Last updated on 2014.05.31
Rep. Kristi Noem voted against an appropriations amendment in a midnight session today. Her Republican colleague from California, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, brought an amendment to prohibit the Drug Enforcement Agency from raiding medical marijuana operations in states that have legalized such businesses. That's 22 states right now, plus D.C.
Rep. Noem chose to keep sending government agents between patients and their doctors. and between citizens and states' rights. But 49 Republicans and 170 Democrats voted for the amendment and got it into the bill, medical marijuana will be part of the discussion in conference committee.
Three House Republicans are also doctors. Two voted nay, one voted aye. Here's what they said:
The debate pitted three House Republicans who also are doctors against one another. Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) and Rep. John Fleming (R-La.) opposed the amendment, while Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) supported it.
Harris insisted that there were no medical benefits to marijuana and that medical marijuana laws were a step toward legalizing recreational pot.
"It's the camel's nose under the tent," said Harris. He cited piece of anti-marijuana propaganda published by the DEA this month that claimed medical marijuana was just "a means to an end" -- the eventual legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes. The taxpayer-funded report uses scare quotes around the word "medical."
"I don't think we should accept at all that this is history in the making," said Fleming, who lamented earlier this month that it wasn't realistic to make alcohol illegal.
Broun said there were "very valid medical reasons" to use marijuana extracts or products. "It's less dangerous than some narcotics that doctors prescribe all over this country," Broun said. He said medical marijuana was a states' rights issue and Congress needed to "reserve the states’ powers under the Constitution" [Ryan J. Reilly and Matt Ferner, "House Blocks DEA from Targeting Medical Marijuana," Huffington Post, 2014.05.30].
I don't like smoking any kind of Camels.
Rep. Noem will likely be the subject of the next angry video from South Dakotans Against Prohibition, who can perhaps upgrade their production values with the big money they've made painting propaganda for illegitimate U.S. Senate candidate Annette Bosworth, who occasionally pretends she is Kristi Noem. But given their angry scattershot approach to politics, SDAP will likely end up making more people think Noem voted right on this bill.
It is amazing when you stop to think about it. SD became one of the last states to pass a bill making it a felony to be cruel to animals, having done so in the just passed session. At the same time we will not let people with physical debilitations that would be helped by the use of medical marijuana, have that help legally.
Not only that, but people nearing the end of their life and suffering from severe pain of their sickness are not allowed to have morphine on an as needed basis, but only at some predetermined timeline.
Are we sadistic or what?
Previously I was very open to vote for the legalization of medical marijuana here in South Dakota but after watching the actions of SDAP this election season now I would definitely vote no and do what I can to prevent legalization.
I've seen and read that representatives of SDAP hijack a presser that Stace Nelson and Rick Weiland had adding a sideshow that was picked up by the media and used by political opposition and taking away from the original purpose and focus of that presser.
Listening to the presser Lora Hubbel had it sure sounded like the voice of a well known SDAP representative asking the questions about FEMA camps and the Feds coming to take away guns. Again the media and political opposition pick up on that and headline and focus on FEMA and crazy and not cover what the original focus of that presser being corruption and mismanagement in South Dakota Government.
SDAP representatives contribute and support a Bosworth presser with graffiti and end up being used by that fake campaign. I'm at a loss of words for that event.
It seems SDAP is all about chaos, annoying the hell out of people and with their actions is turning off people who would actually support their cause. If these people are the face of legalization of medical or recreational marijuana no way in hell!
First In Business; Last In Compassion
Good state slogan for a single party state. Fits on a bumper sticker and everything
One group hardly represents an entire movement.
Deadwood should be the testing ground for legal cannabis: even Stace sees the folly of repressive penalties in South Dakota. Unfortunate that Democrats have ducked this issue so effectively: Joe Lowe has even come out as an anti.
Lora Hubbel talked about Minnesota's state-backed cannabis compromise: one I support completely, too. These products should be taxed as traditional pharmaceuticals are and be dispensed by pharmacists.
Cannabis use by adults for reasons other than medical need is protected by the Ninth Amendment of the US Constitution and the state is empowered to tax it by the Tenth. Industrial cannabis should be organic and free of genetically engineering.
Larry "One group hardly represents an entire movement."
The problem is that SDAP is getting the press although reflecting badly on the movement and with their actions they are hurting those legitimate candidates chances that would actually help them with legalization. Those same candidates we share common ground on issues and raising attention to the big picture of corruption, mismanagement and failed policies that we all despise.
SDAP doesn't represent me or anyone I know that uses marijuana either recreationally or medically. If you believe in their methods you would probably also believe that hip hop is relaxing and Lawrence Welk is a rock god.
For some of us these issues are to important to let a radical fringe group ruin. Even facts become useless when delivered by fools.
The Blindman
Lynn: sometimes somebody needs to go plow the road. Bill: Pass Creek look pretty green?
License the sellers and purchasers of medical marijuana. Do the same with alcohol and gambling.
Currently alcohol industry and gambling industry shift social costs to responsible citizens who neither drink nor gamble.
Larry, Pass Creek always looks great this far up, at this time of year. Butt high grass, knee high alfalfa, and ankle high hemp. There are millions of birds trying to control the insect explosion that comes with wet years. The creek is about twenty feet right below the deck and it is cool and clear enough to watch the fish spawn and suck bugs off the top of the water. Who needs a fish pond when you have that clean of water?
The real test of spring is the badlands. For anyone that has never seen them this time of year, when they have had this much rain, the time to do that is now. The different colors in the badlands are way more vivid when there is moisture then at any other time and with the brilliant green as contrast it rivals Spearfish Canyon in the fall. You dont know how much I'm going to miss seeing those things.
Everyone needs to plan a trip through the badlands, when they are like this, at least once in their lifetime.
The Blindman
The whole weed thing is getting pretty tedious. Is legalization the way to go? I don't know but I do know that the way we're doing it now isn't working.
This points up the real importance of the decisions in CO & WA to institutionalize it. We should soon have the answers to whether it can be properly done or causes more problems.
>"Broun said there were 'very valid medical reasons' to use marijuana extracts or products. 'It's less dangerous than some narcotics that doctors prescribe all over this country,' Broun said. He said medical marijuana was a states' rights issue and Congress needed to 'reserve the states' powers under the Constitution' ..."
I'm a libertarian and a young-earth creationist, and Congressman Broun and I seem to agree on pretty much everything:
http://www.jasonlisle.com/2012/10/25/the-rest-of-the-story/
I believe Kristi is basically an honest person, but I don't understand how she reconciles her oath to the Constitution and some of her votes.
lol.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pando_(tree)#Size_and_age
The Abrahamic god is younger than a tree in Utah.
Evans: if you would have run for US House as the LP candidate, i'd have sent you some money.
Kurt I'm going to make this simple. Name one internal medicine product that is sold in a pharmacy that is as safe as marijuana.
Nuff said
The Blindman
Larry Kurtz wrote:
>"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pando_(tree)#Size_and_age
The Abrahamic god is younger than a tree in Utah."
The statement at that link is, "The roots are 80,000 years old." If you follow the footnote, the statement at the source link is, "It has been aged at 80,000 years!"
It's kinda hard to refute the evidence when there isn't any.
>"Evans: if you would have run for US House as the LP candidate, i'd have sent you some money."
If Manager Mike wins the Senate primary, maybe you can send it to Gordon Howie. :)
Genetics is all the evidence needed, Mr. Evans: your own evolution excepted, of course.
http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/05/05/some-neanderthal-dna-still-evident-in-modern-european-and-asian-populations/
Larry Kurtz wrote:
>"Genetics is all the evidence needed, Mr. Evans: your own evolution excepted, of course.
http://blogs.kqed.org/science/2014/05/05/some-neanderthal-dna-still-evident-in-modern-european-and-asian-populations/"
I'm not sure what your point is, Larry, but the father of modern genetics, Gregor Mendel, was a creationist.
never mind, you just proved my point.
So, is Ryan Gaddy and has media team producing another video presser to give Kristi hell?
I can't wait to see that room with wall to wall SDAP supporters with their spray paint cans.
A new NIAAA- and NIDA-funded study shows an increased number of marijuana-positive Colorado drivers involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes since Colorado’s legalization of medical marijuana in 2009. A similar increase was not seen in the 34 states that did not have medical marijuana laws when this study was conducted.
Noem is simply vacuous. Remember, Noem was the bright bulb lamenting why West River ranchers could not get emergency aid from the feds whilst she was voting to keep Congress shut down when the ranchers needed her most. Sure glad we re-elected this fence post.
Darn Douglas, On another blog post, someone posted problem solved. I think your post at 11:19 just solved three or four problems in one fell swoop. Let those license fees go to the county and that would make one more.
Stop it Steve Huff, I have seen some nice fence posts.
Marijuana Illegal, Lamented Fleming.
Cory: the first link in your post isn't working. Here are the results of the vote:
http://www.kansascity.com/2014/05/30/5055866/house-roll-call-medical-marijuana.html
Decriminalize the bloody stuff in small amounts, say I.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeIJHhMgj9o
I'm ambivalent except for one conclusion: We must end the stupid war on weed.
Here's what Mayo Clinic has to say about THC - the active ingredient in Cannabis. It's surprising more research has not been done on THC, and hopefully there will be future research done. http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/marijuana/evidence/hrb-20059701
Not just weed, Stan, the war on drugs. It has been almost as successful as the war on terror.
Lanny,
Agreed. The "war on drugs" has failed. It will never succeed, IMHO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8u4J5McEnkM
Thanks, Larry! Fixed it!
Interesting correlation, Leslie. But maybe we need to clarify your statement. Did that study find more crashes in Colorado while crashes elsewhere decreased? Or did that study find more dope-smokers among the victims of an otherwise stable number of crashes? Finding more marijuana-positive drivers in Colorado than in ban states would not be a remarkable result of legalization. Finding more post-legalization crashes caused by marijuana use would be.
The Noem war chest had been stuffed by earth haters and the prison industry: she knows which donors butter her side of the bread.
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.php?type=C&cid=N00032022&newMem=N&cycle=2014
camels?
The researchers found that fatal motor vehicle crashes in Colorado involving at least one driver who tested positive for marijuana accounted for 4.5 percent in the first six months of 1994; this percentage increased to 10 percent in the last six months of 2011.http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-05-marijuana-involved-fatal-accidents-colorado.html
"South Dakota should approve recreational use of marijuana, should approve it as a cash crop, should fund university studies to determine commercial uses and should tax all sales as seen fit. Tax monies should be used to support the advanced education of our youth in technical and appropriate professional fields. It’s time to end an ill-advised, puritanical prohibition of a weed that grows wild on our CRP land and is used by many. Let’s end the black market, end devastating incarceration, regulate it and tax it."
http://www.yankton.net/opinion/letters/article_3565df86-1851-11e4-a44b-001a4bcf887a.html
Larry, you want to put that extra tax money towards education? Republicans here will never go for that, now, if you put it in that black hole they call the general fund so they can siphon it off for pet projects, then you might have something.
Tim, video loottery should be eliminated: it's just that simple.
I don't believe it's a liberal conspiracy, so don't put put words in my mouth, Sibby.
Larry, I have no problem with that, as that's what they did with gambling revenue, instead of using it for education and property tax relief as we were told when it went for a vote, they put it in the general fund for siphoning.
http://interested-party.blogspot.com/2013/01/hickey-state-revenues-too-reliant-on-sin.html
Tim-OT,here is a twoofer of doofers (King and Gohmert) just for your enjoyment.
http://tinyurl.com/mj2fefj
Problem with getting rid of gambling now, the state has became addicted to that money, and republicans running the show have shown no ability to be forward thinking enough to see tax from recreational pot use as a good alternative to gambling money.
To funny Mike, I feel your pain, I am after all living in Rapid City, we have a lot of Steve Kings here, they are all over the freaking place here.
Hmmm! When I see those morons from SDAP or 605 Holistic LLP or whatever name they choose for the day or week legalizing marijuana worries me.
leslie: "The researchers found that fatal motor vehicle crashes in Colorado involving at least one driver who tested positive for marijuana accounted for 4.5 percent in the first six months of 1994; this percentage increased to 10 percent in the last six months of 2011."
You might find this interesting:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobsullum/2014/07/10/how-is-marijuana-legalization-going-so-far-the-price-of-pot-peace-looks-like-a-bargain/
"Do these data mean that legalizing marijuana for medical or recreational use results in more blood on the highways? No. What Salomonsen-Sautel et al. call “marijuana-positive drivers” actually tested positive for metabolites that linger in blood and urine long after the drug’s effects wear off. “THC metabolites are detectable in an individual’s blood or urine for several days and sometimes weeks for heavy marijuana users,” the authors note toward the end of the article. Hence a “marijuana-positive” result does not indicate the driver was under the influence of marijuana at the time of the accident, let alone that marijuana was a factor in the crash. “This study cannot determine cause and effect relationships, such as whether marijuana-positive drivers contributed to or caused the fatal motor vehicle crashes,” Salomonsen-Sautel et al. concede. “Colorado may have an increased number of drivers, in general, who were using marijuana, not just an increase in the proportion who were involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes….The primary result of this study may simply reflect a general increase in marijuana use during this same time period in Colorado.” (Salomonsen-Sautel et al. assume that marijuana consumption continued rising in Colorado after 2010, although the NSDUH numbers suggest otherwise.)
Another reason to doubt that greater tolerance of marijuana boosts traffic deaths: “There was a decreasing trend in fatal motor vehicle crashes in Colorado since 2004.” There was a similar decline in the 34 comparison states, so it does not look like readier access to marijuana has interfered with this welcome trend. In fact, there is some evidence that it has on balance reduced traffic fatalities by encouraging the substitution of marijuana for alcohol, which has a more dramatic effect on driving ability."
Leslie it seems you are confusing correlation with causation, but you need to dig deeper. There is much more to the story (and the article I linked to references several studies on the subject).
I suspect at the end of the day this fear of marijuana boils down to fear. After all, when we don't understand something, we tend to fear it.
I appreciate your cite which also states:
It is too early to say whether legalizing marijuana for recreational use will have a noticeable impact, whether positive or negative, on accident trends in Colorado or Washington. But for what it’s worth, fatal crashes in Colorado, after rising from 2011 to 2012, fell slightly (from 434 to 428) between 2012 and 2013. In Washington fatal crashes rose slightly (from 403 to 405) between 2012 and 2013.
oh, ... lose the fear, confusion, dig deeper schtick. and a discussion on a 2 mo. old thread may be tedious. I am not planning on taking on the sd pro-pot crowd. maybe cory will start a new thread.
craig-just another heads-up
http://news.msn.com/us/marijuanas-hazy-contribution-to-highway-deaths
(2012) New York teenager Joseph Beer smoked marijuana, climbed into a Subaru Impreza with four friends and drove more than 100 mph before losing control. The car crashed into trees with such force that the vehicle split in half, killing his friends.
Beer, who was 17 in October 2012 when the crash occurred, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide and was sentenced last week to 5 years to 15 years in prison.
As states liberalize their marijuana laws, public officials and safety advocates worry there will be more drivers high on pot and a big increase in traffic deaths. It's not clear, though, whether those concerns are merited. Researchers are divided on the question. A prosecutor blamed the Beer crash on "speed and weed," but a jury that heard expert testimony on marijuana's effects at his trial deadlocked on a homicide charge and other felonies related to whether the teenager was impaired by marijuana. Beer was convicted of manslaughter and reckless driving charges.
Studies of marijuana's effects show that the drug can slow decision-making, decrease peripheral vision and impede multitasking, all of which are important driving skills. But unlike with alcohol, drivers high on pot tend to be aware that they are impaired and try to compensate by driving slowly, avoiding risky actions such as passing other cars, and allowing extra room between vehicles.
On the other hand, combining marijuana with alcohol appears to eliminate the pot smoker's exaggerated caution and to increase driving impairment beyond the effects of either substance alone.
"We see the legalization of marijuana in Colorado and Washington as a wake-up call for all of us in highway safety," said Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the Governors Highway Safety Association, which represents state highway safety offices. "We don't know enough about the scope of marijuana-impaired driving to call it a big or small problem. But anytime a driver has their ability impaired, it is a problem."
" NIAAA is funded by the U.S. government."
NIDA is also funded by the feds.
Need i say more?
The Blindman
In 1965, when I was 23 and should have known better, I had drank several beers and with three other people in my 1958 Pontiac Bonneville, drove over the 10th Street viaduct at 80 MPH and was airborne at least three times. Anyone who has driven that bridge knows that I endangered myself and particularly my passengers as much as the guy cited in this article. I could not tell from the article whether the drive had also been drinking, but if he had, I would bet that his behavior was more alcohol related than pot related, because pot has a tendency to slow one down rather than speed them up.
http://www.leafly.com/news/lifestyle/the-surefire-way-to-beating-a-cannabis-dui-charge
Lanny V Stricherz, your absolutely right. I have never been in a car with someone that was only high on weed say, "I'm paronoid because I just cant get going fast enough to feel safe."
With booze you free from inhabitions, thats what makes it so dangerous.
With pot you not only have inhabitions, you have to work like hell to get through them. If you are paronoid before you smoke, guess what, you will be super paronoid after you use it.
That mechanism in your brain that tells you to take a chance driving drunk is turned 180 degrees in the other direction if you are using pot and only pot. I have been in a car when minimum speed on thr I, was to fast for the driver after they used cannabis, but i have never seen or heard of such a thing when drunk driving is discussed.
The Blindman