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US Drug Enforcement Administration Targets Montana State Lawmaker Over Her Advocacy For Medical Marijuana |
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Missoula, MT: The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating a Montana state lawmaker over whether
statements she made during the 2011 legislative session in favor of
regulating the production and distribution of medical cannabis under state
law may constitute conspiracy to violate federal anti-drug laws. The lawmaker, Rep. Diane Sands -- a Democrat from
Billings, Montana -- served as the chairwoman of a 2011 interim legislative
committee that sought to clarify statewide rules regulating the use of
medicinal cannabis, which has been legal in the state since 2004. <continued on page 3 > ___________________________________________ Delaware: Federal Threats Halt Efforts To
Implement State's Medicinal Cannabis Law
Dover, DE: Democrat Gov. Jack Markell has abruptly halted plans to
implement legislation passed in 2011 that allows qualified patients to obtain
marijuana from state- <continued
on page 4 > |
Salem
Police Ransack Medical Marijuana Dispensary
“Smokey's Lounge” A Private Club For Legal
Medical Marijuana Patients is Raided (SALEM, Ore.) - Many people in
South Salem were witness to the police action on 13th Street Tuesday at
Smokey's Lounge. For hours, police had the driveway blocked and were seen in
and around the building taking photographs and by some accounts, intimidating
onlookers. <continued
on page 5 > ___________________________________________ Study: Passage Of Medical Marijuana Laws
Correlated With Fewer Suicides
Bonn,
Germany: The enactment of
statewide laws allowing for the limited use of cannabis therapeutically is associated with reduced instances of suicide,
according to a discussion
paper published in January by the Institute for the Study of Labor in
Bonn, Germany. <continued
on page 3 > |
Medical Marijuana Laws Have No Discernible
Adverse Impact On Adolescents' Use, Study Says
Montreal, Canada: The enactment of state laws allowing for the limited
legal use of cannabis by qualified patients has little to no causal effect on
broader marijuana use, according to data
published online in the journal Annals of Epidemiology <continued
on page 3 > _______________________________ Cannabis Is
"An Effective Treatment" For Cancer Patients, Israeli Study
Concludes
Tel Hashomer, Israel: Some two-thirds of Israeli cancer patients authorized
to use cannabis report long-term, symptomatic improvement from the plant,
according to clinical data presented in January at a conference of the
Israeli Oncologists Union and reported in several international media outlets.
<continued
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* Volume 9, Issue 2 * February * 2012
* www.MercyCenters.org *
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* The MERCY News * |
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_____________________ The MERCY News Report is an
all-volunteer, not-for-profit project to record and broadcast news,
announcements and information about medical cannabis in Oregon, across
America and around the World. For more information about the MERCY News, contact us. Via
Snail Mail: The MERCY
News 1469 Capital
St. NE, Suite 100, Salem, Ore.,
97301 503.363-4588 E-mail: Mercy_Salem@hotmail.com Or
our WWW page: www.MercyCenters.org Check it
out! ___________________________ MERCY On The Tube! in Salem,
Oregon area thru Capital Community Television, Channel 23.
Call In – 503.588-6444 - on Friday at 7pm, or See us on Wednesdays
at 06:30pm, Thursdays at 07:00pm, Fridays at 10:30pm and Saturdays at
06:00pm. Visit – http://mercycenters.org/tv/ |
About
MERCY – The Medical Cannabis Resource Center MERCY is a non-profit, grass roots organization
founded by patients, their friends and family and other compassionate and
concerned citizens in the area and is dedicated to helping and advocating for
those involved with the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP). MERCY is based in the
Salem, Oregon area and staffed on a volunteer basis. The
purpose is to get medicine to patients in the short-term while working with
them to establish their own independent sources. To
this end we provide, among other things, ongoing education to people and
groups organizing clinics and other Patient Resources, individual physicians and
other healthcare providers about the OMMP, cannabis as medicine and doctor
rights in general. The mission of the organization
is to help people and change the laws. We advocate reasonable, fair and effective
marijuana laws and policies, and strive to educate, register and empower
voters to implement such policies. Our philosophy is one of teaching
people to fish, rather than being dependent upon others. Want to get your Card? Need Medicine Now? Welcome to The Club! MERCY – the Medical Cannabis Resource Center
hosts Mercy Club Meetings every Wednesday at - 1469 Capital
Street NE, Suite #100, Salem, 97301 – from 7pm to 9pm to
help folks get their card, network patients to medicine, assist in finding a
grower or getting to grow themselves, or ways and means to medicate along
other info and resources depending on the issue. visit – www.MercyCenters.org
- or Call 503.363-4588 for more. The Doctor is In ... Salem! * MERCY is Educating Doctors on signing for their
Patients; Referring people to Medical Cannabis Consultations when their
regular care physician won't sign for them; and listing all Clinics around
the state in order to help folks Qualify for the OMMP and otherwise Get their
Cards. For our Referral Doc in Salem,
get your records to – 1469 Capital Street NE, Suite
#100, Salem, 97301, NOTE: There is a $25 non-refundable deposit
required. Transportation and Delivery
Services available for those in need.
For our Physician Packet to educate your Doctor, or a List of Clinics
around the state, visit – www.MercyCenters.org
- or Call 503.363-4588 for more. Other Medical Cannabis Resource NetWork
Opportunities for Patients as well as CardHolders-to-be. * whether Social meeting, Open to public
–or- Cardholders Only * visit: http://mercycenters.org/events/Meets.html ! Also Forums - a means to
communicate and network on medical cannabis in Portland across Oregon and
around the world. A list of
Forums, Chat Rooms, Bulletin Boards and other Online Resources for the
Medical Cannabis Patient, CareGiver, Family Member, Patient-to-Be and Other
Interested Parties. * Resources > Patients (plus) > Online
> Forums * Know any? Let everybody else know!
Visit: http://mercycenters.org/orgs/Forums.html and Post It! |
2 mercycenter@hotmail.com * |
Volume 9, Issue 2 *
February * 2012 |
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<continued from US DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION TARGETS MONTANA
STATE LAWMAKER OVER HER ADVOCACY FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA, page 1 > "Can you say McCarthy?" Rep. Sands told The Missoulian newspaper. "This sounds
like stuff from the House Un-American Activities Committee and Joe McCarthy. So
once you talk about medical marijuana in reasonable terms, you're on some
sort of list of possible conspirators. ... It's ridiculous, of course, but
it's also threatening
to think that the federal government is willing to use its influence and try
to chill discussion about this subject." Neither the DEA nor the U.S. Attorney's Office would
respond to inquiries from The Missoulian regarding why Rep. Sands'
name came up in the federal government's investigation. For more information, please contact Allen St.
Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500, or visit: http://montananorml.org/. _____________________________________________________________ <continued from STUDY: PASSAGE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS CORRELATED
WITH FEWER SUICIDES,
page 1 > Researchers at Montana State University, the University of
Colorado, and San Diego State University assessed rates of suicide in the
years before and after the passage of statewide medical marijuana laws. "Policymakers weighing the pros and cons of
legalization should consider... that (these) laws may lead to fewer suicides
among young adult males" Authors found, "The total suicide
rate falls smoothly during the pre-legalization period in both MML (medical
marijuana law) and non-MML states. However, beginning in year zero, the
trends diverge: the suicide rate in MML states continues to fall, while the
suicide rate in states that never legalized medical marijuana begins to climb
gradually." They reported that this downward trend in suicides
in states post-legalization was especially pronounced in males. "Our
results suggest that the passage of a medical marijuana law is associated
with an almost 5 |
percent reduction in the total suicide rate, an 11
percent reduction in the suicide rate of 20-through 29-year-old males, and a
9 percent reduction in the suicide rate of 30- through 39-year-old
males," they determined. Authors theorized that the limited legalization of
cannabis may "lead to an improvement in the psychological well-being of
young adult males, an improvement that is reflected in fewer suicides."
They further speculated, "The strong association between alcohol
consumption and suicide-related outcomes found by previous researchers raises
the possibility that medical marijuana laws reduce the risk of suicide by
decreasing alcohol consumption." They concluded: "Policymakers weighing the pros
and cons of legalization should consider the possibility that medical
marijuana laws may lead to fewer suicides among young adult males." Full text of the discussion paper, "High on
Life: Medical Marijuana Laws and Suicide," is available online at: http://ftp.iza.org/dp6280.pdf. For more information, please contact Allen St.
Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 583-5500 or Paul Armentano, NORML
Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. _____________________________________________________________ <continued from MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS HAVE NO DISCERNIBLE ADVERSE
IMPACT ON ADOLESCENTS' USE, STUDY SAYS, page 1 > Investigators at McGill University in Montreal
obtained state-level estimates of marijuana use from the 2002 through 2009 US
National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Researchers used
difference-in-differences regression models to estimate the causal effect of
medical cannabis laws on marijuana use, and simulations to account for
measurement error. Authors reported: "Difference-in-differences estimates
suggested that passing MMLs (medical marijuana laws) decreased past-month use
among adolescents ... and had no discernible effect on the perceived
riskiness of monthly use. ... [These] estimates suggest that reported
adolescent marijuana use may <continued on next page> |
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<continued
from previous page> actually decrease following the passing of medical
marijuana laws." They concluded,
"We find limited evidence of causal effects of medical marijuana laws on
measures of reported marijuana use." Previous investigations by
researcher teams at Brown
University in 2011 and Texas
A&M in 2007 made similar determinations, concluding,
"[C]onsistent with other studies of the liberalization of cannabis laws,
medical cannabis laws do not appear to increase use of the drug." The McGill researchers' findings are in conflict
with public statements made by Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske, who in recent years
has frequently alleged that the passage of medical cannabis laws is
directly responsible for higher levels of self-reported marijuana consumption
among US teenagers. For more
information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org,
or Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500. Full text
of the study, "Do medical marijuana laws increase marijuana use?
Replication study and extension," appears in the journal Annals of
Epidemiology. _____________________________________________________________ <continued from DELAWARE: FEDERAL THREATS HALT EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT
STATE'S MEDICINAL CANNABIS LAW, page 1 > licensed facilities. Governor Markell had
initially signed
the law,
Senate Bill 17, The Delaware
Medical Marijuana Act, last May. Under the law, patients with a qualifying
illness may legally possess up to six ounces of cannabis, provided they
obtain it from a state-licensed, not-for-profit 'compassion center.' State
regulators anticipated to begin licensing marijuana producers and distributors
later this year. On Friday, Gov. Markell announced that he was suspending the program because his
office received a letter from the Obama Justice Department alleging that its
implementation would subject those licensed under the law, as well as public
servants, to federal criminal prosecution. States the letter, authored by US
Attorney Charles M. Oberly III, "[G]rowing, distributing and possessing
marijuana, in any capacity, |
other than as part of a federally authorized
research program, is a violation of federal law regardless of state laws
permitting such activities. Moreover, those who engage in financial
transactions involving the proceeds of such activities may also be in
violation of federal money laundering statutes." The letter further threatens, "State employees
who conduct activities mandated by the Delaware Medical Marijuana Act are not
immune from liability under" the federal Controlled Substances Act. Justice Department officials sent similar letters to lawmakers and governors in states
considering related legislation last spring. Shortly after receiving the
letters, Washington Democrat Gov. Chris Gregoire vetoed legislation that sought to allow for licensed
cannabis dispensaries in that state. Soon thereafter, Rhode Island
Independent Gov. Lincoln Chafee also nixed regulations allowing for the state-licensed
production and distribution of cannabis. In a statement issued by Gov. Markell on Friday, he
claimed that the federal government left him with no other alternative but to
suspend the law's implementation. "To do otherwise would put our state
employees in legal jeopardy, and I will not do that," he said. In response to the Governor's actions, sponsors of
the law have suggested amending the Medical Marijuana Act to allow for
qualified patients to cultivate cannabis at home, a practice that is
presently allowed under state law in 14 other states. To date, three states -- Colorado, Maine, and New
Mexico -- have issued licenses to allow for the state-sanctioned production
and distribution of cannabis. So far, programs in those states have operated
largely without federal interference.
Similar licensing legislation approved in recent years in Arizona, New
Jersey, Vermont, and Washington, DC has yet to be implemented by local
lawmakers. For more information, please contact Allen St.
Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500 or Paul Armentano, NORML
Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. |
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<continued from CANNABIS IS "AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT" FOR
CANCER PATIENTS, ISRAELI STUDY CONCLUDES, page 1 > Investigators at the Sheba Medical Center in
Tel Aviv, in conjunction with the Israeli Cancer Association, assessed the
efficacy of cannabis therapy over the course of one year in 264 patients with
cancer. Researchers reported: "Some 61 percent of the respondents
reported a significant improvement in their quality of life as a result of
the medical marijuana, while 56 percent noted an improvement in their ability
to manage pain. In general, 67 percent were in favor of the treatment, while
65 percent said they would recommend it to other patients." The study concluded that cannabis is an
"effective" treatment for certain symptoms of the disease cancer
and recommended, "The treatment should be offered to the patients in earlier
stages of cancer." In the trial, the most common types of cancer for
which medical marijuana was prescribed was lung cancer (21 percent), breast
cancer (12 percent) and pancreatic cancer (10 percent). The study focused
primarily on the use of cannabis to relieve various symptoms of cancer or
cancer treatment, such as pain and nausea, but did not evaluate whether
marijuana therapy could potentially suppress the proliferation of the
disease. In preclinical trials, various cannabinoids -- including THC and CBD
(cannabidiol) -- have been shown to selectively target and
eliminate malignant cells and cancerous tumors. To date, some 6,000 Israelis possess government authorization to use cannabis
therapeutically. Patients authorized by the federal program may either
cultivate cannabis at home or they may obtain marijuana from one of the
nation's 12 licensed cannabis farms. Last summer, the Israeli Health Ministry formally acknowledged
the therapeutic utility of cannabis and announced newly amended guidelines to
more effectively govern the state-sponsored production and distribution of
medical marijuana. The Ministry estimates that as many as 40,000 patients will eventually
have access to medicinal cannabis once the Israeli program is fully
implemented. For more
information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org. |
NORML's literature review of the anti-cancer
properties of cannabis and cannabinoids is available online at: http://norml.org/library/item/gliomascancer. _____________________________________________________________ Cannabis Use
Not Associated With Alterations In Dopamine, Study Says
New York, NY: The consumption of cannabis is not associated with
residual alterations in the release of dopamine in chronic users, according
to trial
data to be published in journal Biological Psychiatry. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for
reward-driven learning and behavior. Alterations in the brain's production of
dopamine is associated with the habitual use of various dependence-inducing
intoxicants, including alcohol, heroin, and cocaine. Investigators at the New York State Psychiatric
Institute and Columbia University assessed dopamine levels in 16 recently
abstinent, psychiatrically health cannabis users and 16 matched controls.
Researchers found that cannabis consumers did not show any significant differences
compared to controls in any of the brain regions assessed. Authors concluded,
"Unlike other addictions, cannabis dependence of mild to moderate
severity is not associated with striatal DA (dopamine) alterations." They cautioned, however, that early onset use of
cannabis or long-term use of the plant may be associated with a decrease in
the release of dopamine in the striatum. For
more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org.
Full text of the study, Dopamine Release in Chronic Cannabis Users: A
[(11)C]Raclopride Positron Emission Tomography Study," will appear in
Biological Psychiatry. _____________________________________________________________ <continued from SALEM POLICE RANSACK
MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY , page 1 > The small building
serving as a medical marijuana lounge is not much of a hot spot. It is
unassuming and quiet, even with patients coming and going. On the front door
is a posted note, explaining that one must have an Oregon Medical Marijuana
Permit and picture ID to enter. It is a private club. Patients that are state-sanctioned <continued on next page> |
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<continued from previous page> to legally use marijuana
(or Cannabis) must acquire their medicine from a source outside the
accepted pharmaceutical industry. That is the way the State of Oregon has it
set up. A patient with a chronic
medical condition may have a doctor who believes Cannabis will do them some
good, perhaps to keep them off hard drugs, or to reduce the amount of
dangerous prescription drugs necessary. Once their doctor has signed the
application for a medical marijuana permit, the patient sends the information
in to the state- with $200. This process is repeated every single year,
making Cannabis the only medicine that patients must pay a tax in order to
take. In Oregon, patients who
decide to use all-natural herbal medicine are responsible for either growing
or reimbursing someone else for the expenses to grow their medicine. For some
people, both are very impractical ideas. The
elderly and infirm are rarely able to accomplish the task of gardening, and
must rely on others to supply their medicine. Some say that there are not
enough gardeners available for patients, and have a difficult time in finding
one. Rightly so, people are careful about trusting others in this arena. That
is where the medical marijuana dispensary comes in. Dispensaries have been
opening up around Oregon increasingly since 1998, and in 2010 there was an
intense effort to regulate them (Measure
74), but voters rejected the bill. The campaign to change the
availability of medicine statewide continues. This is a "burr in the
saddle" for the U.S. Attorney General. Regardless of Oregon's
laws, the Federal Government has the ability to overrule and circumvent our
authority. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder sent a letter to Oregon Medical
Marijuana dispensaries last June, professing his intention to shut them down.
He said that the Feds would go after the landlords, and threatened to take
their property if they don't go along with him. The letter was signed by 33
of 34 Oregon district attorneys. (See previous article: http://salem-news.com/articles/june062011/cannabis-dispensaries.php) |
Many dispensaries complied,
instantly defeated. Some contacted their attorneys and warily continued. Some
insisted they were already complying with the law, and refused to close. Medical marijuana clubs or
lounges in Oregon operate under the propriety of not making any medicine
available to sell; they are disallowed from "selling" completely. A
patient is allowed to donate (toward utilities, water, fertilizer,
etc) and receive some medicine. It is a simple answer for a great many
people. It is compassionate. Whether or not AG Holder's
promise to disrupt the lives of thousands of Oregon patients was behind the
efforts on Tuesday is not clear, but it does appear to be a factor. Tuesday morning started out
with the police responding to a broken window at Smokey's Novelties Gift Shop
in downtown Salem. At 6:30 a.m. morning walkers saw the aftereffects of an
alleged robbery, with police surrounding the store for hours. Something
prompted police to obtain a search warrant, apparently via "Probable
Cause" and proceed to the owner's other properties for a fine-tooth-comb
going over.
This brought them through
the closed door of Smokey's Lounge. What they did and what, if anything, they
found there is still undetermined. At 12:10 p.m., owner Edward
Lara was booked into the Marion County Jail on eleven counts. General Manager
Lupe Espinoza is being held on the same eleven charges. They were both
arraigned this afternoon, and each assigned a half-million dollar bail. Their
pretrial hearings are 8:30 a.m. March 16 (Espinoza) and April 2 (Lara),
respectively. The charges include
Delivery of Marijuana, Endangering Minors, being too close to a school, and,
surprisingly, possession of cocaine. The details on Lara's arrest and the
story behind each of the charges has not been revealed, though the cocaine
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<continued from previous page> At about 7 p.m. Tuesday, I
spoke to an officer on the scene. Another stood
close by, shining his flashlight in my vehicle while I inquired about the
nature of the investigation. The first officer told me that there were police
inside, and no one else. I asked if there had been a robbery, which seemed to
surprise him, and he clearly said, "No, we have a search warrant.
Everything is being searched, they're closed." He didn't offer any other
information, or seem to know that this event had reportedly began with a
robbery. Edward Lara, or Smokey,
is a renowned glass blower from the Salem area. He's been in business since
2002, an artisan entrepreneur who found his calling. His arrest was
unsettling for scores of regular clients and patients, their faith in
Oregon's justice system brought into question combined with confusion about
the many charges. Lara is well-known and respected in the canna-business
community and has carved out a name for himself with an inventory of quality
products. Salem Police have not
returned our request for a statement or produced a press release at this
time. Smokey's Novelties gift
shop downtown was not open for business on Wednesday, but the employees
seemed hopeful that they would be reopening soon. The future of Smokey's
Lounge however, is definitely more up in the air. For many Salem patients,
that is a grave disappointment. ________________________________________ About the Author: Bonnie
King has been with Salem-News.com since August '04, when she became
Publisher. Bonnie has served in a number of positions in the broadcast
industry and has a depth of understanding that reaches further than just
behind the scenes, and that thoroughness is demonstrated in the perseverance
to correctly present each story with the wit and wisdom necessary to compel
and captivate viewers. Visit - http://www.salem-news.com/articles/march072012/smokeys-raid_bk.php
- for more. |
Why Can't You Smoke Pot? Because Lobbyists Are Getting Rich Off of the War on Drugs Sad Truths On Really Why We Still Put Hundreds Of Thousands Of People In Steel Cages For Pot-Related Offenses. March 7, 2012 | John Lovell is a lobbyist who makes a lot of money from making sure you can't smoke a joint. That's his job. He's a lobbyist for the police unions in Sacramento, and he is a driving force behind grabbing Federal dollars to shut down the California marijuana industry. I'll get to the evidence on this important story in a bit, but first, some context. At some point in the distant past, the war on drugs might have been popular. But not anymore - the polling is clear, but beyond that, the last three Presidents have used illegal drugs. So why do we still put hundreds of thousands of people in steel cages for pot-related offenses? Well, there are many reasons, but one of them is, of course, money in politics. Corruption. Whatever you want to call it, it's why you can't smoke a joint without committing a crime, though of course you can ingest any number of pills or drinks completely within the law. Some of the groups who want to keep the drug illegal are police unions that want more members to pay more dues. One of the primary sources for cash for more policing activities are Federal grants for penalizing illegal drug use, which help pay for overtime, additional police officers, and equipment for the force. That's what Lovell does, he gets those grants. He also fights against democratic mechanisms to legalize drugs. In 2010, California considered Prop 19, a measure to legalize marijuana and tax it as alcohol. The proposition gained more votes than Meg Whitman, the former eBay executive and Republican gubernatorial nominee that year, but failed to pass. Opponents of the initiative ran ads, organized rallies, and spread conspiracy theories about billionaire George Soros to confuse voters.
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<continued from WHY CAN'T YOU
SMOKE POT? BECAUSE LOBBYISTS ARE GETTING RICH OFF OF THE WAR ON DRUGS; SAD
TRUTHS ON REALLY WHY WE STILL PUT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN STEEL
CAGES FOR POT-RELATED OFFENSES, previous page> Lovell managed the opposition campaign against
Prop 19. He told Time Magazine that he was pushing against the initiative
because, "the last thing we need is yet another mind-altering substance
to be legalized." But Republic Report reviewed lobbying contracts during the Prop 19 fight, and found that Lovell's firm was paid over $386,350 from a wide array of police unions, including the California Police Chiefs Association.
While Lovell may contend that he sincerely opposes the idea of marijuana legalization, he has constructed an entire business model predicated on pot prohibition.
Shortly after President
Obama's stimulus program passed, Lovell went to work channeling the taxpayer
money for California into drug war programs. According to documents Republic
Report obtained from the Police Chiefs Association, Lovell helped local
departments apply for drug war money from the Federal government. There is a
copy of one letter sent to a police department in Lassen County, California:
> here > < There is big money in
marijuana prohibition. Lovell represented a police union in a bid to steer
some $2.2 million dollars into a “Marijuana Suppression Program.” In 2009 and
2010, California police unions sought a $7,537,389 chunk of Federal money for
police to conduct a “Campaign Against Marijuana Planting” program. The anti-marijuana money went directly
into the paychecks of many officers. For example, police departments in
Shasta, Siskiyou, and Tehama Counties formed |
a “North California Eradication
Team” to receive $550,000 in grants that helped pay for overtime, a new
officer, and flight operations: The total amount awarded was $550,000, to be
split between Shasta, Siskiyou and Tehama counties, which make up the
Northern California Marijuana Eradication Team (NorCal-MET). Broken down in
the agenda worksheet, the sheriff’s office is expecting to spend $20,000 on
flight operations, $94,895 for the full-time deputy’s salary and benefits,
$16,788 for the administration assistant salary and benefits and $29,983 to
cover up to 666.29 hours of overtime.
Read more >> http://www.alternet.org/story/154448/why_can%E2%80%99t_you_smoke_pot_because_lobbyists_are_getting_rich_off_of_the_war_on_drugs?akid=8373.8952.vNXP4B&rd=1&t=5
<< here. _____________________________________________________________ Register Now For NORML's Seventh Annual
Aspen Legal Seminar
Washington, DC: NORML is accepting registrations from criminal
defense attorneys and the general public to attend its seventh annual Aspen Legal Seminar.
This year's event takes place from Thursday, May 31 through Saturday, June 2
at The Gant Hotel in
downtown Aspen -- one of the nation's most cannabis-friendly cities. Topics of
discussion at this year's conference include: 'Medical Marijuana and the
Workplace,' 'Transitioning from Medical Use to Full Legalization,' 'Defending
Paraphernalia and Spice (K-2) Cases,' 'Jury Selection in a Marijuana Case,'
and 'How to Use the Latest and Best Science to Defend Against a DUID
Marijuana Prosecution.' "NORML is proud to make this once-a-year legal
seminar open to lawyers and the public," said NORML founder and Legal
Director Keith Stroup. "Don't miss this rare opportunity to join NORML's
staff and some of the nation's top pot lawyers and activists in this unique
and intimate setting. Registration information and this year's conference
agenda is online at: http://norml.org/about/aspen-legal-seminar. |
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mercycenter@hotmail.com > (503)
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www.MercyCenters.org * |
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