Cannabis News Media Awareness Project
  Medical Marijuana Bill Back on Floor
Posted by CN Staff on March 13, 2007 at 08:12:15 PT
By Casey Peacock, PNT Staff Writer  
Source: Portales News-Tribune  

medical New Mexico -- After initial efforts to pass a medical marijuana bill in the state Legislature were shot down in the House last week, the issue is back at the urging of the governor.

A substitute bill for the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act passed the Senate 32-3 late last week and cleared the House Judiciary Committee Monday, with a 10-3 vote. It now heads to the House floor.

The substitute bill includes language that would allow for topical use of cannabis (medical marijuana) in the form of patches, ointments, and suppositories, according to a press release issued by the Drug Policy Alliance New Mexico .

“We’re excited about the possibility of the bill getting a House floor vote, said Reena Szczepanski, director of the alliance. This is an important issue to New Mexicans and it deserves a fair hearing on the House floor.”

First introduced during the 2006 Legislature, the measure is designed to help people who have medical conditions that cause pain, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and AIDS, said Szczepanski.

Designed to prescribe the marijuana in a controlled restrictive environment, supporters of the bill feel patients who are ill should not have to suffer the fear of what other citizens, not faced with a terminally ill family member or friend, may say or do, Szczepanski said.

District Attorney Matthew Chandler opposes the bill and questions the necessity of using legalized drugs versus prescribed narcotics, such as morphine. Chandler went on to state that there is no evidence or research indicating the helpfulness of marijuana for terminally ill patients.

“Law enforcement is concerned where you draw the line. It becomes a slippery slope,” he said.

Rep. Keith J. Gardner, R-Roswell, is supportive of the bill as it is written. With it’s strict regulations, it has a low margin for error, he said.

“The truth is, it’s very controlled, unlike other states,” Gardner said.

Opposed to other legalized drug bills, Gardner feels this one is a necessity for those suffering from a terminal illnesses.

“If it could help alleviate pain, why can’t it be a law?”, Gardner said.

The original bill was killed by a 36-33 margin in the House after passing 34-7 in the Senate.

Source: Portales News-Tribune (NM)
Author: Casey Peacock, PNT Staff Writer
Published: March 12, 2007
Copyright: 2007 Portales News-Tribune
Website: http://www.pntonline.com/
Contact: mike_linn@link.freedom.com

Related Articles & Web Site:

Drug Policy Alliance
http://www.drugpolicy.org/

MMJ : Governor's Wrangling Revives Measure
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22734.shtml

Medical-Marijuana Bill Not Dead Yet
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22732.shtml


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Comment #31 posted by cannabliss on March 15, 2007 at 14:24:36 PT
Strange But True
May be old to news to many, but "the greatest Secretary of Defense in our history" Don Rumsfeld was CEO of Searle, during which time he called in a lot of favors to get the FDA to overturn its initial ban on Aspertame.

Nothing quenches an "I'm stationed in the desert for no reason" thirst like a cool, crisp, refreshing Diet Coke.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #30 posted by whig on March 15, 2007 at 00:04:33 PT
Max
Sucralose tastes noxious to me. Not even sweet.

I like agave, and another alternative I don't think you mentioned is Xylitol.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #29 posted by Had Enough on March 14, 2007 at 13:38:56 PT
Rolling, Rolling, Rolling...
Max

I'm on a roll now.

I love it when you are on a roll.

Thanks for the info.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #28 posted by FoM on March 14, 2007 at 12:12:51 PT
Max Flowers
That is good information. I bookmarked it and will think about it. Tax time is coming so I'm careful buying things at the moment. I think it would be something I would like to try.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #27 posted by Max Flowers on March 14, 2007 at 11:43:18 PT
Splenda not too splendid...
I'm on a roll now.

From the wikipedia entry on Splenda:

The U.S. sugar industry has claimed that the advertising of Splenda is deceptive and has filed a formal complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. Taking issue with Splenda's advertising slogan “made from sugar so it tastes like sugar,” the Sugar Association states that: "Splenda is not a natural product. It is not cultivated or grown and it does not occur in nature." McNeil Nutritionals, the manufacturer of Splenda, has responded that its "advertising represents the products in an accurate and informative manner and complies with applicable advertising rules in the countries where Splenda brand products are marketed." The consumer advocacy group Citizens for Health has filed a petition with the FDA. They have asked the FDA to withdraw its approval of Splenda pending additional investigation of claimed side effects such as stomach pain and other digestion problems.[11] The U.S. Sugar Association has also started a web site where they put forward their criticism of sucralose.[12] The Sugar Association’s health-related concerns revolve around three essential points:

1. Sucralose is a chlorocarbon 2. Up to 27% of sucralose that is ingested is absorbed into the body by the digestive system 3. Long-term human studies with sucralose have not been performed.

Obviously, the U.S. sugar industry stands to lose profits if substitution of sucralose for sugar becomes widespead, which constitutes a financial conflict of interest.

The world's largest retailer of natural and organic foods (Whole Foods), made an official policy statement of not carrying products containing sucralose in any of its outlets. The retailer’s health-related concerns revolved around five essential points:

1. Sucralose is an artificial substance, some of which is absorbed by the body 2. Pre-approval tests indicated a potential for toxicity 3. Sucralose is a chlorinated compound (a chlorocarbon) 4. Independent, controlled human studies had not been performed 5. Long-term human studies with sucralose had not been performed.[13]

======================================

From http://www.splendaexposed.com/ :

The Chlorine In Splenda

Chlorine is commonly found in nature, but almost always in combination with other building block elements. Chlorine's structure makes it very reactive and because it is so reactive, it is very useful to chemists, engineers and others involved in making things humans use every day.

The inventors of Splenda admit around fifteen percent (15%) of sucralose is absorbed by the body, but they cannot guarantee us (out of this fifteen percent) what amount of chlorine stays in the body and what percent flushes out.

So, do you feel lucky today as you sprinkle that yellow packet of powder in your tea? You will be alarmed once you realize how chlorine, this common chemical we’ve trusted as a “purifier”, is actually affecting our health in more ways than you know. Hopefully, this chapter will make you hesitate before you let your toddler take another sip of your diet cola.

What Are Sweetener Blends?

I’ve written about how artificial sweeteners like sucralose (found in Splenda) and aspartame (found in NutraSweet) can have a negative impact on your health. Now the sweetener industry has gone a step further in their quest to copy real sugar’s sweet flavor. They are mixing Splenda and NutraSweet and other artificial sweeteners together! Mixtures of any artificial sweeteners are called “sweetener blends.”

Instead of one harmful chemical coursing through your body, you now have two or three (or more) interacting with each other, and in ways we may not know yet. If one substance is hazardous, do you think adding toxins to it will make it better? It is just one more potent “alien” mixture with unknown interactions that your poor body will try to use, excrete, or store. Its mix n’ match chemistry at the expense of your health.

The Unsafe Sweeteners Out There

Artificial sweeteners: This category of non-nutritive, high-intensity sugar substitutes includes ASPARTAME, ACESULFAME-K, NEOTAME, SUCRALOSE, and ALITAME. The two sweeteners that have recently undergone current and pending FDA approval are SUCRALOSE and ALITAME, respectively. Cyclamate lost its FDA approval in 1970, but is currently up for re-approval. Numerous new sweeteners are currently in various stages of development and approval.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #26 posted by Max Flowers on March 14, 2007 at 11:32:13 PT
Sugar-free FoM
The carbonation thing is where I suppose it makes it slightly challenging, because to my knowledge no one makes (and we can thank the FDA schemers for this) a soda made with stevia or erythritol or agave or any of these things... this is because, of course, the FDA is in bed with the Coca-Cola company and Pepsi and all those creeps and they protect their markets for them.

Get this---in Japan, by law they use stevia in *all* of their low-cal/no-cal sodas and drinks, and have outlawed noxious chems like aspartame and splenda! In the US it's almost the opposite... I think we can see that the Japanese gov't looks out for its people a lot more honestly than the FDA does.

Anyway, to make a sugar-free, safe soda, as I said earlier I think you will have to make your own. It would not be hard at all to do. You would just need the three elements: soda water, flavor base, and sweetener.

HANG ON, I just went searching and found what may be the ultimate solution for you FoM! And for anyone who wants sugar-free sodas that are safe from bad chems and that you can adjust to your liking! This is really exciting. I think I may get one myself, as I gave up sodas for this reason years ago! Go to http://www.sodaclubusa.com ...they have a cool little machine that carbonates and mixes, but they offer flavor concentrates that have sugar and Splenda in them, so the hot tip would be to use their machine but NOT use their flavors, which would be obtained elsewhere so you can use stevia or agave nectar or erythritol or whatever to sweeten it! This is perfect for you, I think.

Here is an example of a good organic, sugarless cola flavor base you could use: http://www.naturesflavors.com/product_info.php/cPath/196/products_id/5456

The way to go would be to get the machine, figure out how to use it (won't be hard) and use it to make soda with soda water (I think the machine makes it), flavor base as above, and a healthy sweetener. I'd probably use agave nectar myself because it has the best taste and actually has a (thinner) honey-like consistency which would probably do a great job of replacing the sugar and providing "mouth-feel" and liquid consistency.

For agave nectar:

http://www.madhavahoney.com/agave.htm (this is the brand I get)

http://www.blueagavenectar.com/

http://www.volcanicnectar.com/

If you wanted a truly zero-glycemic/zero-calorie soda, you would just use stevia extract instead. The only thing with stevia extract is that it's very powerful and if you put in too much there is an aftertaste. However this is easy to avoid by learning how much to use. If you were making soda batches, you'd quickly get it down to a certain amount you'd know to use.

Let me know what you think...

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #25 posted by FoM on March 14, 2007 at 10:43:50 PT
Max Flowers
Thank you for the offer but if you can tell me where to order some of what you mention I will check it out. I like to have something to drink from morning until night but I can't drink anything with sugar or I wouldn't be able to eat as much each day because of the extra calories. I need something that is carbonated and very low if no calories.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #24 posted by Max Flowers on March 14, 2007 at 10:29:17 PT
FoM & Had Enough
FoM: You knew I was going to say this, but Splenda is almost as bad as aspartame. Read up on it, you'll see. If I recall, it is the product of a chlorination reaction on sugar, so it has chloro- molecules in it---not fit for human consumption! Yes you're right that I'm near health food stores. I assume you're not. Not a problem though, because if you are serious about it, I would ship you some of whatever you wanted. Seriously. But let's get real, you can order anything these days online, even if you live in the remotest outpost of Iowa!! :) So you're running out of excuses, he he. But seriously, I will send you something to try first if you like. I know it's hard to fathom, but there are things out there that make things sweet and taste nice and are not toxic/nasty chemicals! Strange but true! Please take advantage of them.

Had Enough: Yes, unrefined sugar is less bad for you than white sugar, that's for sure. But if one is trying to avoid sugar period, it's not much better. People have different reasons for this. I have a feeling that FoM is trying to avoid it because of calories, and that is the most popular reason, although I think it's much more of a worry to get diabetes than it is to fear putting on a few extra pounds---but actually they are tied in together (overweight often leads to diabetes), which makes a great argument for just using something non-glucose-reactive as a sweetener all the time and cutting out as much sugar as possible.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #23 posted by Sam Adams on March 14, 2007 at 09:20:37 PT
New Mexico
Paul, thank you for the link and clearing that up for us. It's difficult to find out what's actually going on, the media is notoriously weak on specific details. I'm glad to hear that the Governor is at least trying to do something useful.

It's an improvement on the last democractic presidential hopeful, Howard Dean, who hid like a guilty child & had his friends kill the Vermont bill.

It still seems like a return the 80's though, when we had to be content with medical bills that were empty gestures from grandstanding politicians. Before Prop. 215. There's a good reason why watered-down bills like this haven't passed in Vermont, Hawaii, Rhode Island, CT, NY, MN, IL, it's because the reformers & lobbyists and legislators in those states wouldn't accept compromise.

I've never grown my own herb, but I've got a feeling that I could do it better the first time than the state government of New Mexico ever could.

Maybe there's a master plan to set up a confrontation with the federal government that will lead to something better. I hope so.



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #22 posted by paul armentano on March 14, 2007 at 07:53:56 PT
Sam Adams | Suppositories
http://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/_session.asp?chamber=S&type=++&number=523&Submit=Search&year=07

SB 523, as introduced, only addressed the topical, suppository issue. This language was replaced by the Senate with the original language from SB 238. You can read the language above.

Unlike other state laws, this bill, as approved, only mandates the state to establish rules for the distribution of medical marijuana to qualified patients. That's why there are no cultivation/possession limits written into the bill. Patients in NM will still have to rely on the secretary of health et al. to enact a workable model that allows patients to acquire and possess their medicine.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #21 posted by mayan on March 14, 2007 at 06:18:04 PT
I mean...
I only expect Bush to be a warmonger but if the folks who were given a mandate(by the voters) to stop him fail to do so then they fail those voters. The democrats might as well pass a resolution supporting the advancement of the PNAC agenda. The corporate duopoly has seriously become a monopoly.

The fact that there wasn't an immediate investigation of 9/11 as soon as the democrats took power is indicative of the fact that they are not interested in stopping any wars. In fact, the blood is on their hands just as well as they supported they Iraq war also. Everyone here knew that the "justifications" for war were bogus so there is no excuse. We are ruled by murderers. Unfortunately, it is really that simple.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #20 posted by mayan on March 14, 2007 at 06:02:15 PT
Nuevo
If we attack Iran I will blame the democrats.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #19 posted by nuevo mexican on March 14, 2007 at 05:28:17 PT
Sorry officer, not a joint, its' a suppository!
Watch me while I stick it up my ass!

(or, would you like to remove it officer?)

Yes, this bill is lame, but the Federal aspect of it does push the envelope, and we will take growing for personal use into next years bill, it will pass, and the ridiculousness of not allowing patients to grow is typical of the powers that be, profits MUST be made at the expense of peoples health, at all costs!

A baby step, with a great leap forward following!

Hammer the Dems on this one, they refuse to challenge bushes power to attack Iran, can you say LOOOOOOOSERSSSSSS........ Geez!

WTF, as John Stewart said last night!

So, a little pressure from Cheney and AIPAC and the Dems fold!

Let them hear about it please, the future just took a turn for the worst, and the story on Gonzales is MINOR compared to this one!

Pelosi's Disastrous Misstep on Iran The Nation -- When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record) and her allies in the chamber's Democratic leadership initially accepted that spending legislation designed to outline an Iraq exit strategy should also include a provision barring the president from attacking Iran without congressional approval, they opened up a monumental discussion about presidential war powers.

As such, the decision by Pelosi and her allies to rewrite their Iraq legislation to exclude the statement regarding the need for congressional approval of any military assault on the neighboring country of Iran sends the worst possible signal to the White House.

It is not too much to suggest that Pelosi disastrous misstep could haunt her and the Congress for years to come.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20070313/cm_thenation/1174804_1

Pelosi just effed-up, and needs to hear an OUT-CRY over this, I love having her up there, and the LEFT WING ECHO CHAMBER (that doesn't exist, and needs to), should make this a big issue this weekend, with signs saying to the Dems: Out of Iraq, OUT OF IRAN! Stop the Bush attack now!

Anyone think bush is stoppable, especially when the Dems coil from a little sneering from Dick Cheney at AIPAC, where Nancy was booed by the way, WTF is her problem!

We all know the answer to that......the Israeli Mossad has her number, and she has lots of grand children.

The whole Democratic Party seems to have had their phones tapped, computers monitored and emails read, as their recent mandate has been shoved back down their throats!

The Dems better get some back-bone, or bush will have his little legacy of War with Iran to distract from his legacy of disasters, one to end all legacies, and that would suit the War Child just fine!

Don't be fooled, the Dems hands are tied, bush has everyone blackmailed, and anyone speaking out should get lots of emails, letters and phone calls of support!

I doubt if they are getting that, since the 'citizenry' has long lost any role in making decisions in our Country, American Idol is a reflection of the shallow state of America, it's celebrity lust and fawning over the need for acceptance by others, (as we don't have a clue as to what really matters anymore, War goes on, and in the U.S., you would never know we are killing thousands of innocents in a foreign land, while we watch Simon critique the least and most talented, but who cares)? The American people it seems!

Fire Gonzo, and Make it illegal for bush to attack Iran without Congressional approval first! (how hard can that be to get with Dems like these folks)!

Please contact your Senators and congress-critters today, we must pressure the Dems, they KNOW what we feel, we have to be a LEFT-WING echo chamber, since there ISN'T one, if we are to have a future with nuclear contamination, and depleted Uranium, the next 'Walter Reed' Scandal to envelope the Worlds' Consciousness, a disaster to frightening to talk about.

Other things you can do to re-birth Democracy in the world:

Please consider signing this petition to get Gonzo to resign, from PFAW and then contact the Senate Judiciary Committee at United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary 224 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510

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[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #18 posted by whig on March 13, 2007 at 21:40:14 PT
Suppository?
If that's the best that they can do, there's a place they can stick it.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #17 posted by FoM on March 13, 2007 at 20:46:48 PT
Max Flowers
I have been drinking grape juice and water. I switched to diet 7-up but we have been able to get it sometimes with Splenda. I am not drinking many sodas like before. I'm slowly changing what I drink. You must be close to health food stores or good grocery stores.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #16 posted by Had Enough on March 13, 2007 at 20:22:06 PT
Oh Sugar...
Max

I do organic sugar. It supposed to be grown with organic fertilizers, sun dried, and all that jazz.

Its granules are larger, the color is light brown amber, and you can tell the taste difference between it and the “White Death”. The organic is much better tasting to me.

I would be very interested in what you might know about it. Seems that you are up on this kinda stuff.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #15 posted by Max Flowers on March 13, 2007 at 19:30:30 PT
FoM (#5)
I'm so glad you gave up Diet Coke, but I hope you have quit all "diet" sodas because they all have either aspartame or one of the other poisons in there.

I found a couple of safe new sweeteners that are every bit as good as sugar. One is agave nectar, it is really sweet and tastes like honey (but less honey-ish), and has almost zero glucose-reactivity, and then there is erythritol, another of the sugar alcohol type sweeteners, but this one won't cause "loose bowels" as can xylitol and sorbitol, and has zero GR. With either of these, you could easily make yourself big batches of homemade cola by getting (sugarless) cola flavor base and soda water. And I wager it would taste much better than Die and Choke, oops I mean Diet Coke.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #14 posted by Lucas on March 13, 2007 at 19:01:00 PT
the govt farm head owns the suppository patent
here is the US Government Pot Farm

http://gallery.marihemp.com/albums/public_domain_free/miss2.jpg

The man who runs it, Mahmoud ElSohly, owns the patent on Marijuana suppositories: http://www.reason.com/news/printer/33838.html

the NM Legislature has floated a number of medical bills for several years now, that attempt to limit cannabis medications to those that are "Pharmaceutical Grade."

That means, pills like Marinol, patches that dont exist yet, suppositories the Govt can produce now, inhalers produced by GW Pharma, are OK, but growing a plant in your back yard is not OK.. especially if you intend to smoke it..

The NM proposed law does do one thing that is different than other states, it gets the State Government involved in distributing Marijuana.

That makes it a greater challenge for the Feds to enforce against a marijuana distributor that is a State agency.

The 1970 Controlled Substances has an interesting clause:

http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/csa/885.htm#d

(d) Immunity of Federal, State, local and other officials Except as provided in sections 2234 and 2235 of title 18, no civil or criminal liability shall be imposed by virtue of this subchapter upon any duly authorized Federal officer lawfully engaged in the enforcement of this subchapter, or upon any duly authorized officer of any State, territory, political subdivision thereof, the District of Columbia, or any possession of the United States, who shall be lawfully engaged in the enforcement of any law or municipal ordinance relating to controlled substances.

---

That could mean that the State is not breaking Federal Law, if it is involved in enforcement of a New Mexico law mandating marijuana distribution through the Health Department.

Only problem with this concept, is that Ed Rosenthal got zero traction from the fact he was supposedly a deputy of the city of Oakland.. Govt kept that out because it related "only" to state law, supposedly irrelevant because the case was federal.

The Feds are still going after Rosenthal. It would be interesting to see what would happen if the DEA busted the New Mexico Health Department..

that is, if the bill passes

Wonder what Governor Richardson has in his mind with this endorsement.. are potheads now a voting block, like hispanics and gays? I hope so

Lucas

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #13 posted by Had Enough on March 13, 2007 at 18:46:20 PT
Gov. Richardson

My kind of people!!!

Gods speed to you.

Let’s Roll

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #12 posted by FoM on March 13, 2007 at 17:21:44 PT
NM: House Approves Medical Marijuana Bill
By The Associated Press

March 13, 2007

SANTA FE (AP) - A bill to legalize the medical use of marijuana has passed the House.

The 36-31 vote was a turnaround from last week when the House narrowly rejected a similar proposal.

Gov. Bill Richardson supports the legislation, which is nearing final approval in the Legislature.

The bill returns to the Senate for consideration of an amendment added by the House. The Senate has twice approved a medical marijuana bill this session.

The proposal would allow the use of marijuana for pain or other symptoms of debilitating illnesses such as cancer, glaucoma, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, HIV-AIDS and certain spinal cord injuries.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

http://www.kobtv.com/index.cfm?viewer=storyviewer&id=31024&cat=NMTOPSTORIES

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #11 posted by observer on March 13, 2007 at 16:38:24 PT
Anti-drug activists are livid
The anti-drug activist, Cliff Kincaid, wrote today; Anti-drug activists are livid, having defeated the bill in the New Mexico House last week, only to see Richardson try to revive it. Time is of the essence because the legislative session ends on Saturday.

http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/article/canadafreepress4638.htm

http://www.canadafreepress.com/2007/kincaid031307.htm



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #10 posted by mayan on March 13, 2007 at 14:18:25 PT
Rosie
They are talking about 9/11 over at Rosie O'Donnell's blog and she even has a link to Scholars For 9/11 Truth! Now it's Oprah's turn and that will seal the deal.

ask ro: http://www.rosie.com/blog/sections/ask-ro/

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #9 posted by Sam Adams on March 13, 2007 at 14:15:25 PT
choices
I think there is a temptation just to get SOMETHING passed. There is always pressure from funders and donors who pay year after year and want some tangible progress.

However, I am member of DPA, and this bill seems useless to me. I would have told the sponsoring legislators "sorry, don't accept anything that removes patient possession and growing of 2.5 ounces or more". They are typically quite comfortable with that, it is standard operating procedure in any negotiation to set your rock-bottom position at the outset. They rely on advocates like DPA to inform them on the importance of various elements of a bill or issue.

This is also a good time to remember that we (legitimate patients) will happily continue to use this safe medicine regardless of what decisions are made by despicable pigs currently holding power over us by force. The government will never have enough money to pay LEOs to attack all of us at once, and we know it. So put that in your suppository, Governor Richardson

Another 80 years of lies, violence and jail isn't going to stop the grass from growing.



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Comment #8 posted by FoM on March 13, 2007 at 12:15:12 PT
Sam
I don't understand all the compromises that are made. If you want a new law that actually fixes a bad law why does it get so tangled up and winds up lacking logic? I like a good end to a story. I want to see something complete.

The Suppository thing again! Gosh, the government must really hate us. I say be kind and get off your high horses to our lawmakers.

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Comment #7 posted by Sam Adams on March 13, 2007 at 11:47:39 PT
the bill is dead - should be dead
Not the suppositories again! Thanks so much, political class. Really appreciate it.

Sorry to criticize, but DPA really needs to get their act together. There are 35+ states with ineffective med MJ laws passed in the 80s and 90s, I thought most reformers realized we had moved beyond that and there is no more need to expend resources on flawed bills.

Even the flawed Maryland bill helps patients after they've been arrested, it provides medical necessity defense for using natural cannabis or growing it. Why let the NM politicians take credit for a bill that doesn't help any patients?

It'd be nice to get high-quality cannabis massage oils, but do they really think that is going to be made availalble? The government is going to be able to grow the weed and make oil? No government anywhere on planet Earth has been able to provide decent medical MJ in any form. And it's been tried in the US, Canada, and Holland.



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Comment #6 posted by FoM on March 13, 2007 at 10:11:36 PT
Just a Comment
I am getting tired of news channels showing people smoking a joint. They show a butterfly when they advertise Lunesta. They don't show people drinking alcohol they just show the mixed drinks or beer. It really would be fair if they just showed a pretty marijuana bud or plant. That's all for now.

http://www.lunesta.com/

Is Minnesota Ready for Medical Marijuana?

http://kaaltv.com/article/view/111475/

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Comment #5 posted by FoM on March 13, 2007 at 09:40:07 PT
Max Flowers
I agree. What else could it mean?

By the way I haven't had any diet coke. I thought you'd like to know.

and lie there by the fire and watch the evening tire while all my friends and my old lady sit and pass a pipe around.

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Comment #4 posted by Max Flowers on March 13, 2007 at 09:36:53 PT
Rocky mountain high
Pass the pipe around...? The meaning is very clear. No one passes a tobacco pipe around except maybe native americans in their rituals. And even then I don't think they simply "pass it around"---I think it's given to specific persons for specific reasons.

There can be no misinterpreting that lyric. Anyone who doesn't see it doesn't want to see it!

By the way, I always thought that was what he was intimating with the word "high" in Rocky Mountain High... maybe not high from cannabis, but that he gets high off being there, and the only way he would know a high, is if he got high, so there you have it...

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Comment #3 posted by FoM on March 13, 2007 at 09:33:42 PT
Colorado is So Beautiful
John Denver-Rocky Mountain High Tribute

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dnIxbi7TwQ

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Comment #2 posted by FoM on March 13, 2007 at 09:06:29 PT
Poems, Prayers and Promises
I know that not everyone thinks that John Denver meant marijuana when he did the songs he did but these lyrics can't be interrupted any other way to me.

***

I have to say it now, it's been good life all in all, it's really fine to have a chance to hang around.

and lie there by the fire and watch the evening tire while all my friends and my old lady sit and pass a pipe around.

And talk of poems and prayers and promises and things that we believe in.

How sweet it is to love someone, how right it is to care.

http://www.geocities.com/WileyMike/2Promises.html

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Comment #1 posted by FoM on March 13, 2007 at 08:57:01 PT
Rocky Mountain High
Legislature Picks 'Rocky Mountain High' to be Colorado's Second Official Song

***

By John Colson, Glenwood Springs, CO Colorado

March 13, 2007

ASPEN, Colo. — John Denver was a controversial figure when he was alive, and he's managed to spark controversy a decade after he died.

The Colorado Legislature overwhelmingly named one of his biggest hits as the second official state song Monday. Lawmakers adopted "Rocky Mountain High" as such by a 28-6 margin in the Senate, and 50-11 in the House.

The move came despite feelings by some that the lyrics glorify drug use and thus are not appropriate for a state song.

Complete Article: http://www.postindependent.com/article/20070313/VALLEYNEWS/103130040

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