Medical Marijuana Casualty Report: Demonizing the Brightest Doctors Makes No Sense

People like Dr. Phil Leveque have suffered the ultimate wrath of reefer madness...

(SALEM) - Marijuana is the big buzzword all over the country right now, but long before pot became posh, men like Dr. Phillip Leveque were pounding the pavement for today's common public acceptance of cannabis as medicine, and paying the price with their medical licenses.

His friend, the widely admired, late Tod H. Mikuriya M.D., in California, battled authorities as he researched medical marijuana, even though he had the most noble intentions.

His license to practice was suspended by the California Medical Board for five years at one point. He was truly one of the first and most prominent physicians to take on the subject.

Like Dr. Mikuriya, Dr. Leveque is a hero for the medical marijuana movement. He was also a hero in WWII; a decorated U.S. Army Infantry soldier who fought the Germans, and watched his friends blown to pieces, injured and killed. One day he captured 26 German officers who had taken over a French house. His late wife was a Jewish Holocaust survivor.

Dr. Leveque first became a Professor of Pharmacology, and spent twenty years training doctors. He worked for the University of London and trained the first doctors in Tanzania and Uganda. He and his wife, Eve, adopted a Ugandan boy who had been targeted by Idi Amin, then president of Uganda, due to his family's political affiliations. They got him out of the country and raised him as their own, today their son is a successful businessman in Los Angeles.

Later he went to medical school himself, after years of training doctors, and became an Osteopathic Physician or DO. Dr. Leveque is also a Forensic Toxicologist, a title held by few.

Because this esteemed physician allowed a medical marijuana patient in Eastern Oregon, who was handicapped, to renew her permit without traveling a long and difficult distance to Portland for a physical, Dr. Leveque lost his ability to practice medicine.

The Oregon Medical Board, which took Dr. Leveque's license to practice medicine away, should feel the weight and shame of their gross mistake, if it was a mistake at all, and not a corrupt, calculated attempt to punish the good doctor for pushing Oregon's legal boundaries and helping establish the state's current medical marijuana law.

Oregon Media Attacks

The Oregonian newspaper dubbed this man "The Most Dangerous Doctor in Oregon" and they too should be ashamed for printing such rubbish.

Lars Larson, the right-wing radio talk show host, helped launch the attack on Dr. Leveque's license because he was treating a patient, a small child, who was struggling against seizures to stay alive, successfully with marijuana. Larson stated "Doctor Leveque you are giving this small child a joint to smoke" which was absurd, as the marijuana was being administered orally, but that wasn't sensational enough I suppose.

Like in other cases, the relief this herb can bring a sick or dying person is mocked and nearly discounted, even if a small child's life hangs in the balance, in order to demonize and persecute a person like Dr. Leveque.

It only mattered to Lars Larson that "a child" was being treated with "marijuana".

Targeting of Doctors Continues

Sensational media reports like those are starting to finally starting to abate, but while that happens, the witch hunt against doctors continues. Dr. David Allen in California, is a heart surgeon who also works in the medical marijuana field.

He was recently set up by two undercover agents from the California Medical Board, who recorded video without a court order in an attempt to trap him in some sort of illegal act, which did not take place. The taxpayer's money is still being used by law enforcement to harm the practice of doctors strictly because of their involvement in the legal treatment of patients with marijuana.

And if that isn't bad enough, read the third link below and learn what happened to Dr. Allen in Mississippi. He could write a book about the political attacks waged on doctors who dare to be involved in this legal practice.

Dr. Allen, like Dr. Leveque, is in the sights of authorities who do not want to accept the changing legal climate. I find it offensive beyond reason. There are not enough specialized physicians in the world to begin with.

PTSD and Medical Marijuana

The stories from Dr. Leveque's life bring to life some of the most compelling events from history, from the war, where he served as a point man, one of the most dangerous roles, to his more recent accomplishments as a medical professor and doctor. He talks about crossing the Rhine River in 1945, as literally hundreds of Americans were torn to pieces by German machine guns. He talks about the pills soldiers were given when they were exhausted from combat and stating to lose it, they were called "blue 88's".

Which leads us to the biggest ongoing concern in Dr. Leveque's heart and mind; those are military Veterans like himself, who served and need a different kind of care mostly over Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which Dr. Leveque has also dealt with ever since his time in WWII in 1945. He estimates that he treated 1,000 PTSD patients during his years as an Osteopathihc Physician.

Our readers who want to know more about PTSD from a person who walked the walk can hit the PTSD keyword and catch the Doctor's articles on this extremely important subject. All of Dr. Leveque's articles can be found at this link.

Many people are alive today because of Dr. Phil Leveque. As the state moves toward full legalization, Oregon owes Dr. Leveque a great debt and a long, written apology. His supposed "violation" of Oregon's medical marijuana law, just as in the case of Dr. Allen's, is due in part to the fact that the laws do not define the finer points of various enforced actions.

Groups interested in having Dr. Leveque speak at their events can contact either myself or Bonnie King, at the newsroom email address, newsroom@salem-news.com.

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Comments Leave a comment on this story.

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Sandy Poli March 12, 2014 1:53 pm (Pacific time)

I am thankful to those that are willing to be there to support those of us that need this medicine. There work in the field is greatly appreciated by myself, and most anyone I know! Thank you! Keep up the good work!!!!!

Anonymous February 18, 2014 9:16 am (Pacific time)

My unborn great-great grandchildren know more about the world than anyone of you neanderthals.

Anonymous February 17, 2014 10:31 am (Pacific time)

I wish I was half the man Dr. Leveque is, I flunked out of medical school, what he accomplished can hardly be put into words.

Anonymous February 16, 2014 12:28 pm (Pacific time)

How goes it in the Netherlands.? In the fullness of time in Colorado and Washington, to begin with, we will see some serious upheaval over the legalization of marijuana. I expect in less than one calendar year in the public schools in the above states we shall see some alarming stats on both academic performance and behavior. When kids see a product legalized for adults they will partake regardless of how the law applies to them. At the workplace we will see higher rates of absenteeism, as well as the ambulance chasing lawyers who will challenge drug tests for employees, regardless of their type of jobs. Medical use is okay with me, even decriminalization, but legalization will produce very dire results, and that is what the Zionists want...you have been played.

Zionists have nothing to do with pot, God does. So take it up with him OK?

nick b February 16, 2014 9:51 am (Pacific time)

its insanity that professional and compassionate people are victimized and labeled so badly. especially when on the opposite side there is nothing but good coming from cannabis, and the govt has known this for decades, yet still criminalize it. aren't there us govt patents from the 70s saying they know it can cure cancer and tumors? if that is the case then they are outlawing real health and knowledge. then you have to ask yourself why they are doing that? sure states are going legal with it now, but only as another profit source. the politicians don't care about the well being and health of the people any more than a corporation who has one goal: profit at all costs.

Richelle Shill Golden February 16, 2014 1:30 am (Pacific time)

I remember when I needed Dr. Levique to help me with my legal case against The US Army for trying to court marshal me for using medical marihuana to ease my suffering from chemotherapy treatments. In the end, he never had to testify at my trial. All charges were dropped against me and I was honorably discharged and now am receiving care for my PTSD through The VA while using medical marijuana in place of anti-anxiety pills, phycotrobics, and anti depressants! I'm completely off all the meds the Army out me on and I feel a thousand times better!!!

Amanda Leduc February 16, 2014 12:39 am (Pacific time)

Bravo to a Doctor who actually uses his skill and education to better peoples quality of life. This is just one of the many cases where a physician who, in all areas, became a doctor to heal, has been punished for choosing the more effective if less mainstream method of treatment. Marijuana is the most public but it happens with all sorts of non-traditional treatments that get treated like lunacy. Good job Dr. Phil Leveque! Bravo!

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