cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijuana Advocates Roll Out TV Campaign
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Medical Marijuana Advocates Roll Out TV Campaign
Posted by CN Staff on April 22, 2009 at 13:47:22 PT
By Andrew Thomason, GateHouse News Service
Source: Galesburg Register-Mail
Springfield, Ill -- Medical marijuana advocates are turning to the airwaves for a breakthrough in Illinois. Clearing the political haze surrounding the issue will take more work.The Marijuana Policy Project rolled out two television advertisements Tuesday featuring clandestine cannabis users urging support for Sen. William Haine's medical marijuana measure, Senate Bill 1381.
Haine's measure was slated to be debated in a Senate committee the same day the commercials came out. But due to last-minute changes, Haine said the measure wouldn't come up for another week."We have amended the bill several times to meet the concerns of law enforcement and others who object," said Haine, an Alton Democrat.Some of those changes include making medical marijuana a three-year pilot program and removing the ability of medical marijuana patients to drive while under the influence.Despite the concessions, getting medical marijuana through the Senate might not be enough.Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, said Haine's proposal lacks the necessary support in the House to pass because of the possible political fallout some lawmakers foresee for backing it. Lang sponsored a similar measure in the Illinois House that is all but dead."If we were to take a vote today in the House, this bill would not pass," Lang said at a Statehouse news conference. However, if Haine's measure makes it out of the Senate, Lang hopes "those who perhaps had been fearful of voting for this bill will find some cover, political cover."Lang encouraged legislators to pass SB 1381 so people like Lucie Macfarlane can find relief from their chronic illnesses.Macfarlane suffers from neurofibromatosis and is one of the people featured in the new ads."I am not a criminal, I am sick. Cannabis helps me survive," the 45-year-old Macfarlane says in one ad.Opponents fear the potential for abuse by marijuana growers and distributors outweigh the medical potential of the plant."This would provide (drug) cartels and gangs great cover for expanding their business," said Judy Kreamer, president of Education Voices, an anti-drug lobby.Kreamer said she is also worried that medical marijuana would increase use of the drug among the youth because calling it a medicine legitimizes its use to a certain extent.Lang says Kreamer's view is the opposite of what he and Haine are trying to cultivate."This is not a bill about drugs, this is a bill about health care," Lang said.To View The Ads: http://www.mpp.org/states/illinois/medical-marijuana-ads.htmlSource: Galesburg Register-Mail (IL)Author: Andrew Thomason, GateHouse News ServicePublished: April 21, 2009Copyright: 2009 Galesburg Register-MailWebsite: http://www.galesburg.com/Contact: andrew.thomason sj-r.comURL: http://drugsense.org/url/jslpMiJcRelated Articles: MMJ Backers Take To Airwaves in Illinoishttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread24739.shtmlMarijuana's Future as a Legal Medicinehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread24733.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by Dagman11 on April 22, 2009 at 16:52:33 PT
How do they...
How do our lawmakers not see through this opponents complete bull shit reasoning? 
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Comment #2 posted by dongenero on April 22, 2009 at 14:09:32 PT
that won't work
If medical marijuana laws are passed, how can they limit driving under the influence of medical cannabis if they don't prohibit driving under the influence of hard pharmaceutical narcotics and other drugs that cause impairment?Either allow them to drive under the influence of medical marijuana, with a consistent policy, or prohibit driving under the influence of any drug or herb that causes intoxication or drowsiness.......and that is a loooong list.Then, you get into lack of sleep and driving, cell phones and texting while driving, all of which are arguably as bad as driving under the influence.Apply common sense if you got it.
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Comment #1 posted by greenmed on April 22, 2009 at 14:03:50 PT
because of ... the children
Kreamer said she is also worried that medical marijuana would increase use of the drug among the youth because calling it a medicine legitimizes its use to a certain extent.When will this scare tactic go away. From a previous thread:Thirteen states already have effective laws that remove criminal penalties for medical marijuana patients, with Michigan becoming the most recent when 63 percent of the voters there passed a law by ballot initiative in November. In the 11 states that have before-and-after data, all have seen youth marijuana use rates decline since passing their medical marijuana laws.http://cannabisnews.com/news/24/thread24740.shtml#1
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