Sue Taylor never would have let one of her students slide 20 years ago if she had caught one with marijuana. But the former Catholic school principal has found a new mission with senior citizens: providing them with information and access to cannabis through her California dispensary, Farmacy Berkeley. It opened in the Bay Area in February. Like many of her former colleagues at the top of religious institutions, she once saw marijuana as a plague on her African-American community. "I was just like them until I saw the healing, and I could not turn my back on that, spiritually," Ms. Taylor, 72, says. [continues 1131 words]
An LDS missionary passes by the Salt Lake Temple at Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Voters this fall in Utah will cast ballots on a measure that would allow medical marijuana. (Isaac Hale / For The Times) Brian Stoll faced a dilemma as his wedding day approached. For more than a year, he had been smoking marijuana to treat severe back pain, but to remain in good standing with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and get married in the temple, he had to stop using pot. [continues 1565 words]
REDDING, Calif. - Ryan O'Callaghan, who said he developed an addiction to painkillers that helped him deal with injuries during his NFL career, told USA TODAY Sports he now uses marijuana to treat the pain and that the NFL should change its policy prohibiting players from using the drug. "For people like me, marijuana is a godsend because you don't want to take these pills,'' said O'Callaghan, 33. "Marijuana is not addicting. People who say that have never smoked it. I have an addictive personality. It's not addictive.'' [continues 206 words]
Private Placement Rejigged Over Conflict of Interest Cannabis Wheaton Income Corp.'s chief executive and marijuana industry pioneer Chuck Rifici admits the intricacies of large private placement deals are not his forte. But he trusts the Vancouver-based company's team of legal and banking experts would have flagged any conflict of interest in the controversial $80-million private placement cancelled last Monday amid questions about the personal stakes taken in the deal by some of those very same advisers. "As an entrepreneur, I rely on the professionals around me and this issue was not raised as an issue going into our financing as something that would preclude our deal," he said in an interview. "What was disclosed was vetted by lawyers for both underwriters and Cannabis Wheaton. If (conflict of interest) was the case, I would suspect that our disclosure would have been different." [continues 1178 words]
Dear Editor: In the New Testament, in Matthew 4:4, it states that "man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." Further, it says in 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." In 2 Peter 1:3, "that we have been given all things that pertain unto life and Godliness." God did not intend for man to write his own laws that jeopardized his. He is the one taking care of our welfare, but we allow the elected officials of our government to dream up their big plans to get God out of society and do as they like to perfect his directions for life. [continues 279 words]
Editor: Re: Legalized marijuana not part of God's law On May 15, letter writer D. Simpson should have read the first page of the Bible before ranting about the alleged evils of cannabis. In Genesis 1:69, God said, "Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire Earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed." Nowhere in the Bible did God order people to lay off the weed. In fact, there is much evidence that the anointing oil used by people back in the day was cannabis oil. Jeff Meyers, Westlake Village, California [end]
Editor: In the New Testament, in Matthew 4:4, it states that "man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." Further, it says in 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." In 2 Peter 1:3, "that we have been given all things that pertain unto life and Godliness." God did not intend for man to write his own laws that jeopardized his. He is the one taking care of our welfare, but we allow the elected officials of our government to dream up their big plans to get God out of society and do as they like to perfect his directions for life. [continues 280 words]
There's more to Paul Kelly's observations (Reefer Madness, Dec. 9, 2016). North American's contempt for cannabis (marijuana) prohibition is greater than any time in history. Citizens are no longer waiting on government to end the farce. Prohibitionists have lost their platform and the only thing left is to create regulations, which are acceptable to the increasing majority. People expect to be able to grow cannabis and purchase it in regulated markets. Further, cannabis has never been illegal in the eyes of its creator; powerful people have illegitimately been enabled to punish citizens for using what God indicates He created and says is good on literally the very first page of the Bible. God and cannabis are winners. Stan White Dillon, Colorado [end]
Auntie's founder convinced of weed's medicinal abilities A medical marijuana dispensary operating in Bible Hill is making access easier for people who require it, clients say. The dispensary, called Auntie's Health and Wellness Center, is also beneficial because it offers medicinal cannabis in more forms and wider variety than conventional methods. "I believe people should have direct access to their medication. And they don't," said Auntie's founder Shirley Martineau. She said people who genuinely need marijuana are often forced to acquire it illegally, "and they don't know what they are getting." [continues 381 words]
Medical marijuana users give thumbs up to retail dispensary At one point, following a severe industrial accident in 2005, Craig Upham was taking 28 different medications per day. Five of those were to counter side effects of the prescribed narcotics he was taking. Upham eventually became addicted to oxycontin, which robbed him of his personality, made him hostile and ruined a marriage. "In 2007 they didn't know what to do with me," he said. "The doctors told me I wouldn't be able to walk, I would be in a wheelchair." [continues 396 words]
QUESTION: I admit I probably smoke pot a bit more than I should (it's legal in our state), but now my wife is getting after me because she says I'm addicted to it and turning into the equivalent of an alcoholic. Can harmless drugs like pot really do that to you? - Z.K. ANSWER: No drug is harmless, and experts I have consulted agree that almost any drug can become addictive - including marijuana. When that happens, a person becomes more and more dependent on it, and may find it almost impossible to break away from it on their own. Gradually it ruins their life and destroys their relationships. [continues 208 words]
In the late sixties, I remember Pierre Trudeau walking along the West Coast Trail on the west side of Vancouver Island and he was approached by a group of hippies. They were badgering him about the possibility of legalizing marijuana. And Mr. Trudeau gave a very good reply, probably the smartest thing he ever said. He questioned them by asking them why he should do that. He referred to the fact that one can get a natural high by relishing the pristine beauty of the West Coast Trail. Enough said. Fast forward to 2016 and we have Pierre's son, Justin, advocating the legalization of marijuana. [continues 133 words]
Dear Editor: Another reason to allow sick citizens to use cannabis (marijuana / kaneh bosm) that doesn't get mentioned (letter: Mumbo Jumbo Blocking Medical Marijuana in Iowa, Feb. 29, 2016 Pilot-Tribune) is because it is Biblically correct since God indicates He created all the seed bearing plants saying they are all good on literally the very first page. Many people know of cannabis as the tree of life and the very last page says the leaves of the tree of life are for the healing of the nations. Whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? A sane or moral argument to cage sick citizens for using cannabis doesn't exist. Stan White Dillon, Colo [end]
Members of Colo. Group Say Pot Strengthens Faith CENTENNIAL, Colo. - As snow began to fall outside, Deb Button snuggled up on her couch, fired up a joint and spoke of the nature of Christ. "Even if Jesus didn't smoke weed, he'd still be a stoner," she said, exhaling a white cloud. Her kitten sniffed the air curiously. "Jesus was peaceful and loving. He went from house to house and was always accepted," she explained. "Only a stoner could do that." [continues 984 words]
With the countless problems California citizens face, struggling to use the God-given plant cannabis (marijuana) for medical reasons (Letters. "SLO County Cities Should Not Ban Patients," Dec. 29), it should be obvious that it's time to completely end cannabis prohibition. Ending cannabis prohibition in Colorado eliminated perhaps 90 percent of the controversy California citizens face. Now sick people in Colorado no longer are required to get a doctor's permission to use the plant or the state's permit to use or grow the plant. That is to say, sick citizens no longer pay the state extortion money for protection from the police in order to grow and use what God indicates He created and says is good on literally the first page of the Bible. Legalizing cannabis would also force Pismo Beach police Chief Jake Miller to return to protecting citizens instead of gardening. STAN WHITE, DILLON, COLORADO [end]
Cannabis - Christian Aspects
