T
The420Guy
Guest
Until marijuana is declared to be a legal substance in Canada, the medical establishment and
those who are charged with the responsibility of dispensing justice will continue to butt heads
over its use for medicinal purposes.
For some context in this matter, one needs only to take a backward glance to 1919 when the
Volstead Act was made law in the US, outlawing the sale of liquor.
Prohibition was an absolute disaster, but what made this vast social experiment all the more
weird was the fact that Congress in its legislation provided a loophole that allowed Americans
the opportunity to drink alcohol for medicinal purposes. Suddenly, everyone and their uncle
had a little tickle in their throat or a sore back that demanded immediate attention.
We suspect the same would occur in Canada today if marijuana use was permitted if
prescribed by a doctor. Those who have legitimate need of the narcotic's soothing qualities
would be vastly outnumbered by every pothead from here to British Columbia.
Canada's justice department is only doing its job by continuing to keep marijuana use illegal in
this country. By erring on the side of caution, bureaucrats are attempting to ensure that
marijuana, if used for medicinal purposes, would be administered within an environment that's
closely and profressionally monitored. Anything less than that would result in chaos.
Part of the problem, in our opinion, is that we don't know enough about the herbal benefits of
a great many other plants. Marijuana is only one of thousands upon thousands of plants
which hold a great potential for medical use. Our society has only scratched the surface in
this regard, and we wonder how many other plants would offer the same benefits, as found in
marijuana, to a dying individual.
But we just don't know. Through our ignorance and unwillingness to think beyond
conventional terms, we've managed as a society to relegate too many useful herbs and plants
to the trash heap of potential.
Recently, we heard that milkweed was harvested during the Second World War because its
silk was used to make parachutes. How many other so-called useless weeds could have been
harvested for the war effort?
Marijuana can provide a measure of compassionate relief to those who are terminally ill.
We're in agreement on that point. But because so much of our drug culture is based on this
single herb, and because marijuana cultivation, marijuana possession, and marijuana use
continue to be illegal in Canada, we'd best be very cautious in administering its sanctioned
use.
MAP posted-by: Jo-D
Newshawk: Herb
Pubdate: Wed, 20 Sept 2000
Source: Chatham This Week (CN ON)
Copyright: 2000 Bowes Publishers Limited
Contact: netmar@ciaccess.com
Address: 930 Richmond St., Chatham, Ont. N7M 5J5 Canada
Fax: (519) 351-7774
Website: https://www.bowesnet.com/ctw/
those who are charged with the responsibility of dispensing justice will continue to butt heads
over its use for medicinal purposes.
For some context in this matter, one needs only to take a backward glance to 1919 when the
Volstead Act was made law in the US, outlawing the sale of liquor.
Prohibition was an absolute disaster, but what made this vast social experiment all the more
weird was the fact that Congress in its legislation provided a loophole that allowed Americans
the opportunity to drink alcohol for medicinal purposes. Suddenly, everyone and their uncle
had a little tickle in their throat or a sore back that demanded immediate attention.
We suspect the same would occur in Canada today if marijuana use was permitted if
prescribed by a doctor. Those who have legitimate need of the narcotic's soothing qualities
would be vastly outnumbered by every pothead from here to British Columbia.
Canada's justice department is only doing its job by continuing to keep marijuana use illegal in
this country. By erring on the side of caution, bureaucrats are attempting to ensure that
marijuana, if used for medicinal purposes, would be administered within an environment that's
closely and profressionally monitored. Anything less than that would result in chaos.
Part of the problem, in our opinion, is that we don't know enough about the herbal benefits of
a great many other plants. Marijuana is only one of thousands upon thousands of plants
which hold a great potential for medical use. Our society has only scratched the surface in
this regard, and we wonder how many other plants would offer the same benefits, as found in
marijuana, to a dying individual.
But we just don't know. Through our ignorance and unwillingness to think beyond
conventional terms, we've managed as a society to relegate too many useful herbs and plants
to the trash heap of potential.
Recently, we heard that milkweed was harvested during the Second World War because its
silk was used to make parachutes. How many other so-called useless weeds could have been
harvested for the war effort?
Marijuana can provide a measure of compassionate relief to those who are terminally ill.
We're in agreement on that point. But because so much of our drug culture is based on this
single herb, and because marijuana cultivation, marijuana possession, and marijuana use
continue to be illegal in Canada, we'd best be very cautious in administering its sanctioned
use.
MAP posted-by: Jo-D
Newshawk: Herb
Pubdate: Wed, 20 Sept 2000
Source: Chatham This Week (CN ON)
Copyright: 2000 Bowes Publishers Limited
Contact: netmar@ciaccess.com
Address: 930 Richmond St., Chatham, Ont. N7M 5J5 Canada
Fax: (519) 351-7774
Website: https://www.bowesnet.com/ctw/