Traderdan02
February 6th, 2007, 09:24 AM
:D this is a letter in response to my letter to REP'Peter DEfazio, Please READ.....thanxcxx...
TRADERDAN02.......dANIEL :)
From: "DeFazio, Peter" <Peter.DeFazio@mail.house.gov> Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
To: "'drhekker@efn.org'" <drhekker@efn.org>
Subject: RE: Your recent email (Ref: 6725508)
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 11:16:00 -0500
Thank you for contacting me regarding your support for the continued medical use of marijuana. I appreciate hearing from you.
As you're aware, the Supreme Court ruled on June 6, 2005 that federal law enforcement agencies may raid and arrest users of medicinal marijuana for growing and possession of marijuana even if they are located in states that have passed legislation allowing for the use of medical marijuana. Writing the majority decision, however, Justice John Paul Stevens said that if the federal government wanted to revise federal statutes to allow for states to decide whether or not their residents may use medical marijuana, the Court's decision would be nullified.
You will be pleased to know that I am a cosponsor of H.R. 2087, the States' Rights to Medical Marijuana Act, a bill to allow individual states to permit the medicinal use of marijuana. I have supported similar legislation in the past and you can be sure that I will continue to support states' rights to permit the use of medical marijuana in the future.
In addition to H.R. 2087, the House considered an amendment to the fiscal year 2006 (FY06) Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill (SSJC), the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment. I voted for the amendment, but it was defeated 161 to 264. The amendment would prohibit the use of funds in the bill to prevent the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont or Washington from implementing state laws authorizing the use of medical marijuana. I supported a similar amendment for FY05 offered by Rep. Sam Farr, as well as Hinchey-Rohrabacher when it was brought up for FY04.
Currently, voters in eleven states have approved the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. While I am a strong advocate for eradicating drug abuse in America, I believe that the voters in Oregon and elsewhere ought to be allowed to decide whether marijuana can be used for medical purposes.
The New England Journal of Medicine endorsed certain medical uses of marijuana, and many leading doctors and researchers have found that marijuana is effective in relieving painful symptoms associated with degenerative illnesses, such as AIDS, cancer and glaucoma. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy frequently use marijuana to reduce severe nausea. AIDS patients often use it to generate appetite and relieve some of the discomforting side effects of antiviral drugs.
With strong testimony from patients and doctors supporting the therapeutic uses of marijuana, it seems ludicrous that the Administration and the Republican leadership is prepared to harass individuals with prescriptions for medical marijuana and doctors who prescribe marijuana in accordance with state laws.
I assure you that I will continue to be a strong voice of reason in this debate. Again, thank you for your contacting me. Please keep in touch.
Rep.Peter DeFazio
Fourth District, OREGON
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TRADERDAN02.......dANIEL :)
From: "DeFazio, Peter" <Peter.DeFazio@mail.house.gov> Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
To: "'drhekker@efn.org'" <drhekker@efn.org>
Subject: RE: Your recent email (Ref: 6725508)
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2007 11:16:00 -0500
Thank you for contacting me regarding your support for the continued medical use of marijuana. I appreciate hearing from you.
As you're aware, the Supreme Court ruled on June 6, 2005 that federal law enforcement agencies may raid and arrest users of medicinal marijuana for growing and possession of marijuana even if they are located in states that have passed legislation allowing for the use of medical marijuana. Writing the majority decision, however, Justice John Paul Stevens said that if the federal government wanted to revise federal statutes to allow for states to decide whether or not their residents may use medical marijuana, the Court's decision would be nullified.
You will be pleased to know that I am a cosponsor of H.R. 2087, the States' Rights to Medical Marijuana Act, a bill to allow individual states to permit the medicinal use of marijuana. I have supported similar legislation in the past and you can be sure that I will continue to support states' rights to permit the use of medical marijuana in the future.
In addition to H.R. 2087, the House considered an amendment to the fiscal year 2006 (FY06) Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill (SSJC), the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment. I voted for the amendment, but it was defeated 161 to 264. The amendment would prohibit the use of funds in the bill to prevent the states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont or Washington from implementing state laws authorizing the use of medical marijuana. I supported a similar amendment for FY05 offered by Rep. Sam Farr, as well as Hinchey-Rohrabacher when it was brought up for FY04.
Currently, voters in eleven states have approved the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. While I am a strong advocate for eradicating drug abuse in America, I believe that the voters in Oregon and elsewhere ought to be allowed to decide whether marijuana can be used for medical purposes.
The New England Journal of Medicine endorsed certain medical uses of marijuana, and many leading doctors and researchers have found that marijuana is effective in relieving painful symptoms associated with degenerative illnesses, such as AIDS, cancer and glaucoma. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy frequently use marijuana to reduce severe nausea. AIDS patients often use it to generate appetite and relieve some of the discomforting side effects of antiviral drugs.
With strong testimony from patients and doctors supporting the therapeutic uses of marijuana, it seems ludicrous that the Administration and the Republican leadership is prepared to harass individuals with prescriptions for medical marijuana and doctors who prescribe marijuana in accordance with state laws.
I assure you that I will continue to be a strong voice of reason in this debate. Again, thank you for your contacting me. Please keep in touch.
Rep.Peter DeFazio
Fourth District, OREGON
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