cannabisnews.com: NM Lawmaker Wants To Repeal Medical Marijuana
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NM Lawmaker Wants To Repeal Medical Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on February 26, 2011 at 10:03:23 PT
By Sue Major Holmes, Associated Press
Source: Associated Press
New Mexico -- A freshman New Mexico lawmaker who's a high school teacher in civilian life is trying to repeal the state's medical marijuana law. The law "sends a bad message to kids, that somehow marijuana is good for you," said Republican Rep. Jim Smith of Sandia Park, who teaches at East Mountain Charter High School east of Albuquerque.Gov. Susana Martinez said during her campaign last year the state's medical marijuana law put state employees in the position of violating federal law. The federal government classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug, a category reserved for drugs that have "no currently accepted medical use."
But after taking office Jan. 1, the Republican governor focused on New Mexico's pressing budget issues and said repeal was not a priority in the 2011 legislative session.Smith said, however, he was encouraged by an effort in Montana to repeal that state's medical marijuana law. Montana House Speaker Mike Milburn argues the multimillion dollar marijuana industry has gone far beyond what voters envisioned when they voted for it in 2004.Martinez spokesman Scott Darnell said she would sign a repeal of New Mexico's medical marijuana law if it reached her desk.Some legislators who voted for the law originally said earlier this month they were troubled by the expansion in medical conditions that qualify for the program and the growing number of people using it.Only patients with conditions approved by the health secretary can legally use medical marijuana. When New Mexico's law went into effect in July 2007, the state had seven approved conditions, including cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and HIV-AIDS. Now there are 16, plus some people in hospice care can qualify. The program is overseen by the state Department of Health.As of Feb. 16, the day before Smith introduced his bill, New Mexico had 3,218 active patients.Smith's measure is expected to be heard next week by the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee, whose vice chairman is Democratic Rep. Antonio Maestas of Albuquerque, who sponsored the medical marijuana law in the House.Maestas said the program has proved to be more valuable than expected, with soldiers returning from war using it to treat post traumatic stress disorder."Moving medical marijuana out of the criminal justice realm is difficult for many people to accept, but I believe the vast majority are in agreement it was a great decision and should not be rolled back," he said.Smith said it's hard to argue against people in pain who say medical marijuana makes them feel better, but he believes there are medical alternatives.He said he's encouraged by the 27 co-sponsors, both Republicans and Democrats, who signed onto the one-page bill when it was introduced earlier this month."The people I got to sign the bill were very passionate about wanting to get rid of medical marijuana," Smith said.Source: Associated Press (Wire)Author: Sue Major Holmes, Associated PressPublished: February 26, 2011Copyright: 2011 The Associated PressCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on March 08, 2011 at 17:44:38 PT
Hope
I agree.
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Comment #10 posted by Hope on March 08, 2011 at 16:33:29 PT
Comment 9
"A bill to repeal New Mexico’s medical marijuana bill will not receive a vote this year as the sponsor of the bill has reportedly pulled the legislation."Well that's good riddance to some bad legislation.
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on March 08, 2011 at 13:52:09 PT
NM: No Medical Marijuana Repeal This Year
By Matthew Reichbach March 8, 2011A bill to repeal New Mexico’s medical marijuana bill will not receive a vote this year as the sponsor of the bill has reportedly pulled the legislation.The Santa Fe Reporter states that the bill’s sponsor, Rep. James Smith, R-Sandia Park, has pulled the bill and is replacing it with a House Memorial that would would instead compel the Department of Health to study the program and its effectiveness.HM 53 says, “the department of health be requested to conduct a study of the impact on the state of the Controlled Substances Therapeutic Research Act and the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act.”One of the reasons given for the memorial is that the medical marijuana law “remains a controversial measure, with both supporters and detractors of the use of marijuana for medical purposes.”Gov. Susana Martinez said during the campaign that she wanted to end the medical marijuana program but that the repeal was not a priority for this year’s legislative session.URL: http://newmexicoindependent.com/69197/no-medical-marijuana-repeal-this-year
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Comment #8 posted by museman on February 27, 2011 at 13:51:38 PT
Some truths...
aren't as humorous as they are made out;"The Golden Rule; Those who have the gold, make the rules."It's why we call the Elite Class "Rulers"Once we called them 'gods' - they would really like to get us back to that state -The value of gold was established by their Order, and has been controlled ever since. Of course the 'dollar' ceased being "real" when the 'gold standard' was replaced by the 'token' which has nearly completely morphed into 'credit.' -another word for it; ILLUSION.But the rulers, through 'law' (and armed thuggery) forced us to comply with their various systems of regulation, control, and banking standards of inflationary profiteering ("interest") -along with merchantilism (the ultimate example of this is "outsourcing") and the creation of a 'buffer class' (first it was the 'merchant class' -which has now been taken back by the rulers in the form of corporate feudalism) but in modern times we know this buffer as the 'middle class.' The global Archy, is a social/economic pyramid of power that functions almost exclusively on lies, subterfuge, force of arms, threat and coercion, and the elevation of material worship to the forefront of human consciousness -now on a global scale. Whatever spin political speech writers put in the various DemRep puppet mouths, though referring often to high human attributes such as 'Truth,' 'Liberty,' etc., etc., those pretty words are designed to get their candidate elected, and little else.It has never been very humorous, though many jokes have come about, giving us temporary comic relief from the grind of living under the capstone of the power of the various economic/political lords.I think the Arab world is way ahead of Americans in their collective understanding of the corruption that exists globally in every state house and governmental institution.I hear Wisconsin may be awakening....LEGALIZE FREEDOM
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Comment #7 posted by runruff on February 27, 2011 at 08:57:01 PT
The weather here.
The weather is real nice, after a big snow storm. It has a 90% chance of fair weather today with a 10% chance of showers tonight?This is your hippy dippy weather man reporting!
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Comment #6 posted by Lucas on February 27, 2011 at 08:52:36 PT
passionately prohibitionist moralizer
> The people I got to sign the bill were very passionate about wanting to get rid of medical marijuanayes, passionate and ignorant, and not medically qualified to make any health care decisionbut, totally in keeping with religious moralism that governs this and every other country in the world.after all, think of the children!:-)not much you can do to change someone's mind once its made up.. dont even bother trying to reason with a moral zealot..
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Comment #5 posted by John Tyler on February 26, 2011 at 22:31:26 PT
Schedule I to Schedule III
“The federal government classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug, a category reserved for drugs that have "no currently accepted medical use." This may need some updating. I saw over at the NORML website that BIG PHARMA has discovered money in the cannabis natural plant extract business. Meaning growing lots of cannabis and making plant derived drugs. This is in conflict with the current Schedule 1 classification you say. Not a problem. All it takes is the right people at BIG PHARMA calling the right folks at the DEA and now cannabis plant derived drugs which were formally a Schedule I are now a Schedule III. This makes it so much more convenient for marketing. The bad ol’ Devil weed has been blessed and is now the good medication. What once had no accepted medical use now has medical use. Wasn’t that easy? I wish we had thought of that. I wonder what the Repug and other prohibitionists types will think of that? You still won’t be able to grown your own, because you are still unworthy. It is like being able to get tomato sauce but not being allowed to grow your own tomatoes. I know. It still doesn’t make any sense, but corporate greed is still alive and well and can change the laws to which ever way they want. Remember the Golden Rule. Those with gold, make the rules. 
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on February 26, 2011 at 15:16:43 PT
Marijuana Dispensaries Headed For Senate Approval
February 24, 2011HONOLULU -- Oahu would have 10 medical marijuana "compassion centers" under a bill expected to pass the state Senate next week. Another 11 dispensaries would be distributed among the neighbor islands.URL: http://www.kitv.com/r/26986952/detail.htmlHawaii State Legislature 2011 Regular Session SB175 SD1URL: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2011/lists/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=175
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Comment #3 posted by dongenero on February 26, 2011 at 11:15:25 PT
Let me get this straight Rep. Smith......
...you're a freshman legislator, a high school science and computer teacher, and though it's hard for you to argue against people in pain who say medical marijuana makes them feel better, you "believe" in your "expert" opinion (which is obviously the most relevant opinion) that there are better medical alternatives for people who's cases you know literally nothing about.Such megalomaniacs tend to strive for such positions of power.
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Comment #2 posted by Storm Crow on February 26, 2011 at 11:10:45 PT
It sure as heck is accepted in California..
Colorado, Washington, Maine and a few other states, and Washington DC as well! (DC allowing MMJ should have told him that something has changed! He's one DENSE dude!) As for just HOW accepted it is, a friend of a friend was just asking about it- she's in her (very) late 70s. She said someone at the senior center dinner told her it might help! I'll be visiting her later this week with a few print-ups and a cd of my list. (I hope she will take the cd to the center and show it off! Might do some real good there!)
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Comment #1 posted by runruff on February 26, 2011 at 10:13:32 PT
"no currently accepted medical use." 
Anyone still using this reefer madness slogan is out of touch and should learn to keep their mouths shut when conversations go over their heads!It like saying "there are no accepted use for wheels in the transportation business"!
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