cannabisnews.com: Austin Lawmaker Files Bill in Favor of MMJ





Austin Lawmaker Files Bill in Favor of MMJ
Posted by FoM on February 02, 2001 at 11:32:30 PT
By Laylan Copelin, American-Statesman Staff
Source: Austin American-Statesman
State Rep. Terry Keel, R-Austin, has lent his law-and-order image to medical marijuana legislation. A former Travis County prosecutor and sheriff, Keel has filed a bill allowing a defendant charged with marijuana possession to claim as a defense that the drug was recommended by a physician for treatment of a medical condition. 
"If we have medicine that can alleviate pain and treat seriously ill patients, it makes no sense not to use it," Keel said. "Logic dictates that this be done." Keel, who prides himself on "being on the front lines of the drug war for 10 years," said House Bill 513 is narrowly drawn so it does not interfere with police or prosecutors. The burden of proof is on the defendant. It does not decriminalize the drug and avoids conflicting with federal laws banning use of the drug. Although doctors still cannot prescribe marijuana, they sometimes recommend it. Keel said he does not expect physicians to abuse the legislation because it would be a red flag to the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners. Patients undergoing chemotherapy or battling AIDS smoke marijuana to ease pain, control nausea or stimulate appetites. Although there are health concerns about long-term use, Keel said his motive is to help the seriously ill. "We have a lot of terminally ill in Austin," he said. He said his constituents in western Travis County overwhelmingly supported the idea in a recent questionnaire. State Rep. Glen Maxey, an Austin Democrat who is an advocate on health issues, including treatment for AIDS patients, said Keel's law enforcement background will help advance the bill. "He's the right guy to do it," Maxey said. Complete Title: Austin Lawmaker Files Bill in Favor of Medical MarijuanaYou may contact Laylan Copelin at: lcopelin statesman.comSource Austin American-Statesman (TX) Author: Laylan Copelin, American-Statesman StaffPublished: Friday, February 2, 2001Address: P. O. Box 670 Austin, Texas 78767 Copyright: 2001 Austin American-Statesman Fax: 512-445-3679 Contact:  letters statesman.com Website: http://www.austin360.com/statesman/editions/today/ CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on February 07, 2001 at 08:05:28 PT:
News Brief
Medical Marijuana Bill a SurpriseSource: Dallas Morning News (TX)Published: February 7, 2001Author: Christy Hoppe, The Dallas Morning NewsCopyright: 2001 The Dallas Morning NewsAddress: P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, Texas 75265Fax: (972) 263-0456Contact: letterstoeditor dallasnews.comWebsite: http://www.dallasnews.com/Feedback: http://dmnweb.dallasnews.com/letters/Forum: http://forums.dallasnews.com/cgi-bin/wwwthreads.plGOP lawmaker backs allowing doctor's order as defense.The idea of Terry Keel filing a medical marijuana bill is like Nixon going to China. Before it happened, no one could have imagined it.Mr. Keel, a conservative Republican from Austin, is an ex-prosecutor and a former Travis County sheriff. He has been a field commander in the war on drugs.A glance at the bills he has authored would make McGruff the Crime Dog pant.Yet he is sponsoring a proposal to allow someone charged with marijuana possession to offer the defense that it was recommended by a doctor for a proven medical condition.If a judge or jury believes such a defense, it would amount to an automatic not guilty.This bill doesn't legalize marijuana, but it makes its use legally acceptable in narrow circumstances.Mr. Keel said three things made him decide it was time for such a measure in Texas: cancer, constituents and common sense."I've become aware of the fact that it has medicinal effects that are more beneficial than other treatments," Mr. Keel said. "It doesn't make any sense to me to have heroin and amphetamine derivatives available, but not [marijuana]."It's time we use everything in our arsenal for pain management," he said.Mr. Keel said if a liberal House member had introduced such a bill, it probably wouldn't be taken so seriously.But because he has arrested, investigated and prosecuted narcotics cases, he said this bill shows you can still be tough on drugs but provide the justice system some needed discretion.Mr. Keel laughed when asked the reaction of his conservative colleagues to the bill."Everything from shock to 'I'm glad you had the courage to do it because no one else could do it,'" he said.
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Comment #4 posted by Stripey on February 03, 2001 at 10:40:41 PT
OMG. . . something funny occured to me. . .
Look at the URL for Joyce's rant.Http://www.americacares.com/Before_you_vote.htm right?look at it this way: America cares, before you vote. Afterwards, they don't give a damn. . . :)
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Comment #3 posted by Dan B on February 02, 2001 at 19:27:48 PT:
Observer, Thanks for the Sobering Humor.
That's an oxymoron (sobering humor) if I've ever heard one, eh? Anyway, I appreciate your comments (as usual). Interesting that Joyce Nalepka seems to be against the idea that people should get out and vote. I guess her version of democracy is such that only the people who agree with her narrow-minded point-of-view should have the right to vote. Well, that's not how the framers of the Constitution saw it. Not that most politicians really care about what the framers of the Constitution had in mind.I applaud the efforts of State Representative Keel. Notice that he, like Governor Gary Johnson of New Mexico, is a Republican. Perhaps we are seeing the beginnings of a groundswell. We can always hope.Dan B
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Comment #2 posted by observer on February 02, 2001 at 13:40:43 PT
W. W. J. D. ?
A former Travis County prosecutor and sheriff, . . . "If we have medicine that can alleviate pain and treat seriously ill patients, it makes no sense not to use it," Keel said. "Logic dictates that this be done." No, no, no! This is all wrong. Ask yourself, "WWJD"? ("Jesus"? Huh? No, not him! -- Jesus would weep, open the prisons and heal the sick. But that's not "on message" for "saving the children", now is it? That would not be recommended to expand our agency's budget, now would it? No.) In this context, WWJD means, "What Would Joyce [Nalepka] Do" ? Joyce will tell us what to think!''Drug legalizers have gotten their medical marijuana cigarette hoax passed in several states already by using the simple "Get out and Vote" message and misinformation. . . . If you don't have time to read all we've requested of you, take a look at the kids in your neighborhood, or on the streets of our cities and you'll clearly see POT IS GOOD FOR NOTHING!''-- Joyce 'Carrie Nation' Nalepkahttp://www.americacares.org/before_you_vote.htm 
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Comment #1 posted by meagain on February 02, 2001 at 13:17:51 PT
Thank you
We need more people like this.
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