420 Use and Health

[Joe234]

American Weed -- National Geographic Channel-ALL-NEW SERIES,WED 10P et/pt

American Weed -- National Geographic Channel-ALL-NEW SERIES,WED 10P et/pt

http://channel.nationalgeographic.co...american-weed/

[GODOFSNUS]

Dope!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Crow]

United States

Dozens Of States Are Considering Marijuana Law Reform This Legislative Session; Is Your State One Of Them?

by Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director

Marijuana law reform legislation is pending in nearly 30 states this 2012 legislative session. Is your state among them? Find out here.

More importantly, have you taken the time to call or write your state elected officials this year and urged them to support these pending reforms? If not, NORML has provided you with all of the tools to do so via our capwiz ‘Take Action Center’ here. (FYI: NORML’s capwiz page is specific to legislation only, not ballot initiative efforts. A summary pending 2012 ballot initiative campaigns may be found at NORML’s Legalize It 2012 page on Facebook here or on the NORML blog here.)

Below is a synopsis of statewide legislation pending in 2012. Detailed information on bill numbers, hearing dates, and how you can get involved to support these efforts is available here.

MEDICINAL MARIJUANA

The following 20 states have legislation pending to enact limited legal protections for medicinal cannabis users and/or to improve existing medical marijuana laws:

Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Wisconsin, West Virginia

DECRIMINALIZATION

The following states have legislation pending to reduce marijuana possession penalties to a non-criminal offense:

Arizona, Hawaii, Indiana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont

REGULATION

Legislation that seeks to legalize and regulate the commercial production and distribution of cannabis to adults is before lawmakers in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Legislators in Massachusetts have scheduled a public hearing on this measure, HB 1371, to take place on Tuesday, March 6.

(Also of note, legislation that NORML opposes is pending in Colorado and Florida.)

If your state isn’t listed above then please consider using NORML’s ‘Take Action Center’ to send a message to your members of Congress in support of HR 2306, the ‘Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act.’ You can do so here. Then consider taking the next step and contacting your state elected officials and urging them to take action.

Get active; get NORML!

[Crow]

Washington (US)

State of the City Address -- Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn: Legalize marijuana so we can stop crime



"I know every one of the city council members sitting to my left and right believe as I do: it’s time for this state to legalize marijuana,' Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn said in his State of the City address. City of Seattle"

In his “State of the City” address, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn made an impassioned plea today for the legalization of marijuana saying in the illegal trade in drugs was fueling crime in the city.

“It is time we were honest about the problems we face with the drug trade. Drugs are a source of criminal profit, and that has led to shootings and even murders. Just like we learned in the 1920s with the prohibition of alcohol, prohibition of marijuana is fueling violent activity,” the mayor said in the written version of his speech.

He added that the war on drugs “fuels a biased incarceration policy. The drug war’s victims are predominantly young men of color.”

In a speech that covered the decline and recovery from the recession and the pressure funding cuts have put on city services and workers, the mayor’s focus on crime in the streets brought out the most reaction, according to the Seattle Times.

From his speech:

“Seattle is the kind of place that isn’t afraid to try a different approach. We support safe access to medical marijuana and made enforcement of possession of marijuana for personal purposes our lowest enforcement priority. But we’ve learned in the past year that with the federal war on drugs still intact, and with our kids still getting gunned down on the streets, we need to do more.

“I know every one of the city council members sitting to my left and right believe as I do: it’s time for this state to legalize marijuana, and stop the violence, stop the incarceration, stop the erosion of civil liberties, and urge the federal government to stop the failed war on drugs.”

Article continued at: http://www.kplu.org/post/seattle-may...can-stop-crime

[Crow]

I'm not sure if you're still lurking on this board; but this one is for you, Patients Against I-502

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NORML’s Official Reply To ‘Patients Against I-502’

by Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director

NORML supports (and publicly endorses when requested by the principal organizers) marijuana legalization, regulation, and medical use initiatives that qualify for the state ballot, so long as they move us closer to full legalization, even if they contain provisions we do not believe should be included in a perfect proposal.

Every cannabis law reform initiative dating back to the 1972 proposal in CA has included some flaws, but nonetheless when the initiatives have been approved, marijuana consumers, (including those who use cannabis for medical reasons) benefit by legal protections that did not exist under prior law.

When any marijuana law reform initiative qualifies for the ballot, it instantly creates a much needed public policy discussion and debate about the need to end cannabis prohibition. The mainstream media, editorial boards, columnists and radio talk shows FINALLY start to focus on the problems created by 74 years of prohibition and the benefits of alternative public policies.

The value of this public discussion, even if the initiative loses, clearly moves us closer to eventual victory. For example, Prop. 19 in CA, which ended up getting nearly 47% of the vote, sparked a national debate over the merits of legalization that helped move the support for full legalization to the highest point ever, measured by a recent Gallup poll as 50% support nationwide.

At NORML, we support these efforts, even when imperfect, because the greater good achieved by legalization proposals outweighs the imperfect language; and what flaws exist in individual initiatives can be amended in future legislation (or if necessary, via another voter initiative). But in the meantime, tens of thousands of marijuana arrests are avoided by the new law.

We fully recognize the per se DUI marijuana provisions in I-502 are arbitrary, unnecessary, and unscientific, and we argued strongly with the sponsors for provisions that would require proof of actual impairment to be shown before one could be charged with a traffic safety offense. NORML, arguably more so than any other drug law reform organization, has a long track record of opposing the imposition of arbitrary and discriminatory per se traffic safety laws for responsible cannabis consumers. But we failed to persuade the sponsors of I-502, and now we must decide whether to support the initiative despite those provisions. We believe the overall impact of this proposal, if approved by voters this fall and enacted, will be overwhelmingly helpful to the vast majority of cannabis consumers in the state, and will eliminate tens of thousands of cannabis arrests each year. Thus, NORML’s Board of Directors voted unanimously (including the two members from WA) to endorse the initiative, while maintaining our opposition to per se DUID provisions in principal.

Additionally, at NORML we also support the right of consumers to grow their own marijuana, and there is no such legal protection in the WA initiative. However, qualified patients already protected under existing law will be able to continue to grow cannabis, as I-502 does not alter existing medicinal cannabis laws. The sponsors found through their polling that the inclusion of the right to cultivate marijuana for personal adult use would reduce their level of public support below that needed for approval. Again, while we continue to support personal cultivation, we believe the initiative still deserves our support, despite this calculated omission by I-502’s sponsors.

We would urge those who support marijuana legalization, but oppose specific provision of I-502, to nonetheless support this initiative because of the importance of 1.) having one state actually approve legalization and confront the federal government on this issue, and 2.) stopping thousands of expensive and damaging arrests, prosecutions and incarcerations annually in WA for cannabis-related offenses, notably for simple possession.

For those who feel they cannot support the current initiative, because it is not perfect, we would hope they would step aside and take no public position, in order not to undermine what is an historic opportunity to end marijuana prohibition, by popular vote, under state law.

http://blog.norml.org/2012/02/24/nor...against-i-502/

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Washington (US)

New Poll Shows 47% of Likely Voters Support I-502, 15% Undecided

A new survey of likely Washington state voters by Public Policy Polling shows 47% percent support I-502, an initiative to legalize and regulate marijuana for adult use. Only 39% of respondents were opposed and 15% remained undecided.

New Approach Washington, the group backing the initiative, turned in about 278,000 valid signatures at the end of January, a little over 20,000 more than required to qualify for the ballot. Since the legislature has declined action on the initiative, it will almost certainly go before voters in Washington this November.

For more information and updates on I-502, visit New Approach Washington’s website here.

You can view the full poll from PPP by clicking here.

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[BadAxe]

Anyone watch American Weed on Neo-Geo? Man, that guy trying to get the dispensaries banned in that town really pisses me off. Doing it strictly on the "protect the children" angle. I love how if you are doing it to "protect the children" you do not have to consider at all the people that are getting much needed relief that you will be taking it away from. That doesn't matter that you are hurting a patient that may really need it, as long as you are protecting the children.

So in effect, all this guy really wants is for his town not to be known as the dispensary town, he doesn't want MJ in the limelight, he doesn't really want to take MJ out of his chidrens hands, he just wants it back underground, in the hands of street dealers, that will introduce the children to other harder drugs at the same time. I mean, we all know that making pot illegal does not thing for keeping it out of childrens hands, if anything, it makes it easier to obtain for them. So yea, lets ban the dispensaries, so the people that need it can't get it, and we can proclaim victory that we made the town safer for the children, while they go and get their weed from street dealers and then decide to try heroin since their dealer had some really cheap. Way to go. And nothing that is said to this guy even penetrates his skull. When the woman on the street tried to steer him correctly he didn't even know what to say, yet none of it got through. What a freaking moron.

[Crow]

Anyone watch American Weed on Neo-Geo?

Yeah, I watched the first episode. I thought it was well-presented. I just hope it doesn't get derailed like the "Weed Wars" show.

Speaking of Colorado.....

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Colorado (US)

Colorado's Marijuana Legalization Initiative Will Appear On November 2012 Ballot

DENVER -- Colorado voters will decide this fall whether to legalize marijuana for recreational use when the state becomes the second in the nation to put such a proposal on ballots this year.

The Secretary of State's Office said Monday that supporters of the legalization initiative collected enough signatures to get their measure before voters, meaning Colorado will join Washington state in putting a recreational pot question on November ballots.

Voters will be asked whether adults older than 21 should be allowed to use marijuana even without a doctor's recommendation. The measure would allow adults to have up to 1 ounce of marijuana or six marijuana plants. The proposal also allows for commercial pot sales, though cities and counties would have permission to ban marijuana sales if they choose.

The plan would also direct state lawmakers to put an undetermined excise tax on pot, with the proceeds going to education.

Article continued at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1305079.html

[Los ßnus]

wait... perhaps we are going at this with the wrong angle. Instead of pushing MMJ, push for regulation to protect the children. It is easier now for a kid to buy pot than it is for them to buy cigs or alcohol. I know it was in my school.

Protect the children, regulate.

[sirloot]

The following states have legislation pending to reduce marijuana possession penalties to a non-criminal offense:

Arizona, Hawaii, Indiana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont

if this happens im movin back to NC i dont care if i have to get my car inspected there it'll be worth it :P

[BadAxe]

The following states have legislation pending to reduce marijuana possession penalties to a non-criminal offense:

Arizona, Hawaii, Indiana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont

if this happens im movin back to NC i dont care if i have to get my car inspected there it'll be worth it :P

Although I like to see this, and any small steps help, in a way, i hate seeing this as well. Because the action of just reducing or removing criminal penalties (which is LONG oversue I might add), does nothing to take it out of the hands of street dealers. For the "protect the children" aspects, it still stays in the hands of the underground. I just don't see why, if considering the removal of penalities, why they just don't push for legalization instead. From the money aspect, states can make way more money with it legal and taxxed, then just what they are going to save in police and court money by reducing penalties. But I guess its one small step at a time. I hope one of the states actually votes it legal this year, I am really interested to see the reaction and fallout, from the federal level, and from the general population once the first state makes it recreationally legal.

[Crow]

United States

Government’s Crackdown On Medical Cannabis Not Unconstitutional, Federal Judge Rules

by Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director

A federal judge in Sacramento this week dismissed a federal lawsuit filed in November by members of the NORML Legal Committee against the US Department of Justice, US Attorney General Eric Holder, and DEA Director Michele Leonhart. The lawsuit (read it here), one of four filed simultaneously in the state’s four federal districts, argues that the Justice Department’s ongoing crackdown against medical marijuana providers and distributors in California is in violation of the Ninth, Tenth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the US Constitution because the use of cannabis therapeutically is a fundamental right. Petitioners also argue, using the theory of judicial estoppel, that the Justice Department had previously affirmed in public memos and in statements made in federal court that it would no longer use federal resources to prosecute cannabis patients or providers who are compliant with state law.

On Wednesday, US District Judge Garland Burrell, Jr., rejected those arguments and and granted the respondent’s dismissal motion. He denied petitioners request for public hearings prior to making his ruling.

Judge Burrell rejected plaintiffs’ Ninth and Tenth Amendment challenges, finding: “Since the Supreme Court has held the that CSA’s (federal Controlled Substances Act) categorical prohibition of the possession, manufacturing, and distribution of marijuana does not exceed Congress’ authority under the Commerce Clause (Article I Section 8, Clause 3 of the US Constitution), plaintiffs do not have a viable …. claim.”

He also rejected plaintiffs’ equal protection arguments, finding that the Justice Department’s actions in California mimic efforts the federal government has taken against “similarly situated individuals” elsewhere. Judge Burrell also cited court rulings finding that defendants in previous challenges have failed to meet the “heavy burden of proving the irrationality of the schedule I classification of marijuana.”

Finally, Judge Burrell dismissed plaintiff’s judicial estoppel clam, which argues that defendants’ “recent crackdown … against medical cannabis patients flouts the representations made on the record by the Department of Justice” in public memos and statements in court. Responding to this challenge, Judge Burrell determined, “Since judicial estoppel does not apply unless ‘a party’s later position [is] ‘clearly inconsistent with its earlier position,’ and the Ogden memo does not contain a promise not to enforce the CSA, defendants’ enforcement of the CSA is not inconsistent.”

Commenting on the ruling, Attorney David Michael of San Francisco, who along with Matt Kumin and Alan Silber were the lead attorneys in these four challenges, said “We are disappointed, but not discouraged, that the District Courts have thus far denied us the relief we had sought. They are constrained by existing precedent, and the result was not unexpected. It is the Ninth Circuit where we hope to find a receptive audience, and, with the Lawrence v. Texas decision, we may also have a more receptive audience in the Supreme Court, should the issue go there.”

Judges for the Ninth Circuit had previously determined in Raich v Gonzalez: “For now, federal law is blind to the wisdom of a future day when the right to use medical marijuana to alleviate excruciating pain may be deemed fundamental. Although that day has not yet dawned, … (it) may be upon us sooner than expected.”

http://blog.norml.org/2012/03/02/fed...l-judge-rules/

[Crow]

United States

NORML’s Weekly Legislative Round Up

by Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director

Marijuana law reform legislation is pending in nearly 30 states this 2012 legislative session. Is your state among them? Find out here.

More importantly, have you taken the time to call or write your state elected officials this year and urged them to support these pending reforms? If not, NORML has provided you with all of the tools to do so via our capwiz ‘Take Action Center’ here. (FYI: NORML’s capwiz page is specific to legislation only, not ballot initiative efforts. A summary pending 2012 ballot initiative campaigns may be found at NORML’s Legalize It 2012 page on Facebook here or on the NORML blog here.)

Below is this week’s edition of NORML’s Weekly Legislative Round Up — where we spotlight specific examples of pending marijuana law reform legislation from around the country.

** A note to first time readers: NORML can not introduce legislation in your state. Nor can any other non-profit advocacy organization. Only your state representatives, or in some cases an individual constituent (by way of their representative; this is known as introducing legislation ‘by request’) can do so. NORML can — and does — work closely with like-minded politicians and citizens to reform marijuana laws, and lobbies on behalf of these efforts. But ultimately the most effective way — and the only way — to successfully achieve statewide marijuana law reform is for local stakeholders and citizens to become involved in the political process and to make the changes they want to see. Get active; get NORML!

Connecticut: Lawmakers on Wednesday, March 7, will hear testimony in favor of Raised Bill 5389, to allow for the limited legalization of medical marijuana by qualified patients. State lawmakers previously passed medicinal cannabis reform legislation in 2007, only to have it vetoed by then-Gov. M. Jodi Rell. Present Gov. Dannel Malloy is a supporter of marijuana law reform.

Last year, Connecticut NORML played a key role in the passage of legislation decriminalizing the possession of minor amounts of marijuana. This year, Connecticut NORML is once again leading the charge for marijuana law reform. Our affiliate will be co-hosting a press conference at the State Capitol tomorrow featuring patients, advocates, and doctors. To become involved in this statewide campaign, please visit NORML’s ‘Take Action Center’ here and contact Erik Williams at Connecticut NORML here.

Maryland: Members of the House Judiciary Committee will hear testimony from NORML’s Executive Director Allen St. Pierre and others this Friday, March 9, in support of legislation to allow for the use of cannabis as a medicine. To support this effort, please click here.

Massachusetts: Lawmakers today heard testimony in favor of House Bill 1371, The Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Act, which seeks to regulate the commercial production and distribution of marijuana for adults over 21 years of age. You can read more about this legislation here. You can join the campaign to reform Massachusetts’ marijuana laws by contacting Mass/Cann NORML here.

New Hampshire: Members of the Senate Committee on Health will hear testimony on Thursday, March 8, regarding Senate Bill 409, which allows for the limited legalization of medical marijuana by qualified patients. As introduced, qualified patients would be able to possess up to 18 marijuana plants and/or six ounces of marijuana for therapeutic purposes. State lawmakers have previously passed similar legislation. To assure that this year’s measure has enough support to withstand a potential veto by the Governor, it is vital that advocates are in touch with their state elected officials in support of this effort. You can take action here and join the statewide campaign by contact NH Compassion here.

Separate legislation, HB 1526, seeking to decriminalize minor marijuana possession offenses has been endorsed by the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee and now awaits a vote from the full House. You can take action on this measure here.

A third measure, HB 1705, which seeks to establish a regulated cannabis market governing the wholesale production and sale of marijuana, also awaits action from the full House.

http://blog.norml.org/2012/03/06/nor...e-round-up-31/

[precious007]

Does anybody know if it's legal to sell cannabis seeds?

I just found this site: http://www.pickandmixseeds.co.uk/

[Crow]

Does anybody know if it's legal to sell cannabis seeds?

That's a legal grey area... In most parts of the world, it's legal to possess cannabis seeds (whereas in other parts of the world, it's illegal but seldom enforced).

However, once you use that seed for cultivation; then it becomes a "criminal act" (in most instances).

You can usually find cannabis seeds at your local "head shop" (or "smartshop"). If you live in an area where medical cannabis is legal, you can find them at your local dispensary/apothecary or co-op (cuttings [or "clones"] are available at these facilities as well).

Lastly, there are seed banks (such as the website you mentioned) that offer seeds to patients worldwide.

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Some good information about feminized seeds is available here (in case you're curious): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabi...eminized_seeds

As you can see, there's a little controversy behind the process... My personal preference would be to use regular seeds, and raise a good mother to produce cuttings.

... and here's a Wikipedia article on cuttings: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutting_%28plant%29

[BadAxe]

Does anybody know if it's legal to sell cannabis seeds?

I just found this site: http://www.pickandmixseeds.co.uk/

Check out The Attitude. Probably the best online seed bank out there.