Why Cannabis Fitness?
The earth seems to rest in silent meditation; and the waters and the mountains and the sky and the heavens seem all to be in meditation. Whenever a man attains greatness on this earth, he has his reward according to his meditation.Chandogya UpanishadGrowing Numbers
According to the Colorado Medical Marijuana Registry, as of July 31, 2009 there were 11,094 registered medical marijuana cardholders in the state of Colorado. By August 31, 2009 that number had grown to 14 ,377. Another month later and the number had grown to 17,356. Clearly there's a demand for medical marijuana and it's growing fast. Why?Conditions listed by the registry include cachexia, cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, muscle spasms, seizures, severe pain and severe nausea. But those are only the conditions officially sanctioned by the state. A quick search of the literature shows that medical marijuana may be beneficial for just about everything: from mental conditions like autism and posttraumatic stress to various cancers and nervous system disorders, muscular-skeletal conditions, digestive problems, autoimmune diseases, tissue injury...the list goes on and on... cannabis has even shown strong antimicrobial action.As the medical benefit of cannabis continues to prove itself and more people recognize and acknowledge its worth, demand will only increase.Professional Duty
In the practice of medicine, and pharmacy in particular, it would be absurd and unheard of to dispense medication to a patient without providing instructions on how to take the medicine and what to expect of the drug in terms of results and side effects. Yet clearly this is what is happening with medical marijuana, at least where the profession of pharmacy is concerned.True, all in all, cannabis is an easy substance to use. It's mostly self-regulating in that many users, as they gain experience, find what works best for them in terms of dosage, frequency of usage, preferred plant strains, delivery methods, etc. In fact, as a rule of thumb, the unique and immediate interaction of cannabis with the human body usually, if not automatically, tells people when they've had enough (how unlike alcohol). And unlike most other medicines on the market, cannabis allows patients to learn as they go, to adjust and accommodate dosage and usage based on personal needs and preference. In addition, cannabis is one of the safest substances known. For all practical purposes it has no toxic dose. So even if a person does have too much, falling asleep is likely the worst that will happen. With cannabis---again, unlike alcohol and most other drugs---liver toxicity or any other kind of acute poisoning simply does not happen. And any hangover is infinitely gentler.Finally, in terms of what to expect from various plant strains and drug delivery devices, responsible dispensaries are much more qualified to educate patients than today's pharmacists. And where concerns do arise with medical marijuana---such as disturbing trips, paranoia and potential abuse/addiction---a little education, sound advice and even system reform goes a long way.A System Reforming
Though crisis might be a better word, I think it's at least fair to say the U.S. healthcare system is in a major state of transition. And it's feeling the growing pains.Perhaps the biggest pain stems from political-economic conflict, whereby current major stakeholders in the game---insurance companies, drug manufacturers, big medical special interest and advocate groups---are fighting to maintain their (disproportionate?) share of the pie, protect their (overstuffed?) pocketbooks and preserve their (misconstrued) self-importance, the details of which will be left to other sources and books. Another factor in this healthcare transition involves the increasing presence, acceptance and integration of so-called alternative forms of medicine including: chiropractic, acupuncture, herbal therapy, homeopathy, therapeutic massage, craniosacral therapy, reiki and other forms of subtle energy work. Continued acceptance and integration of these alternative therapies within the current establishment and traditional medical community is one of healthcare reform's biggest imperatives and challenges, both medically and economically. This is no less true for medical marijuana therapy, whereby its increased presence and demand necessitates acceptance and integration within both the conventional and alternative medical communities as well as society at large.Dissolving Barriers
What are the barriers to acceptance of medical marijuana? For about 80 years now, since the days of Reefer Madness and the U.S. government's early attempts to eradicate its use and trade, cannabis has gotten a bad rap. Thus ignorance, prejudice and bias stemming from decades of misinformation imply the biggest barrier to acceptance is in the mindset of the populace.Yet just decades before this singular and misguided drug war, it would not have been unusual to find cannabis tincture on the pharmacist's shelf. In fact, marijuana has been used for medicine, as well as a number of other purposes from fiber to fuel, for thousands of years. (see reading recommendation below)Yet other barriers exist. A few folks have been turned-off by negative experiences with cannabis---bad trips involving anxiety attacks or paranoia, awkward or overwhelming social situations and combinations with other drugs or health conditions. Poor relations and associations between users and nonusers---arising from a variety of social, political and psychological factors---create additional barriers. Again, more accurate information, better education and further experience with medical marijuana will discredit old misconceptions and minimize negative experiences. This will further dissolve barriers and build better understanding, not just between users and nonusers, but among all disparate groups in the human community. In this way we will see better health both within and between individuals. Universal-Humanistic Obligations
The need to dispel harmful myth and express beneficial truth...the obligation to teach our children...heartfelt compassion...the desire to alleviate suffering in disease and death...the drive to optimize health, to restore balance for all beings on this planet and the Earth itself. These reasons and many others have seeded and watered the creation and mission of Cannabis Fitness. The Great Book of Hemp, The Complete Guide to the Environmental, Commercial, and Medicinal Uses of the World's Most Extraordinary Plant
Rowan Robinson
Recommended Reading
That's a big title to live up to, but rest assured Mr. Robinson delivers the goods on this one, as it's a veritable "everything you always wanted to know about cannabis but were afraid to ask" quality tome. What do want to know? How about all the industrial and commercial uses of hemp in the distant past and clear present, as well as its vast potential for the future...fuel to fiber, building materials and paper products...and on and on. Yes it's true folks, we can save all the world's forests with this plant and in the same stroke get farmers busy with a ready cash crop. In a clear and thoughtful style Rowan explains the hows and whys as well as the ins and outs of this "buffalo plant." What else do you want to know? Here you can learn about traditional use of cannabis as both medicine and spiritual sacrament. You'll also get a thorough history of how hemp was suppressed, demonized and finally criminalized by the U.S. government (except for a brief reprieve during it's World War II Hemp for Victory campaign). Rowan brings to light a number of supporters here, including well-known advocate Willy Nelson, the late great evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould, and even famous conservatives William F. Buckley, Jr. and Milton Friedman who advocate legalization. Packed with info and images, as well as two appendices with a slew of hemp resource and marketplace contacts, this book gives a full and promising picture of hemp economy. Save the forests, save the farmer...Rowan has also written a small handbook The Hemp Manifesto, 101 Ways That Hemp Can Save Our World. Indeed, consider hemp and save our world!
