cannabisnews.com: Committee Holds Hearing on Benefits of Marijuana Committee Holds Hearing on Benefits of Marijuana Posted by FoM on April 10, 2001 at 15:59:55 PT By Sarah Wyatt, Associated Press Writer Source: Associated Press Jacki Rickert says she is tired of risking arrest every time she smokes marijuana to treat the pain and loss of appetite caused by a tissue disorder and degenerative bone marrow disease. Rickert testified Tuesday before the Assembly State Affairs Committee, which held a hearing to gather information on the merits and pitfalls of medical marijuana, Committee chairman Rep. Rick Skindrud, R-Mount Horeb, said. Rickert, executive director of the group " Is My Medicine Legal Yet?" -- http://www.immly.org -- testified that marijuana has been more helpful than any of the other drugs she has tried, including morphine. Rickert of Mondovi said her weight dropped down to 68 pounds and cannabis -- or marijuana -- has been the only drug that has been substantially effective in increasing her weight. She said it allows her to take half the amount of drugs she would otherwise. " You have a few puffs, when it works, you put it out. That's not something you can do with a pill, that's not something you can do with a liquid, " she said. " I don't sit down and get high or anything that everyone talks about. I do this to have an appetite, to be able to have a quality of life." Dr. Michael Miller, president of the Dane County Medical Society, said there is not sufficient medical evidence showing that smoked marijuana is effective in treating the symptoms of various diseases. Legalizing smoked marijuana could be a detriment to society by making more people addicted to the drug, he said. " Medical marijuana is an oxymoron, " he said. " Smoked marijuana is not medicine. ... Wait until the science catches up." The State Medical Society is now opposed to any bills that would legalize smoked marijuana, Miller said. The Wisconsin Nurses Association supports legalized marijuana but has not specified how it is best used -- taken orally as a pill, inhaled using an inhaler, or smoked, said association president Gina Dennik-Champion. Rep. Frank Boyle, D-Superior, said he is in the process of drafting a bill modeled after Hawaii's legalized marijuana law, which gives doctors the authority to give patients registration certificates to use marijuana to ease pain caused by debilitating diseases such as cancer and AIDS. Dane County Sheriff Gary Hamblin said law enforcement should defer to the medical community to evaluate and conduct reliable, significant research about whether marijuana has medicinal effects. While law enforcement officials do not want laws that will make their jobs more difficult, Hamblin said they are " not oblivious to the need for pharmaceutical relief for those who are in pain and suffering." Boyle said the reason there isn't enough research is that it is illegal to grow marijuana, so the University of Wisconsin Medical School and other research facilities have been legally barred from conducting research. California passed one of the nation's first medical marijuana laws in 1996, but it has been held up by a court fight. Voters in Arizona, Alaska, Colorado, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington also have approved ballot initiatives allowing the use of medical marijuana. The Hawaii law was passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor last year. Complete Title: Committee Holds Hearing on Benefits of Medical MarijuanaOn the Net: Is My Medicine Legal Yet: http://www.immly.org The State Medical Society: http://www.wismed.org Wisconsin Nurses Association: http://www.wisconsinnurses.com/Source: Associated PressAuthor: Sarah Wyatt, Associated Press WriterPublished: Tuesday, April 10, 2001 Copyright: 2001 Associated PressRelated Articles:Boyle Wants To Legalize Medical Marijuana Use http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9294.shtmlShe Makes Case for Medical Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9081.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #6 posted by aocp on April 11, 2001 at 07:50:01 PT It's quite simple, really... "Smoked marijuana is not medicine. ... Wait until the science catches up."Life's a load of laughs ... when you're not in pain. (or dying! gawd, you people make me ill!) [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by dddd on April 11, 2001 at 07:27:47 PT studies >"Dr. Michael Miller, president of the Dane County Medical Society, said there is not sufficient medical evidence showing that smoked marijuana is effective in treating the symptoms of various diseases. Legalizing smoked marijuana could be a detriment to society by making more people addicted to the drug, he said. " Medical marijuana is an oxymoron, " he said. " Smoked marijuana is not medicine. ... Wait until the science catches up.""What a pile of CRAP!More blasphemy of logic and reason!....I'm getting really tired of hearing thelame jive about "research" and "science",when it is so obvious that drugs becomeFDA approved in a couple of years if they are from a legal drug cartel....dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by kaptinemo on April 11, 2001 at 07:06:55 PT: "Facts" vs. facts, or Lincoln's Dictum Are there any other, more detailed reports about what this [witch] Doctor said at the hearing? Namely, what studies he claimed supported his position?We all know about the 'Achilles's Heel' of the antis; reliance upon studies that have been refuted via peer-review. The antis believe very highly in the BS factor, alias 'The Big Lie' (How telling of them that they use Hitler's favorite propaganda technique; secretly been reading Mein Kampf while listening to the Horst Wessel Liedt Herr Doctor?) They know that most people have little time or inclination to wade through the rareified atmosphere of a medical journal, and thus feel safe in quoting studies long dismissed by those in the know as being 'junk science'.Which is why antis use them. Because those refutations occur in (to the layman) esoteric literature, it is hard to know which documents to use to blast their intellectual prostitutes out of the water. But if a pattern of anti dependance upon certain studies can be observed, it will be possible to determine which studies have been refuted. Catch the antis in using such scientifically flawed studies, and do so publicly, explaining why they use them, show that those studies have been torn to shreds by the scientific peers and the ensuing humiliation will make them think twice before they try to sucker the public again. Like Lincoln said about trying to fool all of the people all of the time, sooner or later they get caught by their own lies. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on April 10, 2001 at 18:44:29 PT Hi Gary I thought how cool it was for the article to mention IMMY. C News was mentioned in an article recently and that was nice. You and Jacki are doing a great service and I thank you.I want to comment on Marinol and alcohol. Try telling a person that is vomiting so much that they can't even keep a sip of water down how smoking Cannabis won't help. Try to tell them that a drink of alcohol or taking Marinol will help if they have tried Cannabis. Listen to sick people. They have nothing to lose but their lives and they are very honest I have found. They know what works and they want what works. Smoking cannot be vomited and it is in a persons system very fast. Instant relief is needed because minutes seem like hours when somone is that sick. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Gary Storck on April 10, 2001 at 18:26:36 PT Dr. Heal Thyself, and BTW, First Do No Harm! As Jacki and I listened incredulously to this "doctor", she turned to me and said, "I'm glad he's not my doctor". I had to agree with her. This man is in the wrong business. He was so pumped about Marinol, but didn't even know how much it cost. And he closed by saying something like, "a shot of brandy at bedtime is better medicine than medical marijuana." He constantly used the term "smoked marijuana". He never mentioned vaporizers, eating it, tinctures, or as a salve.The State Medical Society sends a pretty weird message by presenting such a representative. But I got the impression the panel was skeptical of what he said. The B.S. was just too deep by the time he finished. Is My Medicine Legal Yet? [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on April 10, 2001 at 17:43:41 PT: Oxy-moron(s) Deprive the brain of oxygen, and brain damage unsues. The sad result can be said to resemble idiocy. Those so afflicted might be mistaken for morons.Rickert is living proof that MMJ not only works when nothing else will, but that it is safe for someone with a body as ravaged by disease as hers has been to use.But:Dr. Michael Miller, president of the Dane County Medical Society, said there is not sufficient medical evidence showing that smoked marijuana is effective in treating the symptoms of various diseases. Legalizing smoked marijuana could be a detriment to society by making more people addicted to the drug, he said. " Medical marijuana is an oxymoron, " he said. " Smoked marijuana is not medicine. ... Wait until the science catches up."Uh, excuse me,Doctor, but have you been spending any time in hyperbaric chambers when the valve got stuck in 'depressurize' mode? Dropping the oxy level?Rickert is dying. She has no time to wait while 'science catches up'. None of the MMJ patients do. For someone who swore an oath that began with "First, do no harm..." your memory seems to be as deficient as someone suffering from anoxia. By waiting - or even worse, by hindering - the relief of people like Rickert, you certainly are abrogating that oath. And as to 'addicting'...where has this guy been? Doesn't hew read his own Merck Manual?http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual/section15/chapter195/195e.htmFrom the link/page (and note all the seasel-words):"Critics of marijuana cite much scientific data regarding adverse effects, but most of the claims regarding severe biologic impact are unsubstantiated, even among relatively heavy users and in areas intensively investigated, such as immunologic and reproductive function. However, high-dose smokers of marijuana develop pulmonary symptoms (episodes of acute bronchitis, wheezing, coughing, and increased phlegm), and pulmonary function may be altered. This is manifested by large airway changes of unknown significance. Even daily smokers do not develop obstructive airway disease. Pulmonary carcinoma has not been reported in persons who smoke only marijuana, possibly because less smoke is inhaled than during cigarette smoking. However, biopsies of bronchial tissue sometimes show precancerous changes, so carcinoma may occur. In a few case-control studies, some tests detected diminished cognitive function in small samples of long-term high-dose users; this finding awaits confirmation. Studies in newborns have not found evidence of fetal harm due to maternal use of cannabis. Decreased fetal weight has been reported, but when all factors (eg, maternal alcohol and tobacco use) are accounted for, the effect on fetal weight disappears. -9-Tetrahydrocannabinol is secreted in breast milk. Although no harm to breastfed babies has been shown, breastfeeding mothers, like pregnant women, are advised to avoid using cannabis."If this so-called Doctor doesn't keep up with his own profession, would you trust your life to such a one? [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: