Govenor Spitzer had, what he would like to think, a great idea in his New York speech last night. His idea, create a tax on Marijuana of $3.50 per gram.
I would actually agree with this tax stamp idea, except it is a bad idea. First of all, in 1937 there was a Marijuana Tax Act created. (Which was disputed by a New Yorker) Each person that wanted to have marijuana in their possession was required to have a Tax stamp on the packaging. The problem was if you were caught for possession of Marijuana without the tax you would be arrested for not paying the tax. If you wanted to be legal and get a Tax stamp then you would have to have the amount in your possession so they could know how much to tax you for your Marijuana. But if you showed up with Marijuana to be a good citizen and pay your tax you would get arrested because you haven’t paid your tax yet. It was designed to be a catch 22 and make it illegal to have any Marijuana. Governor Spitzer explains that this tax stamp has been active in 29 States already and could raise an estimated $13 Million next year.
My question for Governor Spitzer is why would I pay this tax. If I was going to buy an illegal substance ILLEGALLY then I would not be to worried about the tax side of it. I am going to weigh my risk in this situation. Do I buy a gram of Marijuana and not pay to get the Tax stamp and risk getting busted for an illegal substance plus Tax evasion? Or do I buy my Marijuana and pay my tax on it, but have it on record that I am going to have Marijuana with me at some point? If someone is going to deal with the Black Market then they are not going to be worried about the ramifications of getting busted for two laws.
Then again Mr. Spitzer, if Marijuana is illegal and I am required to have a Tax Stamp then would that be considered a violation of the Fifth amendment?
Like I started this article, I agree with Taxation of Marijuana and other controlled substances as long as I can not be prosecuted for paying taxes on the substance. The way it looks to me is Governor Spitzer is trying to look like he is doing more than he actually is. Stop with the hollow promises that really can’t benefit NY, and lets see something that will help us.
Legalize Marijuana, control it, tax it, and allow the Farmers of New York grow their Hemp for industrial purposes
Now that will be a boost to the economy along with a great income for New York State.
I am amazed how the medical community, opps, strike that, the Government gets involved in what Perscriptions are best for me. How I long for the day I can make a couple of brownies and eat them when I need relief from my pain. The doctor was looking at my perscription of Hydrocodone and decided it was time to put me on a Time release pain killer. This does work great and I love the fact that I can take it before work and I am good until night when the kids are getting into bed. I do not have to carry my Rx Bottle around anymore and I don’t get the fatigue from the “come down” effect until it is almost time for bed. Great Drug and awesome pain killer. Of course since I am one of those that has to worry about side effects with medication I had to look it up.
MS-ContinSide Effects & Drug Interactions - Information found Here
Not to shabby for a chemical created in a Lab. But: Constipation, lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, nausea, vomiting, sweating, dysphoria, and euphoria. These top the list of Most Frequently Observed…
Marijuana = This is what kills me, the Government (McCain, you have said this before) view of Marijuana is that people want it for medical purposes so they can get High, or a feeling of Euphoria. Well MS-Cotin gives that feeling also, make it illegal.
One issue I have with all the opioid based medication I have been put on is the Nausea I get from it. This really sucks since I was up to 200 pounds (my ideal weight) and now have a hard time getting back above 190. Eating just 2 times a day because I have to force myself is not good.
Marijuana = One of the main benefits of Marijuana is the ease of Nausea in Chemotherapy patients, and help AIDS Patients feel hunger to stop the wasting away most of them go though. Why not use it for pain so I can actually get back on my well fed diet of 5 meals a day?
ohhh, Nooo I feel a rant coming on…
Now I know I am starting to sound as Biased as I am on this subject where I am supose to and always wanted to post Facts instead of my opinion. Anyway, here I go…
How in the hell can Mr. (I am not a doctor) Politician tell me that MS-Cotin is a safe drug for use with chronic pain and talk about the sterotypical crap they heard from Mrs. Nancy Reagan in the “Just Say No” Campaign. Or lets talk to those D.A.R.E officers that used to come to my school as I was growing up to talk to me about the hazards of Marijuana. The D.A.R.E project by the way that has not received funding in a long time in many states, that any of the officers that are still on the Drug Campaign are on it under a new acronym LEAP
Mr. Politician please let me know your background of Marijuana use and let me know if you have ever had it for Pain Management. Sure I have used it for Medical purposes and know the effects of to much Marijuana will put me to sleep and may make me a little more light headed. Guess what I am now on a medication that is MORE Likely to get me addicted, and if I take to much I can fall asleep and never wake up.
This drug scares the crap out of me and many others that have realized that they have addictive personalities.
Look at the WARNINGS associated with my new medication, but it is okay for me to take this time released version so I have a feeling of euphoria for 12 hours instead of 2 hours… Mr. (I don’t want to know the facts) Politician, Please let me know how this plant that is 100% natural can kill me and why it is a federal offence for me to use it for my pain.
Now since my rant is over I would like to discuss the whole “Serious Side Effects of Marijuana”
One of the side effect I would really like to talk about is the mild to severe anxiety. This is something that I can not speak about with facts but I can speak of it in my own experience. When I smoked Marijuana in the US as a teenager it was against the law, I did have Parinoid feelings and was very nervous because I was afraid I would get arrested. However, when I used Marijuana in Europe I was not breaking the law, actually I was using under the advice of a doctor and in a place that it was socially acceptable. I had no worries, did not have any anxiety and felt the wonder of a pain free walk around the city.
Now, I would like to return to my new medication, under the side effects again,
alterations of mood (nervousness, apprehension, depression, floating feelings
Not to good, So I guess Marijuana is not the only drug out there that people claim to be nervous about 
But when you look even farther into the details of MS-Cotin on the Central Nervous System you also notice that it says, “uncoordinated muscle movements,” would that be like the reported “clumsiness, loss of coordination,” that you get from Marijuana?
Now here is another issue I have with most medications, insomnia, I have had a problem with insomnia for a very long time, I do not like the fact that this medication I am on makes it even harder for me to sleep. If I had my choice I would look for something that would be more like tiredness, sleepiness, lethargy, I wonder what would have that side effect?
Now a subject that I hate, when it come to this medication…
Gastrointestinal: Dry mouth, biliary tract spasm, laryngospasm, anorexia, diarrhea, cramps, taste alteration, constipation, ileus, intestinal obstruction, increases in hepatic enzymes
That is not anything that I would ever want from any of my medication but unfortunatly if I would like to stay out of Jail I will have to deal with it.
There is another reason why I am on medication, this is do to Muscle spasms I get in my Legs and feet. One great thing was when I tried Marijuana I was able to sit there and my legs did not twitch at all for as long as I had any effects of the marijuana and for quite a time after the effects were gone. MS-Cotin may cause muscle tremors, once again the side effects look like a perfect fit for me.
I am not going to sit here and talk bad about MS-Cotin because I really do like this medication it helps with the pain for a long time and I don’t get any side effects that I can’t live with (except the Headache’s really hurt, and I love to eat and the Nausea sucks). When you look at all the “BAD” things that we are told about Marijuana and all the reasons these Politicians will not allow these laws to be passed I really do not think they are doing the correct comparison of the medications that they are supporting. The side effects and dangers of most perscribed medications are much more dangerous to the body than anything that Marijuana can cause.
If you are on medication for any reason look into the side effects and warnings, do some research on these medications and you may change your view of Marijuana. This isn’t just for perscription medications either, Even over the counter medications have more dangers than Marijuana, Check it out.
I say that drinking is acceptable but I am totally confused right now. It is not only acceptable but encouraged. This is the end of the holiday season, the time where friends and family get together to celebrate many different things. The time where companies take some of their profits and throw parties for those that have made them have a profit. This is a time where stores carry more beer than usual and liquor stores look forward to.
Why is it that most people feel the need to drink alcohol during this time of year? Thanksgiving, a holiday for Americans to celebrate the pilgrams having a plentiful harvest to make it though the winter. Do you think the Pilgrams were thinking, “Lets throw a huge feast and see if Aunt Tonya will dance on the table with Running Dog.”
Christmas, the holiday to celebrate the birth of Jesus. I have not fully read the bible but did the three wise men bring, a Keg, Bottle of Scotch and Jello Shots?
New Years, time to celebrate the end of one year and the begining of a new one. Was your year so horrible that you want to forget it? Is the view of the future year so grim that you don’t want to remember how it came in?
I enjoyed a New Years party this year with a few people all of which feel drinking alcohol is a requirement. As I sat their drinking my soda I heard every crack on me about being anti-social. However by the time the ball dropped in Time square I was the one that had the kids in PJ’s, in sleeping bags and helping them regain control after all the excellent Sugar treats they were able to eat until late at night. While most of them had parents that by that time were running around in a drunken state and not realizing how many of them were so loud the kids were laughing at them.
I talked to one of my friends that was at a different party and he told me today that out of the people at that party, two had to leave before midnight because they got into a fight, one missed the ball drop because he was hugging the porceline, and another spend the first day of the new year in jail for driving after the party.
How is this not only acceptable but encouraged?
I am not Anti-drinking but the way I see it is why can my friends and family act this way but I am the one that is looked down at because I would prefer a drug that is currently illegal. I am the uncle, nephew, son, grandson, cousin, etc… that you need to stay away from because my drug of choice makes me want to sit on the couch and ponder the universe, wake up the next day functioning correctly, be able to remember the old year and enjoy the New Year. Most of them can’t even tell when I have been doing my drug of choice but believe me they all make idiots of themselves and look like fools to their kids, nieces and nephews, and younger cousins. And because of society, these are the drunken animals that these kids are suppose to look up to. I am a burn out druggie that can not function in society because the drug I like is illegal.
I am an Air Force Veteran that due to a service connected disability was forced to leave after 8 year and 11 days. Yes, I received my severance pay, but that was not what I wanted. I want to get back in the military. I remember the day you announced that you were going to be running for President in 2008. I had a huge grin and looked at my Mother and said, “Now us Disabled Veterans will have someone looking out for us.” There was absolutely no way I could not support you.
I am not sure if you caught that, I turned to my Mother, yes my mother was at my house helping me with dishes and laundry. This is something my mother does to assist me because of the pain I feel. I have been prescribed a multitude of medications to assist me with this pain. The side effects that I have worried about with some of these medications range from not being able to eat to being taken to the hospital because of painful headaches. These are not what some have had to deal with while on these medications. These medications have been proven to cause everything from gambling addiction to death. The worse part about these medications is the Doctor is worried about my dependence on them. It is known that these medications help me; dealing with pain makes you drained of energy. You get to this point where all you want to do is lay down and not move. How can people tell I am on medication? I am up moving around. I get projects done, the lawn is mowed and the dishes are done before my mother gets there.
The Doctor told me that he is not going to prescribe anything for another month because I am too young to deal with all these medications. He wants to disregard what his duty to the patient is because of the dangers of this medication. A doctor’s job is to do a risk assessment of the medications he prescribes. Yes it is a great benefit to me to have this medication. But according to this Doctor the risk is too great also.
I was reading an article over in Europe, while I was working for the Air force as a Contractor. This article was about a new study that Marijuana was found to assist people with Rheumatoid Arthritis and other Chronic Pain. I immediately asked my doctor about this finding. She referred me to a pain specialist that was a local National and he told me, “one of these weekends go to Amsterdam with your family and try it. It is legal there and I believe you will see benefit from it.”
Sure enough because of my position I was never used to taking vacation so I went home and decided me and my wife would take the Girls to The Netherlands and visit the beautiful country. The first day we were there I went into Amsterdam, walked to the nearest coffee shop and purchased a pre-rolled Marijuana Cigarette. I didn’t know what to expect, I was scared. But sure enough within minutes the pain was lessened more than half. The Numbness in my legs turned to a tickle. The fatigue I usually feel was gone. I met up with my family and we walked around Amsterdam. The next day I went to the coffee shop again. This time I bought a cup of Tea brewed with marijuana. This time it took longer for me to feel it. I took my family to the Amusement Park over there was able to keep up with them and this time it lasted a lot longer. My wife was so happy because we didn’t have to stop for me because of the pain. I didn’t have to worry about being on my own because I was able to keep up.
Now Senator McCain, I am back in the US. I have been a Military Member and injured my self while in service for the military. I have not gone a single day where my job has not had a direct impact on the United States Government. I have done absolutely nothing but serve this country since the Day I signed those enlistment papers. Why am I writing this?
Your Website shows this “John McCain believes that America’s veterans who dedicated themselves to protecting our country deserve the highest quality health care.” Since I have been back in the states I have asked every VA hospital Doctor what they thought about Medical Marijuana. There have been a couple that have told me that they wish they could prescribe it since it will be a big benefit to a lot of patients. But most of them will not say anything at all because they work for the Federal Government, and they are not allowed to recommend or prescribe this medication. I have since been to civilian Doctors because they do not have to worry about the Federal Government and I have asked them. I have asked Doctors of all types, I have asked Physician Assistants, and Nurses in all types of practice and every one of them has agreed that Marijuana has some great medical uses.
So Mr. McCain, I feel you have lied when you said you want the best medical care for us Disabled Veterans. You have said you do not agree with Medical Marijuana. Although Groups like, National Association for Public Health Policy, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Society of Addiction Medicine and a lot more than I can name here, have all endorsed marijuana’s medical capabilities.
Mr. McCain, I am not asking you to legalize Medical Marijuana right now, I am asking that you do some research, talk to some Medical professionals that do not have any Federal Government affiliation and especially talk to some Medical Marijuana patients in one of the 12 states that have legalized it already. This is too important of an issue for those of us in pain for you not to do something about it. Is it important to you? As a Republican that will be voting in the Primaries, yes it is important to you.
Sincerely,
Andrew White
Disabled Veteran
January 19, 2005
We, the undersigned Attorneys General, write to express our concern aboutrecent DEA actions with respect to prescription pain medication policy and to requesta joint meeting with you… The National Association of Attorneys General in 2003 adopted a Resolution Calling for a Balanced Approach to Promoting Pain Relief and Preventing Abuse of Pain Medications. Both these documents reflected a consensus among lawenforcement agencies, health care practitioners, and patient advocates that theprevention of drug abuse is an important societal goal that can and should be pursuedwithout hindering proper patient care. The [DEA Pain Guidelines] issued in 2004 appeared to be consistent with these principles, so we were surprised when they were withdrawn. The Interim Policy published on November 16, 2004 emphasizes enforcement, and seems likely to have a chilling effect on physicians engaged in the legitimate practice of medicine…
We have learned that adequate pain management is often difficult to obtain because many physicians fear investigations and enforcement actions if they prescribe adequate levels of opioids or have many patients with prescriptions for pain medications. We are working to address these concerns while ensuring that individuals who do divert or abuse drugs are prosecuted…
We hope that together we can find ways to prevent abuse and diversion without infringing on the legitimate practice of medicine or exerting a chilling effect on the willingness of physicians to treat patients who are in pain… We hope to meet eith you soon.
Sincerely,
Attorneys General of:
Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia,Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota,Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon,Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia
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