I agree with legalising medical cannabis oil that can only be prescribed by a doctor.
Unfortunately, just letting anyone decide to grow their own, and throw it into their casseroles or cookies as they please, would not work.

It would be too hard to work out the correct dosage from plants needed to assist in their particular ailment, especially the elderly.
Marihuana is a drug, and it can interact with any other medications the elderly and the sick may already be taking, unless monitored by the GP.

If the elderly were all out there 'growing their own' and flinging it about for their own indiscriminate use, then the rate of falls and other accidents in their homes and in cars etc would sky-rocket!

I have never heard of anything so stupid !

Dear Suse,

Thank You for your comments.

You've also raised some very valid points.
And being a nurse you'd know more about the
effects of drugs on people. As I stated
previously, I don't know that much about the
side effects of cannabis but it does make sense
that this drug like others should be regulated.

Hi Foxy, yes I imagine if this was a simple issue it would have been legalised years ago.
I too am concerned re the mental health problems that occur as a result of overuse of cannabis amongst the young and not so young people.

I have no doubt that use of cannabis can lead to use of more serious illicit drugs for those looking for that extra 'high'.
Cannabis may be 'natural', but then again so are deadly toadstools!

Dear Suseonline,

I am wondering how you see marijuana/drug interactions being any different from let's say codeine/alcohol interactions?
http://www.alcoholic.org/research/what-are-the-effects-of-mixing-codeine-and-alcohol/

If both codeine and cannabis have proven medical benefits then why should their potential misuse preclude others from those undisputed benefits?

I'm not saying you are right or wrong just interested in your rationale.

Dear foxy,

I am just wondering if you think your family member may have had a propensity for self-medication for what ever reason, and had it not been cannabis might a different drug have served that purpose with similar tragic results?

Dear Suse,

I have family members who started out on pot
and ended up with stronger drugs. They are
paying the price for it today.

Dear SteeleRedux,

I don't think it was a matter of "self-medication,"
I think it was a lifestyle choice. I'm talking about
my older brother here and his wife. They both live
in Byron-Bay and had been pot smokers for decades.
Then they went onto other drugs - and he's had
a triple-by-pass, and today she's got Hep.C - for which
she is undergoing treatment. She shared needles in her
youth. I love them both dearly - but at least they've
now stopped with the drugs. Although the irony is -
they're on prescribed drugs instead.

@Suseonline, Friday, 10 October 2014 1:08:46 AM

With your attitudes to older people you represent the traditional, dinosaur negative stereotyping of the mature adulthood stages of life. According to the uninformed authoritarian, paternalistic mentality people like you, men and women are incompetent to manage themselves after the middle age that is from 35-50 years.

With present day life expectations that leave a hell of a long time and (according to your negative stereotyping!) decades of learned incompetence and dependence (and finally giving up in despair!) for mature folk at the hands of their relatives, carers, the traditional medical establishment and government bureaucracy.

It must seem to so impossible to you that this women exists or that MOST men and women and definitely not the rare exception are very capable of making their own decisions, especially their health choices, up to death. Here, read this, because this worthy woman could today rise above all others to win a Nobel Peace Prize, today too, keep up with the news,

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2014/s4104088.htm

Yeah, I know, if she wins the prize you will be declaring,

"I have never heard of anything so stupid!"
[Suseonline, Friday, 10 October 2014 1:08:46 AM]