cannabisnews.com: Expert Says Pot Best Hope for Kubby
Expert Says Pot Best Hope for Kubby
Posted by CN Staff on April 11, 2003 at 16:12:49 PT
By Camille Bains, The Canadian Press
Source: Canadian Press
Vancouver -- Medical marijuana is the best treatment for an American refugee claimant suffering from a rare disease, a cancer specialist testified Friday. Steve Kubby would have a heart attack, stroke or kidney failure if he did not take cannabis for medical purposes because other treatments would either be too dangerous or ineffective, Dr. Joseph Connors told a refugee hearing.
Kubby has a large malignant tumour resulting from adrenal cancer and marijuana helps lower the excessive level of a chemical called catecholamine in his blood, said Connors, of the B.C. Cancer Agency. It's normal for the catecholamine or adrenaline level in the adrenal gland to rise briefly when a person is extremely frightened or stressed, leading the heart to beat faster and the blood pressure to rise. But a sustained high level of catecholamines is dangerous and needs to be suppressed, Connors said under questioning by lawyer Gordon Starr, opposing Kubby's refugee bid on behalf of Canada's Citizenship and Immigration Department. Kubby, 57, moved to Sechelt, B.C., with his wife and two young daughters in May 2001. Health Canada granted him permission last August to grow and smoke pot for medicinal purposes. Kubby was convicted in the United States of possessing peyote and one magic mushroom stem and found not guilty of any marijuana offences. But the former Lake Tahoe, Calif., resident's three days in jail without pot almost killed him, Kubby has said. "I would expect that within hours of not using any marijuana - 24 to 48 hours maximum - that he would begin to have high blood pressure, rapid heart rate and dry mouth ... and those symptoms would get worse in subsequent days," Connors said. California passed Proposition 215 seven years ago to allow medicinal marijuana but patients who use it are still prosecuted by the United States' federal court. Kubby said Connors had tried other treatments such as alpha blockers, but that they couldn't control the symptoms of his disease. Chemotherapy to damage the cancer cells also wouldn't work for Kubby, who needs to deal with his catecholamine level on a daily basis, Connors said. Kubby once tried an experimental radioactive treatment in Edmonton, although there isn't any evidence it had any effect on his tumour, the doctor said. Kubby was diagnosed with adrenal cancer in 1975 and began using marijuana a few years later at the suggestion of a friend. Connors said it's "remarkable" that Kubby has lived with his condition for so long when patients usually die within five years. "He's had a much larger medical survival for his condition than is normally seen," said Connors, who sees virtually every adrenal cancer patient in British Columbia - usually one to three people a year. While patients with other types of cancers and illnesses take marijuana to relieve their symptoms, people like Kubby use it to survive, he said. Although he hasn't known any other adrenal cancer patients who use pot, Connors said he was surprised to learn of its effectiveness from Kubby's case and would think about recommending it to others. Kubby's wife Michele, who is representing him at the hearing but is not a lawyer, refused to question Connors because she said it would set a dangerous precedent to have doctors testify about the medical use of marijuana. "If doctors believe they will be called before an inquiry such as this to explain their professional judgments, then doctors will only become reluctant to support medical cannabis patients." Source: Canadian Press Author: Camille Bains, The Canadian Press Published: Friday, April 11, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Canadian PressRelated Articles & Web Sites:Pot TV Newshttp://www.pot-tv.netThe Drug War Refugees http://freedomtoexhale.com/smk.htm Pot-Smoking Refugee Claimant Would Be Prosecutedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15931.shtmlMedical Marijuana User Claims Persecution in UShttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15907.shtmlU.S. Pot Advocate Seeks Refugee Status in Canada http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15662.shtml
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Comment #15 posted by afterburner on April 14, 2003 at 19:29:12 PT:
Kubby News from CBC and Pot-tv.
CBC TV: POT REFUGEE? http://www.pot-tv.net/ram/pottvshowse1883.ram Running Time: 7 min
Date Entered: 14 Apr 2003 The Pot TV News for April 14, 2003
Pot TV News with Steve and Michele Kubby
Running Time: 23 min
http://www.pot-tv.net/ram/pottvshowse1882.ram with Loretta Nall and Alan YoungDon't stop. Keep on. Don't stop. Keep on. Don't stop. Keep on. -Movin' on. ego destruction or ego transcedence, that is the question.
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Comment #14 posted by FoM on April 13, 2003 at 22:04:22 PT
ekim
That would be good. Cheech and Chong might be doing a movie together again I've read. I hope so. Thanks for telling me when you were there.
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Comment #13 posted by ekim on April 13, 2003 at 21:44:06 PT
yes FoM it was from 67-9
you know the story about the man that turned into a bat. that should be made into a movie. cheech and chong would be great, show the people what it was like having such liers outlawing one of the greatest plants on earth. than fast forward to 88 and the DEA lawjudge MR. Young when he said Cannabis was one of the safest herbs on earth. still the gov't lies ck out what Dick Cowan said, that the DA that is pushing to have Mr. Kubby back in jail does not have cancer. after the best cancer DR. in canada just said otherwise www.marijuananews.com
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on April 13, 2003 at 14:13:05 PT
ekim
Do you mind me asking you when you served in Nam? It's ok if you don't want to answer. My husband was there from 69 to 71. He came home after his first tour and went back within six months. Thanks.
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on April 12, 2003 at 22:41:34 PT
afterburner
I'm watching the second link you posted now. We turned off the news and watched a movie tonight. Enjoy Bob Marley and Annabelle. She's cool! LOL!
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Comment #10 posted by afterburner on April 12, 2003 at 22:32:48 PT:
It Cheered Me Up.
I'm saving the CBC one for tomorrow.Every time I plant a seed, they say kill them before they grow.Lively up yourself, and don't say no. I'm just relaxing with a little Bob Marley from One Love: The Very Best of Bob Marley & the Wailers. Annabelle loves dancing to this album. She lively ups herself.ego destruction or ego transcendence, that is the question.
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on April 12, 2003 at 22:18:15 PT
afterburner
It was great! They must win! They just must!
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on April 12, 2003 at 22:06:41 PT
Thanks afterburner!
I'm watching it now. I looked but I couldn't figure out how to find it on the channel. Thanks again!
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Comment #7 posted by afterburner on April 12, 2003 at 22:00:00 PT:
ekim and FoM and Interested Others
I don't know if it's the same show that ekim saw on Friday, but it is The National and it is Steve Kubby's story. I have seen this one before. Maybe some of you have too. If not, here it is:Newshawks: Steve Kubby, Medical Marijuana Refugee Pot-TV News anchor and medical marijuana patient Steve Kubby is the topic of this extensive CBC story regarding Steve's fight for refugee status in Canada instead of facing almost certain death at the hands of US Federal Authorities. Running Time: 14 min
Date Entered: 12 Apr 2003 http://www.pot-tv.net/ram/pottvshowse1879.ram Another Pot-TV show is about Canadian cannabis history from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC):Excerpts from the CBC Marijuana Archives Some bits of Canadian Cannabis History that can be found in CBC's extensive marijuana archives. Excerpts here include 1967 clip of Canada's first Headshop. A 1969 panel discusses decriminilization. The Gasstown Riot of 1971. Coverage of 1972's LeDain Commision Report. A 1975 comparison between alcohol and marijuana with intoxicated participants. A 1980 news show asks the question "What is Marijuana?" and answers with vintage clips of Thai Sticks and Columbian. Check out more clips at the CBC link below. Running Time: 1 hr 3 min
Date Entered: 09 Apr 2003 http://www.pot-tv.net/ram/pottvshowse1868.ram
And last, but certainly not least, is a Pot-TV show on vapourizers (Canadian spelling) or vaporizers (American spelling). How ever you spell it, it provides safe medical relief for many ailments:Vapourizers -
Miscellaneous with Pot-TV -
Running Time: 6 min
Date Entered: 12 Apr 2003
Viewer Rating: 7.40 (3 votes)
Number of Views: 286
Classic Pharmaceuticals, in association with Alternative Health Systems, has recently released a 5 minute video introduction to vaporizers, with a quick look at some of the different models available. A high resolution VHS copy of this program can be purchased through the courtesy link on the show-page.
http://www.pot-tv.net/ram/pottvshowse1876.ram ego destruction or ego transcendence, that is the question.BTW, Annabelle says "Hi'." ;~)
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Comment #6 posted by ekim on April 12, 2003 at 17:27:16 PT
Fri nite on National
Ch 366 on dir tv last nite had a great show on Mr. Kubby. IT was the National that comes from Canada. I think it was around 11 pm . Very positive and showed all sides. Steve is a stand up guy. No one could even think of making fun of him. His wife and two little girls had such a loving and caring family vibes -- I thought man this war on the people is so out side anything American values stand for its sickining. A week ago Fri on the Diane Rehm show on NPR raido. Diane had as her guest the latest Head of Mental Health the show was how many of us are really depressed so much so that a very large number decide to leave this planet instead of finding ways to make it more frendly to them. I was the next-last caller and had to listen but could not say anthing as the time was up and the show ended. I wanted to say--Hello Diane thank you for all you have done to help the people with your show. I was a V.N. vet and wanted to beleive that I was helping another country be free just like the troops are being told today. Having put myself on the line which took all I had to give. Have you any idea of how depressed I feel when I see the Fed. Gov't. go in to a State and fight with those citizens that want to make a change to the drug laws that more rightly reflect the feelings of the people of that State. For the Fed.Gov't. to take away the people's right to vote and offer compassion to others is not Moral, you do not have the right to tell lies about someone just because you do not like them ---- that is the first lesson that most every educated person tries to teach eachother.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on April 11, 2003 at 22:53:17 PT
Just a Comment
I just want Steve to win. I can only imagine the stress this has them under. Good Luck Steve and Michele!
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Comment #4 posted by Sam Adams on April 11, 2003 at 22:27:18 PT
Go Steve!
It's really amazing that he has managed to make something positive out of the misfortune of cancer. Canada's basically having a 2-week hearing on the fairness of US marijuana laws. How could any objective person not recognize that there's a witch hunt after the Kubbys in the US?
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Comment #3 posted by Lehder on April 11, 2003 at 21:31:30 PT
run
"Ottawa — Canada is
negotiating with the United
States to hand over
information collected by
Canadian border guards so
the Americans can monitor
who leaves their country,
government sources say. The move is a bid to avoid
logjams at the border when
the United States puts in
place new security
measures requiring checks
on all who leave."http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20030410.uimmi0410/BNStory/National/?query=borderNow the border will be equipped to keep us in - a "Berlin Wall." Other articles tell how Canadian bureaucrats are working overtime and falling behind in processing all the new landed immigrants from the U.S.I really think US is headed for full totalitarianism, more violence, more repression, more incarceration, genocide. Remember, the pResident is a serial executioner. It's all frightening to a lot more than just me. The smart and the able are outta here."German citizens were kept in a constant state of fear that their country might be
attacked by its enemies. Complete faith in the judgment of the Nazi leaders was
the measuring stick of devotion to one's country and national pride was the
noblest of virtues. Initially, the rest of the world and the German intelligentsia regarded Hitler
alternately as a bully or a buffoon. However, Hitler had the common touch. His
popularity within Germany grew, despite the flagging economy, especially after
the Reichstag fire. More and more, the German people trusted in him implicitly to
protect Germany and lead it to greatness.""It also gives us a very special, secret pleasure to see how unaware the people
around us are of what is really happening to them."
-- Adolf Hitlerhttp://www.mikehersh.com/Lest_We_Forget.shtml
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Comment #2 posted by The GCW on April 11, 2003 at 21:26:48 PT
Petition to end the UN's drug war
http://www.hempbc.com/articles/2911.html http://www.radicalparty.org/lia_paa_appeal/index_en.phpFor thirty years, political leaders have refused to reform drug laws despite mounting public pressure, pointing to the UN convention against drugs, which has been signed by Canada, Britain, Germany, Italy, France, the US, and a host of countries throughout the world. By signing the convention, our countries have promised to continue persecuting millions of people for possessing, cultivating or distributing euphoric plants.Finally there's something you can do about it. A group of committed European Union (EU) parliamentarians have drafted a petition asking the UN to reform its anti-drug convention. As of this writing, the petition has been signed by 210 legislators from over 20 countries and by thousands of private citizens.The petition was drafted by the EU's Parliamentarians for Antiprohibitionist Action, a group spearheaded by the Italy-based Transnational Radical Party's Marco Cappato, an elected member of the European Union's parliament.- Sign the petition at: www.radicalparty.org/lia_paa_appeal/index_en.php
- See the next issue of Cannabis Culture for more on the Transnational Radical Party and their latest efforts to end the worldwide drug war.
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Comment #1 posted by mayan on April 11, 2003 at 18:23:48 PT
Don't Murder Kubby!
"Connors said it's "remarkable" that Kubby has lived with his condition for so long when patients usually die within five years." Yet more evidence that cannabis is medicine! I sure hope they let Kubby stay in Canada. It would be nothing short of murder to send him back to Amerika.Goodbye, truth...Report from Baghdad: US Army Commander in Iraq Says City Not Yet Liberated:
http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=F058FB52-C43F-48E3-B2A849EFBD8BE4FAPro-US Rally in Baghdad was a Fraud!
http://chicago.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=24361STAGING THE FALL OF SADDAM HUSSEIN'S STATUE:
http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=30996HELP SPREAD THE WORD about the April 12, 2003, National March on Washington D.C.
http://www.iacenter.org/a12_spread-word.htmDid Sept 11 victims die for Enron?
http://www.btinternet.com/~nlpwessex/Documents/WATEnronSept11.htm"Oh Lucy! - You Gotta Lotta'Splainin To Do" - A TIMELINE SURROUNDING SEPTEMBER 11TH:
http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/02_11_02_lucy.html
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