cannabisnews.com: The Medical Marijuana Debate: Pro





The Medical Marijuana Debate: Pro
Posted by CN Staff on July 15, 2007 at 20:42:14 PT
By Jessica Peck Corry 
Source: Denver Post
Colorado -- If you are sick or dying in Colorado, you can legally smoke marijuana. It's a fact that law enforcement and elected officials are less than eager for you to know. Sadly, six years after the state's voters overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment allowing the use of medical marijuana, there is an intolerable disrespect of the will of the people - and the sick and dying - by those in our government.
Article XVIII, Section 14 of the Colorado Constitution reads: "It shall be an exception from the state's criminal laws for any patient or primary care-giver in lawful possession of a registry identification card to engage or assist in the medical use of marijuana ... ." Medical marijuana is a recognized treatment for many of the complications associated with serious medical conditions, including cancer, diabetes and AIDS. It's also a viable pain-treatment alternative for those barely surviving on conventional narcotic therapies like the highly addictive morphine, vicodin and oxycodone. As far back as 1997, the American Medical Association publicly supported the right of doctors to freely discuss marijuana as a possible therapy. Since Colorado first implemented its program in June 2001, more than 1,340 people have successfully registered as patients, a move that requires obtaining a recommendation from a licensed physician for treatment of an authorized medical condition. Registry statistics paint a compassionate picture of the average patient, most likely a male in his 40s suffering from severe pain (with 82 percent of all applicants approved for the registry for this condition). Thirty percent of all patients use marijuana to deal with muscle spasms and more than 20 percent have sought out marijuana to help them deal with nausea resulting from another medical condition. Thirty-two registered patients suffer from HIV or AIDS. Nearly 70 patients have died since the program began. Interestingly, the average registry patient lives not in a liberal enclave like Boulder or Denver, but more likely in a quieter, more conservative place, like El Paso or Jefferson County - the two counties with the highest number of participants. Unfortunately, for most of these patients, Colorado officials have only partially complied with the program since its inception. In its first year, then- Attorney General Ken Salazar publicly urged the U.S. Attorney to prosecute medical marijuana patients and their approving doctors under federal law and called the voter-approved program "an absurd and wasteful state-sanctioned protest vehicle against federal drug laws." He also sent a letter to the Colorado Medical Association and physicians statewide cautioning them about federal repercussions for complying with the program.  Snipped:Complete Article: http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_6362424Source: Denver Post (CO)Author: Jessica Peck Corry Published: July 12, 2007 Copyright: 2007 The Denver Post CorpWebsite: http://www.denverpost.com/Contact: openforum denverpost.com Related Article & Web Site:Sensible Coloradohttp://www.sensiblecolorado.org/The Medical Marijuana Debate: Conhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23180.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on July 16, 2007 at 11:13:12 PT
Hope
You're welcome. It is good news.
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Comment #6 posted by Hope on July 16, 2007 at 10:52:30 PT
Comment 5
Very much, thankful. Such good news.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on July 16, 2007 at 10:09:47 PT
Press Release from MPP
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Endorses Medical MarijuanaJuly 16, 2007http://www.mpp.org/site/apps/nl/content2.asp?c=glKZLeMQIsG&b=1157875&ct=4112847
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Comment #4 posted by Hope on July 16, 2007 at 06:28:31 PT
A Sheriff wrote the "Con"
http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_6362423The medical marijuana debate: Con
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Comment #3 posted by OverwhelmSam on July 16, 2007 at 06:23:42 PT
The Sherriff has No Credibility
It's terrible to have an official in law enforcement who can't tell the difference between enforcing a law and being a proponent for the law. It's like I always say, law enforcement should enforce the law, not lobby on our dime for the laws that they like to enforce. There's a real danger to Society, even more dangerous than cannabis use, when law enforcement is envolved in making and supporting the laws they choose to enforce.
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Comment #2 posted by The GCW on July 16, 2007 at 05:04:34 PT
Today SWAT = SWATSTIKA.
Quoted: "Today, under Suthers' leadership, regional drug task forces and armed SWAT teams are arresting law-abiding medical marijuana users across the state."This aint Your Father's SWAT - today it's SWATSTIKA.-0-Also, the comment at the bottom of the story at the Post:I'M PRO TOOWe should stop arresting anyone over the age of 21 in possession of less than ounce of marijuana. The police are too caught up in their own paranoia, insecurities, and prejudice to go after real criminals. Pot smokers are an easy target and are usually too mellow to put up a fight.-0-What are the Con's???They are CON-MEN who will do anything and say anything to keep citizens from using, touching, smelling or seeing the God-given plant.Against the will of the people. 80% of the people.CONvicted ignoids.The CONvicted.-0-Christ, help the ignoid.
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Comment #1 posted by MikeEEEEE on July 15, 2007 at 21:51:43 PT
Interesting....
I once participated in a presentation on the pro's and cons of medical marijuana. What I found was the person doing the cons always brought up the same old propaganda. On the pro side there was always new evidence. On one side was control, on the other, freedom of choice and lots of new supporting data. "sent a letter to the Colorado Medical Association and physicians statewide cautioning them about federal repercussions for complying with the program."Intimidation/coercion is the start of control.
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