The Political Science Student Association presented a forum in the Old Main Ballroom at the University Center March 31 to debate the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act and the medicinal legalization of cannabis.
The event featured president of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) Gary Storck arguing in favor and David Nordstrom, professor of counselor education at UW-Whitewater, against.
Nordstrom said he is not an activist on the issue and not lobbying for or against the legalization of marijuana.
"We should be operating on scientific basis to see if [cannabis] is safe and effective," he said. "There are those who want to throw the FDA out the window and go through the legislative, political process to choose drugs. That's not right in my opinion."
The Food and Drug Administration said in 2006 that "no sound scientific studies" supported the medical use of marijuana, contradicting a 1999 review by the Institute of Medicine, a part of the National Academy of Sciences, the nation's most prestigious scientific advisory agency.
"There isn't backing for [cannabis] in our society by health officials, the people who would be prescribing and treating people who want to take this drug," Nordstrom said.
Storck, who suffers from glaucoma, said he has smoked cannabis since high school to save and preserve his eye sight.
"Conventional drugs that Western medicine hands off are not safe, the side effects are intolerable. Cannabis has been used by man for a millennium," Storck said. "It's incredibly safe as opposed to FDA [medicine]."
Storck said there are several drugs taken off the market which were once approved by the FDA due to safety.
Marinol, a synthetic version of a marijuana component, is approved to treat anorexia associated with AIDS and the nausea and vomiting associated with cancer drug therapy.
"I think the reason [legislation] hasn't progressed is because of awareness," Storck said. "If everyone was aware how helpful [legislation] could be for patients and how inadequate the current drugs we use today are, the bill would pass."
The Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act is sponsored by state Rep. Mark Pocan and state Sen. Jon Erpenbach.
The Wisconsin Legislature needs to pass the bill before it ends regular business April 22. Gov. Jim Doyle, who is not running for re-election, has said he will sign the bill should it pass.
When asked if it was for or against marijuana reform, the majority student crowd attending the forum overwhelmingly raised their hands for reform. Less than half had read the bill after being asked.
PSSA president Max Taylor said the event went tremendously well and hoped to raise political awareness on the topic.
"Bringing out an issue (marijuana reform) that is currently hot within our state legislature, this would make the average student who wouldn't necessarily care about politics care," Taylor said.
Wisconsin could become the fifteenth state to legalize medical marijuana should the bill pass.
News Hawk: Warbux 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Royal Purple UW-Whitewater Student Newspaper
Author: Michael Poe
Contact: Search begins for new UW System president - Royal Purple"Michael Poe"
Copyright: 2010 The Royal Purple Newspaper
Website: Royal Purple - Medical marijuana debated
The event featured president of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) Gary Storck arguing in favor and David Nordstrom, professor of counselor education at UW-Whitewater, against.
Nordstrom said he is not an activist on the issue and not lobbying for or against the legalization of marijuana.
"We should be operating on scientific basis to see if [cannabis] is safe and effective," he said. "There are those who want to throw the FDA out the window and go through the legislative, political process to choose drugs. That's not right in my opinion."
The Food and Drug Administration said in 2006 that "no sound scientific studies" supported the medical use of marijuana, contradicting a 1999 review by the Institute of Medicine, a part of the National Academy of Sciences, the nation's most prestigious scientific advisory agency.
"There isn't backing for [cannabis] in our society by health officials, the people who would be prescribing and treating people who want to take this drug," Nordstrom said.
Storck, who suffers from glaucoma, said he has smoked cannabis since high school to save and preserve his eye sight.
"Conventional drugs that Western medicine hands off are not safe, the side effects are intolerable. Cannabis has been used by man for a millennium," Storck said. "It's incredibly safe as opposed to FDA [medicine]."
Storck said there are several drugs taken off the market which were once approved by the FDA due to safety.
Marinol, a synthetic version of a marijuana component, is approved to treat anorexia associated with AIDS and the nausea and vomiting associated with cancer drug therapy.
"I think the reason [legislation] hasn't progressed is because of awareness," Storck said. "If everyone was aware how helpful [legislation] could be for patients and how inadequate the current drugs we use today are, the bill would pass."
The Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act is sponsored by state Rep. Mark Pocan and state Sen. Jon Erpenbach.
The Wisconsin Legislature needs to pass the bill before it ends regular business April 22. Gov. Jim Doyle, who is not running for re-election, has said he will sign the bill should it pass.
When asked if it was for or against marijuana reform, the majority student crowd attending the forum overwhelmingly raised their hands for reform. Less than half had read the bill after being asked.
PSSA president Max Taylor said the event went tremendously well and hoped to raise political awareness on the topic.
"Bringing out an issue (marijuana reform) that is currently hot within our state legislature, this would make the average student who wouldn't necessarily care about politics care," Taylor said.
Wisconsin could become the fifteenth state to legalize medical marijuana should the bill pass.
News Hawk: Warbux 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Royal Purple UW-Whitewater Student Newspaper
Author: Michael Poe
Contact: Search begins for new UW System president - Royal Purple"Michael Poe"
Copyright: 2010 The Royal Purple Newspaper
Website: Royal Purple - Medical marijuana debated
