cannabisnews.com: Marijuana and Common Sense Marijuana and Common Sense Posted by FoM on May 16, 2001 at 07:49:50 PT Editorial Source: Washington Post The Supreme Court's decision Monday that there is no "medical necessity" exception to the nation's drug laws that allows the distribution of "medical marijuana" is clearly correct. The fact that certain states have liberalized their own drug laws to permit medical uses of marijuana has no effect on federal law, under which distribution of pot is a crime. Drug buyers' clubs that sprang up in California following the state's passage of a medical marijuana referendum were therefore operating illegally, and the Justice Department was within its rights to shut them down. The legal question here is easy. The harder question is what federal policy ought to look like with respect to marijuana's potential medicinal qualities. Neither side seems to be approaching this debate with patients' interests foremost. The movement for medical marijuana is, for many, a stalking horse for a broader liberalization of drug policy. These advocates overstate the ostensible medical benefits of smoking marijuana to establish a foothold in law for the notion that marijuana smoking ought to be legal. But those who want to legalize marijuana ought to make the case on its merits.Some of the active components of marijuana -- THC and other agents known as cannabinoids -- are likely effective in treating chronic pain, nausea from chemotherapy or appetite suppression from AIDS. THC is available by prescription orally. But there is at least anecdotal evidence that certain terminal cancer and AIDS patients don't respond well to it or to other standard therapies but do respond to marijuana. There is no compelling reason for government policy to be inflexible toward them. Compassionate use policies have allowed patients access to numerous unapproved therapies involving promising but unproven chemical agents -- including, at one time, marijuana. Where other treatments have failed patients and their doctors are willing to certify that they believe marijuana could offer relief, there ought to be a way for them to receive the drug without the threat -- however theoretical -- of federal criminal prosecution. Source: Washington Post (DC) Published: Wednesday, May 16, 2001; Page A22Copyright: 2001 The Washington Post Company Contact: letterstoed washpost.comWebsite: http://www.washingtonpost.comO.C.B.C. Versus The U.S. Government News http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/mj.htmCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #8 posted by i_rule_ on May 17, 2001 at 19:11:10 PT dddd Thanks.Peace. Realize, then Legalize. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by SWAMPIE on May 16, 2001 at 21:19:09 PT "SMOKED MARIJUANA" Apparently,as the reports have stated,that "smoked marijuana"is the reason that most people have a problem with.I know tthat there is a recipe for a suppository,read about it in High=Times,but who wants to go there?I also know about the "vaporizer"that basically heats the cannabis to 350 degrees and melts only the THC/CANNABINOIDS and releases the vapors into a chamber that you inhale from.I built one of those nifty little contraptions once and it worked grreeaattt!!Only problem was that it took awhile to heat up and then you still had some smokable THC-less herb that was essentially toasted.You could still use it in cooking,though.I guess the point of my comment though is that there are many ways to use this great herb,but these head-up-their-ass antis'simply refuse to believe that cannabis has any use whatsoever.It is up to us to prove them wrong!My doctor in Ohio doesn't have a problem as long as I don't smoke it..Go figure!WE WILL WIN!!!!!!!I also found an old underground book at a yard sale that has recipes'for cannabinol and THC.Don't know anything about chemistry,though,and don't think I want to..but I just wonder sometimes if there's anything to it. PASS THE PIPE,KEEP THE PEACE! SWAMPIE [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by dddd on May 16, 2001 at 20:37:09 PT Nice to see you again i_rule [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Jeaneous on May 16, 2001 at 15:50:23 PT: Yeah.. But it bothers me that in the IOM report is states that smoked marijuana is a medicine for some patients until a better method of ingesting.Also, I know that the dr's are suppose to try the conventional methods first. That means that none of the other drugs work as well for the patient. But it's still in black and white in that report.I know in my personal case it is not the THC that my body needs. It is the cannibinoids(?). And you can't get those in a pill. THC did absolutely nothing for me. Not even stoned. My doctor and I agree marijuana works better than the many pills. Our decision.I'm very angry at our government right now and I don't expect it to get alot easier. Although I think our cause it coming to it's end.Today they just said in the news that so many millions of people need to be placed on the pills for cholestorol. I wonder if they see their loss on this issue coming and are diverting their market. I firmly believe if they could completely control marijuana they would have it approved, for then they would be able to corner the market. Since they can't corner the market they aren't willing to fight for it.So anyway, it's congress that changes the scheduling of the drugs?? I have been writing for days but not about the rescheduling. Guess I'll go for it again.I think we all went into shock even though we expected what happened. Hope lives in each of us for our purpose and we must keep that alive and strong. I appreciate all those that posted with positive words. Inspiration can come from such a few small words. Thank you all. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Toker00 on May 16, 2001 at 13:43:44 PT Wrote mine. Thanks, Doc. It's time to Rock and Roll, folks. Controlled Substance Act has got to burn. From the rumble I've seen in the polls, the sleeping giant is waking. Support for legal medical Cannabis ranges in the 80%'s. The politicians are gonna have to listen to the wisdom of common sense. I can't help but notice how everone's posts are getting very refined. I've been here a year, and you guys are becoming pro's before my eyes.Welcome, Debaser. Canada rules!Peace. Realize, then Legalize. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on May 16, 2001 at 12:44:02 PT: It's Nonsense, Jeaneous To the government, THC in herbal form as cannabis is a dangerous Schedule I drug with no recognized medical use.When THC is synthetically produced and put in a capsule with sesame oil, it is in Schedule III and allowed for a variety of medical indications. It will bankrupt your HMO, so get yours today!As a result, many of the more cynical among us have come to think of sesame oil as a magic ingredient. Maybe if you combine it with heroin, LSD or Quaaludes you could legally market them. That's about how much sense it makes. Our government seems to think of orange juice as replaceable with synthetic citric acid, ascorbic acid and flavoring by Tang with assorted artificial dyes to make it look nice and cost more.Are you mad yet? Are the rest of you? Do you enjoy being dictated to by ignorant ideologues? I don't, and you shouldn't. Start writing those letters. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Jeaneous on May 16, 2001 at 12:01:34 PT: My head is spinning... Thc is legal. Schedule 3 I believe now. Thc comes from marijuana, but it is illegal. Voters not only in States but even polls country wide are in favor of patients being allowed access to their medication. Our supposed "supreme court" says there is no medical uses for marijuana.... DUH... so where does the thc come from. Good lord. Pure stupidity. Did nobody put the IOM report in front of this court??? It says that marijuana does have some medicinal value and that until a better form of ingestion was developed that a small percentage of patients should be allowed to use marijuana under strict control of their physicians.Rescheduling is where it's at now. Or pure legalization or decriminalization. That court wouldn't step into the battleground of medicinal marijuana for they know it goes even futher than that. Marijuana should not be illegal at all. And they know it. They are basically saying it's up to us the people to get this changed and it is.How do we approach, or who about the rescheduling of marijuana? I need direction guys.... I'm sure not giving into them. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by kingbaritone on May 16, 2001 at 08:33:52 PT Popular belief? Scary, no? The fed has a tight grip on the script. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: