Federal Hearings to Reschedule Marijuana (see you there!)

How did the hearings go yesterday, any updates?

oh wow. so yeah a lot to say, a lot to still do.

the hearings? well they were very disapointing as far as the arguements, from the ASA lawyer and the DEA's of course. in my opinion they are going to go to schedule two. the lawyer never even mentioned marinol is thc and isalready schedule 3... they are terrible at being lawyers.

i was one of 50 or so let in the courtroom. in fact i walked in first, lol.

we are escorting Miss Elvy Musikka and due to her condition its best someone leads her so we were whisked to the front of the line. in front of Mr Stephen Deangelo and company. who sat in our row. during the press outside i got to meet him and his brother.

last night after dropping off elvy and others for the ASA dinner i parked and got to roam dc, and drive around the city at night in the rental car

today we're busy trying to arrange meetings with staffers from Levin and Stabenow's offices and asnyone else who we can contact.

edit: this is the first morning i got to sleep in a bit. last two nights were 2 hours of sleep tops each and i've been ragged, good thing the food drinks and smoke are good.

It may not be what we were hoping for but a schedule 2 is still a big step in the right direction. That would also mean the government acknowledging that it has medical value which I believe should allow for human testing.

It must have been a very cool experience to witness all of that, congrats!

Any more updates?

If they move it schedule two, will they also be adjusting the federal sentencing guidelines?

More Updates coming.

-my laptop's keyboard had took a turn for the worse over the trip, the middle GH and backspace and a few others keys stopped working so i felt like a hick if i were to type like that.

Back home after the long trip.

the reason we rushed on the last day... we had two phone calls returned from the day before from both Stabenow's office and Levin's. had a good chat with both over medical marijuana back at home, in the US, veteran's issues, federal housing, standards as far as molds and pesticides.. we blew their minds on hemp and mmj. Stabenow's office told us that we were the most prepared that they had seen and that we knew our stuff.

The letter from Levin to the Feds from 1980 about their shitty pot was the kicker though!! they all jaw dropped at the sight of it.. i did too when i read it.

.88% THC -and NIDA, DEA at the time, said that anything below .95% wasn't fit for testing... BUT 30-40 years later they have only raised those levels to 3 tops.

they use shitty pot for testing, but it still helped Elvy maintain her one eye for 37 years.

at its worst this plant still is effective.

I heard 10 years ago that Elvy takes the tin of joints that the fed gives her, and breaks up the joints and screens the pot and uses the keif.

Irv Rosenfeld has told me that the NIDA produced pot is terrible quality, and the machine-rolled joints are rolled with the sticks and seeds included. He says he smokes at least 12 joints a day, and does not get any buzz at all. But it works to keep his malady in check.

Thanks for the update.

May I ask what Veteran's issues were touched upon?

hunter22375 said:

May I ask what Veteran's issues were touched upon?

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Plaintiff Michael Krawitz, a Gulf War veteran and medical marijuana patient, conveyed his struggle in managing his combat-related pain without relinquishing federally-mandated VA benefits under marijuana's current classification. Without access to medical marijuana, he stated he is in danger of destabilizing his overall health condition, a situation Krawitz has faced multiple times due to federal policy.


Edit ^^^^^^ cut n pasted not mine

HomeLessBeans said:

Plaintiff Michael Krawitz, a Gulf War veteran and medical marijuana patient, conveyed his struggle in managing his combat-related pain without relinquishing federally-mandated VA benefits under marijuana's current classification. Without access to medical marijuana, he stated he is in danger of destabilizing his overall health condition, a situation Krawitz has faced multiple times due to federal policy.


Edit ^^^^^^ cut n pasted not mine

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Due to the fact this point in question is about benefits and not jail time nor denial of the medicine itself; I take it the cruel and unusual defense that was used in the landmark Robert Randal case can't be used as precedent?

To be honest, I don't know what the VA's policy is on Medical Marijuana. I am a patient but I usually just tell them no when they ask me if I use any illegal substances. Not worth the headache. I often wonder though if they test for drugs when obtaining blood to evaluate prescription drug levels without my permission.

The feds have their heads buried in the BS of their own laws. Michigan intends to deny MJ patients the right to carry a concealed, but how do they intend to enforce this against individuals federally licensed? Fools, that's all I can say

hunter22375 said:

To be honest, I don't know what the VA's policy is on Medical Marijuana. I am a patient but I usually just tell them no when they ask me if I use any illegal substances. Not worth the headache. I often wonder though if they test for drugs when obtaining blood to evaluate prescription drug levels without my permission.

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The VA changed their policy about MMJ in 2010. In the memo, they said that they will not discriminate against veterans who benefit from using marijuana in states where it is allowed. Specifically, they said they will no longer deny MMJ users organ transplants, or opiate drug prescriptions, or any other discrimination because they are also using marijuana. My VA doctors know all about my MMJ use.

rollitup said:

The VA changed their policy about MMJ in 2010. In the memo, they said that they will not discriminate against veterans who benefit from using marijuana in states where it is allowed. Specifically, they said they will no longer deny MMJ users organ transplants, or opiate drug prescriptions, or any other discrimination because they are also using marijuana. My VA doctors know all about my MMJ use.

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but some aren't so lucky. some VA docs still refuse pts. and some VA docs can't recommend the MMJ.

so there are two problems to be addressed. the VA being allowed to recommend alternative care with MMJ or based on the patients wants. and the safety of patients still seeking care to not be dropped because of their mmj status.

most VA docs refuse patients. I read that a few in Michigan were first to allow it. I believe my father was one of first Veteran's to get card through VA doctors. It wasn't for his PTSD though. The VA in Iron Mountain is good with vets. Or they have been good to my father anyway.

MJ is a banned substance under the UCMJ. Docs must understand vets are no longer subject to the UCMJ and respect their rights. Odd that we must give up our rights to serve this country, at least respect them once returned.

tomcatjones said:

but some aren't so lucky. some VA docs still refuse pts. and some VA docs can't recommend the MMJ.

so there are two problems to be addressed. the VA being allowed to recommend alternative care with MMJ or based on the patients wants. and the safety of patients still seeking care to not be dropped because of their mmj status.

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Of course VA doctors are forbidden from issuing a recommendation to use MMJ. Even if the doctor agrees with the benefits, and wants to give his recommendation, he can't. So veterans must get their rec from another doctor, but the VA is now prohibited from denying MMJ vets any of their services.

If an MMJ-legal vet has any problems from his VA doctor, he should just request another doctor.

I haven't been in a VA facility since Clinton opened that one down in Detroit, and I'd like to keep it that way Although nothing more memorable than visiting the Allen Park Psyc Ward back in the day No matter how many visits, I never failed to learn a new perspective on life

TheMan13 said:

MJ is a banned substance under the UCMJ. Docs must understand vets are no longer subject to the UCMJ and respect their rights. Odd that we must give up our rights to serve this country, at least respect them once returned.

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Well said my friend!

rollitup said:

The VA changed their policy about MMJ in 2010. In the memo, they said that they will not discriminate against veterans who benefit from using marijuana in states where it is allowed. Specifically, they said they will no longer deny MMJ users organ transplants, or opiate drug prescriptions, or any other discrimination because they are also using marijuana. My VA doctors know all about my MMJ use.

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How did you approach it with them Rollie? That must have been kind of nerve racking. i'm no vet, but I'm scared to death that my pain clinic doc will figure out I smoke, and I could be black listed. That can't happen. Wish those people would get a grip.