Pubdate: Sun, 04 May 2014
Source: Walla Walla Union-Bulletin (WA)
Copyright: 2014 Walla Walla Union-Bulletin
Contact:  http://www.union-bulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2619
Author: Rachel Prince

MARIJUANA AS MEDICINE DOES THE JOB

As a member of your community, and a longtime sufferer of Asperger's 
syndrome, I've noticed in the comments and letters to the editor that 
a certain percentage of Walla Walla County residents seem to be 
opposed to the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana.

In fact, these people seem very bent on forcing their opinions on 
others to the point of desiring to erase the legal rights of other 
law-abiding Washington residents.

Some of the letters talked about secondhand smoke -- which is 
something that most people have wondered about in regards to 
marijuana, but educated people discard.

Marijuana does not keep burning by itself. Cigarettes do this because 
of additives. If people let their marijuana burn away the same way 
that people waste their tobacco, no one would have any left.

That kind of throws the secondhand smoke hypothesis out the window. 
Or did it float?

Another thing mentioned is the "alleged link between marijuana usage 
and psychiatric illness in minors and young adults."

The Dutch already visited this worn out argument, and found out 
through a fairer study than anything mentioned in the U-B that people 
with a predisposition to mental illness are attracted to marijuana 
because it helps ease their symptoms. Autism, Asperger's, 
schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and many other forms of mental 
illness are actually treatable by carefully administering the proper 
type of cannabis. Please -- please -- please -- read all the studies 
before spreading harmful rumors about cannabis.

I don't hear anyone talking about glyphosate, vaccines, GMO molds, 
high-fructose corn syrup, or other debilitating toxins in the human 
environment.

Could it be that ignorant people fixate on drugs the same way that 
racists fixate on blaming people of color for everything?

The good news is, ignorance is treatable just like Asperger's, 
schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and many other metabolic, genetic and 
environmentally-related diseases.

Have readers ever considered the illegality of our drug of choice 
inflicts stress? That feeling ashamed can cause mental illness and 
paranoia? Probably not.

Should I feel ashamed of crutches, wheelchairs, Braille and makeup?

All those things work to overcome personal failures, too.

Believe it or not, marijuana (although a very potent medicine and 
needs to be respected and treated with care) caused me less trouble 
than antidepressants.

Rachel Prince

Walla Walla
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