cannabisnews.com: Sick People Need Pot Sick People Need Pot Posted by CN Staff on April 08, 2007 at 05:54:51 PT By Monroe Anderson Source: Chicago Sun-Times Illinois -- Most politicians are prone to strike poses while public servants. And sometimes as they vogue, they actually lead. At other times, they stumble down the runway. To highlight my point, think three simple words: George Walker Bush. The president misled us into invading, then occupying, Iraq and is dead set on keeping us in his misadventure, now with his Hail Mary surge. It doesn't matter that the vast majority of Americans have decided the costs outweigh the benefits -- the president of the United States insists on leading us where few want to follow. In two words, there is Bill Richardson. Unlike Bush, New Mexico Gov. Richardson is following the will of the people. Withstanding strong-arming from the wrong-headed White House, Richardson last week signed into law a bill that stops making criminals out of doctors who dare to follow a sacred concept in the Hippocratic Oath: Do no harm.The bill, the Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana Act, allows doctors to prescribe marijuana to relieve seriously ill patients who are in excruciating pain. The law allows New Mexicans with cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and HIV/AIDS to smoke a little pot to ease their suffering without fearing police or state prison.In and of itself, the bill Richardson signed is outstanding but not unique. Eleven governors have gone before him. Medical marijuana is already legal in Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. These states are leading the federal government in making sure there is no targeting of sick and dying people or the doctors who dare to help them.It's not necessary to be in an altered state of consciousness to understand why 12 governors are leading the charge for more caring, effective medical marijuana laws. A Time Magazine/CNN Poll conducted in 2002 reported that 80 percent of respondents supported allowing adults to ''legally use marijuana for medical purposes.''With that sort of favor, I wonder why some speculate whether Richardson's signing of the bill will hurt his 2008 presidential ambition. Being the first presidential candidate to actually sign a medical marijuana bill gives Richardson at least as much of a positive distinction as the first Mexican American to make a serious bid for leader of the free world. But, political considerations aside, Richardson said he signed it because ''it is the right thing to do.''Should a few more Illinois legislators open their hearts and clear their minds, Gov. Rod Blagojevich will get his chance to do the right thing, too. Ten days from now, Sen. John Cullerton (D-Chicago) will bring up Senate Bill 650 in Springfield for yet another vote. Although there is popular support for the measure in Illinois, as in the rest of the nation, Cullerton has not been able to round up enough Republicans and conservative Democrats to get the job done. There is the perception that Cullerton's medical marijuana bill will promote increased drug use -- which borders on being hallucinogenic.A 1999 U.S. government-sponsored Institutes of Medicine report blew away old beliefs that marijuana serves as a gateway drug. ''In fact, most drug users do not begin their drug use with marijuana -- they begin with alcohol and nicotine, usually when they are too young to do so legally,'' the study reported. A compilation of government surveys put together by the Marijuana Policy Project serves up other urban legend-busting facts. There has been a 47 percent decline in ninth-graders reporting marijuana use since California passed the law eight years ago. There has been a 50 percent reduction in use of drugs by sixth-graders since Washington passed the law nine years ago. And, in Hawaii and Nevada, marijuana use by youths has decreased by more than 40 percent since the states passed the law seven years ago.''This law will provide much-needed relief for New Mexicans suffering from debilitating diseases,'' Richard said at his bill-signing ceremony. That sentiment is echoed by Cullerton, who said his bill is ''just designed to protect these poor people who are ill and don't want to be criminals.'' The Illinois state senator isn't sure how healthy this month's vote for the bill will be. But he is sure about this: ''It's going to pass. The question is when and how many people have to suffer before it happens.''Source: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)Author: Monroe AndersonPublished: April 8, 2007Copyright: 2007 The Sun-Times Co. Contact: letters suntimes.com Website: http://www.suntimes.com/ Related Articles:Medical Use of Marijuana Should Be Legalizedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22838.shtmlSenate Pending Marijuana Drug Billhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22735.shtmlMedical Marijuana Bill Passes Committeehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22718.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #14 posted by FoM on April 08, 2007 at 09:37:59 PT Happy Easter BGreen Happy Easter to you and your family. We will be leaving soon to go to visit our family. Have a great day and good luck with your new computer project. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by BGreen on April 08, 2007 at 09:30:10 PT Hi and Happy Easter Everybody! Hi FoM! I haven't checked in much because I've been building a new computer, but I'm getting ready to have dinner with my in-laws and just thought I should say 'hello' to another of my favorite women, the one and only FoM, and to the rest of my extended CNews family.I hope everybody has a great day today whatever you happen to be doing.The Reverend Bud Green [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by FoM on April 08, 2007 at 07:10:50 PT John Tyler I agree with you but I really thing it is because all of the peaceniks as is referenced in the LTE have come out of the closet and said we are not willing to take it anymore. The tax issue will be a way to get people to work with the system or get audited and hassled.The people have spoken and now maybe they will listen. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by John Tyler on April 08, 2007 at 07:03:22 PT times are a changin' “Marijuana, medical or recreational, will never be accepted because of its historical connection with "peaceniks" and others perceived as threatening to the dominant paradigm. It's as simple as that.” I think this has been largely true, but thanks to our constant campaigning and mainly in addition to the fact that more and more politicians are now being able to see that there is big, big money in legal cannabis this perception is changing. And in politics money trumps everything. At this point I’m hopeful. More and more of the politicians are now seeing dollar signs in front of them and the momentum is shifting our way. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by FoM on April 08, 2007 at 06:40:45 PT All Fixed I'm done now. It really is hard to fix things in this form but it's done now. Coast is clear. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on April 08, 2007 at 06:30:46 PT Hope I am sick of war. I never have believe that war solves why people are angry. Talking about what upsets people can stop it but we must be willing to talk.PS: Please don't post anything for a few minutes. This article is in the Chicago Sun Times and I must fix it. I'll let you know when I am done and we won't lose any comments then. That happens when I am inside the form if anyone posts. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by Hope on April 08, 2007 at 06:25:19 PT I am sick of war. Maybe we should have a war on war. Aaargh.Peace would be a wonderful thing to give to our children all over the world...and all those coming after us. War lovers and mongers, you don't even have to actually love all those children, or anybody but the almighty dollar, if that's what you choose... just let them experience peace and abundance. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on April 08, 2007 at 06:22:05 PT Hope We have such potential to maybe fix this angry and twisted mindset we have lived under for more years then I care to think. People can only take so much and then they say no more. I think that is where we are now and that is a good thing. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Hope on April 08, 2007 at 06:19:31 PT That last post I made was in answer to your first comment.About Jerry. August seems a terribly long time off.It looks like injustice to me. They have to stop treating people that way. If it has to be a crime...which it doesn't....at least they should be made to stop abusing people in the name of their pogrom.Let me forgive, as I am forgiven. But still, the hand that weilds the whip in these matters should be restrained considerably. Peace really is better than war. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Hope on April 08, 2007 at 06:12:38 PT FoM I do, too. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on April 08, 2007 at 06:11:02 PT Hope Jerry is scheduled for release in August unless something has changed but hopefully they will let him out earlier then that. Happy Easter to you and your family. We are going up to my sisters today for an Easter dinner. We got snow last night. Snow on Easter doesn't happen that often and it's pretty. Snow on green grass is so pretty. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on April 08, 2007 at 06:06:22 PT Hope That's a good LTE. I believe this is true because Cannabis is a peaceful herb and it makes people think and reason and that isn't good when you want people to hate and go to war and kill just because they want more of what isn't ours.***Excerpt: The fascist mind of 40 years ago loathed long-haired potheads preaching "peace and love" but accepts today's violence-intoxicated youths with their shaved heads and thug posturing. Marijuana, medical or recreational, will never be accepted because of its historical connection with "peaceniks" and others perceived as threatening to the dominant paradigm. It's as simple as that. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Hope on April 08, 2007 at 06:05:17 PT Sunday Morning How much longer until they release Runruff? [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Hope on April 08, 2007 at 06:00:06 PT "No Respect for Pot" http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n443/a11.html?397 [ Post Comment ] Post Comment