Patrick and Beth Collins didn't want to get their daughter high. They wanted to get her well. "They wanted to get her CBD oil." So begins John Hudak's case description within The Brookings Institute's examination last month of "The Medical Marijuana Mess."

The Collinses had discovered a substance that might provide help for their daughter, but their government - at both federal and state levels - told them she was not allowed to have it.

With its injunctions against medical marijuana, our government keeps patients sick. It also keeps its constituents ignorant. The fact that marijuana's therapeutic effects are supported by hundreds, indeed thousands of years of effective treatments around the globe has not sufficed to get it removed from government prohibition.

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Editor:

Last night, Wyoming PBS TV sponsored a discussion from an advocate, a medical physician, a city mayor and a law enforcement official, concerning the legalization of medical marijuana. Many semantics were brought out whereas the real issue was evaded.

What is at issue is God almighty in America, the U.S. dollar and its bondage or worship between the pharmaceutical industry and the FDA. Marijuana is an herb and herbs in America are not processed by the FDA because politicians are not concerned by what a person may grow in his backyard, excepting for marijuana.

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CHEYENNE - Another statewide organization has come out against a possible ballot initiative that would legalize medical marijuana in Wyoming.

The Wyoming Medical Society recently published a position paper opposing the proposal.

The organization counts more than 700 physicians and physician assistants across the state as its members.

It announced its opposition citing concerns that legalizing medical marijuana at the state level would subvert the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's drug approval process.

"The WMS opposes legalization of medical marijuana outside of the regulatory process of the (FDA), recognizing however that marijuana may be an option for cannabinoid administration for children and adults with life-limiting or severely debilitating conditions for whom current therapies are inadequate," said Sigsbee Duck, president of the group's board of directors, in a statement.

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THE ISSUE: Medical marijuana is in the news as Wyoming law officers have launched a campaign to fight a petition seeking its legalization.

WE BELIEVE: While we remain opposed to recreational marijuana, we believe medical marijuana should be available in the state.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK: Contact us via email at opinion@wyomingnews.com.

Wyoming's law enforcement community has every right to speak its opinions on such issues as the legalization or decriminalization of marijuana.

But as law officers, they should focus on truth-telling and supplying credible information rather than trying to mislead the people of this state.

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CHEYENNE - A Wyoming law enforcement group is planning a campaign to fight back at efforts to legalize medical marijuana in the state.

The Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police is gauging interest in starting a statewide outreach effort to inform residents on the "harmful personal and societal effects of marijuana."

But Byron Oedekoven, executive director of the group, said he expects there will be support for the project and that it will be launched this month.

"We are looking for statements of support for this education campaign," he said. "We anticipate that there will be support, and armed with that grassroots support, we will undertake an educational campaign."

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Gretchen Wheeler knows her 21-year-old daughter will never be able to drive, marry or have her own children. Katelyn will likely live with her mother "forever," Wheeler says.

She is willing to accept some of those facts. Her daughter has epilepsy and autism.

What Wheeler can't accept is Katelyn's constant seizures.

The Casper mother is one of 175 Wyoming residents, according to Wyoming Department of Health estimates, considering a hemp extract oil that could help people with epilepsy. The Wyoming Legislature passed a law in February that legalized the oil. It was the least contentious of a handful of medical cannabis bills considered by lawmakers.

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It's time for Wyoming lawmakers to have a serious conversation about enacting sensible reforms when it comes to our state's marijuana policies.

A great place to start is House Bill 0029, which would remove criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana. This proposal would impose a civil, not criminal, penalty with a fine of up to $100 for a first or second offense.

Reducing penalties for low-level marijuana possession would prevent thousands of people from becoming ensnared in the criminal justice system. Convictions for possessing even small amounts of marijuana can follow people throughout their lives.

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Editor:

I am a 50-year-old woman who has alcohol and drug addiction issues, ADD, personality disorder, and degenerative arthritis that is extremely painful. My diagnosis came while living in Washington state, thank goodness. Medical marijuana had just become legal and my doctor prescribed it in smoke and oil, CBD, to help. It had me to one pain pill a day, no booze, no drugs, And I now own a home and pay taxes where before, I couldn't stay sober and pain free enough to hold a job, or a relationship. I came back to Wyoming for my aging parents thinking at least medically, I would be good. Not so, if am now up to three pills a day and having side-effect health issues. I would like my natural medicine to be legal for me and all others wanting it.

Nadine Girouard, Rock Springs

[end]

Editor:

I absolutely support marijuana legalization.

The first thing is to legalize medicinal use, which would allow doctors to be able to prescribe as needed, and for patients to be able to have this option.

Decriminalization should be the next step.

We should take a look at what other states are doing and see what will work best for Wyoming.

We need to quit throwing people in prison for using marijuana.

Abuses of this drug should be done through drug court and treatment options.

Michelle Irwin, Green River

[end]

CHEYENNE -- Gov. Matt Mead believes Wyomingites are likely purchasing legal marijuana in Colorado and taking it home, and he blames the federal government, he said Friday.

At an annual gathering of the Wyoming Press Association at the Little America Hotel, Mead talked about his opposition to legalization.

Meanwhile, just miles away at the state Capitol, a handful of marijuana bills aimed at decriminalizing the drug or legalizing it for medical use were before the Legislature.

Mead said the attorney general studied the lawsuit Oklahoma and Nebraska filed in December against Colorado but decided it wasn't the best way to proceed strategically.

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Editor:

I think Wyoming should legalize marijuana both medically and recreationally. The state is only shooting itself in the foot by not legalizing it. Look at how much money Colorado has made. Not only have they made money, but crime rates have dropped and the police are able to focus their energy on stuff that matters, not incarcerating people for smoking a plant, which is much less harmful than alcohol.

Austin Krier, Laramie

[end]

Editor:

We should just legalize it, harvest some of the millions in tax revenue, like Colorado. At the very least, we should green-light medical marijuana. Show the rest of the country that we have joined this century.

But we won't. The session is too short for anything significant to be done on this issue; two, maybe three committees would have to study it, several million dollars spent compiling reports no one will ever read and lots of angry letters to the editor from people who don't want Wyoming to be a "druggie state," etc., etc.

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Editor:

I fully support the legalization of marijuana in Wyoming for both medical and recreational purposes. I see absolutely no reason for it to be illegal in the first place. There are numerous studies showing little to no long-term harm to users. Even more exciting than that, there are numerous studies showing that use of cannabis can have some very significant positive health benefits and can fight fatal illnesses such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Most people I know could benefit from the use of cannabis in one way or another either as a defense against major medical problems, relief from daily ailments such as chronic pain or digestive disorders, or simply as a means of stress relief. I believe it to be much more effective, versatile and safe than many of the drugs and treatments currently prescribed by doctors.

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CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - An increasing number of visitors to Yellowstone National Park are being prosecuted for possessing small amounts of medical and recreational pot, which remains illegal on federal land.

Park rangers attribute the trend both to ignorance of federal law and the growing prevalence of legal pot in other states, including neighboring Colorado, which has legal medical and recreational marijuana.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Cheyenne reports it prosecuted 21 marijuana cases from Yellowstone in 2010 and 52 in 2013. As of Dec. 17, the office had handled 80 cases in 2014.

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Editor:

Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes could put to good use a large harvest basket of revenue.

I am sure that there are respected tribe members that smoke cannabis.

They just have to be careful not to be captured or exposed.

If the elders can be persuaded to see the wisdom in embracing this newly proffered liberty, the tribes can prosper on the capitalist playfield. It is a lot easier to educate your people on any harms of cannabis than to prohibit it.

As there is nowhere in Wyoming where one may possess or use cannabis, one idea worth consideration would be the creation of a cannabis lodge/spa. Open to adults with ID, offering cannabis, garden tours, food, lodging and camping.

JAY BERGSTROM, Forest Ranch, California

[end]

U.S. Attorney: Federal Memo Doesn't Change Legal Status of Pot

Native American tribes on the Wind River Reservation are now able to grow and sell marijuana without federal prosecution after the release of a U.S. Justice Department memo last week that directed attorneys to stop prosecuting such cases.

Christopher Crofts, U.S. attorney for the District of Wyoming, said the Justice Department memo doesn't immediately change marijuana laws for the tribes or legalize marijuana on the Wind River Reservation.

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Editor:

Caging sick people for using the God-given plant cannabis (marijuana) is anti-Christian and vulgar("New group will regularly demonstrate for medical marijuana, industrial hemp," Star-Tribune, May 17).

It's also time for free Wyoming farmers to legally grow hemp, just like communist Chinese farmers. It's clearly time for intelligent voters to end cannabis prohibition.

Stan White

Dillon, Colorado

[end]

Editor:

Why is it, to change the marijuana laws, criminal laws, you have to go through a political process to be secure from state police power which is unreasonable when it is not used to protect the rights of others?

Why has the Wyoming judiciary declared the marijuana laws are a political question? Why is it the courts claim no fundamental rights are being deprived by the enforcement of the marijuana laws? Why do the courts declare the use of police power has a rational basis when due process of law requires the use of state police power to be either reasonable or unreasonable by the Fourth and Fifth Amendment?

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There are three particularly absurd things about Wyoming's fight against marijuana:

First: Wyoming is a state that proudly exports lots of air polluting fossil fuels, and uranium too, and we consider marijuana a "dangerous substance." Should the same standards be applied to all things, we wouldn't have anything to export.

Second: Regarding Wyoming's relative position in the greater War on Drugs, we're about in the middle of the country. Consider the frequent newspaper accounts of cars being pulled over along Interstate-80. Let's say that the car has Ohio plates and is speeding. Officer Trap pulls it over and also searches the car and finds marijuana. The driver intended to buy pot in California and resell it in Ohio. California gets a small economic stimulus, Ohio gets nothing and Wyoming gets a big bill for law enforcement and the incarceration of someone who just wants to drive eastward and be done with us. In this case as outlined, Officer Trap should certainly write a speeding ticket, but then let the driver go with his cargo to become the problem (i.e., the expense) of some other state. I mean, what do we gain here in Wyoming? Nothing. We get a reputation for petty bullying. We're hurting ourselves to punish someone else. This is absurd. Couldn't we just send Ohio an e-postcard? I mean, there was the crime-of-a-purchase in California, and a hoped for crime-of-a-sale in Ohio, and we get stuck in the middle and with the bill!

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Three Casper residents demonstrated for the legalization of medical marijuana and industrial hemp products Saturday, part of what they say will be regular demonstrations at Conwell Park.

As people in passing vehicles stared or honked -- one person gave the group a thumbs-down sign -- demonstrators held signs that said "Help end marijuana prohibition," "Cannabis -- fuel, paper, food and medicine" and "Cannabis cures cancer."

The demonstrators are part of the new group Wyoming Cannabis Activists.

The organization had simultaneous demonstrations at the Cheyenne Depot in the capital city, at which 10 people showed up, and in Jackalope Square in Douglas, at which local resident and U.S. Senate Republican candidate Thomas Bleming demonstrated, said Marcia Stuelpnagel, co-founder of Wyoming Cannabis Activists.

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