cannabisnews.com: Committee Hears Medical Marijuana Study Proposal





Committee Hears Medical Marijuana Study Proposal
Posted by FoM on April 04, 2001 at 08:10:15 PT
By Patrick Howe, Associated Press Writer
Source: Star Tribune
A plan to kickstart a study on the medicinal uses of marijuana with $100,000 in state money got a hearing, but drew no promises of support from members of a Senate subcommittee Tuesday. The plan, presented by DFL Sen. Linda Higgins of Minneapolis, would have the Department of Public Safety fund the study, although it has not been determined exactly what the study would examine. 
A trio of patients who use marijuana for treatment testified in support of the bill. " It's very simple, " said Darrell Paulsen. " Marijuana allows me to have a quality of life." Paulsen, who has cerebral palsy, said he has used the drug for 13 years to encourage his appetite and ease pain caused by spending long periods in his wheelchair. Higgins said a 1980 state law allows research on marijuana, but said no state researchers are currently looking at the matter. The researchers would have to apply for a federal permit first. The Senate Transportation and Public Safety Budget Division did not take a vote on the matter, but senators said it could rise again later in the session. Tom Prichard, president of the Minnesota Family Council spoke in opposition to the bill. He said other drugs can achieve the same benefits as marijuana. " I think this is a study in search of a particular result, " he said, adding that he sees such studies as a step toward legalization of the drug. He also cited possible side effects ranging from addition to cancer. " Those are very silly arguments when you're talking to a terminally ill person, " responded George McMahon, an Iowa man who is one of only eight people who receive marijuana from the federal government as part of a study. McMahon said the drug helps him control pain, spasms and nausea associated with injuries and an assortment of medical conditions. The hearing was a prelude to a forum to be held Friday, sponsored jointly by the Department of Health and the Department of Public Safety. Organizers say the state hopes to encourage more research. The study in the bill is not part of Gov. Jesse Ventura's budget proposal, but Public Safety Commissioner Charlie Weaver said the department would be happy to administer it if lawmakers agree. " We support the goal of conducting research on whether there is a medical benefit, " Weaver said after the hearing. In an invitation letter, Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said the forum is designed to encourage research that will " advance the acceptance of marijuana as an important medical tool and ultimately address the legal constraints at the national level." Ventura is scheduled to attend the forum. Source: Associated PressAuthor: Patrick Howe, Associated Press WriterPublished: Wednesday, April 4, 2001 Copyright: 2001 Associated PressRelated Articles & Web Sites:Governor Jesse Venturahttp://www.mainserver.state.mn.us/governor/George McMahon's Home Pagehttp://www.trvnet.net/~mmcmahon/Patients Out Of Timehttp://mojo.calyx.net/~olsen/MEDICAL/POT/State-Sponsored Forum on Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9248.shtmlMedical Marijuana Study on Agendahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9237.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by Cuzn Buzz on April 04, 2001 at 10:11:25 PT:
FRAUD
An interesting thing about these "Family councils", "concerned citizens comittees", and "Parents against " -----"{you fill in the blank} is that they seem to not really exist.If you'd like to see a complete misfire in the neural synaptic cleft, unexpectedly, and in public, ask one of the "leaders" of one of these groups for a listing of their active, participating members. They throw around a lot of numbers, but the numbers are lies.Most of the money gathered by these groups of "Do Gooders" go to administration. Few actualy have 100 members, unless you count all the people who are not really involved except to give a donation when contacted by a salesperson.The methods used to get people to donate vary, but studies of psychological factors reveal that a skilled operative can coax most people to donate a few bucks.I'd be willing to bet that I could raise a thousand dollars a day by creating a false group dedicated to saving the orphaned kittys of Kosavo.There is no widespread anti-marijuana sentiment in America.
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Comment #2 posted by observer on April 04, 2001 at 09:03:47 PT
Minnesota Family Council -- more
 Minnesota Family Council . . . ``Jaffe's 1983 study of 170 male homosexuals found a striking array of diseases:. . . around 90% had used marijuana; over half had used cocaine; and about half had used LSD. ''``. . .6% had used IV drugs, 3% had shared needles, 50% had smoked marijuana, 26% had used cocaine. . .''Some Things You May Not Know About HomosexualityMinnesota Family Councilhttp://www.mfc.org/resources/backgrounders/homosexuality.htm ``A proposal to legalize marijuana for medical use failed after being criticized by MFC. "The push to legalize marijuana for medical use is not only bad medicine, it's terrible public policy," said Prichard. "This promotion of marijuana would have sabotaged America's efforts to win the war on drugs by confusing children." . . . ''MFC/MFI: PFN - Session Endshttp://www.mfc.org/pfn/99-6/session.htm Adults need to go to jail, because children might be confused. (Any excuse will do, eh what?)
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Comment #1 posted by observer on April 04, 2001 at 08:52:39 PT
Jail Lust
Tom Prichard, president of the Minnesota Family Council spoke in opposition to the bill. He said other drugs can achieve the same benefits as marijuana. . . . and therefore lusts greatly after jailing your mom or pop, if they disagree with Pope Pritchard and use whole cannabis anyway. (Earth to Prichard: when you're PUKING and WRETCHING your GUTS OUT you can't swallow anything, much less that pill. That pill that "can achieve the same benefits as marijuana", the very "marijuana" your ilk was asserting was the "devil's weed" with no use at all.)Why is it that these so-called "Family" Councils and organizations have just one thing in mind: the JAILING of members of your family? You'd think people would see through this after a while. " I think this is a study in search of a particular result, " he said, adding that he sees such studies as a step toward legalization of the drug. 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 not that other methods of controlling use did not exist or would not work; it was the idea that all usage was sinful and 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  
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