An old medicinal
George Washington used hemp extract to ease the pain from his
wooden false teeth. Thomas Jefferson grew Marijuana, and in letters
written by him he mentions the seeds of one crop
being particularly good. If he was only growing rope, it is
unlikely that one strain would be much different than another.
Modern medicine has found that Marijuana eases the pressure inside the eyes of glaucoma sufferers, that it increases the appetites of listless chemotherapy patients, and is effective as a treatment for migraine, athsma, nausea, epilepsy, anorexia, depression, rheumatism and arthritis. Many respected medical professionals over the years have suggested that Marijuana be re-examined as a useful medicinal plant, but powerful tobacco and plastics lobbies always seem to shout them down. Even Richard Nixon suggested while he was President that the issue be re-opened. Yet to this day it remains listed as a Schedule I narcotic with no known medical use.
The current 'War on (some) Drugs' is vehement in its position on the issue. One argument is that pot is a 'gateway drug' for heroin, cocaine, etc. Most heroin and cocaine users though, disdain pot, saying 'it ruins the high' of their other drugs. Interestingly enough, many junkies do smoke cigarettes, whose paralytic body 'high' is more compatible with narcotics. Which is really the 'gateway drug,' do you think?
The hypocrisy of someone wearing a 'Just say no to Drugs' shirt and smoking a cigarette is astounding, especially to think that their money feeds the very Cigarette Industry that dominates the debate with its armies of lawyers, well funded 'scientists,' advertising experts and hooked politicians.
'Drug' is just another word for 'Medicine," don't forget.
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The Natural World: |
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