RT’s Anastasia Churkina reports from the Manhattan courthouse where hacker and activist Jeremy Hammond was sentenced to a maximum time behind bars of 10 years for breaking into 5 million emails of private security firm Stratfor and leaking the information to Wikileaks. The emails Hammond got hold of revealed that the company was spying on human rights activists on behalf of corporations and the U.S. Government.
10) MARIJUANA USE HAS NO EFFECT ON MORTALITY: A massive study of California HMO members funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found marijuana use caused no significant increase in mortality. Tobacco use was associated with increased risk of death. Sidney, S et al. Marijuana Use and Mortality. American Journal of Public Health. Vol. 87 No. 4, April 1997. p. 585-590. Sept. 2002. . . . Complete List
Photo: Blackberry medical cannabis SOURCE: Wikimedia/Mjpression.jpg
TUESDAY, JAN 8, 2013 11:12 AM EST
Aaron Sandusky’s case shows what can happen when federal law opposes state marijuana legislation
A federal court Monday sentenced a California man to 10 years in prison for doing something that’s legal in his state. Aaron Sandusky was convicted in October on federal charges of distributing marijuana — he is one of four defendants in the United States who have faced federal prosecutors over medical marijuana dispensaries in states where medical marijuana is legal.
Sandusky, 42, ran three dispensaries in Southern California’s Inland Empire area. Medical marijuana dispensaries have been legal according to California state law since 1996.
According to reports, Sandusky told the courtroom Monday, “I want to apologize to those with me and their families who have been victimized by the federal government who has not recognized the voters of this state.” . . . Read Complete Report
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Are we on the verge of an American hemp renaissance?
Advocates for hemp legalization are gaining momentum, with Kentucky lawmakers making the biggest push
Kentucky was America’s leading hemp producer in the early 19th century. Now, 200 years later, after a historic election for drug policy has led to a shift for marijuana policy reform in America, Kentucky lawmakers are taking steps to revive the crop.
While advocates for hemp legalization say the plant could bring a wealth of green jobs to Kentucky, deep-rooted drug stigma and conflict with federal law have made passing the legislation unlikely. Nonetheless, two state bills are in the works, while a federal proposal aims to clear the way for state legalization. Lawmakers suggest the bills could at least open up the conversation about hemp, and clear up misconceptions about its use. . . . Read Complete Report