Lit_Match

Medical-marijuana proposal expected to go to a vote
12-23-07|Enquirer.com|Chris Andrews

Lynn Allen is in a great deal of pain. And he thinks marijuana would ease it.

The 51-year-old Williamston man was born with hemophilia and was infected with HIV and hepatitis C more than 20 years ago.

His greatest pain comes from arthritis related to his hemophilia. He must use a wheelchair to get around. He takes narcotics that help with pain, but they have side effects, including constipation and memory problems. Unless it's legal, he won't use marijuana.

"I had children in the home, and I didn't want to set a bad example for them," Allen said. "They've since gone off to college, but I just don't think it's a good idea to break the law."

Michigan voters will probably decide next November whether to allow seriously ill patients to use marijuana based on the recommendation of a physician.

Supporters have turned in nearly half a million petition signatures to the Secretary of State's Office — they need 304,000 valid signatures to get the issue on the ballot.

But opponents question the medicinal value of marijuana and the sincerity of the effort. Ingham County Sheriff Gene Wriggelsworth is among them.

"There's plenty of pain medication out there," Wriggelsworth said. "I don't think anybody's concern is about ill people. It's just a way for people who have a predisposition to use drugs to try to get them legalized."

Twelve states allow the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. In Michigan, five cities — Ann Arbor, Detroit, Ferndale, Flint and Traverse City — have ordinances to do so, although use and possession are illegal under both state and federal law.

Under the Michigan proposal, seriously ill patients could legally use marijuana with a doctor's recommendation. The measure specifically lists treatment for such diseases as HIV, cancer and Alzheimer's as well as for less specific "severe and chronic pain."

Patients would register with the state and have an ID card to help police know they have the right to use marijuana.

Those who are registered would have the right to grow up to 12 marijuana plants. They could not be prosecuted for buying marijuana, although it would still be a crime for someone to sell it.

The medical community is divided on the issue.

Supporters include the California, New York and Rhode Island medical societies, the American Public Health Association and the American Academy of HIV Medicine.

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy opposes it, as does the Michigan State Medical Society except in research.

Some Michigan residents use marijuana to help with pain although it is against the law.

"You find it primarily used for people who are going through chemotherapy and have a difficult time keeping anything down, people with muscular pain such as multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, people who are in serious pain and that have life-threatening illnesses," said Dianne Byrum, a former legislator whose political consulting firm is leading the drive.

Byrum says other states with medical marijuana laws have seen up to one half of 1 percent of the population take advantage of the law. In Michigan, that would be about 50,000 people.

But Dr. Michael Chafty, a pain management specialist who serves on the Michigan State Medical Society's Board of Directors, said more well-controlled studies are needed.

"Many of the people who think that marijuana is their only option don't understand the options that currently exist in pain management," he said. "There are a lot of other options that are very adequate if not superior to marijuana."

In theory, the Legislature could enact the marijuana law, eliminating the need for sending it to the voters. But that's not likely to happen, said Senate Majority Floor Leader Alan Cropsey, R-DeWitt.

"These folks are trying to pull the wool over people's eyes," Cropsey said. "They'll get a couple of very sympathetic examples out there, but when it comes right down to it, they are just plain trying to legalize marijuana eventually."

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

eltone

Good info thanks. You just have to laugh at remarks like the kind Sheriff Wriggelswoth made. That Medical Marijuana is just a plot by stoners to legalize the drug. What a fool. But take heart, people like Wriggelsworth will die off and be replaced by the next generation of people, our children. Who did not have to live through the "Reefer Madness: Marijuana Fear and Smear Campaign." (They are living through a time where our government is keeping cannabis in a schedule 1 catagory keeping the theraputic effects of cannabis from the people who are seriously suffering and the benefits far outweigh any health risk this has even been admitted by the Head of the DEA but Bush ignores it). When they get in office, if not before, marijuana will be legalized, taxed, regulated and sold just like alcohol and nicotine. There will be many versions to choose from just like there is in liquor and cigarettes. This is not a scary thing folks, it is a blessed thing. No longer will people be put in prison for using, selling, growing or having anything to do with marijuana for it will be totally legal. To offer the general public a much safer recreational drug that is not addictive nor fatal is a smart compassionte move, to deny them of this very theraputic medicine is nothing short of torture. Marijuana has been used since 6000 B.C. and we have medical records going back over 2,000 years of the safe and effective use of cannabis for many, many ailments with very little to no risk of health damage to the patient. It is nothing short of torture to put people in prison and breakup family lives for having anything to do with marijuana. We must get the prejudice, ignorant and closeminded people out of office and elect people who are educated, enlightened and not prejudice. We can do that in 2008 if we all vote for Ron Paul. Get out and vote for Ron Paul and stop the insanity. Peace...

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Peace Out