Marijuana: The Medical Miracle You'll Get Arrested for Using

Photo Courtesy Of: Hemera/Thinkstock

Marijuana was a popular botanical medicine in the 19th and 20th centuries, common in U.S. pharmacies of the time.

Yet, in 1970, the herb was declared a Schedule 1 controlled substance and labeled as a drug with a “high potential for abuse” and “no accepted medical use.”

Three years later the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) was formed to enforce the newly created drug schedules, and the fight against marijuana use began.

The Huffington Post has a concise history of marijuana prohibition, and the struggle for legalization, that is well worth reading — but the most successful movement to date, and the one that is set to produce the first legal marijuana market in decades, is the medical marijuana movement.

Unfortunately, the feds have recently announced a blatant reversal on their previous pro-medical marijuana stance — a move that is threatening to stop the industry cold.

Why Are the Feds So Concerned About Medical Marijuana?

Fifteen states plus the District of Columbia have laws allowing medical marijuana.

In other words, in those states it is considered legal to consume, possess or distribute marijuana for medical use.

Up until 2009, the U.S. Justice Department essentially told federal prosecutors to lay off Americans producing and using medical marijuana in accordance with state laws.

But despite marijuana’s legal status at the state level, historically it was common for the DEA to raid medical marijuana suppliers and even arrest patients.

This is because federal law overrides state law, defining the possession or distribution of marijuana as a criminal offense.

According to The State of the Medical Marijuana Markets 2011, the national market for medical marijuana is now worth $1.7 billion — and could grow to close to $9 billion in the next five years — if not for a stunning reversal by the Obama administration. In October 2011, the Obama administration released a letter to clarify their earlier position, which, as Seattle Weekly reports, indicates, “The only people safe from arrest were the “seriously ill” patients and their caregivers… Everyone else? Be forewarned.”

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Lauryn S.

3:42PM PDT on Mar 13, 2012

The two aspects to consider when determining whether a substance should be illegal are:

(1) whether it is physically addictive, and if so, whether basically all users are addicted after a short period of time (under this test, cigarettes would be deemed illegal), or whether casual users can safely indulge without a physical dependence (like alcohol and marijuana - notably, marijuana does not cause any physical dependence, unlike alcohol, which can with heavy use); and

(2) whether overdoses can occur, leading to serious complications or death, and how likely/easy it is to achieve such a high toxicity load that overdose would occur (alcohol can certainly lead to acute overdose and death; marijuana cannot).

"Harder" drugs would fail either or both of these tests, the two major issues with substances that should be considered when determining legality. While nicotine and alcohol each fail one of the tests, marijuana passes both.

send a green star

Trudi G.

12:58AM PST on Feb 28, 2012

OK- I hold no brief for or against Marijuana- I have smoked it, and know the effects and side effects..BUT- to say it is harmless, as it is 'a herb and a flower' is just irresponsible...for God's sake- so are Aconite and Deadly nightshade- lethal poisons both! Don't confuse source with effects- huh?

Sarah M.

4:45PM PST on Feb 22, 2012

I am so sick of druggies whining about pot (it's up there with hearing white males whine about suffering prejudice/racism). It's ridiculous the excuses people come up with to get a license and get high every day. I live in California, so I know, begrudgingly, because of family, friends, classmates, and strangers. It's bad enough to walk down the street and get bombarded with toxic tobacco smoke, but the fact that I have to deal with pot smoke almost as often is insane. And it's not healthy; just like tobacco, cocaine, and shrooms: it may be in nature, but that doesn't make it natural to consume or mean that it maintains its natural state once in drug form. People are incredibly reckless as it is. It's people who drive high we need to worry about even more than drunks, because these idiots think it's safe. Drugs are called drugs for a reason! Don't make pathetic excuses or hyperbolic comparisons! What a world!

Vivianne M.

2:31PM PST on Feb 20, 2012

The plant was in pharmaceutical preparations, in about 60% of them. Petrolatum companies and the Hearst wood people were wanting the plant it be illegal. It was introduced to congress as Marijuana a most potent plant that would destroy Americans. Congress understood the biological name. Marijuana was a Mexican name meaning 'with out seeds'. With yellow journalism, fake stories about the results of smoking it, A lot of lies being told about it got it in the drug wars. This whole thing has be made to stop this plant.
There are about 250 different items can be made from it. Some of the products that can be made with the plant is cheaper to make then from processing wood or petroleum products.
So we have draconian laws, and destroy families, and put people in jail so those companies have a clear field to sell in.
So all of the dread connected with this plant has been caused by people wanting to control the market to their personal benefit.
Having this much control of the market is rude and debilitating to the people.
There is more people in jail behind this plant then any other reasons.
There are more jails being built (for private industries) thousands of people are killed because
of the criminal element being involved.
People are going to use a plant for whatever the reason, no matter what the laws say.
They ( the laws)are actually illegal. They were made because of lies, and deception.
The cost on lives and living conditions is beyond

Richard R.

9:00AM PST on Feb 20, 2012

For a stubbed toe? No way! In Canada, at least, only certain chronic or terminal diseased patients can be authorized to use medical marijuana, with a doctor's approval.

Maggie F.

8:07AM PST on Feb 20, 2012

I support medical marijuana. But, California has discovered how a poorly written law can contribute to problems in its distribution. Medical marijuana for a stubbed toe? I'm sure some of the references in the article are biased. That said, some patients certainly deserve the relief they may get from marijuana. No doubt some of them are already taking more addicting pain killers with side effects already.

Laura D.

3:28AM PST on Feb 20, 2012

Legalize. It's the only answer. Denying access to marijuana is denying access to a form of healthcare.

paula e.

3:09AM PST on Feb 20, 2012

Legalize it.

Tom S.

11:51AM PST on Feb 17, 2012

Just make it legal. Herb is healthier than 90% of the Big Phram. chemicals. If the feds had any brains "They Don'T" it would be legal, tax it. Make room in jails and prisons for the hard core, not people smoking herb.
Peace.
I am hungry now, off to fridge,

Carmen S.

7:18PM PST on Feb 16, 2012

very interesting, thanks for sharing this, it should be legalized, it has helped more people than it has harmed