tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605633.post114849005754779860..comments2007-02-19T12:38:17.807-05:00Comments on Burlingtonian - by a Burlington, Vermont resident & Libertarian: Medical Marijuana's 'holding pattern' in BurlingtonHeavenlyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03199500734940053792noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605633.post-1152409633183974242006-07-08T20:47:00.000-05:002006-07-08T20:47:00.000-05:00The predicament of Shayne Higgins makes my blood b...The predicament of Shayne Higgins makes my blood boil. How can so-called caregivers do this to a man they’re supposed to be taking care of? “Does federal law always trump state law when it comes to the use of medical marijuana?” Indeed!<BR/><BR/>Institutions always look out for themselves first, and the people in their care second. And there’s not even an overt threat that their federal funding will be jeopardized—the nursing home is only doing this out of paranoia!<BR/><BR/>It all has to do with the stupidity of the anti-marijuana laws in the first place. Medicinal marijuana has been used in healing for centuries. It wasn’t until the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 that it was outlawed in the United States. <BR/><BR/>Do you know who fought that decision most vehemently? The American Medical Association, that’s who! Yes, U.S. doctors have been using marijuana as medicine for decades prior to this law and they didn’t want a useful drug to be denied to them and their patients.<BR/><BR/>There is a plausible theory as to why Washington went on the anti-cannabis crusade in the first place. Prior to 1937, hemp was being used to make rope, fabric, and even (in a compressed form) to make components in car manufacturing (the Model-T had parts in it made of compressed hemp). Dupont and the other chemical giants wanted to push hemp out of the picture, since they were introducing plastic components in manufacturing everything from cars to radios. <BR/><BR/>So the “reefer madness” propaganda campaign was started on a large scale, playing on people’s prejudices. The mental visions of stoned black men and intoxicated Hispanics doing the dirty deed with their daughters was enough to make most white Americans turn against cannabis use.<BR/><BR/>Then in 1970, at the height of the Vietnam war, Richard Nixon ordered the Controlled Substances Act to be passed by Congress, which classified marijuana as a dangerous drug, alongside heroin. It stated that cannabis had no medicinal properties whatsoever. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is trying to convince us of that lie to this very day.<BR/><BR/>Nixon was paranoid that large numbers of smoke-crazed hippies were gathering at Woodstock and marching on Washington. He recognized them as a political force and he wanted to cut their power. What better way than to deny them the substance that caused them to follow the path of peace and love in the first place?<BR/><BR/>I went to Woodstock and I marched on Washington in 1969 where we toked up and swayed to the sounds of the Lennon anthem “All We Are Saying, Give Peace a Chance.” As I got older, I stopped smoking both tobacco and marijuana. The MS diagnosis came years later.<BR/><BR/>I was put on just as many drugs as Mr. Higgins, but the side effects nearly killed me. Then the state I live in voted to legalize medicinal marijuana. I talked to my doctor and she said, why not? You’ve done it before, it’s not new to your system, see how it effects your MS symptoms. So I went to a compassion club and got a few joints.<BR/><BR/>This was a few years ago. Since then I weaned myself off most of the harsh chemical medications, and I use medpot daily. It keeps my pain manageable, but I can still earn a living and raise a family. The compassion club was closed, so I started growing my own pot.<BR/><BR/>In fact, I’ve become quite a hydroponic expert, thanks to a company that specializes in helping medical pot users grow their own. <A HREF="http://www.advancednutrientsmedical.ca/organic_nutrients.php" REL="nofollow">Advanced Nutrients Medical</A> is supplying me with 100% organic nutrients for my hydroponic reservoirs, as well as other products that help me grow powerful, large buds.<BR/><BR/>The latest Advanced product that I’ve tried with excellent results is billed as a fermented, hydroponic superfood full of enzymes, called <A HREF="http://www.advancednutrientsmedical.ca/product_label_pdfs/Emerald_Shaman_hydroponic_plant_food.html" REL="nofollow">Emerald Shaman</A>. Its enhancing effects made my pot plants perk up and take notice. My daily session with my medicine does not only provide pain-relief and calmed nerves, but also pleasure. <BR/><BR/>Just because we’re MS patients doesn’t mean we’re not entitled to pleasure. I pray that Shayne Higgins gets his wish and finds another long-term care facility where he is allowed to smoke his medicine on a daily basis.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com