cannabisnews.com: High on Legalization High on Legalization Posted by CN Staff on October 24, 2002 at 08:19:49 PT By Erin Griffin, Staff Writer Source: Auburn Plainsman Alabama state law allows for medical marijuana research programs. However, no program has been operational yet. State bill 559 was passed on July 30, 1979. It allows the State Board of Medical Examiners to create a review committee to administer marijuana therapeutic research programs. Laws require that the programs must study the medical value of marijuana for patients with glaucoma and for patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. No program has been developed, according to the Marijuana Policy Project report issued in July 2001.The National Academy of Sciences issued a report in 1999 on the potential medical uses of marijuana."The profile of cannabinoid drug effects suggests that they are promising in treating wasting syndrome in AIDS patients," the report stated. "Nausea, appetite loss, pain and anxiety are all afflictions of wasting, and all can be mitigated by marijuana. Although some medications are more effective than marijuana for these problems, they are not equally effective in all patients," the report said.The debate about the legalization of marijuana mainly concerns its medical uses. Many clinical studies have reached conflicting decisions about the effectiveness of marijuana.Since 1986, nine states have adopted laws allowing patients to possess and grow marijuana for medical purposes with a doctor's approval. These states are Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.Although marijuana is legalized only for medical purposes in these states, many people believe the recreational use of the drug will increase.John Sophocleus, the Libertarian gubernatorial candidate for Alabama, said he disagrees."If history is a guide, use will decrease," said Sophocleus, a staunch supporter of full legalization of marijuana. Sophocleus said that as high as 38 percent of young people use marijuana where the drug is illegal. However, only 20 percent use the drug where it is legally available.The National Institute of Health currently funds initiatives to develop a smoke-free form of marijuana specifically for medical purposes. The pill form, Dronabinol (Marinol), would avoid some opposition from the federal government. The government wants to prevent any positive presentation of smoking to young people.The National Academy of Sciences report reviewed the effect on young people's perceived view of marijuana in California, one of the states now allowing marijuana to be used for medical purposes."The perceived risk of marijuana use did not change among California youth between 1996 and 1997," the report states. "In summary, there is no evidence that the medical marijuana debate has altered adolescents' perceptions of the risks associated with marijuana use."Federal law prohibits marijuana use for any purpose in the United States.The Marijuana Tax Act first prohibited marijuana in 1937. In 1970, the Controlled Substances Abuse Act defined illicit drugs by schedules based on their potential for abuse.Marijuana is a Schedule I drug, meaning it has a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medicinal uses in the United States.However, the federal government cannot force states to have laws identical to federal law, and state and local police do not have to enforce federal laws.But even if doctors legally write prescriptions for marijuana, no pharmacy can legally supply the drug. In Oregon, confiscated marijuana is used to fill these written prescriptions.Alabama prosecutes marijuana possession as a misdemeanor or a felony. No differentiation exists for medical use.Sen. Ted Little, D-Auburn is opposed to any change in the law that would allow marijuana to be used legally."Marijuana laws at present do not appear to be unreasonable," Little said. Statewide, 9,928 arrests were made for marijuana possession in 1997. In that year, Lee County ranked 49th in the number of marijuana arrests per county. As of Sept. 1, 481 people were in prison in Alabama for marijuana possession.James Major of the Opelika Police Department said the number of marijuana arrests has dropped."Marijuana is not as bad as it used to be," Major said.In fact, Lee County marijuana arrests decreased by 9.61 percent between 1995 and 1997.The year to date shows 11 felony charges in Auburn. The offenders range in age from 18 to 39, although most were under 25.The number of misdemeanor charges is greater: 122 arrests this year. The youngest person charged was 14 and the oldest was 39. Most people arrested were between 18 and 22.The last major arrest was in May. An Auburn employee was caught growing about 115 plants in his backyard.Sophocleus said he seriously doubts the potential for the state Legislature to tackle the issue of marijuana legalization. The next legislative session begins on March 4.He said his opinion is that Alabama has no courage to give people back their rights.U.S. reps. Bryant Melton, D-Tuscaloosa, Thomas Jackson D-Thomasville and Mike Rogers, D-Birmingham, signed a letter sent to the Bush administration asking that seriously ill people be able to apply for exception to harsh marijuana laws.Little said he is open to making exceptions for marijuana use directly related to pain, medicine and the final stages of cancer. If research develops that directly relates marijuana use to these medical purposes, he said the government would want to allow the drug's use under controlled circumstances."Any reasonable legislature would want to be confronted with that information," Little said. Note: Gubernatorial candidate John Sophocleus supports full legalization of marijuana, while Sen. Ted Little, D-Auburn is opposed to any legalization of the drug.Source: Auburn Plainsman, The (AL Edu)Author: Erin Griffin, Staff WriterPublished: October 24, 2002Copyright: 2002 The Auburn PlainsmanWebsite: http://www.theplainsman.com/Contact: letters theplainsman.com Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #6 posted by Dark Star on October 24, 2002 at 10:55:02 PT Save Your Effort The guy is irretrievable. Work to replace him instead. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by druid on October 24, 2002 at 10:49:40 PT: Senators! I faxed my Senators and US Representative and urged them to support H.R. 2592: States' Rights to Medical Marijuana Act. I recieved one response back from Senator Larry Craig (R ID). His form letter reply was that he has reviewed the facts and could not condone the medical use of Marijuana and is totally against the legalization of marijuana in any way. He also stated that the overwhelming majority of Idahoans support stronger laws and stricter penalties for drug use. Now I ask how does urging him to support States Rights tranlate into a plea to legalize marijuana? Even if he opposes the medical use of marijuana he should support the States' right to choose. I didn't fax him to support medical marijuana or legalization of marijuana in Idaho, just the right of the state to choose its own path of legislation. If anyone here wants to help draft a letter back to him expressing my desire for him to support States Rights please help me! I am not very eloquent with words and I would really like to respond back. I feel like all he did was see the word "marijuana" and immediately he was against it no matter what the bill is actually about. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on October 24, 2002 at 10:49:03 PT Thanks The GCW I updated the contact information. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by The GCW on October 24, 2002 at 10:37:34 PT A better E-mail contact. letters theplainsman.com The other e-mail contact did not work for Me. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by canaman on October 24, 2002 at 10:06:07 PT Not unreasonable Senator? Sen. Ted Little, D-Auburn is opposed to any change in the law that would allow marijuana to be used legally."Marijuana laws at present do not appear to be unreasonable," Little said. Statewide, 9,928 arrests were made for marijuana possession in 1997. In that year, Lee County ranked 49th in the number of marijuana arrests per county. As of Sept. 1, 481 people were in prison in Alabama for marijuana possession.Funny how these so-called elected 'representatives' can make such statements. Ask the family, friends and people arrested and/or incarcerated if they feel the law is reasonable. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by goneposthole on October 24, 2002 at 08:43:07 PT cannabis is medicine An individual that I have known for a long time is a published author in the medical field and also has a professional position in hospital administration.Each morning for years now has been toking bud before each and every work day. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment