cannabisnews.com: Vermont Study Endorses Medical Marijuana





Vermont Study Endorses Medical Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on November 13, 2002 at 18:08:28 PT
By Tim Lewis - Channel 3 News
Source: WCAX-TV.com
A Vermont legislative study committee studying the legitimacy of medical marijuana announced Wednesday that marijuana does possess medical value when it comes to relieving pain and suffering of severely ill people. "There really is a difference between marijuana - recreational and medical marijuana. It's a totally different process. My husband died from cancer and I got medical marijuana for him.
We didn't do it for fun, you know, it was to relieve his symptoms and make him feel better and it worked and so why shouldn't people have that option," said Debbie Ramsdell the chair of Vermont's Medical Marijuana Study Committee. Eight states currently have laws that let people with severe or terminal illness use marijuana to ease their symptoms if it is recommended by a doctor. Vermont's Medical Marijuana Study Committee also looked at what, if any, problems those eight states have run into. The committee found that state-run medical marijuana programs are more effective because they register patients. It recommended that if Vermont should legalize medical marijuana, a registry be established here as well.The study also concluded that the federal government has mistakenly put pot in the same class of illegal drugs as heroin and LSD. That means it cannot be obtained through prescriptions."The classification of marijuana under the federal guidelines - the DEA guidelines is inappropriate," said Winooski Police Chief Steve McQueen. Because marijuana remains an illegal drug at the federal level, the committee says a state-run cultivation and distribution system would run the risk of federal prosecution. The Committee could not agree on a maximum amount of medical marijuana that a person could possess at any one time. "You know when we come right down to it... the bottom line for what the Legislature is considering is it's a possession bill. How much can a person possess to be not subject to state prosecution for possession," said McQueen.While members of the commission unanimously agreed with all 13 major findings in the report, that may not be enough to satisfy the state's legal community. Vermont's Attorney General's office and prosecutors plan to file paperwork pointing out that marijuana remains an illegal substance at the federal level.Even thought it remains up to Congress and the DEA to change the classification of marijuana, Ramsdell said she expects the Vermont Legislature to pass some form of medical marijuana bill in the next two years. Source: WCAX-TV.com - Burlington (VT)Author: Tim Lewis - Channel 3 NewsPublished: Novenber 13, 2002Copyright: 2002 WorldNow and WCAXContact: lewist wcax.comWebsite: http://www.wcax.com/Related Articles:Medical Pot Bill is Killedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12949.shtmlSenate Debates Medical Marijuana Bill http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12768.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on November 13, 2002 at 19:52:48 PT
News Brief from The ChamplainChannel.com
Medical Marijuana Closer To Reality In VermontTask Force Finishes RecommendationsNovember 13, 2002A special task force advising lawmakers on medical marijuana is suggesting the state create a registry so police can easily check to see who is allowed to grow and smoke pot. Patients would get a registration card from the state and be allowed to grow a small amount of marijuana at home. The panel of patients, doctors and prosecutors finished drafting its recommendations Wednesday. Lawmakers have the final say, but advocates are optimistic their recommendations will soon become the law in Vermont. "When you talk to people individually they say, 'Of course, we'll support this.' But also to see law enforcement people being compassionate is really nice," said medical marijuana supporter Debbie Ramsdell. A NewsChannel 5 poll last month showed 70 percent of Vermonters support allowing certain patients to smoke marijuana to ease their pain and suffering -- if they have a physician's approval. Copyright 2002 by TheChamplainChannel.com. http://www.thechamplainchannel.com/news/1784974/detail.html
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Comment #1 posted by Ethan Russo MD on November 13, 2002 at 18:53:33 PT:
Reason Prevails
I testified before this committee. It is gratifying that they listened to the testimony and plan to act upon it.
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