By Steve Elliott in
Dispensaries, Medical
Wednesday, Mar. 10 2010 @ 2:36PM
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| Photo: Monroe County, FL Sheriff's Department |
While CannaMed's owner insists that he's not doing anything wrong, his company could be greatly impacted by legislation now making its way through the State Capitol, reports Joel Warner at Denver Westworld.
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| Photo: AP |
| Lance Mackey celebrating victory with his lead sled dog, Larry, in 2008 |
"I know for a fact," said the three-time winner, reports The Associated Press.
Mackey said he would abstain for purposes of this year's race. "I'm going to pee in their little cup, and laugh in their face," Mackey said.
By Steve Elliott in
Legislation, Medical
Wednesday, Mar. 10 2010 @ 11:18AM
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| Graphic: ABC News |
The Legislature's Joint Committee on Public Health is currently considering a bill that would make Massachusetts the 15th state in the nation to give seriously ill patients safe and legal access to medical marijuana.
Last September, Suffolk University released poll results showing that 81 percent of Massachusetts residents support allowing "seriously ill patients to use, grow, and purchase marijuana for medical purposes if they have the approval of their physicians."
Tuesday, Mar. 9 2010 @ 2:52PM
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| Graphic: ficiency.com |
The U.N.'s International Narcotics Control Board's (INCB) attempts to meddle in marijuana reform in the United States were denounced by the Marijuana Policy Project on Thursday.
The INCB, which is currently meeting in Vienna, Austria, said in a recent report that they were "deeply concerned" that the 14 U.S. states that have medical marijuana laws are sending the "wrong message to other countries."
And here you were thinking that American states got to decide for themselves what "messages" to send! Silly you, they're supposed to get the permission of the United Nations, first!
"The last thing the INCB should be doing is meddling in our states' affairs," said Aaron Houston, MPP director of government relations.
Monday, Mar. 8 2010 @ 2:47PM
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| Photo: DEA |
A group emailed the request to Holder on Monday, following up on a letter sent last week, according to the Associated Press.
According to the lawmakers, the raids are discouraging dispensary operators and medical marijuana patients and growers from working with the Colorado Legislature on proposed regulations.
The letter was sent by Sens. Chris Romer and Nancy Spence, and Reps. Tom Massey and Beth McCann.
A suburban Denver man has been charged with marijuana possession in federal court after DEA agents raided his home and found 224 pot plants.
The raid took place only hours after segments aired of a television interview with Chris Bartkowicz, in which he boasts of his $500,000 basement grow operation, his $637,000 home and his expected $400,000 profits this year.
Friday, Mar. 5 2010 @ 2:24PM
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| Photo: U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration |
"The just pulled out all the power so the plants are going to die," Hochanadel said, reports Marcel Honore of The Desert Sun. "The heat, the lack of light, the lack of watering" puts the 400 plants "in danger of being unusable."
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| Photo: Matt Mernagh |
| Activist Matt Mernagh: Cannabis sovereignty for Canada! |
It would be reasonable to assume that Canada is in charge of its own medical marijuana program -- wouldn't it?
Apparently not. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the United Nations are offering unsolicited "advice" and "expressions of concern" to our neighbors to the north due to Canada's 5,000 legal medical marijuana patients.
Thanks to prominent Canadian cannabis activist and writer Matt Mernagh for this excellent guest post, and for being on top of the story. ~ Steve Elliott
By Steve Elliott in
Legislation, Medical
Friday, Mar. 5 2010 @ 10:59AM
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| Graphic: A Greener Country |
Under Senate Bill 5798, it won't be just doctors who can get sick people access to pot, reports Mark Rahner at The Seattle Times.
The bill widens the list of licensed medical professionals who can recommend marijuana to include physicians' assistants, nurse practitioners and naturopathic physicians, according to one of its sponsors, Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-Seattle).
"The reason is that, especially in rural areas of the state and away from Puget Sound, because of long distances, many people do not see M.D.'s," Kohl-Welles said. "They see nurse practitioners and physicians' assistants who have prescriptive authority."
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| Photo: Todd Bigelow/Aurora for NPR |
| Laguna Woods resident Margo Bauer, 73, tokes up on the porch with her plant. |
The Village Cannabis Club was started by Lonnie Painter, who also directs Laguna Woods for Medical Cannabis, a 100-member patient collective centered in the community, reports Claire Webb of The Orange County Register.
The main difference between the Village Cannabis Club and the patients' collective is that any resident can be a member of the club regardless of medical status, while the collective requires members to have a doctor's permission to use marijuana for medical purposes.
Thursday, Mar. 4 2010 @ 3:15PM
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| Photo: Loretta Nall |
| Loretta Nall: "We plan to keep fighting" |
But one determined group of Southerners there exemplifies the rebel stubbornness for which the state is famous -- by refusing to give up their fight for the safe, legal, medicinal use of cannabis.
The brave efforts of Alabamians for Compassionate Care (ACC), ably led by legendary libertarian and former gubernatorial candidate Loretta Nall, have arguably made the state a good bet to be the first former member of the Confederacy to get a medical marijuana law.
For the past several years in a row, ACC has, against all odds, gotten a bill onto the floor of the Alabama Legislature, and 2010 is no exception. House Bill 642, the Michael Phillips Compassionate Care Act is expected to come before the House Judiciary Committee later this month.
Toke of the Town got a chance to chat with Nall about the state of medical marijuana in Alabama.
