Lit_Match

Suit Over Pot's 'Benefit' Stumbles
07-28-07|Recorder|By Matthew Hirsch

An Oakland, Calif. based nonprofit can't put the federal government on trial for saying that marijuana has no medical use -- but it might get to challenge the government for blowing deadlines, a federal judge in California ruled last week.

Americans for Safe Access sued in February after two federal agencies refused to alter government-published statements saying marijuana has "no currently accepted medical use in the United States."

In an eight-page ruling Tuesday, U.S. District Judge William Alsup agreed with Justice Department lawyers that the federal Information Quality Act provides for only administrative, not judicial, review for people to challenge the "quality, objectivity, utility and integrity" of information disseminated by federal agencies.

Alsup's ruling didn't address the government's claim that ASA lacked standing because it failed to identify members who suffered harm from the disputed statements or to show how the issue was germane to ASA's organizational purpose.

Though Alsup rejected ASA's bid to revise those statements, he hinted the plaintiff might be able to at least force the government to address its assertion within a 60-day period provided by law.

"Conceivably," Alsup wrote, "a district court may order an agency to act on the merits of an information-correction petition within a specific time frame."

The Northern District judge dismissed the complaint in ASA v. Department of Health and Human Services, 07-01049, with leave to amend.

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Donation links to NORML (The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) | MPP (Marijuana Policy Project)

xxdr_zombiexx

Government, particularly The Bush Administration, has a total green light to lie through it's teeth about marijuana.

Judge Alsup's job is to agree with them.Standard crap.

They lie about absolutely everything under the sun anyway.

Hopefully they will be gone soonShe leaves out Team Bush's committment to reefer madness as many people still consider this $20 billion per year waste to be trivial for some reason.

No matter.

Impeachment appears to be moving, albeit at a glacial pace.

There is hope that the GOP has gotten such a bad name from it's 7 year suck-up to these criminals that they will begin to support the impeachment of Gonzo. If that happens, GOP sentiment for ditching Cheney will survive and house can actually be cleaned.

Once this begins, cannabis activists should re-swamp their favorite news outlets with pro-legalization letters.

Those who still support the GOP - or who still want to - should hammer away at their favorites, letting them know if they want a job they need to be supporting relegalization.

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Torture Good, Healthcare Bad, Marijuana Evil.

There's no money for your issue so long as we're squandering $50 billion a year on the DrugWar. Ben Masel

Buzzby

Hmmm.... Let's see if we can approach this logically...

1) There are 12 states in which marijuana has accepted medical uses.
2) These 12 states are in the United States.
3) Marijuana has accepted medical use in the United States. Q.E.D.

(If C is a subset of B and B is a subset of A, then C is a subset of A)

The government-published statements should be corrected to read I'm not seeing how spending the time, energy, and money to take it to court benefits the medical marijuana movement.

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Darque Pervert

Buzzby...
When have you ever known the federal government to view ANYTHING that simply?

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Life is always a spiral. It's the choices of the individual as to whether that spiral is aimed up or down.

DankDealer

It will force the government to admit that they were WRONG...something they just dont do unless forced. The entire argument against marijuana would crumble if they were forced to admit that marijuana does infact have medicinal value.

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"What is this.......a dooby run?" - Babs Murray

Always keep your words soft and sweet incase u have to eat them

aPerrisMarine

Enough is enough, how long will the consevatives beat this marijuana drum. How inept and devoid of mission is a government intent on punishing the weak and infirm. Saddam himself would not have been so calous in the treatment of his citizens.

Here in California the DEA and the US Attorneys office have brought there ugly little war to the people of California. I had a feeling that signing up to get a doctor's recommendation would backfire. My friends and family thought I was paranoid and explained that the feds have probably got better things to do. They further thought that if Marijuana is the best medicine that I can use i should do it legally. Guess what the feds raided the clinic, jailed the owner and have spirited away my file. Here they come. I fully expect to be killed or maimed when I am found with a joint in my mouth. Damn you Uncle Sam!

I learned that all six of my local inland california representives are siding with the Government agents. We shall see about that. I am writing each of them, they deserve to be tarred and feathered. However thrown out of office will suffice. We shall see you at the polls. We Californians know that Marijuana is a sacremental herb with fantastic healing powers. You Government cronies cannot pervert the truth you can only spew lies. We shall ultimately reveal the clothless underbelly of the American Emperor's policy.

Legalize in 2008! Let us hang all politicians who oppose us! We can use hemp rope to squeeze home our point. Marijuana is blessed by god. Marijuana legalization shall usher in a period of peace. If Mr. Cheney and Bush, had smoked a joint before considering the invasion of Iraq they may have been able to go down in history as other that tyrants. Impeach them now!

Shame on the Government. Shame on the politicians and shame on my America. She has lost her soul and knows not where to turn. We shall live as free men or die at the hands of Government cronies pursuing draconian goals and torturing and imprisoning we people for the lust of moral purity. What a farce is waged in the name of "Drug War!" Does your hypocrisy know no bounds. Just as in Iraq. You cannot win an unjust war. The killing and torture is your legacy. Damn You Uncle Sam! Don't Tread on Me!

Donald

xxdr_zombiexx

Reefer madness is emotional.

If facts meant anything the issue would be moot.

It cracks me up to see otherwise knowledgeable people still trying to approach this issue logically.

It's based on lies, protection of lies, propaganda and emotionalization of the topic.

Facts mean absolutely nothing.

After all, facts are rooted in Reality and the current administration has declared war on Reality and science.