Marijuana vs. Morphine

My home state of New Jersey has signed into law a bill that allows the use of marijuana for medical purposes. My question is this – why has it taken so long? The answer is that there are too many people who are unable to open their minds and realize that things may not be as black and white as they were led to believe. Let’s put things in perspective.

How many times have you seen a prescription drug advertisement on TV or read one in the newspaper or magazine. These ads are filled with disclaimers and warnings about possible side effects. After reading such an ad, one might start to wonder why the drug is on the market in the first place. It is on the market because the benefits outweigh the risks when the drug is properly prescribed (or because a drug company influenced the FDA, but that’s a discussion for another day.)

Yet some people stigmatize medical marijuana while being comfortable with morphine, oxycontin, alcohol, tobacco, and over-the-counter cold medications that can make you unfit to drive a motor vehicle. What causes more damage to individuals and society – cigarettes and alcohol that are addictive, proven killers, and can be bought without a prescription or tightly controlled medical marijuana?

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