Right to life?

[ACinKC]

Anyone want to place bets on whether Bush and his cronies step in on this one like they did for Terry Schaivo?  My money is they wont.  HYPOCRITES, all of them!

By DAVID KRAVETS

SAN FRANCISCO Mar 14, 2007 (AP)— 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.

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."

[GSOgymrat]

I'm skeptical that marijuana is the only substance that can keep this girl alive.

If she's prescribed marijuana then let the girl have it.

[puertorico2006]

light it up!!!!!! (i dont really like pot though...but i dont see much wrong with it either)

[curmudgeonly]

...  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.

Don't the 9th Circuit judges have an obligation, legal or ethical or humane, to determine what option(s) was available to this woman if marijuana was not an option?  If the ruling was on a matter of life or death for Raich doesn't the prosecution have to show she has an option besides pot?  What is it? 

Would Lexis or Westlaw have the trial transcript online soon?  I'd like to know what this woman was told to do if she could not use pot to maintain her precarious health.  Die?

[Ihavehope]

politics kills people.