cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijuana Activists Cite Little-Known Law Medical Marijuana Activists Cite Little-Known Law Posted by CN Staff on February 22, 2007 at 08:36:41 PT By Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff Writer Source: San Francisco Chronicle San Francisco, CA -- Medical marijuana advocates tried a new approach Wednesday in their tug-of-war with the federal government, filing suit under a law that requires the government to correct its own misstatements -- including, the advocates say, the assertion that marijuana has no medical value. "Citizens have a right to expect the government to use the best available information for policy decisions,'' said Alan Morrison, a Stanford Law School lecturer and an attorney in the lawsuit by Americans for Safe Access. The suit was filed in federal court in San Francisco under the Data Quality Act, a little-known statute signed by President Bush in 2001. It directs federal agencies to allow members of the public to "seek and obtain correction'' of false or misleading government information that affects them. Morrison said the law was originally pushed by businesses that objected to government statements taking dim views of products or entire industries, notably Clinton administration reports that listed industrial activities among the causes of global warming. He said he knew of only two lawsuits filed under the statute, neither of them successful. Americans for Safe Access invoked the 2001 law in a complaint to the Department of Health and Human Services in October 2004, saying its members included seriously ill people who had been discouraged from using marijuana by the department's position that the drug has "no currently accepted medical use.'' Snipped:Complete Article: http://tinyurl.com/37faraSource: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)Author: Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff WriterPublished: Thursday, February 22, 2007Copyright: 2007 Hearst Communications Inc.Contact: letters sfchronicle.comWebsite: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/Related Articles & Web Sites: Americans For Safe Accesshttp://www.safeaccessnow.org/U.S. Is Sued Over Position on Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22675.shtmlGroup Sues Feds Over Medical Marijuana Claimshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22671.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #14 posted by BGreen on February 24, 2007 at 09:53:13 PT Look at JUST the FREQUENT SIDE EFFECTS Asthenia, malaise, face edema, hypertension, anorexia, flatulence, gingivitis, purpura most often described as bruises resulting from physical trauma, arthralgia (literally "joint pain,") vertigo, hyperkinesia, paresthesia, decreased or absent reflexes, increased reflexes, anxiety, hostility, pneumonia, and abnormal vision.Hell, a bullet in the temple will probably stop cannabis use with less side effects.The Reverend Bud Green [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by BGreen on February 24, 2007 at 09:40:59 PT Keep your poison blue pills! Gabapentin = NeurontinLet's look at the possible side effects, shall we?Clinical Trials in Adults and Adolescents (Except Clinical Trials in Neuropathic Pain)Neurontin has been administered to 4717 patients >12 years of age during all adjunctive therapy clinical trials (except clinical trials in patients with neuropathic pain), only some of which were placebo-controlled. During these trials, all adverse events were recorded by the clinical investigators using terminology of their own choosing. To provide a meaningful estimate of the proportion of individuals having adverse events, similar types of events were grouped into a smaller number of standardized categories using modified COSTART dictionary terminology. These categories are used in the listing below. The frequencies presented represent the proportion of the 4717 patients >12 years of age exposed to Neurontin who experienced an event of the type cited on at least one occasion while receiving Neurontin. All reported events are included except those already listed in Table 3, those too general to be informative, and those not reasonably associated with the use of the drug.Events are further classified within body system categories and enumerated in order of decreasing frequency using the following definitions: frequent adverse events are defined as those occurring in at least 1/100 patients; infrequent adverse events are those occurring in 1/100 to 1/1000 patients; rare events are those occurring in fewer than 1/1000 patients.Body As A Whole: Frequent: asthenia, malaise, face edema; Infrequent: allergy, generalized edema, weight decrease, chill; Rare: strange feelings, lassitude, alcohol intolerance, hangover effect.Cardiovascular System: Frequent: hypertension; Infrequent: hypotension, angina pectoris, peripheral vascular disorder, palpitation, tachycardia, migraine, murmur; Rare: atrial fibrillation, heart failure, thrombophlebitis, deep thrombophlebitis, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, pulmonary thrombosis, ventricular extrasystoles, bradycardia, premature atrial contraction, pericardial rub, heart block, pulmonary embolus, hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, pericardial effusion, pericarditis.Digestive System: Frequent: anorexia, flatulence, gingivitis; Infrequent: glossitis, gum hemorrhage, thirst, stomatitis, increased salivation, gastroenteritis, hemorrhoids, bloody stools, fecal incontinence, hepatomegaly; Rare: dysphagia, eructation, pancreatitis, peptic ulcer, colitis, blisters in mouth, tooth discolor, perl่che, salivary gland enlarged, lip hemorrhage, esophagitis, hiatal hernia, hematemesis, proctitis, irritable bowel syndrome, rectal hemorrhage, esophageal spasm.Endocrine System: Rare: hyperthyroid, hypothyroid, goiter, hypoestrogen, ovarian failure, epididymitis, swollen testicle, cushingoid appearance.Hematologic and Lymphatic System: Frequent: purpura most often described as bruises resulting from physical trauma; Infrequent: anemia, thrombocytopenia, lymphadenopathy; Rare: WBC count increased, lymphocytosis, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, bleeding time increased.Musculoskeletal System: Frequent: arthralgia; Infrequent: tendinitis, arthritis, joint stiffness, joint swelling, positive Romberg test; Rare: costochondritis, osteoporosis, bursitis, contracture.Nervous System: Frequent: vertigo, hyperkinesia, paresthesia, decreased or absent reflexes, increased reflexes, anxiety, hostility; Infrequent: CNS tumors, syncope, dreaming abnormal, aphasia, hypesthesia, intracranial hemorrhage, hypotonia, dysesthesia, paresis, dystonia, hemiplegia, facial paralysis, stupor, cerebellar dysfunction, positive Babinski sign, decreased position sense, subdural hematoma, apathy, hallucination, decrease or loss of libido, agitation, paranoia, depersonalization, euphoria, feeling high, doped-up sensation, suicide attempt, psychosis; Rare: choreoathetosis, orofa-cial dyskinesia, encephalopathy, nerve palsy, personality disorder, increased libido, subdued temperament, apraxia, fine motor control disorder, meningismus, local myoclonus, hyperesthesia, hypokinesia, mania, neurosis, hysteria, antisocial reaction, suicide.Respiratory System: Frequent: pneumonia; Infrequent: epistaxis, dyspnea, apnea; Rare: mucositis, aspiration pneumonia, hyperventilation, hiccup, laryngitis, nasal obstruction, snoring, bronchospasm, hypoventilation, lung edema.Dermatological: Infrequent: alopecia, eczema, dry skin, increased sweating, urticaria, hirsutism, seb-orrhea, cyst, herpes simplex; Rare: herpes zoster, skin discolor, skin papules, photosensitive reaction, leg ulcer, scalp seborrhea, psoriasis, desquamation, maceration, skin nodules, subcutaneous nodule, melanosis, skin necrosis, local swelling.Urogenital System: Infrequent: hematuria, dysuria, urination frequency, cystitis, urinary retention, urinary incontinence, vaginal hemorrhage, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, menorrhagia, breast cancer, unable to climax, ejaculation abnormal; Rare: kidney pain, leukorrhea, pruritus genital, renal stone, acute renal failure, anuria, glycosuria, nephrosis, nocturia, pyuria, urination urgency, vaginal pain, breast pain, testicle pain.Special Senses: Frequent: abnormal vision; Infrequent: cataract, conjunctivitis, eyes dry, eye pain, visual field defect, photophobia, bilateral or unilateral ptosis, eye hemorrhage, hordeolum, hearing loss, earache, tinnitus, inner ear infection, otitis, taste loss, unusual taste, eye twitching, ear fullness; Rare: eye itching, abnormal accommodation, perforated ear drum, sensitivity to noise, eye focusing problem, watery eyes, retinopathy, glaucoma, iritis, corneal disorders, lacrimal dysfunction, degenerative eye changes, blindness, retinal degeneration, miosis, chorioretinitis, strabismus, eustachian tube dysfunction, labyrinthitis, otitis externa, odd smell. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by Genthirdday on February 24, 2007 at 08:17:21 PT Pill To Cure Cannabis Addiction Yes Toker00 The Frankenceutal Empire will stop at nothing. The pill Gabapentin in the article that FoM posted below is NEURONTIN. I just wrote to the newspaper that published that "so called" Health article, to protest. Some really uneducated people will risk their lives to join a study !!! "The Neurontin Suicides" [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by Toker00 on February 23, 2007 at 20:25:20 PT Who wants to be cannabis free? Not me. "It quiets that hyperactivity in the brain," said Mason.What else does it "quiet"? Does it quiet your desire to be close to the Creator? Does it quiet your desire for Truth? Does it make you susceptible to commands from Corporatists to keep cannabis competition out of the way? Tell you what. I'll keep the cannabis, YOU take the Quiet Pill. On second thought, give it to the Prohibians to "quiet" their withdrawals from Cannabis Prohibition Profits when we Re-Legalize Cannabis Sativa L.As far as not being able to learn things later in life if you toke regular, then how do I explain all the skills and certificates and awards I have honed and achieved and received after I turned 17? I didn't even know how to use a computer till I was 45. I'm not a whiz, but I can use it for anything I need in my poor pitiful cannabinoid ravaged world. Toke. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by FoM on February 23, 2007 at 18:48:20 PT Pill Could Help Cure Marijuana Addiction Researchers: Pill Could Help Cure Marijuana Addiction*** February 23, 2007SAN DIEGO -- There are drugs to treat all kinds of addictions such as alcohol and gambling, and now a pill is being tested to help people quit smoking marijuana. Researchers in San Diego said they believe the drug could ease withdrawal symptoms from marijuana. There are many Americans who smoke marijuana, a shredded mixture of green-brown flowers, stems and leaves of the hemp plant. "It is the most widely used illegal substance in our country, said one expert. The main active chemical in marijuana, THC, stimulates some receptors in the brain, giving users a high. Many people don't know that it's also addictive. "It's more of psychological addiction; the more you enjoy the effects so you want more of them," one expert said. Addiction expert Dr. Barbara Mason of Scripps Research Institute said, "People have become dependent on cannabis." She added, "One reason we don't hear about it because there are no treatments specifically for cannabis independence. Studies have shown long-term cannabis use is not only linked to the same respiratory problems as tobacco smoking, but it could also change how your brain works. "It affects the ability to learn new information as well as make decisions and control impulses," said Mason. Many college students who use marijuana regularly found that smoking pot and learning just dont mix. "It does affect how you perceive things and if you remember things clearly," said one college student. Another student added, "It can really affect their ability to learn in school and college and make good choices for themselves." Now, some blue pills might be able to help people who are hooked on pot. Gabapentin is an anti-seizure drug that researchers believe could relieve symptoms following cannabis withdrawal. "It quiets that hyperactivity in the brain," said Mason. During a 13-week study, participants took gabapentin three times a day. Researchers said the drug might ease sleep problems and improve mood during withdrawal. They won't have the discomfort and the distraction and the inability of these withdrawal symptoms," said Mason. The medication might be just what some people need to finally be cannabis-free. Gabapentin might also be a possible treatment to prevent relapse following withdrawal. The Scripps Research Institute is the only center in the country testing the drug and is looking for more people interested in curbing a marijuana addiction. To enroll in the study, call 858-784-7867 or visit PearsonCenter.org to learn more about the study. Copyright 2007 by 10News.comhttp://www.10news.com/health/11096708/detail.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Toker00 on February 23, 2007 at 03:45:32 PT runruffswife August is not good enough. We want Jerry home YESTERDAY! He should never have been arrested to begin with. For growing medicine? The punishment was not for growing medicine, it was for not buying frankendrugs from the legal frankenceutical labs. In other words, it is illegal to deprive them of their PROFIT. THAT is why Jerry and all others who embrace cannabis, suffer.Bring down the Frankenceutical Empire! Grow or buy/use natural medicine and leave the poison on the shelves! Even the over the counter shit.Linda, I sure hope you are doing well, also. Just keep thinking six months...five months...four monoths... three months...two months...one month...HOME FREE! Thank God almighty he will be HOME AND FREE! (relatively at least)Toke. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on February 22, 2007 at 12:58:50 PT runruffswife Thank you for telling us how you and Jerry are. There is nothing good about being separated from someone we love but the reunion will be so very special when the time comes. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by runruffswife on February 22, 2007 at 12:52:12 PT runruff Hi Friends. I was just out shoveling snow and thinking about this last year with Jerry being incarcerated for growing medicine. It's a crazy world we live in. Thank you all for your ongoing love and support. It is heart felt. Jerry called this morning and sounded sad. He is so very homesick. The good news is the Bureau of Prisons says they will release him to home arrest August 17. He'll have to wear an ankle thingy but that's okay, as long as he is home. That's about all I know for now. Love to you all. Linda [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by observer on February 22, 2007 at 12:09:32 PT Except for the ''drug war exception'' "Citizens have a right to expect the government to use the best available information for policy decisions,'' said Alan Morrison, a Stanford Law School lecturer and an attorney in the lawsuit by Americans for Safe Access.Well, in general, yes. Except for "the drug war" exception to the truth, however. When the electrified, deadly "third rail" of U.S. politics is touched, all bets are off. To appease the religious right, marijuana users (think: Timothy Leary, think: hippies, fill in the blank with the hated group(s) of your choice) must be continually sacrificed upon the altar of political expediency. http://www.google.com/search?q=%22the+drug+war+exception%22 http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pot [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Taylor121 on February 22, 2007 at 11:56:49 PT Texans: Write your rep in favor of medical mj Texas has an affirmative defense bill that has been filed. It needs letters of support if it is to have any chance of passage. Please write your elected officials:https://ssl.capwiz.com/mpp/issues/alert/?alertid=9398771 [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Taylor121 on February 22, 2007 at 11:48:43 PT Texans: Call Committee members to schedule hearing Marijuana decriminalization in Texas in in committee, H.B. 758, sponsored by Rep. Harold Dutton (D-142). H.B. 758 would reduce the penalty for possession of up to one ounce of marijuana. Currently, possession of up to two ounces is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to $2,000 in fines and 180 days in jail. While possession of between one and two ounces would remain a Class B misdemeanor, H.B. 758 proposes that less than one ounce become a Class C misdemeanor, which is punishable only by a fine up to $500.H.B. 758 would be a step in the right direction for Texas. The bill currently sits in the House Criminal Jurisprudence committee. Please take a moment to call the committee members and urge them to hold a hearing on H.B. 758. PLEASE BE POLITE:Rep. Aaron Pena committee chair (512) 463-0426 or (956) 383-7444Rep. Allen Vaught vice-chair (512) 463-0244Rep. Debbie Riddle budget & oversight chair (512) 463-0572 or (281) 537-5252Rep. Juan M. Escobar (512) 463-0666 or (361) 592-6120Rep. Terri Hodge (512) 463-0586 or (214) 824-1996Rep. Barbara Mallory Caraway (512) 463-0664Rep. Paul Moreno (512) 463-0638 or (915) 544-0789Rep. Paula Pierson (512) 463-0562Rep. Robert Talton (512) 463-0460 or (281) 487-8818http://tinyurl.com/2cawfy [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Max Flowers on February 22, 2007 at 11:47:06 PT Looking forward to the battle The last paragraph of the article is the following:Health and Human Services spokeswoman Christina Pearson declined to comment on the suit. She referred a reporter to the Food and Drug Administration's April 2006 statement that federal evaluations have found "no sound scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana.''Based on that lying/blatantly erroneous statement alone, the lawsuit should be standing on strong ground, because there are hundreds of sound scientific studies that obviously DO support medical use of cannabis. Therefore the basis of the suit is 100% valid---that the government is perpetuating "false and misleading government information." It will be more than easy to produce in court an avalanche of supporting medical information. If a judge then STILL rules in favor of the government in the face of that overwhelming evidence, then the corruption will be obvious and unmistakable (as if it isn't already). [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Toker00 on February 22, 2007 at 09:18:05 PT OT: Foxattacks.com Dear activists, colleagues, and friends,Thanks for your terrific work in making sure our short video, The Real McCain, spread far and wide. Many of you forwarded TheRealMcCain.com to friends, relatives, uninformed McCain supporters and others. Combined with the 360 blogs who linked to it (YAY TO THE NETROOTS!), more than 250,000 unique visitors have seen the video. And while we would never take direct credit, McCain's poll numbers are falling at a fierce rate!In the same way many of you have used Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price and Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers, the short McCain piece has been an effective tool for setting the record straight -- and changing minds.And now Brave New Films is excited to launch FoxAttacks.com!http://foxattacks.com Fox Attacks: ObamaFox Attacks is a campaign that offers you real tools to DO SOMETHING other than throw things at the TV. Join us in forcing Fox to stop serving as a mouthpiece for the right wing's agenda. We at Brave New Films have been as shocked and outraged as you have at their consistent misuse and abuse of the term "news." Fox is not a legitimate news channel. They are a dangerous element in our democracy: dangerous in the way they influence other media, dangerous in the way they force stories into the mainstream without any evidence, dangerous in the effect they have on their viewers. But, just being furious is not enough.ENOUGH IS ENOUGHJoin us now by watching and sharing FOX ATTACKS: OBAMA, the first of a series of short videos designed to challenge Fox. Then, channel your outrage with the tools at FoxAttacks.com. You can start by SIGNING THE PETITION asking the Democratic Party of Nevada not to partner with Fox on the first Democratic debate this coming August. Then CONFRONT THE ADVERTISERS whose ad dollars pay Fox to do the damage they do. Help us build our long-term campaign to inform the advertisers that their brands are being associated with dangerous propaganda. Go to FoxAttacks.com to get the tools you need to hit Fox where it hurts: their pocket books.Fox's role as an attack dog for the right has to stop, and we have to start now.- Robert Greenwald and the Brave New Films team Toke. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by dirtmover on February 22, 2007 at 09:06:53 PT ASA has it right. How do we force a crooked government to obey its own laws?Publicity is our only recourse.Call your local newspapers and TV stations. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment