Marijuana and "Medical Marijuana" - political discussion

[NadirGP]

I am not for the legalization of illegal drugs, but the following document might be of some interest to you readers.

Why the Miraculous Healing Properties of Weed Are Driving a Decorated Veteran on a Mission

[...]Like many, Parks has tried a literal handful of authorized pills to treat his insomnia and other symptoms, but he’s found what helps him most is just to smoke some weed.

Now, Parks is leading the national fight to allow veterans to access cannabis. He is the former president of the North Carolina Cannabis Patients Network, which focuses on medical marijuana policy reform in the state, and continues to work with the organization as a legislative liaison. His primary job is to reach out to state officials and raise money for the organization.

Read more: http://www.alternet.org/drugs/why-mirac ... an-mission?

[Maria]

I am not for the legalization of illegal drugs, but the following document might be of some interest to you readers.

Why the Miraculous Healing Properties of Weed Are Driving a Decorated Veteran on a Mission

[...]Like many, Parks has tried a literal handful of authorized pills to treat his insomnia and other symptoms, but he’s found what helps him most is just to smoke some weed.

Now, Parks is leading the national fight to allow veterans to access cannabis. He is the former president of the North Carolina Cannabis Patients Network, which focuses on medical marijuana policy reform in the state, and continues to work with the organization as a legislative liaison. His primary job is to reach out to state officials and raise money for the organization.

Read more: http://www.alternet.org/drugs/why-mirac ... an-mission?

That is very interesting, but why smoke?

There are other ingredients in Marijuana smoke that are carcinogenic.

[NadirGP]

Maria,

Your wrote:

“That is very interesting, but why smoke? There are other ingredients in Marijuana smoke are carcinogenic.”

What are these ingredients in Marijuana that are carcinogenic? Can you tell us a bit more about it?

[Maria]

Maria,

Your wrote:

“That is very interesting, but why smoke? There are other ingredients in Marijuana smoke are carcinogenic.”

What are these ingredients in Marijuana that are carcinogenic? Can you tell us a bit more about it?

There were several studies done back in the 1990s, but those studies are probably not considered valid today. I will have to check my sources, but it is known that smoke produces carcinogens.

For example, the smoke from barbecues is carcinogenic. Carmelization caused by cooking butter and sugar together or by barbecuing meats is cancer causing. Firemen often die of cancer due to their work in entering into and in rescuing people from smoke filled buildings.

[jgress]

Here is a page on the carcinogens in cannabis smoke. There are over fifty identifiable carcinogens, apparently:

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer- ... use-cancer

[jgress]

I moved this part of the thread to politics since you introduced the topic of legalization.

[NadirGP]

Maria,

We all know that smoking tobacco causes cancer. I do not debate that. However, smoking cannabis is another matter. The link Jonathan gave us, http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/cancer- ... use-cancer, does not prove anything substantial. Not only that, but that link opened to a fundraising website, which per se does not look too good to me. They have vested interest.

My first motivation on posting the original article was prompted by my recollection of my aunt who used to smoke therapeutic cigarettes because of her asthma. My aunt used to buy those cigarettes from the pharmacy in my hometown and this was about sixty-five years ago.