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Senate hearing on medical marijuana turns emotional
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Also by Ken Harris:
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by Ken Harris
Thursday, November 15, 2007
A state Senate committee heard heated testimony Wednesday morning at the Capitol both for and against medicinal marijuana.
The Committee on Health, Human Services, Insurance and Job Creation held a public information hearing about medical marijuana featuring testimony from three "expert witnesses" followed by responses from the public.
Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, who chairs the committee, said he was approached with the idea to hold the hearing "years ago" when he first took office, by Gary Storck, co-founder of Is My Medicine Legal Yet?
"I've asked questions of a lot of doctors and … a slim majority of them seem to think if that's what's going to make the patient feel better and control the pain better they're not opposed to it," Erpenbach said. "Some are opposed to it simply because, as they put it, there is no scientific proof."
The two key witnesses in favor of medicinal marijuana were David Bearman, a practicing physician from Santa Barbara, Calif., and Chris Fichtner from Illinois. Fichtner is a psychiatrist who is the former head of mental health for the Illinois Department of Health and Human Services.
According to Bearman, one of the biggest problems with legalizing marijuana is the stigma that surrounds the substance. The federal government has labeled it a "schedule one substance" along with other drugs deemed not medically beneficial. Bearman said he believes there is plenty of research that proves this wrong.
"It's still an uphill battle to remove that stigma," Bearman said.
Addressing concerns of the committee, Bearman said marijuana is not physically addictive, causing less dependency than coffee.
"The abuse potential is extremely low," Bearman said.
Following Bearman's testimony, Fichtner said there is no outlet for the discussion of marijuana outside the realm of substance abuse. He said there needs to be legal research performed to make marijuana and all the chemicals in it specialized to treat different types of ailments — but such research is not allowed right now.
Fichtner also addressed a Yale study that linked marijuana use to increased psychotic brain activity. He called the findings of the study misleading and said the methods were flawed.
In response to a question from the committee, Fichtner addressed the argument that marijuana serves as a "gateway" for users to try other, more dangerous drugs.
According to Fichtner, alcohol has proven, in studies, to serve as a gateway drug at a much higher rate than marijuana.
"There is not good evidence for cannabis as a gateway drug," Fichtner said.
Storck and fellow IMMLY co-founder Jackie Rickert gave emotional testimony, as Rickert fought to hold back the tears as she described her physical ailments and how marijuana has allowed her to play with her grandchildren.
Donna Daniels, state coordinator for Parent Corps, a national drug prevention program, spoke in opposition to the idea of legalizing the substance for medical use.
"Research has shown that marijuana is an addictive substance," Daniels said. "Making medical marijuana legal is a stepping-stone to other legalization."
Anonymous (November 15, 2007 @ 6:58am):
Marijuana is NOT addictive. If it were I would not have been able to quit smoking it cold turkey after 27 straight years of smoking marijuana daily and suffering NO withdrawal effects, my sleep wasn't even disturbed. I only started smoking it, after 10 years of abstinance, when I was diagnosed with 2 diabetic neurpathic diseases that effect my digestive system. Leaving me in a 24/7 state of nausea that leads to 3-5 violent vomiting sessions a month that take 48 hours to recuperate from. Smoked marijuana gives me instant relief from nausea thus controlling the nausea and preventing the 12-24 hour long vomiting sessions. My doctor had me try every other anti-nausea med before I tried Marinol. All other anti nausea meds have one serious side effect after 6 months of daily use, it causes Nausea. The very condition it was to prevent. This is not so with marijuana. I know from personal experience. I also remember when I was 18, I am now 54, how much respect I lost for our president and all lawmakers when I found out what they were saying about the negative effects of marijuana was nothing but political lies. We have to re-educate the people and get all the buulshit fed to us in 1930 by Harry Anslinger and the FBN (Federal Bureau of Narcotics) predecessor to the DEA. So keep up the good work everyone who is trying to bring the Truth out. For it is true, "The Truth will set you free." Peace to all...
Anonymous (November 15, 2007 @ 9:59am):
Did you know that 78% of Americans support making marijuana available for patients to use with a doctor's recommendation. And did you know that 76% of people in Wisconsin support medical marijuana. It's true (http://tinyurl.com/3355ub).
Anonymous (November 16, 2007 @ 5:22am):
Prohibition ended once, it can end again.
Anonymous (November 16, 2007 @ 2:47pm):
Is there even such a thing as a "Gateway" substance? Chocolate could be a Gateway substance -- plenty of people abuse it. Coffee and Tea, and caffeinated products likewise are Gateway substances. Even Tobacco and Alcohol are premier Gateway substances. In short, there is no such thing as a Gateway substance, per se. There is only a politically correct definition of the term, derived from misleading and false propaganda campaigns.
However, legalize marijuana and criminalize alcohol possession, if you have to have something to oppress. I'd contend MJ is far safer than alcohol and tobacco, and also less expensive. I never had a hangover from MJ, for example -- and I never had to smoke a pack of it, like I do with cigarettes, to find satisfaction in using it. Unfortunately, all that usage was years ago -- but I would welcome a legal opportunity to use MJ, as opposed to my distant youthful years of illegal use.
The ONLY reason MJ is illegal anywhere relates to the fact that MJ itself can be grown anywhere and even grows itself.
The alcohol and tobacco industry have a vested interest in spreading lies and other disinformation about MJ, and in keeping MJ "illegal" so that their regulated markets and their accompanying enormous profits do not suffer the effects of a vigorous competition.
Moreover, the drug cartels have an interest in suppressing domestic production of MJ here in the States -- co-opting the legitimate police forces to suppress the domestic competition that would soon eliminate one of the cartel's most prominent illegal activities.
You want to end the business combines that push seriously harmful drugs? The best step would be to cut off their MJ trade, by making MJ legal. They would lose billions of dollars in sales and thus surrender much of their market "muscle", and the goons who comprise that "muscle."
Hence, the debate over medical MJ will always be a bit of a ruse and quite misleading -- a debate conducted in the wrong terms and devoted to the wrong issues.
MJ should be legal, and any home-remedy or other medical use, naturally, will also be legal.
Thank you.
Anonymous (November 16, 2007 @ 6:14pm):
please Wisconsin make it reality.
RevGreen
DSM IA
www.myspace.com/niceria
Anonymous (November 16, 2007 @ 8:49pm):
Here we go again. Money; the bottom line...
Did Dr. Bearman also share with the group the devastating social consequences that have occurred in his state as the direct result of legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes there? There is a great deal of documentation indicating the negative ramifications since marijuana's medicinal legalization there to the point of deeming it "scandalous", to say the least.
Yes, of course, per capita, there are those select few patients whose need of pot is viable for reducing or eliminating pain. Sadly, however, it appears that these folks are the first to be exploited during the initial push for a state to legalize this substance. Compassion is aroused amongst their friends, family and neighbors until legislation bends toward legalization.
Eventually, as clearly evidenced throughout the state of California, legalization leads to further corruption within society and potentially, within the government itself. Money - in the corrupt pockets first, then out of the pockets of the rest of us in a feeble attempt to remedy the havoc that the abuse of (medicinal) marijuana's legalization ultimately wreaks upon society.
Perhaps our state legislature will consider taking the time to research the truth and consequences of this matter before making a decision - a decision that could result in additional taxes upon its residents in an effort to clean up an impending mess - a decision that could indeed alienate their once-loyal constituents...
Anonymous (November 17, 2007 @ 9:31am):
Prohibition-- of Cannabis in particular-- was and is *corrupt in its conception, enactment and enforcement.
There is no way a corrupt law can EVER lead to "justice"; a corrupt law can only bring corruption. Hence, the planet's most beneficial single plant is now verboten in our nation.
The federal law, with Cannabis in Schedule I, is a damned lie. Read the CSA Schedule I criteria, and then explain to me how the least-toxic substance on the whole "Controlled" list is even included. Explain how the meaning of "accepted" somehow excludes the 12 States' compassionate use laws and all the rec-writing physicians' (and their patients' ) EXPLICIT acceptance.
*Put some of these "strings" into your favorite search engine: "Indian hemp seed", "W B O'Shaughnessy", Anslinger+jazz+swing, thc+tumor+1974, "Francis L Young".
Only ignorance and mean-spirited "authorities" stand in the way.
Anonymous (November 17, 2007 @ 10:28pm):
To the comment regarding the so-called "devastating social consequences that have occurred in his state (California) as the direct result of legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes there..." What are you talking about!? That is a ridiculous comment?...I'm from California and experienced the phenomena of medical legalization over the last decade. I'd like to see your so-called "great deal of documentation" indicating problems, "scandalous" problems as you put it. That's total baloney. I'm sure you could put your hands on some government-sponsored propaganda regarding the "horrors" of a cannabis club in your town. The most common horror I see is federal agents harassing and/or destroying the careers of courageous doctors in California, while scaring others into submission; harassing property owners that house medical marijuana-based businesses, threatening them with conspiracy charges, and their favorite game of all -- rambo-style SWAT teams swooping in on cannabis clubs, kicking in doors, guns-a-blazing, employees arrested, property seized, owners indicted, lives and livelihoods destroyed...all for what? Driving up black-market prices I suppose, the market where former club members now go for their marijuana, until another club (or two) appears, usually in a matter of weeks...takes the government another year or more to figure it out, and play the game again.... Of course it is not a game to those who end up in prison for a mandatory decade -- all for what...for smoking this plant?, or selling this plant?, or growing this plant? PLEASE...Marijuana Prohibition is a complete and dismal failure...its time for reasonable policy.
Anonymous (November 19, 2007 @ 11:02am):
Also to the comment that says MJ is scandalous: I have written 2 different papers on the use of MJ for medicinal purposes. It is NOT used for pain control - that would be cocaine, which by the way is medicinally used legally here in the US for pain control purposes during surgery. Cocaine is generally used as an anesthesia for nose/nasal surgery, it is much more effective than injecting a numbing fluid into the tissues that are going to be worked on. The doctor simply takes a Qtip and spreads the cocaine powder on the area. This is used in conjunction with general anesthesia.
MJ is used for helping those with intense nausea and vomiting, hence the comment by the person with the diabetic neuropathic diseases. There are those of us who know first hand that MJ when smoked for non-medicinal purposes gives one "the munchies". Therefore it is used medicinally to control nausea and improve the appetite of those who cannot eat. Why does a Cancer patient receiving chemo, or a late stage HIV+ patient, or a hepatitis patient look so weak and frail? It is because they cannot eat due to nausea or simply NO appetite. How do you feel after you have gone days without food? Like CRAP, right? Weak, drawn facial features, baggy ill-fitting clothes, relentlessly tired, and completely turned off by the sight and smell of food. Those with these type of debilitating diseases and horrendous treatments for them deserve better! Why do we let our fellow humans who have been through hell and back go without a simple and natural herbal treatment such as MJ? Our society and its "social" concerns can be truly disgusting sometimes. For anyone who has watched someone they love suffer like this, you know that you would do anything to make them feel better, just to get them to eat something. If this can make those suffering feel better for even just one meal why should it be illegal? Why do we keep a natural treatment like this out of their frail shaky hands? So we can deam it a "gateway" drug? Making it medicinally legal IS NOT letting teenagers buy it on the streeet corner. It is making it available by prescription in pill form at a pharmacy. The only gateway with this drug for those that really need it is a real meal without nausea. For those who say that medicinal MJ is an addictive drug that only leads to a slippery slope of worse drugs being approved. Well, guess what? Like I wrote earlier, cocaine is already medicinally approved which is a true highly addictive drug. Those who "disapprove" of medicinal MJ are cold-hearted and apathetic individuals that should be cursed with chronic nausea without access to this "life-saving" herbal drug.
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