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StumbleSUN EDITORIAL:
An overdue policy
Veterans Affairs wisely relaxes its objections to medical marijuana use
Saturday, July 31, 2010 | 2:01 a.m.
A growing number of Americans have embraced the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes as a compassionate way to help those who are suffering from AIDS, cancer and other debilitating diseases. There was evidence of that in January when New Jersey became the 14th state to approve the use of medical marijuana, joining a list that includes Nevada. There was even more evidence that month when an ABC News/Washington Post poll was released showing that 81 percent of Americans support marijuana legalization for medicinal purposes, up from 69 percent in 1997.
Despite this trend, the federal government has stubbornly maintained a position that all marijuana possession should remain illegal, even when it could help an AIDS patient regain his appetite or alleviate the pain of a person with nerve damage. Preventing someone who is short on medical options from trying to attain a certain level of comfort simply makes no sense and represents flawed public policy.
Thankfully, at least one federal agency is seeing the light. As reported July 24 by The New York Times, the Veterans Affairs Department is beginning to allow its patients to use medical marijuana in Nevada and the other states where it is legal. This move was long overdue.
Before this announcement, VA patients in those states were placed in the untenable position of having to choose between continuing to receive their prescription pain medication or using medical marijuana. They were not given the option of using both simultaneously because under VA rules, a person who gets caught using medical marijuana could be denied pain medication.
As Dr. Robert Jesse, deputy undersecretary for health in the veterans department, told the Times: “We didn’t want patients who were legally using marijuana to be administratively denied access to pain management programs.”
This new policy represents the right thing to do. Many VA patients, especially those who have been wounded in combat, have paid a terrible price for their service to this country. We owe it to them to make sure they are given access to all possible resources to improve their health.
Veterans can now rest assured that the physicians they see through the VA won’t try to undercut them simply because they are exercising their legal right to use medical marijuana. This will not only build trust between patients and doctors, but it also could encourage medical marijuana users who have stopped going to the agency’s medical facilities to return for treatment.
What veterans deserve is reassurance that the VA will be there for them in their time of need. The new medical marijuana policy will help achieve that goal.
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Typical of Barack Obama to not enforce drug laws in America.
The "illegal drug" store are cropping up on every corner in CA because of no Federal enforcement.
After not enforcing so many other laws like border protection, the ballot box, bankruptcy laws, what one more for the Obama dung pile.
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Future get a life, not live a life of lies
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At least the VA under Obama is a lot better than under TheWarCriminal who appointed fund raisers to head it up .... idiots. A fund raiser heading up the VA.
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One would think a war monger would have the modicum of decency to at least protect our returning Veterans, but he was a criminal and a liar who did not even care about the troops, their blood nor the American Treasury. A fool.
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The AWOLBush Wars and Crimes will hurt America for generations and generations as the WarCriminal himself barbecues and square dances in Crawford with his Secret Service Protection looking over him very much like Pinochet. I predict he will eventually return to the bottle and cocaine as his criminal world gradually closes in on him.
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Welcome to the new America given us by the likes of LianCheney, LooneyRumsfeld and TheDecider and the supporting henchmen who assisted ...... its just unbelievable they are all rich and having the wonderful life out in la la land. Yes, Future, you are living a total lie.
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Now we have a good President, but one who is not closing Gitmo and not ending the crazy wars in Afg. and Iraq ... these two wars should be ended this afternoon, simply declare victory and pack every troop up and get 'em home and establish a great border system with a lot of them and the rest on building infrastructure along with civilians - a super speed highway between Las Vegas and L.A. America should not give one hoot about those folks in those countries, we have done all and more than we could, period. Get out.
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Have a good one folks.
The LV Sun laments " the federal government has stubbornly maintained a position that all marijuana possession should remain illegal" because it is current law.
Obama does not want to follow the law hence Obama will not enforce it.
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In July 2010 the Barack Obama Department of Homeland Security denied that it had any plans to grant blanket amnesty.
But now an 11-page draft document written by the Citizenship and Immigration Service staff and sent to Director Alejandro N. Mayorkas says they are reviewing several executive orders and other mechanisms that effectively would serve as a substitute for comprehensive immigration reforms. Further the Citizenship and Immigration Service General Counsel has already made the supporting rulings of the law
The four aides who wrote the document told Director Alejandro N. Mayorkas that the Citizenship and Immigration Service General Counsel HAS ALREADY REINTERPRETED legal opinions of the definition of "admission" for those entering under "temporary protected status" so that they can change their status to stay in the United States permanently.
So the GC has made a decision, Yet the written USCIS statement says "We will not comment on notional, pre-decisional memos. Our goal is to implement policies wisely and well to strengthen all aspects of our mission," "Nobody should mistake deliberation and exchange of ideas for final decisions.
But the GC has made a decision.
You can make a decision then say that your not making a decision.
This can only happen with Obama WH direction and support
I wonder how many people who have never used MJ agree with legalizing it?
Sun -- I gotta side with you here.
"Typical of Barack Obama to not enforce drug laws in America."
Future -- That's because anti-marijuana laws lack both Constitutional backing and a rational basis.
"Tobacco, hemp, flax and cotton, are staple commodities." -- from Thomas Jefferson "The Works," vol. 3 (Notes on Virginia I, Correspondence 1780-1782), "A Notice Of The Mines And Other Subterraneous Riches; Its Trees, Plants, Fruits, &C."
I am in favor of legalizing it, and was very surprised, and pleased, by this change in policy by the VA.
And by the way, I'm not a user. I found out back in high school that it makes me sick as a dog just being around it at times. More than a few of my classmates thought I was a narc because I wouldn't indulge.
"I am in favor of legalizing it..."
boftx -- there should be a blanket repeal for not only the two reasons I posted, but because it should not have been banned to begin with. For perspective I recommend starting @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_histo...
It's illegal mainly because Harry Anslinger, that pipsqueak bigot, wanted to make a name for himself. Looking behind the hype to the actual scientific evidence, like what was reported at Mayor LaGuardia's request, makes one question why anything to do with hemp/marijuana is criminal at all. Especially given the history of hemp in U.S. history shown in the opening paragraph from the above link: "In 1619, Jamestown colony law declared that all settlers were required to grow cannabis. In 1797, George Washington grew cannabis for fiber production at Mount Vernon as his primary crop."
"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others." -- Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia, 1781-82
The time for Marijuana Legalization is WAY OVERDUE.
To fossimmons: Have you forgotten take your meds lately?; It concerns me, my nephew, who also has schizophrenia with paranoid delusions starts to ramble incoherently when he is off his meds,like you are doing. Please, Please get in touch with your caseworker to get you a new supply of meds, you must know the delusions will only get worse the longer you wait. Get some help;and Godbless you, having to deal with such a hopeless mind disease.