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Compassion For Cannabis - The Medical World Speaks Out ('New Scientist'
Reports On British Medical Association's Call For 'Compassion And
Understanding' For Medical Cannabis Patients And For Changes In Law
To Allow Research)


Subj: UK: Compassion For Cannabis--The Medical World Speaks Out
From: Zosimos  
Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 17:41:34 -0500
Pubdate: Saturday, November 29, 1997
Source: New Scientist 
Contact: letters@newscientist.com

Editor's note: Websites mentioned in the article are:
http://www.foobar.co.uk/users/ukcia/
http://www.islandnet.com/~acidhead/cbc.html
http://www.rxcbc.org/

COMPASSION FOR CANNABIS--THE MEDICAL WORLD SPEAKS OUT

Last week the British Medical Association called for "compassion and
understanding" to be shown towards people who take cannabis to relieve the
symptoms of illness. They also called for a change in the law so that
proper research can be carried out on the drug. 

According to some, a change in attitude about the therapeutic use of
cannabis is long overdue. The UK Cannabis Internet Activists have a page
devoted to medical cannabis use. They claim it can alleviate a host of
symptoms ranging from those caused by chemotherapy for cancer and epilepsy
to migraine and multiple sclerosis. Queen Victoria was even prescribed it
for menstrual cramps. Each condition has its own page, complete with
patients' testimonies as to the efficacy of the treatment and references to
any relevant scientific papers. 

Rob Christopher's history of the use of cannabis as a medicine is posted
here. Queen Victoria crops up again here, although she's a very recent
advocate compared with Chinese herbalists who Christopher says have been
using cannabis for 5000 years. 

Whatever the legal position, some people have taken matters into their own
hands and set up cannabis buyers' clubs for people who cannot relieve their
symptoms with other treatments. Some of them have Web sites, such as
Oakland and Vancouver Island. The most famous club of all, however, is San
Francisco. It doesn't have its own page, but you can get an idea of the
controversy it created from the article here. 

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100 Officers Arrest Seven In NJ Drug Raid (State, County And Local Police
From  Many Agencies Break Up Small Operation, Nab Cocaine, Cannabis, Guns)

Subj: US NJ: 100 Officers Arrest 7 In N.J. Drug Raid 
From: adbryan@onramp.net 
Date: Sun, 30 Nov 1997 16:24:10 -0500
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer 
Contact: inquirer.opinion@phillynews.com
Pubdate: 29 Nov 1997
Website: http://www.phillynews.com/ 

100 OFFICERS ARREST 7 IN N.J. DRUG RAID 

They Searched 7 Homes In Camden And Pennsauken. 
Cocaine, Marijuana And Guns Were Confiscated. 

By Angela Couloumbis, Inquirer Correspondent

CAMDEN -- In one of the city's largest drug raids, about 100 officers from
state, county and local police departments descended on six homes in Camden
City and one in Pennsauken yesterday, arresting seven people involved in an
alleged drug ring, and seizing cocaine, marijuana and guns.

According to Lt. Joseph Richardson, Camden police spokesman, the
early-morning raid was the culmination of a three-month investigation by
police in Camden and Pennsauken.

The officers, who coordinated a 6:15 a.m. entry into all seven homes,
retrieved a quarter-pound of cocaine, an undetermined quantity of
marijuana, a .40-caliber semiautomatic gun, a .32-caliber revolver, and 2
two-way radios that police believe were used to operate the drug ring. "It
went as smooth as silk," Richardson said of the raid. "Nobody was hurt or
injured. When you're dealing with drugs, you're dealing with a heightened
possibility of danger."

Two of those arrested were male juveniles, Richardson said. Both are 16 and
live in Camden City. The other five arrested, also from Camden City, were
James Becker, 26; Michael Becker, 22; Marlon Stanard, 25; Larry Stanard,
46; and Paul McGuire, 51. All were arrested at their homes on drug and
weapons charges, and were being held at the Camden County Jail last night. 

No one was arrested at the Pennsauken house.

The men accused of being the ringleaders of the operation, James Becker and
Marlon Stanard, face more serious charges, Richardson said.

Becker faces 15 counts of drug and weapons charges from conspiracy to
distribute cocaine to operating a manufacturing facility and employing
juveniles in the drug trade. Stanard faces three counts of narcotics
charges, including conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession of a
controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute.

Richardson said the investigation was continuing. 

The raid, which was mostly carried out in the Cramer Hill neighborhood on
the east side of Camden, was held in conjunction with the New Jersey State
Police Teams Unit; the Cherry Hill and Gloucester Township Police
Departments; the Camden County Sheriff's Department SWAT officers and
canine unit; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Camden County
Prosecutor's Office; the New Jersey Air National Guard; and the University
of Medicine and Dentistry's special operations medic unit.

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