cannabisnews.com: Marijuana: Leave Room for Relief for Patients





Marijuana: Leave Room for Relief for Patients
Posted by FoM on April 15, 2001 at 21:38:35 PT
Editorial
Source: Detroit Free Press 
There are a lot of sick people stuck between the State of California and the U.S. government as the Supreme Court ponders a state's right to allow the use of marijuana as medicine. The high court can say this is a state decision -- California voters approved it -- or side with the federal government, which has outlawed marijuana and considers it a "gateway drug" with no medicinal value. Of course cancer and AIDS patients who smoke pot to relieve symptoms and restore appetite are more concerned about the ultimate gateway than about moving on to heroin.
But even with its recently expressed states' rights bent, the court seems unlikely to chart a compassionate course here. Thus it will fall to Congress to fix the federal law that turns desperately ill people into criminals just for seeking some benign relief from their disease or its gut-wrenching treatment.The California case reached the U.S. Supreme Court as a result of a suit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice during the Clinton administration to stop the Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative from helping AIDS and cancer patients smoke pot. The federal government argues that there is "no currently accepted medical use" of marijuana and tolerating it would "undermine the authority of (Congress) to protect the public from hazardous drugs."Others -- including members of the medical community and a federal appeals court -- think doctors should be able to recommend certain patients use pot.Eight states beyond California have embraced the notion of medical marijuana. Michigan has not, but there is a petition drive under way to place on the state's 2002 ballot a proposal that would loosen restrictions on marijuana for personal and medicinal use. The Supreme Court's decision could have a substantial impact on the likelihood of that drive going anywhere.It would be coldly ironic if a court so committed to states' rights and individual liberty turned a deaf ear to the cries of people in pain.Source: Detroit Free Press (MI)Published: April 16, 2001Copyright: 2001 Detroit Free PressContact: letters freepress.comWebsite: http://www.freep.com/ CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #3 posted by lookinside on April 16, 2001 at 21:23:22 PT:
sanity?
i'm in california...can anyone tell me if it is possibleunder the california constitution to FORCE our congressmento come back here and hold town meetings concerning aconflict between state and federal law? my congressman,richard pombo(i've voted against him several times now) hasstated in responses to my letters that he is against medicalmarijuana...i'd say his stand goes against the wishes of hisconstituency...any thoughts or comments would be appreciated...
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by Cuzn Buzz on April 16, 2001 at 09:12:38 PT:
My History
I used to go to Austin Texas to get arrested pretty often.I'd go to the capitol and light up a hooter on the steps.Most of the time people just looked at me like I was nuts, but did read the sign that said LEGALIZE MARIJUANA. Sometimes people just asked for a hit off my joint.Austin police used to be pretty cool, I've had a few of them ask me if I wouldn't mind smoking somewhere else, but that was about as agressive as they got about it.Never did manage to get arrested....never even got my joint confiscated.Did the same thing at my local courthouse. An old J.P. asked for a hit off my joint...I found out he'd been throwing out pot cases for years...he was a good and true friend, sadly he died about two years ago.  I bothered my representatives plenty with appeals to them to legalize the herb. They weren't listening.This was in the 70's and 80's.They still aren't listening.Perhaps we should buy some hearing aids and send them to our state reps, because it is obvious they have hearing problems.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by Ratchetjaw on April 16, 2001 at 03:50:18 PT
'Coldly ironic'?
Seems to me that it is naive to expect the Supreme Court to do anything other than what's in it's - and the Federal government's - 'best interests'.Which presently includes ignoring the 'cries of people in pain'.No matter what the Court decides, it will still come down to the states. The only reason it has even gotten to the Supremes at all is because it is a California law.. The people of the states have to force the Feds to give up this dumb war through sheer numbers; when enough states have signed on to MMJ, the Feds will cave.Which means very simply that you'll have to barrage your state politicians with info on MMJ so that some of it will get through. If they're like mine, they're dumb as posts, with teflon brains; not much sticks, unless you keep at it.
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment


Name: Optional Password: 
E-Mail: 
Subject: 
Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message]
Link URL: 
Link Title: