Free marijuana? (AZ)Prop 203, pot free of charge to those who say they need it for medical reasons

azfamily ^

[chance33_98]

Free marijuana? 10/28/2002

By Kim Kapilovic / 3TV

PHOENIX -- It's the campaign claim that has people shaking their heads -- will officers readily be giving out free marijuana?

3TV took this issue to both a proponent and an opponent of the Drug Medicalization, Prevention and Control Act of 2002.

Cannibus, hemp, Mary Jane, pot. Marijuana has a lot of names and it has had a lot publicity over the last 6 years in Arizona.

Prop 203: Read the initiative

It passed as a medicinal drug in 1996 and was reaffirmed by the voters in 1998. Four years later, Proposition 203 takes it a step further by providing pot -- free of charge -- to those who say they need it for medical reasons.

The act reads in part, "Proposition 203 requires the Department of Public Safety to provide no more than 2 ounces free of charge to each person who is qualified to use marijuana for medical purposes."

If it passes, a patient would need a written note from their doctor stating he or she suffers from a debilitating illness and marijuana may help their symptoms or effects of their condition. The patient, who must be at least 18 years old, would then take their note to the Arizona Department of Health Services, where he or she pays a one-time $50 registration fee and receives an ID card.

They then take that ID card to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, where they can obtain no more than 2 ounces of marijuana and two marijuana plants every 30 days.

Two ounces is equivalent to about 150 to 200 marijuana cigarettes, depending on how big they're rolled.

Maricopa County attorney Rick Romley disagrees with the proposition approved in 1996 and 1998 and says Proposition 203 is ludicrous.

"The idea of distribution by our state police is bizarre at very best," he said. "... To give out pot for free and you can grow your own pot as well?"

It's not bizarre to Prop. 203 advocate Josh Burner.

"Who better than to distribute marijuana to the qualified people than the Department of Public Safety," he said. "First off, they get it for free and second off, it's their job. They have to confiscate it and they confiscated it today."

Diagnosed with cancer in 1995, Burner said he has firsthand knowledge of how marijuana can help a decreasing appetite.

"I had already lost 40 pounds with this thing and some friends recommended marijuana," he said. "I smoked marijuana ... I regained my appetite almost instantly and I've been on medical marijuana ever since."

But Romley said that's no excuse and believes there are alternatives to marijuana.

"There are drugs to stimulate appetite that are even better than marijuana," he said. "I don't think that marijuana has been studied enough yet. Until the scientists -- until the medical doctors look at it and say the benefits outway the harm -- then I don't think we should be using marijuana yet."

[chance33_98]

Ping

[Flashman_at_the_charge]

puff_list! LOL!

>:-]

[lawdude]

Soros and his pot distribution followers are running an ad here in AZ which has some poor, decrepit slob claiming that EVERYONE will have relatives who CANNOT LIVE without pot, JUST LIKE HIM. Bull-Friggin-sh*t.

I have NEVER heard a competent MD show any studies that come to the conclusion that pot is the only medication which will relieve (cure) any malady!

In addition, pot comes in a wide variety of strengths. No one has yet defined "Medical Grade Pot"...NO ONE.

Also, I don't want MY cops wasting time providing pot to a bunch of whining junkies when they could be out doing good work.

And don't anyone claim that we jail pot users. In Az. they are subject to Prop 200 which allows them to go to a drug awareness program and have all charges dismissed.

Oh, the lies they tell. They gotta be dems.

[Roscoe]

Four years later, Proposition 203 takes it a step further by providing pot -- free of charge -- to those who say they need it for medical reasons.

George Soros and his agenda might never have made it so far without the help of his useful idiots.

[Marine Inspector]

There is no such thing as Medical Marijuana.

[Kensei]

150-200 joints per 2 oz. of dope? They must roll real thin joints in Arizona.

[vin-one]

just keep posting the Refer Madness propoganda,
Maybe if you shout it loud enough someone might believe you.

why not address the fact that it has helped some people with the nausea associated with Chemo.
And for those people on chemo who can't keep the alternative medicine down because they are so full of nausea.
Face it, it does help some people..........

[vin-one]

George Soros and his agenda might never have made it so far without the help of his useful idiots.

and the WOD would not work without the help of the useful idiots who support the WOD
sound like someone you know?????????

[philman_36]

"I don't think that marijuana has been studied enough yet. Until the scientists -- until the medical doctors look at it and say the benefits outway the harm -- then I don't think we should be using marijuana yet."
Marijuana has been studied so much that further studying of it won't prove a thing.
How about "some doctors from the Carter years.
National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse Members and Staff

This dolt is ignorant too, yet he won't read anything to relieve his ignorance. He'll take the hype.

[philman_36]

Also, I don't want MY cops wasting time providing pot to a bunch of whining junkies when they could be out doing good work.
Like conducting the WOsD?

[robertpaulsen]

"The patient, who must be at least 18 years old,"

As soon as I read this, I knew I was looking at bull$hit. Name me one other drug that is (prescription) age restricted. Even Ritalin is prescribed for children.

If, and that's a big if, marijuana were the only drug capable of providing relief to a suffering patient, and that patient were 16 or 17, a doctor cannot prescribe it???

[philman_36]

And don't anyone claim that we jail pot users.
If one is arrested they are jailed aren't they?
Check out this...
Maybe you need to tell the FBI that their stats are wrong instead of flailing away at FReepers.

[philman_36]

Even Ritalin is prescribed for children.
Kinda duplicitous and ironic at the same time isn't it.
But hey, like the WODdies keep saying...It's the law!

[monkeyshine]

LOL to this initiative. It's funny, because free pot on the government dime wouldn't be an issue if pot were decriminalized. Pot would cost about 10 cents a gram - about the same as a cigarette.

[philman_36]

Pot would cost about 10 cents a gram...
It wouldn't "cost" anything, except for the cost of watering it, if people were allowed to grow their own.

[philman_36]

And if a rain barrel were kept...well, you get the picture.

[robertpaulsen]

I went to your link and found the following statement:

"There is no currently accepted medical use of cannabis in North America outside of an experimental context. Although cannabis has been reported to produce an array of possibly useful medical effects, these have either not been adequately investigated, or can be replaced by using other more readily available and convenient drugs."

I guess this qualifies me for 'dolt' status also?

[philman_36]

There is no currently accepted medical use of cannabis in North America outside of an experimental context.
If the shoe fits...