Medical Marijuana Proposition Stirs Spirited Debate

[MedicalNeed]

PHOENIX - A spirited debate has developed over a medical marijuana proposition on Arizona's Nov. 2 general election ballot.

Proposition 203 would allow patients with a debilitating medical condition to purchase, possess and use 2.5 ounces of marijuana every two weeks with a doctor's recommendation. The marijuana would be grown and sold by non-profit dispensaries regulated by the state.

Supporters say medical marijuana could help 55,000 Arizonans who suffer from such diseases as cancer, HIV or multiple sclerosis. Critics say it would just open the door to more drug abuse.

Andrew Myers is with the Arizona Medical Marijuana Project, which put Prop 203 on the ballot.

"What this initiative will allow is certain seriously and terminally ill patients, with a very distinct list of medical conditions, to get a recommendation from their physician to use medical marijuana," said Myers.

He emphasized a recommendation is different from a prescription "because marijuana is classified as a Schedule 1 substance by the FDA so it cannot be legally prescribed."

Marijuana can help patients with HIV or AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, Crohn's Disease, glaucoma and severe and chronic pain.

Among those opposed to Prop 203 are Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, State Sen. Russell Pearce and U.S. Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl, all Republicans. They support a group called "Keep AZ Drug Free," which claims medical marijuana would mean an increase in crime in the state.

"There will be an increase in death on our highways. There will be an increase of juveniles with substance abuse problems and treatment issues and family issues related to drug abuse, destructive to families," said Pearce.

He added, "This is dangerous. This is absolutely frightening if you understand what's going on here."

Arpaio said, "We should never legalize drugs. I have been against that my whole life."

The sheriff said he would start a new posse to crack down on marijuana use if the initiative passes.

"I'm going to give special interest, if it is passed, to make sure the policies are enforced and, if there's any violation of law, people are going to jail," he said.

Allan Sobol with Medical Marijuana Dispensaries of Arizona is gearing up to open the first dispensary if medical marijuana is passed by the voters.

He said his group sent out letters to about 8,000 doctors asking if they would like to participate in the program.

"I had one doctor who called and asked to be removed from that list. That's it," he said.

Sobol's group has registered with the state and launched a Web site.

"We have every intention of being the first dispensary to open in Arizona," he said. "That's why we've taken these steps. We've taken all these preliminary steps so when the law passes and the rules are administered or promulgated by the health department, we'll be ready to open our doors."

Sobol estimated it will take about eight months to get the program started, once it passes. He said the marijuana must be grown and the state needs time to implement regulations.

The marijuana must be grown in Arizona, Sobol said.

"You still cannot cross a state line with it, it would be a federal offense. So it's pretty clear that everything that sells here is going to have to be grown here."

While company investors have large plots of land available in northern Arizona, Sobol said most of the marijuana probably will be grown indoors at a commercial warehouse somewhere in Phoenix.

Arizonans have voted on medical marijuana proposals three times since 1996. In 1996, they approved the use of marijuana with a doctor's prescription. That measure was gutted by state lawmakers.

In 1998, voters rejected a pair of proposals designed to hinder the legalization of medical marijuana, although they did not establish a program.

In 2002, voters rejected an effort to make it legal to possess small quanitities of marijuana and make the drug available free to patients suffering from cancer and other diseases.


NewsHawk: MedicalNeed: 420 MAGAZINE
Source:KTAR.com - Arizona News, Sports, Weather and Classifieds
Author: Bob McClay/KTAR and Sandra Haros/KTAR
Contact:KTAR.com - Arizona News, Sports, Weather and Classifieds
Copyright: 2010 Bonneville International.
Website:KTAR.com - Medical marijuana proposition stirs spirited debate

 

[DrProfessor]

Obviously most doctors have no issues with cannabis science is beginning to tell us what we have always known we have a very safe effective treatment for so many health problems that's cheap to produce and available now. On the other you have alcohol lobbies trying to kill prop 19 I'm sure a donation from Big Pharm is coming as well if not already. Not one good reason that has a factual base and we can't even bring it up in federal court something is seriously wrong with this system.

Always the same lies the highways will be so dangerous shit we're already high fuckers that's what keeps me from smashing your Honda and shoving your cell phone down your throat.......oops did I say that time to go to bed but trust me some of us need our herb so let us have it!!

 

[gromper]

"There will be an increase in death on our highways. There will be an increase of juveniles with substance abuse problems and treatment issues and family issues related to drug abuse, destructive to families," said Pearce.

um ... I'd still rather be on the highway with 100 stoners than 1 drunk driver.

Kids understand supply and demand. If they want anything, they know where to get it. There is no restriction on the supply. It is available everywhere already. Just like kids drink, they smoke too. It is unfortunate but it is here already. Families deal with much worse than pot already with their children because drugs, their sources and distribution networks are nearly impossible to eradicate. They bust one and the consumer just goes somewhere else. There's always a someone else to get whatever you want from.


It is just such a waste to single out cannabis and put forth so much effort when it is so accepted, available and pervasive within our society. Once again the few wish to control the many.

Education is the thing that will make the difference in the life of a child - not scare tactics and prohibition.

 

[DrProfessor]

When was the last time you sow someone so high they had total loss of motor control?

The news here in MO just started talking about dumb ass junkie George Michael crashing into a store because he was High on Cannabis and passed out.......WHAT ABOUT THE FUCKIN 2 or whatever amount of Ambien he really took! Ah first off it's a fucking sleeping pill, second why is he driving while taking a sleeping pill DUMB, have you seen the side effects for that crap and the uninformed say Cannabis is dangerous:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the hands, legs, mouth, face, lips, eyes, throat, or tongue; unusual hoarseness); abnormal thinking; behavior changes; chest pain; confusion; decreased coordination; difficulty swallowing or breathing; fainting; fast or irregular heartbeat; hallucinations; memory problems (eg, memory loss); mental or mood changes (eg, aggression, agitation, anxiety, depression); severe dizziness; shortness of breath; suicidal thoughts or actions; vision changes.

THIS CRAP SHOULDN'T EVEN BE SOLD.....no one ever mentions al the Vicodin, Oxy,Ambian,Zoloft,Paxil,Xanax, Percocet,.......Fucking Cell Phones on the road with us already why do you think it's been mostly a non issue. GUNS kill over 400 children accidentally every year for the last 3 years maybe we quit with those.....15,000 people accidentally fell to they're death last year, Maybe we should get rid of things we can fall off as well.

We need to get out and educate as many as we can about the benefits of Cannabis sure it's not for everyone I agree fully. We need to show that it is indeed a much much safer alternative. I had a drug councilor ask me if I would rather my kids school buss driver was high or drunk ......first I believe in responsible use but HANDS DOWN HIGH...HIGH AS HELL...(preferably a Sativa though). The driver no matter how much he smokes is never going to lose motor control, pass out , get tunnel vision, drive super aggressive be drunk! I am not going to say I have never smoked and drove I HAVE but I don't make a habit of it. Usually with my dad he's spoiled and smokes like a machine but probably gets in his car twice a week and drives like a paranoid grandma when he does BUT SAFE. After smoking some of the finest herb topping that with a shot of tincure and a bowl of hash. Just fine I would not even know what he's like without it he just took a driving test as high as he can get scored a 95. I would let my kids ride with him no problem and have he has not been in a accident since he quit drinking?.?????

Plus just ask people why would big alcohol care if pot was legal or not? Why are they starting to dump money on the opposition to prop 19 they know what's gonna happen.

People will choose to remember they're evening without the hangover and actually being able to function on a adult level without the stress has to improve peoples lives!!

Yes I love this plant very much it's changed my life completely ....would you believe I never smoked before I was 28 .....ever......pot was very very available in my house...wonder why it never interested me when I was younger? My children 10 and 14 wouldn't touch it if it was in Ice Cream no interest what so ever just like I was when I was younger.

Parents need to learn how to parent they're kids period we don't need to hide everything can potentially hurt them...and teach them about these things so they can make a good decision for themselves and be safe period. How many have heard of someone being date raped because they puffed on a joint........I'll wait. Shitty people with shitty life skills will make a bad decision regardless of what safe guards we try to put in place.

Unless we parent our children and teach them the things they need to get through life...all the life jackets and parachutes in the world won't help if they get hit by a car crossing the street!

 

[stonedrock]

And the thing is people don't hear what you and tons of other people say on the topic.