Posted on 11/03/2004 1:51:01 PM PST by Wolfie
Medical Marijuana Approved
Helena -- Montanans suffering from certain medical conditions may be able to legally smoke marijuana to ease their symptoms come January 1. The Medical Marijuana Act passed by a 63 to 37 percent margin Tuesday with 375 of 881 precincts reporting. The new act will protect patients, their doctors and their caregivers from state and local arrest and prosecution for the medical use of marijuana.
Teresa Michalski of Helena couldn't be happier. Michalski once lived in fear that her late son, Travis, would spend the last few months of his short life in jail for using marijuana during the last stages of Hodgkin's disease.
"I knew the people in Montana were compassionate and I could count on them," said Michalski, a fifth-generation Montanan.
U.S. Deputy Drug Czar Scott Burns, however, warned Montanans that federal law trumps state law, and said during a recent visit to Montana that no state initiative permitting the medical use of marijuana can circumvent the federal law prohibiting the possession and use of the drug.
"There's no safe harbor," Burns said.
But Paul Befumo, treasurer of the Marijuana Policy Project of Montana, said he's "elated" that the measure passed.
"People don't have to worry about being criminalized any more," he said.
Proponents say smoking marijuana relieves nausea, increases appetite, reduces muscle spasms, relieves chronic pain and reduces pressure in the eyes. It can be used to treat the symptoms of AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis and glaucoma, among other diseases, they say.
Medical marijuana has been approved by voters in Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. In Hawaii, a law was passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor in 2000. In Vermont, a law was passed by the Legislature and allowed to become law without the governor's signature in May 2004, the Marijuana Policy Project reports.
The Montana measure's campaign was financially backed by the national Marijuana Policy Project out of Washington, D.C.
This is a conservative issue, too. Notice the red states that have approved med-pot by 60 percent margins. Please, W... don't ask me to arrest cancer patients.
"U.S. Deputy Drug Czar Scott Burns, however, warned Montanans that federal law trumps state law, and said during a recent visit to Montana that no state initiative permitting the medical use of marijuana can circumvent the federal law prohibiting the possession and use of the drug. "
Hey Scott - how many illegals crossed the Mexican border while you were making your threats?
I've been hearing conservative radio talking about this as a conservative issue, but I'm having a hard time swallowing it. Perhaps I just need to learn more about the position..
And I like that motto.
Burns can stick his warning up his overgrown federal butt!
Good one for me home state. Some of the things listed as medical conditions that would qualify one (ie cancer) are often fatal. If someon's dying I say give them whatever the hell they want, including pot.
Read some of Clarence Thomas' writings on the Substanial Effects doctrine.
Oh my. He's not going to ask you to arrest cancer patients. Don't be silly. He is, however, going to ask the DEA to continue to arrest anyone who violates federal law.
99% of "patients" who smoke marijuana for medical reasons were already smoking marijuana before they even saw a doctor for their condition. (Little known statistic.)
Wow thank you
I see it as a States' Rights issues. So did the Prez the first time he ran.
Big Sky Country suddenly looks even more...spacious!
Like Wow, man - that sky is SO blue...;^)
It is a conservative issue in the sense that conservatives are against it.
Liberals, Libertarians, and anarchists are in favor.
It must have hurt like hell when you pulled it out of your *ss!
Medical marijuana advocates are just using this issue as a blind for making marijuana legal. OK, I can deal with that, lets just make it legal and be done with it.
Its not worth keeping it illegal. Lets just be done with it.
Former warrior in the WOD.
Hey buddy...
where are you?
So, let me get this straight. According to you, if a person doesn't believe marijuana should be illegal, no matter that person's stand on ALL other conservative issues, then that person is NOT a conservative?
I voted against that! My thoughts on that are, if you legalize medical marijuana, eventually I think, there will be a movement to legalize marijuana to the same level as cigarettes. That's just a theory of mine. The handwriting is on the wall.
If what you're trying to "conserve" is the New Deal.
Yeah. I mean, they gonna die anyways.
Hmmmm. I wonder. Would it be out of line to maybe try some dangerous experimental drugs on them? You know. If they're gonna die ...
Or wait! Why can't we take, say, a healthy kidney or one lung or maybe a piece of their liver (a small piece, of course) before they die if someone else needs it right away.
I mean, they're gonna die anyways.
Precisely how I feel about the issue. Medical marijuana is just a euphemism for "legalizing marijuana for any purpose".
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