Showtime had a great presentation on Medical Marijuana, In Pot We Trust. I know how liberals feel when they see Sicko. I got the same reaction watching this film.
In Sum; here are the arguments presented-
1. Legalization/MM crowd wants pot legalized. If not then at least do not arrest people who smoke weed and have horrible diseases.
2. The Government believes in the status quo. They bring out the usual suspects, DEA, FDA, ONDCP to say that marijuana is not medically useful. We get to see a cop who really really believes that he is doing the right thing for society. The DEA talking heads tell us society is doomed without Prohibition.
3. The patients do not care why pot works, they just want relief, and to not be arrested.
All sides are presented well. The issue shows the suffering of the patients, the arrogance of the government, and the persistence of the movement.
I have blogged on Medical Marijuana before. Marijuana should be legal regardless of it’s medicinal value. It should be legal because we are free and it is harmless. If it can not be legal for the populace then not arresting cancer, glaucoma, and MS patients is something we should all support.
The government arrogance would be shocking if not so typical. The feds never question the cause. There is more moral certainty in the DEA than in most religions.
The czars and bureaucrats are myopic in their quest to imprison Americans. Liberty is never seen as a useful alternative to prohibition. They truly believe they are protecting society. As Ronald Reagan once said- The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.'”
A highlight of the film is meeting some of the last patients in the Federal Medical Marijuana program. These patients smoke marijuana because a court decided it was a medical necessity. These patients receive pot from the federal government. The weed is grown at the University of Mississippi.
One scene that is sure to enrage the MADD crowd is watching a federal MM patients smoke pot while he drives down the street. These patients smoke medicine not to get high, but to function.
I challenge all pro drug war Americans to watch this film. These patients have life altering conditions. They can not function without pot. Why arrest them? What is the public policy behind incarceration of the infirm? Is the FDA’s authority and the DEA’s aims so perfect as to provide no exception?
I am changing my views on Medical Marijuana. I started off almost resenting the MM argument because I wanted the love of freedom to lead the way. Intellectual snobbery is a problem for Libertarians and I am no different. The sincerity and need of these patients has really changed my mind. This is an important issue on it’s own merits. Beyond my free market ideas this is a human rights issue.
Incarcerating these sick Americans is criminal. Our laws are morally bankrupt. Our rights come from our Creator, not the DEA, FDA, ONDCP. It is time to end this horrible drug war.
I give this film a giant thumbs up. An important entertaining film.
Labels: Marijuana