County Looks into Medical Marijuana ID Cards

By David GreenwaldFebruary 23, 200724 comments
Josh Fernandez of the Daily Democrat reports that the Yolo County Board of Supervisors will be holding a public hearing on the Health Department’s proposed implementation of the statewide Medical Marijuana ID Card Program.

This initiative was passed by the state in 2004 to help law enforcement have a means to correctly identify those people who can legally use the drug. Counties were required to provide the forms for individuals to sign up. The law was then challenged by San Diego County who claimed that it was not legal for states to mandate counties implement the program. In December 2006 a Superior Court Judge rejected the suit.

Supervisor Mariko Yamada voted for Proposition 215 when it was passed by California in 1996 and indicated she would be inclined to vote in favor of the ID card program.

Supervisor Matt Rexroad favored the initiative on his blog.

“I’ve never smoked (or inhaled) marijuana but personally have real doubts about making it illegal while we allow alcohol and tabacco (sic) to be used freely. We have to draw a line somewhere but I am not sure that the current line can be justified.”

So he’s the person under the age of 40 who has never smoked marijuana?

Personally I do not understand this law. There are pretty solid benefits to terminal patients from using marijuana. It is a clear improvement of quality of life both in terms of pain reduction and overall comfort. Moreover it clearly facilitates and stimulates appetite. Having a good appetite can keep the person stronger and better enable them to fight and hold on. That is a key factor in not only quality but longevity of life.

People get paranoid over the fact that it is marijuana. Well what I find interesting is the drugs that are legal pain killers in this country and how many of them are far more powerful than marijuana in terms of perception distortion.

Three and a half years ago I was in the emergency room with what turned out to be two blood clots one in my arm and one in my lung, they gave me an assortment of drugs, many of which were far stronger than marijuana in their effects. (Still didn’t dull the pain but they were quite powerful).

There is to me, no good reason not to allow terminal patients to use marijuana as a means for improved quality of life.

—Doug Paul Davis Reporting

Author

  • David Greenwald

    Greenwald is the founder, editor, and executive director of the Davis Vanguard. He founded the Vanguard in 2006. David Greenwald moved to Davis in 1996 to attend Graduate School at UC Davis in Political Science. He lives in South Davis with his wife Cecilia Escamilla Greenwald and three children.

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24 comments

  1. A recent study by UCSF researchers found that medical marijuana may be uniquely suited to reduce certain types of nerve pain.

    http://www.sacbee.com/296/story/122651.html

    The above-cited article also mentions the possibility that medical marijuana could, in some situations, replace far more powerful and addictive drugs (e.g. Oxycontin).

    Thankfully, I have never been in need of medical marijuana, but I can imagine nothing crueler than not only denying it to a patient who needs it, but treating that patient as a criminal if s/he takes it upon his/herself to find and use it.

    From the rhetoric we hear out of the feds, you would think that making medical marijuana available to those who need it was the equivalent of handing out heroin to schoolchildren. It boggles my mind.

  2. A recent study by UCSF researchers found that medical marijuana may be uniquely suited to reduce certain types of nerve pain.

    http://www.sacbee.com/296/story/122651.html

    The above-cited article also mentions the possibility that medical marijuana could, in some situations, replace far more powerful and addictive drugs (e.g. Oxycontin).

    Thankfully, I have never been in need of medical marijuana, but I can imagine nothing crueler than not only denying it to a patient who needs it, but treating that patient as a criminal if s/he takes it upon his/herself to find and use it.

    From the rhetoric we hear out of the feds, you would think that making medical marijuana available to those who need it was the equivalent of handing out heroin to schoolchildren. It boggles my mind.

  3. A recent study by UCSF researchers found that medical marijuana may be uniquely suited to reduce certain types of nerve pain.

    http://www.sacbee.com/296/story/122651.html

    The above-cited article also mentions the possibility that medical marijuana could, in some situations, replace far more powerful and addictive drugs (e.g. Oxycontin).

    Thankfully, I have never been in need of medical marijuana, but I can imagine nothing crueler than not only denying it to a patient who needs it, but treating that patient as a criminal if s/he takes it upon his/herself to find and use it.

    From the rhetoric we hear out of the feds, you would think that making medical marijuana available to those who need it was the equivalent of handing out heroin to schoolchildren. It boggles my mind.

  4. A recent study by UCSF researchers found that medical marijuana may be uniquely suited to reduce certain types of nerve pain.

    http://www.sacbee.com/296/story/122651.html

    The above-cited article also mentions the possibility that medical marijuana could, in some situations, replace far more powerful and addictive drugs (e.g. Oxycontin).

    Thankfully, I have never been in need of medical marijuana, but I can imagine nothing crueler than not only denying it to a patient who needs it, but treating that patient as a criminal if s/he takes it upon his/herself to find and use it.

    From the rhetoric we hear out of the feds, you would think that making medical marijuana available to those who need it was the equivalent of handing out heroin to schoolchildren. It boggles my mind.

  5. If Marijuana works for that kind of relief then it would be very beneficial because I was on oxycontin round the clock for about two weeks and after awhile you just want to get off it just to think clearly again and you’re willing to take some pain (as long as it is not severe).

  6. If Marijuana works for that kind of relief then it would be very beneficial because I was on oxycontin round the clock for about two weeks and after awhile you just want to get off it just to think clearly again and you’re willing to take some pain (as long as it is not severe).

  7. If Marijuana works for that kind of relief then it would be very beneficial because I was on oxycontin round the clock for about two weeks and after awhile you just want to get off it just to think clearly again and you’re willing to take some pain (as long as it is not severe).

  8. If Marijuana works for that kind of relief then it would be very beneficial because I was on oxycontin round the clock for about two weeks and after awhile you just want to get off it just to think clearly again and you’re willing to take some pain (as long as it is not severe).

  13. I realize that you are being humorous, but one interesting thing is that generally the body does not get addicted to medicine if you are actually in need of it. It is when you take a drug when you do not need it that the body becomes dependent on that drug.

  14. I realize that you are being humorous, but one interesting thing is that generally the body does not get addicted to medicine if you are actually in need of it. It is when you take a drug when you do not need it that the body becomes dependent on that drug.

  15. I realize that you are being humorous, but one interesting thing is that generally the body does not get addicted to medicine if you are actually in need of it. It is when you take a drug when you do not need it that the body becomes dependent on that drug.

  16. I realize that you are being humorous, but one interesting thing is that generally the body does not get addicted to medicine if you are actually in need of it. It is when you take a drug when you do not need it that the body becomes dependent on that drug.

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