| Graphic: AMMJC |
When my sister in Alabama suffers severe nausea due to a major stroke she had last year, she’s not allowed to use the most effective medication. In fact, if she did that, she could be put in jail.
You see, Lynda can’t use medical marijuana — even though it works better than any of the harsh pharmaceuticals her doctor prescribes — because it’s very much against the law in Alabama.
That could all be changing soon, thanks to the Alabama Medical Marijuana Coalition (AMMJC), which, just two months after its founding, on Thursday announced that the Alabama Medical Marijuana Patient’s Rights Act will be introduced in the next session of the Alabama Legislature.
| Photo: Oklahoma Farm Report |
| OK Gov. Mary Fallin: Smoking marijuana means you’ll end up in prison. For hash, make that a life sentence. |
In a bit of non-shocking news, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin said she’s firmly opposed to legalized marijuana, even for medicinal uses.
The Republican governor, who recently signed a bill establishing a life sentence for making hashish out of marijuana, made the statement Thursday during an online town hall forum, reports The Associated Press.
Fallin, one of the new breed of intellectually challenged crypto-conservative “I’d like to hit that” MILFs (think Palin and Bachmann) who seem to be the Republicans’ candidates of choice these days, claimed she analyzes hundreds of pardon and parole requests each month.
| Graphic: The Weed Blog |
An Ohio group that wants to legalize medical marijuana has failed to submit enough petition signatures in its first effort toward putting the idea before voters.
Attorney General Mike DeWine (it would be a lot cooler if he was named DeWeed) on Wednesday rejected the initial petition for putting a proposed constitutional amendment on the November 2012 ballot, reports The Associated Press.
The amendment would allow cannabis possession for patients with qualifying ailments, along with their caregivers. Patients would need authorization from their doctor to use medical marijuana.
At least 1,000 valid signatures were required before the group could go ahead. Only 534 of the 2,134 signatures turned in were valid, according to DeWine, reports The Weed Blog.
| Photo: Long Beach Post |
| Police say they’ve identified the man in this security camera footage from a Beverly Hills convenience store as Marcel Mackabee, who has been arrested for the murder of medical marijuana distributor Philip Williamson. |
A husband and wife have been arrested in the March 24 Long Beach slaying of a medical marijuana distributor.
Marcel Mackabee on Tuesday was charged with one count of murder, and his wife, Rosemary Sayegh, was charged as an accessory in the shooting death of Philip Victor Williamson, according to police, reports Greg Mellen at the Long Beach Press-Telegram.
Robbery was the motive for Williamson’s murder, according to police, who said the victim may have had $500,000 and seven pounds of marijuana at the time of his death.
More arrests are expected, according to police.
It’s time to free up our police force to go after actual criminals.
Legalize marijuana, re-prioritize law enforcement resources, and create safer communities.
| Photo: Larry “LK” Kirk |
| A year passes like nothing at The World Famous Cannabis Cafe! |
By Charlie Bott
Special to Toke of the Town
Portland, Oregon’s World Famous Cannabis Cafe celebrated the first anniversary at its current location on July 29 and 30. The Cafe officially opened its doors at 322 SE 82nd Avenue in Portland, Oregon, on July 31, 2010.
“When the café opened in November 2009, my dream to create a safe and welcoming place for cardholders to consume their medicine out of public view was realized,” said Madeline Martinez, founder and proprietress of the private club. “Celebrating this anniversary means that we also provide stability for those we serve, and that is important.”
| Photo: The Green Cross |
| From the menu at The Green Cross: SF Ice, an indica cross of Afghan, Northern Lights, Skunk and Shiva. Tested at 18.4 percent THC. |
The Green Cross, first incorporated as a California public benefit nonprofit medical marijuana patient collective in July 2004, is celebrating seven years in San Francisco.
“Since then, The Green Cross has become well known for our safe and discreet delivery service, commitment to social and environmental responsibility, absolute compliance with state and local laws, and generosity to local and national charitable organizations,” said founder and president Kevin Reed.
“In seven years since we first incorporated with the State of California, The Green Cross has experienced its share of ups and downs,” Reed said. “But, with the help of your support, we are proud to be among the city’s best licensed medical cannabis dispensaries.”
| Photo: Miami Herald |
| Jailers wouldn’t call 9-1-1 to help Eric Perez as he lay dying. |
Eric Perez died after suffering all night long, screaming and throwing up.
An 18-year-old Florida man has died after suffering a medical emergency while in jail on a marijuana charge. Records show that Superintendent Anthony Flowers of the Palm Beach Juvenile Detention Center instructed staff not to call 9-1-1 as young Eric Perez lay dying.
Perez, 18, had been screaming and vomiting all night long, but jailers at the Palm Beach Juvenile Detention Center didn’t call 9-1-1 until well after dawn, reports Carol Marbin Miller at the Miami Herald.
A detention center healthcare log shows the youth was not examined by a medical professional until 7:51 a.m. Four minutes later, lockup staff called a “Code White,” meaning the young man’s condition was critical, the log shows.
After the 2003 scandal involving the death of young Omar Paisley, who also died before paramedics could help him, the state had posted signs throughout 22 youth detention centers authorizing guards to call 9-1-1 at the first hint of an emergency.
| Photo: Brian Grimmer |
| Patient activist Brian Grimmer: “Once the dispensary/co-op situation is figured out at the state level, we will work with the city council to begin the process of opening a dispensary in Ellensburg” |
Ellensburg, Washington has joined the short, but growing, list of cities in the Evergreen State which have decided to allow medical marijuana collective gardens.
On Monday night, the city council unanimously adopted an emergency ordinance on the issue to allow patients to grow cannabis collectively for medical use, reports Aaron Hilf at KNDO.
However, the same emergency ordinance which allows collective marijuana gardens also places a six-month moratorium on medical cannabis dispensaries.
The collective marijuana gardens must be indoors and at least 300 feet from schools, along with other zoning regulations.
“We really wanted to be able to move quickly so that if someone did want to come forward there was a framework within the city, an application process within the city, and zoning within the city that allowed them to become a collective,” said Mayor Bruce Tabb.
For an eminently reasonable $25 permit fee, along with a doctor’s medical marijuana authorization, patients in Ellensburg can now get together and grow cannabis for medicinal use.
| Photo: Little Eddy |
| A mass exhale of marijuana smoke at the Unibversity of Colorado Boulder campus at 4:20 p.m., April 20, 2010. UC-Boulder came in fourth on the list. |
California and Colorado dominated the The Princeton Review‘s Top 5 colleges for marijuana use this year, with two entries each.
In the rankings — part of the Review’s “The Best 376 Colleges” survey — Colorado College in Colorado Springs ranked as the #1 pot-smoking school in the United States.
The small private school blazed past the competition in the annual rankings, which The Princeton Review released on Monday.
Colorado College has been a “usual suspect” on the marijuana list for the past few years, said Rob Franek, vice president and publisher of the Review.