Author Steve Elliott ~alapoet~

Lawmakers Introduce Respect States’ and Citizens’ Rights Act

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 27, 2012 Legislation, News

Bipartisan Bill Introduced To Address Federal Preemption of State Marijuana Laws

Would Clarify That States Can Determine Their Own Cannabis Policies

A bipartisan group of legislators from around the country led by Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colorado) on Tuesday introduced a bill in Congress that would clarify that Colorado and Washington may fully implement the new marijuana laws approved by voters on November 6.

The bill, known as the “Respect States’ and Citizens’ Rights Act,” would add a provision to the federal Controlled Substances Act expressly stating that state marijuana laws shall not be preempted by federal law.

Other sponsors of the legislation include Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO), Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), Rep. Steven Cohen (D-TN), and Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ).

My Uncle Says He Doesn’t Believe In Medical Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 27, 2012 Culture, Medical

Fins Technology

By Al Byrne

Veterans for Medical Cannabis

I have written about cannabis used for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), cancer, pain, post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) and other maladies but there is a patient story that needs addressing. For him when you say cannabis he says marijuana, when you say it’s medical he says it’s a farce, when you say endocannabinoid system he says, What?

It’s my uncle (1). He’s sick in the head. No one I know has any one idea of what would cause such a problem. Everybody agrees it is a combination of forces, you could also say pressures that have warped his thinking. I’ve spoken to dozens of cannabis experts in my time and all think the same – my uncle’s lost his mind.

Song of the Day: Fire It Up by the Don Ray Band

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 27, 2012 Culture, Products

Toke of the Town’s Song of the Day, “Fire It Up,” was written by Don Ray and guitarist Billy Smart at the request of the Florida Cannabis Freedom Festival, which took place last weekend.

The song has also gotten the attention of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and the Don Ray Band will be performing at the NORML Southeastern Conference concert on December 15 at the Douglas Corner Cafe in Nashville, Tennessee.

You can buy “Fire It Up” on ReverbNation by clicking here.

With Legal Marijuana Near, Zoning Concerns Researcher

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 26, 2012 Dispensaries, News

Center For Legal Cannabis

Under Washington state’s I-502, the Liquor Control Board will not license cannabis businesses that are within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, playgrounds, libraries, child care centers, recreation centers, public transit centers, and game arcades

Tuesday Lecture In Seattle Will Cover I-502 Prohibited Zones

In the wake of the historic voter decision to legalize cannabis in Washington state, licensed marijuana retailers may become a reality by December 2013. But good luck getting such a license in Seattle, said one researcher, with the zoning requirements put in place by Initiative 502.

“Nowhere will it be more difficult to site a licensed cannabis business than in urban areas, particularly in the Seattle metropolitan area,” said Ben Livingston with the Center for Legal Cannabis, a newly formed “think tank and project incubator.”

Livingston started mapping federal “school zones” two months ago after the DEA sent letters to dozens of medical cannabis businesses and their landlords, warning them to shut down.

Oregon Medical Cannabis Awards Set For December 15

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 26, 2012 Growing, Medical, News

Oregon Medical Cannabis Awards

The Oregon Medical Cannabis Awards (OMCA) will be held on Saturday, December 15, at the World Famous Cannabis Cafe in Portland. The day event, from noon until 5 p.m., includes a variety of vendors, seminars and speakers and is open to the public.

An awards banquet — which starts at 6:30 p.m. — is where the winners are announced. Todd Armstrong, a local comedian who is gaining national acclaim, will be the master of ceremonies, and it all takes place at 322 SE 82nd Avenue, Portland, OR 97216.

In a blind taste test, judges are given 28 samples of Oregon’s finest medical cannabis to sample and judge in the privacy of their own homes (I need in on this gig). They score each strain on appearance, aroma, taste, smoothness, potency and medicinal effect. Judging is open to registered Oregon Medical Marijuana patients only.

Open Letter To Ohio Lawmakers: Stop Arresting Marijuana Patients

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 26, 2012 Legislation, Medical

Tonya Davis/Facebook

Tonya Davis is a medical marijuana activist in Ohio

By Tonya Davis

This is an open letter to my Ohio legislators.

I have nowhere else to turn. I hope you hear my cries for help and I hope you stand up for me. Representative Bobby Hagan will be Re introducing the Ohio medical compassion act which I hope you will consider cosponsoring in January 2013.

It would merely allow Ohio’s doctors and patients to decide whether or not medical cannabis could benefit them or not. It would allow the department of health to keep an eye on the program and make sure there were no abuses. Anyone that is in the program would be in a database so that you can keep track of this act of compassion.

We also believe that it would save Ohio taxpayers millions of dollars by not arresting, incarcerating and prosecuting folks for making a choice using cannabis as medicine. we also believe that the Obama administration would not bother our program because there would not be storefronts or dispensaries selling the product.

Three Years, Man! Toke Of The Town Born On This Day In 2009

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 23, 2012 Culture

~ alapoet ~

Toke of the Town editor Steve Elliott celebrating three years of high points and big hits

Three years ago today — actually, three years ago tonight, at 7:08 p.m. Pacific time — my THC-stained fingers hit the “Post” button for the first-ever story on Toke of the Town.

“The good thing about a free marketplace of ideas is,” I wrote, in the first sentence ever to appear on this site, “despite the best efforts of prohibitionists and their fear-mongering propaganda, the truth eventually prevails.”

More than 3,600 stories later — and with hundreds of joints, medibles, and bongloads littering my path — I’m still loving this gig, and judging by pageviews, so are close to half a million of you every month.

He Stood Up: A Reason To Be Thankful

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 22, 2012 Culture

Alabama Medical Marijuana Coalition

By Ron Crumpton

Alabama Medical Marijuana Coalition

A few weeks ago, Alabama Medical Marijuana Coalition had a picnic at Rhodes Ferry Park in Decatur. As usual, I spoke to many patients. There was one story that really got to me.

I met a man who had just happened by on his bicycle, saw the AMMJC sign and decided to stop and talk. The man had been diagnosed with cervical spine disease; due to this, he suffered from seizures, and was no longer able to work.

He had been turned down for disability, and was waiting for his appeal. The man told me that he had no home to call his own, he was staying with friends when he could, and on the streets when he could not.

As we talked, I learned that his physical problems were not the only challenges this man had to face. He had been diagnosed as being manic-depressive with suicidal tendencies, after his four-year-old son was murdered in 2002.

He told me that he suffered from allergic reactions to codeine, and was unable to take many pain medications. Most of the other medications that he was taking for muscle spasms, appetite, sleep, depression and seizures made him ill, and to make things worse, years of taking these medications had damaged the lining of his stomach, caused him to develop a tumor and a hernia.

What I’m Thankful For…

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 21, 2012 Culture

Alfie420_2006/Photobucket

By Jack Rikess

Toke of the Town

Northern California Correspondent

I think it’s essential at Thanksgiving that we remember what’s important and yes, what we are thankful for, as we lay out our fat pants in anticipation for a day of complete stuffage. Before we begin the mental preparation needed for enduring the forced march that is Uncle Bill and the onslaught of his incredibly misguided and alcohol-scented opinions, before it gets crazy, this is what I’m thankful for.

I’m thankful that every day, marijuana becomes more accepted.

I’m thankful for the people who celebrate 4/20 as a holiday. It is a flame for the rest of the world to smell.

Senate Bill Lets Feds Read Your Email Without A Warrant

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 21, 2012 Legislation, News

Politically Incorrect Conservative

In a cynical move, a Senate proposal which had been touted as protecting the email privacy of Americans has been rewritten — and it now gives government spooks even more power to spy on citizens than then already have under the execrable PATRIOT Act.

Patrick Leahy, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee who himself wrote significant portions of the PATRIOT Act, has “dramatically reshaped” his legislation in response to “law enforcement concerns,” reports Declan McCullagh at CNET. (If the “law enforcement concerns” were that they were allowed to spy, unrestrained, on citizens not suspected of any crimes, then, good job, Senator Leahy — asshole.)

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