Jacob Bell
New Member
ONTARIO, OR. – More than 70 people attended a town hall meeting Wednesday put on by the 45th Parallel Compassion Group, presented as a way to inform the community about the benefits of medical marijuana.
Joey Nieves, with the 45th Parallel, headed up the meeting and took over as emcee of the event.
The meeting was designed to discuss the benefits of medical marijuana, and supporters of medical marijuana use in both Oregon and Idaho outweighed those opposed to the idea.
Out of 16 invited speakers, only two spoke in opposition to the use of medical marijuana.
Supporter after supporter of medical marijuana stood up to give their testimony why marijuana should be legalized and discussed ways to help get access to those patients under the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act.
Most of the reasoning expressed was purely opinion. The first speaker of the evening, "Radical" Russ Belville, of The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, presented government statistics on marijuana use.
Supporters of medical marijuana and those with experience dispensing medical marijuana came from areas throughout Oregon,and from California and Idaho as well.
All of the speakers in favor of marijuana spoke on their personal experience with marijuana.
"Nobody should be punished for using marijuana," Jennifer Alexander, of the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act, said. "My goal is to see the prohibition (of marijuana) end."
Alexander said she and her group are pushing to legalize marijuana and to regulate it the same as alcohol.
Leland Berger, an attorney from Portland who helps fight medical marijuana legal cases and appeals, gave a brief overview of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act. He spoke to those in attendance from Idaho on how to help pass legislation in the state to legalize marijuana for medical use. He also referred to those from Idaho who have moved to Oregon as "Idaho refugees."
Berger advised those in the meeting to stay in compliance with state and federal law.
An audience member asked Berger what makes marijuana a medicine and not a drug and who is responsible for categorizing it as such?
The query spurred a defensive reaction from others in the audience, with some snapping back at the person who asked the question. In response, some said it was the state that called it a medicine, while others said history has indicated it as such.
The discussion became heated before Berger regained control and continued.
Idaho Rep. Tom Trail (R-Moscow) presented Idaho State House Bill 19, the Idaho Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana bill, to those attending.
Trail said he and Rep. Roy Lacey (D-Pocatello) will work on getting the bill through the Idaho Legislature during its 2012 session.
"It is time to look ahead and take a compassionate look at the citizens," Trail said. "Medical marijuana will be legal in Idaho, in some time."
Others took their turn speaking about how there is not an adequate supply of medicine for those who need it, and that needs to be changed throughout the state. There were stories about medical treatments that resulted in positive results.
Kelly Poe, of the Malheur County Commission on Children and Families, who read a prepared statement, stood up and spoke against medical marijuana.
"I don't want the group to leave tonight and think this community supports this. We do not," Poe said during her allotted time.
Again, this brought on a range of arguments. One man in attendance literally yelled at Poe and those with whom she was sitting.
The event, held at the Clarion Inn in Ontario, lasted more than three hours.
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: argusobserver.com
Author: William Anderson
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: Argus Observer
Website: Supporters outnumbered opposition at local medical marijuana meeting
Joey Nieves, with the 45th Parallel, headed up the meeting and took over as emcee of the event.
The meeting was designed to discuss the benefits of medical marijuana, and supporters of medical marijuana use in both Oregon and Idaho outweighed those opposed to the idea.
Out of 16 invited speakers, only two spoke in opposition to the use of medical marijuana.
Supporter after supporter of medical marijuana stood up to give their testimony why marijuana should be legalized and discussed ways to help get access to those patients under the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act.
Most of the reasoning expressed was purely opinion. The first speaker of the evening, "Radical" Russ Belville, of The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, presented government statistics on marijuana use.
Supporters of medical marijuana and those with experience dispensing medical marijuana came from areas throughout Oregon,and from California and Idaho as well.
All of the speakers in favor of marijuana spoke on their personal experience with marijuana.
"Nobody should be punished for using marijuana," Jennifer Alexander, of the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act, said. "My goal is to see the prohibition (of marijuana) end."
Alexander said she and her group are pushing to legalize marijuana and to regulate it the same as alcohol.
Leland Berger, an attorney from Portland who helps fight medical marijuana legal cases and appeals, gave a brief overview of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act. He spoke to those in attendance from Idaho on how to help pass legislation in the state to legalize marijuana for medical use. He also referred to those from Idaho who have moved to Oregon as "Idaho refugees."
Berger advised those in the meeting to stay in compliance with state and federal law.
An audience member asked Berger what makes marijuana a medicine and not a drug and who is responsible for categorizing it as such?
The query spurred a defensive reaction from others in the audience, with some snapping back at the person who asked the question. In response, some said it was the state that called it a medicine, while others said history has indicated it as such.
The discussion became heated before Berger regained control and continued.
Idaho Rep. Tom Trail (R-Moscow) presented Idaho State House Bill 19, the Idaho Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana bill, to those attending.
Trail said he and Rep. Roy Lacey (D-Pocatello) will work on getting the bill through the Idaho Legislature during its 2012 session.
"It is time to look ahead and take a compassionate look at the citizens," Trail said. "Medical marijuana will be legal in Idaho, in some time."
Others took their turn speaking about how there is not an adequate supply of medicine for those who need it, and that needs to be changed throughout the state. There were stories about medical treatments that resulted in positive results.
Kelly Poe, of the Malheur County Commission on Children and Families, who read a prepared statement, stood up and spoke against medical marijuana.
"I don't want the group to leave tonight and think this community supports this. We do not," Poe said during her allotted time.
Again, this brought on a range of arguments. One man in attendance literally yelled at Poe and those with whom she was sitting.
The event, held at the Clarion Inn in Ontario, lasted more than three hours.
News Hawk- Jacob Ebel 420 MAGAZINE
Source: argusobserver.com
Author: William Anderson
Contact: Contact Us
Copyright: Argus Observer
Website: Supporters outnumbered opposition at local medical marijuana meeting
