cannabisnews.com: Hawaii's Vanishing Medical Marijuana Gap Hawaii's Vanishing Medical Marijuana Gap Posted by CN Staff on May 10, 2006 at 19:27:21 PT By Ronald Fraser, Ph.D. Source: Hawaii Reporter Hawaii -- When there is a big gap between the views of ordinary Americans on a public issue and the voting record of their elected representatives in Congress on that issue, something is wrong. In the national debate over the use of marijuana for medical purposes, the people and their representatives in Congress seem to be living on different planets. In Hawaii, however, the gap has been closed. Poll after poll shows Americans, by a huge majority, want their doctors, not lawmakers, to decide whether or not marijuana should be used as a medicine. Today, however, federal laws prohibit physicians from prescribing marijuana for pain relief even where state and local laws say it is OK to do so. This has not always been the case. "For most of American history, growing and using marijuana was legal under both federal law and the laws of individual states," according to a recent report by the Congressional Research Service, an arm of the U.S. Congress. The report goes to say, "From 1850 to the early 1940s cannabis was included in the U. S. Pharmacopoeia as a recognized medicinal. [But] its decline in medicine was hastened by the development of aspirin, morphine, and other opium-derived drugs, all of which helped to replace marijuana in the treatment of pain." The Polls.In 1999 a Gallup poll asked, "Suppose that on election day this year you could vote on key issues as well as candidates. Please tell me, would you vote for or against making marijuana legally available for doctors to prescribe in order to reduce pain and suffering?" Response: 73% of the American people said they would vote for making marijuana legally available under those conditions. In both 2003 and 2005 Gallup polls asked, "Would you favor or oppose making marijuana legally available for doctors to prescribe in order to reduce pain and suffering?" In 2003, 75% and in 2005, 78% of the people said they would favor giving doctors the legal right to decide when marijuana should be prescribed to ease suffering. The National Gap.Apparently Members of Congress don't read the polls these days, nor do they care much about state laws. In 12 states -- Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington -- laws already give doctors the power to decide whether or not to use marijuana to treat patients in pain. In the U.S. House of Representatives on May 4, 2005, Rep. Barney Frank, (D-MA) introduced H.R. 2087, a bill "to provide for the medical use of marijuana in accordance with the laws of the various states," and to prohibit the federal government from stopping "an individual from obtaining and using marijuana from a prescription or recommendation by a physician for medical use." On May 13th the bill was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce -- where it is stuck. Since a federal bill allowing states to regulate the medical use of marijuana can't make it to the House floor for an up or down vote, an alternative strategy is to attach a medical marijuana amendment to a spending bill that will reach the House floor. On June 15, 2005, Rep. Maurice D. Hinchey (D-NY) did just that and offered Amendment 272 to H.R. 2862. The amendment would have prohibited federal agencies from preventing the implementation of state laws that authorize the use of medical marijuana. The amendment was rejected on a 264 to 161 vote. In other words, while 78% of the American people favor letting doctors (and states) decide this issue, only 38% of the House members favored a law supporting that policy. Nationally, that's a whopping 40% medical marijuana gap separating what the American people want and what their hard-of-hearing elected representatives deliver. Hawaii’s Vanishing Gap.With both House members from Hawaii, Congressmen Neil Abercrombie and Ed Case, both Democrats, voting in favor of Amendment 272, the state's lawmakers have demonstrated a readiness to close the gap separating public opinion and public policy.Nationally the wide gap remains, with all congressmen from South Carolina, Kansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska and Oklahoma voting against the amendment. American democracy calls on lawmakers to be responsive to the common sense wisdom of ordinary citizens. Instead, some members of Congress are standing in the way of existing state laws and the majority of Americans who want their physicians, not politicians, to decide if marijuana should be used to ease suffering in sick patients. If these officials don’t improve their hearing, voters might consider replacing them this coming November with people who have better listening skills.Ronald Fraser, Ph.D., writes on public policy issues for the DKT Liberty Project, a Washington-based civil liberties organization. Write him at: fraserr erols.comHawaiiReporter.com reports the real news, and prints all editorials submitted, even if they do not represent the viewpoint of the editors, as long as they are written clearly. Send editorials to: Malia HawaiiReporter.com Source: Hawaii Reporter (HI)Author: Ronald FraserPublished: Wednesday, May 10, 2006Copyright: 2006 Hawaii Reporter, Inc.Contact: fraserr erols.comWebsite: http://www.hawaiireporter.com/The Debate: Hinchey - Rohrabacher http://freedomtoexhale.com/dofcomm.htmCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #13 posted by Hope on June 01, 2006 at 19:54:25 PT A gentle people, wanting to be free.Sounds better. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by Hope on June 01, 2006 at 09:28:12 PT A gentle, wanting to be free, people pounded by a local military force.It has to end. It has to.Before we lose anymore. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by afterburner on June 01, 2006 at 08:47:49 PT BTW, I've Already Contacted my Governor I indicated that as long as opposition to medical cannabis, and persecution of cannabis consumers seeking a Safer alternative to alcohol, continues to spew from the Governor office, I will not be able to support the Governor in the 2006 election. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by afterburner on June 01, 2006 at 08:40:55 PT From Hawaii to New York US NY: OPED: Vanishing Medical Marijuana Gap. URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06.n698.a09.html Pubdate: Wed, 31 May 2006. Source: Niagara Gazette (NY). Author: Ronald Fraser [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on May 11, 2006 at 09:18:44 PT dongenero Thank you. I agree. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by dongenero on May 11, 2006 at 09:17:33 PT That's okay FoM That is why I asked.I think just the fact that we discussed it, more will be likely to follow Toker's link to see what it is about.Read the link below........................... [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on May 11, 2006 at 09:08:09 PT Toker00 That's one of the good parts of CNews. I don't have to post everything because links work just fine. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Toker00 on May 11, 2006 at 09:05:11 PT Hi, FoM I would never second guess you on running anything about C-News. However, there is a plea in the e-mail to tell the world. "But I want the whole world to know what the DEA has done to my mother just for using cannabis to take the edge off the MS sword." But hey, Lady, it's YOUR call! :) That's why I posted only the link.Toke. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on May 11, 2006 at 08:24:08 PT dongenero It is an e-mail and names are mentioned. I am very cautious because of people getting upset with me for posting news articles with their name in it when they find it in a search tool. I believe e-mails are private and I respect them as private. That's just my own conviction. If this appears in an article I will post it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on May 11, 2006 at 08:11:04 PT dongenero I don't understand. It isn't a news article. I can't confirm anything unless it is in a newspaper or AP or Reuters. Isn't the link ok? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by dongenero on May 11, 2006 at 08:08:05 PT Toker's post FoM, Can the content of Toker's link be posted here? It is a pretty heavy letter and would be good to have viewable here. I don't know if you are allowed to post it or if it has to be linked. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by mayan on May 11, 2006 at 07:16:13 PT Kimberlee Jones Thanks for that link, Toker. Yes, the DEA thugs have proven once again that they are the lowest life-forms on earth! Hope you DEA tough-guys are proud of yourselves. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Toker00 on May 11, 2006 at 03:55:53 PT Another Terrorist Attack. The DEA Truly are Terrorist. I found this story at DrugWarRant. Appalling.http://www.cannabisculture.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1244706Toke. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment