cannabisnews.com: Medical Use of Marijuana Nears a Win





Medical Use of Marijuana Nears a Win
Posted by CN Staff on August 03, 2004 at 20:28:19 PT
By Marisol Bello, Free Press Staff Writer
Source: Detroit Free Press 
Detroit is poised to become a harbinger for the Midwest as voters choose whether to allow residents to use and possess marijuana for medical purposes. The measure does not affect state and federal law.With 40 percent of precincts reporting late Tuesday, 62 percent of voters approved the measure. Thirty-eight percent opposed it. ``I always knew Detroit would come through for people who need help,'' said Rochelle Lampkin, a city resident who smokes marijuana for relief from multiple sclerosis.
The city's proposal follows on the heels of a movement that has spread mainly in the West.But now other Midwestern cities, including Ann Arbor, Madison, Wis., and Columbia, Mo., are looking at similar measures.``A lot of places that are in your traditional Midwest are looking more like Berkeley, Los Angeles, Portland,'' said Allen St. Pierre, executive director for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, a Washington, D.C.-based group in favor of legalizing the drug.So far, nine states - Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington - allow the use of medical marijuana.The Detroit proposal exempts residents who use or possess marijuana for medical purposes from the portion of the city code that makes the drug illegal.That means Detroit police officers would not arrest or ticket residents with medical permission. Those found to illegally possess marijuana still would face up to 90 days in jail and a $500 fine.Federal agents, state police and county sheriff's deputies could still arrest people with marijuana in the city. But law enforcement officials say most marijuana possession cases are handled by Detroit police.``If we come upon it, of course state law obligates us to enforce it,'' said Lawrence Meyer, undersheriff and chief deputy with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. ``But our narcotics unit, we're looking for dealers. We're trying to get to the source of the problem.''Gov. Jennifer Granholm and federal authorities in Detroit oppose legalizing medical marijuana.Drug Enforcement Agency special agent David Jacobson said the medical marijuana campaign is a veiled push to legalize the drug.Advocates of medical marijuana ``are preying on the compassion of people across the United States . . . but there is no value to smoking marijuana'' he said.He would not say whether federal authorities would arrest or prosecute Detroiters found with marijuana for medical reasons, as has happened in other states with similar laws.Timothy Beck, head of the Detroit Coalition for Compassionate Care, the group that led the effort to place the proposal on the ballot, said smoking marijuana eases the suffering of people with AIDS, cancer and other diseases.``It's simple human justice,'' Beck said. ``We find it reprehensible that people who are sick would be persecuted like criminals.''Source: Detroit Free Press (MI)Author: Marisol Bello, Free Press Staff WriterPublished: Tuesday, August 3, 2004 Copyright: 2004 Detroit Free PressContact: letters freepress.comWebsite: http://www.freep.com/Related Articles & Web Site:DMMIhttp://www.mmdetroit.org/Detroit Voters Consider Allowing Med Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19272.shtmlDetroit Voters Can OK Pot for Pain http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19223.shtmlMedical Pot Issue Faces Test in Detroithttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19256.shtml
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Comment #4 posted by mayan on August 04, 2004 at 05:06:46 PT
YIPPEE!!!
Way to go, Detroit! Drug Enforcement Agency special agent David Jacobson said the medical marijuana campaign is a veiled push to legalize the drug.Advocates of medical marijuana ``are preying on the compassion of people across the United States . . . but there is no value to smoking marijuana'' he said.No value to smoking marijuana? Thanks, but no thanks for your uninformed opinion, Dr. David Jacobsen. What, you're not a Doctor? Oh, you're just another babbling idiot trying to preserve your job which relies on the disastrous prohibition of cannabis. Get a real job!Great news!
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Comment #3 posted by Gary Storck on August 03, 2004 at 23:03:35 PT
say what?
"But now other Midwestern cities, including Ann Arbor, Madison, Wis., and Columbia, Mo., are looking at similar measures."The truth is, Madison voters passed an ordinance in April 1977 that covers both medical and personal use, by a 60/40 margin. So we beat Detroit to the punch by 27 years! But it is a sweet victory to see Detroit join the ranks of US cities with mmj laws. Hope to see Ann Arbor on board in November.Congrats to Tim Beck, Dan Solano, Mike S. and everyone else who helped make Detroit mmj a reality!
Is My Medicine Legal YET?
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Comment #2 posted by afterburner on August 03, 2004 at 21:45:17 PT
Apples and Oranges
The Free Press cites percentages and number of precincts reported. The Detroit News cites yes and no votes without specifying number of precincts reported.Here are the latest Detroit News figures:' 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. ' Yes 24,076 ' No 17,720 '
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on August 03, 2004 at 20:34:04 PT
Lookin' Good!
Good News. Little by little we are winning! It's great! Way to go to everyone that has worked on making it happen!
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