Post by Del Snavely on Dec 14, 2009 0:35:54 GMT -6
Send this to each of your districts Congress and Senate representatives!
State Resolution
Resolution Number 1: Medical Marijuana In North Dakota
WHEREAS: The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization and the second largest physicians group in the United States with 124,000 members; and
WHEREAS: Physicians of the ACP are specialists in internal medicine and related subspecialties, including cardiology, neurology, pulmonary disease, oncology and infectious diseases; and
WHEREAS: ACP publishes Annals of Internal Medicine, the most widely cited medical specialties journal in the world; and
WHEREAS: The ACP published a landmark position paper released in February 2008 that stated; “Most of our laws have gotten it wrong when it comes to medical marijuana, and it’s time for public policy to get in step with science”; and
WHEREAS: Federal law classifies marijuana as a schedule 1 drug, defined as having no accepted medical use and being unsafe for use even under medical supervision; and
WHEREAS: ACP urges in their landmark position paper “reclassification into a more appropriate schedule, given the scientific evidence regarding marijuana’s safety and efficacy in some clinical conditions”; and
WHEREAS: ACP calls for protection of physicians’ right to “prescribe or dispense medical marijuana in accordance with state law” in those states which have adopted medical marijuana; and
WHEREAS: ACP also stated in their position paper “We strongly urge protection from civil or criminal penalties for patients who use medical marijuana as permitted under state law; and
WHEREAS: ACP supports it’ position with 10 pages of scientific documentation and references and note that “marijuana in combination with some pharmaceuticals may produce more benefit than either drug alone; and
WHEREAS: ACP states “In some areas, the efficacy of marijuana has already been established, and it’s time for studies designed to determine the best dose and rout of delivery”; and
WHEREAS: Former Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders wrote in an article on the web site www.alternet.org dated 3/26/08 “The ACP position paper demolishes several myths, starting with the notion still proclaimed by some politicians that marijuana is unsafe for medical use. The College notes that the most serious objection to medical marijuana – potential harm to the lungs from smoking – has largely been solved by a technology called vaporization, already proven in scientific studies; and
WHEREAS: The ACP position paper also explains that there is no reason to believe that protecting medical marijuana patients leads to increased drug abuse stating “Marijuana has not been proven to be the cause or even the most significant predictor of serious drug abuse” “Opiates are highly addictive, yet medically effective… There is no evidence to suggest that medical use of opiates has increased perception that their illicit use is safe or acceptable”; and
WHEREAS: Former Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders further wrote in her article to www.alternet.org dated 3/26/08 “Large medical associations are by their nature slow, cautious creatures that move only when the evidence is overwhelming. The evidence is indeed overwhelming that, as ACP put it, there is “a clear discord” between what research tells us and what our laws say about medical marijuana”; and
WHEREAS: Former Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders wrote in her article to www.alternet.org dated 3/26/08 “It’s time to end that “clear discord” and put science ahead of politics”; and
WHEREAS: The War On Drugs (ie; prohibition) has been waged since President Nixon in 1972 and has encompassed a total of 36 years, 7 presidents and almost a trillion dollars; and
WHEREAS: The United States has made no impact on the availability of illicit drugs within the United States; and
WHEREAS: The people of the Sovereign State of North Dakota deserve no less compassionate treatment than those within the 12 states that have enacted medical marijuana laws; and
WHEREAS: More than 98% of all marijuana arrests are made on the local and state level; and
WHEREAS: The American Medical Association is the largest group of physicians in the United States with more than 250,000 members; and
WHEREAS: On November 11th 2009 the American Medical Association urged the federal government to reschedule cannabis (marijuana) from a schedule one drug down to a schedule two status.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the state of North Dakota accepts the adoption of marijuana as a medicine and will refuse to detain, arrest or in any way harass any person in North Dakota who has a written recommendation from a doctor to allow the use of marijuana for any reason that doctor may see fit; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That neither the State of North Dakota, nor any policing agency within the State of North Dakota will give assistance or information to any federal agency to allow the harassment, arrest or incarceration of any person in North Dakota who has written proof of a doctors recommendation to use marijuana as a medicine for any reason the doctor may see a use; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That no North Dakota agency will be allowed to impose any restrictions, fines, prosecution, persecution or in any way harass any doctor who has given recommendations for medical marijuana; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That no North Dakota agency shall allow the distribution of information on any doctor or patient who either recommends or uses medical marijuana within the state of North Dakota to any federal agency for any reason.
State Resolution
Resolution Number 1: Medical Marijuana In North Dakota
WHEREAS: The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization and the second largest physicians group in the United States with 124,000 members; and
WHEREAS: Physicians of the ACP are specialists in internal medicine and related subspecialties, including cardiology, neurology, pulmonary disease, oncology and infectious diseases; and
WHEREAS: ACP publishes Annals of Internal Medicine, the most widely cited medical specialties journal in the world; and
WHEREAS: The ACP published a landmark position paper released in February 2008 that stated; “Most of our laws have gotten it wrong when it comes to medical marijuana, and it’s time for public policy to get in step with science”; and
WHEREAS: Federal law classifies marijuana as a schedule 1 drug, defined as having no accepted medical use and being unsafe for use even under medical supervision; and
WHEREAS: ACP urges in their landmark position paper “reclassification into a more appropriate schedule, given the scientific evidence regarding marijuana’s safety and efficacy in some clinical conditions”; and
WHEREAS: ACP calls for protection of physicians’ right to “prescribe or dispense medical marijuana in accordance with state law” in those states which have adopted medical marijuana; and
WHEREAS: ACP also stated in their position paper “We strongly urge protection from civil or criminal penalties for patients who use medical marijuana as permitted under state law; and
WHEREAS: ACP supports it’ position with 10 pages of scientific documentation and references and note that “marijuana in combination with some pharmaceuticals may produce more benefit than either drug alone; and
WHEREAS: ACP states “In some areas, the efficacy of marijuana has already been established, and it’s time for studies designed to determine the best dose and rout of delivery”; and
WHEREAS: Former Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders wrote in an article on the web site www.alternet.org dated 3/26/08 “The ACP position paper demolishes several myths, starting with the notion still proclaimed by some politicians that marijuana is unsafe for medical use. The College notes that the most serious objection to medical marijuana – potential harm to the lungs from smoking – has largely been solved by a technology called vaporization, already proven in scientific studies; and
WHEREAS: The ACP position paper also explains that there is no reason to believe that protecting medical marijuana patients leads to increased drug abuse stating “Marijuana has not been proven to be the cause or even the most significant predictor of serious drug abuse” “Opiates are highly addictive, yet medically effective… There is no evidence to suggest that medical use of opiates has increased perception that their illicit use is safe or acceptable”; and
WHEREAS: Former Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders further wrote in her article to www.alternet.org dated 3/26/08 “Large medical associations are by their nature slow, cautious creatures that move only when the evidence is overwhelming. The evidence is indeed overwhelming that, as ACP put it, there is “a clear discord” between what research tells us and what our laws say about medical marijuana”; and
WHEREAS: Former Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders wrote in her article to www.alternet.org dated 3/26/08 “It’s time to end that “clear discord” and put science ahead of politics”; and
WHEREAS: The War On Drugs (ie; prohibition) has been waged since President Nixon in 1972 and has encompassed a total of 36 years, 7 presidents and almost a trillion dollars; and
WHEREAS: The United States has made no impact on the availability of illicit drugs within the United States; and
WHEREAS: The people of the Sovereign State of North Dakota deserve no less compassionate treatment than those within the 12 states that have enacted medical marijuana laws; and
WHEREAS: More than 98% of all marijuana arrests are made on the local and state level; and
WHEREAS: The American Medical Association is the largest group of physicians in the United States with more than 250,000 members; and
WHEREAS: On November 11th 2009 the American Medical Association urged the federal government to reschedule cannabis (marijuana) from a schedule one drug down to a schedule two status.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the state of North Dakota accepts the adoption of marijuana as a medicine and will refuse to detain, arrest or in any way harass any person in North Dakota who has a written recommendation from a doctor to allow the use of marijuana for any reason that doctor may see fit; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That neither the State of North Dakota, nor any policing agency within the State of North Dakota will give assistance or information to any federal agency to allow the harassment, arrest or incarceration of any person in North Dakota who has written proof of a doctors recommendation to use marijuana as a medicine for any reason the doctor may see a use; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That no North Dakota agency will be allowed to impose any restrictions, fines, prosecution, persecution or in any way harass any doctor who has given recommendations for medical marijuana; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That no North Dakota agency shall allow the distribution of information on any doctor or patient who either recommends or uses medical marijuana within the state of North Dakota to any federal agency for any reason.
