PLANT-the-LAND™

So Far, Who Supporting/Opposing California's Legalization Initiative, Prop 19?

2010-07-15T10:35:00.005-07:00

Here's a list of documented supporters and those who oppose of the legalization initiative to be voted on by the voters of California in the fall.

Supporters of Proposition 19:

* Gary E. Johnson, former two term Republican Governor of the state of New Mexico
* George Miller, current Democratic House Representative from California
* Barbara Lee , current Democratic House Representative from California
* Pete Stark, current Democratic House Representative from California
* Tom Ammiano, current Democratic member of the California State Assembly
* James P. Gray, former Superior Court judge of Orange County, California and former Libertarian Party senate candidate
* John Russo, City Attorney of Oakland, California
* Norm Stamper, former Seattle, Washington police chief
* Oakland City Council
* Berkeley City Council
* California NORML
* Drug Policy Alliance
* Marijuana Policy Project
* American Federation of Teachers
* Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
* ACLU of Northern California
* ACLU of San Diego
* Libertarian Party of the United States of America
* Green Party of California
* California NAACP

All of the above stated they support Proposition 19 clearly, it may not be the best initiative but it's a bill that every day cannabis and non-cannabis consumers can finally pass, realistically while bring the long awaited relief to the every day smoker.

Now lets see who's NOT in favor of legalizing cannabis, seems the trend is, is those who are gaining profit or political gain from the illegality of cannabis and the fear and/or imprisonment of the people under current laws, are the people or corporations who oppose:

Recent Quote Referring to a current Dispensary Owner:

"Now, if you ran a business where you could sell your product for $5-$15 per GRAM or $200 to $800 per OUNCE, and you only had to compete with one other business in your local area, would you be excited about the prospect of many more competitors and prices dropping as much as 80%?"

OPPOSE THE LEGALIZATION INITIATIVE: PROP 19

* Meg Whitman, 2010 California Republican gubernatorial candidate
* Jerry Brown, current Attorney General of California and 2010 California Democratic gubernatorial candidate
* Diane Feinstein, current Democrat Senator from California
* Barbara Boxer, current Democrat Senator from California
* Dan Lungren, current Republican House Representative from California
* Dennis Peron, co-author of California Proposition 215
* California Narcotics Officers Association
* California Police Chiefs Association
* Mothers Against Drunk Driving
* California District Attorneys Association
* California Bus Association

California Click here and make sure you're registered to vote

If Prop 19 Passes: It will

2010-07-14T06:34:00.000-07:00

If passed by the voters on November 2, 2010, Proposition 19 will

* Reduce the racial bias in cannabis arrests

* Create between 60,000 and 110,000 new jobs in California

* Generate between $1.2 billion and $1.4 billion in new direct tax revenue annually

* Expand California's economy by between $16 billion and $23 billion annually

* Reduce crime in California

* Reduce violence in California and Mexico

* Free up law enforcement resources to focus on violent crime and property crime.

* Reduce environmental damage to California's public lands from illegal grow operations.

* Reduce prison costs and prison overcrowding

* Reduce funding to drug cartels, who currently get about 70% of their revenue from illegal cannabis sales

* Reduce police corruption

* Improve the relationship between police and the communities they serve

* Reduce alcohol's cost to society by allowing adults to choose a safer alternative

If Prop 19 doesn't pass, we'll continue to have the police harassing and imprisoning simple, recreational smokers while the growers and cartels profit from our fear of a continued police state against the cannabis community. Prices will continue to rise, we'll continue to have more federal funding against cannabis grows, and we'll continue to have the largest increase in private and state prisons in the world. Enough is Enough, Vote Yes on 19 and work to legalize the nation

Prop 19, The Beginning Of The End:

2010-07-12T05:43:00.008-07:00

THE real reason behind cannabis prohibition has nothing to do with cannabis flower smoking. Those who have even slightly investigated prohibition know this.

Hemp alone is capable of providing over 50,000 sustainable, everyday products, anything from building homes, making paints, and soaps, to plastic appliances, to even fueling our entire nation. This severely impacts the profits of who currently supply our everyday products: Oil, Logging, and other Toxic Industry.

Within the past few years, there's been more & more media/government suppressed information on new science proven and patient documented cannabis curing cancer findings. So between the two, hemp and the phenomenal medicinal qualities of the cannabis buds, are the real reasons the plant's been illegal for over 70 years.

THE real reason why Proposition 19 HAS TO PASS has NOTHING to do with how it only allows a small amount of sq footage for cultivation, allows a small amount for personal possession, or if it taxes a store purchase on a sack. This has minimum legitimacy for considering whether you support prop 19 or not. Here @ PTL we've came across documented proof of hundreds and hundreds of otherwise dying patients getting CURED of several different diseases using only, concentrated cannabis oil. They already gave America's current options a chance: chemo and radiation, which didn't cure or heal much of anything. They need cheap, powerful, and natural medicine legal.

If California passes Prop 19, this will set a trend for other states in the US just how they did back in 1996 with 215, now there's a total of 14 and counting Legal Medical Marijuana States, and dozens of cities across the nation where possession with small amounts is decriminalized.

If passed in California this fall, this will influence the federal government on what exactly the people demand and what they'll get, even if they have to get it, state by state. Once Legalized, the phenomenal benefits of hemp as industry and cannabis as medicine will bring some much needed power back to the farmers, patients, and the people as a whole.

Those of you that do not support Prop 19, End the Ignorance and Selfishness behind the simple objections and have compassion for recreational smokers and dying patients that have almost had their lives ruined not by the plant, but by the prohibition of the plant. Cannabis and Hemp have been needed in this world since the start for medicinal, industrial and recreational uses. The government and media already display enough hate & separation amongst the people , get pass the propaganda and pass prop 19, enough is enough.

www.PLANTtheLAND.com

Legalize and Regulate Cannabis in Montana

2010-07-11T11:44:00.002-07:00

Montana -- There have been several alarming crimes in the news recently, reportedly linked to the burgeoning marijuana industry. The lurid headlines are leading some to believe that Montana's medical marijuana system is broken or even hopeless. Clearly, some changes are needed. The ultimate fix, however, is eluding most coverage.

Medical cannabis didn't "cause" the crimes mentioned. Cannabis is just a plant, used from time to time by some 100,000 Montanans for medical, spiritual, personal or social reasons.

It's just a plant, but a plant that sells for more than any other herb or spice on the market. Why?
It takes some skill and experience to reliably grow high-quality cannabis indoors. But cannabis requires no fancy laboratory processing, no dangerous chemicals, and no special tools or equipment beyond those needed for basic indoor gardening.
It's just a plant, less toxic than aspirin, less addictive than caffeine, and less intoxicating than alcohol.
It's just a plant, but because of the black market, it still sells for $250 to $400 per ounce. For perspective, a single tomato can weigh several ounces.

When you have dried flowers that command prices in the range of precious metals, it is simply inevitable that violent thugs will break the law to steal, hoard, defend and profit from it.
Medical marijuana, while a blessing to many, leaves the criminal black market intact, which keeps prices high. That's the reason for the violent crimes we've seen recently, not the plant itself.
The solution? Regulate cannabis in a manner similar to how we control beer and wine.
Under such a system, licensed producers would be allowed to sell to licensed retailers who would be responsible for age verification of their customers. These businesses would pay annual licensing fees, sales would be taxed (raising an estimated $24 million annually) and we'd allow adults to produce a personal amount in private (just as we do with beer and wine). There would continue to be strict penalties for driving under the influence.

Under such a system, the seemingly bottomless well of medical marijuana gray areas would be eliminated, the black market would be virtually extinguished, and cannabis would become much harder for kids to buy because retailers would check IDs (and it would continue to be a crime to provide marijuana to minors).
Unbuoyed by prohibition, prices would fall and people for whom marijuana is medicine would immediately benefit from ready access from multiple licensed retailers. If the experience of numerous other states and countries is any guide, general usage rates would not go up.

Regulating cannabis more like alcohol would also embrace principles of individual liberty and privacy envisioned and enshrined in our nation's and state's constitutions.
Despite the recent headlines, we don't have a "medical marijuana crime problem" - we have a prohibition-related crime problem that is making the news because marijuana is legal for a small segment of the population. If you want to get control of the Prohibition-style gangster violence, the solution is to regulate marijuana similarly to beer and wine for all responsible adults.

John Masterson is director of Montana NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, and writes from Missoula.

A little more about PLANT-the-LAND™'s movement:

2010-07-05T21:31:00.000-07:00

::::: Uniting as Educated Individuals Representing Pure Lifestyles & the Cannabis Culture. :::::

::::: Legalizing Cannabis Entirely, Utilize & Appreciate the most beneficial plant in Nature. :::::

::::: Minimize the Unnecessary Toxic Pesticides, Food Ingredients, and Chemicals in our everyday lives. :::::

::::: We the people will unite together to make the difference as we have in the past through aggressive displays of public & political actions to free the Plant, Marc Emery, Eddy Lepp, & all the others wrongfully imprisoned. This war is a war on the people and a plant that can provide all of our industrial products such as plastic, fuel, paper, fiber, and obviously, even a safe and extremely effective medicine. Cannabis Hemp is needed now more than ever for all nation's sustainability and independence. :::::

::::: Government, Politicians, & Media already display an obvious hatred to the public with consistent content for the people to disagree and segregate. Dividing and Conquering is their method, it's time for the people to unite and progress. :::::

::::: Currently we're: ::::

::::: Tearing Down Flourishing, Ancient Forests for toilet paper, junk mail, cardboard, cheap entertainment centers etc...

::::: Locking up almost a million of our citizens each year for simple cannabis possession. Resulting in higher taxes, urine testing, damaged criminal records, jail time, and numerous other corrupt actions against convicted cannabis consumers.

::::: Wasting billions of dollars a year as a nation because of a rise in over-crowded prisons, limited state prosecutors, over-crowded courts with limited judges, and not to mention the price of directing our limited police officers to harass cannabis smokers instead of convicting a million additional, real criminals.

::::: Burning roughly 21 million Barrels of Dirty, Non-renewable Fossil Fuels Each Day, in America Alone for our gasoline, plastics, paints, electronics, chewing gum, etc..

::::: Allowing Millions of Patients to Suffer needlessly with deadly diseases while they desperately spend endless amounts of money on toxic pharmaceuticals. When clearly, there's a cheap, @home, safe plant that's been scientifically proven to kill pain, shrink and/or eliminate tumors, and heal the worst of diseases that synthetic pharmaceuticals can't even begin to depress.

::::: Hemp Alone is the ONLY substitute capable to provide all of any nation's : :::::
1) Clean Plastic
2) Strong, Durable, Paper/Cardboard
3) Sustainable Wood-like material
4) Zero Pesticide, Clean Fabric/Fibers
5) Entirely Homegrown, Clean, Fuel
6) Cheap, Pure Paints, Carpet, Curtains
7) Cheap, Reliable, Safe Medicine
8) Independence & Security

::::: Hemp's potential is estimated to make over 50,000 consumer products ranging from sustainable Plastic Bags to Dynamite.

Again, The USA alone uses roughly 21 million barrels of gasoline/day. We can grow enough Hemp on 6% of US Land to Fuel our Entire Nation Independently and Sustainably.

::::: We can minimize world hunger w/ Hemp Seed containing the Critical Omega three essential fatty acids, high protein, & magnesium needed by having the plant quickly, cheaply, and widely grown.

::::: Personal Use: It's been proven that even daily, life-long cannabis smokers do not have an increased chance of cancer, scientists concluded that they might actually have a slight decreased chance of encountering certain cancers in general. In fact: when thoroughly investigated, A DEA Law Judge, Francis Young stated that "Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man."

::::: Cannabis also does not increase domestic violence, doesn't increase suicide, or sexual assaults. Unlike America's highly Accepted and Advertised, Alcohol. Which kills @least 75,000 of it's consumers a year.

-The Cannabis Plant has never killed Anyone, in over an estimated 3,000 years of recorded inhalation.

Look into The World's Largest Corporations: 8/10 of them are Oil related, and guess who Oil's #1 Enemy is?

-Rethink why Cannabis is Illegal.

Personal, Medicinal, Industrial:

::::: UTILIZE this obvious Alternative :::::

-Unite and PLANT-the-LAND™

Las Vegas Police Kill 21-Year-Old Father-to-Be While Serving Marijuana Warrant

2010-06-17T11:35:00.000-07:00

In a shocking series of events that is still under investigation, Las Vegas police on Friday shot and killed Trevon Cole, 21, while serving a warrant that claimed Cole was selling marijuana. According to reports, Cole’s 20-year-old fiancé, Sequioa Pearce—who is 9 months pregnant—was forced to kneel and held at gunpoint in the moments just before Cole was shot.

A police spokesman told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that undercover officers had bought marijuana from Cole three times before the warrant was served, and investigators reportedly took an unknown amount of marijuana and digital scales from his home. Pearce, his fiancé, says Cole, who has no criminal record, “did smoke marijuana from time to time,” but was not a drug dealer.
The officer who shot Cole is a 10-year veteran who the Review-Journal reports has been involved in other questionable shootings. Police said he fired his weapon on Cole after Cole made a “furtive movement,” which Pearce denies.
While police investigate the incident, Cole’s family remains shocked and in desperate need of an explanation. Writes the Review-Journal, “They had been preparing for a birth, not a death.”

“We were mentally prepped to know in June we were coming to Vegas to see the baby, to be here for the birth of the baby,” said Cole’s aunt, Kimeryn Williams. “Not for this.”

I don’t need to tell readers how horrifying this episode is. As with other notorious drug raids that have come to light, there are obvious questions here that need asking:
• Did Cole pose such a threat to public safety that officers had to break through his door with guns drawn?
• Why were such forceful tactics used to arrest someone that police claim—at the very best—was a smalltime marijuana dealer?
• How much money and police resources were spent to raid Cole’s home and murder him in front of the mother of his unborn child?
• Were there no murders, rapes, robberies or more serious crimes occurring in Vegas on a Friday night that these officers could have been working to prevent or solve?
The message people need to take from this stomach-turning incident is the one MPP broadcasts over and over again: Marijuana does not kill people, but prohibition does. If marijuana were sold in a legal and regulated market, tragedies like this would cease to exist and police could better spend their time dealing with crimes more serious than the possession of a substance safer than alcohol.
There should be many developments on this story, so please stay tuned to the blog for updates.

Source: Marijuana Policy Project

Colo.: Governor signs two medical marijuana reforms and reduces sentences for marijuana possession

2010-06-08T14:44:00.003-07:00

Colorado this week became the first state to enact a regulatory scheme for pre-existing medical marijuana dispensaries. Dispensaries proliferated in Colorado in the wake of the Obama Justice Department’s October 2009 memo advising against targeting those in clear compliance with state medical marijuana laws. H.B. 1284, the dispensary regulation bill sponsored by Rep. Tom Massey (R-Poncha Springs) and signed into law on June 7 by Gov. Bill Ritter (D), creates a clear licensing scheme for this rapidly growing industry.
Dispensary owners and operators will now be subject to licensing fees and criminal background checks. Dispensaries will also be required to grow at least 70% of their inventory themselves, and may not operate within 1,000 feet of a school.
H.B. 1284 also contains provisions licensing growing operations connected to dispensaries, establishes standards for allowing some on-site consumption of medicine for patients who cannot safely use their medicine elsewhere, and makes medical marijuana purchases for indigent patients exempt from sales tax.
Also on June 7, Gov. Ritter signed S.B. 109, which re-defines the doctor-patient relationship for medical marijuana patients. It requires doctors making medical marijuana recommendations to provide a full physical exam and medical history check before making a recommendation, and to offer follow-up care to patients to determine the effectiveness of their treatment.
On May 25, Gov. Ritter signed a third bill relating to marijuana policy, H.B. 1352. The bill makes numerous sentencing reforms, including increasing the amount of marijuana a person may possess while only being guilty of a petty misdemeanor, which is punishable by a $100 fine. Under the new law, that amount is now up to 2 ounces (not one ounce as under previous law).

full article here from Marijuana Policy Project: http://www.mpp.org/

Cannabis Cures...By: Rick Simpson May 23, 2010

2010-06-01T02:33:00.000-07:00

WHAT THE OIL DOES AND HOW IT DOES IT - by Rick Simpson

I am not going to talk about the corruption that is holding this plant’s medicinal use back. I am here today to simply speak about the healing power of the hemp plant that I have personally witnessed and what I think causes it.

From my experience all forms of disease and conditions are treatable and often curable with the use of high grade hemp oil as a treatment.

Due to its harmless nature as a medicine, hemp oil is in a class all by itself. Even something like aspirin tablets that is looked upon as being harmless by the public causes thousands of deaths worldwide each year.

If you are looking for a safe medication, look no further than what the hemp plant can provide. On top of all that it’s a medicine we can all grow and produce ourselves. Also there is no need for a doctor’s supervision with its use.

When the hemp plant is grown for medicinal use, you now have your own medical system that is much safer and effective than anything our current medical system provides. You still may require a doctor to set your broken leg, but you will no longer need the chemicals they have been pushing upon us, as medicine.

Hemp is medicine for the masses and no one has the right to control its use. We are all different and we all have different tolerances for practically everything. So it is up to each and every one of us to determine for ourselves how much oil we require to maintain good health.

Often people have come to me who after years of treatment by the medical system did not even have a diagnosis for their conditions. But the oil exercised its amazing healing power and their medical problems were solved.

Another aspect of the use of hemp as medicine is its anti-aging properties. As we age, our vital organs deteriorate and of course this impairs the function of these organs.

Hemp oil rejuvenates vital organs even in small doses it is very common for people to report to me that they feel 20 to 30 years younger after only ingesting the oil for a short time.

Now let’s take it to the next level. What about people who ingest larger quantities of oil over a longer period of time like me? After nine years on the oil my body does not appear to be that of a sixty year old man. Instead, my body has the appearance of someone who is a great deal younger. When I have the oil at my disposal, I take about a quarter of a gram a day. I find this amount of oil each day allows me to deal much easier with the condition my 1997 head injury left me with. Of course, due to short supply, quite often I must go without so my own treatment has been erratic to say the least.

From my own experience with the oil I cannot help but wonder what would happen if a person was to ingest larger quantities of oil over a longer period of time. If a person were to do this, can they actually reverse the aging process and grow younger instead of aging.

From the oil’s effect on my own body, by all appearances this seems to be the case. Someday soon when I have enough oil I intend to start taking a gram a day for a year to see what effect it has on my body and well being.

Many people who have taken the oil have stated that they thought it to be the fountain of youth. From my own experiences with the oil I believe this to be true.

Throughout our lives the system has told us they want preventive medicine. Now what greater preventive medicine could there possibly be than hemp oil? Judging from what I have seen, if children were given tiny doses of oil each day like a supplement, diseases like cancer, diabetes, MS and many other conditions could be eliminated entirely from their future.

Many people say hemp should be kept away from children entirely, but I disagree.
From my point of view, it’s the vaccines and chemicals the medical system currently provides that should be kept away from our children, not hemp oil.

If hemp presented any danger to our children, why is it that the healthiest baby’s on earth are born in Jamaica to mothers who use hemp? If hemp really did present a danger, why are these children born so healthy? Surely when a child is in the womb, it is very susceptible to things the mother takes that could harm its development. Yet it appears that hemp did not harm these children, indeed it seems hemp actually aided in their development. Now if hemp is good for an unborn child, would it not be beneficial for children of all ages?

Now I am not talking about getting children high, for once a person gets accustomed to this medication, they do not even feel or exhibit effects from the oil they are ingesting, other than good health.

Hemp oil is a safe and harmless medication that all age groups can benefit from by ingesting or using topically and that goes for our children too. So if the system truly wants preventive medicine, here it is. Now why are they refusing to use it?

I know the word cure-all is a hard pill to swallow. When I worked in the medical system, such terms were thought of as a joke.

By definition, a panacea should be a remedy that will cure all diseases and prolong life indefinitely. I do not know about the indefiniteness, because nothing lasts forever, but after you see for yourself what this oil can do like I did what else could it be called?

What other medicine works on everything and in many cases can cure thought-to-be incurable conditions? What else can heal diabetic ulcers, skin cancers or heal third-degree burns in no time leaving no scars?

I’ll tell you what other medicine - no other medicine. So why on god’s green earth is it not being used? As a medication to ease our suffering and to heal us, for there is nothing better.

I and many others have gone through reams of so-called scientific studies which I found to be mostly doubletalk and most of these studies were about synthetic THC which bears little resemblance to natural THC and its associated cannabinoids found in the hemp plant.

After studying all this scientific jargon, I had learned what amounted to nothing. But the oil continued to work the miracles so who was I to question it.

I had just about given up hope that we would ever find out why the oil worked so well for all these different medical conditions. But recently a friend named Batya Stark has provided me with what I think is all the missing pieces to the puzzle.

She has sent me a great deal of information about melatonin and the pineal gland which produces it. It seems that the pineal gland is in the driver’s seat when it comes to healing our bodies.

The melatonin it produces is an essential part of healing and it is also the most potent antioxidant known to man. When the function of the pineal gland is impaired, it produces much less melatonin and therefore we become sick and diseased.

Studies have been released that show people suffering from cancer have low levels of melatonin. Also studies have shown that just smoking hemp can raise the melatonin levels in our bodies. So one can only imagine what the oil that is in a concentrated state can do to increase melatonin levels.

As we age, we acidify, and cancer thrives in an acidic environment. So bringing the body’s pH level up is very important when you are suffering from cancer and many other conditions. The oil works to do this but also other things can be of great benefit. Simple things like baking soda and lemon juice in water two or three times a day can raise the body’s PH very rapidly.

Tumours are simply the symptom of an underlying condition that is present in the bodies of people who are suffering from cancer. Indeed this underlying condition must be treated to cure the cancer and prevent it from returning.

Melatonin travels to every cell in our bodies and is the key to good health. And I am not just talking about treating cancer. It seems that melatonin levels are important to treat all conditions. Now all you have to do is connect the dots like Batya and I have; it all adds up.

Hemp oil promotes full body healing and raises melatonin levels thousands of times higher than normal. When the pineal gland produces vast amounts of melatonin, it causes no harm to the body but is very detrimental to the disease or condition you are suffering from and indeed may even eliminate it entirely. From what I can gather, all this along with your pH being raised while the oil is detoxifying your body we think explains the vast majority of hemp oil’s healing effects on the body.

Now myself and those around me are not doctors or scientists and I, like you, can only wonder at why it is not them bringing this to the public. But after years of research on our part, this is the only thing we have found that connects all the dots and explains in a simple way why this medicine can do what it does.

Now we must look at what could be causing the function of our pineal gland to become impaired. Much of the time it is caused by our own lifestyles and things like cell phones that we come in contact with everyday.

Companies that produce cell phones do not like to talk about it and would prefer that we did the same, but our bodies run on electrical impulses. Now do you think it’s a good idea to put something against your head that produces an electromagnetic field which can interfere with the electrical impulses in our bodies that keep us healthy?

Cell phones are just one of the culprits. Look at studies of cancer rates of people who live near and around high tension power lines. I did not understand the importance of all this on our health, until a friend of mine cured his heart condition by having two electrical problems in his home repaired. Even electrical problems in your home, can cause serious health problems for you and your family.

It’s frightening that so many things we come into contact with frequently can harm our health. But still there are a number of other things that do the same.

Can someone out there give me a rational explanation as to why fluoride seems to be in almost everything these days? Please do not try to tell me it’s to prevent tooth decay. Didn’t Hitler use fluoride in his death camps to keep the inmates calm so they would not try to escape or revolt?

I wonder what possible purpose it serves our system to be giving us so much fluoride. Does what’s going on currently not SMELL a little like a death camp to you? I can only wonder what affect all this fluoride is having on our brains and our pineal glands.

What about the effects of all those chemicals and poisons the doctors have been feeding to us? Would these chemicals interfere with the function of our pineal glands and could they also acidify our bodies more quickly?

I will leave that one for all you medical experts out there to figure out.

Now what about our food supply? The meat that is sold to the public in Canada and some other countries cannot even be sold in Europe. It seems that Canadian beef is looked down upon by Europeans because it has too many contaminates like antibiotics and growth hormones. Do you not find it strange that this meat is deemed unhealthy in Europe? Yet it is freely sold to anyone that is dumb enough to eat it in North America.

Now what about fruits and vegetables and all the other fare we find in supermarkets in North America? Pesticides, additives, preservatives, genetic modification - does this not all sound just yummy and possibly somewhat deadly?

But of course no one in authority has stood up to do something about this situation, so I guess the food they are selling the public must be good for us. Trust your government because they would never allow anyone to sell us something that was not good for us, now would they?

So as you can plainly see, practically everything that we come into contact with can have an effect on our health and well-being. And of course many things I have just mentioned could have a devastating effect on the pineal gland’s ability to function properly.

It’s almost as if they knew that by interfering with the function of the pineal gland, they could cause us to become unhealthy and in need of their wonderful chemical medications. But of course only someone who is a conspiracy nut could think in such a way. Do you think the same as I do about all this? If so, then welcome to the asylum.

Rick Simpson, May 23, 2010

Free Marc Emery? Yes We Can:

2010-06-01T02:14:00.001-07:00

by Joseph Klare - Monday, May 31 2010

Sometimes it’s hard to wrap our minds around abstract things. Like when everyone said “Free Marc Emery,” but he was free, living in Vancouver. But now when we say “Free Marc Emery,” we are talking about a concrete thing. Marc is no longer free.
Protests are popping up all over Canada. People are outraged that a man can be sent to prison for selling plant seeds. Marc is a glaring example of the uselessness and waste of the War on Drugs. How much taxpayer money has the United States blown trying to put Marc away?
We all know that this has nothing to do with seeds. Governments are instinctively wary of grassroots movements (pun intended). Men like Marc, who can inspire the masses by their message, are Enemy Number One to entrenched power brokers.
And as many have learned over the centuries, taking on the government is – in most cases – a losing proposition. But as many have also learned, when one falls, there are more behind them ready to fight. Individuals lose their individual battles with those in power, but the groups that come after them use their story as inspiration – and we eventually taste victory.
The garbage heap of history is littered with the carcasses of oppressive governments. A wonderful thing in the big picture, but little solace to those men and women crushed under the wheels of arrogance and abuse.
Which is why we must use Marc as more than just inspiration for winning the battle over marijuana legalization…we must free Marc Emery.
Marc spending five years in an American prison can be seen as nothing but a defeat for our movement, no matter how many victories it leads to in the future. To leave one of our Generals as a prison of war to the enemy is unacceptable. But what can we do?
Marc’s brainchild and one of the world’s leading marijuana websites – Cannabis Culture – of course has many concrete steps we can take (some only apply to those in Canada):

How to help Marc:
1) Make a sign that says “America Must FREE MARC EMERY” and stand on a street corner for 2 hours this weekend. Just use a big piece of paper and a felt marker, or print a sign on your computer. If you truly support and want to help me, you need to help spread the word about my imprisonment in the USA.
2) Plan a protest at a Conservative Member of Parliament's office in Canada. Information will be posted at www.CannabisCulture.com so keep checking back for updates.
3) Take action! Do as many things as you can on the list of “75 Things You Can Do to Free Marc Emery”. Share it online through Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and other social networks.
4) Vote against the Conservative Party in Canada and support the opposition parties. Donate to the candidate in your riding who is most likely to replace/defeat your Conservative Member of Parliament. Protest and picket Conservative Party offices as often as possible – show them you mean business!

There are also more than 75 others things you can do to help free Marc. Again, many of these are for you Canadian readers, but many can be done by us here in the States. As Americans we must not lose sight of the fact that it is our government that is pressing our weaker neighbor to the north to sell out a citizen (although the Canadian Justice Minister did go above and beyond the call of duty in his decision).
Of course we are all busy people with our own lives, but this is not about devoting our beings to freeing Marc. It’s about all of us doing one or two things in our spare time; millions of voices directing their energy to the same goal. Let’s not assume that others will take care of it for us.
It’s not too much to ask to help a fellow warrior in need.

Sourced: http://cannabisculture.com/v2/node/23722

Endo-Cannabinoid Deficiency

2010-05-09T14:45:00.001-07:00

By: Paul Armentano

For several years I have postulated that marijuana is not, in the strict sense of the word, an intoxicant.
As I wrote in the book Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink? (Chelsea Green, 2009), the word ‘intoxicant’ is derived from the Latin noun toxicum (poison). It’s an appropriate term for alcohol, as ethanol (the psychoactive ingredient in booze) in moderate to high doses is toxic (read: poisonous) to healthy cells and organs.
Of course, booze is hardly the only commonly ingested intoxicant. Take the over-the-counter painkiller acetaminophen (Tylenol). According to the Merck online medical library, acetaminophen poisoning and overdose is “common,” and can result in gastroenteritis (inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract) “within hours” and hepatotoxicity (liver damage) “within one to three days after ingestion.” In fact, less than one year ago the U.S. Food and Drug Administration called for tougher standards and warnings governing the drug’s use because “recent studies indicate that unintentional and intentional overdoses leading to severe hepatotoxicity continue to occur.”
By contrast, the therapeutically active components in marijuana — the cannabinoids — appear to be remarkably non-toxic to healthy cells and organs. Further, they mimic compounds our bodies naturally produce — so-called endocannabinoids — that are pivotal for maintaining proper health and homeostasis.
In fact, in recent years scientists have discovered that the production of endocannabinoids (and their interaction with the cannabinoid receptors located throughout the body) play a key role in the regulation of proper appetite, anxiety control, blood pressure, bone mass, reproduction, and motor coordination, among other biological functions.
Just how important is this system in maintaining our health? Here’s a clue: In studies of mice genetically bred to lack a proper endocannabinoid system the most common result is premature death.
Armed with these findings, a handful of scientists have speculated that the root cause of certain disease conditions — including migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and other functional conditions alleviated by clinical cannabis — may be an underlying endocannabinoid deficiency.
Now, much to my pleasant surprise, Fox News Health columnist Chris Kilham has weighed in on this important theory.

Are You Cannabis Deficient?
via Fox News
If the idea of having a marijuana deficiency sounds laughable to you, a growing body of science points at exactly such a possibility.
… [Endocannabinoids] also play a role in proper appetite, feelings of pleasure and well-being, and memory. Interestingly, cannabis also affects these same functions. Cannabis has been used successfully to treat migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and glaucoma. So here is the seventy-four thousand dollar question. Does cannabis simply relieve these diseases to varying degrees, or is cannabis actually a medical replacement in cases of deficient [endocannabinoids]?
… The idea of clinical cannabinoid deficiency opens the door to cannabis consumption as an effective medical approach to relief of various types of pain, restoration of appetite in cases in which appetite is compromised, improved visual health in cases of glaucoma, and improved sense of well being among patients suffering from a broad variety of mood disorders. As state and local laws mutate and change in favor of greater tolerance, perhaps cannabis will find it’s proper place in the home medicine chest.

Perhaps. Or maybe at the very least society will cease classifying cannabis as a ‘toxic’ substance when its more appropriate role would appear to more like that of a supplement. -Paul Armentano 2010

Sourced: http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/03/23/not-feeling-well-perhaps-youre-marijuana-deficient/

Commercial Cannabis Bakery Opens in Colorado

2010-05-07T17:34:00.001-07:00

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., May 7, 2010- GT Legend Automotive Holdings, Inc., in conjunction with Compassionate Therapeutic Solutions, LLC, has opened a fully-licensed bakery where edibles containing medical cannabis flowers will be produced. The bakery will distribute its edible organic products to the CTS center, and will act as a healthcare product provider to 200 plus medical centers in the state of Colorado.
According to Colorado state regulations, bakeries producing medical marijuana edibles must be licensed and must operate out of a state-regulated commercial kitchen. The CTS bakery has taken a leadership position in supplying product and meeting both requirements listed above. Patients who wish to purchase the edibles must be registered and in possession of a state-authorized medical marijuana permit card. The Denver Post reported that there are currently over 100,000 licensed medical marijuana users in the state of Colorado. The state of Colorado receives over 1,000 applications per day for authorized marijuana permit cards, yielding $90,000 per day in revenue from the registration fees (Source: Green Rights Radio 101.5, Denver).
Some patients prefer to consume edibles containing medical cannabis flowers as opposed to smoking the product because of health considerations. Many patients are not able to inhale smoke. Medical dosages are better controlled with edibles, teas and tinctures.
Eugene Espinosa, President of GTLA / CTS, states, "Our edibles are made from premium, organic medicinal cannabis flowers. Our plants are organically controlled; grown in a hydroponic green room free from pesticides and chemicals of any sort. They are provided with the proper nutrients, adequate light and temperature to insure the highest quality end result. We estimate that 1 out of 10 cardholders will prefer edibles over inhaled marijuana. Our goal is to create a market based on demand. We expect the edible market to exceed $60,000,000 annually in Colorado."
About Compassionate Therapeutic Solutions, LLC: Compassionate Therapeutic Solutions, LLC is a multidisciplinary behavioral health care practice that offers mental health, substance abuse and primary caregiver services to communities of Colorado. The company's focus is to provide cost-effective quality treatment and to create, promote, and maintain a positive customer relationship with clients, associates and the community. One of the functions of the clinic is to provide comprehensive care to individuals who are registered and authorized to utilize medical marijuana. Please visit our website at www.ctscare.org for more information.
Forward Looking Statements: This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that certain statements in this release are "forward looking statements" and involve both known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. Such uncertainties include, among others, certain risks associated with the operation of the company described above. The Company's actual results could differ materially from expected results.

Source: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/compassionate-therapeutic-solutions-llc-opens-licensed-bakery-to-produce-medical-marijuana-edibles-2010-05-07?reflink=MW_news_stmp

The Benefits of Hemp

2010-04-21T04:36:00.001-07:00

By Laura Lubarov

Updated: Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The benefits of hemp

The word “hemp” usually conjures up images of hippies wearing woven bracelets and smoking joints. But despite society’s dismissal of hemp, it is one of the most useful plants in nature and can provide many of the materials our society needs to function.
After hours of grueling research, I have compiled some facts about hemp’s benefits.
Hemp plants produce strong fibers that make durable paper, clothing, rope and building materials. Hemp oil can be used as car fuel and, along with hemp seeds, is extremely nutritious. The best part is that because hemp is a weed — the good kind — it grows big and fast and can therefore provide an abundance of these useful materials.
Hemp and marijuana both come from the same plant genus, Cannabis sativa Linnaeas, according to the San Diego Earth Times article, “The history and benefits of hemp.” But while the two plants may look alike, hemp cannot be used to get high.
Marijuana usually contains 3 percent to 15 percent of the psychoactive ingredient delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, but hemp contains less than 1 percent THC, according to the Common Sense for Drug Policy Web site.
From this plant that appears so strikingly similar to the “evil” marijuana plant, so many uses can be derived.
First off, hemp makes some of the greatest paper around at a low cost to the environment. Growing 10,000 acres of hemp produces the same amount of paper as 40,500 acres of trees, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture document “Hemp Hurds as Paper-Making Material.” The document was written in 1916, when hemp was still legal and the government was researching its benefits.
Our current method of producing paper involves cutting down forests. Since hemp produces more paper per acre than trees and we cut down more trees than we plant, the solution seems obvious.
Plus, trees can take hundreds of years to grow, but hemp is ready to be harvested for paper just 120 days after it is planted, according to an article on hubpages.com.
Second, hemp is an abundant source of food. Different parts of the hemp plant can be used to make many foods, including cheese, pretzels and beer.
Hemp seeds are one of the best sources of vegetable protein and contain a full complement of essential amino acids, according to the San Diego Earth Times. The seeds can also be used in dishes such as pastas and soups.
Hemp seeds are high in minerals such as potassium, iron and zinc and have a much higher amount of concentrated nutrients than soybeans, according to the health section of the Web site innvista.com.
Because hemp grows effortlessly even in poor soil, legalizing it would be an important step toward ending world hunger.
Third, hemp fibers can make extremely durable clothes that last longer than cotton. Hemp fabric has four times the tensile strength and twice the abrasion resistance of cotton, according to the hemp clothing Web site rawganique.com.
Some hemp activists may seem a little too adamant about the cause, but their enthusiasm is understandable.
Observing widespread ignorance is always frustrating and it is exasperating to see people ignore hemp’s many benefits just because it looks like a marijuana plant.
Watching people cut down trees to make paper or seeing Third-World country dwellers starve to death, all the while knowing that a simple solution exists can be downright maddening.
So next time a group of hippies tells you that hemp can save the world, know that they may be right.

Laura Lubarov can be reached at

llubarov@theorion.com

Source: http://www.theorion.com/online-exclusives/the-benefits-of-hemp-1.1374955

More than enough signatures to get Arizona Medical Marijuana:

2010-04-17T22:34:00.002-07:00

10 Reasons To Legalize:

2010-04-04T17:41:00.000-07:00

1. Drug laws are unconstitutional.

Yeah, you’re reading right. Courts at every level have ruled on the fact that drug use and addiction are health issues, not legal infractions. It’s image-conscious politicians who have chosen to wilfully ignore those rulings. Yet the courts have been unwilling to hold lawmakers accountable. It’s a vicious circle – a conspiracy even.
It’s not clear how marijuana even got on the list of prohibited drugs back in 1923. It mysteriously appeared on the schedule without a debate in Parliament.

2. Drug laws are rooted in racism.

Drug use has been used to demonize whole races of people. From musings about “lazy” Hispanic migrant farm workers partaking of the weed to Chinese opium dens and the accusation by suffragist Emily Murphy – she claimed pot smoking renders users “completely insane… raving maniacs liable to kill” – the earliest drug laws were sold as solutions to a crime problem created by blacks and browns. The ripple effects are being felt today. The 1995 Commission on Systemic Racism in the Justice System identified a continued pattern of racism in drug enforcement: blacks are 27 times more likely to end up in jail to await trial on drug charges than whites, and three times more likely to be charged with trafficking than whites.

3. Drug laws = war, corruption and terrorism.

Think the war in Afghanistan is about the Taliban and al Qaeda? You’re only half right. The war on drugs and the war on terror are often one and the same.
The propaganda fed us by the self-interested, i.e., cops and politicians, is that drug use is what fuels the drug trade. Reality check: smart policy-makers know it’s prohibition that creates the black market that makes the drug trade so lucrative. See Colombia, where the illegal cocaine trade has fuelled a five-decade civil war. And what about 9/11?
According to a report by John Thompson of the Mackenzie Institute, money from drugs is “probably the single biggest money earner” for Muslim fundamentalists.

4. Drug laws encourage the spread of disease.

Nearly two-thirds of offenders entering the federal corrections system have drug abuse problems. Sending addicts to jail on minor drug charges is a death sentence for many. The spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases like hep C only accelerates behind bars.
About 15 per cent of the jail population reports injecting heroin or cocaine behind bars. Former inmates say they’ve seen as many as 40 fellow inmates sharing one needle. If that isn’t a recipe.... The feds’ proposed mandatory minimum drug sentences would only jail more people who shouldn’t be there and increase the spread of disease, says the Canadian HIV/AIDS Network.

5. Drug laws are compromising our sovereignty.

DEA agents stationed in Canada, U.S. drug czars threatening trade sanctions for all that BC bud making it over the border.
The U.S. propaganda machine hasn’t stopped snorting about our liberal enforcement of drug laws.
Blame our own lawmakers for pushing the big lie that we can’t reform our drug laws because international conventions keep us tied to the will of other countries (read the U.S). Canada is under no obligation to continue criminal prohibition of drug use. The stated goal of Canada’s Drug Strategy is to reduce harm. The feds have been lying to us.

6. Drug laws have been a complete failure.

Alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs and certain prescription drugs are linked to more than 47,000 deaths and many thousands more injuries and disabilities every year in Canada, according to the Health Officers Council of British Columbia paper Regulation Of Psychoactive Substances In Canada: Seeking A Coherent Public Health Approach. That’s not counting the $40 billion blown every year on what the report terms “inadequate, inappropriate and ineffective regulation.” Bottom line: we’re blowing it.

7. Drug laws are killing the economy.

The feds estimate total sale of drugs in Canada at about $18 billion annually. BC’s annual marijuana crop alone, if valued at retail street prices and sold by the cigarette, is worth more than $7 billion annually, according to a 2004 study by the Fraser Institute. That’s bigger than mining, logging, manufacturing, construction and agriculture in that province. Do the math. Canada spends $2.3 billion on enforcement every year and another $1.1 in health care costs directly related to illegal drug use – when $1 spent on treatment will achieve the same reduction of flow of cocaine as $7.3 spent on enforcement.

8. Drug laws amount to cruel and unusual punishment.

Sending people to jail for the relatively benign act of taking drugs, a victimless “crime,” only exposes them to physical and other forms of abuse behind bars. Now the Harper Tories want to introduce new mandatory minimum sentencing that will only fill prisons with more small-time addicts. Prison admission trends for drug offences are showing dramatic increases. Ontario’s crime rate is comparable to Quebec’s, but our incarceration rate is about one-third higher.

9. Drug laws are not reducing drug use.

Governments are slowly coming around to the view. Portugal’s experiment with decriminalization, which started almost a decade ago, has resulted in decreased drug use among teens and a marked reduction in HIV/AIDS infections caused by the sharing of contaminated needles. Portugal’s rate of lifetime marijuana use in people over 15 is now the lowest in the EU: 10 per cent. The EU seems to be coming around on decrim. More than a dozen countries have agreed on a draft resolution urging the UN and its member states to establish a “system for the legal control and regulation of the production, sale and consumption of substances which are currently illegal.”

10. The majority of Canadians oppose drug laws.

Calls to end prohibition aren’t just coming from weed advocates. The Globe and Ottawa Citizen called for the decriminalization of drugs more than a decade ago. The right-wing Fraser Institute has advocated legalization, calling the war on drugs a “complete failure.” A majority of Canadians support the legalization of pot, according to an Angus Reid poll last year. More than 90 per cent believe it should be legal for medical purposes. The powers that be are messing with the will of the people

source: http://www.nowtoronto.com/news/story.cfm?content=169556

Grammas For Ganja:

2010-03-31T10:00:00.003-07:00

March 31, 2010

Grammas for GanjaWhen Jeanne “Magic” Black-Ferguson found a stash of pot in her son’s room 30 years ago, she did what most parents would do; she got angry. She yelled. She flushed it down the toilet.

But then, Black-Ferguson, a nurse, did some research.

“That’s what got me off the sofa,” said Black-Ferguson, 70. “I understand the problem, and I understand the fear.”

She is now the executive director of Grammas for Ganja, which hosted a public forum last night for Seattleites interested in the plant with a bad reputation.

Panelists State Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, University of Washington researcher Sunil Aggarwal and naturopath Michelle Sexton shared their insight into the plant and took questions from a crowd curious about everything from treating diabetes with marijuana to cannabinoid receptors in the brain.

Black-Ferguson emphasized the point was to make people aware of all the uses of the cannabis plant, including recreation, medicine and hemp.

She and others at the forum expressed frustration that even talking about cannabis is taboo.

“I’m sick and tired of walking on eggshells because I’m even speaking out,” Black-Ferguson said.

The advocates view Senate Bill 5798, which Gov. Chris Gregoire is slated to sign Thursday, as a step in the right direction. The bill states that patients with certain debilitating illnesses may benefit from medical use of marijuana, and they can’t be found guilty on charges of possession.

It also green-lights health-care providers besides doctors—naturopaths, nurse practitioners, physicians’ assistants, chiropractors—to authorize use of the plant.

Kohl-Welles, who sponsored the bill, spoke about why she supports marijuana reform, sharing personal stories about friends who used the plant to numb severe pain.

“We’re talking about individuals who suffer grave medical conditions who are able to find some relief from marijuana, which is a natural plant,” Kohl-Welles said. “Pain and suffering are not partisan.”

During next year’s legislative session, Kohl-Welles said she will push for a major medical cannabis bill. Washington passed Initiative 692 legalizing medical marijuana in 1998. Only 13 other states have adopted similar measures.

“Speaking out on this issue is risky,” Black-Ferguson said. “People look at you funny. I understand those fears because I was there.”

Still, these advocates face challenges with regard to integrating cannabis responsibly into society. Many also aim to completely abolish the criminal penalty.

Forums like this are mere baby steps in increasing awareness about the issue.

Black-Ferguson stated her goals simply: “I want to keep on going until we can grow it in the backyard with the broccoli and carrots.”

By Rachel Solomon
http://www.ballardnewstribune.com/2010/03/31/news/marijuana-forum-informs-those-curious-about-cannabis

Vets use Hemp Seed Oil on Animals with Cancer

2010-03-29T12:57:00.000-07:00

GLENDALE, CA -- A growing number of organizations promote the production and use of hempseed oil, ointment pressed from the seed of a cannibus plant. However, there is an extremely low, if undetectable, level of any psychoactive molecules in the oil as the seeds themselves do not contain psychoactive molecules.

After hearing about the benefits of hemp oil in humans, animal welfare activist Leo Grillo had his medical staff introduce this form of treatment to some of the more difficult animal cases at D.E.L.T.A. Rescue, the largest no-kill, care-for-life animal sanctuary of its type in the world. Grillo founded the not-for-profit organization in 1979.

"We began using the hemp oil on our most difficult cases, those with cancer," said chief veterinarian Dr. Gaylord Brown, "Within a few weeks we saw measurable improvements in most of these animals' lab work, especially in their liver enzymes.

"There was also an improvement in their hair coat vitality, both which are often adversely affected by chemotherapy."

The medicinal benefit of hemp oil is currently under study in the United States and has shown great results in relation to the treatment of cancers and other diseases in humans.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-33448-LA-County-Environmental-News-Examiner~y2010m3d22-Vets-use-hemp-seed-oil-on-animals-with-cancer

Legalize Cannabis, it's a matter of time:

2010-03-24T12:12:00.001-07:00

Florida -- Time magazine recently published an interesting statistic: 5.1 percent of Americans aged 55 to 59 smoke marijuana regularly — a major jump from 2002, when 1.6 percent of Americans aged 55 to 59 admitted to smoking pot regularly. The magazine attributed the rise to the aging of the baby boom generation. And you can look at the stat four ways:

One, it shows marijuana use is not just for the young and wild. We can only assume the age bracket — where AARP membership and senior discounts begin — was considered significant because it says old people are smoking.

Two, it's a tsk-tsk about how baby boomers just won't stop their silly habits.

Three, it shows a decline in marijuana usage: Back when boomers were young, half of us were smoking pot. So if just 5 percent of us are still smoking, usage has dropped dramatically.

Or fourth: The handwriting on the wall is getting bigger. We need to make pot legal. You don't want Grandma and Grandpa doing hard time, do you?

We get closer to legalizing pot all the time.

A national poll in October found that 44 percent of Americans support legalization — up from 36 percent in 2005. Fourteen states have made marijuana legal for medical purposes since California became the first in 1996. Fourteen other states are now considering changes in their laws against marijuana, ranging from allowing medical marijuana to decriminalization.

Florida is not among those 28 states, though polls have shown that a majority of Florida voters support medical marijuana. A group is trying to get medical marijuana on the Florida ballot this fall. Here's hoping they succeed.

This is what some of us always believed would happen with marijuana laws: People would realize the folly of keeping marijuana illegal and change the laws. I think we imagined it would happen sooner than it did and in more sweeping federal fashion, rather than the slow trickle of state-by-state.

But as you get older — say 55 to 59 — you realize that's how things work. Look at health care reform. Ever since Franklin Roosevelt, there have been efforts to institute some form of national health insurance. Now, 60 years later, President Obama finally succeeded. Sometimes, it takes decades for the steady plodding of logic and determined supporters to get the right thing done.

Ending the prohibition on marijuana is about taking it out of the dark of criminal activity and profit and bringing it into the light of the nation's daily commerce. It's just so logical.

If we tax marijuana, government will have much more revenue — for things such as health care. If we regulate marijuana, it will reduce its availability to children — who can get it illegally from friends and acquaintances. If we eliminate the penalties for possession, we can stop the unfair and costly jailing of people — whose only crime is preferring marijuana to alcohol when they relax.

If we legalize marijuana, we can make marijuana available nationwide to those who need it medically — and eliminate such farces as Wal-Mart firing a Michigan employee who failed a drug test after using marijuana prescribed by his doctor.

And if we legalize, we can help stop the drug cartel violence, which is ripping apart Mexico and spreading into the U.S. According to the Marijuana Policy Project, the largest marijuana reform organization in the U.S., more than 18,000 people have been killed in Mexico by drug violence since 2006.

The U.S. Justice Department reports that cartels do business in 230 American cities. Annually, 60 percent to 70 percent of marijuana sold by cartels is sold in the U.S. It's an annual $8 billion to $10 billion industry for the cartels, whose violence will continue as long as they are making money.

We will never eradicate the human affection for intoxication, as was proved by the failed efforts of alcohol prohibition in the early 20th century. But we can stop the violence and costs associated with marijuana prohibition by taking its distribution out of the hands of criminals — and stop criminalizing those who use it.

It's the right thing to do. If only to save Grandma and Grandpa from embarrassment.

Source: Tallahassee Democrat (FL)

http://www.planttheland.com/

N.C. Soldier and Cannabis

2010-03-20T11:35:00.005-07:00

North Carolina -- When a seizure strikes, Joshua Cook typically hits the ground. His hands clench spastically into fists. His torso contorts. His body shakes uncontrollably for several minutes.

The condition first struck the 25-year-old National Guard veteran while he was serving in Iraq three years ago. After receiving a medical discharge, he was prescribed a slew of drugs that either made him sick, caused headaches or simply didn’t prevent his convulsions.

Then he tried a notorious herbal remedy that’s more widely known as a recreational escape.

“Nothing had ever worked. At one point, I was having six or seven seizures per week,” said Cook, now a Gastonia resident. “Once I started smoking weed, I didn’t have a seizure for seven months.”

Cook is one of many North Carolina residents who hope their illegal use of marijuana might soon become acceptable in the eyes of the law. N.C. Reps. Kelly Alexander Jr. and Nick Mackey, two Mecklenburg County Democrats, are co-sponsoring legislation that would make North Carolina the 15th state in the nation to legalize the medical use of the drug.

House Bill 1380 would legalize marijuana for people diagnosed with debilitating conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, who are prone to symptoms such as nausea, pain or epileptic seizures. Producers and dispensaries would be licensed to grow and distribute it.

When the General Assembly reconvenes for its short session in May, the bill’s sponsors hope to give it some traction. It is now in the House Committee on Health, whose membership includes three Gaston County Republicans: N.C. Reps. William Current, Pearl Burris-Floyd and Wil Neumann.

The Only Remedy?

Supporters of the bill say medical marijuana use is becoming more prevalent here. Mackey hosted a town hall meeting at UNC Charlotte last week where users described how the long debated drug has reduced their pain and suffering.

Cook wasn’t able to attend, but fully supported the spirit of the gathering.

“I can’t help that I have seizures,” he said recently. “I can’t help that marijuana controls my seizures.”

A South Carolina native, Cook enlisted in the Army National Guard in 2006. He served as a military policeman in Iraq, helping to conduct room raids and provide convoy security, he said. Though he was never near any major explosions, it was during that time that he experienced his first seizure.

Cook had more episodes once he was discharged and returned home. Since 2007, he said he’s experienced between 40 and 50 seizures in all.

Veterans Affairs hospital physicians prescribed an array of anti-seizure medications such as Dilantin, with no success. Then about eight months ago, a friend of Cook’s suggested marijuana.

“I’d never done any (recreational) drugs before,” he said. “I always looked down on people who did drugs because I thought it made them look stupid.”

But soon after he tried the drug, the seizures stopped. So Cook continued using what worked. He said he now smokes a thin marijuana cigarillo, or small “blunt,” when he wakes up each morning, followed by a second in the late afternoon, and sometimes a third just before bed.

“Two to three times per day keeps me good,” he said.

Facing Long Odds

Fourteen states now allow the use of medical marijuana, though few deal with the supply. Under the proposed legislation, North Carolina would actually license growers.

Sponsors say the bill eventually would raise $60 million a year through taxes and licensing fees, which could come in handy in a bleak economy. Critics question how much of that revenue would be eaten up by higher law enforcement costs for preventing abuse of the system, such as what has been seen in California.

The three Gaston County representatives on the House Committee on Health say the bill will face long odds this year. When the bill emerged last summer, Burris-Floyd and Neumann both said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration would have to approve marijuana for medical use before they would consider an exemption to the state’s cannabis ban. And their opinions haven’t changed.

“The FDA is the gold standard for approval of medications in this country,” said Burris-Floyd. “If they’re not going to stand behind it, it tells me there’s not really a sound, consistent basis for what some of these (medical marijuana) proponents are saying.”

The potential medical application of marijuana was discounted by the FDA in a 2006 review. That went against a 1999 study from the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine that found the drug “moderately well suited” for treating certain conditions.

Current said he doesn’t have enough facts to form a firm opinion yet. But the prospect of a windfall in revenue will have no influence on his stance, he said.

“What we need to do is ask if this will help people,” he said. “I would make my decision based on whether it’s good for the majority of the people to have this medicinal drug available.”

Neumann said most voters, and therefore legislators, are focused on improving the economy and creating jobs right now.

“I don’t get the feeling that there are a lot of legislators who want to deal with it right now,” he said. “They’re asking us to take an illegal product and modify it, and I really feel like that should be a medical issue.”

Desperate for Legal Treatment

Cook said he’s been honest with doctors about his alternative remedy. On another visit to the VA hospital last month, a physician prescribed him with Depacote. He said he began taking the prescription and cut off his marijuana usage, and within a day and a half suffered his first seizure in more than seven months.

His girlfriend held his head and comforted him during the painful, 10-minute ordeal.

“I can hear you talking to me and see you,” said Cook, describing what a seizure feels like. “I just can’t control myself.”

In January, on two separate occasions, Cook was charged with possession of up to a half-ounce of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is scheduled to appear in court in March on the four misdemeanor charges.

Cook said he cannot get a driver’s license due to his history of seizures. He is unemployed and fears his job options may be limited if he continues to smoke marijuana, due to the prevalence of drug testing. He has begun to feel more depressed about his future options.

“It seems like when I came back (from the service), life became more of a hell for me,” he said.

But he said avoiding the pain of seizures is more important right now than abiding by the law.

“I’d rather keep smoking and be persecuted then to keep having seizures,” said Cook. “I’m tired of being discriminated against just because I need this medicine.”

The West is Medical Marijuanaland

2010-03-20T03:13:00.002-07:00

Ray Ring

High Country News

3/5/10

Diane Manchester's multiple sclerosis forced her to retire from the Phoenix Police Department, where she worked as a civilian administrator. Now she often breaks Arizona law by using marijuana to alleviate tremors and other symptoms of her illness. So Manchester has joined a campaign to make Arizona part of a Western trend: Nine of the 14 states that do allow marijuana use for medical reasons are in the West, including Alaska and Hawaii. The Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project plans to use Manchester in TV ads for a ballot initiative. The group has manpower and money, recruiting about 600 people to circulate petitions and paying them $1 for each signature. They've already gathered around 240,000 signatures -- about 100,000 more than required -- so the initiative will almost certainly appear on the November ballot. And Arizona voters will almost certainly approve it. They passed medical marijuana initiatives in 1996 and 1998, but those were poorly written and never panned out. This time, campaigners claim to have bulletproof language, honed by plenty of previous experience in Arizona and other Western states. That's because the West is Medical Marijuanaland. The movement's first big win was in San Francisco in 1991, when voters approved a local ballot measure. In 1996, Californians approved the first statewide measure that stuck. Today in the region, only the most conservative states -- Utah, Idaho and Wyoming -- have not joined up. Western traits -- libertarianism and high rates of drug use -- help explain the region's enthusiasm. Increasing evidence that marijuana can alleviate suffering has also provided a boost, and the movement has powerful backers, chiefly two billionaires, investor George Soros and Progressive Insurance CEO Peter Lewis. The movement's main obstacle has been the federal government. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2002 and 2005 that citizens can't overrule federal anti-pot laws. Clinton- and Bush-era federal drug agents conducted sporadic crackdowns on growers, dispensaries, clinics and caregivers, causing anxiety and uncertainty in places that have legalized medical marijuana. President Obama may or may not be easing up. Some of his top Justice Department officials have told federal agents not to bust dispensaries that comply with state laws. That has inspired a surge in the number of patients and dispensaries. But Obama still has former "Bush hacks" in key enforcement roles, says Dale Gieringer, head of the California chapter of the National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws, and the feds continue to raid some Western dispensaries. So do local cops, because state and local laws have created "a chaotic patchwork" that encourages people to disregard any limits, says Allen St. Pierre, head of the national NORML group. Washington and Oregon allow patients 24 ounces of dried leaves, while California's limit is eight ounces, and Colorado's is two, according to NORML. In some places, patients can smoke in a dispensary; in others, that's not allowed. Many cities are imposing moratoriums on new pot shops while they devise regulations to limit their number and possible spread into residential neighborhoods. Los Angeles even has vending machines: Patients join a collective, enter kiosks with keys, and -- applying their thumbprints as an identity check -- buy marijuana (including brownies) 24 hours a day. And the movement continues to grow. Medical marijuana has become a formidable industry, with schools that offer training in how to grow and market it. Companies are making millions, even joining chambers of commerce. The West might even lead the next big leap. Marijuana businesses and entrepreneurs are promoting a California initiative that would legalize marijuana for all uses and impose a sales tax to help that state's budget crisis. California's petitioners turned in 700,000 signatures in January -- 260,000 more than required -- so their initiative will probably qualify for that state's ballot. Polls indicate that 56 percent of California voters support full legalization. That percentage might shift once the propaganda machines throttle up. Still, as a scruffy musical poet sang in the 1960s, the times they are a-changin' ...

http://www.StopArrestingPatients.Org

Walmart Fires Medical Marijuana Patient

2010-03-14T19:28:00.002-07:00

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WZZM) - Now that medical marijuana is legal in Michigan, can an employer fire a worker who tests positive for the drug?

WalMart says it can, so it did. "I was terminated because I failed a drug screening," says former WalMart employee Joseph Casias.

In 2008, Casias was the Associate Of The Year at the WalMart store in Battle Creek, despite suffering from sinus cancer and an inoperable brain tumor.

At his doctor's recommendation, Casias says he legally uses medical marijuana to ease his pain.

"It helps tremendously," he says. "I only use it to stop the pain. To make me feel more comfortable and active as a person."

During his five years at WalMart, Casias says he went to work every day, determined to be the best.

"I gave them everything," he says. "110 percent every day. Anything they asked me to do I did. More than they asked me to do. 12 to 14 hours a day."

But last November, Casias sprained his knee at work. Marijuana was detected in his system during the routine drug screening that follows all workplace injuries. Casias showed WalMart managers his state medical marijuana card, but he was fired anyway.

"I was told they do not accept or honor my medical marijuana card," says Casias.

In an e-mail from headquarters, WalMart spokesman Greg Rossiter explained the company policy. It states: "In states, such as Michigan, where prescriptions for marijuana can be obtained, an employer can still enforce a policy that requires termination of employment following a positive drug screen. We believe our policy complies with the law and we support decisions based on the policy."

Casias says he never used marijuana before work.

"No, I never came to work under the influence, never," he says. "I don't think it's fair. Because I have a medical condition I can't work and provide for my family?"

Casias has been collecting unemployment compensation since he was fired in November but this week he says he was notified WalMart is challenging his eligibility for benefits.

"It's not fair," he says.

People who do not support the legal taxation of Cannabis, must not yet understand, they're already being taxed and regulated.

2010-02-11T17:11:00.000-07:00

Why we support taxing cannabis like alcohol ( home-grown UN-taxed cannabis cultivation is a MUST whether it's for personal or medicinal uses, as the same for legal home-brewed alcohol is as long as it's not-for-profit. )

If you're convicted the way things are right now, get ready to accept the obvious:

1) Thousands and Thousands of Dollars in Court-fines, Lawyers, & numerous hours with Court Dates

2) Possible loss of:
Employment
Residence
Medical Insurance
Life insurance
Custody of Children and pets
Student Loans/Grants
Driver's License

3) Endless time and money for "drug classes," "rehabilitation," and "drug testing" with years of probation

4) Immediate Forfeit and seizure of property, cash, and all other assests to the DEA

5) Permanent negative influence on criminal record

There's dozens of other horrible instances we all face daily because of the hate and ignorance on nature's most beneficial plant that we utilize personally, medicinally, and industrially. With our vision, we're hoping to see Legalized Cannabis like alcohol to where we can legally grow our own strains of cannabis, untaxed, and have all the herb we need, easily and cheaply grown right from home, Without facing a critical blow to our lives. The prohibition of Cannabis is and always will be Criminal, It's time to Legalize Cannabis.

PLANT-the-LAND™

Cannabis Cures Cancer? by Steven Hagar

2010-02-10T23:35:00.000-07:00

Cannabis Cures Cancer?

Rick Simpson's Hemp Oil Medicine
Why is the Canadian government persecuting him, why does the media ignore him, and where is the American Cancer Society when you need them?
by Steven Hager

From the time he was 12 years old, Rick Simpson just wanted a job so he could make some money. He was smart enough to get by in school without having to open a book, so education wasn't something he took very seriously. After getting in trouble for supplying his teacher with a case of beer as a Christmas present in the 9th grade, he dropped out rather than face the consequences from the school administrators. At age 16, he went to work in the steel mills in Ontario, Canada. Two years later, he moved back to his hometown in Spring Hill, Nova Scotia, and got married. Before long, he had a job maintaining boilers for All Saints' Hospital. Then his cousin was diagnosed with cancer.
"They found a little bump on his rib cage and cut him open. He went from 200 pounds down to about 130. In 1972 we were having a drink and he collapsed right in front of me. I knew damn well it had to be the cancer coming back. They gave him six months to live, and he made it through three. I was 22 years old and didn't know anyone who had died from cancer. He was down to about 50 pounds when he died on November 18, 1972. I used to shave him and it was like trying to shave a skeleton."
Two years after his cousin died, Simpson was listening to his car radio when he heard the results of a medical study from the University of Virginia claiming THC reduced brain tumors in mice.
"I stopped my car and just stared at the radio," recalls Simpson. "At the time, I didn't smoke pot or anything, although most of my friends did. The guy on the radio was laughing like a fool. Like this was all a big joke. I never heard anything more about it, so I thought it must be a joke."
It was no joke. The Medical College of Virginia had been funded by the National Institute of Health to find evidence marijuana damaged the immune system. Imagine their surprise when the results came back indicating the opposite effect: instead of hastening the death of mice implanted with brain cancer, marijuana dramatically slowed the growth of their tumors and extended their lives. The DEA quickly shut down this promising research. According to Jack Herer, two years later, President Gerald Ford would put an end to all public cannabis research and grant exclusive research rights to major pharmaceutical companies to develop synthetic THC.
Fast forward to December 1997: Simpson had been working at the hospital for 25 years and was covering asbestos on the boiler pipes with duct tape. He employed an aerosol spray that allowed the tape to stick to the asbestos. He didn't realize, however, that this spray was capable of causing a temporary nervous system shutdown if the fumes were inhaled too deeply. And that's exactly what happened.
"Luckily for me, the boilers were shut off, or I would have been burnt to nothing," he says. "I fell backwards off the ladder and struck my head on a steel loading ring. Of course, I don't remember any of that. When I came to, I was hung up in the pipes by the side of the boiler."
Simpson slowly made his way back to his office and fumbled around for over an hour trying to make a phone call but couldn't make his phone work. Finally, another engineer showed up for his shift and brought Simpson to the Emergency Room. When asked his name, Simpson had no response. He was taken to the trauma center and put on oxygen.
"It felt like my head was going to explode," he says. "I remember it looked like people were moving funny. They were kind of jerky. I told the doctor and he just kind of shook his head."
After three hours in the trauma center, the exploding-head sensation went away and Simpson was told to go home. He doesn't remember much of the next few days, including the drive home, but somehow he made it. When his next scheduled shift came up on Christmas Eve, Simpson reported for work even though he was still feeling woozy. At around 10 PM that night, while still at work, Simpson's head began ringing. The ringing got louder and louder. By 3 AM, he was back in the Emergency Room seeking treatment. When the nurse checked his blood pressure, she was so alarmed she immediately gave him a pill and called a doctor. The ringing never went away.
"At lower levels, it's about 93 decibels," he says, "which is about the same as having a lawn mower running in your living room. I became very short-tempered. They tried every possible drug but nothing worked. It got so bad I wanted to shoot myself."
Within a year Simpson was having trouble remembering anything because he was taking 1,000 milligrams of tegretol a day. Reading was out of the question because by the time he got to the end of a sentence, he'd already forgotten what the sentence was about. Then one day, he watched an episode of Dr. David Suzuki's "The Nature of Things," Canada's longest running documentary series. The episode was about how promising a medicine marijuana was.
"I went right back to my doctor and asked if marijuana would help," recalls Simpson. "Of course, he told me it was bad for the lungs and still under study. So I went out and got some pot and tried it and it worked better than anything they were giving me. So I went back again and asked for a prescription but they still wouldn't give it to me." By 2001, Simpson was a chemical zombie from all the drugs he'd been taking. But he was still determined to get legal medical access to the marijuana, so he asked his doctor: "What would you think if I took the plant and made an essential oil and then ingested the oil rather than smoked it?"
"Well, that would be a more medicinal way to take it," agreed the doctor, but he still refused to write a prescription to allow Simpson legal access to the plant. A few months later, the doctor said they had tried every possible treatment and nothing worked, so Simpson was on his own. He decided to stop taking pharmaceutical pills and start eating hemp oil exclusively.
"I didn't really believe the hemp oil could bring me back the way it did," he recalls. "But once the system gave up on me, I just continued making oil and taking it on a regular basis. The ringing was still there, but now I could live with it. Within a few months, people saw the difference. The oil controlled the pain, my blood pressure and it allowed me to sleep. I lost weight and looked twenty years younger."
For many years Simpson had lived with three suspicious spots on his skin, two on his face and one on his chest. "Yes, this looks like skin cancer," said his doctor upon examining the bumps. In January 2003, the doctor surgically removed the spot near his eye and sent it in for a biopsy. A week later, Simpson was sitting at home when he recalled the 1974 news report about THC and cancer. "I knew I was supposed to go back and get the other two spots removed," says Simpson. "When I removed the bandage from the spot they had removed, I noticed it looked red and infected and there was puss coming out of it. That's when the news report from 30 years earlier kicked in. I looked at the oil and I thought, well this is full of THC, and I've probably got skin cancer. I put a little oil on two band-aids and covered the two little bumps. Four days later, I took the band-aids off and both bumps had disappeared."
Within a few weeks, the cancer that had been surgically removed reappeared. So Simpson tried the same treatment and got the same results: four days after being treated with hemp oil, the red bump was gone and the skin completely healed.
Obviously, Simpson was overjoyed by this discovery and could hardly wait to share this information with his doctor, who had so resisted marijuana as a treatment for his head injury. So after picking up his pathology report, he mentioned to the receptionist (who also happened to be the doctor's wife), that he had something important to discuss with the doctor. "I treated my skin cancers with hemp oil..." Simpson barely got the words "hemp oil" out of his mouth before the receptionist went ballistic. "The doctor will not go there! The doctor will not prescribe this!" she yelled. "I felt like I was in the twilight zone," recalls Simpson. "I'd just told her I cured my cancer and she should have been interested. It was freaky."
Simpson soon made a visit to his mother's house. For years she had suffered with weeping psoriasis. He applied the hemp oil to her infected skin and within a few weeks the sores healed and the scales disappeared. Thus began the long journey of Rick Simpson and his miraculous hemp oil medicine. The fact Simpson has always given this oil freely and without any charge has greatly enhanced his already legendary status. "In the beginning a lot of people didn't want to put the oil on their skin," he recalls. "In the first year, I treated 50 to 60 people for various skin conditions. The following year, I was treating a man with a melanoma cancer on his left cheek bone. It had been removed five times. It was a nasty looking thing. You could put your finger right into the hole. I told him I could heal it, but of course he didn't believe me. Three weeks later it was completely healed. And that's when he mentioned to me he had glaucoma. I said, well, hemp is the best treatment for glaucoma. He was the first one to start eating the oil other than me. At that time he also had arthritis and had to sleep with a pillow between his knees. About two weeks after taking the oil, he stopped sleeping with a pillow and his ocular pressure was already way down. When I started giving him the oil, the pressure was around 31 or 32. Last time I checked, it was 13 or 14."
Once Simpson started giving people the oil internally, it was only a matter of time before he tried it on cancer patients. Simpson became increasingly confident of the oil's healing properties after a few bouts with internal cancers. Even patients with stage-four terminal cancer who had been given only weeks to live were miraculously brought back to health. Not only did the oil heal diabetic ulcers with topical application, it also healed diabetes and allowed some diabetics to stop using insulin. Simpson kept treating patients until they got better, but soon determined a 60-gram treatment was necessary to clear serious illlness. The oil is eaten as quickly as possible, starting with small doses until a resistance is established. Eating a gram of oil a day can be disorienting, but many adapt rapidly to the pharmacological effects.
After Simpson successfully treated a woman with cervical cancer, she visited the local chapter of the Royal Canadian Legion to share her story. The Legion is a veteran's organization whose lodges function as unofficial town halls in remote areas of Canada. Rick Dwyer, the bartender at the Legion, was so fascinated by the woman's story he asked her to invite Simpson to drop by the Legion.
"I met Rick in 2005," says Dwyer. "He told me he could cure skin cancer and diabetic ulcers and other skin diseases. I didn't believe him, but I could see he was sincere, so I asked if I could go with him to visit some of the people he was treating. So I interviewed his patients. And there was no doubt there was something to what he was doing."
Before long, Simpson was treating members of Dwyer's Legion, and hemp oil continued to have successful results against a variety of chronic illnesses and infections. As a past Legion president, Dwyer knew the Legion's mission was to serve veterans and their dependents, promote remembrance and act in the service of Canada. He felt strongly this included a responsibility to share information about Simpson's hemp oil with as many people as quickly as possible. Dwyer contacted the local Health Authority and asked them to investigate. He made calls to elected officials.
"Nobody would even come look at the evidence," says Dwyer. "I told the zone commander, people are suffering and this stuff works. But I just kept running into brick wall after brick wall. The Royal Candian Mounted Police (RCMP) had already raided Simpson's property in 2003, after hearing reports he was circulating marijuana oil. They seized the plants out of his backyard and confiscated his oil, but no charges were filed. In 2005, Simpson voluntarily returned to the RCMP office to drop off scientific information supporting his treatment, as well as a video tape revealing interviews with the patients. He made it clear to the RCMP that he intended to keep helping patients who had no where else to turn. He continued to get plants to make oil by working out trades whereby local marijuana farmers brought in their buds and split the oil they generated with Simpson. Most growers use shake to make waterhash or oil, but Simpson is adamant that the best colas are necessary for making the best medicine for cancer. He will not make oil from shake, unless it's intended for topical application only. He also prefers indica-dominant plants.
Shortly after Simpson dropped his video off with the RCMP, the mounties returned and seized 1,620 plants from his backyard. This time he was arrested and charged with marijuana possession, cultivation and trafficking.
Meanwhile, Dwyer's father had checked into the hospital with stage-four lung cancer.
"He also had a bad heart and sugar diabetes," says Dwyer. "I remember telling him, 'Dad, don't take the chemotherapy, it you take it you're dead. Go to Rick and get some oil and your chances of survival will be a lot better.' I remember my father looking at me. And what was he thinking? My son has no medical background. Who's he going to trust? After his first chemotherapy treatment he swelled up real bad. His legs swelled, his arms were full of fluid. He was suffering horribly. The doctors told us he wasn't going to make it. He talked to us and said the things a father says to his children when he knows he going to die. I just kept thinking about the oil. I knew it worked on skin cancers and diabetic ulcers, but I wasn't sure it would work internally. So I called Rick and said my dad only had 24 hours to live, 48 at the most. Rick didn't know if it was too late. I think my dad wanted to die he was suffering so horribly. It was like he was breathing out of a straw. I had a tube of oil in my pocket and I remember thinking, 'I'll probably get arrested if I give this to him.' I asked the nurse to give him the oil, but she refused. The doctors didn't want to be responsible. So I put some oil on a cracker and my father ate it. Then I left the hospital and my brothers stayed on the death watch."
When Dwyer returned the next morning, something truly miraculous had taken place. His father had slept soundly for the first time in weeks and he continued to sleep through the day. And when he finally woke up, he had a smile on his face. "I thought to myself, my god, he's got a chance," says Dwyer, "but I got to get him out of this hospital." An ambulance took his father home and he continued eating hemp oil for the next few months. "He was breathing better and didn't want the oxygen anymore. The oil healed two sores on his legs. The fluid went out of his arms and legs. But what really shocked me was that his prostate was shot, and one day he asked the nurse to take out the catheter. She said he'd have to go back to the hospital to have it put back in and that would hurt like hell. And I looked at him and said, 'Dad, can you pee?' And he said, 'Yes!' I told the nurse to take it out and I watched him pee like a race horse. The nurse came to check his lungs one day and said, 'clear as a bell.' I decided to hold a meeting at the Legion and invite the politicians, the police and the media. So they could meet the people who had been cured of cancer and other diseases. The meeting was just supposed to look at the evidence so they could draw their own conclusions."
But the day the meeting was scheduled to be held, Maritime Command changed the locks on the Legion's doors and informed Dwyer his rights and privileges had been revoked. The Legion would remain closed until a new executive committee could be formed. An anonymous phone caller to Dwyer's wife said ominously, "Tell Rick he's getting in over his head." She took the call as a veiled threat and broke down. Dwyer is unable to recount this part of the story without breaking down himself. "I tell Rick there's many a night when I wish I'd never met you," he says wiping tears from his eyes. "I wish you hadn't shown me what you showed me because this has been a terrible burden on me, especially when I meet people with cancer. I try to explain this medicine to them, but people are so close-minded. They talk about swine flu killing people? My god, cancer and diabetes are killing millions across the world."
Rick Simpson's trial in September of 2007 was carefully stage-managed. Simpson had obtained 48 sworn affidavits from patients, but no medical testimony was allowed by the presiding judge. "I had people cured of terminal cancer sitting in the court waiting to testify. They wouldn't let them on the stand. They wouldn't let me introduce any scientific evidence. I defended myself, and when I cross examined the mounties, first thing I did was hold up a copy of an interview I'd given to the Spring Hill Record from September of 2004, one year before I was charged. It was a full-page article detailing everything I was doing. Would a criminal have a full-page article in the newspaper detailing his activities? Then they brought out their expert. So I said, you are a marijuana expert for the RCMP, correct? What do you know about hemp? He said 'nothing because hemp and marijuana are different plants.' I got out the book and read the law from 1923, which says nothing about marijuana, but does call it Indian hemp. So I shredded him. I beat them hands down even without the medical testimony."
The jury needed only three hours to deliberate. But when Simpson was called back into the court room for the verdict, he noticed the Crown Prosecutor wasn't in the room. A witness later told him the prosecutor was seen departing the jury room right before the jury was brought back into the court room to pronounce him guilty on all counts. "So I got in touch with the judge, but he wouldn't do a damn thing. They can tamper with juries but not us. He called me into the side room before sentencing and said, 'Rick, the truth of the matter is that the government wants the researchers to bring this out.' I looked at him and said, 'If one of your kids was diagnosed with cancer tomorrow, what would you be looking for?' And down went his head. So we go back into the court room and he says, 'In my 34 years in the legal system, I've never seen a case like this. There was no criminal intent.' He admitted the scientific evidence exists to back up what I was doing. Now I was facing 12 years in jail but he gave me a $2,000 fine and didn't even put me on probation because he was getting a little bit of conscious. One time I used to be proud to be a Canadian. Now that word means nothing to me."
Thanks to an internet video titled "Run From the Cure," which Simpson produced with filmmaker Christian Laurette, hundreds of thousands of people have been introduced to Simpson's hemp oil treatment. Early on, Jack Herer became one of Simpson's biggest supporters. "I first heard about Rick five or six years ago," says Herer. "I didn't believe him. And I knew all the cancer and THC studies that has been done. Rats with all sorts of cancers were 100% cured and lived 40% longer than rats who had nothing at all. Now Rick has treated over a thousand patients and there are others like him, like Ron Smith in Kentucky, distributing oil to terminal cancer patients and having similar results. And Rick can't even come to the United States because of his conviction."
Not everyone is saved. While the photographer was taking pictures for this story, Simpson received word that one of his patients had just died after only two days of treatment. Simpson estimates his success rate with terminal cancer is about 70%. "The ones that can't be saved are usually the ones who've had the most chemotherapy and radiation, or wait too long to start the treatment," he says. "They have to be able to stay alive long enough for the oil to start to work." In fact, most patients who undergo chemotherapy die from the treatment not the disease. But because chemotherapy is a multi-billion dollar industry that supports some of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world, it's unlikely these corporations will give up this profit stream without a struggle, no matter how many dead bodies pile up.
But the most amazing development in this story took place in April, 2009. A team of biochemists from the School of Biology at Complutense University in Madrid led by Manuel Guzman investigated the use of cannabinoids on cancer. Although similar investigations have been conducted on lab rats and tissue culture many times since the oirginal 1974 study in Virginia, this time researchers used real live cancer patients and analyzed their results using methods used to gauge the progress of chemotherapy treatments. Their findings were published in the April 2009 issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation and are available free online at http://www.jci.org/articles/view/37948.
The Spanish researchers had two patients suffering from "recurrent glioblastoma multiforme," a fast-moving brain cancer. Using electron microscopes to analyze brain tissue taken before and after a 26- to 30-day THC treatment, the researchers found that THC eliminated cancer cells while protecting the surrounding healthy cells. The active chemical in marijuana promoted the death of brain cancer cells by helping them feed upon themselves in a process known as autophagy.
Strangely, little mention of this groundbreaking report made it into the national news. Instead, the media continues to run gutter science reports on marijuana's cancer-causing effects, even though regular users of marijuana continue to have lower cancer rates than non-users.
While working on this story I got a call from longtime hemp activist Joe Barton, who had been providing free oil to a throat cancer patient in Woodstock, New York. After Barton delivered 25 grams of oil, nearly half the treatment, his home was raided by an Ulster County drug task force and the police confiscated the plants and the oil, which ended the treatment prematurely. Six months later, the patient died. "The oil was working," says Barton. "His neck tumor had gone down and he was talking normally again." As a repeat marijuana offender, Barton is facing a 20-year sentence.
copyright High Times Jan 2010

My Letter to My Arizona Representative:

2010-02-08T16:23:00.000-07:00

Hi Jeff,
I'm Matt Davis, a tax-paying Arizona Voter and I'd like to write in and ask you to protect Arizona Recreational & Medical Marijuana Consumers, they use the natural god-given plant to treat and heal themselves and without your compassionate support, I can never support you as my representative. I'm a recreational cannabis consumer and believe the failed war on a plant never has and never will work. It's a constant waste of taxpayers dollars and takes our law enforcement away from convicting actual criminals, like rapists, murders, and the increasing kidnapping problem here in Arizona. Let's be serious and stand up for a plant and it's peaceful culture. I hope your educated enough as a U.S. Representative to understand that our current Regulated, Legal Alcohol kills 100,000 Americans alone each year, causes increased domestic violence/sexual assault, and contributes to 60% of all murders in the U.S. These are facts Jeff, gathered from the Center for Disease Control and I hope they help you realize that Cannabis is a safe, natural alternative for relaxation and medication. Voters support Cannabis reform and you are the representative that carries out our voice. Stand up for what's naturally correct Jeff and you'll get my consistent vote. -Matt Davis -PLANTtheLAND-

BBC On Cannabis:

2010-01-15T21:14:00.001-07:00

Cannabis as the 21st Century's Miracle Medicine

2009-12-12T20:10:00.000-07:00

http://jeffreydach.com/2009/03/09/cannabinoids-miracle-drug-of-the-21st-century-by-jeffrey-dach-md.aspx

Why I give my 9yr old Autistic Child Marijuana

2009-11-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

Last spring, I wrote about applying for a medical marijuana license for my autistic, allergic 9-year-old son, J., in hopes of soothing his gut pain and anxiety, the roots of the behavioral demons that caused him to lash out at others and himself. After reading studies of how cannabis can ease pain and worry, and in consultation with his doctor, we decided to give it a try. A month into daily cannabis tea and mj-oil cookies (my husband discovered his inner baker), I reported, we both felt that J. seemed happier. But it was hard to tell. He’d have a good morning, then at dinner he’d throw his food. Still, we did notice that when he came home from school with stomach pain (he wasn’t getting any supplemental cannabis there), he’d run to the kitchen and demand his tea and cookie. As if he knew this was the stuff that dulled the hellish gut pangs.

How is J. doing now, four months into our cannabis experiment? Well, one day recently, he came home from school, and I noticed something really different: He had a whole shirt on.

Pre-pot, J. ate things that weren’t food. There’s a name for this: pica. (Pregnant women are known to pica on chalk and laundry starch.) J. chewed the collar of his T-shirts while stealthily deconstructing them from the bottom up, teasing apart and then swallowing the threads. By the time I picked him up from the bus stop after school, the front half of his shirt was gone. His pica become so uncontrollable we couldn’t let him sleep with a pajama top (it would be gone by morning) or a pillow (ditto the case and the stuffing). An antique family quilt was reduced to fabric strips, and he even managed to eat holes in a fleece blanket—so much for his organic diet. I started dressing him only in organic cotton shirts, but we couldn’t support the cost of a new one every day. The worst part was watching him scream in pain on the toilet, when what went in had to come out. I had nightmares about long threads knotting in digestive organs. (TMI? Welcome to our life!)

Almost immediately after we started the cannabis, the pica stopped. Just stopped. J. now sleeps with his organic wool-and-cotton, hypoallergenic, temptingly chewable comforter. He pulls it up to his chin at night and declares, “I’m cozy!”

Next, we started seeing changes in J.’s school reports. His curriculum is based on a therapy called Applied Behavioral Analysis, which involves, as the name implies, meticulous analysis of data. At one parent meeting in August (J. is on an extended school year), his teacher excitedly presented his June-July “aggression” chart. An aggression is defined as any attempt or instance of hitting, kicking, biting, or pinching another person. For the past year, he’d consistently had 30 to 50 aggressions in a school day, with a one-time high of 300. The charts for June through July, by contrast, showed he was actually having days—sometimes one after another—with zero aggressions.

More evidence: the bus. For the last few years, the arrival of J.’s school bus had been the most traumatic and unpredictable moment of our day. J. has run onto the bus and hit the driver in the face. He has scuffled with the aides and tried to bite them. His behavior brought out the worst in people: One bus monitor (we joked that her personality better suited her for a job at the local prison) seemed to dislike all the kids but treated him with particular contempt, even calling him names, once in front of us.

But the summer brought a new set of aides and driver. It hit me that these folks knew only “Cannabis J.”—a sparkly-eyed boy who says hi to them each morning, goes quietly to his seat, even tries to help put his snap-on harness on.

One day, J.’s regular aide was sick, and a lady with a wacky smile lovingly escorted J. off the bus. There was something familiar about her; once I superimposed a hateful frown on her face, I burst out to my husband, as the bus snorted away, “It was her, wasn’t it?” We laughed as J. looked on. “Funny!” he said.

There’s a twist to the happy marijuana story, though. While the cannabis has eased J.’s most overwhelming problem, his autism has become more distinct. As the school data show, his aggressive behavior is far less frequent, but his outbursts—vocalizations that include screams, barking, yips of happiness—remain. When J. was in his dark phase, we spent our time out of sight, out of mind, inside our house with a screeching, violent, food-and-dish-flinging J. The sounds were contained by double-paned windows (when they weren’t broken). Now, within our family, we’ve reached a lovely homeostasis: household goods unbroken, our arms and J.’s face unscratched. But as we venture outside to play in the yard, take after-dinner walks, or ride with J. on our tandem bike, we can see that the people in the neighborhood know our family is different, and that this is not always to their liking.

Our closest neighbors (on one side, we could probably pass them a pie from our kitchen) have always been understanding. But on the next street, a man stops playing ball with his son when he sees us, and pushes his boy into the house as we approach, turning his back on J.’s cheery “hel-llooo!” He is the man we suspect yells at us—from behind other houses, so we can’t see him—when J. sometimes vocalizes a bit loudly outside. Then there’s the mom with the son about J.’s age (who, incidentally, sounds exactly like J. when he screams). She won’t make eye contact when we pass, and pointedly ignored a party invitation from us. I’ve also heard, from behind a fence of a family who stares at us but never says hi, “Oh, that’s J.”

And so sometimes we feel a bit the victims of a 21st-century shunning. In the larger context, however, these are small annoyances from small people. The chair of my department invites J. to her yard so he can play in her outdoor pool and lets him vocalize to her neighbors, who do not complain. A mini-gang of too-cool teen boys walks by our short fence after school and always greets J. sincerely, as he calls out adoringly, “Hi, hi, HIIIIIIIIII!” I am grateful that the cannabis has given J. the chance to get out and experience life. If it sometimes punches him back, it also offers him flowers.

I don’t consider marijuana a miracle cure for autism. But as an amateur herbalist, I do consider it a wonderful, safe botanical that allows J. to participate more fully in life without the dangers and sometimes permanent side effects of pharmaceutical drugs; now that we have a good dose and a good strain. (“White Russian”—a favorite of cancer patients, who also need relief from extreme pain). Free from pain, J. can go to school and learn. And his violent behavior won’t put him in the local children’s psychiatric hospital—a scenario all too common among his peers.

A friend whose child was once diagnosed with autism, but no longer (he attends school at his grade level and had three developmental assessments showing he no longer merits the diagnosis), wanted to embark on a kind of karmic mission to help other children. After extensive research, she landed on cannabis the way I had. “It has dramatic implications for the autism community,” she says, and it’s true. We have pictures of J. from a year ago when he would actually claw at his own face. None of the experts had a clue what to do. That little child with the horrifically bleeding and scabbed face looks to us now like a visitor from another world. The J. we know now doesn’t look stoned. He just looks like a happy little boy.

And cannabis still can surprise us. We worried that “the munchies” would severely aggravate J.’s problems with overeating in response to his stomach pangs. Instead, the marijuana seems to have modulated these symptoms. Perhaps the pain signals from his stomach were coming through as hunger. J. still can get overexcited if he likes a food too much, so sometimes when he’s eating my husband and I leave the room to minimize distractions. The other day, we dared to experiment with doenjang, a fermented tofu soup that he used to love as a baby. The last time we tried it, a year ago, he’d frisbeed the bowl against a tile wall. (Oh, smelly doenjang soup and the million ways it can make a mess.)

We left J. in the kitchen with his steamy bowl and went to the adjoining room. We waited. We heard the spoon ding against the bowl. Satisfied slurpy noises. Then a strange noise that we couldn’t identify. A chkka chkka chkkka bsssshhht doinnng! We returned to the kitchen, half expecting to see the walls painted with doenjang. Everything was clean. The bowl and spoon, however, were gone.

J. had taken his dishes to the sink, rinsed them, and put them in the dishwasher—something we’d never shown him how to do, though he must have watched us do it a million times. In four months, he’d gone from a boy we couldn’t feed to a boy who could feed himself and clean up after. The sight of the bowl, not quite rinsed, but almost, was one of the sweetest sights of my parental life. I expect more to come.

FOOD INC

2009-11-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

http://foodincmovie.com/

http://foodincmovie.com/about-the-issues.php

Got Any Weed?

2009-11-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

A stoner walks into a gas station and asks the dude at the counter, "Got any weed?" The man politely replied, "Um, no sir. We do not sell marijuana here." So he left. The same guy comes back the next day and says, "Got any weed?" The man behind the counter replied, "No sir. We don't sell marijuana." So the man went home. He goes once again to the gas station. And again, he says to the guy working there, "Got any weed?" By this time the other dude was pissed. He yells, "You freakin' refer-lovin', pot-head burn-out! I told you, we don't sell that crap here! If you ever come back in here asking for that filthy crap again, I'll nail your freaking feet to the floor. Got it? Now beat it before I call the cops." So the stoner left. The next day he went back to the same old place with a dopey smile on his face. He went to the cashier and said, "Got any nails?" The man hesitated, then replied, "um, no sir, we don't sell nails here." The stoner grinned. "Got any weed?" lol PTL

2009-11-23T19:10:00.000-07:00

2009-11-09T22:15:00.000-07:00

PLANT-the-LAND™ Official Online Store

2009-11-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

http://www.planttheland.com/PLANT-the-LAND_Store.html

International and Standard PTL Designs available now in Organic Cotton/Hemp

2009-08-18T07:51:00.001-07:00

If Pot Prevented Cancer You Would Have Read About It, Right?

August 17th, 2009 By: Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director
Share this Article

Two influential websites — The Hill.com’s Congress blog and the Huffington Post — have provided me with a platform to report on the contrasting impact of alcohol and cannabis on cancer.

If Pot Prevented Cancer You Would Have Read About It, Right?
via TheHill.com

Two just published studies assessing adults’ risk of cancer have reported wildly divergent, and fairly extraordinary, outcomes. One study you may have read about. The other has been ignored entirely by the mainstream media.

… First, the study you may have heard of. Writing August 3 in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, investigators at McGill University in Montreal reported that moderate alcohol consumption–defined as six drinks or less per week–by adults is positively associated with an elevated risk of various cancers including stomach cancer, rectal cancer, and bladder cancer.

And now for the study you haven’t heard of. Writing in the August issue of the journal Cancer Prevention Research, investigators from Rhode Island’s Brown University along with researchers at Boston University, Louisiana State University, and the University of Minnesota reported that that lifetime marijuana use is associated with a “significantly reduced risk” of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

As I’ve written previously, both on this blog and elsewhere, for 35 years the federal government has been well aware –- yet publicly denied –- that cannabis possesses potent anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties. Even under the Obama administration, which promised to “base [their] public policies on the soundest of science,” the myth that pot promotes cancer persists. In fact, the White House’s website, whitehousedrugpolicy.gov, presently warns, “Marijuana has the potential to promote cancer of the lungs and other parts of the respiratory tract.”

Of course, this myth persists in large part because the mainstream media rarely if ever pays attention to studies that could be seen as in any way undermining criminal prohibition. (In some cases, the MSM even goes so far as to erroneously report about those that do.) So it’s hardly surprising that in the three week span since the Brown University study was published, not one mainstream media outlet has reported its findings. (Full disclosure: over the past days I have personally communicated with several prominent newspapers’ writers about this study — in each case providing them with the full text of the investigators’ findings — but have yet to received any positive feedback beyond the obligatory “We’ll look into it.”)

Will the promotion of these findings in prominent alt-media outlets like The Hill and Huff Po reverse the MSM’s complacency? Perhaps — and your feedback to both sites can only help. So chime in (**Note: comments on both sites are moderated), and tell the MSM that it’s time for us to stop having to do their job! http://www.norml.org

2009-08-18T06:32:00.000-07:00

L.A. Now

Southern California -- this just in

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DEA, FBI, IRS raid two Westside pot dispensaries; officers shoot a pit bull

August 12, 2009 | 3:01 pm

Federal authorities and local police agencies today raided two Westside marijuana dispensaries as well as the residence of the owners.

The raids occurred at a facility on Washington Boulevard in Culver City and on Overland Avenue in Los Angeles. Authorities recovered undisclosed items and are continuing their investigation, according to a Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman. The names of the owners whose homes were searched were not immediately available.

During one of the raids, officers shot a dog believed to be a pit bull, but the circumstances of the shooting remain unclear, a law enforcement spokesman said.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles Police Department, Torrance Police Department and Culver City Police Department took part in the raids.

Law enforcement agencies have been cracking down on pot dispensaries for some time, but officials did not immediately say what prompted these raids.

[Update] Officials said they reported 200 plants, 100 pounds of marajuana, $100,000 cash and made one arrest. The dog that was shot by authorities was treated by a vet and expected to make a full recovery.

-- Andrew Blankstein

Take Action Here

2009-08-12T23:08:00.001-07:00

Tales from the Tar Sands

Posted by: starbuck | 10 Aug 09 | 2 comments | Permalink

Our Greenpeace Organizing Term students have just returned from their expedition north of the border to a place named Fort McMurray in Alberta, Canada. One of their reasons for traveling was to ‘bear witness’ to the environmental destruction of this region.

Connor, who has been working with the students this semester, sent me his account. He writes:

The US gets more oil from Canada than any other country, if you haven’t heard, and more and more of it is coming from the largest industrial project in the world, probably the world’s largest environmental disaster site.

Now that it is obvious that peak oil is upon us, meaning that we have reached the peak of easy oil extraction, alternative forms of obtaining oil are becoming economically viable. One such form is the mining, filtering, upgrading and refining of Alberta’s tar sands into synthetic oil.

Getting oil from tar sands is environmental genocide. These deposits are located in three main chunks of Alberta, and are altogether the size of Florida. To get at the tar sands, the ancient boreal forest that naturally covers the landscape is completely leveled, and all of the land is dug up.

Let me emphasize that- a 10,000 year old forest ecosystem is rapidly being transformed into a desert. As the trees are cut and the soil dries, stored CO2 is released into the atmosphere, habitat for both animals and people is wiped away, and global climate change gets that much closer to the tipping point we’re desperately trying to avoid. The tar sands compounds the problem through an overwhelmingly intensive mining process that poisons everything for miles and miles around.

Recently, I went to the main site of tar sands mining operations, which as stated above takes place in the Fort McMurray area in the Athabasca river region. Along the way, I finally was able to see and appreciate the beauty of the boreal forest, a vast expanse of distinct, deep green conifers. From the road, I knew that there was no way for me to fully appreciate the seemingly endless miles of this gorgeous forest that spans the entire continent, but I got a taste, and it was delicious.

The flavor turned more than sour pretty suddenly. Eventually, the boreal disappears and the landscape turns gray and dead. Tailing ‘ponds’ (the size of lakes), full of the industry’s toxic chemicals, replace the trees. Scarecrows are placed along the edges, and propane cannons are constantly blasting in order to keep wildlife from venturing into these deadly lakes. The smell of pollution is overwhelming- I could feel an unsafe burn from the acrid air with every breath. A dirty haze covers the sky, billowing from smokestacks all along the landscape and invading the territory of clouds. Piles of black sulfur, discarded sand, and other desolate material is scattered as far as the eye can see. No more green boreal. This place has been completely transformed into something more barren than the moon. The tar sands have brought new meaning to the word ‘rape’.

Seeing this was more than I could stand, and I wish I could fully describe what it is like to stand there, in a place that is devoid of any feeling. It looks, smells and sounds like a war zone, with the constant blasting of propane, thick smog in the air, and dead landscape. All I could think was, “I can’t believe this used to be the boreal forest,” and “I can’t believe that people could do this.” It was a truly horrifying place to be; it made the bottom of my stomach drop out, and I don’t know if I could have kept from crying even if I tried.

It is important for me to try to get this reality out there to people- I knew about the tar sands long before visiting it, saw the awful pictures, read the awful facts and got angry, but none of that could get the desperation of the situation across to me. My account won’t have any sizeable fraction of the impact of actually seeing that deathly landscape, but I can at least try to add a more personal touch to the situation. Please check out a couple of the links and videos here and familiarize yourself with the problem. With a climate that is already spiraling out of control, the tar sands is the most disheartening thing to see for anyone trying to protect what is left of the planet as we know it.

You can go here to find out more and take action: Greenpeace Canada Tar Sands campaign

2009-08-12T04:27:00.000-07:00

2009-08-05T02:00:00.000-07:00

2009-08-05T00:30:00.001-07:00

Oregon Hemp Farming Bill Becomes Law

New State Program for Hemp Farmers to be Established

SALEM, OR (August 4, 2009) - Vote Hemp, the leading grassroots advocacy organization working to give back farmers the right to grow industrial hemp (the oilseed and fiber varieties of Cannabis), enthusiastically supports the decision of Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski to sign SB 676 into law today. The bill, which passed the House by a vote of 46 to 11 and the Senate by a vote of 27 to 2, permits the production, trade and possession of industrial hemp commodities and products. With the Governor's signature, it now makes a politically bold commitment to develop hemp in a state whose slogan is "Oregon - We Love Dreamers."

"I am glad that Oregon has joined the other states that have agreed that American farmers should have the right to re-introduce industrial hemp as an agricultural crop," says SB 676 sponsor, Sen. Floyd Prozanski. "By signing SB 676 into law, which passed the Oregon Legislature with strong bi-partisan support, Governor Kulongoski has taken a proactive position allowing our farmers the right to grow industrial hemp, to provide American manufacturers with domestically-grown hemp, and to profit from that effort." The new law sets up a state-regulated program for farmers to grow industrial hemp which is used in a wide variety of products, including nutritious foods, cosmetics, body care, clothing, tree-free paper, auto parts, building materials, fuels and much more. Learn more about hemp at www.VoteHemp.com.

"Oregon's federal delegation can now take this law to the U.S. Congress and call for a fix to this problem, so American companies will no longer need to import hemp and American farmers will no longer be denied a profitable new crop," comments Vote Hemp Director, Patrick Goggin. "Under current federal policy, industrial hemp can be imported, but it cannot be grown by American farmers. Hemp is an environmentally-friendly crop that has not been grown commercially in the U.S. for over fifty years because of a politicized and misguided interpretation of the nation's drug laws by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). While a new federal bill in Congress, HR 1866, is a welcome step, the hemp industry is hopeful that the Obama administration will recognize hemp's myriad benefits to farmers, businesses and the environment," adds Goggin.

Many businesses in Oregon manufacture, market and sell hemp products, including Living Harvest, The Merry Hempsters, Wilderness Poets, Earthbound Creations, Sweetgrass Natural Fibers, Sympatico Clothing, Mama's Herbal Soaps and Hempire. Living Harvest of Portland was recently ranked the third-fastest-growing company in Oregon, as awarded by The Portland Business Journal's "Fastest-Growing Private 100 Companies" annual award. "We are looking forward to the opportunity to invest in hemp processing and production locally," says Hans Fastre, CEO of Living Harvest. "This new law represents another step towards heightening the hemp industry's profile within mainstream America and making hemp products more accessible to businesses and consumers."

These Oregon-based companies have been on the leading edge of the growing hemp food and body care markets, which are currently estimated by the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) to be $113 million in North American annual retail sales. The HIA estimates the 2008 annual retail sales of all hemp products in North America to be about $360 million. By allowing U.S. farmers to once again grow hemp, legislators can clear the way for a "New Billion-Dollar Crop."

Hemp Farming Gains Support from More State Governments and Law Enforcement

According to the Illinois Valley News, Josephine County Sheriff Gil Gilbertson said that he supports the legalization of industrial hemp. "I think it's a good idea," Gilbertson said in the article which appeared on July 29. "I think it's a viable crop, and the entire county could benefit from it."

On June 9, with little fanfare, Maine Governor John Baldacci signed the Maine hemp farming bill, LD 1159, into law. Maine's House had previously passed the bill without objection, and the Senate later passed it by a strong vote of 25 to 10. The bill establishes a licensing regime for farming industrial hemp, although the licensing is contingent upon action by the federal government. Maine had previously passed a study bill that also defined industrial hemp. Like North Dakota, the new law in Oregon does not require a federal permit to grow industrial hemp.

During the 2009 legislative session, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota and Vermont all passed pro-hemp laws, resolutions or memorials. Sixteen states have passed pro-hemp legislation to date, and eight states (Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota, Vermont and West Virginia) have removed barriers to its production or research. Like North Dakota, where farmers are in a federal court battle over their rights to grow hemp under state law without fear of federal prosecution, the new law in Oregon does not require a federal DEA permit to grow hemp.

About Vote Hemp

Vote Hemp is a national, single-issue, nonprofit organization dedicated to the acceptance of and free market for low-THC industrial hemp and to changes in current law to allow U.S. farmers to once again grow this agricultural crop. More information about hemp legislation and the crop's many uses may be found at www.VoteHemp.com or www.HempIndustries.org. BETA SP or DVD Video News Releases featuring footage of hemp farming in other countries are available upon request by contacting Adam Eidinger at 202-744-2671.

Vote Hemp, Inc.

Adam Eidinger

Communications Director

email: adam@votehemp.com

phone: 202-744-2671

Tom Murphy

National Outreach Coordinator

email: tom@votehemp.com

phone: 207-542-4998

2009-08-03T21:33:00.000-07:00

Senator Ted Kennedy is putting forward a brave face following his recent surgery but the sad reality remains. Even with successful surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy treatment, gliomas -- a highly aggressive form of brain cancer that strikes approximately 10,000 Americans annually -- tragically claim the lives of 75 percent of its victims within two years and virtually all within five years.

But what if there was an alternative treatment for gliomas that could selectively target the cancer while leaving healthy cells intact? And what if federal bureaucrats were aware of this treatment, but deliberately withheld this information from the public?

Sadly, the questions posed above are not entirely hypothetical. Let me explain.

In 2007, I reviewed over 150 published preclinical and clinical studies assessing the therapeutic potential of marijuana and several of its active compounds, known as cannabinoids. I summarized these numerous studies in a book, now in its third edition, entitled Emerging Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids: A Review of the Scientific Literature. (NORML Foundation, 2008) One chapter in this book, which summarized the findings of more than 30 separate trials and literature reviews, was dedicated to the use of cannabinoids as potential anti-cancer agents, particularly in the treatment of gliomas.

Not familiar with this scientific research? Your government is.

In fact, the first experiment documenting pot's potent anti-cancer effects took place in 1974 at the Medical College of Virginia at the behest federal bureaucrats. The results of that study, reported in an Aug. 18, 1974, Washington Post newspaper feature, were that marijuana's primary psychoactive component, THC, "slowed the growth of lung cancers, breast cancers and a virus-induced leukemia in laboratory mice, and prolonged their lives by as much as 36 percent."

Despite these favorable preliminary findings (eventually published the following year in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute), U.S. government officials refused to authorize any follow-up research until conducting a similar -- though secret -- preclinical trial in the mid-1990s. That study, conducted by the U.S. National Toxicology Program to the tune of $2 million, concluded that mice and rats administered high doses of THC over long periods had greater protection against malignant tumors than untreated controls.

However, rather than publicize their findings, the U.S. government shelved the results, which only became public after a draft copy of its findings were leaked to the medical journal AIDS Treatment News, which in turn forwarded the story to the national media.

In the years since the completion of the National Toxicology trial, the U.S. government has yet to authorize a single additional study examining the drug's potential anti-cancer properties. (Federal permission is necessary in order to conduct clinical research on marijuana because of its illegal status as a schedule I controlled substance.)

Fortunately, in the past 10 years scientists overseas have generously picked up where U.S. researchers so abruptly left off, reporting that cannabinoids can halt the spread of numerous cancer cells -- including prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and brain cancer. (An excellent paper summarizing much of this research, "Cannabinoids for Cancer Treatment: Progress and Promise," appears in the January 2008 edition of the journal Cancer Research.) A 2006 patient trial published in the British Journal of Cancer even reported that the intracranial administration of THC was associated with reduced tumor cell proliferation in humans with advanced glioblastoma.

Writing earlier this year in the scientific journal Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, Italian researchers reiterated, "(C)annabinoids have displayed a great potency in reducing glioma tumor growth. (They) appear to be selective antitumoral agents as they kill glioma cells without affecting the viability of nontransformed counterparts." Not one mainstream media outlet reported their findings. Perhaps now they'll pay better attention.

What possible advancements in the treatment of cancer may have been achieved over the past 34 years had U.S. government officials chosen to advance -- rather than suppress -- clinical research into the anti-cancer effects of cannabis? It's a shame we have to speculate; it's even more tragic that the families of Senator Kennedy and thousands of others must suffer while we do.

Help us Fight Deforestation

2009-08-02T07:36:00.000-07:00

"Bastards" by Joe Bageant

2009-08-02T04:33:00.000-07:00

A Short History of Why We Eat Oil, Can't Smoke Pot and Assault Weapons Are So Expensive in Our Hour of Need ...

The Bastards Never Die

By JOE BAGEANT
(With Running Commentary by Screaming Man)

Well, for starters, the above title is a damned lie, since this little screed is not a history. It's just rumination on the tilting point at which Americans started the slide into the deepest sort of cultivated consumer consciousness -- which is to say our corporate managed engorgement and swinedom at the service of the rich.

Very rich families and corporatists, to whom, as in earlier articles, we shall refer to as "the bastards," have always been with us. Even Tom Jefferson thought periodic revolution against wealth and authority was desirable to keep these bastards in check. Which implies that he figured they would inevitably get us by the throat down on the floor from time to time.

But the bastards scared the hell out of later presidents too. Abe Lincoln feared the large corporations born of business profiteering during the U.S. Civil War -- the military industrial complex of the day -- easily constituted the greatest threat to the American republic. Being president and all, he couldn't call them what they were, and settled for the term "money power," and predicted that, "money power will … work upon the prejudices of the people until all wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed."

And as everyone knows, Dwight Eisenhower famously feared the same military-industrial complex was busy taking over the nation. What we never hear about though, is that Eisenhower's definition of the complex included among the bastards, not only the military defense industry corporations, but also right alongside them the news media and the university and private research establishments.

If nothing else can be said for the bastards, we must admit they do plan far ahead, (or seemed to anyway, before the latest meltdown) even if only to screw us blind, which is usually the case. Since the early robber baron era of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil, just after the turn of the century, the bastards understood that the key to national domination was oil -- creating an economic culture based on petroleum -- and planned toward that end. Big corps su ch as E.I. DuPont had invested heavily in the oil industry since the turn of the century, and especially since the 1930s creating synthetic materials such as plastics, in which the public was decidedly uninterested in buying. Then World War II came along, creating big demand for synthetics such as nylon for parachutes, tires, tents, ropes. DuPont and similar bastards had drawn a royal flush.

SCREAMING MAN HERE!: RIGHT! IT'S THE ONLY SURE RACKET. ASK ICE MAN CHENEY. YOU MAKE STUFF, SELL IT TO THE PENTAGON MOB AND RAM THE PRICE CLEAR UP THEIR ASSES. THEN THEY BLOW THE STUFF UP, INCENERATE IT, AND COME BACK FOR MORE AT DOUBLE THE PRICE BECAUSE NOW THERE'S A SHORTAGE! FOR A FAST DEPENDABLE BUCK, YOU CAN'T BEAT INDUSTRIAL SCALE WARFARE WITH A GODDAMNED STICK!

(Ahem!)

Unfortunately all good things end, no matter how bloody profitable. But those super-expanded wartime corporations that had cranked out planes and tanks were not going to downsize just because we had run out of Dresdens to bomb. They intended to remain dominant and even expand. With the war drawing to a close, and with fewer burning jeep tires on the battlefields and fewer parachutes left dangling in the trees of Belgium, American citizens were going to have to eat the slack. The bastards would have to stuff'em fuller than a Christmas goose; ma ke them eat petroleum based synthetics, if it came down to that. Which it eventually did of course, in the form of petrochemical agriculture, food dyes, etc.

SCREAMING MAN: YOU GOTTA A FUCKING PROBLEM WITH NUMBER TWO RED DYE OR SOMETHING, ASSHOLE? DON'T BULLSHIT THESE PEOPLE, YOU FLAMING OLD FRAUD! I'VE SEEN YOU EAT A WHOLE BOX OF PINK HO-HOS BEHIND A BOTTLE OF JAY DEE AND SOME COLUMBIAN BUD! AM I GONNA HAVE TO TAKE MY NEEDLE NOSED PLIERS TO YOUR LYING ASS?

Plastics, heralded as durable and everlasting (and today lamented for the same reason) eventually gobbled up nearly every other material market, in the from of jewelry, dashboards, dishes, clothing, napkin rings, perfume bottles, knickknacks, flooring and carpeting, resin building materials, vinyl raincoats and boots, molded furniture, radio sets … America was remade in the image of open chain hydrocarbons. That nine tenths of what was produced and marketed was unnecessary, and downright shitty did not go unnoticed by the American public, which had been deeply distrustful of plastics and synthetics from the time they were first ballyhooed at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. People were just not buying the sales job. But the combination of wartime shortage frustrations and massive industrial public relations delivered the one-two punch, and the consumer knuckled under. Or perhaps they were just worn down by indu stry PR, which enlisted the help of trusted figures such as Frank Capra and Walt Disney, among others, along with in-school industry propaganda for the next generation: "Our story of the miracle of plastics starts with an oil well in a faraway place by the Persian Gulf … "

AND IT GODDAMNED WELL IS GONNA END THERE TOO! IN ABOUT 15 MINUTES, IF IT HASN'T ALREADY! DOES ANYBODY REALIZE THE NUMBER OF SARAH PALIN BLOW-UP DOLLS SHIPPED TO THE TROOPS IN IRAQ? IF THAT'S THE KIND OF ARMY WE'RE SENDING TO KILL OFF THE PALM VERMIN, THEN WE'RE GONERS ALREADY!

As I was saying, the bastards not only created an economy by and for themselves, based on the black sticky stuff, they also built a civilization. From the tallest building right down to the petrochemical soaked dirt in which the food supply is grown, and all along the chain through processing and plastic packaging and distribution, The black stuff was cheap and it was plentiful, so long as the bastards were willing to buy off the top dog sheiks like ibn Saud, who would in turn keep the dusky peasantry in line through good old perennials such as beheadings and public stonings.

SCREAMING MAN MISSES THOSE POST 9/11 BEHEADING VIDEOS, DON'T YOU? IT WAS SO EASY TO TELL WHO AMERICA'S ENEMIES WERE THEN. BUT AT LEAST WE'VE STILL GOT BEN BERNANKE AND BILL GATES.

During the 1940s AND '50S while ibn Saud was fathering some 60 children by 22 wives in Arabia and dishing out corporeal punishment to the far flung wretches of his kingdom, here at home the corporations were doing their own hit jobs on the this nation's peasantry -- the farmers. Petroleum based synthetics, with legislative help, wiped out one quarter of the domestic cotton market in the first few years following the war, along with flax for linen, and hemp fiber, replacing them with ugly but profitable synthetic nylon and polymer textiles. Not to mention replacement of literally hundreds of farm produced natural organic materials for medicines, cosmetics, milk by products such as casein for glues and paints, with synthetic petro-based commodities, all of which were mercilessly hammered into the populace as "miracles of modern science."

Continue reading the rest of the article here

Peace n Green from Plant-the-Land*

Homegrown Revolution

2009-08-01T03:12:00.000-07:00

BReal from Cypress Hill

2009-07-26T23:01:00.000-07:00

2009-07-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

Drug Czar, Kerlikowske -7/22/2009 -Fresno,-CA

“Marijuana is dangerous and has no medicinal benefit.”
— White House drug czar Gil Kerlikowske, at a Fresno, Calif., press conference yesterday

Not again.

In fact — and it's getting a little tiresome to keep repeating it — the esteemed Institute of Medicine, American Nurses Association, American Public Health Association, American Academy of HIV Medicine, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Lymphoma Foundation of America, American Academy of HIV Medicine, and dozens of other medical organizations recognize marijuana's medical value.

What's more, President Obama's own statements on the campaign trail about marijuana's medical efficacy run counter to his new drug czar's statements yesterday.

We need to stop this in its tracks. Would you please speak out against this ridiculous, outdated argument:

1. Please use MPP's online action center to e-mail the president about the drug czar's statement.

2. Please call the drug czar's office at (202) 395-6700 to politely complain that we're still hearing this sort of nonsense.

We need to make sure the drug czar receives the message loud and clear that the anti-science Bush era is over.

Thank you,

Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.

P.S. As I've mentioned in previous alerts, a major philanthropist has committed to match the first $2.35 million that MPP can raise from the rest of the planet in 2009. This means that your donation today will be doubled.

HEY Drug Czar, have you heard from the largest and most trusted groups of physicians in America who actually research and document medical marijuana? Before you start saying ignorant non-factual statements, research and educate yourself.

American College of Physicians

American Nurses Association

American Public Health Association

shit, should we tell him about Rick Simpson?

Wikipedia on Cannabis

2009-07-22T23:28:00.000-07:00

Cannabis

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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Cannabis sativa. (Discuss)

This article is about the plant genus. For use as a psychoactive drug in the genus, see Cannabis (drug).

Cannabis

Common hemp

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Cannabaceae
Genus:	Cannabis L.

Species

Cannabis sativa L.^[1]
Cannabis indica Lam. (putative)^[1]
Cannabis ruderalis Janisch. (putative)

Cannabis Museum in Amsterdam

Cannabis (Cán-na-bis) is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa L.,^[1] Cannabis indica Lam.,^[1] and Cannabis ruderalis Janisch. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, South Asia^[2], and surrounding regions. Cannabis has long been used for fibre (hemp), for medicinal purposes, and as a recreational drug. Industrial hemp products are made from Cannabis plants selected to produce an abundance of fiber and minimal levels of THC (Δ⁹- tetrahydrocannabinol), a psychoactive molecule that produces the "high" associated with marijuana. The psychoactive product consists of dried flowers and leaves of plants selected to produce high levels of THC. Various extracts including hashish and hash oil are also produced from the plant.^[3]

Etymology

Main article: Cannabis (etymology)

The plant name cannabis is from Greek κάνναβις (kánnabis) (see Latin cannabis)^[4], which was originally Scythian or Thracian.^[5] It is related to the Persian kanab, the English canvas and possibly even to the English hemp (Old English hænep).^[5] In Hebrew, the word is קַנַּבּוֹס [qanːa'boːs]. Old Akkadian qunnabtu, Neo-Assyrian and Neo-Babylonian qunnabu were used to refer to the plant.^[6]^[7]

Description

Cannabis is an annual, dioecious, flowering herb. The leaves are palmately compound, with serrate leaflets. The first pair of leaves usually have a single leaflet, the number gradually increasing up to a maximum of about thirteen leaflets per leaf (usually seven or nine), depending on variety and growing conditions. At the top of a flowering plant, this number again diminishes to a single leaflet per leaf. The lower leaf pairs usually occur in an opposite leaf arrangement and the upper leaf pairs in an alternate arrangement on the main stem of a mature plant.

Cannabis normally has imperfect flowers, with staminate "male" and pistillate "female" flowers occurring on separate plants.^[8] It is not unusual, however, for individual plants to bear both male and female flowers.^[9] Although monoecious plants are often referred to as "hermaphrodites," true hermaphrodites (which are less common) bear staminate and pistillate structures on individual flowers, whereas monoecious plants bear male and female flowers at different locations on the same plant. Male flowers are normally borne on loose panicles, and female flowers are borne on racemes.^[10]

All known strains of Cannabis are wind-pollinated^[11] and produce "seeds" that are technically called achenes.^[12] Most strains of Cannabis are short day plants,^[11] with the possible exception of C. sativa subsp. sativa var. spontanea (= C. ruderalis), which is commonly described as "auto-flowering" and may be day-neutral.

Cannabis, like many organisms, is diploid, having a chromosome complement of 2n=20, although polyploid individuals have been artificially produced.^[13] The plant is believed to have originated in the mountainous regions northwest of the Himalayas. It is also known as hemp, although this term is often used to refer only to varieties of Cannabis cultivated for non-drug use. Cannabis plants produce a group of chemicals called cannabinoids, which produce mental and physical effects when consumed. Cannabinoids, terpenoids, and other compounds are secreted by glandular trichomes that occur most abundantly on the floral calyxes and bracts of female plants.^[14] As a drug it usually comes in the form of dried flower buds (marijuana), resin (hashish), or various extracts collectively known as hashish oil.^[3] In the early 20th century, it became illegal in most of the world to cultivate or possess Cannabis for drug purposes.

Taxonomy

Cannabis Leaf

Leaf of a Cannabis plant.

The genus Cannabis was formerly placed in the Nettle (Urticaceae) or Mulberry (Moraceae) family, but is now considered along with hops (Humulus sp.) to belong to the Hemp family (Cannabaceae).^[15] Recent phylogenetic studies based on cpDNA restriction site analysis and gene sequencing strongly suggest that the Cannabaceae arose from within the Celtidaceae clade, and that the two families should be merged to form a single monophyletic group.^[16]^[17]

Various types of Cannabis have been described, and classified as species, subspecies, or varieties:^[18]

plants cultivated for fiber and seed production, described as low-intoxicant, non-drug, or fiber types
plants cultivated for drug production, described as high-intoxicant or drug types
escaped or wild forms of either of the above types.

Cannabis plants produce a unique family of terpeno-phenolic compounds called cannabinoids, which produce the "high" one experiences from smoking marijuana. The two cannabinoids usually produced in greatest abundance are cannabidiol (CBD) and/or Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), but only THC is psychoactive. Since the early 1970s, Cannabis plants have been categorized by their chemical phenotype or "chemotype," based on the overall amount of THC produced, and on the ratio of THC to CBD.^[19] Although overall cannabinoid production is influenced by environmental factors, the THC/CBD ratio is genetically determined and remains fixed throughout the life of a plant.^[20] Non-drug plants produce relatively low levels of THC and high levels of CBD, while drug plants produce high levels of THC and low levels of CBD. When plants of these two chemotypes cross-pollinate, the plants in the first filial (F₁) generation have an intermediate chemotype and produce similar amounts of CBD and THC. Female plants of this chemotype may produce enough THC to be utilized for drug production.^[19]^[21]

Top of Cannabis plant in vegetative growth stage.

Whether the drug and non-drug, cultivated and wild types of Cannabis constitute a single, highly variable species, or the genus is polytypic with more than one species, has been a subject of debate for well over two centuries. This is a contentious issue because there is no universally accepted definition of a species.^[22] One widely applied criterion for species recognition is that species are "groups of actually or potentially interbreeding natural populations which are reproductively isolated from other such groups."^[23] Populations that are physiologically capable of interbreeding, but morphologically or genetically divergent and isolated by geography or ecology, are sometimes considered to be separate species.^[23] Physiological barriers to reproduction are not known to occur within Cannabis, and plants from widely divergent sources are interfertile.^[13] However, physical barriers to gene exchange (such as the Himalayan mountain range) might have enabled Cannabis gene pools to diverge before the onset of human intervention, resulting in speciation.^[24] It remains controversial whether sufficient morphological and genetic divergence occurs within the genus as a result of geographical or ecological isolation to justify recognition of more than one species.^[25]^[26]^[27]

Early classifications

Relative size of varieties of Cannabis

The Cannabis genus was first classified using the "modern" system of taxonomic nomenclature by Carolus Linnaeus in 1753, who devised the system still in use for the naming of species.^[28] He considered the genus to be monotypic, having just a single species that he named Cannabis sativa L. (L. stands for Linnaeus, and indicates the authority who first named the species). Linnaeus was familiar with European hemp, which was widely cultivated at the time. In 1785, noted evolutionary biologist Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck published a description of a second species of Cannabis, which he named Cannabis indica Lam.^[29] Lamarck based his description of the newly named species on plant specimens collected in India. He described C. indica as having poorer fiber quality than C. sativa, but greater utility as an inebriant. Additional Cannabis species were proposed in the 19th century, including strains from China and Vietnam (Indo-China) assigned the names Cannabis chinensis Delile, and Cannabis gigantea Delile ex Vilmorin.^[30] However, many taxonomists found these putative species difficult to distinguish. In the early 20th century, the single-species concept was still widely accepted, except in the Soviet Union where Cannabis continued to be the subject of active taxonomic study. The name Cannabis indica was listed in various Pharmacopoeias, and was widely used to designate Cannabis suitable for the manufacture of medicinal preparations.^[31]

20th Century

In 1924, Russian botanist D.E. Janichevsky concluded that ruderal Cannabis in central Russia is either a variety of C. sativa or a separate species, and proposed C. sativa L. var. ruderalis Janisch. and Cannabis ruderalis Janisch. as alternative names.^[18] In 1929, renowned plant explorer Nikolai Vavilov assigned wild or feral populations of Cannabis in Afghanistan to C. indica Lam. var. kafiristanica Vav., and ruderal populations in Europe to C. sativa L. var. spontanea Vav.^[21]^[30] In 1940, Russian botanists Serebriakova and Sizov proposed a complex classification in which they also recognized C. sativa and C. indica as separate species. Within C. sativa they recognized two subspecies: C. sativa L. subsp. culta Serebr. (consisting of cultivated plants), and C. sativa L. subsp. spontanea (Vav.) Serebr. (consisting of wild or feral plants). Serebriakova and Sizov split the two C. sativa subspecies into 13 varieties, including four distinct groups within subspecies culta. However, they did not divide C. indica into subspecies or varieties.^[18]^[32] This excessive splitting of C. sativa proved too unwieldy, and never gained many adherents.

Cannabis ruderalis.

In the 1970s, the taxonomic classification of Cannabis took on added significance in North America. Laws prohibiting Cannabis in the United States and Canada specifically named products of C. sativa as prohibited materials. Enterprising attorneys for the defense in a few drug busts argued that the seized Cannabis material may not have been C. sativa, and was therefore not prohibited by law. Attorneys on both sides recruited botanists to provide expert testimony. Among those testifying for the prosecution was Dr. Ernest Small, while Dr. Richard E. Schultes and others testified for the defense. The botanists engaged in heated debate (outside of court), and both camps impugned the other's integrity.^[25]^[26] The defense attorneys were not often successful in winning their case, because the intent of the law was clear.^[33]

In 1976, Canadian botanist Ernest Small^[34] and American taxonomist Arthur Cronquist published a taxonomic revision that recognizes a single species of Cannabis with two subspecies: C. sativa L. subsp. sativa, and C. sativa L. subsp. indica (Lam.) Small & Cronq.^[30] The authors hypothesized that the two subspecies diverged primarily as a result of human selection; C. sativa subsp. sativa was presumably selected for traits that enhance fiber or seed production, whereas C. sativa subsp. indica was primarily selected for drug production. Within these two subspecies, Small and Cronquist described C. sativa L. subsp. sativa var. spontanea Vav. as a wild or escaped variety of low-intoxicant Cannabis, and C. sativa subsp. indica var. kafiristanica (Vav.) Small & Cronq. as a wild or escaped variety of the high-intoxicant type. This classification was based on several factors including interfertility, chromosome uniformity, chemotype, and numerical analysis of phenotypic characters.^[19]^[30]^[35]

Professors William Emboden, Loran Anderson, and Harvard botanist Richard E. Schultes and coworkers also conducted taxonomic studies of Cannabis in the 1970s, and concluded that stable morphological differences exist that support recognition of at least three species, C. sativa, C. indica, and C. ruderalis.^[36]^[37]^[38]^[39] For Schultes, this was a reversal of his previous interpretation that Cannabis is monotypic, with only a single species.^[40] According to Schultes' and Anderson's descriptions, C. sativa is tall and laxly branched with relatively narrow leaflets, C. indica is shorter, conical in shape, and has relatively wide leaflets, and C. ruderalis is short, branchless, and grows wild in central Asia. This taxonomic interpretation was embraced by Cannabis aficionados who commonly distinguish narrow-leafed "sativa" drug strains from wide-leafed "indica" drug strains.^[41]

Ongoing research

Molecular analytical techniques developed in the late twentieth century are being applied to questions of taxonomic classification. This has resulted in many reclassifications based on evolutionary systematics. Several studies of Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and other types of genetic markers have been conducted on drug and fiber strains of Cannabis, primarily for plant breeding and forensic purposes.^[42]^[43]^[44]^[45]^[46] Dutch Cannabis researcher E.P.M. de Meijer and coworkers described some of their RAPD studies as showing an "extremely high" degree of genetic polymorphism between and within populations, suggesting a high degree of potential variation for selection, even in heavily selected hemp cultivars.^[20] They also commented that these analyses confirm the continuity of the Cannabis gene pool throughout the studied accessions, and provide further confirmation that the genus comprises a single species, although theirs was not a systematic study per se.

Karl W. Hillig, a graduate student in the laboratory of long-time Cannabis researcher Paul G. Mahlberg^[47] at Indiana University, conducted a systematic investigation of genetic, morphological, and chemotaxonomic variation among 157 Cannabis accessions of known geographic origin, including fiber, drug, and feral populations. In 2004, Hillig and Mahlberg published a chemotaxomic analysis of cannabinoid variation in their Cannabis germplasm collection. They used gas chromatography to determine cannabinoid content and to infer allele frequencies of the gene that controls CBD and THC production within the studied populations, and concluded that the patterns of cannabinoid variation support recognition of C. sativa and C. indica as separate species, but not C. ruderalis.^[21] The authors assigned fiber/seed landraces and feral populations from Europe, central Asia, and Asia Minor to C. sativa. Narrow-leaflet and wide-leaflet drug accessions, southern and eastern Asian hemp accessions, and feral Himalayan populations were assigned to C. indica. In 2005, Hillig published a genetic analysis of the same set of accessions (this paper was the first in the series, but was delayed in publication), and proposed a three-species classification, recognizing C. sativa, C. indica, and (tentatively) C. ruderalis.^[24] In his doctoral dissertation published the same year, Hillig stated that principal components analysis of phenotypic (morphological) traits failed to differentiate the putative species, but that canonical variates analysis resulted in a high degree of discrimination of the putative species and infraspecific taxa.^[48] Another paper in the series on chemotaxonomic variation in the terpenoid content of the essential oil of Cannabis revealed that several wide-leaflet drug strains in the collection had relatively high levels of certain sesquiterpene alcohols, including guaiol and isomers of eudesmol, that set them apart from the other putative taxa.^[49] Hillig concluded that the patterns of genetic, morphological, and chemotaxonomic variation support recognition of C. sativa and C. indica as separate species. He also concluded there is little support to treat C. ruderalis as a separate species from C. sativa at this time, but more research on wild and weedy populations is needed because they were underrepresented in their collection.

In September 2005, New Scientist reported that researchers at the Canberra Institute of Technology had identified a new type of Cannabis based on analysis of mitochondrial and chloroplast DNA.^[50] The New Scientist story, which was picked up by many news agencies and web sites, indicated that the research was to be published in the journal Forensic Science International. When the article was finally published, there was no mention of "Rasta."^[51]

As of 2007, most taxonomy web sites continue to list Cannabis as a single species.^[52]^[53]^[54]^[55]

Popular usage

The scientific debate regarding taxonomy has had little effect on the terminology in widespread use among cultivators and users of drug-type Cannabis. Cannabis aficionados recognize three distinct types based on such factors as morphology, native range, aroma, and subjective psychoactive characteristics. "Sativa" is the term used to describe the most widespread variety, which is usually tall, laxly branched, and found in warm lowland regions. "Indica" is used to designate shorter, bushier plants adapted to cooler climates and highland environments. "Ruderalis" is the term used to describe the short plants that grow wild in Europe and central Asia.

Breeders, seed companies, and cultivators of drug type Cannabis often describe the ancestry or gross phenotypic characteristics of cultivars by categorizing them as "pure indica," "mostly indica," "indica/sativa," "mostly sativa", or "pure sativa."

Reproduction

Breeding systems

Cannabis sativa seeds

Cannabis bud with visible trichomes

Male Cannabis pollen sacs

Cannabis is predominantly dioecious,^[11]^[56] although many monoecious varieties have been described.^[57] Subdioecy (the occurrence of monoecious individuals and dioecious individuals within the same population) is widespread.^[58]^[59]^[60] Many populations have been described as sexually labile.^[44]^[61]^[62]

As a result of intensive selection in cultivation, Cannabis exhibits many sexual phenotypes that can be described in terms of the ratio of female to male flowers occurring in the individual, or typical in the cultivar.^[63] Dioecious varieties are preferred for drug production, where only the female plants are used. Dioecious varieties are also preferred for textile fiber production, whereas monoecious varieties are preferred for pulp and paper production. It has been suggested that the presence of monoecy can be used to differentiate licit crops of monoecious hemp from illicit drug crops.^[58] However, the so-called "sativa" drug strains often produce monoecious individuals, probably as a result of inbreeding.

Mechanisms of sex determination

Cannabis has been described as having one of the most complicated mechanisms of sex determination among the dioecious plants.^[63] Many models have been proposed to explain sex determination in Cannabis.

Based on studies of sex reversal in hemp, it was first reported by K. Hirata in 1924 that an XY sex-determination system is present.^[61] At the time, the XY system was the only known system of sex determination. The X:A system was first described in Drosophila spp in 1925.^[64] Soon thereafter, Schaffner disputed Hirata's interpretation,^[65] and published results from his own studies of sex reversal in hemp, concluding that an X:A system was in use and that furthermore sex was strongly influenced by environmental conditions.^[62]

Since then, many different types of sex determination systems have been discovered, particularly in plants.^[56] Dioecy is relatively uncommon in the plant kingdom, and a very low percentage of dioecious plant species have been determined to use the XY system. In most cases where the XY system is found it is believed to have evolved recently and independently.^[66]

Since the 1920s, a number of sex determination models have been proposed for Cannabis. Ainsworth describes sex determination in the genus as using "an X/autosome dosage type".^[56]

A male hemp plant

Dense raceme of carpellate flowers typical of drug-type varieties of Cannabis

The question of whether heteromorphic sex chromosomes are indeed present is most conveniently answered if such chromosomes were clearly visible in a karyotype. Cannabis was one of the first plant species to be karyotyped; however, this was in a period when karyotype preparation was primitive by modern standards (see History of Cytogenetics). Heteromorphic sex chromosomes were reported to occur in staminate individuals of dioecious "Kentucky" hemp, but were not found in pistillate individuals of the same variety. Dioecious "Kentucky" hemp was assumed to use an XY mechanism. Heterosomes were not observed in analyzed individuals of monoecious "Kentucky" hemp, nor in an unidentified German cultivar. These varieties were assumed to have sex chromosome composition XX.^[67] According to other researchers, no modern karyotype of Cannabis had been published as of 1996.^[68] Proponents of the XY system state that Y chromosome is slightly larger than the X, but difficult to differentiate cytologically.^[69]

More recently, Sakamoto and various co-authors^[70]^[71] have used RAPD to isolate several genetic marker sequences that they name Male-Associated DNA in Cannabis (MADC), and which they interpret as indirect evidence of a male chromosome. Several other research groups have reported identification of male-associated markers using RAPD and AFLP.^[20]^[44]^[72] Ainsworth commented on these findings, stating,

It is not surprising that male-associated markers are relatively abundant. In dioecious plants where sex chromosomes have not been identified, markers for maleness indicate either the presence of sex chromosomes which have not been distinguished by cytological methods or that the marker is tightly linked to a gene involved in sex determination.^[56]

Environmental sex determination is known to occur in a variety of species.^[73] Many researchers have suggested that sex in Cannabis is determined or strongly influenced by environmental factors.^[62] Ainsworth reviews that treatment with auxin and ethylene have feminizing effects, and that treatment with cytokinins and gibberellins have masculinizing effects.^[56] It has been reported that sex can be reversed in Cannabis using chemical treatment.^[74] A PCR-based method for the detection of female-associated DNA polymorphisms by genotyping has been developed.^[75]

Industrial and Personal Uses

Cannabis is used for a wide variety of purposes.

Hemp

As hemp, it is found in cordage, clothing, and food. Industrial hemp products are made from Cannabis plants selected to produce an abundance of fiber and minimal levels of THC (Δ⁹- tetrahydrocannabinol). Historically speaking, it was so valuable that for instance, in the Jamestown Settlement it was mandated that hemp was grown, or pay a heavy fine. It is known that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew the plant as hemp, but there is evidence that George Washington smoked Cannabis, from his own accounts in his journal.^[76] The bast fibers can be used in 100% hemp products, but are commonly blended with fibers such as flax, cotton or silk, for apparel and furnishings, most commonly at a 55%/45% hemp/cotton blend. The inner two fibers of hemp are more woody, and are more often used in non-woven items and other industrial applications, such as mulch, animal bedding and litter. The oil from the fruits ("seeds") dries on exposure to air (similar to linseed oil) and is sometimes used in the manufacture of oil-based paints, in creams as a moisturising agent, for cooking, and in plastics. Hemp seeds have been used in bird seed mix.^[77]

Recreational use

Main article: Cannabis (drug)

Cannabis is an immensely popular recreational drug around the world, only behind alcohol and tobacco. In the United States alone, it is believed that over 100 million Americans have tried cannabis, with 25 million Americans using it within the past year^[78]. It is commonly referred to as marijuana. It became illegal in most parts of the world in the early 20th century, despite being a valuable plant throughout most of human history. The psychoactive effects of cannabis are known to have a biphasic nature. Firstly, a euphoric or a state of being at ease is felt and latter an increase in heart rate and hunger develops, believed to be caused by the breakdown of THC into 11-hydroxy-THC by the liver, which is also psychoactive. Furthermore, Cannabidiol or CBD is believed to alter the the effects of THC by creating a depressant state of mind (colloquially known as being "stoned"). Interestingly enough, some studies show that cannabidiol actually causes a slight stimulant effect similar to caffeine, but to a lesser extent, despite causing the depressant-like effects. The Cannabis sativa plant is known to cause more of a "high" by stimulating hunger, and producing comedic and energetic effects. Conversely, the Cannabis indica plant is known to cause more of the "stoned" effect, probably due to a higher CBD to THC ratio. Normal cognition is restored in approximately three hours^[79] for larger doses via a smoking pipe, bong or vaporizer. However, if a large amount is taken orally the effects may last much longer. Minuscule psychoactive effects may be felt up to 24 hours to a few days, depending on dosage, frequency and tolerance. Various extracts including hashish and hash oil are also produced from the plant.^[3]

Medical use

Main article: Medical cannabis

A synthetic form of one chemical in Cannabis, Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is used as a treatment for a wide range of medical conditions.

In the United States, although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does acknowledge that "there has been considerable interest in its use for the treatment of a number of conditions, including glaucoma, AIDS wasting, neuropathic pain, treatment of spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis, and chemotherapy-induced nausea," the agency has not approved "medical marijuana". There are currently 2 oral forms of cannabis (cannabinoids) available by prescription in the United States for nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy: dronabinol (Marinol) and nabilone (Cesamet). Dronabinol is also approved for the treatment of anorexia associated with AIDS.^[80] The FDA does facilitate scientific investigations into the medical uses of cannabinoids.^[81]

In a collection of writings on medical marijuana by 45 researchers, a literature review on the medicinal uses of Cannabis and cannabinoids concluded that established uses include easing of nausea and vomiting, anorexia, and weight loss; "well-confirmed effect" was found in the treatment of spasticity, painful conditions (i.e. neurogenic pain), movement disorders, asthma, and glaucoma. Reported but "less-confirmed" effects included treatment of allergies, inflammation, infection, epilepsy, depression, bipolar disorders, anxiety disorder, dependency and withdrawal. Basic level research was being carried out at the time on autoimmune disease, cancer, neuroprotection, fever, disorders of blood pressure.^[82]

Clinical trials conducted by the American Marijuana Policy Project, a pro-cannabis organization, have shown the efficacy of cannabis as a treatment for cancer and AIDS patients, who often suffer from clinical depression, and from nausea and resulting weight loss due to chemotherapy and other aggressive treatments.^[83] A synthetic version of the cannabinoid THC named dronabinol has been shown to relieve symptoms of anorexia and reduce agitation in elderly Alzheimer's patients.^[84] Dronabinol has been approved for use with anorexia in patients with HIV/AIDS and chemotherapy-related nausea. This drug, while demonstrating the effectiveness of Cannabis at combating several disorders, is more expensive and less available than "pot" and has not been shown to be effective or safe.^[85]

Glaucoma, a condition of increased pressure within the eyeball causing gradual loss of sight, can be treated with medical marijuana to decrease this intraocular pressure. There has been debate for 25 years on the subject. Some data exist, showing a reduction of IOP in glaucoma patients who smoke cannabis,^[86] but the effects are short-lived, and the frequency of doses needed to sustain a decreased IOP can cause systemic toxicity. There is also some concern over its use since it can also decrease blood flow to the optic nerve. Marijuana lowers IOP by acting on a cannabinoid receptor on the ciliary body called the CB receptor.^[87] Although Cannabis is not a good therapeutic choice for glaucoma patients, it may lead researchers to more effective, safer treatments. A promising study shows that agents targeted to ocular CB receptors can reduce IOP in glaucoma patients who have failed other therapies.^[88]

Medical cannabis is also used for analgesia, or pain relief. It is also reported to be beneficial for treating certain neurological illnesses such as epilepsy, and bipolar disorder.^[89] Case reports have found that Cannabis can relieve tics in people with obsessive compulsive disorder and Tourette syndrome. Patients treated with tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive chemical found in Cannabis, reported a significant decrease in both motor and vocal tics, some of 50% or more.^[90]^[91]^[92] Some decrease in obsessive-compulsive behavior was also found.^[90] A recent study has also concluded that cannabinoids found in Cannabis might have the ability to prevent Alzheimer's disease.^[93] THC has been shown to reduce arterial blockages.^[94]

Another potential use for medical cannabis is movement disorders. Cannabis is frequently reported to reduce the muscle spasms associated with multiple sclerosis; this has been acknowledged by the Institute of Medicine, but it noted that these abundant anecdotal reports are not well-supported by clinical data. Evidence from animal studies suggests that there is a possible role for cannabinoids in the treatment of certain types of epileptic seizures.^[95] A synthetic version of the major active compound in Cannabis, THC, is available in capsule form as the prescription drug dronabinol (Marinol) in many countries. The prescription drug Sativex, an extract of cannabis administered as a sublingual spray, has been approved in Canada for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.^[96]

Religious use

Main article: Spiritual use of cannabis

Cannabis is first referred to in Hindu Vedas between 2000 and 1400 BCE, in the Atharvaveda. By the tenth century CE, it was being referred to in India as "food of the gods".^[97] Cannabis use eventually became a ritual part of the Hindu festival of Holi. In Buddhism, cannabis has been used in meditation and regarded as a holy plant since 500 BCE.^[98] Shamanic use of Cannabis in China has been dated to at least 1000 BCE.^[99] In ancient Germanic culture, Cannabis was associated with the Norse love goddess, Freya.^[100]^[101] An anointing oil mentioned in Exodus is, by some translators, said to contain Cannabis.^[102] Sufis have used Cannabis in a spiritual context since the thirteenth century CE.^[103]

In modern times the Rastafari movement has embraced Cannabis as a sacrament.^[104] Elders of the modern religious movement known as the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church consider Cannabis to be the Eucharist, claiming it as an oral tradition from Ethiopia dating back to the time of Christ, even though the movement was founded in the United States in 1975 and has no ties to either Ethiopia or the Coptic Church.^[105] Like the Rastafari, some modern Gnostic Christian sects have asserted that Cannabis is the Tree of Life.^[106]^[107] Other organized religions founded in the 20th century that treat Cannabis as a sacrament are the THC Ministry,^[108] the Way of Infinite Harmony, Cantheism,^[109] the Cannabis Assembly^[110] and the Church of Cognizance.

Phoenix NORML

2009-07-22T16:52:00.000-07:00

Phoenix NORML will have a table set up to collect signatures to get Medical Marijuana access in Arizona at Herb N' Legend Smoke Shop on Friday, July 24th from 2:00 - 6:00PM.

If you are a registered voter in Arizona & have not signed this petition yet, please come out to one of the valley's coolest, newest smoke shops to sign the petition to get a Medical Marijuana proposition on the 2010 ballot!

WHEN:
Friday, July 24th
from 2:00 - 6:00pm

WHERE:
Herb N' Legend Smoke Shop
5950 W. McDowell Road
Phoenix, AZ 85035

WHY:
AZ has the harshest marijuana laws in the country!
We need to stop arresting cancer patients for Medical Marijuana.
Please sign the petition ASAP!

Discounts offered for card-carrying PHX NORML Members!

City of Oakland Passes Taxing Cannabis by a Landslide*

2009-07-22T16:40:00.000-07:00

OAKLAND, California (CNN) -- Oakland's bid to become the first U.S. city to tax proceeds on medical marijuana passed Tuesday by a landslide vote.

About 80 percent of people voting in the Oakland election approved the new medical marijuana tax.

About 80 percent of voters chose to impose the tax on Oakland's medical marijuana facilities, according to the Alameda County Registrar of Voters.

Some celebrated the news at Oaksterdam University by hand-rolling large marijuana cigarettes or stuffing cannabis into pipes. The school trains students for work in the medical marijuana industry.

"It is important because the city of Oakland is facing a massive deficit like many jurisdictions in California," said Steve DeAngelo, a leader of one of the city's cannabis clubs. "And we decided to step up to the plate and make a contribution to the city in a time of need."

DeAngelo, one of the people who led the effort to get the tax approved, said his business will now have to pay more than $350,000 from the new tax next year. Watch report from CNN's Dan Simon »

Oakland's City Council was also behind the move.

"Given that the medical cannabis dispensaries are something that was legalized in California, why not have revenue from it?" said councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan.

There was no formal opposition to the effort, but some drug fighters say the tax sends the wrong message.

"The taxation of a federally unlawful drug is just not something that the community should accept," said Paul Chabot of the Coalition for a Drug Free California. "With the state in dire straits in finances and the country looking for ways to pay down debt, looking at illegal drugs is the absolute wrong thing to do."

The measure, passed in special mail-in election Tuesday, imposes a 1.8 percent gross receipts tax on the four licensed medical cannabis dispensaries in Oakland.

These facilities would have to pay about $18 in taxes for every 1,000 in marijuana sales.