cannabisnews.com: Patients Talk About The Importance of Marijuana





Patients Talk About The Importance of Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on June 22, 2007 at 12:35:01 PT
By John Grybos, Legislative Gazette Staff Writer
Source: Legislative Gazette 
New York -- Two men who say medical marijuana helps them deal with chronic medical conditions came to the capital to advocate for the passage of a bill, sponsored by Assembly health committee Chairman Richard Gottfried, to legalize its use for certain patients.The bill (A.4867) passed the Assembly on June 13 and was immediately delivered to the Senate and referred to its rules committee.
At a press conference hosted in the Legislative Office Building by Gottfried, D,WF-Manhattan, Bruce Dunn, who suffers chronic pain from a 1988 automobile accident, said, “I resent the hell out of being a criminal just because I use this herb.”Marijuana has fewer side effects than many of the drugs Dunn said he has tried, “It helps me to have a normal, productive life.” Traditional narcotics and antidepressants have a constipating effect, he said. Marijuana has no serious side effects, said Dunn, “the only side effect I’m aware of is a feeling of well-being.”Fred McLaughlin donated blood in August 2003, and later that same day, collapsed in the shower, experiencing numbness in his extremities, a loss of bladder control and distorted vision in his left eye. Two weeks later, he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.McLaughlin said other drugs caused serious side effects. When he used Avonex, a multiple sclerosis medication, his weight dropped from a full-framed 200 pounds to 150 pounds, and bruises appeared all over his body. He developed anxiety, paranoia and depression on the drug.“Never, ever again will I take any pharmaceutical drugs,” said McLaughlin. He said cannabis helped him regain perfect vision in his left eye, and it is the only treatment he currently uses for his condition.The only issue for McLaughlin, he said, is that “there’s a little paranoia actually having to go somewhere and get it,” as he could be caught by law enforcement and fined.Despite current law making it illegal to carry and consume cannabis, said Gottfried, many ill people regularly use the substance, “making their lives tolerable.”Gottfried said that Dunn’s OxyContin prescription carries a long list of side effects. According to label information available on the Web site of Perdue Pharma, the producer of OxyContin, the drug can cause mild to severe kidney failure, constipation and respiratory suppression.Dunn said he was very concerned about becoming addicted to OxyContin. Perdue Pharma’s label information suggests doctors slowly reduce their patients’ dosage of the drug to prevent withdrawal symptoms.The documentation also warns nursing mothers not to take the drug, as their babies can experience withdrawal symptoms when their mothers cease taking the medication.“The current prohibition is political correctness run amok,” said Gottfried. People undergoing chemotherapy for cancer or who have HIV/AIDS suffer from decreased appetite, exacerbating their condition. Marijuana stimulates hunger, helping the very ill stay well nourished, he said.There is currently a bill in the Senate sponsored by Velmanette Montgomery, D-Brooklyn, regarding the legalization and distribution of marijuana for medical purposes. Similar bills died in committee in the 2003-2004 and 2005-2006 legislative sessions.Under the bill (S.4768), patients with life-threatening, degenerative or permanently disabling conditions could be prescribed medicinal marijuana. Marijuana would be prescribed and distributed by a not-for-profit organization that has registered with the state, the state’s Department of Health or local health departments.Montgomery’s bill would also forbid practitioners from prescribing cannabis to themselves, as does Gottfried’s. The bill would forbid the use of medicinal marijuana in public places and limit the weight of cannabis distributed to eight ounces or less.Her bill would also stipulate that no more than a 30-day supply be given to a patient, and the prescription could not be refilled until the patient has no more than a seven-day supply left.Also, the legislation would require marijuana be packaged in an orange container, or have an orange label reading, “Controlled substance, dangerous unless used as directed.”Gottfried was skeptical of a system where medicinal marijuana is only available through well-documented, centralized distribution, because “the federal authorities would shut them down as quickly as we could license them.”The 12 states that have passed legislation allowing for medical marijuana don’t have a dispensary clause, said Gottfried. Even though California has many dispensaries, it is not required that patients go through those channels.Gottfried’s bill calls for the issuance of identification cards for licensed practitioners and their patients, which verify that they are legally allowed to handle cannabis. The bill would also honor similar cards issued in other states.The Assembly bill does not create a state-sanctioned program to help patients or caregivers acquire the allowed two-and-a-half ounces of cannabis, or the seeds to grow the 12 plants approved patients could grow for personal use, but specifies that the manufacture, acquisition and administration of the drug by registered card holders would be legal.Complete Title: Patients Talk About The Importance of Passing a Medical Marijuana Law Source: Legislative Gazette (NY)Author: John Grybos, Legislative Gazette Staff WriterPublished: Monday, June 25, 2007Copyright: 2007 Legislative Gazette Contact: editor legislativegazette.comWebsite: http://www.legislativegazette.com/Related Articles: Pot War in Brooklyn!http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23106.shtmlMedical Marijuana: New York is Waiting To Inhalehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23093.shtmlMarijuana Bills Caught Up in Legislaturehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23092.shtml
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Comment #17 posted by John Tyler on June 23, 2007 at 09:37:05 PT
hair hair
My hair is almost as long as yours. I love it.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #16 posted by Hope on June 23, 2007 at 09:15:44 PT
Hair, Hair!
Beautiful hair!:0)Looks good, Bro. Green.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #15 posted by FoM on June 22, 2007 at 21:51:06 PT
Freak Flag Fly
That made me smile.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #14 posted by RevRayGreen on June 22, 2007 at 21:47:36 PT
Yeah, it's
the longest I've ever had it, I still dress fly for work, for now I let it grow as a personal protest, I'm 40, my 16.5 yr old son hasn't had a hair cut in 2+ years, so being an out spoken advocate for medical marijuana, it's feel's good to let my freak flag fly, it comes natural...... :)
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on June 22, 2007 at 21:25:34 PT
RevRayGreen
I can't resist saying this. I love your hair! I'm glad everything worked out.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #12 posted by Hope on June 22, 2007 at 21:23:34 PT
Still standing...
You and the porch! That's got to be good.Glad it wasn't worse.
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Comment #11 posted by RevRayGreen on June 22, 2007 at 21:00:47 PT
Here's shot
of me an the carnage......others had it worse,trees crashing thru ceilings.http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e25/RevGreen/TheTreee014.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e25/RevGreen/TheTreee005.jpg
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Comment #10 posted by Hope on June 22, 2007 at 20:26:11 PT
Comment 8
Oh, my word!That is terrible. I hope there isn't serious damage. I hope no one was hurt. Is the roof seriously damaged?No fires from the downed lines? Obviously, you have electricity. That's good.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #9 posted by FoM on June 22, 2007 at 20:09:55 PT
RevRayGreen 
You had a big day. I hope you and your house are ok. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #8 posted by RevRayGreen on June 22, 2007 at 19:23:49 PT
To top it off
we were having a serious thunderstorm when I was down there, then I stopped at a wake for an Uncle of a friend of mine from grade school whose uncle just died, age 44, whom I also know, so I stopped in and paid my respects....getting closer to home I pull down my street, coming down the hill there is a cop with his lights flashing, so I'm like what the %&*%, then as I get closer, I have a down tree ON my house.............branches tangled in the power lines.Well the power crew sent out a tree removal for the power lines, me I have a branch on my roof covering the front porch....I did have a good conversation with the 30 yr old cop on the scene, who was rather supportive..damn I love you guys and gals.......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85rYOj9qtK8
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on June 22, 2007 at 19:20:18 PT
Who I Like
I look at it this way. I like just about all of the Democrats running. I really am not looking forward to Senator Clinton being President but she could win if the polls are right. I really want someone besides Senator Clinton. I just want to see the Democrats win. It's their turn. It always goes back and forth when a party gets corrupt the other wins then they get corrupt and the other one wins and the cycle continues. If Al Gore runs I would pay close attention to what he has to say. Maybe like Michael Moore said that he wants Gore to run because he was denied the Presidency and it would right the wrong.
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Comment #6 posted by Hope on June 22, 2007 at 18:37:34 PT
RayGreen
I'm slow. It took me forever to see what you were wanting to edit. Lol!
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Comment #5 posted by Hope on June 22, 2007 at 18:34:57 PT
Cool, Ray Green.
Very cool.I like Richardson for his attitude toward medical use. He's my favorite Democrat. So far.
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on June 22, 2007 at 18:29:09 PT
RevRayGreen 
I really like Governor Richardson. I can't wait to see the picture. He seems so sensible. I really am drawn to people who are sensible. I like common sense. 
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Comment #3 posted by RevRayGreen on June 22, 2007 at 17:46:14 PT
Richardson
I wish there was an edit feature :(you now who I'm talking about.....just wanted to let you know that I know :)
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Comment #2 posted by RevRayGreen on June 22, 2007 at 17:40:59 PT
Just met Governor Bill Richardon
at his campaign office here in Des Moines. Whe he was autographing my campaign sign I introduced myself as a member of Iowans for Medical Marijuana and told him thanks you for doing the right thing. Then I asked him to sign it with "it's the right thing to do", his response was, "that's because it is, and I will make it that way in all 50 states "Got a good photo op with him too, which I'll post a link to once I get them on my computer.
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Comment #1 posted by mayan on June 22, 2007 at 14:33:24 PT
The Build-Up Continues
USS Enterprise Strike Group heads for gulf:
http://censor.net.ua/go/viewTopic--id--163517THE WAY OUT...Vancouver 9/11 Truth Conference - HAPPENING NOW:
http://www.v911truth.org/conference2007.html
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