My friend, Bill is dying of cancer. He probably has two or three days left. He's not conscious and while the caretakers say that he can recognize my voice, I doubt it. He's being given a lot of drugs including morphine, but they don't seem to give him peace. His body struggles as if he is trying to free himself from unseen restraints. Perhaps he's pain-free, but he definitely does not seem comfortable. However, I was able to say goodbye to Bill with a smile on my face because of something his wife told me a few minutes earlier. She said, "Bill spent the last five days of his conscious life smoking pot." Now, if you knew Bill you'd know how utterly preposterous that statement sounds. Bill was a retired Pediatric Cardiologist. He voted Republican all his life until he voted for Obama. He did not waste money or words. And he definitely had never smoked marijuana.
Some weeks back, Bill's internist suggested that he consider medical marijuana as a way to restore his appetite which had been destroyed by chemotherapy. Later Bill decided to give it a try. Bill and his wife found a dispensary nearby after a brief internet search. They called the dispensary and were told they would need a referral letter and that a "doctor" would be on the premises that afternoon. At the time, Bill could only walk short distances and he was very weak, but they went over to the dispensary. They stood in a queue of seemingly able-bodied young men also seeking relief from something. The doctor relieved them of $140 and provided each with the referral letter. Bill's wife said that she was less than impressed with the certification process and ventured an opinion that "Bill was the only truly ill individual that doctor would see all week." The young dispensary clerks were very helpful. They suggested that Bill purchase two thumb sized buds "one of indica for pain and one of sativa for depression". Bill also picked out a nice psychedelic pipe. Once home, bill tried it. His wife said that once he felt the effects of the first puff a little smile brightened his face. He smoked some more and the smile broadened. His wife chuckled as she remembered his fondness for the stuff. She said, "I'd ask him if he'd like anything and he usually answered, "I believe I'll have some of that marijuana." It made Bill happy at the end of his journey. What a gift!
I agree with those that say that medical marijuana is mostly used by recreational pot smokers, but I know that there are other people like Bill who are truly ill and can't get anything from the medical community that works as well as marijuana to put a smile on their faces.
- digg |
- del.icio.us |
- stumbleit |
- reddit |
google
Your biased opinion agreeing "with those that say that medical marijuana is mostly used by recreational pot smokers" is disgusting. Who are you to judge what people need to experience health and well being?
Bill's wife may be excused due to her years of living under a Republican's roof and being married to someone who bought the negative propaganda hook, line and sinker.
But you pretend to be some kind of health care guru.
Marijuana has proven to be medically effective for depression and schizophrenia, among other psychological issues. It was the most common medicine for general pain relief before the invention of aspirin.
I could go on and on, books have now been writing about all the health benefits, and you call yourself some kind of health care expert.
You have only proved your own lack of knowledge and the degree to which you have bought-in to a prohibition that was only motivated by racist and financial goals. Your ignorance of the history of the criminalization of marijuana coupled with your indoctrination into the war on people disguised as a war on drugs shows in your essay.
Clearly, you do not know what you are talking about and have now disqualified your opinion regarding any health issue.
I look healthy enough to a casual glance, no one sees the muscle spasms, i hide my symptoms when out in public as many chronically ill people do. I know ill people are not welcome in public by jerks just like you.
And for that we are judged as being some kind of scammer for finally obtaining relief from something that God put here for us to use in the first place. You would think that so-called Christians would stop claiming that God made a mistake.
I found your website by accident, it will be no accident that I will not return.
Jay, you need to chill Dude. This article is supportive of medical marijuana as an alternative health treatment.
I tend to agree with Jay.
You are passing judgments on people without knowing anything about them. Yes, even people who are young, beautiful, able-bodied, and 20-something need medical marijuana, too.
There are myriad symptoms that marijuana can treat, more effectively and safely than most OTC and Rx drugs that are available. You don't need to have cancer or be in a body cast to medically benefit from the drug: it treats depression and pain, for example, just like you said in your article!
Marijuana should be completely legal without having to see some shady doctor, like aspirin, but it's not. Young people are just more open-minded to medical marijuana; that's why you saw mostly young "seemingly able-bodied" people there. Just because they weren't in wheelchairs with oxygen tanks doesn't mean they didn't have mental illness or chronic pain.
You're not qualified to pick and choose which age group and for which illnesses marijuana is legitimate. Just stick to writing your touching story without passing needless commentary about how you think your late friend deserved marijuana more than others.
An interesting read. It will be curious to see if the laws around this change in the future. The rules about alcohol are few and far between, and is there really that much difference, strictly speaking from a health angle?
The power of good quality marijuana helped me overcome Social Anxiety. A believe in natural sources and I really think the US has never been as close to legalization as now. Lets hope the currents keep moving in the right direction!!