Someone actually read the Safe Access Act

Newland note: DDC (who posts here from time to time) laid some things out nicely for the folks over at War College, who largely are unimpressed with facts. Nice job, DDC. Thanks.

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I’ve smoked MJ exactly three times in my life, the last (and first) time was almost nine years ago shortly after I got out of the Navy. I don’t know anyone personally that I know for sure would benefit from IM 13. I am 100% in favor of it. I’m not some lefty druggie. I’ve always been a staunch conservative, until recently. Now I’m very much libertarian with conservative sympathies.

I am also in favor of complete legalization, but that’s really not the discussion at hand.

I’ll try and address your concerns from my position, someone that will have no direct benefit if IM 13 passes.

1)
There really isn’t any need for strict regulations for MJ. It’s a plant. It’s potency may vary but there isn’t any real danger of getting a bad product, especially since the person growing it is either the patient themselves or a person that they know and designate to grow it for them.

2)
IM 13 has strict possession limits. It allows a person to possess no more than 1oz of “usable MJ” at any time. It also limits them to no more than 6 MJ plants. (Secs 12 & 13)

It also includes a penalty to any cardholder that sells MJ to an unauthorized person. The penalty is in addition to existing state law and provides for up to two years in prison, a fine of up to $2,000, or both. (Sec 27)

3)
This is where it get admittedly tricky. It’s really not the fault of IM 13 though, it’s the ADA. We’ve got to remember that we’re talking about people with some pretty serious medical conditions, though. These people almost surely be on some other drug(s) with side effects much worse than what they would have with MJ. You’ve got to remember that these people aren’t necessarily going to be stoned all day long. A small amount may be enough to get them through the day, or they may not need use any at all during the work day. Taking Oxycontin or Vicodin would be just as bad or worse. This of course assumes that they are even healthy enough to be working, which many of the patients that could benefit from MJ aren’t.

The authors of the law did attempt to mitigate many of these concerns in Sections 22 & 24, but as long as there is an ADA, there is going to be potential problems associated with employing anyone that has any medical conditions.

4)
My thoughts on this are that if it helps someone, what does it matter what any studies say? If a doctor thinks it may help someone and the patient would like to try it, who am I to tell them no? There isn’t any medical procedure, device or drug that works 100% of the time or are 100% safe. MJ is about as safe as it gets where drugs are concerned.

I really feel that the most important thing that we need to remember is that IM 13 will benefit some very sick people. That is who it is written for. Yeah, there are some potheads that see it as a stepping stone to full legalization but that isn’t even close to what the law allows for.

Yes, there will be some abuse of the law. Yes, there will be some caregivers that abuse their status. People use guns and knives to murder people, but that doesn’t mean we should ban all guns and knives.

I highly encourage you to visit the SD Compassion website. Have a look at some of the patients that will benefit from if IM 13 passes. Read about the legal nightmare that Matthew Duchenaux went through. That shouldn’t happen in America.

http://www.sdcompassion.org/patienttestimonials.htm

Here’s where you can read the entire Act. I couldn’t find it on the SoS’s site
http://www.sdcompassion.org/sdsaa.htm