Place Your Bets-Medical Marijuana Lawsuit Reviewing Scientific Evidence Reaches Federal Court For First Time In Nearly 20 Years

[Michael Komorn]

Any thoughts or predictions on this

(Gambling is illegal at Bushwood and Sir, I never slice).

1. Who wins this one?

A. Science

2. If rescheduling to what number?

A. 2 (should be a 4)

3. If rescheduling occurs is this good or bad for the Michigan Patient Community?

A. Good, in short term, uncertainty after that.

 

http://www.enewspf.c...y-20-years.html

 

 

Audiotape of yesterday's teleconference briefing with researchers, legal counsel and lawsuit plaintiff now available

 

WASHINGTON--(ENEWSPF)--October 5 - For the first time in nearly 20 years, a United States Court of Appeals is set to hear oral arguments in a lawsuit challenging the federal government's classification of marijuana as a dangerous drug with no medicinal value: Americans for Safe Access v. Drug Enforcement Administration. This historic case will force a federal court to finally review the scientific evidence regarding the therapeutic efficacy of marijuana.

 

During a press briefing Thursday, plaintiffs in the case, along with leading medical researchers and clinicians, spoke about the necessity of the federal government recognizing current scientific data supporting marijuana rescheduling. Marijuana is currently classified in the same category as heroin despite calls from scientists, medical professionals, and policy makers to reschedule marijuana for medical use.

 

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit will hear opening arguments on the case the morning of October 16, 2012. "Medical marijuana patients are finally getting their day in court," said Joe Elford, Chief Counsel with Americans for Safe Access (ASA), who will be arguing the case before the D.C. Circuit. "What's at stake in this case is nothing less than our country's scientific integrity and the imminent needs of millions of patients."

 

On the call, Dr. Donald Abrams, Director of Clinical Programs at San Francisco General Hospital, described the effectiveness of medical marijuana in the treatment regimens of cancer and HIV/AIDS patients. "In my practice every day as a cancer specialist I see patients who have loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting from their chemotherapy, pain on and off of opiates, anxiety, depression, and insomnia," conditions which Dr. Abrams said can be alleviated by medical marijuana.

 

Dr. Igor Grant, Executive Vice-Chair, Department of Psychiatry, University of California-San Diego School of Medicine, and director of the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research, stated that multiple California state-supported studies have resulted in "very good evidence" that medical marijuana "is effective in treating muscle spasticity," which is often experienced by patients with Multiple sclerosis and other painful disorders. He added that it is critical to separate out patients' legitimate medical needs from other issues surrounding marijuana's distribution and usage. Dr. Grant recently published a study in Open Neurology Journal concluding that marijuana's current classification is "untenable."

 

Plaintiff Michael Krawitz, a Gulf War veteran and medical marijuana patient, conveyed his struggle in managing his combat-related pain without relinquishing federally-mandated VA benefits under marijuana's current classification. Without access to medical marijuana, he stated he is in danger of destabilizing his overall health condition, a situation Krawitz has faced multiple times due to federal policy.

 

Steph Sherer, ASA’s Executive Director, ended the call by noting that the rescheduling case coincides with the organization's 10th anniversary of its founding, which will be marked by an event the night of October 16th honoring individuals, including numerous elected officials, who have led the fight for patient access.

 

"The time has come to address medical marijuana as a public health issue and for the federal government to prioritize science over politics," Sherer said.

 

Further information:

Audio recording of Thursday's teleconference briefing on the rescheduling case: http://snd.sc/OHKSoR

Details of ASA's 10th anniversary dinner on October 16th: http://AmericansForS...rg/oct16-dinner

 

Michael A. Komorn

Attorney and Counselor

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Email: michael@komornlaw.com

Website: www.komornlaw.com

 

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The most relevant radio talk show for the Michigan Medical Marijuana Community. PERIOD.

[Herb Cannabis]

What's going on Mr. Komorn? Does no one care?

 

My thoughts: Do you remember what happened to the DEA Law Judge (Francis Young - perhaps) ruling back a few years ago?

[AmishRnot4ganja]

If the judge(s) are conservative:

 

There will be no change. Conservatives do not believe in that "science stuff".

 

If the judges are unbiased:

 

It will be rescheduled to a 2 or higher depending upon how enlightened the judge is.

I have no idea what course the conservatives/law enforcement community will take if cannabis is rescheduled. I will guess that they will say the judge was bought off and junk science was used to "fool" the judge. They will not give up. They are rabid in their dislike of cannabis.

 

Depending on what it gets reclassified as, we could see the Federal Govt. end their "War On Cannabis". That would be too much to hope for.

 

If researchers get to actually study cannabis I can foresee them discovering... who knows what?

[t-pain]

the judges will find that marijuana should be rescheduled.

 

the DEA will ignore it. again. or appeal to the supremes

[TheHarvester]

What would people's thoughts be on the dangers of marijuana being moved to schedule 2?

Could we see a day where your prescription for medical marijuana is covered by insurance?

[Michael Komorn]

What's going on Mr. Komorn? Does no one care?

 

My thoughts: Do you remember what happened to the DEA Law Judge (Francis Young - perhaps) ruling back a few years ago?

 

My recollection of Judge Francis Young ( Federal Judge) was that he concluded potato chips are more dangerous than cannabis.

[THEmichi-icky]

I hear people talk bout how good things will be when marijuana is a removed fom being a schedule 1, im not convinced. It may have perks but it has alot of the same. Did we forget the dea gave permission last year for 14 big pharma companies to grow cannabis? if the feds reschedule I see strickter/harsher enforcment on anyone who still grows(smokes?) with the american version of sativex being favored(by dea) over MM. That way The dea keeps its cash cow and we get the same marginaly effective crap. yep im pessimistic.

[tricloud]

A. 2 (should be a 4)

 

Shouldn't even be on the list like cigarettes and booze. But yes if Marinol is sched 3 then how can raw marijuana be above that?? Definitely should be below 3 though.

[tricloud]

I hear people talk bout how good things will be when marijuana is a removed fom being a schedule 1, im not convinced. It may have perks but it has alot of the same. Did we forget the dea gave permission last year for 14 big pharma companies to grow cannabis? if the feds reschedule I see strickter/harsher enforcment on anyone who still grows(smokes?) with the american version of sativex being favored(by dea) over MM. That way The dea keeps its cash cow and we get the same marginaly effective crap. yep im pessimistic.

 

Sometimes things just have to take their course. Anybody who has genuine morals knows marijuana should be totally removed from this list. Aspirin is medicine and we can but it at a gas station. Thats the most control marijuana should have. Over the counter and 21 to purchase.

 

We can't concern ourselves with the dea's corruption..... We just need to do the right thing. I think the medical marijuana law made many of us forget where we were 5 yrs ago.

[tricloud]

What's going on Mr. Komorn? Does no one care?

 

My thoughts: Do you remember what happened to the DEA Law Judge (Francis Young - perhaps) ruling back a few years ago?

 

My recollection of Judge Francis Young ( Federal Judge) was that he concluded potato chips are more dangerous than cannabis.

 

This is just more of the kind of evidence or proof really of corruption. What about the report By Dr. Grinspoon written for the Nixon admin back in the 60's? Time and time again our government has turned it's head to science, facts and reason to instead promote incarceration and suffering.

 

How can we argue with a force that believes Marinol has medical value yet the very plant it's derived from has NO medical value? A drug prescribed in the medical field that replicates a condensed and concentrated version of marijuana? What more proof do we need that marijuana needs to be at minimum rescheduled. I don't understand why we don't drive this point home more often or why most folks don't pay attention to this? To me it's the most convincing evidence that marijuana NEEDS to be re or unclassified. Somehow once something gets made into pill form what it's made from doesn't matter.

[Celliach]

I hear people talk bout how good things will be when marijuana is a removed fom being a schedule 1, im not convinced. It may have perks but it has alot of the same. Did we forget the dea gave permission last year for 14 big pharma companies to grow cannabis? if the feds reschedule I see strickter/harsher enforcment on anyone who still grows(smokes?) with the american version of sativex being favored(by dea) over MM. That way The dea keeps its cash cow and we get the same marginaly effective crap. yep im pessimistic.

 

I have to agree. Cocaine is a schedule 2 drug. How's that working out for cocaine users?

[TheHarvester]

I think the medical marijuana law made many of us forget where we were 5 yrs ago.

 

A profound statement.

The "freedoms" we have in Michigan are appreciated but do tend to anesthetize us from the the painful reality that we still live in a day and age where factions of society declare wars on plants and the people who fancy them.