cannabisnews.com: Ex-Sheriff Backs Medical Marijuana Bill Ex-Sheriff Backs Medical Marijuana Bill Posted by FoM on February 28, 2001 at 07:53:46 PT By John Moritz, Star-Telegram Austin Bureau Source: Star-Telegram State Rep. Terry Keel of Austin urged a House panel Tuesday to approve legislation allowing patients to smoke marijuana if their doctors advised them it would ease their suffering better than any legal medication. But Keel is not an Austin liberal trying to please a college- town constituency. He's a former prosecutor and Travis County sheriff who four years ago gave up his law enforcement career to run as a Republican for a House seat in an increasingly conservative district in suburban north Austin. "Many of you probably thought I was the last guy in the world to carry this," Keel told the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee. "But it's good public policy. I think it's time we have a full debate on this."The panel deferred action on House Bill 513 for at least a week. But members heard from several witnesses who echoed Keel's argument that marijuana has proven effective for relieving discomfort associated with such diseases as cancer, glaucoma, AIDS and multiple sclerosis.The legislation would not technically legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes, and it would not allow physicians to prescribe it. It's worded in such a way to give patients charged with possessing the controlled substance the right to argue in court that they were advised by a licensed medical doctor that the drug would ease their symptoms.Keel said doctors would face discipline from organizations such as the American Medical Association if they recommended marijuana use for someone whose suffering was not severe.East Texas resident George McMahon said that without medically sanctioned marijuana, he would not have been able to endure the pain, spasms and nausea he has lived with for more than a decade.Carrying a tin bearing about 300 marijuana cigarettes into the committee room, McMahon, 50, said he is permitted to use the drug under a grandfather clause in a now- discontinued federal program."Without it, I wouldn't be alive today," he said. McMahon wouldn't reveal the exact nature of his medical condition.Committee Chairman Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen, co- author of the bill, said the evidence that marijuana has medicinal value is overwhelming. But three committee Republicans -- Rick Green of Dripping Springs, Robert Talton of Pasadena and John Shields of San Antonio -- appeared to be struggling with the notion that Texas might be inching its way toward legalized pot."Are we not encouraging them to break the law?" said Green, referring to physicians or anyone who would help a patient obtain marijuana.Keel said that marijuana seeds are not illegal and people who needed the plant for medicinal use could plant it themselves."Strangely enough," Keel said, "this stuff grows like a weed."Send comments to: jmoritz star-telegram.com Source: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram (TX)Author: John Moritz, Star-Telegram Austin BureauPublished: February 28, 2001Copyright: 2001 Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, TexasWebsite: http://www.star-telegram.com/Contact: letters star-telegram.comForum: http://www.star-telegram.com/comm/forums/Related Articles & Web Site:Details on HB513, Texas Medical Marijuana Bill http://www.normltexas.org/HB513.htmLegal Protection Urged for Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8829.shtmlDoctors, Patients Describe How Marijuana Helps http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8827.shtmlMedical Marijuana Draws Fire http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8825.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by kenny on February 28, 2001 at 19:24:06 PT: legalization what about stress related use. i drink more beer than everand its because of stress.i dont drive drunk,but look how many people do ! there would be a lot less dwi's though i amcertain that the law inforcement people would come up withsomething to pin on you, alchol supports so much as far asnew jails,lawyers,doctors,businesses and so much more. i think the government knows the impac it would have on theeconomy, and its true ! i know i wouldnt drink very much ifi could smoke dope legally ! the bottom line is tax dollars ! as if we dont get screwed enough, they dont know how to tax it, any one can grow it and sell it, and they cant tax it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Dan Hillman on February 28, 2001 at 12:21:05 PT KAHMYUHNISTS and HEPPES! > But Keel is not an Austin liberal trying to please a college- town constituency. Yes. Because in "normal" media world, the medical marijuana issue derives from the activities of KAHMYUHNISTS trying to please HEPPES!. Thanks for the roadmap, ST... [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on February 28, 2001 at 11:01:37 PT: Cannabis and the AMA "Keel said doctors would face discipline from organizations such as the American Medical Association if they recommended marijuana use for someone whose suffering was not severe."The AMA has a very checkered career with respect to cannabis, most of it bad. My first rule when considering anything suggested by the AMA is to think of the opposite first, and that's usually right. 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