Medical marijuana will be back at the capitol in 2010

See conservative estimates on just how much your state and city could save if Marijuana were legalized and taxed…

http://MarijuanaLobby.org
Support The Marijuana Lobby Economic Bale-Out Plan!
Because every American can benefit from legalizing and taxing Marijuana.

How about King Timmy consult with someone OTHER than just law enforcement? Within the last week, I have explained my cannabis use to two of my doctors for my crohn’s disease. They both support me fully, and had no dire “warnings” to pass on regarding cannabis use. This is a pretty stark difference when compared to law enforcement, who seems to think we’d have the “wild west” it medical cannabis were allowed (we’ve heard the same with gun carry permits, for example.) Those dire predictions never manifested. They wouldn’t if this passed either.

That said, I thought a great opportunity has been missed by NOT pursuing a ballot initiative for 2010. Pawlenty would not even sign a bill for terminal cancer patients. He is a waste of time and effort in trying to “read into” what he “might” sign. We played that legislative game last session. The “conservative” playbook says to oppose any medical cannabis legislation and bow to the police unions, so that is what he will do. Quite ironic, considering conservatives’ former pedigree of small government championing. That went out the window long ago. Law enforcement time and again has proven they do not wish to see their revenues lessened in any way when it comes to cannabis laws. They won’t budge, nor will Pawlenty. The sick and dying must wait again. All because of greed, politics, corruption, and warped public perception fueled by government misinformation.

does anyone else find it slightly ironic that just underneath this article appears an ad from “drugfreeworld.org” soliciting pamphlets on how bad marijuana is??! minnesota “independent?” i guess its easy to see where the folks who run this website stand on the issue… with the ill-informed governor. stop spreading b.s. propaganda and do some real research.

John Marion,
They’re Google ads, so we have no control over them. Since they’re keyword-tagged, we end up having ads of all kinds rather than those that support just one political point of view.

Pawlenty does not bargain in good faith he never has, Going back to him is only going to set it back another year.

The bill that went to his desk last year was a terrible bill no one who isn’t about to die would qualify We do not need a medical bill that no one who needs it qualifies for it.

Marijuana prohibition has been a total failure and is perhaps this country’s greatest mistake. Not only has it created criminals out of nearly a third of the country’s populace, it costs our society billions of dollars every year, creates a strain on our prison system, and has little or no effect on marijuana use in the US. In some cases, prosecuting marijuana use has turned non-violent, middle class kids into violent and unpredictable, career criminals. Once a person has a criminal conviction on their record, they are far less likely to find a good job and become a useful member of society. Other countries with more liberal drug laws have much lower rates of drug addiction among their people. I invite you to my web-page devoted to raising awareness on the assault on our civil liberties: http://freethegods.blogspot.com/

It seems as though MPP/Minnesotans for Compassionate Care have decided to focus their efforts on other states with more “workable” political climates. Tim Pawlenty thinks that a “tough on crime” approach includes prosecuting sick and dying people. Is there more of a tyrant out there who is more out of touch with their constituents than Tim Pawlenty?
Nationally, almost 80% of people now support medical cannabis, with mostly the elderly being opposed due to decades of brainwashing and limited access to the truth via the web, and “conservatives” that somehow think “God’s plan” includes denying sick people medicine?? Why are we placating the fringes of society with their extreme political views? Centrists are the majority, and they have already spoken and supported this cause here in MN and nationally. Let the politicians know you support patients’ right to consult with their doctors.

[...] While Murphy announced recently that the 2010 session will be his last, medical marijuana advocates told the Minnesota Independent that they will continue to push for it — even if it means putting the issue to a vote of the people. [...]

I think that this should not go against the Governor AGAIN….I THINK THAT THIS IS A WASTE OF TIME BECAUSE PAWLENTY DOES NOT HAVE A COMPASSIONATE BONE IN HIS BODY…HE HAS PROVEN THAT TO THE PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA WHEN HE VETOED THE BILL LAST YEAR….I think that it should just be amended in the constitution. I feel that it should not be up to the law enforcement as to what a doctor is prescribing to their patients. I feel that this decision should be left between the doctor and the patient…NOT LAW ENFORCEMENT OR PAWLENTY OR ANY OTHER CANDIDATE THAT WILL BE RUNNING. I am a Marinol user for vomiting due to the other narcotics my doctor has me on…if my doctor was able to prescribe me the real thing I am sure that he would. I think that patients and doctors should not have to worry about being prosecuted for prescribing the medicine and the patient should not be deemed a criminal because they are using a medicine prescribed to them. I think that Marijuana should not continue to fall into the category of “DRUGS”, it should be categorized as a “MEDICINE”. I was really pushing for this bill to become law last year and I was really disappointed when Pawlenty basically just threw it in the garbage as soon as it hit his desk. I think that he is just going to do the same thing this year…only this time he will be out of office…but then the patients of Minnesota have to wait yet another year to be prescribed their medicine!

I am saddened by the news imparted here. It was extremely difficult to tell the story of my daughters death and the horror she suffered as she died even after she began using marijuana to get some relief from her cancer. Harder still to admit that I would break the law, then watch her suffer.

I believed that they would this year put the question to the voters of Minnesota and let the people truly be heard on this subject once and for all. I feel now as if no one heard me.

Joni Whiting