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illustration © Stephen Saunders
There are more than 60 therapeutic compounds in cannabis that are healing agents in medical and herbal treatments. The primary known one is THC, and the effectiveness of therapy is directly proportionate to the herb’s potency or concentration of THC. Recent DEA reports of more potent marijuana therefore represent a major medical advance; but, incredibly, the government uses these very numbers to solicit bigger budgets and harsher penalties.
On November 5, 1996, 56% of California citizens voted for the California Compassionate Use Act (medical marijuana initiative) ending all legal state efforts to keep marijuana from being used as a medicine by California citizens, with a doctor’s or physician’s approval or even just an acknowledgment.
Arizona citizens, in November 1996, also passed, by an even greater margin, 65%, a drug declassification initiative that included medical marijuana, backed by, among others, the late U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater.
Arizona’s legislature and governor, exercising their veto override ability on state initiative laws for the first time in 90 years, struck down this popular initiative passed by the people. Arizona citizens angrily responded by recollecting more than 150,000 signatures in a 90 day referendum time and returned the medical marijuana initiative to the ballot for November 1998.
The following explains how people will benefit when the judgment and freedom of choice of doctor and patient are once again respected:
There is no pharmacological free lunch in cannabis or any drug. Negative reactions can result. A small percentage of persons have negative or allergic reactions to marijuana. Heart patients could have problems, even though cannabis generally relieves stress, dilates the arteries, and in general lowers the diastolic pressure. A small percentage of persons get especially high heart rates and anxieties with cannabis. These persons should not use it. Some bronchial asthma sufferers benefit from cannabis; however, for others it may serve as an additional irritant.
For the overwhelming majority of persons, cannabis has demonstrated literally hundreds of therapeutic uses. Among them:
[1. Asthma; 2. Glaucoma; 3. Tumors; 4. Nausea/Cancer Chemotherapy; 5. Epilepsy, M.S., Back Pain, & Spasms; 6. Antiobiotic CBD Disinfectants; 7. Herpes, Cystic Fibrosis, Arthritis, & Rheumatism; 8. Lung Cleaner & Expectorant; 9. Sleep & Relaxation; 10. Emphysema; 11. Stress and Migraines; 12. Appetite; 13. Reduce Saliva; 14. AIDS, Depression, Etc.]
the authorized on-line version of Jack Herer’s “The Emperor Wears No Clothes”
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