Medical Marijuana and the Ignorant, Arrogant Oregon Medical Board

Oregon's medical marijuana application process shouldn't have been made any more complicated than obtaining a handicapped parking permit.

(THE DALLES ) - In a naked attempt to kill the voter-approved Medical Marijuana Act, the Oregon Medical Board made a hero and martyr out of Dr. Phillip Leveque by appearing to be above the law in revoking Leveque's ability to approve applications for medical marijuana cards and fining him $25,000 for allegedly not seeing all cross-state applications in person. Many are quadriplegic.

That requirement was added after the fact, and the Medical Marijuana Act stipulated that doctors could not be prosecuted for expressing their opinion as to whether or not a person had one of nine aliments that might entitle him to obtain a $150 annual medical marijuana card from the state of Oregon.

This card, in bypassing federal law, does not make possession legal but protects the cardholder from prosecution in Oregon.

Yet another state created bureaucracy out of control. The application process shouldn't have been made any more complicated than obtaining a handicapped parking permit. Those who abuse the law are fined, but not those who approved a need for a permit. Doctors do not prescribe or treat patients with marijuana.

The Oregon Medical Board is again saying, patients be damned- we are the law, but in doing so are forgetting the lessons of history by making Leveque a national hero and a martyr, with marijuana patient inquiries from all over the U.S. and the world on Salem-News.com.

Proponents of legal marijuana are clapping their hands in glee over the board's arrogance and public relations ignorance.

Al Hayward, a Chinese trade expert, has lived, worked, and done business in mainland China and other countries for decades, and he is currently working on a 20 billion dollar "City of Tomorrow" project near Macau. Hayward's Portland, Oregon advertising agency helped achieve Oregon's Bottle Bill and was instrumental in the campaign that led to the state's full service gas stations.

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les lowen December 9, 2008 11:40 am (Pacific time)

it protects from prosecution , not nesaseraly persecution. http://www.salem-news.com/articles/february202008/les_lowen_2-20-08.php

Jeff December 9, 2008 1:52 pm (Pacific time)

Dr Leveque is definetly a "HERO" in my book. Even though I live in Iowa he was kind enough to inform me via the internet that marijuana is the safest, most efficient and effective drug in controlling chronic nausea and vomiting from Diabetic Neuropathic Gastroparesis (paralyzed Stomach.) I already knew this from my own personal experience but considering my digestive Dr gave me a prescription for Regalin/Metoclopramide, which causes Irreversible Parkinson like shakes and tremors if taken on a regular basis, and refused to even talk about marijuana I emailed my question to Dr Leveque who gave me a straight and honest medical opinion. I thank God for you Dr Leveque, and I am sorry that the state of Oregon stabbed you in the back. I am moving out west so I can legally use marijuana and Oregon was my first choice but know I think I'll move to California. God Bless You Dr Leveque.

Harry December 9, 2008 1:15 pm (Pacific time)

Typical Oregon, I moved from Medford. The cops wouldn't let me post Medical Marijuana fact sheets on store and public bulletin boards. Told store people I couldn't to it. They took them down everywhere else. They even parked outside my house for 3 days. I finally was forced to stop posting the info. I left OR. got really tired of downtown river dog cops. And the "gestapo attitude" and look. If it where not for the guns, they would just be asshole bullies. Especially in the bars and taverns. If you don't believe me, ask their neighbors and wives. I've had two for neighbors. So long butt heads, don't move, stay in Oregon forever.

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