Government Would Just As Soon You Die Than Let You Use Marijuana As Medicine
March 14th, 2007 | by Ken Grandlund |“I’m sure not going to let them kill me,” said Angel Raich, a California woman whose doctor says that marijuana is the only medicine keeping her alive.
That was after learning that a federal appeals court ruled that she was not immune to federal drug charges despite California (and almost a dozen other states) legalizing marijuana as medicine for some patients.
Of course, if federal prosecutors (the new and improved federal prosecutors, that is) decide to pursue prosecution against her for using marijuana as a medicine, she may end up dying in prison anyhow. How’s that for ‘compassionate conservatism?’
Angel Raich is an Oakland mother of two who suffers from scoliosis, a brain tumor, chronic nausea and other ailments. On her doctor’s advice, she eats or smokes marijuana every couple of hours to ease her pain and bolster a nonexistent appetite as conventional drugs did not work.
No matter that marijuana is an effective medicine for many chronically ill patients or that is has been shown several times to be non-addictive, less harmful than many legal products, and versatile for treating many maladies.
And no matter that the War on Drugs itself is a fruitless waste of tax dollars, people’s lives, and perhaps more destructive to America than many other perceived ‘threats.’
As far as the government is concerned, it is better for you to die in pain than to ease your suffering with a puff or two of pot.
If this woman ends up being charged for federal drug laws, loses her right to her medical marijuana, and begins a rapid decline towards death, all due to governmental abuse of power and lack of real compassion, at least she still has one option- assuming of course that she isn’t locked in one of California’s overcrowded jails somewhere.
[tag]medical+marijuana, war+on+drugs, Angel+Raich, right+to+die, compassionate+conservatism[/tag]
8 Responses to “Government Would Just As Soon You Die Than Let You Use Marijuana As Medicine”
By Tom Harper on Mar 14, 2007 | Reply
This War on Drugs (especially medical marijuana) just keeps getting more insane and more mean-spirited. This is one of the most appalling stories I’ve heard yet.
By Dusty on Mar 14, 2007 | Reply
They would rather people suffer than admit the medicinal properties of cannabis..out fucking rageous.
England leads with the most studies about the medicinal properties of cannabis, only because our federal government refuses to allow such studies here. Ignorant fools leading us into the darkness.
By Dawn on Mar 14, 2007 | Reply
oh my god, just when you think you’ve heard the worst from our judicial system a story like this comes out. one of my first thoughts while I was reading the article was “I wonder if any person who is making decisions affecting terminally ill Americans has ever dealt with watched someone they love literally shrivel up & die??” I have. I am not a stoner but if I thought something so simple could ease their suffering you are damned right I would keep them supplied. I am so furious all I can see group of self-serving, self-absorbed bureaucrats using the suffering of our citizens to make names for themselves. Could it be partly because of the money/lobbyists for pharmaceutical companies who manufacter & sell the quote legal nausea & pain relivers?? Ever wonder how many of those politicians/lawmaker would be dirty if they were tested?? How many have had drinking problems? Drinking & Driving? WE are allowing mere mortals to play God. WE need to stand & be heard in OUR country. If you are angry about this decision & others like it. GET OFF YOUR ASS & DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!! Please, Please, Please make yourself heard…….. Dawn
By Dusty on Mar 14, 2007 | Reply
In the 70’s my grandmother begged me to get her cannabis. Chemo was killing what little appetite she had. She never weighed more than 100 lbs her whole life..and to see her wasting away..I had no other choice than to get her some and show her how to smoke it. I have never regretted that decision and I would do it again for anyone that suffers from the effects of treatments for cancer or other diseases that waste the human body and mind.
By Eric Johnson on Mar 15, 2007 | Reply
“…Of course, if federal prosecutors (the new and improved federal prosecutors, that is) decide to pursue prosecution against her for using marijuana as a medicine, she may end up dying in prison anyhow. How’s that for ‘compassionate conservatism?’”
When you make remarks like this, you fall into the trap set for you by the prohibitionists in the congress, both right and left. The fact is that the bulk of ther drug laws which make up out illigal drugh system were passed through congress between 1970 and 1989.
During this period, the congress was controlled by the left, meaning the Democrat party. There were also two democrat presidents who both had a change to re-order the controlled substances act…but they did not.
My point is that drug prohibition is a thouroughly bi-partisan policy, and to try and blame one side or the other as being more culpable and responsible for the status quo is to be purposely misdirected, and to fall into a trap which has us harping about who is responsible, GW Bush, or someone else, effectively changing the subject from how do whe chane the status quo into a race to mlay blame for the status quo.
The drug war is the m,ost bi-partisan policy ever. They are -all- equally responisble.
Don’t let them screw you- again- by allowing them to divert you from the real goal, which they cannot stand, the end of drug prohibition and and the perks for police, prosecutors and politicians that the necessary war has brought them.
By ken grandlund on Mar 15, 2007 | Reply
eric- I didn’t blame Bush- I blamed the federal judiciary and governmental policies their decision rests on. I fall into no ‘trap’ about partisanship regarding the stupid war on drugs. In fact, if you clicked through to the link for my post “Ending the War on Drugs” you’d have a better idea of my overall position.
By Jimmy on Mar 15, 2007 | Reply
Step 1- Legalize it.
Step 2- Tax it heavily.
Step 3- Profit.