Kerry Retreats on Medical Marijuana

[Nambe]

MANCHESTER, NH (CD)

Questioned at a campaign event last night by members of Granite Staters for Medical Marijuana, Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) retreated from his previous support of medical marijuana.

During the Manchester forum, broadcast live on C-SPAN, GSMM member Linda Macia, who suffers from several debilitating illnesses for which conventional medications have not provided relief, thanked Kerry for his July 2 statement of support, provoking audience applause. She then asked Kerry about the Drug Enforcement Administration's raids on patients using medical marijuana under California law.

"On the day you take office, will you stop the DEA raids?" Macia asked. Kerry then offered to "clarify" his earlier remarks, saying, "My personal disposition is open to the issue of medical marijuana. I believe there is a study underway analyzing what the science is. I want to get that scientific review," before making any decisions. He said he would "put a moratorium on the raids" pending this review but would not commit to any long-term action to protect patients from arrest. ---

Houston commented, "Kerry blasted Bush for running a `say one thing, do another administration,' but now Kerry is running a `say one thing, say another campaign.' I was embarrassed for the senator last night. He seemed so afraid to take a clear stand that he hid behind a study he knows nothing about -- and which may not even exist. We don'tneed another study to know that it's wrong to put cancer and MS patients in jail for trying to relieve their pain."

[unfrigginreal]

1. The questioner was the same woman that tried to trip up...

Dean on the same subject. I don't know about Kerry's previously stated positions medical marijuana, but I thought it was interesting that this same woman showed up at a Dean forum with a similar question. In both cases she starts her question by thanking the candidates for supporting her position and in both cases the candidates had to "clarify" their positions. I know in Deans case, it did not mean that he was changing a previously stated postion but that he had to clarify to her what his position actually was. It may be the same for Kerry but I'm not sure.

It wouldn't surprise me if we found that Rove has plants in some of these town hall meetings to muddy things up. When she showed up at the Dean forum she was wearing a Dean button and when she showed up at Kerry's she had on a Kerry button.

[WindRavenX]

2. That's a bit odd...

Republicans are really sinking low if they're putting rats in these meetings. They must be afraid of us..
Regarding Kerry's comments, I'm a bit disapointed that he hasn't fully said he supports it, but then again, the fact that he's open to it is at least encouraging. :shrug: And he did said he'd at least stop the raids...

[unfrigginreal]

3. Now that I think about it...

I may be thinking of a townhall meeting that Edwards held and not Dean, but the essence is the same...this made the 2nd one of our candidates that she was supposedly supporting, and in the Dean/Edwards case at least, she twisted their position in the question. She probably did the same with Kerry.

[w13rd0]

4. Dean has been asked at a town hall meeting, and on at least two shows...

...with call-ins. I think Edwards was asked at a town hall meeting. Maybe this gal does the circuit...

I think it's quite dishonest to claim one is a supporter, then try to hem the candidates in, then claim to the press that you are no longer a supporter due to their response...

[StandWatie]

12. probably just someone who cares about one issue

Rove doesn't run the planet.

[sandnsea]

29. That was actually my take

It's a mother/son duo and the son in particular looks very concerned about it, like maybe he's protecting his mom, but who knows.

Edwards said marijuana is against the law and he supports enforcing the laws as they are. He also said he supported bringing all the studies together and looking at them without ulterior agendas. I think he meant neither a corporate or pro-marijuana bent. He seemed compassionate about it.

Kerry said his instincts are to let medical marijuana be passed, but that it had to be done in a legitimate fashion, the proper steps and studies in order. He also said, his instincts again, were to put a moratorium on arrests and that he also believed states had the right to make laws as they see fit.

Those are the only two New Hampshire meetings where I saw these two and their questioning, but I could have missed them.

[Terwilliger]

20. Maybe she's just pissed at lying Democrats

who claim to care about patient's rights then actively fight to make sure doctors cant even presecribe marijuana to their patients

Most people dont like hypocrisy.

[Dhalgren]

5. I don't understand what the problem is.

Either a candidate is in favor of legalizing medical marijuana or he/she isn't. The only way a "Rove plant" can "hem" a candidate in is if the candidate doesn't want to tell the truth about what his/her position is. No futher "studies" are needed to determin the medical efficasy of marijuana. It works and doctors want to perscribe it. Why is there a problem with this? Doctors can perscribe morphine, but not the evil maryjane? These candidates are going to have to show leadership on every issue, not just the "save" ones. The candidates have to spell it out - yes or no - stand up for what you believe!

[grackle]

8. The problem is that the headline is deceiving.

Kerry did not "retreat". He very openly clarified his position. It does look suspicious when this "supporter" swaps buttons to indicate candidate loyalty and then wants to discuss divisive issues. Dhalgren, i think we can both agree that medical marijuana is a divisive issue in the campaign. Divisive in that it could potentially seperates some moderates from swinging away from Bush and toward our Democratic candidate. We may not agree with those moderates but i sure as hell want their vote!!

[Dhalgren]

15. I was wondering about that.

I have gotten the impression from coverage over the past several years that most "moderates" would favor a decriminalization of marijuana for medical use. Is my preception incorrect? Honestly, do I need re-education on this issue?

[bread_and_roses]

14. Amen

such cowards. another study. right.

[TrogL]

22. There have been few marijuana studies

The only recent ones I remember are one out of Spain (which I think may be flawed), one or two in Britain and one just started up in Canada.

Because of the legalities of the situation, drug companies have resisted exploring this field, especially in pain management. The studies that resulted in Marinol were more interested in coping with nausea.

[IndianaGreen]

27. You are talking about Senator Waffle

Kerry will not sneeze without first taking a poll and having a focus group, and even then, he will waffle on as many sides of an issue he has to so that he is not pinned down on anything.

[Fovea]

6. I am far more likely to support

A pro-MM candidate with donations. This sick travesty of a policy causes suffering and possibly death every day we let it stand. This is one of the best reasons for Ashcroft to end up in prison.

The Repugs are the worse, of course, states rights all the way up to the point of disagreement. But if the Dems want to energize the base, this is an issue that mashes a lot of Democrats buttons pretty damn hard.

[jamesinca]

7. What really is the issue with medical marijuana?

Is it the lack of control of it by the government? Has it been demonized that much? Is it an alternative to other medications, but does not really have any advntages over them? Is the government just afraid to let go of this?

Most of the hard narcotics like Moraphine, Demeral, Fentanyl or the Benzodiazapines like Valium will have an automatic stop order on them. The Dr. will send you home with a prescription for only a few days. If it needs to be renewed, they will sometimes ask that you come into the office for a visit. These things are controlled, how would the marijuana be controlled? How would you stop somebody from selling part of the prescription? Unlike a 2 week supply of vicodin, if sold is gone after that one time selling. The marijuana would be ordered for long periods, even chronic conditions. This would open up a can of worms on a black market. I know people sell their prescriptions now, but that does not make it right. Why repeat the same mistakes? Is this the issue with the marijuana? If they could control the sell, production etc.. of the marijuana, would it be legalized? How would they go about that type of control, besides a John Ashcroft type method?

[quispquake]

9. It's because it doesn't say "Pfizer" or "Lilly" on the Pot Plant

If the big corporations can't make money off of it, it's BAD!!! Bill Maher put it perfectly..."If you put Prozac against Pot, Pot's gonna win hands down every time!".


pp23

[grackle]

10. Pharcutical (sp?) companies are the problem.

If the only source for MM was a pill called CanaWell or some other bullshit name, there would be no problem. 1) The drug industry wants all the profits which would be three times the cost of what Canadians would pay 2)The visual of an "Amuricun smokin' a joint" is offensive to half the population regardless of it's positive effects.

Today, if a doctor were to prescribe MM for my grandmother, where does she "fill the prescription". I think Kerry is thinking about all these things and handled the situation beautifully.

[Dhalgren]

17. He could have said

that he was in favor of MM and that his administration would work on the problems of supply and control. That would have been the "beautiful" reply.

[short bus president]

13. "Demerol doesn't grow on trees"

that's sort of the root of the problem. Supply control.

[SOS]

11. Another "study"?

These endless so-called studies are nothing but a way to avoid the issue. Cannabis has been used for a variety of purposes for the last five thousand years. If these people need information they can refer to the exhaustive LaGuardia Report of 1944:

1944 - "The "LaGuardia Marijuana Report," compiled between 1938 and 1944 by the New York Academy of Medicine at the request of Mayor Fiorella LaGuardia, is released. Refutes Anslinger's negative claims about marijuana. It reports that marijuana use has caused no violence at all and cites numerous instances of beneficial effects.

* Anslinger denounces the Mayor, the report, and the Academy,
proclaiming that the involved doctors will never again do marijuana research without his personal permission, or they will be sent to jail."

Sixty years later the politicians are still riding the same merry-go-round. Clinton, btw, arrested more cannabis smokers than any other president, so let's not think anything will change with a Democrat in the White House. See below:

"Who says Bill Clinton is "soft on drugs?" Not the 641,642 Americans who were arrested last year on marijuana charges -- the largest number in our nation's history.

A new FBI report says that 641,642 people were arrested on marijuana charges in 1996 -- of which 85.2% were for possession.

That's more than double the 300,000 or so marijuana users who were arrested annually during 1991 and 1992, when Bush was president."

[Merlin]

18. You're right. But you're also wrong. Kerry handled it correctly.

He's not stupid enought go paint a huge bullseye on his chest by outright support of something that is controversial and that the right can twist and use as part of their smear campaign against the Dem candidate.

If Kerry wins the nomination, the Rs campaign against him is easy to predict:

--war protester
--hippie type
--child of the 60s
--anti-establishment

He doesn't need to add another arrow to their quiver.

True there have been more than enough studies. True if they can sell morphine for medical use, they can sell pot for medical use. But the American public has been the target of a campaign to demonize pot for 70 years. A political campaign is not the place to try to straighten them out on it.

[Terwilliger]

21. Then he should have said nothing

as far as I'm concerned, the "War on Drugs" is a bullseye in what you Democrats claim to be values based on whats best for people

The entire drug issue has been handled by Democrats poorly and they'll continue to pay for it.

[BenFranklinUSA]

16. Kerry Moving Toward Lieberman, Away From Dean

"everybody slide over" :)

[newyawker99]

19. Hi BenFrankliinUSA!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[blm]

24. HAHAH...no one is closer to Lieberman than Dean.

Learn more about your centrist candidate and his 11 year record in the DLC.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

25. That's hardly the case

Ben

[DeaconBlues]

26. Didn't Dean just give basically the same answer as Kerry

the other day in Iowa? That he wants to see what the science says about medical marijuana ( a common cop out)?

[JohnKleeb]

28. yeah he wants a study

*adds to list why I support Kucinich, good medical marijuana policy*

[blm]

23. I think he's all for it...

and is treading carefully until he can figure out a way to push it through legally as president. Don't dump on one of the few candidates who you know is personally for it. They are the ones most likely to work on the legislation as president.