NORML Fights Changes to Oregon Medical Marijuana Laws (VIDEO)

"The War on Marijuana is a War on America" - Madeline Martinez, Oregon NORML's Executive Director

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Madeline Martinez from Oregon NORML, says the advocacy group and others stand together in appealing to Oregon legislators to kill Senate Bill 388-9.

This is legislation that would greatly modify the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program which Martinez agrees needs clarity, but she says these changes would strip Oregon medical marijuana patients of important rights.

According to Martinez, it would also remove key elements already in place in the program, like respecting one's right to privacy, that are good and helpful. It almost seems as if it is designed specifically to fail while simultaneously bringing hardship on those who participate in the program.

Police in Oregon have been influenced by agents from the DEA in recent years, even while the medical marijuana program has experienced great success. The DEA agents actually send their best PR guys out to have pep talks with police and deputies in Oregon about how they should really view the state medical marijuana law.

About the only business group that directly benefits from the fact that medicinal marijuana is largely unavailable in the United States, is the greedy pharmaceutical industry.

They have the money to plaster their commercials all over television suggesting that people diagnose themselves and "request" and "ask for" prescriptions that, if you listen to the possible side effects, can often kill you. Hypochondriacs must be their favored target market.

Regardless, those that oppose medical marijuana do not oppose pharmaceutical drug use- even though they are responsible for the most addictions in the nation.

Martinez says the bill would mandate garden inspections as well as decrease the amount of hash and other cannabis mixtures and preparations patients may possess.

She says advocates all over Oregon agree that this legislation would take the now intact program in the wrong direction.

"We want to make sure that we get our senators, our representatives' attention, and let them know that we want them to kill Senate Bill 388-9; there's really nothing in here that will help patients."

She says the only thing it will do is put stress on our already stressed community. "It's going to overburden the entire program," Martinez said.

She says some people are waiting 30, 60 and even up to 90 days, before being issued their state permit to use medical marijuana legally, because the Oregon Department of Human Services is understaffed for the workload.

Martinez says that in spite of the slow turnaround time for the issuance of permits, the program is working well and has now grown to account for more than 23,000 legal, registered Oregon patients.

Though large, the number pales next to California, where hundreds of thousands of medical marijuana users legally possess and consume the natural herb often purchased at state dispensaries. Medical marijuana dispensaries are legal in California, though not in Oregon at this time.

In the video to the right, Oregon NORML Executive Director Madeline Martinez discusses the impact that Senate Bill 388-9 would have on patients, many of whom are extremely poor and sick people.

She and other advocates are visiting the Oregon Capitol Monday to explain how being forced to switch from marijuana to pharmaceutical drugs, for many, is a death sentence. She wants to see for herself that 388-9 does not pass.

Martinez responded to a question from Salem-News.com about the history of NORML. Madeline explains that the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws, NORML, a cannabis advocacy group, has been in existence for 39 years.

It is a typical expression among the people who fight the battle against marijuana prohibition. Their goal is one that in the end, hopefully, keeps more non violent Americans out of the prison system, while allowing the legal use of medical marijuana, approved by state voters, to happen without the constant threat of federal intervention.

The current status of medical marijuana dispensaries in California, according to recent remarks by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, is that federal agents will no longer be used to raid these legal establishments, unless they violate both state and federal law.

Bonnie King is one of the few media professionals who has extensive time in four relevant areas; radio, television, newspaper and Internet. She has been with Salem-News.com since August '04. Bonnie served in a number of positions in the broadcast industry; TV Production Manager at KVWB (Las Vegas WB) and Producer/Director for the TV series "Hot Wheels in Las Vegas" (2 seasons), and her path also led to posts as TV Promotion Director for KYMA (NBC), and KFBT (Ind.), Asst. Marketing Director (SUPERSHOPPER MAGAZINE), Director/Co-Host (Coast Entertainment Show), radio Promotion Director (KBCH/KCRF), and Newspapers In Education/Circulation Sales Manager (STATESMAN JOURNAL NEWSPAPER). Bonnie has a depth of understanding that reaches further than just behind the scenes, and that thoroughness of her nature is demonstrated in the perseverance to correctly present each story with the wit and wisdom necessary to compel and captivate viewers.

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Comments Leave a comment on this story.

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spence May 12, 2009 2:20 pm (Pacific time)

What i dont understand is how alcohol has been proven to have more harmfull affect on you then marijuana and the huge number of alcohol poisoning deaths that happen every day but yet marijuana never killed anyone, if you every one hasnt figured out yet the only reason weeds legal is because it affected the timber industry and the profits they were making, legalize weed...

Joseph Wilson May 2, 2009 4:32 pm (Pacific time)

Can we not legalize marijuana in this state as recreational drug much like alchol & tabacco and tax it, and use that money to pay for the medical marijuana for those that cant afford it..

Joseph Wilson May 2, 2009 3:29 pm (Pacific time)

Can we not legalize marijuana in this state as recreational drug much like alchol and tabacco and tax it, and use that money to pay for the medical marijuana for those that cant afford it..

Pray4Peace April 27, 2009 10:11 am (Pacific time)

Surely Oregon, and no other state, wants to become California, the State of Higher Incarceration. We have had little success against the tough-on-crime turned dumb-on-crime polititans in any area of the justice, prison, and parole systems. They are bankrupting the state and ruining salvage lives while not making us safer. Hopefully Oregon will have better luck and allow compassionate use of marijuana legal without fear of punishment.

Mark Montgomery April 27, 2009 12:04 am (Pacific time)

I can't believe that in 2009 we're still debating the legalization of marijuana. It's clear that marijuana should be legal. Portugal decriminalized all drugs in 2001 and their experience has been positive. Now if you are caught with a 10 day supply of your drug or less you face an administrative court, not a criminal court. We can do that here in the USA. A group of 20,000 very serious policemen, prosecutors and attorneys have formed a group to legalize ALL drugs, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (http://leap.cc ) They see what happened when we legalized alcohol in 1932 as a good example of how drug legalization would work. We can't stop drugs. They're sick of chasing drug users and sending innocent people to prison for decades just because they like to get high. This foolish war on drugs has lasted 37 years and cost us over a TRILLION dollars and we are not an inch closer to stopping drugs. How many millions of Americans are we going to lock up in prison for decades? Legalize ALL drugs now. Mark Montgomery boboberg@nyc.rr.com

Daniel April 26, 2009 10:01 pm (Pacific time)

Bonnie you should interview the politicans who are behind these bills .

Daniel April 26, 2009 9:58 pm (Pacific time)

Find out the bills sponsers and call them . If they dont listen vote them out !

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