cannabisnews.com: Santa Cruz Clinic Leads Medical Marijuana Charge
Santa Cruz Clinic Leads Medical Marijuana Charge
Posted by CN Staff on August 11, 2003 at 09:09:49 PT
By Eric Bailey, Times Staff Writer
Source: Los Angeles Times
Santa Cruz — As another summer day fades, the sick and dying begin to gather.An elderly woman leans unsteadily on her walker. A hip young paraplegic fellow glides his electric wheelchair past a dapper old man clutching a cane. Men wiry with AIDS sidle into folding chairs in the cramped meeting hall. A blind man hunkers at the edge of the throng. There is talk of housing and finances, discussions of dipping health and impending death.
They finish by flouting federal law.Marijuana, deemed illegal by the U.S. for any purpose, is dispensed in small baggies to the group, most of them terminally ill with AIDS or cancer. They say their brand of medicine, justified under California's 1996 medicinal marijuana initiative, brings relief from pain and suffering.But it has also brought the federal government down on the 220-member Santa Cruz collective, the Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana. Last year, drug agents arrested WAMM's founders, Valerie and Mike Corral, during a raid of the group's small pot garden on a secluded hillside terrace up the coast.The bust, part of a broader campaign by the Bush administration to trip up California's medical marijuana movement, prompted a publicity backlash. With the national media watching, Santa Cruz council members invited WAMM activists to conduct their weekly pot handout at City Hall.Now the city and county of Santa Cruz, a liberal bastion, have joined the medical marijuana collective in a lawsuit against Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft and the U.S. government.Despite the unequivocal U.S. stance against marijuana, these advocates argue that their cultivation and use of pot — approved by Santa Cruz police, free of profit motive, unfettered by illegal transport over state lines — is a constitutionally protected right that trumps federal narcotics laws. They want to grow marijuana free of federal raids.U.S. officials, who consider medical marijuana a Trojan horse for the drug legalization movement, counter that the law prohibits the use of pot by anyone, even the seriously ill. A federal judge in San Jose is expected to decide the case within the month.Whatever the ruling, the legal battle appears destined to end up at the U.S. Supreme Court. Gerald Uelmen, the University of Santa Clara law professor who served on O.J. Simpson's defense team and now represents WAMM, figures he's found the perfect test case, "the gold standard" for a credible medical marijuana dispensary.Like a HospiceFifty or more cannabis clubs sprang up after voters approved California's Proposition 215. Few are left. Some storefront outfits fostered a party atmosphere, selling pot to anyone with a doctor's note, no questions asked.WAMM earned credibility as a watertight dispensary, a mix of button-down pharmacy and socialist farming collective. Patients are carefully screened, then sign a pledge to treat their pot like a prescription drug, sharing it with no one. Each doctor recommendation is vetted for authenticity."They've created a system that's more like a hospice than anything else," Uelmen says. "I've heard people compare Valerie to Mother Teresa. She's motivated by compassion."WAMM has won civic proclamations and plaudits from state leaders. It has also seen 140 patients pass away. Snapshots of the departed dot a wall at its headquarters, a corrugated-steel building also harboring a surfboard maker. Since the raid, 14 have died. Valerie Corral has been at nearly every bedside.Such humanitarian acts aren't lost on U.S. officials. Special Agent Richard Meyer, a Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman, says he understands Corral's devotion. But he finds her embrace of marijuana as a cure-all more than a bit disingenuous."Everyone knows this is simply a recreational drug," he says. "I don't think it's remarkable to give dying people something unproven as medicine. There's a lot more ways to help the sick than handing out marijuana."Talking PoliticsAt 6:30 p.m., Valerie Corral calls WAMM's weekly meeting to order.First up is political chatter. Corral is 51, with dark hair and a peaceful soul. But on this night she is Mother Teresa with an attitude. She rails against President Bush for pushing to punish doctors who recommend pot."It's the war against California medical marijuana amping up," she tells the 50 patients. "But there's still a Bill of Rights. It's shredded, but we're slowly pasting it back together."The crowd hoots. Snipped:Complete Article: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-me-pot11aug11000416,1,2416795.story Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)Author: Eric Bailey, Times Staff Writer Published: August 11, 2003Copyright: 2003 Los Angeles TimesContact: letters latimes.comWebsite: http://www.latimes.com/Related Articles & Web Site:WAMMhttp://www.wamm.org/Pot Shots - Metro Santa Cruz http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16979.shtmlJudge Seeks Help From Pot Advocates http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16779.shtmlProponents Say DEA Raid on Pot Farm was Illegalhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16774.shtml
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on August 12, 2003 at 23:10:06 PT
Gary E- Mailed Me About A Banner
He asked if we could put a banner on CNews in Cheryl's memory. I think it's a good idea. I forwarded it to Matt.
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on August 12, 2003 at 23:05:52 PT
Thanks Richard
You didn't forget to post it but it is well worth posting again!http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread17017.shtml#20
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Comment #6 posted by Richard Lake on August 12, 2003 at 23:05:45 PT:
Cheryl Miller Memorial Project
On Monday and Tuesday, September 22 and 23, 2003, Cheryl Miller's family and friends will join with medical marijuana supporters to memorialize her life and contributions to the medical marijuana movement. Though she was paralyzed by decades of multiple sclerosis, Cheryl and her husband and caregiver Jim waged a long and courageous battle so patients like Cheryl would not have to suffer when a safe medicine, marijuana, could be easily available were it not for politics keeping it illegal and out of the hands of those who could benefit. Cheryl's long struggle came to an end on June 7, 2003.As most of her friends were unable to make memorials in New Jersey and her native Oklahoma, Jim decided that it would be fitting to have a memorial for Cheryl in Washington, D.C., a city she had visited 10 times to help educate people about medical marijuana. For years, Cheryl had been wanting to do a candlelight vigil in Washington, but unfortunately that wish was not fulfilled in her lifetime.It will be fulfilled the evening of Monday, September 22, 2003, outside the U.S. Supreme Court. On Tuesday September 23, there will be a press conference and a day for medical marijuana patients and supporters to visit congressional offices to educate elected representatives about the realities patients face each day. And supporters who cannot make it to Washington will be encouraged to contact elected representatives in Washington in a coordinated national call-in day and participate in other local actions.The Cheryl Miller Memorial Project is a collaboration of a number of drug policy reform groups and individuals including:The Cherylheart Project, Is My Medicine Legal YET?, Americans for Safe Access, Drug Policy Alliance, Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, DrugSense, DRCNET, MPP, NORML, Ohio Patient Network, SSDP, Ron Crickenberger - Libertarian for Congress; with more participants to be announced.The Project's website is nearing completion at:http://www.cheryldcmemorial.org/Today we are asking for help in having one of the banners found at:http://cheryldcmemorial.org/banners.htmadded to websites, and linked to the Project website.Thank you for your assistance!Gary Storck gstorck immly.org for the Cheryl Miller Memorial Project
Cheryl Miller Memorial Project
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Comment #5 posted by Richard Lake on August 12, 2003 at 23:01:49 PT:
RealAudio on Medical Canabis by Dr. Russo
Don't remember if I posted this before, but again can't hurt. IMHO this is one of the most informative audio hours on medical cannabis I have had the pleasure of listening to:Dr. Ethan Russo, noted expert in headaches and the clinical use of cannabis, was OPN's guest at the August Patient Forum Thursday evening which was participated in by about two dozen patients. Dr. Russo answered questions on a wide range of cannabis as medicine topics.The superb forum is now available as a low bandwidth RealAudio file at:http://drugpolicycentral.com/real/opn/opn7aug.rmDr. Russo is editor of the Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics (see http://www.haworthpressinc.com/store/product.asp?sku=J175 ). He also conducted the "Chronic Cannabis Use in the Compassionate Investigational New Drug Program: An Examination of Benefits and Adverse Effects of Legal Clinical Cannabis," which examined the overall health status of four of the seven remaining patients in the Compassionate Investigational New Drug (IND) program of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).One of Dr. Russo's principle areas of interest lies in headaches, particularly migraine headaches. He has submitted several protocols to the FDA to study the effectiveness of cannabis-based treatments in migraine headaches and was finally approved to conduct a clinical study in 1999. He has also authored a historical review of cannabis therapy in obstetrics and gynecology.The Ohio Patient Network is a non-profit coalition of patients, caregivers, medical professionals, concerned citizens, and organizations who support the compassionate use of cannabis for various medicinal purposes. Information about OPN can be found at http://www.ohiopatient.net
Realaudio on Medical Cannabis
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Comment #4 posted by JustGetnBy on August 11, 2003 at 16:51:30 PT
Sold Your soul!!!
This guy has sold his soul for a paycheck, retirement & health care coverage.
Moments before he departs this life is going to be a sad time,..............because he's gonna regret the terrible heart-less, immoral, cruel things he has said and done.
PottedPrimate
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Comment #3 posted by goneposthole on August 11, 2003 at 13:42:08 PT
Special Agent Richard Meyer
WAMM has won civic proclamations and plaudits from state leaders. It has also seen 140 patients pass away. Snapshots of the departed dot a wall at its headquarters, a corrugated-steel building also harboring a surfboard maker. Since the raid, 14 have died. Valerie Corral has been at nearly every bedside.Such humanitarian acts aren't lost on U.S. officials. Special Agent Richard Meyer, a Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman, says he understands Corral's devotion. But he finds her embrace of marijuana as a cure-all more than a bit disingenuous. Special Agent Richard Meyer may one day live to regret
such callousness. Valerie Corral has no regrets. Her compassion trumps Mr. Meyer's lame attempt to discredit her.
His 'proclamations' are sheer idiocy. Since he is duty bound to refrain from imbibing in cannabis use, it is ignorance. That's prohibition.
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Comment #2 posted by Ethan Russo MD on August 11, 2003 at 10:38:19 PT:
Meeting Reminder
This is a reminder about the Cannabis and Pain Seminar as part of the American Academy of Pain Management meeting on Thursday September 4th in Denver. Here is a brief notice:http://cannabisculture.com/articles/2834.htmland here is the AAPM meeting brochure in PDF format:http://www.aapainmanage.org/conference/AttendeeBrochure2003.pdfWe would love to have a good turnout by the cannabis community. It would be particularly helpful to try to have your physicians attend, learn, and earn Continuing Medical Education credit.
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Comment #1 posted by Dark Star on August 11, 2003 at 09:29:10 PT
DEA Knows Best
"Everyone knows this is simply a recreational drug," he says. "I don't think it's remarkable to give dying people something unproven as medicine. There's a lot more ways to help the sick than handing out marijuana."When DEA has medical licensure, they might be qualified to make such statements. They are either ignorant, or lying. Neither is worthy of this nation.
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