T
The420Guy
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Newshawk: Jo-D and Tom-E
Pubdate: Tue, 01 Aug 2000
Source: Alameda Times-Star (CA)
Copyright: 2000 MediaNews Group, Inc. and ANG Newspapers
Contact: triblet@angnewspapers.com
Address: 66 Jack London Sq. Oakland, CA 94607
Author: Josh Richman, Staff Writer
POT BACKERS VOW FIGHT FOR RIGHT TO USE
OAKLAND -- Creighton Frost of San Ramon speaks in a hoarse croak, the only voice his
cancer-ravaged throat will allow.
"The cancer I got, I got from tobacco, which as we all know is our government's favorite
weed," he said. "It's ironic that its least favorite weed is what's keeping me alive."
Frost was among patients who appeared Monday at Oakland City Hall with leaders of the
Oakland Cannabis Buyers Cooperative in a show of solidarity, vowing to continue fighting the
federal government for the right to use marijuana as medicine.
Last week, the federal government asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider and eventually
overturn a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that cleared the way for a federal judge to
let the cooperative start dispensing marijuana again.
The high court won't consider the government's request for review until the court's new term
starts in October. The government also has asked the 9th Circuit to stay the federal judge's
decision -- and so prevent any marijuana dispensation -- at least until then; the 9th Circuit
could rule on that request by the end of this week.
"We will fight these with all the resouces we have," Robert Raich, the Oakland cooperative's
attorney, vowed Monday. "This is not about hippies who are trying to get stoned. This is
about patients who are trying to get the medicine they need to stay alive."
All of this court action surrounds a temporary injunction the government sought to keep the
Oakland cooperative from dispensing the drug while the full case is argued. Raich said he
doesn't expect any progress will be made on getting the case before a jury until all of this
hoopla over the injunction is sorted out.
California voters in 1996 passed Proposition 215, which was meant to let seriously ill patients
get and use marijuana without fear of prosecution.
The federal government contends Congress has completely banned marijuana possession and
use after finding the drug is risky and lacks any recognized medical value, and that no state
law, judge or cooperative can second-guess that judgment.
Dr. Michael Alcalay, the cooperative's medical director, said he uses marijuana to combat the
nausea and weight loss associated with AIDS-related illnesses and the harsh anti-retroviral
drugs used to combat HIV.
"If it weren't for medical marijuana, I wouldn't be here to talk to you today," he said.
Yvonne Westbrook of Richmond said she uses marijuana to fight the muscle spasticity and
pain created by multiple sclerosis. She is wheelchair-bound and said she appreciated the
district judge's ruling to allow the cooperative to dispense marijuana.
Raich said the federal government "has engaged in a cynical political process using medical
patients as pawns." Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush's accusations that
Democratic candidate Al Gore is "soft on drugs" have driven the Clinton/Gore administration
to enforce a draconian drug policy, he said.
Raich said he was told the decision to seek Supreme Court review of the 9th Circuit's ruling
was made "at the highest levels of government."
MAP posted-by: Jo-D
Pubdate: Tue, 01 Aug 2000
Source: Alameda Times-Star (CA)
Copyright: 2000 MediaNews Group, Inc. and ANG Newspapers
Contact: triblet@angnewspapers.com
Address: 66 Jack London Sq. Oakland, CA 94607
Author: Josh Richman, Staff Writer
POT BACKERS VOW FIGHT FOR RIGHT TO USE
OAKLAND -- Creighton Frost of San Ramon speaks in a hoarse croak, the only voice his
cancer-ravaged throat will allow.
"The cancer I got, I got from tobacco, which as we all know is our government's favorite
weed," he said. "It's ironic that its least favorite weed is what's keeping me alive."
Frost was among patients who appeared Monday at Oakland City Hall with leaders of the
Oakland Cannabis Buyers Cooperative in a show of solidarity, vowing to continue fighting the
federal government for the right to use marijuana as medicine.
Last week, the federal government asked the U.S. Supreme Court to consider and eventually
overturn a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that cleared the way for a federal judge to
let the cooperative start dispensing marijuana again.
The high court won't consider the government's request for review until the court's new term
starts in October. The government also has asked the 9th Circuit to stay the federal judge's
decision -- and so prevent any marijuana dispensation -- at least until then; the 9th Circuit
could rule on that request by the end of this week.
"We will fight these with all the resouces we have," Robert Raich, the Oakland cooperative's
attorney, vowed Monday. "This is not about hippies who are trying to get stoned. This is
about patients who are trying to get the medicine they need to stay alive."
All of this court action surrounds a temporary injunction the government sought to keep the
Oakland cooperative from dispensing the drug while the full case is argued. Raich said he
doesn't expect any progress will be made on getting the case before a jury until all of this
hoopla over the injunction is sorted out.
California voters in 1996 passed Proposition 215, which was meant to let seriously ill patients
get and use marijuana without fear of prosecution.
The federal government contends Congress has completely banned marijuana possession and
use after finding the drug is risky and lacks any recognized medical value, and that no state
law, judge or cooperative can second-guess that judgment.
Dr. Michael Alcalay, the cooperative's medical director, said he uses marijuana to combat the
nausea and weight loss associated with AIDS-related illnesses and the harsh anti-retroviral
drugs used to combat HIV.
"If it weren't for medical marijuana, I wouldn't be here to talk to you today," he said.
Yvonne Westbrook of Richmond said she uses marijuana to fight the muscle spasticity and
pain created by multiple sclerosis. She is wheelchair-bound and said she appreciated the
district judge's ruling to allow the cooperative to dispense marijuana.
Raich said the federal government "has engaged in a cynical political process using medical
patients as pawns." Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush's accusations that
Democratic candidate Al Gore is "soft on drugs" have driven the Clinton/Gore administration
to enforce a draconian drug policy, he said.
Raich said he was told the decision to seek Supreme Court review of the 9th Circuit's ruling
was made "at the highest levels of government."
MAP posted-by: Jo-D