Marijuana- Should it be legalized?

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Posted by StepherG

Just curious...are there any PROVEN medicinal purposes? I heard that it is good for cataracts (sp?)....but why?

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YES

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Posted by marymoon

Well, it can be regulated in the way that tobacco and alcohol are..you cna regulate the content, get the FDA involved. it would be sold by legitimate companies. If it's only legalized medicinally, then it would definitely be regulated by the FDA, and given only with a prescription. I mean, plenty of people abuse percocet, but it's a legal drug. They're not taking it off the market because people can abuse it. If they did, we'd have no pain killers, no ADD medications, no cough syrup, etc etc..

And it would keep a LOT of people out of jail and save our judicial system a lot of money in the long run, instead of wasting court time on petty possession cases.

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IMO...it cannot be regualted the way it should be..
ETA...and there would be more instances of driving under the influence and accidents! .

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Posted by StepherG

Just curious...are there any PROVEN medicinal purposes? I heard that it is good for cataracts (sp?)....but why?

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Not cataracts, but glaucoma. Glaucoma is caused by increased pressure in the eye. Some of the compounds in marijuana have been proven to reduce ocular pressure, thereby allowing some relief from glaucoma.

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Posted by oct.2004bride

IF ya got cataracts get eye surgery...NO?

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There's no surgery for glaucoma. It is the leading cause of blindness in the US.

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Posted by oct.2004bride


IMO...it cannot be regualted the way it should be..
ETA...and there would be more instances of driving under the influence and accidents! .

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Why can't it be regulated the way it should be?

I don't think the accidents would really change. I don't think it's much different from alcohol. People who would be stupid enough t get high and drive are the same people are who are stupid enough to get drunk and drive as it is..and for the really hardcore stoners out there, who really abuse it, they are getting it anyway.

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Posted by marymoon

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Posted by oct.2004bride


IMO...it cannot be regualted the way it should be..
ETA...and there would be more instances of driving under the influence and accidents! .

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Why can't it be regulated the way it should be?

I don't think the accidents would really change. I don't think it's much different from alcohol. People who would be stupid enough t get high and drive are the same people are who are stupid enough to get drunk and drive as it is..and for the really hardcore stoners out there, who really abuse it, they are getting it anyway.

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LOOK at all the problems we have regulating alcohol....
I don't think we need another drug out there to add to the problems

Both are and will be abused

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Posted by oct.2004bride

Morphine helps cancer patients doesn't mean it should be legalized either

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In the case of cancer, it isn't just to numb the pain. There are some exciting (but preliminary) studies that show that some of the compounds in marijuana have anti-cancer properties - that is, they can treat or possibly even prevent cancer.

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Posted by TwoBugs

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Posted by oct.2004bride

IF ya got cataracts get eye surgery...NO?

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There's no surgery for glaucoma. It is the leading cause of blindness in the US.

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i said cataracts because someone said it...i didn't mean glaucoma...

and exactly how is it beneficial...imo if it was really worth it..it would be used..medicinally

But they DO use morphine in the hospital.

I see what you're saying, but I don't think it's worse than alcohol. But I see what you're saying about not ADDING another drug to have to try to regulate nad worry about...but it would also take it OFF of the DEA list, and there would be a lot less to worry about on the judicial side of things.

Also, I really believe that the people who would really abuse marijuana are the people who are getting it anyway, whether it's legal or not.

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Posted by marymoon

I don't think the accidents would really change. I don't think it's much different from alcohol. People who would be stupid enough t get high and drive are the same people are who are stupid enough to get drunk and drive as it is..and for the really hardcore stoners out there, who really abuse it, they are getting it anyway.

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This has always gotten me...how is marijuana any more dangerous to your health or the health of others than alcohol? Why the double standard?

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Posted by TwoBugs

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Posted by oct.2004bride

Morphine helps cancer patients doesn't mean it should be legalized either

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In the case of cancer, it isn't just to numb the pain. There are some exciting (but preliminary) studies that show that some of the compounds in marijuana have anti-cancer properties - that is, they can treat or possibly even prevent cancer.

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anyone who knows cancer ...KNOWS that this is really silly...to even say that

There are PLENTY of other things people can be doing other than smoking marijuana to fight cancer

If it becomes legal than there will be more people trying it because they have access which will lead to more drug addicts, accidents, rehab costs, and yet again...MORE 2nd HAND SMOKE!! Doesn't anyone realize the effects it has on your lungs...besides the brain cells it kills?

I used to smoke a lot when I was younger....BUT I difficulty remembering things and my lungs were turning black...so I stopped.

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Posted by oct.2004bride

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Posted by TwoBugs

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Posted by oct.2004bride

IF ya got cataracts get eye surgery...NO?

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There's no surgery for glaucoma. It is the leading cause of blindness in the US.

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i said cataracts because someone said it...i didn't mean glaucoma...

and exactly how is it beneficial...imo if it was really worth it..it would be used..medicinally

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It's currently being studied as a treatment for glaucoma. There have been small clinical trials (on patients) that have shown that it can relieve the pressure that causes glaucoma. It needs to be repeated in many more patients before it can become a viable treatment - if it ever can be, considering that we have been told for decades how evil it is.

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Posted by marymoon

But they DO use morphine in the hospital.

I see what you're saying, but I don't think it's worse than alcohol. But I see what you're saying about not ADDING another drug to have to try to regulate nad worry about...but it would also take it OFF of the DEA list, and there would be a lot less to worry about on the judicial side of things.

Also, I really believe that the people who would really abuse marijuana are the people who are getting it anyway, whether it's legal or not.

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you are right i don't know enough about the drug and its effects on our health vs. alcohol so i cannot comment
I am thinking of purely the impact it might have on our society...

Yes the use morphine in hospitals ONLY this i agree with, just like marijuana

and i agree...people who really abuse it will get it but i don't want to open society up to using it more...

I don't know..I think if a loved one of mine had cancer, I'd want to do ANYTHING it would take to make him or her feel better or get better. When FH's grandmother was dying of cancer, her doctor actually sort of suggested on the sly that she smoke a joint or two every day... haha

Oh, and I have to add, that I have never een smoked marijuana...so I'm not advocating it so I can go out and smoke it in public or anything... I just think it's interesting

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Posted by oct.2004bride

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Posted by TwoBugs

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Posted by oct.2004bride

Morphine helps cancer patients doesn't mean it should be legalized either

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In the case of cancer, it isn't just to numb the pain. There are some exciting (but preliminary) studies that show that some of the compounds in marijuana have anti-cancer properties - that is, they can treat or possibly even prevent cancer.

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anyone who knows cancer ...KNOWS that this is really silly...to even say that

There are PLENTY of other things people can be doing other than smoking marijuana to fight cancer

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What about the people that have tried everything else, to no avail? Why shouldn't we be trying to come up with other solutions? The point is to get rid of the cancer, period. Why should it matter how it happens?