Opinion By Rep Callton In Lansing State Journal

[+washtenaut]

Please read it, register on the site, and post some responses to help fight the propaganda and to educate the people. Here is the link to the article, the article, and some comments that I posted.

 

LSJ Callton Opinion

 

 

Medical Marijuana: Party Drug or Real Medicine by Rep Mike Callton

 

In a past column, I wrote of the various interest groups that have been lobbying me since I took office. One of the interest groups to approach me is a medical marijuana advocacy organization.

 

The use of medical marijuana is an issue that has been heavily debated since the electorate of Michigan voted to legalize it in November 2008. From medical marijuana patients to local law enforcement officers, everyone has an opinion - and many people just want to know the standards and rules that apply to this new law.

 

I won't argue that this needs to be addressed by state and local officials. I am currently working with my colleagues in the House to clarify the medical marijuana laws, eliminating confusion to ensure only those truly in need of medical marijuana have access to it. Clarifying this law is a matter of public safety and it is important that we look carefully at how it is being implemented.

 

In the meantime, I'd like to bring up a different viewpoint, one that hasn't been discussed. My thought is this: if medical marijuana wants to be thought of as a serious drug, it needs to act like one. I have a patient who showed me a medical marijuana candy sucker. She bought it - legally and with a prescription - for $5. Whenever she starts feeling back pain, she just sucks on the sucker for a while. She told me that at the place where she purchased the sucker, you can also buy medical marijuana Rice Krispies Treats and brownies.

 

Of growing popularity in Michigan is a social outing known as the medical marijuana bar. People get together and smoke or otherwise legally consume their medicine, and then leave the group and drive home. This is not only dangerous and reckless, but does little to improve the image of medical marijuana as an actual medicine. I don't know of anyone who gathers in groups to down their Lipitor, or makes popping their antibiotics a can't-miss social event. I am the sponsor of a bill in the Legislature that would make medical marijuana bars illegal.

 

The opinion I shared with the medical marijuana lobbyist is simple. As a health care provider, I took an oath to help relieve the suffering of people. If medical marijuana is a drug that helps cancer patients regain their appetite, comforts patients with glaucoma, or alleviates the suffering for someone with chronic debilitating pain, I'm fine with that. But it's time for medical marijuana to decide if it wants to be taken seriously as a medicine, or if it still wants to be the life of the party. If you want to promote a drug that helps people in need, you need to earn some level of respect for that drug.

 

If medical marijuana is a medicine, not just a street drug, there should be a dosage prescribed, like with all other drugs. The potency should be measured for safety. The process for manufacturing marijuana should be uniform, and there should be case studies performed to determine all the medical conditions it can improve. Best medical practices should be defined, as they exist for all other prescription medications.

 

Let's raise the bar for medical marijuana, and treat it like a real medicine, if in fact it wants to be one.

 

Mike Callton is the State Representative for the 87th House District. He can be reached at (517) 373-0842 or mikecallton@house.mi.gov

 

 

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I posted a couple of comments.

 

 

Consider this analogy. Most would agree that there are many who abuse vicodin for the high effect. They are not using it to relieve pain. They are abusing vicodin and it is a major drug problem in our society.

 

To combat that abuse, do we demand that the legitimate users of vicodin stop the vicodin abusers? Of course not. These legitimate users have precious little control over the abusers.

 

Do we attempt to cut off the supply of vicodin to everyone because of the abuse? Of course not. We realize that legitimate users rely on their medicine and to simply cut it off would be cruel.

 

We determine how and why the vicodin abusers are able to obtain the drug and we try to shut off that supply route. It is the responsibility of law enforcement to crackdown on those issuing medical marijuana cards to the abusers. If law enforcement fails to do that, then it should be clear that they are manufacturing this problem.

 

Hmm, I wonder why they would do that. Might it be an attempt to influence public opinion so that the largely uninformed masses will agree that the legislators must save us all from this law?

 

The legitimate users of this medicine are not at fault for the abuse of others and should not be punished for the failure of Schuette and law enforcement to target the real problem.

 

 

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Sorry, I forgot to mention Mr Callton that you could benefit from talking a bit more to legitimate patients to determine their perspective. Most of the proposed legislation that I've read comes at the issue from a law enforcement point of view and seeks to prosecute rather than to protect.. There is a crying need for legislators to step forward to help the legitimate patients.

 

Many have used marijuana for its pain relieving properties for years. Unlike most prescription medications, there are really no serious consequences to experimenting with the dosage to find the effective amount for your ailment. Taking too much can result in sleep - no further negative effects. So, it is very easy for a regular user to determine how much to take to find relief. For the first time user, there could probably be some recommendations to help them get started, but otherwise patients don't need dosing information. They can easily determine that themselves without risking their health.

 

Also, the studies you describe cost money and the pharmaceutical companies that typically sponsor such studies will only spend money on something they can patent and profit from. It is somewhat disingenuous to claim these studies should be done before sanctioning medical marijuana when you likely know that they will not be done without the profit motive.

 

Most in the medical community claim that smoking this medicine delivers enough negatives to the body to outweigh any positives. I disagree with that but here you have someone ingesting this medicine without smoking and you are still dissatisfied. The sucker allows a person to ingest and to limit their intake to an effective dosage. Please try to look past the color of the sucker and consider this as a way to deliver the medicine without the negatives of smoking.

 

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Representative Callton,

 

Patients are very worried that all of these new legislative changes will undermine the intent of the law – to provide affordable access to this medicine for the sick and suffering. We do not have much of a voice in the lawmaking bodies because most patients are sick or disabled and so have very little money for activism or lobbyists to further our cause.

 

Many of the patients that I speak with are afraid that our legislature – you – are aiming to take away the right of patients to grow medicine in favor of the marijuana business interests and a dispensary model. There is a strong belief that legislators such as yourself want to make the current law unworkable so that you can step in and ‘save the day’ for patients by granting permits to large scale, state sanctioned, growers and dispensaries. That is not what the patients want or need.

 

Also, there is already a law that prohibits driving a car if one is ‘impaired’. Why is it necessary to create a new law to prohibit patients from gathering in a social support group simply because some one may use poor judgement, overmedicate, and then drive?

 

Simply ingesting some medicine does not mean that one is automatically then too impaired to drive. If our society can find a way to let users of every other over-the-counter and prescription medication drive as long as they aren’t impaired and allows users of alcohol to drive as long as they are not impaired, certainly users of medical marijuana should be allowed to drive as long as they aren’t impaired.

 

These patients just want to be left alone to use a doctor recommended medicine that allows them a better quality of life than they have been able to find using pharmaceutical medications. Please listen to the patients and not the lobbyists on these issues. Thank you.

[mike44]

It seems like he should also have the same problem with the pharmaceutical companies.

Has he never heard of Fentanyl suckers? Maybe they should get serious too?

[+Silverblue]

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A MARIJUANA BAR!!!! Will someone PLEASE point that out to this being??? GRRRRR! :growl:

 

The other points made here are EXCELLENT!

 

Sb

[Ms Chocolate]

As I lie here, still dealing with a flare that hit me 3 weeks ago, I can only shake my head. If Callton really believes that this woman bought a marihuana sucker - legally and with a prescription; then he’s a bigger sucker than what this woman had in her hand. Marinol does not come in candy form. If this woman had a legal prescription, it had to be for Marinol.

 

Politicians are so stuck on the “smoke ‘em ‘til you high” crowd that they have missed the topical and medible crowd. I know that Rep Horn was surprised to hear that not everybody smoked.

 

I was not aware of the growing popularity of social outings known as medical marijuana bar. In fact, I had not heard the term before Rep Jones coined it. I don’t know, I guess this is where he goes. Besides, how can an outing itself be a bar?

 

If the public is to believe that cannabis, like mint, ginger, and tea tree oil has medical properties then people need to stop speaking of prescriptions, and stop referring to the medical form as pot or grass. In Michigan, mariJuana is not legal, but the medical use of mariHuana is. It would be nice if the media made the same distinction that state law does.

[Oman]

Please read it, register on the site, and post some responses to help fight the propaganda and to educate the people.

 

My comment posted to the paper:

 

Representative Callton is being very misleading. This is unexcusable. Although Representative Callton invokes his "expertise" as a health professional he is speaking far outside his scope of practice as a Chiropractor.

 

http://www.chiromi.com/scope/

 

As the Representative surely knows that the scope of practice for a Chiropractor in Michigan is extremely limited. Pretty much they are limited to working on the Spine and possibly related extremities. They are not in any way, shape, or form allowed to prescribe Rx meds nor to diagnostically evaluate someone with a condition outside their limited scope of practice. I would also draw attention to the fact that it is a bit difficult to discover where Representative Callton received his chiropractic Education. He openly acknowledges graduating from MSU but does not openly disclose that he attended Life Chiropractic, a School that lost accreditation and hid the reasons why rather well.

 

http://www.chirobase.org/03Edu/revocation.html

 

No offense but he is not qualified to evaluate this as the complexities and and crossovers go far outside his scope of practice as identified by the MAC (Michigan Association of Chiropractors) of which he is a member, and noted in the laws of the State of Michigan.

 

I would also draw attention to his advocacy to his constituents, which seems to be the MAC gleefully clapping hands at trying to secure more money from Insurance Companies. See issue February, 2011 of the MAC Journal which also celebrates Representative Callton's selection to various Health Committees. Seems like the only jobs the guy is interested in is for Chiropractors and Lawyers. I think we have had enough of such folk in Lansing. Especially when they are of the "Birthers" belief system:

 

http://tiny.cc/0yq1i

[Petyr]

Besides the fact that "medical marijuana bars" don't exist, what is wrong with them? Especially, what is wrong with them compared to say... a bar? You know the 1000s of places that serve the much more impairing alcohol. I'm pretty sure those parking lots full aren't used car lots.

 

I understand that politicians normally can't connect the dots, but the word "bar" is right there defeating his argument.

[Timmahh]

thats not entirely true SB. in BC, one of the Disp/compassion clubs, had a side room, in which one could enter and medicate on site. fact is, legal or not, it was there, and used. i never associated with this disp/compassion club (as they called themselves a CC, not a Disp.), but knew more than a handfull that had been there, and used the room to medicate.

 

its to this effect, i feel Mr Callton is referring, and in this effect, i can only partialy agree, to the extent of a person leaving a bar that sells alcohol, and being inpaired. Im not much of a drinker at all, but i occasionally drink. I played live music for 30 yrs, in primarily clubs, so im Very familar with the bar scene, and all the effects of it. but Medical Cannabis is not alchol. its Medicine. and Mr Callton does make a fair point in terms of the perception, but perseption is subjective to the eyes perceiving it. To Mr. Callton, a Cannapop (sucker) is a perception of perhaps, adolensence maybe (candy does seem to bring the image of a kid on a playground, but at 45, i have a mighty good sweet tooth). But the fact is a Candy type sucker has and is a great medicinal delivery medium for many ailments and types of medicines used for treatments. To myself, a CannaPop is a means of medicinal delivery.

 

But he does make a fair point. I posted a thread a while back about Perception, and how it effects public view. Lest us not forget, Public View is WHY this law passed, and the fight is being carried out in public view, the war is waged, with the front lines in public view. Make no mistake about how public view weighs on the end means. it is only due to public view that the law was passed, and it will only be with positive public view, that it remains.

 

our own perception of ourselves, and how we carry that into public view, is absolutly crucial to the end means, especialy in this day. with out positive public opinion, all is lost.

 

thing is, anyone with a RX with Vicoden, can drive while under the effects of vicoden. haveing a Rx for the drug, does not instantly mean, they are unable to ever opperate a motor vehicle. it simple means, they "SHOULD" see how the medication will effect them, PRIOR to attempting to Drive. that doesnt mean, they can not be cited/arrested of opperating under the influance of vicoden, in the event, someone takes too much, or has a low cognative tolerance to the drug when compared to the average prescription vicoden user. but for all intensive purposes, you take your medication, and in most cases, the effects are minimal if taken proplerly, and you are aware of your personal tolerances, which regardless of the medication used, most persons with control of the mental faculties, know their medicinal limits with any perticular medicine, after a short time of use. Cannabis is no different in this way than is Xanax, Oxycotin, vicoden, Flexoral, or even Nicorette Rx, for that matter. Once a Patient has has some time using the medication, they get to understand what their own tolerances are, thus what they are completely capable of doing, Legally, Safely, and wihtout adverse effects in the course of their day, including personal, work, or other events that happen as part of ones daily existance. the government can not say, if you Grow Cannabis at your home, then your grow needs to be inspected for code compliance and safty/regulation satifaction standards, and not apply the same law to the guy across the street, who is growing his own natural hydroponic, food. Whether he sells the food, gives the food away to a homeless shelter or food bank, or cans it for his own future and personal use, he too, must be subject to the same regulation as the same equipment, and the same end means are being adheared to. that is both are producing consumable goods, using the same equipent nearly across the board, with only technique, and variety of type of vegitation being grown.

in the same aspect, the government can not say, well if you have a Medical need to use Cannabis, then you can not opperate a vehicle, with out also saying to ANY user of ANY medical drug, you can not opperate any motor vehicle, simple due to the fact you are using a medicinally needed drug, to exist thru the next 24hrs of existance.

 

So lets take a look at the picture here. They (Shuitee) say Cannabis use for medical purposes = no right to ever drive a motor vehicle while you have the right to use cannabis medically. so that MUST be equally applied to all drugs used for treatment of a medical ailment/illness. including but not limtied to: Xanax, Oxycotin, Valuum, Librium, Lithium, Clonipin, Nicotene Patches, Paxil, Insulin (yes this is a mood altering drug, ever see a diabetic get combative due to high blood sugar? insulin brings the sugar down, and the mood becomes more equal, thus normalizes. so insulin must also be included). Not to mention Ritalin, , and Viagra. we must press on the fact, their can not be a double standard in regards to any situation regardless of the issue, not just the medical cannabis front. if growers of cannabis need their grow facility and opperations scrutinized, then so does the person down the road, with the home garden, even if that garden is out back. they are producing consumable goods. medically relavent or not is not relavent, the good are consumable, and that is the binding roll to uniformaty in the application of any codes, or laws concernging the growing. If they want to take the right to drive away for a Patient using Cannabis, then they also need to remove the driving privledges for anyone using any medicine, for any ailment, or illness, or Personal Inadequacy resulting in a prescription for Viagra. if Its Medically needed for you existance, well i guess you better move closer to your job, that is if you can still have a job. If one can not drive, then one can not typicaly effectively maintain employment. especially for appoximatly 90% of the US.

[Croppled1]

This is non toxic so the patient is the best determiner of dosage unlike other herbal substances or vitamins . Though this is a item of medicinal use that brings serious irreplaceable comfort to the sick and injured in its natural plant form and has great potential to be utilized in real medicine .... it is safer then most over the counter items . Truthfully it is sad our legislators aren't quick thinking enough nor without fear of the Federal Government to do what is right and just remove all State laws on cannabis period . To reschedule to over the counter and allow people to grow what they need at home . Qualified patients and caregivers should be able to exchange at Farmers Markets with the blessing and support of everyone .

 

Where it is legal or decriminalized use usually drops slightly after a initial uptick on novelty . The average person is very responsible and has their priorities in order and values experiencing life naturally and being all they can . People find balance between the golden rule and nothing in excess of the Greeks . The most maladjusted individuals I have ever met are usually those involved in substance abuse dominating others while they shake in place from their own struggles of mental health and profit handsomely . I say that with apologies to those who seek to assist those with addiction and dependence putting the comfort of individuals first and do not profit .

 

The truth is the people of Michigan do not need Cannabis laws that punish , hurt and inflate prices creating a profitable black market and violence - only those that profit in criminality or from their enforcement do . This has led to a ends justify the means erosion of our beloved democracy . May God have mercy on all our souls we have done this to ourselves in spite of the majority only wanting the best for one another . That is never accomplished by force , or injury .

 

May you all be safe this week when you go to Lansing . Give them nothing ....anger feeds them only show your self determination , worth , patience and love . Only when they dehuminize cannabis users can the justify the injuries they force upon them for their own gain or personal ideals .

[Ten4GoodBuddys]

Make citizens into criminals

Make criminals into assets of private prisons

Sell cheap labor to profit off prisoners

 

This is how slavery is born!

[jaman]

This is non toxic so the patient is the best determiner of dosage unlike other herbal substances or vitamins . Though this is a item of medicinal use that brings serious irreplaceable comfort to the sick and injured in its natural plant form and has great potential to be utilized in real medicine .... it is safer then most over the counter items . Truthfully it is sad our legislators aren't quick thinking enough nor without fear of the Federal Government to do what is right and just remove all State laws on cannabis period . To reschedule to over the counter and allow people to grow what they need at home . Qualified patients and caregivers should be able to exchange at Farmers Markets with the blessing and support of everyone .

 

Where it is legal or decriminalized use usually drops slightly after a initial uptick on novelty . The average person is very responsible and has their priorities in order and values experiencing life naturally and being all they can . People find balance between the golden rule and nothing in excess of the Greeks . The most maladjusted individuals I have ever met are usually those involved in substance abuse dominating others while they shake in place from their own struggles of mental health and profit handsomely . I say that with apologies to those who seek to assist those with addiction and dependence putting the comfort of individuals first and do not profit .

 

The truth is the people of Michigan do not need Cannabis laws that punish , hurt and inflate prices creating a profitable black market and violence - only those that profit in criminality or from their enforcement do . This has led to a ends justify the means erosion of our beloved democracy . May God have mercy on all our souls we have done this to ourselves in spite of the majority only wanting the best for one another . That is never accomplished by force , or injury .

 

May you all be safe this week when you go to Lansing . Give them nothing ....anger feeds them only show your self determination , worth , patience and love . Only when they dehuminize cannabis users can the justify the injuries they force upon them for their own gain or personal ideals .

Very well said. Peace

[Guest Indica Jones]

It figures..................he is a Chiropractor.

 

 

I posted.

[barkascruff]

I have a patient who showed me a medical marijuana candy sucker. She bought it - legally and with a prescription - for $5. Whenever she starts feeling back pain, she just sucks on the sucker for a while.

 

A misinformed uneducated on the subject matter legislating chiropractor with an obvious conflict of interest.

 

Say that 5 times fast.

[slickynick]

i read this site alot but i never post until now...

 

 

you guys need to explore google sometimes...while it may not be like this in Michigan it is in other states...

 

http://www.worldfamouscannabiscafe.com/

 

 

http://medicalmarijuana420depot.com/cooking%20recipes/pot%20suckers.htm

[FlintJim]

i read this site alot but i never post until now...

 

 

you guys need to explore google sometimes...while it may not be like this in Michigan it is in other states...

 

http://www.worldfamouscannabiscafe.com/

 

 

http://medicalmarijuana420depot.com/cooking%20recipes/pot%20suckers.htm

 

I guess I dont understand what your post is about. We do not have any kind of cannabis cafes or bars in Michigan. Also I think we all know how to make candy with medication in it. The point was the guy says she had a prescription for it when in fact there is no such thing. You cannot prescribe marijuana in ANY state. You can only recommend it.

[greenbuddha]

Mis-inform, mis-direct and then add a little 'fear' to the mix and you can change 'any one's' perspective on an issue.

 

This is what Mr. Callton is attemptong to do.

 

The only thing we can do is counteract his opinions with our own. And do it 'often'.

 

And we HAVE TO GET OUT AND 'VOTE' IN 2012.

[+EdwardGlen]

The spin Dr is in..

[Eggybuddy]

OMFG~~!!!

 

I won't tell you my name, and It don't matter. But I swear to God, this is the same M. Callton that I went to school with in Fowlerville.

 

It's really hilarious because, it was my first fist fight. I remember I was in the 7th grade.

I caught him and a bunch of kids ripping down some posters in the hallway in the school so I confronted him. He told me " SCrew you, you aint the principle!"

 

So we agreed to meet behide the Fargo station and settle things with our fists,(after school).

 

So when the fighting commenced,,I approached Mike with a left fake and a hard right hand to the jaw. I continued to jab, right hand,jab right hand, and really connected good with a few flurrys and I was really cleaning his clock.

 

But Mike went to the take down and he was a good wressler so,,all I remember is he got on top of me and was about to try to punch me out for the kill,(he didn't know I was ready to throw an armbar on him) Anyhow, all the sudden a Cop pulls Mike off of me and scolded us and the whole school had to go home and back to their boring lives.

 

I like Mike. He's a nice guy. But I think he's full of bunny muffin on this issue. Anyhow please don't delete this,,,I just think it's too funny. I think I'll call he,, I know he WIIL remember me,,,hee hee hee.

[onthefly]

Hi All,

 

It seems there are folks misleading the Public into thinking that "Pharmacies" are:

 

a - Somehow vitally different than CA or anyone working under Chamberlain Ruling model.

b - Even capable of serving Patients in any way properly.

 

Well, first I have to ask you... Now that our Point Of Sale system is up, and records are HIPPA compliant, and can be set to a particular Doctors specific recommended dosage for each patient ( not that I am saying we should do this, just that we could )... now that we are capable of that after only 18 months... IN WHAT WAY ARE WE DIFFERENT THAN A SPECIALIZED "PHARMACY"???

...not that you need to be a "Pharmacy" to provide Valerian Root, or other such Herbal/Medicinals anyways.

 

BECAUSE we ARE capable of the same record-keeping, specified dosages, and security measures as a "pharmacy", why then should we NOT be allowed to provide for Patients what "pharmacies" are totally unprepared to do.

 

I personally would love to see a video of a pharmacist and his two assistants trying DESPERATLEY to take care of 60 patients in a shift. Helping them choose, giving them advice, directing them to what may work best, counseling them, tending to them with a bit of care...

 

Let’s face it, this is NOT what pharmacists do, and I really doubt they even want to do it!

 

Sure, we could probably train them to figure it out. Us former "dispensary" (BLAH!) operators and employees now out of work and business. But they would want to separate it from their other clientele anyways (we can see that already, right?). SO... WHY NOT LET US DO IT, THEN ??? If you insist I hire a pharmacist just to sit in a chair and chill, I could.

 

The fact of the matter is that the only difference between a clinic, methadone clinic, or alternative health center, and a "dispensary" operating under the Chamberlain Ruling is...

...we are professionals, but we also have FUN!

 

That's right. We could put on white lab coats, too. Dr. Doofenschmirtz style! We could put on white lab coats, and then use exactly the SAME technology and security to do exactly the SAME thing as a "pharmacy", but because we are who we are, WE would make it MORE FUN!

 

Well, it's just not our fault that we are more fun than other people!

 

Nor is it a strike against us. It’s our eternal optimism that has endured far worse set-backs than THIS one. It just isn’t our fault that the same people our Attorney General might call "stoners" just happen to know how to make everything just a little bit more enjoyable.

 

AND so that is exactly what I would LOVE for you all to do tomorrow in Lansing. Be good to everyone there. Be good to each other. Ignore any book-burning whacko's. And go out there and HAVE MORE FUN than anyone else in the Capitol City!!!

 

· Prove that we can do the same thing, only better... AND have more fun doing it!

 

· That's a win no matter which way the wind blows.

 

 

Matthew Taylor

Ken Van Every

CA of Mount Pleasant

CA of Lansing

[Eggybuddy]

No kiddin,,maybe I can bump into Rep. Mike Callton again,,

[WalledLakePatient]

I believe he is talking about this bill http://tinyurl.com/2011MIHB4397. I think it is to hit compassion clubs that charge dues.

 

WLP