Medical Marijuana Advocates Pledge New Effort

[Herb Fellow]

An AIDS patient and a wounded veteran of the Iraq war joined a small group of demonstrators Saturday in downtown Rapid City who advocated the legalization of marijuana for medical uses.

During a relaxed march from Memorial Park to several of the presidential statues, organizer Bob Newland of Hermosa said he was planning another public campaign to make marijuana legal for medical use in the state. The last such effort failed on a statewide vote 52 percent to 48 percent in 2006. "We were short about 7,000 votes," he said. "An additional $10,000 in that campaign probably would have done it."

Newland, the founder and president of pro-legalization SoDakNORML.org, said he and his supporters would take the issue to the South Dakota Legislature. If lawmakers don't response favorably, there will be a petition drive for another public vote, Newland said.

Tom Faltynowicz and Dustin Patterson support Newland's cause, saying that marijuana is one of the best treatments for their physical and emotional problems. Faltynowicz, a rancher from southern Meade County, said he uses the herb to treat nausea and appetite loss from the mixture of medicines he takes to treat AIDS. Patterson, a Black Hills State University student now living in Wasta, said he was serving with the U.S. Army in Iraq in January of 2005 when he was wounded by an improvised explosive device. Marijuana has helped with pain from shrapnel wounds but is especially effective in treating his post-traumatic stress syndrome, Patterson said.

Faltynowicz was recently sentenced to a short jail sentence and fined after entering a guilty plea for marijuana possession. He said the herb is cheaper and more effective than his legally prescribed Marinol, a synthetic drug with active similarities to marijuana. Faltynowicz said he intends to use marijuana again to treat his symptoms.

Patterson said he had a legal prescription for medical marijuana in California but doesn't use the herb in South Dakota because it isn't legal. Newland said the two different users of marijuana are more proof that South Dakota's laws don't make sense. "The medical value of cannabis is a fact," Newland said. "Tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, of people in this country are made criminals simply for taking an herb to feel better."


Source: The Rapid City Journal
Copyright: 2008, The Rapid City Journal
Contact: Kevin Woster, kevin.woster@rapidcityjournal.com
Website: Medical marijuana advocates pledge new effort » RapidCityJournal.com

[Boss]

"Tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, of people in this country are made criminals simply for taking an herb to feel better."

I would have to guess that this figure is more then a million just in the U.S. A lot of people medicate with only Cannabis, they just don't realize they are medicating.

[Herb Fellow]

Originally Posted by Boss

A lot of people medicate with only Cannabis, they just don't realize they are medicating.

This statement is so true, Boss! Excellent! "I'm all stressed out, I think I go smoke a joint." Not, "I'm all stressed out, I need to medicate." Now, we, mmj users, think of it as medication. It makes our lives tolerable and helps us to be more productive in society, where pharmaceuticals numb us as our lives pass us by.

[Cherma]

Defing "Irony" - let a man or woman serve their counrty, teach them to kill and defend, get maimed, injured, or killed themselves, BUT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO to any possession of marijuana, better yet, send 'em to jail for it, after one returns from his or her tour of duty this insanity that the US has again put many good men and women in front of. A great way of saying thanks I guess.
Years ago, the biggest campaign "Refer Madness" made you go on killing rampages, heck join the military and get to do it for the "man", or for the oil? Hmmmm...
But you don't have the right to help yourself and medicate with Marijuana after you have Killed and defended for your country, taken a hit from an I>E>D> and would like to help alleviate your Pain from being wounded, maimed, tortured,held captive, etc.... By not taking the massive chemical drugs they encourage one to take after they have returned from active duty, who at that time would be profiting then?
Please allow the men and women who have served their country the decency and honor , if they so choose to do, "smoke a little of mother natures herb of life". it is the least we can do for them.

[Herb Fellow]

That's good preaching!

[bharrist]

agreed Cherma. part of the military oath is to protect and serve and defend the rights of our citizens. and i feel it's our right to choose whether or not we want to smoke a little herb.