Marijuana Is a Medicine

"Marijuana is not medicine," Kerlikowske told New Times. "We have a process in this country for developing medicines that's world-renowned. The popular vote has never been a part of it. Treatments should be determined by scientists and not by voters." Scientists have determined that marijuana is a treatment for many things. Scientists are the ones who conducted the studies referred to in my opening argument. Another example is its use in HIV/AIDS cases: "Many people with HIV have low appetite. This can be due to fatigue or drug side effects. Low appetite can lead to AIDS wasting. Marijuana stimulates the appetite, preventing these problems. Some people with HIV get nauseated when they take antiretroviral medications. This can make it difficult to take all scheduled doses. Marijuana can help control the nausea." I personally know and there are many documented cases of HIV/AIDS patients lives being saved because of wait gain after beginning the use of marijuana. The weight gain from the 'munchies' allows the users body to essentially rebuild the immune system, especially if the persons diet is consistent with recommendations from there doctor. (No junk food) ... "Second, I define your term "medicine" as: 1: a substance or preparation used in treating disease 2: a : the science and art dealing with the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease b : the branch of medicine concerned with the non surgical treatment of disease" The point of the 1 and 2 in the dictionary is that they are distinct meanings... Example: Definition of AMBER 1 : a hard yellowish to brownish translucent fossil resin that takes a fine polish and is used chiefly in making ornamental objects (as beads) 2 : a variable color averaging a dark orange yellow Both one and two do not have to apply for it to be considered amber. Marijuana is a substance, it exists. The process we have in this country for producing medicine is 'I invented this so for ten years I will get loads of money for it' If someone can grow their medicine in there backyard, who will pay the lobbyists? Again marijuana has been determined as a treatment by scientists for many things. Why else would they work so hard to invent Marinol? And why isnt Marinol banned..? What are the side affects of Marinol? http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov... weakness sudden warm feeling stomach pain nausea vomiting memory loss anxiety confusion dizziness unsteady walking feeling like you are outside of your body elevated mood (Sounds like 'high' to me) hallucinations (seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist) sleepiness strange or unusual thoughts These are exactly the same effects as marijuana. Marinol is derived from a substance in Marijuana. Marinol is a pill; a pharmecutical version of Marijuana allowed by the FDA. Marijuana has the substance Dronabinol (a cannabanoid, derived from the word Cannabis, a synonym for Marijuana) naturally present in it, which is the SCIENTIFIC cause behinds Canibinols effects. So the government and regulatory bodies admit, through allowing Marinol, that Dronabinol is beneficial in the treatment of nausea. Dronabinol is naturally found in Marijuana, and no other place. So Marijuana is, via circular reasoning, a beneficial treatment when it comes to nausea. So Marijuana is a medicine. You stated "I define "disease" as the following: an impairment of the normal state of the living animal or plant body or one of its parts that interrupts or modifies the performance of the vital functions." The key word is OR, both apply separately. So a disease is- in other words: An impairment of the normal state of the living animals body OR the performance of the vital functions I would consider nausea an impairment of the normal state of living. Alzheimer's too. I would consider epilepsy an EXTREME physical impairment, this is an example of a grassroots women who uses Cannabis exclusively after trying modern medicine. http://www.youtube.com... Her seizures on modern medicine totaled 66 in one year, on Marijuana, just 9. Watch till the end and you will understand what kind of impairment a grand mal seizure is, though some disagree. A quick google search will show how extremely beneficial Marijuana is to epilepsy patients. The Drug Czar has a vested interest in the continuance of Marijuana prohibition, and is a bad source to cite when it comes to a scientific opinion?