Medical Marijuana Browsing with Anderson Cooper
June 17th, 2009 by RussCNN’s Anderson Cooper looked like the proverbial middle-aged stiff in a candy store this week when he took his CNN audience on a tour of a Los Angeles weed dispensary.
Trying to project the maximum level of sobriety and imparitality in the weed haven know as the Farmacy, Cooper monotonously rattled off different weed strains to a bemused audience:
So there’s like… Bubba Joe, Mendo Purple, Princess, Third Eye, Air Force One
To be fair, the spot did a decent job of serving as a first-timer’s tutorial of marijuana lingo, explaining the separation between Indica and Sativa breeds, and the various methods of ingesting beyond smoking the stuff.
Cooper even threw his blaze-friendly camera crew a nod, when he mentioned (to their chagrin) that there was no in-store sampling of the product.
RI Governor Vetoes MMJ Bill, Congress Overrides
June 16th, 2009 by Rick
As threatened, Governor Donald Carcieri of Rhode Island vetoed a bill that would allow three dispensaries called compassion centers to be set up that would sell medical marijuana to chronically ill patients.
Carcieri said in his veto message:
Although the intent of the legislation is to allow consenting adults to use marijuana only for medicinal purposes based on illness, the increased availability, along with a complacent attitude, will no doubt result in increased usage, and will negatively impact the children of Rhode Island.
Rhoda E. Perry, the Senate sponsor of the bill wasn’t worried:
I believe we have the intent and the numbers to override the veto.
Perry was right because they easily overrode the veto with votes of 68-0 in the House and 35-3 in the Senate.
Karen O’Keefe, director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. said:
We are seeing a historic shift to allowing state-licensed, regulated medical marijuana production and distribution. [...] Combining regulated distribution with provisions for patients to grow a limited quantity for themselves is the best way to assure safe access for patients, with solid safeguards to prevent abuse.
Despite what the Governor believes about the dispensaries being at risk for prosecution by the federal government, the override of this veto shows the true power of politics and that those “checks and balances” do eventually come into play.
[Thanks, Bruce!]
Marijuana Reform Bill HR 2835: Does It Do Enough?
June 16th, 2009 by Rick
Although the Marijuana Reform Bill HR 2835 that was introduced by Barney Frank into Congress, has hopes to do something about the current state of chaos surrounding marijuana, there are people that believe it’s just another veil to fuel the deception of the war on drugs. MinistryOfTruth, at the Daily Kos breaks it down.
- The Bill seeks to reclassify marijuana from Schedule I (which are drugs that have NO medicinal value) to a Schedule II (which are drugs deemed to have some medicinal value) and have the “create a regulatory framework for the FDA to begin a drug approval process for marijuana.” MinistryOfTruth blames prohibition and the cost of the war on drugs which led to our chasing of our proverbial tail. There are some experts that believe more money can be saved and gained from legalization.
- The DOJ left a message for Barney Frank via their website, saying that Marinol was an excepted accepted use of medical marijuana, a synthetic THC. What MinistryOfTruth says about the big pharma companies and drug sources from around the world is true. Why haven’t they been able to slow the heroin and opium trade?
- H.R. 2835 has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. MinistryOfTruth makes a good point. Before Obama said marijuana couldn’t “grow the economy”. Now all of a sudden a panel is meeting to discuss the potential of it having an impact on commerce?
The only reason they are going through the motions of reform is because of pressure. Pressure from the American public — popping their heads out of the sand and seeing what is really going on with our country and prepared and ready to do something about it.
Barney Frank Sponsors Bill to Protect MMJ
June 15th, 2009 by Russ
Civil-libertarian and long-time legislator, Barney Frank, is about to take the medical marijuana debate to the floor of the US Congress. Funny thing is, he may have himself a fighting chance this time around.
HR 2835, known as the Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act, would do a couple very common-sensical things. Firstly, it would alter the schedules set forth by the Controlled Substances Act by moving pot from a Schedule I drug (evil with no redeeming properties) to Schedule II (evil but with potential medical applications). Furthermore, it would prohibit the federal government from interfering with states that approve medical marijuana programs.
Hardly his first foray into drug law legislation, last year, Frank sponsored the “Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act,” which would have legalized possession of up to 100 grams of weed (if it hadn’t been buried in subcommittee and scattered to the winds). So, what makes the new bill any more promising?
We know that there is widespread and unprecedented support for saner marijuana law. We know that our administration has expressed interest in protecting state sovereignty from federal encroachment in matters of weed. We know that supporters of progressive drug policy range across the entire conceivable political spectrum. And, since this isn’t Frank’s first time riding the weed regulation rodeo, we know that he has given this bill every chance to succeed. The wording of the bill is very middle-of-the-road and doesn’t smack of any controversy. To oppose it, a rival congressman would have to start spouting quotes from his Reefer Madness Propaganda handbook. And that is becoming a less popular play all the time.
Ever the self-depricator, Representative Frank once said:
I’m used to being in the minority. I’m a left-handed, gay, Jew.
Over the life and career of this prolific legislator, the political landscape has changed so dramatically that on the weed issue, Barney Frank is finally in the majority.
Charles Lynch Sentenced to 366 Days
June 12th, 2009 by RickCharles Lynch, a scapegoat caught in the crossfires of the continuing war on drugs, was sentenced by Federal Judge George H. Wu to one year and one day in a federal prison on Thursday.
He was convicted last summer of five federal counts connected to running a medical marijuana dispensary and selling medical marijuana to patients under 21 years of age. The truth, if anyone investigated the case was that a sheriff had a wild hair up his ass from the start of Lynch’s business. Watch the video above, you learn who the minor was that Lynch helped with his medical marijuana.
Stephen Gutwillig of the Drug Policy Alliance, said:
That Attorney General Holder changed federal policy three months ago only makes this miscarriage of justice all the more disturbing. Charlie is like a forgotten prisoner of war, abandoned after a truce was declared.
Unfortunately, he’s right. Other medical marijuana dispensaries have been raided since Lynch’s arrest and undoubtedly more will be raided if they do not comply with the new CA state guidelines that claims all for-profit dispensaries must shut down or possibly change into a non-profit. This is done to prevent those individuals that operate such dispensaries to break the link from black market ties and market gaming.
It seems medical marijuana is having an identity crisis lately. It’s been legal in various states now for well over a decade and they are just now starting to fill the loopholes and dictate how it’s to be dispersed as well as who disperses it. More and more states are beginning to consider medial marijuana now, with most of the Northeast having legislation moving through their houses and senates.
Lynch’s lawyer, Reuven Cohen, planned to appeal. Meanwhile, somewhere in America, “Free Charlie Lynch” t-shirts are being printed up so that his memory doesn’t fade and the soldiers in the war on drugs know those who were subsequently left behind.
Overwhelming Majority, RI Senate Passes MMJ Bill
June 10th, 2009 by Rick
With over 680 medical marijuana patients registered with the State Department of Health, the Rhode Island Senate voted on Tuesday, in an overwhelming 30 – 2, in favor of authorizing three “compassion centers” to distribute medical marijuana. The bill now heads to the desk of Governor Don Carcieri, who already vetoed medical marijuana bills, but according to his spokeswoman Amy Kempe, she’s not sure what he will do this time.
Other opponents of the bill are the Rhode Island State Police who have voiced concern over the fact that authorities say some of the medical marijuana dispensaries in California are being operated by drug traffickers and were mere fronts. This may be true, but George DesRoches smokes marijuana for chronic pain and fibromyalgia. He’s said that he’s been robbed when trying to procure marijuana from the street and/or when he grows his own. Catch-22.
If the bill passes Rhode Island would be the third state (along with California and New Mexico) to have medical marijuana distributed via a dispensary or compassion center. Medical Marijuana has been legal in Rhode Island since 2006, allowing medical marijuana patients to grow 12 marijuana plants or have 2.5 ounces of dried marijuana.
Even if the Governor vetoes the bill, it’s passed through with enough of a majority that overriding a veto would be academic. It’s doubtful that the Governor would even bother vetoing the bill with a successful override looming. After all, he was against the studies of the compassion centers. Yet now, he doesn’t think three of them being on the radar is too disconcerting.
LA City Council to Kibosh Weed Dispensaries
June 9th, 2009 by RussThings are about to get mighty interesting in the City of Angels. After a two-year city-wide free for all in which weed storefronts have become more plentiful than Starbucks, the LA City Council has decided to strike back against the dispensaries by retroactively reviewing their application paperwork.
The dispute is over a legal loophole that allowed dispensaries to freely open during a two-year moratorium passed by the City Council. Under the less than watchful eye of the Planning and Land Use Management Committee, any applicant claiming any kind of hardship was granted permission to open up shop.
After a great deal of public pressure, the City Council has now reversed course away from its blissful ignorance and is attempting to re-seal a Pandora’s Box that has made LA weed storefronts more common than Starbucks franchises.
Starting this week, the Council is going to be dealing with the hardship applicants on a case by case basis. In other words, there is a very real possibility that the city of Los Angeles is about to start shutting down dozens (if not hundreds) of newly minted businesses in the midst of a severe recession.
Given that most of the store operators were under the assumption that the Council had approved the new Weed Gold Rush, having given their tacit approval of the loophole for two years, things may get a bit heated.
The whole situation reminds me of that old joke: What’s the difference between a lightbulb and a pregnant woman? You can unscrew a lightbulb. I’m not so sure that Los Angeles can unscrew itself from the new economic reality it has created.
Another Medical Marijuana Co-Op Raided
June 8th, 2009 by Rick
With a search warrant, deputies from the Kern County Sheriff’s Department’s Major Violator Unit, raided a medical marijuana co-op in Oildale, California last Wednesday.
Despite nobody being arrested, the deputies confiscated four pounds of marijuana that were in a safe. Also found were 299 pill bottles that were labeled individually and contained between a gram to a quarter ounce of marijuana in each (reportedly a total of 14 grams). More than $2000 cash, as well as business records and numerous computers were seized.
Two things about this story:
- If there were 299 pill bottles that contained at least a gram to a quarter ounce of marijuana in each, there would be at least 299 grams… not 14… either someone doesn’t have their facts straight or someone is dipping into the supply.
- How do you serve a search warrant, confiscate a business’s property and then not arrest anyone?.
In early May, the same sheriff’s department raided the Green Cross Co-op in East Bakersfield.
One of the reasons that these co-ops are being raided is the fact that apparently there are new state attorney guidelines that dictate only non-profit medical marijuana co-ops are allowed to conduct business under state law, not the ones that secure profits.
