US Finds Pot Illegal

[-GS-]

Sick people can't smoke marijuana in the United States, even under doctor's orders, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled.

Six of the court's nine justices supported the decision, which overturns laws passed in 10 of the 50 states that allowed people to grow their own pot and use it to treat various illnesses.
(CP file photo)

The case before the court involved two seriously ill women in California who were smoking marijuana, on the advice of their doctor, to relieve chronic pain.

Angel Raich, who lives in Oakland, suffers from ailments including scoliosis, a brain tumour, chronic nausea, fatigue and pain. She said she was partly paralyzed until she started smoking pot several times a day.

Diane Monson, who has a degenerative spine disease, grows marijuana in her Oroville backyard.

A California court ruled in 2003 that prosecution of medical marijuana users such as Raich and Monson under the federal Controlled Substances Act was unconstitutional. The Bush administration appealed that finding, and the Supreme Court's majority said on Monday the federal law was a valid exercise of Congress's power, "even as applied to the troubling facts of this case."

California's medical marijuana law, passed by voters as a proposition in the 1996 general election, allows people to grow, smoke or obtain marijuana for medical needs with a doctor's recommendation.

The states of Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington have medical marijuana laws similar to California's.

The legal question presented a dilemma for the Supreme Court's conservatives, who have pushed to broaden states' rights in recent years.

Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the majority opinion, which raised concerns about abuse of marijuana laws. "Our cases have taught us that there are some unscrupulous physicians who over-prescribe when it is sufficiently profitable to do so," he said.

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor filed a dissent, arguing that states should be allowed to set their own rules. "The states' core police powers have always included authority to define criminal law and to protect the health, safety and welfare of their citizens," she said.

http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/nation...pot050606.html
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Ok i can understand the fact that some physicians may over prescribe it, but i do not agree with it being fully illegal. There has to be something they can do to control the physicians. It seems really messed up not to allow people who really need it, access to it because of the fear that physicians may over perscribe it.

[drewh4386]

Good. no more UFOs!

I still think the real reason why mary j is going to remain illegal is because nobody would buy a marked up high as hell(pun) from a store. There are too many home grown stashes. They could make that illegal, but it would serve no purpose cause the mary j would still be on the street.

[-GS-]

Im pretty sure alot of people would buy it from stores. Because they woudl be nicely done up, much like cigarettes. And i think people would trust that quality alot more then the regular dealers on the streets.

[TexasF355F1]

The government refuses to acknowledge that it has been proven that it's affects are not anymore harmful than drinking a beer and while still harmful, far less than smoking cigarettes. The stigma the government has attached to canibus has implemented this anonymous fear into so many citizens that they see it as so evil and a 'gateway' to worse drug use.

It's ridiculous the amount of b.s. information that floats around about it on tv and the net. I smoked nearly 5 out of 7 days a week for 3 years(give or take some weeks at a time here and there) and i don't feel any different. I know for a fact it hasn't made me any less intelligent and the short term memory loss is only that, short term. Short term memory comes back and for one i never had a problem remembering things at all. It's a shame that all the information and nay-sayers are those who have never been under the influence or been around 'normal' people who smoke. The MAJORITY of marijuana users are neither stupid or slow. Instead of drinking a beer at the end of the day they light up a joint. What's the difference? Answer. There is none except the way it is consumed.

[tenguzero]

Hell, why WOULD the administration back decriminalization of Marijuana? They need the whole "evil drugs" excuse to keep their little South American wars brewing, not to mention the kickbacks from the pharmaceutical companies. This country is so ass-backwards when it comes to drug policies it's not funny. Just another example of politicians playing their games of backdoor corrupt politics. I mean come on, without illicit drugs what would overfunded, overblown government agencies like the CIA and DEA have to do all day? Unfortunately I don't think we can expect our government to come out of their little "drugs are the devil" phase anytime soon.

[YogsVR4]

Wrong wrong wrong! The drugs are kept illegal because the vast majority of the people in this country want them to be illegal. If there was a ground swell to make marijuana legal, it would be. Alaska has the highest use rates in the nation – by far. When they had a ballot proposal to legalize its use, it failed – by a wide margin. Until that is turned around, it won’t change. Blaming pharmaceuticals is foolish as they would have nothing to do with the production of marijuana. It’s the tobacco companies that would reap the biggest benefits. They have the production capabilities and distribution networks ready to go if it were legalized.

Keep believing that there is a big conspiracy to keep week illegal and you’ll never approach the issue the right way.

[-GS-]

Originally Posted by YogsVR4

Wrong wrong wrong! The drugs are kept illegal because the vast majority of the people in this country want them to be illegal. If there was a ground swell to make marijuana legal, it would be. Alaska has the highest use rates in the nation – by far. When they had a ballot proposal to legalize its use, it failed – by a wide margin. Until that is turned around, it won’t change. Blaming pharmaceuticals is foolish as they would have nothing to do with the production of marijuana. It’s the tobacco companies that would reap the biggest benefits. They have the production capabilities and distribution networks ready to go if it were legalized.

Keep believing that there is a big conspiracy to keep week illegal and you’ll never approach the issue the right way.

I understand completely what you are sayin and it makes sense. But what about the ten states that did legalize it? Why do they have to suffer? I think it should be the individual states decision, and i think it should still be legal for marijuana to be used medically in those ten states that did vote for it.

[KustmAce]

This will stop nothing but the medicinal uses. What a waste. Now the people who really need it can't get it, while the "illegal" usage will be just as high.

[illegal_eagle187]

agreed, fighting and spending money to keep weed off the street is useless, the government just doesnt know how much they could make by legalizing and taxing it, ive smoked since i was 12....thats 5 years...im not any different, i dont suffer from any health problems, and short or long term memory loss....its a proven fact that smoking a cigarette is more harmful than smoking a joint

[SnoopisTDI]

It all comes down to two things:

1.) Using the "war on drugs" as an excuse to violate our rights and criminalize more people.

2.) Protecting the drug industry.

[tenguzero]

Originally Posted by YogsVR4

Wrong wrong wrong! The drugs are kept illegal because the vast majority of the people in this country want them to be illegal. If there was a ground swell to make marijuana legal, it would be. Alaska has the highest use rates in the nation – by far. When they had a ballot proposal to legalize its use, it failed – by a wide margin. Until that is turned around, it won’t change. Blaming pharmaceuticals is foolish as they would have nothing to do with the production of marijuana. It’s the tobacco companies that would reap the biggest benefits. They have the production capabilities and distribution networks ready to go if it were legalized.

Keep believing that there is a big conspiracy to keep week illegal and you’ll never approach the issue the right way.

That's not it though. The "vast majority" aren't the ones voting on these bills -- it's the politicians and officials (this whole thread is about a decree based on the decision of Supreme Court Judges, NOT the common people.) And do you really wonder WHY there are still so many people out there who think things like Marijuana are "bad"? Because the only information they're basing there decisions on is what's handed to them by *drumroll please* the politicians and special interest groups.

And of course Pharmaceuticals have a stake in the whole thing... after all, if Grandma Estell is turning to pot to help curb pain she's suffering, she's turning AWAY from Oxycontin or other addicitive (and many would argue far more dangerous) prescription meds. These meds are pushed by huge Pharma companies investing ridiculous amounts of money EVERYWHERE. So you had better believe there's pressure on lawmakers. Big tobacco sees no reason to push for the product either, and why would they? You can't get hooked on pot like you can Nicotine... it just doesn't happen. Plus there's not near as much money to be made, as the Tobacco companies are indeed geared up for mass production... except that you really don't need mass production for something like pot -- any pot smoker will tell you, the average cigarette smoker puts down a pack or so a day, the average pot smoker (and I'm not talking the potheads, I'm talking about the majority -- millions of Americans who use it recreationally) would be hard pressed to put the pot equivalent down in a WEEK, if not a month. The profits just aren't there for the tobacco giants. Smaller mom and pop companies (probably more local than national) would beat them to the punch on just accessibility alone.

In any normal scenario the arguments lodged against legalization are just so flimsy it would be laughable -- except that they're backed up by the people with the power to actually do something about it.

[Knifeblade]

HHHHHHHMMMMMMMMM, good points all around.

I smoked in college, averaging once every 3-4 days, didn't seem to affect my 3.4 GPA. Nor did I seem to get "hooked", it was take it or leave it for me, at least.

My opinion is alcohol and tobacco present more danger than marijuana. While I cannot vouch for the accuracy of what I read a long time ago, there was an article in the NY Times around 1987 that described an experiment about driving under the influence of both alcohol and pot.

While the two cannot really be compared or measured equally to the other, re their specific differing effects on the body and brain [mostly], the study showed that [as best they could equalize the inebriation and high to each other on the subjects] the smoker showed less loss of reaction and reflex overall in various driving tests [such as braking, judging distance,running a slalom course, etc.].

Just my

[TexasF355F1]

I've talked to a chemist who studies the effects of cocaine/crack on lab rats. He said that stuff can seriously screw you up. I asked him about pot and he said it does have its problems it's hardly what they make it out to be. He also said if you take vitamins you should experience no noticeable memory loss at all. This guy was a former drugie, who used everything while he was in college, minus heroin.

[Muscletang]

I'm glad this was passed because I don't like this stuff. I know several people on here say "yeah I smoked and I'm fine" or "I never lost my memory" and "it's no gate way drug."

First, I'm glad because you people were very lucky. I know several people though who weren't so luck and their lives got very F-ed up from this stuff.

I know I've posted in other threads and I really pissed some people off because they thought I "didn't get it" or was being "biased." Well I guess I should tell you guys why I think this drug is seriously bad.

This one guy I know can't remember if something actually happened or if it was "all a dream." It's sad when you see him really sit there and think if something everybody is talking about really happened. He can't remember certain things and his long term memory has "holes" in it.

I have a couple of friends who I lost to this stuff. They aren't dead but as far as I see it they are. They got into smoking pot and got into some stuff I didn't want to be part of and I'm glad. I know one of them was arrested for armed robbery and some other crimes he did he got on a bad trip from some weed.

As for pot not being a gateway drug that's bullshit. I've heard from a couple of pot heads that they said the reason they tried coke and some other stuff is because of pot. After a while they said pot just didn't do it and they wanted to try it with some other stuff.

Also, I've known a couple of girls that took a hit and once their "trip" was over they were sleeping with some guy they didn't mean to and 9 months later they had a kid.

I seriously believe this stuff is bad and destroys lives and I'd like to see if off the streets.

[TexasF355F1]

Damn M, sorry to hear bout those people you know. But I'm almost 100% sure that it wasn't pot that caused their memories to go that bad. They had to also be using an amazing amount of acid and cocaine/crack for it to get that bad. Everyone is different and has different reactions to things.

Oz should chime in on this and give his opinion b/c he does know quite a bit about the long term effects different drugs have.