cannabisnews.com: Debate Still Smoking 





Debate Still Smoking 
Posted by FoM on November 06, 2001 at 07:25:23 PT
Editorial
Source: San Francisco Chronicle 
At a time when the nation's law enforcement authorities appear to be making limited headway against terrorism, they have found a much easier target -- medical marijuana. The Bush administration is cracking down on California's marijuana clubs, thus depriving thousands of cancer, glaucoma and AIDS patients of the herb they need to relieve their suffering. In the past several weeks, Drug Enforcement Administration agents have busted two marijuana clubs near Los Angeles and one outside of Sacramento. 
To be sure, the administration may be on strong legal ground. In May, the U. S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that all but invalidated Proposition 215, the 1996 California initiative to allow medical marijuana. Legal experts quibble over whether that ruling leaves California any wiggle room. To national conservatives, cracking down on the state's medical marijuana clubs makes for great political grandstanding. But medical marijuana remains deservedly popular with voters in California and the eight other states that have similar measures. Medical marijuana backers, such as San Francisco District Attorney Terence Hallinan, make a convincing argument when they point out that medical marijuana has not only relieved the suffering of many thousands of people but has caused considerable savings for local law enforcement. Medical marijuana clubs, which in the first couple years frequently sold pot to whoever asked for it, now have become rigorous in demanding proper proof of medical necessity. While the Bush administration cracks down, other nations are going California's way. In recent months, Canada has legalized medical marijuana, the British government is decriminalizing recreational pot use, and the Netherlands adopted a law to allow pharmacies to fill government-subsidized medical marijuana prescriptions. In the United States, medical marijuana's legal twilight zone will continue until Congress clarifies the matter. Bay Area lawmakers Reps. Nancy Pelosi, Lynn Woolsey, Zoe Lofgren and Pete Stark, co-sponsors of legislation to allow states to legalize medical marijuana. The bill, HR2592, is probably dead on arrival because of the current political climate. But sooner or later, a sober, nationwide debate must begin. Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA) Published: Tuesday, November 6, 2001 Copyright: 2001 San Francisco Chronicle Page A - 18  Contact: letters sfchronicle.comWebsite: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/Related Articles & Web Site:Medicinal Cannabis Research Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/research.htmTime for The U.S. To Honor Prop. 215 http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11255.shtmlCannabis a Medical Miracle - It's Official http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11253.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by Ethan Russo MD on November 06, 2001 at 07:49:40 PT:
Consistency
I think that the author of this editorial should be justifiably proud and sign her/his work.
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