June News Cliff Notes

[Marianne]

420 Times Newsletter - June 2006

Wisconsin County Lowers First Time Penalty
LaCrosse County Board Member passed a new ordinance this week: first time pot possession of small amounts (up to 25 grams) will now get you a $420, oh excuse me a $424 fine, which will be reduced to $235 if you complete a drug assessment. Opposers are using the slippery slope argument that this ordinance will be a slippery slope to drug decriminalization, but the board members say they are simply being "fair" to first timers.
http://www.420times.com/forums/world...t-options.html

New Jersey on it's Way to Compassion
On June 8th the Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee of New Jersey listened to testimony for a bill that would allow access to medical marijuana for qualified patients. In polls, 70-80 percent of New Jersey voters support the measure and according to Sen. Nicholas Scutari, the governor says he will sign the bill if it makes it to him. Montel Williams, the talk show host who uses marijuana to ease symptoms of multiple sclerosis, gave a tearful speech about how marijuana brings his pain from a 7 or 8 down to a 4, and has allowed him to never miss a day of work even though he has the debilitating illness.
http://www.420times.com/forums/world...l-pot-law.html
http://www.420times.com/forums/world...marijuana.html
http://www.420times.com/forums/world...officials.html
http://www.420times.com/forums/world...iled-suit.html

Marijuana is Medically Useful!
A PhD student at Hebrew University of Jerusalem School of Pharmacy, Yehoshua Maor, discovered something seemingly unknown to the medical world, as though they had forgotten for 70 years: marijuana is useful for treating sick people! This particular study found that cannabinoids help with hypertension by relaxing blood vessels. Prof. Ruth Gallily of the Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology did a study as well that found cannabinoids also have an anti-inflammatory response to tumors. Fortunately for medical marijuana users, Maor has found a way to capture these cannabinoids in a synthetic formula. Patients will no longer be forced to grow their own plants for next to no money, they’ll now be able to pay for a no doubt very expensive chemical version as soon as it shows up on the market.
http://www.420times.com/forums/world...e-hashish.html

Alaska Fights Meth by Criminalizing Marijuana
Going against the constitution of Alaska, Gov. Frank Murkowski signed a bill this month that will criminalize marijuana, even in the privacy of citizens’ own homes. The bill also targets meth, and the sale of over the counter medicines such as Sudafed, which is one of the ingredients used to create the dangerous drug which is concocted in laboratories a la Frankenstein’s monster. Unfortunately for marijuana partakers, the governor groups harmless plants in the same category.
http://www.420times.com/forums/world...comes-law.html


South Dakota to Put Medical Marijuana Issue on November’s Ballot
Initiated Measure 4, sponsored by South Dakotans for Safe Access, would allow state-qualified patients to possess up to six plants and/or one ounce of cannabis for medical purposes. Qualified patients must possess a physician's recommendation to use cannabis and must register with the state Department of Health. Non-registered patients, or those who possess greater quantities of cannabis than allowed under state law, would have the option of raising an 'affirmative defense' of medical necessity at trial.
A 2002 poll showed over 64 percent of South Dakota residents support use of marijuana when prescribed by a doctor.
South Dakotans: set down the bong on voting day and get to the polls. You could be on your way to joining the minority 1/5 of the country.
http://www.420times.com/forums/world...ssue-fall.html

West Hollywood Prioritizes Police Enforcement
June 19th the West Hollywood City Council voted unanimously to make marijuana possession law enforcements lowest priority. Officers will be instructed to not go after peaceful users that toke privately. Minors and dealers will still be targeted, but it’s a breath of fresh air for patients leaving dispensaries, many of whom were formerly cited by officers after picking up their medicine. The city council believes that Los Angeles County Sheriffs who patrol the area will respect the new ordinance but have also stated if they need to build their own police force, they will.
http://www.420times.com/forums/calif...ers-alone.html
http://www.420times.com/forums/calif...ana-users.html

Thank God
The Presbyterian Church has officially declared support for medical marijuana. Other denominations such as the Unitarian Universalist’s Association, United Methodist Church, Episcopal Church, and United Church of Christ are also supporters. I think Jesus would approve considering according to biblical scholars, his anointment oil used for healing was comprised mainly of cannabis flowers.
http://www.420times.com/forums/world...marijuana.html

Relief for Fibromyalgia Patients
Researchers at Germany's University of Heidelberg recently did a carefully controlled study for a three month period with orally administered THC and chronic pain of fibrolylagia patients. Sufferers of this syndrome experience chronic pain, fatigue, and tender spots throughout their bodies. There has been little relief for patients taking conventional painkillers, and researchers believe that the analgesic properties of THC are a better option. Patients who participated in the study were given no other painkillers and all reported pain relief of 50 percent or more.
http://www.420times.com/forums/world...-patients.html

Don’t Try to Grow in the Netherlands
Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner will not relax Dutch laws on cannabis cultivation. Apparently it is fine to sell, but not to grow. Thank you, sir. Perhaps those of us in the US will benefit since we are the largest current exporter of marijuana. You could have been selfish and kept that revenue within your own county but you so generously left it to us.
http://www.420times.com/forums/world...-minister.html

Marijuana Laws Won’t Keep This Man from Living His Life
Marc Emery, the “Prince of Pot” may have a trial coming up, but that didn’t stop him from marrying his assistant editor Jodie Giesz-Ramsay of Cannabis Culture Magazine. There’s no telling when his trial will actually start, but a date is expected to be set on his next court date, August 24th. For those of you who have been in a tunnel, Mr. Emery, a Canadian citizen, was indicted by the US last summer with charges on conspiracy to distribute marijuana and marijuana seeds, as well as money laundering, in relation to his online seed business.
http://www.420times.com/forums/world...es-plunge.html


New Amendment Will Protect State Medical Marijuana Patients if Passed
Stand up for your rights! The Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment, sponsored by Reps. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) and Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), is a move to protect rights of State. Under the United States Constitution, the feds have no right to undermine state laws, but they’ve been doing so in an alarming way. In the past year over 20 cannabis dispensaries have been raided by the DEA in California alone. Both reps are spreading the word on Capitol Hill, bringing doctors, scientists, and patients, and are focusing on Republicans as well as Democrats. About 70 percent of democrats currently support the amendment, but republicans may have the final say.
http://www.420times.com/forums/world...next-week.html


Scientists Discover Once Again THC is Not the Only Useful Cannabinoid
Researches at Italy's Instuto di Chemica Biomolecolare have pinpointed a particular component of marijuana that is a potent inhibitor of cancer, especially breast cancer. Cannabidiol (CBD) may eventually be used in treatment of cancer.
http://www.420times.com/forums/world...marijuana.html

Santa Barbara May Follow in West Hollywood’s Footsteps
Over 11,000 signatures have been collected in the city of Santa Barbara in an effort to get a decriminalization bill on November’s ballot. If passed, the city’s police force would make marijuana offenses their lowest priority. The coming weeks will tell whether the issue indeed has enough signatures to make the ballot, even though it appears the petition holds twice as many as needed.
http://www.420times.com/forums/calif...ana-users.html

Dispensaries Banned
Three California cities: Lawndale, Dublin and El Cerrito banned pot clubs this month in an effort to prevent crime. Medical patients, who use the drug legally under California Prop 215, counter they have to purchase their medicine anyway, and would rather purchase it in a controlled, safe environment, but the city leaders seem to think closing these clubs will actually stop people from purchasing marijuana.
http://www.420times.com/forums/calif...acilities.html
http://www.420times.com/forums/calif...pensaries.html
http://www.420times.com/forums/calif...juana-now.html

San Diego County Challenges State Law
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors have officially decided to challenge Prop 215 within the county after the local branch of NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) threatened to sue the county for not implementing the 2004 California law that medical patients must be issued ID cards. The Board argues both laws are illegal under Federal law so they’re not required to uphold them. San Diego County Superior Court Judge William Nevitt is going to let the case proceed, but medical marijuana supporters remain optimistic that the courts will eventually rule in their favor.
http://www.420times.com/forums/calif...t-case-go.html
http://www.420times.com/forums/calif...alifornia.html

[JohnnyBlazed]

This was a good idea........thanks HappyKid.