Global

British Doctors Told Not To Prescribe New Cannabis Drug

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 1, 2010 Global, Medical

British MS patients have waited 11 years for Sativex, a cannabis-based oral spray. Now many of them still won’t get it.

Doctors in southern England have been told not to prescribe a new cannabis-based drug developed for multiple sclerosis patients, reports the BBC.

Sativex, an oral spray which had taken 11 years to develop, was licensed for medical use in the United Kingdom last week.

But unaccountably, 10 primary care trusts have told physicians not to give the treatment, which is designed to reduce pain, claiming it is not effective.

The MS Society charity called the decision “arbitrary and disappointing” and said it would fight against it. It said the decision could affect hundreds of patients.

Now THAT’s A Drug Czar: Crackdown Likely In Russia

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 30, 2010 Global, News

Photo: The Moscow Times

These deeply bizarre, badly done “cautionary” wax figures of “prominent drug users” are supposed to carry some message (presumably besides “I Suck At Sculpting Wax”). I think that petulant-looking blonde guy is supposed to be Kurt Cobain.

Governments the world over try the same tired old tricks whenever they want to reduce or eliminate those ever-so-troublesome individual liberties. Yelling “Drugs!” unfortunately remains one of the most popular. Russia’s Drug Czar is doing some tough talk these days, possibly preparing the populace for some brutal, Soviet-style repression in the name of “cracking down on drugs.”

Russia should criminalize drug use, confiscate land used for cannabis cultivation and seal off the Central Asian border to “fight drug trafficking,” according to Viktor Ivanov, head of the Federal Drug Control Service, reports Alexandra Odynova at The Moscow Times.

Got that? Well you’re not gonna believe this. Ivanov, speaking to the State Duma (Russia’s legislative body), also welcomed wide-eyed deputies to a deeply bizarre “cautionary exhibit” of wax figures of “prominent drug users” like Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain and John Lennon’s murderer, Mark David Chapman.

Israel: Tel Aviv Relents, Will Allow Marijuana Rally

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 28, 2010 Culture, Global

Photo: Ofer Amram

Marijuana protest in Rabin Square, Tel Aviv, Israel

Following widely publicized reports on Tel Aviv’s refusal to allow a rally for the legalization of marijuana, the Israeli city on Sunday relented, announcing that after “reexamining the situation,” it has decided there are no grounds to forbid the rally, pending police approval.

Earlier Sunday, it appeared that the city of Tel Aviv was going to block the rally, reports Yoav Zitun of Ynet.

“I hereby inform you that your request to hold a rally for the legalization of cannabis has been rejected,” read a letter from Tel Aviv Municipality official Ruby Zelof to Liora Gelber, who is trying to organize the rally in Rabin Square.

Trailer Park Boys: Pothead Canadians Rake In The Cash

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 23, 2010 Culture, Global

Photo: Trailer Park Boys

The Trailer Park Boys, from left, Ricky, Bubbles and Julian, have big plans, but little brains. Oh, and now they have big bank accounts.

They’re unlikely heroes, perhaps, but the foul-mouthed, pot-smoking Trailer Park Boys raked in the most money of any English-Canadian film last year with their second full-length feature film, The Trailer Park Boys: Countdown To Liquor Day.

The comedy grossed $2.9 million in 2009, according to Telefilm, and also earned the film’s director and writers Telefilm’s first Golden Box Office Award, reports The Globe and Mail.

A $40,000 cash prize will be split between director and co-writer Mike Clattenburg and co-writers Timm Hannebohm, John Paul Tremblay (who plays Julian), Robb Wells (Ricky), and Mike Smith (Bubbles).

Drought: Israel’s Stoners Bummed Out As Marijuana Prices Soar

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 21, 2010 Culture, Global

Graphic: Jewlicious

Israel is suffering through the worst marijuana drought in memory. Not even the most seasoned pot smokers can recall a dry spell like this one, reports Saar Gamzo at Haaretz.com.

Reasons for the current weed shortage include recent drug busts by the police and border guard; cooperation between Egyptian cartels trying to boost profits by limiting the supply; and unusually low rainfall this year.

Conspiracy theorists are even claiming a secret Israeli government program to “combat apathy” and “stir up the nation’s fighting spirit.”

But whatever the cause, cannabis costs more than ever before in Israel.

New Zealand Police Trying To Ban Marijuana Magazines

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 17, 2010 Culture, Global

Graphic: Emerald Triangle News

Police in New Zealand are soooo helpful! Now they want to tell Kiwis what they can and can’t read.

Police in New Zealand, in a secret meeting with Internal Affairs departmental heads, told them to try to get marijuana magazines banned nationwide, official documents have revealed.

According to the documents, police hope to have NORML News completely banned, as well as High Times and Cannabis Culture magazines.

No decision has been made yet on censoring the magazines, reports Scoop.

Police had previously lied their asses off, denying that they were involved with sending cannabis magazines to the censors.

Medical Marijuana Bill 420 Introduced In Guam — At 4:20

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 15, 2010 Dispensaries, Global, Legislation

Photo: KUAM

Senator Rory Respicio of Guam introduced Bill 420, the Compassionate Healthcare Act of 2010, to legalize the medicinal use of marijuana on the island. The bill was introduced at 4:20 Monday afternoon.

“We want to file this at 4:20 p.m. to tie in with the symbolism and the whole meaning behind 420,” Respicio, a veteran Democrat lawmaker, said, reports Nick Delgado of KUAM.

While Senator Respicio introduced his bill at the traditional time for recreational pot smoking, he said his bill only allows for medical use of marijuana.

New Zealand Medical Association Supports Medical Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 14, 2010 Global, Medical

Photo: David Large, Otago University Student Magazine

Otago University students protest New Zealand’s cannabis laws

Phil Saxby, president of NORML New Zealand, on Monday welcomed the New Zealand Medical Association’s stance on cannabis for medicinal use, and called upon the government to adopt the same sensible position.

“The NZMA has said that it supports a Law Commission proposal which allows patients to use cannabis under medical supervision,” Saxby said, reports Voxy. “NORML has supported medicinal use for a long time.”

The Law Commission has also proposed that medical cannabis growers should be licensed in the same way as other legitimate producers of controlled drugs, Saxby pointed out.

Raided Medical Marijuana Dispensary Refers Clients To Street

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 14, 2010 Dispensaries, Global

Photo: chan4chan

A medical marijuana dispensary shut down after a raid by Montreal police earlier this month is urging patients to buy their pot on the street.

The Compassion Club on Papineau Street is telling patients who need to refill their prescriptions that they now only have two choices if they want to obtain marijuana, reports CBC News.

“We have to send them to either Health Canada — which takes two to six months — or we send them to buy on the street, where you can actually buy some,” said Geneviéve Simon, an administrator at the Compassion Club who was arrested in last month’s police raid on cannabis shops.

Morocco Hits Cannabis, Tells Europe ‘There Are No Soft Drugs’

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 11, 2010 Global, News

Photo: http://samyyang.spaces.live.com/blog/

North Morocco was, until now, a cannabis farmer’s paradise. In the northern part of the country, there are many marijuana fields, from which cannabis resin (hashish) is harvested.

No more Marrakesh Express? Morocco claims it has cut cannabis traffickers’ revenue to less than a third of its 2005 level, but its efforts could be undermined if Europe continues relaxing its laws against the herb, a top Moroccan policeman said Thursday.

The North African country once held the exalted position of being the biggest cannabis exporter in the world, according to the United Nations, but it has now cracked down on the hashish trade because of strained ties with the European Union, which is where most of its cannabis ends up, reports Lamine Ghanmi at Reuters.

“Our efforts against hashish trafficking activity have led to a reduction in the revenue of that illegal business to 4 billion euros ($4.8 billion) in 2009, from 13 billion euros in 2005,” said Khalid Zerouali, the Interior Ministry’s head of migration and border surveillance, on Thursday.

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