BARKSDALE'S LAWS REGARDING MEDICAL MARIJUANA

"The typical medical marijuana user is truly different than the typical marijuana abuser"

1. The majority of medical marijuana users are adults, not adolescents.

2. The majority of medical marijuana users begin marijuana use when they are over 35 years of age, and did not abuse marijuana as adolescents.

3. The majority of medical marijuana users are articulate, have completed high school and many are or have been gainfully employed with advanced university degrees.

4. The majority of medical marijuana users would discontinue regular marijuana use if their underlying medical condition was completely cured.

5. The majority of medical marijuana users are sincerely concerned about their quality of life and its impact upon others.

6. The majority of medical marijuana users, prior to suffering from their current medical condition, were gainfully employed and responsible contributors to family, society, and the workforce.

7. The majority of medical marijuana users are willing to return to the workforce and positively contribute to society if their symptoms improve.

8. The majority of medical marijuana users are behaviorally, emotionally and psychologically normal.

9. The majority of medical marijuana users do not have a criminal record and do not pursue criminal activities to obtain medical marijuana.

10. The majority of medical marijuana users do not use marijuana recreationally or in social situations.

11. The majority of medical marijuana users do not simultaneously use or combine their marijuana with alcohol, tobacco, or other illicit substances.

12. The majority of medical marijuana users do not have any curiosity or interest in using more addicting or dangerous illicit substances such as cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamine, Ecstasy (MDMA), etc.

13. The majority of medical marijuana users titrate their use of medical marijuana to attain the maximum therapeutic effect with the minimal amount of adverse marijuana use side effects, intoxication or the marijuana "high".

14. The majority of medical marijuana users show no evidence of the purported "amotivational syndrome."

15. The majority of medical marijuana users are not "risk takers", do not seek "stimulation" or escape from boredom by using marijuana.

16. The majority of medical marijuana users are not under "peer pressure" to use marijuana.

17. The majority of medical marijuana users are goal oriented, motivated to live the best life possible under their current circumstances and generally are law abiding citizens.

18. The majority of medical marijuana users have strong political views concerning the allowance of the use of medical marijuana universally, under medical supervision, for adults who have bona fide qualifying, approved medical conditions.

19. The majority of medical marijuana users do not exhibit "abstinence" signs or symptoms if marijuana use is abruptly terminated.

20. The majority of medical marijuana users do not continue to use medical marijuana if they feel the marijuana is of no benefit to the control of the signs or symptoms of their medical condition.

Copyright, 2010 Byron L. Barksdale, M.D. All rights reserved worldwide.