Dying woman loses marijuana appeal

Even though I have never used marijuana, I think that the laws prohibiting marijuana are ridiculous. Why not just legalize pot, and regulate it under the same laws as alcohol? From what I understand, marijuana leaves no lasting effects, and helps relieve pain and suffering of cancer patients and those with chronic conditions, while alcohol kills the liver and causes other medical problems, and is far more addicting. While many people die from alcohol poisoning, there have been no reported deaths or permanent injuries sustained as a result of a marijuana overdose. Some of our laws make absolutely zero sense.

Dying woman loses marijuana appeal

SAN FRANCISCO - A California woman whose doctor says marijuana is the only medicine keeping her alive is not immune from federal prosecution on drug charges, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday.
The case was brought by Angel Raich, an Oakland mother of two who suffers from scoliosis, a brain tumor, chronic nausea and other ailments. On her doctor’s advice, she eats or smokes marijuana every couple of hours to ease her pain and bolster a nonexistent appetite as conventional drugs did not work.

The Supreme Court ruled against Raich two years ago, saying that medical marijuana users and their suppliers could be prosecuted for breaching federal drug laws even if they lived in a state such as California where medical pot is legal.

[this is so unreasonable!]

Because of that ruling, the issue before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was narrowed to the so-called right to life theory: that marijuana should be allowed if it is the only viable option to keep a patient alive.

Raich, 41, began sobbing when she was told of the decision and said she would continue using the drug.

“I’m sure not going to let them kill me,” she said. “Oh my God.”