cannabisnews.com: Congressional Alert on Medical Marijuana Congressional Alert on Medical Marijuana Posted by CN Staff on July 16, 2002 at 23:05:06 PT Congressional Alert Source: NORML On Wednesday, July 24, Reps. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Ron Paul (R-TX), along with former top aide to President Ronald Reagan, Lyn Nofziger, will be holding a press conference at the U.S. Capitol to discuss H.R. 2592, the States’ Rights to Medical Marijuana Act, and the crucial need for Congress to schedule hearings and a vote on this important piece of health care legislation. They will be joined by other congressional co-sponsors, as well as representatives from patient communities and health-related organizations. This bill is urgently needed to amend federal law so that states that wish to permit the legal use of marijuana as a medicine for seriously ill patients may do so, without interference from the federal government. Until now, this health care proposal has received very little attention from either the House leadership or the news media. The bill was introduced on July 23, 2001, and referred to the Health Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Despite bipartisan co-sponsorship from 36 members of Congress, the committee has failed to schedule a hearing or vote on H.R. 2592, effectively cutting off all Congressional debate on the proposal. This situation must change. While Congress has failed to act, support for the medical use of marijuana continues to grow at the state level and among the American public. (1) Since 1980, 36 states have passed legislation that seeks to make marijuana available as a medicine; (2) Since 1996, voters in eight states have passed state-wide initiatives, and one state has passed legislation, that provide legal protection to patients who use marijuana as a medicine pursuant to their physician’s recommendation. This has created a confusing legal conflict between state and federal law that H.R. 2592 seeks to resolve; (3) A 1999 report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) affirmed: “Scientific data indicate the potential therapeutic value of cannabis drugs ... for pain relief, control of nausea and vomiting, and appetite stimulation.... Except for the harms associated with smoking, the adverse effects of marijuana use are within the range tolerated for other medications.” (4) 73% of the American public now support the medical use of marijuana (Gallup Poll, 1999; and PEW Charitable Trust Poll, 2001); It is now time for Congress to listen to their constituents and to schedule hearings and a vote on H.R. 2592. Please contact your member of Congress and let them know that you are a constituent, and you want them to support this important piece of legislation. It is important that every member in Congress receive mail supporting medical use from voters who live in their Congressional district. They care about the views of their constituents, and they keep track of the letters they receive on controversial issues. Let them know that voters in their district -- like voters all across America -- overwhelmingly support the medical use of marijuana. If your Congressperson is already a co-sponsor of the proposal (see list of co sponsors below), please take this opportunity to thank her/him for co sponsoring the bill, and urge them to personally appear at the press conference on July 24 to demonstrate their support. We have drafted a letter that you can edit or send as is at: http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=312481&type=CO If your Congressperson is not a co-sponsor, please use this occasion to register your support for the medical use of marijuana, and for H.R.2592 at:http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=312446&type=COThanks for helping us focus the attention of Congress on H.R.2592 and the need to amend federal law to permit those states that wish to legalize the medical use of marijuana to do so, without interference from the federal government. With your help, we will win this struggle once and for all. Regards, Keith Stroup Executive Director NORML Contact: norml norml.org H.R. 2592 co-sponsors: California Mike Thompson (D 1st) Lynn Woolsey (D 6th) George Miller (D 7th) Nancy Pelosi (D 8th) Barbara Lee (D 9th) Tom Lantos (D 12th) Fortney Stark (D 13th) Zoe Lofgren (D 16th) Sam Farr (D 17th) Brad Sherman (D 24th) Henry Waxman (D 29th) Maxine Waters (D 35th) Dana Rohrabacher (R 45th) Bob Filner (D 50th) Colorado Mark Udall (D 2nd) Hawaii Patsy Mink (D 2nd) Illinois Janice Schakowsky (D 9th) Indiana Julia Carson (D 10th) Massachusetts John Olver (D 1st) James McGovern (D 3rd) Barney Frank (D 4th) Michael Capuano (D 8th) Maryland Robert Ehrlich (R 2nd) Albert Wynn (D 4th) David Bonior (D 10th) Lynn Rivers (D 13th) Michigan David Bonior (D 10th) Lynn Rivers (D 13th) John Conyers (D 14th) Carolyn Kilpatrick (D 15th) Minnesota Martin Olav Sabo (D 5th) New Jersey Robert Andrews (D 1st) New York Jerrold Nadler (D 8th) Maurice Hinchey (D 26th) Oregon Earl Blumenauer (D 3rd) Texas Ron Paul (R 14th) Vermont Bernard Sanders (I At-Large) Washington Jim McDermott (D 7th) Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin (D 2nd) Congressional Alert Press Release Date: Tuesday, July 16, 2002 What: Congressional Press ConferenceWhen: Wednesday, July 24, 11:00 am Where: Room HC-9 U.S. Capitol Washington, DC Related Articles: Outside View: Put Medical Pot in High Gear http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11816.shtml Arrest Suffering, Not Medical Marijuana Patients http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11217.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #14 posted by FoM on July 24, 2002 at 15:34:55 PT Update On NORML's Earlier Press Release http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5347 [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by qqqq on July 17, 2002 at 23:12:33 PT ..COUNTERPOINT... ...I'm sorry...It's nice to look at the 'good' things about people,,,and it might seem mean of me to be contrary,and blast forth with my counterpoint,,but I cant resist!.. ...Bob Barr is a world class SH*THEAD!...There is nothing good about him!...This is the same Bob Barr,who fought to negate the voters of D.C.,when they passed a medical Marijuana bill.,,,,,,...Bob Barr is an a**hole from HELL! ..I'll bet if we looked hard enough,we could find something 'good' about John Walters,,or Asa Hutchinson,,or even Adolph Hitler....The only reason Bob Barr is doing this,is for his own glory,,playing the part of the 'rebel patriot'...makes me wanna puke!.... ...sorry to be so blunt......no offense intended to anyone....feel free to launch a rebuttal. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by FoM on July 17, 2002 at 20:49:45 PT Worth Listening To This Program Hi Everyone, We listened to the program and it was very good. The only problem is it doesn't start right away. It's sure worth it though!Real Audio: http://realserver.bu.edu:8080/ramgen/w/b/wbur/onpoint/2002/07/op_0716b.rm?start= [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by FoM on July 17, 2002 at 17:10:25 PT Legally High? Decriminalizing Marijuana Listen I hope the audio link works but if not you can get the audio off the general link I'm posting. Great Britain has recently announced it's joining a wave of European countries that are relaxing their official policies toward marijuana. Last week, Britain said that although marijuana will remain technically illegal, police will no longer arrest people for privately using it. Many European countries including Italy, Spain, and Portugal have already relaxed their drug policies, softening laws and decriminalizing use. http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2002/07/20020716_b_main.asp Real Audio: http://realserver.bu.edu:8080/ramgen/w/b/wbur/onpoint/2002/07/op_0716b.rm?start= [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by freedom fighter on July 17, 2002 at 16:57:23 PT Hi Pedro Welcome to CannabisNews.. Let's hope we can change the law on Marijuana..ff [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by monvor on July 17, 2002 at 16:32:11 PT I had a letter delivered! For about $8 you can get a hand delivered letter sent to your Congressman and/or Senator.Isn't democracy great! Just do it! [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by E_Johnson on July 17, 2002 at 10:00:05 PT I feel sorry for Bob Barr This guys hates marijuana but loves protecting the Constitution.He's going to discover more and more that these two positions are in deadly conflict. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by E_Johnson on July 17, 2002 at 09:54:53 PT Another good thing Bob Barr did He and Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin led a highly effective bipartisan assault on the Hatch-Feinstein Anti-Meth bill that had a provision that could have sent all marijuana webmasters to prison for a year for running a drug web site.Barr is in deep with the NRA. The NRA tends to care only about the 2nd Amendment, but they are learning to be concerned about the others.Barr was concerned with the FH bill that the NRA web site could be shut down too if this logic were reapplied towards guns.He made a pretty good attack on the FH bill as a dangerous threat to the First Amendment, creating a new class of forbidden speech.He's not a completely bad guy, there are some things that he and I hold dear together. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by pedro espinoza on July 17, 2002 at 08:18:53 PT: Que ventajas y que desventajas trae la Marihuana Soy un consumidor de cannabis pero a veces no puedo controlar mis impulsos, estaba con una chica , me fume un porro, entonces ella me dijo unas cosas y cai en maltripeo y me fui del lugar, que si no uviera fumado creo que estuviera con ella, me dijo unas cosas estupidas pero cuando uno esta fumado uno es mas sencible de lo normal. Creo que la Cannabis hay que fumarla en siertas ocasiones diferentes, como para tocar un instrumento musical pero no para estar en hambientes pesados,bueno esa es mi opinión [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by goneposthole on July 17, 2002 at 05:02:50 PT Reefer mandate Just before the vote takes place on the house or senate floors, I suggest they all have a taste of the medicine that has been denied for all of these years.They will then know what good medicine is, and also learn what fools they have been legislating such 'bad medicine' about it. 65 years of bad medicine is enough. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by xxdr_zombiexx on July 17, 2002 at 05:02:40 PT Off the subject....Operation TIPS I was watching ABC News last night and they had a report about Operation TIPS. Seems us cannabis folks arent the only one bothered by this.... BOB BARR, of all people, was on there complaining that TIPS isover and beyond whats needed and he was displeased with the constitutional issues bypasssed by volunteer spies.Thought I would fall off the couch. What is this world coming to?? (Barr dislikes forfeiture too...go figure) [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Robbie on July 17, 2002 at 01:59:59 PT True enough, EJ If they can get majority in the Dems, that would be a victory in itself. But this one is for all the marbles. This is legalization of cannabis for therapeutic purposes. No amendments could fuzzy it. It calls for legal use, legal prescriptions, and legal production and distribution. Dems are important on this one, but it's time for the Repub bi-partisanship to step up. We'll get to see if they truly are beholden to the moral majority teat. Lots of Pubs could vote Yea on this one, and they should.If the media focuses on it for 5 minutes, and the light of the overwhelming public support for it comes across, this bill just might pass. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by E_Johnson on July 17, 2002 at 01:29:53 PT A very important point to raise with prohib Dems I was lobbying my rep recently and the argument his assistant used against ending their opposition to medical marijuana was that they were very certain that medical marijuana would end up in the "wrong hands" i.e. be diverted for recreational use.My argument against this was that the crackdown on the clubs has had no impact whatsoever on recreational users in California, in fact this is where medical users turn to when their medical sources vanish.I pointed out that properly authorized medical use is a drop in the bucket compare to the vast quantities of marijuana being traded for social and recreational use, and the existing demand for marijuana of recreational users could never be filled by the small amounts that could be illegally diverted from legitimate medical clubs.I told her that the only people who can't get marijuana in LA right now are the people who actually need it.I think that reality check worked. It's much better to use this argument I think than to reach for Dennis Peron's argument that "all use is medical" because that argument will be rejected flat out by anyone in politics immediately.Prohibitionist Democrats need to be made to understand that there is no shortage of marijuana among resreational users because these medical clubs were shut down!!!!Shutting down the medical clubs had no impact on anyone other than sick people. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Robbie on July 17, 2002 at 00:15:13 PT This is huge! And though I'm a bit surprised by all of those Democrats, I have to say GO DEMS!! And congratulations to the Republicans on that list. This is one time I can get behind some Congress-critters :-)I think that this one could end much of War on Cannabis. With 73% of the country in favor of medicalizing, Britain and Canada pushing for reform, everything going on today can push this one through.It's really a referndum on the belief that cannabis causes harm to anyone, and that, even if that is so, there's absolutely no reason NOT to give it to sick people! It's so ludicrous!I think this is a big step...IF we can get it to go. I'm not going say it's over, because it still wouldn't be over after this bill passes.I think some reform is here! H.R. 2592 <---good stuff! [ Post Comment ] Post Comment