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Medical Marijuana laws working well report says
Eugene Register Guard ^ | 11-30-2002 | AP

Posted on 11/30/2002 4:40:33 PM PST by Rocksalt

November 30, 2002

Medical marijuana laws working well, report says By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Law enforcement officials in four of the states that allow medical use of marijuana say the laws have had minimal impact on crimefighting, although they at times complicate prosecution of drug cases, a congressional report said Friday.

The report by the General Accounting Office said that only a small fraction of the people in Oregon, Hawaii and Alaska used marijuana for medical purposes. The results in California, the fourth state studied, were limited to only four counties and no statewide data were available.

Some law enforcement officials said that while crimefighting was not harmed, the laws allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana at times has complicated efforts to seize illegal marijuana or to prosecute some cases, according to the GAO report.

In some cases, law enforcement officials said the marijuana laws resulted in ``a general softening'' in attitudes among the public toward marijuana, the report said, and some were concerned about conflicts that arise with federal law enforcement, which still bans the drug.

The GAO examined only four of the eight states that have allowed medical uses for marijuana. The other states are Nevada, Colorado, Washington and Maine.

The GAO found that a total of about 2,450 people in Oregon, Hawaii and Alaska use marijuana for medical purposes - accounting for no more than .05 percent of the population in any of the states.

The report provided no statewide data for California. That state's law does not require medicinal marijuana users to register, although about 4,500 people have done so voluntarily in four of the state's 58 counties, according to the GAO.

In Northern California, Humboldt County officials said marijuana growers are allowed to grow hundreds of plants while claiming to be a medical caregiver to multiple patients, and no documentation is required.

Some local law enforcement officials in California questioned how effectively they could prosecute criminal marijuana cases since the state has no limit on the amount of marijuana that can be held by a patient or a caregiver.

While the other three states have established limits, some law enforcement officials said they too were less likely to pursue cases that could be shielded by the provisions.

The Bush administration disagreed with some of the report's findings.

The state marijuana laws have resulted in a ``worsening of relations between federal, state and local law enforcement,'' Acting Assistant Attorney General Robert Diegelman wrote the review of the report.

The laws create ``legal loopholes for drug dealers and marijuana cultivators to avoid arrest and prosecution,'' he said.

Data from the three states that require registries - Oregon, Hawaii and Alaska - showed that over 70 percent of medicinal marijuana users from each state were at least 40 years old.

In Hawaii and Oregon, where information on gender was kept, about 70 percent of users in each state were male, according to the report.

The GAO conducted its study from September 2001 to June 2002.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: doperalert; loserdopers; saynottopot; wodlist; wodnews
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To: Hacksaw
What you put into your body does not just affect you.

How does it affect others, and how are those effects any of government's business?

21 posted on 12/02/2002 12:42:54 PM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: robertpaulsen
The whole point is that drug advocates like MrLeRoy do not understand addiction, or he is in denial. I would hate for my pre teen nephews or nieces to read his posts.

For all the fans of the 17 year old drug abuser Jedi Girl, how will you feel if you read her name in the obitiary (sp) column? Would you even give it a second thought?

22 posted on 12/02/2002 12:46:00 PM PST by Hacksaw
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To: MrLeRoy
It affects families, loved ones, and the people they kill.
23 posted on 12/02/2002 12:46:50 PM PST by Hacksaw
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To: Hacksaw
What you put into your body does not just affect you.

How about alcohol, much more damaging than MJ.
but big brother allows that.
get the gov't out of my personal life.
24 posted on 12/02/2002 12:47:53 PM PST by vin-one
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To: Hacksaw
The whole point is that drug advocates like MrLeRoy

I am not a "drug advocate"---I am a freedom advocate.

do not understand addiction, or he is in denial.

What have I written that reveals misunderstanding of addiction?

25 posted on 12/02/2002 12:47:57 PM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: Hacksaw
do not understand addiction

Do YOU understand that tobacco is the most addictive drug around---and that it and alcohol are much more addictive than marijuana?

26 posted on 12/02/2002 12:49:28 PM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: Hacksaw
It affects families, loved ones, and the people they kill.

You didn't answer the second question: how are those effects any of government's business?

27 posted on 12/02/2002 12:50:23 PM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: vin-one
"...afterall it gave us Al capone, the Kennedys, and the Mafia."

Did you ever think that that, in fact, does explain the popularity of the WOD.

Can't argue with success; that's the American Way, right?

Someday there will be trials of the WOD-pursuing b*stards...if they're lucky.
28 posted on 12/02/2002 12:50:56 PM PST by headsonpikes
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To: Hacksaw
WRONG. Anything he or she does on their own time, in their own house with their own damn money doesn't effect you or anyone else.
29 posted on 12/02/2002 12:51:39 PM PST by HELLRAISER II
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To: vin-one
We both know that alcohol has a much greater social history that weed does - despite the stories of the pro Drug Warriors. As I have said before, Jesus passed around wine before his execution - not a joint.

Even so, there are United States counties who still ban alcohol. If the majority supports it, okay.

30 posted on 12/02/2002 12:51:48 PM PST by Hacksaw
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To: Hacksaw
It affects families, loved ones, and the people they kill.

So big brother should take over and tell us how to live our lives.
Just substitute alcohol, tobacco, or anyother of a number of things
for MJ, and what do you get,
Prohibition that benefits,the dealers,
gov't gets bigger, and you pay higher taxes and get more gov't interference with your life.
not exactly what I thought my America stood for.
I thought I was free, free as I what to be as long as the gov't says it is OK.
31 posted on 12/02/2002 12:52:40 PM PST by vin-one
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To: MrLeRoy
Do YOU understand that tobacco is the most addictive drug around---and that it and alcohol are much more addictive than marijuana?

The process to addiction to alcohol or tobacco takes much longer that heroin or weed.

32 posted on 12/02/2002 12:53:28 PM PST by Hacksaw
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To: Hacksaw
It's not a Cocaine or heorin addiction H.S. Hell Alcohol & Nicotine are documented to be more addictive than pot, don't believe me read a few medical journals.
33 posted on 12/02/2002 12:54:12 PM PST by HELLRAISER II
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To: Hacksaw
We both know that alcohol has a much greater social history that weed does

So what?

Even so, there are United States counties who still ban alcohol. If the majority supports it, okay.

Do you support allowing counties to legalize pot?

34 posted on 12/02/2002 12:54:36 PM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: Hacksaw
The process to addiction to alcohol or tobacco takes much longer that heroin or weed.

Provide evidence for your claim.

35 posted on 12/02/2002 12:55:38 PM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: MrLeRoy
I am not a "drug advocate"---I am a freedom advocate.

You are a drug advocate. You attempt to minimize the affects of addiction such as heroin while claiming that tobacco and alcohol are the only dangerous drugs. You have no idea what you are talking about.

36 posted on 12/02/2002 12:55:54 PM PST by Hacksaw
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To: Hacksaw
Jesus passed around wine before his execution - not a joint.

Hack, you see I don't see much of a difference between the two,
those who say, that you don't have to get drunk when you drink,
don't understand that you don't have to get high when smoking weed.

all in all the biggest difference between MJ, and booze is that you don't feel as bad the next day when tying one on with MJ, as you would with booze.
37 posted on 12/02/2002 12:56:58 PM PST by vin-one
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To: Hacksaw
Document 1 death associated with Pot & then look at how many DUI of Alcohol deaths their are, the difference will set you straight on the real drug associated with multiple deaths.
38 posted on 12/02/2002 12:57:13 PM PST by HELLRAISER II
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To: Hacksaw
You attempt to minimize the affects of addiction such as heroin

Provide evidence that I have done so.

while claiming that tobacco and alcohol are the only dangerous drugs.

Provide evidence that I have made this claim.

39 posted on 12/02/2002 12:57:18 PM PST by MrLeRoy
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To: MrLeRoy
So what?

So what? You discard history.

Do you support allowing counties to legalize pot?

Yes.

40 posted on 12/02/2002 12:59:24 PM PST by Hacksaw
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