New York judge admits to medical marijuana use and endorses legalization

[Derty]

A Judge in New York state comes forward in support of medical marijuana. I found this article in the Raw Story, 420 news section.

Link: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/category/420/

New York judge admits to medical marijuana use and endorses legalization
By Stephen C. Webster
Thursday, May 17, 2012 12:33 EDT


In a press conference and op-ed published by The New York Times on Wednesday, Kings County Supreme Court Justice Gustin L. Reichbach revealed that he regularly smokes marijuana to cope with the side effects of his ongoing cancer treatment, and pleaded with New York lawmakers to legalize medical use of the drug this year.

“Given my position as a sitting judge still hearing cases, well-meaning friends question the wisdom of my coming out on this issue,” he wrote. “But I recognize that fellow cancer sufferers may be unable, for a host of reasons, to give voice to our plight. It is another heartbreaking aporia in the world of cancer that the one drug that gives relief without deleterious side effects remains classified as a narcotic with no medicinal value.”

Justice Reichbach explained that smoking marijuana effectively treats his pain and nausea and helps him sleep, adding that the synthetic alternative, a prescription drug known as Marinol, “was useless.” For those reasons, he implored lawmakers to legalize medical marijuana in New York as soon as possible.

This is not a law-and-order issue; it is a medical and a human rights issue,” he wrote.

Lawmakers in New York are currently debating medical marijuana legalization, and a recent poll found that 57 percent of New Yorkers are in favor of the proposal.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) has urged his colleagues to exercise caution on the bill and take ample time to fine-tune it, but some Democratic lawmakers insist they can get it done before June.

Nationwide, polls show that about 74 percent of Americans, including a majority of Republicans, think doctors should be able to prescribe marijuana. About 50 percent of Americans support legalizing marijuana for recreational use as well, according to a Gallup poll published last October.

The Obama administration, however, has conducted raids on more than 200 medical marijuana dispensaries in the 16 states that have permitted use of the drug — a rate that tops even the Bush administration.
——

 

[redeyesurprise]

This is great news! Finally a "figure of authority" speaking in favor of use BEFORE he retires. This will be interesting to follow. Thanks for the post.

 

[nattynattygurrl]

Wow!! What a brave guy!
(Though part of me can't help but wonder how many people he put in jail, before he had his "epiphany".)

We need more people, particularly those in positions of power and influence, to "come out of the closet"!
It is similar to the way the public has come around on gay marriage, in that once people started to "come out" in mass, people realized it was their relative, it was their neighbor, it was their friend; and when they realized it was someone they knew, their empathy grew...

We cannabis users have to be brave enough to do this too!

Once we all have the courage to 'come out' to our families and friends, cannabis will gain even more acceptance.
I know it is difficult to "come out" to those who are anti-cannabis, (especially for those of you in non-med states), but we must!!

Only when everyone has a family member or a friend who is a med user, (and I believe 99.9% of cannabis use is medical, even if it is to alleviate stress-- which has huge consequences on public health), will our movement gain real momentum.

So, to all of you reading this who haven't 'come out' to your families and friends yet, I hope you will consider doing so!!
It wasn't easy when I first "came out" to my very anti-cannabis mother; we argued and debated, (even though I have a number of medical problems that cannabis alleviates, she was still against it b/c it's "illegal"), but 12 years later, after both my father and sister also "came out", and after she witnessed the miracle of canna-milk when i got my hip replaced, she finally came around.

 

[Guest 226076]

it is to bad that we have to suffer before we are heard.good to see the right people speak up to the law and how ff---kk it is.happy trails everyone.

 

[longearedfriend]

good news

 

[Nonphixion]

Good News Everyone!!!

 

[Guest 88950]

its unfortunate that it took his batteling cancer to see that Cannabis IS medicine but at least he came out in support of cannabis while still a sitting Judge.

Trurh over Propaganda

 

[Derty]

There is also a link in this story to the NY times where the judge wrote an article. Explaining his medical condition and how he makes use of cannabis. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/17/opinion/a-judges-plea-for-medical-marijuana.html?_r=4&ref=opinion

 

[ChumLeeJr]

(Though part of me can't help but wonder how many people he put in jail, before he had his "epiphany".)

All of me is concerned with that exact thought.

How many good, honest people are sitting in jail, sentenced by him, for the same thing he's so passionate about now?

Jobs lost - not nearly as high paying as Supreme Court Judge. Spouses divorced? Homes and families?

Did he, or any of his honors esteemed colleagues, think those folks "brave"? Was their struggle "not a legal one but a moral one"?

Nope.

He's just another privileged hypocrite - made a tidy sum doling out "justice" as he was told (and paid) to do, never having a reason to look beyond his blinders. His suffering is karma - his use of OUR herb self serving - and his death not soon enough, nor painful enough to make up for his actions.

He's going to die, and the whole time he will be knowing that he helped to make thousands of people miserable, and he will hate himself to his last breath.

And his friends will go back to meting out "justice" to us, the same way they always have. And drink themselves into a stupor every night.

 

[HempKat]

All of me is concerned with that exact thought.

How many good, honest people are sitting in jail, sentenced by him, for the same thing he's so passionate about now?

Jobs lost - not nearly as high paying as Supreme Court Judge. Spouses divorced? Homes and families?

Did he, or any of his honors esteemed colleagues, think those folks "brave"? Was their struggle "not a legal one but a moral one"?

Nope.

He's just another privileged hypocrite - made a tidy sum doling out "justice" as he was told (and paid) to do, never having a reason to look beyond his blinders. His suffering is karma - his use of OUR herb self serving - and his death not soon enough, nor painful enough to make up for his actions.

He's going to die, and the whole time he will be knowing that he helped to make thousands of people miserable, and he will hate himself to his last breath.

And his friends will go back to meting out "justice" to us, the same way they always have. And drink themselves into a stupor every night.

Supreme Court Judges are rarely the ones responsible for a person being sentenced. Typically cases only come to the supreme court in the form of an appeal. At that point the person being tried has usually been found guilty and sentenced in a lower court and all the supreme court rules on is if the laws (however inappropriate) have been properly followed. As such a supreme court judge is responsible either for upholding the lower courts ruling or overturning them. Therefore it is far more likely this judge at least while in the supreme court is responsible for letting people go because the lower courts did something wrong. At worst they uphold the lower court ruling but it is still the lower court responsible for that ruling.

Also judges of any court do not have the freedom to just arbitrarily let someone off the hook simply because they feel a law is unjust. All they are responsible for is deciding if in fact laws have been broken based on the prosecutions case and/or if any rights or procedures were violated in arresting and charging an individual. If a judge decided to just say, "You know what, screw the law, you seem like a stand up person so I'll ignore that you broke the law", he would not remain a judge very long. Better to leave him be to justly enforce the laws rather then risk getting some judge in his place who is more willing to rubber stamp an arrest where violations by the police/prosecution occurred simply because he personally feels a certain way on a particular issue.

Nothing in the story I read indicated anything about who this judge has sentenced let alone for what and therefore any judgement that he wrongly locked up marijuana users is pure speculation. Certainly not enough info to warrent wishing him a painful death. For all we know this particular judge is responsible for setting more people charged with marijuana violations free, then he is responsible for sending them to prison.

 

[MsSweetPea]

Awesome news! Thanks for sharing.

 

[ChumLeeJr]

Supreme Court Judges are rarely the ones responsible for a person being sentenced. Typically cases only come to the supreme court in the form of an appeal. At that point the person being tried has usually been found guilty and sentenced in a lower court and all the supreme court rules on is if the laws (however inappropriate) have been properly followed. As such a supreme court judge is responsible either for upholding the lower courts ruling or overturning them. Therefore it is far more likely this judge at least while in the supreme court is responsible for letting people go because the lower courts did something wrong. At worst they uphold the lower court ruling but it is still the lower court responsible for that ruling.

Also judges of any court do not have the freedom to just arbitrarily let someone off the hook simply because they feel a law is unjust. All they are responsible for is deciding if in fact laws have been broken based on the prosecutions case and/or if any rights or procedures were violated in arresting and charging an individual. If a judge decided to just say, "You know what, screw the law, you seem like a stand up person so I'll ignore that you broke the law", he would not remain a judge very long. Better to leave him be to justly enforce the laws rather then risk getting some judge in his place who is more willing to rubber stamp an arrest where violations by the police/prosecution occurred simply because he personally feels a certain way on a particular issue.

Nothing in the story I read indicated anything about who this judge has sentenced let alone for what and therefore any judgement that he wrongly locked up marijuana users is pure speculation. Certainly not enough info to warrent wishing him a painful death. For all we know this particular judge is responsible for setting more people charged with marijuana violations free, then he is responsible for sending them to prison.

And the legal system has done what to warrant such a glowing and affirmative consideration from you?

I get it - because NY SC judges have cut soooo many people a break in cannabis cases? The incarceration rate in NY is sooo low? This judge has advocated for lower sentences? He's spoken on behalf of our movement prior to his illness? His courtroom buddies have been so vocal about how wrong it is to imprison regular people for use of harmless herb?

Let me answer those honestly for you - NO!!! Not a fucking chance - NEVER. Know why? Because they didn't believe it - it didn't apply to them - they didn't have any fucking reason to even think about what they were doing day after day after day.

This is no Saul, being blinded by the light on the road to Damascus, given the spirit of understanding by an omniscient god. This is an agent of the court - the court that has repressed and oppressed our movement maliciously and fastidiously for 70+ yrs - finding himself on the wrong side of his life, finding out that he was WRONG, WE were right - and NOW, now after all his misdeeds and malfeasance, now he needs the acceptance and forgiveness he was unable or unwilling to give us when he was "in power" and wielding the whip of justice.

The judge can rot - and his supporters - especially his legal buddies - can take a long hard suck on my asshole.

Drop by the Rush Limbaugh thread and tell us why he's misunderstood, please. I could use a good laff.

Again I say - karma is eating the judge from the inside, and I'll bet he tastes sweet.

 

[HempKat]

And the legal system has done what to warrant such a glowing and affirmative consideration from you?

I get it - because NY SC judges have cut soooo many people a break in cannabis cases? The incarceration rate in NY is sooo low? This judge has advocated for lower sentences? He's spoken on behalf of our movement prior to his illness? His courtroom buddies have been so vocal about how wrong it is to imprison regular people for use of harmless herb?

Let me answer those honestly for you - NO!!! Not a fucking chance - NEVER. Know why? Because they didn't believe it - it didn't apply to them - they didn't have any fucking reason to even think about what they were doing day after day after day.

This is no Saul, being blinded by the light on the road to Damascus, given the spirit of understanding by an omniscient god. This is an agent of the court - the court that has repressed and oppressed our movement maliciously and fastidiously for 70+ yrs - finding himself on the wrong side of his life, finding out that he was WRONG, WE were right - and NOW, now after all his misdeeds and malfeasance, now he needs the acceptance and forgiveness he was unable or unwilling to give us when he was "in power" and wielding the whip of justice.

The judge can rot - and his supporters - especially his legal buddies - can take a long hard suck on my asshole.

Drop by the Rush Limbaugh thread and tell us why he's misunderstood, please. I could use a good laff.

Again I say - karma is eating the judge from the inside, and I'll bet he tastes sweet.

Is that the only exercise you get? Jumping to conclusions. Everything you say is based on nothing but your own personal speculation and opinions likely based on someone other then this particular judge. If you had proof he did something wrong then that would be one thing but to knock down a potential ally to the cause simply because you "feel" he "probably" did something you don't like is riddiculous.

Nor did I give the legal system a glowing and affirmative consideration. I merely stated the facts based on how the system actually works. You can't effectively fight that of which you know next to nothing about. For all you know this judge never once presided over a case involving marijuana. Which is very likely as a supreme court judge. As a judge in a lower court he probably would have been involved in at least one case involving marijuana but we don't know if he was ever a lower court judge. Not always but on occasion people make it to being a supreme court judge without ever being a judge in any lower court.

I for one like having people in places of influence in the legal system who support legalization and am not about to blindly cast him as an enemy for simply belonging to a system that has locked up people for marijuana. I suppose the next thing you'll be doing is casting all L.E.A.P. members (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) as villians simply because they are cops and other cops have busted growers.

Even if he did send someone to jail for marijuana in the past what matters now isn't that he was wrong in the past but rather that he's using his position of authority to do the right thing now. I'm sure as a supreme court judge, if he wanted to he could find some sleazebag cop to keep him properly supplied with medicine out of the stuff confiscated from busts, such that he personally never has to worry about being denied the best medicine for him. That's not what he's doing though, he's now risking his standing in the courts by going public and trying to get the system to do what is right for the people. The only time ill will should be wished upon those who see the light is when those who see the light go on and do nothing to change their ways.

As for Rush Limbaugh he's a retard and the only thing he was ever good for was to point your finger at laughing and say "what a fucking clown". That and abusing narcotics.

 

[ChumLeeJr]

Is that the only exercise you get? Jumping to conclusions. Everything you say is based on nothing but your own personal speculation and opinions likely based on someone other then this particular judge. If you had proof he did something wrong then that would be one thing but to knock down a potential ally to the cause simply because you "feel" he "probably" did something you don't like is riddiculous.

Nor did I give the legal system a glowing and affirmative consideration. I merely stated the facts based on how the system actually works. You can't effectively fight that of which you know next to nothing about. For all you know this judge never once presided over a case involving marijuana. Which is very likely as a supreme court judge. As a judge in a lower court he probably would have been involved in at least one case involving marijuana but we don't know if he was ever a lower court judge. Not always but on occasion people make it to being a supreme court judge without ever being a judge in any lower court.

I for one like having people in places of influence in the legal system who support legalization and am not about to blindly cast him as an enemy for simply belonging to a system that has locked up people for marijuana. I suppose the next thing you'll be doing is casting all L.E.A.P. members (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) as villians simply because they are cops and other cops have busted growers.

Even if he did send someone to jail for marijuana in the past what matters now isn't that he was wrong in the past but rather that he's using his position of authority to do the right thing. I'm sure as a supreme court judge, if he wanted to he could find some sleazebag cop to keep him properly supplied with medicine out of the stuff confiscated from busts, such that he personally never has to worry about being denied the best medicine for him. That's not what he's doing though, he's now risking his standing in the courts by going public and trying to get the system to do what is right for the people. The only time ill will should be wished upon those who see the light is when those who see the light go on and do nothing to change their ways.

As for Rush Limbaugh he's a retard and the only thing he was ever good for was to point your finger at laughing and say "what a fucking clown". That and abusing narcotics.

He risks nothing - he is dying. His friends risk nothing. All their grand gesture stands for nothing.

There were nice Nazis too - loved their kids, fed puppies and visited their grandmas. Oh, and that thing about killing and taking over the world.

Your position is posturing - rainbows and contrarianism in one swell wrapping.

Judge started out as lawyer - that was the fork in the road. Right, you HELP people, defend the helpless and try to make a difference. Left, you take the bench, the paycheck, and sit in judgement of your fellow man.

He made his choice - I have checked his decisions (have you?), and his has NEVER gone on the record with any of his newfound convictions. I've looked at his record - and nothing in there was positive towards our movement. His miraculous turnabout is self serving, shallow and hypocritical. He is a drowning man, and he is grasping at anything that he thinks will keep him afloat. No harm, no foul - for him. He doesn't represent me, or my friends or associates - he doesn't represent our movement in any way shape or form.

I am on the record for my beliefs - I have criminal record because of it - I have marched, and protested. Put up signs, banners - been on tv - spent money - grown weed - all for my belief that we are an illegally and immorally oppressed segment of society deserving of respect and reparation.

He is a dying judge that uses illegal medication to ease his pain - and wants more fairness than he was ever prepared to offer.

Get your head out of his ass - take his sob story elsewhere - this place, especially this place, is not where you should be signing his praises.

 

[supermanlives]

better late than never.

 

[dagnabit]

judges don't make laws. they don't make arrests.
they follow the rules of the system. they are sworn to uphold the laws as set forth.
ire toward the judges is misplaced.
your venom more likely should be directed at your fellow citizens for allowing the laws in the first place. your spite would be properly directed at the complacent sheep blithely turning away as their fellows are locked away for a plant.
WE want OUR judges to follow the laws WE make.
hate this judge? nope hate the folks who elected him!
misplaced hostility is just as useful as apathy.

 

[KnifeWrench]

you need to grow up chumlee

 

[ChumLeeJr]

better late than never.

That's what Barry Cooper says - and he is a opportunistic self serving piece of shit, just like the judge. The mark of an honest man is to do something when there is nothing in it for them. Neither the judge nor bc qualify.

If either of them had done something like this without either being paid or dying, I would be behind them.

Judge stands up on 4/20 - healthy and with as much to lose as the rest of us, or bc NOT charging anyone for his spurious advice - I'm good.

Dying man forsakes his past to plead for something he's denied others, ex-cop sells his old job "secrets"? Hardly poster boys for integrity, never mind flag bearers for the cannabis movement.

Take up judges cause - rally behind him - bask in the warmth of his buddies acceptance. By all means. Make your hearts open and caring.

I prefer to stand my ground - I know who our friends are, and what they (we) have sacrificed for this thing of ours.

Once judge dies - once his buddies have dropped their fist of dirt into his grave - once Barry stops making $ off the stupid and ill-informed - the media will move on, the sentencing and ignorance will resume, and the only thing that will have happened is some of you will feel used and dirty.

There will be change, eventually, but dying judges and merc ex-pigs are not the key.

I withdraw from this discussion now. Good luck.

 

[HempKat]

He risks nothing - he is dying. His friends risk nothing. All their grand gesture stands for nothing.

There were nice Nazis too - loved their kids, fed puppies and visited their grandmas. Oh, and that thing about killing and taking over the world.

Your position is posturing - rainbows and contrarianism in one swell wrapping.

Judge started out as lawyer - that was the fork in the road. Right, you HELP people, defend the helpless and try to make a difference. Left, you take the bench, the paycheck, and sit in judgement of your fellow man.

He made his choice - I have checked his decisions (have you?), and his has NEVER gone on the record with any of his newfound convictions. I've looked at his record - and nothing in there was positive towards our movement. His miraculous turnabout is self serving, shallow and hypocritical. He is a drowning man, and he is grasping at anything that he thinks will keep him afloat. No harm, no foul - for him. He doesn't represent me, or my friends or associates - he doesn't represent our movement in any way shape or form.

I am on the record for my beliefs - I have criminal record because of it - I have marched, and protested. Put up signs, banners - been on tv - spent money - grown weed - all for my belief that we are an illegally and immorally oppressed segment of society deserving of respect and reparation.

He is a dying judge that uses illegal medication to ease his pain - and wants more fairness than he was ever prepared to offer.

Get your head out of his ass - take his sob story elsewhere - this place, especially this place, is not where you should be signing his praises.

You claim to have checked his decisions and yet all you can say is his decisions contain nothing positive towards our movement. Which would imply that they contain things negative towards our movement and yet you're unable to show proof of even one example of this. Nothing positive towards our movement could also mean none of his decisions had anything to do with our movement. Of course it doesn't help your arguement to say that. As for not representing your movement, which movement is that? Many pro marijuana people feel the whole MMJ movement doesn't represent thier beliefs either. Although lots support it because they hope to make a buck off of it and they feel if MMJ ever did become legal it would be a foot in the door towards total legalization.

As for being on record I too have been arrested, convicted as a felon and lost 5 years of my life in prison for marijuana. I too have marched, and protested. Put up signs, banners - been on tv (as part of news reports on protests) - spent money - grown weed - all for my belief that it is wrong for marijuana to be illegal. So get over yourself, there are literally tens of thousands if not more who can make that claim.

As for him dying, where do you get that from? Nothing indicates he is dying. You do know that not everyone who gets cancer and is treated for it, dies from it don't you? Or are you still doing your workout of jumping to conclusions?

My head is nowhere near his ass, I'm not saying he's a saint I'm just not condeming him as the devil without evidence that he is. If you had proof of any of the allegations you make against him and had presented such I likely would have said nothing but you didn't. All you have is your assumptions saying he is the worst of the worst which is exactly the way us marijuana users get treated by much of society because of the laws on the books. You can't effectively stand for something if your position is as unjust as the positions you fight against.

 

[dagnabit]

He made his choice - I have checked his decisions (have you?), and his has NEVER gone on the record with any of his newfound convictions. I've looked at his record - and nothing in there was positive towards our movement.

what exactly could a CIVIL court judge do?
unless NY is a weirder place than i thought a civil judge don't have much sentencing power in criminal cases?

you did the research though
so the majority of his career is spent as a defense lawyer then a civil court judge.
he now sits on a trial court.
but lets spit in his face. maybe that will feel better than blaming who deserves it.
here are his decisions.
http://decisions.courts.state.ny.us/search/query3.asp

feel free to ACTUALLY read them.