Jesse Ventura (alias James George Janos)
(1951)
Former Navy SEAL, profesional wrestler, Mayor, and Governor of Minnesota
April 04 2001 - Ass. Press - "Medical marijuana? I fully support it, absolutely. Who is government to tell someone if they have AIDS or cancer, what they should be taking?'' Ventura said in response to a question from a student at University of St. Thomas during a talk to a political science class.
Ventura cited the experience of his mother, who was given a mix of narcotics to help the pain caused by a respiratory disease. She died in 1995.
If marijuana provides the same sort of relief to others who are suffering, the Independence Party governor said, he's all for it.
``To me, you've got a kid here with cancer,'' Ventura said. ``I don't give a damn if he smokes a joint.''
Ventura plans to attend a forum on the issue Friday, sponsored jointly by the Department of Health and the Department of Public Safety. Organizers say the state hopes to encourage more research.
A bill before the Legislature this year would appropriate $100,000 to study potential medicinal uses of marijuana.
The study is not part of Ventura's budget proposal, but Public Safety Commissioner Charlie Weaver said the department would be happy to administer it if lawmakers agree.
Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm wrote earlier in a letter that the forum is designed to encourage research that will ``advance the acceptance of marijuana as an important medical tool and ultimately address the legal constraints at the national level.''
Ventura made the marijuana statements during a question-and-answer period with students following a presentation on campaign finance laws. At one point, he quoted singer Willie Nelson as describing marijuana as an herb, not a drug.
One student questioned whether legalizing marijuana for medicine wouldn't lead to a ``slippery slope'' regarding legalization of other drugs. Ventura said no, noting that morphine, a relative of heroine, is used medicinally.
Another student shared with Ventura the story of the student's own mother, who he said used marijuana provided illegally by a doctor to help ease her pain in a fatal battle with lupus. Ventura responded: ``How sad. How pathetic,'' that she had to seek the medicine illegally.
``The government stands out there and says you're dying of a hopeless disease but, no, you can't have the medicine of your choice.''
Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune (MN)
Related Articles & Web Sites
Governor Jesse Ventura
http://www.mainserver.state.mn.us/governor/
Gov. Ventura Supports Medical Marijuana
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9265.shtml
Committee Hears Medical Marijuana Study Proposal
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9262.shtml
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