- Joined
- Jan 25, 2012
- Messages
- 31,926
- Reaction score
- 29,385
- Location
- Vancouver, Canada Dual citizen
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Independent
1920's thinking. Very few smoke anymore, if they do, unlike cigarettes, there is no link whatsoever to cancer or lung disease. Cannabis is less addictive than coffee, while cigarettes are number one, alcohol number 7. Cannabis does not cause cirrhosis of the liver, and there is evidence to indicate it helps prevent heart disease as opposed to booze which is the second leading cause of heart disease behind cigarettes.
Cannabis is a healthy alternative to prescription medication for anxiety, sleep disorders, depression and a host of other ailments, all of which are aggravated by alcohol.
Alcohol has never been known to cure cancer, yet there is growing evidence to indicate cannabis is a currative, and is certainly the most effective non-addictive pain reliever known to mankind and is in increasing use in paliative care.
It has never been demonstrated under scientific conditions that cannabis affects driving at all, and the non-scientific research indicates both a dysfunction AND an improvement in driving depending on the personality. The only dysfunction proven about cannabis is short term memory loss (dude, where the hell are my keys). Meanwhile, scientific testing suggests cannabis is a strong anti-aggression medication.
There is only ONE reason the weed is illegal at all, and that had to do with cornering the rope/hemp market in the 1920's and there is no medical nor scientific evidence that cannabis should be included as a "narcotic" as no narcotic effect has ever been documented. However, tobacco IS a narcotic and the most highly addictive substance known to mankind but is sold in every state.
Further, the medicinal use of cannabis can be documented to 10,000 years before Europeans knew "America" existed and has been at various times used in a ceremonial role.
In conclusion, what has been proven to the Supreme Court of Canada is that cannabis should not be regarded as a narcotic, does have medicinal value and cannot be denied to patients.
So, its waaaaay beyond the 1920's idea of simply dismissing it as 'evil' when there is growing evidence not only of its medical benefits, but social benefits as well, ie, no one ever died from having too much pot, no one ever got stabbed because they were too stoned, and yet that **** happens nightly inn bars and back alleys across America. Time to get priorities straight, if you are attempting to prevent harm, look at booze first, prescription drugs second, street drugs third and when you figure out what to do about all that addiction THEN start talking about prohibitions on cannabis.
I have worked with addictions for the last 27 and a half years and have NEVER had to help anyone off pot; alcohol remains the number one offender and why alcoholics anonymous is alive and strong.
