cannabisnews.com: Medical-Marijuana Proponents Ask for Hearing





Medical-Marijuana Proponents Ask for Hearing
Posted by CN Staff on January 19, 2006 at 08:53:12 PT
By Jim Siegel 
Source: Columbus Dispatch
Columbus, Ohio -- When Ohio lawmakers ponder whether the state should legalize marijuana for medicinal use, Tonya Davis hopes they think of her. The 42-year-old Kettering resident could take morphine or OxyContin to deal with the daily pain from back injuries suffered after what she says were years of domestic violence at the hands of her former husband. She’s also struggling with inflammatory bowel disease.
But she doesn’t want those prescription drugs. They knock her out. And she’s worried she’ll become addicted to them. "I’ve had to deal with pain, and I’ve always smoked pot," Davis said. "I knew it was a medicine, but I didn’t know why or how. I just know that I didn’t have to take the harder drugs." Davis took an uncomfortable 90-minute drive to the Statehouse yesterday in hopes of persuading Senate Republican leaders to at least hold a hearing on a bill that would allow the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. Using a wheelchair because walking often is too painful, she visited a number of state Senate offices, dropping off a card with a one-sentence request: Please hold a hearing on Senate Bill 74. She and others want the chance to tell their stories. During her visit, Davis thanked Sen. Robert F. Hagan, D-Youngstown, for sponsoring the bill, and broke into tears talking to Erin Davis, a legislative aide for Sen. Tom Roberts, a Dayton Democrat. "We’re trying to change the image, because we’re not a bunch of stoners," she said. Tonya Davis said she met in December with Sen. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, who is chairman of the Senate Judiciary-Criminal Justice Committee, where the bill is pending. Jordan said he has no plans to hold a hearing on the bill in the near future, nor does he expect to allow people to testify at the one hearing he is required to hold under Senate rules. "Every place they try to do this, they say it’s for medicinal purpose, but it’s a slippery slope to try to legalize more drugs that are harmful to young people and harmful to all people," he said. "I’m just totally opposed to that concept, which is why I’m not excited about having a hearing and will probably wait as long as possible to schedule one." Hagan said he also has spoken to Jordan about a hearing, asking that supporters at least get the chance to make their case. But he acknowledged the difficulty of the issue — some lawmakers think marijuana is dangerous, and others worry he’s trying to completely legalize it. Even supporters worry how the issue could be used against them in a campaign, Hagan said. Eleven states have laws allowing medicinal use of marijuana. Most limit the amount of the drug a person can possess. "I’m out there by myself right now," Hagan said. "I’m not looking to legalize marijuana. I just want the medicinal use of it." Though she can’t afford to buy it herself, Davis said she gets marijuana from friends when she can. "I wouldn’t be able to take one step without using marijuana as a medicine," she said, adding that the usually only walks while at home. She uses a vaporizer to take the drug, which she said allows her to absorb the medicinal properties of marijuana without the toxins that come with burning a joint. "You don’t know how much it helps until you see it," said Jim Cowel of Coshocton, a friend of Davis and member of the north Ohio chapter of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, a group that wants to see marijuana legalized. "It just makes a whole difference in her day." Note: Committee chairman says he will delay scheduling session as long as possible.Complete Title: Medical-Marijuana Proponents Ask Senators for Hearing on Bill Source: Columbus Dispatch (OH)Author: Jim Siegel Published: Thursday, January 19, 2006Copyright: 2006 The Columbus DispatchContact: letters dispatch.comWebsite: http://www.dispatch.com/North Ohio NORMLhttp://northohio.norml.net CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #35 posted by Hope on March 29, 2006 at 09:21:34 PT
More Power to you, Tonya.
Make them listen to you.
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Comment #34 posted by mmjactionnetwork on March 29, 2006 at 09:07:30 PT:
Video of Tonya at this event
http://drugpolicycentral.com/real/opn/tonya.rm
http://www.mmjactionnetwork.com
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Comment #33 posted by whig on January 20, 2006 at 06:26:39 PT
Toker00
With due respect to those who differ, I advocate deliberate abstention. It changes your perspective. You cease to think of the president and the congress and so forth as "your" government and recognize it instead as a protection racket that you have no part in.To be clear, I do not advocate silence or passivity. Speak out, act upon your beliefs (and that does mean peaceful action), be an example of what you profess. As adults we do not need to ask permission to do what we have every moral right to do.
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Comment #32 posted by Toker00 on January 20, 2006 at 03:28:49 PT
Whig, we gotta do something...
"If electronic voting machines programmed by private Republican firms remain in our future, dissent will become pointless unless it boils over into revolution. Power-mad Republicans need to consider the result when democracy loses its legitimacy and only the rich have anything to lose."Many of us are already revolting. Think of how our group is different from the main stream of folks. It is very difficult to find people like us outside of this website, or our close circle of friends. But, I have noticed more people are beginning to at least read the title of the same page we are on. Most are stuck like I was six years ago, dumbfounded that Americans have been bullsh***** since birth. The information they are dealing with is info we went through years ago. Most people are in denial that the people we elect could possibly be anything but True Blue American Representatives they present themselves as in their propagandist campaigns. Wait till they find out all the sinister and grisly details of our so-called leaders hearts. The Revolt is simmering. If the heat continues to rise, a boil-over is inevitable. There your revolution will be. Everyone who knows what we do also realizes it has to be a Peaceful Revolution. There will be extremists in the Revolution, but we must distance ourselves from supporting violence. If India can revolt peacefully and succeed, we can too! Our Constitutional Republic will survive as long as people like us continue to breath life into it.Wage peace on war. END CANNABIS PROHIBITION NOW! 
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Comment #31 posted by whig on January 19, 2006 at 18:27:14 PT
Toker00
"If we are still allowed to vote come November, barring a police state and suspension of the constitution, take them (you know who they are) out at the polls! We have to change Congress, or we're not going to change anything."I'd suggest you take a look at http://www.bradblog.com/ and read up on how the elections themselves have been corrupted.
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Comment #30 posted by mayan on January 19, 2006 at 17:53:35 PT
Osama Tells No Tales
Museman and Toker00 both made some brilliant points regarding Bin Laden. The repulicans are sinking in their own scandalous slime and have no support to renew the PATRIOT Act or to carry out the next phases of the PNAC agenda (Iran,Syria). Just a few years ago our government developed a means to flawlessly reproduce a human's voice. Osama supposedly hadn't been heard from since October of 2004 (right before the elections, go figure - that recording was a fake also). Bin Laden is very likely dead but he is much more valuable to the true terrorists in the U.S. government if we are led to believe he is still alive. Check out the following link and see how much he had aged between different time periods. Besides, Ayman al-Zawahiri's name is too difficult to pronounce or remember for him to be waved at us all as a common enemy...Osama bin Laden: A dead nemesis perpetuated by the US government:
http://whatreallyhappened.com/osama_dead.htmlHere's an oldie but goodie... America's New War? Or War On Americans?
http://www.sweetliberty.org/issues/war/morequestions.htm
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Comment #29 posted by siege on January 19, 2006 at 17:08:47 PT
 hype and baloney"
http://www.politics.co.uk/issueoftheday/legalise-cannabis-alliance-reclassification-load-hype-$15136821.htmCannabis reclassification: Legalise Cannabis Alliance: Reclassification a load of hypeLegalise Cannabis Alliance: Reclassification a load of hype
Campaigners Legalise Cannabis Alliance has criticised the government's review of classification, branding it "a load of hype and baloney".Spokesman Don Barnard told politics.co.uk that the current confusion about cannabis arises from how the police have interpreted the law, and was the fault of politicians.And on the potential mental health effects of cannabis, he said: "I am very concerned for a small minority of people - there should be real education for young people on the potential risks of cannabis. 
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Comment #28 posted by siege on January 19, 2006 at 17:04:12 PT
Britain has rejected calls to toughen the law on c
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain has rejected calls to toughen the law on cannabis, despite new evidence of its links with mental illness.The government ruled in 2004 that possessing small amounts should generally no longer lead to arrest, downgrading the drug to Class C, putting it in the same legal category as tranquilisers and anabolic steroids.Some mental health professionals had called on Home Secretary Charles Clarke to reverse that decision.Last year, Clarke ordered a review by the Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs on the dangers of using cannabis.On Thursday he acknowledged there was research that suggested cannabis may exacerbate or trigger mental health problems.But he told parliament: "I have decided to accept the Advisory Council's recommendation, which is supported by the police and by most drugs and mental health charities to keep the current classification of cannabis."http://tinyurl.com/ak8bq
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Comment #27 posted by whig on January 19, 2006 at 15:39:13 PT
museman
Your comments were insightful. The metaphysics of Peter Gabriel and Genesis are interesting to say the least, and fatalistic need not have a negative implication. Some things that were and are fated are good, I do not see this as posing a problem to free will because I consider time itself as an illusion, all is now and forever, and we go through this process to be born.I also agree with you in saying that it is vibrational, we are receivers and transmitters at different frequencies.Peter Gabriel - "Signal To Noise":you know the way that things go
when what you fight for starts to fall,
and in that fuzzy picture
the writing stands out on the wall,
so clearly on the wall.send out the signals deep and loud.and in this place, can you reassure me
with a touch, a smile - while the cradle's burning -
all the while the world is turning to noise.
oh the more that it's surrounding us,
the more that it destroys.
turn up the signal,
wipe out the noise.send out the signals deep and loudman i'm losing sound and sight
of all those who can tell me wrong from right,
when all things beautiful and bright
sink in the night.
yet there's still something in my heart
that can find a way
to make a start
to turn up the signal
wipe out the noise.you know that's it.
receive and transmit.
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Comment #26 posted by Toker00 on January 19, 2006 at 15:02:47 PT
museman
Exactly. The CIA created Bin Laden. The Bin Laden family flew safely home Sept. 13, 2001 when Americans could not fly at all. Bush holds hands with Arabic Elite. We know 9/11 was authored by, and ushered in by, the PNAC group. Osama helped scare Christians into voting for a Satanic cult member, TWICE! Osama Bush, George Bin Laden. What's the difference? They both exalt at murder and destruction, for revenge, for profit, and for a belief system based on absolutely NO evidence. Election time is coming up in November, and the Republicans want as many voters as possible to be scared. Because scared people can be made to vote for Satan. Bush just laughs and spreads his wings, with fiery eyes and horns and things!Beware. This latest Bin Laden video release was No Accident. Most of the juicy parts of The Patriot Act are set to expire Feb. 3. Without them, Bush cannot have the dictatorship he so sorely aches for. Remember. Just because some of the sinister players in the Bush administration have been exposed for what they are, NONE of the key players have been affected. They are still plotting and drooling for ALL of our Liberties, their ABSOLUTE prize. Do not be fooled by fear, shock, or awe. Hold fast to your freedom, and take more when you can! It's a long time til November. Keep safe and be aware. If we are still allowed to vote come November, barring a police state and suspension of the constitution, take them (you know who they are) out at the polls! We have to change Congress, or we're not going to change anything.Wage peace on war. END CANNABIS PROHIBITION NOW! 
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Comment #25 posted by museman on January 19, 2006 at 14:59:09 PT:
genesis-the music
I watched the video. I am pretty sure that the images were symbolic of birth and death, representing a cycle that is all linked together (the ropes) and somewhat fatalistic. Implications of the theory of reincarnation seem to be included in the imagery. Personally I find Genesis too thick with synthesized sound, and can't think of any of their songs that really impressed me, but I as a musician am very analytical, and critical. I don't think it's a 'generational thing.' It's vibrational.
http://whooleearthfamily.org
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Comment #24 posted by whig on January 19, 2006 at 14:16:45 PT
#23
"Maybe it's the fact that we aren't the same age. Different impacts from different times. That's probably what it is."Maybe that's part of it, but I think different people just have different perceptions, irrespective of time and place of birth. For that matter, while the recording of Carpet Crawlers that I posted was made in 1999, the original release was in 1974, part of a concept double album called "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway". I wouldn't have discovered it for almost 20 years.
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Comment #23 posted by FoM on January 19, 2006 at 14:01:49 PT
whig 
I'm glad you understand what I mean. I understand almost everything Neil Young sings about. I can related well to Pink Floyd and The Moody Blues and a few others. Maybe it's the fact that we aren't the same age. Different impacts from different times. That's probably what it is.
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Comment #22 posted by whig on January 19, 2006 at 13:55:10 PT
FoM
That's okay, every approach is not for everyone, and it isn't always important to understand if you simply enjoy the music, and to do that you have to not *try* too hard to understand, relax and go with the flow. A lot of my favorite music didn't make sense to me for *decades*, I just knew I loved it and it was part of what I absorbed and what I became absorbed into later on. This is really what that particular song is all about!
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Comment #21 posted by FoM on January 19, 2006 at 13:54:53 PT
museman 
Basically what you are saying is what they are talking about on CNN's Show The Situation Room. 
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Comment #20 posted by FoM on January 19, 2006 at 13:46:38 PT
Whig
I watched the video but I didn't understand it. I tried to understand but it didn't click with me. Music and videos are simple for me to understand when they show me a message that I can relate too but if they don't no matter how much effort I put into trying to figure them out it won't work for me. I really tried though.
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Comment #19 posted by whig on January 19, 2006 at 13:24:47 PT
THE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN
http://youtube.com/w/Carpet-Crawlers-1999---Genesis?v=_HaLR2Bjlo0
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Comment #18 posted by museman on January 19, 2006 at 13:18:32 PT:
Bin Laden-Schmin laden
'Should we listen to our enemy?' What a question. In this situation I have to rhetoricly ask, "Who is our enemy?"Doesn't it strike anyone else as slightly uncanny how Bin Ladens messages seem to come out at crucial points in GWs popularity polls?I can just see the sleazo's now in the oval office;Dick: "Your ratings are going downhill again George."George: "Oh No! What do I do Dickie."Wolfowitz: "Don't worry your pretty little head honey, we'll just give 'ol Bin Laden a call,...Donald, did we send him that package of new video tapes for cristmas?"Rumsfeldt: "Yes and a new state of the art digital too."How can anyone believe anything coming out of a state propaganda machine that has very little truth and a sh*tload of lies?You want to believe in terrorism? That little horror story concocted and illustrated by the Bush team (starting with Sr. under Reagan)? I know a bridge you can buy.Who is our enemy? How can we look abroad for an illusive enemy when we have a very tangible monster sitting on the throne of America?Are the concerns of the ('terrorist') Arabs valid? Yes and no. Their side of the story is similar enough; they believe the extreme propaganda served up to them by their radical mullahs. Though I can't prove it, I'm willing to wager that there is a line of communication between the extremes on this side, and the extremes on that side, who sit back and watch the show every day with great satisfaction. These people have taken the concept of 'wag the dog' to new heights.
http://wholeearthfamily.org
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Comment #17 posted by FoM on January 19, 2006 at 13:00:36 PT
Peace On Earth Goodwill To Mankind
We don't hear that much anymore. War is wrong. What happened on 9/11 was horrible. We lost many people. How many have died since then on both sides? Many more will die if someone doesn't stop listening to what they stir up. No one is right. Everything is wrong. When that is what we see who will stop it? Someone will one day. I hope that day is sooner then I think it could be.
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Comment #16 posted by whig on January 19, 2006 at 12:49:47 PT
Bush and Bin Laden
They are like two peas in a pod. Each demonizes the other, and then sows fear and violence. Even today, the Bush administration has now all but declared martial law in defense of their warrantless surveillance powers.
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Comment #15 posted by FoM on January 19, 2006 at 12:27:54 PT
Siege
It's interesting how I have not seen but a small bit of pornography ( except what I have seen on some web sites when searching for related news for here ) even though it probably would be very easy to find. Can't parents keep young people's computers in a family room where it could be supervised by the parents as a solution instead of the government?
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Comment #14 posted by siege on January 19, 2006 at 12:18:31 PT
ot Feds after Google data
Feds after Google data
By Howard Mintz
Mercury NewsThe Bush administration on Wednesday asked a federal judge to order Google to turn over a broad range of material from its closely guarded databases.The move is part of a government effort to revive an Internet child protection law struck down two years ago by the U.S. Supreme Court. The law was meant to punish online pornography sites that make their content accessible to minors. The government contends it needs the Google data to determine how often pornography shows up in online searches.
In court papers filed in U.S. District Court in San Jose, Justice Department lawyers revealed that Google has refused to comply with a subpoena issued last year for the records, which include a request for 1 million random Web addresses and records of all Google searches from any one-week period.http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/13657303.htm
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on January 19, 2006 at 12:04:49 PT
About The News
I had the news on earlier today before I muted the sound and turned on music. I heard about the Bin Laden message. I thought ok he laid it all out. Should we ever listen to our enemies? Do we want to know why we are hated? I want to know. War is war. I turned off the news because I don't want to see how it will be spun on the news to back more bombings etc. Someday if we ever want peace we will have to listen to what our enemies have to say or how will it ever end?
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on January 19, 2006 at 11:54:45 PT
siege 
I haven't heard that but it is totally believable to me. I take Saint John's Wort almost everyday for around 10 years and I haven't had one serious episode of depression since then. I use to cry alot but I don't feel a need to cry much anymore. I will get teary eyes when something really moves me like the miners. Medicinal herbs are good medicine.
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Comment #11 posted by siege on January 19, 2006 at 11:49:59 PT
FoM
I was reading some place that they where using (pine, sea urgents,sneals) for cancer and bird flu and HIV and a host of other things. 
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on January 19, 2006 at 11:35:32 PT
siege
Did you know that Canada is using the Christmas trees they gathered to make a medicine that will help to fight against bird flu? I thought that was great. We planted tiny little pine trees when we moved out here in the late 70s and now they are monster trees. I guess I will be able to use my trees instead of man made drugs if the flu hits us here.
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Comment #9 posted by siege on January 19, 2006 at 11:30:04 PT
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is one of those systems of medicine that is all encompassing and could be a life-long project of study.
 history of American medicine and how politics and the clever actions of several self-interest groups, over time, created today’s modern medical monopoly folly.
The story of how homeopathy first came to America, became the second most practiced healing art by public demand, and then was virtually destroyed by Big Pharma and its allies, the AMA and the practitioners of modern (allopathic) medicine, is why we have called our article “The Worst Crime of the 20th Century.” This history bears witness to how the self-interest of just a handful of people, by creating an allopathic medical monopoly, continues to cause the needless deaths of millions of people and the ongoing suffering of millions more.
Homeopaths saved lives in such large numbers and compared to the competition it was obvious that allopathic methods were a complete failure. In rapid order, the practice of homeopathy became widespread in New England, the Middle Atlantic States, and the Midwest. And, true to form, while the South had been slow to catch on, the 1878 yellow fever epidemic converted many patients and doctors there, too.
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on January 19, 2006 at 11:07:39 PT
whig
Thank you. I really have a hard time wanting something just for me anymore. I feel blessed. 
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on January 19, 2006 at 11:05:19 PT
potpal
I have never understood why going so far out into space was necessary. ( Literally I mean LOL! ) I look at the night sky and go it's beautiful but I like living on the earth and it is a beautiful planet. I wish we spent as much money exploring our deep oceans and jungle so that we might find a cure for maybe cancer or other diseases.
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Comment #6 posted by whig on January 19, 2006 at 11:03:39 PT
FoM
"I step back when it comes to my state because I don't want to feel selfish."Do you step back when it comes to the US? It isn't selfish to want freedom for yourself and everyone else. If you want it *only* for yourself then it would be selfish, but that's not who you are.Don't be ashamed to say that Ohio should be free.
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Comment #5 posted by potpal on January 19, 2006 at 11:03:03 PT
sorry
Screwed up the link...it was to a live stream of the launch of the pluto probe...instantaneous world, indeed.Is it redundant, living here on earth, to want to send your ashes into outer space?Cheers.
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Comment #4 posted by potpal on January 19, 2006 at 10:56:17 PT
hurry go
http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolavconsole/shared/player/player.stm?title=Nasa Pluto mission launch&clipurl=http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsa/n5ctrl/live/nb/wm/video/now4_nb!asx&cs=newsnasa launch
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on January 19, 2006 at 10:34:37 PT
Something Interesting
I didn't know there were any activists in my area until I read this article. I guess it is a small world.
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Comment #2 posted by PainWithNoInsurance on January 19, 2006 at 10:25:50 PT
How Shameful
I find it shameful that people have to beg lawmakers to take action on pending bills. People in good health that turn away others in feeble conditions do not belong in civil service.
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on January 19, 2006 at 10:21:39 PT
Just a Comment
It would make me very happy if Medical Marijuana happened in Ohio. I step back when it comes to my state because I don't want to feel selfish. Good luck Ohio.
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