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Medical findings so far have indicated that marijuana has a detrimental effect on the developing brain. Hence physician recommendations that it not be used for children and teens.
Showing posts with label cannabis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cannabis. Show all posts
Friday, February 6, 2015
Doctors urge caution for child, adolescent marijuana use
Medical findings so far have indicated that marijuana has a detrimental effect on the developing brain. Hence physician recommendations that it not be used for children and teens.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Feds target joints, not jobs
[caption id="attachment_9816" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Marijuana indoor grow room"]
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Carol Forsloff - A local medical marijuana dispensary in Oregon looks at the recent medical marijuana controversy as something hurtful to many people who rely on the drug to control pain and treat a number of medical conditions by making these people feel like criminals. In Oregon and California, the Obama administration is specifically testing state and federal drug laws in ways that worry those who dispense and use marijuana, who see it as contrary to Obama’s 2008 election promises.
US Federal laws specifically prohibit marijuana sale and use. On the other hand, 16 states have passed laws allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. The Obama administration is now specifically targeting marijuana growers by letting them know they are violating US federal laws by growing and dispensing the drug. In California dispensaries have already been told to shut down.
In late September, the Oregonian reported about a man whose property was raided by federal officials looking for and confiscating marijuana plants after using guns to intimidate people living in rental houses in the area where the plants had been grown. Keith Rogers is described as an insurance agent who owns the property and whose growers have met the requirements of Oregon’s medical marijuana laws. Nevertheless, as Rogers is quoted as saying about the raid on his property:
"They are throwing their weight around and saying the voters of Oregon don't have any rights."
The Oregonian article continues: “The raid seems to conform to guidance offered in U.S. Department of Justice memos directing federal agents to enforce federal drug laws, even in states that have legalized medical marijuana.”
Monday, October 3, Drug Czar Kerlikowske wrote to Rep. Cohen about the Obama administration's position on marijuana research. In his reply, summarized here, Kerlikowske alleged that the Congressman’s concerns regarding the federal scheduling of cannabis are unwarranted because, “We ardently support research into determining what components of the marijuana plant can be used as medicine.”
Kerlikowske added, “In fact, the federal government is the largest source of funding for research into the potential therapeutic benefits of marijuana, and every valid request for the use of marijuana for research has been approved by the Drug Enforcement Administration.” On the other hand, the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), oversees 85 percent of the world’s research on controlled substances, and has stated its policy is to reject medical marijuana research.“As the National Institute on Drug Abuse, our focus is primarily on the negative consequences of marijuana use,” a NIDA spokesperson told The New York Times in 2010. “We generally do not fund research focused on the potential beneficial medical effects of marijuana.”
The liberals hoped President Obama’s administration would end raids on medical marijuana facilities, which had been the pattern of the Bush administration and are disappointed that the raids have not only continued but have increased recently, with the notifications in California sent by federal officials in underlining the superiority of federal law with reference to drug policies. “I would not have the Justice Department prosecuting and raiding medical marijuana users,” was Senator Obama's statement in August 2007. “It’s not a good use of our resources,” he continued, as joints continue to be targeted according to the marijuana industry instead of jobs.
In the meantime, Tennessee Congressman Steven Cohen is co-sponsor of HR 2306: The Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2011 , which asks Obama to support changing the cannabis’ federal status as a schedule I prohibited drug and to respect and follow the state laws that allow marijuana for medical uses.
[/caption]Carol Forsloff - A local medical marijuana dispensary in Oregon looks at the recent medical marijuana controversy as something hurtful to many people who rely on the drug to control pain and treat a number of medical conditions by making these people feel like criminals. In Oregon and California, the Obama administration is specifically testing state and federal drug laws in ways that worry those who dispense and use marijuana, who see it as contrary to Obama’s 2008 election promises.
US Federal laws specifically prohibit marijuana sale and use. On the other hand, 16 states have passed laws allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. The Obama administration is now specifically targeting marijuana growers by letting them know they are violating US federal laws by growing and dispensing the drug. In California dispensaries have already been told to shut down.
In late September, the Oregonian reported about a man whose property was raided by federal officials looking for and confiscating marijuana plants after using guns to intimidate people living in rental houses in the area where the plants had been grown. Keith Rogers is described as an insurance agent who owns the property and whose growers have met the requirements of Oregon’s medical marijuana laws. Nevertheless, as Rogers is quoted as saying about the raid on his property:
"They are throwing their weight around and saying the voters of Oregon don't have any rights."
The Oregonian article continues: “The raid seems to conform to guidance offered in U.S. Department of Justice memos directing federal agents to enforce federal drug laws, even in states that have legalized medical marijuana.”
Monday, October 3, Drug Czar Kerlikowske wrote to Rep. Cohen about the Obama administration's position on marijuana research. In his reply, summarized here, Kerlikowske alleged that the Congressman’s concerns regarding the federal scheduling of cannabis are unwarranted because, “We ardently support research into determining what components of the marijuana plant can be used as medicine.”
Kerlikowske added, “In fact, the federal government is the largest source of funding for research into the potential therapeutic benefits of marijuana, and every valid request for the use of marijuana for research has been approved by the Drug Enforcement Administration.” On the other hand, the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), oversees 85 percent of the world’s research on controlled substances, and has stated its policy is to reject medical marijuana research.“As the National Institute on Drug Abuse, our focus is primarily on the negative consequences of marijuana use,” a NIDA spokesperson told The New York Times in 2010. “We generally do not fund research focused on the potential beneficial medical effects of marijuana.”
The liberals hoped President Obama’s administration would end raids on medical marijuana facilities, which had been the pattern of the Bush administration and are disappointed that the raids have not only continued but have increased recently, with the notifications in California sent by federal officials in underlining the superiority of federal law with reference to drug policies. “I would not have the Justice Department prosecuting and raiding medical marijuana users,” was Senator Obama's statement in August 2007. “It’s not a good use of our resources,” he continued, as joints continue to be targeted according to the marijuana industry instead of jobs.
In the meantime, Tennessee Congressman Steven Cohen is co-sponsor of HR 2306: The Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2011 , which asks Obama to support changing the cannabis’ federal status as a schedule I prohibited drug and to respect and follow the state laws that allow marijuana for medical uses.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Holistic health folks, marijuana patients protest new regs
[caption id="attachment_6262" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Cannabis"]
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Carol Forsloff - While more and more states are legalizing medical marijuana, some on the West Coast with pro-medical marijuana laws in effect for a number of years now face restrictions at the local level that lead to patients have problems finding the resources they need.
In order to help patients obtain marijuana for medicinal purposes, the Holistic Herbal Healers in San Jose is aligning itself with the medical cannabis community, as restrictions are growing on the numbers of places in the area that will be allowed to dispense marijuana. The medical marijuana patients have new friends among holistic practitioners who have formed what they call the Cannabis Patients Alliance, according to a recent press release.
With the support of holistic healers, patients asked the City of Jose to loosen its restrictions on dispensing facilities. The city has said there can be no more than 10 in the area.
This same type of fight is going on in Oregon, where the state has seen more and more contentious disagreements among legislators and patients about the use of medical marijuana in the general community. Legislators express concern that the drug is being used by private citizens for recreational purposes and have started to restrict the drug’s dispensing at cannabis cafes and shops, as well as restricting the drug paraphernalia. Since Oregon and California voted against recreational use of marijuana the number of restrictions have been increasing, along with arrests that have multiplied in Oregon.
In the meantime marijuana supporters are gathering information and support from various sources, including holistic health practitioners as they fight against restricting the drug that many maintain is essential to control pain and side effects from various cancer medications.
A Cannabis Patients Alliance volunteer maintains, “In the end, the Alliance is about the rights of people to use a safe, natural, non-toxic medicine under the care of a physician, without harming anyone else and without any interference from politicians and bureaucrats” The Alliance tells us that.San Jose City’s intent is to limit permits for dispensaries and where they can be located and that marijuana has to be grown on the site where it is being dispensed. The organization believes this will lead to marijuana monopolies limiting choice and leading to poor drug quality as well as poor customer service.
The controversy continues on the status of medical marijuana in the United States. Arguments for and against the use of the drug for medical purposes are part of a regular discussion in state and local governments. The arguments of those in favor maintain that the drug reduces pain and problems taking medications for cancer and other illnesses. Those against it believe it is a gateway to harder drugs that are more addictive.
While more and more states legalize medical marijuana, the technical aspects of its distribution remain a major source of difficulty and the final hurdle in its effective use by patients who maintain they need the drug for its health benefits.
[/caption]Carol Forsloff - While more and more states are legalizing medical marijuana, some on the West Coast with pro-medical marijuana laws in effect for a number of years now face restrictions at the local level that lead to patients have problems finding the resources they need.
In order to help patients obtain marijuana for medicinal purposes, the Holistic Herbal Healers in San Jose is aligning itself with the medical cannabis community, as restrictions are growing on the numbers of places in the area that will be allowed to dispense marijuana. The medical marijuana patients have new friends among holistic practitioners who have formed what they call the Cannabis Patients Alliance, according to a recent press release.
With the support of holistic healers, patients asked the City of Jose to loosen its restrictions on dispensing facilities. The city has said there can be no more than 10 in the area.
This same type of fight is going on in Oregon, where the state has seen more and more contentious disagreements among legislators and patients about the use of medical marijuana in the general community. Legislators express concern that the drug is being used by private citizens for recreational purposes and have started to restrict the drug’s dispensing at cannabis cafes and shops, as well as restricting the drug paraphernalia. Since Oregon and California voted against recreational use of marijuana the number of restrictions have been increasing, along with arrests that have multiplied in Oregon.
In the meantime marijuana supporters are gathering information and support from various sources, including holistic health practitioners as they fight against restricting the drug that many maintain is essential to control pain and side effects from various cancer medications.
A Cannabis Patients Alliance volunteer maintains, “In the end, the Alliance is about the rights of people to use a safe, natural, non-toxic medicine under the care of a physician, without harming anyone else and without any interference from politicians and bureaucrats” The Alliance tells us that.San Jose City’s intent is to limit permits for dispensaries and where they can be located and that marijuana has to be grown on the site where it is being dispensed. The organization believes this will lead to marijuana monopolies limiting choice and leading to poor drug quality as well as poor customer service.
The controversy continues on the status of medical marijuana in the United States. Arguments for and against the use of the drug for medical purposes are part of a regular discussion in state and local governments. The arguments of those in favor maintain that the drug reduces pain and problems taking medications for cancer and other illnesses. Those against it believe it is a gateway to harder drugs that are more addictive.
While more and more states legalize medical marijuana, the technical aspects of its distribution remain a major source of difficulty and the final hurdle in its effective use by patients who maintain they need the drug for its health benefits.
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