USVI NORMAL SNUBBED BY AVIS

Uhh, it says that alcohol and cigs are legal and grass is against the law?

Kids can spot a hypocrite a mile away.....

And how unfortunate that they are legal. Marijuana caused deaths = 0

Marijuana caused deaths = 0

Plenty of people do really stupid stuff while high on MJ that causes death. You can say alcohol is the root of all evil and paint MJ as having no issues. No one is going to believe that. If nothing else I've seen plenty of people waste their potential on it.

I can understand your argument for medical MJ to a point, to handle minor to moderate chronic pain, but not some of the other stuff. As far as chronic pain goes I think we all would agree that any medication is last route you take. As anyone who has dealt with chronic pain its no fun to be drug up constantly no matter the drug, they all have side effects.

Chronic pain is very difficult to deal with indeed. I've had Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Immune Disfunction Syndrome and Celiac Disease for many years. I've tried various medication for pain. Unfortunately (for my pain relief) I have anaphylactic reactions to most RX pain meds. I can't take NSAIDS due to having had Gastric Bypass Surgery. So I find alternative ways to cope. Osteopathic manipulation, accupuncture, diving, mild hyperbaric treatment, yoga, mind work. While it is frustrating, there are many non-pharmacutical methods for pain relief.

Alcohol related deaths per year = 75000+

Tobacco relate deaths= 243000+

marijuana related deaths=0

stupidity related= no statistics

Funny. I Googled the subject and this came up, as well as your statistics. Stats can be used in many ways.
From Wikianswers.

Marijuana related deaths in America?
In: Conditions and Diseases, Illegal Drugs, Marijuana [Edit categories]

There is a common misstatement that it is not possible to overdose on marijuana. Many people argue that you would have to smoke very large amounts of marijuana in a short time to overdose. The fact is that marijuana has a half life, when you continue to smoke on a regular basis the THC level in your body continues to increase. This is an example of a cumulative overdose (Marijuana only). These are somewhat rare. It is easier to overdose when multiple drugs are combined.

The medical effects of marijuana are well documented in many medical journals. While Anti-Drug campaigning has produced many untrue statements, and questionable facts. Medical research is very clear Marijuana smoke is not good for you. It is not going to make you go crazy, cause brain damage (only temporary dysfunction), It can cause cancer (rate unknown).

In 1999 there were 187 documented marijuana overdoses in which the person had not consumed any other drug. There were 664 if you include people who overdosed on marijuana that had also taken other drugs (Federal Register(2001), page 20050.) These are not overdoses on the other drugs they were taking.

The effects of a marijauna overdose are very different from the effects of overdosing on other drugs. Remember these are the number of overdoses in hospitals and do not include unreported overdoses. The symptoms of a marijuana overdose (or often just a normal dose) are: Rapid heart rate, Breathing Difficulty, Paranoia, Disorientation, Delerium, Hangover (during recovery), Hallucination, panic attack and Respiratory System Failure(lethal overdoses). Many people may not recognize the symptoms of an overdose as being an overdose. Many overdoses can and do go untreated. People continue to use marijuana and may at some point raise the level of THC to the point that their respiratory system shuts down resulting in death. This level is going to be different for each individual.

It is easier to overdose on marijuana if you are taking other drugs. The easiest way to overdose is what is called the synergestis effect also known as the additive effect. This is when two drugs of similiar nature are taken near the same time. The next would be the speedball effect. This is when two drugs of unassociated natures are taken near the same time. There is also the cumulative effect which is when a person overdoses on multiple doses of the same drug.

The most common way people overdose on marijuana by the cumulative effect is when an individual smokes large amounts of marijuana on a regular basis for a number of years. The level of THC in the blood continues to increase, until the respiratory system shuts down resulting in death.

Marijana is not a medical approved drug and therefore has not been given an LD-50. LD-50 is the amount of a drug that is lethal to 50% of tested people. Yes, medical testing of drugs is done on humans. This has been the case since the 1962 Kefauver-Harris Act.

I have a BA in Social Science with a minor in Addiction Studies, and am working on a Master's in Counseling and a Graduate Certificate in Addiction Studies.

If you have a question or comment about my answer use the discussion page (there is a link at the top of the page). If you disagree with my answer please let me know what you disagree with and for what reasons.

marijuana related deaths=0

MJ is a drug like any other and people do stupid stuff while high and get themselves killed and others. So there is simply no way that made up statistic is true.

There are very very few studies on MJ since it is mostly illegal. So I don't understand how you can claim that unless its wishful thinking.

While there are definitely doctors that are for the use of MJ for medical reasons, I've never heard one for it for other reasons. It is a addictive drug that has definitely ruined people lives. Never seen a doctor want to legalize opiates either or any addictive drug.

If one of you claims again it is not addictive or doesn't destroy lives I'm done with this thread because I'll know I'm dealing with people who are making no sense.

MYTHS ABOUT MEDICAL MARIJUANA
by Joycelyn Elders
The Providence Journal (RI)
(Dr. Joycelyn Elders was U.S. Surgeon General in 1993-94 and is
Distinguished Professor of Public Health at the University of Arkansas School of Medicine)
THE RHODE ISLAND General Assembly is now considering legislation to permit the medical use of marijuana by seriously ill patients whose physicians have recommended it.

This sensible, humane bill deserves swift passage. The evidence is overwhelming that marijuana can relieve certain types of pain, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms caused by such illnesses as multiple sclerosis, cancer and AIDS -- or by the harsh drugs sometimes used to treat them. And it can do so with remarkable safety. Indeed, marijuana is less toxic than many of the drugs that physicians prescribe every day.

But right now, Rhode Island law subjects seriously ill patients to the threat of arrest and jail for simply trying to relieve some of their misery. There is no good reason that sick people should face such treatment.

Still, foes of the medical-marijuana bill keep raising objections. So let's look at their arguments, one by one:

"There is no evidence that marijuana is a medicine." The truth: The medical literature on marijuana goes back 5,000 years. In a 1999 study commissioned by the White House, the Institute of Medicine reported, "nausea, appetite loss, pain and anxiety . . . all can be mitigated by marijuana." In its April 2003 issue, the British medical journal The Lancet reported that marijuana relieves pain in virtually every test that scientists use to measure pain relief.

"The medical community doesn't support this; just a bunch of drug legalizers do." The truth: Numerous medical and public-health organizations support legal access to medical marijuana. National groups include the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Public Health Association and the American Nurses Association. Regional groups include the New York State Association of County Health Officials, the California Medical Association and the Rhode Island Medical Society.

I know of no medical group that believes that jailing sick and dying people is good for them.

"Marijuana is too dangerous to be medicine; it's bad for the immune system, endangering AIDS and cancer patients." The truth: Unlike many of the drugs we prescribe every day, marijuana has never been proven to cause a fatal overdose. Research on AIDS patients has debunked the claim of harm to the immune system: In a study at San Francisco General Hospital, AIDS patients using medical marijuana gained immune-system cells and kept their virus under control as well as patients who received a placebo. They also gained more needed weight.

"There are other drugs that work as well as marijuana, including Marinol, the pill containing THC (the main psychoactive chemical in marijuana)." The truth: These other drugs don't work for everyone. The Institute of Medicine noted: "It is well recognized that Marinol's oral route of administration hampers its effectiveness, because of slow absorption and patients' desire for more control over dosing." Inhalation gives a more rapid response and better results. For some very sick people, marijuana simply works better.

"Smoke is not medicine; no real medicine is smoked." The truth: Marijuana does not need to be smoked. Some patients prefer to eat it, while those who need the fast action and dose control provided by inhalation can avoid the hazards of smoke through simple devices called vaporizers. For many who need only a small amount -- such as cancer patients trying to get through a few months of chemotherapy -- the risks of smoking are minor.

"Medical-marijuana laws send the wrong message to kids, encouraging teen marijuana use." The truth: That fear, raised in 1996, when California passed the first effective medical-marijuana law, has not come true. According to the official California Student Survey, teen marijuana use in California rose steadily from 1990 to 1996, but began falling immediately after the medical-marijuana law was passed. Among ninth graders, marijuana use in the last six months fell by more than 40 percent from 1995-96 to 2001-02 (the most recent available figures).

It is simply wrong for the sick and suffering to be casualties in the war on drugs. Let's get rid of the myths and institute sound public-health policy. The Rhode Island General Assembly should pass the medical-marijuana bill immediately.

http://www.medmjscience.org/Media/pdf/marimed.pdf 1999 Institute of Medicine Title, Marijuana as Medicine, Assessing the Science Base

Cannabis
"Tetrahydrocannabinol is a very safe drug. Laboratory animals (rats, mice, dogs, monkeys) can tolerate doses of up to 1,000 mg/kg (milligrams per kilogram). This would be equivalent to a 70 kg person swallowing 70 grams of the drug—about 5,000 times more than is required to produce a high. Despite the widespread illicit use of cannabis there are very few if any instances of people dying from an overdose. In Britain, official government statistics listed five deaths from cannabis in the period 1993-1995 but on closer examination these proved to have been deaths due to inhalation of vomit that could not be directly attributed to cannabis (House of Lords Report, 1998). By comparison with other commonly used recreational drugs these statistics are impressive."

Source: Iversen, Leslie L., PhD, FRS, "The Science of Marijuana" (London, England: Oxford University Press, 2000), p. 178, citing House of Lords, Select Committee on Science and Technology, "Cannabis — The Scientific and Medical Evidence" (London, England: The Stationery Office, Parliament, 1998).

An exhaustive search of the literature finds no deaths induced by marijuana. The US Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) records instances of drug mentions in medical examiners' reports, and though marijuana is mentioned, it is usually in combination with alcohol or other drugs. Marijuana alone has not been shown to cause an overdose death.

Source: Source: Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), available on the web at http://www.samhsa.gov/ ; also see Janet E. Joy, Stanley J. Watson, Jr., and John A. Benson, Jr., "Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base," Division of Neuroscience and Behavioral Research, Institute of Medicine (Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1999), available on the web at http://www.nap.edu/html/marimed/; and US Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, "In the Matter of Marijuana Rescheduling Petition" (Docket #86-22), September 6, 1988, p. 57.

No one is arguing that medical MJ is a bad thing. I don't have a problem with medical MJ being legal.

Your posts make no sense regarding what I said.

I understand you believe that no one can overdose on MJ and you believe that it does not lead to any fatal dieseases. But that is not what I said. I said people get themselves killed and others while high on MJ all the time. I see no need to make it another drug like that legal across the board. Say again, I don't have trouble with medical MJ.

But until it is legal it's illegal.

Betty I totally respect you position and realize that yours is one mind I can't influence or change. I have no intention of promoting gross legalization. In the process of my endeavors want as much protection from abuse as possible. I am sure there are instances where MJ contributed to the destruction of someones life in some way. I will agree that MJ can be psychologically addictive but I have found no information from any respected source that MJ is physically addicting. If you have some info regarding addiction or deaths associated with MJ's use that you are basing your opinions on I would be grateful if you would share it with me so I can become more informed.

Funny. I Googled the subject and this came up, as well as your statistics. Stats can be used in many ways.
From Wikianswers.

Marijuana related deaths in America?
In: Conditions and Diseases, Illegal Drugs, Marijuana [Edit categories]

There is a common misstatement that it is not possible to overdose on marijuana. Many people argue that you would have to smoke very large amounts of marijuana in a short time to overdose. The fact is that marijuana has a half life, when you continue to smoke on a regular basis the THC level in your body continues to increase. This is an example of a cumulative overdose (Marijuana only). These are somewhat rare. It is easier to overdose when multiple drugs are combined.

Ronnie after an exhaustive search I found that to overdose on MJ, one would have to ingest over 40 pounds. If you have other info, please share it

The medical effects of marijuana are well documented in many medical journals. While Anti-Drug campaigning has produced many untrue statements, and questionable facts. Medical research is very clear Marijuana smoke is not good for you. It is not going to make you go crazy, cause brain damage (only temporary dysfunction), It can cause cancer (rate unknown).

In 1999 there were 187 documented marijuana overdoses in which the person had not consumed any other drug. There were 664 if you include people who overdosed on marijuana that had also taken other drugs (Federal Register(2001), page 20050.) These are not overdoses on the other drugs they were taking.

Could you share the source of this info? Did the overdoses that you describe result in injury or death?

The effects of a marijuana overdose are very different from the effects of overdosing on other drugs. Remember these are the number of overdoses in hospitals and do not include unreported overdoses. The symptoms of a marijuana overdose (or often just a normal dose) are: Rapid heart rate, Breathing Difficulty, Paranoia, Disorientation, Delerium, Hangover (during recovery), Hallucination, panic attack and Respiratory System Failure(lethal overdoses). Many people may not recognize the symptoms of an overdose as being an overdose. Many overdoses can and do go untreated. People continue to use marijuana and may at some point raise the level of THC to the point that their respiratory system shuts down resulting in death. This level is going to be different for each individual.

The only death I am aware of due to a MJ overdose was related to choking on ones own vomit. I could find no info on respiratory failure, again if you have a link I would appreciate it. I only wish to share factual information.

It is easier to overdose on marijuana if you are taking other drugs. The easiest way to overdose is what is called the synergestis effect also known as the additive effect. This is when two drugs of similiar nature are taken near the same time. The next would be the speedball effect. This is when two drugs of unassociated natures are taken near the same time. There is also the cumulative effect which is when a person overdoses on multiple doses of the same drug.

The most common way people overdose on marijuana by the cumulative effect is when an individual smokes large amounts of marijuana on a regular basis for a number of years. The level of THC in the blood continues to increase, until the respiratory system shuts down resulting in death.

Marijana is not a medical approved drug and therefore has not been given an LD-50. LD-50 is the amount of a drug that is lethal to 50% of tested people. Yes, medical testing of drugs is done on humans. This has been the case since the 1962 Kefauver-Harris Act.

There is legislation pending in Congreass that would remove MJ from the schedule 1 list

I have a BA in Social Science with a minor in Addiction Studies, and am working on a Master's in Counseling and a Graduate Certificate in Addiction Studies.

If you have a question or comment about my answer use the discussion page (there is a link at the top of the page). If you disagree with my answer please let me know what you disagree with and for what reasons.

Ronnie I have no doubt of your intentions or qualifications and in a previous post I asked for advice, however you must know that wiki is a user generated source of information, much of which is unsubstantiated and undocumented. I perfer to use documented, published scientific and medical information to form my opinions so that they will be defenseible. As I said before I am very interested in ways to prevent drug use by adolestants and would like to see mandatory counseling for young offenders as part of our initiative. thanks for the resonse and interest

I said people get themselves killed and others while high on MJ all the time. .

Betty - where does your information come from? I have seen no statistical information to support this statement and have seen plenty of evidence to the contrary. I personally do not use the stuff but believe that it should be legalized and taxed to the hilt. It would save billions a year that could be put to use keeping harmful drugs off of the streets. A physician friend always said he would rather be on the road with a bunch of people who have come from smoking pot than happy hour at the local bar - they drive a lot slower!

Being high is the same or similar enough to being drunk, are you going to tell me you really don't think people get into things like car accidents while driving high?

As far as statistical information, just google it. You can easily find info on MJ on the internet, whether you want it to be pro or con.

OH JAH !!!!

it is an herb....like basil.....that grows up out of the ground....is picked, dried...and made into a variety of medicines, tinctures, lotions, foods....and is medically proven to lessen pain and helps cancer and HIV/AIDS patients acquire an appetite....it is also smoked....with NO processing....like tobacco is with all it's additives. it is simply an herb....it is babylon that has made it seem as addicting as coke or skag.....what a joke...makes me laff. addicting...a gateway drug....that is babylon nonsense.

Betty, Have you ever been high on marijuana? From smoking it or ingesting it? They are differnt types of physical responses. And they are very much different from being drunk. And alot of people who use medically will prepare lotions and tonics to be applied topically for relieve pain. By doing this they receive pain relief without the "head" high.

It's like when I first went on Duragesic (fentanyl) patches for pain. The doctor said that I would be "quite doped up" most of the time. I wasn't at all. I was not "high" or "doped" at all. I was free of pain and could actually function at the level I had been able to before the pain. When you take it to get high - you get high. When you take it for pain, cramps, abdominal issues, nausea, you don't get high - you get relief and can function normally again.

I don't advocate smoking at all. I am asthmatic and have never smoked and prefer not to be around someone who is smoking anything. But different applications are available for marijuana that will give the benefit of the cannabinoids without the harmful effects of the smoke.

I always appreciate your posts - thank you.

As far as statistical information, just google it. You can easily find info on MJ on the internet, whether you want it to be pro or con.

Is there any specific information from your Googling that has helped to form your opinion? I'm doing my best to understand your position.

Okay I'm done...lol...you people act like you've never seen someone high. We all live in the VI and have all seen people stone out of their gourds. You guys are yankin my chain for fun, I refuse to believe anyone is that dense.

i am for medical marijuana use.

prescription drugs and alcohol can also create problems when they are abused. keeping marijuana use as a criminal event does no one any good, as it is just as easy to obtain as baking flour anyway. the so-called "war on drugs" cannot stop the one thing that feeds the whole system: demand for the product. i am not a user, neither do i smoke cigarettes and i am pretty much a teetotaler, except for my recent taste for exotic martinis (my limit is 2, folks!)...

marijuana's active ingredients may be presented in liquid (tincture), infusion (as tea) or solid (pill) forms as well as smoked, although i have been told that due to people's differing physical makeup what works for one may not work for another. doctor and patient will work together to determine the best dosage and method.

i am not understanding the condemnation of marijuana for medical purposes. i also do not object to religious use. altered states of mind... i know people who see nothing wrong with popping a xanax during the workday, and not because they are feeling especially anxious, but to "take the edge off". liquid lunches abound, as do "mother's little helpers". i object to these things, because i am not for using drugs for something that you should train yourself to do as a responsible adult: deal with difficulty.

for acute psychological situations or pain, or chronic problems why do we begrudge people medicine for their relief. it's cruel to me to lump them in with criminals. this is medicine, it grows from the ground like tobacco. which is almost guaranteed to kill but regulated and taxed as a product for consumption. imagine that.

The fact that marijuana is "simply an herb" is not in and of itself a reason for its use to be legal. Marijuana, cocaine and heroin are all plant based, but most people don't think cocaine and heroin should be legally obtainable.

I, on the other hand, do. America has been fighting the war on drugs for over a quarter of a century, and our illicit drug problem has only been getting worse. I don't use any of these drugs, but I think they should be legally available to adults, just like alcohol. Making these drugs legal will virtually eliminate the criminal underworld associated with these drugs (as evidenced by the complete lack of criminal underworld in the alcohol arena), and young people will be less likely to view use of these drugs as a rebellious rite of passage (as evidenced by the lack of hordes of young people quaffing martinis or knocking back beer every evening.)

I think all drugs, including those that are currently illicit or only available by prescription, should be available to any adult to purchase at will, and adults should be held responsible for their drug procurement and use decisions. I think it is inappropriate for elected government bureaucrats, or my neighbors in voting booths, or expensive doctors, to dictate what I am and am not allowed to consume. If I want opinions from any of those people I will ask for them, and if I don't ask, they should not have any control over my consumption habits. If my habits infringe on the rights of others, then I should be punished for those infringements, but I resent other people assuming they know what's best for me, and limiting my freedoms to only those choices with which their values agree.

Finaly some voices of reason. For chronic pain I was perscribed Vicodin. Sure it releaved the pain but it took away my ability to function (work, drive, think clearly, be myself). Then I read about the side effects, could be addictive, liver damage, heart problems and on and on.
I still have a big bottle and an open perscription and I can get it at no cost through my health insurance but I can't tolerate it.
Yes MJ smoke has like 400 chemicals which may cause cancer so I rarely smoke it as there are safer alternatives such as vaporization and injestion. My PCP and specialist condone it's use and are both excited with the evolving research to repair brain injuries and as a natural stimulant and repair mechanism for comprimised immune systems.
Most medical MJ users are responsible adults who are aware of it's effects and don't drive or operate machinery or make life changing decisions while using it. Most peoples negative views are born of either ignorance or failure to understand. Cosed minds aren't receptive to new information. Hey even Newt Gingrich is a supporter of Medical MJ.

Alzheimer's Disease
ALS
Chronic Pain
Diabetes Mellitus
Dystonia
Fibromyalgia
GI Disorders
Gliomas
Hepatitis C
HIV
Hypertension
Incontinence
MRSA
Multiple Sclerosis
Osteoporosis
Pruritus
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Sleep Apnea
Tourette's Syndrome

Emerging Clinical Applications For Cannabis & Cannabinoids
A Review of the Recent Scientific Literature, 2000 — 2009

Just for anyone who is interested. This is a list of conditions for which medical cannabis may help to relieve symptoms. There has been recent positive results with head injuries, brain injuries and Alzheimer's. There is an incredible amount of research going on now with cannabinoids and how they interact and can strengthen the naturally occurring endocannabinoids in our bodies to perhaps cure or control a variety of chronic diseases. One researcher was quoted as saying that cannabis is like vitamins for the brain. Optimistically, a cure for some incurable chronic conditions could be developed. The whole cannabinoid is intriguing.

A davis and dntw8up...

very very very articulate and well stated....give thanks.
my dawta has MS and her doctors agree that it is a help with her condition.
and i do very much better when i smoke before a test.
i have documented test anxiety and dyscalculia....so it relaxes me enough to get past most of my anxiety...does not get rid of it when being tested, but it does enable me to at least function in a test environment.
and i do smoke when i meditate as it is livity based.
i do not abuse it nor flaunt my use, nor does my dawta.

blessings.

I find it interesting that an Atheist uses some of his argument for the legalization of cannabis (" Quote" to recognize that cannabis is used in support of religious beliefs) What's up with that?

Lizard, it's called being inclusive. I may call myself an atheist of sorts but I totally respect peoples right to worship, their faith and their freedoms. I want everyone who can benefit to benefit,.I have friends and acquaintances of just about every faith and religion. For me what I believe generally doesn't interfere with my politics. Is that a problem?