cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijuana An Election Issue Medical Marijuana An Election Issue Posted by CN Staff on December 31, 2002 at 10:05:29 PT By Andy Graham Source: Herald-Times Bloomington physician Clark Brittain reached over his office desk for his container of herbal tea, which is about the strongest thing he ever ingests. "I don't drink alcohol, don't even drink coffee or cola," Brittain said. "I don't smoke cigarettes, or anything else. I'm a real boring guy." Everything about Brittain's demeanor proclaims a zest for life, though. It is conveyed by twinkling eyes, a jaunty mustache and an engaging personality. Perhaps that helped him garner 25 percent of the vote in the District 61 state representative race, running as a Libertarian -- the highest percentage received by any Indiana "third party" candidate for any state or national office this November. Brittain likes to think it had something to do with his message. He wants to see marijuana decriminalized, and to see the drug approved as treatment for certain medical conditions. An experience with a patient who resorted to smoking marijuana to control nausea prompted Brittain to do some research into marijuana and its reputed medicinal properties. "I got interested in medical marijuana," Brittain said. "I looked at it. It's a valid medication. It's been around for about 5,000 years. It's one of the safest drugs ever known. And it's been studied a lot. It's safer than aspirin. Nobody has ever died from it. "Until about 75 years ago, people could use marijuana however they wanted. It's through this sort of moral crusade that we've demonized it." The Monroe County Local Council of Women voted Brittain its 2001 Humanitarian Physician of the Year. He served in the U.S. Army, before and after medical school, ending up a lieutenant colonel. Brittain and his wife, Dr. Mary Mahern, who shares the Bloomington practice, adopted sons Marty and Parker while stationed during the 1990s in Panama. Brittain was already the father of 25-year-old daughter, Anyah, and 24-year-old son, Aaron. Brittain lectures at Indiana University. He's on the board of directors of his church. He thinks many people already share his basic views, and that more would if they understood the "true costs" of the "War on Drugs." "The state of Indiana incarcerates about 40 percent of its inmates for nonviolent drug crimes. That's about 8,100 people per year and, it's about $650 million per year we're spending on that. That's almost as much as we spend on nursing homes." Brittain argues that mandatory-minimum sentencing laws end up putting violent criminals back onto the street to make room in the crowded prisons for nonviolent drug offenders. "In Marion County, they're releasing real bad guys because they have to incarcerate the pot heads," he said. "It's nuts. And I'm not the only guy who thinks so. "To me, it's a no-brainer. We should change our policies and our laws to better fit reality. And I plan to keep speaking to that." Source: Herald-Times, The (IN)Author: Andy GrahamPublished: December 29, 2002Copyright: 2002 The Herald-TimesContact: letters heraldt.comWebsite: http://www.hoosiertimes.com/The Libertarian Partyhttp://www.lp.org/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #18 posted by FoM on January 02, 2003 at 13:00:57 PT Nuevo Mexican I don't need to be told you are protesting. You said it before but it's nice to see you anyway. Happy New Year to you. [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by Nuevo Mexican on January 02, 2003 at 12:52:40 PT Still boycotting C-news for censorship.... but Happy High Holidays to everyone from Indiana! Great to be back home in time for this great article! This is the land of nazis' for sure, and why I don't live here, as I have been an expatriot for 30 years. Most people here have no idea what is going on in the world it seems, as this is the heart of the 'beast', where everyone is bought and paid for by Eli Lilly etc., but I've found alot of family members who are quite aware, and that is heartening. Lots of flags, more flags, and then more flags, which say 'I voted for bush, f--k you! Every gas station and major corporation have the biggest flags I've ever seen, except when in Springfield, Missery, home of John Asscroft. where they are the size of a football field! This really is a disgusting regime, but as we roll out the racist oil-war machine, fear of government increases, as the silence is deafening! Will we speak out, or wait to be allowed to speak out? Maybe when dddd, Dan B, and all our other good friends are 'allowed' back on C-News, my optimism will return. Don't even think about banning the great Mayan! Great news from Canada today though, and having just spent the day at the Instite of the Arts in Chicago, I noticed all of the greats had to leave their respective countries to pursue freedom of expression, so maybe C-News can have a sister site in Canada where the freedom to express yourself online will be tolerated? Other than that, I don't want to talk about it! LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by i420 on January 01, 2003 at 22:35:19 PT Cool I happened to meet Dr. Brittain in Indianapolis last May at Broadripple Park, he is a great person, very friendly it is great to read about him here now. [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by FoM on December 31, 2002 at 17:24:03 PT Happy New Year Richard that's a great ad! Let's hope for a good year. I worry about going to war but that should not side track us from our goals of reforming current drug laws. I've said it before and I'll say it again. We've come too far to turn back now. P4me that was just GREAT! [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by Richard Lake on December 31, 2002 at 16:40:40 PT: Happy New Year CNEWS Gang! It has been a great year for CNEWS, with steady growth and great respect from the entire reform community.FoM, You Rock!Happy New Year to One and AllRichard CSDP first shot in the Battle of California [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by p4me on December 31, 2002 at 16:34:15 PT Let's get them next year and may everyone be happy An experience with a patient who resorted to smoking marijuana to control nausea prompted Brittain to do some research into marijuana and its reputed medicinal properties.That kind of raises the question of what they are teaching doctors in colleges these days arround the world. GW Pharma will be educating many practicing phsicians in the next year or two. Just what the h are they teaching kids anyway. How not to rebel. If I were young I would have to be concerned at all the pollution I would be eating, drinking, and breathing because even if it hasn't given you autism or asthma or cancer yet, you still have a long way to go hopefully. I mean, what is more important than your best health?I can relate to the doctor's ignorance with the blackout and all halt of research and the destruction of the research that got cannabis legalized with my state of North Carolina and Paul Peterson's state of Illinois. Wasn't the article about Vermont (Conn.?)a few days ago, and wasn't the law still on the New York books and an issue in last November's NY governor's race.I first knew of pot in college and I only knew of medical m-word in the last 18 months. I learned about the compassion clubs only when I started reading Cnews. I read the paper most of the time my whole life and I never heard of medical marijuana except one mention in a newspaper only a few years ago. The silence has been long and continual. If it were not for the Internet just what is it we all would know? I never heard of a coffeehouse until maybe 18 months ago.Would you have seen the movie, "Grass" with Woody Harrelson? Would you have seen, "The Emperor of Hemp" or read any of the words/works of Jack Herer at jackherer.com. MPP, should stretch a red hemp carpet out of their Washington offices as far as laws allow and have a hempoil-fueled car at the airport and give him the award he deserves. Then they should get him on a Segway HT (stands for human transport) and let him scoot around the White House with a Segway escort of his real admirers and MPP brass with everybody having a neon protest display on the front of their scooter. Or have some little red wagons greased with hempoil with the protest signs and let Jack do it himself. Jack Herer may have vowed to work until death or 84 to change the laws. If MPP would give him his recognition and a Segway (to keep for future protest) Jack Herer would have the recognition he deserves and the elevation to public awareness the movement needs. Jack Herer is The Emperor of Hemp and that can only change when he dies.The coffeshops in Amsterdam started 30 years ago. Old Ed was 82 when they had the celebration this summer. The other partof it is that the guy that started the Mellow Yellow and the coffeeshop movement got wiped out by the government tax men. They raise the taxes from 6% to 19% and made it retroactive to 1985. I don't know if it was meant to be punitive but it put him out of business by wiping him out.We have the works of good people before us that got us this far. The Logical Conclusion says legalization has to come and we have to clear Walters out of office. Of course it is my opinion that Congress, Busch, and the Supreme Court are all in a big Conspiracy that is truly mass murder and if they hung them on the steps ofg the Supreme Court, I would find it a fitting punishment for their crimes. I would only object if they did not use a hemp rope.Now think again of Aol/TimeWarner. They have at least 120 magazines and a distribution to 34 million customers by Internet and they alone could change things in just a few weeks if everyone would show some intolerance for all the lies and all the silence. For goodness sake, adopt a no tolerance policy on these lies and explain to everyone why Walters has to go. Of course most people do not know who Walters is. And please if you use AOL as an ISP, change providers. And if MPP or Norml wanted some real publicity they would call for a boycott of AOL. Heck, I would call it a donation drive. AOL is the most expensive provider there is at $23.90 a month. I would ask people change and donate the money to MPP/Norml so that they might donate DVDs of "Grass" and "The Emperor Wears No Clothes" to every library in America.I am not adverse to the word marijuana, but I do not want to personally use it. I can get by with cannabis and m-word and Mword just fine, but I do not think it a good habit to use the word, marijuana. I will try to swear orff the word, marijuana, with this sentence.I only wish I had some Mword for New Years. Happy New Year everone.1 [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by The GCW on December 31, 2002 at 15:46:10 PT veggiegardener We are in unison, here at cannabisnews.com to end the cagings. One of the reasons that cannabis is illegal, is because of disobedient Christians with a deluding influence that simply don't know better, which perpetuates the problem.Clearly it is a part of the cannabis issue that must be spoken about. Truth and knowledge on this issue is crucial in ending the senseless cagings.You do not have to join in during those conversations, but would be welcome to contribute. If You disagree, perhaps mention why or add Your thoughts.To Me when the Bible says using the green plants is ok, and disobedient Christians say the opposite which creates a system contrary to Christian realizations, that is appropriate to talk about.I am interested in Re-legalizing cannabis with no boundries, according to the Bible. The Bible offends people, but it is relevant. Please don't be turned off by Us or the Truths that the Bible exposes on this issue.Help where You feel comfortable in doing so. You may have a lot to offer in ending this war, and earth could use YOur help.On the other hand, needlessly attempting to silence Biblical comparisons, will set limits where they are unwelcome.I expect there are Christians that read the Truth about cannabis and don't want to be reminded that they are part of the problem, but as a Christian, what Christ wants, comes 1st.Christians should not support the cannabis prohibition.Those Christians and Christian churches that do seem secular...http://www.urantia.org/papers/paper195.html 8. SECULAR TOTALITARIANISM page 2181, paper 195, (here is part of it) The mother of modern secularism was the totalitarian medieval Christian church. Secularism had its inception as a rising protest against the almost complete domination of Western civilization by the institutionalized Christian church.The majority of professed Christians of Western civilization are unwittingly actual secularists.Secularism frees man from ecclesiastical slavery only to betray him into the tyranny of political and economic slavery.Secularism can never bring peace to mankind. Nothing can take the place of God in human society. The Green Collar Worker [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by Morgan on December 31, 2002 at 15:09:04 PT Faith People's PERCEPTIONS are the problem.This whole subject...this Cannabis board...speaks to this question;What do you believe to be the truth? Your own personal experience? Or what your government (church) tells you?Your answer depends on your faith.And your faith is your perception. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by FoM on December 31, 2002 at 15:07:30 PT BGreen I'm so happy! Cannabis News's chat room is almost ready observer said! I just had to say how nice it will be. Yippie! [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on December 31, 2002 at 14:53:14 PT veggiegardner That's why we were talking about religion because of what Richard Cowan wrote so it seems fine to me. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by veggiegardener on December 31, 2002 at 14:47:23 PT Yes, I read Marijuananews... Richard Cowan is a good man.I just think that religious references are divisive in a news oriented site. Fretting about one's immortal soul on such a site seems inappropriate.Marijuananews is an opinion site, and as such is an appropriate venue for opinions. I happen to agree with 99% of what Mr. Cowan says.A favorite quote:"History does not record anywhere, at any time, a religion that has any rational basis. Religion is a crutch for people not strong enough to stand up to the unknown without help. But, like dandruff, most people do have a religion and spend time and money on it and seem to derive considerable pleasure from fiddling with it." --- Robert A. Heinlein [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by BGreen on December 31, 2002 at 14:07:42 PT Sorry, ? key must be broke I even mentioned "organized religion" in one of my posts.We KNOW it's a problem. We can't change anything by ignoring it, but we have to understand why they are confused before we can know what to do about it.Some of us happen to be Christians, so I'm sorry if that bothers you, but if you'd read what we're saying you'd understand that we agree with you a lot more than we disagree.People are the problem. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by FoM on December 31, 2002 at 13:55:55 PT veggiegardner Do you read Richard Cowan? http://www.marijuananews.com/news.php3?sid=610That's what started the discussion because of his article and on Chris Bennetts book. I'm not sure how talking about an article that Richard Cowan wrote could be off topic. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by BGreen on December 31, 2002 at 13:46:36 PT If It's Part Of The Problem how can it be off-topic?????????????????// [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by veggiegardener on December 31, 2002 at 13:44:33 PT Bible quotes... IMHO, many people consider organized religion to be part of the problem.I personally find the recent religious references to be completely off topic. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on December 31, 2002 at 13:10:59 PT The C-I-R-C-L-E Happy New Year! I have their web site on my personal web page. I don't know what they do or if they have a newsgroup to subscribe too. I'm not active in any Church so I figured I couldn't do much anyway. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by The C-I-R-C-L-E on December 31, 2002 at 12:28:02 PT Hallelujah! I'm sure law enforcement is already trying to figure out how to shut this guy up.Lots of bible talk here lately, have any of you checked out the group Christians for Cannabis?The founder was profiled in a news posting here, some weeks back... http://www.christiansforcannabis.com [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on December 31, 2002 at 12:25:37 PT News Brief from NBC 4 Moldy Pot Returned To Medical Marijuana PatientPolice Say They Have No Storage System Marijuana December 31, 2002LOS ANGELES -- A medical marijuana patient got his medicine back Monday -- but not before Santa Cruz County deputies let the weed go to pot. Deputies seized dozens of Wilfredo de Jesus' pot plants in a September raid. De Jesus says he smokes pot because he's on dialysis. He fought to get the plants back and a judge agreed. But when De Jesus went to pick his pot up Monday, he found it was moldy and rotting and not fit to be smoked. The sheriff's office says it doesn't have any special procedure for storing marijuana. De Jesus' lawyer wants the county to change its system. Instead of removing possible medical marijuana plants, he suggests deputies take just a sample and leave most of the plant in the ground. Copyright 2002 by The Associated Presshttp://www.nbc4.tv/news/1862792/detail.html [ Post Comment ] Post Comment