News
Throughout the past several decades the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes has received increasingly more attention. The active ingredient in marijuana belongs to a class of compounds called cannabinoids, which have been used to treat numerous conditions ranging from insomnia and PMS to chemotherapy-induced nausea and appetite loss associated with AIDS therapy. More recently, cannabinoids have been shown to be effective…
The classification of cannabis as a schedule one narcotic is among the least defensible aspects of prohibition.
Nearly three-quarters of Americans and more than two-thirds of Republicans believe federal officials should respect state laws on medical marijuana, a new Mason-Dixon survey of 1,000 likely 2012 general election voters found.
The Arizona Department of Health Services will accept applications for medical-marijuana dispensaries today through 5 p.m. May 25.
Under the voter-approved Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, the state can have 126 medical-marijuana dispensaries, but the application process had been stalled because of lawsuits and rule making.
Smoking medical marijuana could help relieve some symptoms of multiple sclerosis, a small new study suggests.
Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, found that people with MS who smoked cannabis had decreased pain and muscle tightness, called spasticity. However, the researchers warned that smoking the cannabis also led to problems with focus and attention.
Tired of bearing the brunt of the United State’s drug problem, Columbia’s House of Representatives voted to legalize illicit crops, including coca, marijuana, and opium poppies. Transport and processing is still illegal under the proposed bill. The move shows Latin American countries are no longer willing to wait for Uncle Sam to end the War on Drugs.
An element of marijuana, the cannabidiol tested significantly more favorable than the currently prescribed amisulpride in reducing the effects of schizophrenia. The researchers think the findings may point the treatment of schizophrenia in a new direction. Either way, it is yet another study that demonstrates marijuana’s beneficial effects on the human brain.
The Week is one of doobons.com’s favorite websites. They portray multiple viewpoints with easy-to-follow reference articles. This primer proposes three reasons, tough on crime, we don’t vote, and states went too far. I’ll add one more I think they missed… Big Pharma doesn’t like marijuana.
The House of Representatives voted down a resolution to defund the Department of Justice’s raids on the medical marijuana industry. In a largely partisan vote, it was denied 163-262. While largely useless, the bill would have at least put the raids in the national conversation and forced Obama to publically acknowledge his administration’s flip-flop on the issue.
Sir Richard Branson believes that the ideal way for Spain to get out of its current morass of national debt, savage austerity cuts, and social turmoil would be to legalize and tax marijuana.
Sometimes even the best-laid plans go up in smoke. And sometimes these plans end up costing a lot of money.
When you think about medical marijuana, or pot in any way, you typically picture Cheech and Chong, not an elderly Yiddish speaking grandfather. However, according to the Jerusalem Post, Rafael Mechoulam, a geriatric research scientist from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, known as the “Marijauna Maven,” is the go to guy when it comes to issues of medical pot.
On Friday May 4th the CT senate approved the bill 21-13, following the House of Representatives who had voted in favor of the bill a week prior. A list of conditions that would allow a physician to prescribe medical marijuana will be forthcoming from a joint panel consisting of members of the Department of Consumer Protection and the Board of Physicians.
Following in the footsteps of their New England sister state, lawmakers in New Hampshire approved an amended bill 236-96, a vote so overwhelmingly decisive it does not allow Governor John Lynch the ability to veto it. The bill has more administrative hurdles as it winds it’s way though the legal process.
CT beware! Based on the aggressive tactics of the DOJ, the Berkeley Patients Group, with over 9,000 members, was forced to close its doors last week. The landlord received a letter from the DOJ threatening to seize the asset if the tenant, BPG, remained. The BPG, in operation for 12 years with no history of criminal incidents, will look for a new location but noted the current environment discourages landlords from taking a dispensary…
Maybe a little late, maybe a little weak, but it is always good to have the House Minority leader voice concerns for aggressive federal police action, medical marijuana or other issues pertaining to state’s rights.
Medical-marjiuana dispensaries will have to employ a "medical director" at their operations as state health officials require, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge has ruled. The non-profits could begin opening this summer.
Recently, what has been noticeable on both sides of the Atlantic has been the lack of imagination when it comes to policy reform. When faced with the greatest financial crisis in decades, the British government ring-fenced the National Health Service from cuts; the coalitions attempts at moderate reforms to the British healthcare service have been strongly opposed. In the U.S. Obama’s administration has not only continued, but…
A bill legalizing marijuana for medical purposes has passed the Connecticut Senate. The state joins 16 others and the District of Columbia in enacting such legislation.
House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi has joined critics of the Obama administration's campaign against medical marijuana suppliers in California, saying the government is endangering patients and undermining its own proclaimed policy of deferring to states on the issue.
For a brief moment in 2009, medical marijuana advocates exhaled. A new President had taken office promising to call off the federal prosecutors in states that had legalized weed for the sick.
Pot patients are marching to Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco office as we type to deliver a petition demanding she do something to stop the ongoing and significant crackdown on local pot clubs.
William Randolph Hearst’s legacy continues… the White House’s official statement was released last week, linked above. Basically, because the stalks, stems, and leaves of the hemp plant contain trace amounts of THC, the whole plant is deemed illegal and not useful. Europe and Canada both farm industrial hemp for use as fiber, clothing, paper, and in foods.
Published in Rolling Stone magazine, the interview ranges across many topics. Regarding the one near and dear to us, the POTUS offered a weak argument, essentially “it’s against federal law.” This seems to put the responsibility on the Justice Department, which makes Obama either a weak leader or he stretched the truth during his election year.
Kimmel is funny and has some god lines in the video/article, but the main point here is the US AG, Eric Holder, saying that Obama’s rationale behind the aggressive DOJ raids against the medical marijuana industry isn’t 100% true. He could, with no approval from Congress, reclassify marijuana as a Schedule II or lower drug, thereby immediately removing all legal impetus for the raids.
As medical marijuana gains approval across the nation, how we deal with driving will be the next step. A user can test positive for THC long after they ingested marijuana and long after it would have any effect on their driving.
Wait, what!? I thought we all want to get tough on crime? This study suggests otherwise, and the results are closely mirrored in Canada and the UK. Obama might want to reconsider his aggressive tactics against the medical marijuana industry if seven out of every ten favor lighter penalties.
The mayor of Vancouver, and seven other mayors from around the state, petitioned the central government to reconsider legalizing marijuana. They join the leaders of several South and Central American countries and many cities and states in the United States in their call to tax and regulate.
Eager to back up District Attorney George Gascón’s recent public support for medical marijuana, prosecutors from his office plan to meet soon with San Francisco medical marijuana providers to flesh out a set of rules agreeable to both sides.
By adding Amendment 64 to their platform, state Democrats join the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol group in supporting the legalization of marijuana. The Dems added support for the bill as part of their “essential platform.”
Anchored by Oaksterdam University, the cannabis-centric downtown Oakland neighborhood hosted protests on Friday, 4/20, to call attention to the Obama administration’s aggressive anti-marijuana law enforcement tactics. Oaksterdam announced it will continue to operate, but with a different parent company and in a new office.
Why is Obama reversing his announced stance on the medical marijuana industry? Is it election-year politics? Check out the article.
California is finally starting to get serious about setting up statewide regulations on medical marijuana dispensaries.
It’s about time.
Cannabis Science, Inc. a pioneering U.S. biotech company developing pharmaceutical cannabis (marijuana) products, is pleased to announce we are in final negotiations to purchase 50% of a 10,000 square foot Cancer Centre in Arizona. This Cancer Centre already has 500 existing patients with new patients inquiring daily, from around the world, looking for cannabis-based treatments for numerous critical ailments.
Sacramento County voters will have an opportunity to get it right on medical cannabis in November. The Patients Access to Regulated Medical Cannabis Act of 2012 limits cannabis transactions, taxes them, and meets Federal location requirements as requested by CA US Attorneys. They are currently gathering signatures to qualify for the November ballot. Visit Thepuffingtonhost.com to donate and sign today!
Business is booming at Harborside Health Center in Oakland as medical marijuana patients from across the state seek new places to buy cannabis amid a federal crackdown on marijuana.
European researchers conducted a study of drivers who sustained injuries in a car crash in Belgium and the Netherlands. The big take-away? Alcohol was far and away the most prevalent drug found. Duh, right? The curious part, marijuana was found in 8% of the drivers from Belgium, but almost none at all in the Netherlands group, which happened to be much younger and more male than the Belgium group. The Netherlands has a…
In order to enforce the 2010 law approved by voters and signed by the governor, the legal arm of NORML filed a suit against the Department of Health and Senior Services.
Sponsored by the Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol folks in Colorado, the billboard is near Mile High Stadium and hits just the right tone.
Oregon marijuana growers respond to the aggressive federal actions by either shutting down their own grows, or getting raided themselves. Large grows are down over 35% since 2011, decreasing access for those who rely on the herb to medicate a variety of ailments.
Still in the state’s Legislature, the bill is dead on arrival after Gov. Cuomo’s comments. He did leave the door open for a change of heart in the future. However, he also linked medical marijuana to drug abuse and didn’t elaborate on the risks of legalizing medical marijuana.
The LatAm leaders respectfully disagreed. Their countries are bearing the brunt of the hemisphere’s drug trafficking. Obama suggested stronger countries, stronger law enforcement, and better economies would reduce the strength of the drug cartels and that legalization would only allow the cartels to further dominate certain societies.
OAKSTERDAM University, a self-proclaimed “cannabis college” in Oakland, California, has been called everything from “the Princeton of Pot” to “the Harvard of Hemp”. Its founder, Richard Lee, has become the public face of the movement to legitimise marijuana.
The war on drugs is going to the classified sections of Mexican newspapers.
Commercially available baby soaps and other wash products that are commonly used with newborns may yield false positive results for THC in immunoassay drug screens, according to a just published study in the journal Clinical Biochemistry.
World: Increasing numbers of patients use cannabis for medicinal purposes
Various NFL players who have been fined and suspended for their marijuana use.
American authorities haven’t been policing pot for very long, only about one hundred years.
Arizona's Republican Governor Jan Brewer signed into law on Tuesday a bill to ban medical marijuana from being used on the campuses of state universities and community colleges in the latest salvo in a long-running battle over legalization of the drug.
Possibly in response to the raid on Oakland’s Oaksterdam University, six national drug policy organizations publically ask President Obama to… reconsider the administration’s aggressive actions against medial marijuana providers.
Some Oakland, California residents are furious that on the same day that a gunman murdered seven people at Oikos University, armed SWAT teams raided a different university less than a mile away where peaceful activities were being conducted. Federal agents also went to the home of Oaksterdam University’s owner Richard Lee, the sponsor of a nearly successful 2010 California initiative that had received the public denunciation of the feds…
While federal agents were raiding a medical marijuana dispensary and the nation’s first pot trade school in Oakland, run by one of California’s most prominent legalization advocates, less than a mile a way, a gunman was murdering seven people at a Christian nursing school. The feds couldn’t have predicted the rampage, but it’s hard to imagine a starker illustration of misplaced law enforcement priorities.
One former heart surgeon says that while some people are on a daily dose of aspirin to lower the severity of problems -- and the likelihood of strokes -- after a heart attack or a first stroke, there's a better way.
The founder of a Northern California medical marijuana training school said Friday he was giving up his downtown Oakland-based pot businesses after a federal raid bankrupted him.
MARIJUANA, INC. (otc-pink:HEMP) is proud to announce the acquisition of the exclusive rights to the Hemp.com web address through a joint venture agreement.
Medical marijuana advocates on Tuesday vowed to reopen a San Francisco-area college devoted to cannabis cultivation and known as the "Princeton of Pot" a day after federal agents shut down the school in a raid.
On many fronts, Oakland is in dire need of federal assistance.
The city needs help reducing violent crime and would benefit from the feds' expertise in investigating allegations of government corruption.
An enthusiastic crowd of more than 200 medical marijuana patients and supporters rallied at San Francisco City Hall today to hear six city supervisors and an Oaksterdam University official decry a recent federal crackdown on cannabis dispensaries.
And Marijuana in general, issuing a quote “prosecuting illegal marijuana sales is not a priority.” This is good news for those on the west side of the Bay…
… but we have some bad news for those on the east side of the Bay. The Department of Justice raided the flagship location of the growing legalization movement, Richard Lee’s Oaksterdam University. Located in Oakland’s cannabis-oriented downtown district, the facility provides growing lessons, cloning, marijuana sales, and other matters related to growing and using marijuana. No cause was given for the raid at this time.
In a study published by the National Workrights Institute, federally certified laboratories are not following federally mandated protocols, have a high rate of false positives, and operate with little oversight. For a process that is involved in parole matters, employment, and other key aspects of life, the news is alarming.
Doobons does not condone driving while impaired, but it is hard to compare driving after utilizing marijuana and driving drunk. At any rate, the bill is riddled with problems, the least of which involves blood testing for a substance that can remain in the body for 30 days. Is it OK to give a DUI because somebody used pot 2 weeks ago? 4 weeks ago?
Hundreds of protesters visited Mayor Bloomberg’s house to voice their concerns over the police’s use of the Stop-And-Frisk policy, which overwhelmingly targets young black and brown skinned residents. 50,000 NYC residents are arrested for low-level marijuana charges, even thought the state of New York has decriminalized marijuana.
Kinda ironic, given Obama’s and the DOJ’s recent aggression against dispensaries in the West. Medical marijuana is one step closer to being a reality in our nation’s capital.
Americans are more and more supportive of taxing marijuana to help our financial situation. 42% are opposed and 10% remain undecided.
In honor of this year’s 420 holiday, celebrated on April 20th each year, Phototron is giving away one of its advanced hydroponic indoor growing systems to one lucky winner. Details and rules are posted on the Phototron website, and clues will be posted on Facebook.
Or, technically, a spliff. The request came at a dinner function honoring Mike Cameron, the British Prime Minister. Branson, who is Great Britain’s 4th wealthiest man, is known to partake in marijuana yet claims his question was “a joke.” Either way, it serves as one more prominent person calling for smarter drug policies.
No real surprise, this isn’t Richard Branson here. Willie Nelson, famous stoner and country singer, appears in a minimally produced commercial endorsing Oregon Cannabis Tax Act. The sweeping bill calls for full legalization of marijuana, including producing paper and other industrial applications.
Connecticut approaches its third attempt to get medical marijuana laws passed and implemented. Previous attempts failed when, in 2007, the governor overturned the law and in 2011 when the law never made it out of committee, despite having the support of the voters and the governor. This year, all three bodies appear aligned and without any snags, Connecticut will join the 17 other states with medical marijuana laws. NH politicos passed their…
The Washington Post floated the idea as a way for Romney to capture the Ron Paul voting bloc, and present himself as a state’s rights advocate. In addition, he could get out in front of a popular social issue that is gaining mainstream momentum… heck, even Pat Robertson came out in favor of legalized marijuana.
The leaders of Guatemala, Panama, and Costa Rica attended a conference calling for a new direction in dealing with illicit drugs. Mexico and Colombia’s presidents sent messages of support. Honduras and Nicaragua leaders do not support the idea.
Chris Williams, former owner of a Montana dispensary that was raided last year, has secured a lawyer and a group of other dispensary owners to form a suit that challenges the Federal crackdown that occurred in Montana, and other Western states. Mr. Williams may face jail time, and is risking up to 40 years behind bars by standing up for his rights, and the issue of state’s rights in general.
"Chronic Future - Killing Cancer" is a documentary about the truth and benefits of medical marijuana, including its success in treating cancer. Through the power of the media, this documentary will reverse the negative stigma and propaganda that has been instilled in the public since the 1930's.
The Supreme Court will begin hearing oral arguments as to the constitutionality of various provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Note that phrase: "Various provisions." The Supreme Court is not looking at the act as a whole. Rather, it’s considering four separate questions related to separate parts of the law.
The Marijuana Policy Project and Tuftonboro resident Ted Wright, whose wife Cindy has been battling breast cancer for more than 18 years, are asking for your help in passing medical marijuana legislation in New Hampshire. Our ads, which you can listen to below, are running this week on radio stations throughout New Hampshire.
Warning to marijuana shops selling Linsanity weed: Your buzzkill has arrived.
A Gallup poll last year showed that half of the U.S. population wants marijuana legalized. But not everyone is in on the smoke sesh.
Researchers studied the use of alcohol and marijuana among teen and young adult populations. Their findings indicate that alcohol use spikes dramatically after age of 21, with a corresponding decrease in marijuana usage. This effect is more pronounced among female populations. This finding reaffirms previous studies suggesting that marijuana and alcohol use are often substituted.
Pennsylvania, you’re up next! A Democratic senator, Daylin Leach, is the primary force behind the bill, which is currently in committee. The bill may not make it to the ballot, but the political conversation has started. PA joins 17 other states with legislation related to medical marijuana.
The above link is to a Huffington Post reaction piece; the actual letter is linked from that article. This time, it is Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell claiming marijuana leads to death.
But won’t say when. The next round of aggressive action will target dispensaries operating within 1,000 of a school, and continues the Fed policy of disregarding state voters and their decision to offer a regulated medical marijuana industry.
Politicians can’t seem to avoid the topic of marijuana, whether they’re being asked to fess up about their own use of the drug in the past or about their views on its legalization. Last week, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson joked that he had asked President Barack Obama if he could “have a spliff” at the White House state dinner. Here’s POLITICO’s look back at what 9 politicians have said about pot...
The Doctors debate the pros and cons of medical marijuana legalization, and how marijuana prescriptions have become so prevalent that there are even doorstep delivery services.
Country music star and marijuana enthusiast Willie Nelson is endorsing the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act of 2012. The superstar appears in a recently released ad throwing his support behind the initiative to end the prohibition on marijuana and restore the production of hemp in Oregon.
According to an article in the evangelical news magazine World, "marijuana is losing its stigma," largely because of "its claim to have medicinal purposes" and "the perception that everyone uses it."
Green media executive Cheryl Shuman announced today that Green Asset International Inc. (GreenAssetInc.com) is dedicating an unprecedented US $100 Million funding facility to develop the corporatization and rebranding of the cannabis industry's ancillary
In reaction to the recent spate of aggressive moves by the Department of Justice, pro-medical marijuana groups in California submitted four simultaneous lawsuits in each of the states four federal districts. This is the first of the four to receive a decision. The suits rely on the Ninth, Tenth, and Fourteenth amendments to the Constitution to show the Fed’s actions are unconstitutional. The judge in this case cited the Commerce…
The study also pointed out that inhaled cannabinoids treat hard-to-treat neuropathic pain conditions, such as those arising from HIV. Of the respondents, 71% reported improved conditions.
Martin O’Malley pledges to veto any legalization bills the state’s House of Delegates submits over concerns the bill would invite federal crackdowns similar to what we’re seeing in Montana, Colorado, and California. Currently, there are three pieces of legislature up for debate.
An interesting take on the War on Drugs, from a very pragmatic point of view. Corruption, lost wages, lost taxes, and other costs are discussed.
Faced with a 500,000 deficit of required signatures, the advocates for a bill to regulate dispensaries decided to pull the plug on the attempt to qualify the initiative for the November ballot. Instead, the groups will lobby lawmakers and Gov. Jerry Brown to tackle the issue. A campaign of radio and TV ads will educate the public on the issue, and hopefully generate grass roots support.
Winning 162 -161, the bill drops the penalties of possessing under one-half ounce of marijuana. The same body overwhelming rejected a legalization and regulation bill.
The world renowned medical research institution released a paper on its website calling for the Feds to drop their “illogical” classification of marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug, citing the potential for “head-to-toe therapeutic benefits.”
Legalized in January of 2010, New Jersey’s Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) is slowly developing the institutional framework to safely manage a medical marijuana program. Republican Governor, Chris Christie, is on-board and not publically blocking the program. The DHSS’s slow pace reflects their desire to watch California and Colorado and develop a better system.
The whole discussion in based on tax revenue and the fiscal benefits of raising the cash crop. The municipality is deeply in debt, and located in the semi-autonomous region of Catalonia. Given the widespread debt of governments around Europe and the US, this could be an important first step to get the public behind legalized marijuana.
…against the Fed’s warning? Legalized since 2009, three dispensaries are still waiting to open its doors, as the state bowed to Fed pressure to halt the program. That stance appears to have changed, driven by the General Assembly.
Is this a concession? Or a confusing document meant to muddle the marijuana legalization conversation? It’s a good read with many solid points (no advertising) and many pipe dreams (automatic repeal).
Of course, those leaders don’t much care if the War on Drugs is leading to horrific conditions in their country, right Janet? The War s a success, according to her, because it “…keep(s) our peoples from becoming addicted to dangerous drugs.” We’re not sure the general public in Colombia, Mexico, and other heavily hit countries, cares about that. They’re likely more concerned with their own peoples.
Costa Rican president calls for renewed talks on drug legalization, hopes to avoid becoming Mexico or Colombia.
Mike McGinn likens marijuana laws to alcohol prohibition in the 1920’s, and calls for Seattle to take a leading role in changing the conversation and legalize marijuana. Local politics taking the lead!
Canada’s C-10 crime law passed a conservative, unelected, Senate body, enacting draconian drug laws that minimize freedoms and reward the prison complex industry. Marijuana laws get stricter, the War on Drugs gets more intense, and the bill was decidedly partisan in a country whose crime rates haven’t been this low since the 1970’s.
MJ Freeway Software Solutions Co-Founder Mark Goldfogel is giving a free webinar on “How to Improve Your Medical Marijuana Business Practices and Stay Compliant” Wednesday, March 7 at 11 am MST.
The newly redesigned cans of Chronic Ice, the delicious all-natural hemp iced tea, offer some surprising facts about the history and benefits of hemp.
Interest in indoor gardening has blossomed, particularly in the last few years, as concerns over contamination and disappointment with the flavor of shipped produce have people taking matters into their own hands. But to ensure optimal results, Phototron recommends doing some homework before purchasing a hydroponic system.
Mendocino County, one of three Northern California marijuana-producing counties known as the Emerald Triangle, instituted a novel plan two years ago to track and regulate marijuana farmers. The system, involving site and operation inspections from the Sheriff’s Department, generated over $600,000 for the department and reduced the amount of friction in the rural communities. The Fed’s shut it down under threat of a lawsuit,…
Unlike alcohol, cigarettes, and cocaine, mild to moderate use of marijuana does not result in subtle alterations of a person’s dopamine release. Dopamine, a pleasure and reward chemical active in human brain, maintained similar release patterns between a group of marijuana users and a control group.
Previously, a number of signatures were deemed invalid, sending the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol bill supporters scrambling for additional signatures. They gathered 14,000, giving them a comfortable margin of error to reach the 2,500 needed. Colorado residents will vote in November on the bill.
The study, a collaboration between scientists at three California universities, suggests that legal marijuana leads to a 5% reduction in suicide rates. The study considered states with medical marijuana laws against those without, and from year zero, the suicide rates show a distinct difference. Possible reasons include the positive effect cannabis has on the brain or increased access to marijuana leads to a decrease in alcohol consumption.
The Feds have moved north. In conjunction with local law enforcement agencies, federal DEA agents raided Greenwell Cooperative, arresting the owner and stripping the plants bare. There are 25 total dispensaries in Vallejo, and the local police rep said they are also in danger of being raided. Curiously… agents from the Franchise Tax Board and the Board of Equalization were present, although their presence was not explained.
Nick Diaz resides in California, and holds a medical marijuana card issued by the state. After his fight in Nevada, the Nevada State Athletic Commission conducted a urine test and found THC. This resulted in a suspension from the UFC for the top-tier mixed martial artist.
Check out National Geographic’s “American Weed” show, on Wednesday's at 10pm.
The article linked above is a great primer on saying “No,” and why it matters. Know your rights, folks!
Twelve medical cannabis states form a national alliance, 280E Reform, to challenge U.S. IRS Tax Code 280E.
But they may not, either. In 2010, the Coalition for a Safer Detroit accumulated 6,000 signatures, enough to place the initiative on the ballot. However, the city claimed it would violate Michigan state law, and never placed the initiative on the ballot. The Michigan Court of Appeals overturned the city’s decision, clearing the way for a 2012 ballot appearance. The city filed an appeal of their own, perhaps stalling the procedure…
Last week the Feds play the heavy with Delaware, which canceled their medical marijuana initiative, passed by voters in 2011. Continuing the hardball tactics undertaken in California, Colorado, Montana, and other states, the Department of Justice sent threatening letters to the governors office, suggesting they would pursue legal actions against state employees who implemented the law.
Peter Lewis, chairman of Progressive Corporation, the parent company of the Progressive Insurance brand (think Flo), recently donated over half a million dollars to the Massachusetts pro-legalization organization Committee for Compassionate Medicine. The organization seeks to place a measure on the 2012 ballot that would legalize marijuana.
The link above is to the actual document. Long story short, there is virtually no change in budget or approach to drug laws. More incarceration, less freedom, and certainly nothing close to common sense steps towards legalization. For a longer editorial viewpoint, see here: http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2012/feb/15/meet_obamas_proposed_2013_federa
Jumping from rooftops BETTER than smoking pot!! We promise!
Greenlight Beverages is getting ready to quench the Aloha State’s thirst for a flavorful energizing drink made with nutritious ingredients.
Confusion over California’s medical marijuana laws has prompted many to call for more specific regulations. California medical marijuana attorney Chris Van Hook proposes cannabis be regulated under 3 current laws, depending on the intended use of each crop.
The number of people now gardening indoors has grown significantly in the last few years—and many people are wondering if starting an indoor garden is the right thing to do. Phototron explains 5 reasons to consider indoor growing.
A recent study out of McGill University in Montreal shows no increase in marijuana use by teens after a state passes medical marijuana laws. The findings match previous studies at Brown University and Texas A&M. Opponents of medical marijuana laws frequently trot out the potential for rampant use among teens as one reason to keep marijuana classified as a Schedule 1 narcotic. This simply is not true.
This is despite an internal order from the Police Commissioner, Ray Kelly, to do just the opposite. After the NYPD was embarrassed by a radio station’s investigation into their methods, Mr. Kelly ordered his men to cease the tactic of “stop and frisk,” where a person, frequently a Latino or black young man, would be stopped at random. If they had marijuana in their pocket, they would be arrested for having it “it open…
Registered with the Green Party, Roseanne formally announced her candidacy last week. Among her core tenets is the legalization of marijuana. Is this good for those of us who want marijuana drug laws taken seriously?
Seriously, read that. Your friendly pot law newshound will give you a teaser: What about the children’s day care workers? If they smoke it and their senses are dulled by its use and they drop little Johnny on his head, whose fault is it now? I think I know the answer!!!
Basically, the tide of history is on the side of legalization. Those who oppose it are on the losing side of this battle and will look foolish in years… like those who opposed a woman’s right to vote or equal rights for African-Americans during the 1960s.
The legalization of medicinal cannabis in a growing number of states and countries has opened up new areas of study and research, which is very exciting to the industry in general, and thrilling to Greenway doctors, who pride themselves in keeping up with the latest developments and passing essential information on to their patients.
The Israeli report finds that over 60% of the cancer patients in the study get long-term symptomatic relief from the use of medical marijuana. Researchers claim that marijuana, as a medicinal option, was presented to cancer patients too late, and should be immediately recommended upon diagnosis. Two-thirds of those polled would recommend medical marijuana to others.
In a move that appears to be politically motivated and designed to send a message, Montana state rep Diane Sands is under investigation by the DEA for her alleged role in the medical marijuana industry. An openly lesbian, Ms. Sands is quoted as denying any involvement in the industry, besides supporting her states ability to pass its own drug laws.
Data from a recent poll shows 52% voters in RI favor full legalization. A bare majority, but a full 65% favor decriminalization. Support fanned across party lines, suggesting that drug reform laws are wanted in RI. The state legislature will have the chance to approve a decriminalization measure in the coming months. Voters over 55 were the group most against legalization, with just 45% approval.
The entire building was being used as a grow house, with each floor hosting a different stage in the growth cycle. Seedlings were downstairs, and fully mature plants were on the top floor. The entire house was rigged with ventilation and lighting, supporting a 600 plant operation. In other NYC cop news, they shot an unarmed kid: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203711104577199620095178212.html
The drug, containing both THC and cannabidiol, is made from the cannabis plant itself, unlike Marinol, which is a synthetic. The natural derivate is being tested in a mouth spray form and could be approved by the FDA by late 2013. If approved, Sativex would be the first marijuana-like drug on the market since Marinol arrived in 1985.
Demi Moore inhaled a little too much hippy crack and passed out. She gets on TMZ, we just look like foolish college kids. Nitrous, hippy crack, whip-its, by any name it is a short term, dangerous, and synthetic high.
While the personal history of marijuana use among presidential hopefuls seems irrelevant these days, their positions on the national debate over drug laws is not. However, everybody seems to be ducking the issue.
Despite the fact that we, the people, continue to request he addresses the issue, President Obama matches his Republican peers by ducking the issue.
Americans for Safe Access, an activist group focused on ending the marijuana prohibition, filed a Circuit Court brief that seeks to force the DEA to reclassify marijuana. It is currently a Schedule 1 drug, meaning no medicinal use and a high potential for abuse.
Per the city’s controller’s office, San Francisco received over $410,000 in tax revenue in 2011 from the sale of medical marijuana. The city has been one of a few in California to continue to regulate and permit dispensaries, despite the federal crackdown occurring up and down the state.
The results are from a study that polled 800 California voters. The link contains interesting statistics confirming that the general populace wants updated marijuana laws. The group, Regulate Marijuana Like Wine, seeks to place a proposal on the 2012 ballot, and enjoys support from LEAP – law Enforcement Against Prohibition.
The initiative, known as I-502, seeks to regulate the sale of marijuana and tax it, similar to the current laws regarding liquor. The fate of I-502 first lies with the Legislature, who can confirm the bill outright, or the body may let it go to the ballot for the voters to decide. Colorado will also vote on a similar initiative.
Republican Jan Brewer initially resisted the passing of Prop 203 in 2010, filing a lawsuit to halt the process, citing conflict with federal drug laws. The ACLU filed a counter-suit, won, and now Gov. Brewer will no longer challenge the voters will, ordering her administration to begin the process of authorizing medical marijuana dispensaries. The link above is the reaction from the Director of the Arizona Dept. of Health Services.
More letters threatening federal action were sent to multiple Colorado facilities that engage in the medical marijuana industry. The twist this time? The facilities were thought to have been grandfathered in under state law, thus immune from Federal harassment. The Feds are moving the goalposts, as those targeted were operating under state license. In the link above, the Federal agent describes the escalating tactics the Feds will be using,…
… and gets a standing ovation! From both the Republicans and Democrats! Hopefully a sign of things to come, the bipartisan support for his comments, made during a speech, is welcome news. While the Feds crack down on state’s rights, states continue to take the lead in crafting sensible drug policies.
The headline says it all. Enjoy (and share) the link.
For the past three years, farmers in Kentucky have proposed a bill to legalize industrial hemp farming. The DEA currently does not allow industrial hemp farming, refusing to make the distinction between hemp and marijuana. The plant may be imported, but not produced in the United States, the only plant to have that dubious honor.
Research coming from a report found in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that cannabis, or any other illicit drug, doesn’t cause memory loss or impair functioning in middle-aged adults. Most of the test subjects had used marijuana, and those who did use marijuana tested slightly better or as well as peers during the study.
Good week for marijuana smokers! A new study released in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that occasional marijuana use does not adversely affect the lungs. No connection between use of marijuana and lung cancer was found as well. Heavy marijuana use may still affect the lungs adversely, the study cautions.
Of the estimated 200 million people who use illicit drugs, worldwide, 121-191 use marijuana. With up to 95% of all drug users using marijuana, maybe it is time to separate marijuana from hard drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and meth.
Three dispensaries in San Diego were the targets of federal DEA raids last week. The action continues the aggressive policy set forth by President Obama. The three shops were among those who received warning letters from the DEA.
Some good news! The judge in the case ruled the dispensary owners in Ferndale, MI did not have criminal intent when they sold local undercover police officers medical marijuana. The cops used forged documents to appear as normal customers, bought MM, then tried to bust the dispensary… despite them following the rules.
The motion, sponsored by the party’s Young Liberals group, passed a general party vote with 77% of the vote. The Liberal Party is Canada’s third party, having lost the #2 spot last year to the New Democrats.
In keeping with the traditional Libertarian credo, former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson would pardon all non-violent drug offenders. While holding virtually no chance of becoming elected President, his stance at least puts the issue in the national spotlight and encourages the conversation.
The group, linked above, acquired 160,000 signatures (needing only 86,000) to place the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act on the Nov 2012 ballot, ensuring that Colorado state residents will vote to end prohibition in their state. The group has the rest of 2012 to convince the 51% of the state voters that do not favor legalization.
A paper in the Harm Reduction Journal gathered a number of studies together to show that cannabis is a legitimate medicine when it comes to nerve pain. Doctors frequently prescribe opioids such as morphine and oxycodone for treatment, medicines that are addictive, expensive, and contributed to the overdose death of 65,000 people between 1999 and 2006. During that same period, cannabis killed zero.
Active in Kentucky politics, Mr. Galbraith was a long time advocate for sane drug laws. Wisdom from Mr. Galbraith, “My view is that government's role should be to uplift, enlighten, educate and ennoble the citizen, not oppress them with taxation and intrusive laws.”
Newt: Washington would have punished pot growers
Santorum: The Federal government doesn’t do that (imprison non-violent drug offenders)
Romney: I’m not quite sure what industrialized hemp is
Noting that Prop 215 passed 15 years ago, Kamala Harris called upon state legislators to clarify where the medical marijuana would come from. Ms. Harris also urged state lawmakers to clarify laws on profits related to medical marijuana, as Prop 215 contains no language on the issue.
Tom Ammiano, assemblyman in San Francisco, met with Melinda Haag to discuss the recent federal crackdown on medical marijuana dispensaries. The meeting, which occurred mid-Dec., had no discernable effect on federal policy and Haag was unclear on what would cause the crackdown to cease.
State-regulated dispensaries of medical marijuana that are located within 1000 feet of a school will be sent letters demanding they move or shut down operations. The tactic is eerily similar to the Fed’s crackdown in California, Montana, and Washington.
A Brazilian study of CBD, a compound found in marijuana, shows it to be “well-tolerated” at high dosage levels. CBD has previously been shown to have a number of health benefits, yet remains classified by our government as a Schedule 1 drug, meaning it has a high chance of being abused and has no medical use, which this report directly contradicts.
Check out the short clip to see Barney Frank’s pro-medical marijuana rant.
According to the new NBA labor agreement, players will only be tested for steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs. Marijuana will no longer be part of the testing procedure, which means no more multi-game suspensions for athletes or media attention focusing on marijuana-related non-incidents.
The increased use of marijuana among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders mirrors a growing perception among the age group that pot is not dangerous. Is this changing perception due to the advancements of the medical marijuana laws?
Federal Drug Czar R. Gil Kerlikowske blames the medical marijuana conversation on the uptick in teen pot use. Displaying an interesting thought process that suggests he was never a teen, Mr. Czar seems to think teens want adults to tell them marijuana is bad, instead of confusing them by calling it medicine.
In recent years, the rise in popularity of fake cocaine and fake marijuana, known as spice, K2, bath salts, and other names, has led to abuse and even death from the unregulated drugs. Last Thursday, Congress voted to make the synthetic drugs illegal, classifying them as a Schedule 1 narcotic.
Aside from Mendocino County, which voted to support legalizing medical marijuana, and Humboldt County, which merely placed a moratorium on new dispensaries, cities and counties across California are taking sides with the fed’s, who recently began a crackdown on the growing medical marijuana industry.
49% of polled residents support the full legalization of marijuana, and 68% support medical marijuana. Curiously, most of the respondents identified themselves as conservative and older than 45. On a related note, Colorado residents like Tim Tebow!
A coalition of drug policy experts, public health officials, and concerned citizens went public with a new website, drugpolicy.ca, and a position supporting evidence based drug policy that supports public health and human rights over incarceration and criminalization.
The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors passed a county zoning amendment that will not allow medical marijuana dispensaries to get a permit to operate do to conflict with federal law. The previous zoning ordinance did not expressly prohibit the dispensaries, which attracted a large number of poorly regulated MM businesses.
A new poll shows residents of the Garden State support medical marijuana. 80% favor use of the drug for medical purposes, and 55% believe in decriminalization. A solid 35% want outright legalization. Each figure represents a marked increase from a study done in 1972.
The City Council of Redding voted unanimously to file a lawsuit in reaction to a suit brought by 5 local area dispensaries that challenged an earlier ban on dispensaries. NorCal Safe Access protested the suit.
Oakland proceeded with its plan to double the number of medical marijuana dispensaries within its city limits from 4 to the proposed 8. A list of finalists can be seen on their website, linked above.
A recent study examining the relationship between medical marijuana laws, alcohol consumption, and traffic accidents contains shocking statistics. Notably a 9% decrease in traffic related fatalities and a 5% decrease in the amount of beer sales. Clearly, people will substitute beer for marijuana when it is not legally available, to the detriment of society.
The Director of the Center for Medical Cannabis Research speaks about what he’s learned about the medical benefits of marijuana, what is left to learn, and what happens next in the march to legalize medical marijuana.
I think we all knew this, personally, but this study shows that the quality of life for those suffering from IBS goes up when medical marijuana was added to the mix. Specifically, users reported increase in social activity and positive weight gain.
With a largely corrupt police force, the Honduran congress overwhelmingly voted to call out the Army to battle Mexican drug cartels. The Army will now have broad domestic policing powers, including the right to make arrests and gather evidence.
The results of a 16-question study asking health professionals at hospices across the nation shows, in general, the group favors the use of medical marijuana in caring for the terminally ill. They join dozens of other health professionals calling for, at least, further study on the subject.
Researchers added vaporized cannabis to the prescription pain medication regime of 21 chronic pain sufferers. The subjects of the study were taking morphine or oxycodone when researchers added vaporized cannabis for the five-day study. Blood samples and pain assessments were taken daily. The subjects reported a significant decrease in pain, suggesting that dosage levels for prescription opioids could be reduced when augmented with vaporized…
DOOBONS.COM, the new face of the medical marijuana industry, made its long awaited debut by creating a huge splash at the San Jose HempCon trade show on 11/11/11. "We expected to fly slightly under the radar at the San Jose show," said owner and founder John. This, however, proved to be impossible as soon as the doors opened...
Federal agents staged coordinated raids across the state of Washington on Tuesday, November 15th, targeting storefronts that operated under the states 1998 law that allows medical marijuana. The law does not explicitly ban nor permit storefronts. In March of 2011, Washington Governor Christine Gregoire essentially vetoed a regulated system for medical marijuana. 15 businesses were targeted in six cities.
A British study suggests children with high IQs are more likely to try illicit drugs as adults. The study began in 1970, and has been following thousands of people for decades. Turns out high-IQ men are twice as likely to use drugs, women three times. Higher use of alcohol is also correlated to high IQs.
A California state appeals court grants cities and counties the right to ban dispensaries, citing conflict with federal law. The case centered on Riverside, CA, and the city will now move to close down the roughly 15 dispensaries in city limits. The decision mirrors an earlier case involving Long Beach.
California’s Lt. Governor and former San Francisco mayor Gavin Newson joined Republican presidential nominee and former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson in calling for the end of Prohibition on drugs. Speaking at the International Drug Policy Reform Conference in Los Angeles, the politicians openly advocated for full legalization as the answer for the country’s drug problem.
A coalition of NORML chapters and medical marijuana supporters will begin collecting signatures to place two similar initiatives on the 2012 ballot. Both measures call for legalizing marijuana for everybody, and allowing nonviolent offenders in jail for marijuana-related offenses to be set free, with clean records. One measure aims to make legalization an amendment to the state’s Constitution, and the other measure seeks to make it a…
As federal law cracks down on California legal medical marijuana dispensaries, Oaksterdam's Richard Lee, the leading proponent of the marijuana legalization of movement, refuses to give up. After federal ordinances convinced Oaksterdam's previous land lord to evict the dispensary and educational center, Mr. Lee picked up shop and moved 3 doors down.
The law, enacted in the fall of 2011, sets the punishment for possession of less than 10 grams a fine of $200 and up to 10 hours of community service. Previously, the punishment was a misdemeanor carrying a $1,500 fine and a possible sentence of six months of jail time. Chicago arrests 23,000 each year for possession.
A Gallup poll suggests that roughly 50% of the US are in support of the legalization of marijuana. Interestingly, less than 46% were in direct disapproval of legalization, and about 4% were indifferent or did not know. This marks the highest approval rating for legalization in the history of the country.
This new era of open-mindedness sets the stage for the possibility of greater freedom and more assistance in legal medical marijuana.
Although the California Medical Association, the states largest medical association, has not officially recognized the medical value of pot and acknowledges some health risks of smoking, the group now urges it be regulated like alcohol. Law officials responded critically to the new stance.
With 65% of the vote, Initiative 1 passed with a resounding yes. The measure makes possession of marijuana the lowest priority for law enforcement officials. It passed despite this… misguided… editorial.
Discovery Channel will air “Weed Wars” staring in November. The show is the result of following the staff and plants at Harborside Health Center, a Northern California dispensary of medical marijuana, for one year.
Brazilian researchers report that rats whom suffered spinal cord injuries showed improved locomotor skills and reduced the extent of the injury after being administered cannabidoil (CBD). CBD is a non-psychoactive compound in cannabis. THC is the compound that is often associated with the inebriating effects of the plant. The study reinforces previous studies showing the therapeutic effects of CBD.
This blog article suggests cannabis has long enjoyed a place in a doctor’s arsenal of medications, until industrialists decided it cost them money. Modern studies show cannabis may reduce or even cure cancer, as well as a host of other ailments.