Stockbroker Who Smokes Pot for Pain Relief Says Latest Referendum Not Enough. Irvin Rosenfeld believes the latest attempt to legalize medical marijuana in Florida will pass. But he doesn't believe it does enough. He wants everyone to be able to grow their own pot. Not for partying. For medicine. The Boca Raton stockbroker knows all about it. He turns 63 on Friday. For a third of his life, he's smoked up to 10 joints a day for which he doesn't pay. Your taxes do. [continues 980 words]
Staff Researches Idea for a Much-Reduced Penalty for Small Amounts. WEST PALM BEACH - Palm Beach County is considering making possession of a small amount of marijuana a civil infraction - the equivalent of a traffic ticket - rather than a criminal offense. But a number of issues need to be worked out in order for this approach to receive broad-based support or at least acceptance from law enforcement and the criminal justice system stakeholders," Assistant County Administrator Jon Van Arnam wrote in a memo Aug. 14. [continues 426 words]
Irvin Rosenfeld, the South Florida stockbroker who gained national attention for his fight to freely use marijuana as medicine, has run into resistance from one of the nation's top sailing events for the disabled and expects to be barred from next year's event. The reason: an independent group that monitors use of drugs by athletes won't exempt the pot Rosenfeld uses to treat tumors that would otherwise leave him bedridden and in pain. Rosenfeld, who has sailed in three races of the North American Challenge Cup in 11 years, has asked the race's organizers and the U.S. Sailing Association to overrule the United States Anti-Doping Agency and let him sail in the 2006 regatta. He said an event that celebrates overcoming disabilities is in effect discriminating against a disabled person. [continues 434 words]
The U.S. Department of Transportation has ruled Delta Air Lines shouldn't have barred former Boca Raton stockbroker Irvin Rosenfeld and his medicinal marijuana from a flight, but declined to penalize the airline. Rosenfeld said Monday he will appeal. Rosenfeld, who now lives and works in Broward County, suffers from a rare disease and needs the marijuana, grown and supplied by the federal government, to control pain that makes it impossible to walk. In March 2001, Rosenfeld tried to fly from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Washington to support defendants in a U.S. Supreme Court case over expanded medical use of the drug. Rosenfeld said he alerted Delta in advance, as he has many times when flying Delta and other airlines. But when he arrived, agents wouldn't let him board. [continues 288 words]
FORT LAUDERDALE -- Irvin Rosenfeld was so nervous he had forgotten his winter jacket. The former Boca Raton stockbroker, his heart in his throat, stepped gingerly through the security checkpoint, tensely dropping his cellphone and other personal items into a plastic bin. That's because Rosenfeld's small, black soft-sided suitcase held a metal tin with enough marijuana for about 70 joints. The X-ray machine took no notice of the tin, or if it did, the guard paid him no heed and didn't notice the ace bandage on Rosenfeld's right foot after he removed his moccasins and dropped them in as well. [continues 1127 words]
FORT LAUDERDALE -- Boca Raton stockbroker Irvin Rosenfeld, who is permitted to smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes, wants Delta Airlines to apologize for not letting him board a plane in March. On Wednesday, Rosenfeld and his lawyer gave the airline 30 days to admit it was wrong, promise it won't happen again, and reimburse him for changing flights; otherwise, he said, he would sue Delta for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. "It was a real shabby way to treat a longtime customer," Rosenfeld said. He said Delta has never responded to his request for an explanation. On Wednesday, Delta spokeswoman Cindi Kurczewski repeated what the airline said in March: "We are looking into this matter." She had no further comment. [continues 261 words]
