HB 1393 12/2/09 Ruth Damsker, Dr. Swidler, Rabbi Cytryn
Conservative Rabbi Eric Cytryn of Harrisburg was a surprise at legislative hearings on medical marijuana last week but also turned out to be a powerful voice in favor of safe cannabis access. On December 2, 2009 the PA House Health and Human Services Committee held the historic first hearings on HB 1393, the Barry Busch Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act.
Rabbi Cytryn appeared on a panel coordinated by Brian Gralnick from the Jewish Social Policy Action Network (JSPAN) that also included: Dr. Howard Swidler, MD, Chief of Emergency Medicine at Warren Hospital, and former Montgomery County Commissioner Ruth Damsker.
“I am here to state that Jewish values and ethics unequivocally support passage of HB 1393,” said Rabbi Cytryn.
The current legislation would allow legal access to cannabis by individuals who have a qualifying medical condition. Patients would be allowed to posses up to 1oz of cannabis, six growing plants and access Compassion Centers for a safe, state regulated supply. Sales of the medical cannabis would be taxed, as are most over the counter medications.
There is an interesting Jewish history with cannabis in ancient and modern times: The delta-9 THC molecule was first isolated at the Weizman Institute in 1964.
Below is a youtube video of Rabbi Cytryn presenting on 12/2/2009 posted by the group Pennsylvanians for Medical Marijuana (PA4MMJ).
Comments
Thank you, Rabbi Cytryn, for being a voice of reason! May I invite you (and everyone else) to run a search on and read "Granny Storm Crow's list- July 2009". It is a simple compilation of links to hundreds of scientific studies and articles about the medical uses of cannabis.
It already has been proven that cannabis use suppresses violent crime. This fact, along with a total refutation of the so-called "gateway drug" theory can be found in chapter in marijuana in Substance Abuse: A Comprehensive Textbook, 4-th Edition. I was just thinking, what the situation would be if (havens forbid) it could be shown that cannabis incites, instead of suppressing, violent crime. I just can imagine what "banners" would already be raised by the opponents, what "battle cries" would have gone out of their camp. They would demand a total, airtight ban on all cannabis products. But the true situation is that cannabis use SUPPRESSES violent crime, (so please do forgive us for bringing it up) along with its therapeutic qualities, with no lethal overdoses or physical withdrawal syndrome with this substance...Big difference from alcohol, isn't it? As well as from most controlled prescription drugs. I believe that judges and law-makers should give these facts some serious thought.
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