cannabisnews.com: Stockbroker Using Uncle Sam's MMJ for 20 Years Stockbroker Using Uncle Sam's MMJ for 20 Years Posted by CN Staff on November 20, 2002 at 14:11:20 PT By Adrian Sainz, Associated Press Writer Source: Associated Press A breeze billows the pungent smoke from the marijuana cigarette around his face, and Irvin Rosenfeld immediately feels better. A stock broker, Rosenfeld deals with millions of dollars while smoking up to 12 joints daily - marijuana he gets from the federal government to treat a rare bone ailment."It has made my life much easier to live and kept my condition in check," Rosenfeld said Wednesday, 20 years to the day he received his first marijuana shipment from the government under a program which today has only six other members. Marijuana in any form is illegal in the United States, though dozens of states have passed or considered laws directed at marijuana reforms.Rosenfeld, 49, suffers from two rare conditions which cause tumors to grow on his long bones. They cause severe muscle spasms, internal bleeding and unbearable pain. He would be unable to walk at any time because his muscles would give out.He spent more than 15 years taking prescription drugs, including morphine. But they couldn't prevent late night spasms and the constant pain which made his life a nightmare."He would scream out in the middle of the night and I would wake up, and he'd be dragging himself on the floor," said his wife, Debbie. (Marijuana) has given us a better life together."Rosenfeld, with his doctor's support, was placed in Uncle Sam's medical marijuana program in 1982. The program stopped accepting new patients in 1992.He says he hasn't had a new tumor since and plays softball once a week, though he uses a designated runner. He gets 11 ounces of marijuana, rolled in cigarettes, delivered monthly to a local pharmacy, and he only pays courier costs. Marijuana is now his only medicine."I could never pay enough taxes to repay the government for what it has done for me," Rosenfeld said, estimating it would have cost $800,000 to keep him on various conventional medications.In the next breath, Rosenfeld chastises the government for failing to recognize cannabis as a medicine, and letting people "suffer needlessly.""There are hundreds of thousands of people who want marijuana to feel better, not to get high," said Rosenfeld. "People who are using it for medicine are being put in jail."Marijuana law easements failed in three states in November, though eight states have approved medical marijuana and 35 states have passed legislation recognizing marijuana's medicinal value despite the federal prohibition.In the past year, DEA agents have raided several medical marijuana providers in California, mostly without support from local law enforcement.Rosenfeld wants the federal government to begin compassionate care programs where universities would provide marijuana for those suffering from AIDS, multiple sclerosis, cancer and other debilitating diseases, while researching its effects.He claims he never has gotten high from the weed."If I want to feel euphoria, I'll drink a little Jack Daniels," he joked. "I'm not some drug crazed hippie."Rosenfeld has had run-ins with police and other legal battles. He was arrested in Orlando in 1983 for smoking in a restroom during a business convention. The charges were eventually dropped and his record cleared.He's been stopped by officers while smoking in his car, but he's let go once he displays his prescription. People give him funny looks when smoking in airports or other public places, and some have asked to bum a drag. He doesn't let them.Rosenfeld also is suing Delta Airlines, saying an employee told him he could not board the plane with his canister of legal cannabis. A trial has not been scheduled.Dr. Ethan Russo wrote an article on Rosenfeld after giving him a battery of tests over a two day period. Russo, a neurologist in Missoula, Mont., said Rosenfeld has normal lung capacity and a functioning immune system."The cannabis he receives acts as a muscle relaxant and an analgesic," Russo said. "It reduces pain at the tissue level, and the spinal cord and brain levels."Rosenfeld exhibits none of the lethargy, lack of short term memory or other common effects of marijuana. He makes sure to tell every one of his new clients about his treatment.Rosenfeld smoked marijuana as a treatment for several years before joining the federal program, buying from dealers on the street. If the president should decide to stop providing the cannabis, then he would be forced to get it illegally, he said.He gets support from his family and members of his synagogue, and is vehement that science, not politics or big business, should determine what medicine is legal."It's up to the patient to decide his quality of life," he said.Complete Title: Stockbroker Using Uncle Sam's Medical Marijuana for 20 YearsSource: Associated PressAuthor: Adrian Sainz, Associated Press Writer Published: Wednesday, November 20, 2002Copyright: 2002 Associated Press Related Articles & Web Sites:Chronic Cannabis Use in PDF Formathttp://freedomtoexhale.com/ccu.pdfMedical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmGovernment Bias Prevents Gains in Researchhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13107.shtmlMarijuana Praised Despite Legal Issues http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13056.shtmlShould Medical Marijuana Be Legal http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12033.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #20 posted by DdC on November 23, 2002 at 14:39:18 PT Michael the high is mostly inexperience... I know when and how much to use and don't get the proverbial "high" either. Neither do my patients. Yes many who use on weekends get euphoric and have the symptoms described as typical. But most long term users use it to relax, not party. Patients using a consistant grade daily will adapt to it and not get high. And the high will disapate with external stress. Cops being the major external stress. Unlike booze intoxication, ganja is more of a vibration or level of consciencness. Makes you think not forget problems as the booze and white powders put the user into a coma if overdone. Using a more potent strain will act on the user for a while but using it over a period of time the high will disapate. The government pot is fairly low grade as I understand. Myth is rampent throughout the ganjawar. I know when I tried some Demonstration weed in the early 70's it was cheap and intoxicating to an inexperienced user as myself. Now the chronic is taken in small tokes to the point I feel comfortable reaching. Smoking several joints is a waste in my opinion. The same as smoking schwag. Better to abstain than get sick on rope. The better the bud the less required and unlike beer there is no obtainable death ratio... DdC [ Post Comment ] Comment #19 posted by Nuevo Mexican on November 22, 2002 at 11:31:03 PT Thanks for the buzz, Herbdoc! What an experience for you, to have the Gestapo watch you get high, and you just kept on tokin! Hats off to you!!!! Read these articles, related by the fact that our Gov't is the true terrorist, and like Rainbow Farm, another murder takes place in the open, and gets swept under the rug IMMEDIATELY! Was Paul Wellstone Murdered? http://www.fromthewilderness.com/cgi-bin/cop/7/auth/110102_wellstone.htmlPaul Wellstone, Man of the People http://www.daykeeperjournal.com/feature.shtmlHere is a pdf: Know your rights: http://www.nlg.org/post911/legal/KYR/KYR_English_2002.pdfCanada to U.S.: Mind your business http://www.canada.com/national/story.asp?id=3B270089-BAC7-428D-91A0-785CF30C08D7 [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by lookinside on November 21, 2002 at 18:54:31 PT michael... My wife is an MMJ patient. She is at "maintenance levels", meaning that she consumes more than 3 grams per day. She basically never comes "down". At those levels her brain has adapted. She behaves normally(straight). Her cognative skills remain unimpaired.Just guessing that those who smoke less, get more stoned. [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by FoM on November 21, 2002 at 18:42:15 PT Michael Here's an article about Cannabis without the high. Cannabis Drug 'Fights Pain Without High': http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread13830.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by michael on November 21, 2002 at 18:04:18 PT: mmmmmmmmmm Are some things just not said in this forum? Are some things just not questioned openly here as it might lead to some king of ammunition for the other side? It doesn't matter how much pain I'm in, the relief is always joined by the high.I always understood the high to be an automatic reaction to the medicine. We can't use the anti's method of secrecy and denial no matter how painful it might be. I mean't no disrespect to anyone. I apologize to all. [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by BGreen on November 21, 2002 at 07:31:24 PT Michael If we all responded the same to everything, we'd just have one story to tell. You're you and really only qualified to speak of your own experiences. Don't worry if your story is different than the rest of ours. [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by michael on November 21, 2002 at 07:26:12 PT: Didn't ever get high! Hard time believing a person uses cannibus as medicine and claims they never got high. I am a patient and wish the "high" didn't always come along for the ride. But it always did. What gives and why am I the first to bring this up? [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by BigDawg on November 21, 2002 at 06:26:47 PT Uhh... Steven those of us below the border don't appreciate you sending Wally back. You were more than welcome to keep him. :) [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by lookinside on November 21, 2002 at 05:56:06 PT Steve, I wish someone had kicked the little coward where it would hurt most.(I don't think he has any, anyway, tho.) [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by herbdoc215 on November 21, 2002 at 04:30:08 PT the smoke was so thick he had to have gotten high! I would bet money he would come up positive on a piss test the smoke was so thick, at least a hundred people sat in that room getting high tonight? And were talking industrial strength getting high too :) Hell it may even cause the old coger to grow a heart. The pigs have been swarming here all night though, guess he truly is pestilence and the hounds of hell and DEAth follow him across the land. My buzz still hasn't returned to NORML, we all may have to file trauma suits; any good lawyers reading this.... ;) Peace, Steve Tuck in exile but still smoking hash... [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by Dark Star on November 21, 2002 at 03:50:44 PT Enquiring Minds Want to Know! Maybe someone should test his urine to find out! [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Dark Star on November 21, 2002 at 03:37:01 PT The Question But did Walters inhale? [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by herbdoc215 on November 21, 2002 at 00:58:36 PT I just had damnedest night of my life............. I was in Amsterdam Cafe tonight as usual and I looked up while smoking a bowl of some of the best hash you ever saw, and who did I see but WALTERS not 1 foot away. Well you could have knocked me over with a feather. He had three secret service dudes and Kash Heed the head detective for Vancouver with him was all. He stood not 1 foot away whilst I continued smoking my bowl of hash, staring at me while I stared at him, talk about harshing a high!!! I told everybody who they were and to remain calm and lets show them how it's done right, he looked around for a long time while Kash explained it all to him (Kash is alright, he actually seems toi get it, he thought it was funny as hell because i kept smoking my hash whole time Walters was there) and I told everybody to also be civil and nice as we were better than them, and I'll be damned if it wasn't surreal for all involved but we all showed them how real people act. It was a cool coincidence that me and all of our staff where there in suits, hell as it was open mike night all the place was dressed nice and having fun. NOBODY got busted, and it was coolest thing in world watching that little punk stand there and watch us all get high as a goat! Just another tricky day in Vansterdam, at least it's never boring. David Malmo-Levine was on one channel here making Walters look stupid inside and CBC led with an interview with me out front nationwide. We scalded his ass here, now we sending his lame ass back to you all below border, try to keep him there from now on. By the way, him and punk ass DEA agents broke their little order to stay away from me today at A-dam woder if I can press charges against him? What a day? Peace, Steven Tuck ,in exile [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by p4me on November 20, 2002 at 20:22:11 PT Prohibitionist hate the doctor's opinion If the media starts talking of patients histories and doctor's oponions, it is going to rile people up knowing the Fat Ticks won't stop sucking blood and inflicting their own versions of tick-bite illnesses. Legal marijuana would do away with those Fat-Tick plaques on society.But the fascist cannot make cannabis stay second place to the killer demon, alcohol. Alcohol really needs demonizing. Cannabis is the ideal recreational drug and herbal refief experience. It is either true or not. Cannabis is the ideal recreational drug. I say it is.Now we know Walters make-believe land has very cloudy skies with severe whether ahead. Well, godamn Walters for spending a small fortune flying around the country and not saying what is the ideal recreational drug. Walters is to contemptable to let serve in public office. He won't speak in any sensible way and is a liar and a fascist prohibitionist. And its not like there are dozens of other important problems. If only Dr. Phil could get these black parrots to get real.That Walters is a joke. If the Dummy-in-residence did not make so many gaffs, their would be more talk of Walterisms.Hang them all.1 [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by The GCW on November 20, 2002 at 19:49:00 PT There is no medicinal value in cannabis for citizens that don't use it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by mayan on November 20, 2002 at 18:23:40 PT No Medicinal Value? If marijuana has no medicinal value then why does the government provide it to these seven individuals? Way to go Doc!A heartbeat from tyranny -Senate Passes Homeland Security Bill: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/DailyNews/homeland_021120.htmlWas Paul Wellstone Murdered? - by Michael C. Ruppert http://www.fromthewilderness.com/cgi-bin/cop/7/auth/110102_wellstone.htmlBattelle the Truth: U.S. Elections Hijacked Again? http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=14564Paul Thompson's Complete 9/11 Timeline: http://cooperativeresearch.org/completetimeline/The People's Investigation of 9/11: http://www.911pi.com/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by herbdoc215 on November 20, 2002 at 17:56:38 PT We Protested Walters Lying ass today!!!!!! Marc had the inside covered and we did the outside. We did several media interviews so it may be actually shown somewhere. He did not get a very warm reception here to say THE LEAST. Told his punk ass to take it back to USA with his white nazi crap. Long live freedom, Viva Revolution. We got a very positive response today from everybody who wasn't a pig. Peace, Steven Tuck ,in exile [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by goneposthole on November 20, 2002 at 16:44:28 PT Sorry, but it's not Uncle Sam's cannabis Good 'ol Mother Earth provided the cannabis, not Uncle Sam.You just cannot make a dna strain from thin air.Science can study and deduce what is in cannabis, but cannot create it.The Good Earth provides even for those who can't appreciate it for what it is.No 'white list', please. Genomes are to be preserved, not singled out for extinction because they have no commercial value.Republicans need to go the way of the Passenger pigeon and the Dodo bird. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by DdC on November 20, 2002 at 15:35:07 PT D.E.A.th are Such Murdering Hypocrites! Can't Find It http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/36/36609.gifNazism or WoD http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/36/36285.gifGet Over It http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/35/35917.gifGeorge McMahon, one of eight patients in the federal medical marijuana program and a founding member of Patients Out of Time http://www.trvnet.net/~mmcmahon/AN INCIDENT IN KANSAS An interview with ELVY MUSIKKA and RICHARD DAVIS by R Givens c 1995 http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/medical/incident.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by AlvinCool on November 20, 2002 at 14:50:20 PT I bet I bet Walters wishes that Rosenfeld and the other remaining patients from the earlier project would all drop dead, or at the least just quietly die off. They were never supposed to live this long. And I'm sure it's an irritant that Rosenfeld has not had any new tumors since starting to smoke marijuana. These patients represent everything that he lies about. 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