Epilepsy Talk
Marijuana’s time has come. Even the government agrees. | June 24, 2024
“If everyone smoked weed, the world would be a better place.
Even if one takes every reefer madness allegation of the prohibitionists at face value, marijuana prohibition has done far more harm to far more people than marijuana ever could.” — William F. Buckley Jr.
Americans have spoken. Congress listened. Marijuana’s time has come.
Nearly six-in-ten Americans (57%) say that marijuana should be legal for medical and recreational purposes, while roughly 11% of Americans say that the drug should not be legal at all.
Opinions about marijuana legalization have changed little over the past five years, according to the Pew Research Center survey, conducted Jan. 16-21, 2024, among 5,140 adults.
“The strongest argument for Congress to end federal marijuana prohibition finds its roots in the far reaching harms and disparities that stem from its criminalization. The nation’s misguided war on drugs will continue inflicting harm until cannabis is decriminalized.
Nonetheless, decriminalization alone is not enough. Given the risks associated with marijuana, the nation needs the federal government to shift its posture from prohibition to regulation. To make that shift effectively, Congress needs to take a hands-on approach.
That requires legalization.“ — The USA Today Editorial Board
The US Justice Department’s recommendation that cannabis be classified as a schedule three drug – the same as ketamine and Tylenol with codeine – does not legalize recreational use outright, but opens the way to lighter punishments.
Medical Marijuana
Several possible health benefits of medical marijuana have been proposed:
Nausea: Marijuana is effective in relieving nausea and vomiting. Studies have shown that cannabis can decrease nausea caused by chemotherapy and almost eliminate vomiting.
Spasticity: Marijuana can relieve pain and spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis.
Appetite: Marijuana can help treat appetite loss associated with conditions like HIV/AIDS and certain types of cancers.
Chronic pain: Marijuana can relieve certain types of chronic pain, including neuropathic pain, which is caused by nerve damage.
Arguments in favor of using medical marijuana include:
It’s safer: Marijuana is safer than some other medications prescribed to treat pain. For example, some people may use it instead of opioids for pain management. Opioids are highly addictive and are typically not recommended for long-term use in treating chronic pain.
You can use it in many ways: You do not need to smoke cannabis for its benefits. Products such as topical pain relief treatments, edibles, and other non-smoking applications are now available.
It’s natural: People have used marijuana for centuries as a natural medicinal agent with good results.
“The evidence is overwhelming that marijuana can relieve certain types of pain, nausea, vomiting and other symptoms caused by such illnesses as multiple sclerosis, cancer and AIDS—or by the harsh drugs sometimes used to treat them. And it can do so with remarkable safety. Indeed, marijuana is less toxic than many of the drugs that physicians prescribe every day.” — Joycelyn Elders
Recreational Marijuana
More than half of US adults have tried marijuana, despite it being an illegal drug under federal law. Recreational marijuana, also known as adult-use marijuana, was first legalized in Colorado and Washington in 2012.
Marijuana legalization refers to the practice of allowing and regulating the production, distribution, sale, and possession of cannabis so that marijuana use within the established rules is no longer a crime. There are different models of legalization, including allowing people to grow their own marijuana, nonprofit co-ops, and for-profit commercialization with retail sales.
So, perhaps the politics of marijuana are not a surprise to you.
“Drug policy is routinely presented as a choice between the war on drugs and corner stores selling heroin to kids. That’s nonsense. There is a vast array of regulatory options between these two extremes. We need to lay them out.” — Columnist Dan Gardner writing in the Ottawa Citizen
When marijuana is legalized it has a long-spreading effect. Not just keeping people out of prison, raising corporate profits and tax dollars…
Legalizing recreational marijuana would end the costly, and frequently racist, enforcement of marijuana laws.
Legalizing marijuana would make it accessible for those who need it, most notably for pain.
Legalizing marijuana would cut down on the heartbreaking and unnecessary crime that often goes with it.
“Not only are there thousands of migraine patients who benefit from cannabis, but cannabis has been cited by such historical medical luminaries as Sir William Osler, M.D. (considered the father of modern medicine) and Dr. Morris Fishbein (long-time editor of JAMA) as the best treatment for migraines (back in the days before the Congress ignored the AMA and over the AMA’s objection, passed the Marijuana Tax Act).” — Dr. David L. Bearman
You decide for yourself.
To subscribe to Epilepsy Talk and get the latest articles by email, simply go to the bottom box of the right column and click on “Follow”.
References:
https://www.britannica.com/story/pro-and-con-recreational-marijuana
https://shopgoldleaf.com/blogs/newsfeed/best-cannabis-quotes-every-patient-should-read
Tags: marijuana pros and cons, medical, recreational
12 Comments »
Leave a reply to Maire Archbold Cancel reply
About the author
Epilepsy Talk 
TIME for this prohibition, based on racism and propaganda lies, to END!! That will solve this problem. The problem in CA is the govt controls/regulations, which only does one thing, it keeps prices HIGH and by doing this it encourages a robust black market for it. It’s a weed so it grows well on just water alone.
Datura is known as the devil’s weed, not MJ. MJ is a saints weed for it’s medical properties.
When my seizures stopped, about 4rys ago, i had 2 changes, one i started to smoke MJ which i grew with just water and sun. I also switched from capsule form of Gabapetin to pill form.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Zolt — June 24, 2024 @ 12:51 PM
I’ve never heard of Datura before. Explain?
LikeLike
Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — June 24, 2024 @ 3:58 PM
It’s a weed that grows all over ca on the sides of roads. Pretty white trumpet looking flower. It’s toxicity is out of the charts. Here is a link to wiki page on it, if this program allows links
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datura
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Zolt — June 26, 2024 @ 5:12 PM
Zolt, who would have thought such a desirable perennial could be so beautiful and noxious at the same time!
Thanks for the article. I’ll take a pass on the Datura.
Wonder how those damn deer feel about it. They just ate a quarter of my “deer proof” cranesbill garden.
Wouldn’t mind making them a little wild and crazy.
LikeLike
Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — June 26, 2024 @ 5:36 PM
I’m sorry but I just can’t get past the smell and the behavior of people I encounter who just partook in it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Hetty Eliot — June 25, 2024 @ 11:39 AM
The only problem now that it’s legal in most states is that instead of protecting the consumer ,they are allowing cannabis contaminated with mold and pesticides beyond what is allowed in tobacco . When combusted the chemical reaction is that it turns to cyanide. They have passed laws to allow it.
Never for a minute think that government cares about you or your health.
The LA times had an article : The dirty secret of California’s legal weed.
Always go to the growers website to read the certificate of authenticity for whatever strain you are buying from whatever brand the dispensary is selling . That goes for Medical and recreational.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Tom — June 25, 2024 @ 2:23 PM
All good insights. Thanks, Tom!
LikeLike
Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — June 25, 2024 @ 6:31 PM
I recently started using the CBD to help with seizure control since I have already had allergic reactions to every one of the seizure control meds. The CBD (in capsule form) is helping as part of my treatment plan, but not completely.
I am not comfortable about legalizing it for recreational purposes since it can open a person up to going on to use more harmful drugs. I still think about the safety risks to others….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Maire Archbold — June 25, 2024 @ 4:54 PM
Good that you keep that in mind, Marie. CBD is not for everyone and everyone is not responsible or has a non-addictive personality.
LikeLike
Comment by Phylis Feiner Johnson — June 25, 2024 @ 6:35 PM
This is a huge over simplification of the issue. It is your opinion and your few sources do not give strong evidence for your conclusion. You did not even consider the effects of marijuana on the developing brains of people in their late teens and early twenties. I have a family member who uses an FDA approved CBD oil for epilepsy. It has been life changing. Her neurologist has strongly recommended that she not smoke pot. The time for marijuana is here? The government agrees? I think there are probably some other government sources, research, and studies do not support your opinion. How about a balanced consideration of the topic?
LikeLike
Comment by Anita — June 27, 2024 @ 3:44 PM
The latest research (June, 2025) shows that it is unsafe. Users are at an increased risk of cardiovascular problems, strokes, depression, death, psychosis, and suicide, to name a few. This is in the current news and available with a simple Google search. It is unsafe and dangerous, whether you smoke or ingest. For people with epilepsy who are already susceptible to memory issues, it is good to know “cannabis” also interferes with working memory. You can do a simple Google search or go to CNN, Fox or other outlets for the full results
LikeLike
Comment by Anita Dietrich — July 1, 2025 @ 7:48 AM
well it seems every symptom.they describe is present in the side effects of every legal prescription medication including vaccines. So knowing the horrific side effects of anti eplileptic meds including suicidal ideation I would take the plant over rockefeller meds.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Comment by Tom — July 1, 2025 @ 8:01 AM