Author Steve Elliott ~alapoet~

Worth Repeating: A Marijuana Debate Question For Gov. Romney

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on October 5, 2012 Culture

Mitt Romney: Marijuana ‘For Recreational Use’ Is Bad, But I Also Oppose It For All Purposes

By Ron Marczyk, RN

Toke of the Town Columnist

“Governor Romney has a long record of opposing the use of marijuana for any reason,” a spokesperson said. “He opposes legalizing drugs, including marijuana for medicinal purposes. He will fully enforce the nation’s drug laws, and he will oppose any attempts at legalization.”

“I would not legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes and the reasons are straightforward: As I talk to people in my state and at the federal government level about marijuana and its role in society, they are convinced that the entry way into a drug culture for our young people is marijuana.”

GOP Oregon State Senate Candidate Endorses Measure 80

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on October 4, 2012 Legislation, News

vote80.org

Just days ahead of the Oregon Republican Party’s State Central Committee Meeting in Bend, Republican State Senate candidate Cliff Hutchison has officially endorsed Measure 80. Hutchison, the first Oregon Republican to endorse Measure 80, is also secretary of the new Republican Liberty Caucus of Oregon.

“Alcoholism is a real problem in our society, but prohibition of alcohol didn’t work when it was tried,” Hutchison said. “Seventy-five years is long enough to see that prohibition of marijuana has failed.”

Now There’s A Drug Test For Synthetic Cannabinoids

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on October 4, 2012 News, Products

io9

One of the chief attractions of synthetic cannabinoids — which are, make no mistake about it, NOT “synthetic marijuana” or anything near it — has been that these substances don’t show up on conventional drug screening tests, which after all, aren’t designed to detect them. God knows they don’t have many attractions, and no stoner in his or her right mind would ever smoke these blends if real weed is available.

This has made “herbal blends” (which are actually vegetable matter sprayed with chemicals) popular in such settings as the military and jobs which are subject to piss tests. But even that advantage will probably soon be gone, leaving synthetic cannabinoids the sole province of poor schlubs who can’t score any real weed.

Adding to its portfolio of test offerings for designer drugs — which also includes a bath salts drug test for synthetic cathinones — Ameritox‘s synthetic cannabinoids drug test now provides quantitative results for metabolites from 15 synthetics that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) placed into Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act on an “emergency basis” this summer.

Cali Weed Experts To Host Budtending, Business Seminars In AZ

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on October 4, 2012 Dispensaries, Products

MedMen

They’ve got their fingers on the pulse of the flourishing medical marijuana trade in the United States, and they’re coming to Tempe, Arizona next weekend to instruct future entrepreneurs and green thumbs on the ins and outs of the highly complex cannabis industry.

From how to get into the business and stay compliant with state laws, to how to master the intricate bud-tending process, Los Angeles-based MedMen’s Adam Bierman and Andrew Modlin say they possess a unique set of skills and talents in a field still very much in its infancy.

The go-to guys for many dispensary owners, legal experts and members of the media seeking insight on medical marijuana stories in California, MedMen are now shifting their focus to help the Grand Canyon State and its patients benefit from the knowledge of Cali growers, business advisors and products experts.

The Union Helps Cities Craft Sensible Marijuana Ordinances

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on October 4, 2012 Dispensaries, Legislation

Union of Medical Marijuana Patients

The Los Angeles Times, in a September 24 editorial, called on the L.A. City Council to come up with a new medical marijuana ordinance that would provide safe access through regulation that would avoid legal challenges. The Union for Medical Cannabis Patients says it is providing the Council and Planning Commission with a formula for exactly this type of legislation.

James Shaw, director of the Union, has presented to the City Council two draft ordinances which represent parts to a whole. “These Ordinances should enable the City to finally get a handle on regulating medical marijuana patient associations in Los Angeles, while providing the added benefit of avoiding litigation or having the law overturned by courts,” Shaw said.

Bill Introduced To Legalize Marijuana In Chile

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on October 3, 2012 Global, Legislation

Mary Jane’s Garden

A proposed bill in Chile would legalize the consumption, possession and cultivation of marijuana in this South American nation. The proposed reform was introduced in July by liberal senators Fulvio Rossi and Ricard Lagos Weber.

If the bill is passed, it would legalize cannabis for both personal and medical use, reports Tom Murphy at the Santiago Times. The logic behind the bill, the Times reports, is that by creating a legal way for users to consume marijuana, drug cartels will be robbed of business by those who choose to take advantage of the legal channel.

L.A. City Council Repeals Medical Marijuana Dispensary Ban

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on October 3, 2012 Dispensaries, News

LAist

After a years-long demonstration of apparently bottomless ineptitude when it comes to effectively addressing safe access to medical marijuana for patients, the Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday repealed its own July dispensary ban with an 11 to 2 vote.

The action once again leaves L.A. with no laws regulating the city’s numerous dispensaries, but some council members were openly wishing for an expanded federal crackdown on the shops.

Tuesday’s vote followed years of attempts by the hapless council to regulate the medical marijuana dispensary scene in Los Angeles, with more than 400 dispensaries located in the L.A. metro area. The city claimed its own count revealed more than 1,000 such shops.

Council members said it was time to go back to the drawing board, saying they’d ask state legislators to “clarify” state law on how cities can regulate dispensaries.

Humboldt Stories: Pot Plantation

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on October 2, 2012 Culture, Growing

All photos by Sharon Letts

“It’s not Weeds, it’s Real.”

By Sharon Letts

Jake hung up the phone and turned to Lewis who was busy helping take down a room. “She’s raising the rent again. That’s $950 a month now. Three increases in just over a year.”

“So much for the great deal of $650 a month on Craig’s List,” Lewis said, picking up another large, black container and pulling the root ball out onto the floor. We tried to warn you, dude. Three, bedrooms just don’t go for $650 a month in Humboldt.”

The woman in question was a Humboldt slum lord, referred to with disdain as “Dragon Lady.” She was a pot plantation belle, reigning over a pot plantation rented out by the green, or how many plants you were physically able to grow per square foot.

Pro-Legalization Cops Screen Prop 19 Marijuana Documentary

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on October 2, 2012 Culture, Products

Legalize It

Special Preview and Panel Discussion Planned Oct. 24 In Long Beach

As debates over widely divergent ballot measures to legalize marijuana heat up in Colorado, Oregon and Washington, a group of cops, judges and other law enforcement officers calling for an end to the war on drugs is holding a special sneak peek at Legalize It, a new documentary about Proposition 19, the 2010 California campaign to legalize and regulate marijuana like alcohol.

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), in conjunction with Willie Nelson’s Luck Films and award-winning filmmakers Dan Katzir and Ravit Markus, on October 214 will host a special screening and discussion panel of the film at the Art Theatre of Long Beach.

• Legalize It, a documentary about the Prop. 19 campaign

• Wednesday, October 24, 2012 7-10 p.m.

• Art Theatre of Long Beach, 2025 E. 4th Street, Long Beach

Signatures Submitted For Marijuana Initiative In La Mesa, CA

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on October 2, 2012 Dispensaries, Legislation, News

Citizens For Patient Rights

More than 6,500 signatures were submitted on Monday to the La Mesa City Clerk for review

Citizens for Patient Rights has announced the successful submission of signature petitions for an initiative to allow and regulate medical marijuana dispensaries in the City of La Mesa, California.

On Monday, October 1, the group submitted over 6,500 signatures to the La Mesa City Clerk for review. Next, these signatures will be forwarded on to the San Diego County Registrar of Voters, who will have 30 days to verify the successful submission of the 3,034 valid signatures needed in order to qualify our initiative for a vote of the people.

“This submission is a victory for the thousands of patients, caregivers and supporter in La Mesa who supported this signature drive and is another step towards giving the voters of La Mesa a voice on whether to allow regulated medical marijuana access for the patients and caregivers in their community,” Citizens for Patient Rights said in a press release.

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