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Obama: Going back on promises? Why is this still happening??


JT Allen

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A Los Angeles federal judge on Thursday sentenced the owner of a marijuana dispensary to a year in prison, a sign that providers of medical marijuana still face the possibility of jail time despite the Obama administration’s promise not to prosecute them if they comply with state laws.

 

In imposing his sentence on Charles C. Lynch, who ran a dispensary in the surfing hamlet of Morro, Judge George H. Wu said the changed federal policy did not directly affect his ruling. But the judge talked at length about what he said were Mr. Lynch’s many efforts to follow California’s laws on marijuana dispensaries and the difficulty the judge had finding a loophole to avoid sending him to prison.

 

“I find I cannot get around the one-year sentence,” Judge Wu said of federal sentencing laws.

 

The judge said he had reduced the sentence from a mandatory five years because Mr. Lynch had no criminal record or history of violence, and did not fit the strict definition of a “leader” of a criminal enterprise.

 

Mr. Lynch, 47, was convicted last summer on five federal counts in connection with the running of his dispensary and the selling of medical marijuana to customers under 21.

 

Legal experts said the case highlighted the conflict between state and federal laws on medical marijuana. Federal law prohibits the cultivation, sale and use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, but 13 states allow it. In prosecuting for medical marijuana, the Bush administration had considered only federal laws.

 

Advocates of medical marijuana said the Lynch case would have a chilling effect on activities and undermine state laws. At his trial, and again in seeking leniency in his sentence, Mr. Lynch argued that he had complied with California’s law, which allows certain uses of marijuana with a doctor’s prescription.

 

“He is caught between California’s voter-approved medical marijuana system and the Bush administration’s single-minded effort to smother it,” said Stephen Gutwillig of the Drug Policy Alliance, an organization that favors a change in drug policy. “That Attorney General Holder changed federal policy three months ago only makes this miscarriage of justice all the more disturbing. Charlie is like a forgotten prisoner of war, abandoned after a truce was declared.”

 

The United States attorney for the Central District of California, Thomas P. O’Brien, said Mr. Lynch had violated state laws because he was not his customers’ main caregiver and provided no medical services beyond the marijuana sale.

 

Matthew Miller, a Justice Department spokesman, said that as a general rule “we are not prioritizing federal resources to go after individuals or organizations unless there is a violation of both federal and state law.”

 

More than 100 marijuana dispensaries — most in California — have been raided since 1996, when California voters passed Proposition 215, which sanctioned medical marijuana. About half the raids resulted in prosecutions, and about a dozen owners received prison sentences.

 

There are now about 25 pending federal prosecutions of medical marijuana dispensaries, most in California, said Kris Hermes, a spokesman for Americans for Safe Access, a medical marijuana advocacy organization.

 

Among them is a case against Virgil Grant, whose dispensary was raided twice in 2007. He is scheduled to go on trial in the fall. But unlike Mr. Lynch, Mr. Grant has a criminal record and so faces at least 10 years in prison.

 

Most advocates of medical marijuana agreed that Mr. Lynch presented the best face for a movement that has tried to cast itself as mainstream — like yoga and herbal medicine — and distance itself from recreational drug use and advocates for legalization of marijuana.

 

Mr. Lynch’s defense lawyer, Reuven Cohen, said he planned to appeal the sentence.

 

Source: NY Times

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Guest Human_*

This could be a good reason as to why JT. Hey!!! Look on the bright side, it comes from Barack Obamas own web site.

 

Maybe Barack is playing with your mind? Give Barack credit, he is playing both sides while favoring the drug enforcement side. Nice game of politics don't you think?

 

 

After all you bought it hook, line, and sinker. <Laughing here>

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfa..._marijuana.html

 

What’s Wrong With Permitting the Use of Smoked Marijuana?

 

 Simply put, the smoked form of marijuana is not considered modern medicine. On April 20th, 2006, the FDA issued an advisory concluding that no sound scientific studies have supported medical use of smoked marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data support the safety or efficacy of smoked marijuana for general medical use.

 

 A number of states have passed voter referenda or legislative actions making smoked marijuana available for a variety of medical conditions upon a doctor's recommendation. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), these measures are inconsistent with efforts to ensure medications undergo the rigorous scientific scrutiny of the FDA approval process and are proven safe and effective under the standards of the FD&C Act.

 

 While smoking marijuana may allow patients to temporarily feel better, the medical community makes an important distinction between inebriation and the controlled delivery of pure pharmaceutical medication. The raw (leaf ) form of marijuana contains a complex mixture of compounds in uncertain concentrations, the majority of which have unknown pharmacological effects.

 

 The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has concluded that smoking marijuana is not recommended for any long-term medical use, and a subsequent IOM report declared that, “marijuana is not modern medicine.” Additionally, the American Medical Association, the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society do not support the smoked form of marijuana as medicine.

Smoking Marijuana May Unintentionally Cause Serious Harm to Patients

 

 The delicate immune systems of seriously ill patients may become compromised by the smoking of marijuana. Additionally, the daily use of marijuana compromises lung function and increases the risk for respiratory diseases, similar to those associated with nicotine cigarettes.

 Marijuana has a high potential for abuse and can incur addiction. Frequent use of marijuana leads to tolerance to the psychoactive effects and smokers compensate by smoking more often or seeking higher potency marijuana.

 

 In people with psychotic or other problems, the use of marijuana can precipitate severe emotional disorders. Chronic use of marijuana may increase the risk of psychotic symptoms in people with a past history of schizophrenia. Marijuana smoking by young people may lead to severe impairment of higher brain function and neuropsychiatric disorders, as well as a higher risk for addiction and polydrug abuse problems.

 

Existing Legal Drugs Provide Superior Treatment for Serious Medical Conditions

 The FDA has approved safe and effective medication for the treatment of glaucoma, nausea, wasting syndrome, cancer, and multiple sclerosis.

 

 Marinol, the synthetic form of THC (the psychoactive ingredient contained in marijuana), is already legally available for prescription by physicians whose patients suffer from pain and chronic illness.

 

“Medical marijuana was supposed to be for the truly ill cancer victims and AIDS patients who could use the drug to relieve pain or restore their appetites. Yet the number of dispensaries has skyrocketed from five in 2005 to 143 by the end of 2006. In North Hollywood alone, there are more pot clinics than Starbucks.”

 

–Pasadena Star-News, January 21st, 2007

In Their Words: What the Experts Say:

 

The American Academy of Ophthalmology:

“Based on reviews by the National Eye Institute (NEI) and the Institute of Medicine and on available scientific evidence, the Task Force on Complementary Therapies believes that no scientific evidence has been found that demonstrates increased benefits and/or diminished risks of marijuana use to treat glaucoma compared with the wide variety of pharmaceutical agents now available.”

Complementary Therapy Assessment: Marijuana in the Treatment of Glaucoma, American Academy of Ophthalmology, May 2003

 

The American Medical Association:

“...AMA recommends that marijuana be retained in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act...AMA believes that the NIH should use its resources and influence to support the development of a smoke-free inhaled delivery system for marijuana or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to reduce the health hazards associated with the combustion and inhalation of marijuana...”

Policy Statement H-95.952, American Medical Association, http://www.ama-assn.org

 

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society:

“Studies completed thus far have not provided convincing evidence that marijuana or its derivatives provide substantiated benefits for symptoms of MS.”

The MS Information Sourcebook, Marijuana (Cannabis), National Multiple Sclerosis Society, September 18th, 2006

 

The Institute of Medicine (IOM):

“Because of the health risks associated with smoking, smoked marijuana should generally not be recommended for long-term medical use.”

Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base, Institute of Medicine, 1999

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I was under the impression ALL politicians "play both sides" all the time re. everything.

 

The reason the FDA will not approve medicinal marijuana is because marjuana is illegal and and marijuana is illegal because the FDA won't approve it: to me it strikes me as

Best

Catch

22

EVER.

 

Schedule I all the way ...

 

Nevermind the thousands of first-person accounts about how marijuana relieved their pain and suffering from myriad diseases ...

 

I've been in the field of drug research (ONDCP, HHS, CSAP et. al.) since 1992 and my mother has been in the field since 1973 but I digress.

 

In terms of the "dangers of inhaling smoked marijuana" where does the FDA stand on cigarettes and what is the reason for their stance? (A rhetorical question in fact because it all comes down to money, per usual).

 

As far as MJ being addictive, yes, it certainly can be psychologically addicting, but not physically addicting.

 

Again I would love to know the rationale behind the FDA not examining the 462 chemicals found in cigarettes and the effects on the body.

 

It's all a bunch of BS really ...

 

 

This could be a good reason as to why JT. Hey!!! Look on the bright side, it comes from Barack Obamas own web site.

 

Maybe Barack is playing with your mind? Give Barack credit, he is playing both sides while favoring the drug enforcement side. Nice game of politics don't you think?

 

 

After all you bought it hook, line, and sinker. <Laughing here>

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfa..._marijuana.html

 

What’s Wrong With Permitting the Use of Smoked Marijuana?

 

 Simply put, the smoked form of marijuana is not considered modern medicine. On April 20th, 2006, the FDA issued an advisory concluding that no sound scientific studies have supported medical use of smoked marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data support the safety or efficacy of smoked marijuana for general medical use.

 

 A number of states have passed voter referenda or legislative actions making smoked marijuana available for a variety of medical conditions upon a doctor's recommendation. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), these measures are inconsistent with efforts to ensure medications undergo the rigorous scientific scrutiny of the FDA approval process and are proven safe and effective under the standards of the FD&C Act.

 

 While smoking marijuana may allow patients to temporarily feel better, the medical community makes an important distinction between inebriation and the controlled delivery of pure pharmaceutical medication. The raw (leaf ) form of marijuana contains a complex mixture of compounds in uncertain concentrations, the majority of which have unknown pharmacological effects.

 

 The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has concluded that smoking marijuana is not recommended for any long-term medical use, and a subsequent IOM report declared that, “marijuana is not modern medicine.” Additionally, the American Medical Association, the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society do not support the smoked form of marijuana as medicine.

Smoking Marijuana May Unintentionally Cause Serious Harm to Patients

 

 The delicate immune systems of seriously ill patients may become compromised by the smoking of marijuana. Additionally, the daily use of marijuana compromises lung function and increases the risk for respiratory diseases, similar to those associated with nicotine cigarettes.

 Marijuana has a high potential for abuse and can incur addiction. Frequent use of marijuana leads to tolerance to the psychoactive effects and smokers compensate by smoking more often or seeking higher potency marijuana.

 

 In people with psychotic or other problems, the use of marijuana can precipitate severe emotional disorders. Chronic use of marijuana may increase the risk of psychotic symptoms in people with a past history of schizophrenia. Marijuana smoking by young people may lead to severe impairment of higher brain function and neuropsychiatric disorders, as well as a higher risk for addiction and polydrug abuse problems.

 

Existing Legal Drugs Provide Superior Treatment for Serious Medical Conditions

 The FDA has approved safe and effective medication for the treatment of glaucoma, nausea, wasting syndrome, cancer, and multiple sclerosis.

 

 Marinol, the synthetic form of THC (the psychoactive ingredient contained in marijuana), is already legally available for prescription by physicians whose patients suffer from pain and chronic illness.

 

“Medical marijuana was supposed to be for the truly ill cancer victims and AIDS patients who could use the drug to relieve pain or restore their appetites. Yet the number of dispensaries has skyrocketed from five in 2005 to 143 by the end of 2006. In North Hollywood alone, there are more pot clinics than Starbucks.”

 

–Pasadena Star-News, January 21st, 2007

In Their Words: What the Experts Say:

 

The American Academy of Ophthalmology:

“Based on reviews by the National Eye Institute (NEI) and the Institute of Medicine and on available scientific evidence, the Task Force on Complementary Therapies believes that no scientific evidence has been found that demonstrates increased benefits and/or diminished risks of marijuana use to treat glaucoma compared with the wide variety of pharmaceutical agents now available.”

Complementary Therapy Assessment: Marijuana in the Treatment of Glaucoma, American Academy of Ophthalmology, May 2003

 

The American Medical Association:

“...AMA recommends that marijuana be retained in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act...AMA believes that the NIH should use its resources and influence to support the development of a smoke-free inhaled delivery system for marijuana or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to reduce the health hazards associated with the combustion and inhalation of marijuana...”

Policy Statement H-95.952, American Medical Association, http://www.ama-assn.org

 

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society:

“Studies completed thus far have not provided convincing evidence that marijuana or its derivatives provide substantiated benefits for symptoms of MS.”

The MS Information Sourcebook, Marijuana (Cannabis), National Multiple Sclerosis Society, September 18th, 2006

 

The Institute of Medicine (IOM):

“Because of the health risks associated with smoking, smoked marijuana should generally not be recommended for long-term medical use.”

Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base, Institute of Medicine, 1999

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