*****Under Construction*****
Cannabis – Medical Marijuana. Controversial and a topic of debate in America and the world alike. I’m not here to debate the issue, but if it becomes a serious sticking point, refer to the bottom section and know it has been a sticking point far before it’s relation to this issue.
I smoked recreationally before, but my stance has changed. Thru my post military life I have smoked but not for recreation. It has reserved for critical circumstances (and if you don’t see it as ever coming to life or death situation, reference to Narcotic Medications and DeAntoni’s story). I have had blood taken dozens of times by the VA and VA affiliates, only one positive for cannabis. Only after the VA had cut my medications and I tapered down the withdraws with cannabis did I ever fail a UA. There were other instances where I had supplemented, when the VA delayed medications, but never enough to even show up on the VA testing. I admitted freely to what I had done, as I was hoping full disclosure would help with better treatment and leaving out details was not in my interest.
Of course, with the VA already attempting to railroad me from every other angle, my honesty cost me more than it benefited me.
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"In any civilized society, it is every citizen's responsibility to obey just laws. But at the same time, it is every citizen's responsibility to disobey unjust laws."
~Martin Luther King Jr.
Currently Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington all have medical marijuana laws, and we live in a nation where at least 13 of our 44 presidents admittedly used marijuana with many more who are alleged to have.
George Washington
Washington routinely smoked marijuana to alleviate the pain from his ailing teeth. Washington’s diary recounts his efforts to better cultivate and enhance his crops of marijuana.
Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson grew cannabis on his plantation and smuggled Chinese hemp seeds to America. He also is believed to have given special smoking blends out as personal gifts which is why he makes the list.
James Madison
Madison once remarked that hemp gave him insight to create a new and democratic nation.
James Monroe
Monroe began smoking it as Ambassador to France & continued to the age of 73.
Andrew Jackson
Jackson has been documented to have smoked cannabis and tobacco cigars along with the troops he led.
Zachary Taylor
Like Andrew Jackson, Taylor is said to have smoked with his troops in one or more of the many wars he was in.
Franklin Pierce
Continuing a popular theme of the era, Pierce also smoked with his troops as a general in the Mexican-American War. In a letter to his family, he says cannabis is “about the only good thing” in the war.
Abraham Lincoln
Quotes (real and fake) about Lincoln enjoying hemp are all over the internet. While some debate if Lincoln sparked up, many resources point to yes.
John F. Kennedy
Close acquaintances say Kennedy used cannabis regularly to control his back pain (even during his term) and actually planned on legalizing marijuana during his second term.
Jimmy Carter
Along with his efforts to legalize marijuana, Some say Carter also hosted many marijuana smoke filled events at the White House. This leads most to assume Carter at least tried it at some point in life.
George W. Bush
Bush publicly refused to answer the marijuana question. He was later caught saying he refused to talk about it “because I don’t want some little kid doing what I tried”.
Bill Clinton
Clinton famously stated that he smoked but “didn’t inhale”. He has been known to bend the truth every now and then, so he still makes the list.
Barack Obama
Even though he joked of many American’s wishes to legalize marijuana, Obama has been very open with his own marijuana smoking in the past, once saying “I inhaled frequently. That was the point”.
"...marijuana is one of the safest, therapeutically active substances known to man."
-DEA Judge Francis Young
[In] my era everybody smoked and everybody drank and there was no drug use"
-DEA Chief Thomas Constantine, July 1, 1998
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Now the issue could go back and forth with many quotes or examples from both sides, but it is all just a distraction in the end. This is about the VA and its treatment of Veterans, in particular my VA case, not an individual’s stance or if usage of cannabis was justified or not.
