Prosecutor Says Action Should Serve As Warning to Tribe FLANDREAU, S.D. - South Dakota's top prosecutor charged two consultants who worked with a Native American tribe on its plans to open the nation's first marijuana resort with drug offenses, accusing them of having seeds shipped from the Netherlands hidden in CD cases and sewn into clothing. The charges announced Wednesday come eight months after the Flandreau Santee Sioux destroyed their crop amid fears of a federal raid, abandoning an ambitious scheme to develop "an adult playground" that they estimated could net as much as $2 million a month in profits. Tribal leaders this week said they don't plan to revisit the proposal, and instead will use their greenhouse to grow vegetables, including tomatoes. The tribe declined immediate comment on the charges against the consultants. [continues 624 words]
PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - A South Dakota measure that would require adult welfare applicants under age 65 to pass drug tests before receiving food stamps or cash assistance failed in a House committee Thursday. The Health and Human Services committee voted not to send the measure to the House floor. Under the plan, welfare applicants who tested positive would have been barred from receiving such benefits for a year. Rep. Lynne DiSanto, a Republican from Rapid City who sponsored the bill, said she wanted to create accountability for welfare recipients and that such testing could deter drug users from seeking public assistance or encourage them to get sober. [continues 227 words]
FLANDREAU, S.D. (AP) - A South Dakota American Indian tribe that sought to open the nation's first marijuana resort burned its crop after federal officials signaled a potential raid, the tribal president said Monday. Flandreau Santee Sioux President Anthony Reider said the tribe had three weeks of discussions with authorities that culminated with a meeting in Washington that included a Justice Department official and U.S. Attorney for South Dakota Randolph Seiler. Reider said the tribe wasn't told a raid was imminent - only that one was possible if the government's concerns weren't addressed. He said the main holdup is whether the tribe can sell marijuana to non-Indians, along with the origin of the seeds used for its crop. [continues 160 words]
Sioux Falls, S.D. (AP) - A South Dakota American Indian tribe that sought to open the nation's first marijuana resort burned its crop after federal officials signaled a potential raid, the tribal president said Monday. Flandreau Santee Sioux president Anthony Reider told The Associated Press the tribe had three weeks of discussions with authorities that culminated with a meeting in Washington that included a Justice Department official and U.S. Attorney for South Dakota Randolph Seiler. Reider said the tribe wasn't told a raid was imminent - only that one was possible if the government's concerns weren't addressed. He said the main holdup is whether the tribe can sell marijuana to non-Indians, along with the origin of the seeds used for its crop. [continues 303 words]
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - An attorney for the American Indian tribe planning to open the nation's first marijuana resort says the tribe is destroying its crop and temporarily suspending the project as leaders seek clarification from the federal government. Lawyer Seth Pearman told the Argus Leader newspaper on Saturday that leaders of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe are confident the venture will succeed after seeking clarification from the state and the U.S. Department of Justice. Attorney General Marty Jackley says the tribe's decision is "in the best interest of both tribal and non-tribal members." The tribe, which planned to open its marijuana-selling lounge on New Year's Eve, was the first tribe in South Dakota to legalize the drug following the Justice Department's 2014 decision to allow tribes to do so on tribal land. [end]
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - An American Indian tribe slated to open the nation's first marijuana resort is destroying its crop and temporarily suspending the project in South Dakota while leaders seek clarification from the federal government, according to the tribe's attorney. The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, which planned to open a lounge selling marijuana on New Year's Eve, was the first tribe in South Dakota to legalize the drug following the U.S. Department of Justice's decision last year to allow tribes to do so on tribal land. [continues 299 words]
Tribe Destroying Crop; Hopes to Work Out Solution With U.S. Department of Justice The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe is temporarily suspending its marijuana cultivation and distributing facilities and is destroying its existing crop as leaders seek clarification on regulations from the federal government, according to the tribe's lawyer. Seth Pearman said the suspension is pivotal to the continued success of the marijuana venture and that tribal leadership is confident that after getting clarification from the U.S. Department of Justice, "it will be better suited to succeed." [continues 458 words]
S. Dakota Reservation's Marijuana Resort Could Serve As Model for Others The Santee Sioux tribe has already proven its business acumen, running a successful casino, a 120-room hotel and a 240-head buffalo ranch on the plains of South Dakota. But those enterprises have not been immune to competition and the lingering effects of the Great Recession, so the small tribe of 400 is undertaking a new venture - opening the nation's first marijuana resort on its reservation in Flandreau, S.D. The experiment could offer a new moneymaking model for tribes nationwide seeking economic opportunities beyond casinos. [continues 604 words]
FLANDREAU, S.D. - The Santee Sioux tribe has already proven its business acumen, running a successful casino, a 120-room hotel, and a 240-head buffalo ranch on the plains of South Dakota. But those enterprises have not been immune to competition and the lingering effects of the Great Recession, so the small tribe of 400 is undertaking a new venture - opening the nation's first marijuana resort on its reservation. The experiment could offer a new money-making model for tribes nationwide seeking economic opportunities beyond casinos. [continues 663 words]
FLANDREAU, S.D. (AP) - The Santee Sioux tribe has already proved its business acumen, running a successful casino, a 120-room hotel and a 240-head buffalo ranch on the plains of South Dakota. But those enterprises have not been immune to competition and the lingering effects of the Great Recession, so the small tribe of 400 is undertaking a new venture - opening the nation's first marijuana resort on its reservation. The experiment could offer a new moneymaking model for tribes nationwide seeking economic opportunities beyond casinos. [continues 197 words]
FLANDREAU, S.D. (AP) - The Santee Sioux tribe has already proven its business acumen, running a successful casino, a 120-room hotel and a 240-head buffalo ranch on the plains of South Dakota. But those enterprises have not been immune to competition and the lingering effects of the Great Recession, so the small tribe of 400 is undertaking a new venture - opening the nation's first marijuana resort on its reservation. Santee Sioux leaders plan to grow their own pot and sell it in a smoking lounge that includes a nightclub, arcade games, bar and food service and eventually, slot machines and an outdoor music venue. [continues 535 words]
FLANDREAU, S.D. (AP) - The Santee Sioux tribe has already proven its business acumen, running a successful casino, a 120-room hotel and a 240-head buffalo ranch on the plains of South Dakota. But those enterprises have not been immune to competition and the lingering effects of the Great Recession, so the small tribe of 400 is undertaking a new venture - opening the nation's first marijuana resort on its reservation. The experiment could offer a new money-making model for tribes nationwide seeking economic opportunities beyond casinos. [continues 414 words]
The Santee Sioux bring in a Denver pot consulting company to help grow "an adult playground." Flandreau, S.D. (AP) - The Santee Sioux tribe has proven its business acumen, running a casino, a 120-room hotel and a 240-head buffalo ranch on the plains of South Dakota. Now the small tribe of 400 is undertaking a new venture - opening the nation's first marijuana resort on its reservation. The experiment could offer a moneymaking model for other tribes seeking economic opportunities beyond casinos. [continues 488 words]
FLANDREAU, S.D. (AP) - The Santee Sioux tribe has already proven its business acumen, running a successful casino, a 120-room hotel and a 240-head buffalo ranch on the plains of South Dakota. But those enterprises have not been immune to competition and the lingering effects of the Great Recession, so the small tribe of 400 is undertaking a new venture - opening the nation's first marijuana resort on its reservation. The experiment could offer a new money-making model for tribes nationwide seeking economic opportunities beyond casinos. [continues 833 words]
Governor, Some Legislators Are Choosing Not to Attend Days after a South Dakota tribe sent letters inviting state lawmakers to tour its marijuana cultivation and distribution facilities next month, some remain uncertain about how they'll RSVP. In a copy of the letter, Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribal President Anthony Reider says lawmakers are welcome to tour the facilities and attend a Q & A session next month about the "realities of marijuana in Indian Country" and "the benefits of medical marijuana." Rep. Leslie Heinemann, R-Flandreau, said Tuesday that he hasn't decided yet whether he'll attend. Heinemann represents the tribe as part of the 8th district. [continues 528 words]
FARGO, N.D. (AP) - The former U.S. attorney in North Dakota decided to take on his former employer by filing a motion Thursday to lift an 11-year-old federal injunction that prevents a man from growing industrial hemp on a South Dakota reservation. Timothy Purdon, who now works for a Minneapolis-based law firm, contacted the U.S. attorney's office in South Dakota several months ago in an effort to allow Oglala Sioux Nation member Alex White Plume to produce hemp, as the tribe legalized the crop in 1998 and last year's federal farm bill allowed hemp to be grown through state agriculture departments and college research stations. [continues 304 words]
Washington - Tourists soon may be able to go to a South Dakota Indian reservation, buy a marijuana joint for $10 to $15 and try their luck at the nearby casino. In December, the Flandreau Santee Sioux expect to become the first tribe in the nation to grow and sell pot for recreational use, cashing in on the Obama administration's offer to let all 566 federally recognized tribes enter the marijuana industry. The tribe plans to sell 60 strains of marijuana and predicts sales could bring in as much as $2 million a month. [end]
Grow Facility CEO Insists Flandreau Sioux Tribe Will Alleviate Attorney General's Concerns Five months from now, according to the plan, Indians and non-Indians alike will be smoking marijuana on tribal lands in Flandreau. The U.S. Justice Department told Indian tribes last December that they can grow and sell marijuana as long as they follow the same federal conditions laid out for Washington, Colorado and other states that have legalized the drug. For the tribe and Colorado-based Monarch America, hired to design, construct and develop a grow facility on the Flandreau reservation, that has opened the door to a potentially rich new business enterprise - just as the advent of casino gambling did decades ago. [continues 1391 words]
Attorney General Marty Jackley Says Use and Possession of Marijuana by "Non-Indians" Is Still Against the Law FLANDREAU - An American Indian tribe in eastern South Dakota has approved selling and using marijuana on tribal lands. The executive committee of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe voted Thursday to legalize marijuana, KELO-TV and KSFY-TV report. Tribal president Tony Reider says the tribe will grow marijuana at a secure facility, and tribal attorney Seth Pearman says customers would need a valid registration card to buy it. [continues 73 words]
An Emery Woman Is the Latest Advocate Attempting to Legalize Medical Marijuana in South Dakota Six-hundred fifty miles. That's the length Melissa Mentele has gone in search of relief. Mentele has lived with chronic pain since a 2012 workplace injury. She was moving a nursing home resident who suddenly resisted, permanently damaging Mentele's arm and shoulder in the process. Three years and a dozen medications later, she's only found one that helps: cannabis lotion. It's a cream derived from the cannabis plant, more commonly known as marijuana, and it's illegal in South Dakota. Mentele drove 650 miles to Boulder, Colo., in October and again in February to get the treatment. [continues 1098 words]
Another reason to allow citizens to use cannabis that doesn't get mentioned (Letter: Pros and cons of alcohol vs. marijuana, March 6), is because it is Biblically correct, since God (the ecologician), created all the seed bearing plants saying they're all good on literally the very first page of the Bible. A sane or moral argument to cage responsible adults who use cannabis doesn't exist. Stan White Dillon, Colo. [end]
Marijuana is an illegal substance in U.S., used by college students to get "high." It has become a recent debate over whether it is right to legalize marijuana or to keep it as an illegal substance. There are several articles that say smoking marijuana is healthier for our body compared to drinking alcohol. As an international student, I think that smoking weed is safer than drinking alcohol. My research found that 70 percent of the accidents recorded in the U.S. were because of driving and driving. On the other hand, smoking weed is less dangerous. I found out that from 1999 to 2010, just 12 percent of the accidents recorded in the U.S. were because of driving high. For example: Marijuana and alcohol are used in social activities to have fun. Marijuana and alcohol share some health effects. Both marijuana and alcohol affect the cognitive abilities of the brain during use and affect the brain and motor skills of the user. Marijuana has long-term effects when compared to alcohol. When consumed in a large amount, alcohol will destroy irreplaceable cells in the brain. Also, drinking too much can make the user violent, pass-out and unable to remember what has happened. The next day they will feel sick and will get a headache. Smoking a lot of marijuana will never make someone violent. Marijuana will help you to relieve pain if you have cancer, and the doctors can recommend it to the patient to smoke medical marijuana. It is impossible for you to find a doctor that will recommend alcohol to their patient. [continues 67 words]
Good for the North Dakota House defeating legalizing medicinal use of marijuana (aka 'pot'). The legislator who introduced the bill made the uneducated argument that "this is not a drug issue but a quality of life issue for the people of North Dakota." Oh, really. In a western state where now pot is legally obtainable, my grandson, at age 11, was introduced to pot on his school campus. Last year, at 171/2 years of age, he entered a youth rehabilitation facility for 45 days at the parent's expense. [continues 111 words]
PIERRE, South Dakota - A South Dakota Senate committee is considering a bill that would require state officials to develop testing procedures that would determine whether people applying for welfare programs are using illegal drugs. The bill would require the state Department of Social Services to develop a procedure to screen people for drug use when they apply for financial assistance programs. The department would report the initial results of the testing before next year's legislative session. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee holds a hearing on the measure Wednesday. Similar bills were rejected by lawmakers two years ago. [end]
When asked, "Do you think the use of marijuana should be made legal or not?" a recent Gallup poll found that 58 percent of American adults said yes, compared with 31 percent in 2000 and 12 percent in 1969. Let's consider two ways this huge shift in public opinion might be explained. One contends that misguided and lopsided enforcement of the marijuana prohibition laws is the cause. The other, more fundamental view contends that Americans simply no longer see any reason to continue outlawing this relatively benign substance. [continues 611 words]
in 2009, There Were No Drug Arrests in Jerauld County. a Crackdown Since Then, With the Help of a Drug Dog and Aggressive Law Enforcement, Has Produced 52 Drug-Related Charges Since the Beginning of 2010. WESSINGTON SPRINGS - What seemed like a routine motorist assist call turned into a tense, drug-related situation. Two men from Mitchell had been driving on a rural road in Jerauld County and got lost. Their vehicle got stuck in a snowbank on a dead-end road. Sheriff's Deputy Shane Mentzer responded to the call. [continues 2521 words]
Joe Graves simply doesn't have a clue about marijuana. To the Editor: Joe Graves simply doesn't have a clue about marijuana. He needs to read the following and try again: The short history of the marijuana laws at http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/History/whiteb1.htm. This is funny and fascinating, and not what you expected. The history of the marijuana gateway myth at: http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/media/schaffer1.htm The idea was fabricated from whole cloth in 1951. Anyone who makes the argument would instantly flunk any class in basic logic. [continues 312 words]
To the Editor: Joe Graves makes the common mistake of assuming that marijuana prohibition actually deters use. The United States has double the rate of marijuana use as the Netherlands, where marijuana is legally available to adults. Spain legalized personal use cultivation and has lower rates of use than the U.S. Portugal decriminalized all drugs and still has lower rates of use than the U.S. If anything, marijuana prohibition increases use by creating forbidden fruit appeal. Thanks to public health education, legal tobacco use has declined considerably, without any need to criminalize smokers or imprison tobacco farmers. The drop in the use of one of the most addictive drugs available occurred despite widespread tobacco availability. The only winners in the war on marijuana are drug cartels and shameless politicians who confuse drug prohibition's tremendous collateral damage with a plan to scare up votes. Robert Sharpe is a policy analyst with Common Sense for Drug Policy in Washington, D.C. [end]
Both ends of the political continuum seem to support throwing in the towel on at least some of the fronts on the war against drugs. Of the various election returns that mystified me from the most recent November plebiscite, the most confounding was the legalization of marijuana in Colorado and Washington. It's not that I don't have some libertarian leanings - I do - but the legalization of drugs isn't one of them. To me, a simple historical example, the Opium Wars, settled the issue of decriminalizing drugs for all time given the relatively unchanging disposition of human nature. [continues 1057 words]
Republican In Name Only. R.I.N.O. That is what people on the radical religious right call people, who may well have excellent Republican credentials but don't agree with all of the socially conservative doctrine, begun years ago when political consultants convinced candidate Ronald Reagan to promise the religious right anything just to get them out of their pews and into the voting booth. Today, any Republican who dares to stray from the religious right on any issue is doomed to be hounded by a relative few in the party. [continues 473 words]
The words "synthetic drugs" are relatively new to a lot of people, but those words figure to linger and mutate in our culture for a long time to come. You've probably heard a lot about this topic in the last several months, as more states and more law enforcement agencies work to combat the proliferation of these various substances. Since the problem was first detected in the U.S. in 2008, it has exploded across the national landscape like a plague. [continues 495 words]
The media have no clue how to cover the death of Whitney Houston. That's because she was slowly dying for years and many in the press simply averted their eyes. It was ultra-disturbing that a beautiful woman blessed with an extraordinary singing voice chose a self-destructive path in full view of the world. I mean, here is a person who signed a $100 million recording contract, actually sold 170 million albums and commanded high six figures to deliver a 90-minute concert. Houston was a genuine international star, and yet she often was seen in public disheveled and confused, her substance addiction apparent. The media simply did not know what to say. [continues 344 words]
The media have no bleepin' clue how to cover the death of Whitney Houston. That's because she was slowly dying for years and many in the press simply averted their eyes. It was ultra-disturbing that a beautiful woman blessed with an extraordinary singing voice chose a self-destructive path in full view of the world. I mean, here is a person who signed a $100 million recording contract, actually sold 170 million albums and commanded high six figures to deliver a 90-minute concert. Houston was a genuine international star, and yet she often was seen in public disheveled and confused, her substance addiction apparent. The media simply did not know what to say. [continues 410 words]
YSD Officials Requesting Help From Community Yankton school officials are asking the community for its help in dealing with a problem they are seeing grow exponentially in area schools -- the use of alcohol and illegal drugs by students. In the first four months of the school year, there have been 10 high school students and three middle school students caught under the influence of alcohol or drugs on school property. Its a rate that high school principal Dr. Wayne Kindle says is beyond anything he has seen in his 17 years in the district. [continues 1296 words]
Only a week has passed and already there are rumblings about another vote on medicinal marijuana in 2012. Last week, South Dakotans overwhelmingly voted against legalizing medicinal marijuana, with 63 percent of voters saying they do not want it in our state. This comes after another medicinal marijuana issue was voted down by 53 percent of South Dakota voters in 2006. So after two votes in four years, we'll have to go through this same issue again in 2012? It's frustrating. [continues 178 words]
Freshman Anna Hyronimus, a first-time voter, chose to vote against Measure 13. "Knowing that South Dakota is a conservative state, I realized that there was a very slim chance that the use of medical cannabis would pass," Hyronimus said. In 2006, medical marijuana made its way onto the South Dakota ballot. Though a conservative state, the measure came close as medical marijuana only neglected to pass by a margin of 4 percent. Once again, medical cannabis was on the ballot for legalization. [continues 742 words]
Regarding Thomas Emanuel's Oct. 27 column, if health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural norms, marijuana would be legal. Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose death, nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco. Marijuana can be harmful if abused, but jail cells are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents. The first marijuana laws were enacted in response to Mexican immigration during the early 1900s, despite opposition from the American Medical Association. Dire warnings that marijuana inspires homicidal rages have been counterproductive at best. White Americans did not even begin to smoke pot until a soon-to-be entrenched federal bureaucracy began funding reefer madness propaganda. [continues 126 words]
After reading "PRO: Vote yes, stop reefer madness" by Thomas Emanuel and "CON: Yes Is Not A Stepping Stone" by Frank DePaula (Oct. 26, 2010) it's apparent DePaula doesn't know the truth about the issue. Historically even government studies discredit the "gateway" theory. Insinuating, "Yes will not work because the federal government does not recognize state laws on cannabis (marijuana)," isn't the truth; the laws work properly to protect sick citizens in the 14 states which have legalized the God-given plant. And they're not experiencing "gangs from Mexico." [continues 228 words]
To the Editor: Stop the reefer madness, Mr. Kaemingk, and let people educate themselves with facts instead of uninformed and misguided propaganda. Medical marijuana is not a gateway drug; alcohol is, as it lowers inhibitions to make rational choices. Denny Kaemingk's editorial on Oct. 9 gave absolutely no substantial reasoning as to why sick people with MS, Parkinson's, glaucoma, cancer, fibromyalgia, etc., should not have the right to ease ailments with medical marijuana, which has absolutely no known side effects and is compatible with prescription and non-prescription medicine, again without added side effects. [continues 298 words]
Another reason that doesn't get mentioned to re-legalize the plant cannabis for sick citizens (Medical Marijuana - YES: Strict Measure Would Provide Needed Relief; Press & Dakotan, Oct. 26) is because it's Biblically correct since Christ God Our Father indicates He created all the seed-bearing plants, saying they are all good, on literally the very first page (see Genesis 1:11-12 and 29-30). The only Biblical restriction placed on cannabis is that it be accepted with thankfulness (1 Timothy 4:1-5). And, "But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (1 John 3:17). [continues 59 words]
Medical marijuana is once again on the ballot for South Dakota voters after a narrow defeat in 2006; but this time community members think it's going to pass. Initiative Measure 13, which would allow the use and cultivation of marijuana by people with debilitating illnesses such as cancer or multiple sclerosis, was placed on the ballot in March after more than 30,000 people signed a ballot petition. Vermillion Police Chief Art Mabry, who also serves as the head of the South Dakota Police Chiefs' Association and is an opponent of the measure, said it is only a matter of time before medical marijuana becomes legal in South Dakota. [continues 530 words]
As I write this, I am listening to Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" - namely the song "Time." This is no coincidence. I figured if I'm going to write about pot, I should put myself in the proper frame of mind. Word choice is important here: "frame," not "state." I am not, in fact, high right now. Now that we have established that, South Dakota voters should vote yes on Measure 13 to legalize medicinal marijuana. Marijuana has been found to be an effective remedy for a number of medical conditions. It can be used as a painkiller, a relaxant and an appetite stimulant in conjunction with everything from Alzheimer's disease to breast cancer. [continues 571 words]
For conservatives: Nation, people do not know what is best. Some cannot be trusted to make their own decisions, especially about marijuana. Think of California. Medical marijuana is a slippery slope to full repeal of marijuana laws. Yes, freedom is important but at what cost. Think of the children. Marijuana is a gateway drug. If this measure passes, it won't be long before violent crimes, hard drugs and gangs from Mexico invade our neighborhoods. As former U.S. Commissioner of Narcotics Harry J. Anslinger uncovered, "Those who are accustomed to habitual use of the drug (marijuana) are said eventually to develop a delirious rage." [continues 503 words]
Through a variety of events and a well-known speaker, those involved with the annual Red Ribbon/Character Counts Week are hoping to get the entire community involved. At least that's the goal for this year, according to Pauline Akland, chairman of the Yankton Chamber of Commerce Education Committee. For the first time at this magnitude, organizers have decided to merge the two weeks into one seven-day stretch in which the six pillars of character and drug-free themes are instilled city-wide. [continues 686 words]
If health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural norms, marijuana would be legal. Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose death, nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco. Marijuana can be harmful if abused, but jail cells are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents. The first marijuana laws were enacted in response to Mexican immigration during the early 1900s, despite opposition from the American Medical Association. Dire warnings that marijuana inspires homicidal rages have been counterproductive at best. White Americans did not even begin to smoke pot until a soon-to-be entrenched federal bureaucracy began funding reefer madness propaganda. [continues 105 words]
In 2009, Paul Walery was diagnosed with lymphoma and began the treatment process of chemotherapy and radiation. In 1995, Eric Kritzmire was in a diving accident and suffered from a spinal cord injury that made him a paraplegic. Walery remembers the loss of appetite, the nausea and cramps that came from the chemotherapy. Kritzmire suffers regularly from severe muscle spasms. Based on clinical definitions, both of these men know what it's like to experience a debilitating medical condition. The only difference is their way of treating the pain. [continues 843 words]
For as long as I can remember, I have been told that marijuana is a very dangerous and harmful drug that can lead me down a path to destruction. This may be true in some rare occurrences; but there are also many positive uses for this drug. The South Dakota ballot initiative 13 addresses such uses. I would be willing to bet that a fair number of the people reading this article have been forced to watch a loved one waste away in front of their eyes, knowing that nothing is within their grasp that can help this person. I personally have watched people that I care about deal with the terrible effects of advanced multiple sclerosis and also have seen the wasting away effect of cancer treatments knowing that nothing I could say or do would ease the pain. While doctors have the ability to write prescription after prescription, these prescriptions often hold side effects that are just terrible as the original cause for the medicine. This causes patients to be forced to consume, in many cases, multiple medicines to the point that their medicine cabinet begins to resemble an apothecary's shop. [continues 487 words]
Bruce Price attended Tuesday's medical marijuana rally for his father. Price said his dad was diagnosed with melanoma in 1985, and the medical treatment for the cancer made him "so sick." A military man, Price's father initially rejected his son's suggestion to try medical marijuana for relief. "His mindset was totally against it," Price said. "But at the end he was open to it." Price believes the medical marijuana was the only thing that gave his dad relief at the end of his life, and he wants to see the drug legalized for medical purposes so others can be helped as well. [continues 412 words]
Supporters cite healing benefits; full legalization next, foes argue Supporters of a measure to legalize small amounts of marijuana for medicinal use Monday sought to assure the public that it would not create pot dispensaries or open the door to full legalization. "This is about ill people. It's only about ill people. It's not a free-for-all," said Tony Ryan, a retired police officer whose wife suffers from multiple sclerosis. The assurances are being made amid concerns among some Americans that marijuana legalization will lead to addicts. Monday's Sioux Falls rally also comes in the midst of a nationwide trend of states legalizing the drug for medicinal purposes. In some of the 14 states that have approved marijuana legalization laws, shops dispensing the drug already have popped up on city streets. [continues 330 words]
Inside South Dakota
