V.A. easing medical marijuana rules...

[cougmantx]

What do you think folks...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38391479/ns/us_news-the_new_york_times

[yallerjacket2]

What do you think folks...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38391479/ns/us_news-the_new_york_times

Another step in the right direction. I'm all for full legalization myself. There is absolutely no reason not to. I don't use the stuff myself, but I can't think of any reason to tell other people they can't.

[ktCarl]

Another step in the right direction. I'm all for full legalization myself. There is absolutely no reason not to. I don't use the stuff myself, but I can't think of any reason to tell other people they can't.

Me too. I posted a thread on this subject months ago. There's sooooooo much ignorance concerning this weed it staggers the mind. And all this ignorance not under the influence of 'grass'. It will stay illegal because those who profit from it being illegal do make massive $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

[cougmantx]

Me too. I posted a thread on this subject months ago. There's sooooooo much ignorance concerning this weed it staggers the mind. And all this ignorance not under the influence of 'grass'. It will stay illegal because those who profit from it being illegal do make massive $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

:notworthy

[SWMHebron]

Just as long as you don't have a genetic predisposition to any psychiatric disorder, but especially schizophrenia.

http://www.miller-mccune.com/health/the-cannabis-and-schizophrenia-conundrum-10218/

"Scientists in Australia followed nearly 4,000 young adults born between 1981 and 1984 at the 21-year mark, and found that the longer study participants had used marijuana, the higher the risk of psychosis-related outcomes. Those who had experienced hallucinations early were more likely to have smoked or used marijuana longer and more frequently."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vanessa-richmond/documentary-links-marijua_b_439595.html

"Swedish paper that followed the health of 50,000 Swedish military recruits over 15 years, and the subsequent research that has come out over the last decade or so. In short, people who start smoking marijuana before the age of 16 are four times more likely to develop schizophrenia."

http://www.livescience.com/health/marijuana-worsens-schizophrenia-100618.html

The new studies turn that reasoning on its head, said Deepak Cyril D'Souza, a psychiatrist at Yale University who was not involved in the study. "What the data clearly show are that, if anything, the core symptoms of schizophrenia actually get worse after using cannabis," he said.

[cougmantx]

Just as long as you don't have a genetic predisposition to any psychiatric disorder, but especially schizophrenia.

http://www.miller-mccune.com/health/the-cannabis-and-schizophrenia-conundrum-10218/

"Scientists in Australia followed nearly 4,000 young adults born between 1981 and 1984 at the 21-year mark, and found that the longer study participants had used marijuana, the higher the risk of psychosis-related outcomes. Those who had experienced hallucinations early were more likely to have smoked or used marijuana longer and more frequently."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vanessa-richmond/documentary-links-marijua_b_439595.html

"Swedish paper that followed the health of 50,000 Swedish military recruits over 15 years, and the subsequent research that has come out over the last decade or so. In short, people who start smoking marijuana before the age of 16 are four times more likely to develop schizophrenia."

http://www.livescience.com/health/marijuana-worsens-schizophrenia-100618.html

The new studies turn that reasoning on its head, said Deepak Cyril D'Souza, a psychiatrist at Yale University who was not involved in the study. "What the data clearly show are that, if anything, the core symptoms of schizophrenia actually get worse after using cannabis," he said.

So how many "legal" drugs are prescribed with all kinds of warning for side effects? Everything has consequences but taken as a whole I would say that cannabis is much safer then say...oh, some of the side effects of Lipitor or xanex, vicodin, or even Tylenol and Aspirin for some people.

Some people shouldn't be taking a lot of things they are but that doesn't mean that doctors quit perscribing it.

[SWMHebron]

So how many "legal" drugs are prescribed with all kinds of warning for side effects? Everything has consequences but taken as a whole I would say that cannabis is much safer then say...oh, some of the side effects of Lipitor or xanex, vicodin, or even Tylenol and Aspirin for some people.

Some people shouldn't be taking a lot of things they are but that doesn't mean that doctors quit perscribing it.

Of that list:

Lipitor -- far and away the safest. The only significant side effect is myalgias (muscle pain) which have been found to be almost exclusively associated with Vitamin D deficiency. Treat the Vitamin D and the myalgias disappear. The liver problems have been found to be confined to Baychol which has been off the market for many years.
Xanax -- highly addictive and should only be prescribed for short term use.
Hydrocodone -- good short term, highly addictive long term
Tylenol-- responsible for half of the liver transplants performed in the US annually. If it was coming on the market now it would either not be approved or would be prescription with a black box warning.
Aspirin -- see Tylenol, but with GI bleed instead of liver failure.

We've had 3 or 4 patients end up with major GI bleeds and in the hospital in the last year from over the counter aspirin and ibuprofen. No one has had any problems with Lipitor or other statins that could not be fixed by treating their Vitamin D deficiency.

[mad_fan]

You need all the weed you can smoke before going to a VA hospital...
That may be true of any hospital done the road...

[SWMHebron]

You need all the weed you can smoke before going to a VA hospital...
That may be true of any hospital done the road...

Having worked at a VA (and it was one of the better ones as far as that goes) I can almost see your point.

[cougmantx]

Of that list:

Lipitor -- far and away the safest. The only significant side effect is myalgias (muscle pain) which have been found to be almost exclusively associated with Vitamin D deficiency. Treat the Vitamin D and the myalgias disappear. The liver problems have been found to be confined to Baychol which has been off the market for many years.
Xanax -- highly addictive and should only be prescribed for short term use.
Hydrocodone -- good short term, highly addictive long term
Tylenol-- responsible for half of the liver transplants performed in the US annually. If it was coming on the market now it would either not be approved or would be prescription with a black box warning.
Aspirin -- see Tylenol, but with GI bleed instead of liver failure.

We've had 3 or 4 patients end up with major GI bleeds and in the hospital in the last year from over the counter aspirin and ibuprofen. No one has had any problems with Lipitor or other statins that could not be fixed by treating their Vitamin D deficiency.

See here is an example:

I'm on Lipitor and Plavix along with a couple other very small doses of meds after my heart attack. Occasionally I have to take Tylenol for minor back pain or headache...in my opinion (strictly mine) this is an area where cannabis could be safer for me then some other over the counter drugs. Granted I'm not in the medical field and I understand the point made about psychoses but I also think that stems for cases of abuse.

I'm also one of those that just doesn't get the billions spent incarcerating or prosecuting people for cannabis use while alcohol is a much more dangerous drug. You have to admit that abuse of alcohol can be much more severe than cannabis in what it does internally or psychologically.

[mad_fan]

Having worked at a VA (and it was one of the better ones as far as that goes) I can almost see your point.

Former frequent customer of Big Spring and Albuquerque...
Big Spring...Just Bad...but some well meaning staff...
Albuquerque...it's a nice facility...too many patients...you better know where you are going (or show up 4 hours early)...and the saddest place I've ever been (seeing so many Vets of the current wars in one place)...

[cougmantx]

Austins VA clincs were outstanding. Short waits and attention by the staff.

[BDB]

the stoner in me is giggling right now.

the non-smoker is happy with this. hopefully the government legalizes and taxes the drug on a national scale. enough with sending billions of dollars a year to mexico/south america for a plant.

[mad_fan]

the stoner in me is giggling right now.

the non-smoker is happy with this. hopefully the government legalizes and taxes the drug on a national scale. enough with sending billions of dollars a year to mexico/south america for a plant.

Not that I disagree...or want to give these guys too much credit for smarts...BUT...wouldn't they just change to another crop/chemical???

[BDB]

Not that I disagree...or want to give these guys too much credit for smarts...BUT...wouldn't they just change to another crop/chemical???

yea they would. most likely think of a new amphetamine to push. most like MDMA (or whatever knock-off version they could get away with calling MDMA).

but compared to other chemicals, THC isn't a hard drug and is severely less lethal than alcohol. if there's a drug that was gonna be decriminalized weed would be at the top. imo.

[ktCarl]

Of that list:

Lipitor -- far and away the safest. The only significant side effect is myalgias (muscle pain) which have been found to be almost exclusively associated with Vitamin D deficiency. Treat the Vitamin D and the myalgias disappear. The liver problems have been found to be confined to Baychol which has been off the market for many years.
Xanax -- highly addictive and should only be prescribed for short term use.
Hydrocodone -- good short term, highly addictive long term
Tylenol-- responsible for half of the liver transplants performed in the US annually. If it was coming on the market now it would either not be approved or would be prescription with a black box warning.
Aspirin -- see Tylenol, but with GI bleed instead of liver failure.

We've had 3 or 4 patients end up with major GI bleeds and in the hospital in the last year from over the counter aspirin and ibuprofen. No one has had any problems with Lipitor or other statins that could not be fixed by treating their Vitamin D deficiency.

Oh yeah?!! What about Cialis and the '4 hr erection'?

[ktCarl]

Just as long as you don't have a genetic predisposition to any psychiatric disorder, but especially schizophrenia.

http://www.miller-mccune.com/health/the-cannabis-and-schizophrenia-conundrum-10218/

"Scientists in Australia followed nearly 4,000 young adults born between 1981 and 1984 at the 21-year mark, and found that the longer study participants had used marijuana, the higher the risk of psychosis-related outcomes. Those who had experienced hallucinations early were more likely to have smoked or used marijuana longer and more frequently."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vanessa-richmond/documentary-links-marijua_b_439595.html

"Swedish paper that followed the health of 50,000 Swedish military recruits over 15 years, and the subsequent research that has come out over the last decade or so. In short, people who start smoking marijuana before the age of 16 are four times more likely to develop schizophrenia."

http://www.livescience.com/health/marijuana-worsens-schizophrenia-100618.html

The new studies turn that reasoning on its head, said Deepak Cyril D'Souza, a psychiatrist at Yale University who was not involved in the study. "What the data clearly show are that, if anything, the core symptoms of schizophrenia actually get worse after using cannabis," he said.


"Even in response to these numbers, Murray is cautious. He says that "everyone varies in their genetic susceptibility. Some of us can happily take cannabis without developing a problem; others of us are more prone." But it turns out the very few who are "prone" have a pretty bad time with it."

This is true with alcohol too....no?

Do you realize that oxygen is a carcinogen?

[ktCarl]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUU2YB9OgaU&NR=1