“There are a number of things I want you to be aware of in my presentation. I want you to be aware that I do not smoke, and I do not have the desire to smoke. I do not drink alcoholic beverages, and I do not desire to drink alcoholic beverages. I’ve never smoked marijuana, and I have no desire to smoke marijuana. I’ve never taken illegal drugs, and I have no desire to take illegal drugs. The reason I am at this rally for Initiative 13 is for very personal reasons. I’m not here for abstract reasons. I’m not here for theoretical reasons. I’m here for very personal reasons, and that very personal reason is I have somebody who is very close to me who suffers from constant pain. This has been going on for six years. Each day, this person is in pain. Each hour, this person is in pain. Each minute, this person is in pain. And, of course, each second of every day, this person is in pain. Now, for those of you who have other people here you’re aware of that’s in pain, you probably realize that pain can really wear a person down. Really wear a person down. In fact, this person is probably (sic) disabled. Now, I should also mention too that this person takes prescription drugs and that one of the drugs is a narcotic. A prescribed, legal drug. And also many other drugs to try and recover from the pain. So, the question has to arise; If this person is already taking heavy duty, heavy duty, heavy duty prescription drugs, what is wrong with this person being allowed to try marijuana to see if it can provide some relief? Now, as a matter of fact today I was talking to an opponent of Initiative 13 and I told this individual this very personal story of mine and this individual responded kind of interestingly. This person said “Well, if I was in the shoes of that person and suffering all this pain, you know what I would do? I’d just go ahead and smoke marijuana illegally anyway.â€Â Well, this person I know that is suffering in pain is not about to break the law. No way. But this person hopes the law can be changed with Initiative 13. And so, in conclusion, I would like to thank all of you for being here today to possibly make this happen. Thank you, again.” – Dr. Kermit Staggers
I agree with all of Kermit’s statements. I suffered from back pain for many years – NOTHING near the chronic pain that many people deal with but that alone wore me down, taking drugs to try and dull the pain but not really succeeding, the every day energy it takes to just function can get overwhelming. I have never smoked weed nor do I have a desire to but I do believe in Initiative 13
Great points by Kermit, plus if the opponent who ends up in that situation decides to give MJ a try, he more than likely would seek out some high school kid to find him a bag, so this act brings at least one more person into the cycle of breaking the law, beyond all those who live in the same dwelling.
That’s funny, because I could definitely see Kermit sparking one up every once in a while. He makes some good points that will be ignored by the groups opposed to medical pot.
There’s no money in it for big pharma, and no increased budgets and asset forfeitures for the law enforcement industry.
I have already said if it is close and they win, AG Jackboots will fuck with the results. And if they win by a big margin the AG’s office and the State Legislature will try to overturn it.
dr blake turd says weed doesn’t work. it’s all part of nancy pelosi’s liberal agenda.
I still can’t figure out how people wrap their heads around opposing this.
Liberals should be for it because we all know they are just a bunch of weed smoking, hemp wearing, no-deodorant using, Prius driving hippies anyway, so if you think MJ is bad, you aren’t respecting Mother Earth.
If you don’t respect natural plants, then you probably don’t like fruits or vegetables and you probably work for a food preservative company or an evil conglomerate like Monsanto or some drug company that will do or say anything to keep natural therapies away from those who need it because they can’t patent weed and they can’t make any money from it! Profits ahead of people am i rite?
Conservatives should be for it, because if God didn’t want us to smoke it, he wouldn’t have put a plant on our soil that requires no chemical manipulation to use. Thus, if you don’t like it, you are anti-God and a heathen…and we don’t have any room for you in Americuh’ because as you all know our nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles and even our money says “In God We Trust” on it.
All of God’s creatures were put on this Earth for man’s use, just as all of God’s plants were put on Earth for man’s use. If you don’t believe that – you must be an atheist, and since all atheists are clearly liberals… see the first paragraph of this post.
/stereotypical rantings
These are almost certainly Gordon Howie’s words: “Well, if I was in the shoes of that person and suffering all this pain, you know what I would do? I’d just go ahead and smoke marijuana illegally anyway.â€
Two years ago, Howie said words almost exactly like that to me.
What the fuck was Staggers doing on that loser’s ticket, anyway?
It’s obvious why he was on Howie’s ticket – he has aspirations and they are seemingly similar on conservative issues.
Marijuana isn’t liberal or conservative, I’m sorry Costner what the hell was the point of your post? Can’t you guys see that the group which formed behind IM13 has no political connections what-so-ever.. This is why, when, a somewhat well known official like Staggers speaks out it makes prime time news. The folks behind IM13 aren’t majority Dems or majority Republicans.. they are all mostly independents who haven’t voted before and aren’t tipically involved in the process. These supporters are standing up because they have had some type of personal experience or known someone or have a loved one who needs it.. hence Staggers stepping away from the tipical reefer madness BS spewed by Dr. Turd and the elected republicans is BIG NEWS.
Thank you Kermit! Also remember – Left wing liberal pro-abortion Martha Vanderlinde endorsed the measure the same night!!
YES on 13 – No on 12! Yes for Tommy Marking!
My Man Mike Fan – I noticed when you posted that you used Manny Steele’s email address. If you really are Manny Steele, your ramblings scare the crap out of me, please tell me you are not. We already have enough kooks serving in the SD Legislature.
Living in the same state as Manny Steele makes me want to smoke marijuana to forget I live in the same state as Manny Steele.
Are you coming over? A friend with w . . .
Well put Mr. Staggers. Pot is the only affordable pain medicine for the working class. Government philosophy is ‘if they’re sick, jail them for a little weed so we can hook them on harder stuff’. He’s a statesman for the common man.
My_man_Mike_#1_fan!: Marijuana isn’t liberal or conservative, I’m sorry Costner what the hell was the point of your post?
I agree it isn’t liberal or conservative, but unfortunately a lot of people see it that way.
The point of my post was to show how silly it is to politicize the issue. Some would call it sarcasm or a form of humor.
However Manny, you showed your ignorance when you called someone “pro-abortion” and again when you said “No on 12”. I’m incredibly saddened that people would trust a moron to represent the public.
Costner, don’t make judgements, I haven’t proven that it was Manny Steele yet, the person just used his name as an email address.
I know, but he is either Manny or took the time to type in Manny’s email address. Based upon his positions it is eerie either way.
Living in the same state as Manny Steele makes me want to smoke marijuana to forget I live in the same state as Manny Steele.
Sounds like a legitimate medical condition to me.
Give the man a ‘scrip!
You’ve never had a case of the ‘Mannies’? It causes you to spell every third word you type incorrectly.
Marijuana laws give way to an enormous amount of civil rights violations. If initiatives were to pass for medicinal or total legalization, you would see a dramatic drop in civil rights violations. Not to mention, eliminating in part, unnecessary law enforcement which is nothing more than welfare with a badge.