o sung wu,

As you know, Cannabis is highly profitable for organised crime. The very last thing thing organised crime wants is lawful competition, or better still, decriminalisation of horticulture of a small quantity of plants and a small quantity of product. That would knock gangs rotten.

RawMustard,

I know someone with the condition and some others who suspect it.

The sad news for you and other sufferers is that as long as Cannabis is prohibited, the very effective topical application route (creams) will be denied.

Yet steroids are prescribed!

Foxy,

You do understand as I hope others do, that as usual my concern and priority is for government to apply taxpayers money to priorities and obtain the best value for money expended?

As well, I concerned that laws are evidence-based and not exercises in populism and hypocrisy.

I could go on now about freedom and government staying out of citizens' private lives, however any who are familiar with my posting record would already recognise the common themes.

So if you think I am being an advocate for Cannabis I am not. What I am saying is obvious, that government is astride the wrong horse on this one insofar as the elderly are concerned. The restriction does not stand up to scrutiny, money is being wasted, the profitable businesses of organised crime gangs is being protected and more people, especially youth are coming into contact with hardened criminals.

'They', as in the political parties would already know that, so exactly what (or who) is preventing change? Before answering please remember that marijuana is worth hundreds of millions pa to criminal gangs and the corruption can be expected to permeate through all levels of society.

o sung wu, onthebeach, what you need is adrenalin, rather than pot.

I have direct experience of it's effectiveness, although I don't have experience of the effect of pot to compare.

I once had a sudden tooth ache so bad I could not think straight. It came on one Thursday night, before a race meeting. I had to get one of the crew drive the tow car to the circuit on Friday for practice, as I did not feel able to concentrate well enough to be safe.

About half an hour before my first practice session I suddenly realised all pain had disappeared, although I had taken no medication. The rest of Friday, Saturday & Sunday I was pain free. It was only on the drive home it hit me again.

I had a similar experience with really bad Diarrhea, which disappeared for the full weekend of a local race meeting, only to come roaring back Sunday night.

When it occurs naturally like this steroids appear to do no harm, & give great relief. Go find something that scares the hell out of you, & fix your pain.

I can control the pain of polymyalgia sciatica with the steroid prednisone quite well. I have learnt how to stop it quickly & minimize the amount of the stuff I have to use. Without it I could not function, but I can see by the way I bruise, & by bone scans the harm it is doing me.

Pity they don't have daily races for clapped out old racers, to get their dose of adrenalin naturally

o sung wu, there's nothing wrong with the good old weed. The problem is too many people are afraid of it because it's been demonised for ever by those that want it just where it is.

Sheesh, look at those in pubic life that smoke the stuff, Bath House Barry, Clinton, Bush .. Crikey, Keith Richards("Rolling Stones" hehe!) smoked it every day for decades and on a recent interview he did here in oz for one of the networks, he was quite sane and in full capacity of his mind; what age is he pushing now? Into his 70's for sure!

The argument around weed is riddled with hypocrisy, most that condemn it have never ever tried it and rely on study after study made by people with vested interests in keeping it right where it is!

And the cops, don't even get me started on them, policy enforcers, that's all they are. I know several that will bust you for it and they damn well smoke it themselves, hypocrites.

The argument around weed is enough to show you how totally fked up humans are on this planet, totally insane, perhaps more should use it!

PS: Alcohol is a much bigger problem for society and we can make, buy, and consume as much as we want! I've never seen a violent dope smoker, have you?

Oh and you don't have to get stoned off your head for it to relieve pain. I've been using it for about 6 years now just a small amount just before bed, let's me sleep in peace which aids my condition greatly and lets me work a full day. I haven't noticed needing more and more and I'm certainly not hooked on the stuff. I can stop it any time I want. Unlike tobacco, another legal drug which is now heading the same way as dope in the criminal department because of do gooder brainless parasites.

Hi there HASBEEN...

HASBEEN you stated in your most recent thread '...go find something that really scares the hell out of you, and fix your pain...'. What you're actually referring to, is the naturally occurring 'adrenalin' when our bodies demand a real 'adrenalin dump' in order for us to respond to an immediate threat, or some instantaneous emergency ?

I must admit it sounds logical, but short of playing 'chicken' with a goods train or similar, it's a bit difficult to arrange a severe shock on demand ? I've heard, some years ago Doctor's would inject adrenalin into children who were suffering a severe Asthma attack ? Apparently it would almost stop the attack immediately, but with some inherent risks I understand, like an increased heartbeat etc., which sounds about right ?

I do recall during my military days, a threat on one's life, causes almost a 'tunnel vision' effect, to the exclusion of everything else, particularly when there's a bit of ordnance flying about ? And there was a complete absence of fear...totally ! Shortly thereafter, shock sets in, and a dash for a clean set of 'jocks' was the first order of the day !

You reckon you're 'burnt out' as a race driver ? You mightn't have the lightening reflexes, or the physical endurance you had, back in your youth ? You'd still have your race cunning and strategy, as good as ever mate, so don't sell yourself short OK !

G'day ONTHEBEACH...

I fully appreciate your point concerning people growing a small amount of Cannabis for their personal own use. And the possibility of that alone, causing crime gangs from profiting from large scale cultivation of the drug. The only problem is, there's always some knucklehead who wants to take it just a step too far, and add a few more bucks to his current unemployment benefits. Enter the local 'heavy', who makes his usual demands, and the rest is easy ?

Hi there RAWMUSTARD...

It's true Cannabis has been demonised by everyone who claim they have specialist knowledge of the drug. Many supporting it's use, and just as many others who seek to continue it's ban ! Where the real truth lies, who'd know really ?

I also agree with you in terms of the number of very famous people who regularly use it. And some even publically admitting to it also. As far as the coppers are concerned, they just do their job, for better or for worse. While ever it's a prohibited substance, the coppers must pounce whenever the drugs are found. As far as coppers confiscating Cannabis (or any drug) from some poor hapless dude, and then appropriating that drug for their own use, well I realise it could happen, but I'd suggest it would be quite a rare event, as the criminal implications would be enormous my friend. Still there's no accounting for the behaviour of some, coppers included.

Your comments apropos alcohol and tobacco are spot on ! While tobacco use is dangerous for one's health, otherwise it only affects the user, and manifestly increases the health Bill, dramatically ! While alcohol is a much more dangerous drug, more dangerous than Cannabis in all it's forms. The only time it was banned in recent times, was in the US back in the twenties, and that proved a dismal failure !

RAWMUSTARD, much of what you say I'd agree with you absolutely. The only way change may be effected is 'standing over' these spineless, out of date, politicians. Until then, we're stuffed unfortunately.

o sung wu, "Enter the local 'heavy', who makes his usual demands, and the rest is easy?"

The federal government and its immigration bureaucrats are adept at importing organised crime and the populations who accept it as their political and social reality/custom. If you were to pick one thing that the federal government does well (sadly so!) it is importing whole families of crime overlords - the whole shebang, the full spectrum of criminal gang diversity. Now the fearful Russian mafia is making its presence felt.

Just to say the obvious. That similar to what is happening in the US and other western democracies, the majority is being very rapidly elbowed out by migrants and through that and the fertility of migrants from some countries, Australians will soon be the majority minority.

So what you are saying is destiny: the present ordered, peaceful suburbs are shrinking and we will have to become accustomed to whole cities like Sydney and Melbourne resembling the worst we see in 'Cops' shows on TV.