Prayer or pot for pain impacted by regions, religions and science

marijuana

Response to helping people with pain depends on the culture and its teachings about pain, supply of medications and economics, as people can't use what they don't have and can't pay for.  Those who suffer severe or chronic pain are treated differently in different regions of the country as well as the entire world for a variety of reasons, including religion and therefore impacts whether people will use pot or prayer for pain.

Politics is not the only area of conflict, as religion also creates issues in response to social concerns.  For some religious groups, such as the Christian Scientists, God is the principal healer, so adherents turn less to modern medicine and more to prayer as the method for treating pain.

Lifestyle and cultural issues impact how pain is perceived by others.  In addition some people just don't "feel your pain."because they have an entirely different threshold for physical perception or social or religious views that require them to minimize its impact when they discuss it with others.

Statistics reveal an increased use in prescription drugs, and much of this has to do with pain control.  There are varied uses for pain medication, for the extreme kind as well as for chronic pain.  For doctors it's an ongoing dilemma, especially for those in chronic pain with little hope of living for any reasonable period of time.  The concerns about addiction still remain, along with physician's own perception of physical pain based upon his or her physical characteristics and religious views.

It is chronic pain often at issue.  That's because of the questions regarding addiction as well as the culture message that says, "You've been sick long enough.  Now get over it."  That's especially true when practitioners and medical supplies are in short supply.  Folks like to talk about dear Aunt Hattie, 75 years old, and still working hard at washing windows in spite of two herniated disc and a cancer diagnosis.  This is the view that seems to say to folks, "I'm better because me and my family deal with pain better."

A glaring example of lack of quality medical care affected by culture was the description of how Kuwaiti doctors respond to the problem of pain.  Kuwaiti doctors, according to the  The Kuwait Times, will often think, or actually say, about medical mistakes or lack of care, “just live with it.” Many medical practitioners relate the same thing when dealing with chronic pain patients..  This is particularly true when there are no easy answers.

Medical personnel are also in short supply relative to population needs in many places in the world.  This gives rise to reliance on alternatives or even no help at all, an orientation that Kuwait has taken to its populations in need.  But it is also true of how medical treatment is provided in many poor areas of the world.

 A study, entitled "Measuring the Health of Nations: Updating an Earlier Analysis,"set up and carried out by a team of researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, found that the United States is last among the developed nations for quality of medical care and France is tops. To obtain these results the research examined individuals younger than age 75 who had died but whose deaths might have been prevented by effective, quality and timely medical care.  Although France has been rated high in comparison with other healthcare programs, Businessweek says the French system isn’t quite as sterling as Moore maintains but that it indeed is “pretty good.”

The fact is also that France can also play the machismo game of "grin and bear it" given the tough approach taken towards minority groups to save money.  Not dealing with pain issues is also another way to save money.

More and more states in the United States are allowing the use of medical marijuana for pain control, especially for those groups having neurogenic pain related to diabetes or pain or nausea from cancer.  On the other hand, groups point to the power of prayer in some studies that suggest that those prayed for heal more readily.  But the scientific studies are inconsistent for both methods of pain control, even though both have provided relief for many people, according to anecdotal reports..

So will prayer or pot take precedence in the control of pain in the coming years?  Given the fact that many religious groups stand in the political doorway,the options for marijuana are limited to those states where it is legal for medical purposes.  At the same time these state laws conflict with federal legislation outlawing marijuana for any uses at all.  The Deep South has deep six-ed the notion so far, and most folks have opted for prayer.

Given the cost considerations, the growing numbers of elderly and others with chronic pain, the choice might end up being a serious debate on the national stage about whether or not prayer or pot should be used for pain or whether both may be the best solution at a time of soaring healthcare costs.

Jailing marijuana offenders and balancing the US budget

[caption id="attachment_11849" align="alignleft" width="120"] Marijuana plant[/caption]

Carol Forsloff---The marijuana community, criminologists and medical groups have estimated the United States spends $600 million to $1 billion annually on housing or monitoring individuals for drug offenses, 90% of whom have no history of violent offenses, while thousands wait on the rolls for sentencing.  Experts tell us that reducing these numbers can do a lot to trim state and national budgets and thereby help the economy.

A savings of $1 billion annually may seem trivial at a time when the United States is trillions of dollars in debt; however, the incarceration and imprisonment figures are only one factor in the potential for reducing costs.

A major factor in the cost comes with the increase in crime related to what is defined as a criminal act in the various states and the cost of enforcement of those laws, according to the statistics established by the FBI.  A major contrast among the states consists of California vs. Oklahoma.  If an individual has no medical card and has a small amount of marijuana, he or she will likely just get fined in California.  In Oklahoma, however,  a first time conviction for a minor amount of marijuana can get a person up to a year in jail.  A second offense will net a ten-year jail sentence.  Those who grow their own, as is legal for marijuana users in Oregon, for example, in Oklahoma means a $20,000 fine and from two years to life in prison.

The statistics cited by marijuana organizations gleaned from the crime data set forth annually by the FBI finds the following.  The data shows 723,627 people were arrested for marijuana offenses in 2001, almost half of all drug arrests in that year.  As Kenneth Stroup, Executive Director of the National Organization for he Reform of Marijuana laws, maintains “the war on drugs is largely a war on pot smokers.  This effort is a tremendous waste of criminal justice resources that should be dedicated toward combating serious and violent crime, including the war on terrorism."

A further examination of the statistics finds 88.6 percent of those charged with minor marijuana possession, or 641,108 people .  The balance consists of those charged with the sale or manufacture of marijuana, including those who were growing the plant for medical uses. The statistics cited reveals that the number of marijuana arrests exceed the total number of all violent crimes.  In raw numbers, since 1992 six million Americans have been arrested on marijuana charges.

Press releases from the state police departments of the State of Oregon reveal the numbers of individuals arrested weekly on possession of pot, at a time when Oregon’s medical marijuana law is under intense scrutiny due to the crackdowns in California.  This means a significant amount of state police time is spent arresting those with marijuana, a high cost to the State of Oregon trying to trim a burdensome budget.

Eric Schlosser, who has written extensively on the history of marijuana laws and their enforcement in the United States, said during an interview on PBS  in 1997  “at a time when there's a shortage of prison space and when murderers are serving on average about six years in prison, it seems absurd to have non-violent marijuana offenders locked up in those large numbers.”  He went on to say that he has been struck with the witchhunt parallels between those looking for communists during the McCarthy era and those looking for marijuana users and growers.

The human costs of marijuana laws becomes especially telling at a time when every penny costs, as the economic picture continues to elucidate.  Millions of Americans suffer problems due to run-ins with police officials that include probation, mandatory drug, testing, loss of employment, loss of child custody, removal from subsidized housing, asset forfeiture, loss of voting privileges, loss of adoption rights and loss of federal welfare benefits such as food stamps.  Those who serve time, many for minor offenses, approximate 13 percent of state prison populations and 12.4 per cent of those in federal prisons.

What’s the answer to America’s “drug problem?”  Many say the first step is to decriminalize the drug at both state and federal levels.  This takes the sting from the border crimes and from the traffickers who link up with racketeers. It also takes Mom and Pop out of jail and allows them to maintain families.  Furthermore, it provides health support for those who have chronic ailments found to be benefited from medical marijuana use.

Prisons are a $37 billion business annually in a country with among the highest incarceration rates in the world.  The question is how much of these costs to consumers who pay the taxes to support this business could be saved by focusing on violent offenders and removing from the rosters the marijuana arrests that clog the rosters and negatively impact the lives of so many people.

College offers education for growing, cultivating, delivery medicalmarijuana

[caption id="attachment_6770" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Marijuana plant"][/caption]

Carol Forsloff - In California folks continue to be enterprising with a college for marijuana growers and users to develop the drug for medicinal use.  Is this potentially good business?

In Shasta Lake, California, according to a recent press release, there will be a 2-day event  featuring how to grow marijuana legally.

The goal is to demonstrate that this can be a good business for farmers and cultivators.  The college takes place July 16 and 17 at Red Lion Inn in the high mountains of Lake Shasta.

College Business Director, George Boyardiian of 402 College says, "It's not hard or as expensive to comply with the law as people think.  We focus on simple steps that a medical marijuana collective, delivery service or member farm need to take to get up and running, legally. We cover best practices for cultivation and testing, as well. Two days and the cost of the seminar are a lot less then the price we've seen others pay for ignoring cultivation guidelines, or by following someone's advice that's mis-informed about the law."

The press release goes on to say that featured speakers at the college will include people from the medical marijuana industry who have years of practical experience to share about how to start and run a marijuana business right down to the details of growing and delivering the goods.   Folks can register online at this address.

There is a growing underground industry in marijuana, but there are federal laws against it.   Still California, like other states where medical marijuana is legal, has its own set of regulations.  Those codes can be found here under “compassionate use” legislation.

There is even a YouTube video that gives folks information on the laws referencing growing and cultivating marijuana in California,  that will give potential students at the 402 college some introductory information in advance.  It appears there is sufficient business potential with the growing number of states that have legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes for training in how to be successful in the drug business.

Holistic health folks, marijuana patients protest new regs

[caption id="attachment_6262" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Cannabis"][/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.