Marijuana, not just for stoners anymore.

Marijuana, some states have legalized it for medicinal purposes, but it remains illegal according to the federal government...for now.

I say for now because I whole-heartedly believe I will see it legalized in my lifetime,  in fact I would say in the next 10 years marijuana will no longer be criminally punishable by law, for possession at least.  Recently, the National Cancer Institute (www.cancer.gov) has listed that there are health benefits to be gains from Cannabis, more specifically from cannabinoids and cannabinoid derivatives. What can cannabis treat?

It can be used to treat pain (analgesic), nausea and vomiting (antiemetic), depression, anxiety, sleep aid (sedative), anti-inflammatory, and increase appetite. The major benefits certainly outweigh the risks, especially when compared to pharmaceutical medications that come with a plethora of side effects, that is not to say there are no possible side effects. Adverse effects of marijuana are: irregular heart rate (tachycardia), low blood pressure (hypotension),bloodshot eyes (conjunctival injection), expanded lung airway (bronchodilation), muscle relaxation, and decreased gastrointestinal motility (possible constipation).

One cannabinoid, Cannabidiol (CBD) has been approved for treatment of cancer-related nausea and vomiting, but otherwise the other main cannabinoid delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is said to cause psychoactive effects, is the reason that cannabis is still on the schedule 1 narcotics list. Schedule 1 narcotics which are classified as high risk for abuse and having no medicinal uses also include LSD, heroin, methaqualone, and mescaline.

So if marijuana has no medicinal purposes (before the Controlled Substances Act and Boggs Act before that cannabis was used medicinally for thousands of years) why are we using it for treatment of cancer patients, anxiety, depression, appetite stimulation in HIV/AIDS patients, etc. If it does have medicinal purposes (which it clearly does), why has it not been moved to a schedule 2 or even 3 narcotic? Why hasn't it been reviewed by the FDA? 

I would bet that Big Pharma has paid money to keep their drugs as the preferred method of treatment even though there are safer and natural alternatives. That isn't to say that cannabis is perfect, but a plant with fewer side effects especially less harmful ones than some of the current drugs on the market has to be at least worth further studying. 

On top of the medical benefits, the tax income from regulation of marijuana would be a huge boost to the economy. If Colorado can be used as an example, they sold almost $1 billion in cannabis sales in 2015 (medicinal and recreational), which yielded an estimated  $135 million in taxes that could be used for education scholarships, school renovations, etc. Let's not forget the number of incarcerated citizens serving for possession who would no longer be taking up space in already over-crowded prisons. 

#helloTarget

We live in a world where everyone has an opinion, some are expressed more loudly than others.  Social media is the newest way for information to be spread like wildfire and is so easy that anyone can do it.  Recently, a man took his daughter to Target after their announcement of inclusiveness to all their patrons to use the bathroom of which gender they identify with. His post begins with how he asks his daughter what she would think of a man dressed in woman's clothes being in the women's bathroom and she said it would be weird.  A fair point, given that description I may have the same response. What this father failed to tell his daughter is that though he was born male, he dresses, talks, and feels like a woman. (S)He is not in there to be a pervert, but like all other people using the bathroom to do her business and leave.  Now, of course anytime a story goes against the norms of society it makes news and something meant to be inclusive is construed as a way for male predators to prey on women and you have all the anti-LGBT bigots spreading this post around like wildfire with the hastag byetarget.

This after he is trying to teach his daughter about being respectful to people's feelings stating "we should be kind and loving to everyone, because everyone is a person with a heart and feelings" (I think you dropped the ball there, dad).  Perhaps he could have instead taught her to respect other people instead of directly contradicting himself and starting a social media boycott of Target stores. His simple-minded post includes what the Target worker told him: Option 1 - you can use the family bathroom.  (Hint that is the purpose of this bathroom) so men can take their daughters or women can take their sons into the bathroom and go with them privately.  Option 2 - a more used and conventional approach take your daughter into the men's bathroom with you. 95% of the time there is a stall open in the men's bathroom.

Well although he claims to not hate (clearly) and he was given 2 valid options to solve his concern from a transgender person using the same bathroom as his 6-year-old. He is not happy with it and take to social media to rally the bigots and spread his story.

Now here is my stance on this (non-)issue, if you have someone who is brave enough to dress as the opposite gender as their biological sex, go out into public and into a store that is visited but many people daily, then guess what they probably feel very strongly about the gender they identify as and aren't interested in preying on your children. In fact, I would bet that they are more worried about being belittled by you staring at them and making rude comments about them than they are of who is in the bathroom.  Personally I believe we should get rid of gender specific bathrooms as they seldomly have more than a few stalls anyway.  All you need is a sink and a toilet so why not make many closet-sized unisex bathrooms. The space that bathrooms take-up could be way better utilized. If you go to a smaller establishment more often than not the men's and women's bathrooms are the same except the men's has a urinal and a toilet. Let's just get rid of the urinal and gender signs and have two bathrooms that occupy one person.

Seriously though, I wish people could just have the ability to accept that someone can be different and not have to rally against their decisions because it is different from their own.  Actions speak louder than words, and although he is telling his daughter to be loving and kind to everyone, his actions reinforce a much different message.  Hopefully one day this little girl will get a brain of her own and not have to listen to the ignorant shit her father puts in it. I know that my daughters will learn respect for individuals and uniqueness.