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<DIV><FONT size=2>I agree that the time for legalizing medical marijuana is long
overdue. It is difficult to understand the <STRONG>non-emotive</STRONG>
part of opposition to this. Cocaine, heroin, etc have long (read:
centuries) been used in medicine. Many of the really potent prescription
pain killers available today are synthetic opium derivatives, and much more
expensive, addictive, and with dangerous side effects than
marijuana.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Under the right conditions, I'd support generally legalizing
marijuana also. I wonder also if legalizing it would reduce the over
consumption of alcohol and its consequences for some people.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Here is another consideration.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>"No man is an island." -- John Donne.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>This is a poetic way of stating what we have now came to
realize with advancing knowledge: Everything every person does affects the
world and others in it. Most of these effects are small, almost
immeasurable, but some are not, especially cumulatively.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Meth use is one with horrible/tragic consequences
for almost all that venture there. It also has tragic/horrible
consequences for the user's children, friends, family, employers,
etc. The amount of harm that comes into the world from meth use is
egregiously more than marijuana use. Hence, the amount of resources spent
combating meth use/manufacture/distribution ought be much, much more than that
used to combat marijuana use.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>I believe that alcohol abuse is a much more serious problem
than marijuana use. When I lived in Boundary County, I knew a great number
of people who used marijuana, and many, many people who abused alcohol.
Seldom did the marijuana users end up in court resulting in actions from their
marijuana use, but according to the two magistrate judges who I knew
well, about 75% of their time spent in criminal matters concerned
cases where excessive alcohol use was a factor, about half of these were repeat
offenders whose previous offenses were ones where alcohol was a
factor.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>The arrests and some times the actual behavior that resulted
in the arrests from alcohol related offenses in Boundary County were
sometimes videotaped. Along with the magistrate judges and many law
enforcement personnel, We wondered/discussed what the effect would be of
continuously broadcasting these tapes on local access TV.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>In light of Donne's observation, ought we not spend resources,
including creative thinking about prevention and deterrence, combating
problems in proportion to the harm they cause?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>W.</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=godshatter@yahoo.com href="mailto:godshatter@yahoo.com">Paul
Rumelhart</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=ttrail@moscow.com
href="mailto:ttrail@moscow.com">Tom Trail</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Cc:</B> <A title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, April 07, 2010 10:06
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] Legalizing
Medical Marijuana</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><BR>I'm glad to see some movement in this area. Of all
the drugs that are <BR>available, legally or otherwise, marijuana seems to be
one of the least <BR>dangerous. I'm all for legalizing it completely so
that we can invest <BR>our efforts in tackling the truly dangerous drugs more
efficiently. <BR>Marijuana use is not something I'm particularly
interested in, but it <BR>doesn't have the devastating effects that cocaine,
heroin, and some of <BR>the more exotic drugs do.<BR><BR>I'm not a big fan of
legislating who can do what to their own bodies, <BR>but the more potent drugs
that are immediately addictive or nearly so <BR>are dangerous enough that I
can see the need for intervention in the <BR>interest of stopping mistakes
that cannot be easily undone. Marijuana <BR>doesn't seem to be in the
same category, from what I've read about it.<BR><BR>Criminalizing people,
sometimes with lifelong consequences, because they <BR>smoked an herb that is
less dangerous than tobacco has always seemed <BR>like a really stupid idea,
in my opinion. This bill at least helps out <BR>those to whom marijuana
is known to have a positive effect. The next <BR>step would be to
legalize it for everyone and free up the tax dollars <BR>that have been
invested in enforcing the laws on it's usage and <BR>incarcerating those who
have done nothing else wrong. It might even <BR>take some of the cash
flow away from the very groups that are making the <BR>Mexico border into a
militarized zone.<BR><BR>Paul<BR><BR>Tom Trail wrote:<BR>>
Visionaries: Some questions have come up about the process of
developing<BR>> legislation for legalizing the use of medical
marijuana. During the past 18<BR>> months I have met with citizens
around the state who suffer a great deal of<BR>> pain from conditions such
as brain cancer, AIDS, and a variety of other<BR>> chronic illnesses.
Medical marijuana is the only substance that brings<BR>> them relief from
their severe pain.<BR>><BR>> The majority of states in the West have
legalized the use of medical<BR>> marijuana. This was done via the
initiative process rather than the<BR>> legislative route. In Idaho
the initiative processes is very expensive<BR>> and difficult compared to
surrounding states. Therefore, it seemed that<BR>> the
legislative route was the best way to go.<BR>><BR>> During the past year
I worked with contacts in other states who had<BR>> passed via the
initiative route the legalization of medical marijuana.<BR>> Draft
legislation was developed and reviewed, and then I asked my other<BR>>
state contacts for their input. I was about ready to introduce
the<BR>> legislation in this past legislative session when I learned that
New<BR>> Jersey had passed via the legislative process a bill which was
considered<BR>> one of the toughest among the 14 states who have legalized
the use of<BR>> medical marijuana.<BR>><BR>> We all know that Idaho
is a very conservative state so my contacts around<BR>> the state
recommended that the New Jersey model might be the best one to<BR>>
follow. I worked closely with Robert Capecchi, Legal Analyst, of the
National<BR>> Medical Marijuana Program in Washington, D.C. and his team to
review the<BR>> proposed legislation. I met with Mr. Capecchi and
Assembleman, Don Murphy<BR>> (Republican) from Maryland last December in
Washington, D.C. Don led the<BR>> successful effort to legalize
medical marijuana in the state of Maryland.<BR>> During the months of
January and February the review process continued<BR>> until we finally
reached agreement that we had a good proposal for Idaho.<BR>> It,
obviously, was too late in the session to introduce the
proposal.<BR>><BR>> I've already held meetings with stakeholder groups
in the Treasure Valley<BR>> and have good contacts in Sandpoint, Idaho
Falls, Pocatello, and Hailey.<BR>> The plan is to hold a series of town
hall meetings this summer around<BR>> the state (at my own expense)
inviting all of the stakeholders including<BR>> legislators to
attend. We also plan to meet with a group of stakeholders<BR>> in
Boise with Governor Otter. We will also be meeting with the
Idaho<BR>> Medical Association, law enforcement agencies,
Department of Health and<BR>> Welfare officials, and many others as the
process moves forward. We are<BR>> now in the process of selecting a
state coordinator and applying for<BR>> several grants.<BR>><BR>> As
you can see, there is a great deal of work involved is working with<BR>>
this type of legislation.<BR>><BR>> Rep. Tom Trail<BR>>
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