I will say that I have not been a supporter of medicinal marijuana, but I am open to researching the merits of it as a medicine. If you have any data from studies that have been conducted I will certainly look them over.
One of my greatest concerns is the use of medicinal marijuana by individuals within the work place. There is a clear mind/mood altering affect on users of marijuana. I would not want someone working next to me that has been drinking alcohol any more than someone who has smoked marijuana. As a business owner the safety of our staff is paramount and I am not comfortable with employees entering the workplace with reduced faculties.
Sincerely,
Paul L. Sanford
Alabama Senate
District 7
Guys you shouldn’t be too harsh about this guy. He is actually pretty sincere about learning about medical marijuana and has spoken to me about it on several occaisions. While I’ll admit he might be a little anti-marijuana any politician that will listen to others opinions about it (especially in Alabama) is a HUGE step forward
It should be brought up as well that there is currently a government held patent on THC that lists its benefits. As well as the common knowledge that THC (known as dronabinol) is already a schedul III drug marketed as marinol. Cannabis, the natural THC producing god-made plant should not be kept from his constituents. Especially considering how many poor/uninsured/elderly who are on low and fixed incomes in Alabama. There is no justifiable reason to prevent the people who pay your salary from obtaining effective low cost medicine if their doctors recommend it Rep. Sanford!
One of his constituents needs to send him a crate with the 17,000-plus studies that have been done printed out for him, so he can read about its efficacy.
Also, that’s a good idea, Samantha, about Irv Rosenfeld. He is indeed the poster-child of medical marijuana’s usefulness to turn an otherwise debilitated (and likely dead) man into an incredibly industrious, very successful stock broker.
At least this guy says he’s willing to consider it; I’m skeptical.
If Cannabis were legalized in any sense it does not mean employers cant drug/alchohol test like they already do. This is one more good example why a standardized test indicating recent use would be prefferable to tests that merely show thc present in the system that could be from an experience that is weeks past.
The Senator hasn’t been schooled on the difference between marijuana used for intoxication marijuana used medicinally. I hope the information he is given per his request includes testimonies from doctors or scientists showing that cannabis can relax muscles (MS, paralysis, spastic bladder, etc) – for example – without affecting the mind.
Irv Rosenfeld is someone this politician should hear about. He smokes government issued joints all day long while handling millions of dollars for clients…
http://patients4medicalmarijuana.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/irvin-rosenfeld-nears-pot-smoking-record/