Medical

Californians to Regulate Medical Marijuana Holding Unity Conference

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 16, 2012 Legislation, Medical, News

Californians to Regulate Medical Marijuana

Press conference on Monday, May 21 at Capitol in Sacramento, followed by lobby visits to each California State Assembly & Senate office

Californians to Regulate Medical Marijuana, a Political Action Committee formed in the fall of 2011 to push for passage of a statewide production and distribution system, is holding a “Unity Conference” this weekend, followed by a press conference and lobby day on Monday.

Advocates will gather at the Sacramento Central Labor Council on Saturday and Sunday to build their skills and strategize on passing statewide regulations. Hundreds of advocates will then gather on Monday at the Capitol to lobby every State Assembly and Senate office.

Poll Shows 74% of Americans Support Medical Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 16, 2012 Medical, News

Global Ganja Report

National Poll Reveals Unpopularity of Obama Administration Interference In Medical Marijuana States

In a just-released poll conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, three quarters of American voters — 74 percent — want the Obama administration to respect individual state medical marijuana laws.

Only 15 percent of voters nationwide support using federal resources to arrest and prosecute those who are acting in compliance with their state medical marijuana laws.

The poll informed voters that medical marijuana is legal with a doctor’s recommendation in 16 states as well as the District of Columbia, and in some of those states it is legal for licensed and tightly regulated individuals to grow and sell marijuana to qualifying patients. Respondents were then asked if President Obama should respect the medical marijuana laws in these states, or continue to use federal resources to arrest and prosecute individuals who are acting in compliance with state medical marijuana laws.

Study Confirms: Marijuana Helps With Multiple Sclerosis

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 14, 2012 Medical, News

MedPage Today

Researchers Note Cannabis Impacts Cognitive Function — But So Do Other MS Drugs

Smoking marijuana cuts spasticity and pain that’s resistant to conventional treatments in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), although it does have some cognitive effects as well, a small clinical trial has unsurprisingly confirmed.

Spasticity scores on the modified Ashworth scale dropped by an average 2.74 points more with smoked cannabis than with a placebo, researchers at the University of California San Diego found, reports Crystal Phend at MedPage Today.

Should You Get A Preemptive Medical Marijuana Recommendation?

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 10, 2012 Medical

High Country Caregiver

By Bob Starrett

Now that may seem like a strange question to ask — and something that will make some people crazy when they hear it — but if you just think about it, it is a completely timely and appropriate and smart and rational thing to do.

Let’s just look at a scenario that could happen to anybody and at any time. You are going through life minding your own business and you do something stupid, or somebody else does something stupid and you end up all busted up. Hopefully you didn’t have to go to the hospital, or if you did now you have been released and you are at home, still all busted up.

Appeals Court Accepts Challenge of DEA’s Marijuana Research Denial

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 10, 2012 Growing, Medical, News

Rose Law Group PC

University of Massachusetts-Amherst Professor Lyle Craker has been trying for almost 11 years to get federal permission to grow marijuana for medical research

On Friday, May 11, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston will hear oral arguments in a federal lawsuit against the Drug Enforcement Administration for denying University of Massachusetts-Amherst Professor Lyle Craker a license to grow marijuana for privately funded medical research.

The arguments culminate nearly 11 years of legal and administrative proceedings trying to end the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) monopoly on the marijuana supply for research.

The lawsuit is in response to an August 15, 2011 final order issued by the DEA rejecting its own DEA Administrative Law Judge’s 2007 recommendation that it would be “in the public interest” to grant Prof. Craker the research license. A laboratory at the University of Mississippi, funded by NIDA, is currently the one and only facility in the United States allowed to grow marijuana for research.

House Democrats Support Ending Federal Interference in Medical Marijuana States

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 9, 2012 Legislation, Medical, News

Illinois DUI

Nearly Three Quarters of Democrats Break with Administration Policy, Vote to Prevent Federal Agencies from Targeting Individuals in Compliance with State Medical Marijuana Laws

Democrats in the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to approve an amendment to the FY 2013 Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations bill late Wednesday that would effectively end the ability of federal agencies to enforce federal marijuana laws against individuals who are in compliance with state medical marijuana laws.

House To Vote On Blocking Funding For Crackdown On Medical Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 9, 2012 Legislation, Medical, News

The Weed Blog

Bipartisan Amendment Would Block Funding for Obama’s Attack on Medical Marijuana Patients Protected Under State Law

Conflict Coming to a Head as More States Pass and Implement Medical Marijuana Laws While Obama Administration Escalates Assault on Patients and Providers

Drug Policy Alliance: Obama Will Continue to Suffer Politically for Ignoring Public Opinion on Medical Marijuana

The U.S. House is expected to vote soon – possibly on Wednesday – on a bipartisan amendment to the Commerce-Justice-Science spending bill that would prohibit the Department of Justice from undermining state medical marijuana laws. The amendment, co-sponsored by Rep. Rohrabacher (R-CA), Rep. Hinchey (D-NY), Rep. McClintock (R-CA) and Rep. Farr (D-CA), is a rebuke of President Obama’s aggressive assault on medical marijuana patients and providers.

Medical Marijuana Becomes Major Issue in Oregon AG Race

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 9, 2012 Legislation, Medical

The Oregonian

Oregon attorney general candidates Dwight Holton (left) and Ellen Rosenblum. Holton is unfriendly to medical marijuana, while Rosenblum supports it

Candidate Rosenblum Supports Will of Oregon Voters and Safe Access for Patients, While Candidate Holton is Hostile and Threatens Popular Law

Drug Policy Action — Group That Played Key Role in Passing 1998 Ballot Initiative — Throws Weight Behind Former Judge Rosenblum

Medical marijuana has become a major issue in the Democratic primary for Attorney General in Oregon — and the candidates have staked out starkly different positions on the issue, with former judge Ellen Rosenblum supportive of patients’ right to safe and legal access to medical marijuana, and former Interim U.S. Attorney Dwight Holton sharply critical of the program.

Rejected D.C. Marijuana Applicants Taking It To Court

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 7, 2012 Dispensaries, Medical, News

examiner.com

Unsuccessful applicants for the District of Columbia’s medical marijuana program are asking the courts to force reconsideration of their submissions, saying they were rejected by a review panel despite meeting or exceeding the criteria.

Three firms filed a total of five civil complaints to contest the way officials scored and rejected their applications to open a cultivation center to grow cannabis or a dispensary center to sell it to qualified patients, according to the D.C. Office of the Attorney General, reports Tom Howell Jr. of The Washington Times.

The officials who scored and rejected the applications were led by D.C. Department of Health personnel. A spokesman from the Attorney General’s D.C. office said each of the petitions “raise the same allegations, namely that the scoring of their applications was inappropriate.”

Lawyer Loses Insurance For Representing Med Marijuana Clients

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 7, 2012 Medical, News

Legal Herald

In what seems to be the first event of its kind nationwide, a Denver attorney has lost her liability insurance because part of her practice involves representing medical marijuana clients.

Ann Toney’s insurance company last month told her it will not renew her malpractice coverage, reports John Ingold at The Denver Post. Toney’s practice “does not meet current underwriting guidelines because of the following risk factors: Area of practice involving medical marijuana,” the Hanover Insurance Group explained in its notice.

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