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It's
been a busy session for medical marijuana. We now have 20 States and the
District of Columbia with medical marijuana laws. New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan signed the
bill on July 23rd which will allow patients with serious illnesses to obtain
marijuana from four nonprofit, state-licensed alternative treatment centers.
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed their medical marijuana law on August 1st
allowing patients with one of 30 specific medical illnesses such as cancer,
AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, Crohn's disease and multiple sclerosis, to obtain
approval from a physician to use medical cannabis. Qualifying patients may
possess 2.5 ounces obtained from one of 60 "registered dispensing organizations"
that will be supplied by 22 "licensed cultivation centers." New
Jersey Governor Chris Christie was confronted by the parents of a young child
who needs medical marijuana to treat her epileptic seizures. New Jersey now
allows children to use marijuana and the strain of cannabis this young girl
needs has been added to their legal strain list. <continued on page 3 > |
ASA Appeals Rescheduling Denial to US Supreme Court Argues 200+ scientific studies
adequately show medical efficacy of cannabis Americans for Safe
Access (ASA) is
appealing the federal government’s refusal to acknowledge the medical use of
cannabis to the US Supreme Court. Last month, ASA filed a petition for writ
of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court asking the court to review the
January Circuit Court decision in ASA v. Drug Enforcement Administration that <continued
on page 5 > ___________________________________________ DEA Spends Millions on Raids in Washington More than a dozen medical cannabis providers in Washington State
were simultaneously raided on July 24, at a cost to taxpayers of as much as
$12 million. The federal government does not disclose the cost of individual
operations, but ASA has estimated the expenditures based on the overall
budgets for federal agencies and what is known of the average cost of
investigations, raids and prosecutions. <continued
on page 6 > |
15 Years Later, Access in Washington, D.C. The first legal medical cannabis sales began at the end of last
month in the District of Columbia, 15 years after the voters overwhelmingly
approved a ballot referendum. The
District’s first licensed dispensary, Capital City Care, opened for business
July 29 on North Capitol Street. <continued
on page 6 > _______________________________ New Hampshire is 19th Medical Cannabis State New Hampshire joined the ranks of medical cannabis states in
July when Governor Maggie Hassan signed HB 573 into law. The new law creates
a registry identification card system, provides an affirmative defense for
cardholders and authorizes up to four non-profit distribution centers in the
state from which cardholders will be able to obtain up to two ounces in a
ten-day period. Registry ID cards are expected to be available within a year.
The bill <continued
on page 7 > |
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* Volume 10, Issue 9 * September * 2013
* 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 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! |
2 mercycenter@hotmail.com * |
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<continued from DESPITE PROHIBITIONISTS MEDICAL
MARIJUANA ADVANCES, page 1
> Dr.
Sanjay Gupta got a lot of attention for his apology that he was wrong about
marijuana. During his research for a CNN program called "Weed", he
found that marijuana really is medicine. He had assumed that the law was
based on scientific evidence, but he found that many patients use marijuana
to successfully treat their symptoms. The
AAMC New Mexico director, Bryan Krumm, has filed suit in US District court
demanding removal of cannabis from schedule I of the Controlled Substances
Act. Please spread the word. For immediate release. I am Reverend Bryan Krumm, CNP. I am a Psychiatric
Nurse Practitioner and I have filed a suit in the US District Court for New
Mexico demanding removal of cannabis from schedule I of the Controlled
Substances Act. 1:13-cv-00562-RB-LFG. The suit alleges the failure and the
futility of the CSA's Administrative Process for scheduling, which is the
responsibility of the Attorney General to enforce and which has been
delegated to the DEA. These rules were enacted to ensure the safety of the
American People. Tragically, this legal process has been repeatedly
violated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, which colludes with the
Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health and
National Institute on Drug Abuse in order to maintain the prohibition of
Cannabis. Meanwhile, the Attorney General has ignored his responsibility to
ensure the DEA acts fairly and legally. I have had a rescheduling petition
filed with the DEA for over 3 years and the DEA has failed to respond to my
argument, that because Cannabis now has "accepted medical use in the
United States" by 20 States and the District of Columbia it is illegal
to keep Cannabis in Schedule I. This failure of the administrative process
has left me with no other choice than to seek extraordinary relief from the
Courts. In
1988, the DEA refused to remove Cannabis from schedule I of the CSA, in
opposition to the recommendation of their own Administrative Law Judge. They
cited a lack of "accepted medical use" as their rationale, in spite
of overwhelming evidence of the safety and efficacy of Cannabis. There were no State Medical
Cannabis Programs at that time. Cannabis now has "accepted medical
use" in 20 States and the District of Columbia. The DEA simply looks the
other way and continues to insist that"there is no accepted medical use
in the United |
States". The DEA is violating the law by
maintaining Schedule I placement of Cannabis in the CSA and in doing so, they
have caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Americans. The Defendants demand that more and better
research be done while they actively block FDA approved research protocols
looking for potential benefits of Cannabis. They claim that the thousands of
studies in peer reviewed medical and scientific journals don't meet their
level of scrutiny, while they engage in pseudoscience that is often never
subjected to peer review. They simply ignore the large number of studies that
have been conducted with smoked Cannabis in both the US and abroad, unless it
is a study designed to find harm. However, the issue at hand is not even about the
research. It is about "accepted medical use". The quality of the
research is clearly adequate for 20 States and the District of Columbia to
have accepted the medical use of Cannabis. Therefore Cannabis does not meet
the definition of a Schedule I drug which clearly states it can have
"no" accepted medical use in the United States. Cannabis cannot
legally remain in schedule I of the CSA if it has accepted medical use. Cannabinoids, substances found in cannabis,
activate specific receptors in the body called cannabinoid receptors. These
receptors are involved in maintaining homeostasis and regulate many
biological systems. Because of this, Cannabis has a broad range of
therapeutic value. Because Cannabinoids have little effect on basic life support
function, it is virtually impossible to overdose on Cannabis. There has never
been a documented overdose death attributable solely to Cannabis. While mild
changes in respiratory function can occur from smoking cannabis, we do not
see the serious respiratory problems associated with tobacco use. Long term
heavy use of cannabis has not been found to have a significant negative
impact on overall health, and has been shown to provide significant relief
from a great number of ailments. In my clinical practice,
Cannabis has proven to be the only medication consistently effective in
treating PTSD. In the United States, 22 veterans suicide every day because
there are no legal treatments which are consistently
effective in treating PTSD. We have lost more active duty troops to suicide
than to enemy fire in Iraq and Afganistan. Certainly the brave men and women
who serve our country deserve better than to be denied a safe and effective
treatment by appointed bureaucrats who are not held accountable to the
American People. <continued on next page> |
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<continued from previous page> Cannabis also has unique therapeutic value for treating cancer. In cancer, cannabinoids have been shown to induce apoptosis, the normal process of cell death which stops in cancer cells and leads to the development of tumors. Simply stated, cannabis may kill tumors while leaving health cells alone. Cannabis may also inhibit angiogenesis, the process by which tumors take over blood vessels to feed themselves, so cannabinoids starve the tumor. Finally, cannabinoids inhibit metastasis, the spread of the tumor to other areas of the body. Cannabis is far safer than any chemotherapeutic agent but Defendants refuse to allow human studies to be conducted so we can find out if cannabis might help save some of the over half a million Americans projected to die of cancer this year. Alzheimer's is another disease for which we have
no adequate treatments. Cannabis helps to prevent the deposition of amyloid
plaques in Alzheimer's. It also shuts down the inflammatory processes which
lead to neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's. In my clinical practice, Cannabis has also
proven to be effective in treating depression, anxiety, insomnia, nightmares,
irritability, anger, psychosis, mood swings, pain, spasticity, cachexia, and
even the core behavioral problems associated with profound Autism. It does so
with superior safety and oftentimes greater efficacy than available
pharmaceuticals. It is unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for the DEA to
stand between these sufferers and the medication they need to alleviate their
symptoms. As a Vet, I took an oath to defend the
Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. By causing the
death of hundreds of thousands of American Citizens, these agencies have
proven that they have no respect for the Constitution or the Freedoms the
Constitution is designed to protect. That is why I have brought this suit, to
demand that these appointed bureaucrats are made to follow the law. About the Author: Bryan Krumm is director of the New Mexico
chapter of American Alliance for Medical Cannabis (AAMC) * General Use Of Cannabis For PTSD Symptoms – by Raphael Mechoulam, Ph.D. Dr. Mechoulam is the Israeli scientist who
identified THC as the psychoactive compound in marijuana, and decades later
he discovered the brain's endocannabinoid system and the endogenous neurotransmitter
anandamide. He is one of the |
most respected Israeli neuroscientists and has
been a senior advisor to the Israeli government on marijuana policy and the
ethics of research with human subjects. He discussed his experiments
demonstrating the neuroprotective effects of the endocannabinoid system in
mice that have had traumatic injuries to the brain. He believes the
neuroprotective effects of marijuana may eventually have applications for
other neurological and psychiatric conditions, including Alzheimer's and
Parkinson's disease. Another fascinating discovery, one with
implications for PTSD, is that the cannabinoid system is integrally related
to memory, specifically to memory extinction. Memory extinction is the
normal, healthy process of removing associations from stimuli. Dr. Mechoulam
explained that an animal which has been administered an electric shock after
a certain noise will eventually forget about the shock after the noise
appears alone for a few days. Mice without cannabinoid systems simply never
forget - they continue to cringe at the noise indefinitely. This has implications for patients with PTSD,
who respond to stimuli that remind them of their initial trauma even when it
is no longer appropriate. By aiding in memory extinction, marijuana could
help patients reduce their association between stimuli (perhaps loud noises
or stress) and the traumatic situations in their past. Working with Army
psychiatrists, Dr. Mechoulam has obtained the necessary approvals for a study
on PTSD in Israeli veterans, and hopes to begin the study soon. The Alternative Medical Journal: General use of
cannabis for PTSD Symptoms. Despite the anecdotal evidence to the contrary,
most of the experimental studies that have been conducted so far indicate
that by and large the administration of exogenous cannabinoids such as
vaporizing therapeutic cannabis may not be the most reliable nor effective
means of utilizing the eCB system to treat anxiety and aversive memories such
as those formed in PTSD. For reliable and truly effective treatment of these
conditions it appears that restricting eCB breakdown by way of FAAH
inhibition is the best target discovered so far within the eCB system. (The
other eCB targets include the two primary receptors CB1/CB2, vanilloid receptors,
eCB reuptake, as well as eCB production.) To this end, Kadmus
Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has started to express serious interest in marketing a
new FAAH inhibitor they have developed, currently code- <continued on next page> |
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named
KDS-4103. KDS-4103 appears to have a lot of potential from a pharmacological
perspective. Even though it produces analgesic, anxiolitic,
and anti-depressant effects it otherwise does not produce a classic
cannabis-like effect profile and animals easily discriminate between THC and
KDS-4103. All this indicates that KDS-4103 does not produce a
"high" like THC and other direct CB1 agonists. KDS-4103 is orally
active in mammals and fails to elicit a systemic toxicity even at repeated
dosages of 1,500mg/kg body mass. All other available evidence to date also suggests
a very high therapeutic margin for KDS-4103. All in all, considering that the
kinds of events which usually precipitate PTSD in most individuals often also
involve pain, KDS-4103 seems like it may be just about the perfect
medication. So what should all this mean to the individual?
Anecdotal evidence says by and large the use of therapeutic cannabis provides
a significant improvement in quality of life both for those suffering from
this malady and for their family and friends. Whether or not this is taking
the fullest advantage possible of the eCB system in the treatment of PTSD is
yet to be seen. Mostly the use of cannabis and THC to treat PTSD in humans
appears to provide symptomological relief at best. In and of itself, there is
nothing wrong with symptomological relief. That's what taking aspirin for a
headache, a diuretic for high blood pressure, opiates to control severe pain,
or olanzapine for rapid-cycling mania is all about. We do have the potential,
however, to do better than just treating symptoms of PTSD via activation of
the cannabinoid receptors. With the right combination of
extinction/habituation therapy and the judicious administration of a FAAH
inhibitor like KDS-4103 we have the potential to actually cure many cases of
PTSD. For the time being though, symptomological treatments are all we have
for more generalized anxiety and depression disorders. If an individual were to want to get the most
out of using therapeutic cannabis to improve a PTSD condition they should try
to use low to moderate doses with as stable a blood level as possible for
general anxiety and depression symptoms. Oral cannabis produces more stable
blood levels. Since peak levels will produce the most soporific effect,
administration of oral cannabis right before bed should produce the most
benefits for improving sleep patterns. If the goal is to use cannabis to facilitate
extinction of the response to PTSD triggers than small to moderate doses of
cannabis vapors |
should be administered shortly before planned exposure
to the trigger. A series of regular extinction sessions will produce better
results than a single session. If cannabis appears to make aversion, fear, or
aversive memories worse then the dosage should be lowered. If feelings of
fear do not improve with lower dose then discontinue use of cannabis as
fear-extinction aide. In light of all evidence currently available, it
is striking that the FDA refuses to investigate cannabinoids for the
treatment of anxiety disorders like PTSD yet they have approved studies of
MDMA, the club drug Ecstasy, for the treatment of PTSD (Doblin, 2002). Even
if you do not accept cannabis as the answer itself, it should be hard to
accept that by and large we still have not found effective and reliable ways
to utilize the eCB system in modern western medicine. After all, the most
potent (meaning it takes the least amount to produce a threshold effect)
substance know to humans is not LSD as many still assume but is instead a
derivative of fentanyl, know as Carfentanil. The threshold dosages for LSD
and Carfentanil are 20-30µg (micrograms) and 1µg, respectively (Wikipedia, 2
& 3). This makes Carfentanil 10,000 times more potent than morphine, 100
times more potent than fentanyl, and 20-30 times more potent than LSD. At least up until 2005 and unlike LSD,
Carfentanil was(is?) regulated as a Schedule II substance in the US (Erowid).
For those that do not know, this means that despite perceived extreme dangers
from use or abuse of this drug it is still assumed to have medical value.
With the lives and well being of so many veterans AND private citizens at
stake, those in the scientific community and police makers alike cannot
afford to miss the wake up call. Even a child should be able to see the
hypocrisy evident in the relative policies concerning cannabinoids and
opiates. It is time to fix this appalling imbalance in our policies
concerning the pharmacopia or else be the laughing stock of future
generations. For more information,
see Story Source = General
use of cannabis for PTSD Symptoms, by Raphael Mechoulam, Ph.D. * News SOURCE = American Alliance for Medical Cannabis (AAMC). AUGUST 2013 Newsletter
* Contact them at 44500 Tide Ave · Arch Cape, OR 97102 or by visiting - http://www.letfreedomgrow.com _____________________________________________________________ <continued from ASA APPEALS RESCHEDULING DENIAL TO US SUPREME COURT,
page 1 > upheld the DEA’s denial of a rescheduling
petition filed by the Coalition for Rescheduling Cannabis, of which ASA is a
member. That decision maintains cannabis’s federal <continued on next page> |
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<continued from previous page>
classification as a Schedule I substance,
defined as a highly dangerous drug with no medical value. ASA is challenging
the standard set by the District of Columbia Circuit as unreasonable,
unprecedented and at odds with other appellate decisions on what constitutes
proof of medical efficacy. "To deny that
sufficient evidence is lacking on the medical efficacy of marijuana is to
ignore a mountain of well-documented studies that conclude otherwise,"
said ASA Chief Counsel Joe Elford, who argued the appeal before the D.C.
Circuit last October. "The Court has unreasonably raised the bar for
what qualifies as an 'adequate and well-controlled' study, continuing the government's
game of 'Gotcha.'" The D.C. Circuit
granted ASA the right to sue the federal government over the classification
of cannabis but denied the appeal by setting a new standard for establishing
medical efficacy. Although ASA cited more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific
studies in its appeal, the D.C. Circuit held that plaintiffs must produce
evidence from large-scale Phase II and Phase III clinical trials -- usually
reserved for companies trying to bring a new drug to market -- in order to
show marijuana's medical efficacy. This new standard set by the D.C. Circuit conflicts with the one
established by the First Circuit in Grinspoon v. DEA, 828 F.2d 881 (1st Cir.
1987), which held the DEA cannot treat a lack of FDA marketing approval as
conclusive evidence that a substance has no "currently accepted medical
use in treatment in the United States." The Grinspoon decision noted
that for drugs such as cannabis "there is no economic or other incentive
to seek interstate marketing approval...because [they] cannot be patented and
exploited commercially." The D.C. Circuit's stringent standard for establishing medical
efficacy, requiring expensive double-blind human trials with thousands of
patients, creates a substantial barrier to future petitions to reclassify
cannabis for medical use, such as those filed in 2011 by the governors of the
medical cannabis states Colorado, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. The petition under appeal was filed in 2002 and denied by the
DEA in July 2011. ASA’s appeal was the first time in nearly 20 years a
federal court has reviewed whether adequate scientific evidence exists to
reclassify cannabis. Before the January ruling, the D.C. Circuit had never
granted plaintiffs the right to sue when seeking reclassification of
cannabis. More information: ASA petition for writ of certiorari - http://americansforsafeaccess.org/downloads/Cert_Petition_ASA_v_DEA.pdf
|
D.C. Circuit decision - http://americansforsafeaccess.org/downloads/DC_Circuit_Ruling_ASA_v_DEA.pdf
2002 CRC rescheduling petition - http://americansforsafeaccess.org/downloads/DC_Circuit_Ruling_ASA_v_DEA.pdf SOURCE = Americans for Safe Access (ASA) - Monthly
Activist Newsletter -
AUGUST 2013; Volume 8,
Issue 8 * 1806 Vernon Street NW,
Washington, D.C. 20009 * Phone: (202) 857-4272 *
Tollfree: (888) 929-4367 * info@AmericansForSafeAccess.org * or
visit - AmericansForSafeAccess.org _____________________________________________________________ <continued from DEA SPENDS MILLIONS ON RAIDS IN WASHINGTON,
page 1 > This is not the first time the first time the feds have launched
a coordinated offensive against Washington state patients and providers. In
2011, 14 Seattle-area dispensaries were raided in similar fashion. Earlier
that year, the US Attorney for Washington had issued a threat letter to the
Governor Christine Gregoire, after which she vetoed the dispensary portions
of a bill that had passed both the Washington House and Senate. The federal show of force, one of the biggest one-day operations
during the Obama Administration, produced stories in major news outlets,
including a report on NBC that one DEA agent added insult to injury by
telling a raided provider, “Things are going to be hell for you.” ASA calculates the raids themselves cost just over $300,000, but
the lengthy investigations that typically lead up to such raids likely cost
taxpayers a staggering $12 million. In 2012 alone, the DEA used 4% of its
budget targeting medical cannabis patients and providers in states where it is
legal. More
information: ASA’s What’s
the Cost? report - http://americansforsafeaccess.org/downloads/WhatsTheCost.pdf
_____________________________________________________________ <continued from 15 YEARS LATER, ACCESS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
page 1 > According to a press release from the dispensary, the first
medicine distributed went to a patient suffering from HIV. Seven patients are
currently registered with the dispensary, and officials report only nine are
so far registered with the District’s medical cannabis program. Three dispensaries and six cultivation
centers have been licensed so far by the District. Patients who reside in the
District can qualify to register with the <continued on next page> |
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program with
a physician’s recommendation to treat HIV/AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, or severe
muscle spasms. Voters in the District
approved the medical use of cannabis on a 1998 ballot measure that passed
with 69 percent support. The referendum was blocked by an act of Congress,
which has power over all laws in the District. That ban was lifted by
Congress in late 2009, but the rule-making process in the District took
several years, and the process for getting cultivation and distribution
licenses is lengthy. More
information: District of
Columbia medical cannabis program website - http://doh.dc.gov/service/medical-marijuana-program
SOURCE = Americans for Safe Access (ASA) - Monthly
Activist Newsletter -
AUGUST 2013; Volume 8,
Issue 8 * 1806 Vernon Street NW,
Washington, D.C. 20009 * Phone: (202) 857-4272 *
Tollfree: (888) 929-4367 * info@AmericansForSafeAccess.org * or
visit - AmericansForSafeAccess.org _____________________________________________________________ <continued from NEW HAMPSHIRE IS 19TH MEDICAL CANNABIS STATE.,
page 1 > also establishes an advisory council on the therapeutic use of cannabis. New Hampshire residents can register for the program with a
doctor’s recommendation for the treatment of a qualifying condition. That
includes cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, hepatitis C, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s
Disease), muscular dystrophy, Crohn’s disease, Alzheimer’s, multiple
sclerosis, chronic pancreatitis, spinal cord injury or disease, and traumatic
brain injury. Patients may also qualify if they have an injury that
significantly interferes with daily activities or a severely debilitating or
terminal medical condition. PTSD had been listed as a qualifying condition but was cut
because of objections from Gov. Hassan. A veto threat from the governor also
compelled the conference committee to eliminate personal cultivation, despite
testimony from Rep. Ted Wright (Moultonborough-R) that he hoped to be able to
grow plants at home for his wife who is battling cancer because medical bills
would make it tough to afford purchasing cannabis from a dispensary, once
they’re open. Laws that only allow patients to obtain cannabis from a licensed
dispensary have forced patients to go without safe and legal access for
years. It took more than two years for New Jersey to license a single
dispensary in the state, and patients in Connecticut and Delaware must still
get their medicine from the illicit market. |
New Hampshire was the last New England state to pass a medical
marijuana law. More
information: Text of New
Hampshire HB 573 - http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2013/HB0573.html
_____________________________________________________________ Insurance
Options for Cannabis Community Now Available In the past, legal Medical Cannabis Patients, CareGivers
and Growers could not get basic insurance to cover themselves and their
medicine against accident and theft.
Mainstream insurance companies have refused to do so citing Federal
law and other excuses when bothering to explain at all. But now there are resources coming online as the issue
progresses anyway, in spite of the efforts of Prohibitionists to criminalize
such efforts. Adventuresome and / or visionary companies like Lloyds
of London are offering policies not only for basic Loss and Causualty but
also insurance against Raids for those in complianxce. In addition, policies can be written for Activists and
groups for Events as well as Organizations.
Co-ops, Clubs and, eventually, Dispensaries can soon expect coverage
to be made available. In Oregon, interested parties should
contact Agent 420. Agent 420 is committed to serving the Cannabis Community
at all levels - whether Citizens, Business-people or Activists. Soon to be Your One-Stop-Shop for Cannabis
Coverage; All kinds of options for Patient, CareGiver, Grower, Cooperative,
Caregiver, Collective & even “Dispensary”, when possible. Current
and Upcoming Insurance Plans and Policies Event
Insurance | Risk
and Profitability; Agent 420 understands the unique challenges promoters of
music festivals and large-scale cultural events face. For events to be
profitable, costs must be kept down, including the cost of shifting inherent
risk. Center
Insurance | Resource
Centers, even though they do not Dispense, still have issues getting basic
coverage. Agent 420 is here for you. Professional
Liability | Protects
the insured against claims made by clients for potential negligence or
failing to adequately perform contracted professional services <continued on next page> |
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<continued
from Insurance Options for Cannabis Community Now Available, previous
page> Important
NOTEs:
Current
and Upcoming Insurance Plans and Policies Growers
and Cultivators | Medical marijuana crop insurance coverage for
small, medium and enterprise-level cultivation operations, including
greenhouses and nurseries, Caregivers
and Dispensaries | Agent 420 Insurance offers a range of insurance
options for Patients, Caregivers, Growers and legal Coops & Collectives
in Oregon. Agent 420 will soon have offerings for Dispensaries, Collectives,
Cooperatives; Manufacturers
and Vendors | Cannabis product developers and commercial kitchens face
challenges unique to the cannabis industry. From product liability to stock
coverages, Agent 420 Insurance understands the intricacies and details of
running and insuring a cannabis business. Commercial
Auto and Delivery | The transport and delivery of medical marijuana
stock and related products poses challenges unique to the Cannabis Industry.
Don't risk your inventory with inadequate auto coverage. Agent 420 Insurance
has designed commercial auto coverages specifically for medical cannabis
businesses. State
Raid and Legal Defense | Legal Defense Costs Reimbursement applies to
arrest or charges brought against the insured by a Governmental Authority
arising from the possession, transportation, cultivation or distribution of
medical marijuana or marijuana derivatives and for which the insured pleads
not guilty and believes they have a legal right to do so under state and
local guidelines Property
and General Liability | Agent 420 Insurance provides comprehensive
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ASA Partners with TheAnswerPage.com ASA launched a new educational tool
called "Wake & Learn" on TheAnswerPage.com,
an informational website for healthcare professionals and others that is
sponsored and accredited by the Massachusetts Medical Society. The new
resource aimed at providing the facts about medical cannabis features a daily
Q&A at 10am via Facebook and Twitter, as well as a weekly interactive
crossword puzzle featured every Saturday on the ASA blog, Voices from the
Frontlines. Founded in 1998,
TheAnswerPage recently began offering Continuing Medical Education (CME)
courses on medical cannabis. While the information on TheAnswerPage is aimed
at healthcare professionals, the daily Q&A on medical marijuana is
written for the lay person. "Doctors and
healthcare professionals must understand the medical, legal, social and
political issues to best respond to their patients' questions and attend to
their needs," said TheAnswerPage Editor-in-Chief Stephen B. Corn, MD, a
renowned researcher and faculty member at Harvard Medical School. TheAnswerPage now
provides information on the five most studied cannabinoids as well as
explanations of the endocannabinoid system, state and federal marijuana laws,
and the FDA drug-approval process as it applies to canabis. More
information: New daily
ASA Wake & Learn program - http://www.americansforsafeaccess.org/WakeandLearn
TheAnswerPage
medical marijuana daily Q&A - http://www.theanswerpage.com/qod.php?specialty_id=8
TheAnswerPage
press release on medical marijuana CME - http://finance.yahoo.com/news/medical-marijuana-education-doctors-focus-133500693.html
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