The Conditions
Billions of people on this planet, you can guarantee they've all got some kind of condition. Hey Dude, no judgment, I've got my own conditions — that's plural. The list below is not complete, but it turns out there are a shit ton of conditions that cannabis treats:
So, there's a millennium of historic evidence and a growing collection of modern, scholarly, peer-reviewed research pointing to the myriad medical uses and minimal negative effect of cannabis.
The Problems
The US Federal Government (DEA) has Marijuana classified as a Schedule I narcotic with "no medical use and high potential for abuse." There are three UN international treaties (1961, 1971, 1988) which name cannabis as a narcotic to be criminalized under domestic law. Which means, the US is internationally obligated to keep cannabis illegal. The best the individual states can hope for is a Federal Domestic Policy that does little to enforce the international law. Unfortunately, the newly appointed US Attorney General (Jeff Sessions) is unlikely to take a soft stance on enforcement as he's an outspoken opponent of legalization.
The Solutions
Dude. I wish I knew. I got a couple ideas, but it'll take way more work than this:
- International: A UN-led international moratorium on marijuana related incarcerations due to the known human rights issues that disproportionately affect people of color.
- Federal Domestic: A smart drug policy based on science and legal reform returning medical care to the doctor-patient realm.
- State Domestic: Constitutionalize marijuana use as a right of citizens.
- City/County Domestic: Refuse to enforce harsh marijuana laws. Stop making criminals out of people using a plant to relax.
- Individuals: Continue to pass pro-marijuana reform laws. Continue to protest anti-marijuana legislation. Participate in marijuana research. Participate in awareness campaigns. Get a medical marijuana card, if required. Smoke, toke, dab, vape, eat until marijuana is legalized. And then... do it some more.
Resources
Medical Cannabis Conditions on projectcbd.org
Cannabinoids in Health and Disease
Medical Marijuana on Mayo Clinic
700 Medical Uses of Cannabis
Minnesota Department of Health Medical Cannabis Review
Observational Study: Crohn's Disease
Cannabinoids in the management of difficult to treat pain
Why a 56 year old UN Treaty Stands Between You and Legal Pot
DEA website: Controlled Substances Act
"Just Dropped In"
Take it easy, Dudes
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