapy, or is suffering from severe pain and other symptoms, you will want to know about Medical Marijuana.

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The big question about marijuana smoke has always been, “Will it cause cancer?” A review of the scientific literature still does not give a definitive answer but it appears that a leading and well known pulmonologist (lung specialist) from UCLA has found that medical marijuana is unlikely to cause cancer. He has also determined that COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is unlikely as well..

Marijuana is a very misunderstood drug. The controversies on legalization are far too confusing and they vary in different states. What do you do if your doctor prescribes it to you for an illness that you have been diagnosed with? With cancer, glaucoma and other major illnesses that would benefit from the use of marijuana, why would anyone try to stop something that helps increase appetite and decrease pain? On the other hand, law enforcement has been trying to get a handle on reducing crime involving the illegal use of “pot” for years now. Recreational use is still a no-no. Cultivation is a major no-no. Unless, of course, a doctor says you can. So, basically, the controversy will continue about the medicinal use, pros and cons thereof and legalization of marijuana, which would, in turn, benefit the government tax issues if it were controller or just continue being a general nuisance for the men and woman of law enforcement?

Although marijuana once was legal and considered to have no medical value by the American Medical Association, it hasn't been legal in years now. There have been a handful of states, approximately 11 total, including California, that were able to get it legalized on the state level, most of which have been since overturned. What is it going to take to prove its medicinal reasons as well as its reasons that the government would make money off the taxes, if it were regulated and get this country out of our national deficit? There would be less crime on the streets and because our government would regulate it, it would be safer than what it is right now.

At present, marijuana is classified under the Controlled Substances Act as a SCHEDULE I drug, one that has no medicinal value and may prove addictive. Advocates for the drug want the federal government to reclassify marijuana as a SCHEDULE II drug, one that physicians can legally prescribe, despite its potential for addictions. Morphine is an example of a SCHEDULE II drug.” (Fackelmann, 1997).

The legalization of marijuana would bring a great deal of revenue for our government from the taxes of its sale, as well as the money that would be saved in the anti-marijuana campaigns. “The government spends $8.26 million dollars a year to try to keep marijuana off the street.” (Miller, 2008). With Government Regulation handling all the growth and sales of “cannabis” or marijuana, the jails would be less crowded with inmates charged with possession, as well as, free up the police men and women to extend that energy into catching criminals that are committing serious crimes. The drug consistency would remain the same and therefore be safer for those that are using the drug. Deaths related to smoking pot are found because alternative additives were added to enhance the enjoyment, not because of smoking “pot”. It is because of that fact, that with the government legalizing it and growing it in a controlled environment, those people that later could or previously developed an addiction to it would be able to get the help that they need. Whether it is addictive or not, requires more research and studies.

Using marijuana for medicinal purposes can and does provide the relief for those that use the drug in controlled and responsible circumstances. The people that benefit from the use of marijuana would be cancer patients going through the trauma of chemotherapy, muscular sclerosis patients, AIDS patients, arthritis sufferers or anyone with chronic pain, all benefit from the use of marijuana. Chemotherapy treatments lead to very strong side effects, such as vomiting and nausea, which make patients very weak. It's difficult for patients to eat, which in turn causes weight loss. With weight loss, weakness and vitamin deficiencies occur due to a lack of nutrients in their system. Smoking pot relieves the stress on their bodies and increases their appetite which makes it easier to eat. That alone seems enough to warrant further investigation. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) affects the functions of the nerves in the brain and the spinal cord. If anyone ever watched Montel Williams on daytime television, you would have heard his opinion about the benefits. He does not smoke the marijuana; he takes the THC pills that are derived from the cannabis plant. Just a few of their symptoms can be severe fatigue and depression, extreme debilitating muscle spasms and even paralysis. “Many wheelchair-bound patients report that they can walk unaided when they have smoked cannabis. Patients also report that they find smoking herbal cannabis better at controlling their symptoms than synthetic derivative. Cannabis may even retard the progression of the disease.” (Marijuana-The Forbidden Medicine, Grinspoon, 2007)

Next is a direct quote from an electronic article from the Associated Press website. This particular article goes into detail about the comparison between prescription medicines and the effects of medicinal marijuana. The facts are that addiction and the side effects of prescription medicines are very well known. It is also a well known fact that with many prescription drugs, another prescription drug to counter act the side effects of the original prescription drug are not unheard of as well. “After weighing the pros and con's of both medicinal marijuana and prescription drugs, short of eliminating prescription drugs altogether, I don't see how we cannot promote and legalize the use of marijuana as a medicinal aid.” (Heard, 2008).

Another important piece of research that was discovered is how many different types of drugs are on the market that has actually been derived from the marijuana plant. As well as those that has been derived from the synthetic version of the marijuana plant. There is also a drug that is found are similar to those found in marijuana, but not exactly found in the plant. Sativex is a drug manufactured by GW Pharmaceuticals, that phase III clinical started in the year 2006. It's suggested medical use is “Treatment of neuropathic pain and spasticity in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS); Analgesic treatment in adult patients with advanced cancer who experience moderate to severe pain” and its Cannabis Related Properties are “Mouth spray whose chemical compound is derived from natural extracts of the cannabis plant” (Medical Marijuana ProCon.org Web site).

With all the research that has been done and the findings that smoking pot would bring relief to the terminally ill and may even put a dent in our national deficit, what would the harm be to try it? If anyone that has ever witnessed the good that it does when it is prescribed legally for a loved one, there would be no debate. Will they give the terminally ill patients a vote? Or maybe the doctors that prescribe it to them to ease their pain and promote their appetite? Maybe we should give the good people in our law enforcement agency a vote, so we could free up the jails that are so overcrowded and wasting taxpayer's money….again. Legalize it to control it, collect the taxes on it, free up our jails for our law enforcement so they can actually prosecute real criminals and let the people that it would be prescribed for live out their lives more comfortably and with less pain. The other alternative would be to keep it the way it is now. How is that working for us? You be the judge.

REFERENCES

MILLER, T. (2008), PROS OF MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION, RETRIEVED FROM KAPLAN LIBRARY, 2009.

GRINSPOON, I. (2007), MEDICAL MARIJUANA USES. “MARIJUANA, THE FORBIDDEN MEDICINE.” RETRIEVED FROM KAPLAN LIBRARY, 2009.

FACKELMANN, K (1997), MARIJUANA: USEFUL MEDICINE OR DANGEROUS DRUG, CONSUMERS. 80, 15.

(6/30/2008) PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS BASED ON CANNABIS. RETRIEVED 01/2009 FROM MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROCON.ORG.

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As California gets ready to address the outright legalization of Cannabis in November 2010. L.A.'s D.A. Steve Cooley has decided to take a slightly different approach regarding the medical marijuana clubs. Mr. Cooley would like to close down every and all legal medical marijuana collectives in the greater L.A. county area. Despite the fact that 74% of the voting public are fine with the current system.

This is in response to the article Marijuana: Gateway Drug or Bringer of Benefits? by Question Everything. 

Marijuana did not exist in America until the early 1900’s. Hemp, or cannabis as it was also known, had been used for thousands of years all over the world for medicinal, industrial, religious and recreational purposes, but the Mexican slang term “marihuana” was not observed in use until 1895, and that was by the revolutionary Pancho Villa, in Mexico. 
         
Throughout American history, going back to the Mayflower pilgrims themselves, hemp was a major agricultural commodity, with such importance that its cultivation was mandatory throughout many of the early colonies. Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were outspoken advocates of hemp cultivation, and it was upon hemp paper that the Declaration of Independence was drafted. At the Centennial Exhibition in 1876, hashish was served to guests. Hemp has been used to make fabric, paper, rope, and later even cars and fuel by Henry Ford. It was used to relieve many medical conditions, including loss of appetite, whooping cough, and addiction to drugs such as alcohol and opium. When fabric was needed for the war effort in WWII, the U.S. government, after it was made illegal that is, began their “Hemp For Victory” campaign, encouraging American farmers to grow this illegal crop. 
         
Hemp paper can be made at less than half the price of wood-pulp paper, with less use of toxic chemicals, and without destroying large trees which take many years to grow back to a viable size. So why exactly is this incredibly beneficial plant illegal still today, over 50 years later? Well, I’ll tell you this- it’s not because it is a “gateway drug”. In fact, everything the Drug Warriors say about cannabis is a lie. Yes, everything. It’s all a lie. Most of us know this already, but to say so is seen as a heresy. Why is it a lie? Because there are two reasons, neither of which is drug use or personal health, that cannabis is illegal- money and racism. Let me explain.

So first the racism. We’re looking at the 1930’s here, so the Great Depression has set in, jobs are scarce, and many formerly prosperous Americans find themselves in a dire situation, many completely broke and near starvation. The end of the populist Mexican Revolution in 1919 had caused a massive influx of immigrants through our totally porous borders, and those Mexicans were now competing with Americans for the few jobs that were around. The Americans of course did not like this, and the Mexicans were seen as dirty criminals who did not share the same mores and values as Americans. As I’m sure we can all understand today, there was a good deal of racism directed against them. Blacks, having been slaves until about 60 years before, were still the victims of the massive racism we are all familiar with- lynching, Jim Crow laws, cross burnings, and general harassment and violence were common to blacks all over the country, as they had been for quite a long time. They were seen as stupid, lazy, dirty, lacking in morals, and, as with the Mexicans, competition for already scarce jobs. What does this have to do with cannabis prohibition? Nothing by itself, but lots when we add in the second ingredient.

Money.

Most of us are familiar with William Randolph Hearst, the newspaper mogul and subject of Orson Wells’ classic “Citizen Kane”. By the 1930’s, Hearst had built himself an empire or newspapers, tabloids, magazines, and film companies so vast that his power to shape public opinion was virtually unmatched. Many attribute both the assassination of President McKinley and the Spanish-American War to his agitations, and, whether or not this is true, the mere claim that his writings could have caused such events is testament to the massive influence he exerted over public attitudes and opinions. Hearst had himself a media empire, but he also had a near-monopoly on timber acreage in the U.S. Trees, that is, which are used to make paper. In the early-30’s, the advent of a new, more efficient way of making hemp into paper by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, combined with the invention of the “hemp decorticator”, a revolution in the harvesting of hemp, spelled bad news for wood-pulp paper, and so for Hearst as well, who stood to lose big, big money if hemp paper became the standard. Remember, hemp paper can be made at less than half the cost of wood paper, which is a pretty big incentive to use hemp. 
          
So you’re a multimillionaire media mogul who exerts immense influence over public opinion, and a “new” product is about to ruin you- what do you do? Exactly as he did- demonize it. Hearst didn’t get so rich and powerful by chance, he did it because he was smart and ruthless, and he knew just how to get things done. Already an unabashed racist, he used his newspapers, magazines, and films to perpetuate an image of hemp as “marihuana”, a rarely-used Mexican slang-word chosen by Hearst for its sinister, foreign sound., as the domain of Mexicans and blacks, already reviled by much of white American society, and the cause of erratic behavior and crimes such as murder, rape, and irrational violence.

As if Hearst himself wasn’t powerful enough, hemp also had two other enemies in the form of Lammont DuPont, head of DuPont Chemicals, and Andrew Mellon, DuPont’s powerful and prominent banker. DuPont made their money from synthetic fabrics, such as nylon, and from plastics, both of which could be made from hemp at far less cost. Widespread cultivation and utilization of hemp would have been catastrophic for DuPont, not only because of plastics and fabrics, but because they had recently entered into a multimillion dollar deal with Hearst to process his wood into paper. Hemp cultivation, while bad for Hearst, could mean the absolute end for DuPont. Mellon was DuPont’s banker, so his stake in this is obvious, but, while Hearst could shape public opinion, Mellon could exert influence right where it counted. His nephew-in-law was Harry Anslinger, head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, and the man responsible for making hemp illegal through a back-door loophole. Anslinger pushed through the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937, making cultivation of hemp legal only if a tax stamp were obtained from the government. 
          
The stamps didn’t exist, and so could not be obtained. Immediately following this, DuPont filed patents for nylon, plastic, and a paper-bleaching process. And that was that. This is not conjecture on my part, not is it a conspiracy theory, it is historical fact which can easily be verified using internet search engines or other sources. This is why cannabis is illegal, and it remains illegal despite protests from doctors and their patients, politicians, and regular people all over the world- because 70 year old racist propaganda is still effective, though now it is disguised as the “War on Drugs”, put forth as a public health issue, and those who choose to see things how they really are suffer ridicule due to stereotypes. What is today’s stereotype of a pot smoker? Cheech and Chong- stereotypical Mexican pothead burnouts that would have made Hearst proud.

So is cannabis a “gateway drug”? If it is, it is only because it is illegal, which is a convenient catch-22 that the drug warriors love to exploit. Because it is illegal, the people who sell it often sell other illegal drugs, particularly in inner cities, whether they be crack, heroin, acid, dust, geltabs, meth, GHB, ecstasy, or anything else that can be passed on for a profit. I will tell you from experience that this is how I first came into contact with other drugs- the guy I bought weed from also had some acid, so I decided to try the acid. The same happened with other drugs- I would set out to buy cannabis, and the dealer would have something else that I’d eventually try. Now, I never personally came into contact with things like heroin, crack, and meth, for which I am very thankful, but friends of mine did, and a couple have died as a result of their addictions. 
          
If cannabis were available at stores it would not be a gateway drug, because the other drugs would not exist alongside it, and people who did not have an interest in hard drugs would stand far less of a chance of getting involved with them. It could be taxed and regulated, the money used to improve, among other things, our schools, so that children can learn to spot mindless propaganda before it spirals out of control. 

If you wish to read further about the history of hemp and why it is illegal today, check out The Emporer Has No Clothes by Jack Herer and Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts by Lynn Zimmer, both available on Amazon.

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Are you one of the millions of Americans that is suffering from sleeplessness or insomnia? It is estimated that one-third of all adults have insomnia.

Medical marijuana patients usually find that sleep is a wonderful benefit of cannabis. Many chronic pain patients experience insomnia due to their pain and find excellent relief and sleep when using cannabis.

While many people are finding relief from terrible diseases by smoking marijuana, there are also many people who believe that legislators should allow researchers more freedom to research this drug for legal medicinal usage. To date, 13 states have declared medical marijuana legal to use. The Supreme Court recently ruled that the federal government can continue to ban the use of medical marijuana. Justice Scalia writes that the federal government also has, under the commerce clause, the power to prohibit interstate commerce of this drug. Personal use of marijuana may not be commerce, but if our drug laws were working correctly, they would be perfectly enforced. Even as evidence mounts concerning the benefits of marijuana as a medicine, federal officials and agencies continue to bury their heads in the sand.

Written records on medicinal marijuana stretch back over 2000 years. It was first discovered in print in the 2nd century in a Chinese book of medicine. As far back as 1611, this plant was cultivated for its fiber in Jamestown, Virginia. In the 19th century, it was used to treat such ailments as spastic conditions, labor pains, insomnia, and even helped with appetite. It is still used as a medicine in the Middle East and Asia. Although modern technology medicine does not refer back to the medical practices of ancient civilizations, this only confirms that marijuana has had a significant medical history, and claims of its medicinal use were not just pulled out of nowhere.

Marijuana is a drug that comes from the dried, cut leaves of the hemp plant known as “cannabis sativa”. It goes by a number of street names such as “grass”, “Mary Jane”, “pot”, “reefer”, “herb”, and “weed”. The active ingredient in marijuana is delta tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This ingredient targets Cannabinoid receptors that have been proven to cut tumor growth in half in common lung cancer. It has also been tested and researchers at Harvard University say it also significantly reduces the cancer's ability to spread. Cannabinoids are chemical substances in cannabis, or marijuana. Endocannabinoids are cannabinoids that are produced naturally in the body.

Montel Williams is a huge activist for legalizing medicinal marijuana since he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1999. He has debilitating knee and foot pain and has tried Oxycontin and a variety of other drugs with no relief. Then a doctor suggested he smoke pot and “immediately I slept through the night.” Williams is a registered medical marijuana user in California. He began pushing for medical marijuana laws after being stopped at a Detroit airport by an Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms officer for carrying drug paraphernalia. His charges were later dropped.

Williams told a Senate panel about his chronic pain and urged New Jersey to join 12 other states that have enacted these laws. The states that have currently legalized medical marijuana are: California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Maine, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Montana, Vermont, and Rhode Island. New Mexico is planning on signing a bill in 2008. Williams will speak at two events in Trenton; a Drug Policy Alliance-sponsored news conference and a Senate hearing. Governor Jon S. Corzine of New Jersey said last year that he would sign a medical marijuana bill into law. “I break the law every day and I'll continue to break the law.” (Montel Williams)

This bill, sponsored by Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) lists cancer, HIV and AIDS, chronic pain, severe nausea, persistent muscle spasms and even glaucoma as conditions eligible for medical marijuana use. The legislation has never received a hearing, even though it has long been proposed. A 2002 poll found that 82 percent of the people in New Jersey supported allowing access to medical marijuana. Terrance P. Farley, an Ocean County assistant prosecutor told the Associated Press that the bill is only an attempt to legalize drugs. “This is how they're trying to get marijuana legalized”, he said.

Marijuana is listed in Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the most restrictive schedule. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) supports that placement because marijuana met the 3 criteria about this drug: 1) marijuana has high potential for abuse, 2) the drug has no currently accepted medical use in treatment, and 3) it has a lack of accepted safe use under medical supervision. The Federal government should, at the very least, possibly downgrade it to a Schedule II, since it has been accepted for medical use in the United States. A past evaluation by several agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), concluded that supported use of medical marijuana has no sound scientific studies and no human or animal data supported the safety or efficacy for general use.

During the Prohibition of Alcohol period (1920-1933), psychoactive properties of marijuana were left to criticism by the same forces that opposed the consumption of alcohol. Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937, which made continual use of marijuana a criminal act. During hearings held before this act, a lone opponent, a representative of the American Medical Association (AMA), argued that banning marijuana should exempt it for medical purposes, at least. His testimony included the following:

There is positively no evidence to indicate the abuse of

cannabis (marijuana) as a medicinal agent or to show that

its medicinal use is leading to the development of cannabis

addiction. Cannabis at the present time is slightly used for

medicinal purposes, but it would seem worthwhile to main-

tain its status as a medicinal agent…. There is a possibility

that a re-study of the drug by modern means may show

other advantages to be derived from its medicinal use.

Marijuana was removed from the American pharmacopoeia in 1941, over AMA objections, and hope for further research or legal medical use came to a halt. In 1970, Congress restructured the drug laws with the Controlled Substances Act, which kept marijuana banned for medical use.

Marijuana has many substitutes, such as Marinol. Swallowing this substance, however, takes longer to work, has more adverse side effects and is more expensive. A year's supply can cost up to $15,000; too much, some said, for a flawed version of a weed that can be grown in any backyard. One reason many prefer to smoke marijuana rather than swallow Marinol is that it allows them to regulate the amount of THC that goes into their systems. Smoking allows an instant transmission of this ingredient to sites in the brain that control nausea, so when the anti-nausea effect wears off, they only need to smoke a little more if needed. Individual patients respond differently to different doses, and they can avoid taking too much, which is not possible with Marinol.

On the other hand, although several states have passed legal drug laws making smoked marijuana available for various medical conditions, the FDA, the DEA and the Office of National Drug Control Policy do not support the use of smoked marijuana for medicinal purposes. These measures go against their efforts to ensure that medications are proven safe and effective under the standards of the FD&C Act. Gov. Jon S. Corzine's proposal would allow chronically ill patients to medicinally smoke, eat or take marijuana in tablets. The program would be monitored by the State Health Department. The amount of marijuana would be capped at 1 ounce and the patients would be issued registered medical marijuana user cards. Bertha Madras, deputy director for demand reduction at the Office of National Drug Control Policy, said in a telephone interview: “We cannot base medical decisions on anecdotes.”

Researchers do not know why THC inhibits tumor growth; they say it is possible the substance activates molecules that arrest cell cycles. It may also interfere with angiogenesis and vascularization, which promotes the growth of cancer. Anju Preet, Ph.D., a researcher in the Division of Experimental Medicine says much work is needed to pave the pathway by which THC functions. “The beauty of this study is that we are showing that a substance of abuse, if used prudently, may offer a new road to therapy against lung cancer.” People hope that the federal courts and legislators will be allowed to take a closer look at the benefits, examine the evidence and conclude that we only want safe pain relief for the people who need it the most.

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Marijuana Medicine can help with many ailments. Marijuana is not physically addictive despite what many anti-marijuana people want us to believe|Marijuana users can use it regularly, even multiple times daily, without any problem giving it up} A very small minority of people This can be as mild as some difficulty sleeping, slight irritability, and moodiness.| Since most people who use marijuana are not heavy chronic users statistically speaking very unlikely If you are concerned about any possibility of psychological addiction it is very easily avoided by taking time off from regular use. For instance, if you use medical Cannabis every day, you should take one day off per week or take one week off every three months.

According to a recent article by Tracy Loew of USA Today, Portland, Oregon is now home to not one but two “cafes” where medical marijuana cardholders can go to smoke free cannabis while socializing with other approved marijuana cardholders. The newest one is called Cannabis Café and is located in a former strip club. Patrons who are approved medical marijuana cardholders pay a $5 cover charge, which goes towards operating expenses, and can smoke their medical marijuana from joints, pipes or by inhaling cannabis fumes collected from a vaporizer. Since it is still illegal in Oregon to sell marijuana patrons of the café bring marijuana they grew themselves or that they received from an approved caregiver, many donating a portion of their personal stash for other patrons use. Reaction from the neighbors of the café are mixed, while some wish the café was located elsewhere others say it's better then having a strip club or bar full of drunks in the neighborhood. Kevin Mannix of the Oregon Anti-Crime Alliance wishes there had been more public discussion before the café opened for business.

President Obama and his administration recently decided it isn't a good use of law enforcement officers time or resources to pursue or arrest individuals who are using marijuana for a number of medical conditions as long as they are conforming to strict federal and state guidelines. This new policy is a significant departure from former President Bush's policy who insisted he would continue to enforce anti-pot laws regardless of state codes as stated by Devlin Barret in his October 18th article for the The Huffington Post.

With the country still suffering from a long intense recession, could legalizing marijuana use all together be the answer to the billions of dollars in tax revenue needed to end some of the worst economic times we have witnessed since the Great Depression? The most recent data from the US polling firm Gallup indicates that nearly half the country supports legalizing the recreational use of marijuana with a staggering 44% saying they are in favor of legalization. Further look into the results of that poll show that 78% of Liberals & 50% of Americans under the age of 50 are in favor of legalization, while only 28% of seniors agree. Gallup tracking also showed that from 2006-2009 the support for legalization grew more then other time since the prohibition of the drug. This support grew the most among women with an increase of 12%, Democrats support increased 13%, Liberals support grew 15% and among western states support for legalization increased 13% all since 2005. It seems that if the trend for support of legalization continues to rise the prohibition of marijuana, whether for medical or recreational use, may not be so far away.

Fourteen states currently allow the use of medical marijuana and fourteen more are currently considering it. Five states allow retail pot dispensary for approved patients, with Maine being the most recent to join that list as reported by the USA Today. Obama himself admitted to smoking marijuana as a teen, although he says it was a mistake, but did say he did inhale because that's the whole point. If marijuana growth, distribution, and use were legalized it would lead to the creation of tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars worth of tax revenue. In fact, a group of 500 economists, including the famous Milton Friedman, sent An Open Letter to the President, Congress, Governors, and State Legislatures on the benefits of legalization. They stated in their report that replacing prohibition with a system of taxation and regulation would save $7.7 billion annually in state and federal expenditures on prohibition enforcement and produce tax revenues of at least $2.4 billion a year. It went on to say that if were taxed similar to alcohol or tobacco products it may generate as much as $6.2 billion annually. For more on the stated report you can visit economics.about.com.

With the potential to save billions of dollars a year in expenditures and in addition earn billions more a year in tax revenues lawmakers should take a serious look at the three decade old prohibition on marijuana. With tens of thousands of Americans unemployed, countless numbers of homes in foreclosure, a national deficit in the trillions of dollars, billions of dollars spent to incarcerate individuals caught with small amounts of pot, and some of the worst economic times the country has ever seen it just may be time to decriminalize this non-violent drug. Marijuana has countless medical uses, the potential to create ten of thousands of jobs and generate tens of billions of dollars in savings and revenues for a crippled American economy.

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Marijuana Medicine can help with many ailments. With the recent death of Michael Jackson due to prescribed medications| more and more patients are examining their pill bottles and cannot help but be curious as to what their future holds. Doctors are so swift to write prescriptions for anti-depressants, painkillers, sleeping pills and tranquilizers. Most medical cannabis patients feel that they cannot function on the medications that they have been prescribed for pain, insomnia, depression, etc. and find that they function very well on medical marijuana.

The greatest detriment to the Marijuana legalization movement is not the plant itself, and not even so much the stigma and falsehoods perpetuated against the plant. It is none other than the smokers themselves that ruin the cause.

Think back to when Michael Phelps got busted in a picture smoking a bong, what was the first thing he said after-wards? How smoking it was a mistake. No, it wasn't a mistake that you smoked it, your mistake was getting caught and you wanted to protect your endorsements…and yet, no one cared you toked up, because people's perceptions of weed itself is changing.

If we can photograph celebrities smoking a cigar or having a few cocktails and not care, why can't we also do the same for a bong hit?

We need more Bill Mahers, and Michael Phelps to come out and say they smoked pot, they enjoyed it, and it should be legal. Instead, we get stuck with people like Tommy Chong, who, to his credit is a great comedian, but no one takes him seriously.

If a Nobel prize winner came out and said “I smoke dope” people would look at smokers in a whole new light; that those of us who enjoy marijuana are not smelly hippies with nasty dreadlocks, reciting Bob Marley lyrics ad nausem , who have an I.Q. below that of wet paint.

If you were dressed in a suit and tie and worked for a fortune 500 company and said to someone, you smoke marijuana, they probably be stunned. Mainly because they have this notion that all pot smokers are stupid, dirty hippies and they are not. They now have to reassess what they think they know about marijuana and its smokers. Getting people to think is a positive thing in the marijuana legalization movement.

Joe Rogan, comedian and former host of fear factor, gave his story about marijuana and his first time with it. He used to abstain from smoking it, because all his stupid friends smoked it, then he met a top flight martial artist and saw that it wasn't morons and losers who toke up, productive people could, too!

Weed doesn't create losers and morons, it just exacerbates the symptoms all ready present. If you are a loser without dope, you'll most likely be one with it. Same goes for the likes of other drugs, like alcohol as well. Of course, you get your wild cards, were, ironically, the person is actually more productive when they are not sober, but those are few and far between, I believe.

I deplore the idea of sacrifice for a cause, but some of us, mainly celebrities, have a podium an average guy like me doesn't have. Admitting to smoking dope doesn't get an actor fired; it gets him on the cover of Time magazine. All press is good press when you are famous. Look at Brittney Spears, who goes insane and is now on a comeback role.

If you are someone who can break the stereotype of the stupid stoner and perpetuate a new image, one of a smart, productive member of society, then you should do so, so long as it will not bring grief to your normal life.

The Marijuana movement, I feel, would be better off with 500 productive members of society, like Michael Phelps, then 5,000 well intentioned hippies, like Tommy Chong, who protest for the repeal of Marijuana prohibition.

The continued debate cannot continue to be all about how marijuana is a safer alternative to a substance like alcohol. We know that now and we continue to tell people the truth, from the lies that have surged through the marijuana movement. Now it is time to change the way people perceive us, as a collective of individuals, not a culture of wastrels looking to Turn on, tune in and drop out, but rather a group of eclectic individuals who prefer the alternative.

Sources:
Joe Rogan interview:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMLSyOMiYd4
Micheal Phelps interview:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cilWSl6T2s

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