Israel Moves Toward Expanded Medical Marijuana Law
Yesterday, Israel’s Ministry of Health was ordered to finalize within four months a detailed bill that would regulate the production and marketing of medical marijuana in that country.
Additional measures recommended by a government health committee included making sure that medical marijuana remains affordable for patients and implementing safeguards to prevent the drug from reaching illegal users and merchants.
Once again, Israel’s government has shown a desire to promote the wellbeing of patients who can benefit from medical marijuana—something our federal government continues to avoid.
Tagged with: Israel and Medical Marijuana by the author
37 comments
Dial me up some of that Tel Aviv Skunk . . . . .or some Jerusalem Haze.
Why are we still in the stone age??????
Pejorative uses of the term “sumptuary law”
The term “sumptuary law” has been used as a pejorative term to describe any governmental control of consumption, whether based on moral, religious, health, or public safety concerns. Judge Thomas M. Cooley generally described their modern form as laws which “substitute the legislative judgment for that of the proprietor, regarding the manner in which he should use and employ his property.”[34] Policies to which the term has been critically applied include alcohol prohibition,[35] drug prohibition,[36] smoking bans.[37][38][39][40], and restrictions on dog fighting[41].
[edit] Alcohol prohibition
As early as 1860, Anthony Trollope, writing about his experiences in Maine under the state’s prohibition law, stated, “This law (prohibition), like all sumptuary laws, must fail.”[42] In 1918, William Howard Taft decried prohibition in the United States as a bad sumptuary law, stating that one of his reasons for opposing prohibition was his belief that “sumptuary laws are matters for parochial adjustment.”[43] Taft later repeated this concern.[44] The Supreme Court of Indiana also discussed alcohol prohibition as a sumptuary law in its 1855 decision Herman v. State.[45] During state conventions on the ratification of the 21st Amendment in 1933, numerous delegates throughout the United States decried prohibition as having been an improper sumptuary law which never should have been included in the Constitution of the United States.[35]
In 1971, a United States federal study stated that federal laws on alcohol include “sumptuary laws which are directed at the purchaser,” including “Sales are not permitted to minors or intoxicated persons. Credit is often prohibited on liquor sales as well. Criminal penalties may be imposed for driving under the influence of alcohol as well as for drunken behavior.”[46]
[edit] Drug prohibition
When the U.S. State of Washington considered cannabis decriminalization in two initiatives, 229 and 248, the initiatives’ language stated that “Cannabis prohibition is a sumptuary law of a nature repugnant to our Constitution’s framers.”[47]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumptuary_law
America lags yet again. This used to be the home of the free and land of the brave…now all it is is a country that is split in half. Right down the middle. You have people that dont like Obama. You have people that love Obama. You have people that want this Health care plan to pass. You have people that dont. You have people that want MJ legal. You have people that want MJ to stay illegal. Its getting retarded. Freedom of speech is free as long as it does not “hurt” anyone. Right to bare arms is fading out even though our country was formed by people that held onto their guns until they WON their freedom from the English. This country is no longer a United States.
If ROE wants to say that he dont like Obama and his “wrong doings” then it is his right, given by God and country. SO dont call him a whinner or say he is “crying”. The poor in this country are the ones that are fighting for your freedom and see what is going on. What we dont see is that people that have some money, such as 150,000 a year and up, dont give a rats ass about the poor. Its very sad. Its very UNAMERICAN. If you dont care about your fellow Americans and wish they would go away or die or anything such as not caring for them, then maybe you should go join the taliban. As for us poor people, we are the ones on the front ground fighting the wars of the rich, taking it up the ass cause no one thinks about us. This whole economic recession is about the rich forgetting about the poor. If Obama and Bush, ie the people with their hands up the President’s ass as a puppet, would have passed a stimulus bill that would have given 100,000 per taxpayer below an average annual income of under 250,000, then America would have pulled out of this recession 1 year ago. We as poor people would not have done impulse spending, given our money away to foreign countries, or turned our heads while the rich were dipping into our stash. We would have paid off all our debts and maybe spent the rest on goods making the stock market go back up, and gross domestic product would have went through the roof. Its very simple, rich dont give a shit about the poor cause they dont need to. Poor has to give a shit about the rich cause you sign our paychecks. Sooner or later history will repeat itself. Revolutions happen when people are tired of eating shit sandwiches for breakfast lunch and dinner. I just wanna know why we cant all get along. America, Iraq, Iran, all of us only have ONE difference. Religion. its sad. its bs. God dont want pain or suffering. Religions want peace, but people cant handle peace. That is why I want world wide legalization of pot. It opens your mind. It gives people the thoughts of compasion compared to hate. It will bring world peace in a few generations. Hopefully it wont be too late. Although I fear it already is.
If you havent seen this, watch it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68dM1HsZzuE
Glad to hear this. Israel is one of our biggest allies, and you would expect what is acceptable to other nations would be applicable to ALL nations. Marijuana prohibition is a law of cruelty and control, but even more so when sick and dying people are denied.
These days very popular Medical Marijuana Law.
I especially like the part about keeping medical cannabis affordable. I have heard reports of free cannabis for medical users from time to time, but cannabis from Cali clinics is pricey.
There’s no good reason I can think of as to why medical cannabis is so expensive in the U.S.
We need it to be affordable too!
Anyhow, glad to see Israel is a sensible country in this regard. Hopefully the world will take note and see how much more helpful a national policy is rather than try and fight it. They know medical marijuana works and want to make sure they’re handling it correctly. I applaud their efforts.
One of the pillars of the prohibitionist stance is the damage smoking Mj.can do to the lungs.The counter position is simply ignored . The answere to this is at hand;The recently prominent,Mr.Irvin Rosenfeld,a man with a verifiable long term record of consumption.I ask those in the medical forefront of this movement and Mr.Rosenfeld to help settle this argument.What is the condition of your lungs? Have you been x-rayed sonagramed or scoped lately?Viewable evidence of this,good or bad,would go a long way towards settling this point of contention.A positive showing would make it virtually impossible for the prohibitionists to maintain their stance and no-doubt affect many fence sitters.
Didn’t get the story Mike on your ‘a detailed bill’ link. The site did manage to put in a pop-up on me, and I have pop-up blockers up the wazoo.
Hello everyone – I don’t get a chance to visit this blog too much but we are marching our little bums forward…uh-huh.
Grvtykllr – Hi – I finally just read about the teenagers with some plants in their apartment in S.L.C. this week (24th ?).
Anyway, You did a mighty terrific job standing your ground with that one old bigot @Whity9.
The old turdola brags about his 200K per year in the same breathe it is quoting ancient (1999) outdated propoganda at the same time..what a block-head he is indeed.
It surely was clear to see and I am proud to be a part of breaking the moron barrier in Utah at last.
Thanks everyone else too.
There were so many intellects over-ruling this old fart it was great!
Lea – did the meteore scare ya?
I felt the rumble that morning and wondered..it sounded a bit peculiar for thunder and yes it was a different experience for me but real cool.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Take Good Care!
We are winning!…or better yet…We Have Won!
OMG! Rudedog! Everyone please take his advice as per above and look;
..right before our very eyes…Google Patent 6630507.
..our cause is proven world-wide…Mary Jane fights cancer.
..the truth has always been there. wow!
Wendy in Utah? Interesting. We’re doing our best to get the heck outta this state because I need medical MJ. (and I qualify).
Didn’t feel the meteor scare, really didn’t care either. And Wendy, we live in the West Desert, and since you live in Utah you should know what’s out here.
On the nights I’m able to go to sleep the only thing that wakes me up is an earthquake. (and my pig headed, rude and noisy neighbors).
And just want to say sorry if I don’t remember each and every commenter here, it’s difficult.
Mike honey, I don’t want to be a pest, I want to be a help, please know this.
Tried your ‘a detailed bill’ link again and this time got the article but also got another pop-up that froze my computer. I chose the print option and that’s when the freeze occurred. I’d really like to read it and print it but will not go to the site again.
Can you help me out here? Thank you.
Thanks for the post.
I think it is wonderful when properties are discovered in drugs that can help some work though physical and psychological problems.
However, it does scare me a bit when I see responses geared to the legalization of this drug for recreational purposes.
@ Mike Weren’t you also scared when they legalized coffee? Tobacco?
There is no discernable line between theraputic and recreational use. Regardless of ones’ intent EVERY use is ultimately theraputic.
Ditto Lea..I know what’s out here.
Dugway Proving Ground let the nerve agent gas leak in the ’60’s and killed thousands of sheep.
I would give anything to leave Utah too.
Earthquakes? really? ..??
Yes, earthquake, the one in Nevada a year or two ago. Can’t remember the name of the town. I felt it cause my bed was shaking. Plus there’s a fault line that runs along the Wasatch Mountains and the geologists here have said because of all the sandy soil it’ll be like a wave, the soil that is, that will probably cause most of the destruction.
Since moving to Utah seven years ago my allergies have gone ballistic too, very severe.
And you’re spot on with where we live. Heavy sigh …
Something that might make this a bit easier in Israel: recreational cannabis use is heavily slanted toward haschisch, so seeing marijuana usage as being distinct from that market is easier.
Snd they might be influenced by national pride in Dr Meshoulam, the isolator/discoverer of THC (and an host of other cannabinoids).
Good news for Israeli patients!
Utah will probably be the last state in the nation to legalize, but I bet a lowest priority measure could pass in SLC. You can’t even get a referendum on the state ballot anymore, the legislature did not like it when we voted that drug forfeiture assets should go to schools and not cops. I intend to move my business (and myself) to a community with more favorable attitudes towards cannabis.
UPDATE – HR2835 – The Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act
2 New Co-Sponsors Added…
Currently there are 30 sponsers (2 new recently added):
Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2] – 6/11/2009
Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] – 6/11/2009
Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23] – 7/22/2009
Rep Clarke, Yvette D. [NY-11] – 9/9/2009
Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] – 6/24/2009
Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] – 6/23/2009
Rep Ellison, Keith [MN-5] – 7/15/2009
Rep Farr, Sam [CA-17] – 6/11/2009
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] – 7/8/2009
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] – 6/11/2009
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] – 6/11/2009
Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15] – 6/24/2009
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] – 7/13/2009
Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7] – 6/11/2009
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] – 6/16/2009
Rep Miller, George [CA-7] – 6/11/2009
Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8] – 7/15/2009
Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8] – 11/16/2009
Rep Olver, John W. [MA-1] – 6/11/2009
Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] – 6/11/2009
Rep Polis, Jared [CO-2] – 6/23/2009
Rep Rohrabacher, Dana [CA-46] – 6/11/2009
Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9] – 6/15/2009
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] – 7/27/2009
Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13] – 6/11/2009
Rep Thompson, Mike [CA-1] – 6/11/2009
Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19] – 6/15/2009
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] – 6/11/2009
AND THE TWO NEW CONGRESSMEN:
Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27] – 9/15/2009
Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16] – 9/23/2009
This is GREAT news, but there is still much more work to be done. Just take a look at some basic statistics and see what I mean. Currently there are 13 out of 50 States that have MMJ laws on the books. Of these 13 States ONLY 4 are being represented with co-sponsors in this bill.
California – ONLY 11 out of 53 available Congressmen
Colorado – ONLY 1 out of 7 available Congressmen
Oregon – ONLY 2 out of 5 available Congressmen
Washington – ONLY 1 out of 9 available Congressmen
You mean to tell me that this bill can’t garner up more support than this? I mean we’re talking about less than 50% of the Congressmen in arguably the 4 most progressive States in the union. WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THIS!!!!
ALASKA, HAWAII, MAINE, MICHIGAN, MONTANA, NEVADA, NEW MEXICO, RHODE ISLAND and VERMONT —- WHERE ARE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES ON THIS BILL?????
PLEASE…PLEASE…PLEASE… If you live in a Medical Marijuana State PLEASE contact your Congressmen and ask them why they are not co-sponsoring this bill. This is not just a question of supporting this bill, but co-sponsoring it! In the 13 States that have MMJ laws, this bill would provide protection for the patients and caregivers from Federal arreest and prosecution. There has already been a majority of the citizens in your State that have approved the use of MMJ so the political climate is good for your Congressmen to become a co-sponsor. Your Representatives are sent to Washington to protect the citizens of your State and this bill would do just that!
For everyone else… don’t be left out write your Congressmen too! I just think it is irresponsible for us to let the Representatives in States that have passed MMJ laws to sit idly by without taking a stand on this issue and fighting for the rights of their Constiuents!!!
I know some of you have written letters in the past… WRITE THEM AGAIN!!! You have the perfect opportunity to talk to them about the recent change in AMA policy concerning MMJ. If you stick to MMJ instead of bringing up Full Legalization (for those that know me I am all for access for Adults over 21) you will be able to focus their attention on recent medical developments and might have a better shot at convincing them to become co-sponsors.
This is a medical decision that should be made between the doctor and the patient. If the AMA can change their position, shouldn’t our Congress be able to do so as well?
Darthnole, I have wrote my congressmen and women. They tell me that my opinion does not matter to them. I tell them I wont vote for them. They still get voted into office because Missouri is a red state and they will not vote for any Lose Conservative or a Liberal or a Democrat, and especially with what Obama has done, they wont bat an eye at anyone other that the red team. And we all know the red team, other than a few, dont support MMJ or legalization. I will not waste my time to write to them again, instead I will put my time into making Prohib’s see the light. I will debate my way for legalization. I will make them understand compasion, quality of life, and just the fact that if MMJ can help ONE person, it is considered a medical use and should be rescheduled to at minimum a level 3.!
LC: Another one in Utah, superb! Although I hold out little hope for Utah didn’t I read somewhere that Utah was one of the first states to end alcohol prohibition? Also believe I heard awhile back that the University of Utah (?) was doing cannabis research. Sorry now that I didn’t write it all down. Unfortunately I’m sick, allergic to pharmaceuticals, therefore unable to take them, and spend much of my day feeling awful. But I’m hanging in there.
And yes, the cops here are (fill in the blank). I see them on I-80 more often than not searching people’s cars. I just want to stop and yell at the person allowing them to do that but that would be foolish.
And have you ever driven up I-80 towards Cheyenne LC? There are cops all over the place. One time there was a temporary highway sign saying something to the effect of “Drug control in process, drug dogs ahead”. It was ludicrous and a shame to behold. They do it often but more so during harvest time.
Hey DarthNole, good to hear from you, thanks for the information. Have you heard of the Google Wave being promoted?
http://wave.google.com/help/wave/about.html
I go to your twitter often but am not comfortable with sites like that. Not paranoid, just not ready for it.
JJ:
I feel you…. hell my Representative is Eric Cantor (the Minorty Whip)… you know he will never listen to my point of view either…
If you don’t understand the principles of the Republican party you’ll have a hard time convincing one to adopt your point of view.
Here’s a track you can try and see how it works. Your current Representaive did not vote for the recent Healthcare bill, and is probably not going to vote for the comprimised bill either when that is finally introduced. Find out what there reservations about the bill were. 9 out of 10 Republicans are going to say the same thing… they will tell you that this Healthcare bill will lead us down the path of Government Run Healthcare. They will tell you that the Public Option will eliminate competition and will render Insurance Companies profitless and will force them out of business. They will tell you that this means everyone moves to the Public Option and we end up having Government Healthcare. Why does this concern them… because it put GOVERNMENT in the role of decision maker instead of the Doctor and Patient. They will tell you they want to keep the Doctor/Patient relationship so thyat your doctor makes your medical decisions not some Government regulator. They may say a lot of different things, but it all comes back to not having Government involved in doctor/patient decisions.
If this is their basis for voting against the Healthcare Bill then we are OK with that. This position only strengthens our arguement that the current scheduling of marijuana is effectively doing the same thing – making the Government the decider in medical decisions not the doctor and patient.
Lea, they put that sign up on I-80 in Parley’s Canyon when a lot of people are heading to Park City to ski or see a concert. They can’t safely have a checkpoint on the steep canyon freeway, so they sit up on the side of the mountain with binoculars and watch for people to throw stuff out the window when they pass that sign. Then they radio to cops on the ground to pull those cars over. Utah does like to setup real checkpoints on weekends in canyons and on the way out to the desert to harass campers, but they can’t just stop every car on I-80 in Parley’s.
Oh …. I was wondering where the heck they were hiding and eye balling people, thanks.
Sorry, hate to sound like a broken record, but I don’t consume cannabis, won’t go near it or anyone who has it simply because of our unjust laws, therefore I’m not afraid of them in that respect.
Oh gawd, 17 year old shot in the head over a UHP stop in Utah, the “officer” smelled marijuana. The gun allegedly belonged to the 17 year old and the “officer” wrestled with the 17 year old when the gun went off.
And just to be clear, I don’t trust any of you in Utah posting on here. Oh gawd, I’m so upset.
Hey if you guys want to try and help out the cause some more head over to Facebook and become a fan of Chase Community Giving. They are giving out money to charities. Vote for the Marijuana Policy Project and any other groups for marijuana reform posted on there. (Leap and Students for Sensible Drug Policy are on there as well)
KSL5 in Utah, the second news station I watched this evening said the 17 year old is in critical condition. The news casters also said the kid shot himself in the head after trying to run away from the UHP “officer”. Both stations, KSL5 and Fox13 in Utah said “the officer smelled marijuana”.
The check is in the mail MPP. I am so upset tonight, forgive me.
See people do die from cannabis but, its a caused death, caused because the law is in place. Its sad that this happens. It shouldnt. No one should suffer or die due to cannabis laws or any drug laws for that matter. Other drugs do ruin your life, then along comes the law to further ruin you. So sad a time we live in.
Another cop who did nothing wrong? Wrong!!! The cop should be arrested. NOW! Utah is so full of mormans that a real pot head has no chance of freedom. The poor kid is ruined for the rest of his life because a cop smelled pot. Was there a witness? Probably not. How many more Americans have to be shot, killed or jailed because they use a harmless plant. When I was raided this summer I told the cops the only way to stop me from using cannabis was to jail me or kill me. I did not get either one. I hope the dumb bastard cop enjoys the rest of his life on earth because there is no place in heaven for him. God does not like gestapo’s.
Oh, I am a morman myself.
For those of you in Utah I urge you to call Senator Hatch at 202.224.5251 and urge him to Support Senate Bill 714, The National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2009.
I have called his office and have written a second email urging him to do so, especially after the 17 year old incidence.
Time to get busy on an individual basis whether we get less than desirable results from them. Yes, I’m discouraged right now but I have to tell you, my heart is aching right now over the incident with the 17 year old.
Clarence: I was excommunicated 31 years ago, my choice.
Lea:
Just a point of clarification on the 17 year old Story:
Federal Law on Handguns:
A legal buyer aged 18 may purchase long guns from a licensed dealer but not handguns, however 18 year olds may purchase handguns from private sellers legally. Licensed dealers may sell handguns only to buyers 21 and older. Private sellers may legally sell to 18 year olds.
The reason that I bring this up is because the kid was only 17. If he was in possession of a handgun it was an illegal situation and it justifies the cops reaction.
The problem I see is that the “smell of marijuana” was what probably lead to the search of the vehicle and the discovery of the handgun. However, since most of here also advocate for marijuana regulation to limit users to 21+, this cop would have still had justification to search the vehicle because the kid was underage.
It’s a sad tale and I hope the kid pulls thru, but if you’re in possession of marijuana AND an illegal handgun, you are putting yourself at risk.
Understand what you’re saying DarthNole. The bottom line is, this happened because of Prohibition. Because the UHP said he smelled marijuana.
The kid was in the back seat, supposedly, and most likely got nervous and then tried to run away after the trooper told everyone to get out of the vehicle. The kid was probably trying to throw the gun away when the trooper tackled him and the gun mysteriously got fired into the kids head. I’m giving the kid the benefit of the doubt, period. He had a gun yes, wrong thing to do, but to “call for back-up” because the trooper smelled marijuana, wrong thing to do.
I am happy to hear that Israel is recognizing the need for medical marijuana. Some patients are in so much pain that there is nothing else that will quite take the edge off. I agree that the US needs to get on board and do the same.
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