Author Steve Elliott ~alapoet~

New Way Found To Enhance Effects Of Body’s Own Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 21, 2011 Medical, News

Results Underscore Cannabinoid’s Potential as Basis of Safe Painkillers

Researchers have discovered a new way to enhance the effects of anandamide, a natural marijuana-like chemical in the body that provides pain relief.

A team of University of California at Irvine and Italian researchers, led by Daniele Piomelli of UC Irvine, identified an “escort” protein in brain cells that transports the endocannabinoid anandamide to sites within the cell where enzymes break it down, reports HealthCanal. The scientists found that blocking this protein — called FLAT — increases the potency of anandamide.

Compounds which boost anandamide’s natural abilities could form the basis of pain medications that don’t produce sedation, addiction or other central nervous system (CNS) side effects, according to previous work by the scientists. These side effects are common with existing painkillers such as opiates.

Medical Marijuana Resolution Now In Florida Legislature

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 21, 2011 Legislation, Medical

The World

Resolutions to let Florida voters decide on an amendment to the state constitution which would legalize marijuana have now been proposed in both chambers of the state Legislature.

Sen. Larcenia Bullard (D-Miami) dropped Senate Joint Resolution 1028 in the hopper on Friday, and Rep. Jeff Clemens (D-Lake Worth) had already introduced House Joint Resolution 353, reports Matthew Hendley at the Broward Palm Beach New Times. The resolutions would put a medical marijuana amendment up for a statewide vote next year.

But there’s one hurdle, and it’s a tall one: Both the Senate and the House have to pass the resolutions by three-fifths margins for the amendment to make it to the ballot.

Clemens’ bill was assigned to three House committees about a month ago, in late October, and chances don’t look very good of it making it out of any of those committees anytime soon.

Nebraska Agrees To Allow Pro-Marijuana License Plates

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 21, 2011 Culture, News

KETV

Dude’s gonna get his plates after all.

After initially saying no, the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles relented on Monday, agreeing to issue pro-marijuana license plates to a Holbrook man.

Frank Shoemaker had sued the state Thursday in federal court, saying Nebraska’s refusal to grant him “NE420” plates violated his Constitutional right to free speech, reports Peter Salter at the Lincoln Journal Star.

Officer Sues; Was Fired For Signing Legalize Marijuana Letter

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 21, 2011 Legislation, News

Phoenix New Times

Joe Miller, former Mohave County probation officer, was fired for publicly supporting marijuana legalization.

A probation officer says the state of Arizona and Mohave County fired him illegally to retaliate because he signed a letter in support of a California ballot measure to legalize marijuana. The ACLU of Arizona on Thursday filed a suit on his behalf.

Joe Miller, who lives in Needles, California, was one of 32 law enforcement officers and retired officers who signed the letter, “Law Enforcers Say Control and Tax Cannabis to Protect Public Safety,” in June 2010, reports Courthouse News.

The letter, from the group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), endorsed California’s Proposition 19, a November 2010 ballot measure which would have allowed adults to grow and possess small amounts of marijuana. Prop 19 lost, 46.5 percent to 53.5 percent.

Nebraska Man Sues Over Rejection Of NE420 License Plate

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 18, 2011 Culture, News

KETV

What’s the big deal?

An attorney and marijuana advocate from southwestern Nebraska is suing the state Department of Motor Vehicles after his application for a personalized license plate was denied because state officials claimed it would “promote illegal drug use.”

The Nebraska chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union filed the federal lawsuit Thursday on behalf of Frank Shoemaker of Holbrook, saying that Nebraska violated Shoemaker’s constitutionally protected right to free speech, reports KETV.

Read ‘Em Here: CA Guidelines For Federal Marijuana Prosecutions

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 18, 2011 Legislation, Medical, News

Seattle P.I.

U.S. Attorney Benjamin Wagner of the Eastern District of California is flanked by California’s other U.S. Attorneys, from left, Laura Duffy of the Southern District, Andre Birotte Jr., of the Central District, and Melinda Haag of the Northern District, at a news conference announcing the federal crackdown, Oct. 7, 2011.

The full text of a February 2011 memo outlining the California U.S. Attorneys’ guidelines for federal medical marijuana prosecutions in California has been obtained by Cal NORML.

“There may be slight errors in transcription because the source was not allowed to make a photocopy of the document, but we believe it is accurate in all major respects,” said Dale Gieringer of Cal NORML.

“It states that the minimum threshold for federal interest generally is 200 kilos or more for distribution and 1,000 plants or more (on private land) for cultivation, plus one or more additional factors such as involvement with an international drug cartel, poly-drug trafficking organization, significant distribution outside California, et cetera,” Gieringer said.

“Note however that the memo was issued early this year, before the recent crackdown by the four CA US Attorneys,” Gieringer said.

Czech Republic Celebrates ‘Cannafest’ Next Weekend

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 18, 2011 Culture, Global, Products

Cannafest Prague 2011

Next Friday, one of the best festivals in Europe — Cannafest Prague 2011, celebrating the cannabis plant and the culture which has sprung up around it — will kick off in the Czech Republic’s capital.

This will be the second annual Cannafest, and organizers say they’re expecting more than 130 participants from the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, Slovenia, Austria, France, Australia, Great Britain, Italy, the U.S.A., and, of course, the Czech Republic, reports Czech-netz.com.

Disabled Cops Oppose City Ban On Marijuana Cultivation

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 17, 2011 Growing, Legislation, News

LPP

An organization of retired and disabled members of the law enforcement community who have become medical marijuana patients is joining with other cannabis patients and advocates in calling on the City of Live Oak, California to regulate medical marijuana cultivation instead of banning it.

“The City of Live Oak is going to force legitimate medical marijuana patients to put themselves in danger by buying their medicine from the underground market,” said Nate Bradley, executive director of Lawmen Protecting Patients (LPP).

Medical Marijuana Bill Will Be Introduced In Alabama

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 17, 2011 Legislation, Medical

Alabama Republican Party

Rep. K.L. Brown’s sister used cannabis medicinally to control her pain and nausea before she died of breast cancer 25 years ago

An Alabama legislator is going forward with his bill that would legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes, and he expects to pre-file the legislation within a week.

Rep. K.L. Brown (R-Jacksonville) said on Wednesday that he had submitted the bill Monday to the state’s Legislative Reference Service, reports Patrick McCreless at The Anniston Star. Lawmakers submit their legislation to that department before filing it in the Legislature.

Brown said it should be about a week before he gets the revised bill back from the Legislative Reference Service.

“Hopefully I’ll have it in a week and get it filed,” he said.

Brown’s sister used cannabis medicinally to control her pain and nausea before she died of breast cancer 25 years ago, and the lawmaker said he sees the measure as a way to help many Alabamians who are in similar situations.

Rep. Brown emphasized that his bill is in no way part of an effort to legalize marijuana completely in Alabama.

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