More WTF?
Last weekend, I questioned the Tribune’s discretion in running an approving story about medical marijuana, complete with a front page photo of two young women smoking a bowl in the park next to the Civic Center. (The hard copy included another photo of a gentleman smoking a bowl on the steps of the Civic Center.)
I pointed out the irony in the story given that it is illegal in Great Falls to smoke tobacco, a generally legal substance, closer than 20 feet to the entrance of a public place, but that it is apparently fine to smoke weed there.
It turns out that it is even worse. The Medical Marijuana Act prohibits pot smoking, even for medical reasons, in a “public park.” Nowhere did the Tribune point out that two women were violating the law by smoking pot in a public park and, ironically, noted in the caption that they were in Great Falls for a clinic where participants “learned about laws governing medical marijuana.”
(H/T: Firefly)
The whole incident is shameful on so many levels.
My 17 year old daughter asked me, “Why is smoking pot illegal and unhealthy when you are not sick but somehow is 100% legal and completely healthy when you are ill?” The Tribune (and voters of Montana who approved medical legal use of pot) should try to find a logical answers to very simple questions.
All I can say is, oh the irony.
anonymous:
Your daughter asks a very good question. One that doesn’t have an easy answer.
There are some studies (link here and here) that make the claim that a single joint is equivalent to smoking 20 cigarettes. This study has been disputed for several reasons, the main one being sample size. The study looked at 79 patients, with only a subset being marijuana smokers. Other studies (link here, here, and here) suggest not only that there may be no connection between marijuana smoking and cancer, but even that smoking marijuana may actually reduce tumor growth. Regardless, tobacco cigarettes are legal in the United States, so health concerns are obviously not the reason that marijuana is illegal. Even if that were the case, there are other methods of delivering THC into the body that are not as harmful as smoking. Vaporizers and water pipes are two examples.
The drug itself does cause the individual to become “impaired”, but the level of impairment for marijuana smokers seems to be less than that of an individual who has imbibed alcohol. Further, there doesn’t seem to be a known limit of marijuana intake that would cause a result like alcohol poisoning.
When compared to legal “drugs” like tobacco and alcohol, marijuana seems to be the lesser of the three evils. That begs the question why are alcohol and tobacco legal while marijuana is not? If there’s a good answer out there, I don’t know it.
Just to answer the accusation before it’s made, I don’t smoke either pot or cigarettes. I have been known to have a beer now and again (but not today).
“Why is smoking pot illegal and unhealthy when you are not sick but somehow is 100% legal and completely healthy when you are ill?”
Because some illnesses can bring on pain and nausea. Smoking marijuana has been shown to help with these problems in some studies. Some will argue against that. Fair enough. Don’t use it if you feel that way. I know a terminal cancer patient who swears by it for nausea. He can eat more and has even regained some lost weight. He’s terminal. What is it to others if he feels helped by it?
Smoking it in a park or public place is stupid as well as illegal.
Rocky Smith said: “Smoking it [pot] in a park or public place is stupid as well as illegal.”
And getting the cooperation of people smoking pot in a public place, so as to take pictures of them for business purposes, and then running those pictures prominently in a community newspaper is ….??? Really bad news judgment.
I didn’t know much about this medical marijuana law, but after reading the Tribune article, I am left questioning how it is being carried out in Montana.
Frankly, I’m glad the Tribune covered the event as it happened and didn’t try to misrepresent it by having the participants put on lab coats or by not running photos. I can handle the truth. My kids can handle the truth.
The Tribune exposed the “clinic” for what it is.
As for the participants breaking the law, the Tribune provided the evidence. Let the law enforcement officials do their job.
It would have been fun to grab a 6-pack of beer and join the guy on the civic center steps. Any bets on who would have been arrested first?
Anyone else here see the contradiction of people who supposedly cherish freedom wanting their fellow citizens locked up for using a mostly harmless drug?
And Mihalis, the why is a little hard to grasp, but it has to do with keeping minorities in check. Police can arbitrarily enforce drug laws, and do – white people are seldom troubled by cops on their doorstep. But if you are black or Hispanic, or if you just live in a poor part of town, you learn to be very careful. Cops are on the lookout.
Far too many of our inmate population, the highest per capita in the world, are minority and are there due to minor drug offenses.
Mark, this piece really isn’t about whether marijuana should be legal; it isn’t.
Can’t you see anything other than through your oppressive, white, male, patriarch jaundice?
The “piece” isn’t, but the question was asked, ““Why is smoking pot illegal and unhealthy when you are not sick but somehow is 100% legal and completely healthy when you are ill?” I imagine that the original intent was to portray medical marijuana in a negative light, but it really does beg the question, why is pot illegal at all? So far, Mark has the best answer.
Can’t you see anything other than through your oppressive, white, male, patriarch jaundice?
You need to travel, as Mark Twain might remind you. I know a lot of stuff, see a whole lot more than you credit me for. For instance, I see right through Natelson and> Harry Reid and Max Baucus. How many others can you say that about?
And, I know some big words, and use them occasionally, like unambiguous, pusillanimous, umbrella, and piss-antsy.
Oops – you’d better close that italics for me – it might affect everything below.
Guess not.
I was at this event at the Civic Center and it wasn’t brought to my attention that they were smoking outside until the very next day when I read the newspaper. I did feel after attending the next event at the Family Living Center, at the fairgrounds, that a lot of legalities were finally answered correctly. I wish I had better representation at the first one so I could of chosen my caretaker better!
All I knew was that I needed one before I could get my card..which may not have been right either. But I have been told that it is difficult to change caregivers once one is chosen. That is a disappointment as i do want a caretaker that is concerned with my health issues and not one that just wants a lot of extra pot around! When my caretaker came over he brought a friend and for whatever reason the young lad passed out in my livingroom. This isn’t a goodthing!
I am a medical mj. patient and cannot begin to tell you how much relief this medicine brings me. The people who were smoking illegally are not representative of those who truly need marijuana. Most of the folks I know are suffering from serious disease and are not out walking around parks smoking weed
As for the person with a bad caregiver, you can change caregiver at anytime and as many times as needed at no added cost.
I – too – am a medical marijuana patient.
After reading this thread I had to comment as I was horrified by the way the coverage was provided on this story.
First – if the photos were “staged” – or set up to get a good pic of them smoking grass and nobody else around there saw them – then the Trib is incorrectly portraying them as flaunting their use, and portraying the medical marijuana community in a negative light.
Second – Again – if the photos were “staged” to get them on the civic center steps or in the park for the purposes of the photo opportunity – they baited them into breaking the law.
HOWEVER – Mr Christ – claiming the position he has with Montana Caregivers – should at no time EVER break the laws and he should be completely and fully informed and AWARE AT ALL TIMES before participating in any event like this. Especially in an “educator” capacity!
This was not a good day for the medical marijuana community – and it’s too bad it had to be this way. It could have been so much better – and positive. How about some patient stories – struggles – WHY do they even have the clinics in the first place? Talk about the medical community and “conventional” doctors refusal to support.
I did not attend a “clinic” to gain my certification – and I did not get certification from my family physician of 20+ years. I took my medical records to another physician over 100 miles from where I live – and I had to wait 4 months for my appointment!
I don’t want to lose my privledge to have my medication because of some foolish reporter who had to get the “good shot” or some fool running “clinics” with disregard to the law.
I DO NOT behave that way – and I hate being portrayed as such. Many others of us do not behave in that manner either.