February 11th, 2010 | By Reverend
I showed up at the meeting about 30 minutes late last night, as I had some obligations to my children which came first.
But upon arriving, I was happy to see the large turnout! Renata from Sensible Washington reports that there was around 60 people at the meeting last night!
This is very exciting to me, having the prospect of having this wonderful, amazing and medically incredible herb available to everyone over the age of 18 in this state.
From the time marijuana is decriminalized;
- Adults can choose the safer recreational substance (instead of alcohol), without jeopardizing their entire future due to criminal drug records.
- More doctors can recommend marijuana as a method of healing.
- The criminal justice system will be easier to deal with, and less costly.
For me personally, it will also include a feeling of some level of vindication after spending all of those months in jail as a teenager because of charges of simple possession of marijuana, an all together victimless crime.
I feel violated be the criminal justice system. Police use marijuana as an easy way to improve their record in their position or career. Marijuana consumers fight less, and mouthoff less than a drunk or a crackhead!
This seems true from the police to the court, to the incarceration.
When California, Washington and Colorado legalize (since those are the places that I love to live most). I will still organize rally after rally in Utah, Idaho and Arizona. I won’t quit being strong and active in my fight against this insane and ridiculous war on the American people. Which is what I see the “war on drugs is”. A war on the American people.
When I got arrested as a teenager and thrown in jail for marijuana. I didn’t stop smoking marijuana. It didn’t deter me at all, it just made life harder and more complicated. I used weed for depression and stress relief, as well as incredible headaches. I didn’t use constantly, but when I had a really tough experience or a debilitating headache marijuana helped me cope without killing myself.
Utah leads the nation in prescription drug abuse AND teen suicide. (see this post: http://slu2.com/?So)
Anti-depressants always made me feel worse. When the doctor had prescribed me Zoloft, I had been taking it for a little over a week, and I got in a huge fight with my mother (not uncommon). But this time I gave up and went lower than I had ever been, and I didn’t have the strength to fight it. So I grabbed a bottle of my mother’s Welbutrin and I took it to my room, and I ODed. I called my grandma to tell her I was leaving. Which I did often. I would usually take a road trip to a different state, because Utah was bad for me and bad for my freedom. But in this conversation my grandma got the hint that I guess I was trying to leave her, that I was going to leave… For good.
Grandma relates it to a religious experience I think. It may very well have been. Grandma had the good sense to have my uncle call the police and the police had the ability to get to me quick enough to revive me and pump my stomach after a massive seizure.
My brother Justin ( http://justin-thompson.com) wasn’t so lucky. A week after his 16th birthday he took a lethal dose of Lortab (my fathers prescription), combined with his antidepressants, one of which was Zoloft. Justin died in his sleep.
When I used marijuana, I had no increased risk of suicide. Be cause I felt HAPPY!
No one that I know has had in increased suicidal tendency when regularly using marijuana.
However, that is one of the most well known side-effects of these prescription drugs.
On all of the anti-depressant commercials on TV or on the radio, have a clear warning “May increase risk of suicide”, among a list of other horrible side-effects.
If Utah legalizes weed, I have a strong belief that the suicide rates would drop dramatically in Utah in all age groups.
Since ODing at 17 years old, I have never taken prescription anti-depressants again, and I have what I consider a successful and satisfying life. I have never been that far down since.
Just look at the side effects associated with Zoloft.
Side effects of Zoloft
http://depression.emedtv.com/zoloft/zoloft-side-effects-p2.html
In these studies, the most common Zoloft side effects included:
- Nausea — in up to 30 percent of people
- Insomnia — up to 28 percent (see Zoloft and Insomnia)
- Ejaculation problems — up to 19 percent (see Zoloft Sexual Side Effects)
- Diarrhea or loose stools — up to 24 percent
- Dizziness — up to 17 percent
- Dry mouth — up to 16 percent (see Zoloft and Dry Mouth)
- Fatigue — up to 16 percent
- Drowsiness — up to 15 percent
- Indigestion — up to 13 percent
- Shakiness (tremor) — up to 11 percent
- Loss of appetite — up to 11 percent
- Decreased sex drive (libido) — up to 11 percent.
Other common side effects that occurred in more than 2 percent of people included:
- Increased sweating
- Burning or tingling sensation (paresthesias)
- Pain
- Headache (see Zoloft and Migraines)
- Weight loss (see Zoloft and Weight Loss)
- Abdominal pain (stomach pain)
- Constipation
- Vision changes
- Hot flashes
- Nervousness.
- Suicidal thoughts or behavior (see Zoloft and Suicide)
- Anxiety, agitation, or panic attacks
- Hostility or aggressiveness
- Engaging in unusual or dangerous activities
- Extreme elation or feeling of happiness that may switch back and forth with a depressed or sad mood
- Other unusual changes in behavior
- Signs of serotonin syndrome (a rare but dangerous problem associated with certain medications), such as:
- Confusion or other mental changes
- A rapid heart rate
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
- Hallucinations
- Blood pressure changes
- An irregular heart rhythm
- Overactive reflexes
- Fever, sweating, or shivering
- Shakiness
- Agitation
- Seizures
- Coma
Common side effect of Marijuana:
- Dry eyes
- Dry mouth
- Increased desire to eat
- Increase heart rate
- Increased euphoria
- Increased feeling of well being
- Some people have increased paranoia, but I suspect that is because of the threat of incarceration
- Smoking marijuana has more ill side effects than vaporizing or eating marijuana
To my knowledge no one as ever died/overdosed due to marijuana
RE: http://www.saferchoice.org/content/view/24/53/
PLEASE PASS AB390 in California and I-1068 in Washington!
PLEASE don’t give up the fight in Utah and the rest of the country! Lets get organized and lets make this movement stronger!
Join NORML.org
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