I'm sure you are aware of the #icebucketchallenge by now, unless you really are living under a rock. In that case, I say welcome back and that the idea is to dump a bucket of water on your head and donate $10 in lieu of just donating $100 when challenged by someone who has already done so. The idea is to raise awareness of and money to fight ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis aka Lou Gehrig's disease.
"It strikes healthy adults, it strikes without warning, and it's usually fatal within two-and-a-half years. And you die in a particularly slow and painful way, losing control of your body and you often end up choking or suffocating to death because you can't move or breathe."
First, to all the haters, the
ALS Association has raised
$88.5 million in donations as of August 26. At least some are actually donating in addition to dumping ice water on their domes. Also,
Charity Navigator gives the ALSA high marks for both financial transparency and accountability so there is hope that this will do some real good.
But Cypress Hill frontman B Real (Louis Freese) has taken a slightly different approach to the challenge. He has what "appears to be" a bucket of marijuana dumped on his head.
“I know we’re going through a drought,” he says to the camera, “so we’re going to do things a little different.”
For the unaware, B Real lives in
California which has
declared a state of emergency due to lack of water.
And for another thing, it seems pot may actually help those with ALS. Follow below the fold for an examination of how (and to watch B Real's video).
Want to really treat ALS? Legalize pot.
[O]nly 34 percent of Americans live in the 23 states, and the District of Columbia, that currently recognize the important medical uses of cannabis.
Nonetheless, many who suffer from ALS choose to rely on scientific evidence rather than government directives and thus have chosen to self-medicate, albeit illegally ...
Approximately 80 percent of the American public believes that cannabis should be legal for medical reasons, and the majority of doctors agree.
"Preclinical" study conducted by researchers from California Pacific Medical Center found that
mice exposed to THC just before or after the onset of ALS
experienced a slowdown in progression of the disease.
Cannabis also has properties applicable to symptom management of ALS ... With respect to the treatment of ALS, from both a disease modifying and symptom management viewpoint, clinical trials with cannabis are the next logical step.
Based on the currently available scientific data, it is reasonable to think that cannabis might significantly slow the progression of ALS, potentially extending life expectancy and substantially reducing the overall burden of
the disease.
"Parrish woman long-suffering from ALS says cannabis keeping her alive":
Cathy Jordan had to prove to the government that she was still alive after she passed her "expiration date" in 1991.
Twenty-three years later, she's still going strong, despite doctors diagnosing her with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in 1986 and telling her she only had five years to live.
Her secret? Smoking marijuana.
"It's her medicine," said Cathy's husband, Bob Jordan. "It's no different than someone taking cancer medication."
Legalize Medical Marijuana, Doctors Say in Survey
69% say it can help with certain treatments and conditions.
67% say it should be a medical option for patients.
56% support making it legal nationwide.
50% of doctors in states where it is not legal say it should be legal in their states.
52% of doctors in states considering new laws say it should be legal in their states.
Watch This
That's right, the challenge was passed on to Snoop Dogg, Willie Nelson and Woody Harrelson. Here's hoping this one becomes as big a viral hit as the one with the ice water ...
2:29 PM PT: THIS FROM xxxdrzombiexxx below and should be shared,
When faced with a poll about legalizing weed, ALL Democrats need to vote YES.
Voting no isn't really a good idea, it's actually pretty damned stupid.
THis is the 21st century: no sentient being outside of WashingtonDC, the US Federal Government or the republican party should want to be caught dead supporting the continuation of marijuana prohibition.
Sure, you ARE entitled to have an opinion, but your opinion is completely wrong. You are agreeing with something indefensibly stupid and wrong and ineffective and violent and unhealthy for the country.
Please be very careful on polls: make sure you support the right opinion.
You don't want to be lumped in with republicans and other vicious cretins like that.
Do not believe in false things.
Marijuana prohibition is built on false things.
I mean, I am fairly certain that if you can read you probably should, as a Democrat, know which end is up with regards to the Weed.
And no, supporting the change in law doesn't mean you have to smoke it.
So, yeah, it is ok to support the change.