Oregon Reclassifies Marijuana as a Schedule II

[deprave]

EUGENE, Ore. - The Oregon Board of Pharmacy voted to change marijuana from what's known as a "Schedule I controlled substance" to a "Schedule II."
How will this affect pot in Oregon? And what does this mean?
"A schedule I drug means that it has no medicinal value that is recognized," said Lane County Chief Deputy District Attorney Patty Perlow. "A schedule II drug has recognized medicinal value but a high risk of abuse."
There are five classifications of controlled substances throughout the United States, Schedule I being the most dangerous and schedule V the least.
Some Schedule I drugs include LSD, heroin and psychedelic mushrooms. These have a "high abuse potential and no acceptable medical use in the United States," according to the State Board of Pharmacy.
Other Schedule II drugs include methamphetamine, oxycodone and cocaine. The board describes these as "high abuse potential with severe psychological or physical dependence liability.” But they are accepted for medical use in the U.S. by prescription.
"Cocaine is a drug that's abused a great deal," Perlow said, "but it's also used by plastic surgeons in surgery."
This reclassification, however, does not change the legality of the drug or the sentencing if you're caught with it.
"Changing it from Schedule I to Schedule II will not change the penalties," said Perlow. "It's more symbolic."
Symbolic for people like Jim Greig, a medical marijuana patient and a spearhead for Initiative 28 -- which would legalize medical marijuana dispensaries in the state.
"It's been stigmatized since the 30s and it's about time that people recognize it's medical value," he said.
But a Schedule II classification isn't what Greig was hoping for. He believes marijuana is not addictive, and says the Board of Pharmacy did not do enough scientific research.
Greig says the Drug Policy Forum of Oregon is planning an appeal, hoping to reclassify marijuana as an even less serious controlled substance.
He wants cannabis to fall under Schedule V. "That's where it properly would be placed," he says. "It's the safest herb known to man."
Less than an ounce of marijuana already falls into Schedule V.
Federal law still classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug, but Perlow said Oregon follows state law. KVAL News asked Perlow if Oregon being the first state in the nation to classify marijuana as anything less than a Schedule I drug is a big deal.
"This is a big deal for the proponents of the medical use of marijuana," she says. "But for the criminal involvement with marijuana, there will be no effect."

Source :http://www.kval.com/news/local/96612724.html

 

[110100100]

WOW!

It's kind of like energy and the atom. Something so small with something so big inside of it.

This is huge. Sometimes real change starts with symbolic victories like this. Get active people and settle for nothing less than the full re-legalization of marijuana!

 

[eastsidebagel]

Maybe...(replying to that first dude). The battle's won, but will it point towards an outcome of decrease in the misinformation about weed?https://www.rollitup.org/members/110100100-95154.html

 

[deprave]

Maybe...(replying to that first dude). The battle's won, but will it point towards an outcome of decrease in the misinformation about weed?

I dont think it will decrease the "misinformation of weed" or increase it much at all. The DEA and organizations such as mothers against drunk driving and partnership for a drug free America will continue to spread the same propaganda likely for the rest of our lifetimes even when marijuana becomes completely legal. I just had to throw a guy out of the emergency room last night he came in thinking he was overdosing on weed, we gave him a lunch tray then sent him on his way.

 

[andar]

I dont think it will decrease the "misinformation of weed" or increase it much at all. The DEA and organizations such as mothers against drunk driving and partnership for a drug free America will continue to spread the same propaganda likely for the rest of our lifetimes even when marijuana becomes completely legal. I just had to throw a guy out of the emergency room last night he came in thinking he was overdosing on weed, we gave him a lunch tray then sent him on his way.

its funny when people freak out about being high. the best was that cop who made brownies then called 911 cause he thought he was dying. i love weed cause you cant overdose. makes no sense that anyone would think weed is bad. especially the retards that made it a schedule 1 drug with no medicinal value. maybe im too high to remember but what disease have cigarettes ever cured? oh yea they have no medicinal value and they are proven to cause health problems and are one of the most addictive things we know of. but they are completely legal and never referred to as a drug......

 

[tinyTURTLE]

in order to die from weed, you would have to either shove it down your throat in such a way as to block your airway, or fashion a spear out of a stem or a stalk and hit a vital organ with it.

 

[eastsidebagel]

No, you actually can overdose on weed, but it's in ridiculous amounts of about a barrel of it inhaled in less than 15 minutes or something like that.

 

[andar]

^which would be impossible so no you can not overdose on weed

 

[TheOldRat]

How can they even call THC a drug?
To me THC is to MJ as sucrose is to sugar both are 100% natural.
Is sucrose a drug? well if you give enough of it to a 2 year old you may think so
sugar causes several serious health risk conditions, ask your Doctor if he would rather you consume a cup of sugar every day, or consume a cup of MJ everyday, for the rest of your life.

 

[eastsidebagel]

I love the comparison at the end of your post, OldRat. So many, daily used substances are more lethal than pot, like Aspirin or even cocoa.

 

[andar]

How can they even call THC a drug?
To me THC is to MJ as sucrose is to sugar both are 100% natural.
Is sucrose a drug? well if you give enough of it to a 2 year old you may think so
sugar causes several serious health risk conditions, ask your Doctor if he would rather you consume a cup of sugar every day, or consume a cup of MJ everyday, for the rest of your life.

it sucks too that not only do they call thc a drug (which technically it is but....) they do not call bad drugs, drugs. they never call cigarettes drugs. they dont call alcohol a drug they always say drugs and alcohol like its not a drug. all this about mj not having a medicinal purpose but what do cigarettes do? nothing they dont need some doctor note to smoke cigs which are way worse and its proven. they wont even let people try to prove that mj is safe.

 

[deprave]

its because it has psychoactive properties and that is scary for some people and associated with bad things. Asprin doesnt make you 'high'

 

[whiteflour]

maybe im too high to remember but what disease have cigarettes ever cured? oh yea they have no medicinal value and they are proven to cause health problems and are one of the most addictive things we know of. but they are completely legal and never referred to as a drug......

Nicotine in it's pure form is used to treat Parkinsons, Alzheimers as well as other neurological diseases. Let's not forget this country was founded on tobacco, had it been founded on cannabis it'd be a different story. Something had to foot the bill for this country you live in. Regardless more than half the complications of cigarettes are due to tar, the same tar found in cannabis. Just as soon as the populous is smoking 20 joints a day the medical hazards will surface ten fold.

 

[ford442]

i don't know anyone who puffs 20 joints in a day - because weed is not addictive - however, i have a cigarette in my hand right now.. weed will never give you cancer and the risks of COPD are much lower than modern tobacco.. i am hoping that when CA legalizes i can find some hemp cigs to puff on and quit tobacco for good.. and again - if it is legalized we will not see a dramatic increase in usage - other nations have proven this in the past..

 

[whiteflour]

Who's to say weed won't give you cancer? One day a study says it does, the next time they say it don't, then it does again. These people don't know. They don't have any basis for comparison. Simply because the legality makes the same controlled studies tobacco has been given impossible.

In the end it won't take even take 20 joints, that's an example. Cannabis has four times as much tar as tobacco so right off the bat it has to be worse in someway. If/When it gets commercialized, consumption will increase amongst the populous, and the hazards will manifest. Just like they have with everything else people have said has no "ill effect". Then if some genius devises a way to lower tar or up thc content to make it "safer" it will be faced with same scrutiny the Y1 tobacco plants did.