cannabisnews.com: Feds' Wayward Path on Pot Feds' Wayward Path on Pot Posted by CN Staff on July 07, 2004 at 08:35:26 PT Editorial Source: Los Angeles Times It isn't surprising that the Bush administration clashed with California over its 1996 voter initiative that approved medical use of marijuana under remarkably liberal conditions. The Justice Department raided medical pot farms, arrested medical pot distributors and threatened to prosecute doctors for recommending or prescribing marijuana to AIDS and cancer patients and other chronically ill people. Today, however, the Justice Department's medical marijuana war seems increasingly out of step with the whole country. Last fall, the Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling barring federal officials from prosecuting doctors for their recommendations. Two months ago, Vermont became the ninth state to let seriously ill patients use medicinal marijuana. And two weeks ago, the United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and other mainstream religious groups supported doctors' rights to prescribe pot as a when-all-else-fails treatment for the seriously ill.A House bill scheduled for a vote today would prohibit the use of federal funds to arrest and prosecute doctors, medical marijuana users and caregivers. A similar bill was defeated last year on a 273-152 vote. This year's bipartisan measure, by Reps. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) and Sam Farr (D-Salinas), is not expected to pass either but is likely to pick up several more votes. Snipped:Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/wayward.htmSource: Los Angeles Times (CA)Published: July 7, 2004Copyright: 2004 Los Angeles TimesContact: letters latimes.comWebsite: http://www.latimes.com/Related Article & Web Site:The Debate: Hinchey- Rohrabacher http://freedomtoexhale.com/dofcomm.htmGrowing Outrage - Jacob Sullumhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16931.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #8 posted by Druid on July 07, 2004 at 11:44:52 PT Awesome dididadadidit. Thank you! http://www.c-span.org/watch/cspan_rm.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CSfor the lazy ;)You have to have Real Player though.... Watch/Listen to CSPAN Live! [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by dididadadidit on July 07, 2004 at 11:23:32 PT Go to CSPAN on a Search: Listen on Computer I have CSPAN audio running in the background even as I post here. They have not yet got to "our" amendment, although they are discussing the appropriate spending bill and other amendments where "our" amendment will be introduced.I certainly hope the L.A. Times editorialist is correct in suggesting we'll pick up a few more votes this year, but I have hugh doubts about that. In spite of a growing chorus of support, churches, Montel, court decisions, etc., it is after all an election year and the default election year strategy is to OUTSTUPID your opposition on drugs, to show you're not soft on commun---OOPS, drugs. Governor Johnson got Dem support in the NM senate in 2001 for his sensible reform efforts, killed by Repugs in the house. In 2002, no support from the same Dems who reverted to their time honored OUTSTUPID strategy for the election year.One would think that on the order of 80% support for an idea in the polls would suggest its time has come. Why don't the Dems pick this up and stiff the "compassionate" conservatives with it? Heavens knows, I sure as hell don't.Cheers? [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Max Flowers on July 07, 2004 at 09:33:48 PT A question Sam You wrote: - Some more progress in today's vote will be a direct message to the Supreme Court. - I could easily be wrong but I thought that the "justices" weren't allowed to let popular opinion be a factor when they decide how to rule. (to rule... funny how that sounds like a king isn't it?) I thought they were only supposed to go by principles of law, case law, precendent, etc. etc. but not how the public felt...? [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Sam Adams on July 07, 2004 at 09:24:43 PT slow and steady will win this race Some more progress in today's vote will be a direct message to the Supreme Court. If December comes around and the Supremes strike down medical marijuana laws in 9 states, there will tremendous backlash from those states, and it will be clear that Congressional approval of med MJ will need only one more nudge to become reality. 1/3rd of the country's population having a law struck down that helps sick people should be more than enough to push them over the edge.Rehnquist & company will not only look like Federalist hypocrites if they strike down the laws, they'll likely also face a quick reversal from Congress. Even if the Bush White House is still around, I doubt they'll be able to pressure them to cave on this one. It'll cash in the favors from more than a few duck hunts, anyway.The December ruling is going to be the biggest single milestone for reform since the Canadian Supreme Court ruling on legalization. If we win, it should open the door for a wave of state reform on med MJ. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by E_Johnson on July 07, 2004 at 09:24:39 PT Put it in context though This is the LA Times. They recommended voting against Prop. 215 in 1996, I seem to recall. So this is a big leap for them.Kerry won't be able to go backwards on medical marijuana now that this position is being mainstreamed before the election. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by druid on July 07, 2004 at 09:23:16 PT Hinchey-Rohrabacher Anyone know when they will be voting on this? Will there be any debate we can watch on cspan? Any info at all? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Dave in Florida on July 07, 2004 at 09:12:19 PT The real problem "And two weeks ago, the United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and other mainstream religious groups supported doctors' rights to prescribe pot as a when-all-else-fails treatment for the seriously ill.""When all else fails" - Translation - When you buy from the big drug companys first.. They don't want a remedy that is FREE for so many things. That is what they are really afraid of. If people can plant a seed in the back yard and have medicene for no cost. Of course most people would still just go to the drug store and buy cannabis if allowed to.. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by E_Johnson on July 07, 2004 at 08:46:34 PT This is reassuring I think of all the people out there suffering whose suffering could be relieved if only the law would change. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment