cannabisnews.com: Maryland's Marijuana Bill Maryland's Marijuana Bill Posted by CN Staff on April 02, 2003 at 07:58:23 PT Letters To The Editor Source: Washington Times Thank you for running the outstanding article "Veto of medical pot bill urged" (Metropolitan, Monday). I would like to offer the following observations in support of a veto of Maryland's medicinal marijuana legislation. Terrorism takes all forms. Sixteen-thousand young Americans die every year directly from illicit drugs, while a total of 52,000 Americans lose their lives every year in drug-related incidents. Marijuana now rivals heroin and cocaine for drug-related emergency room episodes and leads the pack in psychiatric-related emergencies. Teen suicide is almost always preceded by or precipitated by drug use. Furthermore, most drug users get their first drugs from family members, friends or acquaintances. To stop this mayhem, laws against possession and use need to be stronger, not weakened. "Medicalizing" marijuana is a ruse to sneak drug legalization in the back door, disguised as compassion for the sick. All medical research, including the renowned Institute of Medicine Report, stated that in every instance, approved pharmaceutical drugs outperform smoking dope. So how can encouraging the sick and dying to smoke dope be considered compassionate? The Food and Drug Administration does its best to protect us from the snake oil salesmen and unsafe, unproven concoctions of the past. If what is sanctioned as medicine can be legislated through propaganda campaigns rather than by scientific protocols, are we headed for a return to the dark ages of medicine? Absolutely. SANDRA S. BENNETT Director Northwest Center for Health & Safety Portland, Ore. • I am writing because I believe the Maryland Senate bill legalizing so-called "medicinal" marijuana will only make marijuana more available to Maryland's children. I lost my beloved son, Ian, on Sept. 10, 1996. Ian was a college student and athlete. He had a bright future ahead of him, but it turns out he had started using a little bit of pot at age 14. By the time he was 18, he was using cocaine and, at age 19, heroin. Ian died in his sleep of an overdose. He was 20 years old. I know many other moms who have lost children to drugs, and each of their children started with "a little bit of weed." Please consider that if Maryland makes marijuana legal under the pretense that it is "medicine," it will have a negative impact on the future of not only Maryland's children but the children of our entire country. The implicit message these bills send to children is that marijuana is OK because it's "medicine." Our children need clear guidelines. The message that "marijuana is medicine" is an oxymoron. Most people are aware that tobacco smoking is bad for health. We now know that marijuana is much more carcinogenic than tobacco. Logic should tell legislators marijuana is not "medical." Since Ian's death, my husband and I have developed a community education strategy that we have successfully delivered to schools and parent organizations. We founded the Courage to Speak Foundation Inc., a nonprofit organization, shortly after my son died. Our organization is dedicated to fulfilling my promise to Ian to do everything in my power to prevent what happened to him from happening to others. We have learned many things since Ian's death, and I can assure you that if we fall for the hoax that marijuana is somehow "medicine," then we will be sending a message to children that we will live to regret. GINGER KATZ President and founder Courage to Speak Foundation Inc. Norwalk, Conn.Source: Washington Times (DC)Published: April 02, 2003Copyright: 2003 News World Communications, Inc. Website: http://www.washtimes.com/Contact: letters washingtontimes.comRelated Articles & Web Site:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Veto of Medical Pot Bill Urged http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15829.shtmlMarijuana Morality - Bruce Mirken -- MPP http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15797.shtmlDrug Czar Calls Marijuana Bill Immoralhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15791.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #15 posted by siva on November 21, 2008 at 02:15:12 PT: How sad, I'm all teary HI 420toker.I have read your comments.That's good.This is true. --------- siva maryland drug rehab [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by FoM on April 03, 2003 at 20:02:49 PT Important News Brief from WJZ White House Pushes Ehrlich to Veto Medical Marijuana BillApril 3, 2003(WJZ) (Annapolis, MD) The Bush administration hopes to influence Governor Ehrlich on a controversial state bill. The White House drug czar is asking the governor to veto a law reducing penalties for patients caught smoking marijuana for medical reasons. The state senate approved the measure last week. Governor Ehrlich has supported medical marijuana in the past, but hasn't decided whether he will sign the bill. http://wjz.com/localstories/local_story_093221005.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by freedom fighter on April 02, 2003 at 21:52:16 PT Sam From what I understand, most OD's are due to the user getting a stronger batch than they planned on - a direct consequence of prohibition.I agree and there is another way of overdosing.. for example, one could be shooting up for a year and decide to stop for a week. Then he decides to take the same dosage and quality of the "substance" and can get overdosed that way. And it is not just herion, alcohol will do the same thing.And of course, Cannabis in it's natural form will never overdose anyone.. I can use the word never.You know, they always play that game. If I ask how many have already overdosed on whiskey, they would scream see why we cannot legalize but they always forgot something..While they are harping 52,000 drug overdoses... they never ever mention how many overdosed on good ole whiskey and cannabis..And I wonder why?ff [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by mayan on April 02, 2003 at 16:50:15 PT The Other 80%??? So these two ladies are against the medical marijuana bill? One is from Oregon and the other from Connecticut. It appears that the Washington Times is really reaching to find someone who opposes this bill! What about the people of Maryland? What about the 80% of Americans who support it? What about the sick people who need this medicine to live? Can't you just sense the desperation of the antis? They know that if the Governor of Maryland signs this bill that the momentum is back on our side. Look out! The way out is the way in... Group Pledges to Monitor 9/11 Government Commission: http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/WO0304/S00027.htmTop 11 Questions/Talking Points For 9/11 Commission: http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0303/S00255.htmKaminski's Best 9/11 Sites — 4th Edition: http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00024.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by aocp on April 02, 2003 at 16:34:00 PT 312 Have you ever seen Cheech & Chong's "Up In Smoke"? The outfit Chong wears on the drums is designed to make him look like one big Red, i think. Further, take a look at his behavior before the concert (stumbling around and general disorientation). If i remember right, he's riding on Reds at that point. Not a good drug, IMHO. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by i420 on April 02, 2003 at 13:10:56 PT Pass the salt and pepper, please. I used salt and pepper to explain to my 90 year old grandmother how people die of overdoses. Using pepper as "cocaine" and salt as the "cutting agent". This made a very good visual explanation that ANYONE can understand.My grandmother a GOD fearing woman who has only missed church when she physically couldn't make it due to illness. She agreed marijuana should be legal. I couldn't believe she said it but she did and whats more she really meant it.A friend (B.J. from Bronson What up dude!!)and I ran into a man who lost a son that overdosed from cocaine we were petitioning for http://www.prayes.com he wigged on us for a minute but we explained the TRUTH how his son died of PROHIBITION not COCAINE. We walked away without a signature for our petition but we walked away with the satisfaction of enlightening a person to the TRUTH. Whats more he agreed with the medical use part of our petition but didn't like the "adult personal use". [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on April 02, 2003 at 13:05:55 PT 312 Reds are Secobarbital. Reds were a popular drug for people to take back in the 70s. They often helped people come down after being on a speed high for too long. Not unlike the modern day Go pills and No Go pills they use in the armed services now. Reds are definitely a No Go pill.http://www.behavenet.com/capsules/treatments/drugs/secobarbital.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by 312 on April 02, 2003 at 12:46:09 PT FoM What are 'Reds'?Never heard of them. Are they some sort of red pill from the doctor? [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on April 02, 2003 at 12:29:33 PT 420toker It's ok to get upset. It is easy for us to get angry because of the war on drugs. Hard drugs and Cannabis shouldn't be mentioned together at all but when they want to make an impact that's what they do. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by 420toker on April 02, 2003 at 11:56:56 PT I too must appologize I must say that I do not support any kind of addictive drug use and would encourage everyone to live as healthily as possible. I'm truley sorry for the parents loss and I agree its a useless terrible way to die. These ladies just towed the party line so well I lost my head. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on April 02, 2003 at 11:53:07 PT Sam No you weren't too harsh. What you said is true. A family that suffers a loss of a child from an OD shouldn't blame the drug. As I think of the people that I've known that died I almost knew that they would if that makes sense. I remember meeting a young woman back in the 70s when I wasn't really aware of drugs and their consequences. She was addicted to Reds. I tried to talk to her more then once but to no avail. She wanted me to help her get drugs because the doctor was on to her and was going to cut her off she said. I said NO and she got mad. I never saw her again after that. I read in the paper she died from an overdose a few years later. Some people seem to be on a fast track and no matter how hard you try to help them it just won't work. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Sam Adams on April 02, 2003 at 11:42:54 PT True FOM I hope I didn't sound too nasty, I can't imagine losing a son to something as useless as a drug OD. From what I understand, most OD's are due to the user getting a stronger batch than they planned on - a direct consequence of prohibition.It's hard to be objective when I've been out petitioning for medical MJ and one time I was practically attacked by some guy who's son had OD'd. I'm sorry but cannabis has NOTHING to do with heroin; the vast majority of cannabis users have never touched heroin. I don't support any policy whatsoever that will lead to more teens doing heroin.Think about how stessful it is to have reactionary, neo-conservative ideologues for parents. Believe me I've had my share of hard luck in life and 99.5% of it was because of poor choices or poor performance on my part. And some bad luck. But I don't want to go on some crusade to lock fellow Americans in jail because of my hard knocks. No respect for that. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on April 02, 2003 at 10:34:19 PT Parents Look Inside Maybe it is the way I look at life but parents need to look inside and try to figure out why their children do drugs. Demonizing illegal drugs and at the same time taking your child to the doctor and getting a mind altering substance are part of the same problem. Maybe if an antidote had been available her son might still be alive today. When drugs are illegal people sneak around and do them and I know of a few people who died for that reason. No one was there to help them. If we care about drug addicted people then we need to wake up and deal with this problem honestly. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Sam Adams on April 02, 2003 at 09:56:03 PT Another failed parent.... that wants the world to suffer more as a result of her experience. It won't bring him back, dear. Face it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by 420toker on April 02, 2003 at 09:39:46 PT How sad, I'm all teary The poor guy died from his own ignorance of the drugs he was doing. An ignorance perpetuated by our own government. I have smoked pot, I had tried cocaine and various pills and potions. The one thing I did do is research everything via the internet first, the lycaeum hyperal and paraniod (which was not as available in 1996)I just thank God for the globalness of the internet so I dont have to be relegated to an ostrich with its head in the ground because people I didn't vote for tell me I have to be. I learned what to not do such as panic or counter medicate. I have had drugs that are supposed to be far more addictive than heroin (fentanyl) but these sites gave me the perspective to keep any addictive tendancies in check. Some people are not strong enough to do this and these site offer warnings to them as well. Education is the key.As far as making it more available to kids, I don't see any rugrats running around with a Fentanyl lollipop. They actually make fentanyl lollipops toogo on take a look http://designer-drugs.com/ [ Post Comment ] Post Comment