Should the Government Arrest Medical Marijuana Users?

Medical Marijuana etc.

Having observed the slow (and then fast) growth of drug use from its rare & occasional beginnings in the late 50’s to rampant use today, as I studied and worked in the electronics, semiconductor, aerospace and scientific analysis industries for 40 years I have concluded that MD’s should be able to PRESCRIBE (NOT “RECOMMEND”) any synthetic or natural drug or substance they deem appropriate. When prescribing marijuana, cocaine, heroin, mescaline, LSD, or any other such, they must enter that in a national database and instruct the patient that he MUST NOT DRIVE OR PERFORM CRITICAL TASKS.

The patient must inform his employer of this use. Since many people don’t follow all rules, employers of people who perform exacting or critical work, must be legally permitted to require random drug tests, in addition to pre-employment testing.

Since students can’t properly learn complex material, entrance & random drug testing should be established for all students of scientific subjects (all subjects?) in all institutions of higher learning. Otherwise, our society is surely doomed.

One cannot just “sleep off” the effects of marijuana. 30% still remains in the body after 6 days per UCLA & other studies.

Until a very major semiconductor manufacturer instituted 100% pre-employment and subsequent random drug, they almost collapsed due to intractable yield & reliability problems. (When they asked provisionally accepted job applicants to return the next day for a drug test, 95% failed to show up!!! But yield & reliability skyrocketed!!)

Adpack of CA 8:54PM October 25, 2009

Reagan began the War on Drugs to take attention away from the illegal exchange of weapons for hostages held in Tehran. Ollie North stole weapons from arsenals & secretly sold them, using some profits to aid Contras in Nicaragua. Nancy began "Just Say No." Joe gives good reasons for total decriminalization. It's vital to remember WEAPONS are traded for hard drugs & marijuana. A small amount of drugs buys a lot of weapons. Afghanistan's growing more poppies for heroin & guns flow there, harming our soldiers. SE Asia still produces poppy morphine & heroin. Coca is the moneymaker where it grows. The existing medical marijuana program gives needed relief for pain. Alcohol and tobacco, notorious for bad effects, are freely available. As for "states' rights." States don't have rights. People have rights and we move. Laws should be the same all over the USA. In the 2000 election, many votes were lost because conviction for drugs did make people "felons" and that helped put Bush-Cheney in office. We're still in their war. I think Afghans want to keep our solidiers there for their payroll, partly spent there, & to continue enriching themselves from ILLEGAL heroin/morphine poppies.

aura dawn veirs of CA 12:48AM October 20, 2009

We should have learned from the prohibition experiment and its eventual solution. Legalize and tax drugs.

Whoops, unemployment for too many parasites.

d

Dick of MN 6:30PM October 19, 2009

Our governments unsuccessful attempts to eradicate marijuana have cost our taxpayers untold millions of dollars and by all accounts have not put a dent in its availability. It has been demonized and all attempts to verify any actual medical efficacy have been repeatedly blocked. In addition we have filled our prisons with users and petty dealers, an action which dooms these people from ever having a chance at a future as a gainfully employed citizen. So now we have two cripples, the felon and the citizen who pays for their incarceration and welfare when the get out of prison. It's about time we removed marijuana from the same class as heroin and crack and treat it a taxable source of medicine or recreation. California has practically done this and hopefully, soon, the rest of the nation will catch up.

Joe S of GA 4:56PM October 19, 2009