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| Ill Should Not Have To Fear a Drug Bust |
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Posted by CN Staff on February 25, 2007 at 22:09:31 PT By Joel Connelly, P-I Columnist Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer 
Seattle -- Witnesses headed into Tuesday's state Senate medical marijuana hearing have a prescription for lawmakers: Help us relieve pain. Help us deal with illness in privacy.And those set to testify before the Senate health committee are citizens one least expects to be turning on and tuning in. A major reason for using cannabis is that they don't WANT to drop out. Katy Rourke, who worked for 27 years in the psychiatric ward at Harborview Medical Center, suffers from bone degenerative diseases. She takes a drug advertised in TV spots where happy people romp on the screen while the announcer reels off possible side effects. "I just need to function," Rourke said. The "medications I take for muscle relaxation leave me unable to think. With marijuana, while I can't drive of course, I am functional." Bambi Hope, a longtime military police officer, cares for an 18-year-old son who suffers from crippling muscular dystrophy and chronic severe pain. "We tried every synthetic medication," Hope said. "Our doctor recommended that he try marijuana and it made a world of difference. ... I am military -- I was an MP -- and I never thought that I would let marijuana into my home, let alone putting it down my son's throat." Cannabis may relieve physical pain, but having and growing it remains a source of legal anxiety for patients and caregivers. Washington voters in 1998 passed Initiative 692 with a 59 percent majority. It allows for medical use of marijuana by patients with certain terminal or debilitating conditions. The law is an "affirmative defense" in court if patients are prosecuted. With Initiative 75, Seattle voters took a step further in 2003, mandating that arrests of marijuana-using adults would become the lowest priority for city police. Snipped: Complete Article: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/connelly/305077_joel26.html Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer (WA) CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archives Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #9 posted by doc james on February 27, 2007 at 07:30:27 PT |
| Totally agree, but our government has no conscious and is indifferent to anyone that may find themselves in that situation, ie Peter McWilliams, Steve Kubby and many others. I am almost ashamed to be an american with bush in power. Re-Legalize it damnit! [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #8 posted by afterburner on February 26, 2007 at 21:37:57 PT |
| {
"We tried every synthetic medication," Hope said. "Our doctor recommended that he try marijuana and it made a world of difference. ... I am military -- I was an MP -- and I never thought that I would let marijuana into my home, let alone putting it down my son's throat."
} The lies they told you about cannabis need to be unlearned. The blessings of this miracle plant need to be learned and experienced. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #7 posted by FoM on February 26, 2007 at 13:21:50 PT |
| That is a shame. I'm glad I'm not a lawyer because I couldn't do it. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #6 posted by John Markes on February 26, 2007 at 13:15:30 PT |
| What's sad is this bill is sponsored/written by the ACLU of Washington. They wouldn't let any but a select few see the bill before submitting it to the legislature. The ACLU, of all groups, knows better than to take a right given by the people and start creating exclusions to that right. They truly do not represent the patients who use merijuana for medical reasons in the state of Washington. I am a card carrying member of the ACLU and feel cheated, as a patient, member and citizen. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by FoM on February 26, 2007 at 11:45:22 PT |
| Thank you for your comment and how you see it. It makes sense what you are saying. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by John Markes on February 26, 2007 at 11:29:27 PT |
| The Senate Committee on Health and Long-Term Care will be reviewing SB6032 on Tuesday, February 27, 2007. In RCW 69.51A Sec. 3. (5) "Terminal or debilitating medical condition" means: (medical conditions listed and which are) unrelieved by standard medical treatments and medications In Sec. 7. (4) 1 (4) Nothing in this chapter requires any accommodation of any on- 2 site medical use of marijuana in any place of employment, in any school 3 bus or on any school grounds, ((or)) in any youth center, or in any 4 correctional facility. The problem lies with the restriction of medical rights in correctional facilities. In RCW 70.48.130 "It is the intent of the legislature that all jail inmates receive appropriate and cost-effective emergency and necessary medical care. Governing units, the department of social and health services, and medical care providers shall cooperate to achieve the best rates consistent with adequate care." The change involving correctional facilities gives the correctional facilities the option to refuse necessary medical care in a small unique population; those who have medical problems "unrelieved by standard medical treatments and medications" and whose doctors have recommended the medical use of marijuana where other medical options have failed. For this select group, they may be forced into a medical situation where disabilities may significantly worsen or the patient may die. This places an undue burden on this group of patient prisoners and violated equal access and equal rights. Let me use myself as an example. I have several medical conditions which qualified me to use marijuana under the current state law. I will mention two. 1) I have unrelieved chronic pain from torn muscles and joints that pop out of place and an unrepaired broken back. I am allergic to the currently available anti-inflammatories, nonnarcotic pain relievers and most narcotic pain relievers. I am unable to use the narcotic pain relievers that I'm not allergic to, as I tend to injure myself more. With this current change to the law, if I was incarcerated the correctional facility would be able to denying access to pain relief. 2) I have no appetite (anorexia), chronic unrelieved diarrhea and a severe weight loss disorder. I am unable to use any legally available medications or treatments for this. With this current change to the law, if I was incarcerated in a correctional facility, they would be allowed to let me die by denying me access to marijuana as recommended by my doctor. I received most of my medical care from the Veterans Administration hospitals. They have been unable, for 13 years, to find me a medication or treatment that works other than marijuana, which they cannot provide. Most of this bill is very good, but the portion relating to exclusion of medical rights in correctional facilities is immoral, unethical, and possibly evil and should not be part of any bill pertaining to medical rights. This constitutional violation of equal access and equal rights should be removed. I encourage you to contact your senator and ask them to pass this bill as written, but with the denial of medical rights in correctional facilities removed. James (John) Markes homebound disabled veteran. Tacoma, WA [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by goneposthole on February 26, 2007 at 07:10:43 PT |
| http://www.depressionisachoice.com/essays/failure.html [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by goneposthole on February 26, 2007 at 05:22:50 PT |
| An attack on Iran is going to be disastrous. It won't happen. The US Navy has an armada there to aid the withdrawal of American forces in the next few months. They are going to need all of the help that they can get. It's bad and getting worse. The drug war is easy pickings for the US government. Iran is no pushover. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by mayan on February 26, 2007 at 04:34:29 PT |
| US generals ‘will quit’ if Bush orders Iran attack:
http://tinyurl.com/25llcb
[ Post Comment ] |
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