The medical marijuana veto and Daniel Hauser
Wednesday, May 27, 2009 at 2:40 pm

Image: Wikipedia
Two Minnesota headlines have collided this week. Gov. Tim Pawlenty vetoed a medical marijuana bill citing concerns by law enforcement who say the bill would increase marijuana use throughout the state. And 13-year-old Daniel Hauser is court ordered to receive chemotherapy against his will and that of his parents.
Radley Balko of Reason Magazine points to some interesting parallels between the two events: Minnesota government thinks it knows what is best for patients.
It would at first appear that the two stories are inconsistent: The state of Minnesota is forcing Daniel Hauser into chemo because he isn’t old enough to decide his own course of treatment, and because his parents’ claimed moral opposition to chemotherapy is irrational. Yet at the same time, the state will forbid Hauser from smoking marijuana to offset the effects of said chemo because, despite research showing marijuana’s clear benefits in that area, the state has a moral obligation to prevent people from smoking marijuana. Science should trump belief. Except when it doesn’t.
But the two positions are consistent in one important way—perhaps the only way that really matters: The government, not sick people or their parents, gets to make the decision.
14 Comments
Comment posted May 27, 2009 @ 3:10 pm
I couldn’t help but take in the delicious irony and had thought about this as the stories panned out.
Of course, opponents of medical marijuana would say that ALL 13 year olds would become rampant drug abusers if it were allowed, so losing one protects many. Unlike medical marijuana, which patients pay for themselves, who is going to pay for young Daniel’s chemo?? The state??
Comment posted May 27, 2009 @ 3:16 pm
The author is correct. Considering that our government was created to protect our rights, not oppress us, I believe we need to destroy the government, banish everyone in congress, he senate, the supreme court, and the president’s cabinet and start over.
Actually, according to the constitution, we have an obligation to ban together and — at the tip of a spear — take our government back.
Sounds crazy? Naw, it’s called Freedom. If it sounds crazy, then you really are oppressed and have no idea what Freedom REALLY means.
Comment posted May 27, 2009 @ 3:47 pm
Politictions and and law enforcement seem to feel the are more qulified than physians are.why see a doctor!You just go to the state and they will tell you what you should do.IF YOU LET THEM!!!
Comment posted May 27, 2009 @ 6:32 pm
Looks like the gov is trying to force people into certain types of treatment without giving them the right to choose, and this is just yet another reason there are so many conflicts with marijuana, the only real answer is to finally swallow pride, and amend the global treaties to change the laws on Marijuana. The current gov didn’t outlaw marijuana, so they shouldn’t have too hard a time saying we were wrong all along, its telling the other world leaders that were forced into following the United States drug policy that will be the hardest thing to do, because we (USA) knew so much better than other countries didn’t we, or wait, did we? Its all a scam to corner the drug market, USA Gov is good at deceiving people, just look at their anti-marijuana propaganda, non of it was true, none of it was proven, it was all lies and now its biting us in the rear, what did you think would happen if you made mother nature illegal, duh! The REAL reason it will never be legal, is because of all the potential LAW SUITES that would hit like a national flood. Every person that did time will sue, every person that was mistreated will sue…..Why do you think its such a touchy subject? Its NOT because its so dangerous, so what is it then? How come other proven worse substances are legal, its because of money and nothing else, period!
Comment posted May 27, 2009 @ 6:32 pm
Looks like the gov is trying to force people into certain types of treatment without giving them the right to choose, and this is just yet another reason there are so many conflicts with marijuana, the only real answer is to finally swallow pride, and amend the global treaties to change the laws on Marijuana. The current gov didn’t outlaw marijuana, so they shouldn’t have too hard a time saying we were wrong all along, its telling the other world leaders that were forced into following the United States drug policy that will be the hardest thing to do, because we (USA) knew so much better than other countries didn’t we, or wait, did we? Its all a scam to corner the drug market, USA Gov is good at deceiving people, just look at their anti-marijuana propaganda, none of it was true, none of it was proven, it was all lies and now its biting us in the rear, what did you think would happen if you made mother nature illegal, duh! The REAL reason it will never be legal, is because of all the potential LAW SUITES that would hit like a national flood. Every person that did time will sue, every person that was mistreated will sue…..Why do you think its such a touchy subject? Its NOT because its so dangerous, so what is it then? How come other proven worse substances are legal, its because of money and nothing else, period!
Comment posted May 27, 2009 @ 8:32 pm
The irony is mind boggling. But hey, its for our own good. Ba-aa-aahhhhhhhh
Er, I mean bye.
Comment posted May 27, 2009 @ 9:28 pm
hopefully all who are stupid enough to oppose the legalization of a mild drug like weed, as opposed to cigarettes and coffee and booze, will die before i do and old as i am i’ll dance stonily on their graves.
Comment posted May 28, 2009 @ 2:28 am
There is also the quite direct connection that the family was interested in herbal medicines. Despite the fact herbs have been used for ailments throughout human history, the U.S. government is hell bent on not letting us use them anymore. If we don’t have medical insurance and gobble down our prescription drugs, we can just go and die as far as the medical establishment is concerned.
Comment posted May 28, 2009 @ 5:17 am
Pawlenty is a moron for listening to law enforcemnet at all. Since when does law enforcement dictate policy? The police need to know their place and it is not in creating policy. The police already act like an enemy occupying force dressed in black SWAT uniforms and breaking down citizen’s front doors at will. When are we going to stand up to the police? Mark Montgomery boboberg@nyc.rr.com
Comment posted May 28, 2009 @ 8:17 am
It’s a really simple choice. If you like the system currently in place then by all means allow the drug gangs to distribute drugs to all (including our children) and to receive all profits and pay absolutely no taxes.
The only other option is to
LEGALIZE, REGULATE, AND TAX.
Currently children have access drugs because there are no regulations on it. Anybody can grow, sell, or use it. It is an untaxed, unregulated asset. Regulation will remove cannabis from the easy grasp of youth. Seen many alcohol or cigarette dealers around the school yard? Regulation removed these items from the easy reach of children. With cannabis, the government has taken a hands off approach. They keep cannabis and hemp illegal and only move to investigate, arrest, eradicate, and apply asset forfeiture laws all of which do not appear to be providing the intended drug-free results. Prohibition provides the forbidden fruit. It’s cool, secret, you got away with something… Prohibition doesn’t work. I don’t think you could get more people using cannabis if you wanted. The country is awash in it.
It’s past time to learn from our history with alcohol and finally end cannabis prohibition.
Comment posted May 28, 2009 @ 10:33 pm
I’ve got a couple of different points here….Do you think Tim Pawlenty is even aware that the entire basis of his
religion, the center figure Jesus Christ (they’re are documents if you don’t beleive me look it up) healed people
with cannabis oil.
Lets say you have a splitting headache, sore bones, depression, anxiety, upset stomach, natious,no appetite,
insomnia, (I couldn’t possibly list all the things cannabis gives benefit too)etc. Now imagine yourself at the
drug store starring at the endless amounts of “medicines” each labeled and is supposed to aid a specific condition.
Okay so your walking along the isle trying to find that exact condition you have, all the differnt brands, which
one works the best and is the least expensive etc. Why do half of these pills even exist? I wonder what would
happen if everybody knew cannabis actually works much quicker and is more effective than any pharmacuetical you can
buy as an aid towards the condition you have?
Well for starters, the pharmacuetical companies would loose A LOT OF money, that is the sole reason behind cannabis
becoming illegal. MONEY! GREED! and a MAJOR misunderstanding!!! Police need the money that’s made off cannabis users just as much as polticans need money from the weathly donors that help support/pry them into office, just as much as the pharmacuetical companies need the money made from all the endless amounts of PIlls they sell! It is like
large wheel with illegal cannabis being the large screw in the very center holding it all in place!
Cannabis is %100 natural, all processed pharmaceuticals are %100 artificial.
Now Tim Pawlenty has a certain way to him (he may not even realize it) that projects himself in way that seems
non-sympatheic towards anyone who does not agree with him on everything( especially if your a democrat)! Look at
things from his point of veiw rather than hating/swearing at him or whatever.. because that will only make things
worse as negativity always does.. This battle has to be won psychologically without emotion just as it’s been
psychologically mis-labeled to the mass public since refer madness…. Anyways it’s not at all Tim Pawlenty’s
fault. I don’t blame him for this either, you can tell he is doing what he think’s is right, and that’s far better
than someone doing something because they think it is wrong. So rather than be rude or whatever to him, it will
just take time….however God didn’t create prohibtion against cannabis, human authorities have (weren’t the
authorties the ones who cruicifed Jesus to the cross?). God created the plant that heals almost any physical
condition that causes “pain”, whether it be physical, psychological or whatever and that is why Jesus Christ the
son of God used the cannabis plant to distil or awaken/heal the minds of his followers, it all makes perfect sense but only if you too have benefited from the healing properties of the infamous cannabis plant.
Comment posted May 28, 2009 @ 11:14 pm
http://www.google.com/search?q=“All+the+rats+left+untreated+uniformly+died”
In your FACE, Governor.
Google “Francis L Young”. Try “US Patent 6630507″.
To keep Cannabis illegal while tobacco and alcohol are dispensed freely is murderously stupid.
http://tinyurl.com/Henningfield-Benowitz
http://www.google.com/search?&q=tashkin
Any questions???
–Richard P Steeb, San Jose California
Comment posted May 29, 2009 @ 1:28 pm
let’s just let these religious zealots die. It is what they want anyway.
Pray and pray, but without help this kid will die. With science and medicine he will live.
Dumb people need to stop thinking that religion is science.
Comment posted June 1, 2009 @ 8:46 am
You can’t smoke an herb that grows freely out of the ground & you must, with the forced Order by a Court and an armed lawman at your door, undergo a torturous form of chemical assault. Does anyone see FREEDOM? Somebody, please replace the American flag with Dr. Kevorkian’s Swastika flag.
Daniel Hauser and his family need a good constitutional attorney to protect their 9th amendment rights. Please, someone, help them from this assault of medical tyranny.
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.






