Binky
07-08-2006, 10:23 PM
DOPE, WITCHES AND BLOGGING
Congress rejected a proposal June 29 to ban federal prosecutions of medical marijuana patients in the 11 states where medical marijuana is legal. But the 259-163 vote contained some good news, according to Bruce Mirken, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project ( MPP ). The vote included 18 "yes" votes from Republicans, up from 15 last year.
"Although the measure failed to pass ... medical marijuana advocates hailed the record vote as the result of a growing groundswell of support for medical marijuana from across the political spectrum," Mirken said. "Last summer the amendment received 161 votes, which was the previous record until today's vote."
Equally surprising are some of the supporters who came out in favor of the bill before it went up for a vote. The conservative organization Citizens Against Government Waste and the USA Presbyterian Church spoke in favor of the proposal. The Presbyterian resolution affirmed "the use of cannabis sativa or marijuana for legitimate medical purposes as recommended by a physician" and urges "federal legislation that allows for its use and that provides for the production and distribution of the plant for those purposes."
Maybe, as more groups and citizens recognize the legitimate use of drugs that were once legal in this country, the witch hunt that victimizes people who are already struggling with medical issues can end.
If you are one of the millions of people victimized by the witch hunt - -- er, Drug War -- the Ohio Justice and Policy Center ( OJPC ) might be of help. Each week OJPC holds free legal clinics for former offenders. The clinics started in 2004 in an effort to help former offenders get back on their feet after receiving criminal convictions. Since then, OJPC has consulted with over 650 men and women in need of help. The clinic helps ex-offenders with record expungements for those who qualify; child support cases for people who owe support; unfair parole, probation and post-release control conditions that interfere with employment; and terminations from educational programs due to criminal records.
"I am energized to be reaching out to low-income ex-offenders in Cincinnati who are struggling to get back on their feet and become productive members of the community," says Stephen JohnsonGrove, the primary attorney in charge of the Second Chance clinics. "Everyone in our community wins when former offenders are given opportunities to succeed."
OJPC holds clinics each Tuesday from 10 a.m.-noon at Our Daily Bread, a soup kitchen in Over-the-Rhine. More information is available at 513-421-1108 or sjohnsongrove@ohiojpc.org.
Sat, 8 Jul 2006
Source: Cincinnati City Beat (OH)
Copyright: 2007 Lightborne Publishing Inc.
Contact: letters@citybeat.com
Website: http://www.citybeat.com/
Congress rejected a proposal June 29 to ban federal prosecutions of medical marijuana patients in the 11 states where medical marijuana is legal. But the 259-163 vote contained some good news, according to Bruce Mirken, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project ( MPP ). The vote included 18 "yes" votes from Republicans, up from 15 last year.
"Although the measure failed to pass ... medical marijuana advocates hailed the record vote as the result of a growing groundswell of support for medical marijuana from across the political spectrum," Mirken said. "Last summer the amendment received 161 votes, which was the previous record until today's vote."
Equally surprising are some of the supporters who came out in favor of the bill before it went up for a vote. The conservative organization Citizens Against Government Waste and the USA Presbyterian Church spoke in favor of the proposal. The Presbyterian resolution affirmed "the use of cannabis sativa or marijuana for legitimate medical purposes as recommended by a physician" and urges "federal legislation that allows for its use and that provides for the production and distribution of the plant for those purposes."
Maybe, as more groups and citizens recognize the legitimate use of drugs that were once legal in this country, the witch hunt that victimizes people who are already struggling with medical issues can end.
If you are one of the millions of people victimized by the witch hunt - -- er, Drug War -- the Ohio Justice and Policy Center ( OJPC ) might be of help. Each week OJPC holds free legal clinics for former offenders. The clinics started in 2004 in an effort to help former offenders get back on their feet after receiving criminal convictions. Since then, OJPC has consulted with over 650 men and women in need of help. The clinic helps ex-offenders with record expungements for those who qualify; child support cases for people who owe support; unfair parole, probation and post-release control conditions that interfere with employment; and terminations from educational programs due to criminal records.
"I am energized to be reaching out to low-income ex-offenders in Cincinnati who are struggling to get back on their feet and become productive members of the community," says Stephen JohnsonGrove, the primary attorney in charge of the Second Chance clinics. "Everyone in our community wins when former offenders are given opportunities to succeed."
OJPC holds clinics each Tuesday from 10 a.m.-noon at Our Daily Bread, a soup kitchen in Over-the-Rhine. More information is available at 513-421-1108 or sjohnsongrove@ohiojpc.org.
Sat, 8 Jul 2006
Source: Cincinnati City Beat (OH)
Copyright: 2007 Lightborne Publishing Inc.
Contact: letters@citybeat.com
Website: http://www.citybeat.com/