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| Q&A: Let Sick People Use Marijuana? |
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Posted by CN Staff on November 02, 2008 at 05:25:40 PT By Megha Satyanarayana, Free Press Staff Writer Source: Detroit Free Press 
Michigan -- Proposal 1 would allow people with serious or terminal illnesses to use marijuana for pain and nausea relief. It was put on Tuesday's ballot by the Michigan Coalition for Compassionate Care, funded in part by the Marijuana Policy Project, a national organization.If passed, the law would go into effect 10 days after the vote. The proposal would require users and their caregivers to register with the Department of Community Health, and would allow limited growth and possession of marijuana. Citizens Protecting Michigan's Kids, a coalition of law enforcement officials, medical professionals, antidrug groups and business organizations, opposes Proposal 1, fearing that relaxing drug laws would make it easier for young people to get marijuana. Here's a Free Press analysis of some of the claims and counterclaims. Opponents say: The measure will lead to California-style pot shops in strip malls. What we found: The proposal doesn't explicitly forbid cooperative growth and pot shops to distribute marijuana. But a registered caregiver can help a maximum of just five patients. Proponents say: Marijuana is the only thing that works for some people. What we found: The chemicals in marijuana interact with pain perception pathways in the brain, which are genetic. People have different sensitivities, side effects and metabolic rates with pain medicines, making some drugs more tolerable than others, including marijuana. Opponents say: Teens will have more access to marijuana. What we found: Possibly. Some states with medical marijuana laws show increases in teen marijuana use over the last several years; others show declines. Proponents say: Marijuana has medicinal value. What we found: Federal reports have concluded that marijuana is of limited medicinal value, but there is concern with health risks from smoking it, as there is with cigarettes. The most common active ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, has been turned into a pill for HIV patients. The Food and Drug Administration sides with the Department of Justice in saying that marijuana has no medicinal value. Opponents say: People could sue to smoke pot at work or at the doctor's office. What we found: The proposal would not undercut restrictions against smoking pot in public. Employers could still prohibit smoking at work, including medicinal marijuana. Opponents say: Police will be reluctant to enforce marijuana laws. What we found: Law enforcement priorities could change based on how easy officers believe a marijuana-related drug case will be to prove. But a medical marijuana defense is not a guarantee of case dismissal. That's up to a judge. Sources: Michigan Coalition for Compassionate Care: http://stoparrestingpatients.org Source: Detroit Free Press (MI) Related Articles & Web Site: Stop Arresting Patients Move To Legalize MMJ Supported by 2-1 Margin Medical Marijuana Relieves Suffering Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #10 posted by FoM on November 03, 2008 at 08:17:20 PT |
| I looked closer and closed the page. I don't even want to think that people can be so heartless and mean. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #9 posted by dongenero on November 03, 2008 at 07:37:28 PT |
| And if the web site isn't strange and sad enough, look at the comment lines!
The nut-job wing of the right is completely spinning out at this point. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #8 posted by FoM on November 03, 2008 at 05:17:48 PT |
| Excerpt: One of the first things Obama would do as president is repeal mandatory minimum sentences for crack and other drug offenders to "reduce the ineffective warehousing" of such criminals, according to his website. He favors "drug rehabilitation" over incarceration for even "a second-time offender," according to a 2007 interview he gave to the Michigan Chronicle, Detroit's second-largest African-American newspaper. Decriminalizing pot is also on the table. "We need to rethink and decriminalize our marijuana laws," said Obama, who admits to smoking weed and doing "a little blow" as a young man. http://frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=16508119-2BA3-4E1B-BFC2-EEDF0DDCB48B [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #7 posted by The GCW on November 02, 2008 at 19:28:43 PT |
| Lotus announces hemp-based Eco Elise: a new type of "green" car. Eco Elise made largely out of hemp [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #6 posted by FoM on November 02, 2008 at 15:12:47 PT |
| I think Michigan will be the second largest state if it passes. I knew this was bigger then I thought. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by FoM on November 02, 2008 at 15:00:12 PT |
| I'm trying to figure out if we can see growth in the acceptance of Medical Marijuana since California. Here is the population of people in California 36,457,549 http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06000.html And Michigan 10,095,643 http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/26000.html [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by phil_debowl on November 02, 2008 at 14:55:07 PT |
| I believe it was 700,000 in california. I think they got around 900,000. Michigan needed 304,000 and got almost 500,000 [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by mykeyb420 on November 02, 2008 at 14:43:13 PT |
| FOM I think its either a % of the population of the state,,,,,or a % of registered voters of the state [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by FoM on November 02, 2008 at 10:35:14 PT |
| How many signatures did it take to get Prop 215 on the ballot in 96? How many signatures did it take to get Medical Marijuana in Michigan on the ballot this year? I'm trying to compare the numbers. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by FoM on November 02, 2008 at 07:29:38 PT |
| I am reflecting on this election and the past 8 years under Bush. I'm also thinking of how I felt when JFK won. I was very young but I was a Catholic and it made it special. There was no hoopla when JFK won in school just a wow effect and being thankful for a chance to become mainstream in a way. I think of the civil rights movement and where we are now and I know how proud the Black community will feel when Obama wins. We've been swimming against the tide these last 8 years but now we will have a chance at a new beginning and a new thoughtfulness that will become part of our way of living at least for a while. That's all for now. [ Post Comment ] |
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