cannabisnews.com: Broward Man Plays Role in Medicinal Pot Battle Broward Man Plays Role in Medicinal Pot Battle Posted by FoM on March 27, 2001 at 07:49:52 PT By Shari Rudavsky Source: Miami Herald Irvin H. Rosenfeld is about to become Exhibit A in the battle to persuade the federal government not to interfere with state laws that allow the distribution of marijuana for medical purposes.On Wednesday the Broward resident, one of eight people in the country who legally smoke medicinal marijuana, will sit front and center when the U.S. Supreme Court hears its first case on the subject. The case delves into whether medical necessity can trump federal anti-drug laws. Despite a state law that allows people who have a doctor's recommendation to possess and use cannabis, the federal government has sued five California groups created to distribute marijuana to the seriously ill.Rosenfeld, a 48-year-old Boca Raton stockbroker who has smoked marijuana for 30 years -- and asked that his hometown not be published for fear that someone might steal his stash -- filed a friend of the court brief attesting to marijuana's medicinal powers. The constant pain caused by more than 200 non-malignant tumors all over his bones is quelled only by cannabis, he argues.It's a message advocates of medicinal marijuana want the Supreme Court to hear.``The federal government claims that cannabis cannot ever be used as medicine. We vigorously dispute that,'' said Robert Raich, attorney for the Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative. ``Irv can first off indicate that is not true. He's a patient for whom cannabis is really a very effective medicine.''Doctors remain divided on exactly what ills marijuana can help. In August, the University of California at San Diego opened a Center for Cannabis Medical Research, the first university-sponsored institute devoted to such research.Researchers will study whether marijuana can ease symptoms for which no effective prescription drug exists. Pain associated with diabetes or AIDS, nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy and the spasms associated with multiple sclerosis all qualify. Glaucoma, treatable by medications already on the market, does not.``We're trying to start with those medical indications where there's really no relief obtained from regular medicines,'' said Andrew Mattison, a psychologist and co-director of the center.Rosenfeld's case certainly fits that bill. Diagnosed at the age of 10 with a rare congenital disease that causes tumors to grow on the ends of his bones, he scorned recreational drugs in high school. He used to speak at middle schools, hold up the litany of prescription painkillers he relied on to get by, and tell the kids, ``You're healthy. Don't do illegal drugs.''Then he moved to Miami to attend college. It was 1971 and friendships were forged over joints.Peer pressure won out. Rosenfeld started to join in. The 10th time, he noticed, he could sit still for about 30 minutes, instead of hopping up every 10 minutes to alleviate the pain as had been his custom.In 1982, he won permission from the government, becoming the second person approved for the medical marijuana program. Nine years ago that program ended, but Rosenfeld and 12 others were grandfathered in. Five of those who had AIDS have since died.For the past 10 years, Rosenfeld has relied solely on marijuana to ease the pain that threatens to consume him.``That's all this is, a weed. But for me it's a lifesaver,'' said Rosenfeld, who smokes on average 12 joints a day. ``I'm alive because of this substance. It's that simple.''When he gets up, he lights up. He smokes on his way to work, takes breaks midmorning and after lunch. All his clients know the routine, and it doesn't bother them.Monday, hours before Rosenfeld left for Washington, D.C., he stood outside his Boca firm and smoked two joints in rapid succession. He says the drug has never given him a high. Rosenfeld receives his supplies -- about 11 ounces every 25 days -- for free.The government grows the marijuana on a 5.5-acre farm at the University of Mississippi.One day, Rosenfeld hopes that others nationwide will enjoy the same benefits he has. The Oakland Cooperative has about 4,500 members eligible to receive marijuana for medical use under state law. Fourteen qualify under the more stringent medical necessity guideline.``It's a wonderful medicine and like any other medicine it should be in the hands of doctors,'' Rosenfeld said.``I hope that one day medical cannabis is just like Valium or codeine,'' he said.Source: Miami Herald (FL)Author: Shari RudavskyPublished: Tuesday, March 27, 2001 Copyright: 2001 The Miami HeraldAddress: One Herald Plaza, Miami FL 33132-1693Fax: (305) 376-8950Contact: heralded herald.com Website: http://www.herald.com/Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperativehttp://www.rxcbc.org/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by FoM on August 15, 2001 at 21:25:52 PT News Brief: Medical Marijuana - Irvin Rosenfeld Source: WSVN TV 7 - Miamihttp://www.wsvn.com/news/Posted: August 15, 2001 Copyright 2001 Sunbeam Television CorpClick here for the video http://www.wsvn.com/news/local/box2/video.ram(WSVN) Wednesday night a major airline is accused of discriminating against a pot-packing passenger. Irvin Rosenfeld claims Delta Airlines refused to let him on a flight from Fort Lauderdale to Washington D.C., last March.Their reasoning -- he was carrying his medical marijuana prescription.Rosenfeld, born with a painful disability, is just one of 7 people allowed by the federal government to use medical marijuana.And now, he feels his rights have been violated.Irvin Rosenfeld, who uses medical marijuana, explains, "I felt violated. It's a fact that, what do you mean I'm not allowed on your plane? What's wrong with me? Well, you're carrying a canister that's filled with a prescription."At this point, Rosenfeld is only asking that Delta apologize for the incident.If they don't, he's prepared to file a lawsuit under the disabilities act.Delta has not made any comment as of yet. Services For The Disabled http://www.delta.com/travel/trav_serv/serv_disabled/index.jsp [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by dddd on March 31, 2001 at 02:29:21 PT WOW! Eleven ounces every 25 days!..lemme see now,,,that's at least a third ofan Oz. a day......GOOD GRIEF!...this has gotta be some low grade weed!,,Orperhaps some severe pain,,,but my point is that a third of a Oz. a day ofthe weed I know of,would be most stone-u-lur....Indeed!....dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on March 27, 2001 at 12:16:06 PT: Irv: A Real Mensch I have the pleasure of knowing Irv, and can claim him as another of my heroes. He could confine himself to work and sailing, saying nothing about his medicine, but rather chooses to be an activist and help others to also have access to this wonderful healing herb. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on March 27, 2001 at 10:25:35 PT: Related News Brief Man Takes Marijuana Issue To Supreme CourtPlant Helps Man With IllnessSource: NewsChannel2000.com (FLA)Published: March 27, 2001Copyright: 2001 by NewsChannel2000Website: http://www.newschannel2000.com/Forum: http://forums.ibsys.com/index.cfm?sitekey=orlA Boca Raton businessman left for Washington Monday morning for a historic meeting with the Supreme Court. Some of his luggage would put most people in jail. The bulge on Irvin Rosenfeld's wrist is one of dozens of tumors attached to nearly every bone in his body. The product of a rare disease that makes even the most ordinary of movements painful. But it's not the winces Irvin makes as he sits that grab you when you meet him, it's the thick, pungent, unmistakable odor of marijuana smoke. "I'm one of eight people in the United States who has the right to use Cannabis supplied by the federal government," he said. Irvin has been legally using marijuana -- smoking around 12 cigarettes a day -- to treat his pain for close to 20 years. "If I didn't have this, I wouldn't be able to get up and go to work," he said. "When I got up I'd be scared of hemorrhaging, and I'd be in more pain than I'd be in now." Monday, he'll tell his story before the Supreme Court in an effort to legalize marijuana for medical use. Rosenfeld doesn't want anyone to be confused. He's not pushing wide scale legalization of the drug. He won't even enter that debate. His trip is about putting a face on another type of marijuana user -- one that sees the drug, not as a taboo, but as medicine. Medical Marijuana Information [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Mr. X on March 27, 2001 at 08:58:07 PT Whoah This battle of state rights vs. federal law is beginning to scare me, the civil war was started over the same thing. 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