Slog - Comments on Apples to Bananas and Pot to Pablum http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/apples_to_bananas_and_pot_to_pablum While Timothy Garon is dying here in Seattle without a liver transplant because he used medical marijuana, folks in Michigan are fighting over a medical-marijuana initiative. An organization calling itself “True Compassion,” funded through the U.S. Department of Justice, is running a slick television ad to quash the measure. It’s a crisp ad, but, with an ironic twist, it uses muddy logic. Apples aren’t bananas, check. Dogs aren’t cats, check. Pot isn’t harmless, check. I think everyone is on board so far. Pot doesn’t help some people… wait. Here’s the strategy behind the ad (and the federal government's latest talking... Copyright 2008 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:30:42 -0800 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:50:35 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by jake what is the significance behind the ad saying "smoked marijuana" as opposed to just "marijuana"?

]]> jake http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/apples_to_bananas_and_pot_to_pablum#c1008808 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/apples_to_bananas_and_pot_to_pablum#c1008808 Drugs Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:49:09 -0800 Comment by Westside forever Does anyone know why Marinol isn't an acceptable substitute for weed in a medical context? Or for that matter, why there isn't a pharma-grade THC-based product that would meet people's needs? People with pain don't have to score H from their local dealer, they get a scrip for morphine. Why is THC different? Just wondering...

]]> Westside forever http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/apples_to_bananas_and_pot_to_pablum#c1008815 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/apples_to_bananas_and_pot_to_pablum#c1008815 Drugs Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:56:31 -0800 Comment by NaFun @2:
http://qu.to/431
(link to long URL of pros/cons of Marinol.)

]]> NaFun http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/apples_to_bananas_and_pot_to_pablum#c1008830 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/apples_to_bananas_and_pot_to_pablum#c1008830 Drugs Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:12:08 -0800 Comment by Dominic Holden 1) The "smoked marijuana" issue comes primarily from a report from the Institute of Medicine denouncing "smoked marijuana." The DEA has turned that into a talking point because smoking stuff is harmful and it sounds very convincing. But people don't smoke much pot compared to tobacco--a couple puffs and they're done--so the potential danger is minimized. For many patients, the harm of inhaling a few lungfuls of smoke is outweighed by the benefit of curbing violent nausea, managing pain, etc. That's why all those other medical organizations have come out in favor.

2) Marijuana contains lots of different cannabinoids and similar compounds that, in combination, affect the body in various ways. Synthetic drugs, like Marinol, which contains only one of those compounds (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), don't provide most users the same benefits. Another problem with the synthetic pills is that patients have a difficult time controlling the dose--either not getting a strong enough effect or being too stoned to function--whereas smoked marijuana allows patients to take incremental doses.

]]> Dominic Holden http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/apples_to_bananas_and_pot_to_pablum#c1008837 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/apples_to_bananas_and_pot_to_pablum#c1008837 Drugs Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:16:00 -0800 Comment by Greg Worse yet, until cannabis is legally available for medical use, researchers can't work on producing new varieties to treat various illnesses. The drug war is blocking legitimate medical research.

]]> Greg http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/apples_to_bananas_and_pot_to_pablum#c1008847 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/apples_to_bananas_and_pot_to_pablum#c1008847 Drugs Tue, 29 Apr 2008 12:22:29 -0800 Comment by PJ Anyone who thinks pot is harmful should be in a controlled study where they smoke some, sit down on a couch, are given a bowl of popcorn and a large pop, and watch "Airplane!". Then we'll see what they think.

]]> PJ http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/apples_to_bananas_and_pot_to_pablum#c1009448 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/apples_to_bananas_and_pot_to_pablum#c1009448 Drugs Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:39:34 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle Not to worry, Canada will do the research.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/apples_to_bananas_and_pot_to_pablum#c1009556 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/04/apples_to_bananas_and_pot_to_pablum#c1009556 Drugs Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:50:35 -0800