Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: The Philosopher who wrote (77898)	10/20/2003 11:19:22 AM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 82486

U.S. Should Let Doctors Advise the Use of Marijuana October 20, 2003 The Supreme Court's silence has freed some doctors to talk to patients about marijuana, a step in the right direction in the nonsensical war between federal drug warriors and states that have legalized the medicinal use of pot. Without comment, the high court last week refused to hear the administration's appeal of a lower-court ruling barring federal officials from punishing doctors who recommend marijuana for their patients. It was the correct thing to do: Denying doctors the authority to write prescriptions for controlled substances if they dare to recommend marijuana, as Washington was prepared to do, violates the free speech rights both of doctors and their patients. Sick people need to be free to discuss any and all treatment options with doctors, without looking over their shoulders for the cops. They now can in the seven states within the jurisdiction of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that have medical marijuana laws - California, Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. But most patients still have no legal way to obtain marijuana. It is a federal felony to cultivate, possess or distribute marijuana. And because the court let the Ninth Circuit ruling stand, rather than deciding this issue itself, it is binding only in that one circuit. Federal officials remain free to intimidate doctors in other states with medical marijuana laws, currently Colorado, Maine and Maryland. The present state of affairs also perpetuates an awkward situation for federal law enforcement officials who, in going after doctors and patients, insist they are merely enforcing federal law, which supersedes state statutes. Rather than asking them to turn a blind eye to illegality, Congress should change the law to require that state medical-marijuana laws be respected. Washington should not thwart the will of the people where they've approved the use of marijuana to relieve the nausea and wasting of chronic illness. The war on drugs should not target the sick and dying. Copyright © 2003, Newsday, Inc.