CO-04 (Special Election)
See Full Big Line
(R) Greg Lopez
(R) Trisha Calvarese
90%
10%
President (To Win Colorado)
See Full Big Line
(D) Joe Biden*
(R) Donald Trump
80%
20%↓
CO-01 (Denver)
See Full Big Line
(D) Diana DeGette*
90%
CO-02 (Boulder-ish)
See Full Big Line
(D) Joe Neguse*
90%
CO-03 (West & Southern CO)
See Full Big Line
(D) Adam Frisch
(R) Jeff Hurd
(R) Ron Hanks
40%
30%
20%
CO-04 (Northeast-ish Colorado)
See Full Big Line
(R) Lauren Boebert
(R) Deborah Flora
(R) J. Sonnenberg
30%↑
15%↑
10%↓
CO-05 (Colorado Springs)
See Full Big Line
(R) Dave Williams
(R) Jeff Crank
50%↓
50%↑
CO-06 (Aurora)
See Full Big Line
(D) Jason Crow*
90%
CO-07 (Jefferson County)
See Full Big Line
(D) Brittany Pettersen
85%↑
CO-08 (Northern Colo.)
See Full Big Line
(D) Yadira Caraveo
(R) Gabe Evans
(R) Janak Joshi
60%↑
35%↓
30%↑
State Senate Majority
See Full Big Line
DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
80%
20%
State House Majority
See Full Big Line
DEMOCRATS
REPUBLICANS
95%
5%
October 31, 2009 08:07 PM UTC
22 Comments
is that the underlying scandal of this diary?
Cuz I strain to see the connection to the other thread re: prosecution of pot possession. Colorado voters or legislators have not chosen to decriminalize marijuana for all uses or to criminalize Ambien when accompanied by a prescription. So, I don’t understand your swipe at Suthers’s interest in enforcing the laws on the books re: pot. And, believe me, I’m no fan of Mr. (Miss? Ms.? Sir?) Suthers! Indeed, your post at the end of the other thread seemed to reflect your and your attorney’s agreement that the pot prosecution in that other case was valid.
And I do favor medicinal marijuana.
Suthers has a job to do, upholding our laws and constitution, and I won’t chide him for obeying his oath. And I not only favor medical marijuana, I favor its licensed (and heavily taxed) sales to anyone over 18 on the same grounds that we used to sell 3.2 beer to 18 y.os and above. I’m against marijuana and think using too much of it turns brains to mush. But prohibition didn’t work with booze and has failed with pot, which, while I refuse to endorse it, is clearly a lesser evil than alcohol. I think we should use the tools of education and moral suasion to dissuade marijuana use, as we have done with some success with tobacco. Otherwise, legalize it, tax it, and use the money raised to rebuild our devastated higher education network.
And the place to address vague & conflicting statues is in the legislature. I also think drugs (not just MaryJane) should be legal. But we are a nation of laws and we need to abide by the laws we have – that’s called a government.
Suthers and the others responsible for enforcing the law in Colorado seem to be trying to get the courts to rule on the law so they can determine what to do. They’re not going hog-wild trying to get anyone involved thrown in prison for 20 years – but they are trying to do their job.
This dairy is not about the case in front of the Appellate Court, this is about the many comments in the press of late and the concerns offered up by AG Suthers.
Some in law enforcement are fighting to get back to the 5 patient model for care giving. This would make their job so much more difficult, especially as the legal patient number in this state continues to grow. It would seem much easier to enforce the law if you had dispensaries, than to keep track of thousands of growers across the state.
I am in favor of regulation; we all knew it was coming. However, regulation that binds a legal business from operating is not a good start. Guidelines on how to be a “good neighbor” business should be stressed. Just like any legal business.
However, regulation to stop the growth of an industry (and we are talking medical marijuana not legalization) should not be our focus.
My confusion is why some elected officials, are fighting this so hard. Do they believe that this is legalized drug dealing? Do they believe this is harmful to the public? Maybe they do. But they have offered no proof to that being the case. They just want to fight it.
We all know that Pharma is going fight this, they have been for years. MMJ will challenge traditional beliefs about medicine.
Could you imagine the press if cannabis caused any of the issues that prescription drugs offer. We wouldn’t even be having this conversation, because it would not be considered “medicine”. Yet, our laws allow for the over abuse of these drugs.
I have not seen one article on doctors who prescribe more OxyContin or Ambien than they should, yet we know this happens everyday.
And no, Jambalaya, I am not suggesting the Mrs. Suthers “pops” pills. I am just offering a suggestion to anyone that takes Ambien to check out the warnings.
It fails for cocaine, meth or marijuana,why should it for prescribed drugs?
Attorneys are paid well to confuscate facts.
It depends on what the definition of……
those intoxicants which are unacceptable
http://www.interpol.int/Public…
It’s not just Ambien the pharmaceutical companies are pushing that is causing death or maiming our population. The Alliance for Human Research Protection reports on many cases of abuse by the pharmaceutical companies. Here are a few headlines from their website. By the way some of the doctors on the board are from Ivy League schools and the research is solid; beyond reproach.
http://www.ahrp.org/cms/conten…
State Attorney General Memo Re: HINI Swine Flu Vaccine
Follow-up: Antipsychotics–Psychiatry’s Disregard for the life-threatening hazards
Nursing Homes: Psychotropic Drug Abuse
Antipsychotics pose “Ominous long-term health implications” for children_JAMA
NAMI Constituency Betrayed
Harvard Medical Students Rebel Against Pharma-Ties
“Do Antidepressants Cure or Create Abnormal Brain States?”
Yale-Lilly Experiment: Adolescents Rx Toxic Drug for Presumed Mental Illness They Do Not Have
HPV Vaccine Researcher Blasts Mandatory Marketing
Despite Undisclosed Deaths, 10 Heart Attacks FDA Allows Blood Substitute Experiment With No Conset
In my opinion those responsible for promoting these drugs are white collar criminals; motivated by greed and profits not the well being of their victims. I think we all need to be concerned with this behavior.
Would you then reach the conclusion that all unions are corrupt and a bad influence?
to Libertad? And we all know what happened then! (just kidding);-?
As you probably have gathered from prior posts I’m a former Federal Auditor with the DHHS/OIG and my point is we have to change the playing field for pharmaceutical research. And we have to get the FDA, the CDC and the NIH out of bed with these companies for our own good. It is the systemic corruption of these relationships that I am concerned about not individual cases although these cases do point to the need for reforming the system.
Here is the issue. Suthers has stated he wants to look at doctors that write recommendations for MMJ.
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_1…
The courts have already ruled, ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, that a doctor is protected under the First Amendment. (Conant vs. Walters)
I would ask that law enforcement stop with the fear mongering in attempt to stop the doctors. YOU CAN NOT GO AFTER DOCTORS THAT WRITE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I suggest that the DAs look at doctors who are over prescribing Ambien and OxyContin. That Mr. Suthers is the real crime. I understand the Pfizer is one of your largest campaign contributors, however, we need to focus on areas that are a real threat to the people that elected you.
According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy
http://www.ondcp.gov/news/pres…
I am arguably the most politically connected dispensary owner in the state. I will be training people on how to organize and how to give money, for and AGAINST, politicians who want to see their name in the paper.
I have been re-reading all the articles written on pot in the last two months and I have to ask…
How many pot overdoses have we seen?
So why does law enforcement want to spend our depleted tax dollars on going after dispensaries and the docs that support them? I believe the answer is simple, they get see their name in the paper almost everyday. I suggest you poll your constituents.
That reminds me of when the newly-elected politicians, Governor Bill Owens and Attorney General Ken Salazar, practically held hands and encouraged doctors to be put in the slammer if they prescribed medical marijuana:
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chro…
Both sides have those for and and against. That is what is going to make this an interesting campaign.
And here we are — despite those initial threats from Owens and Salazar — nine years later, with over 800 physicians in Colorado having signed recommendations for medical marijuana, according to the State Health Department.
that given the recent policy reversal from the DOJ regarding medical marijuana cases, it would be impossible for the AG and Gov to make a similar statement today.
Suthers’ investigation might yield results in the same way that investigations of doctors who over prescribe pain medication have. But, at the same time, it’s hardly the same as saying “We’re going to sic the Feds on you.”
But it still sounds like he’s threatening doctors.
Also, it’s good to remind ourselves, as Coloradans, of our past. How we got where we are today. Some people probably never heard about those statements from Owens and Salazar. Call it a “Colorado History Moment.”
They were or are in the process of running for re-election. “Tough on crime” plays well in campaign ads whether the crime being committed is really all that dangerous or not.
Many, many politicians have been relying on the War on Drugs for a very long time. It’s just as much a reason that marijuana remains illegal as anything else.
This country in many ways remains puritan in it’s goals, while buying drugs, booze, porn, hookers, etc. in amazing quantities. But there is no requirement that people have to be consistent.
From Sensible Colorado:
I went to a meeting tonight and the without naming names, the police officer in charge had on a Pfzizer little blue tie. He showed it to a councilmen as I was standing there.
I am not sure if I was more surprised he had on a Pfizer tie at MMJ Meeting or that he was sporting the “little blue pill” tie!