cannabisnews.com: Is Medical Pot Harming Kids?

cannabisnews.com: Is Medical Pot Harming Kids?
function share_this(num) {
tit=encodeURIComponent('Is Medical Pot Harming Kids?');
url=encodeURIComponent('http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/25/thread25627.shtml');
site = new Array(5);
site[0]='http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u='+url+'&title='+tit;
site[1]='http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit.php?url='+url+'&title='+tit;
site[2]='http://digg.com/submit?topic=political_opinion&media=video&url='+url+'&title='+tit;
site[3]='http://reddit.com/submit?url='+url+'&title='+tit;
site[4]='http://del.icio.us/post?v=4&noui&jump=close&url='+url+'&title='+tit;
window.open(site[num],'sharer','toolbar=0,status=0,width=620,height=500');
return false;
}

Is Medical Pot Harming Kids?
Posted by CN Staff on April 28, 2010 at 04:33:27 PT
By Gene Davis, DDN Staff Writer
Source: Denver Daily News
Colorado -- The proliferation of medical marijuana dispensaries has led to an increase in marijuana use by children who are vulnerable to the drug, according to multiple law enforcement officers and mental health professionals who testified yesterday before a Senate committee.Adams County Sergeant Jon Van Zandt said school resource officers are now dealing with 10-year-olds bringing marijuana to schools. “Milk money has been replaced with drug money,” he said.
Adams County District Attorney Don Quick added that kids who use marijuana are more likely to drop out of school and wind up in jail, which ends up costing the state more money than any potential economic benefits that taxing marijuana might bring.The law enforcement community’s views were in sharp contrast to the patients and medical marijuana activists who also testified before the Local Government and Energy Committee. The committee held more than six hours of public testimony before voting on House Bill 1284, which looks to regulate Colorado’s medical marijuana industry. A proposed amendment would have forbid people under the age of 21 from going in a dispensary; the committee had yet to vote on the bill or its amendments by deadline for the Denver Daily News.Medical marijuana lawyer Brian Vicente said that prohibiting people under the age of 21 from going in a dispensary would be a form of age discrimination. HIV patient Damien LaGoy added that the amendment would have made young AIDS patients jump through more hoops to get medicine that could help their condition.Mark Simon, who testified on behalf of Colorado’s disabled community, said that while there may appear to be abuse in Colorado’s medical marijuana system, there is no data to support that claim.“I’m concerned that we’re making public policy based on guesses,” he said.However, psychiatry professor T.J Crawley argued that marijuana is an addictive drug, and that increasing the availability of the drug increases the use, which then increases the adverse effects he believes marijuana has.“I’m now sad for what’s happening in my state,” he said of the proliferation of medical marijuana dispensaries. “I think it’s a very serious risk for the future.”HB 1284 would create a state medical marijuana licensing board run by the Department of Revenue. Under the bill, dispensaries — referred to as “centers” in the bill — would have to get a state, local, and cultivation license to sell medical marijuana to patients. The measure passed out of the House last week.HB 1284 is the second medical marijuana reform bill to make its way through the Legislature this session. The first bill from Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, would require patients under the age of 21 to get a second doctor’s opinion before being able to obtain a medical marijuana card and forbid doctors from receiving money from medical marijuana dispensaries. Denver City Council in January unanimously approved a bill that limits where dispensaries can be located, who can run them, and what safety measures dispensary owners must have in place. All of the bills seek to clarify Amendment 20, the measure approved by voters in 2000 that allows for seriously ill Coloradans to use medical marijuana.Source: Denver Daily News (CO)Author: Gene Davis, DDN Staff WriterPublished: Wednesday, April 28, 2010 Copyright: 2010 Denver Daily NewsContact: editor thedenverdailynews.comURL: http://drugsense.org/url/3grhFUYsWebsite: http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help

Comment #31 posted by rchandar on May 01, 2010 at 10:31:33 PT:
Modern Life is Tough
...I mean exactly what I say. When you digest the megalomanic vicissitudes of an ever-growing consciousness, a multi-literate world, a technology that is always expanding, and a cultural technology that writes and re-writes existence based upon the speculative wallop of capitalism--I'd say we are all lucky to be where we are at the end of the day.And in English: that means, without a doubt, that no one philosophy about life, God, or humans trumps all the others. THAT'S WHY applying fundamentalism will NOT erase the problems brought on by "drug addiction". I don't think it's fair or plausible to impose one people's will upon everyone, when the tricks are so many that a calculator can't calculate them. We as Americans bought into that philosophy in Ronnie's time: make America a country of simple morality, and everything will work out.Modern life is tough.--rchandar
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #30 posted by dongenero on April 30, 2010 at 12:29:25 PT
Tintala
I think your post appears to be entirely on topic even with the specifics of the article.And I post off topic or maybe tangential topic stuff all the time.No worries.
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #29 posted by FoM on April 30, 2010 at 12:26:52 PT
Just a Comment
I agree with all of you. What is so nice about CNews is we aren't mean to each other. Each article that has comments adds more to it's value for reading. Many articles are accessed 1000's of times. I think we have what I would call a good flow of different and interesting approaches to what is important to many of us and it's shared. That's great.
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #28 posted by dongenero on April 30, 2010 at 12:18:30 PT
Oh! #22 and #23
Thanks for that Hope! I had not noticed the post from tintala.Yes, I guess I was misunderstood. Maybe tintala missed the title on my post.Indeed I was commenting about the false, fear baiting statement in the main, posted article by the Adams County Sergeant.
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #27 posted by runruff on April 30, 2010 at 01:20:35 PT
"Milk money has been replaced with drug money”
I have known cops up close and personal for almost seven years now, I know they had a real hoot with this one!You know cops and bureaucrats are not creative sorts otherwise they would be self actuated people rather than useful idiots to the government.This is truly the most creative they can get. Actually this line was quite funny the first time I heard it, when Richard Pryor told it in a different context.Plagiarism is the norm when you are an over paid, under worked, "wish I had paid more attention in class", public trough feeder.I think this line tries so hard that even your average Pollyanna will see through it?They sit around Dunkin's and brainstorm on how to regain the initiative in the dialogue in the prohibition of cannabis but they are laboring under false hopes. The party is just about over, the lady in the size 18+ gown is warming up her voice as we speak, listen, I think she is about to belt!
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #26 posted by The GCW on April 29, 2010 at 18:01:34 PT
tintala,
I thanked You for it too.You are ok.It's normal to post new news that may be unrelated to the 1st link available.I do it all the time. When cannabis related news comes up there may not be a related link on top and the stuff needs to get posted and brought to Our attention as fresh updates. That's how I saw Your post and it was helpful. Because of Your post, I called (My) Sen. Dan Gibbs and asked Him to not support that HB.Again, not only thanks but keep 'em coming.
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #25 posted by Hope on April 29, 2010 at 15:52:47 PT
Tintala
Your posting was fine and appreciated. Remember FoM thanking you for it?
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #24 posted by Hope on April 29, 2010 at 15:51:22 PT
Tintala
Dongenero was addressing this, I believe."The proliferation of medical marijuana dispensaries has led to an increase in marijuana use by children who are vulnerable to the drug, according to multiple law enforcement officers and mental health professionals who testified yesterday before a Senate committee.
Adams County Sergeant Jon Van Zandt said school resource officers are now dealing with 10-year-olds bringing marijuana to schools. “Milk money has been replaced with drug money,” he said. "
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #23 posted by Hope on April 29, 2010 at 15:48:15 PT
Tintala
I believe you misunderstood Dongenero. He's talking about what the prohibitionist said.
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #22 posted by tintala on April 29, 2010 at 15:17:24 PT:
TO DONGERO
WEll, it doesn't have anything to do with dispensaries, but this whole sight is pertinent to anything cannabis, I have been posting here for many years, I have read many posts completely off topic, talking about NEIL YOUNG when Neil Young wasn't the subject, so yeah, it isn't like there is an open forum here where a person can post their "OWN" articles of news, hence the subject "CO" was in the subject line,,, if you wanna get technical,jeees, I just wanted to pass along the fresh brand new , news , in a colorado forum., THAT'S IT> so sorry to offend you, next time I will stay exaclty on topic! OMG!
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #21 posted by John Tyler on April 28, 2010 at 18:14:56 PT
legislators off the track
The prohibitionists are trying to divert everyone’s attention with the old “lazy, crazy, and stupid” argument with the “what about the kids” thrown in for good measure in case anyone missed it. This is the same old garbage we have seen over and over. Why is the legislature trying to make purchasing medical cannabis so difficult? Why should it be difficult? When you get a prescription filled at a regular drug store it’s no problem, except paying for it maybe. You can even have it called in and drive by to pick it up. No one gives you a hard time about it. Medical cannabis purchases should be just as convenient. (There are no nonprofit drug stores in my area either.) The legislators have gone way off the track and need to start over and do it right. Too many restrictions, inconvenient locations, and outrageous fees with not help the people who need medical cannabis the most. Isn’t what this was all about anyway?
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #20 posted by runruff on April 28, 2010 at 17:29:30 PT
"Never quit growing "?
At 5' 11" I think I've stopped?I did grow 'till I was 21 though!
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #19 posted by Micheal Byers on April 28, 2010 at 14:53:21 PT
par for the course
Me too, Never quit growing !!!!!!
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #18 posted by Sam Adams on April 28, 2010 at 14:45:43 PT
propaganda-speak
you have to see through the fog to understand what the political class is doing in CO. They don't give a hoot about kids or they wouldn't be bombing them in the Mideast and denying them health care at home. Their goals:1) protect the alcohol market2) protect work for cops & prisons3) protect Big Pharma's marketthose are the "big 3" goals of our government masters in CO and everywhere else for that matter. They are well-paid to work on these goals by the respective industries.once you understand the goals everything else that's happening is very easy to understand.As legalization approaches LEO will be desparate to preserve the cannabis prohibition gravy train.
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #17 posted by FoM on April 28, 2010 at 13:56:17 PT
Parents Responsibility
Isn't it the parents responsibility to know what is going on with their underage children? Why do children always come into our issue when we don't have any control over other people's kids?
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #16 posted by dongenero on April 28, 2010 at 13:39:28 PT
10 year olds? Milk money?
But what does this have to do with dispensaries?They fail to make any connection other than all are mentioned in the first two sentences.As for HB-1284, it appears to be a bailout for the black market. That will serve to increase 10 year old children's access to marijuana. There is zero access regulation in the black market.
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #15 posted by The GCW on April 28, 2010 at 13:33:21 PT
tintala,
Thank You for that report.
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #14 posted by tintala on April 28, 2010 at 11:55:35 PT
This is a sad day for CO : mmj patients and dispen
HB 1284 passed in the Committee last night, now, if you want to have a dispensary, the "AUDITOR with GUNS" will be filming each and very transaction down to the last spec of mmj, as well as a 50,000$ fee to even open a dispensary.Now I have more access to narcotic pills like morphine than to mmj.... this is a true nightmare...
Looks like the black market will be jumping soon. I will never quite growing,, so this does nothing to detour me .{Denver} -- The Colorado state Senate Local Government Committee took hoursof testimony yesterday on HB1284. One of the bill's sponsors, Sen. ChrisRomer (D-Denver), was quoted in several articles yesterday saying that thebill is designed to shut down 80% of caregiving businesses in Colorado. TheCommittee hearing started at 2pm and finally adjourned at 11:30pm. TheCommittee voted in favor of HB1284 and some of its last minute amendmentsby a vote of 6 to 0, with Senator Cadman absent. Laura Kriho of the Cannabis Therapy Institute says, "This is a sad day forpatients. Not only have they been sold out by their lawmakers, but theyhave been sold out by well-funded dispensaries, and they have been sold outby so-called patient rights groups. This bill will destroy patients' accessto their medicine, drive prices up, and force patients back into the blackmarket. The will of the voters has been ignored once again by lawmakers,and sick and dying Colorado citizens will suffer." "This is taking patient rights back over 100 years," says Timothy Tipton, apatient advocate with the Rocky Mountain Caregivers Cooperative "Things aregoing in the wrong direction. Patients in the 1800s had better access tocannabis medicine than they will under this new law." In a departure from hearings in other committees, the Local GovernmentCommittee Chair, Sen. Gail Schwartz (D-Snowmass), allowed disabled patientsto testify first. This was followed by several hours of testimony from lawenforcement, including the District Attorney for Adams and BroomfieldCounties, the District Attorney for El Paso and Teller Counties, theDistrict Attorney for Jefferson and Gilpin Counties, the County Sheriffs ofColorado, the Colorado Chiefs of Police Association, the North Metro DrugTask force, and more. Most of the law enforcement testified against thebill, saying that they didn't believe the "dispensary model" was allowedunder Colorado's medical marijuana constitutional amendment. Several representatives of Coloradans for Medical Marijuana Regulation, alobbying group hired by a handful of well-funded dispensaries who have been"working with" Senator Romer on gaining concessions friendly to bigbusiness. CMMR testified in favor of HB1284, but was against a dozen or solast-minute amendments to the bill that Senator Romer surprised them withthat morning. Also testifying on the CMMR team was Brian Vicente fromSensible Colorado, an organization which claims to be in support of patientrights. Sensible asked for several amendments, but overall was satisfiedwith the bill that would eliminate 80% of patient's caregivers, forceprices up, and force patients to use only one dispensary for theirmedicine. Laura Kriho, the director of the Cannabis Therapy Institute, urged theCommittee to kill HB1284 and urged lawmakers to form a statewide commissionto study programs that have been working locally and recommend a bill thathad a broad base of support. Mark Simon, an activist with the disabledcommunity, testified that neither Sen. Romer nor anyone else had reachedout to the disabled community to get their input on the bill. Others who gave testimony against HB1284 were attorneys Robert J. Corry,Jr. and Lauren Davis; Laurel Alterman, owner of Altermeds dispensary inLouisville; Miguel Lopez of Mile High NORML; Robert Chase of ColoradoCoalition of Patients and Caregivers; and the Colorado Springs MedicalMarijuana Council. The mountain contingent was well-represented withKathleen Chippi, owner of One Brown Mouse dispensary in Nederland; JessicaLaRoux of Twirling Hippy Confections and Mark Rose of Grateful Medsdispensary in Nederland all testifying eloquently against the bill. The bill now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee and then will bevoted on by the full Senate. CTI is urging patient rights supporters tocontact their state senators and urge them to vote No on HB1284.http://www.cannabistherapyinstitute.com/advocacy/contact.colorado.state.legislature.html
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #13 posted by Storm Crow on April 28, 2010 at 09:45:35 PT
As a teacher's aide........
I learned to be "selectively deaf"- for the sake of the children! Almost 40 years ago, at Olive Street School, I overheard a 5th grader bragging that his pot plants were taller than he was! And yes, he also dealt. I imagine he is now a very successful entrepreneur by now- or serving "5 to 10" for sales. 10 year olds who bring pot to school are nothing new. At my latest elementary/middle school- same deal! I still get an occasional whiff of cannabis from them as they walk by me before class! Nothing has changed! Adams County Sergeant Jon Van Zandt just needs a reality check! Children (even his) are NOT the sweet innocents that he imagines them to be- at least, not by 5th grade! By 7th grade, all but the most sheltered Catholic girls, are totally bored by the DARE misinformation! But they all love those DARE Days- NO HOMEWORK!
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #12 posted by The GCW on April 28, 2010 at 09:19:59 PT
Cheebs1,
ThanksThat link was useful
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #11 posted by runruff on April 28, 2010 at 09:16:53 PT
"As a drug policy prevention expert..."C. Fay
I think about one hundred million living and billions of passed away users of cannabis have missed or distrusted you message of drug prevention.So what are you currently doing to prevent the drug deaths and drug pushing still going on by the folks who pay your salary. You know the "legitimate medicine" FDA approved stuff that kills and mames people every day while you pull your red herring tactics to distract the public away from the real leathal stuff!
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #10 posted by The GCW on April 28, 2010 at 09:04:29 PT
Grab the barf bag; make that 2
US FL: LTE: Don't Open This DoorAuthor: Calvina Fayhttp://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n320/a01.html?397I sympathize with John Haring, not just because he experiences chronic pain but also because he apparently battles depression. Marijuana has been shown to exacerbate depression and, while providing intoxicating effects that cause one to temporarily "feel good," it is certainly not a medicine. Although some components of marijuana have indeed shown medicinal benefit, the scientific research just isn't there for smoked marijuana to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Smoking is an extremely unsafe delivery system.
CONT.Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n319/a04.html-0-What a _____-0-I'm not responsible if Your barf bag fails, You run out or didn't reach it in time!
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #9 posted by Jim Leighton on April 28, 2010 at 08:56:44 PT:
muddy the water
With charges like , "addictive , adverse affects ,harms children , ....." , prohibitionists will continue muddying the water so the truth of cannabis will remain buried . Every human has cannabinoid receptors ready to be utilized without risk of addiction . Every person can benefit by the nutrition in hemp . The truth of cannabis is readily available to folks like T.J Crawley , they should seek it out before trying to jam stale rhetoric into an educated public .
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #8 posted by Cheebs1 on April 28, 2010 at 08:52:07 PT:
Stats
Here is a fairly comprehensive link that shows teen usage in states with legalized medical marijuana programs vs. teen usage in states without. The link will detail the stats from 1999 to 2006. Hope this helps GCW. http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=001557
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #7 posted by Sam Adams on April 28, 2010 at 08:48:28 PT
drug pushing
this is why I always forward news about Big Pharma. These law enforcers and public health parasites ignore the elephant in the room.Doctors and Big Pharma are the biggest drug pushers the world has ever seen! They have forced powerful, toxic meds like Ritalin, Paxil, and Prozac on TENS OF MILLIONS of American children for the past 20 years.We now have kids taking Ritalin, buying and selling pills to each other that are like prescription meth and crack. Cannabis prohibition is all about dogma. It's OK to push deadly drugs on children IF WE SAY SO. It's OK to blow up children and poor people in the Arab world BECAUSE WE SAY IT'S OK. It's OK to brainwash American boys with alcohol advertising because our political masters have said it's OK. Obey! forget logic and rationality...just obey your masters! That's what this is all about. ALWAYS obey, NEVER think for yourself.The higher the age limit is on cannabis, the more work there is for LEO. The entire college market is like a plum peach for law enforcment. It will be a steady stream of marijuana arrests for the piggies, while simultaneously providing price support for alcohol and tobacco corporations in their biggest market segment.
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #6 posted by runruff on April 28, 2010 at 08:17:11 PT
What I have seen!
I have live a different life style from most Americans. I have lived in a cannabis lifestyle in cannabis communities for over 30 years. I have told my friends here before the story of the cannabis kids.Many kids in the growing communities where i have lived, got into the cannabis [and the LSD]. Many, old enough to plant a seed grew their own and sold it at school for extra money.After 40 years have gone by I still know most of these kids and what they are doing? A few became over achievers. About half of them finished college and some I know some went to trade schools and quick grad commercial colleges.Some became cannabis farmers and some still use cannbis and some don't. I can think of only two kids that have not done well with their lives out of about 25 0r 30 kids I can think of.....I have read much on the history of cannabis and pediactric medicine. The is nothing more gentle or none toxic that can be used in the treatment of kids and infants.Someday after all this prohib dust settles, the kid thing will not be and alarm and science will start to report the utter safety and effectiveness of cannabis based medicine.

[ Post Comment ]

Comment #5 posted by Hope on April 28, 2010 at 07:49:54 PT
Of all the things in all the world
and all the homes that a child could get into and/or take with him into the school systems that he shouldn't.... cannabis is truly one of the least dangerous.Laws are made in this country and others for only one reason.... to send messages to children. We all know that. What kind of message are wild eyed prohibitionists trying to send to kids? That freaking out prohibitionist adults have no judgement or sense at all?
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #4 posted by The GCW on April 28, 2010 at 07:02:40 PT
Help
I thought I've seen stats and studies which indicate states that allow medical use of cannabis have lowered use of cannabis by youth. Can anyonw help make those stats or report available?Thanks
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #3 posted by runruff on April 28, 2010 at 06:50:58 PT
For the sake of the kids !
About 20 years ago I read a news story about an 10 year old Afican girl in Africa who gave birth.Should we ban sex in Africa or guard our children better?
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #2 posted by Vincent on April 28, 2010 at 06:50:16 PT:
Quote from CropReport
"Problem is, there is no record of any 10 year old bringing medical cannabis to school because it didn't happen!
Enough of the lies". Amen to that!
[ Post Comment ]

Comment #1 posted by CropReport on April 28, 2010 at 06:00:58 PT
10 year olds, as in plural, more than one? Liar.
"...now dealing with 10-year-olds bringing marijuana to schools. “Milk money has been replaced with drug money,” he said."Shocking! But I suppose that was the intent, no?If your 10 year old is bringing cannabis to school, Adams County has a parenting problem more than a drug problem.Problem is, there is no record of any 10 year old bringing medical cannabis to school because it didn't happen!Enough of the lies.
[ Post Comment ]

Post Comment