Pubdate: Fri, 18 Feb 2005
Source: DrugSense Weekly (DSW)
Section: Feature Article
Website: http://www.drugsense.org/current.htm
Author: Stephen Young
Note: Stephen Young is an editor with DrugSense Weekly, author of 
Maximizing Harm and operator of decrimwatch.com
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Irvin+Rosenfeld (Irvin Rosenfeld)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/walters.htm (Walters, John)

TWO EXCESSIVE DISPLAYS AT THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA HEARING

I headed down to the Illinois statehouse in Springfield yesterday to see a 
committee hearing on medical marijuana. Unfortunately, the bill failed to 
be voted out of committee, so there it remains. Yet many interesting things 
took place; Pete at Drug WarRant has a complete report at 
http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/2005/02/17.html#a777

To me, the day was typified by the two incidents involving heavy security 
and seemingly harmless middle-aged white men.

One man was named John Walters; the other was named Irvin Rosenfeld. Both 
came from out of state to testify at the hearing.

John Walters, of course, is the federal drug czar. This political appointee 
flew in at taxpayer expense with a full entourage, including several 
serious-looking security people.  The intense security detail was there, I 
suppose, to protect the czar from the good people of Illinois.  Or, 
perhaps, to give an otherwise bland and unimpressive bureaucrat a sense of 
authority. Either way, it was unnecessary overkill.

Walters insisted he wasn't there to influence the legislative process - an 
obviously false cover story contradicted by his very presence (when else 
does he show up at a state level committee meetings?) and indicative of his 
sincerity in general.

Physically isolated by his security team, intellectually insulated by rigid 
ideology, I wonder if Walters even carries the capacity for recognizing the 
difference between a truth and a lie.

And, indeed, he and his allies did not want to acknowledge the truth of the 
other fellow who found himself surrounded by security at the state house.

Irving Rosenfeld came to Illinois by himself from his home state of Florida 
and offered an unimpeachable, fact-based presentation on his experience 
with medical marijuana.  One of the seven surviving patients in a federal 
medical marijuana program, Rosenfeld gets eleven ounces shipped to his 
pharmacy by Uncle Sam every 25 days. He's been smoking roughly 12 
government joints a day for 22 years. He and his doctors know that it helps 
relieve the pain from a rare bone disease called multiple congenital 
cartilaginous exostoses.

He believes that the marijuana has not only extended his life, but made his 
disease bearable for all these years. He's had comprehensive physical 
examinations which have determined no ill effects from smoking his medicine.

"The government does give marijuana to patients. I'm living proof," he told 
reporters during a press conference. "I'm also living proof that it works 
well.  I'm also living proof that the government doesn't want to know how 
well it works. If they want to do research, all they have to do is contact me."

He brought a tin can full of marijuana cigarettes that he picks up at his 
pharmacy each month and showed them to a room full of astonished state 
legislators during the hearing. Shortly after his presentation, he found 
himself surrounded by four burly state security officers.  They wanted to 
ask him some questions, and they didn't want the press to follow, so some 
other reporters and I were barred from the elevator where he was hustled away.

Fortunately, one of the reporters had a good idea where they were taking 
him.  I followed her and watched as Rosenfeld faced what seemed like an 
unofficial interrogation over his medicine (asked repeatedly whether 
Rosenfeld was under arrest or being detained, the security officers would 
only say, "No comment.").

I thought Rosenfeld was a hero before, but watching his grace under 
pressure amazed me. He was polite and cooperative with the officers, 
effectively educating them, while remaining firm about his rights and the 
limits of their intrusions (he was not going to let the tin can out of his 
sight, and I don't blame him).

He showed them many documents confirming his situation, and offered phone 
numbers for his pharmacy as well as a DEA agent with whom he is on friendly 
terms. Eventually the officers got confirmation they deemed acceptable and 
let him go, but not before an officer finally acknowledged that Rosenfeld 
was being detained, and he was removed from the sight from reporters. In a 
few minutes he was free to go.

Rosenfeld said such things happen when he speaks up. Why does he continue 
to do it?

Because, unlike sicker patients who have more trouble with mobility, he 
can, he said.  And because citizens have the right to spread the truth in 
America.

So it goes in the drug war. If you're a private citizen, obeying the law 
and exercising clearly established rights, prepare to be hassled by 
security.  If you are a political appointee engaging in legally 
questionable behavior and spreading false and defamatory insinuation as 
fact, then you are entitled to the best protection taxpayer money can buy.

In a more sane world, Rosenfeld wouldn't face any scrutiny from law 
enforcement, but Walters sure would.
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake