cannabisnews.com: Hearing on Medical Marijuana Turns Emotional





Hearing on Medical Marijuana Turns Emotional
Posted by CN Staff on November 15, 2007 at 05:23:24 PT
By Ken Harris
Source: Badger Herald 
Wisconsin -- A state Senate committee heard heated testimony Wednesday morning at the Capitol both for and against medicinal marijuana.The Committee on Health, Human Services, Insurance and Job Creation held a public information hearing about medical marijuana featuring testimony from three “expert witnesses” followed by responses from the public.
Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, who chairs the committee, said he was approached with the idea to hold the hearing “years ago” when he first took office, by Gary Storck, co-founder of Is My Medicine Legal Yet?“I’ve asked questions of a lot of doctors and … a slim majority of them seem to think if that’s what’s going to make the patient feel better and control the pain better they’re not opposed to it,” Erpenbach said. “Some are opposed to it simply because, as they put it, there is no scientific proof.”The two key witnesses in favor of medicinal marijuana were David Bearman, a practicing physician from Santa Barbara, Calif., and Chris Fichtner from Illinois. Fichtner is a psychiatrist who is the former head of mental health for the Illinois Department of Health and Human Services.According to Bearman, one of the biggest problems with legalizing marijuana is the stigma that surrounds the substance. The federal government has labeled it a “schedule one substance” along with other drugs deemed not medically beneficial. Bearman said he believes there is plenty of research that proves this wrong.“It’s still an uphill battle to remove that stigma,” Bearman said.Addressing concerns of the committee, Bearman said marijuana is not physically addictive, causing less dependency than coffee.“The abuse potential is extremely low,” Bearman said.Following Bearman’s testimony, Fichtner said there is no outlet for the discussion of marijuana outside the realm of substance abuse. He said there needs to be legal research performed to make marijuana and all the chemicals in it specialized to treat different types of ailments — but such research is not allowed right now.Fichtner also addressed a Yale study that linked marijuana use to increased psychotic brain activity. He called the findings of the study misleading and said the methods were flawed.In response to a question from the committee, Fichtner addressed the argument that marijuana serves as a “gateway” for users to try other, more dangerous drugs.According to Fichtner, alcohol has proven, in studies, to serve as a gateway drug at a much higher rate than marijuana.“There is not good evidence for cannabis as a gateway drug,” Fichtner said.Storck and fellow IMMLY co-founder Jackie Rickert gave emotional testimony, as Rickert fought to hold back the tears as she described her physical ailments and how marijuana has allowed her to play with her grandchildren.Donna Daniels, state coordinator for Parent Corps, a national drug prevention program, spoke in opposition to the idea of legalizing the substance for medical use.“Research has shown that marijuana is an addictive substance,” Daniels said. “Making medical marijuana legal is a stepping-stone to other legalization.”Complete Title: Senate Hearing on Medical Marijuana Turns EmotionalSource: Badger Herald (U of WI, Madison, WI Edu)Author: Ken HarrisPublished: November 15, 2007Copyright: 2007 Badger HeraldContact: editor badgerherald.comWebsite: http://www.badgerherald.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:I.M.M.L.Y.http://www.immly.org/Madison NORMLhttp://www.madisonnorml.org/Senate To Hear Pros, Cons of Legalizing Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23475.shtmlMedical Marijuana Gets Heavy Support http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23388.shtmlMondovi Woman Leads Fight for Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23376.shtml 
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Comment #21 posted by Wayne on November 18, 2007 at 08:46:31 PT
Re: Patriotic
You ought to go public with that story about Mark Souder. Lately, the media seems to love Republican scandals, and I think it's time for another one... anything to put this election over the top for the Democrats.
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Comment #20 posted by Storm Crow on November 16, 2007 at 14:39:47 PT
NO SCIENTIFIC PROOF??????
"Some are opposed to it simply because, as they put it, there is no scientific proof."I think this should read "Some nonreaders are opposed to it because, as they put it, there is no scientific proof." I am hardly a research scientist/doctor, (I'm a just a lowly, underpaid teacher's aide!), yet I was able to find over 40 PAGES of URLs for scientific studies that show that cannabis IS most definitely medicine! If I can do it, well then, they must not be trying very hard to look for cannabis studies! Look at this! See what YOU think!http://www.treatingyourself.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=23136 
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Comment #19 posted by runruff on November 16, 2007 at 10:39:44 PT:
Souder!
I first knew of him when I saw him put on his dog and pony show in congress. He was on the floor oppposing the Roher-Hinckly Bill. I thought to myself then, this guy is a sexually oppressed, pervert, psyco. His comparason to some smoke bubble therapy from the early 20th century was laughable. It came across like some SnL shcetch. He was ugly and and reeked of psyconess. Now I hear the story about him spanking his neighbors child! Good grief Charley Brown! How many times have you ever seen that happen? My father was a big strong serious quiet type. I've seen him tell people off for getting out of line with his kids. You did not want to be on the wrong side of my Dad. That's why I can appreciate what PDs father did. I know Souder would still be nursing a fat lip if it had been my Dad. If it were me I'd still be pounding on his dumb a&&. He was one guy I really hoped to see go in this last voting cycle. It makes me wonder why do people elect idiots like him anyway?
Pardon me for saying this please but I really feel this pervert is probably still having wet dreams from this spanking event.
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Comment #18 posted by Max Flowers on November 16, 2007 at 10:32:52 PT
Blind doctors
“Some are opposed to it simply because, as they put it, there is no scientific proof.”How very ignorant. There is a mountain of proof, it's called "anecdotal evidence". Thousands upon thousands of people who get tangible relief from it. I wonder if any of these doctors (who clamor for "scientific proof") are actually science-oriented enough to appreciate what that means. Then on top of that, there are lots of clinical studies with results indicating cannabis' efficacy in various contexts. The proof is there, but these ignorant doctors either don't know how to access it or (much more likely) don't want to see it or know about it because it would shake up their belief system or something similarly cowardly.
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Comment #17 posted by RevRayGreen on November 16, 2007 at 10:31:16 PT
That's quite a story
Patriotic-D, every thought about confronting him in public about it :) what a POS.
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Comment #16 posted by PatrioticDissension on November 16, 2007 at 09:21:51 PT
Souder
I've said it before and im gonna say it again when i was a little kid Mark Souder was my next door neighbor. One time when I was about 6 he saw me in my front yard rough housing with my sister (she consented) he came across the street pulled us apart and tried to spank me over his knee the whole time calling me "an evil child" who "must be punished" who "doesnt know right from wrong" . the fact is i wasnt doing anything wrong me and my sis were playing. anyway my dad heard me yell and came outside and saw it
he told mark if he ever laid a hand on me again he decapitate him. sometimes i wish mark had touched me again....   I didnt realize it until now but after reading what i wrote i realize that mark is trying to be the parent for the whole USA and make other people and their children be the way he wants. HANDS OFF SOUDER!
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Comment #15 posted by dongenero on November 16, 2007 at 07:39:46 PT
post # 10 Souder
Souder received quite the smackdown judging from that list of organizations who spoke out against his policy on education funding. Couldn't happen to a more deserving guy.As for comment #14 statement about Souder stepping on his male appendage. Now that's a ...stretch....of the imagination. Souder is wound so tight, I imagine his package to be fully inverted and retracted. Then again, how do you step on it when you are it. Souder is a d!ck.
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Comment #14 posted by Had Enough on November 16, 2007 at 04:14:55 PT
On second thought
I will comment on Souder.With Mark's recent comments and letter writing campaign, it looks like he has stepped on his male appendage, stumbled, and has a sticky smelly substance ($hit) stuck to his shoe that will be hard to ignore. He has the rope but hasn’t quite hung himself yet.This term "drug legalization groups/legalizers" gets to me once and a while. The truth of the matter is it’s NOT legalization, it’s RE-LEGALIZATION. Remember!!!, pot was legal before Hearst, Anslinger, Dupont, and the oil/cotton industry got greedy and wanted control of the money in the late 1930’s. And they did it with lies, and support it to this day with continued lies.They try to add stigma to the situation by using the term Legalizers to make it sound dirty, mean, wicked, & nasty, and people of such, are not deserving of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.Hhmmm. Smell that Smell, It’s all around you.Peace brothers & sisters. The Hippies were right all along, we knew then, and even more know it now.
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Comment #13 posted by Had Enough on November 16, 2007 at 03:38:34 PT
Souder
No comment…
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Comment #12 posted by Had Enough on November 16, 2007 at 03:37:14 PT
Gary Stork
A heartily tip of the Helmet to you.Let’s Git r Done….
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Comment #11 posted by Hope on November 15, 2007 at 20:35:21 PT
Groups Object To Souder Drug Comment
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n1318/a08.html?397
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Comment #10 posted by Hope on November 15, 2007 at 20:19:09 PT
DRUGS AND MONEY
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n1318/a09.html?397
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Comment #9 posted by Hope on November 15, 2007 at 19:17:58 PT
Sounds memorized. 
“Research has shown that marijuana is an addictive substance,” Daniels said. “Making medical marijuana legal is a stepping-stone to other legalization.”
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Comment #8 posted by RevRayGreen on November 15, 2007 at 18:49:06 PT
Say Gary .......
Did George give his tesitmony as an expert witness yet ?
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Comment #7 posted by fight_4_freedom on November 15, 2007 at 11:43:27 PT:
Gary......
We all appreciate what you are doing and the hard work you are putting in. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are showing great courage by going in front of your state to speak the truth.Together, we will make the Midwest the new medical marijuana hotspot.Once again, Thank you.
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Comment #6 posted by runruff on November 15, 2007 at 09:42:53 PT:
Outdated, flawed, dangerous.
See what Nixon started. Even though he based his reasons for prohibition on lies, prohibitionist are still using his lies to argue their points, even today. My! He was a crook and an evil man yet the office he held gave him that much credibility.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on November 15, 2007 at 09:15:25 PT
Gary
Thank you!
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Comment #4 posted by Gary Storck on November 15, 2007 at 09:12:43 PT
another link
Not the hearing video yet, but video of Dr. Bearman speaking in Madison at the UW Medical School on 11/13Video of Dr. David Bearman's presentation at the University of Wisconsin Medical School on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007: http://videos.med.wisc.edu/videoList.php?list=recent
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Comment #3 posted by Hope on November 15, 2007 at 09:09:03 PT
Thank you, Gary.
It's a wonder Ms. Daniels didn't get off into how he "grew fangs and flew around the room like a bat".And yes, of course, you all already know, that those very words have been introduced 
as evidence against cannabis use in previous congressional hearings.
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on November 15, 2007 at 08:46:24 PT
Gary
Thank you. If you have time would you post the link when it becomes available? 
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Comment #1 posted by Gary Storck on November 15, 2007 at 08:44:00 PT
good hearing, good report
The sole negative testimony came from the aforementioned Donna Daniels. 99.9% of what she said was inaccurate or misleading. She tried to blame her uncle's death from kidney failure from diabetes on cannabis. She was soooooooo over the top she had no credibility at all. I wonder who put her up to this appearance. It made her look quite foolish. Whoever did it didn't have the courage to show up themselves, so they apparently sent her. She only was able to convince people she was full of it.You can watch the hearing soon in the archives of WisconsinEye.com
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