Melissa Etheridge speaks out in support for medical marijuana

Hell, I'm all for all marijuana being legalized and taxed like any other controlled substance (e.g. alcohol, cigarettes), not just medical marijuana. I know the stereotype is the slacker, burn-out stuck to the couch in the basement, but most of the people I know that smoke pot do not fit that description at all. In fact, only one does, and he's not lazy because he smokes pot, he's lazy because he refuses to be otherwise. If weed disappeared tomorrow, he'd still be a lazy bastard who doesn't clean up the kitchen.

I live in California and marijuana is our biggest cash crop, a billion dollar a year industry. The money that could be made by the government with its legalization is staggering, not to mention all the other marijuana by-products it would usher in. For example, hemp can be used to make paper AND it can be frequently grown and harvested, unlike the acres of trees that are being cut down faster than can be regrown. (One of the reasons why the criminalization of marijuana came through in the 30s is because of William Randolph Hearst's massive stake in the timber industry-- he used his newspapers to link hemp with smoking marijuana, and the latter with the "degenerent" [aka non-white] populations of Mexicans and blacks, it's all about the money.) 

I have always supported medical marijuana owing to the fact that my mom used to have to search out and buy weed for her brother decades ago when he was dying of cancer and the chemotherapy was making his last days on earth a painful nightmare. I support marijuana in general because I don't believe it is any more harmful than alcohol or cigarettes, in fact, I believe it is far less damaging to the human body than either of those substances and better for the economy.

Legalizing weed will take the power out of the hands of the various cartels that are dominating the scene, legitimizing its status as a crop, and giving power to the local growers who will be treated like any other farmer, a throwback to our agrarian roots.

Finally, I would like to say that I smoke weed. (I'm sure you couldn't tell) I wouldn't say that I smoke a lot of it, or every day with a regular pattern, but enough where I think it's fair to say that I am a smoker. (As opposed to someone who has tried it on occasion) I'm finishing a degree and have a job in financial services and am planning on pursuring a Ph.D in the future, with my focus on archaeology. I play sports, write stories/essays, read voraciously on all subjects, and think physics is sexy. I am not a burn-out and I am not a slacker. That stereotype is tired.

as a medical marijuana patient myself, i'm glad Melissa came out and said this. people have such a one-eyed view on the subject and it's refreshing to see someone as high-profile as her to say that not all people who smoke or ingest marijuana are slacker college kids looking to get high. it helps...A LOT without being pumped full of artificial medication that will either not work or make the problems worse.  

"Life's too short to be cool" -Shirley Manson-

www.myspace.com/grbgfreak1

I honestly can't think of a reason why marijuana shoudn't generally be legalized. It isn't really dangerous, it doesn't make you miss california stupid. Just plain old hypocrisy, because the right people are making the right amount of money off the whole drug buisness. I'm all up for criminalizing cigarettes, they are uncomparably more dangerous, does this mean that's going to happen - never, any sort of legal action concerning controlled substances would lead to reformation of market shares of rich people. How come the prisons in netherlands are getting emptier, and the ones in america are not enough to hold everybody. Those amoral, out of control dutch hippies!

Maybe it because of I live in a country where the only legal drog is alcohol(which I think should be illegal aswell). but I think that sounds stupid. I know that many accident involves alcohol but you don´t think legaliz other drugs will increase other fatal accidents due to drugs?

I know you are talking about useing it as medical. I just think that will send the message that drugs are okey.  Why not legaliz all other drugs aswell then? What´s the diffrence between marijuana and heroin...?

In theory I'm all for medical. The tricky part for me comes when you put cancer patients and ppl who just want to get high for whatever reason in the same category. It's stupid that at the same time we are talking about medical use and cancer patients and yet people are currently misusing the laws and getting their pot legally from the "right doctors". I'm not a doctor but I would think cancer pain and for example anxiety are totally different pain. Note: I'm not attacking anxiety patients who use drugs/medicine of any kind. But then again you can't fake cancer but if some people already are using the anxiety (or related) as an excuse (to clarify: who don't actually have anxiety but tell the doctor so) to get their pot then it'll be even more tricky. I'm just glad I'm not making the laws.

but like anything, humans need to take personal responsibility.  Mostly I'm concerned about the morons who will get in their car and drive high.  Society has had thirty years of drunk driving education drummed into them and people still don't get it.

I think if it was legalized, there should still be rules enforced (as with alcohol).

These aren't just cigarettes (you get high) and I wouldn't want to see people smoking it in the street.

If there's a history of depression or mental illness in your genes, don't even go there.

Studies have proven drug use (at a young age) can be the trigger for bringing on an episode.  If you're under 25, you need to be careful and be aware of your family mental health history ... Again - personal responsiblity.

I think people who smoke and drive, will always do so. regardless if they legalize it or not. if that is in any way a argument, alcohol that kills so many people in traffic should've been banned a long time ago.

Weed is often put in the same cathegory as Alcohol and Cigerettes. and its difficult for me to understand why it is so much worse.

For me, it really isnt a matter of how dangerous it is. i think anything that gives you a buzz as light as weed should be legal. simply because i find it a tiresome restraint on my personal freedom that i cannot smoke a joint on friday nights, when i come home from a long day of work.

To me, its like scotch and brandy being legal but vodka being illegal, hated and stereotyped upon.

And... to the person who said we might as well legalize heroin as we may legalize weed.                                                                                                         

When you speak like that. is it not the same as when Prop8 fanboys say that legalizing gay marriage could lead(or would be the same as) legalizing polygami or marriage with animals?

Frankly, i am tired that others are allowed to have this power over me. its not just about Weed, its about being able to make your own choices without closeminded and insensitive people breathing down your neck. And sending people to jail for something that honestly, in Denmark where i live, id say 75% have tried and perhaps 25% do, on occasion (or more). In my generation and the one above me atleast.

Not that that in itself is a arguement.

anyways... Rant over.

As a hospice volunteer I've witnessed people on very high doses of pain medications that would give otherwise healthy people over-the-moon highs (perhaps even killing some). These people? Pain management, no high, managed subtle grasp on a few hours of escape from otherwise debilitating anguish preventing the simplest task of quiet reflection, reading a book to pass the endless hours, conversation, enjoying the view from their bedside or chair or maybe (hopefully) a tiny meal of nourishment. It's not about kicking back and getting a buzz.

Cancer treatments kills the human system and breaks down the basic functions of the body each day, which present countless failure of function while healthy we aren't even aware of. The hope is that at the end of this the person survives.

Every day people put their full faith in the medical system that is still guessing at a lot of treatment programs that are completely dependent on chemically-derived methods.  The AMA is one field of medical study, not the only field. In fact, the AMA deliberately pushed aside natural, homeopathic, herbal healing and renamed them "alternative" (even though they were "first").This also was while women were being pushed out of the now "professional" field of medicine even though women had been the original healers. Men turned "healing" into a field of medicine for profit.

Medical marijuana could be included in a holistic medical approach.

Any mind altering substance of course has no business behind the wheel or operating machinery. Yet, everyday we are surrounded by countless drivers on prescription pain medications.

The problem with legalizing marijuana? Abuse. Lies from people looking for a loophole in order to get high. These are not the same people considered for medical marijuana, but they spoil it.

Sunday is a hypocrite and Weed is good..yep that's my entire contribution to this

oh but my mum's a carer in the community and a few of her old age clients smoke weed for medical reasons and i was in the car accompanying her one time ad she came out high as a bitch it was hillarious. and I heard about a milkmann that was slipping it in packages into their milk packages he went to prison i believe but i wish he was my grandad!

I just love the idea of nans knitting and growing Bud ha ha

I'm like a retarded fairy, you want to love me but I'm too goddamn weird

 http://twitter.com/LakiMadeMeDoIt

I can't say that I agree that medical marijuana should be widely available to patients. I've had loved ones who were/are addicted, and I simply hate how it alters behavior. I don't think it's physically harmful in the same way as cigarettes, but I would be lying if I said I don't think that using it for medical purposes would lead people to become addicted. And saying that marijuana isn't a harmful substance is just naive.

If it helped Etheridge, that's fine - I can see it being available for limited use in very severe cases, such as cancer. But I can't help but think there are better ways to relieve pain. I wonder if Melissa Etheridge can honestly say it was easy for her to stop using after her recovery?

Hey :) I get your point about "stupid" ( i disagree with your phrasing) people being able to get it and having to be worried about, I think that if it was legalised then the people that need it for medical purposes will feel alot less guilty about using it because at the moment they most probably feel like criminals, how is that fair when it has been proven to have medical advantages we don't feel guilty for using paracetamol (sp).

For those that use it recreationally I believe that as long as your adult and you know what you're getting your self into (if it's an informed decision) you should be responsible for your own actions. In Britian we are already in a nanny state we are told what we can and can't do. If it were in a religion that Jesus for example smoked marijuana then we would all be smoking it. Maybe I'm just trying to be a smart arse but that's what I feel about this :)

I'm like a retarded fairy, you want to love me but I'm too goddamn weird

 http://twitter.com/LakiMadeMeDoIt

Maybe it does make people stupid... but really what do you care anyways?

it's still none of your business. You cant shun people for being stupid anyways, and who are you to decide that everyone has to be smart?

Weed is a personal business, Dont like it? dont smoke it.