cannabisnews.com: Pass The Pot Proposal 





Pass The Pot Proposal 
Posted by CN Staff on January 29, 2003 at 18:21:25 PT
Editorial
Source: San Diego City Beat
Next Tuesday, Feb. 4, the San Diego City Council will consider approving guidelines for local implementation of Proposition 215, the medical marijuana initiative passed into law by 55.6 percent of California voters in 1996. An ad-hoc task force has proposed that the City Council establish a program that will issue ID cards for people who are allowed to smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes under Prop. 215.
Under the proposal, registered patients would be allowed to possess three pounds of pot and 72 indoor or 20 outdoor marijuana plants. Registered caregivers would be allowed to have 12 pounds of pot on hand and up to 90 plants. Caregivers would be allowed to provide care for no more than 12 patients. These guidelines should be approved, not only because a City Council subcommittee gave them its endorsement, and not only because 5,382,915 voters in California said yes to Prop. 215 and are waiting for a sensible implementation plan for it, but also because it’s the right-thinking, progressive thing to do that will take subjectivity out of the equation from a law-enforcement standpoint. There’s no doubt medical marijuana is a polarizing wedge issue, and that’s expected to be reflected in a close City Council vote. Councilmembers Toni Atkins, Donna Frye and Ralph Inzunza can safely be counted on to cast favorable votes, and Michael Zucchet’s probably a “yes.” Scott Peters says he needs certain concessions to join the yeses. Brian Maienschein is a firm “no,” and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Mayor Dick Murphy and Jim Madaffer join his camp. Charles Lewis is a wild card. Toni Atkins is carrying the ball on this one, and if she can get Zucchet and either Peters or Lewis to join up, it’s a done deal. If Peters needs a reduction in the amount of pot one person can possess, we’d rather have Lewis on board for the program as proposed. If Lewis can’t be convinced, we’ll take what we can get from Peters. As members of the city’s task force are quick to point out, the amounts they’ve recommended are not aimed at what they think people need, but rather at drawing a clear line that police officers can follow when they encounter patients and their pot. The amounts recommended are based on interviews with doctors, reviews of doctors’ recommendations and analysis of what other jurisdictions that have passed guidelines have done. Three pounds may sound like a lot of weed, and it most certainly is a big, fat bundle, but we’re talking about a year’s worth for patients whose doctors have recommended it for relief of some pretty nasty symptoms. Councilmembers should try not to consider these guidelines with people in mind who smoke pot for fun, and they shouldn’t be dreaming up people who would turn around and sell the drug. They should also try not to lean too heavily on testimony from police officials. There’s no doubt they know how to enforce the laws, but they tend to fall in line behind the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, which is stuck in a nonsensical way of thinking that considers marijuana among the most dangerous drugs with no positive attributes. All this proposal does is establish guidelines for police officers to follow. It doesn’t do anything other than lend clarification to Prop. 215. Passing the guidelines would bring San Diego into a progressive-leadership camp that includes cities such as San Francisco, Oakland and Santa Cruz. Forward thinkers in those cities know that there are boatloads of anecdotal evidence showing that marijuana helps people suffering from cancer, AIDS, migraines, muscle spasms, arthritis, glaucoma and a long list of other ailments. There are more scientific studies underway, notably here in San Diego, but they are a long way from completion, and the voters who passed Prop. 215 are tired of waiting. Source: San Diego City Beat (CA)Published: Issue - No. 24 - January 29, 2003Copyright: 2003 City BeatContact: editor sdcitybeat.com Website: http://www.sdcitybeat.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:CMCRhttp://www.cmcr.ucsd.edu/Medicinal Cannabis Research Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/research.htmMarijuana Madness http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15300.shtmlMedical-Pot Panel Meeting Ousted From Officehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15248.shtmlGuidelines Might OK Less Than 3 Pounds http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15240.shtml
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on January 30, 2003 at 11:08:03 PT
TecHnoCult 
You're welcome! I'm glad you liked it!
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Comment #4 posted by TecHnoCult on January 30, 2003 at 07:09:06 PT
Thanks FoM
I always knew cannabis expanded the mind.THC
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on January 29, 2003 at 19:47:43 PT
Why We Are So Smart - I Couldn't Resist!
Bong Hits for IQ PointsIs that dreadlocked liftie a perma-crisp burnout or a burgeoning genius? Maybe both. Canadian researchers have found that smoking between one and five marijuana joints a week can actually make you smarter. The study-which has been tracking the same kids since 1978-compared the test results of 70 nine- to 12-year-olds taken eight years ago (pre pot) and their current IQs. Those who smoked regularly showed an average increase of 5.8 points; those who didn't smoke at all picked up just 2.6 points.http://www.skiingmag.com/skiing/health_and_fitness/article/0,12910,412266,00.html
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on January 29, 2003 at 19:42:51 PT
News of The Weird I Think
Exorcising The Demon from The HillBy CHB Staff and Wire ReportsJanuary 29, 2003 Copyright 2003 by Capitol Hill Blue 
With luck, the exorcism worked. The devil is gone. And Elvis has left the building.You see, former Ohio Rep. James Traficant is gone from Congress – banished last year after his conviction on bribery and racketeering charges. But the new tenant still had to the rid his Capitol Hill office of Traficant's taint. Democratic Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon, who moved into Traficant's old office last month, held a "cleansing ritual" Wednesday in an effort to erase any legacy left behind by the Ohio Democrat, who was notorious for his flamboyant speeches, 1970s-style suits and unkempt hair. No one knew until he went to prison that it was really a toupee. In Traficant-inspired clothes – a blue-denim leisure suit and a black Elvis wig – Blumenauer joined Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., in burning dried herbs to "exorcise" Traficant's spirit. "We're here to reclaim this sacred piece of ground in the name of the state of Oregon," DeFazio said. "These grounds were defiled." DeFazio lit a smudge stick, a collection of dried herbs that is a tradition for many American Indian tribes. Smoke from the stick is said to attach itself to any negative energy present. The burning herbs, primarily dried sage, had an odd smell that prompted some to joke it was marijuana, and as DeFazio waved the stick, he lightheartedly told the crowd of several dozen aides, staffers and others who had gathered, "Everybody inhale. We may all be arrested." While the event was mostly in fun, it also had a serious purpose, said Blumenauer. Traficant "brought disgrace to the House," Blumenauer said. "He's a convicted felon and he was voted out of here with one dissenting vote." While some colleagues thought Traficant's antics were amusing, "I thought a lot of it was very disturbing," Blumenauer said. "He was reckless and abusive and we are a better place without him." Traficant, who served nine terms in the House, was expelled from Congress in July after his conviction. He is serving an eight-year sentence in a minimum-security prison. Not everyone was amused. Rep. Steven LaTourette, R-Ohio, one of Traficant's closest friends in Congress, called the ceremony offensive. "Mr. Traficant was convicted, he's serving eight years, and I don't really think that's a joke," LaTourette said. On the Net: Blumenauer's office -- http://www.house.gov/blumenauer/
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Comment #1 posted by p4me on January 29, 2003 at 19:15:06 PT
National debt increases $1.45 billion a day
The national debt clock has changed its reference date to September 30th, 2002 which msut have been selected since the government's fiscal year starts Oct 1 every year.Now listen as the press talks about record deficits of $300 billion. Well 365 times $1.45 billion is $529 billion. The difference of course is the Social Security surplus and since the government's general revenues owes money to all the trust funds that they borrow at 2% it is correct to say the deficit will grow by a half a trillion dollars this year.Now I mention this mainly to ask when was the lasst time you heard CBS, ABC, NBC, or Fox tell you the balance of our debt or how fast it is really going. And when they talk of record deficits of $300 billion they are not even using the proper number and who ever challenges the inaccuracy?Another critical figure is the trade deficit that set yet another record last month. If we buy more than we sell somebody has to finance it. 5% of all the country's purchases are financed by loans from other countries.National debt clock- http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/
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