cannabisnews.com: MS Patient Faces Marijuana Trial! MS Patient Faces Marijuana Trial! Posted by FoM on February 09, 1999 at 13:42:03 PT WASHINGTON The government's ban on using marijuana for medicinal purposes will be tested in the nation's capital as a woman suffering from multiple sclerosis stands trial for lighting a joint in a congressman's office. Renee Emry Wolfe said taking a few puffs of marijuana is the only way she gets relief when her muscles go into spasm from the disease she has had for two decades. For Mrs. Wolfe, ``having a joint is like an asthmatic having a bronchial inhaler,'' said her attorney, Jeff Orchard. Last Sept. 15, Mrs. Wolfe lighted a marijuana cigarette in the office of Rep. Bill McCollum, R-Fla., to bring attention to the issue of medical marijuana. ``This patient has run out of patience,'' Mrs. Wolfe, a 38-year-old mother of three from Ann Arbor, Mich., said in an interview. ``It's an uphill battle that I'm fighting,'' she said after Superior Court Judge Anita Josey-Herring set an April 26 trial date. ``I feel that if I have to talk to every judge in this country to get things changed, I will.'' Channing Phillips, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office here, said prosecutors are pushing the case because ``possession of marijuana is against the law'' in the District of Columbia. There is a growing national debate over the use of marijuana for medical reasons. Voters in six states -- California, Arizona, Alaska, Oregon, Nevada and Washington -- have approved measures in the last few years allowing use of marijuana for medical reasons. Congress barred the District of Columbia from counting of voting results from a similar ballot initiative last fall. The New England Journal of Medicine has editorialized in favor of medical marijuana and the American Medical Association, altering its policy, voted to urge the National Institutes of Health to support more research on the subject. Last fall, Mrs. Wolfe went to McCollum's office to protest his resolution that day on the House floor, which said marijuana is a dangerous and addictive drug and should not be legalized for medical use. McCollum is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee's crime panel. In his legal argument, Orchard contends that Mrs. Wolfe started to feel tense when McCollum's aides did not want to talk with her and she lighted the marijuana cigarette because she felt her symptoms returning. When she gets attacks, her hands shake and she loses control of her legs. However, McCollum aide Shannon Gravitte said she spoke to Mrs. Wolfe. Gravitte said the incident seemed like a publicity stunt since Mrs. Wolfe had brought several cameras and a reporter with her. ``She was very calm and almost immediately lit up the joint,'' Ms. Gravitte said. Mrs. Wolfe was arrested and spent several hours in jail. Charged with a misdemeanor, she would face up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted. Prosecutors contend a medical defense does not apply because there was no immediate danger to Mrs. Wolfe and there was a legal medical alternative available. ``The evidence overwhelmingly establishes that her real purpose was to conduct a protest in the United States Capitol in order to publicize her position regarding the marijuana laws,'' prosecutors wrote in a legal brief. Orchard said jail time could hurt her health: ``Right now, she does not always have to be in a wheelchair. If she does 180 days without any (marijuana), she will always be in a wheelchair.'' Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #7 posted by l.mills on June 15, 2001 at 15:20:29 PT: m.s. & m.j. I've had m.s. eight years. I smoke an ounce of M.J. a week.I am currently fighting to have my 1999 income tax healthcredit allowed. I spent over twelve thousand for 1999 and had receipts for it all. The gov't sent me $2,600 or soand are now requesting it back. I'm going to go to Tax Courtto fight this, and-no they won't be getting the money fromme. I had quit my job of 20 years because of M.S, May 31st,2001 and having no savings-(my own fault mostly)I was told to cash my R.R.S.P.'S for cash----for everything.....Why do I have to wait four months for my five-years-worklong-term-disability coverage and C.P.P. disability health-coverage? Did Cretien wait for months for his bigraise????? Hmm.........life is long and it goes on......Sure am glad ALAN ROCK and Canadian gov't saw fit to makeme a legal smoker. Wish I could just pick it up at my localdrug store where I get all my other medicinal drugs. Oh yeah---the reason they want their money back... 1) My doctor didn't prescribe it to me. 2) I don't pick it up at a pharmacy.Well.........my doctors all know I use marihuana medicinallyonly. Besides which I don't get high. I suffer from chronic pain and M.J., while not alleviating the pain; doeshowever make it not seem to be the most important thing in my life.Also, M.J. has been proven to have an anti spasmodic effecton M.S. sufferers limbs. Personally, I like to call themmy dancing feet--however they're not dancing-no balanceanyway-they're not controllable and its scary. With theamount of M.J. I ingest, I have not had that unpleasant experience for a long time. The end? I doubt it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by syreeta on March 27, 2001 at 11:55:03 PT: frustration i cannot believe that a country as "advanced" as the Us is still putting stagmas on people like this. I know a sufferer of MS and the only way he can survive is smoking marijuana. It calms his tremors, it relieves constipation and eases his depression. The government should smarten and see the truth. Figure it out people. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on February 10, 1999 at 07:51:40 PT She is a Hero! You are right she is a true American Hero! Thanks for your comments! This will force those in Washington to pay at least a little attention to our issue! These laws must change and hopefully we can all make a difference! [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by STAN DUP on February 10, 1999 at 07:24:32 PT: REPLY TO KENNY BUHR'S COMMENT.... It's YOU that SUCKS! I'll bet u wish it could have been you on your knee's in the oval office instead of MONICA! what an IDIOT! [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by STAN DUP on February 09, 1999 at 21:41:20 PT: WISH I COULD'VE BEEN THERE TO LIGHT IT FOR HER ! MRS. WOLFE is a true AMERICAN HERO! I would like to say,"it took alot of gut's to do what she did", but it's worst than that, SHE'S IN PAIN, THAT'S WHY SHE DID IT! How can McCollum claim grass is dangerous and addictive when he (and everybody) knows the research(since,as early as 1988) proves exactly the opposite. And there is no way i would take McCollum's so-called(chemcal/drug,side-affecting,liver-scarring,lifesucking) alternatives, if there is a "straight from the planet, natural remedy that works greater and is safer to use. As for this ANTI-AMERICAN tactic(in our nations capital,no less) of banning americans from even voting on this issue, you might as well be burning the flag on the white house lawn!! Come to think of it, i believe it was(THE OUSTED) Newt Gingrich that spearheaded that BAN? SOUNDS ABOUT RIGHT ! Mrs. wolfe, if there is anything we(wanna-be's) can do to help you, please post it! You're not alone !!!! [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on February 09, 1999 at 20:06:59 PT Give change a chance! Whether you are pro or anti- marijuana this part of the article should be acknowledged if we are a Democracy like we profess to be.There is a growing national debate over the use of marijuana for medical reasons. Voters in six states -- California, Arizona, Alaska, Oregon, Nevada and Washington -- have approved measures in the last few years allowing use of marijuana for medical reasons. Congress barred the District of Columbia from counting of voting results from a similar ballot initiative last fall. The New England Journal of Medicine has editorialized in favor of medical marijuana and the American Medical Association, altering its policy, voted to urge the National Institutes of Health to support more research on the subject. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Kenny Buhr on February 09, 1999 at 17:55:49 PT: cannabis sucks Cannabis sucks. Go government! [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: