Court: Dying can be charged for using marijuana

[skyrider]

SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- A California woman whose doctor says marijuana is the only medicine keeping her alive is not immune from federal prosecution on drug charges, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday.

The case was brought by Angel Raich, an Oakland mother of two who suffers from scoliosis, a brain tumor, chronic nausea and other ailments. On her doctor's advice, she eats or smokes marijuana every couple of hours to ease her pain and bolster a nonexistent appetite as conventional drugs did not work.

The Supreme Court ruled against Raich two years ago, saying that medical marijuana users and their suppliers could be prosecuted for breaching federal drug laws even if they lived in a state such as California where medical pot is legal.

Because of that ruling, the issue before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was narrowed to the so-called right to life theory: that marijuana should be allowed if it is the only viable option to keep a patient alive.

Raich, 41, began sobbing when she was told of the decision and said she would continue using the drug.

"I'm sure not going to let them kill me," she said. "Oh my God."

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/03/14/med.marijuana.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories


grrrrrrrrrrr Glad i fundraise call and support the Drug Policy Alliance.
http://www.drugpolicy.org/homepage.cfm

When will this country come to its senses?

[Jolie Rouge]

DEA raids LA medical marijuana clinics
By ANDREW GLAZER, Associated Press Writer
43 minutes ago[/i]

LOS ANGELES - Federal agents raided 10 marijuana clinics Wednesday, the same day city leaders introduced a measure calling for an end to the crackdown on the dispensaries allowed under state law.

The bust netted five arrests, large quantities of marijuana and cash, and was the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's second-largest since California voters approved medical marijuana sales in 1996. The drug remains illegal under federal law.

DEA spokeswoman Sarah Pullen said the timing of the bust and the city's action was "purely coincidental."

The agency has maintained the clinics are distribution points for illegal drugs and earn their owners big profits. Those arrested Wednesday included clinic owners and managers, though no patients, for investigation of marijuana distribution.

Councilman Dennis Zine, who earlier in the day wrote a letter to DEA Administrator Karen Tandy asking the agency to stop the raids, called the federal agents "bullies."

"Instead of using resources to go after drug dealers ruining neighborhoods and poisoning school kids, they're going after individuals dying of cancer and suffering from AIDS who need cannabis to have any type of appetite," Zine said.

The clinics are largely unregulated, which Zine and others said invites illegal pot use and sales.

He said he and the council support a congressional bill that would prohibit new clinics from opening until the city finds a way to better regulate its more than 100 dispensaries. It also calls for withholding funding for DEA raids on medical marijuana clinics.

The council proposed Wednesday requiring existing dispensaries to obtain a city tax registration certificate, a seller's permit, a property lease, business insurance, proof of dispensary membership and a county health permit within 60 days.

DEA agents raided 11 Los Angeles-area dispensaries in one day in January, the largest-ever such crackdown by the agency.

Earlier this month, the DEA sent letters to at least 30 landlords of marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles County warning their property and assets could be seized. Agency officials said at the time the letters were not a threat.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070726/ap_on_he_me/medical_marijuana;_ylt=AnNmMlS_6aE.haiMXCe42ims0NU E

[pepperpot]

This is disgusting. My cousin has MS and this helps her so. What is wrong with these people? She's not a junkie nor a pusher.....she's a sick person who needs help.:(

[DestinysGrandma]

Why doesn't the government go after cocaine or crank pushers. I'm sure Lindsey Lohan doesn't need cocaine to stay alive...although even if it was in her pocket it wasn't hers??? I wonder if a lot of our lawmakers use cocaine too? leave these poor ppl alone. Go after the ppl who sell and get rich but leave the sick alone!

[IthinkNOT!]

Exactly, g after the ones pushing hard drugs. These people are actually in need of this, who is in need of crack or cocaine? Figure pot is the one drug we have, that while there are many users, you don't hear of very many who go out and kill someone or steal something to feed there habit.

[PrincessArky]

The ppl running the government have their heads so far up their butts they dont cant do anything right anymore

[ahippiechic]

The ppl running the government have their heads so far up their butts they dont cant do anything right anymore

No kidding!

[Char]

Weed has not been illegal forever... I mean crap, it can grow wild ! I say give the dying anything they want ! My uncle was dying from stomach cancer, he had been 6"5' and around 250 pounds (actually thin looking for a man that tall), he was down to like 125 pounds a month before he died... he was almost in a fetal position, he already looked dead, and the pain was great... they were giving him DARVOCET !!! Geeze, I can take two of those just for monthly pain ! We finally convinced my aunt to get on the doctor and get him something stronger, when she asked the doc, he said "we don't want him to be dependant on anythng if we can help it"... What the crap !?!? So what if he's a total junkie for one more month, at least he won't have to deal with the pain !

Funny how weed can be illegal, yet, you can drink yourself stupid with alcohol... that has never made sense to me. WHo would you rather be around, someone mellowed out on weed, or, someone schitt-faced drunk ?

The ONLY reason weed is illegal is because they (government) can find no way to control it if it were legal. It's really hard to make large quantities of alcohol at home, but anyone can plant seeds... and they know it.

[ahippiechic]

Funny how weed can be illegal, yet, you can drink yourself stupid with alcohol... that has never made sense to me. WHo would you rather be around, someone mellowed out on weed, or, someone schitt-faced drunk ?

The ONLY reason weed is illegal is because they (government) can find no way to control it if it were legal. It's really hard to make large quantities of alcohol at home, but anyone can plant seeds... and they know it.

Ditto!

[Jolie Rouge]

It's really hard to make large quantities of alcohol at home, ...

Oh... I wouldn't say that :cheers:

[dcut4]

here is a history of marijuana and how it became illegal.

http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2003/12/22/whyIsMarijuanaIllegal.html

I know a friend of mine had chemo for breast cancer and a joint was the only thing that helped her from throwing up all day, she also had an appetite because of it. Still she hid it from her husband because he is so anti drug. He would have rather had her suffer than her use it. I would have told him to kiss my ass and lit it up in front of him.

Wonder what the judges and lawmakers would do if they saw a loved one suffering and KNEW marijuana would help, bet it would be a different story.

[PrincessArky]

here is a history of marijuana and how it became illegal.

http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2003/12/22/whyIsMarijuanaIllegal.html

I know a friend of mine had chemo for breast cancer and a joint was the only thing that helped her from throwing up all day, she also had an appetite because of it. Still she hid it from her husband because he is so anti drug. He would have rather had her suffer than her use it. I would have told him to kiss my ass and lit it up in front of him.

Wonder what the judges and lawmakers would do if they saw a loved one suffering and KNEW marijuana would help, bet it would be a different story.

Dang right they would see it in a completely different light

[nedthenanite]

my aunt had breast cancer a few years ago, and she was getting treated. the chemo was making her sick, so she decided to start smoking weed. it helped, no doubt.
i myself had to quit smoking it because i was addicted. somedays i still wonder what effect smoking has had on me. i won't say don't smoke, but there's a chance of getting addicted. those who are terminally ill have enough to get thru, but an addiction maybe the least of their problems.