Some pot related paintings for those who count 4/20 as a holy day. Light a fattie and meditate in front of some Alex Grey
Paintings by Anita Toke
Pharmacological actions of non-psychotropic cannabinoids (with the indication of the proposed mechanisms of action).
AKA: TRUTH
Believe nothing merely because you have been told it. Do not believe what your teacher tells you merely out of respect for the teacher. But whatsoever, after due examination and analysis, you find to be kind, conducive to the good, the benefit, the welfare of all beings — that doctrine believe and cling to, and take it as your guide.
A Call To Liberate Marijuana
With all the talk over marijuana these days there seems to be little room for debate; the people are in favor of at least a Medical Marijuana program in Illinois, if nothing else. We are even seeing that in our state government the House and Senate are coming increasingly close to passing some sort of legislation in support of Medical Marijuana. While these progresses in support and compassion are refreshing to hear after a long period of stagnation, are we going about this right? One senate bill that passed the House last fall and narrowly failed to pass the Senate in January 2010 was SB-1381, the “Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act.” This program allowed for approved Medical Marijuana patients to carry or possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and/or up to seven marijuana plants. While this seems generous enough at first glance it makes one wonder why such restrictions are needed in the first place when one considers the risks associated with marijuana.
The few risks that are associated with marijuana are few indeed and most can be eliminated altogether by simply changing the method of ingestion. People that are worried about side effects of smoking marijuana can be set at ease to know that while smoking is a common way to consume marijuana, there are indeed safer and more controlled ways of ingestion. Many people are turning to edibles and concentration tinctures which do not require the carcinogenic flame. In addition to these methods there is also another brilliant way to ingest your marijuana safely, the vaporizer. Vaporizers are usually electrically controlled devices that gradually heat up the marijuana until it reaches a temperature generally around 365 degrees which is hot enough to vaporize the THC and CBD, the two most desired chemical compounds of marijuana. Since toxins and carcinogens do not combust or vaporize until 392 degrees, this is a very safe method of delivery. As far as evidence of harm from prolonged ‘safe’ use of marijuana, there is virtually none to support it. Regardless, studies should be and most likely will be done if a state program goes into effect in Illinois. There is, however, plenty of evidence regarding general use of marijuana and data from chronic users. The reports all pretty much say the same thing: There is some risk for patients with psychosomatic disorders and with prolonged chronic use, however, it is a rarity. It’s the act of physically smoking the marijuana which is detrimental to one’s health. Let me state one fact that nearly everyone has probably heard by now: Marijuana has never been directly attributed to a single death. Documented marijuana use dates back to 2727 BC, that’s nearly 5,000 years of documented use and never, not even once, has there been a death directly linked. That’s saying something seeing that over 20,000 people die from alcohol-induced causes every year in the U.S. alone. Over 1,000 people die in Illinois each year in car accidents involving alcohol. Now I’m no scientist, just a critical thinking citizen, but I can see some patterns emerging from all this data and it seems we need a more common sense approach when we get ready to readdress medical marijuana.
First, let’s look at possession limits when we readdress marijuana. Why should we limit marijuana at all? It certainly is safer than alcohol and we already have the freedom to run out and purchase as much of it as we desire; certainly enough to overdose on at anyone’s whim or leisure. Same goes for cigarettes, which are directly related to over 400,000 deaths in the U.S. annually, add on top of that another 50,000 deaths attributed to exposure to second hand smoke. Considering this information, one has to wonder why on earth we would consider restricting an herb that has never killed a single person.
Secondly, SB-1381 only allowed for possession of 7 marijuana plants. Again one has to wonder why the restriction. It is true you cannot grow your own grain alcohol in your backyard, and it’s not likely that many home gardeners are going to start growing tobacco in their gardens. Still, you can legally brew and consume your own beer or wine in a micro brewery inside your own home. You can also legally grow and smoke your own tobacco or any other legal plant. Government should only be concerned about revenue and the ability to tax marijuana if it is commercially grown and sold. When did it start becoming common practice to regulate and restrict what people ingest? Certainly there are a few exceptions when government should intervene in such matters, such as with crystal meth which is a synthetic drug that is crudely manufactured in a make shift laboratory with no controls. Crystal meth is both extremely dangerous to manufacture, as well as consume. However marijuana is not crystal meth, not even close. It is a naturally occurring plant/herb that has therapeutic properties that can help many sick and downtrodden people with virtually no negative side effects. If you can legally grow a hundred poisonous tobacco plants, cut them, cure them and smoke them yourself. Then why can’t we have the same freedom to do the same with a plant that can truly be called safe. Let’s be honest with ourselves here tobacco and alcohol are not going anywhere even though they are detrimental to many people’s health that chooses to use them. They are established vices in our daily lives that are backed and funded with millions of dollars to ensure they stick around.
One of the biggest hurdles to overcome with marijuana is to liberate or free the plant and make it available to those who need it and not let big business, government and corporations control it. We need to put the power of this amazing plant into the right hands and who else knows as much about this plant than the growers who have helped shape the plant into what it is today though years of hands on selective breeding of the marijuana plant. When marijuana was originally discovered for its medical value in China around 2727 BC, it was a raggedy weed that barely resembled the beautiful strains of today’s marijuana plants. This was no accident; it took years of correct growing methods to develop the medical marijuana plants that help such a wide variety of people today. Marijuana is no different from the tomato plant when it comes to how the different strains or varieties have been established and it took as much work and dedication to bring them all about.
Today there is a new Medical marijuana bill up for voting this session in our state Congress. HB-30 which is also titled “The compassionate use of Medical Marijuana Pilot Program” don’t let the name fool you, it is a shadow of what SB-1381 was and is certainly nothing close to the liberation of marijuana that we so desperately need. In short, it would create a limited exception to Illinois’ criminal laws to permit doctor-advised medical use of marijuana by patients with serious medical conditions. It calls for Medical Cannabis Organizations or (MCO’s) to work as government controlled facilities to cultivate and distribute the medical marijuana to patients providing they have obtained a state issued card with consent from at least one doctor. It deliberately takes control of all production of medical marijuana and strips it from the hands from which it has been crafted. In addition, it has other stipulations and restrictions, such as a ‘common sense’ clause that disallows use of medical marijuana from public areas and states that undertaking any task while under the influence of marijuana would be considered negligence or professional malpractice. It also does nothing to protect patients from being withheld employment due to being a medical marijuana patient or protect them from losing current employment from random drug testing. If we are going to allow patients the medicine they so desperately need, then what since does it make to say “Here’s your medicine now hand over your job.” This bill is certainly better than the complete prohibition we are currently under, but is that reason enough to support it?
It seems clear enough that the people support medical marijuana, but how do they feel about full federal decimalization and legalization? In July 2010, a nationwide Angus-Reid poll showed that 52% of Americans now support full legalization of marijuana. This is the first time a majority of Americans have agreed and we should now understand why. Marijuana is not a dangerous street drug as the government has portrayed it for the last 74 years and the people are not going to buy that propaganda anymore. The question is why deal with unnecessary state wide programs and laws when federal decimalization is the answer and where is our representation on the federal level. Sadly the federal congress has put forth bills supporting legalization, none of which have come close to passing. Now the focus of congress seems to be supporting state programs and protecting them from federal agents such as the DEA and FBI, along with their persecution and raids on dispensaries and patients. This could and should be circumvented altogether with federal decimalization. Since congress chooses to ignore their constituents and address the issue, I see only one way in which to procure a solution.
President Obama has a unique opportunity to take a long overdue step and sign an executive order that would fully decimalize and legalize marijuana, leaving all Americans free to grow, possess and use marijuana at their own discretion. It would make since for the FDA to issue a statement concerning marijuana and possible adverse reactions and side effects just as would be done for any other drug. This would free states from undue burdens such as providing dispenseraries or state funded programs to provide access to patients. The power of the marijuana plant would be fully in our (the peoples) hands. This would allow for Caregivers to provide patients with the medicine they need if the patients are unable to grow it for themselves. It would also allow any business to cultivate and sell marijuana, providing they pay their taxes garnering revenue for the national debt. Along with this federal legalization, it would also protect users from being withheld employment. Increasing and strengthening the workforce, along with keeping thousands of innocent people employed and contributing to society.
This is a time for action, the debate has been addressed and the facts and statistics have spoken. Marijuana can open a limitless amount of opportunities for our country from reducing the national debt, helping sick and suffering people, opening new lines in green energy (hemp seed fuel) and providing a competitive market for raw materials such as cotton. This is a cry for affirmative action from an extremely concerned citizen, nothing more. I am neither a lobbyist nor a politician, I am only concerned about my fellow Americans and the ability for them to gain access to marijuana and to keep them from being incarcerated and treated like criminals when they gain it. Though I am far from an elected official, I can’t help but think that these words I am writing represent the views of the American people more accurately than my representative’s do. This is why I am writing this and I am not sure even where to send it but for starters here is a few places that will receive a copy. I encourage every American that is affected by Marijuana Prohibition to take a little time and write your representatives and leaders to voice your opinion. It’s the only way we will be heard and have our plight acknowledged.
Thank you for your time, consideration and patience.
My Best, Kevin Phillips-American Citizen-Illinois Resident
President of the United States of America: Barack Obama (Hand written copy)
Governor of Illinois: Patrick Quinn
U.S. Senate: Richard J. Durbin
U.S. Senate: Mark Steven Kirk
U.S. House Representative: Timothy V. Johnson
Illinois State Representative: Chad Hayes
Illinois State Senator: Michael Frerichs
