Before I start my blog on the legalization of recreational and medical marijuana, let me just say that everything in this particular piece is opinion only, my opinion. I am not a doctor or scientist. I am simply someone who knows about the healing powers of cannabis and how it helps me cope with my health problems.
I grew up with relatives in the medical profession. My mother, sister and aunts were all nurses. I was a relatively healthy child, most of my health problems consisted of the broken bones I lovingly acquired from my horse back riding days. I became acquainted with cannabis...or Pot, Weed, Grass, Green, Mary Jane, Ganja, Marijuana...as a teenager. When given the choice back then, I always preferred smoking pot to drinking alcohol.
I never really got into trouble if I was just smoking pot. But adding alcohol to the mix was always a sure fire way to get the party headed right down trouble lane into the center of drama square. And without divulging too much information, alcohol never increased my better judgment. However, smoking pot helped me think about things more carefully. It was definitely a more philosophical kind of experience.
As an adult, I was involved in a 10 year relationship to an extremely violent and dangerous man. I received various injuries from his abuse, some of which will affect me for the rest of my life. It is because of the chronic, daily pain from an elbow injury and the multiple surgeries I have been forced to endure that I am now a medicinal marijuana user.
I feel sort of...funny?...admitting this to my readers, and yet in reality I should never have to feel weird about utilizing something that helps me successfully cope with extreme pain. If I could not self medicate, I would get absolutely no relief. None. My quality of life would be greatly diminished. The reason for this is because I have an allergy to narcotics. I get sick, violently nauseous, and some of the stronger opiates will even affect my arrhythmia.
If I were to use the pharmaceutical medications that various doctors have offered to prescribe for me, I would be most likely be addicted to pain pills. Those pain pills would be adversely affecting my heart, liver and kidneys by now, and would keep me in a constant state of nausea. I would then be forced to take more pills just to counteract the allergic reactions and side effects of the pain pills. And now here's the million dollar question, or in this case the multi-BILLION dollar question...how would taking all of those pharmaceutical medications benefit me?
They wouldn't benefit me, in fact they would harm me. But they WOULD continue to fund a multi-billion dollar industry that exists to create a society of humans that become sick and stay sick. After all, an industry that makes pills must be sure they have an endless supply of customers to take the pills they make. And they don't stop there, these manipulative corporations use the media to make sure they start influencing the upcoming generation as well. Commercials, advertising and even the medical profession itself spends millions to convince parents their children are sick and in need of the latest vaccine, pill or injection to function. These children will eventually grow to one day have children of their own who will also need to be medicated to function within our societal norms.
Are we starting to get the bigger picture here? And are we starting to get a little uncomfortable?
Now here's the part of this story that becomes really frustrating. Doctors have more incentive to continue prescribing meds from the pharmaceutical industry then to offer healthier, more holistic alternatives. They refuse to consider utilizing a plant with virtually no harmful side effects. Medicinal marijuana has been shown to be an effective, less toxic alternative for diseases like cancer, epilepsy, depression, insomnia, eating disorders and multiple sclerosis...as well as the plethora of autoimmune disorders that seem to have cropped up within the past couple of decades.
So is it fair that I am deemed a criminal by my state of residency? Is it fair that I have to choose between breaking the law or feeling sick and in pain for the rest of my life? Hell no, it's not fair! It is a human rights violation.
So let's talk Colorado for a moment. What about the billions of dollars each state would be able to rake in as tax revenue for recreational and medical marijuana commerce? Just Google or Bing Colorado's progress since they chose to legalize, and see how much money they now have to spend on their schools and communities. Their law enforcement officials have millions of dollars to fund extensive DWI enforcement, as well as the real war on REAL drugs, like heroin and meth manufacturing. Their crime rate has also slightly declined, an exact opposite result to the massive crime wave cannabis naysayers wrongly predicted would happen as soon as the paper was signed. And rolled. And smoked.
How about limiting the money and resources criminal organizations take in by making medical and recreational usage legal? If it was legal and available in dispensaries and stores around the country...well...that would take a huge chunk of power and resources away from the drug cartels. Isn't that what the war on drugs was SUPPOSED to be doing before it became such an epic fail?
I have made many observations over the years about the differences between people drinking alcohol and people smoking pot. And my final conclusion is this. I would much rather go to the concert or stadium gathering where the attendees were smoking pot, than end up being stuck amidst a bunch of alcohol drinking, drunken yahoos.
A few stereotypes that seem to hold some truth in them; Drunks like to start fights. Stoners like to give hugs, talk philosophy and eat Cheetos. Drunks like to drive fast. Stoners drive veeeerrrrrrrrrryyyyy slow. It is hard to reason with someone who is alcohol intoxicated. Stoners love interesting dialogue and conversations about metaphysical subjects and global events. Far more people die from alcohol poisoning than from using marijuana. And yet...drum roll please...alcohol is legal and marijuana is not. Logical? I don't think so, do you?
Here are some bottom line facts about me. I am a medicinal marijuana user. I am NOT a criminal. I am a good human being. I am a hard worker and great employee. I am a singer, songwriter, activist, poet, author, friend, mother, grandmother, auntie, fiancé, DJ, animal lover and life coach, and I am all of these things daily. I am compassionate, intelligent and thoughtful. I love long and fierce, and I never surrender. I am successful in my life because I have a natural solution that helps me to stay healthy, active and happy without the use of other side effect laden medications.
As a sentient, logical and spiritual human being...I deserve to be allowed to utilize the medicine that works best for me. It is my right as a citizen of this country, and as a creature of this planet. God/Goddess created this plant specifically for his/her children to use for healing and wisdom.
I hope that someday, someday soon...we will finally evolve to a place where our society is free to grow, nurture, honor and harvest this sacred plant for the benefit of our brothers and sisters in need of healing.
Stay healthy and holistic, my friends,
Blessed Be!
I grew up with relatives in the medical profession. My mother, sister and aunts were all nurses. I was a relatively healthy child, most of my health problems consisted of the broken bones I lovingly acquired from my horse back riding days. I became acquainted with cannabis...or Pot, Weed, Grass, Green, Mary Jane, Ganja, Marijuana...as a teenager. When given the choice back then, I always preferred smoking pot to drinking alcohol.
I never really got into trouble if I was just smoking pot. But adding alcohol to the mix was always a sure fire way to get the party headed right down trouble lane into the center of drama square. And without divulging too much information, alcohol never increased my better judgment. However, smoking pot helped me think about things more carefully. It was definitely a more philosophical kind of experience.
As an adult, I was involved in a 10 year relationship to an extremely violent and dangerous man. I received various injuries from his abuse, some of which will affect me for the rest of my life. It is because of the chronic, daily pain from an elbow injury and the multiple surgeries I have been forced to endure that I am now a medicinal marijuana user.
I feel sort of...funny?...admitting this to my readers, and yet in reality I should never have to feel weird about utilizing something that helps me successfully cope with extreme pain. If I could not self medicate, I would get absolutely no relief. None. My quality of life would be greatly diminished. The reason for this is because I have an allergy to narcotics. I get sick, violently nauseous, and some of the stronger opiates will even affect my arrhythmia.
If I were to use the pharmaceutical medications that various doctors have offered to prescribe for me, I would be most likely be addicted to pain pills. Those pain pills would be adversely affecting my heart, liver and kidneys by now, and would keep me in a constant state of nausea. I would then be forced to take more pills just to counteract the allergic reactions and side effects of the pain pills. And now here's the million dollar question, or in this case the multi-BILLION dollar question...how would taking all of those pharmaceutical medications benefit me?
They wouldn't benefit me, in fact they would harm me. But they WOULD continue to fund a multi-billion dollar industry that exists to create a society of humans that become sick and stay sick. After all, an industry that makes pills must be sure they have an endless supply of customers to take the pills they make. And they don't stop there, these manipulative corporations use the media to make sure they start influencing the upcoming generation as well. Commercials, advertising and even the medical profession itself spends millions to convince parents their children are sick and in need of the latest vaccine, pill or injection to function. These children will eventually grow to one day have children of their own who will also need to be medicated to function within our societal norms.
Are we starting to get the bigger picture here? And are we starting to get a little uncomfortable?
Now here's the part of this story that becomes really frustrating. Doctors have more incentive to continue prescribing meds from the pharmaceutical industry then to offer healthier, more holistic alternatives. They refuse to consider utilizing a plant with virtually no harmful side effects. Medicinal marijuana has been shown to be an effective, less toxic alternative for diseases like cancer, epilepsy, depression, insomnia, eating disorders and multiple sclerosis...as well as the plethora of autoimmune disorders that seem to have cropped up within the past couple of decades.
So is it fair that I am deemed a criminal by my state of residency? Is it fair that I have to choose between breaking the law or feeling sick and in pain for the rest of my life? Hell no, it's not fair! It is a human rights violation.
So let's talk Colorado for a moment. What about the billions of dollars each state would be able to rake in as tax revenue for recreational and medical marijuana commerce? Just Google or Bing Colorado's progress since they chose to legalize, and see how much money they now have to spend on their schools and communities. Their law enforcement officials have millions of dollars to fund extensive DWI enforcement, as well as the real war on REAL drugs, like heroin and meth manufacturing. Their crime rate has also slightly declined, an exact opposite result to the massive crime wave cannabis naysayers wrongly predicted would happen as soon as the paper was signed. And rolled. And smoked.
How about limiting the money and resources criminal organizations take in by making medical and recreational usage legal? If it was legal and available in dispensaries and stores around the country...well...that would take a huge chunk of power and resources away from the drug cartels. Isn't that what the war on drugs was SUPPOSED to be doing before it became such an epic fail?
I have made many observations over the years about the differences between people drinking alcohol and people smoking pot. And my final conclusion is this. I would much rather go to the concert or stadium gathering where the attendees were smoking pot, than end up being stuck amidst a bunch of alcohol drinking, drunken yahoos.
A few stereotypes that seem to hold some truth in them; Drunks like to start fights. Stoners like to give hugs, talk philosophy and eat Cheetos. Drunks like to drive fast. Stoners drive veeeerrrrrrrrrryyyyy slow. It is hard to reason with someone who is alcohol intoxicated. Stoners love interesting dialogue and conversations about metaphysical subjects and global events. Far more people die from alcohol poisoning than from using marijuana. And yet...drum roll please...alcohol is legal and marijuana is not. Logical? I don't think so, do you?
Here are some bottom line facts about me. I am a medicinal marijuana user. I am NOT a criminal. I am a good human being. I am a hard worker and great employee. I am a singer, songwriter, activist, poet, author, friend, mother, grandmother, auntie, fiancé, DJ, animal lover and life coach, and I am all of these things daily. I am compassionate, intelligent and thoughtful. I love long and fierce, and I never surrender. I am successful in my life because I have a natural solution that helps me to stay healthy, active and happy without the use of other side effect laden medications.
As a sentient, logical and spiritual human being...I deserve to be allowed to utilize the medicine that works best for me. It is my right as a citizen of this country, and as a creature of this planet. God/Goddess created this plant specifically for his/her children to use for healing and wisdom.
I hope that someday, someday soon...we will finally evolve to a place where our society is free to grow, nurture, honor and harvest this sacred plant for the benefit of our brothers and sisters in need of healing.
Stay healthy and holistic, my friends,
Blessed Be!