Vioxx vs. Celebrex vs. Marijuana

Ah, the ironies and contradictions:

One of these three drugs is illegal under all circumstances; the other 2 are not only legal – they’re highly profitable to the companies that manufacture and advertise them.

One of these drugs has no proven side effects (everything from hairy palms to zombiehood has been alleged, but with no proof or even a shred of evidence). The other two drugs have been linked to increased risk of a stroke and/or heart attack.

In fact the manufacturers of the two legal drugs have so much political clout that scientists working for the Food & Drug Administration are often intimidated and told to keep their mouths shut if they find any side effects during their “objective” research.

The drug that’s illegal and has no proven side effects has increasingly been prescribed by doctors in recent years. There may not be any scientific proof of its effectiveness, but doctors and their patients have reported many success stories, especially for treating glaucoma and for reducing the nausea caused by chemotherapy.

Another irony: When 51% of voters elected Bush last month, conservatives were ecstatic over Bush’s “mandate.” When a slightly larger percentage voted for anti-gay marriage laws, conservatives again were shouting from the rooftops: “The people have spoken!”

So, now that conservatives are so attuned to the public pulse and have their ears wide open: 72% of respondents agreed with the statement that “adults should be allowed to legally use marijuana for medicinal purposes if a physician recommends it.” This was in a survey conducted by AARP last month.

Now there's a mandate. The People have spoken!