Medicinal Marijuana Killed By A 259 to 163 Loss In Congress

[Gold9472]

Slow Progress for Medical Marijuana in Congress

http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/062906hinchey.cfm

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives again thumbed its nose at compassion and common sense by rejecting the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment, which would have prohibited the federal government from undermining state medical marijuana laws. The final vote was 163 for / 259 against. This is two more “yes” votes than last year and a sign that support is slowly growing. (Since three Representatives who voted for the amendment last year couldn’t make the vote this year, the base of support is actually up five over last year).

Though there is a lot to say about this, Congressman David Obey (D-WI) summed it up best when speaking in support of the amendment:

"If I am terminally ill, it is not anybody's business on this floor how I handle the pain or the illness or the sickness associated with that illness. With all due respect to all of you, butt out. I did not enter this world with the permission of the Justice Department, and I am certainly not going to depart it by seeking their permission or that of any other authority. The Congress has no business telling people that they cannot manage their illness or their pain any way they need to. I would trust any doctor in the country before I trust some of the daffy ducks in this institution to decide what I am supposed to do if I am terminally ill… When is this Congress going to recognize that individuals in their private lives have a right to manage their problems as they see fit without the permission of the big guy in the White House or the big guy in the Justice Department or any of the Lilliputians on this Congressional floor? Wake up!"

Zing!

[Chris]

this is so friggin stupid. i just read in The Week magazine, that the latest medical study shows that prolonged,heavy use of marijuana does not significantly increase your chances of getting lung cancer. yet another reason why pot should be legal. as long as alocohol is, pot should be too. but you cant easily make alcohol like you can grow pot huh?
Study Finds No Cancer-Marijuana Connection

Washington Post; May 26, 2006
By Marc Kaufman


The largest study of its kind has unexpectedly concluded that smoking marijuana, even regularly and heavily, does not lead to lung cancer.

The new findings “were against our expectations,” said Donald Tashkin of the University of California at Los Angeles, a pulmonologist who has studied marijuana for 30 years.

“We hypothesized that there would be a positive association between marijuana use and lung cancer, and that the association would be more positive with heavier use,” he said. “What we found instead was no association at all, and even a suggestion of some protective effect.”

http://www.mpp.org/DC/news/12083.mpp

Marijuana Does Not Raise Lung Cancer Risk

FOX News; May 23, 2006
By Salynn Boyles, reviewed by Louise Chang, MD


People who smoke marijuana do not appear to be at increased risk for developing lung cancer, new research suggests.

While a clear increase in cancer risk was seen among cigarette smokers in the study, no such association was seen for regular cannabis users.

Even very heavy, long-term marijuana users who had smoked more than 22,000 joints over a lifetime seemed to have no greater risk than infrequent marijuana users or nonusers.

The findings surprised the study’s researchers, who expected to see an increase in cancer among people who smoked marijuana regularly in their youth.

“We know that there are as many or more carcinogens and co-carcinogens in marijuana smoke as in cigarettes,” researcher Donald Tashkin, MD, of UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine tells WebMD. “But we did not find any evidence for an increase in cancer risk for even heavy marijuana smoking.”

http://www.mpp.org/USA/news/12077.mpp

[Gold9472]

Ever read "The Emperor Wears No Clothes"?

[Chris]

New Study: Marijuana Users Less Depressed

Largest-Ever Study of Marijuana, Depression Finds Fewer Depressive Symptoms, Better Mood

ALBANY, NEW YORK—In the largest-ever study of marijuana and depression, to be published in the journal Addictive Behaviors, daily or weekly marijuana users had fewer symptoms of depression than non-users. Marijuana users were also more likely to report positive moods and fewer somatic complaints such as sleeplessness. Noteworthy differences were also found between those using marijuana for medical purposes and non-medical or "recreational" users.

The new research appears to contradict statements by some government officials suggesting that marijuana is a cause of depression. For example, in a May 3, 2005, press release from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, ONDCP Director John Walters said, "Marijuana use, particularly during the teen years, can lead to depression, thoughts of suicide and schizophrenia."

"Not only does marijuana not cause depression, it looks like it may actually alleviate it," said Mitch Earleywine, co-author of the new study and associate professor of psychology at the University at Albany, State University of New York.

http://www.mpp.org/releases/nr20051117.html