cannabisnews.com: CNN Transcripts: Kevin Zeese & Connor
CNN Transcripts: Kevin Zeese & Connor
Posted by CN Staff on July 25, 2002 at 14:31:59 PT
Wolf Blitzer Reports - July 24, 2002
Source: CNN.com
BLITZER: The hot debate over using marijuana in certain medical cases just got hotter. Democratic Congressman Barney Frank, today, introduced legislation that would repeal federal restrictions on medical marijuana. Federal law now prevents states from allowing marijuana to be used to ease pain in terminally ill patients and other cases. Joining us with their opposing views on this issue, Kevin Zeese is president of Common Sense For Drug Policy, and Ken Connor is president of the Family Research Council.
Gentlemen, thanks for joining us. Let me begin with you, Kevin. Why should this federal law, this proposed bill, be enacted?KEVIN ZEESE, PRESIDENT, COMMON SENSE FOR DRUG POLICY: Because the federal government is blocking the voter's decisions in nine states. Overwhelming numbers of voters have voted for medical marijuana. The research shows marijuana works as a medicine. Patients need it desperately and the federal government is wasting precious resources prosecuting seriously ill people. We're seeing federal prosecutions of nonviolent medical marijuana cases at a time when we're on terror alert. It's a waste of resources.BLITZER: Ken, if someone is terminally ill and going through chemo and suffering and this medical marijuana might ease that pain somewhat, what's wrong with letting a doctor give that kind of prescription?KEN CONNOR, PRESIDENT, FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL: Because there are approved alternatives, which the Food and Drug Administration, Wolf, has already passed on. And when you smoke marijuana, you actually ingest about 500 other compounds besides THC, which is then refined in federally approved form, in pill form, and will soon be available in the form of suppositories and inhalers as well. The effect of these other compounds, which are inhaled or ingested by the patient, can react negatively with other drugs or with other conditions.ZEESE: The problem is that research that compares the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) pill with smoked marijuana and they show the same thing. Marijuana is safer and more effective for the patient. The reality is these approved medicines don't work for a lot of patients. There was testimony today on Capitol Hill from patients who have tried the legal drugs. They didn't work. These people are suffering now. You're talking about coming up with progress within 10 years... CONNOR: The reality...ZEESE: There's going to be people suffering while you do it.CONNOR: Wolf, it's a stalking horse for the drug legalization law because...BLITZER: It is a slippery slope, is that what you said?CONNOR: It absolutely is.ZEESE: Well, I'll tell you...(CROSSTALK)CONNOR: These folks want to legalize...ZEESE: What you're doing is you're putting...BLITZER: One at a time. One at a time.CONNOR: They're using the plight and problems of people who are suffering. They're exploiting them in a way to advance a political agenda. The reality of it is that there are federally approved alternatives that can provide palliative relief.ZEESE: The reality is...(CROSSTALK)ZEESE: ... you're the one playing politics with this issue, unfortunately. Voters are voting for this issue in overwhelming numbers. We've never lost a vote around the country. People are suffering while you are propping up the drug war with this fight against medical marijuana.CONNOR: Science doesn't support...ZEESE: Seventy-three -- the science does supports it. In fact, the science supports it very strongly. There's overwhelming evidence in the science on this. Seventy-three percent of the public, according to a number of polls recently, support medical marijuana.Who are you to block -- I mean this is democracy. Get out of the voter's way!CONNOR: Wolf, The Institute of Medicine said we shouldn't do this. This...ZEESE: The Institute of Medicine said the opposite.CONNOR: It's not good for patients.ZEESE: The Institute of Medicine said, "make marijuana available." CONNOR: There are alternatively -- there are alternative forms that are available that can provide palliative relief. This is just a stalking horse for drug legalization and Mr. Zeese is in the forefront of that battle.ZEESE: I'm -- the reality is that people are suffering today and you're standing in their way. These other medicines don't work for everybody and we need to make a medicine available that does work. It takes a decade...BLITZER: But...ZEESE: It takes a decade for a new medicine to come to the market. And during that decade, people will suffer.BLITZER: Kevin, what guarantees would there be that Mr. Connor and his associates might be reassured with that this would be strictly for medical purposes, that it is not the beginning of the legalization of marijuana?ZEESE: The best guarantee is to allow marijuana to be available by prescription like any other medicine. Cocaine is available by prescription. Morphine is available by prescription. We're not...(CROSSTALK)ZEESE: There's no...(CROSSTALK)Well, it's much more dangerous than marijuana.CONNOR: Look what's happened in Oregon with respect to those who applied for IDs to use miracle -- medical marijuana. Forty percent of the applicants were awarded IDs and prescriptions by a 78-year-old physician, most of which came over the phone, many of which -- including, for...ZEESE: Do you know why that is?CONNOR: ... instance a 14-year-old little girl.BLITZER: What's the answer?CONNOR: The reality is there is no quality control.ZEESE: The reason why there is is because the federal government is threatening doctors. You need a doctor who has not got nothing to fear. A 78-year-old doctor with that many years of experience is not afraid of the federal government so he has more guts than most of us who are threatened by...CONNOR: The reality is people are using it on a pretext because they want to smoke pot...ZEESE: Make it available by prescription and you avoid that. CONNOR: ... instead of using it as medical marijuana.BLITZER: We have to leave it, unfortunately, right there. We'll see if this legislation does get enacted. Thank you very much.ZEESE: Thank you very much.CONNOR: Thank you.BLITZER: This debate is obviously going to continue. Snipped: Complete Transcripts: http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0207/24/wbr.00.htmlSource: CNN (US Web) Show: Wolf Blitzer Reports Show Date: July 24, 2002Copyright: 2002 Cable News Network, Inc. Website: http://www.cnn.com/ Contact: cnn.feedback cnn.comRelated Articles & Web Sites:CSDPhttp://www.csdp.org/Audio: Kevin Zeese vs. Ken Connor http://highwire.stanford.edu/~straffin/dp/NORML Pictures from Press Conferencehttp://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5359 CNN Crossfire: The Medical Marijuana Debatehttp://www.pot-tv.net/ram/pottvshowse1436.ramBackers Again Seek Medicinal Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13538.shtmlCrossfire Transcripts: Keith Stroup & Hutchinsonhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13530.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help
Comment #34 posted by FoM on July 26, 2002 at 17:17:20 PT
Zero_G and BGreen
I can't get the satellite to stay connected. I'm sorry but I'll be back if and when it starts to work.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #33 posted by BGreen on July 26, 2002 at 16:24:21 PT
Zero_G
re: http://www.alchemind.org/Whenever they've come across a tribe a people who have never been exposed to the outside world, those people have found substances they use to expand their consciousness. I believe it's inherent to the human psyche to find ways to expand our consciousness.This frightens those who wish to control thought, so of course they want to stifle free thought and freedom to think differently.
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Comment #32 posted by FoM on July 26, 2002 at 10:16:54 PT
JR Thanks
92 percent. How much higher does it have to go until they will listen?
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Comment #31 posted by FoM on July 26, 2002 at 10:15:12 PT
VitaminT
I have no idea what caused it. I'm just glad it is working again. I gave up trying to access the site last night and went to bed and when I got up and turned the computer on it was working.
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Comment #30 posted by VitaminT on July 26, 2002 at 10:00:15 PT
Glad you missed the site!??????
Sounds like a hack job to me!This site makes you dangerous FoM.
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Comment #29 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on July 26, 2002 at 09:56:06 PT
Wolf's final tally
The poll ended at the close of the show with 92% in favor of medical marijuana and 8% against.
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Comment #28 posted by FoM on July 26, 2002 at 09:03:58 PT
dddd and BGreen
Sorry about the site going down. I don't know what happened but I reported it right away and by the time it was checked it was working ok. I got a 404 not found error reading.Glad you missed the site!
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #27 posted by whatever on July 26, 2002 at 07:49:43 PT
I think....
religion stops a thinking mind.
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Comment #26 posted by kaptinemo on July 26, 2002 at 05:31:35 PT:
H. L. Mencken had these people pegged long ago
The worst government is the most 'moral'. One composed of cynics is often very tolerant and humane. But when fanatics are on top there is no limit to oppression.Fanatics. Like the Family Research Council.(I have a bumper sticker which reads, very simply : "Worry about your OWN damn family!" Shame so few of them do...)These are the people who seek to become the government, so they can ram their peculiar ideas down everyone else's throats. Few of them can ever aspire to elected office because of the extremity of their views. So, very often they have to settle for the role of 'shock troops' in political campaigns in hopes that they will be rewarded with a plum appointed position by the cynical Republican money-men they pimp for...and are totally manipulated and outclassed by.Unfortunately, they have finally made 'the big time': as a sop for supporting W's shaky and febrile campaign, they have their kind running the Justice Department and the ONDCP...a goal they have lusted after for years. And they are so monomaniacally intent on insinuating their religious beliefs into domestic issues that they overlook the threat of terrorism.And a bunch of ragheads with box cutters nearly brings this country's economy to it's knees as a result of their overweening, micromanaging efforts to make America the New Jerusalem. (Given the kind of nasty stuff happening in Jerusalem right now, I think they might have to come up with a few other names for their cloud-cuckooland dream.)I wish they'd do as the comic Don Rickles once observed of Congress in 1983: "The should all be put into a Home, and stop bothering the American people!"
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Comment #25 posted by Zero_G on July 26, 2002 at 02:20:38 PT
Informal poll
CONNOR: The reality is people are using it on a pretext because they want to smoke pot...ZEESE: Make it available by prescription and you avoid that. CONNOR: ... instead of using it as medical marijuana.I have said that I feel that Kaneh Bosn should be legal, and not just for medical patients. I suppose most of us feel that no one should ever be incarcerated for cannabis. I'm curious about how many of us feel that it is politically important to argue for cognitve freedom to control ones own consciousness.check out: http://www.alchemind.org/Any comments? Flames?
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Comment #24 posted by dddd on July 26, 2002 at 01:04:03 PT
....jones(?)......me too....
....spooky......yup..............Spooky...........
..............................indeedddd
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #23 posted by BGreen on July 26, 2002 at 00:16:40 PT
I was jonesing
What happened to the website?
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #22 posted by FoM on July 25, 2002 at 21:11:33 PT
POLL: Medical Marijuana Issue
POLL: Let States Decide The Issue of Medical MarijuanaGive States The Option To Permit Marijuana For Medicinal Purposes Without Federal Intervention?
States that want to allow the use of medical marijuana should not face the threat of a federal crackdown
This would weaken anti-drug efforts. Congress should not back down in the drug war Current Results:Yes (3,949) -- (66%) No (2,070) -- (34%) http://www.vote.com/
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Comment #21 posted by FoM on July 25, 2002 at 21:09:46 PT
goneposthole
Thanks so much for understanding. I really appreciate it.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #20 posted by goneposthole on July 25, 2002 at 21:05:47 PT
major booboo
I apologize for the imposition. I did not know. I will keep it to myself.
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Comment #19 posted by qqqq on July 25, 2002 at 20:49:12 PT
..John Tyler....
" The Bible is
chocked full of brutal, hard core stories. "...
....It's true....and the rest of your commentary was excellent!....sincerely..4q
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Comment #18 posted by FoM on July 25, 2002 at 20:41:12 PT
goneposthole
I had to remove a portion of your post because that was private information and wasn't for the public to know.
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Comment #17 posted by goneposthole on July 25, 2002 at 20:33:16 PT
People for the ethical treatment
of people. PETP, I would say. What the hell, why not?God might even get involved in the movement. Jesus Christ could sit at his right hand, and the Jehovah's Witnesses at His left.I think God is smoking a huge spliff given to Him by Bob Marley and having a high ol' time.He's getting a good laugh from all of this stuff, and I am sure he is going to send every prohibitionist straight to hell. "To hell with prohibition, and the prohibitionists, too," said God. He called me last night, and asked me for some advice and I said, "to hell with ya, ask Jesus."
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Comment #16 posted by The GCW on July 25, 2002 at 20:11:43 PT
From that list...
Seeking Data on the Drug War's Child Casualties
July 24, 2002http://www.motherjones.com/web_exclusives/features/news/updates.html
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Comment #15 posted by John Tyler on July 25, 2002 at 20:09:37 PT
Bible Study
Most Christians that I have talked to know very little about the Bible except for the Sunday School version. The Bible is chocked full of brutal, hard core stories. Study the Bible as history and literature in a college course and it will look a lot different. The hardcore Christians are selective in what they believe, though they won't admit it. Should a woman today be stoned to death (with real stones) for commiting adultery? I doubt even the hardcores would agree with that, but it was common in Jesus's time. So is it OK? Of course not. Jesus was very radical for his time. He did not follow in his father's profession. Unmarried men and women were living together in his group. He preached a radical religious doctrine. He said he was God. He was killed for it. The hardcores couldn't stand him if he were alive toaday. I could go on, but I've typed enough.
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Comment #14 posted by The GCW on July 25, 2002 at 20:06:44 PT
list of alternative links...
Knowledge is power
by Pete Brady (19 Jul, 2002) Guide to alternative websites
http://www.hempbc.com/articles/2537.html
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #13 posted by The GCW on July 25, 2002 at 18:47:09 PT
Genesis 1:11-12 & 29-30 =
The very 1st page of the Bible.Our Father made it that simple to remember. Easier to remember than anything else, perhaps, in the Bible.Our Father didn't put it off for even the 2nd page.What ever happened before the Bible... there may be a Biblical attempt to keep it from happening again.Killing the whole planet over plants, may have occured already...The whole Bible seems to indicate such.Kaneh bosm.If You get High, get High with the most High.The Green Collar WorkerIs everyone aware: You can become a green collar worker, too.
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Comment #12 posted by freedom fighter on July 25, 2002 at 18:20:26 PT
No, brother john
Just some...Up to us to change their minds.. I recalled some months ago, two jevo. witness stopped by my house.I showed them the quote that all green herbs are good. One gave me dirty look as if I am worshippin evil idol.Another said, " I understand that there are many good uses of this green herb."What a strange wacky world we live in...Amenff
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Comment #11 posted by mayan on July 25, 2002 at 17:59:18 PT
Get out of our way!
"Who are you to block -- I mean this is democracy. Get out of the voter's way!"Amen, Kevin!!!unrelated - Connecting The Dots - Insider Trading And 911
Profits Of Death - Part One:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/archive/scoop/stories/a1/bd/200207231750.58b437af.htmlConnecting The Dots - Insider Trading And 911
Profits Of Death - Part Two - Trading with the Enemy:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/archive/scoop/stories/85/4e/200207251512.25eaff58.htmlGovernment tightens hold on information:
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/3716559.htmPart 1 of a six-part series:
The United States in the Philippines: post-9/11 imperatives
http://onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/Chin071702/chin071702.htmlPart 2 of a six-part series:
The United States in the Philippines: post-9/11 imperatives
http://onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/Chin072502/chin072502.html
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #10 posted by qqqq on July 25, 2002 at 17:40:33 PT
..off topic,,but here's an Ann Coulter quote.
...I thought I'd post it because of the recent Ann Coulter article seen here,,,,,and the opinions that were voiced concerning her viewpoints......Coulter may not look too bad to the eyes,,,but if you listen to her rhetoic,,,she looks like a bitch from hell,,,,,but,,it is likely that she is purposely being fake contriversial to gain popularity like that O'Rielly loudmouth "shock-jock",of the mediocre media monstrosity....
"
- We should invade [Muslim] countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity." - Columnist Ann
Coulter, National Review Online, Sept. 13, 2001
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Comment #9 posted by brother john on July 25, 2002 at 17:34:27 PT
Christains to blame?
Genesis 1:29- Behold I have given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit..And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.Matthew 15:8- Jesus says "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men. Hear and understand: nothing that goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man."Christianity is a faith whose core values command a man to love all men equally(even your enemies), forgive all transgressions(even those committed against you), and do not judge anyone lest you be judged by God using the same measure. Much evil has been committed by man in the name of God by those that claim to be of God: Jesus was given to the Romans to be crucified by the church, the inquisition, the crusades, the conquisadores, ect...Blaming the ills of prohibition on Christians is like some that would blame the ills of society on us pot smoking 'druggies'.
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Comment #8 posted by trainwreck on July 25, 2002 at 16:59:47 PT
Cool link Dr. Z...
I understand how Catholics can be prohibitionists ('Cuz the Pope said so). But alot of the protestants sects seem to believe in a "literal" interpretation of the Bible (strict creationism), so my thought was they must have changed the bible to remove the reference to "green herb".Kind of like how all the songs nowadays that refer to well, reefer, or anything else naughty, seem to be heavily edited to even take out words like "high" and "smoke."How would Clapton's version of "Cocaine" sound nowadays? What the hell is the logic? If we just remove these words from the language, then nobody will think about getting high? I ramble, I gotta go!
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Comment #7 posted by xxdr_zombiexx on July 25, 2002 at 16:30:35 PT
Trainwreck
Good show! You asked a huge question....It largely depends on which christians you ask.That said they didn't expunge references from the Bible - they have expunged them from Reality - from the social discourse. Get a copy of Jack Herer's Emporer Wears No Clothes and look at the chapter about the Church and the Middle Ages.I have read stories where people wnt to the Smithsonian and found hemp displays altered and cannabis hemp's true place not even available for discussion.So on and so forth......
witch hunts and weed
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Comment #6 posted by trainwreck on July 25, 2002 at 16:19:10 PT
I am not a cow, but
How do Christians reconcile the word of God with prohibition?I wonder if the modern bibles have excised that cool passage from Genesis, which in the King James edition said something like, "...and all the green herbs...." for man to use?
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Comment #5 posted by VitaminT on July 25, 2002 at 15:53:05 PT
Behind it all,
is the REAL agenda of the Family Research Council. They aim to addict everyone - young and old - to a very dangerous drug. They know that if they can get you hooked, they can milk you like a COW and become fabulously wealthy off the sweat of your brow! It's been going on for centuries.What are they pushing you ask? - The Opiate of the masses.
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Comment #4 posted by BGreen on July 25, 2002 at 15:44:58 PT
Dr. Russo, when you were in Medical School
Nose Reconstruction"Within a short period of time the distal portion of the forehead flap became slightly cyanotic, indicating poor venous return. Most flaps are lost due to venous stasis. This often occurs two to four days after the operation when the arterials hook up with the surrounding tissue but the venous drainage has yet to increase. If this happens treatment and "blood letting with leaches" may be of benefit."What would have been the reaction by your professors if you suggested the use of "blood letting with leaches" to your patients? I'm sure this would have been considered to be quackery, with leaches having no place in modern medicine.I've read that there is no better treatment than leaches for saving tissue in certain situations, even with all that modern medicine has learned.
Nose Reconstruction
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Comment #3 posted by culebra on July 25, 2002 at 15:42:50 PT
Nice little Freudian slip, Conner...
Miracle marijuana indeed.
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Comment #2 posted by xxdr_zombiexx on July 25, 2002 at 15:30:44 PT
Family Research Values and Beliefs
Hatred of those who aren't like Mommy and Daddy. Fear, suspicion and paranoia about those who are different and have beliefs that are different.Never believe a thing other people say - they are out to trick you. Nobody in any country really gets any relief from crude filthy smoked marijuana. Its all a trick to legalize heroin and make eveybody take it.Nobody has ever abused a prescription until the medical-excuse marijuana liars showed up. Its their fault Noelle Bush takes xanax, you know. This just proves marijuana is the Devils Weed and Legalizers are all Satanists. The Baby Jesus coughs when a joint is smoked - did you know that?War is healthy for the CIA, the Upper 1% and other capitalist things. We like being a front for the CIA's efforts to enrich the Rich. That's why we're rich! Hooray for the Overclass!
Origins of the Overclass
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Comment #1 posted by Ethan Russo MD on July 25, 2002 at 14:58:33 PT:
Hidden Agendas Alleged
Why is it that the prohibitionists rarely answer the questions, and are always accusing those supporting clinical cannabis of hidden agendas, and the desire of the final moral decay of society as we know it?The allegations easily work both ways. Just a perusal at the Family Research Council reveals them to be anti-many-things, that include a lot of personal freedoms. I am sure that some of you will uncover interesting facts about their funding sources. Live your own life as you choose, but don't tell me how to live mine unless I asked!
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