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High Times ‘Cuts Ties’… Will Village Voice Even Notice?

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By on Culture, News

High Times
Rick Cusick, High Times: “Cutting ties” with Village Voice Media. WHAT “ties”?

In a self-serving and hubristic press release on Tuesday, Trans High Corporation, the parent company of High Times magazine, announced that it will, effective immediately, discontinue any advertising or promotional relationship with Village Voice Media due to their continued financial stake in Backpage.com.

Village Voice Media is the corporation which owns Toke of the Town. 

High Times claimed it was taking the action “due to their [Village Voice Media’s] continued financial stake in Backpage.com, based on reporting by Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times and others who credibly accuse the website’s ‘adult services’ classified ads of being allegedly complicit in the advertising of child sex traffickers.”
“While we remain staunch defenders of the First Amendment and free speech in general,” Trans High Corp spokesman and High Times associate publisher Rick Cusick said, “we do not in any way condone such activity as has been alleged by Backpage.com, and this includes advertising in media owned by its parent company.”
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Who’s In Charge At UK Cannabis Law Reform Group CLEAR?

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By on Culture, Global, News

The World Through My Specs
Peter Reynolds of CLEAR is engaged in a tug-of-war with ex-members of the organization’s Executive Committee

By Denzil White
Special to Toke of the Town
In suit and tie, Peter Reynolds looks more like an extra from the set of Mad Men than like the hairy-headed hippie stereotype of a cannabis activist. He’s definitely not hairy-headed, but when he promised to clean up the image of cannabis campaigning in the UK, few people expected the makeover to result in a beauty only skin deep.
Claiming a background in advertising and public relations, Peter Reynolds won leadership of the Legalise Cannabis Alliance, a small, single-issue political party, then set about changing the name of the party to CLEAR (Cannabis Law Reform) and brought on help to spruce up the party’s website and logo.
Reynolds wrote at the time, “We will build a new and effective brand and campaign. We are reasonable, responsible, respectable members of society from all walks of life and professions.” 
Things were looking good; MPs hit Reynolds’ “Friend” button on Facebook and the CLEAR “Comment Warriors” plagued the popular press with pro-cannabis comments on any article reporting a factory raid or medicinal marijuana critique.
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Patients’ Group Opposes Privacy Change to MI Medical Marijuana Law

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By on Legislation, Medical, News

National Patients Rights Association

The National Patients Rights Association (NPRA), a Michigan-based alliance of leading medical marijuana advocates working to protect patient rights, on Wednesday announced strong opposition to proposed legislative changes to the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act it they said would would directly violate patients’ and caregivers’ civil and constitutional rights, privileges and protections.
Specifically, it opposes Michigan House Bill’s 4851, 4853, and 4856. The NPRA also strongly opposes HB 4834, which is sponsored by Gail Haines.
Under the proposed legislation, the most troubling, HB 4834, will allow officers or security personnel to easily gain access to the registry without a warrant, as is currently required. Patient and caregiver information would no longer be strictly confidential, and their private medical treatment choice will be available to a “near endless” list of authorized officials, according to the group, including security personnel or recreation officers hired by the state or local townships.
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Richard Lee, Elected Officials To Announce Oaksterdam Plans

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By on Culture, News, Products

Oaksterdam University

Wednesday Press Conference: Richard Lee, Elected Officials, Union, to Announce Future Plans for Oaksterdam University and National Day of Action
Taxpayer Resources Are Wasted Trampling CA Medical Marijuana Laws While City Officials Beg for Help with Gun Violence
National Day of Action on 4/20 Will Pressure Obama on Heels of Historic Discussion About Failed Drug War at Summit of the Americas
Oaksterdam University, which calls itself “the premier cannabis college in the United States,” will announce plans for the future of the school on Wednesday at a press conference.
At the event, founder Richard Lee will discuss his personal plans, as well as the fate of Oaksterdam University, arguably the leading educational institution in the nascent cannabis industry. Other speakers will raise awareness about the waste of valuable community resources.
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Obama Administration Increases Drug War Spending Again

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By on Legislation, News

StoptheDrugWar.org
Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske (left) and President Obama: “Drug War Autopilot and Co-Autopilot,” according to Phillip Smith at StoptheDrugWar.org

Cops Slam Obama For Same Old ‘Drug War’ Budget

Despite Promises, President Continues To Favor Punishment Over Treatment
The Obama Administration on Tuesday morning released its annual National Drug Control Strategy, detailing the methods and budgets planned to “combat drug use” for fiscal year 2013. The report stresses that more resources need to be spent on addiction treatment and prevention, and that an enforcement-centric “War On Drugs” is unworkable. But in a prime example of political incongruence, the report also shows that budget allocations for law enforcement methods could increase by hundreds of millions of dollars, including military operations on U.S. soil.
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AZ Takes Marijuana Dispensary Applications Starting May 14

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By on Dispensaries, News

Where’s Weed?

According to Arizona’s Department of Health Services Director, Will Humble, “The tumblers have clicked, and the race to apply for a dispensary [in Arizona]is on.”

Humble has given the go-ahead for accepting medical marijuana dispensary licenses in Arizona between May 14 and May 25.
You can check out our Registration Certificate Application Checklist [PDF], Instructions [PDF] and Application [PDF] on Arizona Department of Health Services’ Medical Marijuana Dispensary webpage.
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Richard Lee Endorses Ohio Medical Cannabis Amendment

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By on Legislation, News

Oaksterdam History
Richard Lee: “Medical cannabis prohibition is unjust and counterproductive”

Cannabis icon Richard Lee, in one of his first statements since the raid on Oaksterdam University, has endorsed the Ohio Medical Cannabis Amendment. 
“Can you imagine seeing your life’s work raided and seized?” Lee asked in a telephone interview. “Many patients like me can.”
At age 27, while working as a lighting technician, Lee fell off a scaffold and broke his back. A paraplegic, he must now use a wheelchair. Standard prescription pills didn’t ease the pain, but medical cannabis did.
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Huge Victory For Canada’s Medical Marijuana Patients: Edibles, Topicals, Cannabis Tea Now Allowed

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By on Global, Medical, News

Darren Stone/The Victoria Times Colonist
Owen Smith (center) was the head baker for the Cannabis Buyers’ Club of Canada. He will still have to stand trial on charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking and unlawful possession of marijuana.

In a huge victory for Canada’s medical marijuana patients, people authorized to use medicinal cannabis can use it in infused edibles and drink it in tea — not just smoke the dried flowers — the B.C. Supreme Court ruled on Friday.

Justice Robert Johnston said the restriction to dried cannabis only in Health Canada’s Medical Access Regulations is unconstitutional, violating Section 7 of the Charter of Rights, reports Louise Dickinson at The Victoria Times Colonist.
“The remedy for this breach is to remove the word ‘dried’ where it appears in the Marijuana Medical Access Regulations and I so order,” Justice Johnston said.
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BREAKING: Grumbine & Byron Granted New Marijuana Trial

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By on News

Catrina Coleman/West Coast Leaf
Joe Grumbine outside the Long Beach Courthouse with his grandchild Jojo

Joe Grumbine and Joe Byron, whose recent trial for operating a medical cannabis dispensary in Southern California attracted worldwide attention — make that horror and disbelief — for judicial and jury misconduct and prejudice, has been granted a new trial.
“This was a terrible, terrible trial,” said Long Beach Superior Court Judge Joan Comparet-Cassani, who granted the motion for a new trial. 
“I read the transcript [of the previous trial]and I am appalled,” Judge Comparet-Cassani said on Friday, reports Cheri Sicard of The Human Solution, who attended the hearing along with Grumbine and other members of the group.
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Felony Hash: Are Texas Laws Unconstitutionally Vague?

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By on Legislation, News

DFW NORML
In most states, simple possession of small amounts of hash is treated exactly the same as possession of marijuana — punishable as a misdemeanor. But not in Texas.

By David B. Sloane, Attorney
DFW NORML Public Information Officer
In Texas, possession of so-called “hash” is classified as a felony of varying degrees of severity depending on how much is possessed by aggregate weight. 
In the overwhelming majority of states, simple possession for small amounts of hash derived naturally from the marijuana plant is treated exactly the same as possession of marijuana — punishable as a misdemeanor. Even states known for their draconian drug laws treat hash the same way as they treat marijuana.
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