Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Anyone see Calvina Fay's speech today

Hey all,

I was watching the news and watched video news on CNN.com today about Angel Raich's case on the use of medical cannabis in the Supreme Court. She has an inoperable brain tumor and joint disease, plus some other medical problems. After the DEA busted some patients in California last year the Supreme Court will decide if states have the right to legalize it or not. Only 11 states have passed laws letting patients use it for pain relief.

Calvina Fay, Executive Director, Drug Free America Foundation made a statement to the news media describing some of the uses doctors have prescribed it for including back pain. What really got me hot even though I don't use it was to her, back pain is only minor pain. She also said no doctors support the use while on the news they said many doctors have sent letters to the court supporting its use and benefits for patients who suffer from chronic severe pain and many more said they would prescribe it if the FDA approved it for use. I did a search on her name and read letters about other attacks she has made, seeing a lot of letters complaining about her lack of knowledge on most of the subjects she has made statements about.

Mrs. Raich was in a wheelchair until her doctor prescribed the pot for her and can now walk and move around on her own because of the less pain she feels. A lot of the patients on it grow their own and no money is paid for the drug for the ones who use it. Montel announced on his show a few weeks ago he uses it to control his MS pain. I wonder if he will be at the hearing to testify. My feelings are if it helps patients with cancer, MS, AIDS and other diseases causing serious pain they should let them grow their own to use. They could easily monitor the amount grown and it would sure be a lot cheaper on us tax payers than a bunch of DEA agents running around busting people who have a problem and need help. Anyone else feel this way?

Have a good one,
Brent




Sandy

Brent,

the Prime Minister here is for medical use of cannabis or extracts, but he objects to it being smoked......same time they have shooting rooms for heroin users.....

I think 2 states it's legal anyway......

I'm not a smoker but if it helps those sorts of conditions it should be like any drug morphine, codeine etc and at the worst prescribed under supervision.

David

The problem with commenting on this is that it would be a political comment, but it just illustrates the point that the phrase "compassionate conservative" is a true oxymoron. I don't expect healthy conservative politicians to have any sort of empathy whatsoever, because chronic pain is out of the realm of their imagination.
And don't get me started on the attitude of American physicians towards chronic suffering in this country, where pain = weakness and is seen as a moral or psychological failing instead of as a biological problem.

BTW, I don't use it, but I just don't understand the gleeful meaness of the DEA in closing down medical marijuana shops while chemo patients with cancer beg at the door. Seeing that on the news a few months ago...really hardened my heart.

Hi, Brent:

I saw a portion of the Calvina Fay message and was angered by her terribly ignorant statements concerning 'thousands of compounds' in marijuana that we somehow do not understand their activity.

In the first place, we EAT thousands of compounds every day without knowing their exact activity.

AND more to the point, the FDA did not protect the public from Vioxx, and that was JUST ONE COMPOUND they studied quite thoroughly!

AND the FDA does not protect B27s from STARCH, either. Oh, I guess eating it must result in DEATH instead of AS...

AND, what should REALLY make certain people angry is that, under the LIBERAL UTOPIAN eight years we had when Clintong was in the Whitehouse, a more sensible FEDERAL approach to medicinal marijuana was not then, and in all that time, initiated.

But these are just my own opinions,'
John

"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?"
Charles Babbage

Hey Brent
I have read one of Montel William's books, climbing higher. In it he discusses openly his use of marijuana for pain. He tlks about how he couldn't stand being on Percoset for how they made him feel and he spens an entire chapter called" According to the law, I am a criminal"...advocating for the legalization of marijuana for medical use. I would not be suprised if he showed up to represent the general pop. through his celebrity.
It's so ridiculous that we can legally have toxic drugs and something natural like marijuana is disallowed.


Julie


Kodi

"AND, what should REALLY make certain people angry is that, under the LIBERAL UTOPIAN eight years we had when Clintong was in the Whitehouse, a more sensible FEDERAL approach to medicinal marijuana was not then, and in all that time, initiated.?

C;mon, John, what in the hell could Clinton have done in this regard with a Republican controlled Congress? He was barely able to get any programs through, and certainly not any as controversial as that. Liberal utopia? Funny, I must have missed those eight years. I don't remember a single utopian year in my lifetime, in fact.

There is no way you can possibly spin opposition to medicinal marijuana against Clinton and Democrats in general. They didn't start the "War on Drugs," Reagan did. And I gaurantee you that opposition to anything involving the word "drugs," including the compassionate, sensible use of medicinal marijuana would run severely against the core values of all the "morality" voters in all those red states.

If we're going to sling outrageous political claims, let's throw out the funniest one I've heard in decades--that George W. Bush was the more "moral" of the candidates. I guess I forgot when lying repeatedly was seen as a moral position. Actually, it's not funny at all--it just leaves me feeling very sad, in fact.

There, you got your crack in and I got mine, and now I suggest we do as another poster suggested and abolish politics from this discussion and focus on the most important part of this thread--finding more ways to relieve pain and suffering. I'd like to think that in this highly, highly divided country, that we can all agree that finding ways to reduce pain is a goal that is worthy of all our support.

Man, other than wanting to see AS abolished in our lifetime, we don't seem to agree on a hell of a lot, do we John? :-)

Brad

Of course the truth is always somewhat deeper than the righteous appreciate. All pain killers are addictive; not in the sense that one becomes addicted to the particular prescribed painkiller of choice, but the continual reliance on painkillers in general lessens ones tolerance of pain and makes the patient ask for drugs when they could otherwise be avoided. In this way millions become addicted to the licensed products of the drugs companies. And sure this is OK with the righteous Ms Fay.

And what's he then that says I play the villain
When this advice is free I give and honest

You now, I'm not one to wish horrible things on people.

But to those who oppose stem cell research, I wish them a need for an organ transplant.
To those who oppose medical marijuana, I wish them some chronic pain.
To those who oppose treatment for drug abuse problems, I wish them a drug abuse problem.

Sure got Rush Limbaugh to change his tune, didn't it? Some people just don't have empathy.

___________________________________________
-Mike
Certified Mad Doctor (in training)

Hey, I grew and used marijuana as my sole drug for treating the pain AS bestowed on me for 26 years! Never had an accident while driving, never had a moving violation, started a business and ran it successfully for 18 years...was a 'model citizen' but was a criminal in the eyes of the law. I had a 'friend' who had several moving violations, two accidents (one minor, one landed him in the hodpital) and lost his business, because he was taking prescribed drugs but not following the directions...which IS legal, just not too smart.

Anyone who drinks alcohol is using a drug more dangerous and harmful than marijuana...one episode of 'Cops' should convince anyone:)

Pete






(sorry Brent...I said 28 in my reply to you and George...I added wrong:)



"You all laugh because I'm different...I laugh because you're all the same."

Anonymous

Hey guys thanks for the responses. It looks like most here pretty much carry the same opinion. After reading more on Angel Raich and the other girl who went to the Supreme Court I found out they have both tried all the prescription drugs available and had allergic reactions to all of them with a few being life threatening.

I have been told in the past I lack the gift of having compassion when I was a platoon leader in the military and also in supervisory roles during my career. I can not even imagine trying to take the only drug these ladies and the huge number of other patients suffering from cancer, AIDS, MS and other chronic pain causing diseases have to relief their pain.

I am guessing Calvina Fay, her group and other groups like hers have never suffered from chronic pain. I also assume all of the people associated with them are just a heartless group of spoiled rich people wanting their own way hurting anyone who challenges their ideas. I have read many of her other quests and am sure from her words she has never taken the time to research the subjects for which she attacks. If she has she is an embarrassment to her group from lack of knowledge and a liar.

Personally I live in a dry county for alcohol. We have the N C State Zoo and several new hotels have been built to attract more visitors to the zoo. I have sat and watched the voting to pass the sale of alcohol lose over and over again since I was a kid. Instead they prefer people who drink to drive 12 miles or more to buy alcohol and have the chance of them drinking and driving instead of buying it on sight so you can walk upstairs to a room. When I used to drink I would see some preachers, along with other church goers and leaders of the community when I would stop on my way home to purchase alcohol. Like Calvina Fay these same people vote against passing the sale of alcohol. Makes one wonder how many of her organization smoke marijuana or make money from its sale not wanting the law changed because someone may find out what they do in their personal lives.

I hope the law suit backers providing these women with the money to take this to the Supreme Court will help them file a pain and suffering law against the groups who sought out to cause them harm if they lose. In my opinion it is only fair they should have to pay to all their actions effect. The state of California along with several other states has given the people a choice to pass the law. There is no money exchanged for and the medical marijuana does not cross state lines for someone in a different state.
Guess I need to stop typing and breath, but I have been upset ever since I saw the news on this situation. My pain level is through the roof from stressing out over it.

Brent



Sandy