Because I wasn't as fearful as he thought I should be.

Even in the truly, most dangerous of situations and places, excess fearfulness can get a person, and perhaps those around him, in more peril than they would be if they managed to maintain a calm mind, in even, obviously, heinous situations.

Somehow, he had had a bad day or an overdose of Rush Limbaugh, or something and got really angry at me for not being as afraid as he'd like me to be.

After first hand experience with nearly being one of those statistics...I'm really uneasy at the thought of any new prescription and more than a little leery that an old helper might turn on me. They are poison. We know they are poison when we take them. We know that a little bit of poison can sometimes be helpful, very helpful.

But the sweetest thing is something that can help and have, Oh My Lord, as it's only "bad" side effect, temporary euphoria.

Euphoria? What's so bad about a little bit of euphoria? Joy and peace and rest are part of euphoria. Why would anyone deny it to anyone?

From the Creator's hand to ours...no wait! A prohibitionist has snatched it and is telling God's child that he or she, and other prohibitionists know better than God, himself.

Prohibitionists, give the people back what is rightfully theirs! How dare you?

I agree with this.

Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we might die.

Time to live while we can.

Our "leaders" do want to keep us so scared, don't they....of everything? It's just sickening. "They" seem to want a nation of fearful, frightened, shivering cowards, that will turn to them and plead for them to lord it over them to take over their lives and "protect" them from all manner of scary stuff. Please. Please. Please.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA USE INITIATIVE LAUNCHES IN MICH.

An initiative that would allow seriously ill Michigan residents to use marijuana as a pain reliever without repercussions will be launched this week, The Coalition for Compassionate Care announced Wednesday.

The Ferndale-based, grassroots group plans to collect 550,000 signatures within six months for a citizen's initiative known as the Michigan Medicinal Marijuana Act. It would allow patients to grow and use small amounts of marijuana for relief from pain associated with cancer, multiple sclerosis and other diseases.

If 304,101 signatures are validated, the initiative would go to the Michigan Legislature, according to Coalition for Compassionate Care Spokeswoman Dianne Byrum. The act would appear on the November 2008 ballot if lawmakers reject or chose not to vote on it.

"This is a narrowly drafted initiative," Byrum said. "If you are going to use medicinal marijuana, it must be under a doctor's recommendation. Patients deserve to get relief from their terrible suffering without going to jail."

Byrum was unaware whether anyone has been prosecuted in Michigan for using marijuana for medical purposes.

Current Michigan law forbids marijuana use for any reason, but 12 other states permit medicinal use by patients.

There have been numerous legislative attempts to change Michigan's law in recent years, but they have gone nowhere, which is why the citizen's initiative is being launched, Byrum said.

Since 2004, voters in five Michigan cities have passed ballot initiatives allowing for medicinal marijuana use, including Detroit, Ferndale, Flint, Ann Arbor and Traverse City.

Detroiter Rochelle Lampkin uses medicinal marijuana to help ease the excruciating pain in her optic nerve, which is associated with her multiple sclerosis. She uses it occasionally and only needs a little to ease the pain.

"I don't abuse it," said Lampkin, 48. "It relaxes the optic nerve so it is not hurting in my eyes. It's a godsend."

California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Alaska, Hawaii, New Mexico, Montana, Colorado, Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, Maryland

http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=4516

The United States of America was started with 13 states. And cannabis medicine was legal in all of them.

Does anyone know if this is the 15th state to legalize?

by Kirt Grayson

published May 23, 2007

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070523/OPINION02/70522030/1040/OPINION

Iwas going into a courthouse on business recently and was confronted by an overweight cop with a metal detector. It screamed out a warning, and I produced my key chain, which had a 1-inch long, nail-file type of point, and was informed I couldn’t bring that into the courthouse.

At that point I returned a hard look, and told him in a stern voice, “Son, 55 years ago the U.S. trusted me with a 50-caliber machine gun, a .45 pistol and four hand grenades while I was in harm’s way to keep you from having to learn Russian, and I’ll be dammed if you’re going to take my nail file away.”

I heard giggles in the line behind me, and a man say, “For God’s sake, let him through.” His face turned red and he did.

Are we all running so scared?

But this is finally a big time initiative for our entire state. While we have already proven that our State is in favor of legalizing cannabis for medicinal use by passing 5 straight city wide initiatives, but this one would definately seal the deal for us Michiganders!

And I can't wait to start collecting those signatures. The ink is already jumpin' out of my pen!

www.stoparrestingpatients.org

PROVIDENCE, RI (AP) - House lawmakers vote to make the state's medical marijuana program permanent.

The bill passed today by a 51-to-12 vote.

That margin is wide enough to survive a possible veto from Governor Carcieri.

Under the program, patients with cancer, AIDS and other debilitating illnesses are currently permitted to smoke marijuana to ease their symptons.

The program expires June 30th unless lawmakers extend it.

Selling and possessing marijuana remains illegal under federal law.

House spokesman Larry Berman says the bill will likely go to Carcieri's desk next week after the Senate votes on an identical measure.

Carcieri has threatened to veto the legislation.

Copyright: 2007 by The Associated Press

People of Michigan, I'm proud to say that we have a new mission........and it starts now!!!

Michigan medical marijuana campaign launches

MPP is excited to announce the official launch of our campaign to pass a statewide medical marijuana initiative in Michigan! MPP's Michigan campaign committee, the Michigan Coalition for Compassionate Care (MCCC), will begin gathering signatures in a matter of days to put the medical marijuana initiative on the 2008 ballot. And we want you to be part of the campaign!

In order to get the initiative on the ballot, we need help from committed supporters like you. We are asking our supporters throughout Michigan to either (1) collect 1,000 signatures, or (2) donate or raise $1,000 to get the initiative on the ballot. If only 100 dedicated activists commit to collecting signatures as volunteers and only 450 supporters commit to raising money, the drive will pay for itself — and the money saved can be devoted to the actual campaign to pass the initiative in 2008!

Will you please visit www.StopArrestingPatients.org to sign up to help today?

You can truly be a part of history — and receive recognition on MCCC's Web site for your efforts — if you choose. Only a grassroots effort will make medical marijuana a reality in Michigan — so we're asking for your help today.

Michigan law requires that MCCC collect 304,101 signatures in six months to get the medical marijuana initiative on the ballot. Because validity rates for signatures hover around 55%, this means we actually need to collect 550,000 raw signatures to qualify for the ballot. And because it costs us a dollar to gather each and every signature, we need the help of both generous donors and committed volunteers to make this happen.

Signature-gathering can be a very difficult process, but the momentum is clearly on our side. Michigan activists have succeeded in passing local medical marijuana initiatives in five cities — Ann Arbor, Detroit, Ferndale, Flint, and Traverse City — and by large margins in every case. Without their hard work and dedication, this campaign wouldn't even be possible. Support across the state is strong — 59% favor a statewide medical marijuana measure, according to a 2003 poll — and the time has come for all patients in Michigan to be protected from the threat of arrest and jail for using their doctor-recommended medicine. MPP, the Michigan Coalition for Compassionate Care, and activists throughout the state are excited to move forward with this important work — would you please lend your support today?

www.mpp.org

Seeing this posted on the website tonight just made my entire year :)