Today, somehow, I missed this anniversary. Of course I am laid up with a trashed back from a work injury so I am not on top of things,being medicated up to my eyeballs with muscle relaxers,N-Saids and pain pills. All these drugs have marked side effects on my body, some of them worse than what they are designed to alleviate. For me sometimes, the cure is worse than the disease.
Which brings me to the reason for this post. Last month was the national celebration of 4/20. I didn't really post on that day but read some good posts and bad posts on the subject. One bad post quoted the "press" release that day from those wonderful folks over at the FDA. It reinterated the basic "political" premise that marijuana has no medical use, its a nasty drug and yada yada yada..I would like to bring up something those asshats over at the FDA seemed to have forgotten...
Back in 1999, the Institute of Medicine,the medical part of the National Academy of Sciences released a report on medicinal marijuana and other related topics. The NAS is an organization chartered by Congress to provide independent, nonpartisan scientific and technological advice. They released a 288 page report(which you can read in its entirety here) which stated various points regarding marijuana as a gateway drug(low probability), potential for addiction(also low probability), the effect of smoking marijuana on the lungs(no obvious long-term problems) and the usefulness of marijuana in treating such debilitating diseases,conditions or illnesses associated with cancer chemotherapy, appetite stimulation for cancer and HIV patients, and treatment of muscle spasticity for patients with multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury. Time and time again throughout the report, the 11 well respected scientists urged more testing and research into the usefulness of medicinal marijuana.
Since that report was released, our government as blocked virtually ALL efforts to conduct research on this plant that grows wild as a weed in various parts of the world, including the United States. What this means is the politically motivated press release last month is nothing more than bat guano since NOTHING has been proven, due to the governments efforts to stonewall any and all research.
So, once again our government has given us nothing more than lies,half-truths and basic bullshit masquerading at truth in the name of medical science. Don't you just love how those asshats can say all this crap with a straight face and a steady voice knowing its the biggest crock of hog poop since Scooter Libby said he was too busy to remember who he talked to about Valerie Plames status over at the CIA?
I know I do..
Anyway..in this red county of Kern, filled chock full of republicans that simply hate that medicinal marijuana is legal in this state, marchers walked proudly, were pushed in wheel chairs, and hobbled in support of the right to use a drug that many researchers OUTSIDE the U.S have shown is a viable alternative to prescription medication that not only costs a bloody fortune but has side effects that hamper its use by many sick individuals.
Thanks to those that marched today. I am just sorry I wasn't able to join you. I salute you all.
