Marijuana Blog

When the Philadelphia City Council voted to pass the decriminalization of up to one ounce of marijuana, citizens who smoked thought that they would at least be safe from winding up with an arrest record. But thanks to a cop with a severely poor attitude and lingering issues with racism, Philly is still not a friendly place for stoners to be. The bill passed though the Council but Mayor Michael Nutter opposes it and the Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey says that he will continue to arrest those who choose to posses marijuana.

 

In a failing economy where people really need to be working and producing goods, hindering someone's life for being in possession of a simple plant is ridiculous. Due to a dime bag, a person can be screwed out of a job for the rest of their lives. Councilman Jim Kenney was the one who introduced the bill and with a 26% poverty rate in Philadelphia, Kenney doesn't see the point in arresting people who really aren't doing anything wrong.

 

A magazine in Philly did a little study and researched the amount of arrests between June 19th of this year and last Friday, which was July 18th. In that time there were 264 arrests and of that number, there were 140 people that were charged with just marijuana possession. That means that they weren't speed, being rowdy, hitting their partner, or causing trouble. They were simply in possession of the plant. The remaining 124 people were charged with additional crimes that included other drugs. Among those remaining arrests, there were also two aggravated assault cases, a handful of gun and prostitution charges, and one litterbug. 200 of the arrests made and charged with cannabis possession were released without bail.

 

So all of these arrests were basically useless and the only thing they did was tarnish the records of 140 people that didn't have prior offenses and didn't resist arrest at the time that they were charged for the plant. What also remains unknown at this point is the racial breakdown of the arrests. Kenney has previously pointed out in his speeches that about 83% of the people being arrested for marijuana possession in Philly back in 2013 were black. This suggests that there are still some seriously strong racism issues happening in this city and the War on Drugs has definitely not ended here.

 

What happens next depends. Mayor Nutter will be forced to take action in September, where he will have to veto the bill, sign it, or do nothing, in which case the bill would go in to effect but without the mayor's go-ahead. Even then, it can't be certain as to what will happen since Ramsey still says that he wants to fill up Philadelphia's jails and prisons with completely nonviolent offenders while rapists, murderers, and animal abusers run rampant. Clearly, there are not more important things to worry about then people who want to smoke a plant.

I realize that it's difficult to read this title without laughing. Let's face it, the drug war is far from over and probably won't end for a good amount of years. Obama would like us to think that we're safe... But in reality, the DEA and law enforcement are going to continue to bust people for "crimes" when they could be focusing that energy elsewhere, on the countless other problems that plague the cities we live in.

 

The National Drug Control Strategy released last week said that officials were going to put on a more sympathetic and humane approach to drug users and the problem of addiction. There is talk of education and public health, rather than increased police forces and harsh punishments. Officials are also trying out this crazy new idea of using evidence to back up their claims and are trying to opt for compassionate messaging to the people. But is it for real or is this just a facade?

 

If you're one of the 264 people arrested in Philly for marijuana possession in the past month or so, you're probably not buying the fact that the drug war is over. Most people aren't, for that matter. The government may be telling us that the drug war is over but their actions speak much differently. The White House and the Office of National Drug Control Policy have spent years using taxpayer money and other resources to imprison, abuse, and ruin the lives of the people who have happened to fall in the grasp of addiction (whether it is cannabis or something else). These people do not need jail.

 

These people need help. And serious help, not the nonsense propaganda that anti-drug companies pump in to mainsteam media. Hey guys, here's a piece of advice. Your ads don't work and are the subject of massive ridicule in the stoner community (and I'm sure other communities as well). If you make an ad of a dog telling it's owner to stop smoking weed, there's a strong chance that people will for the most part just brush your ad off, change the channel, and pack another bongload.

 

Even though Obama and his cronies claim that they're trying to get the negativity out of the drug addiction scene, it'll never happen. Since the use of these drugs is still a crime and those "crimes" are punishable with jail time, community service, and loss of personal property or children, there will always be negativity associated with drug abuse. And not negativity in the sense of sympathy which is what is needed. Negativity in the sense that these people need help and our government would rather lock them up in jail, while simultaneously killing thousands of people not only in this country but in places like Colombia and Mexico.

 

Arrest rates in the United States are so ridiculously high (700 per every 10,000) that research is beginning to show that the amount of people in prison and not working/contributing to society. Too many people are in jail and there are not enough people working in society. The release is also a problem, as families get broken up and those released are less likely to get rehired at a job.

I like to exercise, especially playing basketball. Physical fitness is something that I have always tried to take seriously, although admittedly, I take it more serious at certain times compared to others. Currently, my physical fitness is not where it needs to be, but I’ll try to get that figured out sooner than later. A question I have received at TWB from time to time is ‘does marijuana help you exercise?’

 

I have lifted weights and played basketball after getting high, and it seems to put me in a zone that I don’t get into when sober. I feel more focused, and more in touch with my body. Marijuana doesn’t necessarily motivate me to workout, but once I’m at the gym, it helps me get a better workout, if that makes sense. Leafly recently published an article that talks more about marijuana and exercise. A few excerpts are below:

 

“It’s not news to the medical community that the human body stores tetrahydrocannabidiol (THC), the main psychoactive in cannabis, in fat. However, a study put out this August in Drug and Alcohol Dependence has shown that this storage process can give exercisers an extra boost, even up to 28 days after consumption.”

 

“Yet, contrary to popular thought, it’s not just the endorphins (the compounds which make you feel excited after activities such as exercise and sex) that make physical activity so great. A 2003 study found that exercise actually activates the endocannabinoid system in the same way that the cannabis plant does. The endocannabinoid system is a group of lipids (types of fats) and cell receptors that cannabinoids (compounds like THC and CBD) bind to inside the body. The endocannabinoid system is responsible for easing pain, controlling appetite, and influences mood and memory. ”

 

“A recent study published in the American Journal of Medicine has found that regular cannabis consumers have fasting insulin (insulin in your body before eating) levels 16% lower than non-consumers. The study also found that cannabis consumers had 17% lower insulin resistance levels and lower average waist circumferences.”

 

Next time, before you hit the gym, try getting high first. If that’s not your thing, then by all means don’t do it. But if you are looking to see how marijuana affects your workout, give it a try. Scientific studies suggest it could help you out!

 

Source: http://www.theweedblog.com

When marijuana became legal for medical reasons, it would make sense that people assumed that they would still be able to continue receiving other prescriptions that did seem to help. Doctors have the sole purpose of being around to help the patients in their care, not make them miserable and make them choose between medicines. If there doesn't seem to be a dangerous side effect, then the patient should have access to what works. Not what doctors like to prescribe.

 

I recently read an article about a man named Christopher*, a man in his 50s. This man is married, does volunteer work in the community, and runs his own business. None of these things are really expected of stoners it seems but Christopher seems to be managing pretty well... With the exception of his terrible migraines and the insomnia that has plagued him since he was a kid. These two issues combined make for a miserable lifestyle that has included taking Norco, a hydrocodone/acetaminophen combination that is far stronger than Excedrin or Tylenol with codeine. Christopher gets 15 pills per refill, which ends up giving him about seven doses of medicine. In addition to the pain killers for the migraines, Christopher has also been recommended a prescription for medical marijuana from a naturopath.

 

Christopher gets both medicines in the correct way, through the channels that are dictated by the law. However, the doctor that prescribes the Norco made Christopher sign an agreement, saying that if he tested positive for THC, he would lose his prescription. At the time, marijuana wasn't even a thought in Christopher's mind so he signed the paper. About six months later, a friend recommended that Christopher replace his no longer working Ambien prescription. Christopher gave it a shot, in hopes that the plant would help him sleep. It did. So Christopher continued to smoke in order to help him get to sleep at night.

 

But earlier this year, Christopher's Norco prescriber asked that he submit to a urine test. Christopher immediately stopped smoking and continued with his plans, leaving for 2.5 weeks before the test in hopes that the cannabis would have left the system. However, when he returned and purchased an at home test, it came back positive for THC. For the next two month, Christopher survived off of stocked up pills and took more of the at home drug tests. Every time he took one, he failed. But because of a lack of supply in the prescription drugs, he had to go back for the test. Instead of the cannabis, Christopher had been taking shots of rum before bed in order to knock himself out but it definitely wasn't working, especially when compared to the marijuana.

 

Christopher went back to the doctor about getting a refill and even though he hadn't ingested any marijuana in two months, he still failed the test and the doctor refused to refill the prescription. In his absolute frustration, Christopher went back to using the cannabis to help him sleep. "I gave up on trying to meet what seems to be an impossibly high standard," Christopher said. He recently submitted another urine sample, with urine that didn't belong to him. The results are still being anticipated. In the meantime, Christopher has had to resort to prescription sharing, something that is definitely illegal. In order to make himself feel better, he has to take pills from friends and family, again resorting to illegal activity since doctors can't seem to help people the way that they're supposed to.

 

Patients everywhere need to be aware of this treatment. Just because someone is recommended medical marijuana doesn't mean that they should be denied other prescriptions. Issues like this need to be addressed immediately. Otherwise, other patients will experience the same mistreatment that Christopher is dealing with. "This is just not a choice that people should have to be making," Christopher said.