cannabisnews.com: Montel Williams To Urge Congress To Legalize MMJ





Montel Williams To Urge Congress To Legalize MMJ
Posted by CN Staff on June 29, 2004 at 18:28:29 PT
For Immediate Release 
Source: Common Dreams 
Washington -- Responding to growing conflict between the states and the federal government over the issue of medical marijuana, Rep. Hinchey (D-NY) and Rep. Rohrabacher (R-CA) will offer an amendment to a House spending bill next Wednesday (July 7th) that would prevent the U.S. Justice Department from undermining state efforts to provide terminally ill and chronic pain patients access to doctor-recommended medical marijuana.
The amendment would prohibit the Justice Department from spending any money on arresting or prosecuting medical marijuana patients in states where medical marijuana is legal. 152 members of Congress voted for a similar amendment last year. The U.S. Supreme Court will decide later this year whether or not federal laws prohibiting the use of marijuana for medical reasons are unconstitutional.This Thursday, July 1st talk-show host Montel Williams, who suffers from multiple sclerosis and uses medical marijuana, will urge members of Congress to support the Hinchey-Rohrabacher medical marijuana amendment. What: Luncheon Congressional Briefing with Montel Williams (lunch provided)When: Thursday, July 1, 12:00pm - 1:00pm Where: B-338 Rayburn House Office Building“It’s outrageous that Montel Williams and thousands of other Americans are treated as criminals because they use medical marijuana to relive their pain and suffering,” said Bill Piper, Director of National Affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance. “The real criminals are federal bureaucrats who keep cancer, AIDS, and MS patients from the medicine they need and the members of Congress that fail to act. “BACKGROUND:* Eleven states have adopted medical marijuana laws since 1996 - most of them by a vote of the people. (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington)* Over 70% of voters support the right of patients to use marijuana with a doctor’s recommendation - including substantial majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.* The Institute of Medicine has determined that nausea, appetite loss, pain and anxiety “all can be mitigated by marijuana.” Allowing patients legal access to medical marijuana is supported by the American Nurses Association, American Public Health Association, American Bar Association, the Whitman-Walker Clinic, and Kaiser Permanente, among other groups.* The U.S. Justice Department continues to waste millions of tax dollars and scarce law enforcement resources arresting patients and caregivers for medical marijuana - even in states where it is legal.Contact: Drug Policy Alliance - http://www.drugpolicy.org/Bill Piper, 202-669-6430Tony Newman, 646-335-5384Complete Title: Talk-Show Host and Medical Marijuana Patient Montel Williams to Urge Congress This Thursday to Legalize Medical Marijuana Source: Common Dreams (ME)Published: Tuesday, June 29, 2004Copyright: 2004 Common DreamsContact: editor commondreams.org Website: http://www.commondreams.org/Related Articles & Web Sites:Montel Williams Showhttp://www.montelshow.com/The Debate: Hinchey - Rohrabacher http://freedomtoexhale.com/dofcomm.htmMontel Williams Pushes Pot -- for Medical Reliefhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18797.shtml TV Talker Says Pot is Healing http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18784.shtmlTranscript: Montel Williams on Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18288.shtml
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Comment #14 posted by Jose Melendez on June 30, 2004 at 14:48:08 PT
thanks ekim
thanks ekim,I'm getting similar feedback everywhere. Anyone wishing to support my efforts so far, please contact http://leap.cc and make a donation.Wage peace,-jm
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Comment #13 posted by ekim on June 30, 2004 at 13:50:09 PT
how about Sundance Channel Jose
good going Jose. your DVD could be handed out at both conventions coming up, remember the shadow conventions last time. Norml, Drug Alliance, MPP could have similar ones with speakers from Leap and Judges Against the drug war. The Hemp Industry could also give information on Jobs and health foods. 
http://www.minorml.org
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on June 30, 2004 at 12:53:36 PT
dididadadidit
You very well could be right but I hope you are wrong. I'm totally confused. I don't know what to think these days. I hope people will be going to the conventions and try to make a point about why we feel the way we do. Going to jail because of using cannabis seems so very wrong. Somewhere deep inside most people they must know it too.
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Comment #11 posted by dididadadidit on June 30, 2004 at 12:41:47 PT
Hinchey-Rohrabacher: Less Chance This Year
I'm sorry to say, but there is a strong likelyhood this will fail worse this year than last. The churches advising Congress to back off are about the only good thing different this year than last. The Repugnicans are as repugnant as ever and not bloody likely to go at odds with their smirking chimp leader. The Dems don't appear to have any more courage to stand up and be counted than they did last year and to top it all off it is an election year. Time to OUTSTUPID the opposition, show how tough one is on drugs, don't send the wrong message to the childrun, even if the polls are right, the medical movement is just a ruse to get total legalisation, etc., etc.We ain't got a chance.Sorry.?
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on June 30, 2004 at 10:34:30 PT
Congress to Vote on Medical Marijuana Next Week
DPFCA: Congress to Vote on Medical Marijuana Next Week   
Just to make sure everyone knows, there's a very good chance that Congress will be voting on the Hinchey-Rohrabacher medical marijuana amendment next week. This amendment would prohibit the U.S. Justice Department (including the DEA) from spending any money on undermining state medical marijuana laws. If enacted, it would end all federal raids and arrests in the medical marijuana states. It will be offered on the House floor to the Commerce-Justice-State appropriation bill when that bill is considered (which will likely be next Wednesday or Thursday). A similar amendment last year received 152 votes (70% of democrats and 15 Republicans). This was 66 votes short of what was needed to pass, so we need to close that gap this year.Please urge people to fax congress this week and/or urge people to call congress next week. For those that don't know, the 1-800 number for the U.S. Capitol switchboard is 1-800-839-5276. I've provided background and talking points below. Feel free to cannibalize and use for your own purposes how ever you see fit.House and committee leadership are blocking consideration of every medical marijuana bill in Congress (including barney frank's "states' rights to medical marijuana" bill.) However, as long as an amendment to an appropriation bill deals with money (and not changing laws), leadership generally can not block a vote on it. Thus, the Hinchey amendment is our only chance of getting a vote on medical marijuana in Congress this year. The more votes we get, the greater chance we have of forcing Congress to debate medical marijuana legislation.Bill Piper - Drug Policy Alliance*****BACKGROUND/FACTS:--Over 70% of voters support the right of patients to use marijuana with a doctor's recommendation - including substantial majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. (A 2001 Pew Research Center poll found that 73% of Americans support medical marijuana. A 2002 Time/CNN poll found that 80% of Americans support it.)--The medical benefits of marijuana for AIDS, cancer and other patients are well established. The Institute of Medicine has determined that nausea, appetite loss, pain and anxiety "all can be mitigated by marijuana." The esteemed medical journal, The Lancet Neurology, reports that marijuana's active components "inhibit pain in virtually every experimental pain paradigm." Allowing patients legal access to medical marijuana is supported by the American Nurses Association, American Public Health Association, American Bar Association, the Whitman-Walker Clinic, and Kaiser Permanente, among other groups.--Faith-based organizations supporting legal access to medical marijuana or state discretion on this issue include: the Episcopal Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church, National Council of Churches, National Progressive Baptist Convention, Presbyterian Church, Union for Reform Judaism, United Church of Christ, Unitarian-Universalist Association and the United Methodist Church. No religious denomination has taken a position against medical marijuana.--Eleven states have adopted medical marijuana laws since 1996 - most of them by a vote of the people. (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington)--The Drug Enforcement Administration continues to waste taxpayer money and scarce law enforcement resources arresting patients and caregivers for medical marijuana - even in states where it is legal.--Representative Hinchey (D-22nd/NY) and Representative Rohrabacher (R-46th/CA) will offer an amendment on the House floor to the Commerce-Justice-State appropriation bill that would prohibit the Justice Department from undermining state medical marijuana laws. The amendment would prohibit the Justice Department from spending any money on arresting or prosecuting medical marijuana patients in states where medical marijuana is legal. 152 members of Congress voted for a similar amendment last year (70% of Democrats and 15 Republicans). The amendment does not prevent the DEA from arresting people using, growing, or selling marijuana for recreational use. Nor does it prevent the DEA from arresting patients for medical marijuana in states that have not approved it. It simply prevents the federal government from arresting AIDS and cancer patients that use marijuana for medical reasons in states that allow it.WHAT THIS VOTE MEANS/HOW IT WILL BE FRAMED:PRIORITIZATION At a time when violent drug cartels remain at large and terrorism threats continue to emerge, it is irresponsible for the Justice Department to jeopardize public safety by wasting scarce law enforcement resources conducting raids on hospice centers and medical marijuana patients. Supporters of the amendment believe it is more important to fight violent crime and major drug traffickers than arrest cancer, AIDS and MS patients. Opponents want the DEA to shift law enforcement resources away from fighting violent drug cartels to arresting sick people and their caregivers.MEDICAL PRIVACY At stake in this debate is who should be deciding what is best for patients: individuals and their doctors or federal bureaucrats. Supporters of the amendment want to protect medical privacy and the doctor/patient relationship. Opponents want to put big government into every doctor's office.FEDERALISM The DEA is undermining the right of states to determine their own medical marijuana policies. Supporters of the amendment want to give states more freedom to make their own decisions in this area. Opponents want the federal government to deprive states of the right to determine their own health care policies.DEMOCRACY The American people overwhelmingly support medical marijuana and have enacted medical marijuana laws at the ballot box in eight states. Supporters of the amendment want to keep the DEA from spending taxpayer money on arresting people taxpayers do not want arrested. Opponents think they know better than the voters.COMPASSION Ultimately, the medical marijuana issue is about removing the threat of arrest for patients and their friends and family that provide them with care. Supporters of the amendment oppose putting sick people in jail for following their doctor's recommendations. Opponents support putting sick people in jail.
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on June 30, 2004 at 10:25:20 PT
About Nancy
I don't think she will live much longer. Sometimes when a person loses a life long partner they just give up too. I know she is very old but she looks very frail.
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Comment #8 posted by E_Johnson on June 30, 2004 at 10:19:56 PT
She also looks anorexic
Nancy Reagan has always been way too thin, but the press is too respectful to accuse her publicly of having an eating disorder.
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Comment #7 posted by Virgil on June 30, 2004 at 09:32:35 PT
Nancy Reagan has glaucoma
Now if Nancy Reagan could actually learn something about going blind from glaucoma or diabetes. 
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on June 30, 2004 at 09:13:23 PT
Sam
Yes Montel is a great guy! One of the reasons I like Montel is he is humble and humility always impresses me and yet he is strong and believes in what he says. We are lucky to have such a good person on our side. 
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Comment #5 posted by Sam Adams on June 30, 2004 at 08:48:09 PT
what a great guy
Montel is really impressing me! He is the doing the exact right thing to most help the med MJ cause. It's all based on his own personal integrity. If just a few other VIP types would take these small steps forward, we'd win quickly.
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Comment #4 posted by Jose Melendez on June 30, 2004 at 05:57:42 PT
grin
As I began the interview with Ethan Nadelmann at his Drug Policy Alliance office office in New York City for my documentary, Drug War IS Crime, he asked how long I would take. I answered that most speakers seemed to wish to continue long after their agreed times, and that I had plenty of video tape.Sure enough, well into Professor Nadelmann's discussion, an aide of his burst into the office, stating that Montel Williams was on the line. Instead of stopping the interview, Mr. Nadelmann waved off his assistant, and continued with our video.I was honored, to say the least.I think you all here will thoroughly enjoy the candor with which the head of the Drug Policy Alliance addresses the issues at hand, especially in response to my question about the veracity of Dr. Andrea Barthwell's arguments about the safety and efficacy of cannabis.My plan at the moment is to create a piece for http://leap.cc , then show segments on http://pot-tv , while exploring opportunities to release the interviews in their entirety on DVD and VHS.see also: http://www.dpf.org/about/keystaff/ethannadelma/http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-nyhen163852179jun16,0,6460379.column?coll=ny-health-headlines
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Comment #3 posted by kaptinemo on June 30, 2004 at 04:40:38 PT:
Carrying the fight to the enemy
On it's own turf, in it's own town. And by someone the opposition can impugn only at terrible risk to itself. For if they try to talk down to Mr. Williams, they risk a blustery riposte from a financially successful, politically conservative African-American military veteran who has the ears of millions and the research on his side. He's exactly the wrong person to try to snowjob publicly.All that needs to happen is for someone like "Dr." Barthwell to show up and try to spew her canned speech dreck at him, in his presence. The fireworks scheduled for the 4th could be lit off a few days earlier than expected...Everywhere, the opposition is painting itself into a corner. In the courts. In the media. No matter how much they try to avoid the inevitable public confrontation, it's getting closer and closer and closer. The day they are called out, publicly, as being 'less than honest' in their support of prohibition, the game will be over. Mr. Williams is accelerating that process, by simply being who he is...and by what he is saying.
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Comment #2 posted by Virgil on June 29, 2004 at 19:43:34 PT
The wicked wrong
The DEA has guidelines it does not follow for the classification of cannabis on the Schedule of Narcotics. Intellectual reasoning cannot defend anything higher than Schedule 4, yet the DEA holds to a political position that ignores all reason to cement cannabis in Schedule 1.We are being lied to and the media ignores any debate on The Schedule One Lie. There is only one reason that cannabis is classified as a Schedule 1 Narcotic. It is because we are ruled by treason.
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on June 29, 2004 at 18:45:33 PT
Oakland Cannabis Initiative Qualified for Ballot
Oakland Cannabis Initiative Qualified by Registrar of Voters for the November BallotFor Immediate ReleaseContacts: Joe DeVries  (510) 504-7021Tony Newman (646) 335-5384June 29, 2004 
Oakland Civil Liberties Alliance: http://www.taxandregulate.com/If Passed, Oakland Will Be on Record as Approving the Taxation and Regulation of Cannabis for AdultsBy Shifting Police Priority, Initiative Would Free Tax Dollars for Vital ServicesToday, the Oakland county Registrar of Voters qualified the Oakland Cannabis Initiative for the November presidential election, one of the last two hurdles it must jump in order to be added to the ballot. In two weeks, the initiative, proposed by the Oakland Civil Liberties Alliance, will be presented to the Oakland City Council to be placed on the November ballot."The measure would ultimately have the city tax and regulate the private adult use of cannabis in Oakland for people 21 and over," said Joe DeVries, the field director for county Supervisor Nate Miley and member of the Oakland Civil Liberties Alliance. "It would help us keep cannabis under control, keep the city from wasting law-enforcement resources on it and keep cannabis out of the hands of children."According to a January 2004 opinion poll, 75% of Oakland resident respondents want the enforcement of private, adult cannabis offenses to be the lowest priority for law enforcement, and 70% answered yes to the question "Shall the City of Oakland tax and regulate marijuana for adult use to keep it off the streets, away from children, and raise revenue for the City, as soon as possible under state law.""The whole federal drug war has been a joke at best," said East Oakland Councilwoman Desley Brooks, who supports the initiative. "People realize that it just doesn't work and we need to look to some other solutions. In the neighborhoods I represent, we would much rather see resources spent on fighting violent crime and providing economic development opportunities."If passed by voters, this initiative would instruct the city to tax and regulate the private adult use of cannabis as soon as possible under state law, which in turn would generate much needed revenue for vital city services. Until the state allows such a system, the initiative requires city police to treat the private adult use of cannabis as their lowest law enforcement priority."It's important to choose our battles, and the war on marijuana is another sign of the government's poor choice of targets," said Judith K. Appel, director of the Drug Policy Alliance's Office for Legal Affairs, located in Oakland. "For the first time ever, a city- Oakland- is gearing up to send a clear message that marijuana should be treated like alcohol, with the revenues redirected toward much needed city services like schools and housing.""Our current marijuana policies have utterly failed," said Bruce Mirken, communications director of the Marijuana Policy Project. "According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more U.S. high school students currently smoke marijuana than cigarettes -- which is no surprise, since prohibition guarantees that marijuana sellers are unlicensed and completely unregulated. Taxing and regulating marijuana simply makes sense."The Campaign has received dozens of contributions from local supporters, including business owners and private individuals. Also, several elected officials have already endorsed the measure, including: City Council members Nancy Nadel and Desley Brooks, Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley, County Supervisor Keith Carson and Oakland School Board Member Dan Siegel. The Washington D.C. Based Marijuana Policy Project and the Drug Policy Alliance, both of which helped in the funding of the poll and the drafting of the language of the initiative, matched this local support.More information about the initiative can be found at: http://www.taxandregulate.com/-- Mikki Norris, Director Cannabis Consumers Campaign http://www.cannabisconsumers.org/ Coordinator, Human Rights and the Drug War http://www.hr95.org/ Co-author, _Shattered Lives: Portraits from America's Drug War_ Co-author, _Human Rights and the Drug War_ Board Member, Oakland Civil Liberties Alliance http://www.taxandregulate.org/
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