Medical Marijuana in Arizona a "Charade," and What's Wrong with That, Exactly?

The fact that there are more male medical marijuana patients should surprise no one. I believe in the equality of the sexes but in the world in which we live more men suffer chronic pain than do women. This is likely due to the fact that more men have physically demanding jobs like roofing, digging ditches, doing serious landscaping, etc. I do understand that women can do these jobs but the fact is that they currently don't choose these jobs as often as do men. It is no secret that doctors don't do much anymore to treat chronic pain because of our War on Drugs and if some can find relief from medical marijuana as others have over thousands of years I'm all for it. Only a barbarian would criticize someone for seeking relief from pain.

Um,  who cares if we enjoy or medication, it doesn't change the fact that it's medicinal uses are real and legit.

I have a muscle rub that does not have the power to intoxicate.  It's amazing, things like icy-hot don't even come close, this rub doesn't rely on physical sensations, you rub it on and the pain goes away just like that.

sure a vaporizor after work is a nice release, but sitting in pain all day fucking sucks and getting a little relief is needed to keep sane.

Been smoking since 1964 ......never needed anyones permission   certification or other wise .It.s the easiest plant to grow and will never let you down . Technoligy being how it is you can do it inside . I refuse to pay bs prices at dispensary and have no problem growing . 

Roberts begins: "I was all set to go along with the charade. All the talk of “patients,” of “caregivers” and “medicine.” But the picture of the teen-age kid holding his skateboard as he came out of Arizona’s first medical marijuana dispensary…" So disingenuous, she seems fired up over some picture she saw in her own paper. Like Montgomery, I didn't see the picture, either. Nor did I check the kid's ID, ask why he was there, or see if he'd actually bought MMJ at the dispensary. Unlike Montgomery, and apparently Roberts, I don't really care if some people just use the cards to get away with getting high. Then again, I'm not a control freak. I for one have enough trouble trying to run my own life let alone anyone else's.

From the AZ Republic "26% of cardholders are 18-30"... Maybe I'm missing something, but doesn't this mean that the vast majority ( 76% ) are over the age of 30?? It seems to me that speaks volumes to the legitimacy of the program, not to the fact that its a charade....

An alternate explanation is that men between ages 18 and 30 are probably the most likely to be in either industrial accidents or to have back problems due to moving heavy objects or physically demanding occupations. I met a young lad who has been taking Advil to relieve severe headache pain since he was 8 years old.  There are plenty of people, male, female, young and old with pain problems that few ever hear about it unless asked.

My friend has colon cancer and I don't think she would have survived thus far if she didn't have medical marijuana to help her get through the cancer treatment.  She would be in grave trouble if she didn't have the opportunity to obtain this medicine during this terrible time.  More on her story: 

". . . everyone I know who has a medical marijuana card . . . "  Is this your sample by which you have determined your agreement with Ms. Roberts?  I have a wife, who has horrible migranes and has for 20 years.  She has been on pharmaceuticals for much of that period, until last year - when she got prescribed mmj.  The first time she took it (in a tincture form), the migraine went away POOF!  She still gets the migraines but now, they do not affect her life because she simply takes a couple drops of the extract and it's gone.  Just to let you know, she is in the last stages of getting her doctorate and is getting straight As.  Please, use your journalism degree to do an actual survey of the people who have mmj cards - and don't ask me how to do that, you're the journalist.  GET BUSY and don't believe anything Laurie Roberts says until you've confirmed it.  As an aside, many people with MMJ cards juice their weed, it has many health benefits and none of the "getting high" effects.