cannabisnews.com: Committee Votes Down Marijuana Bill Committee Votes Down Marijuana Bill Posted by FoM on March 03, 2001 at 10:06:20 PT By Douglas Tallman, News-Post Staff Source: Fredrick News-Post A Maryland Senate committee voted down a bill Friday that would have allowed the terminally ill to use doctor-approved marijuana to relieve pain and nausea.The same bill is being considered in the House of Delegates, but the Judicial Proceedings Committee vote means the measure is all but dead for the 2001 General Assembly session. Only three Democratic senators supported the bill, Jennie Forehand, Clarence Mitchell IV and Perry Sfikas. Ms. Forehand, of Montgomery County, imagined herself fighting cancer and the debilitating effects of treatment."I would probably go out to do it illegally, and I don't want to do that. I can really put myself in the shoes of somebody in pain in the aftermath of chemo," said Ms. Forehand, a 65-year-old former teacher.Frederick County's two Republican senators, Alex Mooney and Timothy Ferguson, opposed the measure.The committee's vote came only two days after about 20 people testified in favor of the bill. Committees tend to give bills more time before a voting session.Delegate Donald Murphy, a conservative Republican who represents part of Baltimore County, spearheaded the proposal this year and last because of a friend who reluctantly turned to marijuana to boost his appetite after his cancer treatments left him weak. The friend, Darrell Putman, operated a horse and carriage business in Frederick, and died in 1999. Mr. Murphy said his grandparents, father and mother-in-law died of cancer."I'm just one doctor's visit away from having that same diagnosis. With all due respect to the committee, you shouldn't tell my doctor what's best for me," he said.Mr. Murphy said he was disappointed at "how little regard this committee had for the testimony given."He said he wasn't surprised by the vote, but he was angry over the senators' refusal to grant his request to delay the vote. A vote so quick means the bill doesn't get a fair hearing in the House.The House Judiciary Committee heard testimony on the bill on Thursday. Because of the Senate panel's vote, Judiciary is likely to vote the bill down without much consideration.Mr. Murphy said he might withdraw the bill before a Judiciary vote."I don't want people to get in the habit of voting against it."During the voting session, Mr. Mitchell connected the issue to the distribution of needles to drug addicts. Initially, he opposed needle exchanges because it could encourage drug abuse.Then, he saw how the programs helped to reduce AIDS."I'm not in favor of the proliferation of drugs. But I saw firsthand what the distribution of needles did," he said.Mr. Mooney said he opposed the legislation because he believed states have had problems in prosecuting drug cases because of medical marijuana.Mr. Ferguson missed the voting session but cast his vote later. He said he believed the government should distribute marijuana.The decision could reach farther than the bill itself. The General Assembly is likely to consider slates of bills crafted in the wake of the murder of a Frederick boy, one group written by Mr. Ferguson and another group written by Delegate Sue Hecht, D-Frederick/Washington.All the bills will likely be considered by the House Judiciary Committee, the panel on which Mr. Murphy serves."Sue Hecht has a lot more friends in the House than Tim Ferguson does," Mr. Murphy said. Source: Fredrick News-Post (MD)Author: Douglas Tallman, News-Post Staff Published: March 3, 2001Address: 200 East Patrick Street, PO Box 578 Frederick, MD 21705-0578 Copyright: 2001 Great Southern Printing and Manufacturing CompanyWebsite: http://www.fredericknewspost.com/Contact: http://www.fredericknewspost.com/contact/Related Articles:Maryland Debates Medicinal-Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8845.shtmlBipartisan Bloc Backs Legalizing Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8613.shtmlDelegate Still Seeks Legal Marijuana Usehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8614.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #4 posted by raoul duke on March 03, 2001 at 16:05:07 PT: total bullshit again our gov't official's prove just how far up their asses their heads can fit.how's the weather up there mr. public servant?you f**king hipocrites, i'll quit smoking pot when you outlaw tobbacco and booze. http://www.jackherer.com [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on March 03, 2001 at 16:01:46 PT That's Fine Johnny pot seed I don't think what you said is wrong. I'm glad you were able to say how angry this makes you feel. I believe there are a few of us here that can relate to your frustration. That's why I do this everyday. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Johnny pot seed on March 03, 2001 at 14:19:40 PT Pissed What is wrong with you people I really want to know what is your malfunction. It is okay for you people to sell tobacco alcohol valiums no doze mini-thins 357's all kinds of "legal" drugs are available to you adults but when it comes to marijuana you stick your nose in the air???? I hope you all die of cancer slow painful with tremendous suffering.... ( i ask u to get the "TOoL" "AENIMA" CD and listen to track 6 if you dare) I am so pissed I could just bust loose you a.....s. You call this America ???? This is totally pathetic and I could care less how much I hurt your feelings right now. You can all go straight to hell.You all are lucky us marijuana users are passive compassionate people if we were not this country would be in another civil war already. In my eyes I only see these states as members of the United States of America Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington, Maine, New York, Alaska, Nevada, Colorado,Hawaii and Washingtn D.C. all others are just lands full of ... (Sorry Fom but some things need to be said I apologize to you only for my outburst I do not know the what the term "flaming" means but this is beyond a flame my heart is exploding)I would like to tell you about my father who died in his late 50's because ofa rare disease that basically ate his intestines and stomach away. He sufferedtremendously for 20-25 years. For the last almost 10 years he ate mostly by IVwhile this disease slowly killed him. My dad served his community as a dispatcher for a volunteer fire department he was well respected by everyone. He didn't use drugs other than what was prescribed by doctors. We talked aboutmarijuana and he told me one day he thought it should not be a crime to do it.I do not know if marijuana would have saved my father but I do know he would not suffered near as much as he did for almost three decades if he had used itbut what if marijuana would have really done something to change the course of this disease or any other diseases for that matter ?? It is too late to save my dadnow but it is not too late to see if marijuana can save other lives. As long as this plant is illegal we will never learn anything positive that may be derivedfrom using marijuana.Believe it or not the public has a very high tolerance for marijuana . They are allmostly afraid to speak out in favor of reforming the laws that prohibit the use of it.A lot of people would rather use marijuana than alcohol but use alcohol simply becauseit is legal but of course more dangerous.I would like to give you an example of how the public feels...In the last election we had two people running against each other both well respected it was any mans race. One ran on a platform of zero tolerance in schools the other ran on practically no platform. The man who won that particular seat ran on no platform at all by a large margin. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by aocp on March 03, 2001 at 12:26:12 PT: Disgusting Mr. Mooney said he opposed the legislation because he believed states have had problems in prosecuting drug cases because of medical marijuana.Say WHAT?!? Lemme get this straight ... this guy voted against MMJ in maryland b/c other states have had unnamed problems in throwing consenting adults in prison as a result of their own gov't's floundering on the MMJ issue?!? This guy is just a bit too honest, dontchathink?? [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: