I just had to jump in here. I am from Oregon and am a medical cannabis patient. I am also a retired RN. I hold a Bachelor's degree. I have seen extensive research, ongoing, from all over the world, except the US. That is because the FDA has a monopoly on legal cannabinoid plant material and won't allow research. They have also lied to the American Public when they said that there is no research to support the use of medical marijuana. That is false, it is unfounded and they are being sued to produce evidence.
As a matter of fact, there is extensive research and longitudinal studies disproving Paul's stereotypical theories. This is discussed on a yearly basis by medical professionals from all over the world at medical conventions such as the National Clinical Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics www.medicalcannabis.com/conference.htm For example, did you know that Israeal has been able to develop a compound of a cannabinoid and quinine that rivals one of our top chemotherapeutic drugs here in the US? Without the side effects! Imagine, chemo, without side effects, except maybe you wanna go home and eat french fries but who says the side effects from drugs have to be suffered through? Why is my drug no less therapeutic because it makes me want to play my fiddle and eat a sandwich? And that it keeps me hungry enough to keep weight on. And takes care of my PTSD. And helps with the intestinal spasm from Celiac's. And helps with the neurological pain from multiple spinal surgeries.....on and on. That is 4 pills I've just eliminated in my daily life. I've been on both sides of the hospital bed as a patient and as a nurse and I can tell you that cannabis is one of the most innocuous substances on earth. I didn't say COMPLETELY, just like anything you can abuse it. One can abuse their insulin, it doesn't mean they are addicted to it.
Let's get the difference between abuse, addiction and dependence straight. Am I dependent on my cannabis. Yes. I require daily sustenance and cannabis makes that possible on a regular basis. And makes it more enjoyable. Am I addicted? Yes. Many would argue as to whether it is actually addiction, but I know that I get mild withdrawal symptoms, like you would if you cut out the caffeine and are a daily coffee drinker. It is certainly nothing like withdrawal from xanax or morphine. Do I abuse my cannabis. No. I use it in a manner that is consistent with my physician's orders. The good thing about cannabis is that you can titrate your dosage while vaporising or smoking and you stop when you feel the effects of relief or hunger.
Sorry Paul, many would argue that the paranoia that plagued you while you were medicating yourself came from your own psychological uneasiness with the use itself. Not one person in all of history has ever died from an overdose of cannabis. Not one, in 10,000 years of documented cannabis use. Several hundred die every year from aspirin and thousands from reactions to antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals. An excellent book to read on the subject of longterm studies and the documented actual history of cannabis use would be "Women and Cannabis: Medicine, Science, and Sociology". I had the priveledge of meeting the author at the convention a couple of years ago and the book is well researched and an excellent educational tool. There is SO MUCH research out there are that is a good place to start with extensive references to peer reviewed studies and historical documentation. Please educate yourself. Pleasehelp us stop throwing people in jail for being ill. You do this by using your voting priveledges and make our government stop wasting so much tax money on the "war against drugs".