cannabisnews.com: Utahan's Campaigning for Medical Use of Marijuana Utahan's Campaigning for Medical Use of Marijuana Posted by FoM on February 13, 2001 at 12:32:22 PT By Lois M. Collins, Deseret News Staff Writer Source: Deseret News Morphine is a frequently prescribed medication to relieve pain. It's also a drug that's used illegally for recreational purposes. The same is true of cocaine. Though it's thought of more in terms of a war on drugs, derivatives are used by dentists and doctors. Now a group of Utahns is launching a campaign to have the medical applications of cannabis (marijuana) legalized. They will kick off a signature drive at the Capitol at 3 p.m. Wednesday to get the issue put on the ballot. "We want physicians to be allowed to prescribe it for those patients for whom it's useful," said Ken Larsen, a biologist and medical researcher who is chairman of the Utah Therapeutic Humane Cannabis Committee. "We wonder how it's reasonable that more serious, dangerous drugs are allowed use as medications. We hope this one-year campaign will gather the necessary 76,000 signatures to put it on the ballot." The measure would protect doctors in prescribing cannabis as treatment for certain medical conditions, protect the patient who has a prescription from prosecution and protect the person who supplies the product to someone with a valid prescription. Marijuana products, in various forms, are reported to help people suffering from a variety of illnesses, including glaucoma, Tourette's syndrome, cancer, AIDS wasting syndrome, multiple sclerosis and other ailments. Voters in seven states and the District of Columbia have approved medical use of cannabis. And a variety of professional medical associations, including the American Medical Association and the American Public Health Association, have voiced support for allowing doctors to prescribe cannabis. Opponents say it's an effort to legalize marijuana. Committee vice chairman Ben Valdez Jr. disagrees. "The message we should be sending to children is that cannabis is a medicine and like all medicines, it should be treated with respect and not abused." Larsen said his own research convinced him that the substance could relieve suffering. He studied tetrahydrocannabis with aspirin for arthritis patients. They didn't have the serious stomach ailments others get without the THC, he said. "A lot of prescription drugs are irritating to the stomach or bowels and ought to have THC in them. It protects the intestinal lining." Larsen said the question hasn't been too controversial in Utah, where he said people seem to accept that mind-altering drugs can be "perfectly legitimate when used in medical applications." But he said he hopes that not only supporters of the petition drive but those who disagree will show up and discuss it on Wednesday. Information about medicinal use of cannabis and the petition drive are online at: http://www.thc2002.org/Note: Petition drive gets under way on the Hill Wednesday.Source: Deseret News (UT) Author: Lois M. Collins, Deseret News Staff WriterPublished: February 13, 2001Copyright: 2001 Deseret News Publishing Corp. Contact: letters desnews.com Website: http://www.desnews.com/ CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by meagain on February 13, 2001 at 18:18:48 PT Congrates Congratulations Utah heres lookin at you ! [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by The GCW on February 13, 2001 at 16:25:10 PT: God and 4:20 Some people visiting Colorado, mentioned something about the marijuana law just passed, Amendment 21 or 20 and couldn’t remember which it was. I said I have a story inspired by God that will help you remember which one it is, forever! Check out this click: For the opposition in Utah, they must take heed! http://cheaptalk.marijuana.com/420/showthread.php?threadid=10273 [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by observer on February 13, 2001 at 14:36:16 PT ''Total Prohibition or Total Access'' Opponents say it's an effort to legalize marijuana.Classic!Policy Options are Presented as Total Prohibition or Total AccessProhibitionists have always characterized themselves as being in a moral/religious battle against evil. This quality of the prohibitionist movements eliminated the option of compromise. The choice as they saw and presented it was total prohibition or total access to the hated drugs. It was ot that other methods of controlling use did not exist or would not work; it was the idea that all usage was sinful nd must be stopped. Like an ongoing morality play, this same issue gets played out-repeatedly today with a new cast of characters. As bills are introduced to lower criminal penalties for various illicit drugs, one can anticipate any number of legislators standing to attack reduced penalties as an invitation for use and a first step toward legalization of drug X.Themes in Chemical Prohibition, NIDA, 1979http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/History/ticp.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Kevin Hebert on February 13, 2001 at 13:58:52 PT: In Utah, even It just goes to show that the truth is stronger than fiction. Orrin Hatch must be having convulsions on this one. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: