IMMLY in Ocean County NJ Observer!
From: "Is My Medicine Legal Yet?" <immly@immly.org>
To: "IMMLY Announce" <immly_announce@drugsense.org>
Subject: IMMLY in Ocean County NJ Observer!
Date: Tuesday, February 18, 2003 10:03 AM
Greetings,
Last week we forwarded a great letter to the editor from a New Jersey police officer commending the efforts of our friends, Jim & Cheryl Miller of the Cherylheart Project (www.cherylheart.org), for their efforts in trying to make medical cannabis available for patients. Today, IMMLY's letter appeared in the Ocean County Observer. Both letters appear below. This makes it 5 times in 10 days that Cheryl has been acknowledged in the NJ media.
Sincerely,
The Folks at IMMLY
www.immly.org
immly@immly.org
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US NJ: PUB LTE: Officer took brave stand on medical marijuana
Newshawk: Is My Medicine Legal YET? www.immly.org
Source: Ocean County Observer
Pubdate: 19 February 2003
Author: JACKI RICKERT
OFFICER TOOK BRAVE STAND ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA
We are writing to salute police officer Nelson Randolph Jr. for his letter supporting the courageous battle of our dear friends Jim and Cheryl Miller to obtain medical marijuana for Cheryl's multiple sclerosis and to help other patients gain legal access to this essential medicine, "Government stand on medical marijuana wrong" (Feb. 12). It is unfortunate that, for the most part, two groups of people whose input is crucial to this debate, doctors and law enforcement officers, have been afraid to stand up for the sick and dying. Thus, as patient-activists ourselves, it is so very refreshing to hear such compassion and common sense from someone in law enforcement.
It took a lot of courage for Randolph to speak out on this issue, and we cannot thank him enough. Too many have been silent for too long while generations of American patients have been denied medical marijuana. We hope his honesty will inspire others to also stand up and be counted.
JACKI RICKERT Founder My Medicine Legal Yet?
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US NJ: PUB LTE: Government Stand On Medical Marijuana Wrong
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n244/a06.html
Newshawk: Cherylheart Project www.cherylheart.org
Pubdate: Wed, 12 Feb 2003
Source: Ocean County Observer (NJ)
Contact: observer@app.com
Copyright: 2002 Ocean County Observer
Website: http://www.injersey.com/observer/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1212
Author: Nelson Randolph Jr. Toms River
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)
GOVERNMENT STAND ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA WRONG
I read with interest a recent article about Jim Miller's efforts to secure medical marijuana for his wife, who has been crippled by the curse of multiple sclerosis, which is a painful and debilitating disease.
Miller has vowed to continue his crusade to legalize marijuana for the benefit of his dying wife Cheryl and others who are suffering. It is his position that he has received little or no help from government sources in his effort to relieve Cheryl Miller's pain, suffering and other maladies.
This comes, to me, as no surprise.
Miller is placing his family and himself at risk even admitting that he has any knowledge whatsoever of possession of a controlled substance or its use.
He subjects his loved ones to the whim of some overzealous law enforcement officer who might take it upon himself or herself to strike a blow for the survival of mankind and drag a sick, suffering and dying woman from her home in handcuffs.
For those who doubt that the aforementioned scenario could or would take place, it recently did in California, where a sick and dying woman was taken from her home handcuffed in her own bed by law enforcement officers who burst into her home while wearing masks, carrying automatic weapons and screaming obscenities.
In 26 years as a policeman I never found it necessary to wear a mask to do my job. All this is and was being done in the interest of public safety and for our own good, of course.
Whether or not the prevailing medical community accepts marijuana as having "accepted medical use" is of little or no consequence as it does, in fact, work for some people who suffer from a plethora of medical afflictions.
I grow very suspicious when the government does something for my own good or purports to work in my best interest.
When I think of some of the best times I have ever had in my life, I recognize that none of them were for my own good. Several states already have approved marijuana for medical use, but the federal leviathan ignores the will of the people; so much for states' rights.
Hauling sick people from their beds or locking people away for long periods of time, or anytime, for smoking, eating or possessing small amounts of cannabis in the privacy of one's own home, in the interest of public safety, is government at its worst.
We have learned nothing from the 18th Amendment or the prohibition of alcohol in the '20s and '30s. Alcohol, a far worse substance in regard to its destructive effects on society, brought nothing but corruption to law enforcement and the legal system in general. How many people, including those in law enforcement, can honestly say that they would not take the same action that Miller is taking if it were one of their loved ones who were suffering and dying before their eyes ( may it never be )? Even now doctors and medical professionals are unable or unwilling to prescribe sufficient analgesics or pain medication to suffering patients because of the thuggish practices of the Drug Enforcement Administration and other state and federal bureaucrats who have taken it upon themselves to decide just how much relief is appropriate for a suffering human being. Once again, I'm certain that they take the position that it's for our own good.
After my operation two years ago, on the gurney in the recovery room, I asked the doctor for something for the pain, as my procedure was what I shall cautiously term somewhat invasive. He responded by stating, "Oh, just take some Tylenol." Needless to say, I now have a new urologist.
Even if the government refuses to yield to the will of the people and legalize this substance for medical use, it is at least their obligation to not place it on the short list of crimes against the state.
Baghdad balks, North Korea threatens and terrorists pour across our open borders every day. Our threat level stands at orange and the federal government suggests that we purchase duct tape and plastic to seal our windows in the event of chemical or biological attack.
Surely the authorities have better things to do than spending their time, limited resources and tax dollars pursuing the ill and the infirm.
Nelson Randolph Jr., Toms River
MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager |
