Governors Ask Fed To Change Mmj Schedule

[peanutbutter]

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/01/us/federal-marijuana-classification-should-change-gregoire-and-chafee-say.html?_r=1

 

Why has our own governor not joined them?

 

Perhaps he never thought about it.

 

Should we call his office and ask why not?

[peanutbutter]

Rick Snyders phone number:

 

(517) 373-3400

 

I called already ..

[cristinew]

call and call again

[peanutbutter]

Be nice to the lady .. she only works there.

 

Say those polite words "please" and "thank you."

 

"I'm requesting MY governor join these other governors, please."

 

Like that .. no need to yell at the poor operator.

[Medcnman]

Im not liking the part where you can only get it through pharmacies but its a start. Safe acces points such as the farmers market or P2P/Cg2Cg would be best to keep prices competitive. Great article and thanks for sharing! Medcnman.

[peanutbutter]

Im not liking the part where you can only get it through pharmacies but its a start. Safe acces points such as the farmers market or P2P/Cg2Cg would be best to keep prices competitive. Great article and thanks for sharing! Medcnman.

 

Oh noo .. Please don't try to tell him not to ask the feds to back off.

[AlternativeSolutionsPlus]

Governors Ask U.S. To Ease Rules on Marijuana

Posted by CN Staff on November 30, 2011 at 12:34:24 PT

By Michael Cooper

Source: New York Times

 

USA -- The governors of Washington and Rhode Island petitioned the federal government on Wednesday to reclassify marijuana as a drug with accepted medical uses, saying the change is needed so states like theirs, which have decriminalized marijuana for medical purposes, can regulate the safe distribution of the drug without risking federal prosecution.

The move by the governors — Christine Gregoire of Washington, a Democrat, and Lincoln D. Chafee of Rhode Island, an independent who used to be a Republican — injected new political muscle into the debate on the status of marijuana, which has been raging for decades.

 

Their states are among the 16 that now allow medical marijuana, but which have seen efforts to grow and distribute the drug targeted by federal prosecutors.

 

“The divergence in state and federal law creates a situation where there is no regulated and safe system to supply legitimate patients who may need medical cannabis,” the governors wrote Wednesday to Michele M. Leonhart, the administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

 

Marijuana is currently classified by the federal government as a Schedule I controlled substance, the same category as heroin and L.S.D. Drugs with that classification, the government says, have a high potential for abuse and “no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.”

 

The governors want marijuana reclassified as a Schedule II controlled substance, which would put it in the same category as drugs like cocaine, opium and morphine. The federal government says that those drugs have a strong potential for abuse and addiction, but that they also have “some accepted medical use and may be prescribed, administered, or dispensed for medical use.”

 

Such a classification would allow pharmacies to dispense marijuana, in addition to the marijuana dispensaries that currently operate in a murky legal zone in many states.

 

“What we have out here on the ground is chaos,” Governor Gregoire said in a telephone interview. “And in the midst of all the chaos we have patients who really either feel like they’re criminals or may be engaged in some criminal activity, and really are legitimate patients who want medicinal marijuana.

 

“If our people really want medicinal marijuana, then we need to do it right, we need to do it with safety, we need to do it with health in mind, and that’s best done in a process that we know works in this country — and that’s through a pharmacist.”

 

The state of Washington approved medical marijuana in 1998, with a ballot question that won 60 percent of the vote. But like many states, Washington soon found itself in a legal gray area. The Legislature tried to clarify things last spring, when it passed a law that would have explicitly legalized, regulated and licensed marijuana dispensaries and growers.

 

But the Justice Department warned the governor that growing and distributing marijuana was still against federal law, and said that “state employees who conducted activities mandated by the Washington legislative proposals would not be immune from liability.” Ms. Gregoire, while sympathetic to the goals of the bill, wound up vetoing much of it.

 

It was similar on the other side of the country, where Rhode Island had passed a law authorizing state-regulated marijuana dispensaries. This fall Governor Chafee announced that he could not go ahead with the plan because federal prosecutors had warned him that the dispensaries could be the targets of prosecution.

 

On Wednesday Mr. Chafee said that reclassifying the drug could help many people. “Patients across Rhode Island and across the United States, many of whom are in tremendous pain, stand to experience some relief,” he said in a statement.

 

Other groups have sought reclassification of marijuana in the past, and as recently as this past June the Drug Enforcement Administration denied a petition to do so, based on a review conducted several years earlier. But Ms. Gregoire and Mr. Chafee said the attitude of the medical community had changed since the federal government last reviewed the issue.

 

In 2009 the American Medical Association changed its position and called for reviewing the classification of marijuana, saying that the current classification was limiting clinical research.

 

Ms. Gregoire noted that many doctors believe it makes no sense to place marijuana in a more restricted category than opium and morphine. “People die from overdose of opiates,” she said. “Has anybody died from marijuana?”

 

Source: New York Times (NY)

Author: Michael Cooper

Published: November 30, 2011

Copyright: 2011 The New York Times Company

Contact: letters@nytimes.com

Website: http://www.nytimes.com/

URL: http://drugsense.org/url/qAFKuVXb

 

CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archives

http://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml

[Timmahh]

going to merge this with PBs thread he recently started on the same topic. Nextel Done.

[HELP!]

I kid you not I was just talking about this very thing to a friend today and I hadn't even saw this article/news. A federal change is gonna come and fairly soon its my belief they will honor the legality of states with mmj laws, reclass it and require pharmacies distribute. I don't really like the idea either.

[kruztydj]

This is what I was talking to carl about from the radio show. He filed suit to have his state request that the feds do just that. Thats how it's done but remember he was saying that our state already ruled that Mj was no longer sch 1 in Michigan since we voted the law in. If Michael would be willing to help me a bit I'd glady file suit and force our state to request it. PB talk to michael more on this cuz I'm dam sure we can fish something out on what carl was doing.

We need to get every medical mj state to do the same thing and force there hand even more. The more we keep throwing at them the harder it is for them to say no..... :devil:

[peanutbutter]

I believe that our governor can still join the other governors.

 

Please!! Pretty please!!

[jay420]

Can anybody explain how the Feds can still have Medical Marijuana classified as having no medicinal when the VA is testing it currently on Vets as a treatment for PTSD. In fact its about the only drug that has been found to have a positive effect for PTSD. I am a Disabled Veteran that is rated at 100% service connected disability and its time the Federal Government reclassifies Marijuana and allows research for crying out loud. I served my time to support the Government now its time they support me. All Veterans should unite and riase hell until they make it legal for MM.

[jay420]

Does anybody think the general public really understands what PTSD is about? Everytime I go to the VA hospital I see guys that went to Vietnam 40 to 50 years ago, and have never really come home if you know what I mean. These guys relive thier experiences every day, thats not even counting the 10,000 to 100,000 that are still in Iraq and Afganistan. What are they planning on doing waiting another 50 years to find out that Medical Marijuana to help the guys that are already home or will be home soon hopefully. Sorry to get on a rant but its time the feds get off their asses and do something to Vets. Peace out!

[HELP!]

I agree Jay420. I am a disabled vet as well. Diagnosed with PTSD last year. Cannabis has been the only thing that truly helps me live a somewhat normal life. VA seems to be pretty supportive of vets who are mmj patients.

[jjbigs]

Governors Ask U.S. To Ease Rules on Marijuana

Posted by CN Staff on November 30, 2011 at 12:34:24 PT

By Michael Cooper

Source: New York Times

 

USA -- The governors of Washington and Rhode Island petitioned the federal government on Wednesday to reclassify marijuana as a drug with accepted medical uses, saying the change is needed so states like theirs, which have decriminalized marijuana for medical purposes, can regulate the safe distribution of the drug without risking federal prosecution.

The move by the governors — Christine Gregoire of Washington, a Democrat, and Lincoln D. Chafee of Rhode Island, an independent who used to be a Republican — injected new political muscle into the debate on the status of marijuana, which has been raging for decades.

 

Their states are among the 16 that now allow medical marijuana, but which have seen efforts to grow and distribute the drug targeted by federal prosecutors.

 

“The divergence in state and federal law creates a situation where there is no regulated and safe system to supply legitimate patients who may need medical cannabis,” the governors wrote Wednesday to Michele M. Leonhart, the administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

 

Marijuana is currently classified by the federal government as a Schedule I controlled substance, the same category as heroin and L.S.D. Drugs with that classification, the government says, have a high potential for abuse and “no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.”

 

The governors want marijuana reclassified as a Schedule II controlled substance, which would put it in the same category as drugs like cocaine, opium and morphine. The federal government says that those drugs have a strong potential for abuse and addiction, but that they also have “some accepted medical use and may be prescribed, administered, or dispensed for medical use.”

 

Such a classification would allow pharmacies to dispense marijuana, in addition to the marijuana dispensaries that currently operate in a murky legal zone in many states.

 

“What we have out here on the ground is chaos,” Governor Gregoire said in a telephone interview. “And in the midst of all the chaos we have patients who really either feel like they’re criminals or may be engaged in some criminal activity, and really are legitimate patients who want medicinal marijuana.

 

“If our people really want medicinal marijuana, then we need to do it right, we need to do it with safety, we need to do it with health in mind, and that’s best done in a process that we know works in this country — and that’s through a pharmacist.”

 

The state of Washington approved medical marijuana in 1998, with a ballot question that won 60 percent of the vote. But like many states, Washington soon found itself in a legal gray area. The Legislature tried to clarify things last spring, when it passed a law that would have explicitly legalized, regulated and licensed marijuana dispensaries and growers.

 

But the Justice Department warned the governor that growing and distributing marijuana was still against federal law, and said that “state employees who conducted activities mandated by the Washington legislative proposals would not be immune from liability.” Ms. Gregoire, while sympathetic to the goals of the bill, wound up vetoing much of it.

 

It was similar on the other side of the country, where Rhode Island had passed a law authorizing state-regulated marijuana dispensaries. This fall Governor Chafee announced that he could not go ahead with the plan because federal prosecutors had warned him that the dispensaries could be the targets of prosecution.

 

On Wednesday Mr. Chafee said that reclassifying the drug could help many people. “Patients across Rhode Island and across the United States, many of whom are in tremendous pain, stand to experience some relief,” he said in a statement.

 

Other groups have sought reclassification of marijuana in the past, and as recently as this past June the Drug Enforcement Administration denied a petition to do so, based on a review conducted several years earlier. But Ms. Gregoire and Mr. Chafee said the attitude of the medical community had changed since the federal government last reviewed the issue.

 

In 2009 the American Medical Association changed its position and called for reviewing the classification of marijuana, saying that the current classification was limiting clinical research.

 

Ms. Gregoire noted that many doctors believe it makes no sense to place marijuana in a more restricted category than opium and morphine. “People die from overdose of opiates,” she said. “Has anybody died from marijuana?”

 

Source: New York Times (NY)

Author: Michael Cooper

Published: November 30, 2011

Copyright: 2011 The New York Times Company

Contact: letters@nytimes.com

Website: http://www.nytimes.com/

URL: http://drugsense.org/url/qAFKuVXb

 

CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archives

http://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml

 

 

Im so glad you keep up with everything and put your own lil spin to it! I havent noticed yet if you changed your add in here? it says 100 for certs and a few of my friends just go certed by you by mail and were charged 120? isnt that false advertising?

 

Im so glad a.s p is here to keep an eye on the dr. mills!?!

[jay420]

Thanks for the support Help. I hope your PTSD eases and you make home brother. If I can ever do anything to help let me know. Carrry On Soldier!

Jay420

[David1946]

Feds Should Reclassify Marijuana To Allow Medical Use, Governors Say

 

http://www.huffingto...kusaolp00000008

 

WASHINGTON -- Govs. Lincoln Chafee (I-R.I) and Chris Gregoire (D-Wash.) on Wednesday called on the Drug Enforcement Administration to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule II drug, which would allow it to be dispensed for medicinal use.

 

This move by the governors marks the latest development in a larger struggle to curb the threat of a federal crackdown on medical marijuana dispensaries operating in accordance with state drug laws.

 

Rhode Island and Washington are just two of 16 states that have legalized the use of medical marijuana, but which in recent months have faced ramped-up enforcement actions from federal prosecutors. In California, for instance, U.S. attorneys have shuttered multiple state-licensed marijuana dispensaries that had been operating in accordance with local laws and government for as long as 15 years.

 

"The divergence in state and federal law creates a situation where there is no regulated and safe system to supply legitimate patients who may need medical cannabis," wrote the governors in their letter. "State and local governments cannot adopt a regulatory framework to ensure a safe supply is available for - and limited to - legitimate medical use without putting their employees at risk of violating federal law."

 

The governors aim to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule II drug, along with cocaine, morphine and opium, drugs that, while they do have the potential for abuse and addiction, can also be dispensed for medical uses. Marijuana is currently classified as Schedule I drug, along with heroin, LSD and mescaline.

 

Chafee earlier this year declined to move forward with a state medical marijuana law after federal prosecutors said state pot shops would be subject to persecution under federal law. Such a gray area between state and federal law, the lawmakers emphasized in their letter, should not be allowed to continue.

 

"A public rulemaking process would allow all interested parties to contribute their comments and expertise, and provide a full record for decision," the governors concluded. "These interested parties include patients and medical professionals and the sixteen states and the District of Columbia, or nearly one-third of the nation's population, that have decriminalized limited possession and use of cannabis for serious medical conditions, and at least ten other states are considering similar measures."

 

 

Medical marijuana activists on Wednesday lauded the governors' actions, but cautioned that such efforts should not serve as a substitute for advancing medical marijuana laws at the state level.

 

"The governors' call for re-scheduling marijuana so that it can be prescribed for medical purposes is an important step forward in challenging the federal government's intransigence in this area," said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance in a statement Wednesday.

 

"But their call should not serve as an excuse for these two governors to fail to move forward on responsible regulation of medical marijuana in their own states. Governors in states ranging from New Jersey and Vermont to Colorado and New Mexico have not allowed the federal government's ban on medical marijuana to prevent them from approving and implementing statewide regulation of medical marijuana. Governors Gregoire and Chafee should do likewise."

 

The governors aren't alone in their call to reclassify the drug. The American Medical Association in 2009 came out in favor of reviewing pot's classification, arguing more research still needs to be done.

 

 

[cristinew]

this is posted on another thread

[DLD420]

MM is an herb so I don't believe the FDA has as much control over herbal remedies so I don't think pharmacy's will be dispensing MM. I believe the State govs will control it Thur state run dispensaries.

[puffaway]

Snyder gets his legal opinions from Schuette. So I doubt we are going to get any co-operation from him. Snyder would rather have more people busted anyhow so the state can confiscate as much property as possible to sell at auction and help the state coffers.

[jjbigs]

Snyder gets his legal opinions from Schuette. So I doubt we are going to get any co-operation from him. Snyder would rather have more people busted anyhow so the state can confiscate as much property as possible to sell at auction and help the state coffers.

you mean they need more than the billion dollars that just appeared from no where?