>Sender: >To: >X-Original-Message-ID: <260501bf3b74$ae899300$9acf69cf@pacbell.net> >From: "Peter McWilliams" >Subject: Johnson: hero yet again! >Date: Tue, 30 Nov 1999 12:51:31 -0800 >X-Mozilla-Status: 8001 >X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000 > > >Let's all send letters to the Albq Tribune letters@abqtrib.com praising Gov. >Johnson's latest dash of freedom. > >Enjoy, > >Peter > >------ > > >Pubdate: Sat, 27 Nov 1999 >Source: Albuquerque Tribune (NM) >Copyright: 1999 The Albuquerque Tribune. >Contact: letters@abqtrib.com >Website: http://www.abqtrib.com/ >Author: Associated Press > >MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL REVIVED > >Gov. Gary Johnson Ordered The Legislation Be Drafted. It Would Provide >$150,000 To Restart The Program That Lawmakers Stopped Appropriating In >1986. > >SANTA FE -- State Health Secretary Alex Valdez has drafted a measure to >revive a New Mexico law that allows marijuana to be used for medical >purposes, such as relieving the nausea associated with chemotherapy. > >"We need to move forward on this deal," Valdez said Tuesday. > >Valdez drafted the measure on orders of Gov. Gary Johnson, and said the >legislation, which would appropriate $150,000 for the program, had been >submitted to Johnson's office. > >New Mexico lawmakers in 1978 passed the Lynn Pierson Act, named for a >26-year-old cancer patient. The law allows marijuana to be used to relieve >nausea associated with chemotherapy and to ease eye pressure from glaucoma >in connection with a research project. > >It also allows a review board appointed by the Health Department secretary >to approve other legitimate medical uses. The board, made up of a >psychiatrist, ophthalmologist and oncologist, must approve all applicants >and their physicians. > >More than 250 people used marijuana under the law until 1986, when >lawmakers stopped appropriating the $50,000 needed annually to run the >program. > >Valdez began studying the law last summer after threats of a class action >lawsuit by its supporters. > >"It says the administrator -- that's me -- shall appoint a patient >qualification review board," Valdez said. "It says the administrator shall >obtain marijuana. There's no discretion in here in terms of what I must do, >and the fact of the matter is we're mandated to have this program in place." > >Critics contend medical marijuana is a smokescreen for legalization. > >"I don't want any back-door approach trying to legalize this stuff, and I >will fight it as far as I can," said House Minority Leader Ted Hobbs, an >Albuquerque Republican. "If this is a campaign to figure out a way to slide >in the closet with this thing, I don't like it at all. I'd rather have it >straight out -- and straight out it's going to lose." > >Rep. Max Coll, a Santa Fe Democrat and the vice chairman of the Legislative >Finance Committee, said he wanted to see the legislation before commenting >on the issue. > >"I'd probably vote to fund it if it's just a straight vote to fund," said >Coll. "We passed that (Pierson Act) . . . to help people who are badly in >need of that kind of help. I think in those kinds of cases it's OK." > >Last Monday, attorney Charlie Knoblauch sued Valdez for nonfeasance and >asked the state Supreme Court to force the secretary to provide marijuana >for his client, electronics technician Tony Cognetto of Albuquerque, who >has non-Hodgkins lymphoma. No hearing has been set. > >"Last January, Tony went through an initial round of chemo and radiation, >and they thought they had it," Knoblauch said. "But about three weeks ago >it was discovered again, and he's going through intensive chemotherapy >right now. And he needs the stuff to control his nausea and vomiting." > >Two other men, University of New Mexico nurse Bryan Krumm and Ed >McWilliams, have threatened a lawsuit to reactivate the program. Krumm has >said he wants marijuana to ease knee pain from an accident and for >depression. McWilliams hopes to get it to treat his migraines. > >Valdez said last month funding a marijuana therapeutic research program >would not be a priority in his budget request. But Johnson's legislative >liaison, Dave Miller, said the governor -- who has pushed to legalize drugs >such as marijuana and heroin -- told Valdez to get a medical marijuana >program going. > > >================================================================ > >This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to > the mailing list . >To unsubscribe, E-mail to: