President Obama in Denver Today, Medical Marijuana Groups to Protest

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Thu Feb 18, 2010 at 02:00:39 PM EST
Tags: Obama, medical marijuana (all tags)

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Update: Here's the text of Obama's remarks.

President Obama will be in Denver this afternoon to appear at fundraisers for Sen. Michael Bennet. According to his schedule (times changed to Mountain Time):

2:50PM: President Obama arrives in Aurora, Colorado
3:30PM: President Obama delivers remarks at a grassroots fundraiser for Senator Bennet
4:40PM: President Obama delivers remarks at a fundraising reception for Senator Bennet
5:35PM: President Obama departs Aurora, Colorado en route Las Vegas, Nevada

Locations:

He will deliver remarks at a fundraiser for Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) at the Fillmore Auditorium in Denver. He will also deliver remarks at a fundraising reception for Bennet at the Sheraton Hotel.

Medical marijuana activists are holding protests, "Patients Picket Obama: "Get the DEA Out of Colorado" across from the Fillmore. One of the reasons for the protest is the Feb. 12 raid on Chris Bartkowicz. Bartokowicz has a detention/bail hearing this afternoon.

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President Obama in Denver Today, Medical Marijuana Groups to Protest | 12 comments (12 topical)

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Give the pres. hell protestors... (none / 0) (#1)
by kdog on Thu Feb 18, 2010 at 02:04:41 PM EST

and good luck ridding your state of that terror org we call the DEA...just don't send them east if you're successful, we got no love for 'em either:)

Make Obama remember the day he went begging for money at the Fillmore!

Lucky me... (none / 0) (#2)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Feb 18, 2010 at 02:23:25 PM EST

...by bus ride home will go past the Fillmore right about the time he's leaving for the downtown event.

Hope I make it home before dinner time--and before the snow really starts coming down.

In that case... (none / 0) (#3)
by kdog on Thu Feb 18, 2010 at 02:37:26 PM EST

wait for Mile to roll by on the bus, then block traffic and raise hell!...:)


That would be nice... (none / 0) (#4)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Feb 18, 2010 at 02:45:58 PM EST

...bad enough that I'm all suit and tied up today, but Moms is at home waiting for me to get there.


Oh no, the monkey suit? (none / 0) (#5)
by kdog on Thu Feb 18, 2010 at 03:06:34 PM EST

The protestors might think you're there with the man...got a Grateful Dead t-shirt you can change into?


: Yep... (none / 0) (#7)
by MileHi Hawkeye on Thu Feb 18, 2010 at 04:34:19 PM EST

...the dreaded full monkey suit. I hates it, I do!
No spare clothes to change into, unfortunately.

Bennet's letter... (none / 0) (#6)
by magster on Thu Feb 18, 2010 at 03:45:40 PM EST

... became a flash-point for the revival of the public option right before this visit. I will be interested to see if the letter is mentioned or even endorsed (not holding my breath) by Obama.

CA science study finds evidence of pot benefits (none / 0) (#8)
by jawbone on Thu Feb 18, 2010 at 04:50:03 PM EST

Researchers from the University of California's Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research (CMCR) have found "reasonable evidence that cannabis is a promising treatment" for some specific, pain-related medical conditions. Their findings, presented today to the California legislature and public, are included in a report available on the CMCR web site at http://www.cmcr.ucsd.edu.

Posted by Michael Collins at The Agonist News list; links in post.

SNIP

Researchers have completed five scientific clinical trials, with more in progress. These studies showed that cannabis can be helpful in easing pain in selected syndromes caused by injury or diseases of the nervous system and possibly for painful muscle spasms due to multiple sclerosis.
"These scientists created an unparalleled program of systematic research, focused on science-based answers rather than political or social beliefs," said Senator John Vasconcellos, original author of The Medical Marijuana Research Act of 1999 (SB847) which led to the creation of the CMCR.

speaking of medical marijuana (none / 0) (#9)
by desmoinesdem on Thu Feb 18, 2010 at 05:35:45 PM EST

The Iowa Board of Pharmacy just recommended that Iowa legislators reclassify marijuana as a Schedule II narcotic (i.e. one that has an accepted medical use). Seems to be too late to get a bill passed during this year's legislative session, but maybe there's a chance for 2011.

The latest Iowa poll for the Des Moines Register showed strong support for medical marijuana, but not for legalizing marijuana for recreational use.

I would think that (none / 0) (#10)
by Zorba on Thu Feb 18, 2010 at 06:07:24 PM EST

the way to go would be to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule II (if not Schedule III) drug federally. Who has the power to do this? Congress? The FDA? The DEA? (If it's the latter, we can forget about it, unless Congress or the President intervenes, and I don't hold out much hope for that).


: Can be done either (none / 0) (#12)
by Ben Masel on Fri Feb 19, 2010 at 09:51:37 AM EST

by the Congress or administratively, which would take effect if not reversed within a set period by the Congress.
There's a procedure for Administrative review set within the Controlled Substances Act itself. First step would be appointment by the Secretary of HHS of a panel to review the scientific ;literature, which has not been done since the Act was passed 40 years ago.
See The Cannabis Rescheduling Petition: An Introduction

I missed tonight's news (none / 0) (#11)
by Inspector Gadget on Thu Feb 18, 2010 at 10:18:36 PM EST

How did the protests go?