cannabisnews.com: A Health Care Issue A Health Care Issue Posted by CN Staff on December 13, 2004 at 08:23:05 PT Sacramento Bee Editorial Source: Sacramento Bee For the most part, laws in the United States distinguish between medical use of drugs and drug trafficking for illicit recreational use and abuse. But after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. Department of Justice under Attorney General John Ashcroft made a priority of raiding individuals in states that allow medical use of marijuana, including California. Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington also have medical marijuana laws. Sick people who use homegrown marijuana with a doctor's permission and state approval should not be subject to possible arrest, property forfeiture, fines and imprisonment by federal agents. Going after two California women - one with an inoperable brain tumor and another with a degenerative spine disease - is offensive on its face and a waste of federal resources.George W. Bush as a candidate in 2000 said the federal government should respect state decisions on medical marijuana: "I believe each state can choose that decision as they so choose." That earlier view reflects the traditional view that states have authority over health issues and should prevail in a showdown that has reached the U.S. Supreme Court.Clearly, the federal government has an interest in preventing drug trafficking. But, just as clearly, states have a traditional interest and expertise in regulating health care.Snipped:Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/healthcare.htmSource: Sacramento Bee (CA)Published: Monday, December 13, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Sacramento BeeContact: opinion sacbee.comWebsite: http://www.sacbee.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Angel Raich v. Ashcroft Newshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/raich.htmSwitching Sides On States' Rightshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20023.shtmlFear and Loathing at Supreme Courthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20022.shtmlMedicinal Marijuana Gets Court Skepticismhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19928.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by FoM on December 14, 2004 at 18:47:58 PT A Note from Angel Raich Hello Everyone,I would thank everyone for their wonderful support. I have received so many wonderful e-mails in support of me and my fight against the federal government regarding the medical use of cannabis. It truely touched my heart. SUPREME COURT DECISION TIMELINE: A decision in Ashcroft v. Raich most likely will come down around February 2005 or March 2005 about three to four months after the oral argument. But it could come down as late as June 2005 at the end of this term.If you would like to read the Raich Supreme Court Transcript click on the link below. http://www.angeljustice.org/downloads/Raich%20Supreme%20Court%20Transcript%20Nov2904.pdfIf you would like to read the Supreme Court Briefs submitted in Raich click on the link below.http://www.angeljustice.org/article.php?list=type&type=11Compassion and Justice, Angel McClary Raich angelwings raich-v-ashcroft.com 510-764-1499 MessageDownload the major pleadings from our litigation (Raich v. Ashcroft) at: http://angeljustice.org or http://angeljustice.com [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by potpal on December 14, 2004 at 11:39:31 PT off topic / an admission http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4095549.stm [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by global_warming on December 13, 2004 at 17:03:28 PT More on the current madness.. "For the most part, laws in the United States distinguish between medical use of drugs and drug trafficking for illicit recreational use and abuse. But after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the U.S. Department of Justice under Attorney General John Ashcroft made a priority of raiding individuals in states that allow medical use of marijuana, including California. Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington also have medical marijuana laws...Sick people who use homegrown marijuana with a doctor's permission and state approval should not be subject to possible arrest, property forfeiture, fines and imprisonment by federal agents. Going after two California women - one with an inoperable brain tumor and another with a degenerative spine disease - is offensive on its face and a waste of federal resources...George W. Bush as a candidate in 2000 said the federal government should respect state decisions on medical marijuana: "I believe each state can choose that decision as they so choose." That earlier view reflects the traditional view that states have authority over health issues and should prevail in a showdown that has reached the U.S. Supreme Court."Poor George, you have to kinda feel sorry for that party boy and yuppy extrodinaire, his life has been buffered with his families wealth and power.Though we might feel some sense of compassion for George, we must also realize that the core of his problem regarding marijuana is not his legacy but the the legacy of this one man named Anslinger..It was Harry that had such a problem with marijuana that he was able to usher in this new world order that has destroyed so many lives.A brief review of history will illuminate every God fearing human being, how one man, one human being was able to shape our world for so many generations.As we live in the 21st century, and with all of our current problems that we all face in todays crisis, can we afford to carry such outdated world views, can we continue this savage brutality to our children?gwhttp://www.onlinepot.org/reefermadness/anslinger1937.htmhttp://www.onlinepot.org/reefermadness/anslingerera.htmhttp://www.onlinepot.org/reefermadness/mindcontrol.htmhttp://www.onlinepot.org/reefermadness/trafficinnarcotics.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on December 13, 2004 at 10:09:37 PT Two Articles from Snipped Sources Medical marijuana laws don't address where to get the drug http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/viewpoints/editorials/041213marijuana.shtml***For safer world, legalize drugshttp://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/261649p-223892c.html [ Post Comment ] Post Comment