While the Department of Justice has been threatening medical marijuana programs around the country (see blog post below), six of Denver’s mayoral candidates came out in support of their state’s current medical program at this year’s NORML Conference. Though their level of enthusiasm may differ (Doug Linkhart’s wholehearted embrace of both the current medical system and prospects of full legalization stands out) all the candidates saw it as beneficial to their state, both to help the ill and to create an industry that provides new jobs. You can watch the key points from the first half of the debate below, with the second installment soon to follow.
Previous Conference Coverage:
Happy 4/20! – Day 1 Floor Report – Day 2 Recap – Day 3 Recap
Activist Awards Feat. Ziggy Marley – Honoring a Life of Activism: Ben Masel
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Montel is silly for not backing 100% legalization… I know he is concerned with the Medicinal value of it, but he’s forgetting about all the pros of legalization because he has tunnel vision for medicinal users.. Kill the black market, lower prices, lower the violence. Come on Montel, most importantly we would not be arresting tons of otherwise law abiding citizens and giving them records. This ALL needs to end.
Why wouldn’t Montel be for total legalization? He has to know its not as strong or as dangerous as alcohol. Marijuana even kills cancer cells from what I’ve heard. It also is a stress buster and we all know what stress can do to the body.
According to the Controlled Substance Act of 1970, Montel is a criminal.
Clayton fact is cannabis is a medicine and should be treated with respect as so. We don’t need a bunch of young adults abusing it and giving it more of a bad stigma then it already has. Also by full legalization it allows for monopoly’s like big tobacco companies to take part. Keep it as a medicine for the sick, suffering and dying that’s what it was meant for. Not to be treated like alcohol among other things just my feeling’s & I’m with Montel on this one, man I love this guy 😀
The only way tobacco companies can monopolize the cannabis industry is to make it legal only for them. Full legalization does not cause monopoly. If big tobacco companies take part, that their own risky business.
A bunch of young adults abusing cannabis is a much friendlier and safer crowd to be around with than those who abuse alcohol.
No more bad stigma, legalize cannabis!
@DL – I’m for 100% legalization Taxation and Regulation. Why? What right does the government have to say what I can and can’t put in my body as an adult? Regulation = Control (At least it’s tobacco monopolies and not armed tobacco gangs). To your medical only comments:
“Clayton fact is cannabis is a medicine and should be treated with respect as so.”
I agree completely with the statement on face value, but I believe where we differ(and was part of the problem with Prop 19 in California) it is medicine and must be respected, but I’ve personally self-medicated to treat personal minor medical issues(headache, pain killer after a sprain, occasional use for relaxation to help with ADHD) and not one of those times did I get a “doctor’s recommendation(I’ve dealt with too many medical misdiagnosis and other problems to trust doctors except in extreme circumstances… I was 13 my appendix was taken out, but it turned out to be gas pain and the operation was unneeded and quickly covered up and explained away to avoid a lawsuit).
“We don’t need a bunch of young adults abusing it and giving it more of a bad stigma then it already has.”
Rightful concern, but I’m 31 and been a user since I was 21. I have never been fired from a job relating to my use. I have never failed a drug test. I used it to help me quit cigarettes. Nope, 10 years and not one issue, but my brother is a different story. The only issues he’s had have been legal/job loss due to testing. Had it been legal he could have been a more productive member of society sooner. (He quit for a time got the rest of his life in order. Resumed smoking and has had any issues since. He is 12 years older by the way and not once did fines/probation/incarceration ever make him stop. The right answer is education (by parents so that young individuals make make informed decisions) and life counseling not “abuse” counseling. “Abuse”, is defined as when it causes problems in your personal/social/business/etc… The only reason it does this 99% of the time is it’s legal status.
“Also by full legalization it allows for monopoly’s like big tobacco companies to take part.”
Would you get your alcohol from Budweiser or Al Capone? Who would you prefer your kids get it from?(You seem like a concerned parent of at least one young adult) Who do you get your medicines from? Big Pharma(a monopoly of a sort of it’s own and if we get it on a Fed level in any way they will jump in the game… Marinol anyone?) or your local drug dealer? As I said in my opening, “Regulation = Control”,but I’ll add “Black Market = No Control” Also, I’ve never been offered any other drug at a pharmacy or corner store when buy medicine or other alcohol, but dealers do “push” other products which is where the real “gateway” is. Also, has anyone ever had a dealer card them? I know I haven’t.
“Keep it as…”
The rest of what you said is your opinion and I respect that, but hopefully your read this and we’ll be able to do more than agree to disagree.
Respectfully,
Charles Lupton
“A house divided can not stand” – Abraham Lincoln
We must unite all sides on this debate. Small victories are good, but this needs to be a fight for 100%.
P.S. Two things: One, my “dealer” is by far cheaper than any medical out there(but I have no idea what the quality/strain it is). I only go through her because I’m lazy, make good money, and don’t have time to grow my own(but have before), and she is a friend I trust(and grows it herself which allows me to know there are no additives). Two, the current medicinal market wants recreational to stay illegal to protect current price premiums, IMHO.
I like Montel, and I also like Obama and Eric Holder and many others that are on the wrong side of this.
HOWEVER,
Those people are throwing us personal users under the bus. I would have a big time sit down with any of those people given the chance. I have 40 years of experience with weed and those folks don’t scare me a bit. I would most certainly DEMAND answers to my questions. Montel and many others would be attempting to run out of the interview, I would force them to Answer-The-Dam-Question. No sir, we are not going to skip any questions.
Past all the medical talk, what about the thousands of non-violent arrests? hmmmmm Montel, what about that.?
I have to take sides for Full Legalization, or re-regulation that makes sense and upholds our Freedom.
I feel that our civil society is far better than prohibition ever could hope to be.
#7 doesn’t understand about freedom.
you know you can grow your own pot for ‘free’? just like you can make alcohol?
you know exactly who it was meant for and why?? you’re right about one thing, alcohol and cannabis arent to be treated the same, because one can kill you.
The term is Feds….”The Fed” is the Federal Reserve Bank. “The Feds” are Federal Agents and Agencies
Montel is only concerned about HIS suffering. He is just as bad as everyone else who says it should be illegal (only concerned with their point of view).
They all fail to recognize that the INALIENABLE rights to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness protects your right to self medicate.
Those who say teen use MAY go up, and more people MIGHT use weed if it was legal, and accidents SHOULD increase with legalization.
Well to those people I remind them what President Washington said:
“It will be found an unjust and unwise jealousy to deprive a man of his natural liberty upon the supposition he may abuse it.”
Our founding fathers were quite remarkable men, you should read what they said about hemp; They thought it was an important part of America’s future.
montel give me a break!! full legalization or nothing!! i’m tired of this medical shit and i need my medicine shit!! look we’ve all been getting stoned for 30 to 50 years cut the crap!! use it for what the fuck you want it for but legalize it once and for all without these phoney pretensions… when will the world grow up??
Paaaaaaaathetic.
Medical Marijuana is a bunch of sillywiggen for sothenberries that dont have the mushsugerian to face the day!
18, 19, 20, 21 year olds in pain – my ass! Ooooo my back, Ooooo I cant sleep. Ooooo I have fibromyalga. Get bent you bunch of lillywhites.
If you want to smoke – then smoke; but when your Fed Gov considers it an illegal substance the last thing you should do is to put it on paper (by state) and in your offical medical records that your using a what the Fed consider an illegal substance. Friggen Duh.
This type of stuff in years to come WILL BITE YOU ON YOUR ASS. Dont let the ignorance of your youth ruin your future.
Army Dad…because I care.
16. Army Dad
I’m a Navy [medic] dad – and I care about kids as much, if not more, than the average bear – but – we’re talking about medicine here. Although your comment is clear and correct about kids – it’s snafu about medicine – and – we don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
14. Chris in WI
“It will be found an unjust and unwise jealousy to deprive a man of his natural liberty upon the supposition he may abuse it.” George Washington.
Talk about abuse! – how about abusive governmental authority? Isn’t this exactly what our Evil Brother is doing to us – right now! Governed by supposition, based on the concept that they know what’s best for us stupid sheep. We are not sheep needing tending – we are sheep that can tend ourselves – and – tend ourselves is what we are going to do – with the help of God, and our own conviction.
@Army Dad
Your a class act A-HOLE! Get a life!
montel is for montel and his med only he is not on the side of norml ….the hell with that!
Experience is the best teacher that i will ever know. So how is it that marijuana is illegal now , after being around as long as man. We started out in paradise. Was that not euphoria. We were meant to have cannibis as God intended. Not prohibition which is of madmen. God saw our need even if the feds do not. They are here to show us how not to be and that is all. We have experienced both,the answer is obvious . Adam and Eve were removed from the garden, but we still have a need for its goodness. God even then was merciful and provided for us. Legalize what has already been for so long. It will never just go away and neither will God!
Montel really should be for full legalization. It would bring down prices and stop the violence. Maybe he just wants to focus on medicial marijuana first. He might be for full legliazation but he doesnt want to give himself a bad name right now till he get full medicial legliaztion. Alot of people wont listen to you if your for full legliazation even thought they might be ok with medicial.