cancer slayer

Peter Tosh, one of reggae’s original bad boys, may have been on to something in 1976 when he promoted the use of marijuana for medical purposes in his aptly named song “Legalize It.” Of course, he also promoted it for non-medical purposes, but that’s another story.

In his native Jamaica, Tosh was at the forefront of a movement that has pretty much resulted in officials of the island nation turning a blind eye to the use and sale of marijuana, one of the country’s biggest commodities. More than 20 years after Tosh’s death, government officials in the United States are taking a more hands-on approach.

Although the use and sale of marijuana is still a federal offense, 13 states have enacted laws to legalize it for medical reasons. This hot-button issue, a demonstration of state’s rights in its purest form, has been gaining a lot of momentum over the last few months.

Last week, the New York Senate Health Committee introduced a bill that would let registered patients or caregivers possess and grow limited amounts of pot. The week before, Delaware introduced a bill that would decriminalize any amount less than six ounces and permit licensed centers to grow and sell weed. Rhode Island, one of the states where medical marijuana is already legal, passed legislation that would set up state-run dispensaries. And in Pennsylvania, lawmakers introduced an act that would approve doctor-prescribed marijuana therapy.

A handful of other states such as New Hampshire and Connecticut have seen their publicly supported bills just narrowly defeated.

The debate on medical marijuana has been buttressed by plenty of discussions on the part of political pundits and even celebrities. One of the more memorable ones took place on CNN between actor Stephen Baldwin, who is of the anti-legalization camp, and Texas Congressman Ron Paul, a former presidential candidate who was an early sponsor of medicinal marijuana. In defending his position, Paul, of course, mentioned cancer patients and those suffering from terminal diseases. Baldwin invariably made the age-old argument about marijuana being a gateway drug.

A couple of things here: I find it curious that when TV networks host discussions on the topic of medical marijuana, the opinions of medical patients are rarely heard. With the exception of New Hampshire State Rep. Evalyn Merrick, a cancer survivor who admitted to the press that she found relief for nausea by smoking marijuana, there are generally a bunch of talking heads on the tube. Furthermore, a point not often mentioned by those who claim that weed leads to the use of — and dependence on — harder drugs is that prescription medications such as Percocet, Ativan, Codeine, Oxycotin, and Vicodin are highly addictive. Just ask Eminem. In a cover story for Vibe magazine, the rapper comes clean about his years-long prescription-drug problem. And who could forget the myriad stories last year on teen meth labs.

Now that our government has involved itself in the regulation of over-the-counter medicines, are states simply getting a head start regarding medical marijuana use? Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Vermont and seven other states certainly think so, not to mention Arizona and Maryland, two states that haven’t legalized the drug but have passed laws favorable to its use by patients with cancer, epilepsy, HIV, glaucoma, and multiple sclerosis, as well as people who suffer intense migraines. Let Tosh tell it, marijuana is also good for the flu and asthma. Who knew?

The most exciting thing about this entire debate, however, is getting to witness democracy at work. Federalism, my fellow Americans, is still one of our guiding principles. Whew! Although far from perfect, it led to the freedom of slaves, gives women abortion alternatives, and will be the front line in the fight to legalize gay marriage. In short, where states lead, the nation follows. I would’ve lost money, though, betting on New York to be a pioneer on any of these issues. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any more progressive than the Empire State, along comes Iowa.

Crucial to the election of President Obama and the only state in the Midwest to legally recognize gay marriage, Iowa is also contesting a decision by the state board, which rejected the legalization of medicinal marijuana. Officials there are already planning to reintroduce the measure to the ballot in the fall.

Uh, Gov. Patterson, what’s up with that? New York should feel out scooped, trumped, and just plain late to the party. Ours is a state that supports high schools for gay and transgender students. We’re giving our former prostitute-soliciting governor a second chance at a political career. And we’re responsible for electing a U.S. senator who was damn near tarred and feathered for pushing nationalized health care only to become secretary of state of an administration that is adopting her policies.

New York should’ve been ahead of the pack. If for nothing else, we want the bragging rights.