[Vision2020] Tom Trail's comments on medical marijuana
Joe Campbell
philosopher.joe at gmail.com
Thu Mar 31 20:11:40 PDT 2011
That was my first thought, too.
On Mar 31, 2011, at 7:07 PM, Dave <tiedye at turbonet.com> wrote:
> OMG I agree with Glen Beck!
>
> RFTHTSMHO
>
> Dave
>
>
> On 03/31/2011 03:27 PM, Bill London wrote:
>>
>> Tom Trail introduced his medical marijuana bill to House committee yesterday with comments below that summarize his legislation.
>> My thanks to Tom for his support of this sensible plan.
>> BL
>>
>> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>>
>> HB 19 MEDICAL MARIJUANA
>> (COMMENTS MADE BY REP. TRAIL TO THE HOUSE HEALTH
>> AND WELFARE COMMITTEE MARCH 30/2011
>>
>> MR. CHAIRMAN AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS—I WANT TO THANK
>> CHAIRMAN MCGEACHIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR REP. LACEY
>> AND I TO SPEAK TO YOUR COMMITTEE IN AN INFORMATIONAL
>> PRESENTATION FORMAT. BOTH OF US WILL SPEAK BRIEFLY TO
>> THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION, AND THE WITHIN THE CONTEXT
>> OF THE INFORMATIONAL PRESENTATION FORMAT WE HAVE
>> INVITED SPECIFIC IDAHO CITIZENS TO TESTIFY. ACCORDING TO
>> OUR AGREEMENT THERE WILL BE NO OTHER TESTIMONY TAKEN.
>>
>> WE ARE PROPOSING HB19 AS A MEASURE THAT WOULD MAKE
>> IDAHO THE 15TH STATE IN THE NATION TO LEGALIZE THE USE OF
>> MARIJUANA TO HELP PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES. THE
>> MEASURE WOULD ALLOW PATIENTS DIAGNOSED WITH SEVERE
>> ILLNESSES LIKE CANCER, AIDS, LOU GEHRIG’S DISEASE, AND M.S.
>> GLAUCOMA AND MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY WITH A DOCTOR’S
>> RECOMMENDATION TO HAVE ACCESS TO MARIJUANA GROWN
>> AND DISTRIBUTED THROUGH STATE MONITORED DISPENSARIES.
>>
>> AS STATED BY CONGRESSMAN AND PHYSICIAN RON PAUL,
>> WE HOLD TO THE RIGHT OF THE DOCTOR-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP
>> IN MAKING THE DECISION TO USE MEDICAL MARIJUANA RATHER
>> THAN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.
>> HB 19 INCLUDES ADEQUATE STATE REGULATION OF THE PROGRAM AND SAFEGUARDS TO ENSURE THAT THE PROPOSED MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM IS NOT ABUSED. CONGRESSMAN RON PAUL NOTES THAT IT IS THE RIGHT OF THE STATE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT MEDICAL MARIJUANA IS LEGALIZED, AND THUS IT BECOMES A STATES RIGHTS ISSUE AS NOTED UNDER THE 10TH AMENDMENT.
>>
>> (2)
>>
>> IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT GLEN BECK SUPPORTS THE
>> LEGALIZATION OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA AS WELL.
>>
>> THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION WOULD BE THE MOST RESTRICTIVE
>> MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAW IN THE NATION BECAUSE IT WOULD
>> PERMIT DOCTORS TO PRESCRIBE IT FOR ONLY A SET LIST OF
>> CHRONIC ILLNESSES. THE LAW WOULD ALSO FORBIDE PATIENTS
>> FROM GROWING THEIR OWN MARIJUANA AND USING IT IN
>> PUBLIC. THIS ADVICE WAS PROVIDED BY SHERIFF WAYNE RAUSCH,
>> FOR PRESIDENT OF THE IDAHO SHERIFF’S ASSOCIATION. THE
>> LEGISLATION WOULD ALSO REGULATE THE DRUG UNDER STRICT
>> CONDITIONS USED TO TRACK THE DISTRIBUTION OF MEDICALLY
>> PRESCRIBED OPIATES LIKE OXYCONTIN AND MORPHINE. PATIENTS
>> WOULD BE LIMITED TO TWO OUNCES OF MARIJUANA PER EVERY
>> 28 DAYS.
>>
>> I’D LIKE TO MENTION THAT THE STATE’S THAT HAVE HAD THE
>> MOST SUCCESS WITH THEIR MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAMS HAVE
>> GONE THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS WHERE ALL OF THE
>> STAKEHOLDERS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED. THE LEGALIZATION OF
>> MEDICAL MARIJUANA VIA THE INITIATIVE PROCESSES HAS PRODUCED
>> MANY PROBLEMS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY GOING
>> THE LEGISLATIVE ROUTE. MARYLAND IS ONE SUCH STATE. IN 2003
>> A BIPARTISAN EFFORT LEAD BY ASSEMBLEMAN DON MURPHY-
>> REPUBLICAN MOVE THEIR BILL TO PASSAGE. TWO MONTHS AGO
>> THE MARYLAND ASSEMBLY REAFFIRMED THE DEFENSE OF MEDICAL
>> MARIJUANA ACT—85% VOTE REPUBLICANS AND 87% DEMOCRATS.
>> THIS BILL WAS SIGNED BY A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR. I WAS APPROACHED SEVERAL YEARS AGO BY SEVERAL CONSTITUENTS WHO SUFFERED BRAIN CANCER, M.S. AND LOU GERHIG’S DISEASE. THEY RECEIVED A RECOMMENDATION FROM MY WIFE’S FAMILY DOCTOR
>> (3)
>>
>> IN MOSCOW BUT THEY WENT TO WASHINGTON STATE FOR THEIR LEGAL MEDICAL MARIJUANA.
>>
>>
>> WE HAVE THE CASE IN ONTARIO WHERE THERE IS A ALTERNATIVE
>> DISPENSARY. THE OPERATOR OF THE DISPENSARY REPORTS
>> THAT WITHIN THE PAST SIX MONTHS MORE THAN (300) IDAHO FAMILIES HAVE MOVE TO THE ONTARIO AREA SO THAT A CRITICAL
>> ILL MEMBER OF THE FAMILY CAN LEGALLY OBTAIN MEDICAL
>> MARIJUANA FOR THEIR PAIN. IF THEY COME BACK INTO IDAHO
>> THEY ARE SUBJECT TO THE LAWS OF OUR STATE AND LIVE IN
>> THE SHADOWS OF FEAR.
>>
>> RESEARCH CARRIED OUT IN CANADA VIA A DOUBLE BLIND
>> STUDY CLEARLY INDICATES THAT MEDICAL MARIJUANA COMPARED
>> TO OTHER MEDICATIONS, I. E. OXYCODON, ETC. WAS SUPERIOR
>> IN REDUCING PAIN. WE MUST REMEMBER THAT MEDICAL
>> MARIJUANA WAS LEGAL IN THE U.S. UP THROUGH THE EARLY 70’S
>> UNTIL DEA DECLARED IT TO BE AN ILLEGAL DRUG. THERE IS CONTROVERSY AND DISAGREEMENT AROUND THE MEDICAL PROFESSION IN IDAHO AND OTHER STATES ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA. DR. BOUGHTON, MY
>> WIFE’S DOCTOR, NOTES THAT SHE HAS HAD SEVERAL PATIENTS
>> WITH MEDICAL MARIJUANA. SHE NOTES THAT THERE IS THE OPTION
>> OF MARICOL WHICH IS LEGAL BUT VERY EXPENSIVE AND DIFFICULT
>> TO TIRATE TO EFFECT SINCE ONCE THE PATIENT TAKES IT THE EFFECT
>> ISN’T FELT FOR AWHILE. SMOKING IS MORE APPROPRIATE FOR
>> PATIENTS WHO HAVE TROUBLE TAKING ORAL MEDICATIONS.
>> MARIJUANA IS PARTICUARLY EFFECTIVE FOR ALLOWING PATIENTS
>> TO REDUCE THEIR INTAKE OF OPIATE MEDICATIONS. ALTHOUGH
>> THERE MAY BE SOME HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH IT, OPIATE
>> (4)
>>
>> SIDE EFFECTS OF NAUSEA AND VOMITING AND SOMETIMES LIFE
>> THREATENING CONSTIPATION IS NOT AMONG THEM. THE OPTIATE
>> LIKE OXYCODON, MORPHINE, ETC. ARE TOXIC, EXPENSIVE, AND
>> TERRIBLY ADDICTIVE AND MANY TIMES MORE EXPENSE MEDICATIONS HAVE TO BE USED TO CURE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF THE OPIATES.
>>
>> IN MOST STATES BEFORE LEGALIZATION, LAW ENFORCEMENT
>> HAS OPPOSED LEGALIZATION OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA. HOWEVER
>> THE DATA FROM MANY STATES CLEARLY SHOWS FROM LAW
>> ENFORCEMENT STATISTICS THAT THERE IS NO NEGATIVE IMPACT
>> TO THE CRIME RATE BECAUSE OF ITS LEGALIZATION.
>>
>> A RECENT STUDY OF ALL 14 STATES WHERE IT IS LEGAL,
>> INDICATES THAT WHEN CONSIDERING MIDDEL AND HIGH SCHOOL
>> STUDENTS THAT MARIJUANA USE ACTUALLY WENT DOWN IN
>> 11 OF THE STATES, FLAT IN TWO STATES, AND IN ONE STATE WENT
>> UP SLIGHTLY.
>>
>> THE IDAHO STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OPINION INDICATED
>> THAT THE PROPOSED IDAHO COMPASSIONATE USE OF MEDICAL
>> MARIJUANA ACT AS PRESENTED DOES NOT APPEAR TO CONTAIN
>> ANY PROVISIONS THAT ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL OR OTHERWISE
>> ILLEGAL. THEREFORE, THE QUESTION OF WHETHER THE ACT SHOULD
>> BE ENACTED INTO LAW IS A MATTER OF POLICY.
>>
>> UNDER THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION, THE DEPARTMENT
>> OF HEALTH AND WELFARE WOULD BE IN CHARGE. A SMALL NUMBER BUT WELL LOCATED DISPENSARIES WOULD BE APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT. ALL OPERATORS OF THE DISPENSARIES WOULD GO THROUGH CRIMINAL CHECKS AS WELL AS ALL WORKERS
>> (5)
>>
>> PATIENTS OR CARE GIVERS WOULD ALL HAVE TO GO THROUGH
>> CRIMINAL CHECKS AND NO ONE WITH A DRUG RELATED CHARGE
>> COULD PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.
>>
>> I TALKED WITH DIRECTOR ARMSTRONG ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
>> HE INDICATED THAT IF THE LEGISLATION PASSED HE FELT THE
>> DEPARTMENT COULD CARRY OUT THE MANDATE. HE ALSO
>> INDICATED THAT THERE COULD BE SOME SAVINGS IN MEDICAL
>> COSTS FOR PATIENTS/MEDICAID ETC. UNDER DEPARTMENTAL
>> PROGRAMS WHEN COMPARING THE COST TO HIGHER PRICED
>> OPIATES.
>>
>> I’VE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET A SURVEY OF THE WAY STATES
>> HANDLE THE COST OF THE PROGRAM. THE DETAILS VARY BUT
>> THE DEPARTMENT THROUGH RULE WOULD SET UP THE FEE
>> SCHEDULE FOR PATIENTS WITH DOCTOR RECOMMENDATIONS
>> AND ALSO THE FEE SCHEDULE FOR OPERATORS OF ALTERNATIVE
>> DISPENSARIES. THE GOAL WOULD BE COST NEUTRAL
>> TO RUN THE PROGRAM AND ALSO COVER COSTS RELATED TO
>> THE IDAHO STATE POLICE.
>>
>> AGAIN, I THINK AS CONGRESSMAN RON PAUL WOULD PUT
>> IT—THIS IS A STATE’S RIGHT ISSUE AND AS MANY MEDICAL DOCTORS
>> INDICATED MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN MANY CASES IS THE ONLY MEDICATION THAT CAN DRAMATICALLY REDUCE PAIN AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG OUR MOST CRITICALLY ILL.
>>
>>
>>
>> =======================================================
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>> mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>> =======================================================
>
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> http://www.fsr.net
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