cannabisnews.com: Speakers Discuss Medical Marijuana





Speakers Discuss Medical Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on October 22, 2003 at 23:09:51 PT
By Cindy Brown, Staff Writer
Source: North Texas Daily 
Wednesday was unofficially pronounced "Pot Day" at NT, according to James Quinn of the of rehab, social work and addictions department.Quinn was referring to three speakers who came to the campus Wednesday, to speak on the problems and benefits of legalizing marijuana and other narcotics for medical and recreational purposes.
Christopher Largen, NT alumnus, and George McMahon, one of seven U.S. citizens who has been given permission from the federal government to smoke marijuana for medicinal reasons, spoke Wednesday afternoon in the Golden Eagle Suite in the University Union.Largen and McMahon co-authored the book "Prescription Pot: One Man's Heroic Battle to Legalize Medical Marijuana," which details McMahon's struggle to gain legal use of the drug to fight a debilitating genetic disorder he suffers from called Nail-Patella Syndrome. Quinn stated at the beginning of the lecture that neither he nor Largen and McMahon were promoting the recreational use of marijuana. He added they would not speak on the reasons why opponents to legalized marijuana have said the drug should remain illegal either.Quinn cited two recent studies conducted by the National Institute of Health and the Institute of Medicine, which Quinn said produced "promising" results that marijuana improved the appetites of AIDS patients and others who suffer "wasting syndrome;" he said it also improved neurological and movement disorders, chronic pain and Glaucoma.Quinn also said some of the universal side effects of marijuana use include increased appetite, dry mouth, impaired memory, increased heart rate, slowed reaction time, sedation and feelings of bliss. Largen agreed with Quinn's findings, and reiterated much of the information Quinn had spoken on previously. Largen, who said he realized the positive affects of marijuana use in those who suffer after he saw the benefits first-hand while working with a quadriplegic at NT, explained that he subsequently agreed to help McMahon write a book that detailed reasons for medical marijuana use.McMahon said his physical problems began during his young adult life, and after taking prescription pill after prescription pill, he said he found himself close to death. He said that during his recovery from kidney surgery his appetite plummeted. McMahon said he was hours away from death when another patient in the same hospital offered him a marijuana cigarette, which after smoking made him feel hungry and caused him to want to eat all night.McMahon said that getting legal marijuana has posed numerous problems including his being followed by two FBI agents on a fishing trip to Canada and his difficulty in bringing his medication with him when he travels out of the country.Largen, McMahon and Quinn answered questions from audience members, discussing the affects of marijuana on epilepsy, diabetes and cancer.Howard Wooldridge, former police officer and detective in Michigan and Texas also spoke on Wednesday night about legalizing drugs. Wooldridge, wearing a T-shirt that read "Cops Say Legalize Pot ... Ask Me Why," explained that for the past 30 years, the war on drugs has proved to be ineffective. He said that the only effective way to fight high crime rates, high murder rates and drug use is to end the "prohibition" of drugs."Prohibition is the engine that has driven our crime stats through the roof," Wooldridge said.Wooldridge said that law enforcement "wastes" million sof hours each year "looking under the front seat of vehicles for marijuana" instead of arresting drunk drivers. He said that in his entire career in law enforcement, he never came across an incident where someone was killed because of direct effects of marijuana.Source: North Texas Daily (TX)Author: Cindy Brown, Staff WriterPublished: October 23, 2003Copyright: 2003 North Texas DailyContact: aaw0001 unt.eduWebsite: http://www.ntdaily.com/Related Articles & Web Site:George McMahon's Home Pagehttp://www.trvnet.net/~mmcmahon/Fear of Flying - Fort Worth Weekly http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17643.shtmlPot Smoking Changed Pain-Ridden Author's Life http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17397.shtml
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Comment #2 posted by ekim on October 23, 2003 at 07:44:19 PT
Rep. Barney Frank (Ma)
reminder for radio show-- 
Barney Frank is doing interview Thursday night at 7:00pm he will talk to WIDR radio 89.1 fm radio evolution from WMU in Kalamazoo http://.www.widr.org----- about changing the Fed laws against Med Cannabis States --with 80 % for the law to be changed --surly more lawmakers will stand up for those 80%. see how many are standing. tune in to the Peoples Power Hour. 
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Comment #1 posted by ekim on October 23, 2003 at 07:02:50 PT
Book a Leap speaker at your next event
Howard Wooldridge is one of over 400 officers in Leap.
Current and former members of law enforcement who support drug regulation rather than prohibition. Http://www.leap.ccMission Statement To educate the public, the media, and policy makers, to the failure of current drug policy by presenting a true picture of the history, causes and effects of drug abuse and drug related crime. To create a speakers bureau staffed with knowledgeable and articulate former drug-warriors who describe the impact of current drug policies on: police/community relations; the safety of law enforcement officers and suspects; police corruption and misconduct; and the financial and human costs associated with current drug policies. To restore the public's respect for law enforcement that has been diminished by our involvement in enforcing drug prohibition. To reduce the multitude of harms resulting from fighting the war on drugs by ultimately ending drug prohibition. 
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