Medical Marijuana Ignorance: Is the Oregonian on the DEA Payroll?

Phillip Leveque has spent his life as a Combat Infantryman, Physician, Toxicologist and Pharmacologist.

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - I shouldn't be surprised, but the Oregonian has been printing snide commentary articles since the start or Oregon's remarkably successful Medical Marijuana Program in 1999. They always have negative comments which are usually false and today's article is no exception.

With two full pages of mostly diatribe, it's difficult to correct the falsities and near falsities in a short response.

Their first miststatement minimizes the seriously debilitating conditions. I have seen about 5,000 patients and many are are sicker than I or any other doctor sees in regular practice.

They state that 40% of growers violate the law. The way the law is worded, most growers and users violate the laws everyday/and or every time they use or come near their plants. even though Multnomah County DA said he couldn't interpret the law.

The police and DA's say the program is out of control. But since day one, their ignorance has been underscored by the fact that most of them have never read the law!

Katie Suver, a prosecutor in Marion County, opines that voters "thought they were helping relieve sick people." Yes, that's right and now 2,699 Oregon doctors have certified and approved the use of medical marijuana for 14,831 patients with 3,125 applications pending. If medical marijuana were truly legal, the Mexican Mafia couldn't and wouldn't be moving it with huge plantations.

Medical marijuana, according to the state of Oregon, IS medicine and should be considered that with no restrictions. Patients will not overdose or "abuse" (which is the wrong term) medical marijuana.

Southwest Oregon has been growing and been using medical marijuana for at least fifty years, long before it was "illegal." Douglas County cops should find better tasks than hassling medical marijuana patients.

Kevin Mannix, twice beaten in a run for Governor, is sponsoring a bill in which the Oregon Medical Marijuana Law will be repealed but the state will provide for "free" synthetic marijuana pills at $15 each for medical marijuana patients. John Sajo, Director of Voter Power, which got medical marijuana legalized, says Mannix and his initiative are "loony." What has Mannix been toking?

Lee Berger, a leading marijuana attorney, says (dispensaries are) "a slice of the future."

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You can email your questions to the doctor: newsroom@salem-news.com

Watch for Dr. Phil Leveque's video question and answer segments about medical marijuana with Bonnie King.

Other articles and video segments about medical marijuana on Salem-News.com:

Salem-News.com Marijuana Coverage

Where and How to Smoke Legal Marijuana without Fear of Arrest in the U.S.

Eulogy of a Great Warrior: Hoss Plourde

The Ripple Effect How Marijuana Laws Are Impacting Society

Audit the Audit

Welcome Home, Tom

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The Green Collar Worker November 19, 2007 11:05 am (Pacific time)

AJay,
I just saw this related news item showing how a different part of cannabis that doesn't include the THC help with health issues:

'Cannabis' May Halt Breast Cancer http://cannabisnews.com/news/23/thread23488.shtml -0-

USA -- A compound found in cannabis may stop breast cancer spreading throughout the body, US scientists believe. The California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute team are hopeful that cannabidiol or CBD could be a non-toxic alternative to chemotherapy.

Unlike cannabis, CBD does not have any psychoactive properties so its use would not violate laws, Molecular Cancer Therapeutics reports.
Cont.
Source: BBC News (UK Web)
Published: November 19, 2007

AJay November 19, 2007 5:41 am (Pacific time)

Kevin Mannix along with the Oregonian clearly have ulterior motives. I wonder if Mannix is receiving donations from pharmaceutical companies for his next failed attempt at Governor. Taking a revenue generating program with documented medical benefits and scrapping it for one that costs tax payers significantly is absurd. Not to mention the fact that many of the medicinal benefits of marijuana do not lie solely in the THC, which is the only part of marijuana that is replicated by Marinol. This would ostensibly be yet another way for the pharmaceutical industry to prosper at the expense of everyone.

The Green Collar Worker October 30, 2007 8:19 pm (Pacific time)

In 1936, Poland Etymologist Sara Benetowa of the Institute of Anthropological Sciences in Warsaw discovered kaneh bosm is the pre Semitic Hebrew origins of cannabis in the Bible which was mistranslated in 5 location before the King James Version. Now We know the recipe for the Holy Anointing oil in Exodus 30:23 contains about 9 pounds of cannabis. In 1980, Hebrew University in Jerusalem confirmed this information as correct.

Dr. Phil Leveque (REPLY) October 25, 2007 11:37 pm (Pacific time)

To Concerned Salemite: I'm following my Hippocratic Oath. It seems few doctors are.

Dr. Phil Leveque (REPLY) October 25, 2007 11:32 pm (Pacific time)

To Anonymous: Thank you for the Biblical references for all the Bible thumpers. They need to know their scriptures. I'm surprised you know Kaneh, which means cane and bosum which means aromatic or sweet like perfume (modern Israeli). Kaneh bosum means sweet cane. Thank you.

Nickolas October 23, 2007 8:42 am (Pacific time)

Does anyone notice that when ever you see a real drug bust it's a vehicle full of Mexicans that have been pulled over on I-5 for a trafic violation. It seems unless the criminals make a mistake driving they don't get caught. How many are traveling up and down the freeway and not getting caught. These people are carrying real drugs like Meth and coke. Not to mention the huge grows in the mountains that are sponcered by these same people. I guess they don't know about Crazy King George's fence.

mrsroadrunner October 22, 2007 6:12 pm (Pacific time)

Hello yet again! Sorry to say but the oregonian has some points, some valid points. When a hurting patient is charged $100 to $300 a ounce for Medical Marijuana from a licensed mmj grower something is very wrong! But the people paying this are afraid to say anything for they are afraid of being black balled. If a patient is unable to grow for themselves that leaves the patient to the sharks. Afraid of turning the grower in, but needing relief from there medical condition. What do these people do? Some people just do not have any kind of green thumb, and these growers who are selling there meds are going to ruin it for us all! I feel all of us in the mmj program need to instead of black balling the people speaking out, we need to black ball these sellers! Our electric bill is pathetic sometimes, however if I sell my medicine (extra medicine if there ever is such a thing) I am no better then the drug pusher out on the street. I personally want to supply everyone of these patients with meds who are unable to grow, but if I do then when I am out what do I do? It is a dog eat dog world, does not matter that we are in bad health. People in bad health are just easier to take advantage of.....

Batboysmother October 22, 2007 1:05 pm (Pacific time)

Currently, cancer patients who are on probation are forbidden by law to smoke medical marajuana. They are not, however, forbidden to use synthetic heroin. Hello? Is anybody out there?

Neal Feldman October 21, 2007 11:12 pm (Pacific time)

Those supporting the War on Some Drugs feel they have told so many BS lies about Marijuana they must continue the charade or it entirely undermines their entire campaign... since most will figure out if they lied about pot they likely lie about the rest too. Then again their Prohibition policies have never been anything but an absolute failure anyway on any target applied, including drugs/pot. So what else is new? Ah well...

Concerned Salemite October 21, 2007 5:57 pm (Pacific time)

Doctor Leveque, thank you for having the courage to fight the good fight. This is not a problem in society, they are dreaming to think it is. I think we should question why these resources are not being directed in the fight against meth, or is that just a social cause for a bunch of chamber members like Dick Withnell, like he doesn't get enough press?

Anonymous October 21, 2007 5:51 pm (Pacific time)

Dear Editor of the Salem News, As a Christian, Police and prohibitionist politicians seem like a disgusting irrational group of people (Medical Marijuana Is On The Oregonian Hit List and Medical Marijuana Ignorance: Is the Oregonian on the DEA Payroll? Oct. 21, 2007), without compassion for the needs of sick citizens. Prohibiting cannabis (kaneh bosm / marijuana) from the sick is Biblically luciferous since Christ God Our Father, The Ecologician indicates He created all the seed-bearing plants, saying they’re all good, on literally the very first page. The only Biblical restriction placed on cannabis is that it is to be accepted with thankfulness (see 1 Timothy 4:1-5). And "But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (see: 1 John 3:17). Jesus Christ risked jail to heal the sick. Further, cannabis is believed to be the tree of life and the very last page of the Bible tells Us the leaves of the tree of life are for the healing of the nations. Truthfully, Stan White 116 Climax Dr. Dillon, Colorado 80435 Phone 970-468-1379 stanwmtn@colorado.net Cell 970-485-0397

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Medical Marijuana Ignorance: Is the Oregonian on the DEA Payroll?

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