cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Initiative Backed Marijuana Initiative Backed Posted by FoM on September 26, 1999 at 09:12:50 PT Vote Tally Shows Overwhelming Support Source: Washington Post It's showdown time.After a year of fighting over whether the District could legalize the medical use of marijuana, city voters' stance on the issue is clear. And Congress doesn't like it. Federal lawmakers managed to block a vote count for 10 months. But the ballots were tallied after a judge issued a court order, and it turns out that more than two-thirds of voters thought the seriously ill should be able to use marijuana to alleviate symptoms if their doctors recommend it."Yes, this is a victory, but there's a lot of work to do," said Wayne Turner, an AIDS activist who led the initiative campaign.He can say that again. Arguing that legalizing drugs to any extent sets a dangerous precedent, Republicans vowed to overturn the results of a D.C. election for the first time ever."It would be a travesty for Congress to stand by and allow a handful of activists to overturn federal narcotics laws with an argument that is, medically speaking, the worst kind of quackery," said Rep. Robert L. Barr Jr. (R-Ga.).Mayor Anthony A. Williams (D) begged to differ. "I call upon Congress to respect the will of the electorate of the District of Columbia," he said.The measure garnered 69 percent support in the District, the largest margin in any medical marijuana initiative. Voters in five states passed similar measures on the same day as D.C. voters cast their ballots, Nov. 3. SEPT. 19-25The Region in Review© Copyright 1999 The Washington Post CompanySunday, September 26, 1999; Page C02 ACT UP Washington DChttp://www.actupdc.org/Related Articles:Congress Should Resist Blocking of Democracyhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread3030.shtmlBarr Continues His Assault on Democracyhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread3016.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #1 posted by Scott Bouwens on July 12, 2001 at 14:21:40 PT: in the past. Hello, I am Scott Bouwens, and I live in Tucson Arizonaand my comment is simply that: In the past befor prescriptions were an option, there were many natural cures to many many aliments, as a naturalist my self I know that the majority of cancers, depression, and most illnesses that are occurring more this day in age, are treated by products that consist of pure chemicals.When many people are treated for AIDS and Cancers of all sorts, the individual generally will have a loss of appetite, loss of motivation, feelings of depression, nausea, etc… These side effects can, in some circumstances, be more irritating and detrimental to the patient than the disease it is intended to fight. All medications, herbs, or drugs of any sort will have side effects, but it seems quite obvious to me that marijuana (being a plant) is as basic as can be, in this day in age every one is going organic, it’s the y2k trend, if you want to be healthy you have to treat your body accordingly, garbage in garbage out. Treating an illness with an herb or plant is about as invasive as drinking tea, the side effects you may feel the first time will dissipate in time because the body will only have to build a tolerance to one natural chemical instead of 10-20 chemical compounds. Humans are omnivores, chemicals (in my opinion) should not be put into the body day after day, it isn’t healthy and it isn’t natural. In closing I would just like to make a point: If one is able to buy a pack of cigarettes and 6 pack of beer, at a DRIVE thru liquor storeWhy shouldn’t one be able to smoke a plant that has no additives, and no addictive qualities, that a doctor prescribed to treat a TERMINAL disease? [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: