cannabisnews.com: Key Court Victories Boost Medical Marijuana Key Court Victories Boost Medical Marijuana Posted by CN Staff on December 23, 2003 at 11:20:48 PT By Eric Bailey, Times Staff Writer Source: Los Angeles Times Sacramento — After struggling for years against the federal government's prohibition of marijuana, activists in the medical cannabis movement scored several victories in 2003 — and say next year could produce a key showdown in the legal debate over pot as medicine.In June, well-known medical marijuana activist Ed Rosenthal avoided prison in a case that received national attention. Eight jurors told a federal judge they would have acquitted the self-proclaimed "Guru of Ganja," had they known he was cultivating cannabis for the ill. The U.S. Supreme Court waded in with an October ruling that doctors in California and other Western states do not risk federal investigation or punishment if they choose to recommend the use of marijuana by their patients.Last week, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals produced the most significant victory yet for patients who use medical marijuana, saying the federal government cannot prosecute them as long as they cultivate their own cannabis or obtain it for free."This has been an amazing year, from Ed Rosenthal up through last week's decision," said Steph Sherer, executive director of Americans for Safe Access, a Berkeley-based advocacy group for medical marijuana. "We're very close to a time when patients can focus on getting better instead of fighting the federal government."Several legal cases winding through the federal courts are expected to reach critical junctures in the coming year, pushing the exhausting, seven-year struggle over medical marijuana toward resolution.Federal officials remain committed to blocking a movement that has seen California and eight other states legalize medical cannabis in a direct rebuke to federal law.Complete Title: Key Court Victories Boost Medical Marijuana Movement Snipped:Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/victories.htmSource: Los Angeles Times (CA)Author: Eric Bailey, Times Staff WriterPublished: December 23, 2003 Copyright: 2003 Los Angeles TimesContact: letters latimes.comWebsite: http://www.latimes.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:WAMMhttp://www.wamm.org/Americans For Safe Accesshttp://www.safeaccessnow.org/Ed Rosenthal's Pictures and Newshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/trialpics.htmAppeals Court Sets Aside Federal Marijuana Lawhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17975.shtmlFederal Appeals Court OKs Medical Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17974.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by jose melendez on December 24, 2003 at 14:16:22 PT Ed (njweedman.com) Forchion Running for Congress here's my LTE, sent to:Inquirer.Letters phillynews.com Congratulations to Ed Forchion, running for Congress as a member of the U.S. Marijuana Party. By lighting a joint in public on federal land, he strikes a giant blow against arbitrary and unfair drug laws, which were enacted through and are maintained by deception and fraud.Those who bother to check may confirm that drug prohibition substantially increases youth access, substance abuse and homicide rates; just as during alcohol prohibition. Most people eventually quit smoking pot, unlike the taxed, legally addictive and deadly products available in almost every convenience store, supermarket and liquor store. Manufacturers of those products would be forced to compete with far safer, legalized marijuana. Accordingly, it is my contention that drug warriors violate Article III, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, not to mention long established restraint of trade, monopoly and antitrust laws. Got hypocrisy? Arrest a drug warrior. It's the law! Jose Melendez DeLand, FLI bet $1 they will not print it. Doesn't Yippie owe me a beer? Or, did you say you are in high school? In that case, I'd much prefer a bong hit.That said, I'd run for office if someone bankrolled me . . .see: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1976/a09.html?397MARIJUANA ACTIVIST USES ACT OF DEFIANCE TO LAUNCH CAMPAIGN Newly off probation, Ed Forchion of Browns Mills announced a bid for the U.S. House, then lit up. Call it a joint announcement. A South Jersey advocate for the liberalization of marijuana laws declared his candidacy for the U.S. House at Independence National Historical Park by - how else? - lighting up a marijuana cigarette. Not that he got a chance to smoke it. After just a few tokes Saturday afternoon, a phalanx of 17 park rangers surrounded Ed Forchion, also known as NJ Weedman. The rangers confiscated the candidate's joint, and Forchion, 44, was issued a $150 ticket for possession of a controlled substance. Minutes before, while standing between Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Pavilion, Forchion said he intended to run as the U.S. Marijuana Party's candidate for the seat held by Republican Jim Saxton in New Jersey's Third Congressional District. The district extends across Burlington and Ocean Counties and includes a few neighborhoods in Camden County. - snippedsee also: http://www.njweedman.com/ criminalize prohibition [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by paulpeterson on December 24, 2003 at 07:43:47 PT Ryan refused to use medical marijuana law also Illinois governor George Ryan blocked hemp bills in 2000 & 2001. In 2001 I contacted his office and informed the staff that Illinois has had a medical marijuana law since 1971 (720 ILCS 550, sections 1, 11 & 15). I was seeking his support for my efforts to invoke that law for mood regulation issues. He contacted his buddies at ABBOTT LABS (the gov. is a frickin pharmacist!) and got back at me with the quip: "let the drug companies do it". Right after that the state department that I had gained some consensus with (DHS) then sent me a "get outa town" letter. Since he blocked their cooperation, I lost my law license (I just went back to the Illinois Supreme Court for the 6th time with my brief on appeal).Then some citizen suggested to him that Illinois pass a MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL. His response: "We already have a medical marijuana law here, so we don't need to pass one!"Obviously, I am as happy as most that this fish is finally getting fouled. With so much weaseling over the years, he will have a tough time getting around those 32 counts!The problem is, our new democratic governor has been as recalcitrant so far. The only real light here is that this guy is pushing against drug companies (that "get your drugs from Canada & save money" push). I'll contact him again and suggest that he "threaten" at least, to invoke the Illinois Medical Marijuana law as an attempt to save seniors some $ on their drugs, to blackmail the feds to at least open the Canada drug door! Either way he stands up to the feds and drug companies, eh?I'll report back to you, sirs! PAUL [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by ekim on December 23, 2003 at 13:19:28 PT this happen one man stopped research for last 3 yr Ryan plead not guilty on corruption charges today.http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/10/thread10538.shtmlThe hemp bill would have allowed the University of Illinois to grow the plant and study whether it could be raised profitably in the state. Meanwhile, Western Illinois University would have studied law enforcement issues raised by growing hemp.Ryan said he vetoed the bill because other studies have convinced him that hemp would not be a successful crop. The move to grow hemp also "plays into the national strategy of groups seeking to remove existing criminal penalties for cannabis-marijuana," he said.The Republican governor vetoed a similar bill, also sponsored by Bowles, earlier this year. The second version tried to address his concerns by studying law enforcement concerns and looking for ways to grow hemp with none of the mind-altering chemical found in marijuana. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment