Pubdate: Sat, 12 Dec 2009 Source: Hi-Desert Star (Yucca Valley, CA) Section: Guest Soapbox Copyright: 2009 Hi Desert Star Contact: http://www.hidesertstar.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3921 Author: Mark Cain, R.N. Yucca Valley TOWN NOT REQUIRED TO ACCOMMODATE DRUG DEALERS The Twentynine Palms City Council made it quick and painless. You want to use medical marijuana - grow your own. Can I hear an amen! After months of listening to mostly non-residents try to justify their use of "collective" marijuana, the Yucca Valley Town Council finally made the right decision. Thank you! Let's set the record straight. As a California health care provider, I can say with first-hand knowledge that unfortunately, anyone can find a physician who caters to the pot crowd and get a prescription for medical marijuana, most of the time without the required thorough medical history and good-faith examination - though this is certainly no different than the half-dozen local doctors who have been involved over the years in the unethical and inappropriate prescribing of narcotics. Contrary to what a resident of Morongo Valley stated in last week's editorial page, Californians do not have a constitutional right to smoke pot. It is only legal because people who voted for Proposition 215 were suckered into it thinking they were voting "to ensure that seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes" (Ref: California Health and Safety Code '11362.5 (b)(1)(A)). Proposition 215 authors told voters that cancer, anorexia, AIDS, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis and migraine were examples of legitimate use. For many of these conditions, this would necessitate only occasional or short-term use and this is what the slim majority of Californians voting approved. The California Legislature then created the "Medical Marijuana Program" (SB 420) that allows the use of pot for a "serious medical condition ... AIDS, anorexia, arthritis, cachexia, cancer, chronic pain, glaucoma, migraine, persistent muscle spasms (ie: multiple sclerosis), severe nausea, (or) any other chronic or persistent medical symptom that either substantially limits the ability of the person to conduct one or more major life activities as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-336) (that) if not alleviated, may cause serious harm to the patient's safety or physical or mental health." I attended several of the Yucca Valley Planning Commission meetings wherein a few locals and a lot of out-of-towers brought their stories of why they needed pot, to the mike. In my trained observation, only a handful of individuals appearing had conditions that truly warrant legitimate use under SB 420. I can recall in particular a smiling woman in her late teens or early 20s, dressed in medical scrubs, testify to the commissioners that she is a local resident, holds a valid marijuana ID card and smokes pot for a chronic condition. She lied about residency, either to the commissioners or to the issuing authority, since San Bernardino County didn't issue ID cards at that time, and she couldn't possibly have a condition so serious that she requires medical marijuana and can still hold a job in the medical field. Honestly, would you accept medical treatment for yourself or your child from someone who was under the influence of marijuana? I wouldn't. By the way, California law does not allow the sale of marijuana, under any circumstances. There goes the "tax-the-sale" revenue scheme proffered by collectives. That is why the Los Angeles County District Attorney and others are vigorously pursuing prosecution of collectives where money changes hands. Bottom line is that legitimate users and their "primary caregiver" are permitted to grow pot for medical use. Period. So grow your own if you need it. EDITOR'S NOTE - This Guest Soapbox was edited to fall within the 600-word limit. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D