another no brainer should marijuana be legalized or only for medical use

[pauluk60]

well i will go with vote i say at least medical use not sure with selling legal to many ???????????

[AnneField]

Legalise for medical AND recreational use. The story of my illness goes a little like this:

Me: Nothing helps the pain in my body, let's see if smoking dope helps.

Police: If I catch you with that again, you'll be charged. Marijuana is illegal. Go to the GP and insist on proper pain relief.

Me: Doc, my body hurts. Nothing helps. Marijuana did help but I don't want to get into trouble.

Doc: You have RA. Here, take this codeine.

Me: Doc, the MTX isn't working, nor is the SSZ. My body hurts.

Doc: Here, have some stronger codeine pills.

Me: But Doc, they don't help.

Doc: Take more of them. And try this Tramadol too.

Me: Doc, I'm sweating and shaking like Renton in Trainspotting.

Doc: That's because you're an opiate addict, just like he is.

Makes no sense to me at all. I'm dependent on really dangerous stuff because the most effective painkiller (and the least harmful) I ever tried is illegal. The mind boggles...

[pauluk60 in reply to AnneField]

hi anne now i would never thought you would agree i think its name and like your story must be the story of many peeps its like me with with whisky for my guts but thats legal where you smoking it to get police involved but with the pain you get from arthritis some of them who stop should try a dose of pain with no help good on you anne i would back all the way shusssssssss r u still manageing to find some to help

[Rubyroo1 in reply to AnneField]

Its so stupid isnt it ?! Have you tried CBD oil ? I have only recently got some - tastes disgusting so wash it down with squash...... cant comment on the effectiveness of it yet as havent taken it for long enough...... might help though ?

[woodstar1]

Yes, yes yes. I speak to folk in the USA and they say is an absolute game changer. We can't control it so let's legalize it, let's make an informed choice so people know exactly what they are using. I'm a prison officer with over 20 years experience I absolutely hate drugs but I would absolutely love the chance to try this because I know how good it can be for people with RA.

[pauluk60 in reply to woodstar1]

well if your saying legalize it who better you see the consequences daily that must a hard job hope your ok ta for answer

[dbestdeb]

It’s ridiculous that it’s illegal at all for any use. Alcohol is a far worse drug that ruins more lives than any other, has no medicinal benefit, and it is legal. As far as it being a gateway drug that leads to other use, I think everyone knows that kids start with alcohol, not marijuana.

I can’t take their opiates as they make me sick. CBD is the only help I get because marijuana is illegal. I’m in the states and while medical marijuana is legal in my state, it’s cost prohibitive as my insurance won’t pay for it. They will pay for as many opiates as I want, but not medical marijuana. Go figure.

[pauluk60 in reply to dbestdeb]

head banging db note the pun yes i can understand your frustration when there pain involved does it work right away how would use it smoke or otherwise i don't like pain killers and surely they can grow dirt cheap in certain parts of the country

[dbestdeb]

There are many ways to use marijuana for pain. Some people smoke, vape, or make food with it. If I could afford to get it legally, i would find out what is available to me for pain. I know someone in my state with epilepsy, who spent the money and was given a vape pen with little cartridges containing the medication. It contains very minimal THC and doesn’t make him high, is not addictive, and yet it controls his seizures.

It’s a crime that we are being denied a chance to try a natural alternative to becoming dependent on opiates or suffering with pain every day of our lives.

[pauluk60 in reply to dbestdeb]

your bang on the ball db is it addictive

[dbestdeb in reply to pauluk60]

The only thing addictive is liking the feeling of having less pain.

[wishbone in reply to pauluk60]

Don't know about other forms of ingesting it, but I believe it can be addictive, or at least seriously habit forming for some people if smoked on a regular basis. I smoked it fairly regularly for a number of years when I was younger and although I was never near being addicted I did know a few folk heavily into cannabis who probably were. It goes without saying that tobacco is highly addictive, but I knew a couple of regular cannabis smokers who never smoked ordinary cigarettes or any other form of neat tobacco, and they were definitely hooked.

If properly regulated medicinal cannabis with THC included became legally available then I would definitely try it, but to be perfectly honest I have doubts that it's the magic bullet that some folk seem to think, and suspect that it would not have much effect on 'acute' rheumatic pain unless used in combination with other types of pain relief. That said, I hope I'm proved wrong and it's as effective as tramadol, which I've been taking on a regular basis for some 3+ years and am almost certainly addicted to. Hopefully time will tell................................

[pauluk60 in reply to wishbone]

hi wishbone i take tramadol and nefpam tramadol the stronger but can take together i only when really bad but everybody pain is different yep normal smoking killer alcohol is addictive to lots i think i used a life time of units up b4 20 we all drank at least a gallon a night and sometimes dinner and when we went to rugby /races/picnic wow well anybody's guess so lets get it legalized at least medical

[wishbone in reply to pauluk60]

Bring it on!...I'm all for it despite my scepticism on how effective it will be.

[dbestdeb in reply to wishbone]

It isn’t physically addictive like regular tobacco. I believe people who smoke it regularly do so because they are hooked on the feeling it gives them, not the substance itself. If it took my pain away, I think I’d easily get hooked on wanting to stay that way.

[wishbone in reply to dbestdeb]

Quite probably. I did attempt to indicate this when I talked about it being habit forming. Think I'd prefer to be hooked on cannabis than addicted to tramadol, which being on a high dose does help a lot with pain. Not that I'm too bothered about being addicted to tramadol at my age, but I could well do without the very vivid dreams it induces...some can be quite pleasant, but others are really freaky and can be violent and confrontational. Signs of a disturbed mind I suppose, which is not surprising with all the crappy diseases I have to contend with.

[dbestdeb in reply to wishbone]

I can’t take any pain killers like tramadol as they make me so nauseated that the pain is a better option. My dr has told me that NSAIDs are ruining my stomach so I need to stop the strong ibuprofen. I bought some CBD oil and it helps, but it too is quite expensive and needs to be taken every few hours. I don’t drink alcohol or use any other substance but I would gladly try some medical marijuana if it was available and affordable. There needs to be some help for people like me.

[wishbone in reply to dbestdeb]

Sorry to hear about the nausea and pain, that can't be much fun!! I stopped taking NSAIDs, plus daily aspirin, and more recently hydroxy because of acid reflux. It has reduced it a fair bit but I still have bouts of it....horrible thing that it is! Tried two different types of CBD oil, the seemingly more reputable, and expensive one, for 10 weeks at the recommended dose. Not saying for a minute that it wouldn't have worked for some folk, but it was a complete waste of money as far as I'm concerned.

The very best of luck with getting relief with your pain. Hope they make medicinal cannabis available through the NHS before too long and it does the trick for you.

[dbestdeb in reply to wishbone]

Thank you! I am in the US but I do hope the NHS approves it for you. It will be a while over here before it is battled out. Medical marijuana is legal in my state but they have put it out of reach for many with the cost of it in my state.

Sorry the CBD didn’t help you. Maybe I only notice the relief because I can use nothing else, so any amount of relief is a noticeable improvement. If I could take tramadol, I’d surely use it without worry. I’m not sure why it makes me sick, but my whole family has the problem. We’ll never be addicted to opiates, that’s for sure.

Best wishes to you!

[wishbone in reply to dbestdeb]

That's sad to hear.

Thanks and best wishes to you too.

[Leics]

I think legalise it for medical use. Got to admit I had some a few years back because I managed to slip a disc on top of RA I did not sleep at all for 10 days was absolutely whacked out on oramorph which bunged me up too, definitely not helpful. I don’t think I have ever been in so much pain and it took me 6 weeks to be able to walk properly ish. 1 cigarette only a few puffs and I slept like a baby. If it wasn’t for being able to smoke a few joints over the next couple of weeks I don’t know what I would have done. It also scared me to death that someone would smell it and I’d be in trouble. Not sure it should be for recreational use there’s enough drugs prescription and otherwise which cause enough trouble for those who don’t have a medical reason.

[pauluk60 in reply to Leics]

so it does the job for some peeps good they must change the law i bet half of them mps who voted it down have used it

[wishbone in reply to Leics]

One of its attributes is that It does help you sleep. That oramorph is orable stuff and not very effective with rheumatic pain according to my old rheumy. It did little to help me when I was laid up for weeks with sciatica and an RA flare from hell! In fact it made things a lot worse by constipating me...a bit unsavoury I know, but can you imagine trying to go to the loo with that little lot going on!!! It's no wonder I'm having bad dreams!

edit...didn't read your post properly, that's rushing for you. Misunderstood what you meant by saying you were bunged up. Obviously there wasn't much need for me to mention the problems I had going to the loo!

[wishbone in reply to Leics]

Misunderstood what you meant by saying you were bunged up. There wasn't much need asking you to imagine what it was like going to the loo then was it!