cannabisnews.com: Senate Gives Final Approval To Med. Marijuana Bill





Senate Gives Final Approval To Med. Marijuana Bill
Posted by CN Staff on March 13, 2003 at 13:46:45 PT
By Ross Sneyd, Associated Press
Source: Associated Press
Montpelier, Vt. -- A bill that would prohibit the arrest or prosecution of people using marijuana to treat medical problems won final Senate approval Thursday. Senators first decided, however, to require parents' signatures on applications before children could qualify to use marijuana to control their pain, nausea or other symptoms of terminal or chronic illnesses.
Final debate largely mirrored the discussion that took place in the Senate before Wednesday's preliminary vote on the legislation. Supporters described the bill as a compassionate response to people suffering from such diseases as AIDS, cancer and glaucoma for whom standard medicines sometimes don't work. Opponents questioned the wisdom of enacting a bill that would put Vermont law in conflict with federal statutes, which will continue to consider all possession and use of marijuana criminal. Sen. Hull Maynard, R-Rutland, pointed out that there already are people who authorities know smoke marijuana to relieve their symptoms. They're never prosecuted or arrested. So he questioned the need for the bill. ''It seems to me we have a problem in the closet and we seem determined to bring it out of the closet,'' he said. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Richard Sears, D-Bennington, said his panel determined that the federal government was inappropriately preventing people from using marijuana medicinally. He said Vermont had the right to establish a different policy when it decided that was appropriate. ''Once in a while you have to get up and say it's wrong and I think this federal law is wrong,'' Sears said. Senators also were at pains to make the point that they weren't legalizing marijuana at all. ''We have not legalized anything in this bill,'' said Sen. John Bloomer, R-Rutland, explaining that certain medical patients simply were being exempted from arrest and prosecution. ''I must be clear that we're not legalizing marijuana.'' To qualify for such an exemption, someone would have to be suffering from cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, HIV, AIDS of diseases that produce ''severe, persistent and intractable symptoms,'' such as nausea or pain. They then would have to obtain a special card from the state indicating that they were using marijuana for medical purposes. They could possess no more than 2 ounces, three mature plants or four immature plants. The marijuana would have to be kept under lock and key and patients could only grow marijuana indoors in a locked room. Currently, Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington have laws allowing the medical use of marijuana. Complete Title: Senate Gives Final Approval To Medical Marijuana Bill Source: Associated PressAuthor:  Ross Sneyd, Associated PressPublished: Thursday, March 13, 2003 Copyright: 2003 Associated Press Related Articles & Web Site:Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmMedical Pot Bill Advances in Senatehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15711.shtmlSenate To Vote on Legalizing Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15710.shtmlCommittee Backs Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15408.shtml
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Comment #10 posted by WolfgangWylde on March 14, 2003 at 04:45:13 PT
Don't hold your breath...
...State legislatures play this game all the time. The House passes a medical marijuana bill, the Senate votes it down. Now the Senate passes one, and my bet is House will vote it down. Its a shell game. Makes 'em look like they're seriously addressing the issue, without having to actually do anything. 
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Comment #9 posted by mayan on March 13, 2003 at 18:29:02 PT
Dissent
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Richard Sears, D-Bennington, said his panel determined that the federal government was inappropriately preventing people from using marijuana medicinally. He said Vermont had the right to establish a different policy when it decided that was appropriate. ''Once in a while you have to get up and say it's wrong and I think this federal law is wrong,'' Sears said. The fed's are going down the tubes in a hurry. It is becoming increasingly popular to express dissent. The Bush administration is backed into a corner and desperately needs the war. They know it will provoke another "terror attack" & will justify matial law. This is their only hope to maintain power. The revolution is here...Move underway to impeach Bush:
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=31510COOK: I WILL QUIT IF WE GO IT ALONE 
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/page.cfm?objectid=12733399&method=full&siteid=89488March 15 EMERGENCY CONVERGENCE ON THE WHITE HOUSE TO STOP THE WAR ON IRAQ: 
http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/m15/index.htmlHilton: 9-11 Hijackers funded by the US Government
http://www.libertythink.com/2003_03_11_archives.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_knowledge
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Comment #8 posted by Virgil on March 13, 2003 at 16:30:59 PT
Talk about cheap
The substance the body manufactures for sleep is melatonin. Dollar General sells 75 tablets for $2 and one 3 cent tablet will send you to La La land.There is an interesting article relating to cannabis and its effect on the sleep-inducing compound melatonin:
http://www.cures-not-wars.org/melajuana.html#graph
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on March 13, 2003 at 15:40:51 PT
Herbs
I have been taking different Herbs since 94. They don't cost much money and they work. I don't take pharmaceuticals because I don't think they are healthy and have way too many side effects. Valarian Root is what I take to sleep. It works great but it doesn't make me groggy. It just makes me really want to go to sleep. That's nice. I really hope I can go thru most of the rest of my life and not need to take pharmaceuticals. I took so many drugs (legal) for years that I sometimes feel I couldn't take anymore prescription drugs without them making me feel sick. Herbs can be grown and Pharmaceutical companies won't make money. Look how they are hassling people for getting cheaper prescription drugs from Canada!
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Comment #6 posted by Virgil on March 13, 2003 at 15:38:57 PT
Kava Kava
I have no idea why since Christmas at least I have not seen any Kava Kava in the Dollar General chain where they had it everytime I wanted it before. About 2 weeks ago when Food Lion had their stuff on sale 2 for 1 there was none on the shelf.
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Comment #5 posted by afterburner on March 13, 2003 at 15:27:11 PT:
War on Some Plants.
War on Some Plants is a better description even than War on Some Drugs. The FDA, like most "regulatory" agencies, is in the pocket of the industry they were created to regulate, in this case the pharmaceutical industry. Notice it is herbs and plants they object to, more than the biochemical derivatives and synthetics of the pharmaceutical industry, which are eligible for patents and profits.ego destruction or ego transcendence, that is the question.
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Comment #4 posted by afterburner on March 13, 2003 at 15:18:11 PT:
Unless
the FDA arbitrarily decided that aloe vera was a potential health risk and added it to the black list, like they did with sassafras root, for example.
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Comment #3 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on March 13, 2003 at 15:03:35 PT
And
And what is "maturity"? The standards applied to humans are so arbitrarily based on age. Are they going to do the same with plants? Or would it have to do with the proximity to harvest? What are you supposed to do with the one extra plant if they all make it to maturity?All of this would be MOOT if the plant weren't so stigmatized. Nobody has to ask their congressmen how many aloe vera plants they can grow.
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on March 13, 2003 at 14:35:16 PT
A Question
It says that a patient can have three mature plants or four immature plants. I don't understand the numbers or how they come up with the numbers. Can't a clone be considered just an extension of one plant? I know that probably isn't right but isn't a clone just a part of one plant?
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Comment #1 posted by druid on March 13, 2003 at 13:59:39 PT
 Libertarian Judge to Debate Florida Drug Czar
Libertarian Judge to Debate Florida Drug CzarThe following message is forwarded from our friends at the Florida 
Cannabis Action Network, who are helping to sponsor public appearances in 
Florida by elected Libertarian Judge Jim Gray. The Libertarian Party 
will never rent, sell, or lend your email address to anyone.==========================================================Who: Libertarian Judge Jim Gray, FL Drug Czar James McDonough, members 
of Orange Co Law Enforcement, County Treatment Professionals – and you 
in the audience. 
What: "A Community Forum on Substance Abuse"
 When: March 14, 2003 1pm to 2:30pm
 Where: Renaissance Orlando Hotel   the Airport (5445 Forbes Place; 
Orlando 32812)  Vienna Meeting Room B 
 We are pleased to announce that on Friday, March 14th at 1pm Florida's 
Director of Drug Control James McDonough and an elected Libertarian, 
California Superior Court Judge Jim Gray (www.judgejimgray.com) will be 
holding a public forum on Florida's drug crisis. This is a moderated 
forum allowing each of four speakers representing the Executive Branch, 
the Judicial Branch, Law Enforcement and Treatment a short introduction 
speech followed by public questions and comments. 
 
Please attend this free forum!
 
Your comments and questions are necessary to bring balance to this 
forum. Judge Jim Gray has come out publicly from the bench against 
prohibitionist policies. Seating will be limited so please arrive early. 
Please distribute this announcement widely.
 
We are still booking Judge Gray's speaking schedule on the 14th and 
15th of March. If you are a member of any civil group that would like to 
introduce Judge Gray to their members please contact FL CAN at 
321-253-3673. 
 
 
"Under a government which imprisons any unjustly, the true place for a 
just man is also in prison." ~ Henry David Thoreau
 Florida Cannabis Action Network
Jodi James, Executive Director
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