Medical Pot’s Backers, Critics Speak At Capitol
TOPEKA, KANSAS – Several people urged lawmakers Monday to approve a measure that would allow some patients to use a note from their physician as an affirmative defense for possessing marijuana.
Opponents, including law enforcement, the Pharmacy Board and the Kansas Medical Society, questioned the plant’s efficacy in treating symptoms of disease such as cancer and multiple sclerosis.
Sen. Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, the committee’s chairwoman, said the medicines used to treat pain and nausea for cancer patients have come a long way.
“I don’t see it as something that is necessary in this day and age,” she said.
Eric Voth, chairman of the Institute on Global Drug Policy, said the measure would create a “get out of jail free card” for people who could convince a physician they needed marijuana.
However, patients with certain diseases and their families see marijuana as a relief to their suffering.
When her son was suffering from multiple sclerosis, smoking marijuana stopped his screaming, said Bette Hulser of Topeka.
“After seeing my son I knew then I would never do anything to stop him from smoking marijuana,” said Hulser, who described herself as “pretty straight-laced.”
Laura Green, the director for Kansas Compassionate Care Coalition, said she’d heard from hundreds of people whose family members had used marijuana to relieve their suffering from cancer and multiple sclerosis.
“We cannot continue to let these vulnerable people be convicted of illegal drug use when they are simply trying to gain relief from pain and suffering with their doctor’s support,” she said.
Remember that all these sick and disabled people are asking is that once they are arrested for possession of marijuana, booked, fingerprinted, held in a cell, paid a bond for release, dealt with the repercussions of a drug arrest, and returned to court to face the charges, they just want to be able to tell a judge that they use marijuana medicinally and that their choice was to commit a misdemeanor or suffer needlessly.
ACLU of Wash. launches marijuana campaign _ with Rick Steves
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON — The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington state is launching a new campaign to get people talking about changing marijuana laws, and it’s enlisted travel writer Rick Steves in the effort.
Steves filmed a 30-minute video for the ACLU, in which he says he has traveled all over Europe, and he’s learned that it makes more sense to treat marijuana use as a public health issue than it does to arrest people for using it.
The ACLU says it is trying to start a national conversation about whether American drug laws are working with regard to marijuana. The organization says nearly 830,000 people are arrested on marijuana charges every year – 90 percent of them for possession – and that the U.S. spends far more money arresting, prosecuting and jailing people than it’s worth.
Rick Steves says that in America you have two choices: “tough on drugs” or “soft on drugs”. In Europe, there is a third choice: “smart on drugs”. Despite the latest reefer madness coming from the UK, most of Europe keep a more rational approach to drugs in their countries.
Ansonia ordered to pay lawyer fees in student marijuana case
BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT. – A federal judge has ordered Ansonia’s, Connecticut’s school board to pay nearly $18,000 in fees to a lawyer who successfully overturned the expulsion of a football player arrested on a marijuana charge.
U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall has awarded the payment to Gary Mastronardi for his representation of Tristan Roberts, a 17-year-old Ansonia High School junior.
In November, Hall approved a settlement allowing Roberts, expelled for possessing marijuana, to return to school.
Under the terms of the agreement, the school board “permanently and unconditionally rescinds its expulsion order.”
A lawyer for the school system challenged both the system’s liability for legal fees and the $400 per hour Mastronardi requested for his work on the case.
You know how prohibitionists always say we can’t decriminalize marijuana because it would send the wrong message to the kids? What kind of message do we send when we expel them for marijuana use? “That’s it, kid, if you make a mistake, you don’t deserve an education!” Shouldn’t we try to keep kids in school, especially ones who may be taking the risk of experimenting with marijuana when they are too young?