cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijuana: Legislators Enter The Debate Medical Marijuana: Legislators Enter The Debate Posted by FoM on March 18, 2001 at 14:00:40 PT By Frank Levine - Staff Reporter Source: San Marcos Daily Record Once she walked among the Navajo, her world illuminated magically with spirits and power. Her delicate hands, once nimble and strong, clutched beauty innocent to her breast. Her body once swayed and danced to love. Her heart once beat in passion. ... Joanne Park Williams can dance no more, she can walk no more. The 53-year-old former music teacher and social worker lies in her bed day after day, week after week, in a small duplex in South Austin. As the world's roar filters through the walls, she stares at the ceiling until her vision loses focus and her mind wanders through memories when the world extended far beyond her feeble grasp. And while her body is trapped, her mind is boundless. She is alert. She cracks jokes at the every opportunity. She listens to Bob Dylan: "When you're standing at the crossroads that you cannot comprehend Just remember that death is not the end. . ." Joanne is in the final stages of Multiple Sclerosis. If she sat up in her bed she would die within minutes, as her internal muscles cannot stop the blood in her upper body from rushing to her legs, starving her heart and brain. For nearly 18 years, she has been ravaged by a relentless disease that offers no mercy, no escape -- only unbearable pain and isolation, as her body shudders in uncontrollable spasms. "She has already been declared dead twice," says her nurse Melanie Wimberly. "The hospitals and most doctors just gave up. That's why I am with her to support her to the end." Joanne remembers her school days in Dallas, and when her class was interrupted with the news of the Kennedy assassination; she remembers graduating from Texas Tech with a teaching degree in music Melanie Wimberly and she remembers her time in southern Utah when she worked among the Navajo, helping, giving and teaching, living in a tribal "Hogun," or home. "I loved teaching kids of all ages," she says. "I loved my career and especially the time I spent among the Navajo in southern Utah." Once it was determined that she would be bedridden with MS, just a few weeks after delivering her second child, her husband left. Her children left. The world left. It is only recently her children have returned to her life, bringing her much joy. Melanie is by her side constantly, helping, laughing, giving care and attention Joanne so desperately needs. But in the eyes of the law, both women are criminals. Each day Joanne smokes marijuana, and each day Joanne and her nurse Melanie are partners in crime. But for each day Joanne smokes the illicit drug, her life as a functioning human being is extended. Not because the marijuana can cure her, but because it is the only remedy she knows that eliminates her terrible spasms and teeth grinding pain without the devastating side effects associated with prescription medications. In the next few days, the Texas Legislature is expected to consider HB 513 sponsored by Rep. Terry Keel, R-Austin, and co-sponsored by Rick Green, R-Hays, among others, that will allow the use of physician supported marijuana use in a criminal defense. Three weeks ago, the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee debated the issue, and is expected to soon pass it on to the House floor for a vote. Many see the bill passing the House, only to enter uncharted waters in the Senate. Both Melanie and Joanne testified at the hearings. Under the current bill, which appeared to have the support of a majority of committee members, those arrested on marijuana possession charges could argue in court that they were suffering from a serious ailment and that they had a physician's support. If the court believed the evidence, the offenders would be found not guilty. Keel said he polled almost 10,000 constituents in his conservative district and found that support for the measure was widespread, and although some colleagues expressed shock that he had filed the bill, none of the prosecutors or police officers he had worked with were in the least bit surprised. Although it appeared the committee would easily pass a positive recommendation on to the floor of the House, some legislators cling to the belief that synthetic drugs containing THC, the main chemical component of marijuana, is already available under a doctor's prescription and any new legislation is just an attempt by certain groups to eventually legalize the use of marijuana. But Keel, a former prosecutor and Travis County sheriff, is adamant that his proposal would not legalize marijuana but serve as a "careful, prudent step," allowing those suffering from disease an alternative treatment in alleviating pain and other symptoms in seriously ill persons. Many in law enforcement already use some discretion in dismissing medical marijuana cases they might encounter, "but this bill provides direction for those who do not," Keel said. Committee member Rep. Robert E. Talton, R-Pasadena, said he thinks the bill is backed by an organized effort to legalize marijuana. He told the hearing that the federal Drug Enforcement Administration "does not think there is a valid medicinal benefit from smoking marijuana." Addressing the panel was Dr. Dick Evans, director of the Texas Cancer Center in Houston, who said "sick Texans deserve better treatment," as there are "numerous benefits from inhaled marijuana for those undergoing chemotherapy or suffering from AIDS, terminal cancer, muscle spasms, paralysis, glaucoma and chronic pain. He said that it is effective medicine for the following: - Relief of chemotherapy nausea. - Increased appetite in patients with terminal cancer, AIDS or other wasting diseases. - Relief of chronic pain - Reduction of muscle spasms in patients with paralysis and multiple sclerosis - Reduction of intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma "For example, patients with back ache are familiar with muscle drugs like Soma, Flexeril, even Valium," he said. "The sedation, and other side effects caused by these prescription drugs are often stronger and have more side effects of marijuana. Yes, for many patients the "psychoactive' effects of marijuana is actually less than the "psychoactive effects' of prescription medicine." He cited a national survey of oncologists in which 44 percent said they would recommend marijuana to patients. "Thousands of patients and their doctors have found marijuana to be effective medicine for treating patients with cancer, AIDS, epilepsy, paralysis and other illnesses. For many, marijuana is the most effective medicine available, often more effective than traditional prescription drugs." He then asked the panel. "Should the state of Texas arrest, prosecute and imprison patients with cancer and other serious illnesses?. Under existing state and federal law, this is not only possible, but it also occurs on a regular basis." He stated that because of the nature of marijuana and its role as target in the drug war, there are no accurate statistics indicating how many severely ill patients are currently using the drug. "During the last eight years 400 to 500 patients have been arrested for marijuana possession," he said. "Criminal penalties have ranged from one year for one cigarette and five years for growing a single plant." Joanne and Melanie have already been arrested for possession of marijuana. "Someone called the authorities a few years ago and although the charges were eventually dismissed, because of a letter from her doctor, there was a tremendous problem with the federal government as they were going to suspend aid because of the marijuana use." Had the case been pursued, Joanne would have been homeless and without health coverage and other government support. Dr. Alan Robison, meanwhile, distinguished professor of pharmacology at the University of Texas Health Science Center and MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, told the panel that marijuana in pill form is hard for many patients to ingest, and that the commonly prescribed Marinol is often toxic and "is erratically absorbed in the bloodstream." He said that with just a few puffs of a marijuana cigarette, there is an immediate controlled effect, with little or no side effects. You don't have to look far in the San Marcos area to find supporters of the legislation. Dr. Harvey J. Ginsburg, psychology professor at Southwest Texas State University, has long supported the legalization of marijuana as a drug to improve the lives of severely ill patients, especially those suffering from the effects of chemotherapy, spasms or AIDS treatments . Ginsburg, who backed the failed 1997 San Marcos proposition to allow for the medicinal use of marijuana, sees resistance to any such proposal as short-sighted and often based on emotion. "The drug was perfectly legal until 1937," he said. "It is as if when prohibition ended, the government needed something to attack other than alcohol with all their resources." Rep. Rick Green, one of the bill's co-sponsors strongly supports the Keel legislation. "I was originally 100 percent against the bill," he said. "But after hearing the testimony from witness and experts, I now support it as an affirmative defense." He said that "If the medication can help, the patients should be allowed to use it. We are not sending a message that it is a good thing to use marijuana or that they should use it. But I know what pain and suffering is, having watched my grandfather die slowly. . .I wonder if things might have been easier if doctors would have allowed the use of marijuana." He said his main concern is that the new law would be applied to just about any illness and could be open to misinterpretation. "I am amending it to make sure it applied to only those with serious pain or terminally ill patients," he said. Editor's Note: This is the first in a two-part series on the history and current use of marijuana as a medicinal remedy. With new legislation being contemplated by the Texas Legislature allowing the medical use of marijuana supported by a physician's recommendation as an allowable defense in criminal cases, there remains some debate as to the merits and efficacy of marijuana as a remedy. "We, the five-fingered beings are related to the four leggeds, the winged beings, the spiritual beings, Father Sky, Mother Earth, and Nature. We are all relatives. We cannot leave our relatives behind." Betty Tso: Traditional Navajo PART II on Tuesday. The war against pain. Source: San Marcos Daily Record (TX) Author: Frank Levine, San Marcos Daily RecordPublished: March 18, 2001Fax: 512-392-1514 Copyright: 2001 San Marcos Daily Record Address: 1910 IH35 South, San Marcos TX 78666 Contact: smdrnews centuryinter.net Website: http://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/ Related Articles:Austin Lawmaker Files Bill in Favor of Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8549.shtmlMedical Marijuana to be Considered by Texas Legislature http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread8381.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by midnighttoker on March 01, 2004 at 11:53:54 PT: superstoners comments dear superstoner, i too am an advocate for marijuana. but your manner of speaking does not help anybody. stoners are thought to be idiots killing their brain cells and obviously you may have. try spellcheck next time and use less profanity. when we (stoners) are seen as an intelligent group, we give the government less negative thoughts as to the affects to marijuana. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by SuperBeast on March 19, 2001 at 07:57:09 PT: No medical proof because..... there is no medical foundation on this drug cuase the government has been to busy destroying an controlling. If the destrective tatics at stoped then we could possibly have well documented information on cannabis. but untill the FDA gets its head out its ass and see that ... well maybe there is medical benifit because so many people do use it and by their accounts it does help. maybe it helps many more things than just terminal illiness. I would like to know if some research can be done to see if it helps with mental chemical inbalances assoicated with ADD, Bi-polar dissord, and depression. Cause every one knows weed dont make you cry ... welll maybe it does when you laugh to hard for an hour.peace out superstoner"ree the plant and speak the truth" -KottonMouth Kings [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: