cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijuana May Soon Be Legal in CT 





Medical Marijuana May Soon Be Legal in CT 
Posted by CN Staff on February 15, 2003 at 09:42:14 PT
By Francisca Santana
Source: Yale Herald
The movement across the United States to legalize medicinal marijuana has finally reached Connecticut. Last week, a bill, proposed by State Representative Cameron C. Staples (D-New Haven) was passed through a Connecticut State Legislature committee that would allow doctors to certify the prescription of marijuana to patients with debilitating diseases such as cancer, AIDS, and glaucoma. The cultivation of marijuana by the patient or caregiver would also be legal if the bill is passed into law.
Throughout the United States, a number of states have legalized medicinal marijuana. These include Nevada, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, Alaska, and Maine. Should the bill pass, Connecticut would be one of the few Eastern states to be a part of the group. Keith Stroup, director of The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), said that several other states are also considering similar legislation this year. According to Stroup, "Seven states have passed such bills through voter initiative." He stressed that a recent poll run by Time/CNN revealed that 80 percent of the population supports the federal legalization of marijuana for medical purposes. NORML lobbies for the decriminalization of both recreational and medical uses of marijuana. The organization, which does not have a local chapter in Connecticut, focuses primarily on the overreaching decriminalization of marijuana. Despite their general focus, Stroup emphasizes that NORML, as well as other organizations, such as Efficacy in Connecticut, have become deeply involved in the legislation for medicinal marijuana. Opinions on the decriminalization of marijuana use for medicinal purposes range from those who are in full support to those who are vehemently against it. While those in the medical community have mixed opinions, some medical experts do concede that marijuana is valuable as a medicinal drug. "Marijuana is an anti-emetic [a drug that inhibits vomiting] and therefore it can help people who have cancer and are on chemotherapy," Jeansok Kim, a psychopharmacology professor at Yale, said. He also emphasized that marijuana stimulates hunger and contains analgesic properties that alleviate symptoms in patients suffering from chronic or acute pain. Kim said that he would support a bill that legalized marijuana for medicinal use. He worries, however, that the gates blocking the legal access of the drug would be flooded with people who were not in true need. Kim said that stringent regulation would be required to keep marijuana in the hands of the right people because "individual doctors may have differing opinions about what constitutes the need for marijuana." Although many in the medical community have declined to take a strong stance on the subject, there are several reports that state the use of marijuana for the terminally ill is appropriate in certain cases. The Institute of Medicine found that, in light of the effects marijuana (anxiety reduction, appetite stimulation, nausea reduction, and pain relief), the drug may be suited for treating some conditions, such as chemotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting, and AIDS wasting. Those who oppose such legislation believe that the addictive properties and other psychoactive effects of marijuana should be considered and researched further before legalization.Although many Yale students may not be directly affected by the bill, the legalization of marijuana is certainly a topic that sparks discussion. Sharon Goott, SM '06, is enrolled in a political science course where drug legalization and criminalization is a featured topic. She said, "The laws regarding marijuana use are not enough of a deterrent for most users."Goott believes that when considering the legalization of marijuana for recreational use, the harm of smoking marijuana must be balanced with the potential benefits of the state control and regulation of the drug. "But for the terminally ill, if you have a doctor's consent, where is the deviant behavior? I don't see the problem," Goott said. The decriminalization of marijuana for recreation may be further off, but legislation regarding its medicinal uses is clearly at the forefront of lobbyists' agendas. Stroup, of NORML, emphasized that "elected officials are nervous, confusing a public health initiative with crime legislation." The Herald is an undergraduate publication at Yale University. Source: Yale Herald (CT)Author: Francisca SantanaPublished: February 14, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Yale HeraldContact:  opinion yaleherald.com Website: http://www.yaleherald.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:NORMLhttp://www.norml.org/Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmProposal Would Let Doctors Recommend Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15407.shtmlLawmaker Pushes Medical Marijuana Bill http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15397.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by charmed quark on February 15, 2003 at 12:39:15 PT
Very exciting
Most of the states east of the Mississippi do not allow public referendums or initiates. So the only way for there to be a change is through the state legislatures. Maybe Conneticut and Maryland will break the log jam.Meanwhile- why does smoking have to be mentioned as such a barrier? If people were really concerned about smoking, they would push for other forms of administration: vaporization, sub-lingual, ingestion, topical, supositories. Education would solve the problem.You could even legislate the administration forms, although I wouldn't support that. Smoking is an easy way to administer it.-Pete
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