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Please Show COURAGE

and COMPASSION
on November 2nd

PART 3 IN A SERIES
M y name is Stan Schmidt and I
live on Big Stone Lake. In the
past several weeks I ran some ads
better explaining cancer and its
treatment. It makes me feel very
good for all the comments such as
thank you, good article, great facts,
highly educational, etc., that I
received. I think it was money well
spent and you can bet it made my
wife proud.

Y es, my wife did die from cancer


and we all miss her very much.
On the lighter side she was able to
travel to the very end. I mean the
VERY end. We were on the Island of
Crete, the largest of the Greek Isles
when she came down sick. I had to
charter a Medevac Jet from Atlanta
to fly over and pick us up. We land-
ed in Sioux Falls at 10pm on May
8th. Our children had all been fore-
warned and so they along with
many grandchildren were there to
meet us. Jane’s brother who is her
only remaining family was also in
attendance. Everybody - kids,
grandkids, got to give her a kiss and
she got to say she loved them all
very much. She died at 6:04am the
very next morning in my arms with
all our kids bedside. Very sad indeed
but on the other hand she died in the
right succession. We old people do
die first and our kids and grandkids,
and if we are lucky great grandkids
bury us.

L et me now tell you the most sad


thing about cancer. It strikes all
kinds of young children. Do they
get just as sick from the chemo?
They surely do. Within the last two Jane and Stan Schmidt
weeks my 27 year old grand-daugh-
way worse. Now it’s Mom and Dad, from fighting a drug that you can
ter told me a good friend of hers,
same age, was told her two year old T he next three years Jane received
treatment at M.D. Anderson in
Houston, Texas. Same thing, lots and
Grandma and Grandpa burying
their youngest. It just can’t get worse
grow in your yard for free? On the
other hand are we, you and I, more
had about one month to live. The
child was diagnosed with cancer at lots of kids. M.D. Anderson is rated than that. concerned for that company’s profit
one year of age. That is way worse
than one of us old people dying,
number one in the United States
among Cancer Treatment Centers
which also probably makes it num-
W ith that kind of suffering going
on it’s easy to see why 14
states have already made Medical
or our loved one’s comfort?

that’s what we old people do.


ber one in the world. These kids are Marijuana legal for the sick. To do
M y wife fought cancer for 4 1/2
years. The first year at the every shape and color from around anything less is absolutely barbaric.
Moffit Institute in Tampa, Florida.
With cancer you are in and about the
hospital a lot. I was amazed at the
the world. Their parents have
brought them to the very best that
money can buy. Does chemo affect
T ake a look at the cancer industry.
It’s a billions and billions of dol-
lars a year business. Shots of medi-
P lease do vote on November
2nd and please do
Support 13. Our very sickest
number of young people being treat- kids the same as adults? For sure, cine routinely cost $4000 each and
ed for cancer. Do they all get bald that much and maybe worse. It are weekly. An acquaintance with depend on you.
and eyes like zombies? seemed to me that a very high num- severe Rheumatoid arthritis, has to
Unfortunately yes. And do they die ber of these kids were knocked so far have a $10,000 shot (that’s correct -
at that young age? Unfortunately, back from the chemo that now they ten thousand dollars) once a month.
yes. Often?? Unfortunately yes. It’s were in wheel chairs. Watching and And nasty side affects come with it.
bad losing a wife or grandma but
nothing like losing your baby. It
losing my wife to cancer is tough to
be sure. Watching and losing your
Like I said, it’s a billions of dollars a
year business. Can you really blame
Thank You,
just can not get worse than that. young child to cancer just has to be some big pharmaceutical company
Stan Schmidt

YES
47924 Rocky Ledge Road, Corona, SD 57227

Vote 13
for Legal Medical Marijuana in South Dakota
Tuesday, November 2
Prepared and paid for by
Stan Schmidt, Big Stone Lake, SD
PART 3 IN A SERIES
South Dakota
Tuesday, Nov. 2nd

VOTE YES
for Courage and Com
Measure 13
will be the nation's
p assion 13
and tried, let’s have some common sense about what
we’re talking about here, a natural plant on God’s
green earth.

MOST RESTRICTIVE T he difference between marijuana on the streets


and medical marijuana is that the legal, doctor-
recommended marijuana is cultivated with every
MEDICAL MARIJUANA precaution the patient deserves. Safety and control is
applied to medical marijuana while black market mar-
ijuana continues to be readily available to anyone who
MEASURE in the nation. wants it without any oversight or control. And again,
our proposal does not include any type of sale. IM13 is
T he Coalition for Compassion is led by Patrick K.
Lynch the former chairman of the Multiple
Scleroses Society and Tony Ryan, a retired lieutenant
a not-for-profit, simple, yet strictly controlled
approach for patients to have a safe, legal option as an
alternative to the black market. Lynch, Ryan, the 100 +
Police Officer. Since the founding, the Coalition col- nurses in SD, myself and the rest of the Coalition are
lected twice as many signatures as the state requires not looking to get rich.. If that was our interest, there is
for a ballot initiative far ahead of the deadline for 2010 an abundance of lucrative career opportunities in the
– and with such success our grassroots network of vol-
unteers has expanded to an impressive organization of Patrick K. Lynch, Sioux Falls marijuana market, and there are no taxes involved
either!
doctors, nurses, current and former law-enforcement Is the official sponsor of initiated measure 13 (Safe
officials, and average South Dakotans from every Access Act) and the founder of the South Dakota
political background, religion, and occupation who are
united by a common cause of compassion and empa-
Coalition for Compassion. Patrick resides in Sioux
Falls and suffers from Multiple Sclerosis. He formerly
W hat we are proposing, it not to ‘create’ any mar-
ket for marijuana as Mabry can foresee. With
plain rationality, we are simply asking that people like
thy for our loved ones living with painful and debili- served as the chairman for the North-Central States my grandmother, who took 2 puffs of marijuana and
tating illnesses. My grandmother among many others, chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society. (sdcompas- ate her first full meal during cancer treatment, have a
successfully and safely eased nausea and wasting syn- sion.org) safe, legal, option to pursue so they don’t have to
drome during chemo-radiation with medical marijua- resort to the already existing black market.. Which is
na, a therapeutic option that is so effective it is often
recommended by South Dakota doctors even while it
remains illegal.
M easure 13 strictly prohibits any
sale of marijuana. Driving under the
influence is also strictly prohibited.
often dangerous, and has absolutely no standards for
safety or quality and ultimately degrades the sick per-
sons’ dignity and puts their whole family through anx-
iety while risking criminal repercussions.

M easure 13 offers South Dakota a


strictly controlled program to handle
the need for this type of therapy. T here is an even longer list of rules and
regulations, even a requirement that S tate law should not stand as a barrier when a
licensed physician whom a patient has an estab-
each patient complete a re-evaluation lished relationship recommends a scientifically sup-
every six months. ported therapy for which the patient can find relief
P atients and caregivers will be registered with the
department of health. IM13 has several explicitly from their symptoms. Measure 13 will set a good
example for the rest of the nation and will safely pro-
detailed restrictions which make obtaining a recom-
mendation for I
don’t think I’m alone on
this one, but considering
the logistics of our propos-
tect the many patients in SD who are and will benefit
from the medical use of marijuana.
medical mari-
juana more dif- al, there is little logic in
ficult then it
would be for a
Mabry’s vision of marijua-
na magically falling from
the clouds and some how
T he Coalition for Compassion and our allies are
ready to stand strong for what we’re proposing; we
are united by a high-held virtue of compassion: our
patient to
obtain many winding up in everyone’s campaign for IM13 is an honest, sincere effort to
c o m m o n backyard. Denial that extend compassion to the most vulnerable people
prescription marijuana isn’t already an among us.
painkillers. easily available drug for (Co p y co urtesy o f The Co alitio n fo r Co m p assio n,
anyone who desires to get Patrick K. Lynch)
their hands on it and use
I n a previous
for leisure or any other
D
AP news arti- enial that marijuana isn’t already an
cle Art Mabry, reason is complete igno-
Ve r m i l l i o n rance. Simply put, mari- easily available drug for anyone who
Police Chief, j uana is around. If you desires to get their hands on it and use for
calls the can’t connect the dots leisure or any other reason is complete
Coalition for Chief, then maybe you ignorance. Simply put, marijuana is
Compassion a should swing by campus
‘scam’ and in for intro to economics around.
an article he because where there is
opposes
measure with a
the demand, there is supply.
Whether it is alcohol sold
Support from the Medical Community
Jane (Frink) Schmidt was the wife of Stan Schmidt, Big Stone
somewhat more Lake resident. She passed away from colon cancer in 2008. For underground by the mafia • American College of Physicians
specific mes- 3 1/ 2 years she was a constant user of Marijuana for medical in the 20s, malt beverages • Institute of Medicine
sage: “it would purposes. and beer being sold by bar- • American Public Health Association
create a black tenders now, or coffee being • American Nurses Association
market for unused marijuana and it will increase the sold at Starbucks. When there is a product that people • American Academy of HIV Medicine
danger of drugged driving.. I’m curious about what a want, there is someone around to sell it. • Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
caregiver does with plants that don’t sell.” These state- • Lymphoma Foundation of America
ments clearly indicate that Mabry hasn’t even taken
the time to analyze the initiative which is so concern- S
o, while some chose to use marijuana for leisurely
reasons (distasteful, yes) there is a market that
exists for them. The arguments of medical marijuana
• American Medical Student Association
• the state medical societies of New York,
Rhode Island, and California
ing for he and his fleet of college-town cops.
creating some new substance out of thin air is used • Scientific American
(sdcompassion.org)

Vote YES 13 for Legal Medical


Marijuana in South Dakota
Prepared and paid for by Stan Schmidt, Big Stone Lake, SD
Thank You,
Stan Schmidt
47924 Rocky Ledge Road, Corona, SD 57227
PART 3 IN A SERIES

13
D a k o t a
Sout h

VO T E Y E S n
Tuesday,
November
2nd

ge Compassio
for Coura and
American Medical
"A ll of the responsibility for regulating medical
marijuana growers would fall on law enforce-
Association Urges
Medical Cannabis ment, and that is something we currently don't have

Expected to Pass
the resources for," he said.
Federal Government
by Will Erstad, The Volante, (Source:Volante) M abry said he has talked to law enforcement offi-
cials in states that have passed medical marijua-
na laws and some of the responses he's heard have
to Support Medicinal
M edical marijuana is once again on the ballot for
South Dakota voters after a narrow defeat in
been fairly negative in regard to the difficulties that
arise in trying to make sure medical marijuana is not
Marijuana
by: Ethan Huff, citizen journalist
2006; but this time community members think it's being abused.
going to pass.

I nitiative Measure 13, which would allow the use


and cultivation of marijuana by people with debili-
"I t's tough for a police officer when they see some-
one who looks fine smoking marijuana and then
when they ask them about it they get a card saying that
T he nation's largest physician organiza-
tion, the American Medical Association,
has reversed its position on marijuana and
tating illnesses such as cancer or multiple sclerosis, they have 'chronic pain,'" Mabry said. "I don't want to now supports investigation and clinical
was placed on the ballot in March after more than sound unsympathetic to the people with serious ill-
research on the plant for medicinal use.
30,000 people signed a ballot petition. nesses that say marijuana helps them, but 'chronic
pain' sounds pretty ambiguous to me."

V ermillion Police Chief Art Mabry, who also serves T he group urged the federal government on
Tuesday to reassess its Schedule I controlled sub-
as the head of the South Dakota Police Chiefs'
Association and is an R ather than deal with the
difficulties associated
with regulating medical mar-
stance categorization of marijuana that wrongly vili-
fies it with some of the most dangerous narcotics in
opponent of the measure, existence like heroin and LSD.
said it is only a matter of ijuana, Mabry said he'd pre-
time before medical mari- fer that a group would just
juana becomes legal in
South Dakota.
propose a measure that
would legalize marijuana
D r. Edward Langston, an AMA board member,
points out that only a minimal number of ran-
domized, controlled trials have ever been conducted
outright and then subse- on smoked marijuana despite clinical research that
quently tax it.
"I honestly think
it's going to
spans more than 30 years. The group is now encourag-
ing further research into marijuana's efficacy despite
pass this time,"
Mabry said. "The
“I hate to say it, but
if the goal in the
long run is to legalize
its support since 1997 for Schedule I classification of
the plant.

margin the last


attempt failed by
marijuana for all peo-
ple, why not just try
T he Obama administration in 2009 also ordered
federal narcotics agents to cease prosecution of
medical-marijuana users in states that allow for its
was so small that it
to do that?" Mabry usage, indicating a change of course from previous
would surprise me
said. "If marijuana administrations' strict opposition to usage and
if it doesn't pass enforcement of violations, even in legal states.
were legal and taxed,
this time." Currently thirteen states legally allow the usage of
at the least the state
medicinal marijuana and another twelve or so have
would receive money
S enior Pat Donat wasn't
sure about the fate of
the initiative, but says he
from the taxation."
begun to consider allowing it.

wouldn't be surprised by
it. R eistroffer said complete
legalization of marijuana T he AMA is interested in research
that considers alternative delivery
methods for marijuana aside from
is not the group's motive.
ersonally, I'd like to Jane (Frink) Schmidt was the wife of Stan Schmidt, smoking it therapeutically.
"P see the initiative Big Stone Lake resident. She passed away from
colon cancer in 2008. For 3 1/ 2 years she was a "O ur goal is to legalize
pass," Donat said. "If it
doesn't it is because the
constant user of Marijuana for medical purposes.
medical marijuana
for use in legitimate cases,"
he said. "One of the found-
A dvocates for medicinal marijuana cite other useful
ways of utilizing the plant medicinally, including
the extraction of tetrahydrocannabinol(THC)-rich
people who would vote
for it aren't coming out to vote." ing members of Coalition for Compassion, Patrick hemp oil that some claim is capable of curing cancer.
Lynch, has multiple sclerosis and was chairman of the

E mmett Reistroffer, South Dakota Coalition for


Compassion coordinator, said he hopes for anoth-
MS Society. These are people with legitimate con-
cerns." T he AMA was one of the only organizations to
oppose the first federal restrictions on marijuana
that were enacted in 1937; it continues to reject the
er good year in Clay County after voters came out in
arbitrary notion that marijuana serves no medicinal
favor of the previous attempt at passing a medical
marijuana initiative. R eistroffer said he is confident the initiative will
pass due to changes in public opinion since 2006.
In addition to an apparent increase in public accept-
purpose, despite its past support of classification as a
Schedule I narcotic. The group even opposed a pro-
ance of medical marijuana, the American Medical posed amendment that would have established its

"W hether you're in support of the


measure or not, it is important
for everyone to get out and vote,"
Association has taken the stance that it would like
marijuana to be moved from its current Schedule 1
organizational policies in opposition to smoked mari-
juana as a safe delivery method for medicinal therapy.
listing, which states that the drug has no medicinal
Reistroffer said. "An initiative like this
is what democracy is all about."
value.
T he tides are shifting towards honest inquiry into
the health benefits of marijuana. The beckoning for
further evidence-based research by reputable medical

B ut Mabry is concerned about how the Department


of Health would not have the ability to regulate
I n addition to the AMA change in stance, the
American Nurses Association wants criminal penal-
ties to be removed for patients using marijuana.
organizations is a step in the right direction towards
legalizing marijuana for safe, legitimate medical pur-
poses.
the growers of marijuana.
Sources: Medical marijuana gets a boost from major doctors group - LA Times; Marijuana Policy Project; Healing Hemp Oil - Phoenixtears.ca

for Legal Medical Thank You,


Vote YES 13 Marijuana in South Dakota
Paid for by Marcia White in memory of Dr. Paul A. White, Douglas, WY
Stan Schmidt
47924 Rocky Ledge Road,
Corona, SD 57227

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