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International
Marches Happen Annually in Salem, Oregon and more than 200 Cities Around the
World For ultra-conservative,
small-town Salem, it’s always a good turn-out if anybody shows up for Jay Day. But for whoever makes it, there is Lots of
networking on medical cannabis – as the folks from MERCY were organizing it –
as well as other NORML goals of hemp and ending prohibition in general. An annual
action item MERCYs looks forward to building up to the next years event with
poster parties and such, culminating in every one of last years participants
bringing at least one other to the next. The
Global Marijuana March is a worldwide event celebrating the
benefits of cannabis and <continued
on page 3 > |
_______________________________ Does the Drug War Protect Our
Kids? - by Dr.
David Bearman One of the most commonly heard justifications for having a war
on certain drug users (but hey, not Charlie Sheen with his suitcase of
cocaine, Rush Limbaugh with his Oxycontin problem or Cindy McCain with her
heavy use of opiates to relieve her migraine pain) is to protect our kids. Let's examine that concern a
bit. <continued
on page 5 > |
Help to
Add PTSD to the OMMP A bill
– SB 281 - to add Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - to the list of
debilitating medical conditions of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP)
is in the Oregon State House. At the
time of this writing It is expected to go before committee and then to vote on
the House <continued
on page 4 > _______________________________ Massachusetts Issues Draft Regulations Safe
access in Massachusetts is beginning to take shape. The state’s Department of
Public Health (DPH) last month issued draft regulations for implementing the
state's medical cannabis program. The draft regulations
establish a framework for the program 63% of Massachusetts voters approved
last November. <continued
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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 1745 Capital
St. NE, 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 - 1745 Capital
Street NE, 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 – 1745 Capital Street NE,
Salem, 97301, NOTE: There is a $25 non-refundable deposit required. Transportation and Delivery Services
available for those in need. For our
Physician Packet to educate your Doctor, or a List of Clinics around the
state, visit – www.MercyCenters.org
- or Call 503.363-4588 for more. Other Medical Cannabis Resource NetWork
Opportunities for Patients as well as CardHolders-to-be. * whether Social meeting, Open to public
–or- Cardholders Only * visit: http://mercycenters.org/events/Meets.html ! Also Forums - a means to
communicate and network on medical cannabis in Portland across Oregon and
around the world. A list of
Forums, Chat Rooms, Bulletin Boards and other Online Resources for the
Medical Cannabis Patient, CareGiver, Family Member, Patient-to-Be and Other
Interested Parties. * Resources > Patients (plus) > Online
> Forums * Know any? Let everybody else know!
Visit: http://mercycenters.org/orgs/Forums.html and Post It! |
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<continued
from BILL TO
ADD PTSD TO OMMP, page 1 > hemp that takes place, for
most participants, on the first Saturday in May. On that day – referred to as Jay Day by some organizers – people in hundreds of cities around the world rally and march in unison for cannabis
law reform. A peaceful party to celebrate our gains
and to re-energize for the next steps. The main purpose is to raise awareness
about the issues, to inform and educate thru the publicity involved. Secondly,
we want to register every person there and further empower them by providing
whatever is needed to getting them to the voting booth at the right time.
Also we want a good show, a nice time for every one - entertaining as well as
informative. And, at the same time, we can also raise a little money and fund
some projects for the cause - like sponsoring OMMA patients who can't afford
a fee or a Hemp Initiative. We pick up steam every day, we gain more sponsor$
and other support each time we talk about it. Also,
different groups with related agendas can be represented. We can use this
opportunity to stand united as one voice. Next are May 3rd, 2014, May 2nd 2015, May 7th,
2016. In Salem, we usually start at
11am - Assemble, Rally and March at High Noon as part of this action item, at
the far end of the mall across from the steps of the Capital Building. At High Noon (sharp!) we proceed down W. Summer
thru the Mall to the corner of W. Summer and Court. Then west down Court Street on the north side-walk. They most likely will not have permission
($!) to use the street, so must stick to the sidewalks and obey pedestrian
rules. They will check on being able
to have bicycles and pace vehicles on the street beside them. They’ll be sure
to not block traffic or impede other citizens
attempting to use the walkway. They’ll
march, proudly, politely and peacefully, down to Liberty Street and turn right. Then go north up Liberty to Center and
turn right. Going east down |
Center Marchers will
come to W.Summer (the Mall), returning to their original rally point. Those unable to go the distance will be
holding the Assembly point and waiting for the Marchers there. Then a post-March Rally at Wilson
Park. See directions at - mercycenters.org/events/MMM.html Their
purpose is to rally, register to vote, sign petitions and encourage everybody
they know to do so also. The goal is
to allow individuals to come out and – by doing so - make a statement in the company of like
minded citizens. Share, learn and
grow as we promote ending cannabis prohibition - and freedom in general. This is to raise awareness about cannabis
as medicine, the value of industrial hemp and voter empowerment in
general. This is about our rights and
responsibilities as Americans. This
is our opportunity to unite, stand together and be counted! Every city in Oregon should be
represented. Talk it up, be there and
help make it happen! Mission
objectives & goals: Register to
vote, sign petitions, and encourage everybody we know to do so also. (1) the March (and thru
publicity about & during the March raise awareness and followers) (2) Registering Voters
(thru the Rally) and … (3) signing any
petitions available at the time … (4) empowering (tools
& tool building 'kits') them thru Literature and Contact info. Thru that we … (5) sign up contacts
and generally gain support & We do this for the cause in general and to
get the most resources to best insure we … (6) fundrai$e. ('cheap,
good, on time' paradigm) (!) and, at the same time, build alliances and network to an overall
activist community. Strategy
issues: (1) Family Affair (2) Accentuate the positives, 'information stations' at all four
corners (3) communications, volunteer training (4) know our rights and options
- can squads of cops just stroll on thru with frothing dobermans and loiter
at leisure? (not that we object, heck give them the mike!) SOME HISTORY The GMM is an event that has
been going on for somewhere around 25+ years and has years of tradition of
which many are unaware. It started as the Yippie! organized "May Day 5th
Avenue Pot <continued on next page> |
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Pride
Parade" in New York City and in 1996 became known as the Million
Marijuana March. Even though the event still occurs on the first Saturday in
May, it has now established tradition of its own, spreading beyond NYC. The
emphasis of the following years events are turning from that street party
into a productive political venue that the NAACP and the ACLU would be proud
to co-sponsor. We folks in Salem are doing this successfully, we
believe. Let's honor our
counter-cultural elements, history, heroes and activists, but at the same
time be aware that we need to better coordinate our efforts for the maximum
politically-positive media spin and potential resulting benefits for our
on-going political efforts. Ours
are not the minds we need to be concerned with. Its success depends on our
ability, each and every one of us, to become a teacher. Spread
The Word! Wherever two or more of the
faith are gathered or likely to. Tell
your friends and families. Tell all the MMJ and MJ forums that you are on.
Post it on ANY web site that will allow you to. If
you can't make it to one of the cities listed, stand in front of your local
city hall, LEO, court house, parks and show your support for this. Register
Voters and Collect signatures in your home town as you educate locally on
this event and the issue. If there is a street fair, try to get a Booth that
will be up for that weekend. utilize the media to the maximum. Most small
town newpapers and even Time magazine do not cover this issue enough. Few are
expressing OUR ideals and success stories.
Fill the Letters to the EDITORS on all venues that this is happening
and your opinions and positive testaments on it. Be the BEST that we can to bring common sense to the public eye. Work to change the LIES that perpetuate the Drug War Propaganda. Change the TERRORISM the government inflicts on citizens and families because of a plant with the beneficial properties that MJ has had for a millennium or more.
Urge
everyone who participates not to publicly do anything to disrespect the
movement. Certainly no violence and any pot-smoking, especially by “kids”,
will be EXTREMELY detrimental and counter-productive. Bring out those who will sign petitions and vote and
those that are riding the top of the fences. The purpose is to encourage
individuals to come out and make a statement in the company of like minded
individuals. Share, learn and grow as we promote |
ending
cannabis prohibition - and freedom in general. Talk it up, be there and help make it happen! _____________________________________________________________ <continued from HELP TO ADD PTSD TO THE OMMP, page 1 > floor, if it
passes the committee. But there’s more.
So what we're asking everyone to do is: -1- first, Contact your Oregon State
Senator and (a) urge a YES vote on SB 794 plus, (b)
prep them for the Cannabis Law Reform bills expected to come from the House. SB794
will add Reciprocity and delete Requirement to designate a Grower/Grow Site
if you don't have one. For list of bills, talking points, and
all the details, Visit - mercycenters.org/legis/2013/
-2-
then, Contact your Oregon State Representative and get them to sign on as
co-sponsors to the PTSD bill (S.B.281), Visit our PTSD action center
Today!, And tell everybody you know about it. Then
tell everybody you don't know. Yet. At the same time, urge a YES vote for the
other Cannabis Law Reform Bills in the House - SB 40 -- Reduces
Penalty. Reduces possession to Class C felony. Reduces
unlawful manufacture of marijuana to Class B felony. Visit - SB82 -- Reduces
Penalty. Removes 6-months Drivers License Suspension for
less than an ounce. HB3460 -- Directs
Oregon Health Authority to establish registration system for medical
marijuana facilities for transferring usable marijuana from registry
identification cardholders, designated primary caregivers of registry
identification cardholders or marijuana grow sites to medical marijuana
facilities and from medical marijuana facilities to registry
identification cardholders or designated primary caregivers of registry
identification cardholders. HB3371 -- Relating
to the Control, Regulation and Taxation of Cannabis; Provides
for regulation of production, processing and sale of marijuana and
marijuana-infused products. Get back to us with names so
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<continued from previous page> enable them to sign on
as co-sponsors and otherwise co-ordiante with our “Lobbyist” resources. If you want to work in Salem and are
interested in helping please give us a call, we will network you with the "Things To Do"
work group(s). Or, If you have ideas also call us and we can discuss and direct you
to the appropriate people or group. Visit
- http://mercycenters.org/legis/2013/
- for more. _____________________________________________________________ <continued from DOES THE DRUG WAR PROTECT OUR KIDS?, page 1 > It suggests that laws are an effective strategy at limiting teenage use of drugs. As the late William R. Buckley, conservative pundit and host of Firing Line for 33 years said, "Because alcohol is regulated and marijuana is not, it is easier for most junior high students to get marijuana than alcohol." The U.S. has some of the harshest drug laws in the world and Holland some of the most liberal, yet 19% of U.S. high school age students use marijuana, while only 13% of Dutch high school age students use cannabis. There was a big lie that surfaced around 1913. This was the invention of so-called "soldiers disease." The allegation was that many Civil War veterans were addicted to morphine. The Civil War did not herald in large numbers of wounded veterans as opiate "addicts." This is just one more myth perpetuated by prohibition. Mandell and other drug policy historians have documented, there was little written contemporaneously in the post Civil War period regarding the soldiers disease." No it wasn't until 50 years after the Civil War in 1913 that we began to see articles written about this so-called phenomenon. It begs credibility that if this condition were a real and significant problem amongst Civil War veterans that almost nothing was written about this contemporaneously. Now it is true that opium was readily available in patent medicine nostrums like Lydia Pinkham's Vegetable Compound, for the treatment of women's unmentionable ills. This was a euphemism for PMS, menstrual cramps and menopause. Who was using this? Studies show that far and away the typical opium user was not a young adult, not a Chinese worker, but a white woman in her 30s or 40s. At the turn of the 19th to the 20th century we had a high rate of opiate habituation. 75% were middle-age women. There was little or no crime associated with this use as opiates were readily available in many patent medicines and use amongst teenagers was not one of the reasons given for the Harrison |
Narcotics
Tax Act. Reasons for Drug War · Avoiding the harm that may occur to some people who are
voluntarily using drugs · Protect our Kids Costs of Drug War · Eroding of Constitutional Protection · Tens of billions of dollars to enforce · Huge numbers incarcerated · Booming black market economy · Profitable criminal industry · Impure, unsafe drugs · Hobbling of doctors & medical treatment · Death · Government corruption · Reduction of citizen support for law enforcement · Targeting of children by criminal · Increased violence · Destruction of families & communities · Loss of billions in potential taxes And – of course – the Drug War
not only doesn't work, it's counterproductive. How many kids killed in raids on the wrong house –vs- kids who’ve
died from consuming cannabis? OK. But, who cares and what does
this have to do with today? Well, plenty if we're serious
about assessing the effectiveness of todays drug policies. A review of
adolescent drug use in countries with harsh drug laws vs. liberal drug laws
demonstrates that harsh laws don't discourage use nor do liberal laws promote
it. Portugal, Spain and Holland are cases in point. Making
Drugs Illegal, Threatens Our Freedom and Doesn't Work More and more Americans are beginning to question whether having a drug be illegal really protects our children. First, most high school kids f ind it easier to buy marijuana than alcohol. Why? Alcohol is regulated. A store owner doesn't want to lose his or her license. Sellers of illicit substances have no such license or concern. This gives them license to sell to whoever has the money for their product. Further, our children are very bright. They recognize that alcohol and tobacco are dangerous
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<continued from previous page> and legal and THC, according to numerous articles, and such authorities as the FDA and the Canadian Government is not as dangerous. The current drug laws, especially those affecting marijuana, foster disrespect for education, government and law. "While
it is not possible with existing data to determine conclusively that state
medical marijuana laws caused the documented declines in adolescent marijuana
use, the overwhelming downward trend strongly suggests that the effect of
state medical marijuana laws on teen marijuana use has been either neutral or
positive, discouraging youthful experimentation with the drug." Mitch
Earleywine, Ph.D. & Karen O'Keefe, Esq., ("Marijuana Use by Young
People: The Impact of State Medical Marijuana Laws," 9/05.) Robert J. Barrow, Harvard University economist, wrote of damage
caused by our drug policies in his paper 'Getting It Right: Markets and
Choices in a Free Society'. He says, "The experience with drug
enforcement shows that prohibitions of recreational drugs drive up prices,
stimulate illegal activity, have only a moderate negative effect on
consumption, and impose unacceptable costs in terms of high crime, expansion
of prison populations, and deterioration of relations with the foreign
countries that supply the outlawed products." Kurt Schmoke, citing former New York Governor Mario Cuomo, makes
the distinction between an idea that sounds good and a good idea. He takes
the liberal view that giving government the power to make drugs illegal
sounds like a good idea. Schmoke's position is that "The current war on
drugs is an idea that sounds good, but it is not a good idea that is sound.
After hundreds of billions of dollars spent trying to stop the supply and
demand of drugs, after the break-up of thousands of families because of the
arrest of a non-violent drug offender, after eight decades of failure, how
much longer will the war on drugs continue?" (Source: "The War on
Drugs is Lost," National Review Editorial, 2/12/96). We
are spending a ton of money and sending lots of Blacks and Hispanics to jail The enormous expenditure of funds to continue our proven
dysfunctional drug policy is only getting worse. As we get harsher and
harsher sentencing guidelines, such as 'three strikes, you're out,' "a
disproportionate number of young Black and Hispanic men are likely to be
imprisoned for life |
under scenarios in which they
are guilty of little more than a history of untreated addiction and several
prior drug-related offenses ... States will absorb the staggering cost of not
only constructing additional prisons to accommodate increasing numbers of
prisoners who will never be released but also warehousing them into old
age." (Source: Craig Haney, Ph.D., and Philip Zimbardo, Ph.D., "The
Past and Future of U.S. Prison Policy: Twenty-five Years After the Stanford
Prison Experiment," American Psychologist, Vol. 53, No. 7 [July 1998],
p. 718.) It is our judgment that the war on drugs has failed, that it is
diverting intelligent energy away from how to deal with the problem of
addiction, that it is wasting our resources, and that it is encouraging
civil, judicial, and penal procedures associated with police states. We all
agree on movement toward legalization, even though we may differ on just how
far. (The War on Drugs is Lost, National Review Editorial, Feb. 12, 1996) Source: April 2013 AAMC newsletter.; American Alliance for Medical Cannabis (AAMC). * Contact
them at 44500 Tide Ave · Arch Cape, OR 97102 or by
visiting - http://www.letfreedomgrow.com _____________________________________________________________ <continued from MASSACHUSETTS
ISSUES DRAFT REGULATIONS, page 1 > The law allows qualifying patients to
use and possess medical cannabis on the recommendation of their physician and
establishes Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs) for obtaining it.
Local governments would be barred from banning MMTCs in their community. DPH will license MMTCs to cultivate, process,
and sell medical cannabis. Qualified patients will be able to obtain up to 10
ounces in a 60-day period. A hardship provision allows patients to cultivate
their own medicine if they are unable to access a MMTC due to distance,
disability, or low income. The regulations include input gathered from medical cannabis patients and other stakeholders at “listening sessions” DPH held. ASA, working in coalition with the Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Alliance and the ACLU, has raised concerns with DPH regarding limits to patient access and barriers to doctor recommendations. The limits on patients include prohibiting them from obtaining cannabis from more than one MMTC and requiring patients under 18 to be certified by two physicians as having <continued on next page> |
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<continued from previous page> a debilitating,
terminal medical condition. The draft regulations also require physicians to
register with DPH and undergo training before being authorized to recommend
cannabis to their patients. ASA Board Member Dr. Karen Munkacy, an
anesthesiologist and delegate to the Massachusetts Medical Society, agreed
that educating doctors about medical marijuana would be helpful, but said,
"I have concerns about any regulation that would create additional
obstacles for physicians who want to incorporate this medicine into their
practice." DPH will
present the regulations to the department’s Public Health Council on April 10
and hold public hearings on April 19. The opportunity for written public
comment closes on April 20. Final draft regulations will be presented to the
PHC on May 8 and, if adopted, go into effect on May 24. By law, DPH has until
May 1 to enact regulations, but some state lawmakers have proposed an
extension. The proposed regulations call for the state to license at least 14
dispensaries the first year. Until then, qualified patients may cultivate a
limited amount of cannabis for their own use. The
proposed rule against banning MMTCs follows a decision by the state Attorney
General that such bans would be illegal. Four cities have sought to ban
MMTCs, and at least one is appealing the AG’s decision. More information: Mass. Dept. of Public Health Draft Regulations for Medical
Cannabis, here >> http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/legal/med-marijuana/med-marijuana-propose-reg.pdf
_____________________________________________________________ New Hampshire Medical Cannabis Bill Advances After two previous attempts were vetoed, the
Granite State appears to be on track to become the 19th to legalize medical
cannabis. Late
last month, the New Hampshire House voted 286-64 to approve a bill that would
permit qualifying patients to use medical cannabis when their doctors
recommended it. The state Senate is now considering the bill. Passage is
expected, as the Republican-controlled legislature approved similar
legislation in both 2009 and 2012. If enacted, the new law would establish
state-licensed dispensaries and allow qualified patients or their designated
caregivers to cultivate up to three plants. The two previous bills were
vetoed by then-Gov. John Lynch (D), who voiced concerns over |
potential for abuse. A spokesperson for New Hampshire’s
new governor, Maggie Hassan (D), has said the governor supports access to
medical cannabis under tight restrictions. _____________________________________________________________ Maryland Moves to Protect Caregivers, Add Distribution Caregivers in Maryland may soon share the
affirmative defense protection afforded qualified patients in the state. On April 1, the state House on a vote of
95-37 approved Senate Bill 580, which was passed unanimously in the Senate on
March 14. If signed by Gov. Martin O’Malley, caregivers in possession of an
ounce or less of cannabis could have charges dismissed if they can present
evidence they were assisting a qualified patient. Under Maryland law, neither patients nor
caregivers are protected from arrest, but patients charged with an ounce or
less of cannabis can present evidence of medical need to the court and get
charges dismissed. Patients charged with cultivation or possession of more
than one ounce can argue medical need and receive a reduced sentence. There is no mechanism for legally obtaining any
amount of medical cannabis in Maryland, but the Senate is now considering
House Bill 1101, which would establish the framework for a highly restricted
distribution system through academic medical centers. Whether any such
hospitals would participate remains to be seen. The two most prominent
candidates, Johns Hopkins Hospital and University of Maryland Hospital, have
each said they will not, according to the state’s Department of Legislative
Services. The DLS analysis of the bill also concludes that the program cannot
meet its requirement to be cost-neutral without setting prohibitively high
fees. The House of Delegates last month approved the HB
1101 over a competing bill, HB 302, that would have established a nonprofit
dispensary network and allowed patient cultivation. Gov. O’Malley is likely
to sign HB 1101 if passed by the Senate, as the state secretary of health and
mental hygiene withdrew opposition to the measure in March and said the
administration would support it. _____________________________________________________________ New York Considers Medical Cannabis Again New York state legislators are again considering
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program. The bipartisan
seed-to-sale bills, Bill 6357 in the Assembly and Bill 4406 in the Senate,
were introduced simultaneously late last month. If enacted, New York would
have a regulated system of cultivation and distribution to qualified
patients. The New York Assembly has passed similar bills in the past only to
see them blocked by lawmakers in the Senate. The bills’ supporters also face
opposition from Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), who has said in the past that he
believes the dangers of abuse outweigh therapeutic benefits. _____________________________________________________________ West Virginia Holds Hearing on Medical Cannabis A bill
that would establish a medical cannabis program in West Virginia got a
hearing before the state’s House Health and Human Resources Committee last
month. If enacted, House Bill 2961, "The
Compassionate Medical Marijuana Use Act of 2013," would allow qualifying
patients to possess up to six ounces of marijuana and cultivate up to 12
plants. The state would license eleven dispensaries—five by the end of the
first year and another six by the end of the second. Introduced by Del. Mike Manypenny (D-Taylor),
who offered a similar bill last year, the bipartisan measure has nine
cosponsors. A January poll by Public Policy Polling found a
majority of West Virginia voters support safe access by a 13-point margin,
with 53% in favor and 40% opposed. West Virginia has the nation’s highest
disability rate. _____________________________________________________________ Illinois Proposes 4-Year Pilot Program Several attempts in previous legislative
sessions came to naught, but proponents of a medical cannabis bill in Illinois
say a new bill is close to passage. House Bill 1 would create a four-year
pilot program for qualified patients through which they could obtain up to
2.5 ounces every 14 days. After four years, lawmakers could make the program
permanent or end it. |
Bill sponsor Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie), who touts
his bill as the most restrictive medical cannabis law ever written, says the
measure is just a few votes short of passage. HB 1 was approved by the House
Human Services Committee last month. Source: Monthly Activist Newsletter - Americans for Safe Access (ASA) - Monthly
Activist Newsletter - APRIL 2013 Volume 8,
Issue 4 * * 1322 Webster Street, Ste. 402 * Oakland, CA
94612 * info@AmericansForSafeAccess.org*
510-251-1856 * AmericansForSafeAccess.org _____________________________________________________________ Study: Low Doses Of THC Provide
Cardioprotection
Tel
Aviv, Israel: Low doses of THC are
cardioprotective in mice, according to preclinical data
to be published online in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology. Israeli scientists assessed in
impact of a single 'ultra-low' injection of THC in mice prior to ischemia
(the restriction of blood supply to tissues). Investigators reported that THC
"is a safe and effective treatment that reduces myocardial ischemic
(heart attack) damage." They concluded: "[O]ur study provides novel evidence for the
beneficial use of extremely low doses of THC, doses that do not elicit any
psychoactive side effects, in order to protect the heart from ischemic
insults. THC can be used as a pre-conditioning drug in cases in which
ischemic insult to the heart is anticipated, such as during cardiac surgery
or percutaneous coronary intervention. If post-conditioning with THC will be
found effective, it could also be used following myocardial infarction." For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy
Director, at: paul@norml.org.
Full text of the study, "An ultra-low dose of tetrahydrocannabinol
provides cardioprotection," appears in Biochemical Pharmacology. |
* The MERCY News
>
mercycenter@hotmail.com > (503)
363-4588 <
www.MercyCenters.org * |