cannabisnews.com: Medical Use of Marijuana Gains Support





Medical Use of Marijuana Gains Support
Posted by CN Staff on October 18, 2002 at 16:25:07 PT
By Richard Perez Pena
Source: New York Times 
Flanked by terminally ill people who told tales of unrelenting pain, Tom Golisano today endorsed the medical use of marijuana, and lashed out at Gov. George E. Pataki for blocking a state program to provide the drug to patients."My approach to this issue is to return the discretion to the doctors, who are trained to make these decisions," said Mr. Golisano, the Independence Party candidate for governor.
He charged that Mr. Pataki was opposed "because he is in the pocket of the big drug companies who stand to lose money if medical marijuana is made available."Mr. Pataki's administration, like that of Gov. Mario M. Cuomo, has refused to put into effect a 1980 law letting severely sick people use marijuana, subject to a prescription and approval by a state board. Some doctors and patients say that in some cases, marijuana is more effective against pain than standard medicines, and it can combat the appetite loss that contributes to many seriously ill people's wasting away.H. Carl McCall, the Democratic candidate, like Mr. Golisano, says he would activate the state program.In the past, aides to Mr. Pataki, a Republican, have flatly said he opposes medical marijuana. Asked about it today at upstate stops in Saratoga Springs and Bolton Landing, the governor at first declined to give an opinion, saying only that "our medical professionals" did not think marijuana use was warranted.When pressed, he said, "They have concluded that it is not justified at this time, that there are alternatives, and I support that conclusion."Mr. Golisano continues to try to broaden his appeal, after spending most of the campaign wooing disaffected voters upstate by emphasizing the poor economy there. In recent weeks, he has proposed free or reduced tuition for public college students, and spoken out about issues like medical marijuana and easing the Rockefeller-era drug laws, issues that are more likely to appeal to voters in New York City."There's no question upstate the economy is the main thing on people's minds," he said. "As we move downstate, there's probably much greater concern about the Rockefeller drug laws."Lisa Reiss, one of the people who joined Mr. Golisano today at the Albany Public Library, has multiple sclerosis and uses a wheelchair. She said her husband, who died from AIDS and cancer, "lasted a lot longer with the help of the marijuana.""I've used it," she said. "It has eased a lot of my pain. I would use it again if it was legal."Mr. McCall, casting about for an issue that will rescue his foundering campaign, called today for the Justice Department to investigate links between the Pataki administration and a company founded by, among others, Pataki campaign contributors. The company, CarePlus, has won a series of state contracts, despite poor performance ratings.In a statement, Mr. Pataki's campaign manager, Adam Stoll, dismissed the entire McCall campaign as "hysterical and desperate."A Quinnipiac University poll released today showed Mr. Pataki still holding a strong lead over Mr. McCall among likely voters, 47 percent to 31 percent, while Mr. Golisano had his best showing yet in a public survey, 18 percent.Mr. McCall was in California today to raise money, forcing him to rely on surrogates to stump for him. In a series of news conferences around the state, his supporters unveiled his new television advertisement, one that accuses the governor of "trying to fool us again." It responds to a Pataki ad in which Mr. McCall appears to say that upstate school districts should get less money from the state, and says that, in fact, he would give more to those schools.The events pointed up the difficulty Mr. McCall has had in making pointed, high-volume responses to the governor's attacks. In this case, the Pataki ad has been on the air for two weeks, largely unanswered, to devastating effect.The Working Families Party, which supports Mr. McCall, today began broadcasting a separate ad, attacking the governor on education by parodying one of Mr. Pataki's.The Pataki ad shows several children saying what they want to be when they grow up, including a girl who says she wants to be governor. In the Working Families version, when Mr. Pataki says he, too, wants to be governor, a large red "F" lands on the image of his face.Newshawk: VitaminTSource: New York Times (NY)Author: Richard Perez PenaPublished: October 17, 2002Copyright: 2002 The New York Times Company Contact: letters nytimes.com Website: http://www.nytimes.com/ Related Articles & Web Site: Golisano Medical Marijuana Press Releasehttp://golisano.com/press/MedicalMarijuana.htmGolisano Proposes Medicinal Use of Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14472.shtmlMcCall & Golisano Want Medical Marijuana Debatehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14467.shtml
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on October 19, 2002 at 15:07:17 PT
CBS News Sunday Morning
Tomorrow morning medical marijuana is scheduled to be discussed. I'm not sure about the time but it comes on where I am at 9 AM ET. Thought I'd pass this on! I'll try to watch it.JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED As several states move to legalize marijuana for medical purposes this coming election season, the federal government is still very much against it. CBS News Correspondent John Blackstone reports. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/1998/07/09/sunday/main13562.shtml
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Comment #8 posted by DdC on October 19, 2002 at 12:28:11 PT
Mike Moore tonight thru Monday
I got this from the website...Saturday, October 19, 2002 : 10pmCheck out Mike with Tim Russert on CNBC this weekend. The show will be re-aired on Sunday, October 20th at 7pm and 2am. Monday, October 21, 2002 : 8pm ESTDonahue joins Michael Moore in his hometown of Flint, Michigan for the Bowling for Columbine movie premiere. http://www.michaelmoore.com/
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on October 19, 2002 at 12:07:07 PT
Michael Moore
I really like Michael Moore. He is so right on about everything. I saw excerpts of Bowling for Columbine. Weird title but the little bit I saw it was excellent. When we had our video store Roger and Me was a big renter.
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Comment #6 posted by DdC on October 19, 2002 at 11:58:32 PT
¶8) FoM...
In that case I'm glad I missed it...Fauxnewts!More mail...Ram Dass Event to Benefit WAMM: On 7 Nov. the Rio Theater will host a special WAMM benefit screening of "Fierce Grace" a documentary film featuring Ram Dass. Following the screening will be a talk by Ram Dass, with a question and answer period. The screening will begin   7p.m. Tickets are $20. The Rio Theater is located at 1205 Soquel Ave at Seabright Ave, in Santa Cruz. For more Information please dial: (831) 423 8209. Or you can purchase advanced tickets at The Book Loft next door to the theater. Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 11:47:06 -0700 (PDT)
From: there's so much to do 
Subject: "Bowling for Columbine"Dear friends, I have some great news to share with you. "Bowling for Columbine" has set the new all-time opening weekend box office record ($27,000 per screen avg.) for a documentary in the United States!I want you to know that your attendance at my film has resulted in me having a much larger forum in which to speak out against the war on Iraq and the other misdeeds of the Bush administration. After being virtually banned from the airwaves during the release of my book, that wall has been broken down by this film's success. I've been able to be a "stand-in" for all of you and say the things on prime time TV that never get said. Finally, my apologies to those who have had a hard time getting on my website this week. The server blew out several times from all the heavy traffic. Last January, I was getting 70,000 hits a month. In September, my site got 17 million. In just six hours last Friday, we registered 3 million hits before the server cried "Uncle!" Things are fine now, so check out some of our new stuff, including the weekly missions from Mike's Office of Homeland Security. Thanks again everyone -- and see ya at THE movie this weekend! Yours, Michael Moore, Writer, Director, Inhabitant of a No-Fly Zone http://www.michaelmoore.com mmflint aol.com 
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Comment #5 posted by DdC on October 19, 2002 at 11:25:32 PT
Sorry its late I just got it...
Didn't see it. Though O'Really gives me an itch usually and requres a couple more tokes than usual. From gagging. But I would have liked to have seen this one.I remember when the Drug Cartels had a $million bounty on the Drugczars head, now he's partners with the them.Both profit on the war on cannabis.
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on October 19, 2002 at 10:39:30 PT
DdC
I watched O'Reilly and they weren't on yesterday. Maybe they taped the program to air one day next week. I hope so. It's hard for me to watch O'Reilly but I did last night just to make sure I didn't miss them.
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Comment #3 posted by DdC on October 19, 2002 at 10:33:30 PT
Group EMail about Val and Mike...
Valerie and Mike Corral are scheduled to appear on the O'reilly Factor, Friday Oct 18th at 8 & 11 p.m. ET on Fox NewsThis was posted at a yahoo group board...
DdC
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Comment #2 posted by goneposthole on October 18, 2002 at 17:10:15 PT
Seriously
Cannabis cannot be that bad if people are using it for medicine, now can it?Actually, I have been smoking it for so long, had I drank as much as I have smoked cannabis, I'd be dead.In fact, I think it is good for a person. How many years has it been used to benefit mankind? 8,000?how many years has it been 'illegal'? Cannabis has the pasteboards; it has the trump suit.It's got the monkey hand. It's a winner.
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on October 18, 2002 at 16:50:36 PT
O Reilly Factor? 
I saw that Valerie might be on the O Reilly Factor but I haven't found anything to say it will be on but will check the show and if she is on I will post it.
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