Medical Marijuana questions

[mrveggieman]

First of all let me start by saying that I fully support consenting adults rights to consume whatever they want withing their own bodies even if it is not in their best intrest. My question is which all the side effects of conventional meds how do you know that the medicinal marijuana that you get from a liscenced dispencary any good for you? Have you considered possible side effects? I know the that you can't trust the street dealer on the corner either but why should we trust the big drug companies either? Again this is not to argue that adults shouldn't be able to smoke what the please but more of an indictment of the big drug companies.

[duane1969]

I am not experienced with medical marijuana, but from what I have seen on TV (I know, don't believe everything) the people who are supplying medical marijuana dispensaries are essentially farm growers. It doesn't appear to me that in states where it is legalized for medical purposes that it is coming from pharmaceutical sources, so unless it becomes a big enough industry for Bayer or J&J to jump in then it appears the primary suppliers will be the same people who have been the street suppliers.

[Wickabee]

A couple things:
1 - When dealing with the black market drug trade, the idea of lacing marijuana is a really, really low thing. Only the skeeziest dealers practice that. Any dealer with a single brain cell left knows two things about drugs:
Lacing takes time.
Get it in get it out is the game.
Like buying anything else "non retail" it's always best to know everything you can about the product, the seller or both. Cutting cocaine with baby powder and stuff is more common, but honestly drug dealers are criminals, not stupid. Selling a product that kills the user is gonna leave you with no business. The paranoia over that aspect of the drug trade is far overblown, though not non existent.

Ok, with that out of the way;
"My question is which all the side effects of conventional meds how do you know that the medicinal marijuana that you get from a liscenced dispencary any good for you?"

The only reason to lace marijuana is to make it physically addictive or a more potent high. If I have a licence and I go to a dispensary for medicine, what is the point of getting me addicted? Lacing is a quick way of doing what crossbreeding does. A good marijuana grower has more knowledge than a licenced botanist. Over the years and decades, these guys have created strains that make the stuff from the 60s look like actual grass. With a dispensary, they can really, really take the time to create strains that not only become more potent, but have specific effects. The fact they can do this legally takes away any need to lace for potency.
In short, there's no reason for it not to be. In fact, Here in Canada, a licenced used is allowed to grow a certain amount of plants for themselves after many people complained the weed grown and distributed by the government was crap.

"Have you considered possible side effects?"
Most of the side effects of marijuana are due to it being smoked. Because of this, it has the same problems cigarettes do, though few people smoke weed like cigarettes (every hour or so). These effects can be avoided by making marijuana butter and baking it into brownies, cookies, whatever. It's also possible to get a concentrated liquid that can be used in juices or sodas. If you have a few hundred bucks, a vaporizer is great. Basically a smokeless bong, it heats the marijuana without actually combusting it (combustion causes the release of carcinogens) and you inhale the vapours.
Other side effects include a slowing of the brain and nervous system, but it's thought those effects are reversible (though more studies need to be done, really). Some people experience paranoia, most experience hunger and sleep.

" I know the that you can't trust the street dealer on the corner either but why should we trust the big drug companies either?"
We shouldn't. In fact, that's one of the reasons I'm so in favour of marijuana legalization.
In my case, I have a standing offer for a licence that I haven't taken yet for certain reasons, none of which have anything to do with the marijuana itself. There are 2 major entities who are NOT in favour of the legalization of marijuana. Group 1 is the gangs, group 2 is the pharmaceutical companies. They can't patent marijuana, maybe a strain of it, but not the plant itself, it's a good altenative to chemical pain killers, it has lots of good effects on the stomach (studies show it's almost a smokable pepto), works as a muscle relaxant and a whole lot of other stuff. There's even now topical creams for muscle and joint pain made from marijuana. No high necessary there.
At the end of the day Big Pharm doesn't want marijuana legal, medicinal or otherwise, because it has the potential to cut out a LOT of their business. Organized crime is facing the exact same reality and, frankly, the fact that Big Pharm and Organized crime have the exact same problem is not surprising.

[centrehice]

Medical Marijuana licenses only available in 14 States.

State by State legislation, some are closely monitored, others not as much. Colorado is the most lenient in terms of supply, many of the other 13 highly regulated.

Suppliers for Medical Marijuana Patients did not get to be suppliers because they grow "Skunk Weed" (Homegrown garbage), they are suppliers because they have a respected, effective product.

A good supplier in many States can make a good living, but they must be on their game with accurate record keeping, volumes sold, etc.

In a couple of states, the product is not retailed like a dispensary, and the grower accepts a donation only for his product. The patient actually owns the plant and keeps it at the grower's establishment. Other States like California have retail outlets, though many of them are being shut-down due to the unclear situation of California's laws regarding medical marijuana.

I have a friend that is a Grower and has his license in all 14 States to both supply and imbibe.

[Wickabee]

Medical Marijuana licenses only available in 14 States.

State by State legislation, some are closely monitored, others not as much. Colorado is the most lenient in terms of supply, many of the other 13 highly regulated.

Suppliers for Medical Marijuana Patients did not get to be suppliers because they grow "Skunk Weed" (Homegrown garbage), they are suppliers because they have a respected, effective product.

A good supplier in many States can make a good living, but they must be on their game with accurate record keeping, volumes sold, etc.

In a couple of states, the product is not retailed like a dispensary, and the grower accepts a donation only for his product. The patient actually owns the plant and keeps it at the grower's establishment. Other States like California have retail outlets, though many of them are being shut-down due to the unclear situation of California's laws regarding medical marijuana.

I have a friend that is a Grower and has his license in all 14 States to both supply and imbibe.

Canada has that system in addition to the dispensaries. Here there's only one dispensary and it may as well be flying HA flags.

[shrewsbury]

I think we will find more things like this as time goes on

The most popular illegal drug, marijuana, may double the risk of stroke among young adults, according to findings revealed at The American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2013.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/255992.php

[mrveggieman]

I think we will find more things like this as time goes on



http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/255992.php

Not advocating marijuana use but for every one story with negative side effects you can find another one that touts the benefits. I personally do not smoke but I am a strong proponent of hemp foods, clothing and other materials.

[shrewsbury]

let me see some long term actual medical studies and not some stoner talking about how good it is.

and hemp products is not the same as growing to smoke it for recreation purposes.

[mrveggieman]

let me see some long term actual medical studies and not some stoner talking about how good it is.

and hemp products is not the same as growing to smoke it for recreation purposes.

Good points but everything has side effects. If a consenting adult choses to smoke for their own pleasure know the side effects that is on him. No frivilous lawsiuts against the weed man like these frivilous tobacco and gun lawsuits.

[duane1969]

let me see some long term actual medical studies and not some stoner talking about how good it is.

and hemp products is not the same as growing to smoke it for recreation purposes.

The Scripps Institute in 2006 conducted a study that showed that medical marijuana is superior to all currently used drugs for treating Alzheimer's disease. http://www.scripps.edu/news/press/2006/080906.html

A study done by USC in 2009 showed that medical marijuana reduces the affects of ADD and ADHD and is a good replacement for Ritalin. I can't find the link to that study, but here is a similar study done in Germany that showed the same results. http://mcforadhd.free.fr/ARTICLE%20A...%20GERMANY.pdf

While it isn't a cure for the problem, several studies have shown marijuana reduce the pain associated with multiple sclerosis http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/251339.php

A report put out by the University of Arizona all the way back in 1988 showed that marijuana showed considerable benefit in treating Tourette's patients where other drugs failed http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp...l/mjtouret.htm

A study done by Virginia Commonwealth University showed that cannabis extracts injected into rats that had seizures eliminated seizures in the test animals for 10 hours http://www.news.vcu.edu/news/Marijua...ntrol_epilepsy
I won't link to them but I found about 30 or 40 studies conducted in the last 3 or 4 years that support the use of marijuana to relieve epileptic seizures.