Allow me to repeat myself, at the risk of repeating myself.
Two weeks ago, I wrote about a Teabilly lawmaker’s attempt to repeal the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act by bringing it to voters again in 2014. He introduced a resolution in the Legislature that would force you to pay for a multimillion-dollar do-over, even though recent surveys show that 59 percent of state residents support outright legalization. Even if Teabilly Boy gets his vote, it seems the AMMA will likely pass again.
Last week, medical cannabis advocates fired back at a news conference outside the state Capitol. Jim Dyer, a self-described conservative Republican and an MMJ patient, was there to add his worthy and respectable 2 cents’ worth. Dyer, a retired Tucson attorney forced from his job by multiple sclerosis, urged lawmakers to listen to what we said the first time around.
“I don’t understand why the Legislature wants to get in the face of the voters again and say, ‘Hey, we want you to vote on this again.’ … That’s insulting to me, and it should be insulting to the rest of the voters in Arizona,” Dyer said.
He thinks authorities should focus on the scores of cannabis clubs that have popped up across the state. The clubs offer space where patients can exchange medication, but they operate in a bit of a gray area of the law. The AMMA doesn’t recognize them, and there are no laws governing them. More than a year ago, a judge ordered that they be allowed to remain open until their legality can be sorted out. Dyer thinks—and I agree—that these clubs are the likely source of cannabis diverted to kids, a key concern of the lawmaker who wants another AMMA vote.
Insulting our collective smarts, this Lawmaker Who Shall Remain Nameless thinks we were fooled into thinking that people with serious illnesses would be helped by cannabis. He thinks a lot of patients are lying about chronic pain to get MMJ cards. Well, I have a few choice words for this “man” who is calling me a liar. Here are the first two: Fuck you.
I wish you could walk in my shoes for a day or two. You clearly know what it’s like to be a pain in the ass, but it would be fun to watch you rush for the Vicodin if you had one. I’ve been dealing with chronic pain for more than 20 years—it’s right there in black and white on my U.S. Army discharge papers. (It was an honorable discharge, Teabilly Boy.) I didn’t ask anyone to write that on my discharge physical—a doctor did it because it’s a fact.
Teabilly Boy also thinks no medical authority would say cannabis is helping people. They all say it’s hurting you, he says. That’s unequivocal bullshit. There are scores and scores of studies, surveys and other tidbits of medical evidence from scores of medical authorities that say otherwise. Scores. Um, that’s more than none, Teabilly Boy. He is either lying or completely incompetent with the Internet. It isn’t hard to find the medical evidence. You can find it here: http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org
I usually consider the American Medical Association a viable medical authority. They believe cannabis has merit and is worthy of study. The federal government owns a patent on medical cannabis. So the federal government thinks medical cannabis helps people? Hmmmm.
So ultimately what we have is either a horribly ignorant lawmaker who can’t manage a simple search of the Internet or a lying lawmaker who tells you that medical professionals don’t think cannabis is effective. Either way, I urge extreme caution in listening to the fuckstick. Wait … on second thought, I urge you to ignore him.
He is irrelevant in the face of progress.
This article appears in Jan 31 – Feb 6, 2013.
How about the MMJ people who actually do need it, SUPPORT measures to “Weed” out those Doctors and users who DON’T. We all know, many of the MMJ “Patients” are just Pot heads…I know many. As far as Legalization, which was the MAIN reason for the MMJ campaign, in my opinion, I think there should be a “Rational Conversation” about it. When JM Smith continuously calls people names, demeans them, and has to use Foul language to get his-her point across, “IRRELEVANT” comes to mind quickly.
Wow, MsChiMimi must have magical powers to see things that don’t exist. She has the classic haters paranoia. It sounds like you’re into MMJ but probably don’t have the resources or the skills to open your own dispensary. But you do have the time to sit around and talk s@#t about people who actually have the balls and the ability to pull it off. You should take the time to research the incredibly difficult and expensive path one must take to open a dispensary. The AZDHS doesn’t just give out licenses to anyone. What you see as a conspiracy to monopolize the MMJ business is actually the result of a law that you most likely voted for. And what you consider greed is actually the result of many people working very hard to work within a system that is heavily regulated by a state whose governor and attorney general are against it. Walk a mile in another persons shoes before you make wildly inaccurate accusations.
Curious why the author uses such a derogatory term for conservatives. What would happen if I used a slang/derogatory comment about liberals or gays or any other group. It is unprofessional to use hateful speech to get attention. Try being a professional and think about what you say. By the way, I am not a tea party representative or even a republican. I just think your assertion that tea party folks are inbred morons is offensive as the terms queer, fag or homo. Show some respect!
There’s an old saying: “Those who can, do. Those who can’t make up false identities and bitch about things.” Such people pretend they know more than they do. They represent the dark side, negative energy. They are just as bad as the folks who shout about state’s rights when it comes to SB 1070, then beg the federal government to step in and shut down a state voter-approved medical marijuna program. I personally don’t have time for either one, and prefer instead to be surrounded by the hundreds of patients we serve weekly – the true heroes. The mission of The Green Halo is borne out of love, compassion and care. We support a patient’s right to cultivate. We are a Non-Profit. Our amazing, staff works hard every day for our patients even though their jobs pose a risk that no one else faces on a daily basis. As for me, I first moved to Tucson in 1955, and attended high school and the U of A. I’m from this community, and I care deeply about it. I returned to help my Dad during his final struggle with cancer about two years ago (he passed away on my birthday one month after AMMA passed) which served to reinforce my goal to help other patients get safe access to this amazing plant medicine. I’ve lived long enough to know and understand the motivation of critics and naysayers, and have no interest in their self-serving agenda. Particularly those who hide behind pseudonyms (like MsChiMimi). On the other hand, I’m very much out in the open, serving Tucson patients daily. If you want the truth about The Green Halo, or any topic of interest in the medical marijuana community, I will be happy to meet you there, discuss any concerns you may have, and give you a tour of our dispensary. I think you’ll find it was accurately described in the Tucson Weekly. Darkness cannot exist in the presence of light. Ken Sobel, 520-664-2251.
It’s obvious that MsChi and kdhaslett are the same person. If you search tucson city courts website and look her up you’ll see she has a warrant for a failure to appear. She’s a toxic person and should be avoided at all costs. “Keep the hypocrite haters at bay for they have nothing good to offer just bad things to say.” DJ Rent-a-Rim
I was ambivalent and voted in favor of MMJ. I figured if it helped someone and I had the choice not to be affected by it then it ought to be given the chance.
But once I saw that ridiculous, pathetic marijuana leaf all over town and in the press I realized what a mistake this was. I think 10% of us would switch their vote for that reason alone so let the voting begin.
If you have any questions or doubts about the importance of the MMJ “improve/don’t repeal” campaign you need only look to Laurie Roberts front page column in the AZ Republic Saturday. We met with Laurie in Phoenix ten days ago at Glendale’s Arizona Organix Dispensary and had a wonderful opportunity to discuss the value of medical cannabis and the needs of our patients with her. The story she wrote is very compelling. Reprints will be available at The Green Halo, and a link is posted on The Green Halo’s Facebook page.
In regards to Laurie Roberts front page column.
About a month ago she featured a piece on how the med marijuana scene was being abused. It noted some news articles that said teens were getting marijuana from med sources. It was also written at a time when Mr. Kavanagh publicized he was going to introduce a bill so we could re vote on 203. The tone of the piece was negative in nature towards our whole medical marijuana scene. Now this turn around.
So if you are a well healed , educated, former judge, prosecutor…..the list goes on …I see him walking a foot off the ground… and not a unidentified blue jean and tee shirt wearing kinda kid….them maybe he could be right! Maybe there is some merit to cannabis being a healing plant. Why the turn around Ms. Roberts? (sorry, but this bugs the hell outa me).
Which brings me to this current discussion. What is the truth? Isn’t there enough of the pie to go around? Mr. Sobel claims to be against the 25 mile rule. Easy to say since we know it will take an act of god to get it reversed. Did he really try to encourage someone to go and bust the coops? I hope not. As someone else said “let the people decide”.
Green Halo spent alot of money getting this off the ground, we voted for it, I am for seeing it go forward. BUT there is alot of compassion going on out here right now. Lots of people are using cannabis to help with their conditions and getting it from their fellow patients and caregivers. Many give it for free. I gave it to my friend who just died of cancer. His wife had to blow it in his face at the end to help him get relief. This ain’t a game. Please keep him in mind when you price fix the product in your little corner of the kingdom.
As of Friday, HCR2003 hasn’t gone to first read. I think the legislaturd still has three weeks to dump bills in the hopper. Not sure if it hasn’t gone because there’s no support for it or because “they” are still working out how to drive their base to the ballot box en masse (to make sure it fails this time) and will squeak it through before deadline.
@MsChiMimi 20130131 13:26 — agree with your calling out Green Halo’s “I was for collectives before I was against them” stance, not too keen on the ad hominem attacks though.
@kdhaslett 20130131 17:06 — ” … this is about patients for most of us, while for others the only green that matters is in the till.” There, fixed it for you.
@kdhaslett 20130201 11:43 — generally agree with you on solidarity and a “He may be a sonovabitch, but he’s OUR sonovabitch” wagon-circling may be helpful between now and November, but will it do help or harm in the long run? There are right ways and wrong ways to win an election.
Earlier comments in this thread were deleted for violating our comment policy. So, if some of this conversation makes no sense, that’s why. Thanks.