cannabisnews.com: State Pols Confront Feds on Pot State Pols Confront Feds on Pot Posted by CN Staff on February 21, 2003 at 11:28:33 PT By J.K. Dineen of The Examiner Staff Source: San Francisco Examiner California's state and federal leaders are taking steps to make sure that what happened to marijuana activist Ed Rosenthal never happens to anyone else. "We have casualties in the war the federal government is waging on the people," said Assemblyman Mark Leno on Thursday, gesturing toward Rosenthal, who was sitting beside him. Rosenthal recently was convicted of growing marijuana and denied the right to argue that he did so for medical purposes. He faces a minimum of 10 years in jail. Leno, D-San Francisco, and Rosenthal appeared outside the federal courthouse to read a letter urging California's congressional members to back three recently introduced bills: one that would allow defendants to use medical marijuana as a defense in federal cases; one that would protect from federal law medical marijuana growers in states where it is legal; and one that would cut federal money allocated for the enforcement of marijuana laws in states that have legalized its medical use. The letter asks "our colleagues in Congress to bring federal law in line with the will of the vast majority of California and American voters.'' "(These bills) would prevent what happened to Ed Rosenthal from happening to anyone else," Leno said. Advocates of the bills are hoping that the recent uproar over the Rosenthal case will inspire politicians in Washington to tackle the issue. Rosenthal, who was deputized to grow medical pot by the city of Oakland, received national attention when a majority of the jurors who convicted him criticized the trial and their own decision. Six of the jurors -- who objected to the fact that they were not allowed to consider state medical marijuana laws in reaching their verdict -- will be featured tonight on "Dateline NBC." -- http://www.msnbc.com/news/dateline_front.asp The bills have the support of Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of Huntington Beach, who called it "a legal matter as well as humanitarian matter." He said he didn't know how many Republicans, generally sympathetic to states rights issues but unreceptive to medical marijuana, would support the bill. "I think it comes down to democracy, as well," Rohrabacher told The Examiner. "If the majority of people vote that something is going to be illegal or legal, that's the way it should be. We don't need some bureaucrat or puritanical elite throwing people in jail for something that's been voted into law." Rosenthal said Thursday marked the first time the state Assembly has stepped up and asked the federal government to stop meddling in the implementation of the state's medical marijuana law. "Unfortunately, it took my case to get to this point," said Rosenthal. Juror Eve Tulley-Dobkin urged residents to call their congressional representatives. "The depth of sadness of over half the jury felt is beyond words," she said.Source: San Francisco Examiner (CA)Author: J.K. Dineen of The Examiner StaffPublished: February 21, 2003Copyright: 2003 San Francisco ExaminerContact: letters sfexaminer.comWebsite: http://www.examiner.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:Green-Aid.comhttp://www.green-aid.com Ed Rosenthal's Trial Pictures & Articleshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/trialpics.htmMeasure Would Add Medical Pot Defense http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15523.shtmlBill Seeks To Provide Medical Pot Defensehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15514.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #7 posted by BGreen on February 21, 2003 at 19:11:30 PT GREAT STORY ON DATELINE! Walters looked like the clown he is. Everybody else called cannabis "medicine."The last remark about a council member saying Ed ruined their attempts to distribute cannabis to patients because he grew a warehouse full is just stupid. If you had 100 smaller operations they would be bitching about having so many "hazards" threatening the neighborhoods.West coast viewer need to watch this show.Bud Green [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by FoM on February 21, 2003 at 17:10:38 PT Friendly Reminder - Dateline NBC - Ed Rosenthal FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21 - 9:00 P.M. ET Ed Rosenthal is an author who has sold millions of books as well as an advocate passionate about helping the sick. He is also a convicted felon facing life in prison. His crime: growing marijuana as medicine. But now, the jury who found him guilty believes a terrible mistake was made. What happened in the courtroom? Was justice served? The jury rendered their verdict, but can they take it back? http://www.msnbc.com/news/dateline_front.asp Ed Rosenthal's Trial Pictures & Articles [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by mayan on February 21, 2003 at 15:21:19 PT NM HB 242 Info... Sorry if this has already been posted. This bill has a long way to go but it was supposed to have died already...One Step Closer to a Medical Marijuana Law in New Mexico: http://drugpolicy.org/news/02_21_03newmexico.cfmAnd don't forget to watch Ed on NBC's Dateline tonight at 9:00 P.M. Eastern! The way out is the way in -Another motive for war: 9/11 coverup? http://onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/022003Burns/022003burns.htmlThe Crimes Of 9/11(Part 1) http://www.scoop.co.nz/archive/scoop/stories/64/a8/200302120048.89550632.htmlThe Crimes Of 9/11(Part 2) http://www.scoop.co.nz/archive/scoop/stories/ed/f3/200302131156.4140ab57.htmlKaminski's Best 9/11 Sites - 4th Edition: http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00024.htm9/11 Prior Knowledge/Government Involvement Archive: http://www.propagandamatrix.com/archiveprior_knowledge9/11 Truth Alliance: http://unansweredquestions.org/alliance/index.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on February 21, 2003 at 13:29:00 PT Dr. Russo That's really good news! Thank you! [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Ethan Russo MD on February 21, 2003 at 13:11:22 PT: Report from Montana I just returned from the legislature in Helena after testifying before the House Judiciary Committee on the Montana Clinical Cannabis Act. It went nicely.After an introduction by its sponsor, Ron Ericson, I spoke for about 15 minutes, with additional commentary by Robin Prosser about her hunger strike and need for medicine, and testimony by my former patient Larry Rathbun, a Vietnam vet with no prior legal problems who just got out of the State Prison after 22 months for growing 9 plants to treat his MS. I was never allowed to testify in his trial. It was powerful stuff.The bill was solely opposed by a representative of the Montana Medical Association. I understand a lobbyist for the County Attorneys was also bidden to testify, but failed to leave his seat. We have a chance. Everyone should lobby their state legislatures ceaselessly until this madness is over! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on February 21, 2003 at 11:57:58 PT Cover Picture of The San Francisco Examiner http://www.examiner.com/frontpages/022103fp.jpg [ Post Comment ] Post Comment