And yet if this guy downed a 12 pack of beer a day there wouldn't be a problem

mr-arcadian-1548803

With a mentality like yours, I have little doubt that if you lived in Germany in the 1940's you would have been one of the first to help round up the Jewish people. They're not like you in some way - perhaps even better! So, if you make them go away then there's more for you.

I have no respect whatsoever for you and your kind! Seriously, the world would be a better place for all if we could somehow weed you out!

my hearts shatters im sure! buhahahahah

stoners!!!

its been proven your so called pot inhibits learning.

Obviously you guys have smoked your share!

yeah look at the comment you just left, and your not stoned wow your retarted naturally. take your ass back to the trailer park. Obviously you have no idea what your talking about. your ignorance is enlightening! lol

I used to think there was nothing wrong with use of marijuana. I don't use it myself, but I didn't judge those who do. I drank a bit, and went to parties with people who were drinking and using pot. It was no big deal.

Then I had kids. I don't want my kids around people who are impaired. Marijuana users are distracted, forgetful, and can't focus well. Similarly, I haven't drunk alcohol around my children (no drinks in over 2 years.) I want to be at my best while I am watching them. Just one moment of inattention can result in a tragedy; drowning in a pool or bathtub, rolled over by a car or lawnmower, swallowing or choking on objects left on the floor. A parent's first responsibility is to their children. There are many ways to alleviate pain that do not impair your functioning like marijuana does.

My friends who smoke pot have no qualms about buying pot with their kids in the car (putting them at risk), drinking and smoking around them, or being too impaired to respond in the event of an emergency. This is pure selfishness. If you want to self-medicate, fine. Just do it on your own time.

My husband uses Oxy-Morphine daily about 90 mg of extended release and 4 x a day he uses 10 mg instant release Oxy-Morphine. He can use vicoden if needed and there are other pain meds as well that he uses. I don't know what would impair his functioning more...these prescribed drugs or marijuana. It is not an option here its not legal. I just want to know which would be better for him.

Sorry I didn't mention he doesn't use it for carpel tunnel...he has bad back issues.

It depends on the individual Mary. Different people react differently to different drugs. ( did I use the word "different" enough? lol)

Marijuana makes me sleepy as does vicodin. Some people don't have any problems at all on marijuana and just get relaxed.

My ex-husband was actually able to function better when he was high than when he wasn't. For long term use I'd recommend marijuana. Narcotics are too easy to get addicted to and can cause other physical problems.

As for this story, it's BS that this is part of a consideration in a family court. No doubt if this man was on Valium it wouldn't even have been brought up.

Mary-Chicago

You should have your husband switch to a prescription drug that doesnt contain any acetaminophen. Its a pretty common additive to many medications; if your husband needs medication long term he should request drugs that dont contain acetaminophen. Marijuana probably isn't the best choice for back pain but its a helpful substitute to break the building tolerance and addictive qualities of long term use of opiate based medication. hope that info helps.

Mary: Surgery for carpel tunnel would be longer lasting in it's relief. I've had it done. He should talk to a neurosurgeon if it is that painful.

Hey Jeremy.

Tell me what YOU turn to for your carpal tunnel pain, and then proceed to tell me the difference between that and pot.

Typically Aleve if you must know.

The difference is Aleve does not effect my mental abilities, is legal, and most important would not cause me to lose the rights to see my kids ( If I had them, and I was divorced)

but why dont you just gloss over the fact that he could of gotten his Carpel taken care of at a fraction of the cost, but chooses to spark up. Every action has an opposite reaction. He smokes pot, therefor he cannot see his kids.

Jeremy, how do you know this man did not seek treatment for his carpal tunnel? Just because it worked for you doesn't mean it works for everyone. As for the mental impairment, drugs don't affect all people the same. Pain, allergy, cold medicines, etc. can all effect a person's mental capabilities, and many legal prescription medications are highly addictive. If someone really is abusing drugs to a point that they cannot be responsible and functional, they should lose custody of their children, but this sounds like pure bias to me.

When you have injuries and disabilities, you have to gauge what level of pain control is going to balance all the needs you have in your life. Carpal tunnel is a relatively benign injury that can be treated in a variety of ways without using marijuana or any other strong medications. Using pot to treat it is overkill and doesn't address the injury itself. He would be better off getting surgery and post-surgery painkillers, then the carpal tunnel will be cleared up and he can stop using pot and see his kids again.

Common mainstream painkillers can keep you from having custody of your children as well if it can be shown that one's use of those painkillers proves that one cannot appropriately care for one's children.

Seems to me this guy is using carpal tunnel as an excuse to keep smoking pot and then wants to cry foul because someone is using it against him. Pot is still against the federal drug laws. I think its pretty low that the mother is using this against him, especially since I'm willing to bet she's a smoker too. But such is the case when using non-mainstream treatments. This guy needs to decide how to balance being a father with treating his pain. Is smoking pot so important to him that he's willing to give up his kids? If it is, then maybe his kids are better off with supervised visits.

Is smoking pot really something that society should use as a reason to deny parents custody of their children? As opposed to drinking alcohol or taking any number of prescription drugs, or smoking cigarettes, or eating too much fast food, etc...

Damn nanny-state bullsh!t. If a guy can't take care of his kids, that is one thing, but to blame pot for it is just dishonest. The drug isn't responsible for his kids, HE is. There are plenty of parents out there who use cannabis and are great with their children. If you get high and neglect your children, you're probably neglecting your children even if you aren't getting high.

How is using marijuana overkill? Morphine would be overkill... but cannabis? Give me a break.

We're talking about CARPAL TUNNEL! Its not cancer or arthritis or any one of a number of seriously debilitating diseases for which I believe marijuana is a good substitute over conventional painkillers. This guy should just go have the surgery or he could wear a brace and alter his daily routines to treat it. The fact is he is unwilling to do anything except smoke pot to treat his pain (and that is a health issue by itself, one he doesn't address). We don't know what he's like when he's high, maybe his ex has good reason to deny him custody when he's toking up.

Bottom line, pot is still a federally illegal drug. Until its legal, his ex wife can use it against him in the custody suit. The question now is what is more important to him? His kids or his habit?

My mom has nerve damage in her hands. They swell horribly and the pain hurts so much that she can't sleep most nights. She has an extremely high prescription of vicodin which temporarily helps with pain, doesn't last long, and makes her feel more impaired than pot. She smokes pot when the pain get's extremely bad, just a couple of puffs, and she sleeps better, and functions much better than when on the vicodin, and it's not tearing apart her stomach either.

Obviously those who think this guy is a big baby have never had carpal tunnel....or a failed release! You have no idea what you are talking about as far as pain goes. Sure, many of the CP releases are great and there is no problem at all. I had one on my right hand along with 4 trigger finger releases and not one bit of pain.... then had my left hand done and today have the worst neuropathy you can imagine. There is no medication out there that will give relief. None. Once the nerves are involved, you are in trouble and there is nothing the doctors can do. My surgeon has gone in three times to cut the nerves leading to the area and still no pain relief. Don't judge unless you feel his pain.....

Forget that his CTS is constantly being aggravated by his line of work, what can Mr Pouch do about his frequent shoulder popping?

And more importantly, what are the viable alternatives to pot that are also harmless, free, natural, legal and can suppress both the freakish dreams and that touch of depression that most chronically sick people have?

if you smoke weed and something happens to the kids; even if you were 100% sober, the court worrys about covering their own asses. when you show up in court ; they could give an rats ass about what the fair and proper decision is; they'll screw you so there is no recourse against them in the future. They eliminate the possibility of someone saying you should have kept him away from the kids. So thats how courts work............their first thought is how can i protect myself just like doctors do when they see patients. americas court system is crap.

I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU!!! The whole system is corrupt. The courts are only worried about covering their own asses. I dont feel if some one smokes weed, it makes them incompetent. Alcohol ruins lives and kills people but every one seems to turn a blind eye to that. I think it is ridiculous!! And honestly from experience having an alcoholic parent is one of the worst things to endure as a child.

Attention non-smokers - here's what so many of you don't know about the effect of marijuana (MJ for short) and yet another reason it should be legalized.

First, the way it affects someone varies, sometimes dramatically from one person to another. I'm talking about the exact same MJ and the exact same amount. It can make one person feel very happy and talkative, and another a bit forgetful and drowsy. Partly it affects based on your previous experiences with it.

Second, there are many strains of marijuana out there. From my experience you usually don't know what you're getting if you purchase it on the black market. Some experienced buyers will have some idea but many will have little idea. Legalizing it and selling it legally would hopefully correct this so that people can count on a specific type of MJ and can be sure it was handled in an unsanitary manner.

Third, regarding the strains: There are 2 primary types; indica and sativa. The plant itself can be either or a combination of both. The indica variety tends to make someone feel very relaxed and is excellent for relieving stress and just kicking back. Sativa has the property of actually energizing and often, after endulging, spawns a surge of mental activity and creativity.

Fourth and final point, it is not addictive! I suppose, in a few very rare cases people might become addicted to it in some way but the vast majority could quit immediate if they chose to. Unlike tobacco, there is no reason for anyone (I'm talking non-medical use) to be smoking it unless they are finding pleasure in doing so.

yes its not addictive, but causing learning disabilities.

obviously youre not learning anything from this.

I usually don't slander people online do to it's childness and lack of making my point, but you sir (mr. Arcadian) are a blithering idiot.

It only makes sense to a stupid stoner. There are intelligent pot smokers out there who would never try to use this lame excuse. This guy gives all smokers a bad rep.

It helps my mom with her nerve damage (surgery isn't an option for her condition). She's is far less impaired than when she takes the vicodin her doctor prescribed her. She can sleep through the night, and she doesn't get high either. Just a couple of puffs, along with a couple aleve, and the pain becomes bearable.

Your mother sounds like a good candidate for medical marijuana. I totally support that. But medical marijuana is getting a bad rap because of run of the mill stoners who are abusing the concept of medical marijuana. Personally I think pot should be legal across the board, but its not and there are a lot of people out there who are suffering from horrible conditions who are being discriminated against because mainstream pot smokers are hurting the credibility of marijuana's legitimate medical benefits. I don't buy the story of the guy in the article who seems to think the only way to treat his pain is by smoking pot. If anything, he is actually hurting the medical marijuana cause. I certainly wouldn't put his carpal tunnel syndrome in the same category as your mother's nerve damage. His condition can be improved with proper treatment. Your mother's probably can't.

Well....I did grow up and still live in Humboldt County, California. I think I know a little bit about this subject.

I have also suffered from carpal tunnel syndrome.

Don't get me wrong, I am a huge supporter of medical marijuana. I also think pot should just be legal. But one of the reasons its still not legal is because of the "sub-culture" surrounding pot. I know of many people who have unnecessary prescriptions just so they can avoid prosecution when they get popped. But while legitimate medical marijuana patients may avoid prosecution for their possession of the weed, it doesn't stop the feds from taking their stash and anything they might be growing as well. Recreational pot users are hurting the medical marijuana cause and also their own cause to make pot legal.

Janeinthisworld - your reasoning sounds selfish to me. Marijuana clearly has a multitude of medical uses (in spite of what our Govt once claimed - they weren't able to keep that lie under wraps). But it is also one of the safest recreational drugs in existence! It does little or no harm compared to real drugs like cocaine, meth, lsd... to name a few. It should be legalized completely for everyone who is old enough to decide for themselves whether they want to endulge or not.

Yes, I agree, Don. But its not legal yet. And this guy has lost his kids. He can fight to make pot legal, but that could take a while, is he willing to go awol from his kids lives until then? Personally, if it was a choice between the smoke or my kids, I'd choose my kids.

I don't see how my reasoning is selfish. Its simply based on the reality of the situation. I think its more selfish to give up your kids because you really want to smoke the killer buds. I mean, what is he going to tell his kids?

It's about as clear as mud! Put on your glasses girl! You're seriously misinformed if you really believe that.

If parents were considered irresponsible for every dangerous thing their kids did, CPS could steal probably 75% of America's children, if not more. Acknowledging that kids do dangerous things, and that some of these things are known to their parents, is one thing... but people overreact to every little thing knowing only what the media reports. Frankly, it isn't any of their business. Having an adventurous and somewhat daring child is completely different than having a neglectful parent.

Kids must be allowed to explore their world, and parents should teach them the types of things in their area to avoid (like certain types of snakes, spiders, plants, etc, and how to identify them... it is basic survival). I grew up in the country doing these things, but except for being taught about copperheads and rabid animals, I had to pretty much fend for myself. I was lucky enough to be resistant to poison ivy and poison oak, however, which was pretty great for me.

The only problem with marinol is its very expensive and at best just as effective as marijuana in bud form. A marginal substitute for many people.

Many studies have shown marijuana to be much safer than many drugs that are currently legal. Too many for me to even begin to list. Do your own homework! What I have learned, among other things on this subject, is that the Govt pays a lot of money to fund scientists and doctors to prove what they want you to believe - that it is dangerous in various ways. I don't believe them for one second! They also do what they can do discredit valid research that shows how safe it truly is. Even further, they find ways to stop further research by limiting who can do the research, limiting the marijuana for the research, and providing the marijuana that is grown in their private gardens (and the quality of the marijuana grown in their private gardens probably is not much like what is commonly sold on the streets). So, you just can't trust the govt reports on the subject since they are highly biased against a relatively safe way for people to relax and enjoy themself.

Don, what you have is small randomized trials that do not carry the statistical weight to make a conclusion. The problem with medical cannabis is that this was not approved by the FDA and most of these medical marijuana laws were passed by states through voter ballots. THC lowers a person's threshold for seizures. So if you have epilepsy and have a seizure, who is liable?

Your other remark about a way for people to relax and enjoy themselves is the speak of an addict who will rationalize this anyway they can. I thought the article is about MEDICAL marijuana. You know that herb that you light on fire and inhale the smoke, along with thousand of other chemicals. Your comment about safe drugs is misinformed. Do you know how many prescription and non-prescription drugs there are on the market? The majority of which all underwent a phase III clinical trial. And really, do you seriously think that marijuana is safe? Should you drive? Operate heavy equipment? Should you work with hazardous materials? It is mind-altering is it not? The health effects of inhaling smoke is well documented and please, do me a favor, don't compare the risk to tobacco. Your argument becomes one of trading off one hazardous recreational drug for one that is less hazardous. They are both bad!

Until there are actual widespread clinical trials on the benefits of pot we cannot assume there are none when so many people have benefited from its use. And while the same chemicals can be found in synthetic pharmaceuticals they simply do not have the same reported benefits as smoking marijuana in its natural form.

yeah theres been actual test that a person smoking pot doesnt learn as well as a normal person.

I can see that when a pot smoker when they are driving on the road, all over the highways ready to kill someone.

causes droopy eye in most people, but as long as you keep it home. leave it there.

You really are an ignorant person. Listening to you is like watching reefer madness. By the way, I am a 28 YO Father who graduated high school and college with a 4.0. I SMOKE MEDICAL MARIJUANA. Guess what. My 4 yo son just won a best reader award in school. Guess that means I don't spend enough time with him. He does fractions and decimals in math.!!!??? They don't teach that in preschool either. And I work 6 days a week. I use MMJ for migrains. I have tried everything and without the relief that I get from this one simple thing I would be in too much pain to give my child the time he deserves with his father. I know that alot of people use MMJ under false pretenses, and faced with choosing my son over ANYTHING, even if it meant I had to suffer, I would choose him. Without doubt. So, Mr arcadian, if you smoking pot makes people not learn as well as you, lets compare resumes.

.......and how in the hell would you know that an ibu...would help glaucoma, cancer pain, etc.........you don't.....but feel free to spew

You are right, he uses this to hide behind. This article also neglects to tell of his long criminal history with drugs and other incidences.

He is not an "occasional" user, he smokes openly in front of his children and tells them its ok to smoke, even grows it in their bedroom.

He has different values than you obviously. I tell my children it's not wrong to smoke. I don't believe it is. If I did I wouldn't do it. There are times however when it is better to abstain (like when you are in a custody battle for example). My grown children are stoners, but have enough good sense that when they need (for work or legal issues - like this guy) they quit for a while.

but he had a plan!