AMA Endorses Medical Marijuana
The American Medical Assn. on Tuesday urged the federal government to reconsider its classification of marijuana as a dangerous drug with no accepted medical use, a significant shift that puts the prestigious group behind calls for more research.
The nation's largest physicians organization, with about 250,000 member doctors, the AMA has maintained since 1997 that marijuana should remain a Schedule I controlled substance, the most restrictive category, which also includes heroin and LSD.
In changing its policy, the group said its goal was to clear the way to conduct clinical research, develop cannabis-based medicines and devise alternative ways to deliver the drug.
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estimate global web institute present
substantial term africa announced link 2005
DrGreenBud
Jesus drank wine at the last supper...if he would of smoked a doobie too this would all be over with already.
Learn 2 Swim
I have to wonder how many people on here disparaging marijuana drink alcohol, have driven home after a couple of drinks, drank a little too much at a sporting event. Look at the domestic violence numbers around the holidays where alcohol usage is traditionally higher, how about child abuse by drunken parents. If you drink alcohol you have no business acting holier than thou about marijuana users. I personally do neither, but I haven't heard a good argument against legalization on here yet, just name calling.
Learn 2 Swim
Ask a cop if he would rather deal with a drunk or a stoner.
Learn 2 Swim
There is no correlation between the harshness of drug laws and the incidence of drug-taking: citizens living under tough regimes (notably America but also Britain) take more drugs, not fewer." Do cultural differences explain this? Evidently not: "Even in fairly similar countries tough rules make little difference to the number of addicts: harsh Sweden and more liberal Norway have precisely the same addiction rates."
George F. Will.
Learn 2 Swim
WE ARE speaking of a plague that consumes an estimated $75 billion per year of public money, exacts an estimated $70 billion a year from consumers, is responsible for nearly 50 per cent of the million Americans who are today in jail, occupies an estimated 50 per cent of the trial time of our judiciary, and takes the time of 400,000 policemen -- yet a plague for which no cure is at hand, nor in prospect.
Wm. F. Buckley Jr.
Jim in JAX
But they weren't clear as to whether they meant use by patients or use by doctors. The official AMA pot spokesman said, "(coff, coff) That issue is still a little (coff, coff) hazy at the moment."
Learn 2 Swim
Suite 101.com.
According to the Department of Justice, over half of all sentenced federal prisoners are drug offenders. Over 80% of the increase in the federal prison population was due to drug convictions between 1985 and 1995. In addition, a 2006 report claimed that 17% of State prisoners and 18% of Federal prisoners committed their crimes in order to obtain drug money. According to a 2001 report, the average sentence for all offenses was 56.8 months. The average sentence for drug offenses was 75.6 months, while the average sentence for violent offenses was 63.0 months.
Someone is arrested for violating a drug law every 17 seconds. Someone is arrested for violating a cannabis law every 38 seconds.
Read more: http://war-on-drugs.suite101.com/article.cfm/financial_cost_of_the_war_o...
OneBuckeye
Sure they support it. They won't have to sneak around to get it. New criteria for selecting a doctor. If you belong to AMA, draw an X thru their name!
woodbutcher
A DEA officer stops at a ranch in Montana , and talks with an old rancher. He tells the rancher, 'I need to inspect your ranch for illegally grown drugs.'
The old rancher says, 'Okay, but do not go in that field over there' as he points out the location.
The DEA officer verbally explodes saying, 'Mister, I have the authority of the Federal Government with me!'
Reaching into his rear pants pocket, he removes his badge and proudly displays it to the farmer. 'See this badge? This badge means I am allowed to go wherever I wish...on any land. No questions asked or answers given. Have I made myself clear? Do you understand?'
The old rancher nods politely, apologizes, and goes about his chores.
A short time later, the old rancher hears loud screams and sees the DEA officer running for his life chased close behind by the rancher's prize bull. With every step the bull is gaining ground on the officer, and it seems likely that he'll get "horned" before he reaches safety. The officer is clearly terrified.
The old rancher throws down his tools, runs to the fence and yells at the top of his lungs.....
'Your badge...show him your badge!'
Delores CH WV
IS IT TIME TO RID OUR DOCTORS OF THE AMA ..............YES!!!!!!!!!! THIS COMMITTEE IS ON THE SIDE OF DRUG LORDS AGAINST THE DOCTORS OATH OF DO NO HARM!!!!!
saltydizzle
what are you even talking about...that makes no sense at all.
hurtzallot
Help! Someone messed with my stash. I took back some merchandise I didn't steal. I got a hankerin' for a hunk of cheese?
grandmother
........are you sure it wasn't the atavan, my little hero..
Major_Skidmark
Legalize pot and watch the sales at White Castle will also go thru the roof.
TxGold
I have nerve damage from back surgery and am in pain everyday, but I don't want to get 'hooked' on pain meds. So, since I don't smoke, can I have a mj pill?
canadian
not sure about a pill, but you can get it in liquid form.
Doc H
Light em up, we can grow long beards and hair and get high and not know when the take over happend, we will just know we would like something to eat.
kimlovesroses
or you could drink a lot of beer, buy a gun, and become a republican!
onlyGodcanjudge
Thank God (I mean that literally) that our current congress hasn’t YET taken away our right to freedom of speech so thankfully the entire subject of legalizing pot is still a topic for debate.
Marijuana is as organic a natural plant as you can get. Luckily it’s sought by enough people that if our American government would recognize the benefits of legalizing the sale and distribution of pot, the taxes alone would actually make some progress towards paying our ridiculous national debt. If no additives or carcinogens were added like the tobacco companies do to tobacco, then the natural raw form of marijuana would actually be safer than cigarettes would provide a little added (temporary) benefit.
Legalize pot for users 21 years or older, tax the heck out of it and guess what, we have a lot of happy tax payers contributing to our ridiculous nationwide deficit!
It really is all so very simple!
Tel...
gosh what a coincidence....the AMA was for MJ being a controlled substance, now with Obama and a leftist push to decriminalize it, it's not a controlled substance? And of course...the AMA gets sweet deals with Obamacare's panels and committees.
some Internet guy
Did you read the article? MJ is still a Schedule 1 substance, which puts it in the same category as heroin. The AMA is simply requesting that it be changed from Schedule 1 to allow for more research to be done to properly determine its benefits.
SABINE
MAYBE IT WILL MAKE US "A KINDER GENTLER AMERICA"..................HAHAHAHAHAH.
sparker
So why is there a ban on smoking in public places if a medical association endorses smoking of any kind? This doesn't make sense, no matter how you put it. Or could it be that the government is trying to free up space to jail innocent people for having no health insurance, by legalizing it altogether. They have justify it first, as this story is leading to.
therepublicrevealed
I don't know it just might be the right thing to do. If the government legalised and taxed Pot. Think about it, the entitlement specialists would be to stoned to vote and they would actually pay taxes. That money could help pay for the health care the illegal aliens will get when they import the heavy duty drugs like cocaine and heroin. The drug induced Libs would be unconscious and we could go on with our lives. Can you imagine the %$#& eating grin on Franks face as he stumbled up to the house, that alone would make it worth it.
http://www.therepublicrevealed.com/
2010....The year that starts the clean-up in Washington, DC
2012…The year we take our country back
DS
How about this.....you use it, you go home......you sell it, you go to jail! End drug dealing.....grow your own!
grandmother
.......that would end the long lines....waiting to get into..................alice's restaurant......oh, wait.....I gotta open up the window....let some air into this room.......
DS
.....pass the Cheetos!
saltydizzle
@ fox news blogger: lol...yeah i know but im not really worried about that....just want to get the facts out there and get rid of 1920's style propaganda.
saltydizzle
@oddcyclone: yeah thats the general consensus from law enforcement officers I know, not worth the time or the money.
Learn 2 Swim
Storm the newer surveys are identical except the amount of money spent is increasing by leaps and bounds. I work in the law enforcement business and see it for myself everyday. I'm not advocating legalizing all drugs, but marijuana is not worth the money, time, manpower, that we are spending on it.
DS
Couldn't agree more.....we haven't received a return on our investment on the War-on-Marijuana......ever! This is like spending Billions of dollars a year to fight Chicken Pox.
Learn 2 Swim
OK I'm off my soap box now! I will go to other subjects and pick on the looney lefties again.
Learn 2 Swim
Drug Policy Alliance.
Between 1981 and 1998, the price of heroin and cocaine dropped sharply while their levels of purity rose.(10)
According to a 1999 survey by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, drugs continue to be widely available to America's high school students. Almost 90% of twelfth graders participating in the survey said that marijuana was "very easy" or "fairly easy" to get, over 47% said cocaine was "very easy" or "fairly easy" to get and more than 32% said that heroin was "very easy" or "fairly easy" to get.(11)
woodbutcher
Youare very right about the prices and increase in quality.
in 2001 a ounce of heroin where i live cost aprox$4500-5000 within 6 months of us invading afganistan the price dropped to 2500-2800 -$ per ounce and the quality almost doubled. now i wondr where all that smack came from ?
§torm
ten year old survey???...really???
fistfullawales
It is def easier to get MJ for <21 year olds than it is to get alcohol
woodbutcher
This is not a survey this is what the price of dope is on the streets in america right now this evening. Our city Richmond is awash in heroin. it has been pretty much since 2002-2003 the amount of people seeking treatment for opiate dependency has increased here beyond the capacity that the local medical and legal authurority's can provide with the current funding they have . we had 1 methadone clinic here in 1995 and it was not full. we have no less than 6 now and all are are so crowded most mornings the clients have to wait in a line so long many are late for work. The war on drugs has failed us miserably .we spend 4-5 times more to incarcerate a person for 1 yr than to provide treatment. And treatment does not always take the first try some times not even the 2cnd or 3rd it took 3 yrs of trying before it took for me and i was ale to get out. and i was only able to becuase i could afford the treatment i needed & becuase i have a good job and my use never affected my work . many others are not so fortunate. i for 1 am tired of paying for people to sit in prison when they could be in treatment and working and paying taxes as well
Tel...
if you have a more current study, please provide the source and quotes.
Learn 2 Swim
If your a fiscal conservative these numbers have to make you ask yourself is this money well spent? Is there some other use for these billions of dollars?
Fox News Blogger
Hopefully Marc Emery will be allowed to walk free. Canada dropped the ball on this one.
Pugmaster
The United States spends $40 to $50 billion annually fighting the war on drugs. It is a war that this nation is losing on a massive scale. It is losing this war in Afghanistan, where farmers continue to plant opium despite our best efforts. It is losing the war in Central America where drug lords there continue to produce drugs and export it. It is losing it in Mexico, where drug lords fight for territory and for control of that country. It is even losing it at home where drug gangs are being formed in cities like Newark, Los Angeles and elsewhere causing violence to citizens there. Just as this nation ended prohibition in the 1930s it is time to end the drug war. Like prohibition, it was a noble experiment that failed. It is time to end it for the good of all.
Learn 2 Swim
According to the Schaffer Library of Drug Policy, it costs approximately $450,000 to put a single drug dealer in jail. This cost includes the costs of arrest, conviction, room, and board.
Read more: http://war-on-drugs.suite101.com/article.cfm/financial_cost_of_the_war_o...
Learn 2 Swim
Over $19 billion was spent on the war on drugs by the federal government in 2003, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy. This equates to $600 per second. Of this money, 61% went to criminal justice, and 30% went for treatment and prevention programs ("What Does The Drug War Cost?" New Times, June 24, 1999). Another $30 billion was spent by state and local governments.
Read more: http://war-on-drugs.suite101.com/article.cfm/financial_cost_of_the_war_o...
Dinosjbe
Good information. Thanks for sharing
Learn 2 Swim
The war on drugs, billions of dollars wasted, price of drugs steady or lower than they were a decade ago. Strength of drugs higher than ever before, availability virtually unchanged or more accessible. I'm sorry people but the current approach is a complete failure. Focus on hard drugs, cocaine, heroin, meth, leave marijauna alone.
Learn 2 Swim
California spends 10s of millions of dollars every year flying helicopters over wilderness areas looking for marijuana plants, Hawaii does the same thing. How much money are the Federal agencies spending every year, how many law enforcement man hours are wasted?
YOUR LIBERAL COMMANDER N CHIEF
THE MORE IDIOTS SITTIN ON THE COUCH WITH A REMOTE AND A BAG OF OREOS THE MORE JOB OPPORTUNITYS FOR US...
ash
you are makng an assumption about political affiliation and smoking pot....:)