cannabisnews.com: No Medicinal Marijuana Unless Feds Act





No Medicinal Marijuana Unless Feds Act
Posted by CN Staff on August 23, 2007 at 06:42:43 PT
By Rhonda Holman, Editorial Board
Source: Wichita Eagle
Kansas -- It wasn't just the slow news week. The recent kickoff of a campaign to legalize medicinal marijuana in Kansas drew attention because of its celebrity spokesman, Robert Stephan, the state's attorney general from 1979 to 1995. Here was the longest-serving top lawman in the state's history endorsing medicinal marijuana use. Kansans were inclined to listen.
The narrative was enriched by Stephan's conservative GOP credentials and own experience with seven years of chemotherapy for cancer (during which he did not smoke pot, he was careful to say)."We have a moral and ethical responsibility to protect the law-abiding citizens from the risk and trauma of arrest, prosecution, conviction and prison simply because they're attempting to gain relief from a serious physical condition," Stephan, now a Lenexa attorney, said in a Statehouse news conference.But the problem with Stephan's advocacy is that it's premature until or unless Congress acts to allow "patient pot," and the latest bipartisan attempt failed in the U.S. House on a 262-165 vote last month.In 2005, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that the federal government's anti-drug laws trump state laws allowing medicinal marijuana, shoring up the Bush-era Drug Enforcement Agency arrests of users and growers. Since 2005, federal authorities have arrested more than 100 people on medicinal marijuana charges in California. And the 2007 law in New Mexico, the latest of a dozen states to legalize such use, is on hold out of fears of federal prosecution of state employees.Stephan clearly views the issue as one of sparing suffering, not enabling potheads. And his thinking isn't new: In 1983, Stephan persuaded the National Association of Attorneys General to call for congressional action on the issue. Advocates tout the benefits of smoking marijuana for some patients with glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and AIDS as well as cancer. Stephan and the new Kansas Compassionate Care Coalition would allow marijuana's use on a doctor's recommendation, once other drugs have failed to relieve pain and nausea.The issue raises complicated questions, including: Are the benefits overhyped? Do the cannabinoid medicines now available in pill form take care of the need? (Some note the pills work slowly -- or not at all when vomiting is severe.) Does the opposition emanate mostly from drug companies with the most to lose? Are the proponents mostly looking to decriminalize drugs in general? Would it create problems for law enforcement?Currently, marijuana possession in Kansas can bring a year in jail and $2,500 fine for a first offense and up to 42 months in jail and a $100,000 fine for repeat offenders. In theory, a Kansas bill would shield prescribing physicians as well as patients from state penalties.But until it would stop federal agents from raiding marijuana farms and clinics, a Kansas medicinal marijuana law would be pointless.For the editorial board, Rhonda HolmanSource: Wichita Eagle (KS)Author: Rhonda Holman, Editorial BoardPublished: August 23, 2007Copyright: 2007 The Wichita EagleContact: letters wichitaeagle.com Website: http://www.wichitaeagle.com/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #33 posted by FoM on August 23, 2007 at 17:16:50 PT
afterburner
Thanks for the information and links.
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Comment #32 posted by afterburner on August 23, 2007 at 16:00:34 PT
OT: Merck Alert Expanded
Remember Merck, producers of Vioxx? The following article in this week's Macleans magazine discusses the concerns about mandatory vacination of young girls for human papilloma virus (HPV). Our girls aren't guinea pigs: Is an upcoming mass inoculation of a generation unnecessary and potentially dangerous? CATHY GULLI. Macleans Magazine. August 27, 2007 issue. Read http://www.macleans.ca/science/health/article.jsp?content=20070827_108312_108312
Excerpt: {
The morning after Emily Cunningham got a shot of Gardasil, the new vaccine that protects against four strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV) that can cause cervical cancer and genital warts, she woke up with a headache, and neck and back pain. By 9 p.m. that evening in April, she had a fever so high "you could feel the heat rising from her a foot away," according to her mother, Laurie. She was delirious during the night, and the following day couldn't walk without assistance. Bedridden for nearly a week, the 18-year-old from Wyoming missed school, and took Tylenol every four hours. "If Emily had been the only one to get sick we would have said she must have had something else [like the flu]," explained Laurie, "but we know of three other students to have reactions, that is why we are concerned."Emily's story is only one of 1,637 complaints involving Gardasil, filed as of May to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a national surveillance database sponsored by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. One could discount what happened to Emily because she had a flu shot that same day, but other really bad reactions have been reported, including seizures, paralysis -- and worst of all, three deaths, including one girl who "died of a blood clot three hours after getting the Gardasil vaccine," reads one complaint. Elsewhere in the world there have been reports of similar reactions. In Melbourne, Australia, where a national HPV vaccination program started in April, 26 girls reportedly fainted and were mildly paralyzed after getting one shot each. 
}Gardasil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GardasilMerck is at it again. Protect your girl babies and grandbabies from Merck's mad scientists before it's too late. 
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Comment #31 posted by FoM on August 23, 2007 at 13:10:16 PT
whig
When change comes it always is difficult. Reality says look forward because change always comes. Nothing ever stays the same.
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Comment #30 posted by whig on August 23, 2007 at 13:04:03 PT
FoM
I know, but right now it's a hard time because we're in the twilight of the old economy and the new economy doesn't actually exist yet.
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Comment #29 posted by FoM on August 23, 2007 at 13:01:29 PT
whig
If the law on marijuana changed overnight some people would lose their jobs but also many jobs would be created if it was totally legal.
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Comment #28 posted by whig on August 23, 2007 at 12:57:12 PT
Help Wanted
Pot smokers preferred.Sorry, haven't seen the ad.
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Comment #27 posted by whig on August 23, 2007 at 12:56:17 PT
FoM
I'm a little concerned that people who have been making a living on our issue will not want to lose their jobs, though. Would they have other prospects?
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Comment #26 posted by FoM on August 23, 2007 at 12:01:25 PT
Just a Reminder: Marijuana Series
In the News and Review there are quite a few articles about California and marijuana. I didn't want anyone to miss it. http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/Archive?issue=407449
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Comment #25 posted by FoM on August 23, 2007 at 11:46:41 PT
OT: I Thought Some Here Might Want To Read This
SoCal Raids Lead to 59 Arrests, $5 Million and Drugs Seizedhttp://www.chicoer.com/news/national/ci_6699229
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Comment #24 posted by FoM on August 23, 2007 at 11:36:27 PT
Hope
I wish this was over now but I realize how hard this administration has fought people. I believe we will see more raids until they are out of power. Every couple of weeks they raid again it seems. I look forward to the day when it's over. It might not be until 09 and the Democrats are in power.
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Comment #23 posted by Hope on August 23, 2007 at 11:32:52 PT
Thanks, Ekim.
I was very curious about what the answer to that Power of Ten question was going to be.
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Comment #22 posted by Hope on August 23, 2007 at 11:31:45 PT
 Actually
I was hoping he knew of some good coming our way sooner than the Presidential elections.We probably won't know when legalization is eminent until it happens.That's pretty much the way it was, I think, when prohibition of alcohol ended. Prohibitionists then were confident it would never fall right up until it did. I think it happened fairly, if not very, suddenly.I want it to be suddenly, like yesterday!But there I go again with wishful thinking, I guess. No more prisoners. No more prosecution and persecution. No more killing and planting on public lands. No more illegal cartels getting richer and richer everyday. No more funding the "terrorists". No more injustice in this matter.What a glorious morning that will be.
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Comment #21 posted by ekim on August 23, 2007 at 11:28:54 PT
maybe Cliff was watching power of 10
Tuesday, August 21, 2007 http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/
President Bush asked about 'Plan Mexico' 
11:29:04 PM | drug policy | Links | permalink | comment [14] 
 
comment 11 says that the quesion on Power of 10 last night on how many view cannabis as less harmful than alcohol as being 57%
http://www.leap.cc/events/
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Comment #20 posted by FoM on August 23, 2007 at 11:16:38 PT
Hope
I think he could be right. In 04 the only Democrat that endorsed medical marijuana was Dennis Kucinich. Thank you Dennis!Now every Democrat has said they would stop the raids. That's a majority! How can we lose with a majority of the candidates on board?
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Comment #19 posted by Hope on August 23, 2007 at 11:11:18 PT
Cliff
I hope he's right.
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Comment #18 posted by FoM on August 23, 2007 at 10:48:29 PT
whig
Yes it is good news. We are winning so it will be time for people to find a new job that get paid by marijuana orgs. It means it's close to over. 
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Comment #17 posted by whig on August 23, 2007 at 10:37:48 PT
FoM
Look for a new job?Is that good news?
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Comment #16 posted by Hope on August 23, 2007 at 10:37:23 PT
Goblet
That clothing and slogans are cool. It won't work for me though. It would, most likely, make matters worse, for me, and what I'm trying to say, and where I am, actually. 
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Comment #15 posted by FoM on August 23, 2007 at 10:29:26 PT
Just a Comment
Cliff Schaffer said in my California newsgroup that people who get their salaries from Marijuana orgs should start looking for a new job. That's not word for word but I so agree.
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Comment #14 posted by FoM on August 23, 2007 at 10:21:23 PT
Here's a Link
He is still alive and is 77 years old. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Sembler
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Comment #13 posted by Hope on August 23, 2007 at 10:09:30 PT
The Beast we are fighting and it's lair....
My mind keeps going back to the Semblars and their bunch. How much power could they have? And why? Is Mel Semblar some sort of mega-Rasputin over people?
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Comment #12 posted by Toker00 on August 23, 2007 at 09:53:06 PT
 goblet - Great store!
Cannabis Rehab makes as much sense as Religious Rehab.Cannabis Voter. Many good sayings.Thanks! Toke.
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on August 23, 2007 at 09:47:41 PT
Correction
Reagan was in power when the report was issued. Sorry about that. Senior Bush did shutdown the program as far as I know.
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on August 23, 2007 at 09:40:29 PT
Hope
The first Bush was still president when that report was issued. Bush Sr. is the one who shutdown the government program for all sick people and then Reagan became president and it was Just Say No.
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Comment #9 posted by Hope on August 23, 2007 at 09:34:14 PT
Judge Young, The Schaeffer Commision Report
There has been so much logic and truth applied to the nightmare of lies and persecution that uphold cannabis prohibition, that if it were anything else, it would have fallen long ago under the weight of the truth.Why? Who? What? Where is the lair of the beast, so that it can be uncovered and destroyed?Whatever or whoever it is... it's a bad, evil, and corrupt thing. How are so many of our leaders, lawmakers, citizens, and law enforcement kept so profoundly under it's influence? 
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Comment #8 posted by goblet on August 23, 2007 at 09:31:34 PT:
hope
why wait till it's legal to proudly display your intelligent preference? I uploaded a bunch of images to cafe press, and I wear the messages whenever I go to a public event. Messages like "cannabis won't kill you but the DEA will" and "cannabis prohibition is a gov't lie". I have the lowest markup I can on there - I don't aim to make any money with it, just want to pay the store fees and get the message out there.
http://www.cafepress.com/gobleto
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Comment #7 posted by Hope on August 23, 2007 at 09:22:35 PT
"...not enabling potheads"
I'm so sick of this prejudice and cruelty, it must be some sort of Stockholm syndrome...that I'm beginning to actually like the label.When it's legal, and it will be, I think I'm going to see about having a tasteful little piece of jewelry made that says, "Pothead"...and I'll wear it.Those who hate "Potheads"... need jewelry that says something more appropriate to their mindset. Any suggestions that I have for labels they (those who hate others because of their use of an herb) should wear are likely to get me kicked off the forum. Besides, I try to be a nice, decent person. I really have to try though. It doesn't come all that easily under these circumstances.
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Comment #6 posted by dongenero on August 23, 2007 at 09:16:52 PT
This too Hope...5 years later
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Drug Enforcement Administration
In The Matter Of
MARIJUANA RESCHEDULING PETITION
Docket No. 86-22
OPINION AND RECOMMENDED RULING, FINDINGS OF
FACT, CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND DECISION OF
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE
FRANCIS L. YOUNG, Administrative Law Judge
DATED: SEPTEMBER 6, 1988http://www.druglibrary.org/olsen/MEDICAL/YOUNG/young.html
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on August 23, 2007 at 09:12:36 PT
How Much Longer
More and more Republicans are retiring. When we get younger and more in tune people in power change will happen. It's time to move on to new ways of thinking and let those stuck in the 50s in the dust. That's what I believe.
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Comment #4 posted by Hope on August 23, 2007 at 09:08:30 PT
 1983?
"In 1983, Stephan persuaded the National Association of Attorneys General to call for congressional action on the issue."My Lord! How much longer do we have to endure the prohibitionist's imprisoning and persecution?
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Comment #3 posted by dongenero on August 23, 2007 at 09:04:07 PT
Federal MM
Hey, if the Federal Government and Congress don't recognize the therapeutic value of cannabis, how do you explain this?:Irvin Rosenfeld and the Compassionate IND -- Medical Marijuana Proof and Government Lies.http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2005/02/18/irvRosenbergAndTheCompassi.htmlAnd, how do you explain Marinol? Sure, it is synthetic but, it one of the primary active ingredients in cannabis. Oops, there goes Schedule 1 as well.These issues should be raised anytime it is stated that the Feds do not recognize medical use of cannabis. The current Administration may not support it but the federal government's policies already in place most certainly do.
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Comment #2 posted by HempWorld on August 23, 2007 at 08:28:15 PT
Feds will never act on this issue because the
inner circle in Washington is on the take! The only way to change this is through the states and, despite what the Supreme court ruled, regulation of medicines is left to the states individually as designated in the US Constitution.
Coming to a neighborhood near you!
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Comment #1 posted by smoknjoe on August 23, 2007 at 08:13:38 PT:
meds
some Jayhawkers are smarter then I thought.
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