Medical marijuana advocates are hoping to give the Humboldt County cannabis industry the tools to navigate a post-legalization world. The Civil Liberties Monitoring Project is presenting a forum June 19 in Garberville, entitled "Cannabis Health and Safety: The Chemistry, The Economics and the Politics." The forum features experts from California and Montana who have taken a "transparent" business approach to cultivating and dispensing marijuana. The Garberville Veterans Association is co-sponsoring this presentation, and the event starts at 7 p.m. at Veterans Hall. [continues 464 words]
Re "Back in the slammer" (Newslines, by Robert Speer, May 6): This poor guy [Bryan Epis] and his family. Isn't it obvious to everyone by now that pot is harmful only when it's illegal? There are going to be riots about this soon; they're putting our family in prison. If any one person can justify what's happened to this guy and all the other people in jail or prison for pot, please speak up. I would love to hear what you have to say. Steve Aquino Chico [end]
When the "Cannabis Caravan" arrives in Lansing later this month, it will be the most colorful example of a troubling trend: A desire by some to push the margins on Michigan's medical marijuana system. There's no doubt many who voted in 2008 for medical marijuana would favor complete legalization. Such proponents are risking a political backlash against medical marijuana itself. Recent events might lend themselves to overconfidence on the issue. Proposal 1 in 2008 gained slightly more than 3 million "yes" votes in Michigan, compared to 1.79 million "no" votes. Michigan is now one of 14 states that has legalized medical marijuana. As recently as 1997, only California had a medical marijuana law. [continues 296 words]
Legalize them. Regulate them. Tax them. Those steps are what I refer to as the "Tripod of Victory in the War on Drugs." It is time for both the U.S. government and the American people to admit our so called "War on Drugs" is an abject failure. It is time for the U.S. government and the American people to admit it is both the demand for drugs in the United States, coupled with our lax gun laws and easy access to military style weaponry, that is then shipped south of the border by U.S. arms traffickers in pursuit of big profits fueling the bloodshed in Mexico and in other countries further south in Central America, including Costa Rica. [continues 584 words]
HELENA -- Montana's professional pharmacists say they don't want to get into the medical marijuana business, scuttling the suggestion that lawmakers could firm up Montana's controversial pot scene by making pharmacists dispense the drug. The Montana Pharmacy Association adopted a resolution at its June 5 meeting stating that professional pharmacists will not support dispensing cannabis until medical research proves the drug is effective and adequate dosing guidelines are established. The resolution further stated there is currently no accepted medical use for marijuana, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and that marijuana is still considered an illegal drug by the federal government. [continues 612 words]
Andrew Breitbart's popular right-wing website, Big Hollywood, just published a blistering attack on the musician Sting, philanthropist George Soros, and formerly incarcerated activist Anthony Papa for appearing in an anti-drug war video -- a two-minute promo where people share their feelings about the failed drug war and the reasons they support the Drug Policy Alliance. Sting states that he believes in the right to "sovereignty over one's mind and body" and that "the war on drugs represents an extraordinary violation of human rights." Montel expresses his view that, "Whether you use drugs or not, you deserve to be treated with kindness and dignity." Soros, meanwhile, explains that he supports the Drug Policy Alliance because the organization "promotes harm reduction" and "fosters debate on drug policy." Anthony Papa talks about his experience spending 12 years in prison for a first time nonviolent drug offense. [continues 467 words]
Many people think that the country is in the middle of fighting two wars right now. In fact, it is fighting three. The war on drugs has been going on for at least four decades, has cost more than any other war in that period and has arguably destroyed more lives. When will our elected officials admit what most of us already know: This war has been a total failure in almost every sense? We eventually lose whenever we try to fight against nature, whether it's Mother Nature or human nature. We tried to ban drinking in the 1920s (a total disaster) and gambling, right through the 1960s, with little luck. Once we got smart and legalized both (with the associated taxes), it became a revenue source for the state and cut back on the expenses of prison space and courts. There were drunks and gamblers before and there are drunks and gamblers now. The only difference is that now, these people are not in jail and the taxes for the rest of us are lower. [continues 153 words]
Illegal drug trafficking will remain out-of-control until law enforcement and word merchants recognize the folly of non-working ways in practice for years without satisfactory results. In far too many instances, courts, judges and attorneys use the legal profession as a personal gold mine the average cash-strapped citizen taxpayer is out of touch with. There's simply no way a common business could isolate itself, charge hefty fees and remain a viable business -- $200 an hour and more, when the bulk of legal work is most often conducted by hard-working paralegals, perhaps doubling as secretaries, paid a typical wage. [continues 311 words]
An initiative to outlaw medical marijuana dispensaries in the city of Colorado Springs moved closer to appearing on the November ballot. The city's Initiative Review Committee signed off on the proposal Friday after recommending minor changes. The controversial proposal will go to the city's title-setting board next. I am extremely confident that we will be able to get 14,000 signatures plus=94 to place the initiative on the ballot, said Steven Wind, one of three Colorado Springs residents backing the petition. [continues 368 words]
