cannabisnews.com: What's The Court Smoking? What's The Court Smoking? Posted by FoM on May 31, 2001 at 19:28:24 PT Journal Sentinel Editorial Source: Journal Sentinel America has a serious drug addiction. But the federal government will not make a dent in that formidable problem by burying its head in the sand and refusing to acknowledge that in some limited cases, marijuana has legitimate medicinal benefits.The evidence doesn't come from some fuzzy-headed band of pot smokers in the mountains of California but from no less an authority than the Institute of Medicine. In a 1999 report, the institute, an arm of the National Academy of Sciences, reported that scientific research and anecdotal evidence demonstrated that the active ingredient in marijuana appeared useful in treating pain, nausea and other symptoms associated with cancer and AIDS in some patients. What's more, the institute found no evidence that making marijuana available to sick patients by doctor's orders would increase its recreational use.Unfortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court recently took a decidedly narrow and rigid view and dealt a serious setback to the continued rational evaluation of marijuana for medical purposes. In a unanimous ruling, the high court determined that federal law bars the distribution of marijuana even to people who say they need it to alleviate symptoms of their illness. Federal law, according to an opinion written by Justice Clarence Thomas, "reflects a determination that marijuana has no medical benefits worthy of an exception."The ruling doesn't invalidate laws that permit medicinal use of marijuana in nine states, but it could have a chilling effect on other states even exploring such laws. It could also spell doom for large public distribution centers of medicinal marijuana cigarettes, making it more difficult for the sick to relieve their misery, according to officials of the Marijuana Policy Project, which lobbies for medicinal marijuana laws.While it's true, as opponents point out, that there are legal alternatives to medical marijuana, including a synthetic form of the active ingredient, evidence strongly suggests marijuana cigarettes are more effective in some cases in relieving nausea, which is associated with chemotherapy and wasting diseases, and neuromuscular pain.We are not advocating recreational use of marijuana. But the national drug scourge has nothing to do with the medicinal use of this drug. The medicinal use of marijuana has everything to do with relieving suffering. The federal government should stop its political posturing and wake up to that fact.Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI)Published: June 1, 2001Copyright: 2001 Milwaukee Journal SentinelContact: jsedit onwis.comWebsite: http://www.jsonline.com/ Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/OCBC Verus US Governmenthttp://www.freedomtoexhale.com/mj.htmCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by Gary Storck on May 31, 2001 at 22:48:46 PT Thanks FOM! I think it is significant that the Journal-Sentinel chose to publish my LTE 5 days before editorializing in favor of MMJ. I have sent them a lot of letters, and very rarely would they publish one. I wrote this one more as a rant, not expecting it to be published.The Journal-Sentinel is the third major Wisconsin paper to editorialize in favor of legal access to medicinal cannabis since the Supreme Court ruling. The others were the Capital Times (State Needs Medical Pot http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n884/a03.html), and the Eau Claire Leader Telegram (What's So Awful About Pot For The Gravely Ill? http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n895/a09.html). Now if only the politicians would get on board!Gary Drug Policy Forum of Wisconsin [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on May 31, 2001 at 22:14:49 PT Way To Go Gary That's great! Gary! I'm really glad you are getting published. It takes all of us doing what we feel we can do best and just do it over and over and over again until they listen! I think they are now!PS: Matt and I have talked about how I can get the published letters on Cannabis News. When time allows that is one of the to do projects!Thanks for all you are doing!Peace, FoM! FreedomToExhale [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Gary Storck on May 31, 2001 at 21:59:12 PT Coincidence? US WI: PUB LTE: Paper Turns Its Back On Serious IssueURL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n952/a01.html Newshawk: Is My Medicine Legal Yet? www.immly.org Pubdate: Sat, 26 May 2001 Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI) Copyright: 2001 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Contact: jsedit onwis.com Website: http://www.jsonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/265 Author: Gary StorckPAPER TURNS ITS BACK ON SERIOUS ISSUE When the drug war finally ends and people are asking, "How could we have let this happen in America?" how will the Journal-Sentinel look in the rearview mirror of history? As a daily reader, I see few articles questioning this set of failed policies that has caused so much harm at home and abroad. I see no editorials attacking cruel policies that have led to America's sick and dying, who find that marijuana therapy eases their suffering, being fair game for drug warriors. I see few letters to the editor questioning this monumental waste of taxpayer dollars, government resources and human lives and potential. I see an Editorial Board with its head buried in the sand, acting like the there is no problem. In contrast, I see newspapers across the United.States, waking up to this threat to our freedom and speaking out and opening up their letters page to people questioning this attack on everyone's freedom. How long is the Journal-Sentinel going to continue to ignore this crisis? How will history judge the tepid response to an issue that affects everyone, not just those involved with illegal drugs? Gary Storck Madison Is My Medicine Legal Yet? [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: