California Casts Marijuana Shadow
September 13th, 2010 | Published in News | 5 Comments
“These things are like liquor stores,” said Michael Lee, chief executive of Cannabis Therapeutics in Colorado Springs. Lee said that a state crackdown on loose regulation over the last six months has produced more consistent rules for selling medical marijuana and provided a windfall for government. “The city of Denver and the state have collected $18 million in fees in the last 30 days.”
Others noted the revenue potential. “The western states have shown us that you can make a lot of money with medical marijuana,” said Chris Goldstein, executive director of NORML New Jersey, and a spokesman for Pennsylvanians for Medical Marijuana.
However, that new-found commercial power has divided the legalization advocates, looking for a wholesale transformation, and the medical marijuana interests, who are interested in only modest gains or even the statue quo.
“It’s always been an issue,” said Paul Armentano, deputy director of NORML. “It’s a reflection of the success of the movement.” He doesn’t see the divisions as meaningful.
“States that lead the way to medical marijuana lead the way on legalization.”
Some would say that’s the point. Critics of medical marijuana have been quick to say that the issue is merely a gateway meant to leverage voters into accepting legalization.
“If it’s a trojan horse, it’s made of glass,” said Portland-based podcaster Russ Belville. He says that legalization advocates have been fairly transparent with their strategies. “Compassion dictates that we legalize it as medicine,” said Belville, who sees medical marijuana as a trial form of legalization. “If things go well … further legalize.”
Though California may be setting the trend, they are not setting the standard for medical marijuana legalization. California’s medical marijuana laws are liberal when compared to Oregon, Washington, Nevada and the 10 other states that permit its use.
For example, California allows more than a dozen medical conditions including anxiety to be treated with marijuana. Most other states average about six medical justifications.
California, therefore, might not be the bellwether for the nation that wishful hearts would like. Locally Oregon’s medical pot dispensaries have shown some recent decline in support.
While paid political consultants like Nadelmann say 2012 is a better time to push for legalization, no one at the convention would say that a slow state-by-state campaign for medicalization is the best path. Indeed, no one could seem to agree that there was a national strategy at all.
“I’d like to see a more professional approach,” said Nadelmann, who sides with a strategic and more uniform approach to reform.
Armentano said that that was unlikely. As the movement grows in popularity, he sees it becoming increasingly piecemeal until mainstream organizations get behind the cause.
“Without the grassroots, we wouldn’t have California and Oregon” initiatives, Armentano said. “The professionals, for whatever reason, didn’t want to put something on the ballot. You aren’t going to see the Democrats or the Sierra Club taking on legalization as an issue. Until that happens, the grassroots are the only people who will stick their necks out.”
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It is always interesting to see who is quoted and interviewed in a “medical marijuana” article. In this case not a single doctor or nurse. A radio host, two executives of a legalization group, a lawyer who is a paid lobbyist were the experts chosen. One expert however had a good idea. Let’s do this professionally he said.
Patients Out of Time, Inc. agrees since we have “professionally” been teaching MD’s and RN’s about the use of therapeutic cannabis for 15 years under the authority of the ANA and AMA. That’s pretty professional.
Patients and others should use this organization as the source of medicinal cannabis knowledge. We know a lot more than lawyers and writers.
Please see: http://www.medicalcannabis.com.
Al Byrne, Co-founder
Patients Out of Time (POT)
Patients out of Time does great work and their website is filled with great scientific information regarding medical cannabis.
Thanks for checking out the story Al. As you can see the focus of the article is the political thinking behind the movement for legalization.There are actually 5 named sources in the story. I don’t really focus on the efficacy of medicinal marijuana. But a good plug for your organization all the same. Cheers
Cornelius,
POT appreciates the “plug”.
Yes your article was about “political thinking”.That’s my point.
Sorry I only mentioned four folks not five as experts but I know them all and a couple of them are joined at the hip.
As a cannabis patient with dozens of health care professional organizations demanding medicinal cannabis now supporting my organization, we would rather an article for cannabis based on it’s proven medical efficacy rather than a politicians or lawyers opinion.
I know of no other drug of the 500,000 or so available in the US Pharmacopoeia that has had it’s medical utility declared by fiat.
I write again that POT has educated MD’s and RN’s for ten years with ANA and AMA authority. It’s medicine.
The VA has accepted cannabis as good medicine for all Veterans for all maladies. That’s the story. Who give s a hoot about some political theory that has been overcome by events?
take care, al
Thanks for covering the NORML conference, Cornelius. While California certainly looms large in cannabis politics this election cycle, Oregon, Arizona and South Dakota are very important as well.
Arizona and South Dakota legalizing medicinal cannabis will help further demonstrate that compassion for sick and disabled patients is an issue that clearly crosses party and ideological lines. Measure 74 here in Oregon will compassionately provide safe access for Oregon’s patients, create thousands of jobs and generate millions in revenue for medical research and Oregon health programs. All of these measures will help determine how the cannabis reform community moves on in 2012 and beyond.
To learn more about Measure 74, search for “Oregon Measure 74″ on Facebook or visit one of these websites:
http://www.yesfor74.com
http://www.coalitionforpatientsrights2010.com
http://www.measure74oregon.org
http://www.regulatemedicalmarijuana.org