Kansas - Students' views are varying on whether medical marijuana should be legalized. Jessica Criser, a non-traditional student in nursing, and Alana White, junior in political science, support legalization; whereas, Joel Ybarra, senior in communication education, is against legalization. Other students like Ross Stone, senior in theater, and Danny Penn, senior in history, are fairly neutral on the matter.
"I was raised to believe marijuana wasn't something to do," Penn said. "However, not being in the amount of pain that people who it is prescribed to are. I can't say for sure whether I would use it or not if I were in their situation."
At a time when Kansas lawmakers voted to ban K2, a synthetic form of marijuana, a bill has been introduced to legalize medical marijuana.
"If we want to accept change as Obama suggests, we need to look past our prejudices and examine our options for the most beneficial solution," White said.
Kansas State Rep. Gail Finney, who proposed the bill, hopes that at the very least this bill will raise awareness.
"Something like this takes people stepping out and standing up for Kansas and encouraging everyone to continue working toward legalizing it," Finney said.
According to medicalmarijuana.procon.org, marijuana is a combination of particles from the Cannabis sativa plant. It is made up of dried flowers, stems and seeds from the plant. According to a the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), medical marijuana can aid in Alzheimer's disease, anorexia, AIDS, arthritis, cachexia, cancer, Crohn's disease, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV, migraines, multiple sclerosis, nausea, pain, spasticity and wasting syndrome.
"I have lived in Oregon where medical marijuana has been legal for many years," Criser said. "It was a well-regulated treatment option and a very private medical option discussed between a patient and their physician. If it were legal in Kansas, I can't imagine anyone really noticing that the law went into effect because it is such a personal choice."
In a poll taken by two Ph.D.s and an M.D., marijuana was believed to be one of the least addictive drugs, compared other drugs, which included alcohol and nicotine. Currently about 54.4 percent of physicians are in favor of medical marijuana.
"As someone who has had a chronic illness, I can sympathize with people who smoke it to help ease their pain. Sometimes it's the only thing to make them feel better," Finney, who has had lupus, said.
According to medicalmarijuna.procon.org, non-supporters, such as U.S. Senator Bill Frist, argue that there isn't enough scientific research to prove marijuana has any health benefits. It also states other non-supporters like John Walters, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, believe smoking marijuana damages the brain, heart, lungs and immune system.
However, marijuana doesn't have to be smoked. It can be used in butter and cooking oil, tonics or vaporized. Already, pharmaceutical drugs like Sativex are on the market. Sativex is a drug that contains chemicals taken directly from the marijuana plant, medicalmarijuana.com said.
Students like Ybarra are against the bill.
"I don't think it should be passed because then we would be saying that marijuana is an OK thing to do and that it would make you look cool," Ybarra said. "I understand most people die from other forms of abuse rather than marijuana use, but it still doesn't give Kansas the right to promote the use of marijuana."
Norml.com states that no matter how much marijuana is ingested, a person cannot overdose from it. Finney said the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) is one of her biggest supporters, along with the Marijuana Policy Project. NORML founder Keith Stroup, performed a group study that proved 80 percent of Americans favored medical marijuana.
"This is an election year and I think most legislatures are worried about not being reelected if they support a bill like this," Finney said. "I think a lot of voters are in support of it, though. They just need to contact their legislatures and representatives and let them know they'll support this."
Finney says she's more sympathetic than most legislatures and she doesn't want to see anyone suffer by being arrested or fined for making themselves feel better. Several people in these situations who are grateful and supportive of what she's doing have already contacted her. She also believes this bill will help the economy by creating business opportunities.
Already, there are 14 states where medical marijuana is legal. These include Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Including Kansas, there are 13 states with pending legislation on the issue.
"There are a lot of prejudices that the American people hold about the
marijuana plant," White said. "I think Kansas being part of the Bible belt may be too conservative to accept ideas of alternative medicine just yet.
Especially medical cannabis since government propaganda has convinced us it's a negative drug and downplays all the positive effects this controversial plant can provide."
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: Collegio Online
Author: Jen Rainey
Copyright: 2010 Collegio Online
"I was raised to believe marijuana wasn't something to do," Penn said. "However, not being in the amount of pain that people who it is prescribed to are. I can't say for sure whether I would use it or not if I were in their situation."
At a time when Kansas lawmakers voted to ban K2, a synthetic form of marijuana, a bill has been introduced to legalize medical marijuana.
"If we want to accept change as Obama suggests, we need to look past our prejudices and examine our options for the most beneficial solution," White said.
Kansas State Rep. Gail Finney, who proposed the bill, hopes that at the very least this bill will raise awareness.
"Something like this takes people stepping out and standing up for Kansas and encouraging everyone to continue working toward legalizing it," Finney said.
According to medicalmarijuana.procon.org, marijuana is a combination of particles from the Cannabis sativa plant. It is made up of dried flowers, stems and seeds from the plant. According to a the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), medical marijuana can aid in Alzheimer's disease, anorexia, AIDS, arthritis, cachexia, cancer, Crohn's disease, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV, migraines, multiple sclerosis, nausea, pain, spasticity and wasting syndrome.
"I have lived in Oregon where medical marijuana has been legal for many years," Criser said. "It was a well-regulated treatment option and a very private medical option discussed between a patient and their physician. If it were legal in Kansas, I can't imagine anyone really noticing that the law went into effect because it is such a personal choice."
In a poll taken by two Ph.D.s and an M.D., marijuana was believed to be one of the least addictive drugs, compared other drugs, which included alcohol and nicotine. Currently about 54.4 percent of physicians are in favor of medical marijuana.
"As someone who has had a chronic illness, I can sympathize with people who smoke it to help ease their pain. Sometimes it's the only thing to make them feel better," Finney, who has had lupus, said.
According to medicalmarijuna.procon.org, non-supporters, such as U.S. Senator Bill Frist, argue that there isn't enough scientific research to prove marijuana has any health benefits. It also states other non-supporters like John Walters, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, believe smoking marijuana damages the brain, heart, lungs and immune system.
However, marijuana doesn't have to be smoked. It can be used in butter and cooking oil, tonics or vaporized. Already, pharmaceutical drugs like Sativex are on the market. Sativex is a drug that contains chemicals taken directly from the marijuana plant, medicalmarijuana.com said.
Students like Ybarra are against the bill.
"I don't think it should be passed because then we would be saying that marijuana is an OK thing to do and that it would make you look cool," Ybarra said. "I understand most people die from other forms of abuse rather than marijuana use, but it still doesn't give Kansas the right to promote the use of marijuana."
Norml.com states that no matter how much marijuana is ingested, a person cannot overdose from it. Finney said the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) is one of her biggest supporters, along with the Marijuana Policy Project. NORML founder Keith Stroup, performed a group study that proved 80 percent of Americans favored medical marijuana.
"This is an election year and I think most legislatures are worried about not being reelected if they support a bill like this," Finney said. "I think a lot of voters are in support of it, though. They just need to contact their legislatures and representatives and let them know they'll support this."
Finney says she's more sympathetic than most legislatures and she doesn't want to see anyone suffer by being arrested or fined for making themselves feel better. Several people in these situations who are grateful and supportive of what she's doing have already contacted her. She also believes this bill will help the economy by creating business opportunities.
Already, there are 14 states where medical marijuana is legal. These include Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Including Kansas, there are 13 states with pending legislation on the issue.
"There are a lot of prejudices that the American people hold about the
marijuana plant," White said. "I think Kansas being part of the Bible belt may be too conservative to accept ideas of alternative medicine just yet.
Especially medical cannabis since government propaganda has convinced us it's a negative drug and downplays all the positive effects this controversial plant can provide."
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: Collegio Online
Author: Jen Rainey
Copyright: 2010 Collegio Online
