DC Mayor Says City "Exploring" Suing Congress Over Marijuana Legalization

Townhall.com ^ | January 4, 2015 | Christine Rousselle

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

This morning on Meet the Press, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said that the city will "explore every option" in regards to getting Initiative 71 enforced in the city. Initiative 71, which would have permitted the legal use of marijuana for recreational purposes, was passed with overwhelming support on Election Day, yet was blocked by Congress. Bowser had previously been against legalized marijuana, but has since changed her position to align with the will of the voters of the District of Columbia.

Bowser also said that she intends on "forging a path" for increased autonomy in the District of Columbia.

Mayor Bowser makes good points. Like I've previously said, it makes very little sense that D.C. residents are unable to vote for their own laws without fear of Congress stepping in and undoing everything. If residents of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Colorado can all vote to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, D.C. should be able to as well. It will be interesting to see which route the city chooses to take to ensure that their law is on the books.

[ConservingFreedom]

The MSM, like you, is big on restricting individual liberties.

[Ken H]

And all the other crime rates are?

Down =>

According to data released by the Denver Police Department, the city has experienced a 14.6% drop in crime since January 1, 2014, property crime is also down 14% and violent crime has decreased by 2.4%.

http://www.mainstreet.com/article/the-surprise-impact-of-recreational-pot-since-legalization-on-january-1-2014/page/2

[Marie]

I am absolutely NOT saying the marijuana is a cure-all.

I’ve run the gauntlet of modern medicine in an effort to make my miserable life bearable. They’ve pumped me full of drugs that made me very sick.

I’m going to try this as a last resort. (Heck, if it helps my neuropathy and helps me sleep without barbiturates, I’ll be doing better right there.)

I just want to live a little while longer.

[Marie]

Thanks.

I get the attitude. I was a rabid drug warrior until just a couple of years ago.

But I was willing to examine the situation and realize that our solution wasn’t working. Never thought that this would apply directly to my own situation, though.

[Marie]

“Had family members die from cancer and used the cannabis from oil to pills didn’t ease the pain as did real medicine.”

You are absolutely correct. Opiates are fantastic for short-term pain and great to help ease suffering for people who are dying.

But what about people who have to live for decades with cancer-level pain?

You can only walk the opiate road for so long. Your body adapts to the medicine and it takes more and more to get the same level of relief. Eventually, that road runs out.

So the docs pump you full of every other drug out there to try to keep the opiates down for as long as possible. Those drugs all have side effects. (for me, steroids are the worst. 40 pounds of weight gain in 30 days, suppressed immune function, massive fungal and bacterial infections, drugs to treat those... nightmare)

I would never tell a cancer patient or a post-op patient or someone with pancreatitis that they should take marijuana over ‘real’ pain medicine. And hospice patients... give them all of the pain relief!! Please!

But opiates and the other cocktail of drugs that they try to use to deal with long-term pain are not good for long-term use.

Modern medicine cannot help me. I’ve given them years. Marijuana may not help me either, but I have to try. I have nothing left.

The science is promising and many people are getting good results. It’s worth an effort.

[MadIsh32]

I do

[WayneS]

Okay. I was wondering, because your info page displays a Virginia flag.

[gleeaikin]

Yesterday was the first day for legal pot in DC. The mayor is not going to stop people from doing what the voters approved. DC has a bigger population than Vermont and Wyoming and is growing by 1,000 people a month. Seventy% of the voters approved legal marijuana for people 21 and older. It can only be smoked in private homes, 6 plants (3 mature and 3 young) can be grown, but only indoors (or double for 2 or more residents). Public housing forbids it, and apartment owners can forbid it. One can carry up to 2 oz. outside, but it cannot be sold, and thanks to Congress it cannot be taxed. Also, it cannot be used in public buildings or anyplace on Federal property which DC has lots of. Driving under the influence is illegal. I’m not sure why it has increased homeless immigration into Colorado since it is taxed and expensive. On the other hand in DC it will be free for the moment as soon as people start growing it, but the homeless will have no place to grow it. So will panhandlers become pothandlers? ;-)

Regarding crime, Point Barrow in far northern Alaska had a 70% decrease in crime when they outlawed alcohol. A wine loving couple who had their wine flown in challenged the prohibition and won, and the crime rate went up again. How many bar room brawls have been pot related or are likely where pot is legal for public smoking, as compared with alcohol? Ah, federalism, the ferment of state experimentation. Can’t wait to see the various results.

[gleeaikin]

It has been over 6 weeks and I am wondering how you are doing. You speak about drugs and medicine, but I wonder if you have tried therapeutic nutrition and supplements? You can find information with Google. Enter the disease/symptom or your choice and add “nutrition and supplements to treat”. Good books to read can be found at Amazon and Ebay. I started out with books by Adelle Davis 40 years ago. At 76, I am on the whole in better health than I was 40 years ago.

You speak of massive fungal infections. Have you ever tried the Atkins diet (also on line), especially the induction phase. I once was called to help a friend rescue his friend who was dying of a brain infection. He had not eaten for a while, and when I looked in his refrigerator to prepare him something to eat, only ONE of 23 items in it was NOT a systemic yeast food. That one item was chicken, so I made him chicken soup. If you have not tried therapeutic nutrition, there is a real chance you could get a lot better than you are now. Feel free to private message me if you wish. For ten years I counseled people who had not been helped with conventional psychotherapy and medicine.