cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijuana in Minneapolis





Medical Marijuana in Minneapolis
Posted by CN Staff on December 02, 2003 at 19:15:32 PT
By Aaron Neumann
Source: Pulse of the Twin Cities 
Of all the negative consequences of marijuana prohibition, none is as tragic as the denial of medicinal marijuana to those who could (and already do) benefit from its use — the disabled, sick and dying. This includes cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, AIDS patients suffering from “wasting syndrome,” glaucoma patients, and those suffering from chronic pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and a variety of spastic conditions such as multiple sclerosis, paraplegia, quadriplegia, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy.
This is why a group of concerned citizens and advocates, primarily students at the University of Minnesota Law School, are doing something about it. Last week, the group (called COHR—Citizens Organized for Harm Reduction) started gathering signatures to put a medical marijuana amendment to Minneapolis voters in the November 2004 election. The amendment seeks to “require that the City Council shall authorize, license, and regulate a reasonable number of medical marijuana distribution centers in the city of Minneapolis as is necessary to provide services to patients who have been recommended medicinal marijuana by a medical or osteopathic doctor licensed to practice in the state of Minnesota to the extent permitted by state and federal law.”If passed, the amendment will not immediately start a medical marijuana program in the city. Instead, it sets a framework for a medical marijuana system in Minneapolis where private distributors would be licensed and monitored by the city to distribute marijuana to certified patients. The system will, however, immediately take effect upon passage of a state law permitting medical marijuana. This is somewhat of a grim prospect for patients most in need, as many medical marijuana bills have been considered in the state legislature since 1995, to no avail. This includes numerous efforts led by Rep. Karen Clark (DFL - 61A) on passages of a variety of medical marijuana legislation — from establishing an affirmative defense for those with debilitating medical conditions charged with marijuana possession and/or sale — to most recently, working with the Ventura Administration’s Depts. Of Health and Public Safety on legislation that would provide a state marijuana medical use research grant with an appropriation of $100,000. There have been signs of hope in the state legislature that the choice of medical marijuana will be treated from a health perspective as opposed to a criminal justice one. A group of medical marijuana patients and advocates, including George McMahon — one of eight legal medical marijuana patients that are supplied medicinal marijuana by the U.S. federal government—advocated for the Compassionate Use Act during the 2001 legislative session. The Compassionate Use Act, courageously sponsored by Rep. Phyllis Kahn (DFL-59B) and Sen. John Marty (DFL–54), is a bill to protect seriously ill patients from prosecution for physician-supervised medicinal use of marijuana (allowing patients and caregivers to “grow their own”). Ten states currently have such laws (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington). Eight of those laws were passed by citizen initiative (Hawaii and Maryland were both passed legislatively), a process that does not exist in Minnesota (although oddly advocated for by state Republicans every year, lead by now House Majority Leader Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-52B), and opposed by the DFL).Due to the Legislature’s continuous rejection of medical marijuana proposals, and despite poll numbers consistently showing statewide support of over 60 percent, citizens concerned that medical marijuana will yet again be ignored at the state level have launched a campaign to put the issue to voters in the city of Minneapolis. Third year law student, Aaron Marcus, who is also National Treasurer for Students for a Sensible Drug Policy -- http://www.ssdp.org -- is one of the electors and a key organizer for the drive.“Thousands of Minnesotans suffer from debilitating medical conditions that make each day a struggle and find traditional medicines ineffective. Marijuana has been shown to diminish pain and allow some relief from their illness while doing so with relative safety.” Marcus adds, “This amendment sends a strong message to state and federal lawmakers that laws prohibiting medical marijuana need to be changed.” This is the first time the issue of medical marijuana has been put to the voters in Minnesota. In order to place the proposed amendment on the November 2004 city ballot, organizers need to collect approximately 7,800 valid signatures by next August (5 percent of the total votes from the last municipal election).The level of support for safe access to medical marijuana demonsrated by opinion polls and voter initiatives leaves no reason for the State of Minnesota to have stymied the issue for the past eight years. Yet, patients in Minnesota are still forced to rely on a “criminal” underground to provide their choice of medicine that works best for them. Thank goodness that Minneapolis residents concerned for our own disabled, sick and dying are finally being given the opportunity to make a statement for positive change.For more information or to contribute/volunteer, please contact Aaron Marcus at:  marc0177 umn.edu or just call 612-237-1734. Note: Local group kicks off petition drive to put law into city charter.Source: Pulse of the Twin Cities (MN)Author: Aaron NeumannPublished: Wednesday, November 26, 2003Copyright: 2003 Pulse of the Twin CitiesContact: editor pulsetc.comWebsite: http://www.pulsetc.com/Related Articles:Students Aim To Legalize Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17859.shtmlU.S. War on Drugs Sparks Dialoguehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15834.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by Virgil on December 02, 2003 at 19:41:29 PT
Did you say marijuana prohibition?
Of all the negative consequences of marijuana prohibitionIt used to be a rare thing to see the word prohibition in an article. CP is the question or maybe to CP or not to CP, is the question? CP is certainly no answer.
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