cannabisnews.com: Standing Up To Bullies





Standing Up To Bullies
Posted by CN Staff on April 06, 2003 at 15:17:45 PT
Editorial Opinion
Source: Baltimore Sun 
A cancer patient in her 20s in a city far from here developed a practice of periodically leaving her hospital bed to go outside for a smoke. To the casual observer, she appeared part of the tobacco crowd. But she was actually smoking a joint. The patient had the full, if unofficial, permission of her oncology nurse for this illegal act. The nurse explained in recounting the tale that she was grateful for anything that could relieve the suffering of a young woman ravaged by horrible disease. 
Such compassionate health professionals are leading the drive in Maryland and across the nation to legalize marijuana for medical use because they have witnessed its value in reducing pain and ameliorating the side effects of chemotherapy. Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., who watched his brother-in-law endure such suffering, says his sympathies lie with medical marijuana advocates. He is resisting pressure from self-righteous moralists in the White House who want him to veto a modest proposal that would reduce penalties on the very sick for marijuana possession. He should be applauded for his stand. Indeed, instead of threatening Governor Ehrlich with lawsuits, the Bush administration should follow his cue. This is an issue that lawmakers of both parties here understand transcends politics. If medicine has the power to relieve the agony of a patient's dying days, why should that be denied? Increasingly shrill opponents of the legislation sound like the old still-smashers of the late 19th century. They warn of children newly encouraged to try the drug and point to the heroin-racked streets of Baltimore as the inevitable result of such experimentation. Yet there are any number of substances, legal and illegal, that can lead to devastating addictions - alcohol and tobacco come quickly to mind. It's a lot easier to provide children with the values and survival skills to protect themselves than it is to rid the world of temptations. And in any case, many drugs deemed too dangerous for casual use are legally available through prescription as medicines. The cannabis herb was such a drug until relatively recently. Recognized for thousands of years for its medicinal value, it was legally available with a prescription in this country until 1937, when Harry J. Anslinger, federal drug czar of his era, convinced Congress it posed a threat. His evidence rested in part on the "satanic music, jazz and swing," produced by alleged marijuana users in the entertainment industry. Attorney General John Ashcroft is now using that federal prohibition as grounds to threaten legal action against states that act on their own to decriminalize the drug. Fortunately, for Marylanders with cancer, AIDS and other grave ailments, Governor Ehrlich and the General Assembly are not so easily bullied. Source: Baltimore Sun (MD)Published: April 6, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Baltimore SunContact: letters baltsun.comWebsite: http://www.sunspot.net/Related Articles & Web Site:Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmSenate Approves Medical Marijuana Billhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15880.shtmlGOP Leaders Press Ehrlich To Veto Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15873.shtmlDrug Czar Calls Marijuana Bill Immoralhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15791.shtml 
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Comment #8 posted by afterburner on April 06, 2003 at 22:42:05 PT:
Motor City Speaks Out.
Conyers protests warU.S. Rep. John Conyers tells an anti-war crowd in Detroit that Saddam Hussein won't be the only out-of-work leader. "George Bush, on November 2, 2004, there will be the biggest regime change you have ever seen."
» Get the story http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?g6231_BC_MI--Iraq-Mich-Rallies&&news&newsflash-michigan 
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on April 06, 2003 at 22:07:14 PT
Here's Articles on 60 Minutes Show Tonight
Anti-War Anger In Jordan: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/04/06/60minutes/main548009.shtmlA Controversial Iraqi Comes Home: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/04/06/60minutes/main548012.shtmlGuilty Until Proven: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/04/06/60minutes/main548023.shtmlDole Vs. Clinton: War Critics: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/04/06/60minutes/clintondole/main548016.shtml
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on April 06, 2003 at 20:58:41 PT
ekim It's OK
I understand. I really do. I'm following the war very closely. I haven't talked to anyone that thinks this war is a good thing. Where the war takes us now is somewhere were we've never been before. I'm afraid that I feel the war is so big that maybe it is beyond hope. That doesn't mean that I don't have hope but I don't think I will ever see peace again in my lifetime.
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Comment #5 posted by ekim on April 06, 2003 at 20:39:28 PT
sorry FoM I can't stands no more
If your stomach isn't churning after learning of the unmitigated foreign
relations disaster this administration is creating around the world and the
violent torture inflicted on innocent human beings who live in the United 
States
by this government, the shredding of our Constitution and the ripping up of our
Bill of Rights, you obviously did not digest the events that "60 Minutes"
provided tonight.I would especially suggest that those starry eyed people who are so
enthusiastically proud of the fact that we are so blessed to live in the 
freest
country on Earth, are so euphoric about the leadership of this administration
which claims it's going to free the people of Iraq from a despot and install
our form of democracy in that country, begin finally to pay attention to
what's really going on.It would be especially important to begin doing so *now*, because if
this administration's game plan is not thwarted by our Congress, it is
inevitable that such investigations and revelations will no longer even be
available to us through our news media.The time to contact your elected representatives in Congress is *now*,
before contacting them simply won't make any difference.
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Comment #4 posted by The GCW on April 06, 2003 at 20:35:25 PT
Speaking about bullies...
Former drug czar now a war critic by Pete Brady (06 Apr, 2003) But the media doesn't remember he was drug czar!http://www.hempbc.com/articles/2907.html 
 
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Comment #3 posted by Truth on April 06, 2003 at 20:07:29 PT
Great article
The Truth is on your side, go for it, Gov.
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Comment #2 posted by afterburner on April 06, 2003 at 16:00:50 PT:
Stand Tall, Governor Ehrlich!
You know what is the right thing to do from the experience of your own brother, as so many of us do from our own friends and families. There are many people marching behind you, counting on you. God bless you in your actions, and God bless America.ego destruction or ego transcendence, that is the question.
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on April 06, 2003 at 15:47:35 PT
Good Editorial
I really appreciated this article in these crazy times.
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