Reefer Madness and More: Medical Marijuana Q & A (VIDEO)

Salem-News.com addresses several points regarding the use of legal medical marijuana in Oregon, California and other locations.

(SALEM, Ore.) - In this segment of our ongoing series on Medical Marijuana, Dr. Phil Leveque and Bonnie King discuss the subject from several different angles.

From the "Reefer Madness" of days gone by, to the current medicinal enlightenment period, there is an unending supply of unanswered questions sent in by our viewers.

Dr. Leveque speaks with Bonnie about a growing amount of coverage on the connections between autism and the use of medical marijuana, a subject that has recently been seriously covered by both ABC and CBS News.

The matter moved to the forefront in recent weeks, with a mother's declaration that medical marijuana was allowing her autistic son some of the calmest and most productive days in his life, all she says, because of this natural herb.

Dr. Phil Leveque is one of the most significant authorities on medical marijuana alive in the world today. His points have stood the test of time and now are finding rapid acceptance from a broader section of the American public than ever before.

Internet communications have allowed a voice of truth to emerge that some possibly never anticipated.

Dr. Phil Leveque & Bonnie King discuss medical marijuana. Salem-News.com Part 1 of 2

Along with Salem-News.com's Bonnie King, the doctor has been fielding questions and discussing options for our viewers who want to know how to go about using this still mostly illegal plant, for its medical value.

Questions have been sent in from all over the United States, but also places like Australia, England, France and even the Sub-Saharan desert once!

Since our first video segment April 13th 2007, we have consistently delivered the latest and most relevant information in the world on this subject, and we are the only mainstream news group that does so on a regular basis, with a question and answer format.

When we aren't producing video segments, Dr. Leveque is always responding to a flow of email with questions that greatly range in this vast subject of legal, medical cannabis.

People all over the world have been denied the use of this simple plant for legal reasons and as the Cold War against marijuana finally yields its grasp, somewhat, the questions are many.

Conversely, people from other places like some Mideast countries, have no concept of this plant or any plant for that matter, actually being illegal.

It's remarkable that Americans just one hundred years ago, used cannabis-based medicines with a high level of demand.

Dr. Phil Leveque & Bonnie King discuss medical marijuana. Salem-News.com Part 2 of 2

The U.S. federal government is in mid-change right now as marijuana's positive side, long contended by many like Dr. Leveque and his longtime good friend Jack Herer, otherwise known as "The Hemperor", continues to gain public acceptance.

These individuals have devoted many years to the pursuit of bringing honest information forward about cannabis and they are joined by many in criticizing the nation's outdated laws that lead to the incarceration of thousands of Americans over the possession and use of a plant that has never led to a single death in all of its thousands of years of medical use.

If you are new to this conversation, you should know that the laws against marijuana which began in the 1930's were strictly based on false propaganda and essentially created to benefit Dupont and Dow Chemical.

These record-setting polluters of the United States worked with newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst, in a massive informational campaign to present marijuana as an evil substance, a seducer of youth that caused people to behave madly and hack each other to death with axes.

Funny, it is generally alcohol, a legal substance in the United States, that is connected with violent crime, domestic violence, motor vehicle crashes, etc.

Dr. Phillip Leveque has degrees in chemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and minors in physiology and biochemistry. He was a Professor of Pharmacology, employed by the University of London for 2 years, during which time he trained the first doctors in Tanzania. After training doctors, he became an Osteopathic Physician, as well as a Forensic Toxicologist.

Bonnie King has been with Salem-News.com since August '04, when she became Publisher. Bonnie has 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", 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 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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JeffreyK - December 13, 2009 11:52 am (Pacific time)

Dr. Leveque is a hero in my eyes and in the eyes, hearts and minds of the many thousands of people he has helped to obtain a permit allowing them safe, natural treatment for a variety of conditions for which they would only otherwise have access to pharmaceuticals of questionable efficacy and safety. I applaud him and salute his bravery not only in WWII, but in his early and ongoing efforts to bring to light the truth about this wonderful, effective medicine with seemingly limitless applications for a wide range of ailments afflicting people of practically all ages.

My sincere thanks to the staff of Salem-News.com for continuing to bring us the wisdom of this pioneer and freedom fighter in the medical cannabis movement.

Dr. Leveque December 11, 2009 2:07 pm (Pacific time)

To Rob Newman: Your interesting research and comment are noted. I had about 5000 patients which I approved for MJ permits. None of my applications were denied by the OMMP (state program). I was doing everything BY THE BOOK. Four Drs. complained I WAS STEALING THEIR PATIENTS AND DOPING THEM UP. Actually I did it for 5000 patients. The Board of Medicine didn't like it. Shame on them.

Rob Newman December 9, 2009 3:38 pm (Pacific time)

I checked the Oregon Medical Association Website. It says that "Dr." Leveque's license to practice was revoked in 2004. It hardly seems appropriate to refer to him as if he were a licensed doctor of medicine and wonder why you would feature an interview of someone and present him as a credible figure under these circumstances. It seems to me your article is misleading.

Editor: Rob, Dr. Leveque is a WWII veteran and in addition to being a Doctor of Osteopathy, he is one of the nation's few Forensic Toxicologists and he was a Professor of Pharmacology for decades, training the first doctors in Tanzania and Uganda. Dr. Leveque first learned of the healthcare applications of marijuana while in medical school in the 1950's. Later he helped Oregon attain the OMMP and they were gunning for him at that point, and I'm sure you know things always go like this for people who speak an unpopular point of view. So, at the height of his practice he signed medical marijuana prescriptions for two patients in eastern Oregon who are invalids, and qualified several times over for MMJ. So, Dr. Leveque didn't demand that these women travel to the clinic in Portland, and he has his license taken away. Believe me, among medical scholars it is a sore point and the fact that this esteemed doctor was treated like this just illustrates Oregon's failure to be a leader in terms of medicine and politics, as it was once, before all of the pharmaceutical corporations that contribute money to the Oregon Medical Board got their hands in everyone's pockets.

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