cannabisnews.com: Feds Should Back Off Pursuit of Pot Patients Feds Should Back Off Pursuit of Pot Patients Posted by CN Staff on November 28, 2003 at 21:39:24 PT Editorial Source: Star-Bulletin Federal prosecution of offenses related to the use of marijuana for medical purposes has resulted in nothing but scorn from judges. Federal law makes distribution or possession of marijuana illegal, even in Hawaii and eight other states that have legalized cannabis for medical use. The experience in prosecution of such cases in California demonstrates that strict enforcement of the law against Hawaii patients would be disruptive. Ed Kubo, the U.S. attorney for Hawaii, says the Justice Department needs to analyze recent court decisions before deciding whether to continue trying to prosecute patients using marijuana. Any review of recent cases should cause them to let Hawaii's medical marijuana program continue.The U.S. Supreme Court ruled two years ago that state law legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes cannot be used as a defense against federal laws prohibiting any use or distribution of marijuana.U.S. District Judge Howard Matz of Los Angeles this week placed on probation three men who pleaded guilty to distributing medical marijuana to patients suffering from AIDS, epilepsy, glaucoma, cancer and other illnesses. The trio had faced prison terms of up to 30 months in prison. Matz called the prosecution at the behest of the Drug Enforcement Administration "badly misguided" and, in reducing the sentences, invoked a legal doctrine pertaining to crimes committed to avoid "a perceived greater harm."In January, a federal judge in San Francisco sentenced a man to a single day in prison for his conviction of distributing marijuana to sick or dying patients. The prosecutor had asked the judge to impose a five-year term. Members of the jury that convicted him were angered upon learning they had been denied information that the marijuana was used for medical purposes.The DEA has tried to punish doctors for recommending the use of marijuana by their patients. However, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, whose jurisdiction includes Hawaii, has ruled that doctors may legally recommend marijuana, and the U.S. Supreme Court last month declined to review the case.Patients use marijuana to reduce muscle stiffness and pain. Physicians disagree about its effectiveness, but a study published this month by The Lancet, a British medical journal, concluded that capsules containing a cannabis extract improved some symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Patients who use marijuana say smoking it is more effective because it enters the bloodstream directly.Note: The Issue: Three Californians have been sentenced to probation for distributing marijuana to patients who used it as medicine.Source: Honolulu Star-Bulletin (HI)Published: Friday, November 28, 2003 Copyright: 2003 Honolulu Star-BulletinContact: letters starbulletin.comWebsite: http://www.starbulletin.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Americans for Safe Access http://www.safeaccessnow.org Oral Cannabis Beneficial To MS, Study Suggests http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17868.shtmlProbation Granted To 3 Who Grew Pot as Medicine http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17860.shtmlDoctors Tread a Thin Line on Marijuana Advicehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17681.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #8 posted by Dankhank on November 30, 2003 at 12:35:50 PT: Six of the Yahoos are ... Gephardt - will be asked (WBA) Mosley-Brown - said we were on the same sheet of music (WBA) Kuchinich - agrees with us Lieberman - (WBA) Dean - agreed to stop raids in CA immediately (WBA) Clark - see earlier post (WBA)come to my site and register to vote ! Hemp N Stuff [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by jose melendez on November 30, 2003 at 12:22:07 PT six? wow! You rock, Dankhank! action portal [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Dankhank on November 30, 2003 at 06:12:12 PT Jose ... Yes ... good point ...I've talked to six of the yahoos once, and I will see them again, where I will be asking for public comments on our issues.Peace and good morning to all who care ...It's 420 somewhere ... [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by jose melendez on November 30, 2003 at 04:20:02 PT waffler next time, ask him to speak more forcefully about that issue in public . . .http://64.177.207.201/pages/8_414.html#29http://www.issues2002.org/2004/Wesley_Clark_Drugs.htm" I don't favor decriminalizing the use of marijuana. I might change my mind on that, but I don't right now favor that." Source: WBUR Public Radio interview Jun 19, 2003 Time: A terrible thing to Waste Prior to Changed Minds. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on November 29, 2003 at 15:45:28 PT DankHank Way to go! [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by dankhank on November 29, 2003 at 15:42:09 PT correct I spoke to the General and asked him if he thought that DEA SWAT goons attacking wheelchair- bound old ladies with automatic weapons 'cause the ladies are dying and want to feel good was good public policy? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Dankhank on November 29, 2003 at 15:39:38 PT: This story ... is one of two from today I used to create a trifold pamphlet for General Clark's greeters in OKC this afternoon. I spoke to the General and asked him if he thought that DEA SWAT goons attacking wheelchair- bound old ladies with automatic weapons 'cause the ladies are dying and want to feel good? He said no ... and then I asked if I could get a pledge from him to stop those raids immediately when he can and he said, "Yes."He also got a copy of the Cannabis Research Library from my hot little hands, that makes six of the Demo yahoos I have contacted personally.We do what we can ...By the way ... you can register to vote online, start at my links page ... hemp n stuff [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by jose melendez on November 29, 2003 at 14:13:56 PT ginkgo Alzheimer's marijuana donezepil epinephrine http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=0005D1A1-2400-1E64-A98A809EC5880105&chanID=sa008 [ Post Comment ] Post Comment