cannabisnews.com: Medicinal Pot Headed To '04 Detroit Ballot 





Medicinal Pot Headed To '04 Detroit Ballot 
Posted by CN Staff on November 21, 2003 at 07:07:47 PT
By Erik Lords, Free Press Staff Writer
Source: Detroit Free Press 
Detroiters will have a chance to vote on the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes next August. If the issue passes, authorities said users in Detroit would be exempt from marijuana-possession laws if they have a medical need for the drug. Earlier this month, Detroit City Clerk Jackie Currie validated 7,779 of the signatures submitted by the Detroit Coalition for Compassionate Care, a group of metro Detroiters that has been fighting to get marijuana on the ballot for several years. The law requires 6,141 valid signatures.
In 2001, the group gathered more than enough valid signatures, but the City of Detroit's law department challenged the petition, citing technicalities, and kept the measure off the ballot. "The law department has raised no objections this time," said coalition founder and chairman Tim Beck of Detroit. "So the Detroit Medical Marijuana Initiative question will finally appear on the primary ballot next August." Even if the proposal is adopted, it would affect only Detroit. It would not prevent Wayne County sheriff's deputies, Michigan State Police or federal agents from arresting users in Detroit. "I think it's more symbolic for the proponents of medical-marijuana use," said Michael Karwoski, an attorney for the city. "The impact on the city is probably negligible because they are not changing state law." National advocates said medicinal marijuana use will be a good thing for Detroit. "It keeps police from wasting time and valuable resources," said Kevin Zeese, president of Common Sense for Drug Policy, based in Washington, D.C.. Zeese estimated that it can take police up to four hours to arrest, book and release people during a routine marijuana arrest. "And for the patient, it would make them feel secure that they won't be harassed by law enforcement," Zeese said. The medicinal value of marijuana has been recognized by numerous national organizations and medical institutions. Medical use of the drug has been approved in California, Nevada, Oregon, Maine, Washington, Colorado, Alaska, Arizona and Hawaii. And last fall, the Canadian Parliament legalized medical use of marijuana. But that is not enough to win over critics like Detroit Councilwoman Alberta Tinsley-Talabi, who said that drug use has had such a devastating effect on Detroit that the argument for legal use of the drug for medicinal purposes makes no sense. Proponents note that the drug has been used to treat multiple sclerosis, chronic pain and glaucoma. Dan Solano, a retired Detroit police officer, said marijuana has helped him recover from being crushed between two cars while on duty in 1991. Solano said he used prescription drugs for about three years, and in 1994, a friend recommended using marijuana to help with severe headaches, sleeplessness and recurring nausea. He said marijuana helped him sleep and made his headaches bearable. He also said that overall, he could function better. Prescription drugs "had serious side effects, and they would leave me in a zombie-like state," Solano said. "The side effects of marijuana were benign in comparison. . . . Marijuana helped. It made a difference."Newshawk: The GCWSource: Detroit Free Press (MI)Author: Erik Lords, Free Press Staff WriterPublished: November 21, 2003Copyright: 2003 Detroit Free PressContact: letters freepress.comWebsite: http://www.freep.com/Related Article & Web Sites:Common Sense for Drug Policy http://www.csdp.org/Medical Marijuana Could be Relief for Pain http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11700.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #5 posted by Jose Melendez on November 23, 2003 at 06:20:26 PT
Dronabinol . . .
from:http://www.health24.co.za/news/Alzheimers_and_dementia/1-890,25515.asp" . . . the active ingredient in marijuana, helps reduce agitation in people with Alzheimer's disease. So say researchers at Monmouth Medical Center in New Jersey, USA.An effective treatment
 Their Phase II, open label, randomised, parallel-group study of 54 patients also concluded that the reduced agitation experienced by Alzheimer's patients may offer some relief to family caregivers."-snipped
Bust Prohibition.
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on November 21, 2003 at 17:49:53 PT
Thanks ekim
I missed it! 
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Comment #3 posted by ekim on November 21, 2003 at 17:17:01 PT
Nancy just say no---------------------------to Ron
Dronabinol's potential to relieve symptoms 
in patients with Alzheimer's CNN crawl on Lou Dobbs tonight
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on November 21, 2003 at 10:45:20 PT
Related News Article From The Associated Press
Detroit Voters Consider Medical Marijuana in August November 21, 2003Detroit -- Voters will consider a proposal in August to legalize use of marijuana for medical purposes. Detroit City Clerk Jackie Currie this month validated 7,779 of the signatures submitted by the Detroit Coalition for Compassionate Care, a group seeking to get a marijuana use proposal on the ballot for several years. The law requires 6,141 valid signatures. In 2001, the group gathered more than enough valid signatures, but the Detroit law department challenged the petition, citing technicalities, and kept the measure off the ballot. "The law department has raised no objections this time," coalition founder and chairman Tim Beck of Detroit told the Detroit Free Press for a story Friday. "So the Detroit Medical Marijuana Initiative question will finally appear on the primary ballot next August." If passed, the proposal would not prevent Wayne County, state police or federal agents from arresting marijuana users in Detroit. "I think it's more symbolic for the proponents of medical-marijuana use," said city lawyer Michael Karwoski. "The impact on the city is probably negligible because they are not changing state law." National advocates said a medicinal marijuana use law would be a good for Detroit. "It keeps police from wasting time and valuable resources," said Kevin Zeese, president of the Common Sense for Drug Policy, based in Washington, D.C. Medical use of the drug has been approved in California, Nevada, Oregon, Maine, Washington, Colorado, Alaska, Arizona and Hawaii, as well as in Canada. Copyright: 2003 Associated Press
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Comment #1 posted by Ethan Russo MD on November 21, 2003 at 08:26:45 PT
Dan Solano
Dan Solano is a fine guy. There is something amazing when a law enforcement officer realizes that they had been forced for many years to oppose the natural order by arresting and persecuting clinical cannabis patients. As a result, such a person frequently develops humility and a strength of purpose in advising others not to repeat the same mistakes. I wish him well in his task.
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