Medical Marijuana

[Keith Millea]

I don't have nightmares when I smoke pot.:vroam:

That is a quote from me in another thread.I would like to expand on this a little.I have expressed my thoughts about smoking pot on the DPF at times.I OPENLY talk about using this herb myself.It is important I think to say that I am for medical purposes Legal to use it.So,members and guests,I do not just say these things to be some smart-ass.

When I say I don't have nightmares when I smoke pot,I really mean that.I like many war veterans have PTSD.I am plagued by awful dreams if I don't sleep deeply enough.I take sleep medication to help,but this only helps to some degree.Maybe I get 3-4 hours of good sleep.Now when I combine my medication with smoking pot,I sleep deeply for 8 full hours.NO DREAMS!!!!!

Of course,there are other medicinal uses for this herb also.My State(Oregon) has a list of approved ailments that can be used to enter the medical marijuana program.Sleep is not one of them,but as you can tell from my own experience,it works quite well.I just recently heard that my State is considering other ailments that might be approved for this program,but from this news,it was said that PTSD would likely be the only change to the list.I hope this is the case.Veterans have been trying to get PTSD listed for some time now.IT HELPS!We know it helps.We smoke it whether it be legal or not.It is foolish to think that we would not.If that bothers anyone,I will surely lend them some nightmares....

The list of approved medical conditions:

• Agitation from Alzheimer's
  
• HIV/AIDS
  
• Glaucoma
  
• Cancer
  

Or has been treated for one of the following:

• Cachexia (wasting syndrome)
  
• Severe pain
  
• Persistent muscle spasm, including but not limited to Multiple Sclerosis
  
• Seizures, including but not limited to epilepsy
  
• Severe nausea
  

:hello:

[Mark Stapleton]

And unlike alcohol and prescription drugs, no-one has ever died from an overdose of cannabis.

[Keith Millea]

And unlike alcohol and prescription drugs, no-one has ever died from an overdose of cannabis.

That's true Mark.Alcohol unfortunately is the "drug" of choice for most Veterans suffering from PTSD.Alcohol will usually lead to violent behavior,where as Marijuana leads to a more peaceful mental condition.This is why I hope that PTSD will be added to the list of ailments for the medical use of pot.Things are such now,that if a Veteran goes to the VA for help with his/her PTSD,you are expected to begin on some type anti-depressant,or anti-psycotic medication.I have seen the damage this has done to some of my friends.It's not pretty,makes me sad.......

[Mark Stapleton]

Yes Keith, it's incredible how benign cannabis is compared to alcohol and other legal drugs. Trouble is, because you can grow cannabis in your backyard or on your balcony there's no way the Government can tax it and make money out of its consumption. They hate the idea of people getting high without giving them a cut. So they establish a massive prohibition bureaucracy (at taxpayer expense) and ruin the lives of many thousands of people for the 'crime' of consuming a harmless herb.

Don't worry, the social changes caused by the economic meltdown will be profound, imo. I reckon cannabis will be fully decriminalised within a year or so.

[David Guyatt]

Keith, I have no objection to a little Ganja. I've smoked a few recreational joints in my time, but these days don't smoke anything. To be perfectly honest, I didn't find it particularly good or, for that matter, bad either. In fact it didn't have much of an impact.

I can understand the comfort it provides in blocking bad dreams, yet it is a real shame that it also blocks "good" dreams.

But I suppose that in the last analysis a sound nights rest is so precious that temporary oblivion is a great relief.

[Keith Millea]

Don't worry, the social changes caused by the economic meltdown will be profound, imo. I reckon cannabis will be fully decriminalised within a year or so.

Latin America seems to be leading the way.Argentina and Mexico have decrimminalized small amounts of drugs for personal use.

http://narcosphere.narconews.com/noteboo...ijuana-use

Supreme Court Decision is Part of a Wave of Decriminalization in Latin America

On August 25, Argentina's Supreme Court struck down a dirty war-era law criminalizing possession of even the smallest quantities of marijuana. In the decision, the Supreme Court ruled that possession of small quantities of marijuana for personal use is protected by Article 19 of Argentina's Constitution, which states: "private actions that in no way offend public order or morality, nor are detrimental to a third party, are reserved for God and are beyond the authority of legislators."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/21/world/....html?_r=1


Mexico Legalizes Drug Possession

• By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
  

Published: August 21, 2009
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico enacted a controversial law on Thursday decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and other drugs while encouraging government-financed treatment for drug dependency free of charge.
The law sets out maximum “personal use” amounts for drugs, also including LSD and methamphetamine. People detained with those quantities will no longer face criminal prosecution; the law goes into effect on Friday.
Anyone caught with drug amounts under the personal-use limit will be encouraged to seek treatment, and for those caught a third time treatment is mandatory — although no penalties for noncompliance are specified.
Mexican authorities said the change only recognized the longstanding practice here of not prosecuting people caught with small amounts of drugs.
The maximum amount of marijuana considered to be for “personal use” under the new law is 5 grams — the equivalent of about four marijuana cigarettes. Other limits are half a gram of cocaine, 50 milligrams of heroin, 40 milligrams for methamphetamine and 0.015 milligrams of LSD.
President Felipe Calderón waited months before approving the law.

[Keith Millea]

But I suppose that in the last analysis a sound nights rest is so precious that temporary oblivion is a great relief.

David,
That's the operating thesis that drives this machine.I can't even tell you the last time that I had a "good" dream.I'm quite happy to swim into oblivion(no dream).Chasing Ghosts,or are they Chasing Me???Where the Hell is my shadow...........Just Deamin'
:goodnight:

[Jan Klimkowski]

And unlike alcohol and prescription drugs, no-one has ever died from an overdose of cannabis.

That's true Mark.Alcohol unfortunately is the "drug" of choice for most Veterans suffering from PTSD.Alcohol will usually lead to violent behavior,where as Marijuana leads to a more peaceful mental condition.This is why I hope that PTSD will be added to the list of ailments for the medical use of pot.Things are such now,that if a Veteran goes to the VA for help with his/her PTSD,you are expected to begin on some type anti-depressant,or anti-psycotic medication.I have seen the damage this has done to some of my friends.It's not pretty,makes me sad.......

Keith - thank you for your openness and integrity.

My major knowledge of PTSD is second hand, and comes from making a film with British veterans of the Falklands War.

I believe the vast majority of those with whom I had contact would endorse your views in this thread. Alcohol has led many brave men to prison or a life reduced to survival on the streets.

[Jan Klimkowski]

From today's Guardian:

Revealed: the hidden army in UK prisons

More veterans in justice system than soldiers serving in Afghanistan - study

The number of former servicemen in prison or on probation or parole is now more than double the total British deployment in Afghanistan, according to a new survey. An estimated 20,000 veterans are in the criminal justice system, with 8,500 behind bars, almost one in 10 of the prison population.

The proportion of those in prison who are veterans has risen by more than 30% in the last five years.

The study by the probation officers' union Napo uncovers the hidden cost of recent conflicts. The snapshot survey of 90 probation case histories of convicted veterans shows a majority with chronic alcohol or drug problems, and nearly half suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or depression as a result of their wartime experiences on active service.

Those involved had served in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. They are most likely to have been convicted of a violent offence, particularly domestic violence.

The study provides the strongest evidence yet of a direct link between the mental health of those returning from combat zones, chronic alcohol and drug abuse and domestic violence.

In many cases the symptoms of depression or stress did not become apparent for many years and included persistent flashbacks and nightmares.

Professor Tim Robbins, consultantclinical psychologist and former head of traumatic stress services at St George's hospital, London, said: "If we are asking people to do appalling things, to take part in regular firefights and hand-to-hand combat, you get to the stage where it de-sensitises them to violence. It is not just these specific things, but also [for soldiers] there is the constant rising and falling of the level of tension. In combat, they are constantly on edge and after a while they become constantly on edge."

Harry Fletcher, Napo's assistant general secretary, said the high numbers of former soldiers in prison was unacceptable: "There is overwhelming evidence that support is not available of sufficient calibre when soldiers leave the service. The preponderance of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression is also alarming."

Probation staff in 62 offices across England and Wales say the vast majority of former soldiers referred by the courts for criminal justice supervision did not receive adequate support or counselling on leaving the armed forces.

Napo also says their military experience and background is not being routinely identified when they are arrested or convicted in the courts. It wants a specific duty to be placed on criminal justice agencies to refer service personnel for appropriate help and counselling.

Probation officers say the military also urgently needs to provide programmes to tackle chronic alcohol abuse and domestic violence committed by those in their ranks and on discharge.

The probation union's estimate of 20,000 veterans in the criminal justice system breaks down into 12,000 veterans on probation or parole, and a further 8,500 in custody. These figures represent 8.5% of the total UK prison population, and 6% of all those on probation or parole.

The survey on those on probation and parole was carried out this summer and builds on a prison estimate made last year. The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Defence have so far taken more than a year to complete a basic survey of the number of veterans in prison. At one point the exercise was hindered by claims it contravened the Data Protection Act.

The shadow justice secretary, Dominic Grieve, said it was a disgrace that so many who served their country were in jail.

"No one is above the law, but this government has failed to provide proper support to our troops on return home," he said. "The public will be shocked to find so many soldiers in jail when the government has released thousands of criminals early because of lack of cells."

A Ministry of Justice spokesman insisted they took their duty of care for all offenders very seriously, irrespective of background. "Our first priority is protecting the public. By providing offenders with support and information which will aid their resettlement in the community we reduce the risk they will reoffend."

The spokesman said people entering the criminal justice system were from a range of backgrounds. A variety of issues had contributed to their offending behaviour, which staff worked to address.

The Ministry of Defence acknowledged that a "small minority" of ex-service personnel can face serious difficulties. A spokesperson said: "We provide a wide range of support, before, during and after leaving the services, including the MoD's Prison-in-Reach initiative," which aims to raise awareness among ex-service offenders and their families about the help available to them.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/sep/24...ber-troops

[Keith Millea]

Well,I finally got hold of someone in the OMMP(Oregon Medical Marijuana Program).The review panel is still debating whether to add PTSD to the list of approved ailments.The law itself,requires this review.PTSD has been turned down before in the review process.Only physical ailments are worthy,psychological problems are deemed unacceptable despite all evidence to the contrary.

Much info.below......
http://www.oregonmedicalmarijuanaprogram...s_disorder



Antidepressant drugs are among the most prescribed medications but their adverse side effects can often be paradoxically lethal with suicide being prominent.

Todays TV news presents a new electromagnetic machine for depression which stimulates the brain which probably causes cannabinoid secretions which makes patient subjects feel better. It had better, a treatment series costs 6 thousand dollars.

Well, I have a surprise for some people. The U.S. Govt says cannabis as an alleged drug causes euphoria which (surprise surprise) causes euphoria which is addicting. Imagine, a very safe replacement for amphetamine, once the most prescribed and addicting mood stimulants being replaced with cannabis.

The U.S. Govt estimates about 70 million cannabis users. I have medically interviewed at least 4000 of them. Almost all were long time users. None complained of adverse euphoria.

If such a high percentage of the population have clinical depression certainly many of my 4000 patients had depression which unfortunately is not an acceptable condition for an Oregon medical marijuana permit. The Oregon “egg heads” in charge of the program will not accept ANY psychological problem – it must be physical!

This is really strange. One of my largest patient groups are PTSD Veterans (about 400 of them). Most found out in Vietnam that cannabis gives best relief for battle stress. Whether battle stress produces/causes depression may be arguable. For a Combat Infantryman his only real relief is a “million dollar wound” which will get him away from certain death. If that doesn’t cause depression nothing will. Anxiety and blood curdling fear are certainly part of this PTSD syndrome. The worst factor is that once a person has PTSD, there is usually no escape…most people know that severe battle Veterans cannot talk about their experiences it hurts too much.

When these PTSD Veterans get/got home with nightmares etc., the VA doctors and non-doctors prescribed every kind of drug available. The Vets usually found out most of their drugs made them worse. They rediscovered cannabis but the VA non-doctors said you can’t use illegal drugs (even if they work best) and have VA treatment. How absurd. Believe it or not the VA system is supposed to HELP Vets.

In the meantime, with 70 million cannabis users many vets are using. Alternately many are alcoholics or tobacco addicts. Both of these cause hundreds of thousands of deaths. Cannabis has never killed anybody.

YES CANNABIS WILL ALLEVIATE DEPRESSION.

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Email him: Newsroom@Salem-News.com

source: http://www.salem-news.com/articles/october...eque_102308.php