Cannabis News Cannabis TV
  Medical Pot Bill Will Get Hearing
Posted by CN Staff on November 21, 2005 at 22:26:45 PT
By Phil Brinkman 
Source: Wisconsin State Journal 

medical Wisconsin -- Every day for the past 23 years, Irv Rosenfeld has smoked up to a dozen marijuana cigarettes.

On probably every one of those days, someone, somewhere, was arrested for doing the same thing. But the government not only doesn't care about Rosenfeld's drug use; it's been his supplier.

One of just seven remaining patients in the federal government's "compassionate use" program, which provides marijuana for medical uses, Rosenfeld said the drug helps him cope with the excruciating pain caused by an estimated 200 benign bone tumors that daily poke at his muscles and veins.

Rosenfeld, 52, a stock broker from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is the star witness in a planned hearing today on legislation to exempt patients with debilitating medical conditions from prosecution for using marijuana.

Supporters say he's well- qualified to speak on the subject: As of this week, Rosenfeld has smoked an estimated 220 pounds of marijuana grown by the federal government on a farm in Oxford, Miss. He's the longest-serving participant in the program, which stopped accepting new patients in 1991.

Doctors remain divided over the safety and efficacy of marijuana in treating pain, nausea and loss of appetite that often accompanies debilitating illnesses such as cancer and AIDS. Not so Rosenfeld.

"Without marijuana, I probably wouldn't be walking, if I were even still alive," he said.

Rosenfeld wasn't always a fan of pot. In high school, he actually spoke against the drug at school rallies. Holding up a bag of the prescription drugs that had been his near constant companion, he'd say, "Look at me: I'm not healthy. I have to take all these legal drugs. Why would you, a healthy person, want to take an illegal drug?"

But after a friend urged him to try marijuana in college, Rosenfeld said, he found he could sit for more than half an hour. Up to then, he said, he could only sit for 10 minutes at a time before he had to stand.

In 1982, the Food and Drug Administration authorized him to use marijuana. Once a month, he goes to his pharmacist for a tin of 300 joints.

Rosenfeld maintains he doesn't get a high from the drug - either because the receptors in his brain are damaged or his pain is so great - and isn't advocating broader legalization, like many who plan to attend today's hearing do. Rather, he says doctors should be able to prescribe the drug when needed.

Although supported mostly by Democrats, the bill's lead author is Republican state Rep. Gregg Underheim of Oshkosh, who said he was inspired to introduce it by conversations he had with cancer survivors while he was undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.

Few give the bill much chance of passage in the GOP- controlled Legislature, where many view it as the first step toward legalizing marijuana.

Medical experts remain skeptical about marijuana's effectiveness - especially when it's smoked - in the absence of controlled, large-scale studies, said Mark Grapentine, a lobbyist for the Wisconsin Medical Society. A prescription pill containing THC, the active ingredient in pot, is already available to relieve nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy.

"To this point, there haven't been those kind of peer- reviewed medical journal (articles) that show that inhaling marijuana through smoking it is the right way to go, especially when you have all the negative effects that come with smoking," Grapentine said.

According to the National Institutes of Health, those include a possible increase in cancer of the respiratory tract and lungs from exposure to the more than 400 chemicals found in marijuana smoke, including many found in tobacco. Other risks are well known - if disputed - including addiction and memory loss.

Source: Wisconsin State Journal (WI)
Author: Phil Brinkman
Published: November 22, 2005
Copyright: 2005 Madison Newspapers, Inc.
Contact: wsjopine@madison.com
Website: http://www.wisconsinstatejournal.com/

Related Articles & Web Sites:

Wisconsin NORML
http://www.winorml.org/

Is My Medicine Legal Yet?
http://www.immly.org/

State Bill Could Legalize Medical Marijuana
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21162.shtml

Medical Marijuana To Be Proposed in Assembly
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21160.shtml

Coffee With... Gary Storck
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21151.shtml


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Comment #36 posted by FoM on November 23, 2005 at 17:36:12 PT
Mayan
Have a Happy Thanksgiving. This holiday is always special because no matter what has happened during the year I can always find something to be thankful for. We have our woodstove nice and warm, the snow is so pretty and scented candles burning and all is well.



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #35 posted by mayan on November 23, 2005 at 17:27:15 PT
FoM
Thank you. I hope you and everyone here have a wonderful Thanksgiving also!

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #34 posted by FoM on November 23, 2005 at 09:54:55 PT
Hope
I did one other dumb thing one year. After dinner was over and I was putting the left over turkey in the refrigerator it slipped out of my hands and fell on the kitchen floor. My outside cats were grinning! That had quite a feast! LOL!

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #33 posted by Hope on November 23, 2005 at 09:37:54 PT
FoM
Me, too!

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #32 posted by FoM on November 23, 2005 at 08:50:18 PT
Hope
Remember there are giblets somewhere down in that turkey! LOL!

I learned that the hard way one time!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #31 posted by Hope on November 23, 2005 at 07:51:28 PT
The Day Before Thanksgiving
Is when I wake up recalling all the things for cooking today that I forgot to get at the store and there is no way I want to go back in that store the day before Thanksgiving.

It's also a good day for cheering on those bright green bananas that were the only ones available...to a bright yellow ripeness by tomorrow morning.

Also it's a good day for reminding cooks that there really is a plastic or paper bag of giblets somewhere down in that turkey and yes, you must find it before you cook it. Never give up until you have that thing retreived.

And yes...it really does take a long time...a really long time...a longer time than seems logical, to get that frozen turkey safely thawed enough to cook properly.

I hope everyone has a really nice and, above all...SAFE Thanksgiving.

Love you guys.

(And maybe, next year, cannabists can enjoy their "spirit lifter" of choice without having to crowd into the storage room, although it can be fun, of the garage or out in the barn!

"Oh my gosh! Get that smoke out of here! I think I hear someone coming!")

(And remember, if you're stealth...round your eyes...don't bug them out!)

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #30 posted by FoM on November 23, 2005 at 07:43:14 PT
Potpal
Thank you for the link. I get so caught up in how I want the world to be and what is important to me that finding a blog that helps me to realize I am not alone makes me feel better. I don't get any Newspapers or Magazines but I do read the Internet and I don't have to waste time and space with disposing of Newspapers etc. Less trees get cut down because of the Internet and I like that.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #29 posted by potpal on November 23, 2005 at 07:09:09 PT
blogs
May find this of interest...

http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=2188&tag=nl.e539

At first I thought blog was a contraction of the words, boring and log...but really its a contraction of the words, web and log...;-)

Grow.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #28 posted by FoM on November 23, 2005 at 07:05:24 PT
Mayan
Thank you. I am making a bookmark for Blogs. I'll check them out. Have a Happy Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It's a day when we look back over the past year and reflect on what we were able to accomplish. I also love to cook and eat way more then normal!



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #27 posted by mayan on November 23, 2005 at 05:32:42 PT
FoM
Thanks for the polls! Here are some more blogs...

George Washington's Blog: http://georgewashington.blogspot.com

xymphora: http://xymphora.blogspot.com/

Rigorous Intuition: http://rigorousintuition.blogspot.com

Wayne Madsen Report: http://www.waynemadsenreport.com/

9/11 Blogger: http://911blogger.com/

Last One Speaks: http://lastonespeaks.blogspot.com/

THE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...

Jimmy Walters on 'Week in Review' about 9/11: http://www.alciada.net/index.php?article=174

Occam’s Razor and 9/11 Conspiracy Theories: http://twains_ghost.typepad.com/my_blog/2005/11/occams_razor_an.html

9/11 Probers Leave Questions Behind: http://www.villagevoice.com/blogs/powerplays/archives/002090.php

A Review of the New Wargames Timeline: http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20050830185334880

Madonna's 9/11 Comments Underline Danger Of Political Celebrity Bandwagon: http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/november2005/221105celebritybandwagon.htm

Rep. Cynthia McKinney's Congressional Hearing July '05: http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=2005111807462946

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #26 posted by Toker00 on November 23, 2005 at 03:26:25 PT
Poll
Yes - 75%

No - 25%

Yeah, baby.

Wage peace on war. END CANNABIS PROHIBITION NOW!

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #25 posted by AOLBites on November 23, 2005 at 01:10:11 PT
some of those links
http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1838435,00.html

http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/News/2005/11/22/1317400-sun.html

http://www.ottawasun.com/News/National/2005/11/20/1314678-sun.html

http://ottsun.canoe.ca/News/National/2005/11/23/1318866-sun.html

http://www.brandonsun.com/story.php?story_id=11090

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20051122/HPOT22/TPHealth/

http://www.cfra.com/headlines/index.asp?cat=1&nid=34093

http://www.potanddriving.cpha.ca/ The ad campaign

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #24 posted by AOLBites on November 23, 2005 at 01:03:20 PT
...
about the current spat of articles we are going to see out of canada on smoking and driving...

1. I play games.

2. Richard burns rally is a very intense simulation of driving in all conditions

3. I can set Very good times while smoking

4. I drink one beer and i can't finish a stage without crashing. [ok ok i can finish ... just very,very cautious and lousy times]

after viewing replays and analizing my performance, generally 1 beer = 6" of misjudgement of car position; ie, after one beer i will generally misjudge the edge of the road by about a tire width - which puts you on the grass [Verry slippy] and results in a spectacular crash at high speed.

2-4 beers and generally we are asking for trouble 1-2 tire widths misjudgement - or more.. it is simply imposible to put up good consistant times with realistic damage... yet my smoky times are 90% of my fastest times, and yet regardless of this when i am in a road car in Real Life(tm) i am much more careful, and Much Much more forgiving of the general assh)li$m on the roads out there... what does this say?

DONT DRINK AND DRIVE!!!

[and if you got any of that stuff they are alyways saying anyone can get, 20%+ etcbulls#!^ don't be a fool and drive either - unless its on a computer]

oh and btw, adding that 3rd dimension f's me up when smoky .. since i have no flight sims cant say this consistantly, but on a flying sorrta PS1 game [that i very rarely play] it is much more difficult to fly when smoky,let alone drunk. so, DON't drink or smoke and FLY!!!!

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #23 posted by runderwo on November 22, 2005 at 18:50:07 PT
hmm
After reading the article, it appears that part of the problem is that they are complaining about people who are smoking WHILE driving.

Obviously that is a riskier activity than driving stoned, since there is an additional level of distraction involved (who dropped the jay? where'd it go? crap, I just ashed in my lap, etc), so it's disingenuous to lump that in with simply being under the influence. I'd be curious to see how accident rates compared with smoking a (tobacco) cigarette while driving.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #22 posted by runderwo on November 22, 2005 at 18:45:22 PT
"Dope smokers are bad drivers"
Rebuttal

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #21 posted by FoM on November 22, 2005 at 17:57:37 PT
Medical Marijuana Debate and New Poll
Should Wisconsin legalize medical marijuana?

Current Results:

Yes -- 68.0 %

No -- 32.0 %

***

Medical Marijuana Debate

November 22, 2005

Those who have watched loved ones suffer through the pain of a chronic or terminal illness say it's time for this country to re–think its policy about using marijuana as a medicine.

The Assembly Health Committee heard public testimony today on a bill that allows marijuana to be used for medicinal purposes.

Don Murphy is the Executive Director of Republicans for Compassionate Access. He says he's witnessed the pain of others firsthand, and says any help they can be given is worth it.

"I watched my dad suffer from cancer for three years before losing his battle with the disease,” says Murphy. “So I understand first hand the kind of pain and suffering a patient can go through."

Assembly bill 740, the Medical Marijuana Bill would allow for a medical necessity defense for those arrested for marijuana possession, if they're using it to treat certain medical conditions.

Copyright: 2005 Gray Television Group, Inc.

Please Vote: http://nbc15.madison.com/news/headlines/2005802.html

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #20 posted by FoM on November 22, 2005 at 17:31:34 PT
A Bunch of Wackos
Does that mean if you aren't a republican you are a wacko? I guess if that's true I am a wacko. I think republicans need to learn some manners. They are rude in my opinion. They need to read a book by Emily Post on proper etiquette or something.

http://www.emilypost.com/

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #19 posted by FoM on November 22, 2005 at 17:05:54 PT
Shishaldin
Thank you. I find it so hard to separate what I want to know from what the right or republicans want to know. I will bookmark the links and check them out. I care about issues that aren't related to Cannabis but I always seem to find nasty comments that turn me off and then I stop looking.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #18 posted by Shishaldin on November 22, 2005 at 16:56:35 PT
Blog-O-Rama
FoM-

Here ya go:

http://dailykos.com/ Great commentary!

http://www.bradblog.com/ Gets some great scoops...

http://www.liberaloasis.com/ Name says it all

http://www.alternet.org/ Not quite a blog (mostly articles from various sources), but has DrugReporter section that covers cannabis issues quite often.

http://www.smirkingchimp.com Again, mostly articles, but one of my favorite sites

http://americablog.blogspot.com/ Great blog, lots of commentary, and Rush Limbaugh calls 'em "A bunch of wackos". That's a good enough endorsement for me!

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #17 posted by FoM on November 22, 2005 at 16:35:21 PT
A Question
Does anyone know what are the best blogs that are not republican or leaning to the right? There are so many places to look but I just don't know where to begin. If I had 4 or 5 good blogs to check out I would make it a part of my day. Thanks in advance.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #16 posted by siege on November 22, 2005 at 16:16:58 PT
Ottawa - Growing marijuana use
'Dope smokers are bad drivers' 22/11/2005 07:47 - (SA) Ottawa - Growing marijuana use is sparking fears of havoc on the roads in Canada and prompted the launch on Monday of an official campaign to persuade people not to smoke an

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1838435,00.html

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #15 posted by FoM on November 22, 2005 at 15:31:21 PT
Really Nice To Find This On The Huffington Post
Let's Talk Turkey About the War on Drugs

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ethan-nadelmann/lets-talk-turkey-about-t_b_11092.html

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #14 posted by FoM on November 22, 2005 at 15:14:07 PT
Off Topic: This is Really Good News
Give Thanks to America's 'Nemesis': Cheap Oil for America's Poor

***

Hugo Chavez Spreads Tidings of 'Petro-Diplomacy'

Nov. 22, 2005 — Venezuela has agreed to sell heating oil at discount prices in low-income communities in Chicago, New York and Boston.

Venezuela's president has decided to expand his Oil-for-the-Poor program and sell cheap oil to the number one superpower of the world. The Houston-based petroleum company CITGO, wholly owned by Venezuela, will begin the program in Boston. Up to 12 million gallons of heating oil will be offered at a bargain price, representing $10 million in savings for locals, according to CITGO.

Complete Article: http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=1337463

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #13 posted by global_warming on November 22, 2005 at 14:24:01 PT
Care ?- Who Cares
Wisconsin -- Every day for the past 23 years, Irv Rosenfeld has smoked up to a dozen marijuana cigarettes.

On probably every one of those days, someone, somewhere, was arrested for doing the same thing. But the government not only doesn't care about Rosenfeld's drug use; it's been his supplier."

Imagine,...Cats,...someday growing their own 'Catnip...

You can play with a cat, that has catnip,

Never forget

Who you are playing with,

Cats can become very aggressive

In that short time

They can slice and dice

Your hand that has pounded that "nail

..

Freedom is a 'Human Thing



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #12 posted by global_warming on November 22, 2005 at 13:58:35 PT
Good Luck Wisconsin
Wisconsin, unlike Indiana and Souters hollow fields,

Who carry a wooden cross,

For the big business pharma..comps

And prefer to carry a wooden club,

Rather than a gentle hand.

It is a pity

That so many people

Listen to the News and their

Spiritual advisors

Who stand before the altars

Of of our spiritual universe.,

Nov 23 is dawning

Twinkle

The New Dawn Awakens

With a softer hand

That is filled with understanding.



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #11 posted by FoM on November 22, 2005 at 13:31:02 PT
Updated Poll Results
Do you think marijuana should be legalized in Wisconsin for medicinal purposes?

Yes-- 221 -- 78%

No -- 53 -- 19%

Not sure -- 8 -- 3%

Please Vote: http://www.themilwaukeechannel.com/health/5382882/detail.html

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #10 posted by whig on November 22, 2005 at 12:21:13 PT
The Raich case continues...
Randy Barnett says:

"I have been working over the weekend on our brief to the Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit in Gonzales v. Raich. Yes, the case goes on. The Supreme Court only ruled on the Commerce Clause theory we won on below. This left us on remand to the Ninth Circuit to reassert our claim that the application of the Controlled Substances Act to Angel Raich (and others like her) violated her fundamental rights (and some other nonconstitutional claims as well)."

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #9 posted by dongenero on November 22, 2005 at 10:56:32 PT
Wisconsin
Good luck in Wisconsin. There is a lot of good energy behind our cause. We have all the momentum. We're all behind you.

The antis only have negativity.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #8 posted by Toker00 on November 22, 2005 at 10:48:22 PT
Poll
93% yes

2% no

5% not sure

88 votes



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #7 posted by FoM on November 22, 2005 at 10:07:30 PT
Wisconsin Medical Marijuana Poll
Do you think marijuana should be legalized in Wisconsin for medicinal purposes?

Current Results:

Yes -- 89%

No -- 7%

Not sure -- 4%

http://www.themilwaukeechannel.com/health/5382882/detail.html

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #6 posted by runruff on November 22, 2005 at 09:24:01 PT:

George [I only wear white boxers] Sr. is a toker.
Thats right. Reliable sources say Geroge Sr. has been toking for about 15 years to treat his glycoma. But the thing is folks. Just get rid of any rep who only wants things their way and not our way. Spread the word and vote. Otherwise "raise he*#!"

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #5 posted by dongenero on November 22, 2005 at 08:13:36 PT
Wisconsin
Good luck in Wisconsin. There is a lot of good energy behind our cause. We have all the momentum. We're all behind you Gary.

The antis only have negativity.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #4 posted by FoM on November 22, 2005 at 07:26:12 PT
Gary
Good luck to you. I know how long and hard you have worked for this. Have a Happy Thanksgiving if we don't see you until after the holidays.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #3 posted by Gary Storck on November 22, 2005 at 04:56:42 PT
This is a good day to testify for an mmj bill
Looking like it's going to be a good day at the Capitol today. We have a great lineup of patients and supporters.

It's been 25 years waiting for this day. Great to have Irv ready to rell it like it is and Jacki Rickert ready to do the same.

Let's hope this is a new beginning for WI patients today!

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #2 posted by Toker00 on November 22, 2005 at 03:35:43 PT
Dry, brittle article.
Few give the bill much chance of passage in the GOP- controlled Legislature, where many view it as the first step toward legalizing marijuana.

That's because there are still so many sceptics like you who insist on putting a hateful twist on ANY discussion about Cannabis. Journalists like him, do me a favor, will ya? Remove your head from ... behind the government's propaganda skirt.

...Rosenfeld's DRUG use; it's been his SUPPLIER.

One of just seven remaining patients in the federal government's "compassionate use" program,...WHY THE PARENTHASESE?

Doctors remain divided over the safety and efficacy of marijuana in treating pain,...Because some are not wanting to lose the Pharma influence in their income, not to mention the DEA won't ALLOW research to happen.

Few give the bill much chance of passage...Yeah, let's kill it in the press, for starters.

Medical experts remain skeptical about marijuana's effectiveness - especially when it's smoked - in the absence of controlled, large-scale studies,...Not the ones I'VE been reading about. Again, what did I say about the studies?

"To this point, there haven't been those kind of peer- reviewed medical journal (articles) that show that inhaling marijuana through smoking it is the right way to go, especially when you have all the negative effects that come with smoking," Grapentine said....See comment above.

Well, not EVERYONE is getting it.

Wage peace on war. END CANNABIS PROHIBITION NOW!

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #1 posted by boballen1313 on November 22, 2005 at 00:49:13 PT:

I FEEL FRUSTRATED WHEN SOME WANKER CANT SMOKE
Anyone else feel off balance cuz some prohibitions can't learn to swallow a pill(oops i mean take a toke)...we suffer and we need meds... if barbara bush needed a puff would she need training? God bless barbara bush from cancer!



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