Thursday, June 15, 2006
Between the Hammer and the Anvil - Third Web Log Entry:
Elven elements in my stories –
There are elements in my books that may cause a little controversy so I want to explain the context in which these elements occur.
Elven Tobacco: This one may cause some people to think of me as pro-cigarette, which I’m not. I used to smoke and I quit in June last year, (2005.) It’s my opinion that cigarettes are unhealthy and should be avoided, but unlike some people, I feel people have a right to engage in any vice they choose. Alcohol, chocolate and sugar, even exercise can become a vice when taken to extremes. (Excessive exercise can lead to chronic muscle and bone injury, as it does in most professional athletes.)
I feel that, as long as you’re not hurting anyone else, you have a right to do what you choose. I do not believe everyone who chooses to use drugs is an addict, and there is a lot of hypocrisy right now because pharmaceutical drugs has made a lot of drug use invisible in ways traditional street drugs are not. There is little consequence for wealthy white people using pharmaceutical drugs while we throw poor black people into prison for using street drugs like crack.
I cannot abide hypocrisy and injustice that destroys lives and denies participation in our democracy, and there are no longer any viable arguments for the way our justice system is used against the poor and people of color. There have been reports published by the Department of Justice that admit the racism and bias in our justice system, but few have the will to correct this horrible state.
But back to Elven Tobacco:
Elves have ancient growing techniques that combine advanced farming and enchantment spells, giving everything they grow restorative qualities. Elven Tobacco taken in moderation can reduce stress and ease physical tension, but unlike its human counterpart it does not contribute to illnesses like cancer and respiratory disease.
Elven Marijuana (Elven Buds) –
Medical cannabis has been shown to have numerous medicinal properties in our non-elven (at the moment) world, including an Institute of Medicine (IOM) study about its unique ability to soothe nerve pain, the hardest-to-treat kind of pain.
It has been shown there are more cannabinoid receptors at nerve ends than there are opiate receptors, and a study in the British Peer Reviewed medical journal, The Lancet: Neurology – showed that cannabis has a neuro-protective effect that may help prevent Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and even strokes. The article is here:
http://www.cmcr.ucsd.edu/geninfo/lancetART2003.pdf
If our government were not so highly influenced by the Alcohol Industry, the Tobacco Lobby and the Pharmaceutical Lobby – we would have long since funded and published medical studies in this country as they have in places like Great Britain. There is a war being waged against marijuana by these three powerful industries because they are threatened by marijuana – or more to the point – their bottom line is.
When you look behind the war on drugs you get an ugly mix of reactionary politicians, the Radical Right (who disguise themselves as “The Religious Right,”) and powerful corporate interests. They use people, like those who have lost a loved one to hard drug use or drunk driving, as pawns to push an anti-drug message. They don’t really care about people, it’s all calculation aimed at increased profit.
The rise of organized crime, which is still a problem today, was caused by Prohibition in the 1930’s. History has shown time and again that prohibition does not work and only causes death and misery. I am firmly opposed to the so-called “War on Drugs” and the very real War on Medical Cannabis. We have over two million Americans in our sprawling prison-industrial complex, most of them for non-violent drug crimes. We imprison more people per capita than any other nation, including China. And we are about to find out the true cost of the dreadful way we’ve treated our fellow citizens and created a prison system that is a danger to public health and destroys millions of lives.
But back to Elven Buds:
The elves use their combination of growing techniques and enchantment spells to grow and harvest the flower-tops of high-grade cannabis. The finished product is combined with Elven Tobacco or by itself as a healing herb and a stress reducer.
A little of my background that relates to this subject:
I have been an activist, freelance journalist and educator for over sixteen years as of this writing, specializing in; HIV/AIDS, infectious disease, public health, medical cannabis, the prison-industrial complex, civil rights and the gay and lesbian community. I have published dozens of articles and my current interest is in physical pain treatment.
I have also done a lot of work with the Marijuana Policy Project:
http://www.mpp.org
Writing three novels is a time-consuming process, and I also have a hard-working partner to take care of, as well as two cats and a miniature Schnauzer named Max. But I’m on the Board of Directors for Ellipse Peninsula HIV/AIDS Services here in San Mateo County and I’m continuing to write articles and volunteer with MPP when I can.
Helping people with HIV and those suffering from chronic and acute physical pain is important to me.
Elven elements in my stories –
There are elements in my books that may cause a little controversy so I want to explain the context in which these elements occur.
Elven Tobacco: This one may cause some people to think of me as pro-cigarette, which I’m not. I used to smoke and I quit in June last year, (2005.) It’s my opinion that cigarettes are unhealthy and should be avoided, but unlike some people, I feel people have a right to engage in any vice they choose. Alcohol, chocolate and sugar, even exercise can become a vice when taken to extremes. (Excessive exercise can lead to chronic muscle and bone injury, as it does in most professional athletes.)
I feel that, as long as you’re not hurting anyone else, you have a right to do what you choose. I do not believe everyone who chooses to use drugs is an addict, and there is a lot of hypocrisy right now because pharmaceutical drugs has made a lot of drug use invisible in ways traditional street drugs are not. There is little consequence for wealthy white people using pharmaceutical drugs while we throw poor black people into prison for using street drugs like crack.
I cannot abide hypocrisy and injustice that destroys lives and denies participation in our democracy, and there are no longer any viable arguments for the way our justice system is used against the poor and people of color. There have been reports published by the Department of Justice that admit the racism and bias in our justice system, but few have the will to correct this horrible state.
But back to Elven Tobacco:
Elves have ancient growing techniques that combine advanced farming and enchantment spells, giving everything they grow restorative qualities. Elven Tobacco taken in moderation can reduce stress and ease physical tension, but unlike its human counterpart it does not contribute to illnesses like cancer and respiratory disease.
Elven Marijuana (Elven Buds) –
Medical cannabis has been shown to have numerous medicinal properties in our non-elven (at the moment) world, including an Institute of Medicine (IOM) study about its unique ability to soothe nerve pain, the hardest-to-treat kind of pain.
It has been shown there are more cannabinoid receptors at nerve ends than there are opiate receptors, and a study in the British Peer Reviewed medical journal, The Lancet: Neurology – showed that cannabis has a neuro-protective effect that may help prevent Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and even strokes. The article is here:
http://www.cmcr.ucsd.edu/geninfo/lancetART2003.pdf
If our government were not so highly influenced by the Alcohol Industry, the Tobacco Lobby and the Pharmaceutical Lobby – we would have long since funded and published medical studies in this country as they have in places like Great Britain. There is a war being waged against marijuana by these three powerful industries because they are threatened by marijuana – or more to the point – their bottom line is.
When you look behind the war on drugs you get an ugly mix of reactionary politicians, the Radical Right (who disguise themselves as “The Religious Right,”) and powerful corporate interests. They use people, like those who have lost a loved one to hard drug use or drunk driving, as pawns to push an anti-drug message. They don’t really care about people, it’s all calculation aimed at increased profit.
The rise of organized crime, which is still a problem today, was caused by Prohibition in the 1930’s. History has shown time and again that prohibition does not work and only causes death and misery. I am firmly opposed to the so-called “War on Drugs” and the very real War on Medical Cannabis. We have over two million Americans in our sprawling prison-industrial complex, most of them for non-violent drug crimes. We imprison more people per capita than any other nation, including China. And we are about to find out the true cost of the dreadful way we’ve treated our fellow citizens and created a prison system that is a danger to public health and destroys millions of lives.
But back to Elven Buds:
The elves use their combination of growing techniques and enchantment spells to grow and harvest the flower-tops of high-grade cannabis. The finished product is combined with Elven Tobacco or by itself as a healing herb and a stress reducer.
A little of my background that relates to this subject:
I have been an activist, freelance journalist and educator for over sixteen years as of this writing, specializing in; HIV/AIDS, infectious disease, public health, medical cannabis, the prison-industrial complex, civil rights and the gay and lesbian community. I have published dozens of articles and my current interest is in physical pain treatment.
I have also done a lot of work with the Marijuana Policy Project:
http://www.mpp.org
Writing three novels is a time-consuming process, and I also have a hard-working partner to take care of, as well as two cats and a miniature Schnauzer named Max. But I’m on the Board of Directors for Ellipse Peninsula HIV/AIDS Services here in San Mateo County and I’m continuing to write articles and volunteer with MPP when I can.
Helping people with HIV and those suffering from chronic and acute physical pain is important to me.
# posted by Phillip T. Alden @ 10:57 PM 
