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Herb Ninja

Medical marijuana in New York? Yes.

Talk show host tokes up for MS

5-31-2005 | MONTEL WILLIAMS | New York Daily News

You may know me as a television talk show host, but here in New York I am a criminal. My crime? Using the medicine that has allowed me to live a normal life despite having multiple sclerosis: medical marijuana.
It does society no good to treat patients like me - simply trying to live well and be productive citizens in the face of terrible illness - as criminals. And threatening sick people with jail does not make New York a better place.

When you see me on TV, you can't see the mind-numbing pain searing through my legs like hot pokers. The strongest painkillers available - Percocet, Vicodin, OxyContin and even morphine - brought me no relief. I couldn't sleep, my legs kicked involuntarily in bed and the pain was so bad I found myself crying in the middle of the night. All these heavy-duty narcotics made me nearly incoherent, turning me into a zombie. And all are highly addictive.

I spiraled deeper into a black hole of depression. It was so bad that I twice attempted to end my life.

Finally, someone suggested that smoking marijuana before going to bed might help me sleep. Skeptical but desperate, I tried it. Three puffs and within minutes, the excruciating pain in my legs subsided. I had my first restful sleep in months.

Federal law classifies marijuana as unsuitable for use even under medical supervision. But 99% of marijuana arrests are made by state and local police under state law. States can decide not to arrest medical marijuana patients.

Ten states have already done so.

New York now has an excellent chance to legalize medical marijuana. Two identical bills in the Senate and Assembly are likely to be passed by the Legislature. Then, they'll go to Gov. Pataki. The decision will rest upon the governor's shoulders to legalize medical marijuana, which has the backing of Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau as well as organizations like the American Public Health Association, American Nurses Association, the Medical Society of the State of New York and the New York State Association of County Health Officials.

I am still alive and living a productive, fruitful life because of medical marijuana. I'm not alone. There are thousands more like me, struggling for our lives and dignity against serious illness and we should not be treated as criminals.

New York's medical marijuana bill deserves immediate passage.

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Ron Paul for the Long Haul

 

BC.Buddy

I don't know what the hold up is? I guess they have marijuana as a schedule I drug, meaning it is completely criminal and doesn't even have medical uses. It's so counterproductive against society, you'd think it would take an undeveloped, extremely unintelligent society to continue prohibition when it's ALREADY proven ineffective. On top of the fact that it seems the more money they pour into failed prohibition the less it works to decrease supply and demand.

EDIT: Go Montel, we're wit ya buddy

SkyTripper

The big question here is WHEN and WHAT the Supreme Court says regarding medical marijuana.
I here they are supposed to make some kind of decision on this issue sometime this summer....but when?

Either way....it has been pretty sad so far here in America when 10 states have already voted into their state laws....by the will of the people....the legitimacy of marijuana as a truly beneficial medicine for many who are in pain and suffering from a wide range of medical conditions......and the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT has deliberately chosen to completely ignore these states laws!

This has only proven to the world the injustices within our government and its so-called "democratic process."

Medical marijuana has been a FACT here in the US for almost 10 years in a couple states already and it has really shown very little progress at being taken seriously or as a legitimate medicine.....one which does NOT compare to a pill or anything close to what the pharmaceutical companies have ever come close to. They obviously just cannot accept that certain medicines are most effective when smoked! They and the FDA and DEA also seem to dread this reality....that these pharm. cos. cannot make the huge profits from marijuana treatment that they know they can with pills and the FDA and DEA always side with them on this because of the massive amounts of money involved at keeping marijuana....or its benefits when smoked....classified, legally unattainable and blatantly IGNORE all scientific data showing it is a LEGITIMATE medicine with many attributes worthy of being prescribed and used for those who truly do benefit from it.
GREED is what primarily is keeping the lid on it as well as the complete realization that they would NEVER be able to have COMPLETE CONTROL of its use, distribution and general accessibility as they do with the vast majority of every other drug or treatment.
They also fear what is quite possible if they do ever accept states laws on it......the inevitable liklihood of its legitimacy as a social and recreational substance made legal by the will of the people and readily available and marketed as alcohol or cigarettes are today!
Peronally, I believe there is a high stakes game involved and its a tug-o-war. This game is really being played by a few companies who only wish to profit the most ...IF and WHEN marijuana EVER actually were to become all out legal in America. Those companies fighting for their claim in this potentially HIGHLY profitable ....yet lucrative business the most, WOULD be the pharmaceutical companies or the alcohol cos. or the tobacco cos.
ONE of which would surely gain more so than any of the others....IF it were to become legal at the FEDERAL level.

But no matter how you look at it......for the feds to have chosen to ignore states with their medical marijuana laws already in place and prosecute those who have NOT broken their states laws by cultivating or possessing or using medical mj......ONLY FEDERAL law.....IS completely UNCONSTITUTIONAL!
WHY then bother to HAVE ANY STATE LAWS at all?
If it were up to the federal govt. THERE WOULD only be federal laws and they would pertain to EACH and EVERY state.....thus nullifying the US Constitution....or re-writing it to what they want for this nation.....NOT what the founding fathers ever wanted!!

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SkyTripper

sugarmagnoilia2

As a Registered Nurse in upstate New York, I have a strong opinion about medicinal Marijuana. I have seen many patients who suffer from chronic pain, nausea, anorexia, and other aliments that could benifit from the use of marijuana. For those that do not know there are several states that have laws that state that under the recommendation of their doctor patients may use marijuana. The problem is however is that the federal government still prohilbits the use of pot, no matter what. Under federal law, marijuana is listed as a schedule I drug, meaning that it has no medicinal value and that it is illegal to possess this drug. Doctors may be prosecuted if they write prescriptions for this, and patients can be federally charged for using pot. Just recently the Supreme court ruled against protecting patients from using marijuana for medicinal purposes. Angel Raich and Diane Monson sued the federal government after Monson's home was raided by the feds. The case ruled against protecting the patients. It is our duty as Nurses, patients, and advocates of medicinal marijuana to write to our state reps to listen to us. Please use your voice. God Bless!