California’s Largest Physician Group Calls for Full Legalization
Despite the recent attempts by the ATF, IRS, and four California-based US Attorneys to put a damper on the state’s medical marijuana program, the California Medical Association formally endorsed a new policy calling for the full legalization of cannabis.
The CMA represents more than 35,000 physicians statewide and is the largest industry group for doctors in the state. Last Friday, at the association’s annual meeting in Anaheim, they made official their support for the full legalization of marijuana. The group cited racial inequalities in arrests, the collateral damage to families of those incarcerated on simple marijuana charges, and growing prison costs as signs that marijuana prohibition has “proven to be a failed public health policy.”
This stance seems to have been prompted by the precarious position California doctors find themselves in under the state’s current medical law. This position forces a physician to decide whether or not to recommend a substance to a patient that is still illegal at the federal level. While their stance on the medical benefits was lukewarm to say the least (the group compared cannabis to a “folk remedy”) the CMA sees legalization for all adults as the only way to truly discover the potential medical application of cannabis and cannabinoids.
“It’s an uncomfortable position for doctors,” stated Dr. Donald Lyman, a physician from Sacramento who helped author the new policy, “It is an open question whether cannabis is useful or not. That question can only be answered once it is legalized and more research is done. Then, and only then, can we know what it is useful for.”
You can read more in-depth coverage on this issue from LA weekly here.
The full paper published on the topic by the California Medical Association can be viewed here (PDF).
Post updated to correct “Attorney Generals” [sic] to “US Attorneys”
View full post on NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform
Occupy Lamar! 3 opportunities to meet and greet the Congressman (Lamar Smith, R-TX) currently stoppering H.R.2306 in his capacity as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
Wednesday, October 19th
10 a.m.: Kerrville Public Meeting
Location: Kathleen C. Cailloux Theater – 910 Main Street, Kerrville TX
3 p.m.: Bandera Public Meeting
Location: Bandera Justice Center, 3360 State Highway 173 North, Bandera, TX
Thursday, October 20th
9 a.m: New Braunfels Public Meeting
Location: McKenna Events Center, 801 West San Antonio, New Braunfels, TX
(copy block from the Congressman’s House home page, 10-17-11)
Jesus said to do unto others as we would have them to do unto us. None of us would want our child thrown in jail with the sexual predators over marijuana. None of us would want to see an older family member’s home confiscated and sold by the police for growing a couple of marijuana plants for their aches and pains. It’s time to stop putting our own family members in jail over marijuana.
If ordinary Americans could grow a little marijuana in their own back yards, it would be about as valuable as home-grown tomatoes. Let’s put the criminals out of business and get them out of our neighborhoods. Let’s let ordinary Americans grow a little marijuana in their own back yards.
Here’s one way that IT IS REALLY WORKING: Arresting the criminals and collecting a fee from registered growers (and bringing in thousands of dollars to support the county budget); what a great plan! This is the way to build a better America! http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/2011/07/the-pot-republic-one-sheriffs-quietly-radical-experiment.html
The current proposal before Congress, bill HR 2306, will allow states to decide how they will regulate marijuana. You can email your Congressperson and Senators at http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml to discuss HR 2306.
And a big THANK YOU to the courageous, freedom loving legislators, governors, and countless others who are working so hard to bring this through! You’re doing a great patriotic service for all of America!
There is a simple way to legalize cannabis. Just enact a simple definition of marijuana. The 99% should sign this petition to demand a simple definition of marijuana which actually shows respect for our Constitution. Only 5000 signatures needed to gain official review. Time is running out. http://wh.gov/gMD
These doctors are good.
1. The four are “US Attorneys” – federal prosecutors – for federal court districts in California, not “California Attorney Generals”
2. The plural of “Attorney General” is “Attorneys General”
I included an additional letter I submitted.
COPY and PASTE
submit to your area news.
SPEAK UP!
NOW IS THE TIME!
The debate as to the legalization of marijuana should be based upon its own merits.
The likelihood of it becoming more commonly used due to legalization would imply that prohibition has impacted its use… That argument does not hold water.
The concerns about how it affects driving, while logical and valid, should only affect THE REGULATIONS OF IT, same as with alcohol. It should not remain illegal simply because people fear its effect on driving.
An adult man or woman at their own place, relaxing with a glass of wine, or a joint, and NOT about to go driving should be legal.
It is time for serious discussion on legalization, all the money that could be made on it is funneled into the hands of the cartels in Mexico, where the REAL DRUG WAR zone is.
It is time for logical and rational discussion, and not propaganda like this: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028346/
Make your voice heard.
I just submitted this to the OPINION section of my local paper:
—
MARIJUANA:
-should LEGALIZED and regulated as wine is:
age requirement to consume, and illegal to drive while affected
-prohibition has caused many of the same issues which the American people avoided when we repealed the prohibition of alcohol.
the ‘drug war’ has yielded no reduction in the trafficking/availability/use of marijuana
has funneled ALL the revenue into the hands of the cartels in Mexico where the REAL DRUG WARS take place
has hampered this nation’s financial recovery as it is well documented that cannibus is California’s number one cash crop.
Mexico is in a civil war due to the cartels being so well financed by the illicit marijuana trade.
The Tommy-gunners of the early part of this century all but went away over night upon the repealing of the prohibition of alcohol.
And, here is this as well, from the California Medical Association,
representing more than 35,000 physicians statewide and is the largest industry group for doctors in the state:
http://www.cmanet.org/files/pdf/news/cma-cannabis-tac-white-paper-101411.pdf
Policy Recommendation includes:
- Regulate recreational cannabis in a manner similar to alcohol and tobacco.
- Tax cannabis
- Facilitate dissemination of risks and benefits of cannabis use.
Its time for SERIOUS and LOGICAL discussion on cannibus,
and not biased uninformed concepts and laws propagated by nonsense like this:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028346/
See if you can get those fuckers from the U.N. to attend this conference in November, and get them to clear the way for legalization. Doctors talking to international doctors. Law enforcement talking to international law enforcement. Are the previous heads of state of Latin American countries who have called for legalization once they were out of office going to attend to put on the pressure to clear the way for the U.S. and any other country (NL, Jamaica) to legalize?
Good news, but do they have any “clout”?