T
The420Guy
Guest
Speakers, brownies and the showing of a documentary called "Grass" were
among events celebrating the medical use of marijuana this week.
This week, designated as Medical Marijuana Week, was sponsored by the
campus chapter of NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of
Marijuana Laws, and SFSDP, Students for Sensible Drug Policy.
NORML and SFSDP began the week by selling brownies and passing out event
flyers on the Quad on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Danielle Schumacher, president of NORML, thought it was a good way to
advertise and make a statement.
"It's a clever way to get people's attention," she said. "A lot of people
don't take this issue seriously. But our efforts seem to be paying off."
She said some people have approached NORML and SFSDP members with negative
comments, but the organizations have received support from faculty and
students.
Frank Bryan Vazquez, senior in LAS, bought a brownie to support the medical
use of marijuana.
"I am totally fine with the usage of medical marijuana," he said. "I see no
reason why people are against it. I fully support it."
In 1998, Congress passed an Anti-Medical Marijuana resolution. The
resolution said marijuana is "a dangerous and addictive drug with research
clearly demonstrating that smoking marijuana impairs normal brain functions
and damages the heart, lungs, reproductive, and immune systems," according
to the Marijuana Policy Project Web site.
On Wednesday, Medical Marijuana Week continued with two pro-medical
marijuana speakers, Bryan Berkner, director of Illinois NORML, and Jamie, a
man with HIV that has been given state permission to use marijuana for
medical purposes. Jamie is one of the few people who can legally take
medical marijuana. Jamie declined to give his last name because of privacy
issues.
Berkner is currently involved in a lawsuit against the Illinois Department
of Human Services and is working with the American Civil Liberties Union to
represent individuals who aren't able to use marijuana for medical
purposes. The ACLU is a nonprofit organization that fights civil liberty
violations.
The lawsuit concerns an Illinois 1971 law that makes marijuana legal for
medical and research purposes.
Sarah Delong, a member of the campus chapter of NORML, said marijuana is
supposed to be approved and administrated by the Illinois Department of
Human Services in Chicago, but they have been negligent and not doing their
job.
"In actuality, medical marijuana is legal in Illinois. It's just not
enforced," Delong said. "Federally, marijuana is illegal. If a doctor
prescribes it, federal law overrides the state law."
Thomas Greene, spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Human Services,
said the department allows the use of medical marijuana only in special
requested cases.
The medical marijuana law in Illinois only allows for marijuana to be used
in a case where a research project is approved by the state human services
department, Greene said. The law doesn't allow for individual use of
medical marijuana based on individual needs.
"Nobody has ever requested the department to grant that permission," Greene
said. "That's why there's never really been anything done to grant requests
for medical marijuana."
While Berkner gave many facts and statistics at Wednesday's meeting, Jamie
brought a more personal perspective. He mentioned his participation in
medical marijuana studies and how marijuana has helped with the pain from
the effects of AIDS and harsh AIDS drugs.
"I don't think the government should play doctor," he said. "If they were
my doctors, I'd be dead. Plain and simple."
Some students left with a new perspective and more knowledge on the subject.
"Before coming here, I thought good things of it,"said Genevieve Stalla, a
junior in LAS. "This event increased my awareness and my approval of it."
Pubdate: Fri, 21 Feb 2003
Source: Daily Illini, The (IL Edu)
Copyright: 2003 Illini Media Co
Contact: opinions@dailyillini.com
Website: The Daily Illini - The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
among events celebrating the medical use of marijuana this week.
This week, designated as Medical Marijuana Week, was sponsored by the
campus chapter of NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of
Marijuana Laws, and SFSDP, Students for Sensible Drug Policy.
NORML and SFSDP began the week by selling brownies and passing out event
flyers on the Quad on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Danielle Schumacher, president of NORML, thought it was a good way to
advertise and make a statement.
"It's a clever way to get people's attention," she said. "A lot of people
don't take this issue seriously. But our efforts seem to be paying off."
She said some people have approached NORML and SFSDP members with negative
comments, but the organizations have received support from faculty and
students.
Frank Bryan Vazquez, senior in LAS, bought a brownie to support the medical
use of marijuana.
"I am totally fine with the usage of medical marijuana," he said. "I see no
reason why people are against it. I fully support it."
In 1998, Congress passed an Anti-Medical Marijuana resolution. The
resolution said marijuana is "a dangerous and addictive drug with research
clearly demonstrating that smoking marijuana impairs normal brain functions
and damages the heart, lungs, reproductive, and immune systems," according
to the Marijuana Policy Project Web site.
On Wednesday, Medical Marijuana Week continued with two pro-medical
marijuana speakers, Bryan Berkner, director of Illinois NORML, and Jamie, a
man with HIV that has been given state permission to use marijuana for
medical purposes. Jamie is one of the few people who can legally take
medical marijuana. Jamie declined to give his last name because of privacy
issues.
Berkner is currently involved in a lawsuit against the Illinois Department
of Human Services and is working with the American Civil Liberties Union to
represent individuals who aren't able to use marijuana for medical
purposes. The ACLU is a nonprofit organization that fights civil liberty
violations.
The lawsuit concerns an Illinois 1971 law that makes marijuana legal for
medical and research purposes.
Sarah Delong, a member of the campus chapter of NORML, said marijuana is
supposed to be approved and administrated by the Illinois Department of
Human Services in Chicago, but they have been negligent and not doing their
job.
"In actuality, medical marijuana is legal in Illinois. It's just not
enforced," Delong said. "Federally, marijuana is illegal. If a doctor
prescribes it, federal law overrides the state law."
Thomas Greene, spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Human Services,
said the department allows the use of medical marijuana only in special
requested cases.
The medical marijuana law in Illinois only allows for marijuana to be used
in a case where a research project is approved by the state human services
department, Greene said. The law doesn't allow for individual use of
medical marijuana based on individual needs.
"Nobody has ever requested the department to grant that permission," Greene
said. "That's why there's never really been anything done to grant requests
for medical marijuana."
While Berkner gave many facts and statistics at Wednesday's meeting, Jamie
brought a more personal perspective. He mentioned his participation in
medical marijuana studies and how marijuana has helped with the pain from
the effects of AIDS and harsh AIDS drugs.
"I don't think the government should play doctor," he said. "If they were
my doctors, I'd be dead. Plain and simple."
Some students left with a new perspective and more knowledge on the subject.
"Before coming here, I thought good things of it,"said Genevieve Stalla, a
junior in LAS. "This event increased my awareness and my approval of it."
Pubdate: Fri, 21 Feb 2003
Source: Daily Illini, The (IL Edu)
Copyright: 2003 Illini Media Co
Contact: opinions@dailyillini.com
Website: The Daily Illini - The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
