The group Legalize Utah sent Utah Congressman Jim Matheson a request for his personal opinion regarding medical marijuana and the sheer ignorance of many Utah lawmakers is demonstrated in this response. Congressman Matheson had this to say regarding medical marijuana in Utah:
"Thank you for sharing your concerns regarding the legalization of marijuana. I appreciate your interest in the issues facing our country and state, and I am glad for the opportunity to respond to your inquiry. By contacting me on issues important to you, I am better able to represent Utah in Congress".
"I do not support the legalization of marijuana, which is the most frequently used illegal drug in the U.S. Although the rates of marijuana smoking in adults have remained stable since the 1990s, recent government studies show the rates of addiction to marijuana have increased significantly over this period of time. Studies supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found 11 percent of eighth graders, 24 percent of 10th graders and 33 percent of 12th graders reported using marijuana in the past year. This is very concerning to me".
"Even at lower doses marijuana use can result in a distorted sense of time, paranoia, short-term memory loss, and anxiety and depression. Although some proponents of marijuana use claim that it is not addictive, experts say that marijuana is both psychologically and physically addictive. Individuals who regularly abuse marijuana may experience the same problems as tobacco smokers including cough, phlegm, chronic bronchitis, and frequent chest colds, and usage also increases risk of cancer of the head, neck, lungs, and respiratory tract."
Congressman Matheson apparently failed to read the initial message as it was regarding "MEDICAL MARIJUANA", not just legalizing marijuana. Many medical marijuana patients chose to ingest their own choice of herbal medicine by either eating or drinking it. It would not be wise to try to smoke a joint if a patient required oxygen.
Many severely, chronically ill patients chose to utilize the natural Tetrahydrocannabinol in cannabis to treat their symptoms rather than taking synthetic, man-made pills which actually can cause paranoia, hallucinations, delusions or death.
There has never been a documented death from an overdose of medical marijuana, but the abuse and deaths from prescription pills continues to rise, especially in younger people, even in Utah.
By assuming that all medical marijuana patients are stereotypical "stoners", sitting around, smoking joints and wasting away, he is not only adding negative images to severely ill patients, he is ignoring the views and needs of the people who voted him in to office. Perhaps the time has come to vote him out.
If you enjoyed this article and would like to read others like it, simply click the "subcribe" button above
Comments
To Our Representative Mattheson a dying grand mother who uses cannabis to ease pain should be locked away. She is dangerous and could get a sore throat.
This is obviously the extreme, she probably ate cookies so as to not get the sore throat, but she is still dangerous, keep the grandkids away until shes on something safe like methodone or fentanyl.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!