cannabisnews.com: Medical-Marijuana Evaluators Are In Medical-Marijuana Evaluators Are In Posted by CN Staff on February 11, 2004 at 12:08:08 PT By Mayrav Saar Source: Orange County Register Lake Forest -- Two Sacramento physicians have put out their shingle in south Orange County, but it's not a shingle doctors have ever seen around here before.Drs. Philip A. Denney and Robert E. Sullivan on Monday opened a medical-cannabis-evaluation practice. Their hope is to promote the medical use of marijuana for such ailments as cancer and chronic pain and to encourage other local physicians to do the same. Denney said that since the medical-marijuana bill, Proposition 215, was voted into law in 1996, the federal government has thwarted attempts to enact the law and scared physicians into not talking about cannabis with their patients."We answer one specific question: 'Do you or do you not have a condition that is likely to be improved by cannabis?' " he said. "We decided that if nobody else is going to stand up and do this, we would."If the doctors determine a patient could medically benefit from marijuana, they will issue a signed and embossed physician's statement that says as much. Under the law, the doctors cannot prescribe marijuana, and they said they can't distribute it, either.But people who use medicinal marijuana said a doctor's note helps them feel less like criminals and more like patients. And proponents of medical marijuana hope such recommendations help patients in court."In California, if you have a doctor's recommendation, you are covered," said Anna Boyce, a retired nurse from Mission Viejo who helped write Proposition 215. "These are not potheads. These are CEOs and professional people who have chronic disease."The law has met with resistance by the federal government and local law enforcement in Northern California. Orange County law-enforcement agencies said they recognize the law and try to uphold it. Snipped: Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/sullivan.htmSource: Orange County Register, The (CA)Author: Mayrav SaarPublished: Wednesday, February 11, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Orange County RegisterContact: letters ocregister.comWebsite: http://www2.ocregister.com/Medicinal Cannabis Research Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/research.htmCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by JustGetnBy on February 11, 2004 at 15:17:20 PT Respect! Dr Denney was the physician that wrote my MJ recommendation. He looks you straight in the eye when he talks to you. His courage has made my life better. Hurrah Dr Denney!!!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by OverwhelmSam on February 11, 2004 at 13:18:04 PT: Feds Must Be Angry About This Development If people have recommendations to use marijuana legally, all of those schools, employers, and law enforcement agencies who drug test will not have a leg to stand on. This has got to make the US government angry. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by BigDawg on February 11, 2004 at 12:53:29 PT Yes FOM Very brave front line professionals.Much respect..... [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on February 11, 2004 at 12:15:07 PT More Brave Men Thank you! [ Post Comment ] Post Comment