cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijuana Bill Gains Kirwan's Support





Medical Marijuana Bill Gains Kirwan's Support
Posted by CN Staff on February 25, 2004 at 08:50:18 PT
By John Milgrim, Ottaway News Service
Source: Times Herald-Record 
Albany – A leading law-and-order Assembly Republican says it's high time New York made marijuana available for medicinal use.  Assemblyman Tom Kirwan, a former State Police lieutenant who is considered one of the most conservative members of his house, joined a growing number of Republicans yesterday in co-sponsoring a Democratic bill to legalize medicinal marijuana.
The bill, first introduced in 1997, would allow doctors to prescribe pot for patients suffering life-threatening, degenerative or disabling diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and AIDS.  "If that's going to ease their pain, how can you be against it?" said Kirwan, R-C-Newburgh.  A litany of well-regarded medical associations and publications say marijuana in its natural form is more effective in treating a variety of symptoms than the synthetic pill version prescribed since 1986.  For the state Conservative Party, however, the bill is just the first step toward legalizing pot altogether.  "We really believe there's enough medication on the market that in fact will do everything humanly possible to help people who are cancer victims," said party Chairman Mike Long.  The party has rated Kirwan as the most conservative member of the Assembly several times, but Long said his position on the bill could affect his rating.  "We're not a single-issue party. I'm not giving him a pass on this, but he's got a very good conservative record," Long said.  Kirwan said his stance should not be conceived as condoning legalizing marijuana.  "I'm not for legalizing morphine, either, but I certainly don't want to take it away from people in pain," he said.  The bill has never made it to the Assembly floor for a vote.  As of yesterday, no Republicans in the Republican-led Senate had sponsored the bill in that house. A Senate spokesman said the Senate leadership is reviewing the bill. Source: Times Herald-Record (NY)Author: John Milgrim, Ottaway News ServicePublished: February 25, 2004Copyright: 2004 Orange County PublicationsWebsite: http://www.recordonline.com/Contact: http://www.recordonline.com/services/contact.html Related Articles & Web Site:Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmMedical Marijuana Measure Advances http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18398.shtmlPols Stoke Debate on Medical Pot Use http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18390.shtmlNY Panel OKs Medical Marijuana Billhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15911.shtml 
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