Medical mj users?

[marvel]

Anyone here? What state & how difficult to get the go ahead? And do you trust local authorities?

I don't begin to claim any understanding or comparison with what sufferers of hard core medical problems have to deal with. But we all have our reasons for use. Even those of us without "legit" needs (not legit as defined by mmj laws) usually have reasons intently more valid than "duh, I jus wanna get f'ed up, bro."

A guy I've known for awhile just told me he has an mmj recommendation (I'm in one of the 12 states that allows it). Didn't go into details on how he got it, but I've known him awhile and I'm certain his "need" is no more dire than my own (that is, an improved quality of life due to less stress, more regular sleeping patterns; and a means of slowing and controlling a fast-moving mind). So, shamelessly, I'm curious about the possibility of obtaining such a coveted recommendation, without walking into a doctor's office and making up some bullshit story (because I'm not like that).

Even with such legal backing I'm concerned it wouldn't help. Lots of stories of folks with legit mmj needs due to serious medical conditions getting thrown in jail anyway... It really is a crying fucking shame. I really do wonder what the U.S. government is protecting here. Cotton industry? Oil? What? Every government report on mj is full of lies anyone who uses or knows those who do will see right through. Tens of millions violate the law anyway.

 

[Acolyte of Zinglon]

im in ca, and i plan on getting a card as soon as i get a car... cause the nearest clinic and dispensaries are 50 miles away

my qualifying conditions are adhd, depression (treated for 10 years by antidepressants before i realized how horrible they were and got off them), anxiety (linked to my depression), migranes, and ill bring up a family history of altzheimers and glaucoma, two other conditions it helps with

california has a rather unique clause in its law that says it can be prescribed for any condition that it helps with, and that is a very extensive list indeed

california has this law that says that police cant aide the federal government in prosecuting medical patientes or caregivers, and there is a bill in the assembly that will protect medical patients from employment discrimination (except in jobs where it could harm others, doctors, law enforcement, etc)

i find people who bs the system distasteful to say the least... i have actual medical and psychological conditions that cannabis provides relief from, but to get a med card just so ull get legal weed and not from medical concerns is immoral in my eyes... and it discredits the entire system and casts a negative light on those who actually do use it as medication
not to say that you dont have legitimate concerns, but this is just how i feel, i have a great respect for this plant and how it helps me, and it saddens me to see others treat it disrespectfully

 

[vtac]

See also http://www.fuckcombustion.com/viewtopic.php?id=30

I'm sure that thread was hijacked to shit but it did have some good links in it.

Also, you guys are lucky bastards and I hope you know it.

 

[vaporcloud]

I agree. Med pot is a long way off here.

an improved quality of life due to less stress, more regular sleeping patterns; and a means of slowing and controlling a fast-moving mind

That sounds a lot like my reasons for using herb in medicinal sence ... but I also know I can function quite nicely straight ... but I also like getting fucked up in a very non-medical way

 

[Cannabudz]

I'm a medical user who happens to enjoy my favoured herb, even though my stinking fuckhole government refuses to see reality, and grant me the ability to use this herb for my depression and pain, I refuse to be a moron sitting here in pain and misery so we have a conundrum. I will respect goverment and authority when they show me the respect i deserve as a human being and treat me with compassion and dignity.

I refuse to get into debating who deserves access to a plant that is basically a herb that is of benifit for so many things just because some young people have fun or some person of colour has an air of confidence and courage when indulging in this substance Cannabis.

 

[vtac]

/\ /\ /\

One of your best rants, highly agree!

 

[Cannabudz]

/\ /\ /\

One of your best rants, highly agree!

Cheers V Tac, thats why i use the bird as an avatar, so i don't have to say it all the time

 

[marvel]

i find people who bs the system distasteful to say the least...

I agree and I don't. I find marijuana laws in this country are tantamount to serious human rights violations and I don't think the medical use laws go far enough. Quite frankly, any law that doesn't provide complete and utter legalization of this herb doesn't go far enough, as far as I'm concerned, but we'll save that debate for later.

Here's my point: All of us use for a reason that goes farther than "I just want to get high." Like vaporcloud, I function fine without mj. That is, if your definition of fine includes serious insomnia brought on by an inability to control a mind that is constantly churning with plans and ideas, and a higher than normal amount of stress - but I'm still a completely useful person, I'm just mildly miserable inside, but no big deal - I can handle it. I did for the last decade, I can do it for another 6.

Furthermore, I didn't get into mj because of this - I got into it to get high, and see what all the fuss was about. I never considered it could be helpful to me; I didn't even know I needed any therapeutic help. Until, after using, I found the side effects to be very pleasant and increase my quality of life substantially. Yeah, I'd survive OK without it, but why should I have to? If it helps me cope with my admittedly minor circumstances, why shouldn't I qualify?

Certainly, none of this begins to compare to someone with AIDS, cancer, or even your depression and anxiety. My wife suffers from depression and anxiety (but she's anti-drug and won't even try doctor prescribed legal drugs, let alone mj), so on some level I can understand where you're at. And I don't want to game the system. I can't with a straight face go in and bullshit a doctor about some serious medical condition I don't have. On the other hand, I'd love to find a doctor who understands mj's benefits, who will listen to the reasons I use, and figure a way to tweak the paperwork to make me legit. Is that immoral? Perhaps, but much less so than the laws that deny free men the use of a perfectly safe substance under penalty of substantial imprisonment and an effectively ruined life. Good luck keeping a six figure job with an mj conviction on your record.

But then I wonder, what would the point be of medical permission? My state continues to jail users who suffer from legitimate, terminal diseases! Judges appear to be denying the medical use defense in dozens of cases even when the user has a doctor's permission and a clearly qualifying condition - effectively ignoring the law. So, it seems, if someone dying from cancer can't get a break, I'm sure as shit they'd throw the book at me.

 

[vaporcloud]

Like marval said the system is distasteful and full of double standards, political grandstanding and hidden agendas. Big money corporations who see MJ and/or hemp as being detrimental to their bottom line will do anything they can to prevent MJ from being legal.

Here in NZ they have approved the trial of the Sativex Nasal spray which is great and sad at the same. Its great because finally the medicinal qualities of MJ are being recognised but its sad because the spray has proven to be less effective than standard THC and Cabinoid delivery. Of course the Sativex cheering squad will trot out the 'smoking is bad for your health' line fully ignoring the health benefits of vaporizing and ingesting med pot.

We are rolling towards a November general election this year and its allways a good time for the pro MJ and med pot lobby to get some airtime but we all know it will be status quo once the dust has settled.

 

[Cannabudz]

To add to my rant, I completley agree with marvel & V_C on everything they said, I can't believe we have to even air these views in a modern society.

 

[Acolyte of Zinglon]

and i agree with you marvel, it helps many people in many ways... but there are still people who do lie to doctors that get cards... or go to doctors where you basically just buy the card... i hope you see a legitimate doc
thats what i was talking about

its not like you cant find weed elswhere, in many places med weed is more expensive than street weed... (luckily not here) i have no problem with non med users smoking weed, in fact id pull up a bowl right next to you and share the love. but if you want it just to get high you can go through the black market to get your weed just like any other normal person, and leave the medical system for those that intend to use it in such matter (this is not to you marvel, just to anyone who takes advantage of the system for their own selfish reasons)

sorry, i know i should prolly get off the high horse, i intend to use it to get high too, but my medical conditions are pretty shitty and it helps with them, cannabis has such infinite capacities.... this allowance in the law was made for people who use it in one particular capacity, then people who dont use it in that capacity come and can potentially fuck up that allowance (thats why sb420 was enected)

cannabis has such a rediculously long list of applications, that it isnt really taken seriously by doctors, and if it helps you cope i dont see why it should be treated any different than alcohol.... its much better in so many respects... i agree that it should be legal, legal for medical reasons is the first step

when i told my psychiatrist that i had been smoking weed and it helped with my depression (the antidepressant's effectiveness was slipping), she gave me a bunch bullshit about how it would react with my medication (when i was on the ssri's) and i straight up debunked her right there citing university studies and pharmacological actions... she just sat and stared for a couple of seconds and then said "well... you dont need to be inhaling all those carcinogens" at which point i went into detail about the polonium 210 being the primary cancer causing component in tobacco, and it is absent in cannabis

 

[marvel]

My whole deal is I actually want to grow my own. I have a greenhouse and everything. Problem is, if I do it illegally, everything I own will be seized when they find it. I don't like going to shady parts of town and dealing with shady characters.

As far as I'm concerned, anything that helps a person cope with even the most trivial of concerns, should not be illegal so long as it does not hurt others. But I'm preaching to the choir here.

 

[Cannabudz]

How's this shit, My Friend has schichophrenia & smokes canna, his "doctor" know's this and compells him to accept a regular injection of some horrible crap that allows him to drink cans of premix alcohol(other chemicals drugs don't), If my friend refuses to co-operate because he'd rather self medicate with cannabis he can be labelled "Non compliant" & his freedom taken away(locked up& forced to take the drugs) and these "Doctors" pretend to have our best interests at heart, My thinking has me believing "Doctors" simply view us as cash cows to provide them an acceptable lifestyle, while merely pretending to care for the sake of appearances, so as not to shatter the thinly vieled illusion.

Doctor's whor rebel are marginalised just like you or me, thats why i won't trust them, however if i think the need is there i'll make us of the fucking whores

 

[vtac]

Well I wouldn't generalize all doctors, I know one who smokes bud, she also smokes cigarettes though.

I think the system in California is pretty good if I understand it correctly... Go to 'special' doctor, list pretty much any symptom, pay $200, get license. I don't think someone should need to fall under a specific category of illness to qualify.

Wonder where that $200 goes...

 

[Cannabudz]

Fair call about generalizing VT, just going on my experience when i say something i don't wan't everything write to come across as the enbending truth, out of curousity do you think your doctor friend would stand up with science fact in the face of cries, Witch Witch jail her & take her property, my guess she would think twice at least.

I know not all people are assholes, just the miserable fucks who want to control people till they drop. In spite of my words i'm not filled with hate, on the contrary the only thing i hate is Hate itself, & all i fear is Fear.

 

[Acolyte of Zinglon]

Well I wouldn't generalize all doctors, I know one who smokes bud, she also smokes cigarettes though.

I think the system in California is pretty good if I understand it correctly... Go to 'special' doctor, list pretty much any symptom, pay $200, get license. I don't think someone should need to fall under a specific category of illness to qualify.

Wonder where that $200 goes...

the real legitimate doctors charge half that for a consultation, the clinic ive chosen is a whole natural medicine/homeopathy/accupuncture/chiropractor deal, absically alternative medicine

all ill have to do is take in my pill bottles and explain how i hate them and find weed is much better for my illnesses (lessee.. i have amphetamines.... ssris... migraine medicines, im pretty well set)

 

[vtac]

This site makes me laugh. http://www.cannabisevaluation.com/

 

[max]

This site makes me laugh. http://www.cannabisevaluation.com/

Why? Not saying there's no humor to be found here, but there could be a couple of different angles/outlooks on it.

I'm not familiar with the way doctors/dispensaries/prescriptions work where medical mj is legal, but my impression of the site:

It goes too far. You can't put something like that out there -'Get your medical mj here, best quality, no waiting, drive thru' and not expect to get slapped by the establishment.

As for my opinion of the medical establishment-western medical practices (drugs, surgery, or we can't help you) will be viewed in the future like we look at doctors hundreds of years ago, when they used leeches to cure people and thought washing your hands before surgery was crazy. In most cases prescription drugs don't cure anything, and you're lucky if they treat the symptoms without giving side effects that are worse than the problem.

There's a wide range of attitudes among doctors, but the best of them are still between a rock and a hard place. They can kill people with bad prescribing or bad surgery and nobody says anything, but let one tell a patient to use a natural remedy instead of a script, and the AMA will take his license and run him out of town. Big Pharma is dictating to the medical profession.

The health care system in the US is getting ready to fall on its face- 'help me, I fell down and can't get up', and it seems that nobody wants to teach people how to stay healthy.

"From 1993 to 2003, the number ofprescriptions purchased increased 70% (from 2.0 billionto 3.4 billion), compared to a U.S. population growth of13%"
http://www.kff.org/rxdrugs/upload/Prescription-Drug-Trends-October-2004-UPDATE.pdf

 

[Cannabudz]

There's a wide range of attitudes among doctors, but the best of them are still between a rock and a hard place. They can kill people with bad prescribing or bad surgery and nobody says anything,

My Mum an ex registered nurse (third in the state for her exams) once joked doctors wear gloves so they don't leave behind fingerprints, & i think that say's it all except that the fucker's who control the medical establishment run thier "business" along Political lines & we all know what politics is about, The powerfull holding a Stick with one hand & a shity carrot in the other.

I just love the way those in authority use the term "encourage" us to stop using things like cannabis with threat's of Sanctions including jail, I don't call that shit encouragment, i call it fascism, even if it does come with a smile & the best intentions

 

[marvel]

On the subject of doctors, I quit going years ago when I realized they never helped me. First off, I never went to the doctor unless I thought I was going to die. I'm the type to let an illness progress way too far before giving in and letting someone else treat me. I just figure the body is resilient, it will persevere and I'll get through it. So when I went to see the doc, I was already way beyond my tolerable threshold for pain and suffering and I wanted him to do some shit to me. Take some samples. Send them to a lab. Do SOMETHING. They never did a damn thing. In fact, at most, they'd touch my throat, look in my mouth and ears, and say, "Well, you probably just have x. Here's a prescription." And when it didn't cure me they'd go, "Oh, it's probably y. Here's another prescription."

The last time they did that shit - I swear, the doc looked at me all of 30 seconds before writing a prescription and making a wild ass guess as to what was wrong with me - I just decided not to fill the damn prescription. I just went home and went to sleep. I figured, fuck it, if I die, my wife will get a fortune in the lawsuit from this prick. Well, a couple of days later I got better, all on my own, without his stupid drugs.

So that's how I've coped with illness since. I just stay in bed, get as much sleep as I can, and wait it out. Eventually I get better and life goes on. So, forget doctors... who needs 'em? If I cut my arm off or there's something obvious that's wrong with me, sure, they're good. But when it's internal and I'm just in pain and feel like hell, they never know what to do. They just guess and make assumptions. Why else would it be called "practicing" medicine?

 

[Cannabudz]

Totally agree with your comments marvel good to see your not conned by em, On the subject of Journalists one recent qoute from a well known australian journo say's it all, "they (journalist's) are like Seagulls, they fly in shit on everybody and leave", I want to know how do we make the collective heard and reject/ignore the minority who abuse thier power Take Rupert Murdoch for example of power or Rich freakoid Banker's and oil tycoon's who own pharmaceutical conglomeration's/corporation's.

I particularly liked marvel's "practicing medicine" comment, the way i see it if thier ignoring reality for political purposes, Their conning/misleading people or just plain Dumb Ignorant, both are reprehensible for Professional people, Medicine should be all about science fact not science fiction, And fabricated Propaganda. Doctors do themselves a great disservice by alligning themselves with suspect policy if they wish to have My Faith and confidence, I would love to find a doctor who see's Reality, but i have no idea how @ the age of 45 tragic but true, who know's some kind OZy bro may hook me up with one. regardless

 

[Cannabudz]

As for my opinion of the medical establishment-western medical practices (drugs, surgery, or we can't help you) will be viewed in the future like we look at doctors hundreds of years ago, when they used leeches to cure people and thought washing your hands before surgery was crazy.

Spot on with all ur remarks 4 me Max, Funny one of the relatives back in my family tree was Florence Nightingale, the same nurse who greatly offended those "modern" medicine "men" by bringing it to thier attention they were killing more of thier patients than saving because of sanitary standards, In those day's ur chances of surviving illness etc greatly diminished if u left ur home & went to the hospital.

Probably why i have an inbuilt ability to care for my Mum, A wonderfull human being who worked hard as a Nurse in her day, & was a great Mother, which is why despite her massive stroke she still live's @ home with family coming & going, A dam side happy than she would have been in a waiting room 4 death (nursing home) For the record when she stroked out in hospital after bowel cancer surgery they wern't that interested in helping her no real rehabilitation was offered except to teach her how to swallow again, oh and whinges from a nurse about the care level with diahorrea several day's after the event.

I certainly have had my share of negative experience with the "Profession" And believe me iv'e heard some Fucken Horror stories from others' including my Mum who was in tears over some Doctor shit, Told to turn the machines off(after some very intensive nursing) to cover a doctors oesogosphy gone wrong to check a stomach ulcer.

MY take on it, Is Doctors have to be dragged kicking and screaming to own up to mistakes(of any type) And they most certainly are not God like infallible beings sent from above, to walk among the common(lay) more "simple" people. Also they most certainly do not want us educated, My Doctor sneers @ my mentioning something i read on the internet, & i have heard story's about my doctor in the waiting room that wern't nice.
I would like to send that psychriatrist who diagnosed me with a condition that could go 60 year's ( "we don't fully understand the mind " ) a letter telling her about vaporising but Fuck her, she would not believe me anyway, I just Know it. Besides i'm telling the truth here instead so all is good my conscience is clear

 

[Acolyte of Zinglon]

MY take on it is Doctors have to be dragged kicking and screaming to own up to mistakes. And they most certainly are not infallible beings sent from above, to walk among the common people.

yup thats the reason i hate doctors, if they would just get some fucking humility i wouldnt mind them as much

 

[Cannabudz]

I don't Hate doctor's, I just Hate what theyv'e become, And it all boils down to Greed, Yes that "Comfortable Lifestyle" Spawns it all, THE Mansion's ,Big Boats etc., And then the Lies & Deceit follow to prop it all up.

Can u smell that vape, It's the Smell of Freedom

 

[Vitolo]

Medical MJ became legal in Arizona in Nov 2010. I was as prepared as hell. I had every document ready to submit. I was one of the first approved. It was not difficult, as long as your doctor provides documantation ( mine did easily as I am disabled). If for some reason your doctor cant, you can get the recommendation from a Holistic doctor, or a doctor of naturopathic medicine, and there are many.
About the authorities:
The state has legalized it, but in a letter to the Medical Marijuana Certification Board, the US Attorney General announced... "don't forget that it is still against federal law, but we will not actively investigate or prosecute legitimate medical marijuana patients"
For AZ certification...
1- Letter of recommendation from Doctor saying you would benefit from MJ
2-Passport photo
3-letter of attestation stating you will not divert MJ to anyone not holding a card
4-state issued ID
Fee &150 ( $75 if on food stamps)
The doctors letter will say that you have a "Debilitating medical condition", which would benefit if you used weed.
These are all acceptable:
Cancer, glaucoma, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, crohn's disease, agitation of alzheimer's disease cachexia or wasting syndrome, severe and chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, severe and persistent muscle spasms,


UPDATE
After a long fight, Arizona has legalized Medical Marijuana. A coma survivor, with partial paralysis, spasticity, pain, and nausea, I lost my lower colon a year ago.
My body could barely go on. I am no longer a smoker.. I vaporize, and make tinctures, oils, and more.
I have had to do this under the cover of dark alleys and in secret, to get through a morning without vomiting... to walk a smooth gait.
That is over now. I opened my mail this morning.
It's Done!