"More people die every year as a result of the war on drugs than die from what we call, generically, overdosing." -- William F Buckley Heard in Congress... dwr Yes, that Congress… (via Jacob Sullum and Raw Story)“How many people die from marijuana overdoses every year?” Connolly asked.“I don’t know that I know. It is very rare,” Botticelli replied.“Very rare. Now just contrast that with prescription drugs, unintentional deaths from prescription drugs, one American dies every 19 minutes,” Connolly said. “Nothing comparable to marijuana. Is that correct?”Botticelli admitted that was true.“Alcohol—hundreds of thousands of people die every year from alcohol-related deaths: automobile [accidents], liver disease, esophageal cancer, blood poisoning,” Connolly continued. “Is that incorrect?”But Botticelli refused to answer. Guessing where the line of questioning was headed, he said the “totality of harm” associated with marijuana indicated it was a dangerous drug, even though it was not associated with deaths.“I guess I’m sticking with the president—the head of your administration—who is making a different point,” Connolly fired back. “He is making a point that is empirically true. That isn’t a normative statement, that marijuana is good or bad, but he was contrasting it with alcohol and empirically he is correct, is he not?”Botticelli again tried to dodge the question, but Connolly interrupted him and told him to answer.“Is it not a scientific fact that there is nothing comparable with marijuana?” Connolly asked. “And I’m not saying it is good or bad, but when we look at deaths and illnesses, alcohol, other hard drugs are certainly—even prescription drugs—are a threat to public health in a way that just isolated marijuana is not. Isn’t that a scientific fact? Or do you dispute that fact?”“I don’t dispute that fact,” Botticelli said.Thud.It has been well known for thousand of years that cannabis has medical uses. It is far safer than most medicines prescribed by doctors daily and often works for patients who cannot tolerate the side effects of other drugs. In many cases no other drug will do the job as safely or as well. Cannabis has never been demonstrated to have caused an overdose death. It does not disturb any physiological functions or damage any body organ when used in therapeutic doses. It produces little or no physical dependence or tolerance, and there is no evidence that medical use of cannabis has ever led to habitual use as an intoxicant. Summary of the Testimony of Lester Grinspoon, M.D. before the Crime Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee U.S. House of Representatives October 1, 1997 Actually, ONDCP (not Pres) required by law to oppose legalization “attempts” Pete Guither @DrugWarRant @DrugPolicyFacts @SteveTransform @tomangell @KevinSabet @ONDCP ONDCP Deputy Director destroyed at MJ hearing today. Great work @RepCohen @GerryConnolly @repblumenauer and others! NORML @NORML Ganja safer than not toking... The ONLY thing dangerous about marijuana are the cops that shoot people for having it: Number of American deaths per year that result directly or primarily from the following selected causes nationwide, according to World Almanacs, Life Insurance Actuarial (death) Rates, and the last 20 years of U.S. Surgeon Generals’ reports.CIGARETTES or TOBACCO PRODUCTS – 340,000 to 450,000 Not organic tobacco itself. ALCOHOL (Not including 50% of all highway deaths and 65% of all murders) – 150,000+ ASPIRIN (Including deliberate overdose) – 180 to 1,000+ CAFFEINE (From stress, ulcers, and triggering irregular heartbeats, etc.) – 1,000 to 10,000 “LEGAL” DRUG OVERDOSE (Deliberate or accidental) from legal, prescribed or patent medicines and/or mixing with alcohol – e.g. Valium/alcohol – 14,000 to 27,000 ILLICIT DRUG OVERDOSE – (Deliberate or accidental) from all illegal drugs – 3,800 to 5,200 MARIJUANA – 0(Marijuana users also have the same or lower incidence of murders and highway deaths and accidents than the general non-marijuana using population as a whole. Cancer Study, UCLA; U.S. Funded ($6 million), First & Second Jamaican Studies, 1968 to 1974; Costa Rican Studies, 1980 to 1982; et al. LOWEST TOXICITY 100% of the studies done at dozens of American universities and research facilities show pot toxicity does not exist. Medical history does not record anyone dying from an overdose of marijuana (UCLA, Harvard, Temple, etc.) Project SCAM
I think it is great they are selling medical marijuana. It is a good thing to help those heal and those in pain. God bless them and God bless the U.S.A. If there were not so many preconceived ideas about marijuana and such a stigma it would be more easily and widely accepted. Glad it is legal in Colorado.
:sunny:I think it is great they are selling medical marijuana. It is a good thing to help those heal and those in pain. God bless them and God bless the U.S.A. If there were not so many preconceived ideas about marijuana and such a stigma it would be more easily and widely accepted. Glad it is legal in Colorado.:sunny::daisy:
