Jim Hightower on Pot -- Sharing His Thoughts on Pot, That Is

[marmar]

via AlterNet:



Jim Hightower on Pot -- Sharing His Thoughts on Pot, That Is

Marijuana Policy Project. Posted July 14, 2008.

"The powers that be like to play games, and Marijuana is a nice diversion." (Video)



Watch the Marijuana Policy Project's Profiles in Marijuana Reform interview with author and national radio commentator, Jim Hightower in the video to the right. This is a project of MPP.tv: http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/91446/?ses=8c4917a06a0cbb727146c42f3334d9fc


Here's more from the MPP; its quick FAQ --
Marijuana: Myths vs. Reality

Myth: There is no scientific evidence proving marijuana's therapeutic qualities.

Reality: In a White House-commissioned 1999 report, the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine declared that "nausea, appetite loss, pain, and anxiety are all afflictions of wasting and all can be mitigated by marijuana."

Myth: Marijuana's potential health benefits are insignificant compared to the damage caused by smoking the drug.

Reality: Marijuana need not be administered by smoking: It can be taken in food, tea, or through a smokeless vaporizer. Furthermore, a 2006 study by a leading pulmonologist, Dr. Donald Tashkin, found that even regular and heavy smoking of marijuana does not lead to lung cancer.

Myth: Allowing the medical use of marijuana will send the wrong message to children and lead to more youths using the drug.

Reality: In the 10 medical marijuana states that have before-and-after data, studies have unanimously shown that not only has youth use of marijuana not gone up overall, it actually has declined since medical marijuana became legal. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/91446/?ses=8c4917a06a0cbb727146c42f3334d9fc

[groovedaddy]

1. Allowing the medical use of marijuana will send the wrong message to children and lead to more youth

using the drug"
Using that logic, OxyContin / Loritab / and whole host of other easily abused pharmaceuticals should all be made illegal.

[NC_Nurse]

2. Several young people from our town have died of OD's of perfectly legal

pharmaceuticals. These drugs are WAY more dangerous than pot. What a crock.

[Bluzmann57]

3. Appetite loss from marijuana use?

I don't think so. Wonder if the people who put this report together ever heard of "munchies"?

[Lance_Boyle]

4. "can be mitigated by" n/t

[marmar]

5. Exactly.....There are more snack shops and fast-food joints in central Amsterdam...

.... where the "coffee shops" are concentrated, than in any place I've ever seen.