cannabisnews.com: Blocking Relief Is Its Own Crime Blocking Relief Is Its Own Crime Posted by CN Staff on September 18, 2007 at 05:54:39 PT By Rick Green Source: Hartford Courant Connecticut -- Beth is a middle-aged mother and wife, a talented cook and a very private marijuana smoker. It provides some relief from the chronic pain she's suffered for decades due to a variety of illnesses. Beth, who is wafer thin, is often overcome by bouts of nausea that are relieved only by smoking a little grass.For all you know, she might be your neighbor. The hundreds of others in Connecticut who have turned to reefer to relieve chronic pain also include Todd, who lights up a joint every night. He hopes to deaden some of the pain that still grips him 20 years after he wrapped a '69 Camaro around a utility pole and a traumatic brain injury changed his life.As with Beth, pot is the only thing that deadens his searing discomfort. Todd says his foot pain - think of a ball-peen hammer smashing your toes - never leaves.I sought out Beth and Todd because I still don't know what to make of Gov. M. Jodi Rell's confusing statement last June that she understood the "pain and heartbreak" but couldn't support a bill approved by the legislature for the limited, regulated use of marijuana for medical purposes.Allowing dying and chronically ill people a little relief would send "the wrong message" to "our youth," Rell and other opponents said.I thought of this when I sat with Beth, who wouldn't let me use her real name, and she told me how staying alive means calming the nausea so she can eat, so she can be a mother to her children."If I go into my bedroom right now and smoke my pot so I can then have a sandwich," Beth explained, "I'm doing what I have to do to try to gain weight so I can stay alive."What kind of message will it send to Beth's children if she dies or can't do her job as a mother? Yes, she could take OxyContin, a legal, much-abused narcotic. It leaves her doubled over with nausea and unable to function.Rell said she was "troubled" that the bill would have forced "law-abiding citizens to seek out drug dealers to make their marijuana purchases."The reality is that Todd and Beth and dozens of others are already risking everything to buy their pot now. The bill Rell vetoed would have allowed these people to legally grow their own. That's all."It makes me feel like I'm a criminal. It worries me that I have to be watching my back - or have the federal government knocking on my door," said Todd, who is unemployed because of the pain from his injuries.The federal Drug Enforcement Administration is still arresting people trying to provide the sick with marijuana, but 12 states have had more courage than Connecticut, enacting laws that allow the sick to smoke."The federal government is flat-out wrong," said state Rep. Penny Bacchiochi, a Republican from Somers. "Talk to AIDS patients, people who go into chemotherapy. If it is somebody you love, you would say there is a need for it.""The states need to take things in their own hands," said Bacchiochi, whose husband used marijuana before he died of cancer. "We have the right to decide who we put in jail."Meanwhile, the governor has moved on. Legislators couldn't muster the courage to challenge her veto. But those in debilitating, puke-your-guts-out pain, they haven't stopped smoking. They're still terrified they'll be arrested, lose their jobs, homes and privacy."I have to live the rest of my life," said Todd, who is 41. "I'm going to be in severe pain. Why shouldn't I be afforded the opportunity so I don't have to experience the pain?"Sorry Todd, sorry Beth. Our political leaders don't feel your pain.Rick Green's column appears on Tuesdays and Fridays. Source: Hartford Courant (CT)Author: Rick Green Published: September 18, 2007 Copyright: 2007 The Hartford CourantContact: letters courant.comWebsite: http://www.ctnow.com/Related Articles:Good Medicinehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23169.shtmlRell Vetoes Bill To Legalize Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23096.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #22 posted by FoM on September 20, 2007 at 05:29:19 PT whig Back when Kerry was running for President he answered a question on a skull and bones type question. I don't remember what he said because I don't follow things like that. [ Post Comment ] Comment #21 posted by whig on September 19, 2007 at 23:49:01 PT Tasered student's question See video at the Washington Post: http://tinyurl.com/2nmqvmThe student was arrested immediately after asking Sen. John Kerry, "Also, are you a member of Skull and Bones… Are you in the same secret society?"He was then tasered.The question was kind of garbled, but I'd like to know Kerry's answer since he said, "I asked the police to allow me to answer the question and was in the process of responding when he was taken into custody." [ Post Comment ] Comment #20 posted by Had Enough on September 19, 2007 at 18:23:49 PT Spell Check #17 Spell CheckAfter post… proofread???Pontius Pilate, you know, the guy with the clean hands… [ Post Comment ] Comment #19 posted by Had Enough on September 19, 2007 at 17:39:55 PT Click to See Student Arrested, Tasered at Kerry Event By TRAVIS REED – 1 day ago http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hfZBulx_H-prruRU2Clj0dIgUOww*****Third to the last paragraph is the one you want. [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by FoM on September 19, 2007 at 17:27:12 PT Had Enough Can you post a link because I want to read what Kerry said. I haven't seen anything negative by Kerry just the incident. [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by Had Enough on September 19, 2007 at 17:09:08 PT Taser attack!!! Kerry also said“Kerry said Tuesday he regretted that a healthy discussion was interrupted and that he never had a dialogue end that way in 37 years of public appearances. He also said he hoped neither the student nor police were injured. "Whatever happened, the police had a reason, had made their decision that there was something they needed to do. Then it's a law enforcement issue, not mine," he told The Associated Press in Washington.”So Mr. Kerry washes his hands of this…Another Pontius Pilot maneuver.I’m very interested to hear what he has to say next. [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by Had Enough on September 19, 2007 at 07:00:45 PT Ghetto re: OverwhelmSam #15.Thanks for the reminder.Elvis does it the best…*****Elvis Presley - In The Ghetto...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmVFnhO3A98 [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by OverwhelmSam on September 18, 2007 at 22:25:54 PT The Morality of Drug Dealers 15 Years Old Well the world turns And a hungry little boy with a runny nose Plays in the street as the cold wind blows In the ghettoAnd his hunger burns So he starts to roam the streets at night And he learns how to steal And he learns how to fight In the ghettoThen one night in desperation A young man breaks away He buys a gun, steals a car, Tries to run, but he dont get far And his mama criesAs a crowd gathers round an angry young man Face down on the street with a gun in his hand In the ghettoAs her young man dies, On a cold and gray chicago mornin, Another little baby child is born In the ghettoRinse and Repeat. What's wrong with this picture? The same God that made you, made me and everyone else too. [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by ekim on September 18, 2007 at 20:02:17 PT in case you missed Howard Wooldridge WWJD LEAP on the Hill Stories from September 7, 2007 Darth Vader Meets LEAP On Wednesday I attended a breakfast at the Leadership Institute in order to hear a presentation by the most widely known Drug Warrior in Congress, Congressman Mark Souder (R-IN). He is infamous for authoring the law which denies any college student monetary aid, if they are convicted of any drug offense…and much, much more. During his speech he talked about the many failures and disappointments of the War on Drugs. He took questions and I was able to ask mine. ‘Congressman, I am a retired police officer. In the past 3 ˝ decades my profession has spent a trillion tax dollars and arrested some 38 million Americans for drug offenses. Despite that, drugs are cheaper, stronger and much easier for our teens to find and buy. Do you ever doubt the wisdom of the policy of drug prohibition and its strategy of war on drugs?’ His answer was, ‘Taking drugs is immoral. I will never change my point of view.’ After the speech, I was able to engage him for about 4 minutes, one on one. I won’t bore you with the details. Suffice to say that he claimed that the US has spent 2 trillion on treatment and other non truths. I told him about LEAP and that we are now part of the loyal opposition on Capitol Hill opposing prohibition. I asked him about the morality of the policy creating a job option for teens to become drug dealers at 15 and that over 900,000 are now employed. He did not respond to the question. I finished by asking him to do all he could that would allow my profession to focus on drunk drivers and child predators, not Willie Nelson and not Rush Limbaugh. He did not respond to my request. We shook hands http://blog.leap.cc/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by PatrioticDissension on September 18, 2007 at 17:36:57 PT OFF TOPIC - OMG something we can be proud of IM still totally shocked to have read this. becuase I hate Mark Sauder so much but omg some good news about him. In June 2007, Mark Souder called for a full removal of US troops from Iraq. This was much to the surprise of his fellow Indiana GOP colleagues, who considered Souder to be a "hard-as-stone conservative" who would continue to advocate President Bush's policies in Iraq. The decision also shocked many conservatives in his home district. Some called Souder a hero, while others called him a liar and betrayer. THE BAD NEWS - Souder has indicated that he will run for an eighth term in 2008. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by Toker00 on September 18, 2007 at 17:04:16 PT overwhelmsam It didn't happen in Houston. It happened in Florida and the significance was that it was at a John Kerry speech. Yeah there's a problem with the pigs and everybody knows it. That is why I posted this. I'll post another Taser story if I find it is significant. Do the police brutality posts bore you?Toke. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by OverwhelmSam on September 18, 2007 at 16:38:30 PT PatrioticDissension Please don't misunderstand. I know there are good Christians and extremists idiots like Sauder. My point is that since he has such fanatical views, he should not be representing Ameerican Christians in Congress. I just don't understand why there is not a more qualified politician from the Fort Wayne Indiana who can beat him in the next election.And please, if the History Teacher caught Sauder jacking off in the girls bathroom in Junior High, or the equivalent, please let us know. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by OverwhelmSam on September 18, 2007 at 16:30:39 PT Houston... We've Got A Problem My God! Does anyone seriously question that we have a problem with our police?The citizen's of America deserve to be treated better by their own police. It's time for the public to get involved in it's police agencies' policies and procedures. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by whig on September 18, 2007 at 16:25:29 PT Kerry I'd like to hear his answer to the question, please. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by PatrioticDissension on September 18, 2007 at 16:23:37 PT response to comment 4 That s.o.b Mark Souder used to be my next door neighbor. Its almost funny to think if only he knew how pro pot his former next door neighor is and probably how much his current one is. Just in case anyone didnt know - mark is an APOSTOLIC christian. These people dont even believe in having a television in the house. Apostolics are one of the MOST strict of all denominations. Please don't let Mark Souder represent christians. I am one and that sick man doesnt represent ANYONE ive ever met even in his and my home town of Grabill Indiana. BTW mark souder has a bad reputation in this town HIS HOME TOWN and people do not like him and to my knowledge do not vote for him. I should talk to all the people who knew him well growing up to see if theirs any DIRT on him. There are still alot of Sauders living here too. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Toker00 on September 18, 2007 at 14:38:26 PT Watch the video if you can. It's all right here if there is any doubt about police brutality, there won't be after watching this student beg not to be tasered and then got it anyway.http://houston911truth.org/It's time Society started taking these pigs down a notch. Toke. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by FoM on September 18, 2007 at 13:43:20 PT OT: Kerry Responds to Taser Incident Excerpt: Sen. Kerry's office issued the statement below:"In 37 years of public appearances, through wars, protests and highly emotional events, I have never had a dialogue end this way. I believe I could have handled the situation without interruption, but I do not know what warnings or other exchanges transpired between the young man and the police prior to his barging to the front of the line and their intervention. I asked the police to allow me to answer the question and was in the process of responding when he was taken into custody. I was not aware that a taser was used until after I left the building. I hope that neither the student nor any of the police were injured. I regret enormously that a good healthy discussion was interrupted."http://blog.washingtonpost.com/channel-08/2007/09/kerry_responds_to_taser_incide.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Had Enough on September 18, 2007 at 12:58:58 PT The Mind… can be a terrible thing.Look what Gov. M. Jodi Rell did with hers. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by OverwhelmSam on September 18, 2007 at 11:31:48 PT Sam I agree that their are jerk Democrats too. I support the abolition of parties who advocate their own agendas and not the people's agenda. It just seems like the Republicans are MORE cruel and cold hearted than the Democrats. For instance, Mark Souder. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Sam Adams on September 18, 2007 at 11:18:09 PT Rell Yes, she is be Republican, but there is no shortage of cruel, evil Democrats either, as the recent vote against the Hinchey amendment showed. Or Howard Dean for that matter.Not trying to take a shot at Democrats, just saying that if we stopped electing Republicans the drug war would carry on quite well without them.I see that Hilary Clinton's "universal" health care plan calls for forcing everyone to buy insurance. What a surprise, her family has been getting paid thousands of dollars by the insurance industry for decades.Obama's plan looks better, btw. Maybe because the insurance companies have only been paying him small change for a few years. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by OverwhelmSam on September 18, 2007 at 07:30:21 PT Sam You left out Cold Hearted. As in Rell is an evil, creul AND Cold Hearted woman. An extremist Republican to the core. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Sam Adams on September 18, 2007 at 07:17:36 PT got it now? I sought out Beth and Todd because I still don't know what to make of Gov. M. Jodi Rell's confusing statement last June that she understood the "pain and heartbreak" but couldn't support a bill approved by the legislature for the limited, regulated use of marijuana for medical purposes.I can help you make it out buddy - Rell is an evil, cruel woman! Is that clear enough? Great article though. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment