Medical Cannabis Edibles

I had some misgivings about posting this pic, but what the hell. For full disclosure, I'm a medical marijuana patient, and I legally acquired the brownie in question. Now that's out of the way, on with the show.

The cannabis plant itself is one of the most versatile plants around, let alone its medicinal value and the nutritional value of hemp seeds. There is no difference in species between a cannabis plant grown for medicinal uses and one grown for hemp seeds for food and/or fiber for textiles. The only difference is that so-called hemp plants are bred to have minimal levels of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), one of the main psychoactive compounds present in the plant.

As far as nutritional value, hemp seeds are one of the few seeds to contain all of the essential fatty acids. The plants themselves are high-yield and low-maintenance. Large amounts of pesticides and herbicides are usually not necessary, as the plant is very hardy.

Cannabis plants high in THC are commonly known as marijuana or pot plants. These plants must be carefully monitored for their sex, as only the female plants of this variety are desirable for consumption. However, the plants readily change genders, so careful monitoring of each plant is necessary. This is to prevent the female plants from becoming fertilized, which takes the plant's energy away from THC production and redirects it to reproduction. Because any plant could switch genders from female to male, male plants must be spotted quickly and removed from the area to prevent pollination of the nearby female plants.

To say nothing of medical marijuana's amazing effectiveness on a variety of ailments, the prohibition of this plant is causing more harm than any recreational use ever could have. Tens of thousands of people go to jail every year for simple possession of marijuana. This creates an enormous burden on the already taxed judicial system. Also, police forces are redirected from more violent crimes to other, so-called victimless crimes.

In order to end this wasteful spending and needless loss of freedom, many citizens of California have come together to support the passage of Proposition 19, or the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010. In addition to other provisions, the provision legalizes possession of up to an ounce for personal use . This single change would reduce arrests, trials, and convictions almost overnight. Also reduced would be the significant human cost of the war on drugs, in this case marijuana. All of these reductions in expenditures are essentially for free. The estimated $1.5 billion in tax revenue only serve to illustrate the folly of continued marijuana prohibition. Every public, taxed sale is one less sale supporting violent Mexican drug cartels. Also, buying locally allows for better quality control.

With all of this evidence on the side of legalization, will California become the first state in the Union to legalize and tax marijuana? The polls are showing a slight majority in favor of passage, but anything could happen in November. If you believe in lower prices for patients, more personal freedoms, less structural violence in the judicial system, and increased tax revenues to balance the state budge, the choice is clear. Vote Yes on Prop 19!