Help me understand why many conservatives are totally opposed to the use of marijuana, not as a recreational drug, but as a treatment to relieve symptoms of things like glaucoma and cancer.
I’ll bite minus the labeling. I have two humble points. One, from a legal standpoint this could be a slippery slope. And second, from a medical standpoint marijuana has it’s drawbacks. Besides users losing many motor functions, it has I believe (sorry I have no cite) ten times the tar of cigarettes.
I’m conservative.
I have no objection to medical marijuana (or marijuana in general for that matter).
Care to restate your OP?
I don’t think he needs to. He said ‘many’ not all.
Well, I am normally on conservative side of things (oppose gun control&abortion, want lower taxes, hawkish foriegn policy, ect) but the only real objection I have to medical marijuana is that it seems that many of the proponents are using it to “slip by” and as cover for recreational use. It just seems dishonest to me, and I wish they would just directly promote real legalization of marijuana.
Actually, I wouldn’t mind receational marijuana being available to adults; the mental effects don’t seem much more incapitating than say alcohol, and the health problems don’t seem much worse than cigarettes(MJ has more tar per amount, but the typical pot smoker smokes less than a typical cigarette smoker.) and both of those drugs are available for recreational use.
Blackdragon: Do you really think politicians and the governmen’t should have more say than the DOCTORS and the people themselves? If someone cannot afford the Prescription, shouldn’t they be allowed to “Grow their own”? Or better still buy their own at the local pharmacy, natural and cheap?
I say the slope has slipped waaaay past rational.
The person that started this post seems like a complete idiot. I am a conservative and I have nothing against using weed for medical purposes. I do believe, however, that it should be under the instruction of someone in the medical profession, and only used when the circumstances call for it. It should be used as a last resort when other medications have failed and there is no other option available. Otherwise, I am completely opposed to the use of weed!
Why do you think it is fair to say conservatives have a problem with the medical use of cheeb?
Why are you targetting conservatives for this issue?
This is an unfair stereotype of those who are pained by seeing the government’s draconian drug policy get in the way of simple human decency. While I would prefer the total legalization of marijuana, if a bill were introduced that would make the stuff available by prescription to chemotherapy patients, AIDS victims, and other people with a legitimate need, while guaranteeing that it would remain permanently off-limits for recreational use, I would be 100% in support.
Only as a last resort? What if it happens to be the best option for a particular patient? Should he be forced to try other drugs first, and only be allowed to move on to marijuana after he has paid his dues?
Well, since you said “post” and not “thread,” I won’t dispute this.
One hopes that the pharmacists forced to handle this formidable substance will be issued tongs and radiation suits.
Liberals and moderates who are opposed to the use of medical marijuana can certainly contribute their opinions. My observation has been that more conservatives have a rabid anti-pot position.
Raging conservative here.
I think medical marijuana is a great idea. Why should someone suffer if there’s something out there that can help them?
I’m opposed to euthanasia, and so I support MM. People in chronic pain deserve to be helped as much as possible.
As far as recreational marijuana goes, I don’t do it, never have done it, I never will do it, but I think alcohol has caused a million times more misery than pot ever could. People get drunk and get in a car and kill someone. People get stoned and get stuck at home because they are too busy waiting for the pizza to finish cooking.
I doubt you’ll find many such conservatives here. This aint Freeperville. Most of the conservatives here have fairly libertarian views when it comes to social issues.
I have always been under the general impression that objections to the medical use of marijuana have come only from the Conservatives, although even the Op acknowledges that not all Conservatives object.
If it is issued in pill form, will that solve the problem with the tar?
The pill is too expensive and isn’t as effective.
Really, the major reason that medical marijuana is illegal is that pharmaceutical companies would have no ability to control its production and distribution.
There are much more dangerous and addictive drugs that marijuana which are perfectly legal. The drugs that Rush Limbaugh is addicted to, for instance.
Frankly, this is one issue on which there doesn’t seem to be any credible reason to vote “No.” And if you want to really consider the conservative perspective in the context of a strict interpretation of the Constitution and favoring the delegated powers of the individual states (the defining issue between liberals and conservatives), you would realize that conservatives would argue for it. I certainly would.
Medically speaking, marijuana is not as dangerous in its immediate effects as alcohol, nor is it as harmful to the user’s health in its long-term effects as cigarettes (or alcohol, for that matter). Yes, it can cause cancer, but that’s hardly a compelling argument, especially in the face of the current legality of various other recreational drugs. I think that a person should be allowed to do whatever it is he wants to do, so long as he is not harming others (e.g., driving while high should still be illegal). And if marijuana is legalized, it could be regulated and filters could be utilized to decrease the amount of carcinogens inhaled by the user. And why is it that while morphine and cocaine are currently allowed to be prescribed to patients in great pain, marijuana is not?
I could go on and on, but as you can see there just doesn’t seem to be any reason for opposing marijuana. Maybe you should avoid such characterizations of conservatives and focus on the issue itself. You just can’t make gross generalizations about political affiliations and expect a rational debate.
P.S.: I think the pills are about $600/month (?)
Which pretty much describes me to a “T”. I have no objections to medical marijuana either, as long as it is prescribed to patients who have little alternative. I think the overall drug policy in this country is slightly out of whack anyways.
Being somewhat conservative-ish, I object to the objections of marijuana for either medical or recreational use.
I don’t see any harm in occasionally toking up.
Like any chemical substance, abusing MJ is a bad thing, and can have negative long-term side effects.
It seems to me that there is always someone, somewhere in this country who wants to ban something they disapprove of.
I’m a fairly rabid conservative, but most likely labeled as a libertarian; and I love the idea of medicinal marijauna. The only downside I can see is the dilapidating effect it can have on people. In high school, a large segment of my friends were into pot, and it was the only thing they would think of. I think South Park said it best, and I am paraphrasing here, but it went something like “Pot isn’t the ultamite evil. It won’t make your penis fall off, it won’t automatically make you do hard drugs, but it makes you feel alright about not doing anything, and that is bad.” That’s the only downside I can see about pot, making you apathetic towards life in general.