New York: GOP Support Growing For Comprehensive Medical Marijuana Bill

- By Steve Elliott - 02/25/2014

Republican State Senator, Joe Robach, and Former U.S. Senator Al D’Amato, Announce Support for Compassionate Care Act

Patients, Families, Doctors, Advocates: No More Delays, It’s Time for the State Senate to Vote

Senator Joseph Robach (R, C, IP – Rochester) stated his support for the Compassionate Care Act in a Monday meeting with the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester. The bill would allow New Yorkers with serious and debilitating conditions to access to medical marijuana under the supervision of their healthcare provider.

Senator Robach is the third senate Republican to announce his support for the Compassionate Care Act. Last week, two Western Region Republicans -- State Senator George Maziarz (R - Newfane) and State Senator Mark Grisanti (R, IP - Buffalo) -– declared their support and called for a vote.

The Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester has worked tirelessly to secure support for the Compassionate Care Act and released a statement Monday with comments by its leaders and members applauding the Senator’s leadership in supporting a comprehensive legislative solution to help seriously ill New Yorkers. Caregivers and patients also applauded the Senator’s support.

“As a constituent and a mother of child with a severe seizure disorder that would be alleviated by the use of medical marijuana, I am thrilled that Senator Robach stated his support for the Compassionate Care Act,” said Christine Emerson of Rochester. “Too many seriously ill New Yorkers, including my daughter Julia have suffered long enough.

"Now, it’s time for the rest of the Senate to stand up for compassion, join Senators Robach, Maziarz and Grisanti, and pass this bill now," Emerson said.

The Compassionate Care Act has passed the Assembly four times, and Governor Cuomo’s administration has said the governor would sign it, but the legislation has long been stuck in the Senate. In recent weeks, support for the legislation has been growing as more and more Republicans announce their support and more and more organizations endorse the measure.

Us TOO Rochester NY, a peer networking group for men concerned about prostate cancer in Rochester & The Finger Lakes Region of WNY, on Monday announced their endorsement of the Compassionate Care Act, joining more than 60 organizations who support the bill.

“With the announcement of support for the compassionate care act from Senators Robach, Grisanti and Maziarz, I am seeing the light for a day when seriously ill New Yorkers are no longer denied access to medical marijuana that could greatly improve their quality of life,” said Susan Rusinko, an Auburn mother who is living with multiple sclerosis. “I hope that Senator Klein and Senator Skelos will continue this act of courageous leadership and bring the Compassionate Care Act to a vote on the senate floor.”

Support for medical marijuana spans the political divide. Recent national polls show that a majority of Americans -– right, left, and center and in every region of the country -- support allowing patients to access marijuana under medical supervision. In New York, a recent Quinnipiac Poll found that 88 percent of New York voters support medical marijuana, including more than 80 percent of Republicans and Democrats.

Former U.S. Senator Al D’Amato, long an opponent of medical marijuana, stated his new position of support for the Compassionate Care Act in an op-ed that appeared in this weekend’s Long Island Herald. D’Amato wrote: “But times are changing, and marijuana has become a viable form of alternative medicine for those suffering from many debilitating diseases such as ALS, multiple sclerosis, cancer and others.

"When traditional medicines fail to offer relief, why not give patients alternatives?" D'Amato wrote. "I believe our legislators should consider supporting Cuomo’s Compassionate Care Act, a bill that is currently before both houses of the State Legislature.”

“Compassion is a bipartisan issue, and we applaud Senator Robach, Senator Maziarz, Senator Grisanti and former Senator D’Amato for supporting for the Compassionate Care Act,” said gabriel sayegh, state director of the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA). “Momentum is definitely building for this comprehensive bill.

"There is no longer any dispute that when a vote is taken, the Compassionate Care Act will pass with strong bipartisan support," sayegh said. "It’s time for Senate Co-Presidents Klein and Skelos to let the bill come to the floor for a vote. Lives of New Yorkers are hanging in the balance.”

New York Assembly To Wake and Bake This Morning, April 16th, 2013: Empire State Lawmakers Vote on Medical Marijuana

New York State has had its fair share of insane bills proposed, passed, and made law over its twisted and dark history. Created by cheap little legislators, in a relentless effort to paralyze its populace into being good little sheep. Despite that, the relentless streak of humiliating failures for medical marijuana legislation could end for the Empire State today.

At 9:30 AM this morning, deep in the bowels of the  State assembly‘s health committee, an overdue vote on legislation that would legalize medical marijuana is on tap… Welcome New York State’s SB A6357

While the  State assembly is generally regarded as a petri dish for cheap crooks, with questionable moral shortcomings… SB A6357 was championed by two New York State Democrats. Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, a Manhattan Democrat. And Staten Island Dem., Sen. Diane Savino.

TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the public health law, the tax law, the general business law and the penal law, in relation to medical use of marihuana.

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: Allows patient to use marihuana to treat a serious illness under medical supervision. SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC.

PROVISIONS: The bill would allow medical use of marihuana under a health care practitioner’s care, for patients with cancer and other severe debilitating or life-threatening conditions. The bill would set up a tightly regulated and controlled medical marihuana system.

U.S. Farm Bill Allows Hemp Farming... in 10 States

The bill also lets universities to do hemp research and state agriculture departments to do pilot studies.

- By Phillip Smith - Drug War Chronicle - January 31 2014

The omnibus federal farm bill approved by Congressional conference committee negotiators this week and destined to be quickly signed into law includes the Hemp Amendment that was approved by the House last year before the bill blew up over Republican efforts to cut food stamp spending. The final version of the farm bill passed the House Wednesday morning.

Originally introduced by Representatives Jared Polis (D-CO), Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), the hemp amendment doesn't legalize hemp production, but it does allow for research on industrial hemp by universities and state agriculture departments in the 10 states that have approved hemp production. There are two bills pending in Congress that would legalize hemp; they are House Resolution 525, the "Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2013," and the companion legislation, Senate Bill 359.

The 10 states that have already passed laws allowing hemp production are California, Colorado, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia, and the vote comes as even more states are showing an interest in hemp. Hemp bills have been introduced in 11 states this year, including Hawaii, Indiana, Nebraska, New Jersey (carried over from 2013), New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington (two bills were carried over from 2013) West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

"Although I strongly opposed the Republican Farm Bill, I was pleased to see that the bipartisan amendment that I offered with Representatives Blumenauer and Massie was included in the final bill that passed the House of Representatives today," said Rep. Polis. "This common sense amendment will allow colleges and universities to grow and cultivate industrial hemp for academic and agricultural research purposes in states where industrial hemp cultivation is already legal. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to ensure that this language becomes law."

"This is an important victory for farmers, manufacturers, and consumers in Kentucky and across the country. Our amendment paves the way for production of industrial hemp by first allowing America's academic and research institutions to demonstrate that hemp and the products derived from hemp present a great economic opportunity for our country," said Rep. Massie. "The inclusion of our industrial hemp amendment in the farm bill reflects widespread support for cultivating industrial hemp and proves Congress can work together in a bipartisan fashion to help the American economy at a time when creating jobs is a national priority."

"With the U.S. hemp industry estimated at over $500 million in annual retail sales and growing, a change in federal law to allow for colleges and universities to grow hemp for research would mean that we will finally begin to regain the knowledge that unfortunately has been lost over the past fifty years," says Vote Hemp President, Eric Steenstra. "The American Farm Bureau Federation announced their opposition to the controlled substance classification of hemp earlier this month, and now passage of this amendment means America can get on track to once again become the predominant producer and manufacturer of hemp -- one of the most versatile and ecological industrial crops on the planet."

The hemp amendment was among the few provisions in the farm bill that had not been previously approved by both houses of Congress. That it made it into the final version of the farm bill was a testament to the bill's support, and to some key supporters, Steenstra told the Chronicle Wednesday.

"Senator Wyden introduced an amendment to the Senate farm bill that was more expansive than the House version, but the leadership limited the votes severely and our provision never got a vote," Steenstra explained. "That, combined with the fact that Senator Leahy had basically cleared it through Judiciary, allowed it to go forward. But ultimately, Senator McConnell and other conferees spoke up for it."

Both McConnell and his fellow Kentucky US senator, Rand Paul, have been ardent hemp supporters, supporting legislation both at the state level and now, in Washington.

"This is an important victory for Kentucky's farmers, and I was pleased to be able to secure this language on behalf of our state," McConnell said in a statement issued Tuesday. "By giving states the go-ahead to cultivate hemp for pilot programs, we are laying the groundwork for a new commodity market for Kentucky farmers. By exploring innovative ways to use hemp to benefit a variety of Kentucky industries, while avoiding negative impact to Kentucky law enforcement's efforts at marijuana interdiction, the pilot programs authorized by this legislation could help boost our state's economy."

"We think this is pretty significant," Steenstra said. "It's an excellent first step to revitalize what was once a proud and significant industry in this country. A big part of our farming economy has been lost, and we have to work to recover it."

The bill not only allows universities to do hemp research, Steenstra noted, but it also allows state agriculture departments to do pilot studies.

"That is a little bit more expansive than just research," he said. "The can look into things like marketing and cultivation of hemp, and that's a significant opportunity for the 10 states where it is legal."

Steenstra didn't think inclusion of the hemp amendment in the farm bill would take the oomph out the pending hemp legalization bills.

"We've made it very clear, and all of our supporters in Congress understand this, that this is just a first step," he said. "There are a lot of people anxious to grow hemp, and this won't really solve that. We will be able to get some crops in the ground and show that hemp is not the boogie man we feared, but commercial farmers still won't be able to grow it until we get those bill passed."

Although hemp proponents are careful to draw a bright line between industrial hemp and psychoactive marijuana, the growing national debate over -- and acceptance of -- marijuana has been a help rather than a hindrance, Steenstra said.

"The reality is that hemp has been caught up in marijuana policy for 70-some years," he noted. "There is no way to deal with hemp policy without looking at overall marijuana policy. These are two separate tracks, but at the same time, having a lot of people looking at marijuana policy has been a good thing for hemp."

New leadership at the DEA would be a good thing, too, Steenstra said, moaning aloud as he recounted DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart's comment last week that the low point of her career was seeing a hemp flag fly over the US capitol.

"Of all the things she should be down about, she complains about a flag made out of non-drug hemp fiber," he said."We're hoping a more enlightened DEA head will come in and replace her and bring some sanity to policy over there."

- Article originally from Stop the Drug War, used with permission.

Flu shot kills 19-year-old, but vaccine industry still has total immunity against lawsuits

- By Ethan A. Huff - December 10, 2013

The flu shot has claimed its first victim in the state of Utah, at least according to state health officials who insist that there is no official record of any individual ever previously dying as a result of the annual jab. 19-year-old Chandler Webb, a formerly healthy young man who worked out at the gym daily, reportedly suffered violent reactions and slipped into a coma just one day after getting his first flu vaccine ever, which prompted his death just a few weeks later.

Chandler was given the flu shot as part of a routine physical he received in preparation for an upcoming mission with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Salt Lake Tribune (SLT) reports that the young man suffered his first adverse reactions on October 16, just one day after getting jabbed. His symptoms included violent shaking, headaches and vomiting, all of which were the worst he had ever experienced.

"He said he never shook so hard in his whole life," sobbed Lori Webb, Chandler's mother. "He had the worst headache, throw up."

Chandler's health continued to decline in the immediate days following the vaccine, prompting his parents to take him to the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. A team of six neurologists ran a battery of tests on the young man, testing him for every known virus, bacterium and fungus, but came up with nothing.

After weeks of being in a coma, Chandler eventually died as a result of severe brain swelling, which just so happens to be a common adverse effect associated with vaccinations. Though the hospital and the state say they cannot talk about the details of the case, Chandler's parents have since ordered a brain biopsy to verify the cause of death, which they believe was the vaccine.

"We're angry because we believe it's the flu shot that [caused] it," said Lori. "I've never been so scared in all my life to see my son go through so much."

State health officials says flu shot may be 'associated' with serious adverse events like death

In an interview with Fox13Now.com, Utah state epidemiologist Dr. Allyn Nakashima admitted that the flu can cause severe adverse events, but such events are rare. Stopping short of fessing up and definitively linking flu vaccines to causing the type of brain swelling that killed Chandler -- such swelling is commonly referred to in the medical literature as encephalitis -- Dr. Nakashima conceded to an association between the two.

"We certainly have seen associations of encephalitis or encephalitis-type illnesses following flu vaccine," stated Dr. Nakashima to reporters. "It's very rare, and we can't necessarily say there's a cause and effect here, [but] we can say there's an association."

Tom Hudachko, a Utah Department of Health spokesman, provided a similar spiel. He told SLT reporters that, while rare, "more severe side effects" can result from getting the flu shot, essentially affirming what Chandler's family observed in their loved one. Yet at the same time, the agency stopped short of all-out implicating the flu vaccine as the cause of Chandler's death.

Lori told reporters that she plans to seek justice for her son through the legal system, apparently unaware of the fact that back in 1986 the Supreme Court granted immunity -- oh the irony -- to drug companies against certain lawsuits arising from injuries or deaths associated with vaccines. This so-called law was affirmed back in 2011 by Justice Antonin Scalia, who wrote for the majority that the parents of vaccine-injured children will have to continue dealing with the illegitimate "vaccine court."

Sources for this article include:

http://fox13now.com

http://www.sltrib.com

http://www.csmonitor.com