PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES CAPITALIZE ON POT PROHIBITION

Although Drugs Such As Morphine and Darvon Remain Legal, Medical Marijuana
Is Still Scrutinized by Many.

Drugs are bad. Most people will agree with that statement, although,
most of these people will have no problem taking them when prescribed
by a physician.

The majority of these drugs are synthetic narcotic derivatives
processed in a laboratory and full of side effects ranging from
constipation to kidney failure and even death.

Good news. Most of these side effects can be combated by, yes, that's
right, more drugs.

There are people who take handfuls of pills every day to cure common
maladies.

As a teenager, I spent four years addicted to Darvon, a powerful
narcotic that landed me in rehab.

After taking narcotics for a while, they tend not to work as well and
you wind up having to take more and more to get the same effect. This
is called dependency.

Dependency often turns into addiction. Addiction will eventually put
you in rehab if you're lucky. The not so lucky may end up in jail or
the cemetery.

This abuse at the hands of pharmaceutical companies and the American
Medical Association must stop.

Unfortunately, as long as the money keeps rolling in, it most likely
won't.

We live in a capitalist society that judges people by what clothes
they wear, cars they drive and on and on.

Doctors are not saints. They are businessmen whose livelihoods depend
on keeping patients coming back for more.

This is why a large amount of doctors wear Armani suits and drive
European cars.

Most of my clothes come from Goodwill, and I have never driven a car.
My drugs now come from the ground instead of a laboratory.

Marijuana has the unfortunate distinction of being labeled a street
drug. I suppose that is a valid description, since up until recently,
the street was the only place we could purchase it.

Several states, mostly on the West Coast have wised up to the holistic
and health benefits of every hippie's favorite plant.

The federal government now also recognizes the benefits of THC
(tetrahydrocanibinal). Although drugs such as morphine and Darvon
remain legal, medical marijuana is still scrutinized by many. The
active ingredient in marijuana known to provide relief from a myriad
of conditions from glaucoma to stress.

However, the feds would rather us take a synthetic version called Marinol.

Why would they prefer us to take a synthetic version rather than the
natural product?

Well, Marinol costs twice as much per daily dose, according to several
sources, including the Texas Marijuana Policy Project.

This price is a boom to the pharmaceutical companies, which the
federal government taxes, so everybody wins, right?

Well, everybody but the patients for whom the feds will gladly
prosecute for defiance of this mockery of justice.

According to High Times magazine's April 2005 issue, Diana Monson
suffers from Lumbosacral disease, which causes back spasms and spinal
pain.

At her doctor's suggestion and believing she was covered under
California's Proposition 215, she began growing marijuana in her backyard.

Local and federal authorities raided her home and insisted on seizing
her six plants, which was well within the limits of Proposition 215.

Even one of the agents turned to her and said, "I hate my
job."

Monson has teamed with Angel Raich, an Oakland resident, and is suing
the federal government.

Monson made this comment: "The government considers me a criminal, but
they still want my tax money in April. I don't want my tax money being
spent trying to eradicate something that helps me."

The city of Oakland has passed Measure Z, which will make marijuana
the lowest priority for law enforcement.

You are more likely to get a jaywalking ticket than you are for
marijuana offenses.

One reason for this: Oakland has seen many peaceful citizens go to
jail for as long as 30 years for tossing a few seeds on the ground.

David Ciglar, a former West Oakland firefighter who was credited with
saving more than 100 lives, has spent the Past 10 years in prison for
using marijuana to ease his back pain.

Measure Z will, once marijuana is made legal, tax and regulate the
sales of cannabis.

While writing this article, I cannot help think about a family friend,
Eddie "Chief" Anaru.

He relieved cancer pain by smoking marijuana cigarettes that were
obtained illegally and which he dipped in liquid morphine obtained
legally through prescription. Morphine is legal while marijuana
remains illegal.

What kind of a world do we live in?