cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Distribution Should be Allowed by State


cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Distribution Should be Allowed by State 





Marijuana Distribution Should be Allowed by State 
Posted by FoM on November 30, 2000 at 08:02:11 PT
Staff Editorial, Ka Leo O Hawaii, U. Hawaii
Source: U-WIRE
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case in which the Clinton administration will attempt to shut down the Oakland Cannabis Buyers Cooperative, a group that sells marijuana for medical purposes. California, like Hawaii, legalizes marijuana for medical purposes if the patient has a doctor's note suggesting use of the otherwise illegal substance. This legalization, however, does not extend as far as allowing doctors to prescribe the drug. It also does not legally provide for legitimate ways to obtain the drug. 
Essentially, it's legal for patients to buy it, but no one can legally sell it. So the question arises: should states allow companies to legally distribute marijuana? It seems like the next logical step. If the state recognizes the need for marijuana in medicine, then it should similarly recognize the need to regulate the distribution of the substance. Legally licensing companies to sell the drug might actually provide the state with more control over the medical use of the drug. For instance, the government could (with the right laws in motion) sell licenses to grow and distribute marijuana. Restrictions on the licenses would be a must. We could set a maximum volume for companies to grow and distribute in a given time frame (adjusted to need). We could require such companies to verify the patient's need for the drug through their doctor. We could even regulate the strains of the plant and processing methods to ensure consistent quality among such plants. Like pain relievers and other drugs, marijuana serves a useful purpose when used according to regulation. Like many other drugs, this use comes coupled with a psychotropic side effect (drugs like Vicodin and morphine can cause dizziness and a temporary "high" as well). So, like most other drugs, shouldn't we have a legal, regulated way to obtain marijuana? It is worth considering, however, that once we allow pharmaceutical companies to take advantage of the marijuana market, we'll possibly experience some momentum towards legalizing marijuana. But that's a risk worth taking. Let's provide a way for those who need medical marijuana to receive consistent quality product at competitive prices -- by legalizing medical distribution. (U-WIRE) HonoluluUpdated 12:00 PM ET November 29, 2000 Staff Editorial, Ka Leo O Hawaii U. Hawaii(C) 2000 Ka Leo O Hawaii via U-WIRE Related Articles & Web Site:Oakland Cannabis Buyer's Cooperativehttp://www.rxcbc.org/Drug Policy Forum 0f Hawaiihttp://www.drugsense.org/dpfhi/ Hawaii Medical Marijuana Institutehttp://www.medijuana.com/Medical Marijuana Case to Top Courthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7823.shtmlOakland Marijuana Case Goes to US Supreme Courthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7800.shtmlU.S. Justices To Weigh Medical Marijuana Laws http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7797.shtmlSupreme Court To Decide Medical Marijuana Case http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread7784.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by Walter Gourlay on December 02, 2000 at 00:06:15 PT:
Supremes
I agree that the Supreme Court should let doctors and patients decide whether or not they should be able to obtain marijuana for medical purposes. I am inclined to think that the Court will side with the Puritan lawmakers and law-enforcement stooges, who never liked marijuana and have always been paranoid and muleheaded over it. Regardless of the Court's decision, they are not almighty God, and I believe that many doctors, lawyers, intellectuals, prominent liberals and the thousands of voters will fight for the right to use and obtain medical marijuana. Voters will certainly resent the fact of being allowed to vote for medical herb but having the government or a court tell them its against the law to obtain marijuana.  Even some of the politicians and judges are on our side. We will win this fight if we remain defiant for our rights. 
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Comment #2 posted by Rev. Jonathan Adler on December 01, 2000 at 13:38:46 PT:
Hawaii Legal Medijuana Source
Aloha, Thanks to the Ka Leo Staff at UH. I am still planting seeds, growing weeds and meeting needs with our legal Hawaii Medijuana. Our volcanic organic is available by donation to legally protected members of our church. No regulation other than the agreement of the church member to smoke the holy herb in rememberance of our Father in Heaven and His son Jesus. We are ready to serve all qualified medical patients approved by the state of Hawaii and others with authorization of a religious nature. Regulation is limiting on a market's ability to stabilize subject to supply and demand and quality. Beware letting the state or Federal government get involved with your God given right to use, cultivate and benefit from cannabis. see...... www.medijuana.com   *Mahalos from the Big Island
Hawaii Medical Marijuana Institute
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on November 30, 2000 at 10:19:53 PT:
Related Article
EDITORIAL: Supreme Court Right for Reviewing Marijuana Use Source: U-WIREStaff Editorial, The State News, Michigan State U.Updated 12:00 PM ET November 29, 2000Copyright: 2000 The State News via U-WIRE Website: http://news.excite.com/odd/uw/(U-WIRE) East Lansing, Mich. -- The Supreme Court will have to roll up its sleeves and decide whether proponents of medical marijuana have legitimate claims or are just blowing smoke. On Monday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the Clinton administration's attempt to prohibit California's Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative from providing marijuana to seriously ill patients. The distribution of marijuana is a crime by federal law, and the case will determine the legality of providing the drug out of "medical necessity." Medical marijuana use is a burning issue that demands the attention of federal courts. A 1996 California law legalized the possession and use of marijuana for medical purposes, and in Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Maine, Oregon, Washington, Nevada and Colorado similar laws are in place or have been approved by voters. More than two dozen organizations in those states have been distributing the drug for medical use. This use, though, is in contradiction with federal law, which considers the drug an illegal substance. It is time for the federal court to take a stance and determine the power and jurisdiction of the laws in these states. Doctors have an obligation to provide their patients with the best possible relief available. Seriously ill patients in pain have the right to the medicine that best fits their individual needs, and the medical community has a responsibility to help the patients in any way it can. Marijuana is sometimes the best, or only, possible way to treat symptoms, and doctors should be allowed to provide it. Proponents claim marijuana eases pain, helps nausea, promotes weight gain and steadies spastic muscles. It has been distributed to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, HIV patients and those who are terminally ill or in chronic pain. Doctors can be trusted to decide whether marijuana use is warranted, just as they are trusted with the distribution of other drugs. They have worked hard to earn that trust, and should judge patient cases on an individual basis to determine if marijuana is the best drug. It is possible that doctors will abuse their right to distribute what is a widely recreational drug, but that risk already exists with other prescription drugs. Many other drugs used for medicinal purposes, such as Ritalin, Vicodin and even cough syrup, also are abused for recreational use. The medical benefits of marijuana should not be ignored because of the stigma that surrounds it. While opponents claim the legalization of marijuana for medical use will make the drug more widespread, it would not likely increase the use of the drug among the healthy population. Those who light up already are able to obtain the drug illegally. The Clinton administration should not have tried to deter the California group from distributing marijuana. While the administration may believe the buzz about the medical benefits of marijuana is just that, only doctors and scientists have the medical knowledge necessary to make that determination. The Supreme Court should listen to this medical community when making its decision, and when the smoke clears, hopefully the court will have put the control of the medicinal use of this drug into doctors' hands. 
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