The marijuana legalization debate flared up in the Globe’s comments section this past week. Nothing new, but still an interesting exchange.

On Thursday, we published a short account of a Kansas legislator’s effort to get a hearing on a bill that proposes to legalize the possession and use of marijuana for medical purposes.

Rep. Gail Finney, a Democrat from Wichita, wants the creation of state-registered “compassionate care centers” where Kansans with pot prescriptions could go to purchase their medicinal weed. I think Finney has the right idea. She also would mandate that the centers only distribute pot grown in the state. Talk about an economic development opportunity. I can see the new licenses plates now: “Kansas: The Pot Flower State.” Talk about your “Land of Ahhs!”

The drug debate always gets the comments cookin’ at joplinglobe.com.

“That’s a great idea ... and while we are at it, let’s legalize meth and drinking and driving! Morons! How stupid are the lawmakers? I don’t see this helping in other states that have done it. It make things worse! Good job lawmakers, what a way to abuse our hard earned money for the benefit of druggies!”

— Trevor

‘Good for Kansas!’

While there are always a few marijuana decriminalization detractors who chime in, it seems to me that most of those who regularly make their feelings known on this issue support Finney’s pro-pot position.

“Medicinal pot is legal in several states, and those who have legalized it haven’t seen any of the negative effects predicted by naysayers. For some patients, pot helps with pain; why would a ‘compassionate’ people deny comfort to the sick? This bill remedies that situation. Again I say: Good for Kansas!”

— BioProf

“Most of the people I know who want to legalize marijuana for ‘medicinal purposes’ are pot heads with no medical issues whatsoever. They just want easier quasi-legal access to the stuff.”

— Ace Kadet

“‘Fake’ illnesses. Well, my friend I hope that you have never felt like I do on a standard day. I have been in and out of sleep this morning since 2 a.m. in pain. I suffer from fibromyalgia and chronic pain syndrome. Cannabis in medicinal form is very beneficial to my life and the lives of others who deal with 24-hour pain. All I want to do is live pain free! Let’s have a Sensible Missouri!”

— Sherry

“I favor medical marijuana for a very important reason that is rarely, if ever, discussed. Pharmaceutical pain medication can do great damage to the liver if one requires long-term use. Although I am aware that marijuana can do some damage to the lungs, it is more of a trade-off.”

— Joe spinal

Get the facts

One thing I’ve learned during the almost five years I’ve managed the comments section at joplinglobe.com, is that the pro-pot advocates are well educated on the issue and always come out fighting when challenged to support their position.

“Before you make an informed decision about anything, you need the facts. Scientific studies report the facts — things that can be observed and measured. I have gathered links to hundreds of studies from reliable sources like PubMed, WebMD and various medical journals. Along with the studies, I have included news articles about the studies for those of you who prefer a shorter version of the information. Just run a search for ‘Granny Storm Crow’s MMJ Reference List’ and click on any title that sounds interesting. I have done my best to make it easy for you to educate yourself about this amazing healing herb. The people of Kansas should be free to choose whether they want to use this herbal medicine, or not. However, I believe that once you learn about wide range of conditions that cannabis can treat, you will agree with me that the time for medical cannabis in Kansas has come.”

— Storm Crow

“As a resident and registered voter in Kansas, I fully believe in MMJ in Kansas. The uneducated troll statements do little to make a case against MMJ. Fact is, that if you can get scheduled narcotics for pain relief why not let someone ingest or smoke some marijuana to help alleviate their symptoms and encourage hunger. Also, marijuana is safer than alcohol.”

— jdun

“‘It’s not a drug, it’s a herbal medicine’... baloney”

— plato

‘Baloney’

Rep. Finney’s proposal wouldn’t legalize all pot, just its medical uses. But, as is often the case, some commentors try to change the debate and put up a smoke screen by introducing other illegal substances into the discussion.

“Tax and regulate! Pot. It’s natural. Do you all realize that the government spends billions of your tax dollars every year processing misdemeanor pot violations? Think of how that money could better our schools and roads. People are so quick to judge. I don’t even smoke, and I fully support legalization.”

— J.

“Drugs, drugs, drugs we all love them, we all just don’t seem to know what they are? After all, there are so many: caffeine, sugar, chocolate, alcohol, tobacco, marijuana and that list goes on. But, the ones you really like are the ones they give children to take them up and then to take them back down. The ones that are advertised on every other TV commercial with some attorney advertising right behind them to sue for the lethal side effects. What a racket, the big bucks and it’s legal if you are a corporation like Johnson & Johnson or Eli Lilly. All these legal drugs need to be thrown out the window, but I would be afraid the birds might eat them.”

— Jim Keener

Dave Woods is new media editor at The Joplin Globe.