cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijuana Bill Stays in Committee Medical Marijuana Bill Stays in Committee Posted by FoM on January 21, 2001 at 09:35:11 PT By William Simonsen, Associated Press Writer Source: Rapid City Journal Cheyenne, Wyoming - A Senate committee is weighing legislation that would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana to patients when no other drugs are effective.Sen. Keith Goodenough, D-Casper, told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday that Senate File 99 would allow marijuana use to treat multiple sclerosis, nausea accompanying chemotherapy and other debilitating conditions. A similar bill passed the House but died in the Senate in 1992.Goodenough said trying to change opinion about marijuana and its legality is like "asking someone who believes the earth is flat to change to believing in a round earth."Tom Pagel, director of the state Division of Investigation, said the bill would encourage more drug abuse. He said the bill is unenforceable and does not identify or control "who grows, who transports and who sells."Moreover, licensed providers in states where the medical use of marijuana is legal must purchase the drug on the black market. "Then it goes from illegal to legal," he said.Because the bill would allow the cultivation of marijuana for personal use, anyone caught growing or transporting marijuana could claim it was being used for medical purposes, he said.Kathryn Valido, of Cheyenne, told the committee that marijuana could have lessened her husband's suffering as he died from colon cancer. The side effects of other anti-nausea drugs were so severe he eventually rejected the medication."John's doctor should have been able to try this. There is no reason medical marijuana should not be given," she said.Pagel countered that much of the popular belief in medical marijuana has been fed by propaganda from "a few billionaires" and special interest groups.Nor would a state medical marijuana law change federal laws; federal officials could still arrest the same people under federal law, he said.Committee member Sen. Rae Lynn Job, D-Rock Springs, spoke in favor of the bill."I have known people who have had these conditions, and I would give them anything," she said.She urged fellow committee members to try to work out problems in the bill. "I would rather try to fix something than throw it out."Goodenough said, "It is extremely shortsighted to step between the doctor and the patient. If a person is dying and becomes addicted, is that a problem?"Committee chairman Sen. John Schiffer, R-Kaycee, postponed further debate on the bill until next week. He asked Goodenough to draft amendments on how to control and supply the drug."If you bring them back, the committee will hear it," he said.Source: Rapid City JournalAuthor: William Simonsen, Associated Press WriterPublished: January 21, 2001Copyright: 2001 Rapid City Journal Address: PO Box 450, Rapid City SD 57709 Fax: (605) 394-8463 Contact: randy.rasmussen rapidcityjournal.com Website: http://www.rapidcityjournal.com CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by meagain on January 22, 2001 at 05:24:59 PT Lets rock and roll Tom Pagel, director of the state Division of Investigation, said the bill would encourage more drug abuse. He said the bill is unenforceable and does not identify or control "who grows, who transports and who sells."Gee Tom the government has no problem regulating the manufacture, distribution and consumption of alcohol not to mention many home stills in operation even today.so what would be the difference of regulation marijuana grow rooms and adult use???Why don't you people realize that this can be done with guidelines to follow like right down to how many plants how many lights the type of ventilation system so no and so on. geee you could make more money of people breaking 50 rules than just 1 rule.Maybe they should try to use it as a privilage to keep people from getting involved in real crime for example adult s would be allowed the privilages so long as they have no prior felony convictions. When they commit a crime they lose the right to grow and smoke. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on January 21, 2001 at 14:29:59 PT: Laughable Propaganda "much of the popular belief in medical marijuana has been fed by propaganda from "a few billionaires" How often does Mr. Soros or any of his colleagues even get quoted. Could it be that there are millions of us, and even that we are in the majority. Time to wake up, politicians."If a person is dying and becomes addicted, is that a problem?"If this were true, it still would not be a problem. A few of these prohibitionist losers should spend time with terminal patients in pain, and explain to their families why the law forbids compassionate use of herbal medicine that is effective. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: