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Newsbrief:
Lieberman
Clueless
On
California
Medical
Marijuana
Raids
12/5/03
Democratic presidential contender
Sen. Lowell Lieberman (CT) showed himself clueless about the Justice Department's
attacks on California medical marijuana patients and providers during an
appearance on C-SPAN Tuesday night. Lieberman, who cosponsored a
1998 resolution opposing efforts to legalize marijuana for medical purposes,
in part on grounds that it would "create ambiguous cultural messages about
marijuana use," had promised during his campaign to bone up on the medical
marijuana issue. But it is clear from his remarks Tuesday that he
isn't there yet.
During the live C-SPAN broadcast,
Aaron Houston of Granite Staters for Medical Marijuana (http://www.granitestaters.com),
a group formed by the Marijuana Policy Project with the express purpose
of giving the issue a high profile in the Democratic presidential nomination
campaign, posed the following question to Lieberman: "Will you stop
[Attorney General] John Ashcroft's raids on cancer and AIDS patients, and
other seriously ill people who happen to use medical marijuana under the
sanctions of state law?"
"I've asked my staff to check
into... accusations that Aaron and others have made, that our Justice Department
is spending too much time carrying out raids on cancer patients, AIDS patients,
doctors who are using marijuana as a pain killer. I don't know that
-- and I'm waiting for an answer to that... But in fairness, I want to
get a full report before I make any accusations or conclusions about what
even this Justice Department and this administration is doing."
"We're amazed that Senator
Lieberman still doesn't understand the suffering that armed DEA agents
have inflicted on California's medical marijuana patients for the simple
act of taking their medicine, even though these raids have received extensive
press coverage, and we have provided the senator's staff with extensive
documentation," said Houston.
On its web site, Granite
Staters gives the Democratic candidates letter grades on the medical marijuana
issue. The group recently raised Lieberman's grade from a D- to a
D+, but it seems the grade should be "incomplete." Lieberman saying
he had to investigate "accusations" of Justice Department raids is less
believable than saying the dog ate my homework.
-- END --
|
Issue #314, 12/5/03
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Thailand Declares Itself "Drug Free" -- Sort Of -- As Human Rights Watchdogs Condemn Anti-Drug Campaign |
Italy Marches Bravely into 20th Century: Government Proposal Would Recriminalize Drug Possession, Including Marijuana |
Drug Decrim Bill Introduced in Argentina -- Would Also Bar Forced Treatment |
Newsbrief: Bhutan Banning Tobacco |
Newsbrief: Chicago Catholic High School to Drug Test All Students |
Newsbrief: DEA Tries RAVE Act Intimidation Again, But Activists Successfully Fight Back |
Newsbrief: Supreme Court Rules Cops Need Wait Only 20 Seconds Before Kicking Down Door |
Newsbrief: Federal Appeals Court Rules Traffic Stop Drug Dog Search Illegal |
Newsbrief: Needle Access Bill Killed in New Jersey |
Newsbrief: Lieberman Clueless On California Medical Marijuana Raids |
Newsbrief: This Week's Corrupt Cop (or Teach the Children Well) |
Newsbrief: Dr. Donald Abrams Receives FDA Approval for First Human Vaporizer Research |
Web Scan: Web Chat with Ira and Ethan, Reason on Ecstasy Research, C-Span Drug Debate, Stratford High Footage |
DRCNet Temporarily Suspending Our Web-Based Write-to-Congress Service Due to Funding Shortfalls -- Your Help Can Bring It Back -- Keep Contacting Congress in the Meantime |
Perry Fund Accepting Applications for 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 School Years, Providing Scholarships for Students Losing Aid Because of Drug Convictions |
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