What is Kerry's position on medical marijuana? (NT)

[stickdog]

[AmyStrange]

1. This is the best I can do...

I said:
from that same site (mpp.org) is he (Kerry) saying anything really different that Dean's stance (up above that you found so ingenuous). (By the way, I don't like those quotes of Kerry's either, because someone is paraphrasing Kerry's words). He's (Kerry) in favor of medical marijuana, but he wants to have it studied first. Not really a whole lot different than Dean's:


FROM: http://www.mpp.org/releases/nr070303gsmm.html
MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE -- After the opening of his New Hampshire campaign headquarters last night, U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) told medical marijuana advocate Linda Macia, who suffers from nerve damage, fibromyalgia, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, and degenerative arthritis, that he favors legal access to medical marijuana for seriously ill patients and a study to determine appropriate federal policy.

"I told him, `Senator, I'm very ill and I've tried taking narcotics and other medications. My body can't tolerate them, or I am allergic.'" Macia said. "`There's nothing they can do for me, there's nothing I can take. I've exhausted all my options. Would you support legislation to allow seriously ill people to have medical marijuana?'

"I was expecting the usual song-and-dance you get from politicians," Macia continued. "But he came right out and said, `I'm in favor of it.' Then he added that he wanted `a full analysis of it -- and some kind of commission dealing with the question of what do we do with it.'

[stickdog]

2. As I expected, both want it if they can cover their political asses first.

[AmyStrange]

5. From what I've read on both candidates...

neither are being as forthright as I wish they would be and the spin from both anti camps spin the evidence in all kinds of weird different ways.

Personally although I want pot legalized, I don't really think (or know) the President can change anything all by him (or her) self so it's really a moot (SP?) point to me,

Dave (AmyStrange.com)

[blm]

3. So, the difference is that Kerry wants to look into HOW

the medical marijuana legislation can be crafted into a federal policy, and Dean wants further research into whether or not it is medically viable?

[AmyStrange]

4. Maybe not...

Here's what Kerry's Libertarian opponent had to say about Kerry on September 2002:

FROM: http://www.lpma.org/nletterpdf/0209.pdf
"We must end drug prohibition and end the War on Drugs," said Michael Cloud. "Senator John Kerry is a hawk in the War on Drugs. He is a zealous drug warrior. I will use my U.S. Senate campaign to showcase and spotlight John Kerry's War on Drugs."

During his 18 years in the United States Senate, John Kerry has advanced and advocated drug prohibition and the no-win, morally-wrong War on Drugs.

Mandatory minimums? John Kerry voted "yes".

Asset forfeture? John Kerry voted "yes".

$1.4 billion in military aid to Columbia to fight the War on Drugs? John Kerry voted "yes".

Forbid states to legalize medical marijuana? John Kerry voted "yes".

"Five hundred thousand Americans die painful deaths each year from cancer and Aids," said Michael Cloud. "Medical marijuana could ease their pain and even save lives. John Kerry's votes on medical marijuana condemn 500,000 patients each year to pain and suffering and torment."

[PATRICK]

6. So does Norquist I believe

but only because his daughter (or sister?)wants to use it. THAT should be brought out on occasion.

I would be tempted to say. "Medical marijuana? Tastes too mediciney."
Kerry has a great presence on the issues. God, these guys are giants and
it is still early. Americans have not had a mass exposure to them yet.

I would suggest some genius getting them national exposure but any brief occasion would be fodder for the media mills to grind to dust. Visiting unfunded disaster areas, crisis points while Bush is mysteriously and coincidentally offscene? With throngs of loving enthusiasts the GOP couldn't find with a flashlight in a closet if they had one.