Marijuana -- Time to Admit It's not All Bad

Ok, so here's the headline:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,318526,00.html

Let me start by saying that I'm speaking as someone who has never taken an illegal drug. Never, not once, not only did I not inhale, but I've never even had the stuff near me.

I do not understand the resistance to the concept of Medical Marijuana. Street drugs -- bad. Illegal drugs -- bad. Abuse/misuse of prescription pharmaceuticals -- bad. But prescription of a chemical substance that can relieve some of the side effects of chemotherapy, or even inhibit the growth of some tumors -- NOT BAD.

I wrote in a previous post about the "demonization" of illegal drugs as it relates to Needle Exchange programs. With that issue, I can at least see the point of the other side. There is the potential downside of enabling drug addicts -- although I still believe the benefits outweigh the negatives. This manifestation of the demonization of illegal drugs, however, mystifies me. We are talking about, people coping with a potentally fatal disease finding some relief from their pain, and perhaps some hope for longer term survival. How is this a bad thing? Morphine, commonly given in hospitals for pain management, is highly addictive. Who is speaking out against morphine? Oxycodone abuse has become an issue in recent years, but it is still prescribed regularly. How about human growth hormone? Major League Baseball will never be the same again. But it is legal to be prescribed in specific situations. So why not marijuana?

It seems to be another example of misguided morality imposing itself where it does not belong. If it can help people, then USE IT. By all means regulate it, but USE IT.

Still not convinced? Check out what the AMA has to say:

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/13625.html

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