Arizonans appear to be ready to approve medical marijuana for the third time.
A new statewide poll shows 52 percent of likely voters in support of Proposition 203. Only 33 percent are opposed, with the balance undecided.
Pollster Earl de Berge also found the 405 likely voters he questioned earlier this month leaning in favor of Proposition 106. Billed as a constitutional guarantee of the right to control health care, one of its main goals is to undermine the mandate in the new federal health law that every person obtain insurance coverage.
But the race is still up in the air over Proposition 109 to provide state constitutional protections for the right to hunt and fish.
Proposition 203 would allow anyone with a doctor's recommendation to get up to 2 1/2 ounces of marijuana every two weeks. The measure lists specific ailments for which the drug could be recommended.
The drug would be distributed at one of the approximately 125 dispensaries that would be allowed. Those living at least 25 miles from one of those sites would be permitted to grow their own.
There also is a provision in the measure saying that workers who have one of the medical marijuana cannot be disciplined or fired solely for testing positive for the drug. Instead, an employer would have to show the employee was actually impaired or had taken the drug during work hours.
Support for the measure almost directly correlates to age and political philosophy.
Among all registered voters, 67 percent of those younger than 35 say they intend to vote for the proposition. That drops to 59 percent of those 35 through 54, and just 41 percent of older voters.
Similarly, the proposal is backed by 66 percent of Democrats and 57 percent of independents, versus just 40 percent of Republicans. The survey of likely voters has a 4.9 point margin of error.
Arizonans approved a similar measure in 1996 but found it thwarted by legislative action. They re-approved it in 1998 along with another measure precluding lawmakers from tinkering with voter-approved measures.
But the law never was used because both versions required a prescription by a doctor. And the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency threatened to revoke all prescription-writing privileges of any physician who wrote such an order for marijuana which remains illegal under federal law.
Proposition 203 gets around that by instead requiring only a "recommendation,'' a tactic now used in laws in more than a dozen other states. The Obama administration also has said it will not use federal drug laws to try to undermine medical marijuana laws.
On paper, Proposition 106 would add language to the Arizona Constitution precluding any law or rule that compels any individual or employer to participate in any health care system. It also would guarantee the right to pay directly for health care or to buy health insurance.
Backers say they want to preclude the kind of mandate in the federal law that requires individual to have insurance or pay a fine. Opponents argue it could undermine efforts for affordable universal health care.
It remains unclear, though, whether a state constitutional provision would trump federal law.
Proposition 106 is backed by 43 percent of the 405 likely voters questioned for all three measures, against 30 percent opposed.
Politics plays a role in attitudes here: The more conservative that people describe themselves, the more likely they are to be in support of the measure. More Democrats oppose it than support it; the situation is reverse for Republicans, with independents nearly evenly split.
Proposition 109 would constitutionally preclude adoption of any law or rules that "unreasonably restricts hunting, fishing and harvesting wildlife or the use of traditional means and methods.'' It also declares that lawful hunting and fishing is "a preferred means of managing and controlling wildlife.''
The measure is backed by hunting groups and the National Rifle Association amid concerns that lawmakers -- or voters through the initiative process -- may approve new bans or restrictions. That occurred in then past when voters approved a ban on steel-jawed leg-hold traps on public lands.
Foes, including the Sierra Club and the Humane Society of the United States, said hunting should not be granted special protections from initiatives.
The survey found 39 percent of likely voters in favor and 36 percent opposed, well within the poll's 4.9 percent margin of error. The biggest margin of support came from voters in the 13 rural counties.
Self-described conservatives were more likely to support Proposition 109 than liberals.
FactsOverFiction posted at 1:00 am on Sun, Oct 31, 2010.
There is no truth to the prohibitionists fairy tales about high percentages of Medical marijuana abuse, it's much more limited than their ridiculous numbers and that is in States with vastly different legislation than Arizona and our Proposition 203! Here are a few simple common sense facts to prove the opposition to Medical Marijuana only uses Smoke and Mirrors to create disinformation in a futile attempt at fear mongering!
Many people are going to vote in favor of Medical Cannabis to have it available for themselves, many others are genuinely doing it for someone they care about! The prohibitionists claim repeatedly that only a small number of patients have “serious” conditions (they throw around 2-3% a Lot). Now, look at the true fact that in the 14 States that have Medical Marijuana only 1.9% of the population on average get Medical Marijuana (California by itself is the highest in the group, but the difference between their one page law and the 27 pages of Prop 203 are night and day)! http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=001199
If the Prohibitionists claims were even remotely close to being accurate the 3% (largest they claim, and a ridiculous lie) of the 1.9% of the population that gets Medical Marijuana (Fact) would be only one single patient in about every 1,750 adults in our State! Now does that really sound remotely correct to you??? This had me rolling in laughter! I don't know 5% of that number of people and I know more than just a few people that have absolutely legitimate medical reasons to obtain Medical Marijuana legally!
Now by comparison If every single person that gets Medical Marijuana in these other States that have passed Medical Marijuana laws (most of which have much more lenient laws than ours) is in fact a legitimate patient, that's still just one person out of more than 50! Hmmm, Common sense here! Which numbers seem closer to being Realistic? Do you really know all the medical conditions of 50 people; do you know someone, or at least know of someone that should absolutely have this available as a treatment option?
I personally believe it's much closer to 97% of the patients being Valid and the exact opposite of the prohibitionist’s empty claims of 97-98% of Medical Marijuana patients just being "potheads" abusing the system! Please keep in mind the proportion of their error! The numbers that make much more sense are mirror opposite of their unscrupulous and unethical deception! Believe whatever you choose to, but I would feel danged angry right now for being deceived to by the opponents of 203!
For anyone that's still the slightest bit skeptical. The estimated regular marijuana use (ten times a year or more) across America is between 15-20% (U.S. Federal Government Statistics), for obvious convenience I'll just use 19% for this next demonstration. 19% of the population is using Marijuana and only 1.9% population are Qualified patients and obtain Medical Marijuana (established), then only 10% of Marijuana users are Medical Marijuana Patients. Now; simply put, where is all this accused rampant abuse?! Oh, the truth is that it doesn’t exist!
I am going to mainly focus on the one unfounded topic of the supposed abuse, but these numbers also destroy their increased drug driver nonsense as well! The small numbers of patients that will get medical marijuana licenses are using marijuana under their Doctors recommendation now, how would decriminalizing it change anything? Just think about this: They stated numerous times that “in Montana right after the Medical Marijuana law passed fatal accidents skyrocketed”, yes well the Holidays always comes right after fall elections! This asinine assessment is simply beyond unscrupulous!
Drunk drivers are literally 1000 times more dangerous than Medical Marijuana Patients 40%+ fatal accidents involving alcohol/ Medical Marijuana intoxication involvement is 0.04%(about the same as those who are smoking cigarettes coincidentally) these numbers are based on marijuana being present nationwide and would not change if it was legalized coast to coast for medicinal use! By these same figures distracted drivers (cell phones, fast food, etc.) by the way are involved in more than 100 times more accidents than all incidents where Medical Marijuana intoxication is present! nhtsa.gov
Because of the Taxes and license fees medical cannabis will provide Millions to our bankrupt State every year!(nonprofit is Not tax exempt!)Medical Marijuana costs as much or more than black market drugs. The Millions this brings in that go to our local communities and State Government will also be coming Straight Out of the criminal cartels coffers! People without legitimate need will not be jumping through the hoops to get this in any significant quantity! The Arizona Senate has already passed a luxury tax in anticipation of this passing and that’s on top of the sales tax that will be collected! The proposition is also entirely self-funding from the license fees.[36-2803]5.d.
These Prohibitionists that vehemently oppose any and every form of decriminalization of Marijuana even if Only for Purely Medicinal Use, publicly state and have articles and letters printed claiming that only patients with Cancer, AIDS, HIV, and Glaucoma are Patients with serious Conditions! They throw around these 2% and 3% numbers in these claims, which they then attribute to the bogus abuse claims. The actual number of Patients in ALL the States that allow Medical Marijuana is truthfully more than 10% for their listed serious conditions!
They also repeatedly claim that all, that's right each and every patient that gets Medical Marijuana for severe and Chronic Pain, severe Nausea, and Seizures are All just recreational drug users abusing the system!
So what Conditions do fall under these terms?
Epilepsy, IBS, IBD, Chrohn's disease, colitis, pain from auto accidents, Migraine sufferers, Arthritis, ESRD/dialysis patients, Fibromyalgia, Hypertension-High Blood Pressure, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Paraplegia, Quadriplegia, Radiation Therapy, Seizure Disorders, Sleep Disorders, Spinal Cord injury/Disease, sports injuries, Muscular Dystrophy, and Parkinson's Disease!
Do those really seem like conditions that you or anyone that is rational and of sound mind would not deem serious? Do you think it is ethical for the opponents of Medical Marijuana consider these very painful, debilitating, and life threatening conditions not serious enough to qualify for a very safe and completely natural proven medicine? How disrespectful are they to then call these people "Potheads" and "Drug Abusers"?! We have already gone over the numbers; these claims are truly contemptible and only based on transparent fiction! To anyone that has read this; even those heavily biased against marijuana for whatever reason, The Fact remains the vast majority of Medical Marijuana patients are obviously both legitimate and qualified!
There are also claims that teen marijuana use increases a significant amount in States that have allowed Medical Marijuana use. The truth is not even one of these states has experienced any increase in youth marijuana use since its medical marijuana law was enacted. In fact, all states have reported overall decreases — exceeding 50% in some age groups. http://www.opposingviews.com/arguments/medical-marijuana-laws-do-not-cause-increased-teen-marijuana-use
Did you know that most if not all those who concoct these ridiculous lies and then try to scare people with them, are in fact making money hand over fist from the multi-billion dollar marijuana prohibition cookie jar?! Criminal lawyers, drug treatment centers, "for profit" prisons, and those who make millions selling alcohol are on the top of the list, but it goes on and on!
This goes beyond just being politics as usual! Their attempt to shove this totally unfounded fiction and adulterated data down our throats by definition constitutes coercion! These vocal opponents of Proposition 203 are attacking truly sick and dying Patients so ruthlessly and without any true provocation only to protect their income derived from marijuana prohibition, and/or their perverse desire to hold power over other peoples lives!
FactsOverFiction posted at 12:59 am on Sun, Oct 31, 2010.
Organizations That Support Medical Marijuana:
AIDS Action Council, AIDS Treatment News, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Medical Student Association, American Nurses Association, American Preventive Medical Association, American Public Health Association, American Society of Addiction Medicine, Arthritis Research Campaign (United Kingdom), Australian Medical Association (New South Wales) Limited, Australian National Task Force on Cannabis, Belgian Ministry of Health, British House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology, British House of Lords Select Committee On Science and Technology (Second Report), British Medical Association, Canadian AIDS Society, Canadian Special Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs, Dr. Dean Edell (surgeon and nationally syndicated radio host), French Ministry of Health, Health Canada, Kaiser Permanente, Lymphoma Foundation of America, The Montel Williams MS Foundation, Multiple Sclerosis Society (Canada), The Multiple Sclerosis Society (United Kingdom), National Academy of Sciences Institute Of Medicine (IOM), National Association for Public Health Policy, National Nurses Society on Addictions, Netherlands Ministry of Health, New England Journal of Medicine, New South Wales (Australia) Parliamentary Working Party on the Use of Cannabis for Medical Purposes, Dr. Andrew Weil (nationally recognized professor of internal medicine and founder of the National Integrative Medicine Council), Alaska Nurses Association, Being Alive: People With HIV/AIDS Action Committee (San Diego, CA), California Academy of Family Physicians, California Nurses Association, California Pharmacists Association, Colorado Nurses Association, Connecticut Nurses Association, Florida Governor's Red Ribbon Panel on AIDS, Florida Medical Association, Hawaii Nurses Association, Illinois Nurses Association, Life Extension Foundation, Medical Society of the State of New York, Mississippi Nurses Association, New Jersey State Nurses Association, New Mexico Medical Society, New Mexico Nurses Association, New York County Medical Society, New York State Nurses Association, North Carolina Nurses Association, Rhode Island Medical Society, Rhode Island State Nurses Association, San Francisco Mayor's Summit on AIDS and HIV, San Francisco Medical Society, Vermont Medical Marijuana Study Committee, Virginia Nurses Association, Whitman-Walker Clinic (Washington, DC), Wisconsin Nurses Association, AIDS Action Council, AIDS Foundation of Chicago, AIDS National Interfaith Network (Washington, DC), AIDS Project Arizona, AIDS Project Los Angeles, Being Alive: People with HIV/AIDS Action Committee (San Diego, CA), Boulder County AIDS Project (Boulder, CO), Colorado AIDS Project, Center for AIDS Services (Oakland, CA), Health Force: Women and Men Against AIDS (New York, NY), Latino Commission on AIDS, Mobilization Against AIDS (San Francisco, CA), Mothers Voices to End AIDS (New York, NY), National Latina/o Lesbian, Gay, B i s e x u a l And Transgender Association, National Native American AIDS Prevention Center, Northwest AIDS Foundation, People of Color Against AIDS Network (Seattle, WA), San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Whitman-Walker Clinic (Washington, DC), Addiction Treatment Alternatives, AIDS Treatment Initiatives (Atlanta, GA), American Public Health Association, American Preventive Medical Association, Bay Area Physicians for Human Rights (San Francisco, CA), California Legislative Council for Older Americans, California Nurses Association, California Pharmacists Association, Embrace Life (Santa Cruz, CA), Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, Hawaii Nurses Association, Hepatitis C Action and Advisory Coalition, Life Extension Foundation, Maine AIDS Alliance, Minnesota Nurses Association, Mississippi Nurses Association, National Association of People with AIDS, National Association for Public Health Policy, National Women's Health Network, Nebraska AIDS Project, New Mexico Nurses Association, New York City AIDS Housing Network, New York State Nurses Association Ohio Patient Network Okaloosa AIDS Support and Information Services (Fort Walton, FL), Physicians for Social Responsibility - Oregon, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Virginia Nurses Association, Wisconsin Nurses Association, American Cancer Society, American Medical Association, British Medical Journal, California Medical Association, California Society on Addiction Medicine, Congress of Nursing Practice, Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, Jamaican National Commission on Ganja, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Workshop on the Medical Utility of Marijuana, Texas Medical Association, Vermont Medical Society, and Wisconsin State Medical Society.[beam]
Manuel Pinto Coelho posted at 1:11 pm on Wed, Oct 27, 2010.
The Lancet, Volume 370, Issue 9584, Pages 319 - 328, 28 July 2007
Cannabis use and risk of psychotic or affective mental health outcomes: a systematic review
Theresa HM Moore MSc a, Dr Stanley Zammit PhD a c , Anne Lingford-Hughes PhD a, Thomas RE Barnes DSc d, Peter B Jones PhD e, Margaret Burke MSc b, Glyn Lewis PhD a
Summary
Background
Whether cannabis can cause psychotic or affective symptoms that persist beyond transient intoxication is unclear. We systematically reviewed the evidence pertaining to cannabis use and occurrence of psychotic or affective mental health outcomes.
Findings
There was an increased risk of any psychotic outcome in individuals who had ever used cannabis (pooled adjusted odds ratio=1·41, 95% CI 1·20—1·65). Findings were consistent with a dose-response effect, with greater risk in people who used cannabis most frequently (2·09, 1·54—2·84). Results of analyses restricted to studies of more clinically relevant psychotic disorders were similar. Depression, suicidal thoughts, and anxiety outcomes were examined separately. Findings for these outcomes were less consistent, and fewer attempts were made to address non-causal explanations, than for psychosis. A substantial confounding effect was present for both psychotic and affective outcomes.
Interpretation
The evidence is consistent with the view that cannabis increases risk of psychotic outcomes independently of confounding and transient intoxication effects, although evidence for affective outcomes is less strong. The uncertainty about whether cannabis causes psychosis is unlikely to be resolved by further longitudinal studies such as those reviewed here. However, we conclude that there is now sufficient evidence to warn young people that using cannabis could increase their risk of developing a psychotic illness later in life.
Poorman posted at 7:08 am on Fri, Oct 15, 2010.
Didn't this get voted on awhile back (few yrs.ago),and pass then?What happened to that? I'm not sure on this!
Kathy posted at 12:36 am on Fri, Oct 15, 2010.
I have been in marijuana reform since 2008 here in Phoenix, and have met many people and learned many things along this path. We run the Phoenix NORML chapter, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. I began doing this because I want to save lives and encourage a peaceful society.
People are being prescribed pills en mas in our country by doctors, every day. These pills break down our liver and kidneys over time, while giving most people stunning side effects along the way.
Marijuana is a safe and effective Natural alternative to these prescription drugs, which can kill a human by overdose and are highly addictive. Marijuana has never killed a human being on record, and is not habit forming.
Four out of five states surrounding Arizona have given their patients the right to choose a safer alternative, and it is beyond time we had this liberty in our state. California is not the only state who has this right, they are just the worst example. Nevada, Colorado, and New Mexico enjoy both medicinal and in some cases decriminalized marijuana rights, and they are certainly not having the trouble that California does. Why should Arizonans have to incur a Felony conviction for taking something that is Safer by far than prescribed medicine?
The Prop 203 Bill is very tight, and does not allow for those without legitimate ailments to obtain marijuana. Please do your research, folks. There is a wealth of information out there for those who have an open mind, and who appreciate good health.
Please join us- Meetings are always free
PhoenixNORML.net
For information on Arizona's medical marijuana bill, please visit StopArrestingPatients.com
Kathy
Phoenix NORML
concernedcitizen posted at 10:46 pm on Thu, Oct 14, 2010.
As someone told me before, everyone should go eat some arsenic, season their food with lead, or lick uranium - they are all natural just like marijuana.
TruthSeeker posted at 1:14 pm on Thu, Oct 14, 2010.
Tempe's Mill Avenue is having trouble keeping their tenants. I wonder if they will be going back to the 1970s by opening head shops and biker bars again. There is no such thing as "medical" marijuana. It's all marijuana. Maybe parents will soon be able to give their kids "medical" marijuana, instead of Ritalin for ADHD.[ohmy]
concernedcitizen posted at 8:54 am on Thu, Oct 14, 2010.
As I've said before, the "medical marijuana" initiative is a cover, or rather a stepping-stone, to fully legalize marijuana in Arizona. And why should marijuana not be legalized at all?
1) I know of 1000's of kids that were brought into the foster care system because the parent(s) were using marijuana. Most people that use marijuana also use harder drugs, such as meth. And we have all seen the commercials as to what meth does to someone.
2) Once it is legalized "medically", that is simply one more step to legalizing it fully for everyone. The fact that anyone "within 25 miles of a dispensary can grow their own" should tell you something there-where do you think pot users are going to move to? And how many people will not be within 25 miles of a dispensary? HELLO ARIZONA!!! WAKE UP to this and realize, this part of the law points to people growing it on their own and using it WITHOUT permission from a doctor/dispensary.
Please realize how damaging this will be to not only people's personal lives, but also to the even more children that will come into the foster care system because the parent(s) do not have self-control and will do stupid things while they are high on pot, including get high on other drugs such as meth and then will beat, neglect, abuse, etc. their children. "It shouldn't hurt to be a child."
3) Self-control. The 2 reasons laws are introduced are either to control something that citizens do not have self-control over and their abuse of it causes more wide-spread problems, or laws are introduced because citizens want to legalize something to satisfy their own wants, not because it is the right thing to do. Often, as in this case, they are using the "medical marijuana" cover up simply as a back-door to legalize growing marijuana in people's own backyards.
I'm not against using marijuana medically if people really need it, AND IF IT IS DONE THE RIGHT WAY. It can be put into pill form and dispensed that way where it is completely protected from you or I growing it, etc. However, that is not how this law is written. This law was written to allow people to grow and smoke their own marijuana. Yes, it will benefit a few who have chronic pain and this would be the best solution for them. But the vast majority would abuse this new law and this would cause other problems, especially for innocent children. PLEASE DO NOT PASS THIS PROPOSITION ARIZONA!!! Our children and our future are too important.