Looks like he pulled it off!

[Thumper]

I think it was last week when we discussed medical marijuana here. At that time I mentioned a prominent local attorney was making a big push to get it legalized. Well, I just received a news flash and it looks like he's managed to get it on the ballot. (I guess this is another one of those issues I lean more to the "left" on than the "right".)

Florida medical marijuana bill approved for November ballot

TALLAHASSEE (AP) --

A controversial bill that would allow the use of medical marijuana in Florida has cleared its final hurdle and will be on the November ballot. Monday, the state Supreme Court approved the language for the proposed constitutional amendment. Florida justices gave its approval by a 4–3 vote just three days after a petition drive reached the required number of signatures to place the measure on the ballot.

The decision is a defeat for Attorney General Pam Bondi, who challenged the ballot language by saying it's misleading. Orlando attorney John Morgan has spent about $4 million to place the issue before voters. Morgan said he has seen the benefit of using the drug by his late father, who had esophageal cancer, and his brother, who is a quadriplegic.

Gov. Rick Scott is opposed to medical marijuana. His Democratic challengers, former Gov. Charlie Crist and state Sen. Nan Rich, both support it.
The 74-word ballot, coming in at just under the 75-word limit on summing up a proposed amendment, reads as follows:

1) Allows the medical use of marijuana for individuals with debilitating diseases as determined by a licensed Florida physician.

2) Allows caregivers to assist patients' medical use of marijuana.

3) The Department of Health shall register and regulate centers that produce and distribute marijuana for medical purposes and shall issue identification cards to patients and caregivers.

4) Applies only to Florida law.

5) Does not authorize violations of federal law or any non-medical use, possession or production of marijuana.

The amendment needs a 60 percent "yes" vote from voters in November to pass. Around the U.S., 20 other states and the District of Columbia have laws allowing medical use of marijuana.

[Buckrub]

I really don't care. Honest.

But I did see the doctors on the Fox Sunday Doctor Show (whatever it is called), say emphatically that they see no valid reason for "medical marijuana" and that the downsides of it far, far outweigh the pluses. Pain relief is about all I can imagine it would do, from strictly a medical standpoint.

But I do think it A) should be legal, B) all drugs should be legal, and C) we stop wasting my money trying to regulate what some crackhead wants to do.

[Thumper]

FOX?? What else would you expect from them? Like I said, this is just one more issue where I tend to lean a bit more to the left.

[BarryBobPosthole]

The medical marijuana deal is just a step towards legalization. I highly doubt if 20% of the medical marijuana users in Washington and Colorado actually had any disease that medical marijuana would do anything to help with. Its a sham. But it appears to be the only means to an end.

BKB

[Thumper]

That said, the only time I've ever smoked pot was recreational, but I'd be REAL curious as to what it would do for me from a medical standpoint. Seriously.

I was on VERY heavy doses of morphine and percocet for over 3 1/2 years. I was just discussing this with Lynn earlier this weekend. I have ALWAYS been in pain, even on heavy meds. The reason I took the pain pills was, in MY mind, if I was in this much pain WITH the meds, I was afraid to find out how bad it would be without ... so I took them religiously. A few months ago, my doc said I needed to enter rehab to get me off the pain meds. I asked why, and was told I'm addicted and would have to go through a program to get off of them. I said, Bullshit ... then came home and flushed them all down the toilet. I took them because the docs TOLD me to take them. If they DON'T want me to take them, all they had to do was say so. I'm in pain 24/7 but don't take so much as an aspirin. But ya' know what? The pain is the same OFF the meds as it was ON the meds. Looking back, I'm not sure what good they did (except the very early days as I'd have DIED without them). I'd be VERY curious to see what a quality joint would do for me. Problem is ... I'd prolly gain 300 MORE pounds!

[Thumper]

I agree P-hole. I'm sure it does a lot of good for the ones who REALLY need it ... but I think, for the most part, it's a sham.

[Buckrub]

As I said, pain management is the sole medical reason that I know of.

I expect more from Fox than I do any other outlet, but not much from them either. But these are not Fox guys...........just a couple of doctors that are on there every Sunday morning. I guess doctors become wrong when they speak to the wrong folks????? Or maybe Conservatives don't need doctors??

I think Fox puts them on for their information.

If CNN or ABC or CBS or NBC put them on, I'd assume it was for political gain.

[airbud7]

chemotherapy patients lose their desire to eat and experience nausea and vomiting...marijuana, tends to stimulate one's appetite. In fact, THC has been available since the mid-1980s for cancer patients in a synthetically engineered capsule form.

[Buckrub]

Yes, but you can get that in a pill form that is NOT psychedelic. My mother in law took it the last year of her life. It worked, but no 'high' involved. There's still an old bottle in the refrigerator. I sure as heck don't need it.

[Thumper]

Bud, I quit eating while hospitalized. I was on a feeding tube for a while, but when they removed it, I still couldn't eat. Just had no appetite at all and just the smell of food would make me nauseous. They threatened to re-install the feeding tube, but put me on Megestrol instead.

From the net: Megestrol can be used as an appetite stimulant for people experiencing loss of appetite and weight loss because of advanced cancer.

Now, I didn't have cancer, but it sure worked! I think it must have had THC as an ingredient!

[BarryBobPosthole]

The original medicinal marijuana, the kind the government used to grow called G13, was only available in cigarette form when it was first made. In Mississippi, I believe is where they grew it. An indica variety. It'd knock your dick in the dirt.

BKB

[Buckrub]

http://money.msn.com/business-news/a...27&id=17293309

[johnboy]

I have a friend with ms - very bad. Anyway, without his 'medicine' he would literally be bed ridden and tube fed. With it, he can eat and can get around somewhat. Don't ever tell me that medicinal mj doesn't have positive effects that can not be duplicated by the vast cornucopia of man made drugs that Big Medicine wants us to use. It works, period.

[HideHunter]

I agree P-hole. I'm sure it does a lot of good for the ones who REALLY need it ... but I think, for the most part, it's a sham.

uhh.. I didn't read all the posts.. What are we talking about - welfare? I agree..

[Chicken Dinner]

Yes, but you can get that in a pill form that is NOT psychedelic. My mother in law took it the last year of her life. It worked, but no 'high' involved. There's still an old bottle in the refrigerator. I sure as heck don't need it.

Are you really suggesting that marihuana, either natural or synthetic, is a psychedelic drug?

[Thumper]

You know sumpin' CD ... that jumped out at me yesterday and I actually made a similar post to yours ... but ended up deleting it. It sparked my curiosity and I decided to Google it. I deleted my post when I read this:

Many psychedelic drugs worldwide are illegal unless used in a medical context, such as psychedelic therapy or medical cannabis. Despite these regulations, recreational use of psychedelics is common.

I have to disagree with cannabis being lumped into the "psychedelic" category, but after researching it, I guess it is ... but the distinction still seems a bit "edgy" and "questionable" the way it's described. Just like the sentence above, I can read that two ways ... but it "seems" it's being described as a psychedelic. I have to disagree ... but maybe there's a scientific relationship that's a bit over my head. All I can go by is experience.

Remember, I grew up in the 60's and during those years tried a few "drugs of the day", (NEVER got into needles!), but they actually seem pretty tame by today's standards. Mostly speed (coke in the 80's), reds, etc. ... but pot was the ONLY thing I can say I thoroughly enjoyed. As far as psychedelics ... I tried LSD a couple times back in the day. Once, a fire-breathing dragon on a black-light poster came to life and chased me until I gave up running and simply gave in to the "fact" he was gonna roast me and eat me (or whatever it is fire-breathing dragons do to people!).

When I came down off the stuff, I hadn't even moved from my original position. To ME ... THAT was a "psychedelic drug"! To put LSD and pot into the same category is ridiculous IMHO.

One thing I TOTALLY enjoy while high on pot (other than eating!), is music. Man-o-man, hit the bong a couple times, throw a 60's rock album on the ol' turntable, crank it up and become TOTALLY absorbed in the music! That beats the heck out of a couple drunks in a bar fight because someone played the wrong tune on the jukebox.

[Chicken Dinner]

I guess maybe it is then, but based on my, uh, personal experience with pot I wouldn't consider it to be. I may not have been old enough for the 60's, but let's just say I drank liberally from the cup of life during the late 70's and 80's. Pot just wouldn't be on my list.

[Buckrub]

Of course marijuana is psychedelic. Sheesh.

[Thumper]

Of course marijuana is psychedelic. Sheesh.

As I said, I have no idea why anyone would say that. The ONLY reason I could think of is some sort of scientific connection.

I think it's one of those "technical issues" ... it may be considered a psychedelic drug by definition, but the definition is broad. It's like a comparison of drinking 3.2 beer to PGA for example. Same thing in one way ... but MUCH different in another.

[BarryBobPosthole]

No, its a term applied by people who have no idea what they're talking about. The Reefer Madness folks who thinks someone needs to go to prison for what they smoke. You know, the people who claim to know what liberty is.

BKB

[Thumper]

Amen P-hole.

[Buckrub]

None of you can read. Or you can't remember.

I said I don't care, and that all drugs should be legal. Did you forget I said that? Or just being obtuse?

But all you have to do is Google "Is Marijuana Psychedelic?" and stop giving me all your biased b/s, and you'll see that it is. It alters your mind. Sames as alcohol, or whatever. To deny that makes you ignorant, not me. But I never said I was against making it legal. Not once. I admit I am not speaking from the 1st hand experience that you geniusii are, but from research. I guess that makes me, and not you, the one that doesn't know what I'm talking about.

[BarryBobPosthole]

Sorry Bucky, I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about the over exaggerated effects that so called doctors and scientists attributed to pot in order to make their social points. As long as they made it sound like you were out of control and experiencing stuff like hallucinations and so forth (NEVER gonna happen with weed) they could demonize it along with the rest of the culture that went along with it. and that's what they did.

BKB

[Thumper]

Ummm, take a red Bucky! I have been agreeing with you ... just not with the "experts". I guess I'm trying to say persactly what P-hole just said. Man, a doobie would do wonders for you right now. Calm down and relax.

[Buckrub]

Oh.

Um. ... um...

That WAS relaxed! You oughtta see me worked up, man.