Foreword

Perception of anomaly---of a phenomenon, that is, for which his paradigm has not readied the investigator---played an essential role in preparing the way for the perception of novelty...the perception that something had gone wrong was only the prelude to discovery.

Thomas Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolution

This book is by no means a formal scientific study, at least in the sense of double-blind protocols and official sanctions and approvals. Nor it is a comprehensive review of medical marijuana history and research. Veterans in the field such as Dr. Lester Grinspoon, Jack Herer, Christian Ratsch and a number of others referenced herein have already provided substantial literature and convincing evidence in that respect. Rather, mine is more a singular case study, a personal investigation and account. And yet, working as an investigator trained in the tradition of the Enlightenment, this report still has its basis in those two most fundamental precepts of science: empirical evidence (i.e. direct personal experience) and consensual validation (in other words, the literature shows many others share the same or similar experience).

The premise of my approach was founded on the work of pioneers such as Aldous Huxley, Timothy Leary, Terrence McKenna, Stanislov Grof and other trailblazers in psychedelic usage and altered states of consciousness. My fundamental thinking draws liberally from post-Newtonian science---namely quantum ideas and holistic models as first proposed by the likes of David Bohm and Karl Pribram's subsequent holonomic theories of mind. Theories and ideas along the lines of Jungian collective-mind, Gestalt process, Husserl's phenomenology, Korzybski's general semantics and Teilhard de Chardin's noosphere further lend to my approach. Along with these modern articulations, my approach comes full circle as it is finally bolstered on very old philosophical-spiritual schools of thought, namely those of the Taoist and Indian East, Pre-Socratic Greece, Native America and aboriginal culture in general. And while I am no more than a novice in any of these areas, the breadth of my pursuit recognizes a common ground and lineage here, one still developing and evolving.

So this work is a sort of synthesis and a process drawing from parallel perspectives and corresponding ideas through many ages, cultures and individuals. As a process, it is also a peek into a window, or the first steps into a world that few, if any, have completely entered. It is the future after all, and one that seems to be evolving faster than ever. Of course I can only speak for myself when I say, as much as I've gathered from the past, there feels something completely original here, a new territory as expressed by many folks of the so-called New Age movement. On the whole this future is bright and full of potential.

What all this means is that---however experienced, educated and skilled we might think we are---it's back to school and into the wilderness for all of us, well, I know it is for me at least. Because this new territory challenges me to rethink, relearn and reprioritize my approach in a number of ways: fully realizing the primacy of mind-body-spirit and the inextricable link of compassion in health and medicine, as well as the necessity of choice and quality in living and dying.

I see success here demands opening to other points of view, whether I think they suit me or not. And to open I must first LISTEN, suspending all judgment, bias and prejudice and, at least for a moment, imagining myself in the other's shoes...because you never know, the day may come when you or someone you love, is actually wearing them. And besides, whatever side of the fence we may sit---and often times I feel right on top of it---we all need to be heard at one time or another, to say what we need, as well as what we have to give. This seems a sharing that is fundamental to existence and balance of human society and culture, no different and just as necessary than the ecological sharing that occurs throughout the rest of Nature.

Of course, herein I am sharing my own views and experiences regarding cannabis. And while I see my position and general optimism is clearly supported in various persons, circles and cultures throughout time---from formal cannabis researchers and proponents, to patients and casual users, ancient shamans and dedicated Rastafarians---I am still mostly speaking from my own point of view. In other words, heads-up. Solid as I think this work is, I may be astray in certain frontiers, unknown as they are.
As passionate and hopeful as I may be about the benefits of cannabis, I do not necessarily consider it an end-all-be-all or panacea, though it seems the closest thing to one we've yet found.  Nor do I consider marijuana by itself to be the primary agent of healing and health. That power and responsibility ultimately lies in the individual. So again, heads-up.

The potential benefit of marijuana depends on relationship. And, as in any relationship, cannabis will only help you to the extent of your participation in the relationship. Fortunately, as least in my experience, once the intelligence of cannabis is felt, one cannot help but mindfully participate with the plant. How unlike the pills we are used to dealing with, where, once popped, the pill alone is expected to work. In my 15 years of pharmacy I've found this to be one of the great appeals, and downfalls, of synthetic medicine. It cultivates the attitude that says, "Just give me a pill to make it better." While I see how this works to a certain extent, when this approach substitutes for decent exercise and diet, positive outlook and lifestyle, and ultimately good relationship with one's self and environment, any real success is typically short-lived. So heads-up all the way, ok.

Which brings me to what I consider one of the most important questions in this book: When it comes to healing, health and fitness---for ourselves and societies, our institutions and cultures, and finally our planet and life itself...What exactly is success?

And with that in mind, let's get going!
Marijuana, The Forbidden Medicine
Lester Grinspoon, M.D. and James B. Bakalar
Recommended Reading
If you think marijuana is just the pet medicine of  a few fringe doctors and lunatic patients, think again. Dr. Grinspoon is Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and was senior psychiatrist at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center for 40 years and founding editor of the  Annual Review of Psychiatry and the Harvard Mental Health Letter. So how did a man of such standing, and in fact the first American physician to prescribe lithium for bipolar disorder, come to be a medical marijuana supporter? I'll leave the full story---a touching mix of research and personal experience---for you to find out. But I will hint that Dr. Grinspoon "converted" back in the late sixties upon his initial studies to expose marijuana dangers. Like many physicians heading the La Guardia Committe 30 years previously, Grinspoon too found these dangers to be either greatly exaggerated or completely unfounded. This realization led to his 1971 book Marijuana Reconsidered and he's been a solid advocate ever since. Marijuana, The Forbidden Medicine contains mostly patient stories and accounts both for conditions where marijuana has common use---such as chemotherapy, multiple sclerosis and chronic pain---and conditions where its success is spreading or holds promise, including asthma, Crohn's disease, ADHD, violence, PTSD, terminal illness, etc. The book also presents a concise history of cannabis, a chapter on risk and an important discussion In Defense of Anecdotal Evidence, highly recommended reading for that investigator/practitioner who might place inordinate reliance on the double-blind clinical study.