cannabisnews.com: Is State Going To Pot? 





Is State Going To Pot? 
Posted by CN Staff on December 30, 2002 at 08:00:31 PT
By Vesna Jaksic, Staff Writer
Source: Stamford Advocate
State legislators may tackle the controversial issue of medical marijuana when a bill allowing doctors to recommend the drug is introduced in the coming session of the Connecticut General Assembly.In 1981, Connecticut passed one of the nation's first medical marijuana laws, allowing doctors to prescribe the drug for medical purposes. But because federal law overrides state law, doctors have not been prescribing it for fear of prosecution.
State Rep. Jim Abrams, D-Meriden, said he will again propose legislation that would allow doctors to issue certificates recommending marijuana for their patients' medical conditions. Patients with certificates would be able to legally grow no more than three "mature" marijuana plants or four "immature" plants.Federal law prohibits doctors from prescribing marijuana. But under Abrams' proposed bill, doctors would not prescribe the drug -- only recommend it. The burden of acquiring marijuana would be transferred from doctors to patients, who would have to show valid certificates."What we basically want to do is make the law workable," said Robert Rooks, executive director of the New Haven-based A Better Way Foundation, a research and educational organization that has helped draft the bill. "It's a basic amendment to the current policy."The bill would expand the use of medical marijuana from treatment of nausea associated with chemotherapy and eye pressure from glaucoma to more conditions, including HIV/AIDS.Betty Gallo, a lobbyist for A Better Way, said marijuana helps treat spasms, stimulate appetite and alleviate pain associated with many chronic conditions.But the prospect of putting an illegal drug into the hands of more people concerns some legislators who say they will oppose the bill."I'm just not comfortable with opening that door in terms of just general access through a doctor's orders," said state Rep. Claudia "Dolly" Powers, R-Greenwich.Powers said marijuana's main active ingredient, delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is present in other medicines that could be used instead."We do have medicines that already mimic it without the smoking part and all that kind of stuff," she said.State Rep. Lile Gibbons, R-Greenwich, said she has heard the argument for medical marijuana but said, "I don't believe I would come out on the side of allowing it."Some legislators fear the bill would lead to widespread use and additional abuse of the drug. However, Abrams argues that people who plan to take marijuana illegally wouldn't go to the effort of faking a doctor's certificate.The Connecticut State Medical Society has sided with the American Medical Association, whose official statement on medical marijuana calls for more research in the field but does not recommend legalization.State Sen. William Nickerson, R-Greenwich, said he would oppose the bill unless the medical societies recommended it."I'd have to see very clear and convincing evidence from the Connecticut Medical Society and the Connecticut medical community that this has a valid medical use," he said. "Much of what I've read puts that into question."State Rep. Livvy Floren, R-Greenwich, said she would support the legislation, provided marijuana would be grown and distributed out of a central facility, not from people's back yards."The reason for that is . . . the quantity, the quality and the access," she said. "But if it alleviates pain for people suffering from cancer and AIDS, and a doctor prescribes it, I think people should absolutely be able to have relief."In Connecticut, possession of up to 4 ounces of marijuana is punishable by up to one year in jail and up to a $1,000 fine for the first offense, according to The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Anyone caught growing, delivering or selling the drug faces up to seven years in jail and a $25,000 fine. Complete Title: Is State Going To Pot? Lawmakers Ready To Consider Medical Marijuana BillSource: Stamford Advocate, The (CT)Author: Vesna Jaksic, Staff WriterPublished: December 30, 2002Copyright: 2002 Southern Connecticut Newspaper, Inc.Contact: letters.advocate scni.comWebsite: http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmMarijuana Bill Ready for Sessionhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15077.shtmlVote Needed Change To Medicinal Pot Law http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12315.shtmlState Talks Marijuana - Connecticut Post http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12270.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by greenfox on December 30, 2002 at 11:06:07 PT
This crap again
" Is State Going To Pot? "Why is it that whenever the media reports on the cannabis issue, they always have to make a joke out of it? And the "going to pot" line is SO old and tired and overused that it ACTUALLY make me slightly sick (and angry) to read headlines such as this.Going to pot? I mean, this has been used since the HEARST mis-information days, you'd think after over 60 years they would at LEAST come up with a new "reefer madness" headline. Going to pot is like the word "nice". Politically correct to say it, meaningless, toothless, and yet everybody says it (think about your last trip to wallmart; employee trained to say "Have a nice day". You think s/he give a sh*t if you are having a nice day? Probably not.) Just like these papers "going to pot?" or "reefer madness" or whatever. Nothing is thought up, it's all party line parrot crap.Amen.sig,fik.-gf
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