Medical Marijuana & Legalization

by
weed1
This is not a peer-reviewed picture.

This subject probably deserves a longer post (as in I could probably spend 5000 words discussing the “things the government doesn’t want you to know” hooey), but I’m going to stick to pointing out my biggest takeaways from CNN’s Marijuana stops child’s severe seizures.

In countdown mode:

3. Charlotte had 300 (300!) seizures a week, and was able to control them down to 2-3 a month with a treatment of marijuana.  This is amazing and remarkable.  This, however, does not prove that the government is hiding a marijuana cure-all from us.  It also does not prove that using marijuana has absolutely no side-effects.  (Gynecomastia, anyone?)  I’m hoping with some state legalization we’ll finally get peer-reviewed research into what marijuana can actually do.

2. Great medical uses of marijuana do not indicate a need to legalize recreational use of marijuana.  Lots of heavy-duty pain medications are controlled substances, and there’s no reason at this point to assume which category marijuana should fall.

1. A special low-THC marijuana was grown for Charlotte, as she is only 6.  THC is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.  So, sorry stoners, it might turn out that getting high is unnecessary to whatever good medical uses marijuana may provide beyond merely treating symptoms.  I think this topic would be most interesting first dive into academic research of the drug.

 

You're not helping your cause.
You’re not helping your cause.  “Although it is undisputed that smoking of marijuana plant material causes a fall in intraocular pressure (IOP) in 60% to 65% of users, continued use at a rate needed to control glaucomatous IOP would lead to substantial systemic toxic effects revealed as pathological changes.”