cannabisnews.com: Group Pushes for Medical Marijuana Group Pushes for Medical Marijuana Posted by CN Staff on February 21, 2008 at 05:13:27 PT By Beth Burger Source: Bradenton Herald Bradenton, Fla. -- Cathy Jordan credits marijuana for keeping her alive. The 58-year-old woman, who was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease when she was 36, has begun to lose control of her voice and hands.She and her husband, Bob, have become advocates for the legalization of marijuana. "We don't know why it works, it just does," said Bob, sitting next to his wife Wednesday evening at a meeting held at the Manatee Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. "We're in this to fight till the end."Cathy Jordan smokes about one or two marijuana cigarettes per night. Without them, she says, she will die.The couple was among a dozen supporters who met Wednesday to advocate the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes.Noelle Davis, a federal policies consultant for the Marijuana Policy Project, said the Jordans are not alone.Davis has traveled throughout Florida and other parts of the South speaking to groups, encouraging activism and awareness."We can break the shame and the silence of this issue," she said.The vision of Davis's group is to legalize marijuana for both medicinal and recreational use. The meeting on Wednesday focused on medicinal purposes.Manatee County Sheriff Brad Steube said he's not against the federal government growing and dispensing the drug for medical uses, but his experience in law enforcement has led him to believe it should not be legalized for everyone."I understand those on the other side of the fence will argue that it's good for glaucoma or cancer because it eases pain," Steube said. "I am not against the U.S. government growing and dispensing through a prescription."The prolonged smoking of marijuana leads to it being stored in the fatty tissues of the body such as the brain and reproductive organs, which can lead to health defects, he said.He said he doesn't remember ever arresting anyone on drug charges who claimed the drug was for medicinal purposes.According to Davis, there are only a handful of people who have legal prescriptions receiving 300 marijuana cigarettes. She would like to see legislators both at a state and federal level make it so those with medical conditions can qualify for use."There are people who need this to survive. This is not about having a party," she said.Marijuana is considered the No. 2 drug of choice in Manatee County, he said. Cocaine is the most popular.Most of the marijuana found by investigators is imported from Mexico.Source: Bradenton Herald (FL)Author: Beth BurgerPublished: February 21, 2008Copyright: 2008 Bradenton HeraldContact: bburger bradenton.com Website: http://www.bradenton.com/Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #5 posted by John Tyler on February 21, 2008 at 21:40:38 PT Bradenton shrooms Isn’t Bradenton, Fla. the place that is famous for it’s wild pyslocibin mushroom? The shrooms grow wild in the fields all around that area. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by museman on February 21, 2008 at 16:43:23 PT runruff You forgot Sheriff Arnado. That's quite a tale as well. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by runruff on February 21, 2008 at 11:27:57 PT: LEO corruption. We could talk about it and tell stories all day long. Volumes of books have been fiiled with documented cases.Here in Cave Junction, Or. during the hottest era of the war on cannabis, Cops were having a heyday. Eveything done is everything known in a small community. Some of the local pot growers were selling their herbs to the same buyers as the cops. Oh yeah, it gets pretty funny at times.Back in 1989-1994 my stepson used to go home after school with Dept. Bob Marshal'S two sons and make extra money triming herbs Which they grew on their property "The Winter Pond Angus Ranch." Some, Marshal brought home from local bust. Both Sons are now corrections offercers in Calif. Their dad supplies the herb, they sell it in the prison at obscenely high prices. The Marshals are now very rich. Dept. Bob was turned in so many time for growing and selling herbs after 20 years and serving under his third Sherrif and peeing dirty three times he was asked to voluntarily retire. This man was a one man crime wave. Well not exactly, he had a pardner Dept. Fred Lyman. They were both finally asked to leave. Marshal was accused of selling crank to a guy who was selling it at the high school. His seller got busted and named Marshal as his supplier. Many people around town said Marshal had a 14 yeard old girlfriend he kept supplied with drugs and money.Marshal was one present at my bust. He complimented me on my herbs. He squeezed a nice fat bud right in front of me and smelled it. MMMMMM he said smells like nice stuff.On the inventory list scores of plants were left off. No mystery.I could tell crooked cop tales all day but this one pretty much says it all, at least in my neighborhood. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by augustwest on February 21, 2008 at 10:04:14 PT: florida sheriff corruption I lived in Florida for several years and its a well known fact they don't play by the rules. I've seen them run reverse stings were they sell you cannabis then arrest you, meanwhile somebody is selling crack right down the street. They prefer to bust weed smokers because its less dangrous for them. My siter dated a sheriffs deputy while in college and she told him she was worried about him. he told her not to worry that they don't even bother going in the real bad areas unless theres a shooting and by then the bad guys are all gone. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by dongenero on February 21, 2008 at 09:09:24 PT Doctor Sheriff Brad Steube- Manatee County Sheriff Brad Steube ........... The prolonged smoking of marijuana leads to it being stored in the fatty tissues of the body such as the brain and reproductive organs, which can lead to health defects, he said.Thanks for your medical expertise Doctor Sheriff. sheeesh! Looks like another one has stayed at a Holiday Inn Express. Why does law enforcement feel it necessary, or even valid, to weigh in with their medical advice?and this......... He said he doesn't remember ever arresting anyone on drug charges who claimed the drug was for medicinal purposes.Maybe their lack of medical claim while you're arresting them has something to do with their Miranda Rights, Doctor Sheriff? Or, maybe the good Doctor Sheriff has a selective memory. He did not go so far as to say "I never have".I don't know that I'm furthering anything with this post but, I'm feeling smart alecky today. Some days you're just fed up with BS. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment