PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - A proposed ballot issue to ease restrictions on stem cell research will strike a chord with South Dakotans because nearly everyone has had a serious disease or knows someone who has, according to former state Treasurer David Volk, himself a cancer survivor.
"It a fight worth fighting," he said of the effort to place the measure on the 2010 general election ballot.
Volk, of Sioux Falls, heads a group called South Dakotans for Lifesaving Cures. He says the state's ban on research involving embryonic stem cells should be thrown out so more work can be done to help find cures and treatment for cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's and other diseases.
"I'm convinced stem cell research down the road can be the cure and a treatment of some of the greatest scourges that have plagued humankind," Volk said.
The group recently got suggestions from the Legislative Research Bureau on technical changes in the wording of the proposed law. Once the final version is filed with the secretary of state's office, the group will have until April 6 to get the 16,776 valid signatures required to put the measure to a statewide public vote in November 2010.
Volk said the measure will strengthen South Dakota's ban on human cloning but will repeal a 2000 state law that has banned research on stem cells from human embryos. The cells that would be used for research would come from leftover fertility clinic embryos that otherwise would be destroyed, he said.
"There's nothing that involves cloning in any of this. There's nothing that involves using cells from aborted fetuses," Volk said.
Rep. Roger Hunt, R-Brandon, a staunch abortion opponent, said he does not know what the final wording of the ballot measure will be, but he sees no reason to get rid of the ban on embryonic stem cell research.
"It seems to be intended to basically utilize any stem cell source, and of course that could very well include unborn children," Hunt said.
Hunt said there are plenty of other sources of stem cells without using those from human embryos. The 2010 Legislature might even try to deal with the issue before Volk's measure appears on the ballot, he said.
"There will be considerable opposition to the measure," Hunt said.
Volk was state treasurer from 1973-1990 and now is involved in business, works as a substitute teacher and is a writer. He said the stem cell measure fits with his stand against abortion.
"It's pro-life because it will save lives," he said.
Volk said he believes the current South Dakota restrictions could hamper Sanford Health Systems, which conducts a lot of medical research. But he noted that he has not talked to anyone from Sanford Health.
Cindy Morrison, vice president of public policy for Sanford Health Systems, said the organization currently does no research involving stem cells and will take no position on the ballot measure.
Morrison said it's impossible to know whether the ballot measure would have any impact on Sanford because no one knows where future medical discoveries will lead. "This is not something we can predict."
Sanford Health, based in Sioux Falls, has clinics and hospitals in South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota as well as a children's clinic in Oklahoma.
Sioux Falls banker T. Denny Sanford has given the Sanford hospital system $400 million, part of which is being used for research to seek a cure for juvenile diabetes. Sanford also has provided $20 million to establish a children's research center with locations in South Dakota and California.
In addition, the banker last year said he was giving $30 million to a stem cell research initiative in San Diego.
Embryonic stem cells can grow into any kind of tissue in the body. Researchers hope to use them to create better treatments or cures for ailments ranging from diabetes to Parkinson's to spinal cord injury.
Former President George Bush in 2001 limited federally funded research to a small number of stem cell lines that already existed then. President Barack Obama in March lifted those restrictions but left it up to the National Institutes of Health to decide what stem cell research was ethically appropriate.
The NIH has decided that research is appropriate if it uses cells culled from leftover fertility clinic embryos, ones that otherwise would be thrown away.
The South Dakota law passed in 2001 was sponsored by then-Rep. Jay Duenwald, R-Hoven, a longtime leader of South Dakota Right to Life. The law bans harmful experiments on human embryos.
Duenwald said embryos left after laboratory fertilization should not be subjected to research that could kill or injure them. "Remember, we're looking at a human life," he said.
Many states have passed their own laws on stem cell research. Missouri voters amended the state constitution in 2006 to guarantee that any stem cell research legal under federal law is also legal in that state. Michigan voters last year passed a law allowing people to donate embryos left over from fertility treatments for use in scientific research.
Volk said he believes the South Dakota proposal will pass if the debate focuses on facts, rather than on emotion or prejudice.
Volk, a Republican, said he was approached to be co-chair of the campaign by Steve Hildebrand, a Democratic campaign consultant he has known for many years. The other co-chair will be chosen soon, he said.

Summary

The article is basically talking about how a proposed ballot issue to ease restrictions on stem cell research will strike a chord with South Dakotans. Volk, of Sioux Falls, heads a group called South Dakotans for Lifesaving Cures and he says the state's ban on research involving embryonic stem cells should be thrown out so more work can be done to help find cures and treatment for cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's and other diseases. However, the South Dakota law passed in 2001 to ban harmful experiments on human embryos. This is because they believe that embryos left after laboratory fertilization should not be subjected to research that could kill or injure them. "Remember, we're looking at a human life," said a longtime leader of South Dakota Right to Life.

Therefore, is it ethical to use fertilized embryos as experimental subjects? Considering the fact those leftover fertility clinic embryos that otherwise would be destroyed. One must also consider that the used of stem cell research down the road can be the cure and a treatment of some of the greatest scourges that have plagued humankind.

BALTIMORE, Aug. 12 -- The Maryland State Police issued the following news release:
A man who had been making online plans to allegedly have sex with someone he thought was a 13-year old girl, had his plans interrupted this morning when he was arrested by members of the Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit.
The suspect is identified as Christopher Scott Fowble, 30, of the 800-block of South Darby Street in Baltimore, Maryland. He is charged with one count of solicitation of a minor. If convicted, he could face up to ten years in prison and/or a $25,000 fine.
The investigation began in June 2009, when an undercover state trooper assigned to the Computer Crimes Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force entered a Maryland chat room. The online identity indicated the person was a young girl. Communication was received from an individual who identified himself as a 30 year old male from Baltimore.
During the next few weeks, online conversations occurred between the man and an undercover trooper posing as a 13-year-old girl. Most of the conversations had sexual overtones or were discussions of the two meeting for sex. Investigators identified the adult as the suspect, Fowble.
On August 11, 2009, through instant messaging, Fowble made arrangements to meet the person he thought was a 13-year-old girl in Baltimore and have sexual intercourse with her. The two were to meet at 10:00 a.m.
Fowble arrived at the designated meeting place shortly before 10:00 a.m. He was arrested by Maryland State Police and taken to Central Booking for processing. The Baltimore City Police Department assisted in the arrest.
Maryland's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is coordinated by the Maryland State Police. It is made up of federal, state, county, and municipal law enforcement officers dedicated to identifying and apprehending criminals exploiting and victimizing children through the use of the internet. The Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigates all varieties of computer related criminal activity and operates the Computer Forensics Laboratory. State Police provide assistance to police departments throughout Maryland in computer crime investigations.For more information please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar,Email:- htsyndication@hindustantimes.com

Summary

This case is about a 30 year old who had been attempting to allegedly have sex with someone he thought was a 13-year old girl. However, his plans were interrupted when he was arrested by members of the Maryland State Police Computer Crimes Unit. It all began when a state trooper of the unit faked an online identity as a 13 year old girl on a Maryland chat room and intentionally lured this 30 year old man in proposing a meet-up for sexual intercourse. The man was finally arrested when he showed up at the designated meeting place.

Ethical Question

Was it ethical for the Police Computer Crimes Unit to have a fake online persona in their pursuit of bringing online criminals behind bars? Is it morally right for government bodies to resort to such "trickery" in their mission to arrest online criminals?

Problem

It is lawfully right for the Police Computer Crimes Unit in making an arrest of sexual solicitation of a minor. However, the use of 'bait' in the form of a fake online identity was seen as an effective method in arresting this 30 year old man. Ethically speaking, the authorities shouldn't resort to such a method in arresting people guilty of such indecent online acts.