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| War On Marijuana And Terminally Ill Continues |
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Posted by FoM on February 24, 2002 at 17:46:40 PT By Charles Levendosky Source: Watertown Daily Times 
On Feb. 12, the same day that President Bush issued his National Drug Control Strategy, agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration raided the Harm Reduction Center, a medical marijuana club in San Francisco. The agents arrested three employees of the club, issued a warrant for the arrest of a fourth and closed down the clinic, The clinic supplied medical marijuana for approximately 200 cancer and AIDS patients daily. Bush's strategy calls for the creation of a new climate of "compassionate coercion" for drug users. There's nothing compassionate about stripping the seriously ill of the relief provided by medical marijuana. In October, 30 DEA agents raided and closed the Los Angeles Cannabis Resource Center, southern California's largest medical marijuana dispensary which served more than 1,000 patients. More than five years ago, 70 percent of California's voters passed Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act, which allows for the use of medical cannabis to alleviate pain, to increase appetite, and to control vomiting, in patients suffering from serious illnesses. Proposition 215, was passed in order to ensure that "seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes where that medical use is deemed appropriate and has been recommended by a physician who has determined that the person's health would benefit from the use of marijuana in the treatment of cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, migraine, or any other illness for which marijuana provides relief". The act was to "encourage the federal and state governments to implement a plan to provide for the safe and affordable distribution of marijuana to all patients in medical need of marijuana." The state did its part by creating cannabis clinics for its distribution to those under a doctor's care and had obtained a medical recommendation for the use of marijuana. Proposition 215 does not legalize marijuana. It simply allows the use of cannabis by those for whom it would provide medical relief, but only upon the recommendation of a doctor. SInce 1996. eight other states have adopted laws that permit the use of marijuana for medical use; Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. State, county and city officials are sworn to uphold state law. And, for the most part, in California, elected and appointed officials have stood firm in upholding a law that a vast majority of voters passed. According to news reports, San Francisco District Attorney Terence Hallinan drew cheers from the protesters who had gathered outside the San Francisco hall where the new DEA chief, Asa Hutchinson, spoke the evening after the raid. "The voters should be outraged," said Hallinan. "This is the federal government trying to make a point in opposition to the voters of California." City supervisor of San Francisco Mark Leno called the DEA action "a direct assault on the public health of San Francisco as well as a direct assault on the voters of California." However, according to the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. marijuana is a Schedule One drug that has no currently accepted medical value and a high potential for abuse. The act prohibits the use of Schedule One drugs, including heroin, LSD, cocaine, ecstasy and methaqualone. In contrast to the 30 year old Controlled Substances Act, in 1999, the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine issued a report that stated: "Scientific data indicate the potential therapeutic value of cannabinoid drugs..for pain relief, control of nausea and vomiting, and appetite stimulation. Except for the harms associated with smoking, the adverse effects of marijuana use are within the range tolerated for other medications." States' rights is an issue here that will eventually be settled in the courts or if and when Congress has the collective wisdom to move marijuana from a Schedule One drug to a Schedule Two drug. Schedule Two drugs are federally regulated, but their use can be authorized by physicians. During the Clinton administration, the DEA went directly after California patients, charging two AIDS sufferers, who are allowed to grow their own cannabis plants for personal use under Proposition 215, with conspiracy to distribute marijuana, One patient who had been doing will, author Peter McWilliams, died as a result of the government's action. The DEA also threatened to revoke the medial licenses of physicians who recommended medical marijuana to patients. Under Hutchinson, federal drug agents have continued the federal government's war against this specific and narrow use of cannabis and against state voters who have shown compassion for those suffering from painful terminal illnesses. Cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines should be the target of the drug war, not the medical use of marijuana. Using federal resources to withhold pain relief from those who are seriously ill is an ill-advised public policy. Responding to her question about medical marijuana in an interview last year with Margaret Warner of News Hour, Hutchinson said, "You know, we want to deal with this carefully and thoughtfully and so we're working out exactly how this should be dealt with from a law enforcement standpoint." Unfortunately, there's nothing thoughtful about the approach the DEA chief has taken. It is blunt force without regard to compassion---comparable to stealing water from dehydrated, dying people. Related Articles & Web Site: DEA Raids Medical Marijuana Club Peter McWilliam's Memorial Page Federal War Against The Sick Pot Club Crackdown Continues Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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Comment #7 posted by Jose Melendez on February 25, 2002 at 07:40:21 PT:
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http://www.sptimes.com/2002/02/24/State/Bush_bashing_alive_in.shtml"There must be something in the home cooking Barbara was whipping up. Because George and Jeb seem to be following the same recipe: fiscal mismanagement, broken promises, allegiance to special interests and neglect of the people's interest."- Terry McCauliffe [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #6 posted by Blaze on February 25, 2002 at 06:40:01 PT:
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| tax tax tax on every dime you buy and the end of free biznes
don't get me worng I don't think weed is bad but Im not going to pay 20$ for a dime [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by kanabys on February 25, 2002 at 06:35:15 PT |
| but I think we missed the article on 48 hours about the kid getting MMJ. I think it was on feb, 4th. See:
http://www.cbsnews.com/now/story/0,1597,328174-412,00.shtml Please let us know if anyone knows if it'll be replayed. thanx [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by CorvallisEric on February 24, 2002 at 23:05:03 PT |
| 1 - California 215 passed by about 56 percent, not 70. 2 - Cocaine is Schedule II, not Schedule I. Also in Schedule II are morphine, PCP, methadone, and methamphetamine (according to DEA website). Just something to keep in mind when arguing about scheduling for marijuana. 3 - ... for the most part, in California, elected and appointed officials have stood firm in upholding a law that a vast majority of voters passed. Very true in some areas, so-so in others, totally false in others. ------------ Speaking of DEA website, I thought you might enjoy this quote: Asa Hutchinson, Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, today [February 5, 2002] said that President Bush's budget proposal for FY 2003 [6 percent increase], would give the DEA "not only the money needed to fight drug abuse and drug trafficking, but would also help break the historic link between drugs, violence and terrorism." [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by goneposthole on February 24, 2002 at 18:50:24 PT |
| without regard to compassion. Prohibition properly defined. [ Post Comment ] |
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Comment #2 posted by dbetty1111 on February 24, 2002 at 18:48:48 PT:
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| Amercians is the knowlege and use of this knowledge to missrepresent, extort billions of $$$ through the chemical imbalance of Americans through once legal drugs, The Tobacco Companies are "SAINTS" compared to our Leaders and their Products, "Undercover the Coverup!"For Christs sake we have right now in Amercia a repeat of the Civil War, Brother aganist or Amercian aganist Amercian through our so called "WAR ON DRUGS", shit the Goverment is in Bed with Mexico, sold guns to the Arabs for Coke and shit-during the Clinton Administration, hell rent the Movie "TRAFFIC" how many sides do you count in the ring of Drugs, 2 from our side, 2 from Mexico's sid withing the Goverment, and 2 from the Dealers, sure a lot of players for a 2 player game the Good Guy's and the Bad Guy's, hey the only side that can count is the dealers??? thats a joke, however before you respond see the movie otherwise I really can't respond to an unarmed contestant. There is so much truth in that Movie, I'm sure even though Kirk Douglous stars, we won't hear too much more about it - it's not Good for Moral + too many questions however no one of importance cares to acknowlege this sort of trash, if they did the$$$ surly would stop flowing kind of like Monica and Clinton, behind the scenes, ya know. And believe me the goverment has no intention of winning this alledged war, cause then we loose demand and any good businessman knows that in order for product to be needed you need the demand for product first, and GOD only know there is no shortage of demand, shit Amercia is soly responsible for (guessing) at least 72% of all ilegal drug consumption, so there you have it Civil War, the diffrence Civil war-Blacks-Slaves, Amercia split on Keep Slaves/Free Slaves, New Civil War-Drugs/Illegal Drugs, Amercia split Keep Drugs Illegal/Legalize Drugs, the # of Amercians killed yearly through the use of drugs the illegal distribution and all the family and friends affected- oh yeah a big mess with Big Brother sitting innocently on top of the stack of $$$$, saying yeah we are winning, you bet ya, howver look a little deeper they are winning, ???, winning what??? cause this strageity does only one thing - creates more users, and if you are lucky enough to get caught you can also pay big brother for your mandated recovery by living in a SLE Home, SLE aka SOBER LIVING ENVIORMENT! Slick! now most of these folks are still on drugs double billing$$$$$. Economics quick course- for every (1) wealthy person (x=?) poverty/poor must exist . I don't exactly what the amount is that is why i used x=? however I do know that it does work like that so for the sake of arguement for every Howard Hughes you need 1,000 poor. So I imangine that's how welfare got started you get xx dollors for every child you have up to 10, ten children. Let's see the Projects remind me a little of the white mice in the petshop, feeders for Snakes. Projects, feeders for Drug Czars, aka Big Brother, or Snakes same difference. ??? I worked for the Postal Service and every Sat. we had a 1 hr. stand-up meeting for the entire Station one meeting always stuck with me it was this: 3rd class mail, carriers are not delivering 3rd class mail, Carriers "THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF THE POSTAL SYSTEM IS 3RD CLASS MAIL, NOT 1ST CLASS, THE 3RD CLASS MAIL IS "THE BREAD AND BUTTER" , SO ANY CARRIER CAUGHT NOT DELIVERING 3RD CLASS MAIL WILL BE WROTE UP ONCE 2ND FIRED!!!" lets see welfare =3rd class mail =bread and butter=demand=supply, gets a little sticky i'm too tired but do some research on the issue of Cocaine sold over counter in Amercia until 1907, made illegal 1907, however 1930 high content of Cocaine for 10years a decade, ok here come the good part chemical structure after 30 days of Cocaine/Methamphenine use changes the body's chemical structure , and remains new structure until 30 days of drug absent, then change back to original chemical structure. Now how do we change alter breeds of dogs, cats, we add in new every time breed for 10 yrs until a new breed is established--lets see chemical structure "Jackpot" we can breed users simply THE PROJECTS and this is not volentary is is uneducated and oppressed. Do a little research chemical structure simple book paperback about 150 pages called 30 days to recovery from COCAINE, i believe it is 4"x7" paperback white with red block letters on cover i think, also go on internet look up RED COCAINE scary! now i don't use spell check forgive typos and spelling. PS Seems to me some hot-shot attorney could get a hold of this one and do like they did to the tobacco industry, but this is even better cause you have scandal cover-up intent deceit murder, sounds like a "CONSPIRCESIY THEORY" or a "JAMES BOND MOVIE" [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by The GCW on February 24, 2002 at 18:00:17 PT |
| Members of Congress should issue press releases and go on record opposing these raids.
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