cannabisnews.com: House Snuffs Out Medical Marijuana Provision 





House Snuffs Out Medical Marijuana Provision 
Posted by CN Staff on June 15, 2005 at 20:05:46 PT
By David Whitney
Source: SHNS 
Washington, D.C. -- A week after the Supreme Court ruled that medical marijuana laws in California and nine other states are no bar to federal drug prosecution, the House voted down an amendment that would have stopped the Justice Department from bringing such cases. While medical marijuana advocates never thought they would have the votes to bar federal prosecutions, some had predicted that, because of the heightened interest after the Supreme Court's ruling, they would do better than the 264-161 vote they received Wednesday.
Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., said Tuesday that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi had been working the issue hard among Democrats and that he felt certain there would 180 or more votes for the amendment to a 2006 Justice Department funding bill. Still, there was some comfort in Wednesday's vote for medical marijuana advocates. Since 2003 when the chamber took its first vote to bar spending money on federal prosecution of medical marijuana users, the number of members saying no to that idea has dropped by 11. "We pick up votes each time as we continue to educate the public," said Steve Fox, communications director for the Marijuana Policy Project. "This is just a matter of time." Last week the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that state laws permitting marijuana possession and cultivation by sick persons with a doctor's recommendation are not a bar to federal enforcement of drug laws making the weed. But in the majority opinion by Justice John Paul Stevens, the high court expressed sympathy for the sick for whom marijuana has been recommended by their doctors. The opinion urged a congressional review of the treatment of marijuana under federal drug laws. Marijuana is now treated like heroin or other street drugs that are flatly illegal under any circumstances because they are not classified for medical use. Other highly addictive drugs having medical use are classified differently and possession is not illegal if prescribed by a doctor. In many ways, the debate over medical marijuana reflects a clash of cultures. While many advocates cite studies showing marijuana can be highly effective in treatment the harshest symptoms of cancer, AIDs and other deadly diseases, opponents see the substance as merely a dangerous recreational drug and its medical uses a ruse for its eventual legalization. Calling it a backdoor attempt to legalize marijuana, Rep. Mark Souder, R-Ind., said it was "shysters and quacks" that were prescribing it. "This is a camel's nose under the tent" for legalization, declared Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa. But among the key sponsors of the amendment was Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif. Rohrabacher said that many drugs are harmful but still have medical benefits when taken under the guidance of a physician. "Marijuana is no different than that," he said. "Let's not have a power grab by the federal government at the expense of these patients." Pelosi, D-San Francisco, called the vote "a state's rights issue" because it put the federal prosecution ahead of state laws that in eight instances, including in California, had been voter-approved. "We must not make criminals out of seriously ill people," she declared. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.Source: SHNS (DC)Author: David WhitneyPublished: June 15, 2005Copyright: 2005 Script Howard News ServiceWebsite: http://www.shns.com/Contact: copelandp shns.comRelated Articles & Web Site:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/ House Rejects Medical Marijuana Againhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20864.shtmlU.S. House Again Defeats Medical Marijuana Usehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20863.shtmlHouse: Medical Marijuana a Federal Casehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20862.shtml
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Comment #7 posted by Ferre on January 15, 2006 at 22:18:58 PT
rev. Adler should apologize to Roger Christie
I came accross this post and the comment #5 from rev. Adler in which he insults THC Ministry as being a scam and I believe he should apologize for this blatant accusation. A google search for "thc ministry" or "cannabis religion" will show that THC Ministries are florishing all over the world.http://www.thc-ministry.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4172
Cannabis
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Comment #6 posted by Max Flowers on June 16, 2005 at 09:51:57 PT
Reverend Adler
Love your spunk and what you're doing, but I need to say something. There are many non-Christians like me who would like that same kind of religious protection, but do not want to attach the whole Jesus/God thing to it. My use of cannabis is just as spiritual as yours (and therefore is just as Constitutionally valid), yet has no specific diety involved. It is much more like Native American or Pagan spirituality, with nature as the divine force and Cannabis as the sacrament that brings me closer to that spiritual center. And in my view, if a Native American has a right to use peyote in his spiritual practice, and a Christian has the right to use cannabis (or wine and crackers) in his, then I have the same right to use cannabis in mine. Period.We non-Christian, yet spiritual, people could use a church of our own to gather under for the same protection that your church offers. If "religious freedom" really means anything in this country, then such a church would enjoy the same rights and validity under the Constitution as yours, or the NAC, or the Universal Life Church, or any other.I think I will start one, and it will be called "The Church Of The Immaculate Flower" or perhaps the "First Cannabist Church."I wish you all the success with your church, but when I see your posts it always reminds me that non-Christians (which does NOT mean "atheist") need something along these same lines just as much.
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Comment #5 posted by Rev Jonathan Adler on June 16, 2005 at 00:30:24 PT:
A Genuine RELIGIOUS exemption remains LEGAL!
Aloha from the real court approved "valid" cannabis church! 
The Supremely Stupid Court has lapsed into ridiculousness with it's insensitive decision, which re-creates a class of criminals from a pool of patients. How can Indians use peyote legally and still work in the Pentagon? The SAME way we use marijuana as sacrament in our church and heal with our sacred cannabis ministry. I said so ten years ago and still say our religious exemption is real and applicable.
When will the rest of you wake up to the legal option?
We are here to help. See medijuana.net or hawaiiclinical cannabis.com to find us and learn more. Call 808-968-0679
for the information required to join a legal and authentic cannabis ministry, not a fabricated one such as THC Ministry who purports to have these rights when the "creator" of the illusion has evaded clarification and makes his busted members defend themselves; rather than put his ministry to the court test himself? Rather unscrupulous in my expert and knowledgable opinion. Where do you think he got such a good idea? Just make sure you are working with a sincere and legitimate church. There are plagerizers and scam artists out there taking advantage of many kind people who do not check out their credentials. Sorry, but I had to make that clear! I have worked too hard and suffered too much to let this fraud continue unchallenged. Peace. And God Bless us ALL! Rev. Jonathan Adler
Hawaii Medical Marijuana Institute
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on June 15, 2005 at 22:49:27 PT
Thanks Hope!
The USA article is posted now!http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20866.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by PainWithNoInsurance on June 15, 2005 at 22:42:03 PT
What is next?
Does anyone know what is next for medical pot? What states have MMJ up for vote and when might it happen? I know RI seems to be a sure thing cause of the overwhelming vote for it. But what is pending? HealthcareForAll
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Comment #2 posted by Hope on June 15, 2005 at 21:53:43 PT
OT but interesting
http://www.counterpunch.org/frank06152005.html"Things are not looking so hot for the Bush administration. The smell of "impeachment" is in the air. A couple of Democrats are finally making a stink over the Downing Street minutes and major news outlets have found the courage to run with the story."
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Comment #1 posted by Hope on June 15, 2005 at 21:36:53 PT
States still push for medical pot
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-06-15-medical-pot_x.htm
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