Texas Medical Marijuana
Ray Benson and Willie Nelson were at station KLRU recording the first episode of Austin City Limits’ 35th season. They were playing songs off of the album Willie and the Wheel. Docubloggers was lucky enough to ask Willie and Ray a few questions for an upcoming docublog about medical marijuana, and they were kind enough to do a shout out for the show. Look for their interview in the new season of Docubloggers that premiered this April! You can catch up on Docubloggers stories at their site and on their YouTube channel.
This public service advertisement appears in the National Review, the New Republic, the American Prospect, The Nation, Reason Magazine, and The Progressive in the winter of 2009.

Since 2007, the Center for Medical Cannabis Research (CMCR) has sponsored four double-blind, placebo-controlled, FDA-approved clinical trials which demonstrate that smoking cannabis (marijuana), even in low doses, effectively alleviates the neuropathy pain associated with HIV/AIDS. So there is no mistake, let me repeat that: smoking marijuana, even in low doses, effectively controls the neuropathy pain associated with HIV/AIDS. The results of these clinical trials have been reviewed and published by reputable medical journals.
- In February 2007, Neurology published the results of a Phase I clinical trial which concluded smoked cannabis was well tolerated and effectively relieved chronic neuropathic pain from HIV-associated sensory neuropathy. The findings are comparable to oral drugs used for chronic neuropathic pain.
- In November 2007, Anesthesiology published results of a clinical trial conducted by researchers at UCSD Center for Pain Medicine which concluded that normal volunteers subjected to chemically induced pain which mimics neuropathy also responded to medium doses of smoked cannabis.
- In June 2008, the Journal of Pain, published the results of a clinical trial conducted by researchers at UC Davis which also concluded that even low doses of smoked cannabis can be effective in managing hard-to-treat neuropathic pain. In fact, investigators found that low- and high-dose cannabis produced similar levels of pain relief, reducing the intensity of the severe nerve pain. The researchers specifically noted that cannabis not only fights pain itself but also interacts with opiate-based painkillers to increase their effectiveness, particularly in neuropathic pain. They also note that using isolated synthetic cannabinoids such as THC (dronabinol) did not provide the same degree of efficacy as a whole-plant preparation of cannabis.
- In August 2008, Neuropsychopharmacology, published the results of a Phase II clinical trial conducted by researchers at UCSD School of Medicine which concluded, once again, that smoked cannabis was generally well tolerated and effective when added to concomitant analgesic therapy in patients with HIV-related neuropathy pain not adequately controlled by other pain-relievers.
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June 12th, 2009 at 5:55 am
the haybilongs say “LEGALIZE IT”
November 30th, 2009 at 10:27 am
Its certainly good to have Willie speaking up for the legalization of marijuana. As I was surfing the net this last weekend I found a site that had quotes and views from other popular celebrities. I am glad they finally felt it was time to speak out.
I was reading about the police officers this morning that were basically executed in Seattle. My first thought was prison overcrowding possibly led to an early release for the culprit considering one third of all incarcerated in the US are for drug related crimes. I dont know the exact stats as to how many are for marijuana specifically, but I would certainly think it is way up there. It seems the whole world is aware of prison overcrowding and early release for murderers and other harden criminals yet the people in power just turn a blind eye to keep the revenues coming in. The legalization of marijuana / hemp could do so much more for the economy and clear out the prison systems, and our overwhelmed court systems. Instead our leaders in government choose to put the wheels of progress in reverse.
December 18th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
All of God’s green earth should be the right to all individuals along with life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness! Marijuana provides all seeing resonance, look up.
Shiva chillum me ganga, my pain to set aside, your glory before me, the wisdom you provide.
AJH- Texas
January 7th, 2010 at 10:10 pm
Ok, so here we go. My friend wants to move to Texas and lives in CO now. She lost her medical insurance, so the doctor prescribed marijuana, for her Crohns and chronic ABS. It costs her about $15-30 a week depending on her flare ups, as opposed to the hundreds of dollars on chemicals a week. She wants to be able to continue using it, but it is illegal.. So would we rather not see herbs used to cure or at least alleviate pain rather than harsh chemicals that only add to suffering in body and pocketbook? There are so many legalized medicinal herbs out there, why not marijuana? Thanks for standing and fighting.
January 23rd, 2010 at 6:48 am
Times are changing and the time is coming . Texas is an ignorant state full of “cowboy” dea, fbi , local narcotics teams & police who pride themselves in petty crimes like marijuana busts.. Texas was the first to ban and will be the last to jump on the band wagon of leagl medicinal herbs like marijuana. I live in el paso Texas , I have never been convicted of a crime although I’ve had a few arrest . I have never been so pist to see dogg shittt oficers high fiveing each other over busting a now retired U.S army sniper with 32 confirmed kills (if that doesn’t give you PTSD, nothing will) he had a few pounds of weed that he admitted where for personnal use and the cops acted like they had just caught a boss of the mexican mafia.. To the “narco” team in Texas that took him down, you are nothing but an expensive tax payer purchased piece of “sh*tt” . I say this cuz I live less than 20min from the biggest drug war in Mexico cd juarez where more than 2 people where murdered per day for a year last year , the same amount so far this year and less than two miles from my nice house in the suburbs , a cartel boss was executed mafia style on his front porch ..
To texas and their war on drugs !! You want a fucken war , point your knowledge and skills to help serve, and protect in the direction where thousands of innocents are dying everyday and it’s all controlled stateside!! They say it’s not spilling over “they lie” the ignorant and poor are in mexico left to work or be killed while the bosses run things from this side .. I know the game well, and I speak as I am retired . Grow here, and sell here to those in need and leagal, and watch the cartels crumbel !!! Juarez mexico is the us’s marijuana supply .. And with 40 some odd percent of Americans admitting to smoking , when the us wakes the fuck up (Texas) people will stop dieing …
January 23rd, 2010 at 7:10 am
And before I get flamed up in here , I support and smoke marijuana (cuz I like it) and I get severe migraines & allergies “I don’t know that it’s good to treat allergies, but it dries me out really nice , saves on tissue” if you smoke and live in Texas beware , . There is blood on dirt weed and every seed you pull is a life lost in Mexico .. My advise is buy and smoke Cali green and seedless female strains is usually a sign of stateside grown pot (trust me I know) the cartel doesn’t grow kind. I’ve seen hundreds of these fields . It’s obvious the law can’t do shit!! But believe it or not the smokers can make a difference … Untill it’s legal, and controlled say no to seeds!!
January 23rd, 2010 at 7:37 am
“We have spent millions of dollars fighting for peoples rights in Iraq for the last few years. “War on terror” lmfao !!! Lol , lol” ten million miles away !! The U.S helping way the fuck out there , and life is worst right next door ???? Haha, I wake up every morning, I am a well off American with minimal complaints I’m not a victim of the law or do I consider myself abused by the system .. But I have seen the contradiction and the abuse . There are a thousand reason why I’m leaving this country in the future . But this country (Texas) would rather see you suffer , and perhaps lock you up sick and all than to help it’s people out. Legalize now ,, not two years from now, we will save people and lives will change .
Here is how we get it legalized
1st . We needed it to have been discovered by a white guy
2nd. Instead of being relaxed we must act beligerant, hostile, aggressive, incoherant, and be a risk to innocent people after ingesting pot
3rd. We must have a steady track of hundreds of thousands of people deteriating and dieing from marijuana use and it’s effects
4th. Lastly it can have no medicinal purpose.. It must be for recreational use and abuse ..
W.T.F !!!!!!!!!!! Is the hold up
February 13th, 2010 at 7:24 pm
My Name is Frank and I suffer from fibromyalgia, arthritis, and sleep apnea…I am tired of taking pills that seem to no longer work and give me little or no pain relief. Many of these pills have serious side effects that endanger the liver and kidneys. Please legalize medicinal use of marijuana in Texas.
March 2nd, 2010 at 9:13 am
I suffer from the side effects of PKD which means my kidneys are full of cysts and will eventually shut down. I also have chronic pain which I use hydrocodonne for. At the present I am overdosing because the meds do not work as well because my body has become accustomed to them. I am not into getting high but I think the idea of medical marijuana in Texas is a great one. I did try when I was a young man and believe it will help people in my state of pain. Please legalize medicinal use of marijuana……
March 8th, 2010 at 8:35 am
We can keep this going , we can legalize this wonderfull harmless plant .I’m not for leagalizing to the cigarette or booz level . But give it a chance in the medicinal world . Like I said , I smoked for recreation as a youngen . Now as a full time college student, a father , a husband , a multiple business owner and operator , related to a lawyer and doctor whom both smoke . The smoking “or vaporizing” is no longer to recreate it is to function .. It allows me to focus on one thing rather than letting my mind try to live , teach , work , pay, learn, all at the same time .. It replaced my dr prescribed Xanax after i started falling asleep at work . And unlike Xanax where I stop thinking all together I am
able to sort out and pace my responsibiltys without the anxiety that would keep me up all hours of the night thinking of the next day and the what comes with the next day ..
To you guys here posting and planning to post .. I already got off my ass and stuck my neck out to be cut ..
Last month the city of el paso proposed the decriminalization of marijuana as a way to impede funding of the cartels war in our sister city cd juarez Mexico and I drove 30 minutes to speak for us all when some dumb dirty wet back with broken English called those who smoke “zombies and ignorant dopers” during the meeting .. I literally got out of bed , got dressed , while watching the city hall meeting on cable tv hoping his ignorant mouth would buy me enough time to drive there and sure as shit it did..
I arrived in the nick of time , made so many valid points that City hall went. rampid and was asked to remain civil .. So many people dr’s , lawyers, proffessors, law enforcent etc came to help support and even when presented with the amount of peoples lives being lost due to marijuanas demand in the U.S .. Even with 80% of the people there to speak supporting and half of city council voting in favor .
It came down to a split decision with the deciding vote coming from our mayor (JOHN COOK) that’s fucken pussy shot us down !!!
To the people running my city Mr. Cook your concern for re-election and how you may have been viewd has cost hundreds more their lives !!!
We are the Obama generation !!!
We are generation X !!!!!
We are not affraid of change !!!!!!!!!!
That conservative shit is prehistoric , and our mayor is a gigantic vagina where all the political dicks get pumped in.
To representatives “O’rourke, beto , Byrd , and the other members of City council who like us stuck their heads out for public scrutiny in favor of a movement that can not be avoided much longer.. You people will make the difference , you are the true pioneers and generation X will follow you into battle..threats of you all risking re-election should be ignored .. Those saying you won’t be re-elected are the same ignorant simple minds that didn’t believe a black president would lead our country ..
Our generation will not fear change !!!!