The governors of Rhode Island and Washington have both signed a petition asking the Obama Administration to re-schedule cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule II, effectively ending the federal government’s total prohibition on medical patients having lawful and controlled access to organic cannabis products.
“The situation has become untenable for our states and others. The solution lies with the federal government.”
Both Governors Lincoln Chafee and Christine Gregoire of Rhode Island and Washington respectively were, ironically, two state governors who chose to heed to the warnings issued by the federal government in a Department of Justice memo (known as the ‘Cole memo‘) and not move forward with otherwise popular medical cannabis law reforms in their states.
However, no more! These two governors’ action today is a very important turning point in the history of cannabis law reform in America.
Contrastingly, the governors of Colorado, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico and the city council of D.C. all largely ignored the federal government and moved forward with their states’ respective medical cannabis programs.
NORML began the entire legal and political debate about ‘medical marijuana’ in 1972 when it launched a 24-year re-scheduling effort, that is still laboring on all these years.
Therefore to finally witness governors so frustrated with the absurdly mis-scheduled cannabis plant as being dangerous, addictive and possessing no medical utility (wrongly grouped with heroin and LSD) that they are reaching out to the president to fix this clear injustice and warping of science is a clear demonstration that the friction between the federal government’s recalcitrance on accepting medical cannabis (or for that matter ending Cannabis Prohibition in total) and state politicians who can no longer justify towing the fed’s ridiculous ban on physician-prescribed cannabis to sick, dying and sense-threatened medical patients is coming to a dramatic conclusion in a government showdown, one that may bode well for the larger Cannabis Prohibition reforms needed, festering just below the surface of the public’s mass acceptance of medical access to cannabis.
I can see how this may be viewed as somewhat encouraging, I do not feel this goes far enough. It is not enough to baby-step this down from Schedule I to Schedule II, when the most appropriate action would be to remove it from the Schedule entirely and allow the states to regulate it on an equal footing with alcohol. I just can’t help feeling a half measure such as this may ultimately prove a setback to the repeal of prohibition.
Under Schedule II, while admitting the possibility of having accepted use in medical treatment, it will still have the stigma whereby “Substances in this schedule have a high potential for abuse which may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.”
[Editor’s note: Neither NORML (Gettman, ASA, et al) or these two governors are seeking to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act because there is ZERO political support in the federal government and Congress to do so. NORML and company suing the federal government and these governors are simply seeking that the government stop their insanity of insisting that cannabis has no medical values at all–when both the public and science know otherwise.
If you want cannabis legalized out right, that will not happen through advocates suing the feds to make cannabis de-listed as a scheduled medicinal drug…ending Cannabis Prohibition is more complicated than this, namely having Congress pass an amended CSA sans cannabis.]
How can the Feds Possibly want to keep this (Cannabis) Plant and what it has to offer on the “List” when They Themselves have filed Numerous Patents attesting to the Medicinal Values of the Cannabis and it’s Derivatives?
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6630507.PN.&OS=PN/6630507&RS=PN/6630507
NORML: Can you please put together one of those nicely typed letters we can mail our respective state governors urging them to follow the lead taken by Chafee and Gregoire? The Feds need to hear from more governors on this, and the people need to pressure their governors to do so. Thanks!
Now that the real problem has been identified and the roots of prohibition are being seen very deeply in everything, maybe prohibition will be finally ceased as the joke that it has always been. (MAYBE)” To see a problem and do nothing is to be apart of the problem.”
I am very pleased to see there is still interest to promote the health and well being for the sick and dying. I prey that one day that my mother, who is very young and has a severely damaged spine to the point that there is nothing left the doctors can do; will have the ability to throwout all of the harmful cancer pain management medications that do nothing, and use a natural marijuana to aid her pain. As well as millions of people like her. If the smoke is the main concern, opt for a vaporizer that will not harm the lungs through the water. If you believe its harmful… Read the research and history of this wonderful medicine. Also, compare it to the MILLIONS of FDA medications that are used for the same cause and have severe side effects. When treating the sick, the objective is to make them more comfortable, not to cure one issue and cause another. I support the legalization of this medication for those who need it. And…I prey that the ignorance of ill-educated members of our society do not prohibit the availability of marijuana to our friends and family who need it most.
I can’t wait to hear what the DEA says about re-scheduling cannabis.
President Obama will have something to say about this.
Let the people who needs cannbais you it you been giving it out to 4 people for over 30 years
What the feds can do things but the wrong
It’s a nice gesture, but only two governors?
MPP lays out the argument that cannabis is still subject to raids and prosecution by the Feds even after rescheduling.
Slash so much funding from the various federal departments who are our pains in the ass that cannabis prohibition enforcement becomes a non-priority. That way they’ll be broke, and powerless to continue their prosecutions of the good folks they’ve raided out west and powerless to prevent eastern states from implementing the medical marijuana programs they currently have on hold.
Since no one and no party wants to bring up cannabis legalization or cuts specifically designed to move cannabis closer to the legalized end of the continuum, the federal sequestration will be to blame. In plain English, no one will be accountable or take responsibility for the cuts that help bring cannabis closer to being legal. With the Feds immobilized, states can take their programs off hold, and more states can jump on the medical marijuana or even outright legalization bandwagon.
Keep running the economy into the ground until cannabis is legalized.
Besides, the banks need the cannabis money, so much more of it than they can safely launder under its current illegal status.
Go get ’em, Allen. Keep telling the truth.
Won’t happen. Simple as that. Fuck the DEA.
On the bright side, this could encourage governors in other medical cannabis States to stand up!
No drug should be Schedule I, because if there’s just one person that can be benefited with responsible use, by defending their health just like with physical self-defense, there is enormous value.
So because two governors decide they don’t agree with how the DEA is doing business suddenly the DEA is going to just jump to their beckon call and change their entire policy? I don’t think so. The United States uses the illegal drug money to fund activities that otherwise wouldn’t be funded through Congress. Cutting their “illegal” budget by 50% or more would be disastrous for the Justice Department.
Face it, unless we participate in justified civil disobedience, and legalize cannabis in every initiative-based State, we will not see cannabis being removed from Schedule I status. Sorry!
There is something inherently wrong about a law ( The Controlled Substances Act ) that requires such a high ranking public official as the Drug Czar, to mislead the citizens. This has led to such ridiculous scenes as the current Drug Czar, Mr. Gil Kerlikowske, standing in San Francisco after fifteen years of medical marijuana in California, and proclaiming that marijuana is dangerous and has no medical value. Does anyone wonder why the Federal Government is considered unreliable when it comes to drug facts? The government’s credibility has been destroyed by it’s inability to tell the truth when it comes to drugs or the success or failure of current drug policy.
As long as this requirement to mislead the citizens is in place, we will not be able to have the honest discussion needed to for us to move forward on the issues of drugs and drug law. Currently the American Medical Association is calling for marijuana to be rescheduled to allow for it’s use as medicine. Sixteen states and Washington DC have medical marijuana laws and polling nationwide is 82% in favor of medical marijuana. The only thing standing in the way are the unrealistic and untrue pronouncements of the Drug Czar and his fellow prohibitionists.
Congress should pass an amendment to the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 that requires the Drug Czar to tell the whole truth about drugs and cease this ridiculous charade. Until then the propaganda, misinformation, death and destruction caused by our current drug policy will continue unabated
Holy Smokes. Reponse will be the same old song and dance. Any bets the response will be different? Hardly a chance.
The Rev.sLeezy
The Universal Life Church of the Holy Smokes
EMAIL THEM AND THANK THEM EVERYBODY!
The log jam is breaking. How long until we flow freely?
ron paul at least could end this madness. buddy roemer will be a good pick for the corruption associated with the government in general. FREE TO LEAD.we must stop obama from ruining this country. just my opinion.What am I willing to give for a president who adheres to the constitution > my life if, it will bring sanity back to this great country. vietnam 1970-71
If there’s one thing politicians hate, it’s losing guaranteed votes, which is what state employees tend to be. So by replacing alcohol with marijuana in Washington state liquor stores (which thanks to a Costco sponsored initiative will soon be closing), Gregoire can preserve those jobs, and the votes they represent.
So thank you Costco, for spurring Gregoire to ask that cannabis be moved one step closer to legal.
As much as I am pleased that my governor has decided to make this gesture, I’m not convinced that her motivation is in our best interest. Dropping down to Schedule Two is the worst of all options.
By dropping cannabis down from Schedule One, Pres. Obama releases himself of culpability in its future. Cannabis will be available for research and for use as medicine, that’s a good thing. However, the restrictions of Schedule Two preclude any home grow/private caregivers. Only available by prescription. The DEA will step back and the FDA will step forward.
Only pharmaceutical companies will be able to provide medicine to doctors. Under the guise of safety and effectiveness, no patient will be able to grow their own. So, need cannabis for your illness? The Dr. will prescribe a tincture for you made by GW Pharmaceuticals. If you want to just smoke a joint, you still have to see the ‘guy’.
We win nothing by this. In fact, I would go so far as say it would be a step back.
Every one of these seemingly inconsequential baby steps is important.
Editor:
If you will not get behind Ron Paul, at least make people aware of what Newt Gingrich would have in store for us if he becomes president. Singapore is his “dream”
drug enforcement model. Need I say more?
touchdown!!!
Sadly, Im afraid the petition will be ignored. I recently watched a piece on Obama that found him to be arrogant and above the rest of us. I quote “he does not view himself as a mere mortal.”
Obviously he has little regard for the people in this country. He’s running the economy into the ground, has no clue about how to fix the job situation, his foreign policy will continue to lead us down a path of destruction, has no leadership skills. To save this country he must be removed from power.
Get out and vote!
I’m glad to hear there are a couple of governors willing to speak up about rescheduling cannabis. But I believe until we get more leaders to stand up we will see the same bull shit answers from the drug czars and the rest of the administration.
Well… they DIDN’T reach out to the president, did they? I haven’t read it, but I haven’t seen President Obama’s name mentioned anywhere. The Governors know that if they call out Obama on this issue, they’ll lose all kinds of federal boodle.
Exactly, each step brings it a bit closer to the people who are terrorized of breaking the law. How can people decide, if they are permanently war-threatened to lose their freedom by the biggest entity in the world = the US Government?
But, wouldn’t the states laws still stay in place? Meaning even though the FDA would be taking control of it technically, the states laws would say people can grow it with their growers cards, and sell in dispensaries, etc.
Obama needs to be as aggressive as possible with righting the wrongs of Nixon Reagan Bush Clinton Bush even more so since we have been so plagued by people who love the police state.
At present I see two real roadblocks to reformers: one is the usual political corruption and lies, the love of enforcement over justice by our unelected “Agencies” etc etc, the standard stuff we’re all used to.
The other is the cracks sprouting up in pro-marijuana advocates ourselves. Look at Prop 19- we defeated us. That’s a plan of their adversaries- to divide us. They’re trying something similar in Washington.
To commenter #1 about this being a babystep- ANY progress is progress
Please let’s stop these ideas that some progress doesn’t go far enough/is the wrong progress
AND
let’s stop the “victory in defeat” mentality when we lose.
2012 will be a big year for us. Personally I think Colorado is the best chance for full legalization, but I fully expect Norml to focus most of its attention on California 1st, then Washington 2nd
This is new, guys we got state officials talking to the feds. That’s a real step towards progress. Who better than the states to agree so they fed will change the law?
I still support norml…but only because they help keep the legalization movement going. These governors have the right mindset, but they still need to wake up to the fact that cannabis is the safest substance for human consumption. Regardless I don’t think this will change Obama’s mind on cannabis. He does not have our interests in mind..Every time I think of the injustice the government has done over the years, I always think of the speech on secret societies by John Kennedy…and then I think about how he was assassinated after the fact. Lets face it people…we have not been in control for some time. The only way to get it back is to fight for it…but that’s not gonna happen until the majority of the people are at their wits end and decide its time to risk there lives to save the country.
Link to petition:
http://www.governor.wa.gov/priorities/healthcare/petition/combined_document.pdf
Always remember the power of assumption and awareness. Progress is being made. Smoke it like it’s legal, and it will be. Remember as you smoke that you are doing no wrongs whatsoever, and that the laws will be fixed to align with the truth.
Why didn’t Oregon go along with the other two states, its a mystery to me.
The governor of Vermont just joined the club as well.. hopefully 2/3’s or more will join for the call of rescheduling..
Also, if Obama wants to pull of a win next year he needs to quit pissing on the pro-marijuana people.. there needs to be a stronger message from Norml and other advocate groups that he may lose their support entirely…
Yay! Vermont governor is on! Who’s next???
The governors’ petition is an important turning point. And how did we get there? VOTER INITIATIVES. It was the citizens of those states voting for medical marijuana that forced these public officials to take a stand. And the stand they took is a excellent one – read the full petition: http://www.governor.wa.gov/priorities/healthcare/petition/combined_document.pdf
It’s long past time for NORML to take the next step of fully supporting voter initiatives that end marijuana prohibition on the state level. Not split-the-baby measures decriminalizing two ounces while adding stoned-driving penalties, but true legalization/regulation models. To which NORML always says, “There’s zero support”, “It’s not the right time politically”, “We risk putting the movement back if we reach too far”. Reaching too far with Prop 215 in 1996 was what got us to this point, not waiting until the the political winds were most favorable. NORML needs to throw their support behind full legalization/regulation initiatives for the 2012 election. Waiting for the DEA to suddenly have an epiphany and decide to reschedule is a fantasy. Forcing them to do so by will of the states and the people can be a reality.
[Editor’s note: NORML has supported every and all qualifying cannabis legalization initiatives since 1970…such is a given.]
Slightly on topic and slightly off.
Created a petition asking for full scientific integrity to be applied to the ONDCP.
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/apply-full-scientific-integrity-ondcp/fNDZQwpP
@stopthelies,, Obama has lost support many many many months ago.
I wrote letters to the Obama-dickhead and the democant party to inform them that I am campaigning for all candidates that will end Prohibition. period.
If they really want to cut health care cost, smoke a doobie. Without it health care cost will keep rising! Check it.
JUST TELL THE TRUTH
HOW MANY PEOPLE WANT A GOVT THAT LIE’S TO YOU?
5,OOO YEARS OF HISTORY SAYS IT DOES
9 OTHER COUNTRYS AROUND THE WORLD (3 OF THEM ARE OUR GREATEST ALLIES) SAYS IT DOES
16 STATES + THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SAYS IT DOES
HECK SOME TEN YEARS AGO A DEA ADMIN LAW JUDGE AFTER HEARING ALL THE FACTS, SAID CANNABIS DOES HAVE MEDICAL VALUE
WTF PEOPLE WE ARE PAYING $ TO ENFORCE A LAW BASED ON A LIE
gary johnson,former gov. new mexico running for president has told the people his all for it!!! look at MIRANOL MEDICINE OF OUR PAST(CULTURE MEDICINE)
I’m in Texas, so I know my Govenor is’nt going to sign up. oops
Maybe MO’S Govenor will sign up? They are headed that way in 2012 anyway. I think the key to it is to get Ron Paul in office. They will fight him too but at least he would attempt to make a difference/change. As for all the other policies, he couldn’t do any worse than nobamma. He will still have the same gun grabbing, right stealing pricks to deal with.
I think every little step helps, but I want be happy until I can walk out in my backyard and pick my own.
Legalize it NOW!
This is a very encouraging story. The more the absurdity of this whole mess is presented to the public the closer we are to ending prohibition. Most people have lost trust in the government at this time and they feel pretty strongly about how the big corporations are in bed with it. These include the Pharmaceauticals, big oil, big tobacco and alcohol industries who stand to lose a lot if the hemp plant becomes free in the USA. Let the battle begin. I leave you with this classic:
Anyone who thinks that 2 out of 50 states, with only 10 (?) electoral votes between them, would have any effect upon the Obama regime’s reinvigorated ‘War on People’ are delusional — CA has 55 electoral votes, and they are suffering the brunt of the Federal prohibitionists. I haven’t been able to figure out whether Obama intends to lose the 2012 elections, or if his advisors expect the usual Democratic Party meme of ‘Vote For Us – We Suck Less’ to continue to decide national elections.
Cannabis should be de-scheduled from the CSA, not ratcheted down from Schedule 1 to Schedule 2. Total decriminalization would be the result of a Federal government responsive to the will of a least a large minority of We The People, social justice, and real economic stimulus. Instead, we have new wars & rumors of wars, an ever-increasing domestic Police State, and an economy & government held hostage by the Wall Street Mobsters / Monopoly Capitalist Kleptocracy.
The status quo is economically and politically unsustainable, but change is tilting away from small ‘d’ democracy, freedom, & liberty, and toward an even more repressive Police State.
I can’t believe they couldn’t get more Governors to sign on to this petition but it’s a start. We should campaign ALL State governors to add themselves onto a revised version of this petition! Let’s call them and write them until they get tired of hearing from us and finally do something to help protect our rights. They’re all afraid the DEA will swoop down on them like they’re doing in California and Oregon so other states see that and say “no way!” it’s up to the fed to do something about this!
i will vote for any person that i can that has a agenda of marijuana legalization, let me make my own decision’s if alcohol and tobacco is legal, marijuana should be also, otherwise make them all illegal
Anything short of full out legalization is worthless and unacceptable. 75 fucking years, remember????????
Finally rational thinking.where have you been? I am in pain every day.I weened myself off of oxy drugs because I worry constantly about liver damage from too much tylenol type drugs.When I use cannabis I can function and my thought process ts clearer.Please I beg you,get w/these 2 courageous gov.s and do something .I speak for thousands of ill people,we should not have to choose between getting hooked on narcotics or being arrested for choosing a natural plant that has had nothing artificial done to it. It’s my body,I should have more of a say about what goes in it.Medical marijuana now.
One step closer but we have many steps ahead. The good thing is that the taboo is dying out due to reefer generation getting older and dying off. I believe that the government can legalize weed, they just don’t put in the effort but once more politicians and people for that matter fight for this harder and reefer madness people die off due to old age, then the extra effort will be put on this issue and legalization will be a reality.
I live in Michigan and while we the people voted in the Medical Marihauna Law we have an attorny general that does not like the law and has taken on a personal attack. Here is a recent letter from him explaining himself and his beliefs. Scary times. Our law has a clause that says if you use the medicine and are under the influence of it, it is illegal to perform any “TASK”. Very gray area as most of us take that as do not even think about getting out of the chair as that would be a task.
Dear Scott,
This time of year is normally reserved for family get-togethers, holiday traditions and thankfulness for the blessings that God has bestowed on us throughout the year.
Unfortunately, Marihuana extremists have announced that this is the time of year they intend to recruit one hundred “Weed Warriors” to sign recall petitions. These “Weed Warriors” are not happy that I have chosen to enforce the law and uphold the Constitution. In other words, do the job I was elected to do. So I thought this was a good time to inform you of exactly what my office is doing with regards to this issue:
•In cooperation with the Macomb County Prosecutor, my office has brought criminal charges against a doctor who certified hundreds of patients for the marihuana program without ever seeing or speaking to them, as well as the appliance store owner who sold those certifications out of the back of his hardware store.
•I supported the efforts of the Board of Medicine and the Board of Osteopathic Medicine who, in cooperation with the Michigan State Medical Society, have promulgated guidelines on what is considered a “bona fide physician-patient relationship” under the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act (MMMA).
•I filed an Amicus brief in a case recently decided by the Court of Appeals holding that the sale of marihuana from one patient to another is unlawful. The ruling in that case echoed the concerns of law enforcement, and helps clarify that the MMMA is narrowly focused to help the seriously ill – it was never intended to create a marihuana free-for-all.
•Just to review, here is what the court ruled in this case (known as the McQueen Case):
?The MMMA does not legalize marihuana.
?The MMMA authorizes marihuana use only in “very limited circumstances.”
?The “medical use” of marihuana does not include the sale of marihuana.
?And, the MMMA does not authorize marihuana dispensaries.
•In cooperation with Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, my office brought charges of election law violations against a dispensary owner who offered free marihuana in order to entice customers to register to vote.
•And, I announced a cooperative effort with leaders in the legislature, law enforcement officials and members of the medical community, including the head of the Michigan State Medical Society, to close loopholes in this poorly-crafted marihuana law – loopholes that are being exploited by criminals and disingenuous profiteers.
•A number of bills designed to amend the Marihuana Act will be up for consideration. Let me highlight two in particular:
?One, you should not be operating a motor vehicle with marihuana in your system.
?And two, felons should not be caregivers. (Currently, only those convicted of drug-related felonies are prohibited.)
•The bottom line is this:
?Dispensaries were never mentioned in the Medical Marihuana Act language. No one intended for there to be pot shops and dispensaries next door to churches and schools.
?The Medical Marihuana Act has more holes than Swiss cheese. It is badly in need of clarification and reform, and I look forward to working with legislators, doctors and law enforcement to craft common sense reforms.
?This law was passed by voters because they had compassion for those who are terminally ill, or suffering from serious issues such as glaucoma. We need to bring the law back to what voters intended.
My wife and I are thankful for many blessings this past year. The encouragement and friendship from supporters such as you are among the blessings we are very grateful for. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Bill Schuette
Attorney General
NORML NEEDS TO TELL THE PEOPLE WHICH CANDIDATES ARE PRO MJ. STOP BEING ONE SIDED (OBAMA) AND LET US KNOW WHICH REPUBLICANS ARE PRO MJ
CENSORSHIP IS A BITCH
[Editor’s note: 1) NO ALL CAPS…IT MAKES YOU AND NORML’S PAGE LOOK STUPID….and 2) NORML is non-partisan and the supporters of cannabis law reform are well identified in the presidential race:
Gary Johnson
Fred Karger
Ron Paul
Unfortunately, it looks like the democratic nominee (Obama) and who ever the GOP nominates will be (which will not be Johnson, Karger or Paul) will both oppose legalization.]
I think it would be interesting if people were to post their ages and the state or country they are from.
57 year old male – Texas – 30 years of toking.
I have always liked Newt. I think he is a very smart man and probably the best choice of all. However he is also an arrogant ass and considers us common folks as peasants. We have enough of his kind in Washington taking away our rights. I’m more in favor of 4 years working towards regaining our personal freedom and stopping the wasteful. I want Newt involved, but I want Ron Paul as our President.
I won’t be happy until we have full legalization!
Have a Great Weekend!
Boo. It shouldn’t be on the list period! This is no beuno, it sends the completely wrong message, “ok, we know it’s bad still, it’s just not THAT bad” …horsesh*t!!! It should not be a schedule anything, it should be an available natural resource, available for medicinal, recreactional, spiritual, economical use, whatev. Re-scheduling is like moving from dead last to next to dead last, we need to win this beeeotch
“[Editor’s note: NORML has supported every and all qualifying cannabis legalization initiatives since 1970…such is a given.]”
“Support” in word is not the same as supporting in deed. I encourage NORML to do much more than simply endorse legalization initiatives, but to throw the full weight of their database, fundraising abilities and expert experience behind state initiatives like RMLW.
All sides need to come together behind good voter-driven legislation. NORML can accomplish this.
[Editor’s note: You’re incorrect. NORML does much, much more than just endorse initiatives…including fundraising, legal, technical and logistical support.]
Nothing will happen. The prison industrial complex that is America needs bodies to fill it’s cells and pot smokers are the best kind; not a lot of danger to the guards and plenty of us.
[Editor’s note: Doubting Thomas…you’re clearly wrong as reform is happening all of the time! Of course there can be no reform if one decides to be a defeatist.]
Hm, I can’t see this as a huge win, but would love to be proven wrong. It looks more like the same old stuff: one step forward, two back. But, when things look as bleak as they have over the past months, years, decades, it’s good to savor victories, no matter how miniscule,maybe.
This could more easily turn into a magnificent victory for big pharma. They have control over anything on schedules II, III and IV. So, we pay for our lobbiests to work on behalf of those who would put us at the effect of our broken health-care system that will pad the cost with their costs of keeping track of the minutia of our health, including how much we use for what. Big pharma is already putting the squeeze on organizations like the Grange to lobby on behalf of genetically-engineered hemp and cannabis. You want to be trapped into that option? I don’t.
Sorry guys, it doesn’t look like you’re leading us into a safe port. I get that you’re trying to, but it looks to me like you’re hopelessly innocent about the cancer of greed that has infected the system you’re wooing.
in peace,
Pat
[Editor’s note: Three governors (with likely more to follow soon) are putting pressure on the federal government to accept the medical utility and safety of cannabis as medicine, and you choose to perceive it as a step backwards and impugn their motives.
OK…
How can cannabis become legal when you’re so jaded?
BTW…why doesn’t ‘big pharma’ have ability to make money off of cannabis just like the sellers of today’s medical cannabis do now in CA, CO, NM, ME, etc…? There is no reason at all for consumers not to have choices between botanical cannabis and pharmaceutical cannabis products. To each their own. Choices are good.]
Marinol is on Schedule III. While I believe cannabis need not be scheduled any more than caffeine should be, if it must be, due to current political realities, then it should be on III not II.
Editor, whatever you say, mate. Ron Paul is the only conservative running for the GOP ticket and he’s the only one getting my vote. Liberals want more government in your life–Ron is the only one who doesn’t see it that way. You don’t want him to win? Do you really want to make the enemy (governmental over-regulation of safe materials by self-righteous pricks) stronger?
Vote for Ron Paul folks. The War on Drugs is a liberal nightmare that will not end until we vote for real conservatives, not liberal fascist neo-cons like “I don’t believe the truth” Romney.
[Editor’s note: Ron Paul is not the only conservative running for the 2012 GOP nomination (Karger and Johnson are just as ‘conservative’). Unfortunately for Mr. Paul, he is both too old and too conservative to win the GOP nomination, and of course can’t win in a general election…so if you get the chance have fun voting for the man. But, don’t pretend that your vote will move the good doctor to become president.]
Hi all,
Did anybody watch “WEED WARS” that premired discover channel last night (12-01-2011). Well if you didnt see it your better off for it especially if your an advocate for the legalization of the weed.
Once again the marijuana smoking population has been represented by morons and high mindless drones. I like the premise of a reoccuring program on national TV; but so far im not impressed.
Hopefuly future installment will actually tackle difficult topics and focus more on educating the public on the bogus Gov stance and how the Pharm companies play into the equation.
The last thing anyone needs is the federal government involved in this at any level. It should be left to the states to sort out on their own. When the feds get involved, unnecessary funds are wasted, and innocent people get killed. Involving pharmacies will result in one thing for certain – death from consumption of cannabis, and the propaganda machine will be unleashed. (wiki marinol.) We all know its about money, power, & corruption – not the “dangerous” plant….
I decided after doing nothing for too long a time; I decided to start a petition so please read it below & if you agree please sign it & forward it to everybody you know
http://www.change.org/petitions/president-obama-attorney-general-holder-dea-stop-federal-persecution-of-states-medical-marijuana-laws?share_id=QUBickZsSD&
“Heroin and LSD”? LSD doesn’t ruin lives the way heroin does.
“Can’t you see that in the world we live in
Political lies are just corporate decisions
They’ll take away all the hopes, not their promises
They’ll put an end to this land of the livin
Look at the lost souls, They seem so black
Look at the lost souls, Souls of Black” testament
Demonizing politicians and those who act for political reasons is OK, but demonizing the ‘federal government’ as a whole shows ignorance. The government does ALOT for EVERYONE. Go live in a country with a tiny government and see what kind of services you get on any level.. I recommend Nigeria (yes I have friends there).. anyone can tell you how bad things are when they don’t have a government working for the people.. also, demonizing federal employees who work as public servants is just plain rude and obnoxious. I bet you run out everyday and scream at your mail person for ‘working for the government’..
Re the scheduling discussion, in TN, Marijuana is a Schedule VI which I didn’t even know existed! Seems like one wouldn’t get arrested for a VI but nonetheless..
Re Marinol is a Schedule II – My Neuro says even HE can not prescribe Marinol unless it’s for severe chronic nausea, Cancer. Those that do prescribe are looked at through a magnifying glass. He says he couldn’t prescribe it for my MS even if he would want to. Unbelievable. I told him I prefer the unadulterated variety anyway! There’s no way Marinol is as effective of the whole plant! And I’m not going to make the pharmaceutical company (Lilly) rich when I can grow it myself and moderate it myself for my particular momentary needs.
@JudyMalone – I am so with you on your comment. My Neuro even said last week “Your insurance won’t cover the Tramadol without the APAP (Tylenol). he tried to switch me to the non tylenol variety and insurance wouldn’t accept it, only the ones WITH tylenol. Made me so friggin mad! He told me thousands die each year from Tylenol and the liver damage it does to the body! How many people has Marijuana killed?! 00000000!!!!! Anyhoo, don’t stop fighting for our rights everyone! Use your passion and your anger to fuel a REAL Green Revolution! The time is NOW! 420 Time!
#68
Yes, I watched Weed Wars on Discovery. I liked that they stressed the 1.6 million dollars in taxes they are having to pay to the city of Oakland. They did refer to their cannabis dispensary as the the goose that lays the golden eggs. I do empathize with them about having such short a time to pay. How many millions did they say their annual cash flow was, something like $21 million. They are quite unusual people, eccentric, and some of them like brother Anthony and Dress have some non-mainstream mannerisms, but they are highly intelligent people to run such an operation smoothly. It’s just most cannabis users with business savvy and mainstreamers would probably not run the business in that manner, but the problem there is that most mainstream cannabis users would NOT have the chutzpah, the balls, to run such an operation, so you’re left with the people who have the big balls an non-mainstream personalities who will actually step up to the plate to run it.
This show is putting Steve and his family and his team in the crosshairs of the public, so the Feds might go in and take everything just to be the fuckin bastards that they are. It won’t shut down the industry in California, however. Someone else will just step in to fill the void. The Feds had just better hope it’s not the Mexican cartels, because they are NOT the harmless, non-violent types like DeAngelo and his team.
The Feds can try and go back to their good ole days when they had all the people cowed, and no one and no state would dare go against them. But, there is no going back. Those days are over, long gone. The trend is for more and more states to legalize. That’s the momentum. The Feds and their corporate cronies who benefit from prohibition are NOT making the jobs for people, and their fuckin’ things up for people in the cannabis industry who ARE making jobs.
The Feds are just a bunch of fuckin’ carpetbaggers who swoop in to fuck up a good thing. The fuck the local people out of jobs, and fuck the state and local governments out of tax revenues every time they fuck in any way with the chain of supply to retail in the cannabis dispensary sector. They don’t give a fuck because they still have their jobs, and their pillaging nets them more cash and assets, like fuckin’ barbarians or vikings. Too bad for people who actually do make jobs the Feds are allowed to come in and fuck up the civilized management of it, treating all the civilized operations as if they were barbaric, ruthless criminal gangs, rather than the decent Americans that they are.
Keep running the economy into the ground until cannabis is legalized.
The DEA and ONDCP are the Beast part of the federal government, and that and that alone is the beast that must be starved.
Supercommittee sequestration slash all funding for cannabis prohibition enforcement now!
ALWAYS REMEMBER!!!
United we stand, divided we fall!
it’s time to make using mj normal.
get involved, write your governer/attorney general today.
We all need to send mail to our governors asking them to join in. NORML please make letters like those we sent to our reps. That might help.
NEWS FLASH: DEA IS IS LAUNDERING DRUG MONEY
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45539772/ns/us_news-the_new_york_times/
Like I’ve been saying all along – the DEA ia a corrupt, ILLEGAL terrorist organization. DESTROY THEM!!
It will have to wait until obama gets in for his second term .At that time it wont be about wining votes any more and the republicans cant use it against him with the old foggies. There has been no way he could make a move on this in the last 3 yrs and hope to be reelected
I read the editors response to the first post…and am wondering— Does NORML support full legalization of cannabis or not?? Medicinal use/support is fine, but, there is nothing wrong with recreational use( drinking sucks ). If “NO” is your reply; then, I find your first editors note extremely hypocritical(considering a pic of Willie Nelson is a permanent fixture on this page)….pretty certain ol’ Willie has been a recreational user for some time now,….decades even!!!
[Editor’s note: Zero confusion. Since 1970, NORML has supported legalizing cannabis. Period.]
i commend all mj supporters and vow that as long as im living i will fight to end this bs mj prohibition..ive been a Emergency Medical Technician for over ten years and had well over 40,000 patients via the phones as well as field duty, and found very little cases where mj was a problem..the govt has played these games for too long…Legalize this plant, first the ones who desperately need it for medical reasons..and allow as as citizens to use it for recreation purposes. watch my video on Youtube..jroll84..EMT CAUGHT SMOKING WEED
OK, cool. Just checking. Would like to see/read more articles that discuss full legalization( instead of just talking about legalizing medical use..)— please excuse me for misreading/misjudging your response. For a minute there; thought I smelled BS…. but it’s been confirmed; your’ shoes are clean =]
I Think our cause is not being helped by the yahoo’s who are running the dispensaries and posting youtube videos of people smoking Oz sized joints and so on in thier shops. (to be clear I am not calling all owners yahoo’, just the guilty parties
On the Drug Policy Alliance website the author specified that these two governors petitioned the D.E.A. Since when is law enforcement in charge of scheduling medicine? This is one of thefindementalprkblems with the current situation regarding the ‘war on drugs’. These are uneducated thugs. They have no medicinal training. The idea that our leaders are asking them for permission to allow actual doctors recommend medicine is ludicrous, appalling and atrocious. America is dead. Let’s hope the Nazis who have risen live short, painful lives.
One of the fundamental*
Re 74,
I agree with your basic premise that there are too many people on this site who use MJ as an excuse to attack the Fed Govt.
I further agree with you that a strong govt is necessary to have a functioning society; to believe otherwise is to live in some utopian dream world–one that will never exist. (I myself have told a few of these anti-govt advocates to move to Somalia to get a taste of a country with a weak, almost non-existant govt.)
The frustration that you sense here partly stems from the fact that our elected officials too often ignore the will of the people. And I am as frustrated as many another person on this site.
I, for one, believe that legalization will eventually–inevitably–happen. I strongly believe that attitudes about MJ legalization in this country are changing as the age demographics of this country change: the older, non-MJ-smoking citizens are passing on, and being replaced by generations who generally have smoked.
As soon as the politicos become convinced that the vast majority of their constituents are pot-smokers, they will HAVE to change their stances (or else lose elections to candidates who will support legalization).
The Feds, and many State politicos, are fighting to hang on to the old ways (aided and abetted by their backers in the alcohol and pharmaceutical industries). However, time is on our side.
I am a die-hard liberal, who voted for Obama in the last election. I am SURE I won’t vote for him again, because of his backtrack on the MJ issue, as well as too many other issues.
PS–I have to laugh at the conservatives & libertarians on this site who refer to him as a socialist, marxist, etc–on too many issues he acts more like ONE OF THEM than he does a liberal or leftist of any stripe; however, they are too filled with hate toward him to ever acknowlege or admit it!
#74, time is not on our side. The enemy is standing tall and time is on their side. True, times are changing but cannot happen fast enough. Couple more years equals millions more of innocent people harassed and/or arrested by police willfully ignoring their oaths to defend the constitution. When people are longer being arrested for marijuana, we’ll be one step closer to winning the war on drugs–you know, focusing on real crime–having a police force more people can feel proud of–currently difficult to when they go around lying to everyone about marijuana and pot heads. When this happens, time will be on our side. The War on Drugs is bad for the country and bad for the government. Our idiot policies strain our relationships around the world and then we try to pay our way out–further bloating government spending.
Yeah, marijuana is a schedule four type material. You shouldn’t even need to speak with a doctor about it, same as over the counter medications. The only thing the government should be doing concerning marijuana is making sure that people have direct access to organic marijuana so they can stop whining about the dangers of “laced weed”. When you can grow you own pot, it isn’t going to be laced with anything. Does it make too much sense? Is it too simple?
Both the states of Washington and Rhode Island have marijuana in state schedule I that says it has no accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. So, now they are asking the DEA to re-write their state law for them. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
I mean, these states have it classified as having no accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, like it doesn’t have accepted medical use in any state. What’s up with that? Talk about disrespect for the people who voted for this.
I believe that it’s important to take every victory we get, but it’s advisable to remember that the FDA will not be our friend either.
THC and CBD would likely be approved for consumption, but that’s not to be confused with the state medical laws. They exist because the FDA is not involved.
The doctor may prescribe you morphine, but he will NOT recommend that you take opium. If you are caught growing poppies for that purpose, you will be arrested, regardless of whether or not you have a prescription for the Schedule II alkaloids contained therein.
The point is that it would benefit the pharmaceutical companies making or extracting THC. It would benefit the sick who need the drugs derived from the plant. It would set right an almost 40 year old lie.
It would not, however, benefit the sick that wanted to grow their own. They would have no access to low cost medical grade marijuana. It certainly would not advance the legalization movement.
This is what would happen. The argument for legalization would be cast even farther away from the mainstream, the FDA would be the ones seizing your crops if the DEA did not, and the legalization movement would no longer have a working example of how the majuana industry could work.
Ask youself: how often does a Schedule II substance escape its controlled status–a status which benefits the behemoth of an industry producing the pharmaceuticals–to be considered safe for recreational use? Let me know, because an opiate bar sounds wonderful.
I applaud NORML for what they do, and the medical movement has been a blessing thusfar, but this isn’t what needs to happen if you fine smokers are hoping to ever grow your own–or even buy it in a store, for that matter.
Just my .02.
I a
Let’s not assume the DEA will put marijuana in schedule II just because the petition requests schedule II. The DEA has to do an independent evaluation and pick the correct schedule, if any, regardless of what is requested in the petition. The petition merely starts the process. Another thing is that rescheduling does not repeal state laws allowing personal cultivation. Rescheduling, or removing marijuana from the federal schedules entirely, is not going to change any state laws already enacted or prevent any other states from legalizing medical use any way they want to do it. This is a good thing, no matter how you look at it, but these two states are filthy because they still have marijuana in schedule I in their own states. The DEA is not just going to ignore that. This is just a fake show by those states to fool the people into thinking they are doing their public duty to protect the citizens. Don’t be fooled.
This would seem to raise awareness. The more the Feds half address the issue the more voice the people have and the greater support the responsible cannabis community stands to gain. Every little counts and helps.
Actually, this is a legal argument that U.S. Attorney General Holder should resolve. The 8 factor test the DEA uses in 21 U.S.C. 811 does not apply to a legal question of whether marijuana has accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
Re 89
Dave, my friend, you must believe that time is indeed on our side. (I’m wagering that you’re younger than I, and so time is on your side even more so than mine.) Recent polls show majorities favoring MJ legalization. Polls ten years ago, twenty years ago, and so on, showed fewer and fewer people supporting legalization the further back you went. So, opinion is shifting. I realize it’s not shifting fast enough for you–nor I–but it is indeed shifting.
Just hang in there, my man. We all have to hang in there until we have the final victory! The liquor and phama industries are fighting back hard–but they WILL be defeated.
I, personally, am dismayed at the reality that: A perfectly legitimate bill was introduced to the House of Representatives (HR 2306) and it ended up in the House Judiciary Committee where, Mr. Lamar Smith (R-Tex.) SINGLE HANDEDLY can keep this bill from ever reaching a vote simply by not allowing hearings to be scheduled!!! How is one person able to subvert the will of the people???
IT’S TIME TO GET UP, STAND UP! 🙂
You know…
Ron Paul / Judge Andrew Napolitano 2012
Exit right or left and come to the forefront of what America stands for….
Pau’ls radical ideas…. His beginnings….
1.) End the wars — Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Drug-war, etc,
2.) Protect civil liberty — repeal Patriot Act, Military Commissions Act, etc
3.) End National Debt – No more debt increases — it is not ethical to put debt on future generations
4.) Federal Reserve Bank System — Seek an investigation and audit of
the Fed and it’s cozy relationship with big banks and big corporate
did you see that end the drug wars..? I call upon every toke I take that I am gonna support this man and the federal gov.. well they going by by
I do not understand the reason Gov.it stand on Medical Marijuana its very wrong need to liston to the people
Quit talking stupid.. Ron Paul is already part of the federal government.. I like some of his ideas, but I think others would put us behind other modern nations and at a disadvantage..