On a federal level, should the government treat marijuana as a medicine or an illegal drug.

[TimTheEnchanter]

Originally Posted by DPolo

have you ever heard of the term self-medicating ?

Originally Posted by purehuman

DPolo's right....not all of us need to go to a doctor to know what we need and what works for us.
Health food stores where I live carry a HUGE variety of amazing herbs...they do a brisk business because not all of us are into the synthetic pharmaceutical drugs that doctors prescribe. Just because it's the herb marijuana doesn't mean it's for recreation only.....your synthetic doctor prescribed drugs make you feel "high" too...only they're waaaay bad for you, and marijuana's not. It's really a very fine plant, and it's shameful that it's being denied to so many people who would seriously benefit from it's amazing anti inflammatory properties as well as the feeling of calm and well being it provides.
You can blame corporate greed and pharmaceutical companies for that...they'd rather have you suffer than to use a product that they can't make money off of.

In fairness DPolo didn't say if they were in favor of or against self medicating and I tend to think of self medicating in the same sense I do of being your own lawyer, "a lawyer who defends himself has a fool for a client."

It is one thing to know you need an aspirin to reduce fever or as an anti-inflammatory, but quite another to self medicate if you don't know what is wrong with you.

To say that pharmaceuticals are "way bad" for you and marijuana isn't is just silly. People are living much longer now partially because of modern drugs and there are very few studied on the long term side effects of marijuana.

Have no doubt that if marijuana were made legal the pharmaceutical companies would love to manufacture and market it and make gobs of money off it.

It seems odd to me that so many people think the FDA is great in their role at the approval and denial of drugs for the pharmaceutical industry want marijuana approved for medical/medication reasons with zero testing on efficacy and dangers.

I don't think any government has the right to say what you can or can not put in your body, but by the same tokin' (play on words, not a misspelling) I think employers should be able to test for drug use and not hire anyone who tests positive and I would have draconian laws for people who drove, flew planes or did any dangerous activities while under the influence.

[Rainbow Demon]

Originally Posted by TimTheEnchanter

I would have draconian laws for people who drove, flew planes or did any dangerous activities while under the influence.

I think we need to start IQ testing for these jobs before we test for drugs. Stoned people are stoned and can come down. STUPID people are stupid for life. A genius/Rocket scientist who is high is still far more intelligent than the guy who isn't high who didn't finish 10th grade and drives a truck.

[Troyfan]

Neither. It should be treated like beer. Each state should be able to set its own age of use and conditions of use. Whatever the federal interest in marijuana was, it's been bypassed by time and events.

The war on drugs, a worthy one, has been lost. There is no point fighting even a good fight if there is no hope of victory.

[purehuman]

Originally Posted by notmeofficer

Let Monsanto and Phillip morris have it... hybridize the stink weed smell out...put it in a pharmacy or liquor store... tax the crap out of it.. arrest every DUI...can't pass a drug test for work ...get fired... stoned in public...get arrested..just like alcohol...
Use the tax money for the enforcement and addiction side to deal with the 10 percent stoner population
Don't give out social welfare ... test for mj... and other drugs... because mj kills motivation.


What a waste of oxygen people who seek lives focused on drugs are.. let's hope their seconds on earth negatively affecting the rest of us pass quickly ....

What a waste of the gift that life is...

Wow...you think people should take a pharmaceutical with huge side effects for their pain instead?
You don't think driving with a strong fentanyl patch on, is not gonna effect "the rest of us"?
There are a huge number of good hard working people in chronic pain...either awaiting surgery, or living with a painful disability, they're not seeking a life focused on drugs...they probably wish they never needed them. I believe there are more people who actually use marijuana for it's huge anti inflammatory and calming effect on their pain, than there are others who merely seek a high.
Marijuana could/would make that "gift of life" you speak of a lot less painful and easier to live for many, many people.
I'll never understand how anyone can take a prescribed synthetic pharmaceutical pain killer (have you read the side effects?) and in the same breath put down Mother Nature's natural pain killer.
It's been used for centuries, because it's been tried and found true.

[purehuman]

Originally Posted by TimTheEnchanter

In fairness DPolo didn't say if they were in favor of or against self medicating and I tend to think of self medicating in the same sense I do of being your own lawyer, "a lawyer who defends himself has a fool for a client."

It is one thing to know you need an aspirin to reduce fever or as an anti-inflammatory, but quite another to self medicate if you don't know what is wrong with you.

To say that pharmaceuticals are "way bad" for you and marijuana isn't is just silly. People are living much longer now partially because of modern drugs and there are very few studied on the long term side effects of marijuana.

Have no doubt that if marijuana were made legal the pharmaceutical companies would love to manufacture and market it and make gobs of money off it.

It seems odd to me that so many people think the FDA is great in their role at the approval and denial of drugs for the pharmaceutical industry want marijuana approved for medical/medication reasons with zero testing on efficacy and dangers.

I don't think any government has the right to say what you can or can not put in your body, but by the same tokin' (play on words, not a misspelling) I think employers should be able to test for drug use and not hire anyone who tests positive and I would have draconian laws for people who drove, flew planes or did any dangerous activities while under the influence.

I'm always amazed when people say there are "very few studies" on the long term effects of marijuana.
Do you think that could be because it's already known what the long term effects are? I mean people have been using marijuana for DECADES...how hard is it to study that?
As for people thinking the FDA "is great in their role at the approval and denial of drugs for the pharmaceutical industry"....maybe YOU do...I don't, and a lot of other people who've suffered serious side effects from a FDA approved drug wouldn't think so either.
Marijuana has NO serious side effects...none.
When you say "employees should be able to test for drug use"..are you talking prescription drugs as well?
because if not...why not?
You're right about pharmaceutical companies loving to manufacture, market and make lots of money off it
Some already are, which I'm glad for because it means a fantastic drug can be easier available to those who need it, but have no other means of getting it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krJ_G_pRJ2M