Anyone care to reply pros/cons of medicinal marijuana

[Thrillsseeker]

So I’ve read that here in NY I can make a dr’s apt and pay for that and 200 bucks for a card and get medicinal marijuana. (Mine would be listed for chronic pain) My plan would be to use it before bed to allow me to get more than 5 hours of sleep. I’ve smoked in the past and it helped me sleep 6-7 hours. I felt great. More refreshed.

Anyone prescribed this?

Pros and cons you can think of making said apt and following thru on this?

[stillthere]

I am just plain pro marijuana. It is legal in DC so you can grow it, smoke it, gift it but no sales (yet). There is one medical dispensary in the city. I have back pain issues and it helps a good deal with that.

[SteelPro]

So I’ve read that here in NY I can make a dr’s apt and pay for that and 200 bucks for a card and get medicinal marijuana. (Mine would be listed for chronic pain) My plan would be to use it before bed to allow me to get more than 5 hours of sleep. I’ve smoked in the past and it helped me sleep 6-7 hours. I felt great. More refreshed.

Anyone prescribed this?

Pros and cons you can think of making said apt and following thru on this?

Process is similar here in PA. My wife got the card. Cost her $50 bucks with state and $200 with the doc that submitted for her. I paid $50 too to get a Caregiver card. Basically I can purchase at dispensaries on her behalf. It has not helped her chronic pain. It has helped her anxiety issues. The right strains will help you sleep. And this medical grade cannabis is pretty potent. Way more so than stuff you’d get illegally on the street. But It is expensive though. They don’t allow you to buy buds. It is all processed vape oils, sprays, and creams. Supposedly the state made a change a few months ago to allow the sell of flowers but I've yet see it at the dispensary I buy at.

[drmalba]

If you're just taking it for sleep, I would go with the vape pens, probably an Indica strain. The concentrate is higher in THC and stronger than the flower (though, not as strong as shatter), so you take one or two puffs before you hit the hay, and it will be like sweet nepenthe.
Additionally, they are small, odorless and discreet, and when the liquid is smoked it doesn't give off a strong odor.
The biggest worry is the manufacturer did not assemble the cart well, and there is leakage.

[Thrillsseeker]

Appreciate the feedback/responses.

My pain has been a part of my life forever. I can deal with it. Much more over the last several years but again it’s something I can deal with and I’m sure would “qualify” me per se.

I guess my holdup on this is about work etc and wondered if anyone had a script for n NY or somewhere that’s not recreational yet. If I did get it, I probably wouldn’t tell them since people get stupid about certain things.

I’ve never heard about a caregiver card. I’ll have to research that. My wife would be stoked since she’s a daily user and knows more about the stuff than I ever could. She’s like a walking encyclopedia about weed. It’s crazy really, quite impressive.

[SteelPro]

Appreciate the feedback/responses.

My pain has been a part of my life forever. I can deal with it. Much more over the last several years but again it’s something I can deal with and I’m sure would “qualify” me per se.

I guess my holdup on this is about work etc and wondered if anyone had a script for n NY or somewhere that’s not recreational yet. If I did get it, I probably wouldn’t tell them since people get stupid about certain things.

I’ve never heard about a caregiver card. I’ll have to research that. My wife would be stoked since she’s a daily user and knows more about the stuff than I ever could. She’s like a walking encyclopedia about weed. It’s crazy really, quite impressive.

Caregiver program in NY looks exactly like the program in PA.
https://www.health.ny.gov/regulations/m ... caregiver/

Here is a good site our local dispensary gave my wife to reference which strains are good for which symptoms. https://www.leafly.com

[Thrillsseeker]

Appreciate the feedback/responses.

My pain has been a part of my life forever. I can deal with it. Much more over the last several years but again it’s something I can deal with and I’m sure would “qualify” me per se.

I guess my holdup on this is about work etc and wondered if anyone had a script for n NY or somewhere that’s not recreational yet. If I did get it, I probably wouldn’t tell them since people get stupid about certain things.

I’ve never heard about a caregiver card. I’ll have to research that. My wife would be stoked since she’s a daily user and knows more about the stuff than I ever could. She’s like a walking encyclopedia about weed. It’s crazy really, quite impressive.

Caregiver program in NY looks exactly like the program in PA.
https://www.health.ny.gov/regulations/m ... caregiver/

Here is a good site our local dispensary gave my wife to reference which strains are good for which symptoms. https://www.leafly.com

Thanks man.

[StillerInCT]

It might not even be necessary anymore. Cuomo seems is pushing for it to legalize in 2019 and it should pass in NY with flying colors. The only benefit I would see is if the insurance company is going to cover the cost of purchasing. Otherwise save the $200 in processing and buy it from legal dispensaries.

[Thrillsseeker]

It might not even be necessary anymore. Cuomo seems is pushing for it to legalize in 2019 and it should pass in NY with flying colors. The only benefit I would see is if the insurance company is going to cover the cost of purchasing. Otherwise save the $200 in processing and buy it from legal dispensaries.

Oh.

Thanks. I appreciate the input.

[955876]

If you're just taking it for sleep, I would go with the vape pens, probably an Indica strain.

Northern Lights is a very good indica strain to help with sleep. A few puffs of that usually leads to lights out.

In terms of medical vs legalization I think I prefer the medical route. I live in CA and long thought legalization would be a great thing. Particularly when you factor what a boon it can be in terms of the tax revenue generated.

An issue with that is I can only imagine what CA pisses the money away on. Maybe it’ll go towards maintenance for the great bullet train to nowhere they are building. Who knows.

Anyways, I’ve had a card for about 3 1/2 years before it became legal recreationaly here. Now that’s it’s legal it is more expensive and in some cases harder to get if you are looking for something specific which in most cases I am.

So I preferred it just being legal medically. Think that is better in a lot of ways. The card was very easy to get so those who need/want can get it.

It can be very beneficial from a medical standpoint. I’ve seen this first hand. In fact, my wife’s previous neuroncologist was very against her using it along with his treatments (which he told us wasn’t curative so go figure) until he saw himself how much her tumor shrank. He actually said “I can’t support this because we just don’t here, but whatever she’s doing at home is working so keep doing it”.

Her current neuroncologist is also head of clinical studies where she is seen. He is 100% on board with the protocol we did as well as the maintenance doses she takes now. Said if he had the type of brain tumor she had he would be doing the exact same thing.

The science behind it is actually similiar in theory to how an alkylating chemo agent kills cancer cells. Only the cannabis doesn’t hurt the healthy cells.

I think it should be legal medically in every state. You could even strengthen the controls for what would qualify as medically necessary.

[955876]

The only benefit I would see is if the insurance company is going to cover the cost of purchasing.

I could be wrong but I don’t think insurance picks up the cost of medical cannabis. Unless you are literally getting it from an actual medical facility/hospital and that would likely be few and far between.

We couldn’t run any of it through insurance which I really wished we could have. Had to give her a gram+ of oil every single day for about 120 straight days. That got pricey.

[Thrillsseeker]

Thanks everyone. Appreciate it. All the responses has really highlighted how little I know about any of it.

Thanks again.

[SteelPro]

If you're just taking it for sleep, I would go with the vape pens, probably an Indica strain.

Northern Lights is a very good indica strain to help with sleep. A few puffs of that usually leads to lights out.

In terms of medical vs legalization I think I prefer the medical route. I live in CA and long thought legalization would be a great thing. Particularly when you factor what a boon it can be in terms of the tax revenue generated.

An issue with that is I can only imagine what CA pisses the money away on. Maybe it’ll go towards maintenance for the great bullet train to nowhere they are building. Who knows.

Anyways, I’ve had a card for about 3 1/2 years before it became legal recreationaly here. Now that’s it’s legal it is more expensive and in some cases harder to get if you are looking for something specific which in most cases I am.

So I preferred it just being legal medically. Think that is better in a lot of ways. The card was very easy to get so those who need/want can get it.

It can be very beneficial from a medical standpoint. I’ve seen this first hand. In fact, my wife’s previous neuroncologist was very against her using it along with his treatments (which he told us wasn’t curative so go figure) until he saw himself how much her tumor shrank. He actually said “I can’t support this because we just don’t here, but whatever she’s doing at home is working so keep doing it”.

Her current neuroncologist is also head of clinical studies where she is seen. He is 100% on board with the protocol we did as well as the maintenance doses she takes now. Said if he had the type of brain tumor she had he would be doing the exact same thing.

The science behind it is actually similiar in theory to how an alkylating chemo agent kills cancer cells. Only the cannabis doesn’t hurt the healthy cells.

I think it should be legal medically in every state. You could even strengthen the controls for what would qualify as medically necessary.

The problem in a lot of states (and certainly here in PA) is not enough doctors certified to prescribe it. It not that docs are against medical cannabis. Most are for it. They just don't want to do a 4 hour course and pay a fee to be licensed then have to deal with the stigma of being a "pot doctor" where you have a bunch of patients coming to you one time just for an authorization letter to get the Card. The backlog in PA is pretty long. It took my wife 10 weeks to get an appointment with a doc that would do it for her. She could have gotten it a little sooner with another doc, but he wanted her to transfer all her primary care to him. These doctor certs and courses are just a money grab scam. The states already collect their card registration fees from the patients and the state also get licensing fees from the dispensaries. Why the need for an additional collection of fees and a bullshit certification for doctors too? If any doc can prescribe narcotics why the F do they have to jump through hoops to authorize a Marijuana Card?

I think eventually most states will make it legal even for recreation use. And the Federal Governement needs to change how it scheduled. That will all come in time. But it will be slow. Cuomo is talking about in now NY for 2019, but I'd say you have add at least 18-24 months to that timeline. NY is just now at the place NJ was a year ago, and nothing is imminent in NJ yet. https://www.nj.com/marijuana/2018/12/no ... thing.html

[stillthere]

If any doc can prescribe narcotics why the F do they have to jump through hoops to authorize a Marijuana Card?

This is the beyond the realm of reality part of it. Need opioids that is not a problem, I got you. Need access to marijuana well the state regulates that pretty strictly we don't want you to not be hooked on a painkiller that may kill you or cause you to become an addict that loses all your money. Fucking insane. The whole thing with the old racist that started the crack down on weed is crazy. We can't tax a plant they (see mexicans and blacks) can grow in the yard. We must make it illegal!!!!

[Donnie Brasco]

Appreciate the feedback/responses.

My pain has been a part of my life forever. I can deal with it. Much more over the last several years but again it’s something I can deal with and I’m sure would “qualify” me per se.

I guess my holdup on this is about work etc and wondered if anyone had a script for n NY or somewhere that’s not recreational yet. If I did get it, I probably wouldn’t tell them since people get stupid about certain things.

I’ve never heard about a caregiver card. I’ll have to research that. My wife would be stoked since she’s a daily user and knows more about the stuff than I ever could. She’s like a walking encyclopedia about weed. It’s crazy really, quite impressive.

You mentioned being worried about work. I am in HR and can tell you that regardless of what your specific state says: medical/rec usage being ok, your employer can set whatever standard in terms of a drug policy.

We have not changed our policy since we deal with lifting and moving heavy material that can easily kill you and/or coworkers.

[stillthere]

Appreciate the feedback/responses.

My pain has been a part of my life forever. I can deal with it. Much more over the last several years but again it’s something I can deal with and I’m sure would “qualify” me per se.

I guess my holdup on this is about work etc and wondered if anyone had a script for n NY or somewhere that’s not recreational yet. If I did get it, I probably wouldn’t tell them since people get stupid about certain things.

I’ve never heard about a caregiver card. I’ll have to research that. My wife would be stoked since she’s a daily user and knows more about the stuff than I ever could. She’s like a walking encyclopedia about weed. It’s crazy really, quite impressive.

You mentioned being worried about work. I am in HR and can tell you that regardless of what your specific state says: medical/rec usage being ok, your employer can set whatever standard in terms of a drug policy.

We have not changed our policy since we deal with lifting and moving heavy material that can easily kill you and/or coworkers.

https://www.drugtestlawadvisor.com/
site above may answer some questions regarding workplace rules and state laws.

[stillthere]

I know you are talking about NY but Maine passed an interesting law recently.

http://www.esrcheck.com/wordpress/2018/02/22/maine-law-requires-employers-stop-drug-testing-marijuana-ignore-use-workplace/

Maine Law Requires Employers to Stop Drug Testing for Marijuana and Ignore Use Out of Workplace

Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn

On February 1, 2018, portions of IB 2015, c.5, “Question 1 – An Act to Legalize Marijuana” took effect in Maine requiring employers to stop drug testing job applicants for marijuana use and also preventing employers from firing workers 21 years or older for the use of marijuana outside of the workplace.

Maine voters approved Question 1 to permit the recreational use, retail sale, and taxation of marijuana in November of 2016. The law was originally scheduled to take effect January 30, 2017, but the Maine legislature imposed a moratorium on the retail sales and taxation of marijuana until February 2018.

Although the new effective date for the law has now passed, Maine has not yet finalized rules that will permit the retail sale of marijuana and marijuana products. But employers cannot discriminate against workers for their off-work use of marijuana even though the drug is still illegal at the federal level.

The portion of Question 1 dealing with discrimination reads: A school, employer or landlord may not refuse to enroll or employ or lease to or otherwise penalize a person 21 years of age or older solely for that person’s consuming marijuana outside of the school’s, employer’s or landlord’s property.

However, the Question 1 does not permit the use of marijuana in the workplace and “does not affect the ability of employers to enact and enforce workplace policies restricting the use of marijuana by employees or to discipline employees who are under the influence of marijuana in the workplace.”

In preparation for the change in the law caused by Question 1, “the Maine Department of Labor has removed marijuana from the list of drugs for which an employer may test in its ‘model’ applicant drug-testing policy,” according to analysis from employment and labor law firm Littler Mendelson P.C.

However, the law also does not affect compliance with federally mandated testing for marijuana such as the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations for commercial motor vehicle drivers. The complete text of Maine’s IB 2015, c.5, “Question 1 – An Act to Legalize Marijuana” is available here.

In 1996, California passed Proposition 215 to be the first state to allow for the medial use of marijuana. As of February 2018, a total of 29 states and the District of Columbia allow for comprehensive public medical marijuana and cannabis programs, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

In addition, Alaska, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington passed laws allowing for the recreational use of marijuana by adults. However, marijuana is still illegal under federal law so employers who drug test may understandably be confused.

“The national trend towards legalization of marijuana for medicinal and recreational purposes is a critical workplace issue for employers who drug test, especially where state laws conflict with federal law,” says Employment Screening Resources® (ESR) founder and CEO Attorney Lester Rosen.

However, Rosen explains in his book “The Safe Hiring Manual” that the California Supreme Court determined in the case of Ross v. RagingWire Telecommunications, Inc. (2008) that an employee authorized to use medical marijuana could not state a cause of action for wrongful termination.

Rosen writes: “The court concluded that The Compassionate Use Act (another name for California Proposition 215) did not require California employers to accommodate the use of marijuana and reaffirmed that employers could take illegal drug use into consideration in making employment decisions.”

Hopefully more places accept this kind of attitude

[955876]

The problem in a lot of states (and certainly here in PA) is not enough doctors certified to prescribe it. It not that docs are against medical cannabis. Most are for it. They just don't want to do a 4 hour course and pay a fee to be licensed then have to deal with the stigma of being a "pot doctor" where you have a bunch of patients coming to you one time just for an authorization letter to get the Card. The backlog in PA is pretty long. It took my wife 10 weeks to get an appointment with a doc that would do it for her. She could have gotten it a little sooner with another doc, but he wanted her to transfer all her primary care to him. These doctor certs and courses are just a money grab scam. The states already collect their card registration fees from the patients and the state also get licensing fees from the dispensaries. Why the need for an additional collection of fees and a bullshit certification for doctors too? If any doc can prescribe narcotics why the F do they have to jump through hoops to authorize a Marijuana Card?

Sounds like some nonsense and yet another way to hit people with fees. Not such an issue here as it seems lots of doctors were running side business of filling out recommendations.

And that’s a bit of a catch. Not sure how it works in other states but here in CA there was really two levels of “having a card”. Seeing a doctor gotbyou a recommendation. This gets you into the dispensary and allows you to buy what you wanted. However, if stopped by police and the cop felt like being a dick they could decide not to recognize what is essentially a doctors note. To be fully legal one needed to take that doctor’s rec to the county, pay an additional fee, and then get entered into the state’s database to get issued your “official” card.

Tris was a step I think most people skipped. I certainly did.

Non-issue now that it’s legal here.

[Thrillsseeker]

Appreciate the feedback/responses.

My pain has been a part of my life forever. I can deal with it. Much more over the last several years but again it’s something I can deal with and I’m sure would “qualify” me per se.

I guess my holdup on this is about work etc and wondered if anyone had a script for n NY or somewhere that’s not recreational yet. If I did get it, I probably wouldn’t tell them since people get stupid about certain things.

I’ve never heard about a caregiver card. I’ll have to research that. My wife would be stoked since she’s a daily user and knows more about the stuff than I ever could. She’s like a walking encyclopedia about weed. It’s crazy really, quite impressive.

You mentioned being worried about work. I am in HR and can tell you that regardless of what your specific state says: medical/rec usage being ok, your employer can set whatever standard in terms of a drug policy.

We have not changed our policy since we deal with lifting and moving heavy material that can easily kill you and/or coworkers.

This I heard but appreciate you replying and putting it out there.

[Thrillsseeker]

I know you are talking about NY but Maine passed an interesting law recently.

http://www.esrcheck.com/wordpress/2018/02/22/maine-law-requires-employers-stop-drug-testing-marijuana-ignore-use-workplace/

Maine Law Requires Employers to Stop Drug Testing for Marijuana and Ignore Use Out of Workplace

Written By ESR News Blog Editor Thomas Ahearn

On February 1, 2018, portions of IB 2015, c.5, “Question 1 – An Act to Legalize Marijuana” took effect in Maine requiring employers to stop drug testing job applicants for marijuana use and also preventing employers from firing workers 21 years or older for the use of marijuana outside of the workplace.

Maine voters approved Question 1 to permit the recreational use, retail sale, and taxation of marijuana in November of 2016. The law was originally scheduled to take effect January 30, 2017, but the Maine legislature imposed a moratorium on the retail sales and taxation of marijuana until February 2018.

Although the new effective date for the law has now passed, Maine has not yet finalized rules that will permit the retail sale of marijuana and marijuana products. But employers cannot discriminate against workers for their off-work use of marijuana even though the drug is still illegal at the federal level.

The portion of Question 1 dealing with discrimination reads: A school, employer or landlord may not refuse to enroll or employ or lease to or otherwise penalize a person 21 years of age or older solely for that person’s consuming marijuana outside of the school’s, employer’s or landlord’s property.

However, the Question 1 does not permit the use of marijuana in the workplace and “does not affect the ability of employers to enact and enforce workplace policies restricting the use of marijuana by employees or to discipline employees who are under the influence of marijuana in the workplace.”

In preparation for the change in the law caused by Question 1, “the Maine Department of Labor has removed marijuana from the list of drugs for which an employer may test in its ‘model’ applicant drug-testing policy,” according to analysis from employment and labor law firm Littler Mendelson P.C.

However, the law also does not affect compliance with federally mandated testing for marijuana such as the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations for commercial motor vehicle drivers. The complete text of Maine’s IB 2015, c.5, “Question 1 – An Act to Legalize Marijuana” is available here.

In 1996, California passed Proposition 215 to be the first state to allow for the medial use of marijuana. As of February 2018, a total of 29 states and the District of Columbia allow for comprehensive public medical marijuana and cannabis programs, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

In addition, Alaska, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington passed laws allowing for the recreational use of marijuana by adults. However, marijuana is still illegal under federal law so employers who drug test may understandably be confused.

“The national trend towards legalization of marijuana for medicinal and recreational purposes is a critical workplace issue for employers who drug test, especially where state laws conflict with federal law,” says Employment Screening Resources® (ESR) founder and CEO Attorney Lester Rosen.

However, Rosen explains in his book “The Safe Hiring Manual” that the California Supreme Court determined in the case of Ross v. RagingWire Telecommunications, Inc. (2008) that an employee authorized to use medical marijuana could not state a cause of action for wrongful termination.

Rosen writes: “The court concluded that The Compassionate Use Act (another name for California Proposition 215) did not require California employers to accommodate the use of marijuana and reaffirmed that employers could take illegal drug use into consideration in making employment decisions.”

Hopefully more places accept this kind of attitude

My wife was offered a job at a casino and was told they don’t test for marijuana. She asked and was told bigger companies are recognizing ( basically Maine’s view you posted above)

[955876]

Is that a Motörhead shirt you have on in the pic?

[Thrillsseeker]

Is that a Motörhead shirt you have on in the pic?

If you’re referring to me, no. Just some tattoo t-shirt I ordered online from some company I can’t even remember.

RIP Lemmy.

[955876]

Looks like the art from Motorhead’s “No Remorse” album cover.

Although hard to see at that distance.

Was just wondering.

[Pabst]

Not really a pro/con, but thought I'd share. The article is more or less detailing that we don't know shit about the effects of marijuana use: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/01/14/is-marijuana-as-safe-as-we-think

[COR-TEN]

I didn't think this is a New Yorker kind of crowd.

At any rate, I'm a little hesitant in posting this. It has flaws. But I'm sure others will pounce on it as an affirmation of the criminalization of cannabis. Or they will label the source as a liberal rag. Whatever.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/20 ... illness-1/

[Donnie Brasco]

I didn't think this is a New Yorker kind of crowd.

At any rate, I'm a little hesitant in posting this. It has flaws. But I'm sure others will pounce on it as an affirmation of the criminalization of cannabis. Or they will label the source as a liberal rag. Whatever.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/20 ... illness-1/

I think that just like any drug (in this case THC), it can cause extreme reactions in various individuals.

But on the whole, marijuana is probably the least harmful drug that exists on the planet

[Steelafan77]

Pro's= some mild pain relief
Con's= can still be fired from employment

[Pabst]

I didn't think this is a New Yorker kind of crowd.

At any rate, I'm a little hesitant in posting this. It has flaws. But I'm sure others will pounce on it as an affirmation of the criminalization of cannabis. Or they will label the source as a liberal rag. Whatever.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/20 ... illness-1/

Honestly, I'm not a New Yorker fan at all. But that was one of the few articles i've seen that actually attempted to lay out where most of the research stands.

[SteelPro]

We would be a lot further along with knowing the full effects, pros and cons, if the drug hadn't been so demonized and therefore mis-scheduled by the government. Research was set back 80 years because of Reefer Madness propaganda.

[COR-TEN]

We would be a lot further along with knowing the full effects, pros and cons, if the drug hadn't been so demonized and therefore mis-scheduled by the government. Research was set back 80 years because of Reefer Madness propaganda.

It should, at the very least, be de-scheduled, and made available like alcohol. The facts are in, and they clearly show it's not worse than your average highball. Even three of them.

Then let the debate begin.

It's all about the $$$$.

You don't need a distillery. You don't need bottling or a disinfecting manufacturing process. Anybody can grow it in their back yard. THAT is the problem. Gov can't get it's grubby fingers in your botanical garden.