cannabisnews.com: Poll Finds Opposition To Federal Pot Raids





Poll Finds Opposition To Federal Pot Raids
Posted by CN Staff on June 14, 2005 at 07:44:16 PT
By Josh Richman, Staff Writer
Source: Oakland Tribune
Washington, D.C.  -- On the eve of a vital vote in Congress, medical marijuana advocates Monday unveiled a new poll showing significant public opposition to federal raids on patients who use pot. A poll of 732 randomly selected registered voters across the nation found 68 percent said the federal government should not prosecute medical marijuana patients now that it has been given the go-ahead to do so by last week's U.S. Supreme Court ruling.
The sentiment was slightly higher among men than among women, among those under 45 than those older and among Democrats than among Republicans or independents. But no demographic group's majority supported the raids. The poll also found 65 percent agreed that adults should be allowed to legally use marijuana for medical purposes. The poll was commissioned by the Marijuana Policy Project and conducted Wednesday through Saturday by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc. of Washington, D.C., with a 3.7 percent margin of error. The MPP revealed the results Monday, one week after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Oakland medical marijuana patient Angel McClary Raich and co-plaintiff Diane Monson of Oroville. The court rejected an argument that the federal government is constitutionally barred from regulating activity that's completely within a state's borders and doesn't involve money changing hands. Raich is in Washington today as the medical marijuana battle moves from the courts to Congress. She and other advocates are lobbying hard for a spending-bill amendment co-authored by Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y., and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach, that would forbid the Justice Department from spending money to raid or prosecute patients or providers in states with medical marijuana laws. The United Methodist Church and the American Nurses Association wrote to Congress on Monday urging lawmakers to support the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment. MPP spokesman Bruce Mirken noted Monday that White House drug czar John Walters last week pronounced medical marijuana dead as a political issue. A day later, Rhode Island's state Senate voted 34-2 for a medical marijuana bill. An AARP poll of 1,706 adults aged 45 and older conducted late last year found 72 percent believed adults should be allowed to legally use medical marijuana if a physician recommends it. Note: Results out a day before Congress considers bill backed by medical users. Mason-Dixon Medical Marijuana Poll: http://www.mpp.org/2005MasonDixonPoll Source: Oakland Tribune (CA)Author: Josh Richman, Staff WriterPublished: Tuesday, June 14, 2005Copyright: 2005 MediaNews Group, Inc. Contact: triblet angnewspapers.com Website: http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/The Debate: Hinchey - Rohrabacher http://freedomtoexhale.com/dofcomm.htmMarijuana Backers Seek Support in Congresshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20854.shtmlMarijuana Proponents Seek House Vote Tuesdayhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20853.shtmlPot Laws Pain Some Eldershttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20592.shtml
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on June 14, 2005 at 16:38:58 PT
BGreen
Did you see these opinions from your paper?http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20848.shtml
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on June 14, 2005 at 16:18:10 PT
BGreen
That's great! I'm happy for you. We only have a once a week paper in our area.
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Comment #8 posted by BGreen on June 14, 2005 at 15:53:35 PT
This is a first for this paper and I'm thrilled!
This letter has to be an education for most of the readers of this paper.The Reverend Bud Green***************************************************************Greene County Prosecutor Darrell Moore was an obvious choice to write the "con" opinion against medical cannabis, joining other politicians, law enforcement and urine collectors who continue to perpetuate myths to keep their cash cow fed.The newest drug warrior mantra is "smoking marijuana is not medicine." They're trying to extrapolate the proven dangers of tobacco with cannabis without any proof that cannabis has ever caused a single case of cancer. As far back as 1975, studies showed that cannabis fights cancer by promoting programmed cell death (apoptosis) and by cutting off the blood supply to tumors.Vaporization of cannabis eliminates all of the tar and carcinogens caused by combustion, allowing a safe, rapid and thus easily adjustable delivery of medicine. This is especially beneficial to somebody who's vomiting and can't swallow a $25 synthetic Tetrahydrocannabinol capsule.Mr. Moore and the other pro-prison ideologists know about vaporizers. That's why vaporizers are illegal to possess and why prohibitionists repeat "smoking marijuana is not medicine" ad nauseam.The recently discovered endogenous cannabinoid system plays a major role in most functions of the human body. Cannabis is the only plant containing cannabinoids.Knowing this, why has the government consistently blocked research on this miraculous plant? The cash says "moo."Carl Smith, Ozark
Cash cow feeds on anti-pot myth
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Comment #7 posted by BGreen on June 14, 2005 at 15:48:43 PT
An op-ed from the Greene County prosecutor
This is the county of the third largest city in Missouri. The follow up LTE thst appeared today is excellent and I'll post it next.The Reverend Bud Green************************************************************Con: Should marijuana use for medical reasons be allowed?Legalizing use of marijuana for medicinal purposes would raise public safety concerns.There are sound public health and safety reasons for Congress to not legalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.First, there are no generally accepted studies supporting the proposition that smoking marijuana is beneficial to one's health. Studies do indicate that THC (the primary active chemical out of more than 400 chemicals found in a marijuana plant) can be useful for the treatment of some medical problems. Synthetic THC is an FDA-approved medication available by prescription in capsule form since 1985. Synthetic THC decreases nausea in cancer chemotherapy patients and increases appetite in people with AIDS.However, studies conclude that smoking marijuana is not recommended for any medical use due to numerous adverse medical effects. Smoking one marijuana joint has the same effect on the respiratory system as one receives in smoking five filtered tobacco cigarettes. There are links between marijuana use and mouth, throat and lung cancers (a marijuana joint has three to five times higher tar levels than a tobacco cigarette and the same, if not more, cancer causing ingredients as a cigarette). Smoking marijuana causes brain changes similar to those caused by cocaine, heroin and alcohol.Marijuana causes dependency, with more teens entering drug treatment with a primary diagnosis of marijuana dependence than for all other illicit drugs combined. The earlier youth begin using marijuana increases the probability they will use and become dependent on other illegal drugs. Short-term effects of marijuana use include memory loss, distorted perception, problem-solving difficulties and anxiety.Second, there are public safety concerns. This office has prosecuted vehicular manslaughter and assault cases where the defendant was under the influence of marijuana. A national study of trauma room admissions revealed that 15 percent of patients injured while operating a car or motorcycle had been smoking marijuana.Finally, legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes increases the risk of diversion of marijuana into illegal channels. The Supreme Court in its recent opinion cites an "indiscriminate and uncontrolled pattern of sale to thousands of persons among the general public, including persons who had not demonstrated any recommendation or approval of a physician and, in fact, some who were not under the care of a physician, such as undercover officers," and noting that some people who had lawfully obtained marijuana "were reselling it unlawfully on the street."Public policy should be driven by facts, or as we instruct juries, from viewing the evidence free of any sympathy, bias, prejudice or fear. One sympathizes with those suffering from medical ailments. However, a dispassionate viewing of the evidence does not support the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes.
Con: Should marijuana use for medical reasons be allowed?
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Comment #6 posted by b4daylight on June 14, 2005 at 13:35:46 PT
99999
ohn Walters last week pronounced medical marijuana dead as a political issue.Really does he not belive in democarcy?a dead issue really I find this apalling an elected officail would openly pronounce such a view on something so wrong. 
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on June 14, 2005 at 12:41:02 PT
Poll: Medical Marijuana
Do you agree with the Supreme Court's ruling to outlaw the use of medical marijuana? Current Results:24458 Votes Yes -- 4504 -- 18% No -- 19027 -- 78% Unsure -- 927 -- 4% Please Vote: http://www.nbc10.com/health/4607948/detail.html?rss=phi&psp=health
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Comment #4 posted by E_Johnson on June 14, 2005 at 11:23:56 PT
Bush is a United Methodist
His own church wants him to lay off on us.Will he listen?
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on June 14, 2005 at 09:55:22 PT
Poll: Medical Marijuana
Do you support the use of medical marijuana? Current Results:281 Votes Yes -- 260 -- 93% No -- 21 -- 7% Please Vote: http://www.nbc11.com/news/4606144/detail.html
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on June 14, 2005 at 09:51:23 PT
Poll Finds Majority Of New Yorkers Want MMJ!
Excerpt: The poll also found that by a margin of 76% - 17% New York voters support legislation to allow people with illnesses to use marijuana for medical purposes, as long as it’s under the supervision of a physician who prescribed it. Article: http://www.newswatch50.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=9AF2C17C-D0A6-4AD1-9DD8-B93535EE87AD
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on June 14, 2005 at 09:01:34 PT
Move To Blunt Medical Pot Ruling
Article & Video: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/06/14/health/main701753.shtml
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