Give Daniel Feedback!!!

We were unable to do Daniel's workshop because we ran out of time. He was really hoping for some feedback. Will gave him some . . . anyone else equal to the task? Interesting paper. Take a look: Daniel Ceballos Professor Bolaski English 100 23 July 2012 It’s More Than Just Medicine: Pass it on Ever since 1996 when California and other states succeeded in making cannabis legal for medical purposes, we have seen this never ending debate that gets old and repetitive. The conversation seems to center only about the medical and recreational use, but not anything else. How many times have we heard that cannabis eases pain better than addictive FDA approved crap? Or that its safer than tobacco, alcohol, aspirin, caffeine, or even sugar? Recent polls indicate that 74% of Americans support the use of cannabis for medical purposes (Mason-Dixon). However, the urgency to fully liberate this plant to reap all of its revolutionary benefits falls short. This is due to the lack of education and awareness among critics and even self-proclaimed ‘stoners’ as to how much a single plant can affect our society in the areas of health, environment, politics, economy, and even religion. The use of cannabis to relieve symptoms like pain, nausea, and lack of appetite associated with going through cancer is common knowledge and something that is reported on and talked about a great deal. But what about using the cannabis plant to cure the actual cancer? Ask Rick Simpson, a man who claims to have found the cure for cancer using a concentrated hemp-oil extract that is orally ingested in a 3-6 month treatment to eliminate or shrink cancerous tumors, the documentary called Run From the Cure: A Rick Simpson Story goes into great detail. A plant that yields cancer medicine and can be easily grown in your backyard really puts a damper on the huge cancer fighting industry where more people are making a living off of cancer than people dying from it. Studies to back up these, perhaps outrageous claims, have been virtually impossible in the United States due to the fact that cannabis is still listed as a Schedule 1 controlled substance with no medical value according to the federal government. In 1974 The National Institute of Health funded a study at the Medical College of Virginia in expectation to find evidence that marijuana damages the immune system, but to their shocking disbelief, found that THC shrunk tumors and slowed the growth of three types of cancer in laboratory mice -- lung, breast, and a virus-induced leukemia. Studies after that were coincidentally discontinued in the United States and it wasn’t until 26 years later when a study out of Madrid replicated results that THC shrinks and kills cancer tumors. This Madrid study was ignored by all major newspapers in the U.S. and only reported once on the Associated Press news wire. It seems that new research about cannabis isn’t something that the American media or government want the public to be aware of. It is actually pretty sad that still to this day people still believe so much disinformation like the old myth that cannabis kills brain cells, when in fact research has never shown that it does, and some studies point to the exact opposite -- that it grows them (Saskatchewan). Another use that rarely, if ever, enters public debate when discussing the legality of cannabis is the fact that it is the single most nutritious and complete source of food on the face of the earth. Despite the fact that it is illegal to grow in the United States and most of the world the hemp seed contains every single vitamin and mineral needed by the human body. It has all of the essential amino acids, and it is the best plant-based source for complete protein in a form that is easy to digest. The ratio of omega 3 and omega 6 is ideal for human nutrition and no other seed compares to the hemp seed, not even flax. Even vegetarians are mostly unaware that the hemp seed easily replaces meat in terms of protein. It contains high amounts of fiber, high amounts of fatty acids, and vitamin E. Basically there is nothing more nutritious in the world, yet places like Africa and other third world countries where people are starving, aren’t allowed to grow this crop that easily grows on every continent even through droughts. Every child’s dream and desire to “end world hunger” could easily be achieved with the cannabis plant. But because people are so uninformed and unaware, there isn’t enough being done to make this happen. Critics of medical marijuana or just cannabis in general tend to bring up children and young people as an excuse not to explore the benefits of the plant as if they care about their well being. Whether it’s for recreational or medical use the ultimate fear is that kids will end up toking the reefer. A lot of concern coming from uninformed teachers and parents yet you don't ever hear campaigns against the drugs that are systematically prescribed to children when they get diagnosed with ADD/ADHD or depression. Even for kids, a cannabis cookie or toast with cannabutter is much better alternative to treating those conditions than those highly addictive, destructive pills that resemble legal crystal meth. Here is a list of drugs that can be prescribed by any doctor that have horrible side effects, and are more dangerous than cannabis: ritalin, adderall, morphine, oxycontin, ambien, vicodin, methadone, percocet, valium, xanax, and many more. It's ironic that cannabis smokers get labeled as ‘lazy people’ but what do you call adults that have lived long lives yet they are still clueless about the most beneficial plant known to humanity? Critics and mainstream health practitioners are usually against the smoked method of medicating because of the supposed risks to the lungs that come with the inhalation of cannabis smoke. This is strange because inhalable methods of medication are used to treat asthma and a form of inhalable insulin is being created for diabetes patients. Although its true, cannabis can be smoked through a water pipe, eaten or even vaporized to minimize the amounts of smoke; it's worth taking note that since 1997 there have been numerous studies that show no direct link between cannabis use and cancer “Smoking cannabis, even long-term, is not positively associated with increased incidence of lung-cancer” (University of San Diego, 2006). One of the most outspoken and prominent advocate for hemp was the late Jack Herer, the most authoritative record of cannabis history and conspiracy was his book The Emperor Wears No Clothes in which he claims “Marijuana smoke effectively dilates the airways of the lungs, the bronchi, opening them to allow more oxygen into the lungs. It is also the best natural dilator of the tiny airways of the lungs, the bronchial tubes—making cannabis the best overall bronchial dilator for 80% of the population (the remaining 20% sometimes show minor negative reactions).” So if smoking is so terrible one has to wonder why so many people claim to have cured their asthma by simply smoking cannabis. It is shocking that any type of smoke can achieve that. It seems that since the 1920’s a world wide conspiracy has been put into effect to rid the cannabis plant out of our society and culture in order to make way for an oil-based economy where synthetic man made products are preferred. Everything that oil can do, the cannabis plant can do better. It seems that the difference is how many people would enrich themselves in a hemp-based economy (anyone that can farm hemp) compared to the very few that have an oil field and the means to slurp it out of the ground. Perhaps classism in America would be dramatically different and the gap between rich and poor a lot smaller. So what about pollution and this “green revolution” we always hear about? Can it even happen without hemp? Many think global warming is a hoax because it's still debatable whether human beings are directly causing it. Regardless, our cities grow every year, more cars pollute the air, and plastic continues to be the biggest source of pollution. In fact there is plastic island out in the Pacific that is 7 times bigger than Texas that eventually gets eaten by plankton and therefore recycled back into our food supply -- we eat our own trash. Cities are starting to ban grocery bags but is that the real solution? Plastic made from hemp is biodegradable and ideal for grocery bags, water bottles, etc. The first car made by Henry Ford was, “grown from the soil”, completely made out of hemp and intended to run on it aswell. The benefits of using hemp for fuel are tremendous, for one it’s renewable, shortages would be non existent. It can be obtained domestically without having to invade every oil-rich country out there. When medical marijuana and the economy enter the conversation tax revenues from medical clinics to cover shortfalls in budgets are usually talked about a great deal. But if the cannabis plant was completely liberated for all uses, could big pharma and big oil really survive? The top industries in America that produce synthetic goods could see a ‘grass roots’ competitor to their corporate ways. Would certain companies adapt? Could we eventually, instead of Wal-Mart, see a Hemp-Mart where everything is made out of American hemp not imported junk from China? Another way our society would be affected by the complete liberation of the cannabis plant would be religion. For a long time the religious right has and continues to reject the cannabis plant for any purpose and even demonizes it claiming that the government knows best and that the laws of the land are put in place by God (except when it comes to laws that grant gay people any civil rights of course.) Ironically most Christian conservatives that are asking for a smaller government didn’t mind Reagan's War on Drugs or the horrendous consequences that came of it that we are still putting up with up to this day.. The shocking part about this is that it's nearly impossible finding a pastor, priest, or any clergy that supports the use of the cannabis plant for religious use despite the overwhelming evidence that suggests that early Christianity was centered around a holy oil that according to the book of Exodus 30:20-23 contains large amounts of cannabis flowering tops in its recipe. Although mistranslated as ‘calamus’ Sula Benet makes an excellent case in her book Early Diffusions and Folk Uses of Hemp (1967) that the word kaneh-bosm actually refers to cannabis and was widely used in early Jewish rites. In an article written by Chris Bennett titled “Christians & Pot: A High Holy History” He states, “Although largely regarded as a recent phenomenon, our current controversy over the use of cannabis had its counterpart in the formative years of the Christian religion, when the ancient sect that would later become the all-powerful Roman Catholic Church was challenged by other Christian groups, now collectively known as the Gnostics. As we can see through their rediscovered texts, the Gnostics believed that much of their own spiritual experience came through the use of the keneh bosem–enriched holy oil. Additionally, the Gnostics openly criticized the Roman Catholic Church for the ritual of baptism, which they considered a mere placebo with no spiritual effect.” This means that the Jesus Christ of the bible was perhaps using the enlightening and healing properties of the cannabis plant to heal the sick and perform miracles. Bennett continues to elaborate by pointing out that “What we perceive as being "high" or "stoned" the ancients called "possessed by the Spirit of the Lord."” The “born again” mentality originates from the “fire baptism” that is obtained when one is drenched in this anointed oil to become “one with God.” It could be possible that according to the teachings of Christ, in order to become a Christian, one has to perform this lost sacrament. If this were to be accepted as common knowledge, mainstream christianity would have a tough time explaining all these years of undeserved demonization toward the cannabis plant and its advocates. Which is why it's much easier for corporate christians to just ignore such claims although they hold a lot of credible evidence. What is obviously needed in this country and throughout the world is a Cannabis-Hemp Liberation Movement. Based on the idea that education is power, all that has to be done is learn more about this plant and let the evidence fall where it may. Critics are usually concerned and confused with misinformation. Given all the evidence, it would be hard to believe that anyone in their right mind would deny all the benefits the cannabis plant has to offer. No other drug, plant, or medicine comes close to being natures panacea like the cannabis plant does. At this point it takes a vision to imagine a world where the cannabis plant is used to its full potential. It is our duty to demand changes to legislation to allow more research. Spread awareness about what we know now in a methodical way to bring about a beneficial change to a needed society quickly and urgently.