The activists at the Illinois Compassion Action Network have put together a website full of Patient Videos to help lawmakers there understand the need for a medical marijuana law in Illinois. When you hear the stories from these patients about how marijuana has made their lives bearable, it really shows this is an issue about compassion, not drugs.
You can also view some of my interviews with medical marijuana patients in Oregon at the Oregon NORML YouTube Channel.
Ad urges Pawlenty to allow medical marijuana use
ST. PAUL - A new TV ad features a woman suffering from extreme back pain tearfully asking Governor Tim Pawlenty not to stand in the way of a medical marijuana bill.
The Washington-based Marijuana Policy Project says it’s spending more than $100,000 to air the message statewide starting later this week.
A bill that would make Minnesota the 13th state to allow medical marijuana use is headed for a House vote. The Senate approved the legislation last year.
But Pawlenty says he stands with law enforcement in opposing the bill.
The woman in the ad, Lynn Rubenstein Nicholson of Minneapolis, says she’s tired of being a criminal.
Nicholson says she broke her back as a child and currently can’t use marijuana because she is required to take drug tests as a condition of receiving other pain medications.
As offensive as I find Gov. Pawlenty’s opposition to medical marijuana, I find it more offensive that patients in pain are required to take a drug test in order to receive care. The point is to avoid prescribing powerful pain meds to addicts, but what the effect has been is that doctors are severely under-treating pain in this country for fear of being locked up by the feds.
Lest you think that passing medical marijuana in Minnesota will help in that regard, think again. Here in Oregon, where we’ve had medical marijuana for ten years, we have a major health care provider that is threatening not to provide any prescriptions for pain medications if a person is a medical marijuana patients. Once again, it’s that underlying prejudice that somehow the pot patients are just addicts with an excuse.
Our opponents wish to take away our medical marijuana patients’ right to work, to drive, to take pain medications, to teach, to run for office, or to work in government. It’s a modern shunning - if you won’t take the pharma drugs like a good citizen, then you’re just another pothead…
(By the way, check out the review of the video out at Wonkette entitled “Medical Marijuana Ads Featuring Tragically Ill People Bum Everybody Out”. Most tellingly, read the comments of those insensitive people who are dismissing this disabled woman because of her weight. You know, people, being confined to a wheelchair since childhood might just lead to some weight gain.)
Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama recently toured Oregon with his campaign. In the southwestern Oregon town of Medford, he sat down with the Medford Mail-Tribune for an interview. (Cue video to 5:00 for the question of Oregon’s medical marijuana initiative.)
“When it comes to medical marijuana, I have more of a practical view than anything else,” the Senator explained. “My attitude is that if it’s an issue of doctors prescribing medical marijuana as a treatment for glaucoma or as a cancer treatment, I think that should be appropriate because there really is no difference between that and a doctor prescribing morphine or anything else. I think there are legitimate concerns in not wanting to allow people to grow their own or start setting up mom and pop shops because at that point it becomes fairly difficult to regulate.”
I’m not familiar with all the details of the initiative that was passed [in Oregon] and what safeguards there were in place, but I think the basic concept that using medical marijuana in the same way, with the same controls as other drugs prescribed by doctors, I think that’s entirely appropriate. I would not punish doctors if it’s prescribed in a way that is appropriate. That may require some changes in federal law.”
I will tell you that - I want to be honest with you - whether I want to use a whole lot of political capital on that [laughs] when we’re trying to get health care passed or end the war in Iraq is, yeah, the likelihood of that being real high on my list is not likely.
“What I’m not going to be doing is using Justice Department resources to try to circumvent state laws on this issue simply because I want folks to be investigating violent crimes and potential terrorism. We’ve got a lot of things for our law enforcement officers to deal with.”
Senator Obama, people in twelve medical marijuana states are already “growing their own”. At a time when you are trying to “get health care passed”, doesn’t it make sense to allow people to grow their own medicine as a method of reducing overall health care costs? The only concern anyone has about patients growing medicine is whether that medicine gets diverted to the black market, a condition you as president could alleviate by adding your support to Rep. Barney Franks’ bills to decriminalize personal marijuana possession at the federal level.
The latest prejudicial stereotyping of cannabis consumers comes as part of the ONCDP’s “Above the Influence” ad campaign. It is a website and interactive Flash video called “Stoners in the Mist”, and it copies the look and feel of a National Geographic-style safari documentary, complete with a white-mustachioed “explorer” in a pith helmet introducing us to the hunt for his elusive prey:
It is a beautiful day. And while most people are out and about enjoying friends, activities, life in general…the creature that we seek is sedentary, uninspired, and remarkably unmotivated. My associate and I are in search of the lair of a magnificent specimen: the mature stoner.
Oh, goody! I wonder which mature, sedentary, uninspired, unmotivated stoner he’s seeking out? Ricky Williams, that former NFL running back? That guy is so lazy, what with his two-a-day workouts, yoga, and 3% body fat. Willie Nelson? Yup, there’s a mature stoner who never amounted to anything. Montel Williams? Talk about amotivational syndrome, hosting a TV show and running an MS foundation! Too bad Carl Sagan is dead, because there you had one completely uninspired stoner.
In this interactive feature, we will explore and attempt to explain the social interactions and natural responses of this elusive and baffling creature. I am your host, Barnard Puck and this… is Stoners in the Mist.
Apparently, “Dr.” Puck and his assistant have no problem being peeping Toms. Well, this should be fun. More screenshots and offensive stereotypes follow after the jump…
A new educational and organizing DVD has just been made available for drug policy reformers and the general public to employ, free of cost. Clergy Speak Out Against The War On Drugs is a well-done ‘joint’ production of Common Sense Drug Policy and Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative.
For more than three decades, drug policy reformers and social observers have rightly commented on the need to work cooperatively with the big three Ps to expedite political reforms in drug policy: Police, Physicians and ‘Preachers’
As the drug policy reform movement matures and become increasingly sophisticated, two of the big three Ps, police and physicians, have largely been addressed in recent years, but reaching out to the religious community has been a challenge historically for reformers.
NORML Blog » Blog Archive » NORML Partners with Rep. Barney Frank (D, MA) to Introduce Federal Decriminalization Legislation!
For the first time in nearly 25 years, NORML is spearheading a campaign in Congress to end the federal prohibition of marijuana. Congress created cannabis prohibition, and the courts say time and again to reformers: ‘Congress is the place to change marijuana laws.’Therefore, NORML has teamed up with Democratic Congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts to draft legislation that would strip the federal government of its authority to arrest responsible cannabis consumers.
Yes indeed, for the first time in more than two decades, we will shortly have legislation in Congress that, if enacted, would end the federal prosecution of adult marijuana consumers!
Based on the recommendations of the 1972 National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse (also known as the Shafer Commission), this proposal would eliminate all federal penalties prohibiting the personal use and possession of up to 100 grams (3 ½ ounces) of marijuana. Under our measure, adults who consume cannabis would no longer face arrest, prison, or even the threat of a civil fine. In addition, this bill eliminates all penalties prohibiting the not-for-profit transfers of up to one ounce of pot. In short, for the first time since 1937, the possession, use, and non-profit transfer of marijuana for personal use by adults would be legal under federal law!
Please check NORML.org and NORML’s blog for more information, as we will continue to bring you the latest news regarding this important legislation.
I also blog for an award-winning LGBT site called Pam’s House Blend. She has been doing a fantastic job keeping up with all the stories of police misuse of tasers. Here is another entry for the taser files, courtesy of Loretta Nall down in Alabama.
Arrest raises questions about excessive force - NBC 15 Online
McINTOSH, Ala.) March 25 — Dramatic video caught by NBC15 News is forcing local police to answer some tough questions about proper procedure. The actions of a police officer captured on video are under review by the District Attorney for Washington County. Our news crew was in McIntosh for a different story when it caught the scene on camera. NBC 15’s Andrea Ramey witnessed the arrest.
McIntosh Police say the chase started as a routine traffic stop and quickly accelerated when Ronald Lee Reed would not stop his truck. When the police caught up with Reed, Officer Blaine Barnett fired a taser into Reed’s truck. Barnett then pulled Reed out, threw him to the ground, and punched him one time on the side of the head. The video also shows Barnett slamming Reed’s face into the asphalt street three times.
Reed didn’t spend the night in jail, though. He walked away with two misdemeanor citations for reckless driving and possession of marijuana.
Officers searched Reed’s truck, but according to a court clerk, the citation says only a “small amount of green substance (was found and) presumed to be marijuana.”
So, why use of the taser, the punch and the suspect’s head being slammed to the street when Reed was cited for minor offenses?
For more than a week, NBC15 News has been trying to get someone from the McIntosh Police to talk about the tape, to see if proper procedure was followed. The chief wouldn’t talk. The chief’s name is Michael Barnett… and he’s Officer Blaine Barnett’s father.
50,000 volts, a punch to the head, and slamming his head on concrete three times, all for a traffic violation and misdemeanor marijuana possession. We really need to get control over this increasing misuse of tasers by police - if your suspect doesn’t have a gun, a knife, or an overwhelming physical advantage, there is no excuse for the use of a taser!
It is with heavy heart that we publish today’s NORML Daily Audio Stash and dedicate it to the memory of Dr. John Morgan, M.D., who passed away suddenly today. Dr. Morgan was on the Board of Directors of NORML and co-author of the excellent debunking manual, Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts: A Review of the Scientific Evidence. John was a friend to so many in the movement and he was always ready to help in any way he could to fight the battle against the insanity of adult marijuana prohibition. He will be missed. Listen with the Stash as NORML Founder and Legal Counsel Keith Stroup remembers his friend, Dr. John Morgan, M.D.
[UPDATE: Here is video of Dr. Morgan from the Drug Policy Alliance, speaking about Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts. — “R”R]
We also take our usual Friday look at the Cannabis Community with our CelebStoner.com blogmaster Steve Bloom with discussions about Amy Winehouse and the Grammy’s, Roger Clemens and steroids, and the officially endorsed CelebStoner.com presidential candidate, Barack Obama. NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre joins us to discuss the front-page LA Times article about the 2nd-largest doctor’s group recommending rescheduling of marijuana for medical purposes. And we get jammin’ with some new reggae from the Easy Star All-Stars.
Download your Audio Stash now and enjoy it all weekend! And you can join me for more political talk LIVE from 2pm-4pm Eastern on my show, The Russ Belville Show, airing on XM Satellite’s Air America Channel 167, Chicago’s AM 820 WCPT, and Sunday at 8am-10am Pacific on Portland’s AM 620 KPOJ.
Chris Fowlie from New Zealand NORML on "J-Day"; Paul Armentano returns with Israeli research on cannabis vs. alcohol and driving; music by Julian Fauth.
Steve Bloom on NYC MPP Fundraiser; Kevin Bloom, director of American Drug War; Another CA disp. owner convicted; music and interview with The Dirtball.
Pot’s Effects On Driving Performance Contrast Alcohol’s, Study Says; Survey: One In Seven Public School Districts Drug Test Students; Hawaii: Legislature Approves Medical Marijuana Task Force Measure; Dale Geiringer on CA bills; Jesse Stout on RI bill.
UK Parliament to vote on stiffer pot penalties; Inhaled cannabis reduces neuropathic pain; Keith Stroup goes to trial Monday, will argue constitutionality of Mass. pot laws; interview with Douglas Hiatt, attorney for Tim Garon.
Hepatitis C Patient Denied Transplant Based on State and Doctor Approved Medi-Pot Use; New Study Indicates Cannabis-Associated Psychosis Risk Is Minimal; More Than 230 Cities, 35 Countries To Hold Marijuana Rallies This Weekend
Part 1 of Marijuana Law Reform 2007: State Legislative Reforms and Future Efforts panel at the NORML 2007 Conference. Panelists: Mikki Norris, Joshua Schimburg, Alison Holcomb, Esq., Keith Stroup, Esq., Jesse Stout, Ray Warren, Ethan Nadelmann, Ph.D. Panel chair: Paul Armentano
