United States News
See other United States News Articles
Title: The Great Marijuana Debate -- Your Life May Depend on it
Source:
Blacklisted News
URL Source: http://www.blacklistednews.com/The_ ... d_on_it/59195/0/38/38/Y/M.html
Published: Jun 17, 2017
Author: Patrick J McShay
Post Date: 2017-06-18 12:51:27 by Deckard
Keywords: None
Views: 2075
Comments: 15
"Good people don't smoke Marijuana" - *Attorney General Jeff Sessions Mr Sessions has always claimed to be a strong supporter of states rights, as has Trump. Trump said on the campaign trail that Marijuana was a states rights issue, and that as President it would remain so. Earlier this year Sessions told members of Congress that he would not be going after States with legal Cannabis. That has apparently changed. Sessions recently sent a letter to Congress, In which he urged members not to renew the 2014 Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment, which prevents the Department of Justice from spending federal funds to interfere with state laws on the use, distribution, possession or cultivation of Cannabis. Despite Sessions claim as a warrior for states rights and the will of the people, he is linking Medical Cannabis to the Opioid crisis, and says Americans need to just say no, or else. Sessions says, "the department must be in a position to combat transnational drug organizations and dangerous drug traffickers who threaten American lives." I'm not sure Mr Sessions understands how states with legal medical or recreational Cannabis operate. Sessions claims he needs prosecutorial powers, because Marijuana is a horrible drug, fueling a " historic drug epidemic," and apparently he wants to save us from ourselves. After Sessions run for the Senate in 1996, it was found that RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company had sent the campaign so much money that they they had exceeded the legal limit, and had had to send some back. Sessions has also received tens of thousands of dollars from the alcohol industry over the years. The National Academy of Sciences and Medicine has rejected the notion that Marijuana is a gateway to other illicit drugs, so why does Sessions keep saying it. All of his rhetoric sounds like some post "Reefer Madness", cold war era political stooge, owned by big alcohol, big Pharma and the private prison industry. Instead the evidence shows that people are substituting Marijuana for Opioids to manage their pain, with much lower rates of overdoses in states that allow Medical Marijuana. Veterans are turning to Cannabis to treat their PTSD, and just saying no to government approved pharmaceuticals. Another Sessions talking point is crime associated with Pot. A year after legalization, crime in Colorado was down across the board. In Jeff Sessions home state of Alabama, an April, 2017 poll showed 86% of respondents are in favor of legalizing Marijuana for recreational use. 92% said they believe alcohol to be worse than Pot. As of 2016, Alabama law didn't allow initiatives or referendums. The Alabama Legislature recently voted down "Carly's Bill", that would have legalized the use of CBD Oil, that contains little or no THC. How, in this age of the internet can politicians be so out of touch? Mr Sessions doesn't believe that Marijuana has any medicinal value at all, but US Patent # 6630507 was recently granted to the Department of Health and Human Services. Attorney Sam Mendez, an intellectual property and public policy Lawyer, says it shows a certain amount of hypocrisy from a government that still maintains Cannabis has no medicinal value. If Trump wants to assure victory in 4 years he should legalize Marijuana and send Sessions back to 1950 where he belongs This must please Sessions and his pals in the private prison industry. Some of Trump and Session's biggest supporters for the Presidency were for profit prison operators. One of the few things Obama got right was ordering the Justice Department to begin phasing out private prison contracts. Recently, private prison industry giant GEO, and another private prison operator Core Civic, each gave $250K to the Trump campaign. In Sessions financial filing dated December 23, 2016, he disclosed numerous accounts with Vanguard Investments, which owns more private prison stock than any other investment management company. In ancient Egypt and India Cannabis was used to treat ailments like Rheumatism, Gout, Glaucoma, Nausea, Dysentery, joint pain and labor pains among others. Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, was said to have lived for 6 years on Hemp seeds alone. When Napoleon's Army left Egypt they took Cannabis with them back to Europe, and over a hundred years ago you could buy Cannabis Oil from the Sears Catalog. An early seventies Harvard Study showed that Cannabis killed Cancer Cells, but because of the ongoing demonization of Pot, further study was always discouraged. Harvard Professor, Lester Grinspoon has studied Cannabis and it's effects for 50 years, and was good friends with astrophysicist and avid Pot smoker, Carl Sagan. Grinspoon attests that Cannabis is non toxic, non addictive and does not cause psychosis or schizophrenia, as some have claimed. This is the dangerous drug Mr Sessions and his ilk are trying to save us from? She found that people were having success with Cannabis Oil for seizures, as well as Cancer treatment. Because she lives in a state where Cannabis is illegal, she and her husband planned to stay with their adult daughter in California for the 90 days of Cannabis Oil treatment. After the 90 days of treatment, she went back for her next MRI. While the larger tumor was still there, it looked smaller, and the smaller tumor was gone. Encouraged, she continued her treatment, increasing her tolerance and her dosage. After 8 months of treatment, her doctors were amazed. Her MRI was reviewed by her Oncologist, a leading Radiologist and a renowned Brain Surgeon, and it was discovered the tumor was completely gone. Today Kelly is Cancer free, and while diet and exercise were part of her treatment, Kelly credits Cannabis Oil with her recovery. When Doug's wife suggested Cannabis Oil, he rejected the idea at first, but came around when she threatened to leave him. He had a home in Colorado, and was able to obtain the oil with no problem. He was amazed at how quickly the oil began working. His COPD is in remission, and he has become an advocate for Medical Marijuana legalization. New VA Secretary David Shulkin in an interview this week said, he believes Marijuana could help veterans with PTSD. Unfortunately he must follow federal law, and Sessions is making progress in this area impossible. Trump vowed to help veterans, and instead he is doing grave damage. 22 vets a month kill themselves and many others are being arrested for treating their PTSD with Cannabis in states where it is still illegal. Look up the Rick Simpson Protocol on youtube and learn how to safely make the oil at home. We have to make it accessible to people in every state. Cannabis is a God given wonder drug that is being suppressed by imbecilic politico's in Washington. Cancer rates are on the rise and our options for survival should not be limited by ignorant politicians and fussy fundamentalists like Attorney General, Jeff Sessions 
"Mr Sessions stands against an overwhelming majority of Americans and even, sadly, against veterans and other people who we now know conclusively are helped dramatically by Medical Marijuana". - *Congressman Dana Rohrabacher
"Medical Marijuana in it's natural form is one of the safest, therapeutically active substances known to man."- *DEA Judge Francis Young- 1988
If I didn't know better, after reading Attorney General Jeff Sessions uneducated and incredibly ignorant views on the issue of Marijuana legalization, whether medical or recreational, I would have thought that he'd had a close friend or family member who had died of a Marijuana overdose. But I do know better, and so do most Americans. Does Jeff Sessions know better? Sadly, I'm not sure he does.
Eight States have legalized recreational use of Marijuana, and 29 States have some form of Medical Marijuana laws on the books. Mr Sessions, who has been a shill for big Tobacco, has argued that "Marijuana is only slightly worse than Heroin."
Mr Sessions crusade against legal Cannabis isn't just disingenuous, it is cruel and irresponsible. Sessions said recently that he is surprised that more Americans aren't embracing his stance on weed. He should know that a recent Quinnipiac poll showed 94% of respondents approve of doctor prescribed Pot. That is the highest number yet in a poll of this kind.
Lee Carroll Brooker is a 77 year old Alabama resident, and a disabled veteran. Bowman was growing weed on land owned by his son, to deal with chronic pain, and to get off of his doctor prescribed, and Jeff Sessions approved drugs . Bowman was arrested in 2014 and sentenced to a mandatory life sentence for growing weed. His son was also arrested, and received a sentence of 5 years probation. Because Bowman had prior convictions in the state decades ago, he qualified for the mandatory life sentence, even though there was no evidence he was selling the weed. In April, 2016, the Supreme Court refused to hear Bowman's appeal of this harsh sentence.
Marijuana has always been characterized as dangerous, unhealthy and destructive, despite a long history of medicinal efficacy. During the reign of Chinese Emperor Shen Nung, 5000 years ago, Marijuana was used as medicine. A 3700 year old Egyptian papyrus contained medical references to Marijuana and it's healing properties. Around 1450 BC holy anointing oil was described in the original Hebrew version of Exodus. It detailed how Cannabis oil was mixed into jars of Olive oil along with fragrant herbs and used as anointing oil. Cannabis oil was found on the mummy of King Ramses II, who died in 1213 BC.
Kelly Hauf was diagnosed in 1990 with 2 tumors, one smaller, and a larger one on the frontal lobe of her brain. Surgery was successfully performed and neither Chemotherapy nor radiation were recommended. It was decided that they would monitor her with an MRI every 3 months. The tumor did return, and her surgeon recommended 4 to 6 months of Chemotherapy. The Chemo didn't work, and another surgery would have to be scheduled. she was prescribed anti seizure medication, but because of problems with the medication, she looked for an alternative.
Doug Bench is a retired former judge from Florida. During his time as a judge, Bench sentenced 311 Marijuana offenders to jail. When he was diagnosed with Stage 4 COPD, he knew his options were limited. Modern medicine offers no hope for those with COPD. His doctor gave him 2 to 3 years to live, and told him his condition would continue to worsen.
One of the pioneers of Medical Marijuana in the state of Oregon, Dr Phil Leveque, has prescribed Cannabis for over 5000 patients. He stated, "Marijuana is one of the best bronchodilators, much better than any other class of drug. For respiratory diseases like Asthma and COPD Marijuana can be life saving." Dr Leveque also nixed the notion that smoking Marijuana was bad for the lungs, claiming Cannabinoids are beneficial to Lung Tissue, and smoking Pot can actually improve Lung function.
There are thousands of these stories out there. Cannabis Oil is helping people with a number of serious and life threatening maladies. Recent studies have shown that Cannabis Oil may slow the progression of Alzheimer's, and the oil is being used to treat Autistic children with incredible success. Michael J Fox posted a testimonial on youtube about how Cannabis Oil has helped alleviate his symptoms from Parkinson's Disease. Cannabis Oil must be made available to everyone who needs it.
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 9.
#7. To: Deckard (#0)
DEA Administrative Law Judge Francis Young. Not a real judge.
Administrative Law Judge. Not Administrative Law Clerk or Auto Repairman.
Not Administrative Law Clerk or Auto Repairman. Not an Article III judge and not a member of the Judicial Branch. ALJ Young was an employee of the DEA, and acted as part of the Executive Branch. Administrative Law Judges did not always have to be attorneys. They are still governed by the Administrative Procedure Act which established their existence as Hearing Examiners in 1946. It was not until 1978 that the law was amended and they were given the exalted title of Administrative Law Judge. http://uscode.house.gov/statutes/pl/95/251.pdf Public Law 95-251 of 1978, boldface as in original (2) Sections 3105 and 3344 of title 5, United States Code, are each amended in the catchline by striking out "hearing examiners" and inserting "administrative law judges" in lieu thereof. And, as you digest most of your information from Wikipedia, In American administrative law, ALJs are Article I judges under the U.S. Constitution. As such, they do not exercise full judicial power, essentially, the power over life, liberty, and property. However, Article I judges and courts are not constrained to rendering opinions for only a "case or controversy" before them, and may render advisory opinions on a purely prospective basis, such as, e.g., Congressional reference cases assigned to the Court of Federal Claims. Agency ALJs do not have the power to offer such advisory opinions, as it would be in violation of the power afforded them under the Administrative Procedures Act, 5 U.S.C. §557. Unlike the agency, ALJs are not policy or rule makers. ALJs are generally considered to be part of the executive branch, not the judicial branch, but the APA is designed to guarantee the decisional independence of ALJs. [...] ALJs are limited as they have no power to sanction unless a statute provides such a power. Instead, the ALJ may refer a matter to an Article III Court to seek enforcement or sanctions. [...] ALJs cannot be recognized as members of the judicial branch of government (without first completely ejecting them from their home agencies in the executive branch), because to do so would violate the bedrock principle of separation of powers as embodied in the U.S. Constitution. In a 2013 majority opinion signed by Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, the U.S. Supreme Court explained: About 90% of ALJs are employees of the Social Security Administration. "The Office of Personnel Management shall determine, in accordance with procedures which the Office shall by regulation prescribe, the level in which each administrative-law-judge position shall be placed and the qualifications to be required for appointment to each level." Just like any civil service position, the merit system applies to new hires, including veteran's preference points. Scoring 100 on the exam does not necessarily mean you have the highest score after veterans' preference points are added. http://law.justia.com/codes/us/2015/title-5/part-iii/subpart-d/chapter-53/subchapter-vii/sec.-5372/ 5 U.S.C. § 5372 (2015) §5372. Administrative law judges (a) For the purposes of this section, the term "administrative law judge" means an administrative law judge appointed under section 3105. (b)(1)(A) There shall be 3 levels of basic pay for administrative law judges (designated as AL–1, 2, and 3, respectively), and each such judge shall be paid at 1 of those levels, in accordance with the provisions of this section. (B) Within level AL–3, there shall be 6 rates of basic pay, designated as AL–3, rates A through F, respectively. Level AL–2 and level AL–1 shall each have 1 rate of basic pay. (C) The rate of basic pay for AL–3, rate A, may not be less than 65 percent of the rate of basic pay for level IV of the Executive Schedule, and the rate of basic pay for AL–1 may not exceed the rate for level IV of the Executive Schedule. (2) The Office of Personnel Management shall determine, in accordance with procedures which the Office shall by regulation prescribe, the level in which each administrative-law-judge position shall be placed and the qualifications to be required for appointment to each level. (3)(A) Upon appointment to a position in AL–3, an administrative law judge shall be paid at rate A of AL–3, and shall be advanced successively to rates B, C, and D of that level at the beginning of the next pay period following completion of 52 weeks of service in the next lower rate, and to rates E and F of that level at the beginning of the next pay period following completion of 104 weeks of service in the next lower rate. (B) The Office of Personnel Management may provide for appointment of an administrative law judge in AL–3 at an advanced rate under such circumstances as the Office may determine appropriate. (4) Subject to paragraph (1), effective at the beginning of the first applicable pay period commencing on or after the first day of the month in which an adjustment takes effect under section 5303 in the rates of basic pay under the General Schedule, each rate of basic pay for administrative law judges shall be adjusted by an amount determined by the President to be appropriate. (c) The Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe regulations necessary to administer this section. (Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 473, §5362; Pub. L. 95–251, §2(a)(1), (b)(1), Mar. 27, 1978, 92 Stat. 183; renumbered §5372 and amended Pub. L. 95–454, title VIII, §801(a)(3)(A)(ii), title IX, §906(a)(2), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1221, 1224; Pub. L. 101–509, title V, §529 [title I, §104(a)(1)], Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1427, 1445; Pub. L. 102–378, §2(32), Oct. 2, 1992, 106 Stat. 1350; Pub. L. 106–97, §1, Nov. 12, 1999, 113 Stat. 1322.)
There are no replies to Comment # 9. End Trace Mode for Comment # 9.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestDEA Judge Francis Young
#8. To: misterwhite (#7)
Not a real judge.
#9. To: Deckard, misterwhite (#8)
Administrative Law Judge.
(b) (1) Sections 1305 and 5362 of title 5, United States Code, are each amended in the catchline, by striking out "Hearing examiners"and inserting "Administrative law judges" in lieu thereof.
The Administrative Procedure Act of 1946 (APA) requires that federal ALJs be appointed based on scores achieved in a comprehensive testing procedure, including a four-hour written examination and an oral examination before a panel that includes an Office of Personnel Management representative, an American Bar Association representative, and a sitting federal ALJ. Federal ALJs are the only merit-based judicial corps in the United States.
“The dissent overstates when it claims that agencies exercise “legislative power” and “judicial power” ... The former is vested exclusively in Congress ... the latter in the “one supreme Court” and “such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish” ... Agencies make rules ... and conduct adjudications ... and have done so since the beginning of the Republic. These activities take “legislative” and “judicial” forms, but they are exercises of—indeed, under our constitutional structure they must be exercises of—the “executive Power.”
2015 US Code
Title 5 - Government Organization and Employees (Sections 101 - 11001)
Part III - Employees (Sections 2101 - 11001)
Subpart D - Pay and Allowances (Sections 5101 - 5949)
Chapter 53 - Pay Rates and Systems (Sections 5301 - 5392)
Subchapter VII - Miscellaneous Provisions (Sections 5371 - 5380)
Sec. 5372 - Administrative law judges
Replies to Comment # 9.
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]