cannabisnews.com: Silencing Physicians Silencing Physicians Posted by CN Staff on July 14, 2003 at 07:12:51 PT Editorial Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal The Bush administration is making an ill-conceived re-entry into the debate over the medical use of marijuana, and Nevadans may well suffer the consequences. Last week, the administration appealed a decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals which prevented the government from punishing, or even investigating, physicians in California who advised seriously ill patients that medicinal marijuana may be a legitimate treatment for debilitating illness. Recall that voters in California, Nevada and seven other states amended their constitutions to permit the medical use of marijuana. And while the U.S. Supreme Court ruled two years ago that there's no "medical exception" to federal drug laws enabling the state to distribute marijuana to sick people -- even if a voter initiative OK'd the practice -- the decision did not explicitly prohibit the possession and use of the drug for medical purposes. Last week, the White House asked the Supreme Court to overturn the 9th Circuit's decision. The case was brought by patients in California, who challenged a Clinton administration policy that threatened to revoke the medical licenses of any physicians who recommended "Schedule I" drugs (including marijuana) to patients as treatment. The patients charged that this policy violated the First Amendment free-speech rights of doctors and patients, and a trial court agreed. On appeal, the 9th Circuit unanimously affirmed the ruling. Unfortunately, the Bush administration is defending the misguided policy of its predecessors, arguing that the 9th Circuit's ruling prevents drug enforcement officers from "protecting the public." Nonsense. As the trial judge ruled, providing a patient with an illegal substance may well violate the law; merely discussing the possibility does not. Overturning the 9th Circuit's decision would also damage doctor-patient relationships in every state that allows medical marijuana, including Nevada. "This case is about doctors providing honest and accurate medical advice to patients and the government wanting to censor that advice and leave patients to the Internet, their friends and back alley information in order to make medical decisions," Graham Boyd, an ACLU attorney who's representing patients, told The Associated Press. Mr. Boyd is right. The high court should refuse to hear the case.Note: Bush administration unwisely interferes in doctor-patient relationships.Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)Published: Monday, July 14, 2003Copyright: 2003 Las Vegas Review-JournalContact: letters lvrj.comWebsite: http://www.lvrj.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:ACLUhttp://www.aclu.org/Conant vs. Walters & Judge Kozinskihttp://freedomtoexhale.com//cw.htmStates' Rights Tested in Marijuana Court Battles http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16850.shtmlBush Wants Marijuana Ruling Struck Downhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16834.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by goneposthole on July 14, 2003 at 07:58:43 PT diffused psyches The Bush Administration keeps beating their heads against the wall, no matter what the issue. MMJ, the 'war' in Iraq, the floundering economy, you name it, they just won't quit. All designed to bring chaos to an already chaotic world. They have gone from confusion to diffusion. They just keep beating their heads against the wall, and don't even know how good it feels after they quit. Maybe if they would stop doing it all of the time, they would come to their senses. Don't count on it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by MikeEEEEE on July 14, 2003 at 07:50:15 PT It's simple The war against marijuana patients has failed and now they're going after the doctors. Only cold hearted people attack sick people and their doctors. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment