Judge Gustin Reichbach of Brooklyn has written an extraordinary op-ed in the New York Times where he admits to breaking the law by using marijuana to relieve his suffering from Stage 3 pancreatic cancer. New York does not allow such use of marijuana and the Obama Administration has been cracking down with raids and arrests over the use of medical marijuana. Reichbach details how, with cancer treatment, “Nausea and pain are constant companions. ” As a result, “I did not foresee that after having dedicated myself for 40 years to a life of the law, including more than two decades as a New York State judge, my quest for ameliorative and palliative care would lead me to marijuana.” But his admits that he came to rely on the drug and has added his voice to thousands who defend the use of medical marijuana. He is a justice of the State Supreme Court in Brooklyn.
Cancer patients have long said that marijuana was the only drug that relieved the worst symptoms of cancer treatments. My wife has told me that her mother took medical marijuana as she was dying from breast cancer and said that the drug had a significant impact on reducing her pain and discomfort.
Reichbach writes:
“Inhaled marijuana is the only medicine that gives me some relief from nausea, stimulates my appetite, and makes it easier to fall asleep. The oral synthetic substitute, Marinol, prescribed by my doctors, was useless. Rather than watch the agony of my suffering, friends have chosen, at some personal risk, to provide the substance. I find a few puffs of marijuana before dinner gives me ammunition in the battle to eat. A few more puffs at bedtime permits desperately needed sleep.”
His account is an important attention to the thousands of other medical marijuana users in this country. Obama’s prosecution of suppliers of medical marijuana and pressure on states that have decriminalized the use of the drug is nothing short of shameful. He has shocked many by his aggressive campaign against those states and his Administration’s expansion of medical marijuana prosecutions. Efforts to stop the raids by Obama Administration have been made in Congress but the Administration has successfully opposed such moves. While once promising to stop the raids and reduce prosecutions, the Administration has reversed course and is now conducting an all-out efforts against medical marijuana. Obama has been described as ” to the right of Ron Paul, Gary Johnson, Ronald Reagan and even George W. Bush on this issue.” Even Rick Perry defended the right of the states to allow medical marijuana.
Judge Reichbach’s account should be reading for every member of Congress, particularly his insistence that “[t]his is not a law-and-order issue; it is a medical and a human rights issue.”
I find it bizarre that so much effort has been expended against people using marijuana to relieve their pain. We have no problem loading them up with far more powerful drugs like morphine but prosecute them for using marijuana. When you have cancer, like Judge Reichbach and say that it helps you, I am inclined to be happy that it brings you relief. Thousands of sick people have stated that it brings them relief and yet the Obama Administration continues to waste resources and money to try to cut off their ability to use the drug. Now that is the definition of “Reefer Madness.”
As for Judge Gustin Reichbach, there will likely be calls for his removal from the bench as an admitted drug user and presumptive criminal. How do you think the bar should react? It would seem that there is a basis for prosecutors to ask for his recusal on drug cases. Would you agree that he should recuse himself from all drugs or just marijuana case or no cases?
Here is his background:
Reichbach received his B.A. degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1967 and his J.D. degree from Columbia University School of Law in 1970.[1]
Legal careerReichbach began his career in 1972 as private practice lawyer in New York. He worked in this capacity until 1990 and also practiced law in California from 1974 to 1976. From 1972 to 1974, he was also an instructor at Brooklyn College and, in 1974 and 1975, he served as Counsel to the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board. His judicial career began in 1991 when he joined the New York City Civil Court of Kings County. He was then elected to the Supreme Court in 1999. Additionally, he served in 2003 as an International Judge for the United Nations Mission in Kosovo and was a Permanent Member of the Kosovo Supreme Court in 2004.
Source: New York Times as first seen on ABA Journal.
Was I serious, or was I not?
Other thought on a THC revolution:
There’s the snob factor: “What’s that smell? It’s new!
Where does yours come from. Oh, that’s exotic. Wow!”
And then there is the convenience factor. Have your air-tight mini-container containing processed and THC guaranteed delivery beside your bed, or whereever at home.
Just open, take a bit in your platinum (snob) dispenser, like they did with tobacco in 1600, and sniff it, or rubbing on your gums, or place under your tongue. Exact dosing, quick effects and reliable half-life.
The drug of convenience. Cool, laid back, friendly, and mind-enlightening. What’s to complain about.
Go to Jamaica and test it. Or better yet Portugal, less poverty effects there.
It could maybe be patented or such. But competition from organic legacy brands will be tough. But somebody will find out a way to sew up the market. Damn capitalists.
Speaking of hard drugs; Anita O’Day did the Newport Festival stoned on heroin. Check out her story. The greatest woman jass MUSICIAN in her time. She did her last when she was 80+. The voice was gone, but the jazz was still living. Ask any jazzman. She never did a song twice the same way.
A little imagination can show how the game COULD be played. Do we have to sabotage Congress A/C to get them stoned to push through a bill, or how much drug money will they need?
Shano,
Just got back.
Don’t get your ego up, but you are one of the best thinkers here today. Wide and good input and reasoning.
Thanks for Portugal, hemp vs forest products (big diff in fiber producion rate) and many other points.
Got any political solutions? I mean that’s something we’ve been fighting for millenia.
“People you would never guess smoke pot or have smoked in the past. They should all come out.”
I agree. Especially if they are politicians, retired, or supreme court judges.
anon, every POTUS since Clinton has been a massive hypocrite on this issue. There but for the grace of god, they did not get CAUGHT smoking or in possession of marijuana in college.
History would be much different for them, obviously.
My nephew lost his college scholarship over some personal use pot.
Ridiculous! Cruel and unusual punishment.
People you would never guess smoke pot or have smoked in the past. They should all come out.
Just like the gays.
Queen Victoria, who took marijuana extract daily for pain, was no slouch.
All this pain and suffering, all the incarcerations. All over William Hearst throwing a temper tantrum because his girlfriend smoking his Mexican grounds marijuana at San Simeon. Before then, we were free to ingest what we wanted. Back then they relied on common sense. Today, it’s a precious commodity in the upper reaches.
“Judge Reichbach is a man to be admired. His courage in coming forward, especially at this most difficult and painful period in his life, is of real benefit to others.”
Hey Blouise, seriously with all due respect, this assclown is a State Supreme Court Justice and has enormous amounts of power that 99.99% of the people will never have.
What’s the downside for Jerky McJudgeface to speaking out? That this 40 year career lawyer and judge millionaire might have to retire? Boohoo. He ain’t never going to jail.
If a bastard like this craptard is afraid to speakout, it’s because he’s afraid of effects to his wallet, not because he’s afraid of jail time.
I will admire Judge Reichbach for his actions when he uses the power that us 0.01% centers don’t have and makes a real sacrifice.
Until then he’s just some other bozo that was part of a horrible system and collaborated with it to produce misery for others until woe, karma took a steaming shit on his face.
Leander22,
“The Drug War Industry” encompasses all the people who make their living arresting, prosecuting, imprisoning and rehabilitating people from drugs of all kinds. Almost every one in this industry has a vested stake in keeping marijuana illegal. Add to that of cause the brewers, vintners and alcohol industry.
Put me down in the mespo/Mike A. column.
anon: right on. But he may have to use a vaporizer. Sort of cumbersome.
Your move Judge Reichback. That would be awesome, simply earth shattering.
Yes, the banks are now making money laundering black market drugs. They lobby our politicians to keep the drug war going. The CIA too. It is all so corrupt, as one would expect in a black market with mafia like controls.
Oh to hell with this judge.
He’s been a lawyer for 40 years. He’s a State Supreme Court Justice.
He’s got white collar friends that he lets violate the law for him. He’s very well connected and if one of his friends get busted, the judge will know how every lock and key works to get their charges dropped.
AND HE WROTE A FUCKING OP-ED.
This jackass needs to get himself arrested taking some weed into the Supreme Court building, and medicating himself before lunch.
THAT IS AN ACT THAT WOULD MOVE MOUNTAINS.
OP-EDs? They’re not worth the paper they’re printed on.
“Henry, what are you doing in there?”
“Waldo, the question is what are you doing out there?”
JC…….humans have canabinoid receptors in every organ of their body. We know pot is a great pain medication and anti-tumor medication. It is ridiculous that it is still a Schedule 1 drug. Stupid.
I thought the ’60’s generation would fix this when they came into power, but it is still a gnarly subject in politics.
Federal marijuana policy is contradictory.
Marijuana is a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act, the most restricted category having no medical use.
Here is US Patent #6630507, “Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants” assigned to the US Department of Health and Human Services.
http://www.google.com/patents/US6630507.pdf
The federal government has a patent on medical marijuana.
Also, the synthetic THC sold under the trade name Marinol is a less strictly regulated Schedule III substance.
If, as officials say, the reform of marijuana law should be a low priority, by the same token, it is hard to justify so much court time, police effort, prison space, and so many disrupted lives for such a low priority.
Why does medicine have to come in the form of an expensive, bitter pill?
But the US government steps in to protect cocaine smugglers (Zambada Niebla) who have connections to CIA (Gulfstream jet tailnumber N987SA) and drug money laundering through major US banks (Wachovia).
Sweet.
Judge Reichbach is a man to be admired. His courage in coming forward, especially at this most difficult and painful period in his life, is of real benefit to others.
Kudos to this judge for recognizing that his authority and stature in the community provides a nice soapbox and speaking out on this issue.
Personally, I smoke Cannabis, for various reasons. I had always been personally against using it but also always recognized a vague natural right of humans to use the substance (or most substances) as they please as long as they aren’t endangering others.
I threw out my back playing hockey about 5 years ago, I knew from experience I would be laid out for a week or two. I asked a buddy for some pain pills, but he sent me bud and told me to stretch instead. 2 days later I was 95% when I had been at about 30%.
I also had time for introspection which made me realize I had been in a very negative emotional state for years, and I decided to seek help.
Diagnosed with dysthemia, I was instantly giving an anti-depressant. 5 months and 4 different prescriptions later, I had been through a lot of side effects. Extreme weight gain, zombie like states, impotence, insomnia, no appetite, et al. On the 4th drug I began having suicidal thoughts, which I had never had before. I had no real grasp on my mental state and found myself one night with my handgun on the table. No remorse, no guilt, no questioning, nothing but relief. I happened to have hid away the last of the bud I had been given, and thankfully decided to pull it out before I did anything. It was the 2nd most cathartic experience of my life, months of emotions bottled up by prescriptions flowed out of me. I decided there had to be a better way to deal with my issues.
I sought ‘alternative’ methods of dealing and coping. While I had always been fairly lean and healthy I ate better, I drank less, I quit smoking tobacco cigarettes, I exercised more…I got as healthy as I could. LIfe got much much better.
I still smoke on occasion. I check in on myself. I meditate. But best of all, being partially deaf, I listen to music and hear every little note and beat that I normally cannot.
I am a successful professional (though my posts may not indicate it). I am very active in my community. I just bought a house. I am getting married this summer. LIfe just gets better and better…though I have to fear getting busted for smoking a natural substance even though it saved my life and continues to be a source of happiness.
I plan on quitting completely once we get married (as I’ve promised her) but someday I hope that I can legally enjoy Cannabis without having to have a terminal disease in order to convince society that it should be OK for me to do so.
http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=002481 Twelve states have pending legislation.
idealist, some food for thought in your posts, certainly. The only modern model we have is Portugal, a nation that legalized ALL black market drugs. The drug use in general WENT DOWN. All the costs associated with punishment were transfered over to the medical sector where it belongs. Drug rehab and education is part of their legalization scheme.
The fact that drug users can forfeit all their assets to the state for growing ONE plant- the charge is manufacturing. This is a huge money maker for the drug warriors.
I also think that the paper, cotton and other Multinational corporations do not want the US to once again turn to industrial hemp as a raw material. It beats tree pulp paper and cotton production by huge margins in ease of production and volume.
No comparison and they know it. their forest holdings, fertilizers and chemical plants will become obsolete if industrial hemp comes into production in the US.
I want to build a house out of industrial hemp. It makes building a zero energy house much simpler.