Ryan Gaddy of South Dakotans Against Prohibition tells us that legislation promoting medical marijuana will be available for anyone who wants to take it to Pierre. Gaddy apparently has found allies among the Sioux Falls Free Thinkers, who are bankrolling thirteen billboards around Sioux Falls.
Whether Gaddy can find allies in the Legislature is another question. The only faintly pot-friendly bill in last year's session was Senate Bill 113, which eased the activities suspension period for high school students busted for drugs, and the focus of that bill was still on telling kids, "Don't do drugs." A lively but small bipartisan coalition got HCR 1017, a resolution supporting industrial hemp, through the House but not the stodgy old Senate and industrial hemp just goes on your body, not in your body. Emery medical marijuana advocate Melissa Mentele of South Dakota Family Coalition for Compassion* told the press last Friday that she still hasn't found a legislator to carry her group's proposal this year.
A few candidates (Weiland, Myers) expressed their support for medical marijuana in the 2014 election, but that issue didn't appear to translate into any major mobilization of voters. Whether that's because the pro-medical marijuana candidates didn't push the issue hard enough or because there is no broad support for the issue is an open question.
*Correction 16:23 CST: Melissa Mentele makes very clear below that she is not at all affiliated with SDAP. My original wording did not indicate her affiliation but failed to credit her group as working on a bill in search of a sponsor. I regret the error.
Democrats need this issue or Steve Hickey is going to keep looking like the only progressive in the legislature. Paula Hawks or Scott Parsley could do this.
Like tribal nations could build women's clinics offering full reproductive care on off-reservation properties cannabis would be a good test of tribal sovereignty.
The Tohono O'odham Nation is building an off-reservation casino after bills to block it failed.
http://tucson.com/news/state-and-regional/senate-declines-vote-on-glendale-casino-issue/article_a8145897-ed68-59a5-8a71-b8bd16407424.html
http://news.marijuana.com/news/2015/01/legal-marijuana-could-drastically-change-native-american-culture/
I think that at least a few of the Native Americans would like to see hemp legalized so that there might be jobs created by making hemp into goods that can be sold.
I am not as sure that the Native Americans want marijuana as a recreational drug.
Cannabis is not a native plant: growing GMO crops on reservation properties is not the answer.
Haven't heard who might be bringing a bill. I'm not. So far I think I've voted against this four times but hopefully the next time I can vote for it. Not sure anything has changed since the last time though. Complex chemistry testimony, dosage strength variations that are all over the map and not manageable, abuse, enforcement challenges, etc.. Has any of it changed?
Last time I said we have figured out how to use opiates medicinally, how hard can it be to figure out how to extract medicinal benefits from cannibis? Apparently it's hard.
http://www.mmjobserver.com/cannabis-science-inc-otcmktscbis-to-launch-eight-initial-cannabis-based-products/2297/
Tribes can do this: the South Dakota Legislature should be kept out of the cannabis loop completely unless Deadwood chooses to be the test bed off-reservation.
"how hard can it be to figure out how to extract medicinal benefits from cannibis?"
Isn't that what Minnesota did?
Why not just legalize it? What is it that conservatives and others are afraid of? Alcohol is much more destructive and much more addictive, nobody seems to have a problem with that. There are already bills in the hopper to make alcohol even easier to get on the internet, yet when it comes to marijuana legalization everybody falls back to the completely debunked crap from the 70's.
Tim, because there is more money being made by the ruling elite by keeping it illegal. The competition gets busted.
John Yellow Bird Steel just announced that neither pot or alcohol would ever be legal on the Pine Ridge on his watch.
Still hiding his head in the sand saying that he doesn't want to be driving down the road with someone high or drunk on the same road. One has to wunder what road at what hour on the res he's driving now so that isn't happening.
I thought Pine Ridge voters voted to legalize booze sales on the reservation?
Oklahoma is rethinking its lawsuit against Colorado's cannabis industry:
http://baledger.com/community/rep-ritze-expresses-concern-over-marijuana-lawsuit/article_b74d855a-94ff-11e4-a554-cbbf8fdb3c28.html
Ah yes Steve, I forgot about the completely failed "war on drugs", I'm sure there are a lot of people getting rich playing that game.
Larry, you are correct about Mr. Hickey. What is needed is a legislator that either has medical problems or one that has family members suffering from them that could be treated with medical pot. Those ailments are many and medical marijuana has been studied and utilized effectively to treat those without the side effects.
Steve Hickey is convinced that economic collapse is imminent: why listen to anything he says?
http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/article_55cbc56d-b003-58a7-8cd9-ec7c0c77a4f2.html
Here is the link Nick
Complex chemistry testimony, dosage strength variations that are all over the map and not manageable, abuse, enforcement challenges, etc.. Has any of it changed?
Safer then an aspirin, can't overdose and die, won't put bad chemicals in the sewer to change the environment, and used by millions to treat pain amoung other things.
No,nothing's changed,even legislators who don't want to learn are still as ignorant to the facts about what cannabis is and how it works. Grow a pair Rev Steve. How about doing just a little research? Instead of repeating unintelligent bullying, how about closing that book of fables and reading some studies.
The Blindman
Mr. Hickey is correct.. if the republicans win the white house in 2016. They are clearly taking us back to the days of Hoover right now, all they need is the presidency to do the hat trick.
Here is just one more of the many reasons I agree with Mr. Hickey on this economic matter. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-05/stiglitz-blocked-from-sec-panel-after-faulting-high-speed-trades.html
When you take reason away from finances, you get failure.
To solve all of those issues for Mr. Hickey would be to initiate measures in the statehouse for the legalization and taxation of marijuana. Mr. Hickey could save the state!
Thank you Cory
Just to clarify. I do NOT work for SDAP!! I am one of the founders of the South Dakota Family Coalition for Compassion. We are a completely seperate entity from SDAP. We at SDFCC are also the ones who are writing the bill, organizing parents, patients and raising awareness. While we respect SDAP as they have the same goal we have completely different methods and ethics. I am mom of 3 with a horrible disease fighting for a topical cream to alleviate the horrific burning pain I live with daily.
Mr. Hickey, I have pages and pages of research and testimony from parents and patients in legal states I could share with you. Yes it can be monitored and successfully used to alleviate suffering. The calculations are not all over the map they follow the same principle that medication is an individualized process. What dose works for me may not work for you, or a child with seizures or a cancer patient. This is an individualized issue and it is a public health issue. Children are dying while everyone tip toes around the issue, Cancer patients have 0 quality of life, hospice patients are being drugged senseless with Roxanol robbing them and their families of closure of their time in earth....I could go on and on. Please open your hearts and minds.
THC the extract from marijuana is available in pill form (Marinol.)
Whether it is as effective as smoking marijuana, I do not know, but from what tiny bit I read, the pill form is more expensive.
Legalization is going to happen sooner or later. I just hope that people will understand that it is a drug, and like all other drugs has side effects, some desirable, some not.
Someday, instead of singing "Rocky Mountain high, Colorado" people in SD will be singing Black Hills high, South Dakota." LOL LOL :)
I see that Steve Hickey still can't bring himself to look at the evidence.
I agree with Bob
From the American Lung Association:
"Like tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke contains cancer-causing chemicals. There are 33 cancer-causing chemicals contained in marijuana. Marijuana smoke also deposits tar into the lungs. In fact, when equal amounts of marijuana and tobacco are smoked, marijuana deposits four times as much tar into the lungs. This is because marijuana joints are un-filtered and often more deeply inhaled than cigarettes."
Let's not pretend pot is harmless and won't have public health implications if legalized and more widely used. It's true no one has ever died from pot overdose, but let's not pretend it's safe.
I'm a big fan of personal responsibility. I do stick up for people's rights to smoke, even if I can't stand the stuff. But if the populace disagrees with me about seatbelts, why should they allow one more thing that clearly causes public health harms?
Edibles, vaping, oils. . . Not smoking
Wayne B, we should add holes burnt in sweaters...not that I would know...just heard about that.
Seems to me, that instead of jumping all over Steve Hickey (which will not change his mind,) is to address his concerns, namely about regulating (such has needing to be at least a certain age to purchase and consume medical and recreational pot, how much can be purchased at one time, who can write prescriptions.) What will be available for those who believe that they need help to stop using pot, what will be available for the "victims" (namely children) of users?
Steve Hickey, I should not assume what your concerns are, but I just made a guess based on your comment. If I overstepped, I apologize.
Maybe there are other concerns that I missed?
" Last time I said we have figured out how to use opiates medicinally, how hard can it be to figure out how to extract medicinal benefits from cannibis? Apparently it's hard."
Dont you even pay attention to what your saying? Opiates were used for thousands of years. The physicians that used it knew clear back then what it could do, both the good and the bad. They also knew what cannabis would do, both the good and the, wait, compared to opiates nothing.!!
If your still living under the assumption that an opiate is the same as THC, push that rock out of the way and crawl out of that hole you've been sleeping in.
Its about knowledge Mr Hickey, the kind that cant be found in the bible but has to be hunted down and obsorbed. Its sure not hard to find, if you really want to know the facts.
Everything you say tells me that you are reaching for excuses to keep things just like they are now. Doses, why is everyone so worried about doses when to much cannabis puts you to sleep and not enough will do nothing?
Now your going to yell overdose, overdose, like Gomer on Andy Griffith. Thats bullshit. Every case that was reported in Colorado was due to panic attacks. Those people were either young and stupid or just plain stupid. Every one of those people were predisposed to panic attacks if pushed in that direction.
Law enforcement, of course your talking about THC in the bloodstream and needing a test to make you feel better about yourself. Heres an idea, how about doing the same thing they do now? Field sobriety test. If a person is dangerous behind the wheel, and it doesnt matter for what reason, distracted driving, drinking, drugging, eating, reading, talking on their phone, having sex, or any number of things. If their driving makes them a danger to others, get em off the damn road. Remember this, THC in the bloodstream, is not now, has never been, and will never be a measurement of how messed up anyone is.
This is one of the reasons we left SD. Science has no meaning there. Hemp, lets study that. Medical cannabis, what about our kids getting a hold of it? Lets put that on hold because there just isnt enough research to make an informed decision.
Here, some bad news for ya. Every kid in Sioux Falls, no matter if their little hoods, or the preachers kid, can have pot within an hour.
And now the real reason for all the foot dragging, or should I say knuckle dragging?
In these United States every year the medical profession and big pharma rakes in Between $44 billion and $55 billion dollars on depression alone. Every single drug they prescribe has more side effects then does cannabis, including thoughts of suicide and over dosing.
Oh ya one more thing, you cant just stop taking any of these drugs even if they dont work. You either have to take a similar drug that wont work either, or wean yourself from the original drug. The usual time trial is four to six weeks. If that doesnt work you start all over with a new drug. Money money money money.
With cannabis you know if its going to work within minutes. No physical addiction, no weaning, and no waisted time searching for relief when you could be living a real life.
Yup SD has a dark age mentality. But fear not, my source's tell me that there are two conservitive GOP families that have been studying and visiting states that have legalized cannabis. Think Mike Rounds and the laws he pushed through the legislator so his relitives could run their still. Will it happen? I can tell you if they think they can make some money, it will. Unless of course God keeps telling them not to.
When Colorado did it their phylosify was "if you build it they will come." By the time SD or any of the reservations do it, they will just be an also ran.
This was the seventh time that John Yellowbird Steele has been elected in 22 years. The tribe is in exactly the same place now, as it was then. Now thats real vision.
The Blindman
Sounds like the ingestion techniques have changed since you used, Wayne B. Whether true or not, meth addicts tell me the only way they can stay off meth is with pot. Meth is hardly a punishable crime in SD anymore.
JeniW read Colorados law they address all of your questions.
One more thing and then I'm through. If SD went the same way as Colorado, every plant would be followed from seed, or cloning to the user. If pot is found anywhere in that state, it is either in the DNA data base or it is illegal. There is a paper trail that should help in prosicuting crimes.
The Blindman
I really believe that marijuana cultivation should become a cash crop in SD. Cultivate it and then have it for sale in the Fall for the pheasant hunters. Think of the extra business and money that would bring to SD.
Good luck with legalizing pot in a red(neck)state. They want to control your mortal life so bad and with same sex marriage being approved,they feel like they are losing their control.
O'd trust Bill D's knowledge and experience over,above and beyond any biblical non-sense or political philosophy. I has spoken and so it is!
Great point Jenny!
I will not support the cultivation of any GMO industrial crop in any state.
The bill Melissa has drafted spells out NO GMO CANNABIS
If it does not require organic certification i will not support it.
The bill Melissa has drafted spells out NO GMO CANNABIS. The last thing we need is a lab modified strain cross breeding with natural strains. . . -
Bill, that is it exactly my point.
Colorado has guidelines, regulations or whatever. So far, all I have regarding legalization in SD is "legalize it," no details, no other information, no anything other than "legalize" it, and the arguments for legalization.
Perhaps there is more information out there regarding the guidelines, regulations and etc. for legalization in SD, but I have not seen it.
Steve Hickey cannot be the only person in SD who has concerns. Those concerns need to be addressed rather than jumping all over Steve, and others who are opposed, or is not sure.
I expressed my concern, that is, that people need to understand that marijuana is a drug that has desirable and undesirable side-effects.
What does bother me about the comments in favor of legalization of marijuana is the blanket statement that MJ "cures" diseases. I am sure that MJ can cure some diseases, but it does not cure all diseases. What the pro stance should say is that marijuana can cure "some" diseases.
I am fine with legalization, but those who want to help make it happen need to do some strategy planning to address the concerns without attacking individuals who are either against it, or have some questions.
The bill Melissa has drafted spells out NO GMO CANNABIS. The last thing we need is a lab modified strain cross breeding with natural strains. . .
Newly elected OST President John Steele is for hemp and plans to push for it. If John is successful with the hemp issue, perhaps it will at least open the door for legalized marijuana in the future. Larry, the last time a off reservation women's clinic was proposed on the Pine Ridge Reservation it got Cecilia Fire Thunder impeached as tribal president.
Nine nations in South Dakota, Roger, and many others trapped in other states own off-reservation properties in the state. Nothing is impossible.
I would much rather see tribal nations West River cultivating yucca for industrial purposes: a plant native to the high prairie like tobacco and potatoes rather than introducing a plant that originated in Asia.
Planting anything exposed to South Dakota weather will be wiped out periodically and there was no mechanism in the farm bill to provide crop insurance for a plant illegal under federal law.
dithmer-is marijuana addictive? 9 to 50% of various categories of users (17 % for teens; 50% for daily users) are addicts. potency rose from 3 to 80% (popular oil extract) from the 90s till now. physical withdrawal lasts two weeks. NIDA, also see letter from director Volkow, MD, 12.2014.
next, les-marjuana maintenance is used with alcohol abstinence too, AA/NA informally calls it switching addictions.
its funny, SD legislature proposes loosening alcohol, SDHP breaks its back arresting drunk/high drivers, bloggers apply anecdotes to shout down limited available science because of big-pharma conspiracy. legalization is happening and there is little anyone can do to stop the flood of addicts.
my prediction is that one of the wealthiest people in the nation, Larry Ellison (Oracle) will turn the island of Lanai in Hawaii into a pot farm unless the money is better for real estate.
Handheld digital devices are addictive as is soda and fatty foods.
Yup ...and video lottery, beer, bingo, sex, chocolate, and TV. All addictive.
perhaps. socially acceptable vs. socially deviant "addictions", vs. medically diagnosed addictions.
Leslie, exactly. It's not really about addiction, it's about what things we all (somehow) agree it's okay (and not okay) to be addicted to.
Tim, if you want to know what is really going on, do some research on the British East India Company. Then add CIA to your search engine.
Good poke, there, Les... I've never used. I knew some coworkers back in the day managing night shift at the grocery store who did... and I can tell you they were the least productive.
Look, I don't think I have an issue with legalized pot. I used to be for it
about as vociferously as the Blindman...
But let's not pretend there are no consequences for smoking weed.
After having seen some more people whose lives are worse off because of it... well, I'm not so sure. I ran into some of the best debaters I knew who absolutely squandered their talents for communication, rational decisionmaking and argumentation - folks who were kicking butt & taking names in high school - piss it away in college doing reefer and wind up well below where they should've been once they got out of college.
But that was their choice.
Let's not pretend marijuana doesn't cause cancer.
Let's not pretend turning it into an oil and vaping it reduces that risk. This knuckle dragger follows the scientific community with interest.
That doesn't necessarily mean we should keep pot illegal... but I think there's a very compelling case to be careful with legalization to ensure we mitigate potential harms as best we can.
The benefits of not having to fight this arm on the war on drugs could easily outweigh the public health harms that would develop. I don't know.
Cell phones give you cancer.They're not banned,barely regulated.
" dithmer-is marijuana addictive?"
Yes, but not two weeks worth of withdrawal. In my case it would be 72 hr. Caffeine is far worse to kick. The reason I know about withdrawal is because I did it every year that I medicated with cannabis.
In order for pot to remain effective in treatment you either have to find a more potent strain, or use more. For that reason it was a decision to not use pot for one month out of the year. That would be at least thirty times of going through withdrawal for The Blindman.
The treatment of my medical condition was put on hold for that amount of time. My body adjusted to no THC in about three days, unfortunately, the residual THC in the bloodstream doesnt translate to anything else. If that were true I would remain migraine free until all the THC was gone, I dont.
I know that there are people that are addicted to cannabis. These same people would be addicted to, pick your poison.
Young children shouldnt use cannabis unless its for treatment, its that simple. However, with the almost zero toxicity of cannabis, parents shouldnt fear the treatment for children. Look at it this way. Anything and everything that your doctor will write a script for has more risk then does cannabis!
Now for the good Dr. Volkow. She is a firey latino woman that is outspoken, has had many many awards, published articles and jobs. She seems to have found a good home at NIDA having been in that posistion since 2003 or so. If hou have read as many of her papers as I have you would notice a common thread. There are words that are used enough for it not to be unintentional.
Could be
Might
Maybe
And more research is needed.
And from this research they determined what percentage of users get addicted? How?
Dr Volkows very existence in job depends on one thing, keeping the war on drugs alive. NIDA is funded by the same guys that bring you the DEA. Remember that until recently cannabis research was only allowed in institutions the government saw fit to do the research, the way they wanted it done.
At the same time research has been going on in many other countrys that refute a lot of what the NIDA has published in its reports.
How many times do we have to return to this potency thing? IT DOESNT MATTER! Medical cannabis users medicate to the point that their symtums are relieved and then stop. If there is more THC, or the combinations of the right cannabonoids takes place, they use less. Unlike any other perscribed medication, cannabis wont kill you by eating to much of it, or smoking to much. It is safe even when not used as directed.
In one of Dr Volkoms articals she talked about pot being dangerous when used with other drugs while driving. Well duh!
In South Dakota there might be 10 people that have a basic understanding of how cannabis works in the human body. Dont let a stoner give your kids his slant. If you want the truth find these people with the knowledge and get informed.
Ok I'm almost done here. Meranol, its the chemical equivalent of THC. The only problem with that is while THC is the cannabonoid that everyone talks about, it is only one of many in the plant. It is the interaction of different combinations of the cannabonoids that makes the plant so useful. If you think finding thr right dose for cannabis is hard just try to do it with Meranol. Been there, done that, wont go back for more, to damn intense for me.
Real information is out there folks. Even if you have to have research papers translated its no excuse with the net.
The Blindman
How about Roundup ready cannibis? Just kidding! Would you craft legalization of medical cannibis the same that Minnesota is using?
Sounds like things have changed since this came before our committee two years ago-- if we are only talking extracts and oils prescribed by legit docs I'm pretty close to a yes vote. Smoking anything isn't medicinal or wise but what do I know, I'm on a lung transplant list.
This is from the Minnesota Department of Health. They seem to have pretty good controls on the legalization of medical cannibis.
http://www.health.state.mn.us/topics/cannabis/overview/faq.html#policy
Sorry to hear about your health issues Mr. Hickey. In all likelihood, the extract could actually be a Godsend to you for a variety of issues. You would be like the millions of citizens the world over who actually benefit from something that has been demonized for about 75 years. Time to act, your support on this is very much needed.
You're right, Steve: the wording of the bill would make a big difference. How about we just copy the legislation Lynn mentions from Minnesota, word for word? Or how about a straightforward doctor's-note rule: you can possess and use whatever amount a doctor says you can?
Pot tourism for hunters? Does mixing guns and pot sound like a bad idea to anyone else? Besides, pot tourism and cultivation, like casino gambling, won't provide an economic advantage for very long. But I wouldn't mind an ongoing industrial hemp program, cultivation and value-adding factories.
Melissa, send us a draft of your legislation!
And Rep. Hickey, do you have any idea why it's taking the LRC so long to get bills up? Are you guys all writing more slowly this year?
Not sure what to say about LRC. It's been slow getting drafts. Montgomery used to call us all and get the scoop.
I have many more drafts than I can handle but I'm for sure running...
1) death penalty repeal
2) a mental illness bill related to the Death penalty
3) two bills I'm calling victim wish bills so people who are murdered who oppose the death penalty have their wishes considered
4) a bill that allows child sex abuse victims who were litigating their cases in 2010 to not have their cases dismissed because the legislature changed the statute of limitations
5) two bankruptcy exemption bills
6) an ATV bill that creates a fund for trails
7) a bill that brings accountability to the drug control fund and gives 25% back to the counties for indigent defense.
8) long economic winter task force
Those are ones I can talk about now. There are a couple more.
Maybe LRC is slow because I'm bogging them down.
flying into joe foss with a jar full of medicine for you would be a fool's errand, rep. hickey: yer on yer own.
I'm with Mr. kurtz. If you want to smoke something try yucca fibers. And those seed pods open up and you can put a pinch of those little back seeds between your cheek and gum and really feel it. The future is in yucca for west river tribes. You can make ropes and really stout pants out of the stuff, and even weave baskets and hats.
rewild the west, statehood for the tribes, mexico, cuba united federation of planets, to infinity and beyond....
Holy cow, Steve! Keep bogging LRC down! If you have any full drafts you'd like to share, feel free to bog down my e-mail! On that ATV bill, what's the funding source for the trails?
do we think LRC is nonpartisan?
They are. I couldn't tell you the political leanings of the lawyers working on my bills.
Steve Hickey, vaporized cannabis oils could repair your lung damage. Recent studies show a reversal in COPD and chronic emphysema via this treatment. I will post link once I track it down. We shared it a couple weeks ago in our Facebook timeline. I'd think a guy would rather heal what he's got than go under the knife. I assure you, the vapor treatment is no more harsh than a nebulizer in its delivery method. Now you getting "high" from it depends on THC to CBD ratio in the strain from which this particular oil is derived. Plus, as with all medications, it is advisable to slowly increase the use to therapeutic levels and engage in activity as tolerated until your body adjusts to the effects. You may experience a light euphoric feeling and a renewed clarity in your quality of breathing. Our goal is to show people that you don't have to smoke to consume cannabis and attain its medicinal benefits. Now I'm not sure what exactly you at battling with. . . Id ask you to examine Genesis 1:29 and all the scientific evidence on record. Then my next question would be. . would you chose death before cannabis therapy? You seem like a pro life kinda guy. I know you have a long time left in your life. Please dont turn a blind eye to God's gift to man. This plant was acceptable pharmacopeia for 1000s of years before a handful of American politicians changed the rules of nature. Prohibition is contradictive to Genesis 1:29
lol.
sorry, rep. hickey: they're not with me.
Mr. H, I hope the funding source is a very expensive sticker. Mr. Hickey, this LRC seems to be foundering a bit and I hope you can get them back on track. If they are partisan, which we all doubt, then whatever leaning they have needs to bonk them with a stick. You sir are the man with that stick.
Mr. kurtz, I am with you.
Rick Simpson facebook. I'm sure many here can better describe his results. https://www.facebook.com/ricksimpsonofficial
ALEC writes many or most of our bills and LRC copies or rewrites them. Their boss is Daugaard/Jackley, and they are hired based on political affiliation. LRC, AG's office and departments with AG lawyers number 100 or so. Straighten me out here, anyone?
Multiply that number times 28 and you get a pretty big law firm. 2800 largely republican lawyers.
thats alotta legal "horse power" that fossil fuels are harnessing, anti-pot has some exposure, ACA, private law firm participation, and some other major issues too, are threatened by.
google Scott Pruitt.*(below)
Think that association of some 2800 lawyers are bi-partisan? i don't think so.
combine these sweet ingredients with republican 1.) SOS's restricting voting, 2.) AGs bowling over our already-lost politicized SCOTUS, and with 3.) Koch Bros' ALEC feeding republican legislatures, and you have a pretty cynical result for the middle-class (really everyone but the 1%).
*Watch Scott Pruitt, AG Oklahoma (R.) as he leads all 28 red member states in his republican AG assn., generates lawsuits, co-participates with private law firms that lobbied him, and has already climbed into bed with the energy industry that put him up to it.
We are not releasing the bill to the general public until one week from Monday. We have a valid reason and we are doing something completely out of the box as a way of presenting it to the state of SD. If you would like a copy of the PDF please email me at melmentele@yahoo.com and I will put you on the mailing list for the release. We know SD needs a totally different approach and we are very excited about what we are doing. If you would like to follow us on this journey please come visit our FB page @ https://m.facebook.com/SDCompassionateuse?view=page&ref=bookmark
1. It smells worst than skunk. BTW it's called skunk. The stink cannot be contained and even users fan it out of their homes. I'm told you can get high on the vapors. When one cannot open a window during 90+ degree weather because of the stink, infringes upon my basic right to breath.
2. Quak doc's issue medical cards for say $50, easy money for profit. They do not seriously diagnose the "patient". Apparently you can go in and claim a pain in a toe and it won't be questioned.
3. The majority of the abusers are the real issue for not legalizing it, not the people who hold an opinion.
I too have seen in high school smart kids who end up at the bottom of the ranks because they were getting stoned all the time. Whereas the kids that did not use it have many achievements and doing very well. This is based on a small sample of people I know, and would imagine it would apply broadly.
Now that there are two states who have legalized it, those companies who want to develop processes to really meet the needs of the real patients can do so there. Dont see the ROI for every state to legalize it for recreational purposes. Let's see the fallout of WA and Colorado legalization. They may not have to spend on war against it, but the risks will surface and there will be other social economic problems which will be far more costly.
Melissa, it's one thing if you're still drafting the bill, revising it to the best form possible. But it's another if you're just keeping it secret for some other reason. The sooner we have a bill in our hands, the sooner we can research it, prepare to testify, and lobby our legislators to make an informed decision. Democracy runs on the free flow of information, not secrets.
Jane, on quack docs: can't the state medical board crack down on that practice? Wouldn't it be in the profession's best interest to do so? Don't they crack down on doctors who issue bogus prescriptions in other situations?
Cory, that's the problem, the general understanding is very limited enforcement when it comes to regulating these clinic doc's who give out the medical cards.
Jane is out to lunch. Minnesota passed a cannabis-based therapy that would pass FDA muster: it's model legislation designed for compassionate care and makes sense.
Any jurisdiction denying adults access to cannabis for any use is a chilling effect on personal freedoms guaranteed by the US Constitution: it's just that simple.
No secrets just making sure we cover every single loophole they may see, answering every question they may ask and educating them on every aspect. The bill comes with a Cannabis 101 handout to explain what the uses and terminology is. The bill is very good and is currently in it's (fingers crossed) last revision.
Quack docs in Montana just killed a young man with meds for back pain. What dosages are too much and how suicidal do you become when backing away from pot for pain vs narcotics? This is a painful blow to all of us who knew and loved this family with 4 young children. I'm not sure he would have medicated with MJ but. I can tell you of the death of 2 other young men on almost identical narcotic regimes in my small circle. Docs legally kill daily and that is just ok on the legislative table.
"Prohibition is contradictive to Genesis 1:29"
Ryan, you are being a typical New Age and are misusing the Bible (note the contact with demons via drugs):
While feminist theology endeavours to represent the God of the Bible as being both masculine and feminine or even as an exclusively feminine godhead, the radical vanguard of the New Age feminist movement is already demanding that the Christian faith be replaced by the myth of Gaia, "mother Earth," whose cult is now being revived and practiced. What is common among many New Age groups is a counterfeit religious experience such as contact with demons through drugs, meditation, psycho technologies, and other ventures.
http://www.bibleprobe.com/new_age.htm
The above comment should also be applied to Hickey's co-called Christian mysticism (meditation), along with his position on female so-called pastors.
Rev Hickey, I'm sure sorry to hear about your current medical problems. We've had our disagreements but your one of the people that will respond to the things in Madville, and for that I thank you.
After I posted yesterday we got busy making some changes in Carson House construction and i didnt come back until this morning. I see there are several issues that have come up.
First lets address bills that are so awesome and ground breaking the most important part is secrecy. Like my five year old grandson would say, "thats bullshit." You dont spring a bill like that.
The general public doesnt see this subject the same way the framers of the bill do I guarantee that. If you want to legislate for medical marijuana, absolutly everything you say write or do has to be open and true. One untruthful statement, one wild eyed stoner talking to the press, one organizer making unsubstantiated claims, and your bill is just paper with ink on it. If you dont let some air get to that bill, it will start to stink, and not like "skunk."
Steve Hickey, I appreciate the fact that you are willing to consider any legislation for the legalization of cannabis. And I do understand that its hard to grasp both the implacations of a cannabis bill and how serious it is to those of us that use it.
Unfortunately, there are people on both sides of this issue that have a hard time separating fact from fiction. Case in point. Ryan Gaddy is making claims that can not be substantiated from current studies. The very limited number of subjects in any of these trials make any claims of "a cure," far far from a done deal. Of course Ryan knows this, he just trying to get an edge.
Talk like that is if not the problem for those pushing legislation, it is the bigginning of the problem. If you really want to know the truth about cannabis you will have to do research. Dont trust anybody, not even me, unless they can substantiate what they are saying using real peer reviewed studies. The problem isnt information, the problem is misinformation.
Ryans understanding of how THC and CDBs work could be put in a thimble and there would still be room for a gram of coke. He doesnt talk about any of the other cannabonoids that directly influence what cannabis does and doesn't do. He doesn't talk about the amount of heat it takes to release those cannabonoids.
Just for the record, those cannabonoids release oils at different temperatures. The first to release would be what people who have glaucoma would get the most good from. As the temperature increases, it forces more cannabonoids to release their stuff. We dont know the value yet of all those cannabonoids but we know that it is a combination of them that makes medical cannabis another tool for patients.
At the other end of the spectrum would be cancer patients, and others, those cannabonoids release at the temperature up to and including actual cumbustion of the plant.
We know these things because of the advent of vaperizers. There is no smoke using a vap, unless you turn it up to high, only vapor. The particulate material ingested into the lungs is about 95% less then if it was smoked. I might add that the the same heating process is used if your cooking with cannabis oil.
There are a lot of different strains of pot out there that the growers are claiming are good for this or good for that. That remains to be seen through testing but maybe in time.
Cory wanted a Dr. to peracribe a dose that works. Cant be done for one reason. Every persons byology is different, what would work for one might not be right for someone else. And then theres different potencies, even in the same strain. If you cant overdose, and you cant if you arent prone to pannic attacks, why worry about less then 1% of those that do? Every drug company in this country would jump at a safety record like that.
There is another reason to legislate for cannabis. If you dont develop new laws to limit what companies can and cant patent, you will loose control to either big pharma or the tobacco companies. Get control now if you want to control your future. Both of these entities are at this very moment working on the exact thing I'm talking about.
Jane, your paronoid. Yes skunk is high test weed, but there is no way on earth to get high without heating it to a certain temp. If they told you that you could get high on the vapor, they were talking about the use of a vaporizer. The only way you could get high on second hand vapor is if you did shotguns, one person takes a hit and blows it into your open, and willing mouth. There is no other way.
Quack doctors and the slow reaction timefixing that one problem is the reason for Montanas failure. That issue has been addressed in Minnesota.
Jane, you do know that marijuana use is the same no matter what your education, how rich or poor your, or what your profession is. At this time there are about 14% of people in this country that use cannabis on a regular basis. Every day you interact with some of these people and dont even know it. Doctors lawyers, policemen, judges, your preacher, cowboys and girls bull riders, and no they aint the same, and legislators. You cant point your finger at someone and say "that guys high."
" I too have seen in high school smart kids who end up at the bottom of the ranks because they were getting stoned all the time."
I might suggest that had they not ever tried pot they would have found something else.
Do I understand you? Are you suggesting that as long as a couple of states have legalized cannabis, you would rather we break the law hauling it across state lines? Or do you just want us to move to another state thinking that will help your anxiety? I resent the fact that SD made me move because they refuse to come out of the 1950s.
Les I'm sorry for your loss. There is no one size fits all. It sure wouldnt have hurt him. The biggest problem in this country isnt pot, and it isnt meth. It is legal drugs and their misuse. This includes alcahol and smoking. While there are studies ongoing using cannabis to lesson the withdrawal from narcotics, at this time they are substatuting one substance for another. Its promissing but it could be refined with more research.
Lets look at this through the publics eyes. Do they see a bunch of stoners trying to get their foot in the door for complete legalization? There is nothing wrong with trying but in SD its an unrealistic goal at this time.
For some its about getting high, and for others, like myself, its about limiting pain. Notice that I didnt say get rid of the pain. I believe I told JeniW this before, but others should know how it feels. For me, pain before using cannabis is like the sharp edge of a table. No matter what you do that edge is going ti hurt if you bang your body against it. Now, if you round and sand all the edges, its still gonna hurt but not as bad. Cannabis helps to round the edges to make it easier to live everyday life. While pot rounds the edges, narcotics make the table disappear altogether. Big difference!
Rev. Hickey, if you really want to understand medical cannabis, I'm willing to help you get started any way I can. Cory has my back channel information.
The Blindman
Thank you Bill for addressing the issues rather than jumping down on Steve Hickey, and with reasonable explanations.
Thanks Blindman. Few free moments these days but I'm keeping the cannabis stuff in the top stack for review. Like I said, I hope to be able to vote for it, the extract version I mean. I did some reading on the Minnesota bill and found that by and large favorable.
I'm not keeping any bills secret as my early comment may have implied. Some just aren't ready. For example, the second bill related to my victims wish bill is to tie it to the drivers license like we do with organ donors. Simple box to check on the application: if I'm killed by homicide it is my with that those found guilty for my death not be subject to the death penalty. Another bill is a truth and reconciliation commission, also not ready for prime time. No big surprises from me this session though I do have a knack for saying something wrong on occasion which has resulted in media freak outs. I'll try to behave.
If your really serious about legalization for medical cannabis I suggest this SDAP group stand down since the impression people get is "stoners". Claims that cannabis cures just about anything and going to their website and the only reason one of their regional directors says cannabis is from the earth and is natural. Can you imagine going before a legislative hearing and SDAP testifies that it's good for you becuase it comes from the Earth and it's from nature? That's just being plain lazy.
SDAP members when presenting arguments for legalization do you want to be a medical cannabus consultant or just another stoner? The parade in Huron didn't help with all it's negaive publicity this year either.
[Hey, Holistic—can you share a real e-mail address with me? You make good points, but I'd like to verify your identity.]
bill-a person very dear broke his back, is disabled and grows primo west coast medicinal, but the kids are now stoners and their friends hang out for the high grade weed. its like the softball coach who buys beer for the 14 year olds end-of season-party at his house. geez. whatdayahgonnado??
b. flemming-pretty interesting discussion on npr today about similarities of coke, heroin and sugar refinement, addiction and brain changes with use.
Leslie, I know about some of that from my other reading. We didn't really evolve to be able to handle that high-test stuff. (See especially "Food of the Gods" by Terence McKenna). http://www.amazon.com/Food-Gods-Original-Knowledge-Evolution/dp/0553371304
Leslie, your friend needs to grow a pair and kick their asses out the door. That is unless he enjoys having them around. A stoners like a cat, if you stop feeding it, it will go somewhere else.
The Blindman
yeah, i will follow the evolutionary part that now leads to addictive behavior. our monkey brain has betrayed us!!
dith-i hear yah. at least the other daily pain meds are not as heavily narcotic as they were for years. getting cats back to baseline prolly aint gonna happen. our national solution for kicking it seems to be a bottom that may take 20-40 more years to hit. ouch!! we need addiction science.
http://blogs.mprnews.org/newscut/2015/01/minnesota-among-worst-states-in-alcohol-deaths/?WT.mc_id=_WT_AUTOGEN_VALUE_
Larry K., if you are using that as an argument in favor of making marijuana legal, that is a problem I have with people who advocate for legalization of marijuana, that is, using the ugliness of alcohol as rationalization for legalizing marijuana. Using that argument is outdated and worn out.
That argument reminds of a guy who destroyed property and when confronted, he would say "at least I did not hit anyone."
All drugs have side effects, some desirable and some not. That includes marijuana, sugar, caffeine, aspirin, etc.
Legalize marijuana for its merits, and simply because there are probably enough people who want it legalize, no need to rationalize it by comparing it to other drugs.
http://www.politifact.com/georgia/statements/2014/dec/15/charles-chuck-spahos/drugged-driving-claim-base/
Life is to short to be serious all the time. This is an example of "stoner," humor from 1973. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1E_2PAyxl9c
The Blindman
Addiction? After some guy named Janklow closed the brothels in Deadwood for political gain to cover up his being implicated in the death of Jancita Eagle Deer, Bill Walsh and Tom Blair pressed a five-dollar bet limit to preserve historic Deadwood because the Syndicate Building burned to the ground.
South Dakota sealed its fate long ago: why worry now?
"If your really serious about legalization for medical cannabis I suggest this SDAP group stand down since the impression people get is "stoners". Claims that cannabis cures just about anything and going to their website and the only reason one of their regional directors says cannabis is from the earth and is natural. Can you imagine going before a legislative hearing and SDAP testifies that it's good for you becuase it comes from the Earth and it's from nature? That's just being plain lazy.
SDAP members when presenting arguments for legalization do you want to be a medical cannabus consultant or just another stoner? The parade in Huron didn't help with all it's negaive publicity this year either."
SDAP will not cease. . .
i too am curious about your identity as Cory is. . . Why hide who you are when you wanna trash talk a group that if making waves?
And IF you can do better than SDAP. . . STEP UP!
Hiding in the shadows talking shit isn't doing anything for the movement at all. I welcome a "better" activist team to rise and show me how it's done. I'm not an expert on Cannabis. I know what I know. . . It's all been through personal research. Anyone that tells me to sit down better have something better to offer . . . or I'm going to keep growing SDAP to even more gargantuan levels of involvement. You can't kill an idea that has taken root in this many people.
Ryan, does SDAP have a legislative sponsor yet?
SDAP is not writing a bill. We are registering voters, and instigating people to call people like Steve Hickey. . . It's a coordinated effort with SDFCC(Melissa). We are using our pool of almost 4200 facebook followers to make noise for her group's bill. She can't stand our billboard Investor's religious preferences(Atheism). . . So to split the load on our common goal, we are working together (SDAP/SDFCC) . . . Dale Hemming's endorsement of the cause has no tie to SDFCC other than believing in a common goal of legalizing medical marijuana in South Dakota. Any further questions about our detail, you can call me.
If people don't trust Dale Hemming it's for good reason.
In the past year he has put up nearly a HUNDRED billboards promoting Sioux Falls Free Thinkers / Feminists / Atheists / Scientists / Zoologists. Additionally he has paid for months of prime time commercials on KELO & KTTW, ads in the Argus, and even had to resort to paying people directly to make some drawings for him.
He has literally spent HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of **THOUSANDS** of dollars promoting these "groups" of which he appears to be the only person who has gone more then once. It is an absolute OBSCENE waste of money, nevermind the fact that he is a sexist, malevolent, ill-mannered, self-serving warthog.
Combine Dale Hemming's stunning lack of self awareness and bottomless check book with Ryan Gaddy's inability to behave in a professional manner in any aspect, we're in for a treat. Gaddy couldn't get himself on the ballot as a Libertarian because he wasn't even a member of the Libertarian Party. Literally, the only thing he had to do to be nominated for PUC was to be a member of the party, and he couldn't even do that.
Now Ryan Gaddy goes on the news & looks like he just got back from an ICP concert. Pro Tip: Before you go on TV put on a nice clean shirt, shave off your goatee, use some Visine, and under no circumstances let them film you driving around in your 1994 Ford Probe.
TL;DR - SDAP is a clown show, Ryan Gaddy is the ring leader, and Dale Hemming is the pay master.
Also, those billboards are a fugly eyesore. The only thing worse then white font on a light blue background is RED font on a light blue background. People look at signs for .5 seconds if you're lucky, and you give them 6 lines of text on an unreadable board.
You could have literally light that money on fire and gotten more attention then those ugly as signs have.
Chris H., the thing is that it was Dale's money.
I do not like how people spend money on booze, and I can think of many other ways that people could use those booze dollars on more productive ways. But, it is their money and they have the right to do whatever they want with it, as long as it is legal.
I have not actually seen that particular billboard, but as I gaze down 41st Street, there are IMO, a lot of ugly billboards and signages.
I tend to look at those ugly billboards and signages as meaning that there were/are people earning a living by creating and physically making the billboards/signage, after all, there is not anything I can do about them.
If your real issue is the legalization of marijuana, either for medical or recreational purposes, that might be something that you can do something about. If the proposed bill makes it out of the committee, that will be the time to voice your disagreement with it.
Chris H. doesn't like billboards or Dale Hemming; therefore, medical marijuana is bad—thank you for that lesson in logical fallacy.
Are we discussing the issue or personal animus? The former interests me; the latter bores me.
"Chris H. doesn't like billboards or Dale Hemming; therefore, medical marijuana is bad—thank you for that lesson in logical fallacy.
Are we discussing the issue or personal animus? The former interests me; the latter bores me."
Couldn't have said it better Cory
@Chris H. . . You seem pretty upset that I don't drive a benz, have awesome hairstyles, and am too raw to be squashed into a "professional" bottle. I make no apologies to anyone for being myself. I refuse to be anything but myself. This whole process has been about doing things that make people talk about Medical Marijuana. . . thus I have succeeded. You talking shit. . just like the rest. . . Just makes more noise. You comments make me laugh ;)
Ryan Gaddy, if you—[Editor's Note: "Chris H" lies to me by submitting different fake e-mail addresses, one of which impersonates Rep. Steve Hickey. I do not tolerate being lied to. "Chris H", your participation in this conversation is over until (1) you identify yourself honestly to me and (2) you knock off the distracting personal insults.]
I'm catching up on all this from being away for a while and have been on the fence regarding legalization of medical marijauna. What concerns me most is the casual attitude towards recreational marijauna in saying that it is not addictive, no big deal, blanket statements that it's good for you, causes no harm, is from the earth, can cure just about anything.
It's almost as if before sending kids to school besides giving them their daily Flintstones vitamins to make sure you give them their cannibus joint and send them on their way.
With such comments above, past observations this past year by those promoting legalized cannibus and my own personal experience dealing with addicts my growing concern is that addicts and rec users are using possibly legitimate med marijauna users for legalized access. Plus I'm worried about the message we send out to kids and society and it's long term consequences.
I'll be visiting with law enforcement this week to ask a few questions regarding what they are facing but I am now leaning towards being against legalization here in South Dakota and waiting to see a decade or two to see what happens in Colorado and in Minnesota before we legalize here.
After seeing a few comments about how marijuana is an addiction, I decided to look up that word to try to clarify my understanding of whether marijuana is addicting. Here is dictionary.com's definition:
"the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma."
I have had a close relative who used heroin. When he was arrested and cut off from the drug he became deathly ill and suffered what I would call "severe trauma."
I had a friend who was a severe alcoholic. He fell off the wagon and drank for several days, ending up on our couch when he ran out of booze. When he awoke he was very sick so I called our family doctor who told us to get him alcohol immediately and then take him to detox. The doctor said his life was in danger from alcohol withdrawal. That circumstance seems to qualify as "severe trauma."
I have had several relatives and friends who were very heavy marijuana users. I can recall several occasions when they were unable to obtain marijuana. To the best of my knowledge none ever reported experiencing any significant symptoms of withdrawal, let alone "serious trauma."
Blindman's comments about his experience when he had no marijuana does not really sound like "severe trauma." Has anyone here ever seen someone suffer from "serious trauma" due to their inability to obtain and ingest marijuana? If not, then perhaps the term "addiction" does not belong in any discussion about marijuana.
BCB my intention was not only physical addiction which can vary depending on ones tolerance and body chemistry but also psychological dependence. What is worng with being sober? What is wrong with not being under the influence and experience the highs and lows of life? How about finding a place of peace or one's sacred space getting away from everything and enjoying it being able to experience and appreciate it fully without chemicals?
Life is hard and can be a great equalizer in how it humbles us at times where we can learn coping skills.
Lynn, I fully agree with you on the choices you recommend, yet I acknowledge that our views aren't shared by all. When we make behavior a criminal act just because we disagree with the choices, rather than because of the harm it causes to others or to society, then we may well have gone too far.
As for the term "psychological dependence," it does not seem particularly helpful. Indeed, it seems somewhat meaningless if it is merely a description of our feelings about things or actions that give us pleasure or relief, rather than identifying some pernicious effect from withdrawal.
Lynn, what gives you the right to force your place of peace on the rest of us?
Perhaps the term "addiction" is too widely used for too many wrong reasons.
Perhaps marijuana is not physically addicting, but can become an "obsession."
"ob·ses·sion
noun \äb-ˈse-shən, əb-\
: a state in which someone thinks about someone or something constantly or frequently especially in a way that is not normal
: someone or something that a person thinks about constantly or frequently
: an activity that someone is very interested in or spends a lot of time doing"
When my brother was a pothead, smoking pot was what he desired and lived for. He was obsessed with it and always looking for his next high. He backed off using pot when his friends informed him that if he did not back off using pot, they did not want to have anything to do with him any more (his friends were pot users as well, but not to the extent that my brother was.)
I think of addiction as being physical, obsession being psychological/mental. Gambling is another activity that is sometimes called "addicting," but can really be an obsession.
BCB, mass use of marijuana in our society is one of the methods used by the Ruling Elites to exercise mind control over us. So it I harmful to society. The crony capitalists leading the efforts on this big money business is Soros and Progressive Insurance:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/apr/2/billionaire-george-soros-turns-cash-into-legalized/?page=all
JeniW, obsession does seem a much more accurate term than either addiction or psychological dependence. We can become "obsessed" with anything and sometimes such obsessions are very beneficial. My brother-in-law was obsessed with finding a way to help hemophiliacs and his obsession resulted in the development of new treatments that saved many lives!
Sibby, your article identifies financial contributors to the legalization effort, but adds nothing to your conspiracy theory. Yet, it seems that many who oppose legalization of medical marijuana also believe in fantasy conspiracies, so in this particular topic your views might be considered well thought out and wise by people who share your paranoias.
I am not a pothead. Growing up none of my friends were potheads or even into my adulthood none of my close friends are potheads. I may crave a beer once or twice a month but that is about it. I enjoy the taste but am not looking to get light headed. The athletic activities I was involved including my friends were endurance related so we needed aerobic capacity so that last thing we wanted was any type of smoke going into our lungs. Later when I got older I found out that I was getting an endorphine high from working out which helped control depression brought on by the environment I was in and hereditory.
There are various forms of addiction and I have lost two people close to me from addiction one that drank himself to death and smoked MJ also though the alcohol is what destroyed his body and mind. He had a heart of gold! Another smoked(tobacco) himself to death. Both died way before their time being just past 60. One other who almost passed away and nearly lost his jaw to infection is addicted to sugar(candy)
A former roomate of mine who is around my age, smart, funny and very attractive had to have her one quick hit of MJ to use as a crutch socially on a regular basis.
When I read the police reports it is not only marijauna in their system but other drugs as well. I see this as a gateway drug and feel like it will be just another way in our messed up political priorities here in the state to dumb and numb down our population.
Lynn, that's interesting, not sure any of this gives you the right to force your place of peace on the rest of us. I know people that smoke pot but don't use drugs or alcohol, I also know people that drink but don't use anything else, my father is a recovering alcoholic, I would prefer to smoke pot but am forced to drink when I want to "numb down" as I also believe in following the law, so I ask again, what gives you and people like you the right to force your place of peace on me? It should be my choice of what I do in the privacy of my own home.
Another personal experience that was an annoyance mentioned her before was the casual attitude of the effects of getting high whether it be driving a car or at the workplace. It's almost like getting high was the same affect as drinking a Pepsi. I've been stuck with employees that were completely worthless when they got high at work. His eyes were super red, he reeked of pot and there is no way he could help customers or do the most basic functions. I could of wheeled his chair into a closet where he could sit out of the way and he would of probably been cool with it. There is no way I'd want this guy driving a car. The owner himself a pothead did nothing because to him it was cool.
Tim should we just legalize everything? South Dakota could be like Holland or Amsterdam?
Cory, can you write a bill that would adopt Minnesota's medical cannabis law worthy of FDA scrutiny, legalize for adults then allow Deadwood and the tribes grow and distribute under a compact putting the gaming commission to tax and regulate?
http://interested-party.blogspot.com/2014/03/ecoffey-legalize-cannabis-on-rez.html
When it affects me I get pissed! When at work I'm responsible and ready to work. When I drive my car, run or walk I expect others to not be distracted or under the influence which could put me at risk. There are more issues related to expanding and legalizing another drug.
Lynn, where did I say legalize everything? I thought this thread was about cannabis. Your fall back is what the fall back always is. All I am saying is I should have the option to smoke pot if I want. To set the record straight, no everything shouldn't be legal, I also happen to think straight alcohol like Everclear also shouldn't be legal, but that's just me, it doesn't bother me if some body else drinks it.
So, you get bashed by a drunk driver and it's ok, you find out that drunk driver also smoked a joint and then you have a problem?
Tim it's not directed at you specifically but it has been mentioned in comments above and before that meth is no big deal or other drugs. If they are totally pushing a right to choose how they self medicate then I am curious how far they would like to see legalization go?
Tim I said under the influence. That could be from a drunk driver, smoked a joint or puffed paint like I used to see in my old neighborhood in Minneapolis.
Let me make sure I understand this, I also believe I should be ready to work with a clear head and not under the influence, I also believe I should not be put at risk by people that drive or run equipment ect. under the influence, I seem to want the same things you do with one exception, if I want to relax in the evening at home after a long day with a pipe of pot I can't do that because of...what?
It's clear that this is not about legalization of medical marijauna and never was.
Is this blog a snapshot of what the South Dakota Democratic Party stands for?
No, Lynn: this blog belongs to Cory: consider the comment section a collage of selfies taken by feral cats.
Tim, no one can force her/his peace on you, or shove anything down your throat etc., and no one can force you to consume alcohol for those times you want to "numb down," it is your choice.
Should all drugs be legalized, to be consistent probably so. But in legalizing drugs there needs to be regulations to protect the users, and to try to help protect the potential victims
If going to advocate the legalization of the currently illegal drugs, I ask that you advocate for additional programs and funding for those who need help to stop using whatever they want to stop using.
Also to advocate for resources for victims of drug users, including children. Children who do not want to live with parents who are users should be able to have the resources to escape.
When my father was drunk he was a mean SOB. I would have liked to have been able to get away, to escape, but I was stuck, no where to go to, no one to talk to, etc.
Some adults like to pretend that their children do not know that their parents are using drugs, but children do know, and they oftentimes pay a heavy price for it.
No Lynn, this has nothing to do with SDDP, on this issue the majority of all people in SD are just as conservative as you are. This will go nowhere here, recreational or medicinal. Your fear of your safety being compromised by the pot smoking hoards is unfounded.
The SDDP website still has not been updated. I just checked the issues of the party to see anything in regards to the legalization of medical cannibus and looked for contact info for the party officers. I am curious though if this will be advanced by the party.
Been there, done that Jeni, not only is my father a recovering alcoholic, one of my sisters is dead due to a drug overdose. Be careful who you preach to when you don't have all the facts of the person you preach to, you have no idea how much I loath drugs and the effects they have on people. I don't consider marijuana a hard drug, at least not anymore than alcohol. I'm stepping out of this before I say something I'll regret.
Tim it's based on my personal experience of dealing with addicts some of which were just plain irresponsible potheads which is what I am most concerned about.. I'd rather wait and see what longterm studies show from legalization in states such as Colorado and the more restricted states such as Minnesota before we legalize it here in SD. What are the social consequences? Crime? Addiction treatment? DUI arrests? Hard data on medical benefits considering individual results based on body chemistry? Educational test scores if there is an increase in use by kids and adolescents with rec legalization in Colorado?
Tim, I did not mean to offend you, and if I did so, I apologize. My father, and others I have known have died from bleeding to death as as the result of the damage that alcohol did to their liver. It is indeed an ugly drug.
You were commenting that Lynn was "forcing" her place of peace on you, and I counter that no one can "force" anyone to anything unless they are being physically forced.
The rest of my narrative was not so much directed toward you, but a general statement to anyone who wants to legalize any of the currently illegal drugs. I should have made that clearer.
Again, I apologize for offending you.
Apology accepted, you had no way to know, I too am sorry I got so fired up, as you can imagine it is a touchy subject for me.
The laws force those places of peace on me. About 6 months ago I went down to Denver for a long weekend just to check it out, I can say from what I seen, they have got it right down there. As far as all of Lynn's social consequences are concerned, they have not materialized with the exception of an increase in minor consumption which would concern me, however, it's hard to stop shitty parents from being that way.
Lynn there are all kinds of irresponsible people in the world, some of them run the government and pose much more risk to all of us than any stoner or drunk would. All I'm saying is if you try to legislate stupid eventually you will legislate life itself.
The main issue with marijuana to me is the fact that so many lives are being ruined by it. The victims of vicious cartels that control the market, the prisons full of people caught selling or using it, the incredible cost of trying to enforce laws against it, etc. compared to the relatively harmless effects on people who use it, not to mention the relief many suffering people get from it.
It seems like the concept of justice around the substance is out of whack.
On the whole, I suspect there are far more problems in society because the substance is illegal than there would be if it were legal.
Thanks Bill, you found the words I've been looking for.
Bill, be careful of your terminology. Instead of "The main issue with marijuana to me is the fact that so many lives are being ruined by it," I think you are saying "The main issue with marijuana to me is the fact that so many lives are being ruined by the negative effects of laws criminalizing it."
BCB, Thanks. That is indeed a better way to word the thought I intended to express.
From an article I just read:
"States which banned the non-medical, recreational use of marijuana were primarily in the south and southwest, where economics and prejudice played a role. During The Great Depression (1929 – 1941), migrant workers from Mexico were no longer needed (nor welcome) in the United States. Since many of the migrant laborers smoked marihuana, it was thought that banning marijuana would encourage them to go back home, thus freeing jobs for unemployed Americans. Other states such as New Orleans, which banned non-medical marijuana usage in 1924, blamed cannabis for its high crime rate."
Source: http://brucealanblock.com/why-marijuana-became-legal/
The SDDP should not adopt medical marijuana as a major cause in this Legislature or the 2016 election cycle, not unless the issue demonstrates strong potential to help Democrats win elections. I thus far see no such potential. Nor do I see enough compelling policy arguments to make me think the SDDP should take over from SDAP in general advocacy or from the Family Coalition for Compassion in drafting legislation. Let this issue come from the grassroots.
What do you folks think about getting a legislator to propose this bill to the rest of the SoDak legislature?
AN ACT ENTITLED, An Act to provide for an affirmative defense of medical necessity for certain marijuana offenses.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA:
Section 1. It is an affirmative defense to the charge of possession of two ounces or less of marijuana under § 22-42-6 or the charge of ingesting marijuana for purpose of becoming intoxicated under § 22-42-15 if the defendant proves by a preponderance of the evidence, that the defendant has a medical necessity to possess or use marijuana. The court may consider expert testimony, the testimony of lay persons with similar medical conditions, any recommendation by a competent medical authority, and any other relevant testimony to determine whether a defendant has a medical necessity.
Section 2. For purposes of this Act, a medical necessity is:
(1) Any medical condition recognized by a competent medical authority as a condition for which marijuana is palliative; or
(2) Any medical condition that a competent medical authority has recommended that the defendant use marijuana for palliative care.
Corey, re your comment at 17:16 suggesting the Democrats not mess with an issue that won't win elections for them; I suggest people in office should attempt to do what's right. In SoDak, the Democrats are losing because they won't even stand up for issues that are naturally theirs.
What does the Democrat Party have to lose by not endorsing medical marijuana. Go for it. Campaign on it like you did for the minimum raise. I think it is a great issue that could help re-energize the party.
If the Republican based SD legislators will not even consider the proposed bill (that is, killed by the committee,) that will indicate that the support for medical marijuana in SD continues to be an unpopular issue, and if Democrats pick it up as a major issue, it will be a political suicide for the party.
Medical marijuana is not just a Democratic issue, it is also a Republican issue.
We will see if the the proposed bill makes it out of committee, then go from there.
The Democrats are already dead. They have nothing to lose. They could try to do the right thing with their last breaths. Worthless sap-wimps.
The minimum wage issue impacted a lot of people, both the employers and employees.
Medical marijuana probably has a smaller population to impact. I do not have the statistics of how many people in SD, if they had the opportunity to use marijuana for medical purposes would do so. Are the statistics to provide an indication of how many people in SD would use medical marijuana?
Are there any statistics of how many doctors, or Physician Assistants in SD would prescribe it?
If the medical establishment in SD will not support its use as a medicine, how likely will the legislators approve it. If the medical establishment in SD strongly endorsed marijuana for medical purposes, would the legislators be more likely to pass the bill?
Bob, if you consider the Democrats to be dead, then why should we bother?
Insulting Democrats will not endear Democrats to your cause.
Insults don't bother dead people. Doesn't matter how many people need medical cannabis. If one person is arrested and convicted for trying to prevent harm to him/herself bu using an effective remedy, that's one too many.
To be a legislator, a law-maker, and to know that people who use a benign herb to alleviate their suffering are being arrested and punished, and to fail to speak up about it or try to change it, well, JESUS F. CHRIST!!
Of course it won't get out of committee because the legislature is Republican and the medical association won't support it because they would rather prescribe poisonous addictive drugs that are much more costly than marijuana.
Bob, since it seems like you view Democrats as dead and useless, or as you said "worthless," it is not the Democrats that you should be appeal to, it is the Republicans.
Are you utilizing the blogs sites, such as the SD War College to advocate for the legalization of medical marijuana? Have you approached the SD Republican Party, or the SD Republican Women to advocate for your cause?
Tara, my doctor is pretty liberal about assisting me, but I know that he would not prescribe Morphine for me just because I ask for it to ease my pain. I do not know if he would prescribe marijuana for me or not, if it was legal to do so.
I just do not get the "I want Democrats to support this cause, support that cause. Oh, and by the way you are ugly and so is your shirt" approach.
We have an epidemic of prescription drug abuse. Young people are selling prescriptions on the street. Just talk to HS and college kids. As far as marijuana, kids I talk to tell me 80-90% smoke marijuana.
JeniW, Marijuana would be a lot safer for you to take than morphine.
In my case, probably so, but my point was to counter your point that the all medical professionals would prefer to prescribe addictive and dangerous drugs.
It is not me that you have to convince, it is the medical professionals.
Rather than appealing to Democrats or Republicans, I would prefer to appeal to people who identify themselves by some characterization other than the title of a business and social club that bonds by putting blockheads into office for the purpose of pushing people like me around.
The lack of support for medical marijuana in the SD legislature has nothing to do with the lack of support for the issue from SD voters. It has everything to do with the legislature being comprised almost entirely of gutless hypocrites who have no real understanding of their own purported philosophy.
Let's not forget that, before the establishment got too involved, the issue got 48% of the vote, back in the late 2000s.
Again, this issue has no chance in the legislature. It has a decent chance on the ballot in 2016.
It cracks me up to see guys like Hickey voice their tentative support, conditioned on people not smoking the marijuana. Because terminal cancer patients have a legitimate reason to care about the long-term adverse effects of smoking. Ridiculous.
Finally. Neal makes a concise synopsis of the problem.
It saddens me that CAH would urge Democrats (and the state party) to avoid this issue. That's almost as depressing as the opposition from so-called "limited-government conservatives." The Democrat party is dead in SD. Dust in the wind. Hopeless, by any objective measure. Instead of taking a stand for something that's demonstrably and undoubtedly the right thing to do, regardless of party affiliation, CAH sticks his head in the sand, and urges others to do the same.
Political cowardice is not the way to revitalize your party. Trust me on this one.
Young people support this issue (medical and recreational legalization) on an overwhelming basis, because they know that they have been lied to about the evils of marijuana. Democrat support of this issue would do just the opposite of harming the party.
No brainer.
Another round of "I want the Democrats to support this, support that, and by the way, you are ugly and so is your shirt" approach.
What supporters of legalizing marijuana needs to do is to reach out to the young people who may, or may not, identify with any political party, and encourage them to do what they can to make legalization happen.
But, I still wonder why instead of spending time demeaning the Democrats on this venue, there is not more effort to get the Republicans to change their opinion? Perhaps there are efforts to get the Republicans to change their opinion and I just do not know about it?
I support the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes, and even for recreational purposes if there are regulations that go along with it, but it was not because of the anti-Democrat campaign being carried out here.
No anti-Dem campaign here. The truth hurts, but it's unbiased.
As for why isn't there more effort to get Republicans to change ... well, there's at least a sliver of hope here.
"The Democrat party is dead in SD. Dust in the wind. Hopeless, by any objective measure."
"Political cowardice is not the way to revitalize your party. Trust me on this one."
Sounds anti-Democrat to me.
There is an expression something to the effect of "You should not delegate to others what you are unwilling to do yourself."
If supporters of legalizing marijuana for medical and/or entertainment are unwilling to try to change the Republicans, who will?
It is not the ones who are in favor of legalization who need to be convinced, it is those who object who need to be convinced.
We all have to choose our battles, and organizations have to choose their battles. If the Democrat Party decides not to make this a primary issue at this point, that is the way it is. That is not to say that it will never become a primary issue.
What it means is that supporters will need to decide if this battle is important enough to try to change any Republicans, and anyone else who objects, opinion. How they go about trying to change opinions will either have a positive or negative outcome.
South Dakota: Land of Infinite Vulnerability.
I havent posted for a few days here. I see that many still dont get it. The decision to use marijuana, and it doesnt matter if its recreational or medical, has never been a political party issue, its a personal political issue.
Of all the people I bought pot from in the past as far as I know, I've only had one demacratic dealer. I've smoked pot with every political persuasion and most professions, from a priest to a lawyer that worked for a SD suprime court justice, both were hardcore republicans.
By trying to make legalization a demacratic party issue you have already put yourself in an us versus them mentality. When your party has as little influence as the SDDP does, you have lost the war before there was even a battle.
In SD in 2007, eight years ago, there were an estimated 55,000 who used marjuana in the priviious year. Notice I didnt say x amount from what party because those are people, not a party.
For a state with such a small population, it sure has a high rate of arrest and convictions. Sometimes I go over to Interested Party's blog and just set and watch the drug war clock. It isnt pretty but it sure can make you think, what that money could have funded.
Lynn, if you had done your homework you would probably already have answers to your questions and worries. Lets just say that if you dont want to be around anyone useing cannabis, you had better stay home from now on.
No amount of laws will stop "any" kid from trying pot, drinking, having unprotected sex, or any other morally judged practice. That has to start at home with the truth. If you as a parent are hiding from the truth dont expect your kids to believe what your telling them. Kids are much smarter then that.
Here is just one example. Has a purity ring ever stopped anyone from having sex? Unless your delusional the answer is no. When those hormones kick in the only thing that ring does is catch on cloths trying to get them off, nothing more.
You cant stop kids from having sex unless you lock em in their rooms. And you cant force kids not to try pot for the same reason. Its already easy to get. Of course every sane person knows this they just keep hoping their kids are different.
Most parents judge their kids actions while covieniently forgetting what they did at the same age. We all know someone that did everything when they were kids. Then they got religion and became moral policemen. Their fear of morality is theirs, not their childrens. When the truth is a click away you had better not lie just to make yourself look better then you were at that age.
With the net, "do as I say, not as I did," wont even get their attention away from the screen if you have already lied.
Just one last thing. The fastest growing segment of the population to use cannabis is the seniors. Thats right, its not just for kids anymore. Aches, pains, and depression brings these people together.
They have weighed the consequences of their actions and picked feeling better as opposed to just getting by. I am them now. They have picked a treatment that makes them feel better about themselves while not interfering with their scripts. In some cases they can do away with some of those scripts.
The only way to get cannabis bills passed anywhere is through educating the public. It doesnt start with someone walking around yelling pot is love, pot is good. That will just drive them away. No, if you want legalization, you have to get the people curious enough to want answers. Its that simple. Couriousity is the great educator. You cant force anyone to learn, they have to want it. Until you peak those peoples curiosity the votes wont be there when you want them.
It will be a long term campaing in SD. You dont undo 80 years of false information in one election cycle, but you can start the process of educating.
Again, its not a political party issue, its a personal issue. If you ask for their vote, give them a reason that it should touch them personally.
The Blindman
^^^Thanks Blindman^^^
morality is not it, agreed mostly though. a person i dearly love told good cop/bad cop "yeah thats my/our pipe in the car wreck". 10 years later, craving, probation, jail, 24/7, jail, intensive probation, aa, 5 treatments, jail, parole, prison, halfway houses, 5 years still hanging over, anti-depressants....2 years college, no other record, brilliant sense of humor. broken neck, arms, teeth. think the same person will be there after hitting bottom? felony record, school loans not subject to bankruptcy, insurance coverage denied.
no exaggeration. in high school, cop said to me "get outta car, dump out the beer. on your way."
now, a parent has a duty to protect a kid from his genes and peer pressure. i know pot and beer are nothing and adults wanna be free like jimi hendrix, but fcs, kids brains are plastic.
i have several more kids. this is just one story.
Leslie, if we're still talking about legalization, it is about a person having to decide what is and isnt moral in their own mind.
Your example tells me that person had many more problems then a pipe found in a car.
The Blindman
Bill, you need to get your above comment in a letter to the editor in every newspaper in SD, Good job Blindman.
dith-its simple everyday addiction. i see it every day, all day long. why do yah think we keep buildn jails, man?
leslie, I fully understand that you oppose legalization of marijuana, but I don't think "addiction" is the correct word to describe marijuana users as I indicated in my above posts at 2015.01.10 AT 11:58 and following. The dictionary.com definition of addition requires evidence of "severe trauma" from withdrawal.
Perhaps you have actually seen someone go into "severe trauma" do to marijuana withdrawal? If so, I would be very interested in your description of what you observed?
Leslie, the addiction your talking about is the same as a two year old that wants to keep breastfeeding. If you want to fuel that kind of craving it is on you to put a stop to it, not the governments.
There are a lot of stories like yours, but in truth if it werent cannabis it would have been something else.
Tara, LTEe dont do much for me anymore. I very seldom find anything educational in them and doubt anyone else does either. You dont need me, you need an educator to help people learn.
The Blindman
@leslie your statement "why do yah think we keep buildn jails, man?" is exactly what is wrong with the whole picture. We keep building jails because we need that labor that comes from the jail system. We have these individuals working in all sorts of jobs that no one else would take, not even the illegals. Jails are all about supply and demand for cheap slave labor.
Leslie-we are(wingnuts at least)addicted to building jails so they can jail every pot smoker,free-love people,Gays etc. and do so with making a profit in mind.
""""Jails are all about supply and demand for cheap slave labor.""""
That little to non existent hard labor, whether it exists or not, hardly compares to the profits of the system's special interests.
Wow, Les: nice lane wandering. Flash yore lights so we know which direction yore headed.
Yore so darned perceptive, Lar, doubt I'd need lights at all.
I suppose another reason to make it a crime to use marijuana to treat sickness and disease is because of language in the 13th Amendment:
"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
Slavery as punishment for a crime is quite a benefit to those who enjoy the benefits of slave labor.
Here ya go les, all wrapped up and under da tree for ya. https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2012/may/15/prison-slave-labor-replaces-freeworld-workers-in-down-economy/
Prison labor is a huge industry and that is why it constantly needs new blood to keep the profits pumping. Indeed a brave new world.
Newland said it: this post and thread proves Cory is a liberal and not a progressive: he's either running for, or running from, something.
Ambiguous antecedent: Cory, what are running for and/or against?
You obviously don't know anything about the SD prison system, Jerry. The money is in the 60 grand annual payment to special interests. It is growing old comparing prison costs to education state aid of $4500. Btw, this ain't, Florida, Georgia or Wisconsinn.
Democrats are losing even more credibility with young people and American Indians. Tribes trapped in South Dakota and in other states with off-reservation properties are considering a test of cannabis law.
http://www.indianz.com/News/2015/016081.asp
les the difference between Florida, Georgia and Wisconsin to South Dakota is the population. The prison work is the prison work even if the government shuts down. Even in South Dakota.
http://news.yahoo.com/unlike-prison-workers--federal-inmates-still-getting-paid-during-government-shutdown-223059095.html
Larry, focus more on getting the Republicans to change their opinion about marijuana, please.
Right now they have the power.
If the bill does not pass the Committee it will be fault of the Republicans.
Jeni: tribes don't need no stinking bill.
Larry, I was referring to the legalization of marijuana. Please spend some time getting the Republicans to change their opinion.
If people really want marijuana to be legal, they would spend more time trying to get those who are in power to change their opinion rather than spending time on this venue.
But you are correct, the tribes do not need the legislators approval.
Jeni, i have Steve Hickey's ear on this since he's the only progressive in the legislature.
Les, As you know more about the prison, can you explain how the private industry gets to the work with the prisoners in a for profit way. As I have noted, it exists here in South Dakota, now how does it work that you have seen? http://www.recycledminds.com/2013/01/US.forced.labor.html
That is good Larry, keep on going and include the legislators in your district because Steve Hickey cannot be the only one.
Then, of course, there is the governor to convince. I do not know what his stance is regarding medical marijuana.
My district is Santa Fe County: I am driving the New Mexico legislature to enter a compact with tribes here, too.
Congressional Research Service has this report on the new obligated work force.
"According to the new CRS report, a growing number of these prisoners are being put away for charges related to immigration violations and weapons possession. But the largest number is for relatively paltry drug offences – an approach that report author Nathan James, a CRS analyst in crime policy, warns may not be useful in bringing down crime statistics." http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/02/u-s-prison-population-seeing-unprecedented-increase/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
Slave labor and its cousin, indentured servitude is alive and well here in the United States, just like it was in the colonial days.
Cool!
My "Cool" was directed toward Larry.
For the dozen-or-so people who live in South Dakota who are still following this thread, I urge you to "like" SoDakNORML's facebook page so that you will get notifications of medical cannabis action upcoming in the legislature.
https://www.facebook.com/SoDaknorml?ref=hl
Was watching MSNBC's series on Legal Marijauna in Colorado and Medical Cannibus and what I found interesting was the consistant statements by real healthcare researchers that the claims by those advocating medical cannibus are very exaggerated. One researcher was from the FDA and another was in Colorado. Both researchers shared their excitement about the ability to research Cannibus and the opportunities that may come from it but definately pointed out that many health claims or cures are way out there. In other words some of these people using blanket statements of Cannibus being the miracle herb are blowing smoke out of their asses! It's going to take years probably 10 years of real research to find out what Cannibus can do for patients.
Wow, Lynn: illiterate much?
King of worthless links, Jerry. Our judicial system is slugged with attorneys representing both sides costing from $200-$500 per hour. Private industry supplies prison industry needs. External costs of family support without the prisoners contributions at home. Probably least costly is the annual state cost per prisoner. Sounds as you would like to see life on the lounge for prisoners in our state systems, Jerrry.
Ask Newland how much slave labor they forced on him for a pot crime, or, is it more about keeping us running scared, carrion for the buzzards in the Judicial Halls.
Lynn, what I have been telling advocates of medical marijuana is to stop saying that marijuana cures diseases because obviously it does not cure all diseases.
What they need to say is that marijuana may cure some diseases, and ease the symptoms of some diseases.
Recreational pot users I've heard, say, they'd rather it stay illegal and not personally be on the radar for using.
For Lynn to report an FDA operative being excited about the future of medical study on pots ability to heal is kind of like saying, " Hello, I'm from the government and I'm here to help."
The FDA's concerns are for big Pharma or we would have affordable drugs that truly work rather than the larger number of addictions due to legal than through the black market illegal.
"Benign Herb" I completely disagree! Studies are coming out such as what happens to kids and brain development with smoking marijauna. http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/02/25/282631913/marijuana-may-hurt-the-developing-teen-brain
I would also be curious as to the long term neurological affects from pot smoking. Previously when I lived in the Twin Cities there was a masters athlete within an athletic community we all competed in. This masters athlete was a heavy pot smoker and would nearly always be high and take hits being very cavalier and boasting about it everywhere including cafe's and indoor social events where any type of indoor smoking is illegal.
Normally he is a pretty nice guy with a great sense of humor but when there was a particular athletic event he was well known throughout the community to go crazy yelling at our sanctioned officials for no reason. Everyone was shocked at his unjustified bizarre behaviour. Many throughout the community and it wasn't me attributed his outbursts to the longterm and heavy use of pot. Who knows? It could be something else but it's the 1st thing people thought of.
I've noticed recently some disturbing personality changes of someone fairly close to me that I have known for 40-45 years and has smoked pot for years every single day. It makes me wonder if it's all those years of pot smoking and I now have an interest in doing research to see what's going on.
Screw the State of South Dakota: tribes can do this.
https://www.whaxy.com/news/california-tribe-marijuana-grow
Les one of those researchers was not with the FDA. I believe he was with a non-profit for maybe MS or some debilitating disease or injury. With it being legal in Colorado they have a better chance to do research now. Colorado and other states that have legalized are like the Wild West now in creating and adjusting public policy. They are dealing with many issues related to legalization.
JeniW
One of my concerns is that legalization for rec use will further hamper efforts to break the cycle of addiction. Chemical addiction is so common in our society and many of us have witnessed it either growing up 1st hand or a relative, friends or co-workers. So many examples can be used such as a woman I knew in Asheville NC that came from a fairly well to do family that spent her days high off pot or hash in her yurt doing nothing all day with her toddler running around. Without this mother dealing with this addiction how is her child going to learn coping skills without the need to get high, drunk or both?
Addiction, my pink glutei. Lynn reads like PP.
Lynn, your arguments stem from the lack of employment rather than taking pot for medical reasons. The well to do woman who just spent her days getting high is no reason to lump all into the same category. It sounds like she had a daddy issue and was getting high to bust his chops.
Jerry is had nothing to do with the status of her employment. She was very bright. She could do just about anything she wanted. Everytime she came into town she was stoned. Many of her friends cared and were worried about her but they could only do so much.
I doubt anyone would disagree with you on allowing children to consume pot, Lynn. Typical use is for intoxication in my opinion.
To say it has no medical use is hanging your hat with big Pharma who doesn't want anything out there they cannot control. I know little about its med use but have been pointed to Rick Simpson many times.
This reminds me of the time I told a friend whose wife was fighting cancer about others using coffee enemas for liver cleansing treatment. He said, you want me to tell her to stick coffee up her butt? I replied, you let them put poison in her blood they won't allow on their skin.
Jerry She had the money to start a business to.
Les I'm not saying that there is no medical use for pot.
There are 6 middle aged white guys who poison themselves with binge drinking each day, maybe they could use medical marijuana for their mental health. http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/alcohol-poisoning-deaths/index.html
Here are some of the recorded issues from marijuana. The dangers of being in a crowd and showing off. https://www.google.com/search?q=marijuana+poisoning+death+gif&newwindow=1&es_sm=93&tbm=isch&imgil=jnZ4LACmjgx58M%253A%253Bs8p912JumfY0hM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%25252F2013%25252F09%25252F03%25252Fmarijuana-deaths_n_3860418.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=jnZ4LACmjgx58M%253A%252Cs8p912JumfY0hM%252C_&usg=__KKtKkFOiLPOoHPgmmQf0NyJk_HM%3D&biw=1366&bih=667&ved=0CDcQyjc&ei=fQq0VIPJJ4eyyQSKmILgDg#imgdii=_&imgrc=jnZ4LACmjgx58M%253A%3Bs8p912JumfY0hM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fbig.assets.huffingtonpost.com%252Fpanda.gif%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%252F2013%252F09%252F03%252Fmarijuana-deaths_n_3860418.html%3B499%3B245
Lynn, I know full well the ugliness of drug use for entertainment.
I was a victim of alcohol users.
I get the use of marijuana for medical purposes. I am just saying that eventually marijuana, and many other now illegal drugs will become legal, so we need to think about regulations, additional programs and funding for those who want to stop using whatever drug they are using, programs for victims of users (including children,) and prevention (for example the campaign to try to reduce tobacco use: "The tobacco industry does not care that your teeth turn yellow; the tobacco industry does not care that you stink....")
Lynn from your link comes the reason to always find suspect in these kinds of studies.
"But there's an important caveat here: Those who used the most marijuana in the Meier study had lower IQs to begin with. Dr. Gregory Tau, a psychiatrist and drug abuse researcher at Columbia University, says there's a chicken-and-egg dilemma with many marijuana studies, including this one."
And " "It's very possible that there's something very different to begin with among teenagers who tend to get into trouble with marijuana or who become heavy users," Tau says. "They could have subtle emotional differences, perhaps some cognitive functioning differences."
"It may be hard for them to 'fit in' with a peer group that's more achievement-oriented."
"These differences could predispose them to use pot."
According to the Wisconsin study, alcohol is thrown into the same allincompusing anibriator as pot, even when faced with the fact that the two effect the brain and body differently. But thats what you get when the federal government is funding the study.
Statements like this are troubling. " found that after controlling for potentially confounding variables," This means that they weren't getting the results they needed without some fine tuning.
Peppered in the study are things like this.
Might suggest
Have suggested
Possibly
So much for facts you can sink your teeth into. Like saying pot cures some deseases, this study is short on both answers and numbers, 57 people in the Wisconsin study.
I've read three studies since 4am, thats just about enough.
The Blindman
We are storming Pierre on Monday
"Please join South Dakota Family Coalition for Compassion, Legalize South Dakota, Legalize Black Hills, South Dakotans Against Prohibition & Embrace Medical Marijuana in Pierre to meet our legislators and help them understand how important sponsoring a comprehensive medical cannabis bill is this session. We have a bill &now we need 2 sponsors. Join us in educating our legislators and putting a face to all of South Dakotas critically, chronically and catastrophically ill residents.
We urge you all to please email your district representative and let them know you support them passing a comprehensive bill. Please ask them to come meet with us from 11am-1pm. This is the FINAL week to find a sponsor so we need everyone to plan on joining us.
We can help anyone who needs a ride get to Pierre and do ask if anyone is willing to car pool to please contact Melissa for info.
Share this Event!!
Invite all your friends!"
https://www.facebook.com/events/770128989701929/