cannabisnews.com: Medical-Marijuana Issue Has Narrow Lead





Medical-Marijuana Issue Has Narrow Lead
Posted by FoM on November 07, 2000 at 23:18:15 PT
By Ann Schrader, Denver Post Staff Writer 
Source: Denver Post
Amendment 20, the initiative to legalize marijuana for medical use, led narrowly in early returns Tuesday night.The ballot measure was favored by 67 percent of Colorado voters polled in late September, but support began to dwindle as the election neared. Amendment 20 would create a registry of seriously and terminally ill patients who would need a physician's approval before being issued a card entitling them to use marijuana.
A patient with approval could possess 2 ounces of marijuana and a maximum of six plants. Possession of larger quantities or reselling the marijuana would be illegal.The amendment doesn't establish a system for distributing marijuana to patients.Tom Strickland, U.S. Attorney for Colorado, said in a statement released Tuesday afternoon that his office would continue to "aggressively enforce federal drug laws, including the prohibition of marijuana, regardless of the passage of this ballot initiative."Supporters say approval would give patients and physicians more options in treating pain and nausea associated with diseases such as cancer, AIDS and glaucoma.Passage would remove the stigma associated with marijuana, backers say. Supporters also noted several studies that show marijuana is an effective treatment and is not addictive.Opponents said Amendment 20 is the first step toward legalizing marijuana and that young people would get the wrong message from its passage.They also contended that patients would be forced to buy marijuana from illegal sources, leaving questions about its potency and safety. In addition, they said smoking marijuana is medically unnecessary, noting that a prescription drug, Marinol, contains marijuana's active ingredient.Coloradans for Medical Rights 2000, which backed the initiative, received nearly all of its financial backing from a California company, Americans for Medical Rights.Opposing the measure was Coloradans Against Legalizing Marijuana. Source: Denver Post (CO)Author: Ann SchraderPublished: November 7, 2000Copyright: 2000 The Denver PostAddress: 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202Fax: (303) 820.1502Contact: letters denverpost.com Website: http://www.denverpost.com/Forum: http://www.denverpost.com/voice/voice.htmRelated Articles & Web Site:Coloradans For Medical Rights http://www.medicalmarijuana.com/ Marijuana Amendment Passing http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7591.shtmlAm. 20 Ads Share Healthy Dose of Realityhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7543.shtmlBallot Issues Face Late Threathttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7527.shtmlAnti-20 Arguments Make You Wonder http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7402.shtml
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Comment #7 posted by Thomas on November 08, 2000 at 07:39:42 PT
Moving Forward
All things considered, I think we did pretty well yesterday. I think the Alaska vote suggests that if we ask for a little less (delete restitution) and resubmit this question to the people in a couple of years, it will pass. Also, the East coast seems to be following the West coast's example. Way to go Mendicino! I was surprised at the high approval for the Utah initiative. With proposition 36 passing in California and Nevada and Colorado passing their initiatives, we are definitly winning. As time goes by and older people pass on, we will gain support. Keep up the fight!
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Comment #6 posted by Dave in Florida on November 08, 2000 at 06:30:10 PT
Florida Results
If either of the 2 major canidates would have shown compassion for the medical marijauna comunity there would not be any questions in who won. Looking at the state race by county a lot of people who voted for Nader or Browne may have, probably would have voted for the major canidate that supported the MMJ movement. Are you listening Al Gore?
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Comment #5 posted by dddd on November 08, 2000 at 06:20:16 PT
same
I think that the passage of most of the initiatives concerning marijuana,makes a very significant point.Mainstream America knowsabout how harmless marijuana is,and a large percentage of those who think it's somehow bad,have formulated their opinionsbased solely on the misinformation and conjured up stories,that seem to dominate the media.There is a small group of fanatics in the government who are fighting to keep the illusion alive.The fact that a small group of powerful people can influence public opinion this way,is a reflection of what wrong with ourdemockrssee.The czar,or one of his cronies once called drugs a "cancer",,I think the real cancer,is the malignant tumor known as the war ondrugs and the false patriots who support it.....It's too bad we cant put some of them in the nice new prisons they have built to house marijuana users.Or at least get them intosome sort of treatment program,so they can get help for their problem.........On second thought,Ithink we should just lock themup because according to them,we could not effectivly reform and rehabilitate them,unless we lock 'em up for a few years.Then,after we let 'em out,,we will need to keep track of them,to make sure they're not lying or being dishonest again.If we catchthem being bad again,then we'll throw their asses back in jail.Like one of them said recently,,ya gotta have the "carrot on astick",to make sure people get cured of their bad behaviors...............dddd
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Comment #4 posted by Kanabys on November 08, 2000 at 05:44:47 PT
Mass. question 8
I went to ballotwatch.org and found that the Mass. question 8 lost. Well, win a few, lose a few. Ya can't win a war in a day. We'll do better next time, even though I don't things went all that badly :)
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Comment #3 posted by nanny on November 08, 2000 at 04:46:11 PT:
marijuana
hejzan hur e det med dig det e bra här vill ha hahahah ...ha det gött en bamse kram
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Comment #2 posted by Chrome on November 08, 2000 at 04:45:46 PT
Polls
I was very happy to see Colorado and Nevada get smart and free the weed for medical reasons... I knew Alaska was going to lose, they were asking for far too much to think of winning, just legal pot would have been a good start. I couldn't follow prop 36 on cnn.com last night, but am glad to see they won also. Free The Weed !!!
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Comment #1 posted by Robbie on November 08, 2000 at 00:07:52 PT:
Well, a few things went right...
The Colorado MMJ initiative passed, as well as the one in Nevada, bringing to 10 (including DC) the states that allow medical MJ. Prop 36 Drug Treatment Init. won in California (YAY!) and I cant get info on Question 8 in Massachussetts. Prop 5 in Alaska lost :-( but you can't expect everything. Looks like Bushie Boy won...I may think about that move to Canada. The seed is planted for some juicy protesting over the next four years though >=) (Critical Mass!!)
Kegger in the Rose Garden! Let's Go!
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