Marijuana Initiative Being Pushed for Ballot Spot |
Posted by FoM on April 16, 2002 at 16:39:00 PT By Jim Jackson, Staff Writer Source: Lingle Press According to a Marijuana Policy Project poll recently taken of 1,000 Wyoming voters, favor for marijuana use for medicinal purposes has found some support. In February, the Lucas Organization surveyed voters in 10 western and midwestern states to determine relative levels of support for medical marijuana. Four of those states, Alaska, Colorado, Nevada and Oregon, have medical marijuana laws on the books. The six remaining states, Arizona, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, do not have such laws, the survey found. The 10-state poll included five questions relating to medical marijuana. Answers were determined by level of support such as, “I strongly support,” “I some what support” or “I do not support.” What is your level of support for a basic medical marijuana law that allows seriously ill patients to ‘use and grow their own medical marijuana with approval from their physicians?’” “If your own state legislators or members of Congress vote for a bill to allow seriously ill patients to use medical marijuana with the approval of their physicians, would you be more likely or less likely to vote for these elected officials in the November general election?” “In eight states, it is legal to possess or grow your own marijuana for medical purposes if you have the approval of your physician, but medical marijuana distribution remains illegal in all 50 states. Suppose an initiative is placed on the November ballot in your state that would make it legal for medical clinics or non-profit organizations to buy medical marijuana from farmers and sell it to seriously ill patients. What is your level of support for this ballot measure?” “The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last year that it is illegal under federal law for medical clinics to buy and sell medical marijuana. Suppose that an initiative on the November ballot would make medical marijuana distribution and sales legal under your state’s law, while it would remain illegal under federal law. What is your level of support for such a ballot measure?” “Suppose an initiative is placed on the November ballot that would require your state government to grow and distribute medical marijuana to seriously ill patients who have the approval of their physicians. What is your level of support for this ballot measure?” The results of this poll may bring an initiative on the November 2004 ballot in Wyoming. Out of the adults polled, 65.3 percent “strongly support” or “somewhat support” a proposed ballot initiative. The initiative would remove the threat of arrest and all other penalties for seriously ill patients who use and grow their own marijuana with the approval of their physicians. Dr. Ethan Russo, a neurologist from Missoula, Mont., has done extensive studies of medicinal marijuana on patients with migraines, multiple sclerosis for muscle spasms and pain, and patients with chronic pain. “I have a great number of patients that cannabis has been very effective on,” he said. According to Russo, at this time there aren’t any doctors who can prescribe it for their patients legally. “If I am approached by a patient and they ask if cannabis will help them with their problem, depending on the circumstance, I usually say yes,” he said. According to Russo, he has been road blocked by the National Institute on Drug Abuse from doing further studies even though he has permission from the Food and Drug Administration to do so. “NIDA holds control of cannabis use, and it is subject to their oversight,” he said. Russo said there are many pharmaceuticals that are more toxic than medical marijuana, and he believes it has become a moral issue as opposed to a medical one. “I know the government won’t be very happy with me,” he said. “But I believe we have a duty to discuss the pros and cons of any treatment. It comes down to freedom of speech.” U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi said during a recent visit at Eastern Wyoming College that he was against legalization of the illegal substance. “I have talked to thousands of people throughout the state,” he said. “I can assure you it will never pass. There are too many people against it.” Enzi said he believes there are other ways and medications available that will do the same thing as medical marijuana which can be regulated properly. Brian Jacobs, press agent for U.S. Representative Barbara Cubin in Washington D.C., said Cubin has no problem with them putting it on the ballot in 2004, if that is what the people in Wyoming want. As far as legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes, he said Cubin is against it. “There is only a small amount of proof, if any, it has any effectiveness,” he said. Cubin has found the American Medical Association, the American Cancer Society and many other national organizations reject any claims that marijuana provides relief for terminal or other illnesses, according to Jacobs. “If it were to be legalized, it would almost be impossible to regulate,” he said. Cubin’s concern is lack of regulation would open up the use of marijuana to people who are not ill. The Lingle Town Council recently initiated a “no tolerance” policy that would support stern action from law enforcement against use of illegal substances. Mayor Routt said he was against anyone using marijuana for medicinal purposes unless is were highly regulated. “If they proved it could do some good for terminally ill patients than it would have to be regulated,” he said. Routt said it would have to be gotten through a prescription like any other drug and purchased through the doctor or drug store. Complete Title: Marijuana Initiative Being Pushed for Ballot Spot in 2004 Source: Lingle Press (WY) Related Articles & Web Sites: Marijuana Policy Project Hemp for Headaches PDF Format Cannabinoids in Pain Management CannabisNews Search - Ethan Russo MD Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
Comment #3 posted by Dan B on April 16, 2002 at 16:59:07 PT:
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FoM, if you have time, will you please remove the earlier posting? I goofed with the italics. If you don't have time, that's fine. I just didn't want to clutter this thread too much from the get-go. Thank you. Dan B [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #2 posted by Dan B on April 16, 2002 at 16:57:29 PT:
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Cubin has found the American Medical Association, the American Cancer Society and many other national organizations reject any claims that marijuana provides relief for terminal or other illnesses, according to Jacobs. Here's an excerpt from a book called Trust Us, We're Experts, by Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber: "Corporate sponsors have formed "partnerships" with a number of leading nonprofit organizations' names and logos in advertisements. Bristol-Myers Squibb, for example, paid $600,000 to the American Heart Association for the right to display the AHA's name and logo in adsfor its cholesterol-lowering drug Provachol. The American Cancer Society reeled in $1 million from SmithKline Beecham for the right to use its logo in ads for Beecham's Nicoderm CQ and Nicorette anti-smoking aids. A Johnson & Johnson subsidiary countered by shelling out $2.5 million for similar rights from the American Lung Association in its ads for Nicotrol, a rival nicotine patch. . . . Although the nonprofit organizations involved in these deals deny that the use of their names and logos consitutes an endorsement, the corporate sponsors have no such illusions . . ." (15). Since the pharmaceuticals companies have lined the pockets of those who run these "nonprofit" organizations with such deals, it should come as no surprise that these same organizations will endorse the opposition to medical marijuana ballot measures, even going so far as to refute the existence of mounds of evidence showing the efficacy of cannabis for the emelioration of symptoms associated with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Remember, the fact that a big nonprofit is against some law is no indication that said law is unsound. It is merely a sound bite paid for by the corporate megalopolies. Dan B [ Post Comment ] |
Comment #1 posted by Dan B on April 16, 2002 at 16:56:37 PT:
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Cubin has found the American Medical Association, the American Cancer Society and many other national organizations reject any claims that marijuana provides relief for terminal or other illnesses, according to Jacobs. Here's an excerpt from a book called Trust Us, We're Experts, by Sheldon Rampton and John Stauber: "Corporate sponsors have formed "partnerships" with a number of leading nonprofit organizations' names and logos in advertisements. Bristol-Myers Squibb, for example, paid $600,000 to the American Heart Association for the right to display the AHA's name and logo in adsfor its cholesterol-lowering drug Provachol. The American Cancer Society reeled in $1 million from SmithKline Beecham for the right to use its logo in ads for Beecham's Nicoderm CQ and Nicorette anti-smoking aids. A Johnson & Johnson subsidiary countered by shelling out $2.5 million for similar rights from the American Lung Association in its ads for Nicotrol, a rival nicotine patch. . . . Although the nonprofit organizations involved in these deals deny that the use of their names and logos consitutes an endorsement, the corporate sponsors have no such illusions . . ." (15). Since the pharmaceuticals companies have lined the pockets of those who run these "nonprofit" organizations with such deals, it should come as no surprise that these same organizations will endorse the opposition to medical marijuana ballot measures, even going so far as to refute the existence of mounds of evidence showing the efficacy of cannabis for the emelioration of symptoms associated with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. Remember, the fact that a big nonprofit is against some law is no indication that said law is unsound. It is merely a sound bite paid for by the corporate megalopolies. Dan B [ Post Comment ] |
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