Pubdate: Tue, 15 Jul 2014
Source: Daily Ardmoreite, The (OK)
Copyright: 2014 Daily Ardmoreite
Contact: http://ardmoreite.com/stText/sendLetter.html
Website: http://www.ardmoreite.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1574
Author: Michael Pineda

PUSH FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA REACHES ARDMORE

The establishment of a petition-signing effort for the legalization of
medical marijuana has produced a buzz around Ardmore ... both good and
bad.

Oklahomans for Health began gathering signatures for the petition
Saturday morning in the parking lot of the Ardmore Public Library.
While several hundred have taken the time to sign the petition, other
residents have been concerned about the group's right to have the
petition on city property.

Jennifer O'Steen, Ardmore city attorney, said the city had received a
couple of calls, and the group is not in violation.

"It comes down to a public forum, and we don't have any restrictions
that apply to this situation," she said.

Gary Little is a volunteer for Oklahomans for Health, and said 350 to
400 signatures locally have been placed on the petition since the
effort began Saturday. He said he gathered signatures until 3 p.m.
Saturday; a group from Tulsa arrived in Ardmore and pitched in to
gather signatures.

"We have not verified our signatures yet, but we are hopeful they will
be," Little said. "There are well over 70,000 signatures from across
the state."

The petition to place the question on the state ballot requires
156,000 signatures by Aug. 16. All signatures must belong to
registered voters in the state. There were several who were unable to
sign Monday morning, and were given registration forms to vote. Little
said Joe Lacy is spearheading the effort in Ardmore. Volunteers for
Oklahomans for Health will take signatures until early August.

"So far, we have not run into any static," he said. "Some people drive
by and flip us off.

"We are just trying to get this passed. It's a long time coming. I
have had a lot of people coming in with seizures, and they are ready
for it. It's time for the people of Oklahoma to step up."

Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics spokesman Mark Woodward said the agency
is naturally concerned about what passage would mean for drug usage in
the state. Among the issues cited was easier access for kids as well
as people being under the influence at work.

"We can learn from the problems in other states that have had it on
the books, and that is why we have concerns," Woodward said. "We
believe we should be keeping more people off of drugs rather than make
it easier for them to get it. And we think it sends a terrible message
to kids voting to legalize drugs, and we can only hope it does not
pass."

Woodward said in looking at the websites, there is advocacy for
recreational use rather than strict medical use.

"The other groups claim it is for medical use, but it is an excuse
they use to gain support from the public," he said. "We have a lot of
concerns about what this would mean for the state at a time when drug
use is epidemic."

The measure, if passed in an election, would amend the state
constitution. No prescription would be required for use. Instead, the
State Department of Health would issue medical marijuana licenses
based on three factors:

- - the applicant is 18 or over

- - the applicant is an Oklahoma resident

- - an Oklahoma board-certified physician signs the application,
certifying the applicant has a qualifying condition.

There are 37 qualifying conditions, ranging from cancer to insomnia,
and permits additional conditions. User licenses would be lifetime
licenses regardless of the continuing existence of the condition.

Sellers in Oklahoma would have the following conditions:

- - be 25 or over

- - have a business plan

- - be registered to conduct business in Oklahoma

- - show ability to invest more than $100,000

A 7 percent tax would be imposed on medical marijuana sales. Persons
with a legal medical condition would be allowed to possess up to three
ounces of marijuana and six marijuana plants. Tax proceeds would
finance the regulatory office. Should proceeds exceed the budgeted
amount for running the office, surplus would be split, with 75 percent
going to the Oklahoma State Education general fund and 25 percent
going to the Oklahoma State Department of Health and earmarked for
drug and alcohol rehabilitations.

The qualifying conditions listed for a medical marijuana card include
the following:

- - AIDS or HIV infection

- - Anorexia, Cachexia

- - Arthritis

- - Cancer

- - Chronic pain

- - Glaucoma

- - Migraine headaches or chronic headaches

- - Persistent headaches or chronic headaches

- - Seizures and Epilepsy

- - Severe nausea

- - ADD, ADHD

- - Depression

- - Anxiety

- - Post-traumatic stress disorder

- - Insomnia

- - PMS symptoms

- - Painful periods

- - Hepatitis C

- - Inflammatory bowel disease

- - Colitis (Chron's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis)

- - Urinary incontinence

- - Chronic abdominal pain

- - Chronic pelvic pain

- - Neurotherapy

- - Neuralgia

- - Chronic low back pain

- - Asthma

- - Parkinson's disease

- - Huntington's chorea

- - Multiple Sclerosis

- - Wasting syndrome

A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or the
treatment for a chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition
that causes;

- - Cachexia or wasting syndrome

- - Severe or chronic pain

- - Severe nausea

- - Seizures, including those characteristics of epilepsy

- - Severe or persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of
multiple sclerosis.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D