Being a Grandfather living with HIV and a long term marijuana user for recreation and medical reasons, I believe the time is right to review the difference between legalizing medical marijuana vs. recreational marijuana. The question has been argued in the past year but the legal history of marijuana has apparently been forgotten. Now-a-days advocating marijuana for medicinal use is in vogue among liberal Democrats and Republicans and it has picked up speed in the United States Congress.
Indeed, eighteen states in the United States have passed some form of medical marijuana laws and New York State may become the nineteen state to legalize medical marijuana. But, after reviewing many medical marijuana bills, particularly the bill in New York , I believe that marijuana users who wholeheartedly support legalizing medical marijuana use may be unintentionally supporting continued but camouflaged prohibition of marijuana. This is accomplished by allowing marijuana’s use but in a highly regulated and restricted environment where stake holders like large marijuana growers, big pharmaceutical companies and connected medical marijuana dispensaries profit at the expense of the vast majority of marijuana users.
Many people considering medical or recreation use of marijuana don’t know the history of marijuana in the U.S. Until its prohibition in 1937, extract of Cannabis sativa (marijuana) was one of the top three most prescribed medicines in the US. When it became illegal, its use as a medicine became restricted. In 1970, Congress classified cannabis and THC (one of the active compounds in cannabis) as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act Schedule I drugs are defined by Congress as having no medicinal value. This is one of the biggest lies and frauds in American history i.e. that the Cannabis ‘Plant’ is a ‘drug’ like cocaine or heroin with no medicinal benefit.
Today, supporting medical marijuana is a novel way around the Controlled Substances Act but at the end of the day; it is a prohibitionist’s viewpoint that defends the politicians who don’t want marijuana legalized but understand the politics of legal marijuana. Why not acknowledge the political and legal force it is and focus on the REAL problem at hand…ending Cannabis Prohibition? It is just this simple.Advocacy of the ‘medical’ cannabis industry of today is the same as advocating for the legal sellers of ‘prescription’ alcohol during Alcohol Prohibition. Most of them opposed actual legalization of alcohol and today medical marijuana activists opposed recreational marijuana legalization. Prescriptive alcohol was a sham then and the ‘medical’ cannabis prescription (not medical cannabis itself) is largely a sham now.
In recent years, when some states decide to legalize medical marijuana for ‘state classified’ patients, medical marijuana use is a clever way for prohibitionists to control the use of marijuana and restrict its use to only state approved users. This is state prohibition. Consequently, the difference between medical marijuana use and recreational use is not necessarily who gets it or how it is used but under whose regulations and restrictions people get marijuana. Medical cannabis refers to the parts of the herb cannabis used as a physician-recommended form of medicine or herbal therapy, or to synthetic forms of specific cannabinoids such as THC as a physician-recommended form of medicine.
The Cannabis plant has a long history of use as medicine, with historical evidence dating back to 2737 BCE. Cannabis is one of the 50 "fundamental" herbs of traditional Chinese medicine, and is prescribed to for a broad range of diseases.Medical marijuana users seek varieties that either modify medical conditions such as nausea or glaucoma, or act as analgesics or as pain relievers. Medical marijuana also helps stomach problems and research has found that it can cure certain types of cancer.If you don't like the feeling of being high, you can eat it and your body converts it differently.
I know someone who had marijuana (THC) candy from a medical dispensary, and without making her high, it took away her stomach ache, head ache, muscle aches and the slight temperature she had, within just seconds of eating it. And she didn't get high from it, just felt much better and more energetic. As I write my opinion, I reviewed again the New York State bill by Senator Diane Savino (23rd Senate District) and her co-sponsor Dick Gottfried (Assembly District 75) known as the ‘Compassionate Care Act’ that I initially supported. After closely reading it again, I believe the present bill is far too restrictive and prohibitive. As President of ‘The American Pot Smokers Association’ that represents millions of New York recreation users of marijuana, I intend to fight against this marijuana prohibition in New York.
Indeed, it is my responsibility in view of the new survey that says 51 percent of Americans believe marijuana should be "legalized, taxed, and regulated like alcohol." Moreover, eight in 10 Americans, according to this national ABC News/Washington Post poll, support legalizing marijuana for medical use. Consequently, approving the ‘Compassionate Care Act’ in New York would be ‘selling out’ to marijuana prohibitionists.
In conclusion, I believe sick people can’t wait around for the recreational legalization of marijuana so I support legalizing ‘medical marijuana’ with limited restrictions to get sick people needed access to the medicinal benefits of marijuana. But, a “Strict regulatory measure” that will ensure that ‘only doctors with pre-existing relationships with patients will be able to recommend medical marijuana’ is prohibition of marijuana to recreation users. Let’s go for recreational legalization like Colorado and Washington.
Marijuana smokers, like myself, want good, affordable marijuana without having to go through the insult and expense of having to ‘qualify’ as a ‘medical’ patient by paying physicians and/or the state for some kind of ‘get out of jail free’ card. I think marijuana should be legalized for the simple fact that it will reduce organized gangs in inner cities, lower the gangbanging/murder rate, regulate marijuana and reduce the amount being sold to minors. Last but certainly not least, legalized recreational marijuana would generate billions of dollars in tax money for the government.
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