Ap News Maker Us Attorney Says Ore. Medical Marijuana Program Has Produced A Train Wreck

[Michael Komorn]

 

 

AP News Maker US Attorney says Ore. medical marijuana program has produced a train wreck

 

 

TRAIN WRECK

 

 

PORTLAND, Ore. — The U.S. Attorney for Oregon on Tuesday called the administration of the state's medical marijuana program a "train wreck," and expressed skepticism that the majority of those who obtain the drug actually need it.

 

U.S. Attorney Dwight Holton said people who are suffering from life-threatening illnesses or receiving end-of-life care should have access to the drug, but that the number of registered medical marijuana patients in Oregon is alarming.

 

California, a state that doesn't require registration, has 46,000 medical marijuana patients to Oregon's 39,000, he said. That either means Oregon is a "much sicker state" or that prescriptions are being doled out at a faster rate, Holton said.

 

"If you could target medical marijuana to sick people, or old stoners, I don't care," Holton told The Associated Press. "If you want to treat it like a medicine, treat it like a medicine."

 

Registration for a medical marijuana card isn't necessary to get the pot in California — a doctor's note will suffice at one of the state's dispensaries. In Oregon, a card and registration with the state is necessary.

 

Holton declined to say which specific steps he would employ to monitor marijuana more closely, saying the issue is a matter of state law. But he pointed to the Federal Drug Administration's regulation of pharmaceuticals as an example of effective regulation.

 

"The FDA has people in every plant, and they're looking at everything that goes through," Holton said. "We don't know what's going into (medical marijuana plants). We don't know what pesticides are being used or whatever else is going in there."

 

Leland Berger, an attorney and Portland medical marijuana activist, said Holton shouldn't play doctor with other people's medical needs.

 

"Where was it Dwight went to medical school?" Berger said. "What makes prosecutors and police officers think it appropriate as policy matter for them to put their judgment in front of doctors?"

 

More than 38,000 Oregonians hold medical marijuana patient cards, about 1 percent of the population. They have to grow their own or get it from an authorized grower called a caregiver, who cannot charge beyond expenses. Patients are limited to six mature plants and a pound and a half of processed cannabis at one time.

 

Members of law enforcement have long bemoaned the scant checks they are permitted to conduct on grow facilities. Hamstrung by laws that turn over regulatory authority to the state health department, they argue that the police should be able to check into legal operations where they suspect criminal activity might be happening.

 

But medical marijuana proponents say that would be at odds with the law, which did away with police oversight by assigning caregivers who are responsible for their supply.

 

Voters turned down a measure last year that would have taken the distribution system a step further by allowing cardholders to buy marijuana from dispensaries. Now, a legalization effort is under way in Portland, and its backers are aiming for statewide voter approval in 2012.

 

Holton said the use and distribution of marijuana is uneven, arguing that the amount of the psychoactive agent in marijuana can vary from 3 percent to 11 percent.

 

"We haven't figured out how to set dosing, how to set the concentration," Holton said. "We haven't set indicators to ensure it's properly prescribed."

 

But medical marijuana is a nontoxic herbal remedy that doesn't pose the same safety risk as an opiate, Berger argued.

 

"That's the other card they play sometimes, it's the DEA line, this is not your father's marijuana," Berger said. "One reason why patients use marijuana as (a painkiller) is that they don't get dopey because they (measure) their usage. It's like any other pain medication, they take it as needed."

 

There could be changes coming to the law, though they face early resistance. Arguing that patients, growers and caregivers are abusing the medical marijuana law approved by voters in 1998, three state representatives — all former state police troopers — have been working on reforms.

 

A bill sponsored by the three in the state Legislature would cut the amount of medical marijuana that patients and growers can have on hand, give police greater access to confidential lists of cardholders, and make it harder for minors to use the drug.

 

Holton said many of the qualifying conditions of medical marijuana seem unnecessary.

 

"You can get it for pain and nausea. I have pain. I'm 6 (foot), 5 (inches), and I fly in planes, in coach class," Holton said. "I don't think they had me in mind when they passed this."

 

 

 

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[rafaeltoral]

California has WAY more than 46,000 patients.

 

Maybe the article should say California has 46,000 registered patients. I would guess California has at least 250,000 patients, and I would not be surprised if it were as high as 500,000.

[CedarSpringsCG]

Raf, your way too low there. I would bet money that LA alone has more than 500,000 people who get mmj. There are around 10 million people in LA alone and 36 million in the state. 500,000 in the state would only be 1.3%, and I bet it is more like 2-3 percent at least.

[peanutbutter]

It is NOT the place of federal agencies to dictate the actions of state law makers.

[solabeirtan]

This man has NO medical qualifications, yet he's erroneously diagnosing Oregons' problems on substance abuse. Oregons' much bigger problem is with prescription drugs. The Report

His speculation is misquoted as being a problem and should be embraced for what it is a NON Narcotic medicine that Will prove an invaluable aid in detoxing patients from Narcotics' Abuses. Hopefully we will see the number of Drug related Deaths and ODs related to Opioid Abuse decrease and discredit this politicians incorrect observations on the healing nature of Cannabis.

[+EdwardGlen]

This man has NO medical qualifications, yet he's erroneously diagnosing Oregons' problems on substance abuse. Oregons' much bigger problem is with prescription drugs. The Report

His speculation is misquoted as being a problem and should be embraced for what it is a NON Narcotic medicine that Will prove an invaluable aid in detoxing patients from Narcotics' Abuses. Hopefully we will see the number of Drug related Deaths and ODs related to Opioid Abuse decrease and discredit this politicians incorrect observations on the healing nature of Cannabis.

 

Must be a states attorney general school of idiotic comments that him and schuette attended together

 

A sophistical rhetorician, inebriated with the exuberance of his own verbosity.

- Benjamin Disraeli

 

Ed

[solabeirtan]

Thanks EG, totally agree, me thinks there were quite a few others attending this class . Especially like Disraelis' comment. However I don't think it addresses the devisive nature of U.S. Attorney Dwight Holton who tries to deflect the obvious culprit BIGpharmiis who are lobbying these Coin operated Juke Box Politicians !.................................peace

[Frank R]

 

"The FDA has people in every plant, and they're looking at everything that goes through," Holton said. "We don't know what's going into (medical marijuana plants). We don't know what pesticides are being used or whatever else is going in there."

 

Oh, really....

Seems they've been napping, much like the Air Traffic Controllers, at the McNeil plants.

Asleep at the switch, allowing tainted medicine to be given to sick children by worried parents.

 

McNeil product recall

 

 

Children's TYLENOL®

Meltaways

 

Children's TYLENOL®

and

Infants' TYLENOL®

 

 

Children's MOTRIN®

and

Infants MOTRIN®

 

 

Children's ZYRTEC®

 

 

SUDAFED® 24 Hour

 

SUDAFED PE®

 

 

TYLENOL® 8 Hour

 

 

TYLENOL® Arthritis Pain

 

 

BENADRYL®

 

 

TYLENOL® Sinus

 

TYLENOL® Allergy & TYLENOL® Cold

 

 

ROLAIDS®

 

 

SINUTAB® SINUS

 

 

Junior Strength MOTRIN®

 

Children's BENADRYL®

 

 

MOTRIN® IB

 

 

TYLENOL® Extra Strength

and

TYLENOL® PM

[purklize]

They always like to whine that there's too many people on the rolls. But how many are there really, when put in perspective?

 

Michigan has 60-65k registered patients. I wonder how many Michigan residents take narcotic painkillers? I'll bet there's far more than med mj patients, and most of them probably really need it.

 

It's the same old tactics, lie, distort, and take out of context. Nothing new... :/