Monday, April 23, 2007

Odds and Ends Why are we so terrified of a psychotherapist who admits to having used hallucinogens that we won't allow him to enter the country to visit his family? Clergy in Illinois Join Push to OK Medical Pot "It comes down to, what do we think God is up to?" said Pastor Bob Hillenbrand of First Presbyterian Church of Rockford. He said his own belief was in "a God of compassion, and therefore also of healing." Pastor Robert C. Morwell of Union United Methodist Church in Quincy said he had never used marijuana nor had any desire to. "But I think it's a little silly to say we can prescribe morphine ... and other drugs that are more addictive," but not marijuana, he said. Cullerton dismissed concerns that legalizing medical marijuana would pave the way for recreational marijuana use. He said it was already relatively easy for recreational users to obtain pot illegally, without having to get a doctor involved. Glenn Greenwald muses about the restrictions on prescription drugs Adults have the right to do all sorts of things that other people, including experts in a particular field, think are stupid and self-destructive, even when the person's livelihood or even life are at stake. That is, more or less, a defining attribute of being an adult. What is the difference between the attorney-client and doctor-patient relationship, where the former is purely advisory but the latter becomes parental? And other than consumption of medicine which can actually affect the public health (such as excessive consumption of antibiotics), why should an adult be deemed a criminal for using a particular medicine all because a doctor (for whatever reasons, including self-interest) will not give permission? Fascinating. Loretta Nall gets her marijuana charge dismissed. 8:28:58 AM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []