Welcome to Room 420, where your instructor is Mr. Ron Marczyk and your subjects are wellness, disease prevention, self actualization, and chillin’.Worth Repeating
By Ron Marczyk, R.N.
Health Education Teacher (Retired)
Once again, you are witnessing medical cannabis history. Starting with California, and then nationwide, Obama’s goal is to shut down every state’s medical cannabis care facilities across the country.
So far, President Obama’s cannabis policy appears to be the “shut them up, and shut them down” strategy.
Why? Because medical cannabis culture is winning! The 75-year-old war on cannabis is a failure and is over and cannabis has won the day! Straight up. How unhinged are they? Our freedom of the press is also being threatened.
That is why the White House response to the cannabis petitions was so lame.
| The Weed Blog |
By closing the 45 California cannabis clinics, he has made many people in California very angry, and may have just lost the 2012 election. The US government has grossly underestimated the number of people who use cannabis, or wish they could.
The cannabis culture is very political and plugged in, the medical cannabis patients in the other 15 states are watching events in California, and we are the new majority. Think we don’t vote? Think again!
“A large majority of those living in the West, which encompasses California, are in favor of making the drug legal.” ~ Gallup, October 2011
John Kennedy in 1960 and Grover Cleveland in 1884 are the only two Democratic candidates ever elected President without carrying California. And the cannabis voting bloc will be heard!
Imagine that! The President will not even talk to this new cannabis majority. But we still want that discussion; the questions will not stop when Obama is on the campaign trail.
| Medical Marijuana |
Obama’s cannabis game plan is to totally shut down and stop the emerging cannabis culture before it grows any stronger. The cannabis tipping point numbers last week reported by Gallup were the signal that immediate action needed to be taken. The tactic being used is to “strangle the baby in the crib” before it grows stronger.
Why else?
To create political cover and to “change the subject” against the coming shit storm over the Republican investigation into the botched sting operation “Fast and Furious” fiasco, which let over 2000 automatic weapons “walk” into the hands of Mexican drug cartel foot soldiers. Operation Fast and Furious was a joint ATF/DEA operation.
| Tucson Citizen |
| U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was killed last December with a gun given to the drug cartel by the U.S. government |
One of the guns we gave to the cartel was used to kill U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in December. And it has now gone “missing” from evidence after being collected at the scene of the killing.
Stop and just let that sink in: the ATF/DEC just armed a vicious enemy of the US on our border with over 2000 military-grade automatic weapons, and one of those weapons killed one of our brave border agents.
How many more law enforcement agents and other people will be killed with these weapons in the future?
It is doubtful that Eric Holder’s career will survive these Fast and Furious investigations.
Interesting note: This is probably the reason why Second Amendment gun rights have been stripped for legal card-carrying medical cannabis patients nationwide; it was an organizational displacement of anger and guilt by ATF/DEA, because they feel bad about letting the guns walk and are now taking it out on legal card carriers, as in “kicking the dog” to let their anger out.
Why else shut down clinics?
To fix the “medical marijuana problem” permanently by redirecting and handing over the nation’s cannabis patients to GW Pharmaceuticals who will soon introduce their pharmaceutical grade 100% cannabis plant-based medicine, Sativex, by prescription in the U.S. — and it will be given Schedule 3 drug status!
The fix is in, and has been in since 2003, the time of the government’s cannabis patent.
“Having secured FDA approval to conduct trials of Sativex in patients with advanced cancer, whose pain is unrelieved by opioids, the companies are conducting the first US efficacy trial of Sativex in neuropathic-related cancer pain, having begun in 2007. The clinical spray trial of Sativex on a large number of cancer patients (Phase II/III) was initiated in January 2011.”
“Sativex is a ‘first-in-class endocannabinoid system modulator.’ The main active ingredients, delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD), are extracted from selected chemotypes of Cannabis Sativa.”
| GW Pharmaceuticals |
| This photo is from the GW Pharmaceuticals website as the source from which Sativex is taken (see grow room below) |
| GW Pharmaceuticals |
| GW’s growroom facilities were sanctioned by the U.S. government for research, but Dr. Lyle Craker was stonewalled for 10 years because his research would have supported individual, private growers over Big Pharma’s big money taking over the cannabis market |
Sativex will first be introduced to treat multiple sclerosis, but once it is approved doctors will be able to prescribe it to any patient “off-label” for any medical condition for which it improves qualtity of life due to pain management, insomnia, wasting, and many other ailments.
No doubt it will also be given to vets with PTSD in the VA hospitals. Imagine that: our government using cannabis as medicine after 75 years of claiming it’s not a medicine.
From GW Pharmaceuticals’ Sativex “Psychiatric Conditions” page:
“On the basis of laboratory evidence, anxiety and depression are promising targets for cannabinoid medicines and there are some preliminary human data in support of this. Emerging evidence suggests that the cannabinoid, Cannabidiol (CBD), possibly in combination with other cannabinoids, may have potential utility in schizophrenia not only as an anti-psychotic, but also in the alleviation of the metabolic and inflammatory abnormalities associated with the disease.
“CB1 antagonists may have a role in relapse-prevention in the treatment of addiction. Other possible targets for the future based on human anecdote or limited laboratory research include bipolar affective disorder, post-traumatic stress syndrome, eating disorders, and insomnia. For the future, manipulation of the endocannabinoid system through inhibition of FAAH or the anandamide transporter offers exciting therapeutic possibilities for many of these conditions.”
At some near future date a lawsuit will be brought against the FDA to explain how Sativex differs in any way from marijuana. So what is the basis, then, for them to be treated different as to scheduling? The only difference is that one is smoked, which the government seems to have a big problem with.
| GW Pharmaceuticals |
From GW’s website: Will patients experience a ‘high’ with Sativex®? (YES! If the dose is strong enough.)
“There is no evidence to suggest that Sativex® produces a ‘high’ comparable to recreational cannabis.
“One of the cannabinoids in Sativex is THC whereas the other principal cannabinoid is CBD, a non-psychoactive molecule. Evidence suggests that CBD may modulate many of the unwanted effects of THC. Hence, through the incorporation of CBD and the utilization of an oromucosal spray delivery system which is administered through careful self-titration (dose adjustment) and which keeps THC from entering the blood too rapidly, patients are able to obtain symptom relief without experiencing a ‘high’. Patients emphasize that they seek to obtain the medical benefits without intoxication and… when taking Sativex, are able to adjust their dose to achieve symptom improvement with the minimum of unwanted effects (getting high). However as with all medicines, there is the potential for Sativex® to cause unwanted effects such as dizziness or fatigue when it is first used.“
SATIVEX IS CANNABIS OIL IN SPRAY FORM!
Only the mode of getting it into the body is different.
“The combination of THC, CBD and essential oils in cannabis-based medicinal extracts may produce a therapeutic preparation whose benefits are greater than the sum of its parts.”
Our Goal: “Meeting patients’ needs… Our vision is to be the global leader in prescription cannabinoid medicines, through the rapid cost-effective development of pharmaceutical products which address clear unmet patient needs.”
| GW Pharmaceuticals |
Does this mean that a population of people exists that requires cannabis to manage daily living activities? Does this mean in short order everybody in the U.S. will be spraying liquid marijuana under their tongue?
What flavors do you think the spray will come in, or will it taste like hemp oil?
Sativex will be on the U.S. market soon — the fix is in. The above page is from their website, looking for investors who want to get in on the ground floor by checking out the latest “regulatory news” dedicated to keeping shareholders and potential investors up to date with share price, news and other information.
This company will soon control the cannabis market in the U.S. and worldwide.
The U.S. government has been stalling independent research since 2003, when it received its own patent, until Big Phama could develop such a drug, which is pure plant-derived THC and cannabidiol only (currently classified as Schedule III).
The game plan: this drug will take over the new marijuana market with government backing as soon as the existing cannabis care clinics are closed.
It is no coincidence that this drug is coming to market at the start of the elimination of the competition. The thinking is that as marijuana becomes harder to get and unavailable, marijuana patients will be encouraged to switch over to Sativex. This will be a market product switch that will be a coup for Big Pharma; take a look at GW’s “Producte Pipeline”:
| GW Pharmaceuticals |
Sativex has only two natural plant derived ingredients, THC and cannabidiol (CBD) in a 1:1 ratio and is rated as Schedule III, but organic cannabis that is vaporized, eaten or smoked is Schedule I?
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the two active components of Sativex. Cannabis that you grow, eat, vaporize, or smoke is Schedule I.
Cannabis you buy from Big Pharma that you spray under your tongue will be Schedule III!
| GW Pharmaceuticals |
By special edict from the U.S. government to Big Pharma.
This one company will have exclusive rights to market their own medical marijuana in an under-the-tongue spray; they are working off the patent the US government holds, which also gives them a monopoly on setting the market price for something you can grow in your own backyard.
Somebody is going to have a big payday.
If the California crackdown is federal, why not institute it country-wide all at the same time?
California is the test case to see how much resistance they will get; they would lose if they went all out nationwide. Californa will set the legal precedent and send a warning to the other 15 medical cannabis states.
The game is over.
Cannabis Culture Pushes Back
For starters, Obama’s timing is very bad, against the backdrop of the 99 Percenters and Occupy Wall Street nationwide and the heavy-handed police response against the 99% in Oakland, California, and the investigation of Harborside Health Center by the DEA.
The marijuana tipping point has officially arrived!
THE CANNABIS CULTURE IS THE NEW MAJORITY! (In my opinion, in five years it will be over 75 percent.)
“A record-high 50 percent of Americans now say the use of marijuana should be made legal, up from 46 percent last year (not just for medical reasons) Forty-six percent say marijuana use should remain illegal.” ~ Gallup Poll, October 17, 2011
| Gallup |
“A separate question in the poll asked about legalizing marijuana for medical use, and found support significantly higher (75 percent) than it is for legalizing the use of marijuana in general. Seventy percent of Americans say they favor making marijuana legally available for doctors to prescribe in order to reduce pain and suffering.” ~ Gallup
If you identity with this new majority, we now have political power to influence Washington’s cannabis policy directly by v
oting as a block.
oting as a block.
The question for us now is: Does President Obama support your medical cannabis interests?
You have a voice and a vote. Use it, and speak your truths, even if your voice trembles.
Our peaceful green culture that has tried so long to work through the system and be a good neighbor is now is being thrown under the bus. The culture is made up of nonviolent, good people. They create jobs, they pay taxes. They are the success story of the American dream.
The growers want federal regulation. They would be honored to be heavily taxed to support this great country we call home. They are loyal Americans; they are patriots!
Why is the drug that never killed anyone the most illegal one?
75 Years of Cannabis Prohibition Has Failed!
Hello? Didn’t anybody in Obama’s office see the PBS/Ken Burns special on Prohibition?
We already tried prohibition with alcohol. The results were billions of dollars wasted, gang wars, and corruption. It was a disaster, identical to the war on cannabis. Same war, but with a different drug, one that has never caused a direct death due to overdose. Alcohol kills about 30,000 people a year, in the last ten years 300,000 deaths. You do the math for the last 75 years.
Why is the U.S. government on such a slow learning curve?
You know the lesson that got drilled into your head in history class?
History repeats itself, and those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
If President Obama loses the 2012 election, this may well be the post-election issue that helped cause the political tactical disaster the medical marijuana crackdown turned out to be. Closing cannabis clinics alienated so many loyal California cannabis supporters who voted for Obama in overwhelming numbers.
Politicians send signals when they talk, and every presidential statement has a subtext, a coded message that tells a voting group that their interests will be protected if you vote for them. Obama’s campaign messages were a direct message to the underground cannabis culture. Our antennas picked up his signals like SETI picking up signals of intelligent life in the darkness of the universe.
Obama’s pro-cannabis messages to the Cannabis community are here:
Subtext: “Hey, I was down during my time at Columbia University in NYC.”
That’s why young people liked Obama and voted for him. He got it; the War on Marijuana would end.
“What I’m not going to be doing is using vital Justice Department resources to try to circumvent state laws on this issue” [regarding marijuana].” ~ Barack Obama, 2008
| The Blaze |
| It’s all in the eyes. |
October 19th, 2009
“As a general matter, pursuit of these priorities should not focus federal resources in your States on individuals whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana.”
| Main Justice |
| Deputy Atty. Gen. David W. Ogden: “As a general matter, pursuit of these priorities should not focus federal resources in your States on individuals whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws providing for the medical use of marijuana” |
”For example, prosecution of individuals with cancer or other serious illnesses who use marijuana as part of a recommended treatment regimen consistent with applicable state law, or those caregivers in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state law who provide such individuals with marijuana is unlikely to be an efficient use of limited federal resources.”
BUT WHERE ARE STATE PATIENTS GOING TO GET THEIR MEDICINE IF YOU CLOSE ALL THE CLINICS IN THE OTHER 16 STATES IN SHORT ORDER?
The Mexican drug cartels, which are estimated to be worth over $30 billion?
This is exactly the tactic that was used in 1937. Marijuana wasn’t illegal; you only had to have a special cannabis tax stamp. But to get the stamp you had to show up with the marijuana in hand — and then were arrested for not having the stamp.
Obama’s statements on science, which speaks direct to the new emerging science of medical cannabinoids:
“To ensure that in this new Administration, we base our public policies on the soundest science; that we appoint scientific advisers based on their credentials and experience, not their politics or ideology; and that we are open and honest with the American people about the science behind our decisions.”
As the new majority, we are a voting bloc that has political power.
And this time something is different. We have overwhelming positive evidence supporting the fact that cannabis is medicine and that real, independent research was being blocked.
Since 1968 the government has wasted over a trillion dollars and destroyed the lives of thousands of people with nothing to show for it. The time for the government to end the war on Cannabis is NOW!
Want to save taxpayer money? Let’s start by defunding the DEA’s cannabis eradication budget!
Marijuana legalization is part of the Occupy Wall Street movement. When you see the thousands of protestors in the streets, how many of them do you think are part of the cannabis culture?
This is exactly what the 99 Percent movement is about: government not listening to the will of the people, and in our case allowing pharmaceutical takeover of the market and being given special treatment.
Marijuana has existed in every culture for the last 12,000 years. Do you really believe that it is going to go away? It will go underground, untaxed and unregulated.
| MSNBC |
The drug cartels must be celebrating and opening champagne, at the stupidity of the U.S. government: “First they send us enough free guns to equip a 2,000+ man army, and at the same time take away the guns of legal medical marijuana patients in the U.S.!”
Then the U.S. starts closing taxpaying cannabis care clinics that have been in business for 15 years and will now be sending the vast number of patients into the hands of the Mexican cartels to meet the demand.
At what point does the US military invade Mexico? Will Mexico be our next war after Afghanistan?
The White House petitions that had the most signatures were all related to marijuana legalization.
Our elected officials promised to answer these petitions. The people want answers! The science supporting marijuana as a medicine is overwhelming. Any government official who tries to rationalize why marijuana is illegal sounds like a fool. They don’t have any answers that can stand up to a scientific challenge.
President Obama is unable to articulate a clear marijuana statement without becoming tongue-tied.
To watch Obama speak incoherently about marijuana shows the corner he has painted himself into.
The founding principle of the US Constitution is to allow humans to experiment with expressions of freedom.
Cannabis consciousness is actuality of these words, our core American identity, what we stand for.
This cannabis consciousness is a function of religious freedom, for which Congress shall make no laws restricting its free expression.
Our Founding Fathers were a rowdy bunch. When they were drafting the Constitution, on hemp paper, they were drinking barrels of rum and hard cider; in other words, they were high when they discussed the freedom Americans would have.
Imagine a bunch of drunk, educated men trying to distill the best ideas of the Enlightenment into the essence of a document that declared that humans have the freedom to pursue happiness for the very short period of time we are here.
This grand experiment in freedom, the U.S. Constitution’s main objective is to allow and encourage the individual to seek out and create a personal model of what freedom and happiness look like in reality.
The cannabis culture is not going away. Marijuana is never, ever, ever going to go away.
| Ron Marczyk |
| Mr. Worth Repeating: Former NYPD cop, former high school health teacher, the unstoppable Ron Marczyk, R.N., Toke of the Town columnist |
Editor’s note: Ron Marczyk is a retired high school health education teacher who taught Wellness and Disease Prevention, Drug and Sex Ed, and AIDS education to teens aged 13-17.He also taught a high school International Baccalaureate psychology course. He taught in a New York City public school as a Drug Prevention Specialist.
He is a Registered Nurse with six years of ER/Critical Care experience in NYC hospitals, earned an M.S. in cardiac rehabilitation and exercise physiology, and worked as a New York City police officer for two years.
Currently he is focused on how evolutionary psychology explains human behavior.