Author Steve Elliott ~alapoet~

Street Sweeper Fired For Being Medical Marijuana Patient

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 23, 2011 Medical, News

Denver’s 16th Street Mall. Don’t even think about becoming a street sweeper here, if you’re a medical marijuana patient.

Some employers have weird moral judgments when it comes to employees who use cannabis — even if that use is legal and with a doctor’s authorization. Unlike users of, say, Vicodin or Valium, medical marijuana users are deemed somehow uniquely unemployable, and/or unable to discharge their duties in an effective and responsible manner.

Never mind that they are not breaking the law; never mind that they are able to do their jobs just fine. They are summarily shit-canned the minute they are discovered, for no good reason at all.

Such is the case in a story from Colorado, where a street sweeper — a street sweeper, who literally uses a broom and a dustpan — has been fired from his job for being a medical marijuana patient, reports Michael Roberts at Denver Westword.

Report: No Illegal Drugs In Amy Winehouse’s Body

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 23, 2011 Culture, News

Photo: somormujo.net

The Winehouse family awaits the outcome of an inquest into Amy’s death, due to begin October 26.

Amy Winehouse didn’t have any illegal substances in her system when she died, and it is still unclear what killed her, her family said on Tuesday.

Toxicology tests showed that “alcohol was present” in the singer’s body but it hasn’t yet been shown whether or not that contributed to her death, the family said in a statement, reports Jill Lawless of The Associated Press.

Winehouse, 27, had exhibited erratic behavior for years, as rumors swirled about her drug and alcohol use. She was found dead in her London home on July 23, and an initial post-mortem failed to determine the cause of her death.

“Toxicology results returned to the Winehouse family by authorities have confirmed that there were no illegal substances in Amy’s system at the time of her death,” read a statement released by family spokesman Chris Goodman.

The family awaits the outcome of an inquest due to begin October 26, according to the statement.

Winehouse had “beaten” her drug addiction three years before her death, claimed her father, Mitch, but he admitted she was still “struggling to control” her drinking after several weeks of abstinence.

Mich. Judge: Med Marijuana Law Does Not Protect Dispensaries

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 23, 2011 Dispensaries, Legislation, Medical

Photo: The Oakland Press

Judge Colleen O’Brien won’t even allow dispensary operator Alexander Vlasenko to mention medical marijuana during his trial.

A local judge has ruled that Michigan’s Medical Marihuana Act does not protect dispensaries from prosecution.

In a written opinion issued last week, Oakland Circuit Judge Colleen O’Brien granted a motion from the prosecutors to preclude defendant Alexander Vlasenko from asserting a defense under the state’s medical marijuana law, reports Ann Zaniewski at the Oakland County Daily Tribune.

Vlasenko, who is facing three counts of delivery and “manufacture” of marijuana, won’t be allowed to even mention medical marijuana during his trial.

The charges stem from an undercover investigation of a Waterford Township business called Modern Age. (Sad but true: apparently Oakland County law enforcement officials have nothing better to do than conduct “undercover investigations” of medical marijuana dispensaries.)

Repeal Cannabis Prohibition Act of 2012 Filed In California

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 22, 2011 Legislation, News

Graphic: Ride It Like You Stole It!

The Repeal Cannabis Prohibition Act of 2012 is now filed with the California Attorney General for title and summary, according to The Committee to Repeal Cannabis Prohibition.

The act would allow adults to legally possess up to three pounds of cannabis and grow a 10×10-foot garden. The California Department of Public Health would be in charge of administering the commercial production of marijuana.

The RCPA 2012 would repeal all criminal prohibitions on cannabis-related conduct for adults while mandating strict rules against contributing to the delinquency of minors and driving while impaired.

Worth Repeating: Medical Marijuana Is The Best Kept Secret

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 22, 2011 Medical

Photo: Geoff Pugh/The Telegraph

Ben Whalley, middle, with Dr Gary Stephens and Dr Claire Williams of Reading University at a secret cannabis farm in the south of England in the hope of producing a new treatment for epilepsy

Welcome to Room 420, where your instructor is Mr. Ron Marczyk and your subjects are wellness, disease prevention, self actualization, and chillin’.

Worth Repeating

By Ron Marczyk, R.N.

An overwhelming amount of very promising research has been gathered supporting the use of medical cannabis for many illnesses and diseases… and the evidence is now impossible to ignore.

Examples:

“The endogenous cannabinoid system has revealed potential avenues to treat many disease states … Medicinal indications of cannabinoid drugs including compounds that result in enhance endocannabinoid responses (EER) have expanded markedly in recent years.”

“The wide range of indications covers … chemotherapy complications, tumor growth, addiction, pain, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, inflammation, eating disorders, age-related neurodegenerative disorders, as well as epileptic seizures, traumatic brain injury, cerebral ischemia, and other excitotoxic insults.”

Source: “Cannabinoid drugs and enhancement of endocannabinoid responses: strategies for a wide array of disease states,” Current Molecular Medicine, September 2006

A NORML Life: Cannabis Documentary Is Top Notch

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 22, 2011 Culture, Products

Photo: Cinema Libre Studios

Director Rod Pitman’s just-released cannabis documentary, A NORML Life, goes beyond the recitation of facts and figures to capture the beating heart of the legalization movement, in all its passion, its commitment and its excitement.

It’s an extraordinary job by Pitman, producer Doug Ross and a rich cast of cannabis characters including Seattle Hempfest founder Vivian McPeak (who, near the beginning of the show, rightly says America’s marijuana laws are “fixing a problem that never existed,”), and it wastes no time in going for the emotional resonance which is the reason many of us are involved in this movement.

The documentary, which compellingly tells the proud story of advocates fighting for the legalization of marijuana, was released by Cinema Libre Studios on DVD last week. The film presents a strong case that the use of medical marijuana is effective, and that it is a safe alternative to pharmaceutical medicines.

Dogs Nab 2 Marijuana Dispensary Robbers

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 22, 2011 Dispensaries, News

Photo: Coloradoan.com

Ernie Jermaine Savannah, left, and Jeremiah Wright face charges of kidnapping, aggravated robbery, vehicular eluding and resisting arrest after robbing a Fort Collins, Colorado medical marijuana dispensary.

Robbing medical marijuana dispensaries is a really bad idea. Two Colorado men are in police custody after being accused of robbing a dispensary in Fort Collins and tying up three employees at gunpoint. They were arrested by police and deputies after they “sustained injuries” from the two law enforcement dogs used to capture them.

Ernie Jermaine Savannah, 39, and Jeremiah Wright, 40, face charges of kidnapping, aggravated robbery, vehicular eluding and resisting arrest, i.e., it’ll be awhile before these fellows see daylight again. They were arrested at Fort Collins Police Services headquarters on Sunday, reports Trevor Hughes at Coloradoan.com.

Congressman Kucinich Speaks Out At Seattle Hempfest

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 22, 2011 Culture, News

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) spoke out Saturday at Seattle Hempfest, comparing the cannabis movement’s momentum to the Arab Spring.

“Open America! Show yourself! Mass action!” the Congressman told the crowd.

“This is why, and how, recent mass movements for freedom in Tunisia and Egypt gained momentum,” Kucinich said.

Seattle Hempfest 2011 In Photos: Friday and Saturday

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 21, 2011 Culture, Products

All photos by Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ unless otherwise noted

Hempfest 2011, the biggest ever (as in, for the first time ever, three days, man) is still happening at Myrtle Edwards Park in Seattle until 10 p.m. Sunday night. The first two days saw plenty of memorable moments.

For me, speaking for the first time from the Share Parker Memorial Main Stage on Friday was a sure enough rush. Looking out, seeing and hearing that many cheering, happy people was definitely one of the high points of my weekend — and one that I was able to replicate again on Saturday from the Seeley Memorial Stage, where I spoke just before 4:20 and got back up onstage with a big crowd of folks at the magic moment.

Here are some of the best photos from this weekend to remember.

Seattle Hempfest All Weekend! Meet The Safety Team

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 19, 2011 Culture

Photo: Jack Rikess

By Jack Rikess

Toke of the Town

Northern California Correspondent (From Seattle)

Seattle’s Hempfest opens today. For 20 years, political activists, social progressives, cannabis enthusiasts and the curious has been making the trek out to the Northwest’s longest running cannabis klatch. The festival occupies a twist of land that stretches on the East edge of the sound for a little better than a mile and half. Really, just a hefty salmon toss down from Pike Place Market.

Expanding from two to three days, with a new Friday opening instead of the usual Saturday beginnings, from what I saw Thursday as the crews were setting up, it’s only getting bigger and better. For three days, there will be knowledgeable speakers talking about issues intrinsic to Washington State, plus non-stop music, great looking food booths and of course, about two hundred thousand attendees, looking for info, music, exotic munchies and a precipitous good time.

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