Archive for February, 2010
Restore Respect for Law, End Cannabis Prohibition
February 27th, 2010
Dakta Bourbon
Friday, 26 February 2010, 4:47 pm
Press Release: NORML
NORML to Collins: Restore Respect for Police by Ending Cannabis Prohibition
NORML President Phil Saxby today called on Police Minister Judith Collins to restore public respect for law enforcement by calling an armistice in this country’s prolonged “war on drugs”.
In response to recent attacks on Police Officers, Ms Collins has been quoted as saying that “it’s extremely important to rebuild the respect and fear for the law.”
“Fear of the law isn’t the problem,” said Mr Saxby. “What has been eroding away in New Zealand is respect for the law and then by association, those who enforce it.”
“The Misuse of Drugs Act created the so-called “war on drugs” which is actually a war on ordinary Kiwis. After thirty-five years of criminalisation, the 400,000 people from all walks of life who currently use cannabis justifiably feel marginalised and discriminated against.”
NORML: US Legalisation Polls are heading in the right direction
February 27th, 2010
Dakta Bourbon
Source http://www.norml.org/
Medical Marijuana ‘Smokers Club’ to Open in Williamston
February 27th, 2010
Dakta Bourbon
WILLIAMSTON — Wayne Dagit has no problem admitting it.
“Right now, I am completely medicated,” he says, holding up a bag of marijuana.
Dagit is a reverend and a medical marijuana patient with Hepatitis C, which has just about destroyed his liver.
“Later tonight, I will enjoy some ‘Great White’ (a particularly potent strain of marijuana) because it is my right,” he says.
Dagit’s so devoted to it he’s opening the state’s first smokers club — Green Leaf University — where others like him can gather and get medicated. It’s set to open Monday, March 1, in Williamston.
Dagit is also the founder and reverend of the Church for Compassionate Care. He says he moved to Michigan when it legalized pot back in 2008. His ailments have since greatly improved.
Inhaled Marijuana is Medically Safe & Effective, Studies Show
February 26th, 2010
Dakta Bourbon
Sacramento, CA: The results of a series of randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials assessing the efficacy of inhaled marijuana consistently show that cannabis holds therapeutic value comparable to conventional medications, according to the findings of a 24-page report issued Wednesday to the California state legislature by the California Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research (CMCR). Four of the five placebo-controlled trials demonstrated that marijuana significantly alleviated neuropathy, a difficult to treat type of pain resulting from nerve damage.
“There is good evidence now that cannabinoids (the active compounds in the marijuana plant) may be either an adjunct or a first-line treatment for … neuropathy,” said Dr. Igor Grant, Director of the CMCR, at a news conference at the state Capitol. He added that the efficacy of smoked marijuana was “very consistent,” and that its pain-relieving effects were “comparable to the better existing treatments” presently available by prescription. Read the rest of this entry »
The Gisborne Herald: Cannabis ‘safer than alcohol’
February 24th, 2010
Dakta Bourbon
Great to see some more content in Kiwi papers…
All drugs can be dangerous. But in the scale of harms, moderate cannabis use should not cause any notable health or social concerns. The fact is, the average use of cannabis is safer than alcohol, tobacco, jogging, riding a bike, water skiing, football etc. Why aren’t these activities banned?
The mental health issues have recently been cleared up and only those with a family history of mental health disorders are at risk of lasting psychosis. Cannabis does not cause schizophrenia at all but it mimics the symptoms until the effects of the cannabis wears off. And young people are at risk because of their developing brains. As for healthy adults though, there will probably never be any problems for them from moderate use.
Just to top it off, Keele university in the UK found that although cannabis use has risen 400 percent since the late 1980s, cases of mental health disorders have not increased in step but actually decreased slightly. With 180 million users worldwide, there would be a pandemic if cannabis caused the harm reported by the media. — T.W.
Bill to Legalize Marijuana Reintroduced in California
February 24th, 2010
Dakta Bourbon
Last week, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), reintroduced legislation that would legalize weed in California for adults 21 and over. Back in January the California Assembly’s Public Safety Committee approved Assembly Bill 390 to legalize and tax marijuana, marking the first time in US history that a state legislative body considered putting an end to marijuana prohibition! The bill didn’t get much further since time ran out on the legislative calendar.
Ammiano forges on, however, with the new bill– now called A.B. 2254–which would allow adults over 21 to possess, smoke, and grow weed, essentially treating marijuana the same way alcohol is currently treated under the law. The bill also calls for a $50 per ounce sold fee to be used for funding drug eradication and awareness programs. And, of course supporters of the bill are saying it could raise around $990 million and help pull the severely cash-strapped California out of its budget crisis. Read the rest of this entry »
Marijuana use by seniors goes up as boomers age
February 23rd, 2010
Dakta Green
By MATT SEDENSKY, Associated Press Writer Matt Sedensky, Associated Press Writer Mon Feb 22, 4:08 pm ET
MIAMI – In her 88 years, Florence Siegel has learned how to relax: A glass of red wine. A crisp copy of The New York Times, if she can wrest it from her husband. Some classical music, preferably Bach. And every night like clockwork, she lifts a pipe to her lips and smokes marijuana.
Long a fixture among young people, use of the country’s most popular illicit drug is now growing among the AARP set, as the massive generation of baby boomers who came of age in the 1960s and ’70s grows older.
The number of people aged 50 and older reporting marijuana use in the prior year went up from 1.9 percent to 2.9 percent from 2002 to 2008, according to surveys from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Want to buy some stamps?
February 23rd, 2010
Dakta Bourbon
Locked in a vault within the North Carolina Department of Revenue is a lickable bit of Kafka: a government-issued stamp that is expected to remain unpurchased, but which users of illegal goods must, by law, affix to substances they are not allowed to possess.
North Carolina is one of about 20 states that tax illegal drugs. The cost varies by state and weight, as does the stamps’ appearance (Nebraska’s, with a skull surmounting a syringe and joint, looks like Grateful Dead tribute art). Penalties for non-payment also vary, from being classed as a misdemeanour in Georgia to 200% of the tax plus $10,000 or five years in prison in Louisiana. Read the rest of this entry »
“BOMBER” hits TVNZ
February 23rd, 2010
Dakta Green
The war on news” with Martyn “Bomber” Bradbury. Weekly TV show on Triangle/Stratos.September 2009. [Uploaded with official permission from Director and Writer]
Thanks Bomber. You speak for many New Zealanders with your criticism of Television New Zealand ‘Closeup’ story ‘Reefer Madness.’ (at 8.30 mins)
Medical marijuana protest planned for Obama visit
February 19th, 2010
Dakta Bourbon
DENVER (AP) – Medical marijuana advocates plan to protest recent drug raids during President Barack Obama’s visit to Denver.
Obama will be in town Thursday campaigning for Sen. Michael Bennet. His visit comes two days after a man who was allegedly growing over 200 marijuana plants in his Highlands Ranch home was charged with a federal crime.
Colorado is one of 14 states that allow medical marijuana and the Obama administration has said it wouldn’t target people who were in compliance with such laws.
But Denver’s top federal drug agent says Colorado’s law isn’t clear and the Highlands Ranch grower appeared to be violating it by growing so many plants.
Agents have also confiscated marijuana in recent weeks from two labs set up to test marijuana used in dispensaries.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Source: http://www.9news.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=133009&catid=346