cannabisnews.com: Detroit Voters Consider Allowing Medical Marijuana





Detroit Voters Consider Allowing Medical Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on August 03, 2004 at 12:29:16 PT
By Sarah Karush, The Associated Press 
Source: Associated Press 
Detroit -- A proposal to legalize marijuana for medical use in the city would have a largely symbolic effect if approved by voters Tuesday. Proposal M would change the city code, creating an exception to the marijuana ban for people who use the drug for medical purposes under a doctor's direction. But such a change would have no effect on federal and state laws that allow prosecution of those possessing or using marijuana.
The initiative's backers acknowledge that there would be little practical effect from the change and view the measure as a step toward rewriting the state's drug laws.Timothy Beck, founder of the Detroit Coalition for Compassionate Care, which collected the necessary signatures to put the measure on the ballot, has said that if the proposal passes — along with a similar one that will come before Ann Arbor voters in November — his group will work to change state laws.Beck says the group will work with lawmakers to put the issue before the state Legislature or push for a statewide ballot initiative.Opponents of the change say it will send the wrong message to young people about drug use and is part of a push for broader legalization of marijuana.Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington state have passed laws allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. The U.S. Supreme Court said in June that it will rule on the issue in the case of two California women who say marijuana is the only drug that eases their chronic pain.Complete Title: Detroit Voters Consider Allowing Medical Marijuana Use •__On the Net:Detroit Coalition for Compassionate Care: http://www.mmdetroit.org/ Source: Associated Press Author: Sarah Karush, The Associated Press Published: August 3, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Associated Press Related Articles & Web Site:Angel Raich v. Ashcroft Newshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/raich.htmVoters Exercise Power Tuesdayhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19268.shtmlMedical Pot Issue Faces Test in Detroithttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19256.shtmlDetroit Voters Can OK Pot for Pain http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19223.shtmlMedicinal Pot Headed To '04 Detroit Ballot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17843.shtml 
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on August 04, 2004 at 07:27:51 PT
Vote For Change Tour Information
http://www.moveonpac.org/vfc/
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on August 03, 2004 at 21:37:32 PT
afterburner
You're right it will probably be morning and then we'll know but it does look good. In this crazy world it's nice to see any forward movement. Tomorrow they will announce the concert tour. Cleveland will be one of the places the concert will be. We're going to try and get tickets. Springsteen, R.E.M. Coming to Town August 3, 2004 Bruce Springsteen and R.E.M. are likely to perform a concert in St. Paul in October in support of Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. Several other big-name music stars, including Neil Young, Dave Matthews Band, the Dixie Chicks and Pearl Jam, are expected to participate in a series of pro-Kerry concerts. The shows will be presented in several campaign swing states.A spokesman for Jam Productions of Chicago confirmed that he is working on a Springsteen-R.E.M. concert for St. Paul.The Los Angeles Times reported that the tour will run from Oct. 1 through 10. An official announcement of the tour is expected as soon as Wednesday.Jon Bream 
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Comment #7 posted by afterburner on August 03, 2004 at 21:26:13 PT
I Like the Freep Better, Detroit News Is Stodgy
I guess we'll have to wait until morning (sunrise) before the full results are in. "Nice Dreams. Ice Creams." --Cheech & Chong. ' Chong is free at last (July 7, 2004). http://www.freetommychong.org/' Thank you all for sending him your kind words and support.' Let's not forget this, and work to keep it from happening again.' Please support and contribute to decriminalization causes.' We as citizens hold the true power in America. If we do not use it, we have only ourselves to blame.' VOTE!, and make decriminalization of marijuana a central issue. ' NORML http://www.norml.org/
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on August 03, 2004 at 20:58:24 PT
Thanks afterburner
I looked and they still don't have any numbers posted so far but the Detroit Free Press is saying we won! I sure hope they're right.
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Comment #5 posted by afterburner on August 03, 2004 at 20:40:46 PT
2004 Wayne County primary results
http://www.detnews.com/2004/politics/primary/wayne.htm[scroll down to:]Detroit Medical marijuana proposal Would make it lawful for people to possess or use marijuana for medical purposes under the direction of a physician or other licensed medical professional. [currently:]No 0 Yes 0 
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Comment #4 posted by afterburner on August 03, 2004 at 20:24:04 PT
Local, State Inappropriate, Federal Inaccessible
Just the way the antis want it.Detroit News Endorsements:' Detroit Ballot Proposal' Proposal M: ' Medicinal marijuana use ' This Detroit initiative would amend the city code to allow patients to use marijuana under the direction of a licensed medical professional. ' NO 'Sunday's Editorial:' Proposal M: This Detroit initiative would amend the city code to allow patients to use marijuana under the direction of a licensed medical professional. ' Marijuana can be an effective and cheap way of giving relief to patients in acute pain or suffering from diseases such as glaucoma. It has far fewer down sides than many prescription pain drugs. Many countries have removed penalties for medical marijuana use, as have eight states. ' But amending marijuana laws through local ordinances without broader reform of state policies is inappropriate. ' Drug laws should be established at the state level, to eliminate any confusion about legality and penalties. If every city passes its own ordinance, Michigan will have a hodge-podge of conflicting ordinances that might be hard to reconcile. A city ordinance may even violate state law. ' For instance, Proposal M allows licensed medical practitioners besides doctors to prescribe marijuana. But other cities might restrict the prescription only to doctors. A nurse who prescribed marijuana in Detroit might be subject to penalties under some other city’s ordinance. ' Backers of marijuana legalization have been thwarted twice by state election officials in their efforts to launch a state-wide ballot initiative. The hurdles are certainly higher at the state level, but the outcome would be much cleaner. ' Detroit voters should vote NO on Proposal M. 'Don't they use the same argument to oppose state medical cannabis laws because of the federal hegemony?
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on August 03, 2004 at 14:44:15 PT
Poll: Should Medical Marijuana Be Legal?
A proposal to legalize marijuana for medical purposes is on Tuesday's primary ballot in Detroit. Do you think it should be legalized for medical reasons? Current Results:Yes. If doctors believe it has health benefits, they should be able to prescribe it. -- 1734 -- 79% No. Marijuana should not be used as a pain reliever. -- 450 -- 21% 2184 Votes Please Vote: http://www.clickondetroit.com/health/3611534/detail.html
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on August 03, 2004 at 13:02:34 PT
News Brief from The Associated Press
Wording of Proposal To Legalize Medical Marijuana in Detroit August 3, 2004(AP) — The wording for "Proposal M," which Tuesday asked Detroit voters whether to legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes in the city: 
  
   
Do you favor amending Chapter 38, Article 11 of the Detroit City Code to exempt people possessing or using marijuana for medical purposes, under the direction of a physician or other licensed medical professional, from the provisions of the code making it a criminal offense to: (1) possess or use marijuana; and, (2) possess a device for use in ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing into the body marijuana?Source: City of Detroit.Copyright 2004 The Associated Press
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on August 03, 2004 at 12:58:03 PT
Related Article from ClickOnDetroit.com
Proposal Could Allow Medical Marijuana Use In Detroit
Supporters Plan To Go StatewideAugust 3, 2004DETROIT -- A proposal to legalize marijuana for medical purposes is one of the items Michigan voters will see on their ballots in Tuesday's primary elections. 
 PRIMARY ELECTION: Should Marijuana Be Legalized For Medical Reasons?
 http://www.clickondetroit.com/politics/3609574/detail.html
 Proposal M would allow a doctor to prescribe marijuana to a person suffering intense pain, Local 4 reported. Detroit would become the first Midwestern city to pass such a measure, which former police officer Dan Solano said is needed, according to the report. Solano said on Local 4's "Flashpoint" last week that sick people are being put in jail for using marijuana to numb pain from AIDS, cancer and multiple sclerosis."A friend of mine has MS, and she was taken to jail without her wheelchair because the officers could not fold up the wheelchair," Solano said. "So, yes. Patients do end up in jail."Several states already allow doctors to use marijuana as medicine, including Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington, the station reported. Detroit's proposal reportedly has an important exemption, in which a doctor or any medical professional could authorize the use of marijuana."On the ballot initiative, it indicates that people other than physicians can prescribe medical marijuana for people. The other includes nurses, social workers, veterinarians, etc.," Andrew Johnson of the Drug-Free Detroit Partnership said on "Flashpoint." "It will open Pandora's Box."The proposal would keep Detroit police from arresting a prescribed user, but the Wayne County Sheriff's Department and Michigan State Police said they will still enforce marijuana laws.Ann Arbor, Mich., will reportedly vote on a similar measure in November. Supporters plan to go statewide with the proposal, Local 4 reported.The polls remain open until 8 p.m. Tuesday.Stay tuned to Local First News and ClickOnDetroit.com for more on Tuesday's primary elections.Copyright 2004 by ClickOnDetroit.com
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