cannabisnews.com: Is Marijuana Medicine?





Is Marijuana Medicine?
Posted by CN Staff on May 12, 2003 at 07:39:23 PT
By Erin Hildebrandt
Source: Baltimore Sun 
Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. has the power to protect the sick and dying in Maryland from going to prison for taking their medicine. To some, the bill legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, which has passed the General Assembly and is before Governor Ehrlich, may seem like just another piece of legislation. But for me its impact will be profoundly personal.
I'm a small-town wife and stay-at-home mother of five who felt compelled to step beyond my ordinary life of hugging my children, finger-painting, baking cookies and visiting playgrounds and testify before state House and Senate committees on behalf of myself and the many Maryland residents who are forced to live in fear of a prison sentence just for trying to feel healthier. Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that frequently leads to obstruction, used to leave me too sick to even get out of bed other than to go to the bathroom or the doctor's office. I was prescribed dozens of dangerous drugs such as Demerol and even endured useless surgical treatments. I spent more hours in hospital emergency rooms than I care to remember. I eventually discovered that marijuana was not only safe, it was also the only effective medicine I had ever tried. Medical marijuana literally gave me my life back. But I also felt tremendous fear of using it because this herbal remedy also is illegal. I was left with a terrible choice: suffer and burden my family by being bedridden or risk arrest and jail to take the medicine that let me live. The medical marijuana bill was named for Darrell Putman, a terminally ill cancer patient from Howard County who was forced to fear arrest, prosecution and imprisonment for using medical marijuana. Mr. Putman's widow has now taken up the fight where he was forced to leave off. He died in 1999 waiting for our legislators to prioritize compassion over politics. How many more have to die before Maryland agrees to honor one simple plea: Stop incarcerating patients? As a mother, I am as concerned as any other parent about the message I send my kids, as well as reducing the chances that they might ever abuse any drugs. To this end, I have been honest with my kids about why I have taken marijuana and explained that marijuana, as any other drug, can be abused. They have no trouble understanding that it's not OK to abuse marijuana, just as it's not OK to abuse Demerol. What they can't understand is why anyone would want to put their mom in jail for taking medicine. I applaud those Maryland leaders who are working to end this continuing travesty of justice, and I believe this legislation is a step in the right direction. However, simply making it legal for a person to present the whole truth in court, after suffering the very real damage of arrest and prosecution, is not enough. It is only the very least we can do. The continuing campaign by John P. Walters, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, against this modest first step toward protecting the sick and vulnerable is embarrassing and offensive. I dare Mr. Walters to walk in my shoes for just one day. Those of us who need medical marijuana are not criminals. Jailing ill patients helps no one, hurts many and puts an even greater strain on an already stretched state budget. We can do better. I implore Governor Ehrlich to protect the weakest and most vulnerable of our citizens by signing the medical marijuana bill into law. Erin Hildebrandt lives in Smithsburg. Source: Baltimore Sun (MD)Author: Erin HildebrandtPublished: Monday, May 12, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Baltimore SunContact: letters baltsun.comWebsite: http://www.sunspot.net/Related Articles & Web Site:Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmDecision To Smoke Pot Shouldn't Involve Doctorhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16262.shtmlStanding Up To Bullies http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15893.shtmlDrug Czar Calls Marijuana Bill Immoralhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15791.shtml 
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Comment #6 posted by paulpeterson on May 16, 2003 at 09:15:13 PT
THE SHRUB WILL USE HIS PORK
It's too bad Elrich is a big R. That means the shrub will buy him out with some federal pork funds. Still, let's all pray he sees this through the eyes of a medical user, not with those pee walters urine tinted lenses.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on May 14, 2003 at 15:49:29 PT
Governor's Veto Deadline Approaching
Portion of article.May 15, 2003* Medical marijuana. Ehrlich has long backed the concept but has not decided whether he will sign the bill, which would reduce penalties to a $100 fine if a judge deems the marijuana was used for medical necessity. One possible problem? Signing the bill could land Ehrlich in hot water with President George W. Bush (R), whose drug czar opposes it.http://www.gazette.net/200320/princegeorgescty/state/158704-1.html
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Comment #4 posted by freedom fighter on May 13, 2003 at 18:31:53 PT
If someone abuse Demerol
No one will even arrest or give this person a fine for abusin Demerol. Just ask Elvis! This is crazy! Sign the dang bill please. A year later we are coming back to ask you why the heck are we stealing from sick people.100$ or 1000$, makes no difference to me. I cannot do that to a sick person. I don't know why anyone would do that. I do'nt think I even want to know why anymore. It takes for a village to grow healthy by staying out of your neighbor's backyard!pazff
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Comment #3 posted by Commonsense on May 12, 2003 at 10:18:19 PT
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush...
It's still better than nothing. It still acknowleges that there is something to medical marijuana and it's a kick in the teeth to dishonest alarmist propagandists like John Walters. Also, with such a low fine it makes it less likely that busting medical users will be a priority. It won't be worth the trouble to make the bust.It would be better if they'd just legalize marijuana for all purposes. Then special medical marijuana laws would be for the most part pointless. But that isn't likely to happen anytime soon. For the time being, any little baby steps should be welcomed. Going after too much at a time just seems to make measures like these easy targets, making it easy for the bad guys to shoot 'em down. I hope the governor signs this thing into law. It's a step in the right direction. It may be just a baby step, but these little baby steps add up and eventually will get us from point "A" to point "B."
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Comment #2 posted by Sam Adams on May 12, 2003 at 09:49:06 PT
Right John
This proposal would set up a clear process for dealing with sick people who must use medical cannabis: Police are instructed to capture patient by force if necessary, criminal arrest, removal to police station, jail unless released by a judge, confiscation of medicine and any gardening equipment, confiscation of any cash, interrogation, patient payment of fees to defense lawyer, trial, then $100 fine.
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Comment #1 posted by John Tyler on May 12, 2003 at 09:33:07 PT
Still not legal
This is a touching article, however I would like to point out that the legislation under consideration does not make medical cannabis legal. The fine for medical cannabis use, if you are caught, is $100. This is a reduction from the normal $1000 fine for non-medical use. In any case, cannabis for whatever use is still illegal, and if you are caught you are subject to being dragged through the American Gulag system if you are sick or not.
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