Medical

Is Kansas Ready For Medical Marijuana?

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 4, 2010 Dispensaries, Legislation, Medical

A bill has been introduced in the Kansas Legislature to legalize marijuana for medical use.

Although the bill, which comes from Rep. Gail Finney (D-Wichita), doesn’t have much a chance, “It’s the right thing to do,” Finney said.

Her bill was introduced the same week that lawmakers voted to make the Sunflower State the first in the nation to outlaw fake marijuana, reports David Klepper of the Kansas City Star.

Finney’s bill, like medical marijuana laws adopted in New Mexico, Rhode Island, and Maine, would set up state-registered “compassionate care centers” where those with a doctor’s recommendation can buy cannabis.

The bill would require that all medical marijuana used in the state be grown in Kansas.

Arrest Warrant Issued For Fresno Pot Shop Owner

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 4, 2010 Dispensaries, Legislation, Medical

Photo: CBS47.com

Rick Morse says he will fight for what he believes is right until officers take him away in handcuffs

An arrest warrant has been issued for the owner of a Fresno, California medical marijuana dispensary.

Rick Morse, who owns the Medmar Clinic in Fresno’s Tower District, is accused of illegally running the dispensary, reports Alicia Coates of CBS47.tv.

Morse’s contempt of court arraignment was Wednesday but he didn’t show, resulting in the court issuing a felony warrant for his arrest.

Surprisingly, local TV station CBS47 found Morse at his Medmar clinic Wednesday night, and he didn’t seem overly worried about the warrant.

“I would rather go by my constitution than what some void order says,” Morse told CBS47.

Man Who Disrupted Flight Claims He Ate Cannabis Cookies

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 3, 2010 Medical, News

Photo: www.livinabroad.blogspot.com

Dude. Back slowly away from the cookies.

A California man who started acting weird on a cross-country flight Sunday is facing federal charges of interfering with the flight. He claims he’d had too many cannabis cookies.

Kinman Chan, of San Francisco, was going from Philadelphia to S.F. aboard a US Airways flight, when he began acting bizarrely, reports Paula Reed Ward at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

At first, Chan was waving, smiling and making “odd gestures” to a flight attendant, according to a criminal complaint.

He then went to the restroom. Shortly after, the other passengers noticed unearthly screams emanating from the loo.

N.M. Medical Marijuana Tax Could Push Patients To Black Market

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 2, 2010 Dispensaries, Legislation, Medical

Photo: Flickr / Westword

New Mexico: Land of Enchantment. And, well, taxing the sick.

New Mexico’s Legislature has been looking mighty hungrily at the state’s medical marijuana program as a source of tax revenue. But according the state’s Tax and Revenue Department, such a tax could cause patients to turn to the black market.

A 25 percent excise tax on medical marijuana could potentially raise about $1.2 million for the state, according to the Legislative Finance Committee’s fiscal impact report on Sen. John Sapien’s bill, SB 56, reports Marjorie Childress at The New Mexico Independent.

The analysis estimated a typical patient spends $6,256 annually on medical marijuana, and would pay about $1,564 in excise tax per year.

R.I. Medical Marijuana Hearing Is Packed, But Few Speak Up

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 2, 2010 Dispensaries, Legislation, Medical

Graphic: thefreshscent.com

The auditorium was packed Tuesday, but only five people voiced their opinions on the proposed tightening of Rhode Island’s medical marijuana law during a public hearing held by the Department of Health.

Two individuals spoke, as well as representatives of three organizations: the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Rhode Island Medical Marijuana Society, and the Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition, reports Talia Buford at The Providence Journal.

The bill, backed by two state legislators — who are, surprise, surprise, both retired police officers — is designed to “close loopholes” in the state’s medical marijuana law.

Cannapalooza Kaput: Casino Cancels Event Due To ‘Fear Of Potheads’

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 1, 2010 Culture, Medical, News

Graphic: OC Weekly

Vegas loves a drunk… But not so much a pothead.

Sin City loves a drunk, but it’s apparently not nearly as fond of stoners.

Cannapalooza, a three-day cannabis convention scheduled to have been held in Las Vegas March 19-21, has been canceled by Mandalay Bay casino, reports Nick Schou in the OC Weekly.

Cannapalooza Executive Director Louis Woznicki was told by one law enforcement official that “potheads” were bad for Vegas.

“We made our money with people who drink alcohol and gamble,” the officer told Woznicki. “People who smoke pot don’t drink and gamble.”

“They were scared,” Woznicki said. “The event was going to be open to 50,000 members of the public and was growing, if you pardon the expression, like a weed.”

Minnesota: Medical Marijuana Legislation In Limbo

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 1, 2010 Legislation, Medical

Photo: www.liberty-lawyer.com

Indoor marijuana grow in Minnesota. Thanks to Governor Tim Pawlenty’s veto, patients still have to break the law to use medical cannabis.

With Minnesota’s legislative session set to begin this week, the author of last year’s medical marijuana bill said he doubts he will introduce another bill this year.

“For right now, it looks a little discouraging,” said State Senator Steve Murphy, who authored and introduced medical marijuana bills in both 2007 and 2009, reports Kyle Potter at mndaily.com.

A medical marijuana bill actually passed the Minnesota Legislature last session, but was then vetoed by Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Colorado Senate Passes Medical Marijuana Bill

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 1, 2010 Dispensaries, Legislation, Medical

Graphic: www.agreenercountry.com

The Colorado State Senate has passed a bill designed to prevent recreational pot users from exploiting the law to obtain medical marijuana.

The Senate voted 34-1 on Monday to back Senate Bill 109, which will now go to the State House, reports The Associated Press.

The bill bars doctors from writing recommendations inside medical marijuana dispensaries.

It also requires that doctors review a person’s medical history and give them a full exam before recommending that they legally use medical marijuana.

Patients between 18 and 21 would be required to get the approval of two doctors, which is already required for patients under 18.

Michigan Caregivers Cup Still On; Recovering From Setbacks

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on January 30, 2010 Dispensaries, Medical, News

Photo: Lori Horwedel/AnnArbor.com

A plethora of pot pipes: potential profits for an exhibitor at the Michigan Caregivers Cup

Despite the forced cancellation of their medical marijuana competition and a brief mix-up over lecture admission prices, the Michigan Caregivers Cup is drawing plenty of visitors and continuing through the weekend, according to event organizers.

The contest, which would have been held Saturday, was canceled after law enforcement threatened that participants could be criminally prosecuted, reports Lee Higgins at AnnArbor.com.

Marijuana Advocates Condemn Federal Raid Of Denver Potency Lab

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on January 29, 2010 Dispensaries, Medical, News

Photo: Westword

Cannabis potency testers Full Spectrum Laboratories were raided by federal agents Wednesday. Marijuana samples were seized, but no arrests were made.

Federal agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration earlier this week raided a Denver potency testing laboratory and seized medical marijuana samples.

Cannabis advocates say the federal raid is the latest example of continued official harassment of the medical marijuana industry, reports John Ingold at The Denver Post.

The raid of Full Spectrum Laboratories happened on Wednesday, according to Betty Aldworth, the lab’s outreach director. Aldworth said federal agents took dozens of medical marijuana samples, both small amounts of pot and test tubes of “extraction fluid,” but left the lab’s equipment.

No employees were arrested.

Aldworth was at the State Capitol to watch lab co-owner Bob Winnicki testify about State Senator Chris Romer’s new medical marijuana bill when both Full Spectrum employees got an email letting them know the DEA had “stopped by” the lab, reports Michael Roberts at Westword.

By the time Aldworth and Winnicki got back to the lab, “it was full of DEA agents” and other local law enforcement hangers-on who spent the next several hours seizing all the marijuana they could find.

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