Tag Archive for medical marijuana

TEDxRainier Presentations : beyond the marijuana monster myths

Stoners coming out – beyond the marijuana monster myths | David Schmader | TEDxRainier

Published on Feb 1, 2016

In this funny, informative talk, David Schmader makes the case for thinking more broadly about what a marijuana user is and can be. David Schmader is a multi-talented writer, playwright, newspaper columnist, and performance artist. With wit and intelligence he blends personal experience and biting humor to provide insight on difficult cultural issues. He creates autobiographical solo plays that include, Letter to AXL, (homophobia and the unifying power of anger), Straight (“pray away the gay” conversation therapy), and A Short-Term Solution to a Long-Term Problem (angst, escapism, and forgiveness). His shows have toured the country, with productions at New York City’s Dixon Place, Los Angeles’s Highways Performance Space, Seattle’s Bumbershoot Arts Festival, and the Wexner Center of the Arts in Columbus, Ohio. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

Drug Smuggler Speaks Out About Incarceration and Marijuana | Richard Stratton | TEDxFultonStreet

Published on Nov 12, 2015

Richard Stratton’s education helped him to vacate a coercively harsh sentence, and now he speaks out to help others who are behind bars unjustly. The irony is not lost on Stratton, that recent cannabis legislation has legalized many of the activities for which people are still locked up. He offers a unique glimpse into the mind of an underworld leader, an award-winning writer and filmmaker, and a human rights advocate. Richard Stratton is a former international cannabis smuggler, CEO of a multi-million dollar operation. Arrested in 1982, he was convicted under the “Kingpin Statute” and sentenced to 25 years in federal prison.

Making peace with cannabis | Zachary Walsh | TEDxPenticton

Published on Sep 2, 2014

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Talk explores human beings’ dynamic relationship with the cannabis plant and what recent developments might mean for our health and well-being.

Continue on Page 2

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Florida: Top Lawyer & #1 Supporter of Medical Marijuana filed a lawsuit to overturn the state’s ban on smoking medical marijuana

John Morgan and his firm are one of the best known “Peoples Law firms” in the state and has become a local hero in his support of making medical marijuana available to Florida Residents.  Most of the money spent in the legalization movement has come from him personally.

Due in large part to Mr. Morgan’s involvement in our last election 71% of Florida’s voters voted “yes” on legalizing medical marijuana and it became added to our state constitution.

However as has been happening all over our country Florida Legislatures have forgotten that they are in Tallahassee to perform the will of the people and are trying every way they can think of to stop this State Constitutional Amendment.  Mr. Morgan is our champion in the fight to stop this movement. . . . Your Editor Dennis Crenshaw

A Letter from John Morgan ESQ. to your editor Dennis Crenshaw Dated 7/6/17

Dennis,

Today, I am filing a lawsuit to overturn the state’s ban on smoking medical marijuana, which everyone knows is in direct contradiction to the constitutional amendment we passed.

The ban is unconstitutional, and as promised, we are going to take it to the courts and win.

Getting anything passed through the legislature, as you know, was an accomplishment. Tallahassee politicians often forget who the they are working for.

know who I am working for: The patients and all of you who have fought with us for years to make sure those patients have access to the medicine they need.

Now, thanks to our collective efforts, most patients will get that access via certain types of marijuana. But it’s not enough and not everything the voters passed.

So we start the new fight today in the courts. And we will continue to fight anywhere and any place where the will of the voters is attempting to be side-railed or ignored.

We are unified in this fight and we will bring our cause to a complete and unasterisked victory soon.

Please help us fund this fight and bring even more forces to bear against those that would stand against patients by donating here.

Believe,

John Morgan

Paid for by Florida for Care, 801 Arthur Godfrey Rd. 402A, Miami Beach, FL 33140

Full press conference: John Morgan discusses medical marijuana lawsuit

Published on Jul 6, 2017

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Around the Country

Week in Weed: July 6, 2017 | The Cannabist Show

Published on Jul 6, 2017

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From The Cannabist Show’s news desk in the Denver Post newsroom, hosts Jake Browne and Janae Burris break down the top stories in marijuana from around the world. The serious and the silly, a little of everything is addressed. Cannabist national policy & business reporter Alicia Wallace tops off the week with her Quick Hit, a look into her deep dive this week. This week: Sin City adds a new sin as Nevada rolls out adult-use marijuana, Denver’s first-of-its-kind voter-approved social use initiative has it’s final rules, tips for getting stoned from Reno to Las Vegas, Toker Poker Jokesters and more

Dig a Little DEEPER: Border Wars, Drug Wars & Pot Prohibition

Who is behind the anti-legalization of Marijuana Movement? Follow The Money

 

 

 

 

Judge Jim Gray on The Six Groups Who Benefit From Drug Prohibition

YouTube ~ ReasonTV

Uploaded on Mar 8, 2010

In 1992, Jim Gray, a conservative judge in conservative Orange County, California, held a press conference during which he recommended that we rethink our drug laws. Back then, it took a great deal of courage to suggest that the war on drugs was a failed policy.

Today, more and more Americans are coming to the realization that prohibition’s costs—whether measured in lives and liberties lost or dollars wasted—far exceed any possible or claimed benefit

 

 

Americas Now— Private Prisons in the U.S. Make Big Profits 04/04/2016

YouTube ~ CCTV English

Big Alcohol is bankrolling anti-pot efforts

YouTube ~ TYT Nation

Published on Sep 15, 2016

Become a patron: http://www.patreon.com/TYTNation

“THE FIGHT AGAINST legalized pot is being heavily bankrolled by alcohol and pharmaceutical companies, terrified that they might lose market share.

On the heels of a filing last week that revealed that a synthetic cannabis company is financing the opposition to legal marijuana in Arizona comes a new disclosure this week that a beer industry group made one of the largest donations to an organization set up to defeat legalization in Massachusetts.

The Beer Distributors PAC, an affiliate that represents 16 beer-distribution companies in Massachusetts, gave $25,000 to the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts, tying it for third place among the largest contributors to the anti-pot organization.”

Read more

UpdateGovernor Jim Justice signing the medical marijuana bill into law.

Governor Jim Justice signing the medical marijuana bill into law.

YouTube ~ Resposible WV

Published on Apr 27, 2017

Governor Jim Justice signing the medical marijuana bill into law.

Dig a Little DEEPER: Medical Marijuana

Toke of the Town: Mary Jane UPDATES 12/2/13

Featured Image: Pot-leaf.SOURCE umsl.edu (Public Domain)

From Toke of the Town

U.S. Government study shows rats pass “cannabis effects” to offspring

By William Breathes in NewsSay what? Monday, December 2, 2013 at 11:20 am

Rat CREDIT AlexK100 SOURCE Flickr.com Some Rights held by Alexk100

Take it with a grain of sale (we do), but researchers at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine funded by the National Institutes of Health, say that the offspring of rats exposed to cannabis were less motivated than offspring of non-THC dosed rats. Their proof? . . . Read Complete Report

 

Image Credit: Flickr.com/AlexK100

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Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer wants to puff MMJ while in uniform

Mountie_in_Banff,_Alberta CREDIT HordeFTL at English Wikipedia SOURCE Wikipedia Public Domain

Image: Mountie in Banff, Alberta. CREDIT: HordeFTL at English Wikipedia SOURCE: Wikipedia Commons (Public Domain) FOR ILLUSTRATION ONLY – The Mountie in the photo is NOT the Mountie in the article below.

A medical marijuana using Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer has kicked off a media storm in Canada this week after publicly admitted his cannabis use while on the job, notably while in the iconic red uniforms Mounties are known for wearing.

This caused outrage from the RCMP, but not so much about Cpl. Ronald Francis using ganja itselfHe can do that and even while on the job, they say. But the Yukon will thaw before he’s allowed to light up while wearing his Red Serge. . . . Read Complete Report

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Denver Westword Blogs

Are pot-smokers being turned away at the U.S. border?

By William Breathes in News Monday, December 2, 2013 at 8:20 am

Border St-Stephen_NB CREDIT P199 SOURCE Wikipedia Commons (Public DomainImage: Canada-US Border looking from the U.S side looking toward St. Stephen Canada. The St. Croix River marks a section of the international boundary between the United State s and Canada, forming a natural border between the towns on either side of the river bank. Calais is connected to St. Stephen by the Ferry Point International Bridge and the Milltown International Bridge. CREDIT: P199 SOURCE: Wikipedia Commons (This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.)

Marijuana use for adults 21 and over is legal in Colorado and Washington, but any wannabe toking tourists headed here from other countries might want to keep quiet about it until they get here.

According to reports in the Canadian press, simply admitting to a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent that you’ve smoked pot or that you plan to smoke pot apparently can get you turned away at the border — and perhaps permanently banned from the good ol’ U.S. of A because marijuana is still illegal under federal laws. . .  Read Complete Report

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Florida -CREDIT & SOURCE TokeoftheTown.com Fair UseFlorida medical marijuana proposal up for Supreme Court review next week

By William Breathes in Follow that storyLegislationMedical,News Friday, November 29, 2013 at 9:20 am

In just six days on Dec. 5 the Florida Supreme Court will hear arguments on whether or not a proposed medical marijuana initiative already in the signature-gathering process will be allowed to move forward. . . . Read Complete Report

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Phoenix New Times

Arizona Marijuana-Legalization Bill Will Be Proposed by House Democrat

Arizona...doing the JobBy Matthew Hendley Wed., Nov. 27 2013 at 12:00 PM

Assistant House Minority Leader Ruben Gallego, a Phoenix Democrat, announced plans to introduce a marijuana-legalization bill during the upcoming legislative session.

Gallego, an Iraq War veteran, said he’s working on a bill “that would regulate and tax marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol.” . . . Read Complete Report

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Denver Westwood Blogs

Seal_of_Colorado.svg CREDIT Svgalbertian Source Wikipedia Public DomainRead final regulations for growing industrial hemp in Colorado

By William Breathes in HempNews Monday, December 2, 2013 at 10:20 am

Back in October, we shared with you the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s draft regulations for the growing of industrial hemp. Now, those regulations are official — with one change. Instead of facing a registration suspension or revocation if testing reveals that a grower’s plants exceed 0.3 percent THC, the final rules say that a grower will not be subject to any penalty as long as the “crop is destroyed or utilized in a manner approved of and verified by” the state agriculture commissioner.

Keep reading for the full list of hemp regulations. . . . Read Complete Report

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Denver Westword Blogs By Michael Roberts Mon., Nov. 25 2013 at 4:20 PM

Juan.Guardarrama.mug.shot-SOURCE blogswestwordcom Fair UseImage: Juan Guardarrama’s booking photo. SOURCE: Denver Westword Blogs. (Fair Use)

Marijuana: Colorado NORML finds timing of pot raids suspicious

Last week, the DEA and the IRS, aided by local officers, conducted raids on multiple marijuana businesses in Denver and Boulder.

While the feds aren’t sharing details of these actions, info has surfaced about a potential link to Juan Guardarrama, aka “Tony Montana, a Miami con who, until recently, held a Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division license. Nonetheless, Colorado NORML thinks the timing of the raids is suspect. Details below. . . . Read Complete Report

Dig a LITTLE DEEPER ~ THEI Archive “Pot News”

 

WEED CITY, USA! The new economic wave. Possible impact; as high as 100’s of Millions (Full Video Report)

Featured Image: Denver Skyline, I-25_Speer. CREDIT: Matt Wright. SOURCE: Wikipedia Commons. (Public-Domain). Denver Colorodo is center of the whole Marijuana legalization movement.

From youtube uploaded by MOXNEWSd0tC0M·

Published on Jun 27, 2013

June 26, 2013 C-SPAN http://MOXNews.com
Jonathan Ringen talked about his Rolling Stone article, “Weed City, USA,” on the role recreational marijuana is playing in Colorado’s state economy. He also responded to telephone calls and electronic communications

Smokin’ News: Marijuana Across the U.S.A. (+) Worldwide Report: Cannabis Culture News LIVE: Glass is Blowing Up (video Report)

from AJC.com Updated: 2:29 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, 2013 | Posted: 10:10 p.m. Monday, June 3, 2013 By Alexis Stevens The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Photo: Seal of the City of Atlanta Georgia USA.  SOURCE: Wikipedia (Public Domain)

Seal_of_Atlanta SOURCE Wikipedia Public Domain

 

 

$2.4M in counterfeit items, 4 pounds of pot seized

If you pay $40 for a $250 pair of jeans, there’s a good chance you aren’t getting the real thing.

The same goes for many of the knock-off sneakers, purses and clothes being sold at Metro Mart USA in southwest Atlanta, according to police. And there was more than high-priced sneakers, purses and clothes being sold in the market.

Vendors were also allegedly selling marijuana — some of it in plain view on the counter, Lt. Scott Kreher with Atlanta police said Tuesday. . . . Read Complete Report

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From Cannibus News 6/4//13

Prison Cell Stillwater SOURCE Public DomainBlacks Are Singled Out for Marijuana Arrests

Black Americans were nearly four times as likely as whites to be arrested on charges of marijuana possession in 2010, even though the two groups used the drug at similar rates, according to new federal data.

This disparity had grown steadily from a decade before, and in some states, including Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois, blacks were around eight times as likely to be arrested. During the same period, public attitudes toward marijuana softened and a number of states decriminalized its use. But about half of all drug arrests in 2011 were on marijuana-related charges, roughly the same portion as in 2010. . . . Read Complete Report

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From Toke of the Town By William Breathes in LegislationMedicalNews

Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 1:20 pm

NYSCapitolPanorama CREDIT Matt H. Wade SOURCE Wikipedia Public domain

Photo
:
 New York State Capitol viewed from the south, located on the north end of the Empire State Plaza in AlbanyNew York1 June 2009. CREDIT: Matt H. Wade SOURCE: EWikipedia (Public Domain)

New York General Assembly approves medical marijuana bill

The New York General Assembly yesterday approved a bill allowing medical marijuana use in the Empire State.

Assembly Bill 6357 was voted in with a 95-38 vote. The discussion now moves over to the state Senate in the next few weeks, which takes up the nearly identical Senate Bill 4406. If approved, the bill would allow for qualifying patients to receive a doctor’s recommendation to use cannabis. Patients would be allowed to possess up to 2.5 ounces purchased at one of several state-regulated medical marijuana dispensaries.Overwhelmingly, New Yorkers favor medical marijuana legislation. A recent Sienna Research Institute Poll showed that 82 percent of voters agree that physicians should be able to recommend cannabis. . . . Read Complete Report

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From Toke of the Town By William Breathes in LegislationNews

Thursday, May 30, 2013 at 3:20 pm

Louisiana-thumb SOURCE Toke of the Town Fair UseLouisiana bill removing marijuana from three-strikes laws, lessening penalties approved by House

An amended version of a bill that would end Louisiana’s draconian three-strikes law for some marijuana crimes has finally made its way through the house.

But it could be a tight squeeze to get the bill through. The Louisiana Senate adjourns next week, leaving little time to have the bill heard, debated and voted on before the politicians leave Baton Rouge for the year House Bill 103, which we’ve written about in the past, originally would have capped felony marijuana conviction sentences at five years. That version failed to clear the House floor last week, so authors amended it to make the penalties a little more harsh. . . . Read Complete Report

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From News Press.com Jun. 3, 2013 Written by Mary Wozniak

617px-Florida_topographic_map-en.svg__0Florida medical marijuana advocates claim impending victory

Supporters of legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes in Florida are sure 2014 will be the year their wish becomes reality.

“Florida is ready to explode,” said Jodi James, executive director of the Florida Cannabis Action Network. “We firmly believe that Florida patients will have legal access to cannabis by November 2014.” . . . Read Complete Report

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From Huffington Post By  Posted: 06/04/2013 5:05 pm EDT

DEA Badge SOURCE DEAMarijuana Law Enforcement Cost States An Estimated $3.6 Billion In 2010: ACLU

States together spent somewhere around $3.6 billion enforcing marijuana possession laws in 2010, according to a new study by the American Civil Liberties Union, entitled “The War On Marijuana In Black and White.” That’s the authors’ “best estimate,” though approximations using different methodologies put the cost as high as $6 billion and as low as $1.2 billion.

The paper grabbed headlines Tuesday with its finding that blacks are nearly four times as likely as whites to be arrested for possessing marijuana, despite both races using the drug at about the same rate.

Here are some most startling numbers from the ACLU’s report with regards to the cost of enforcing marijuana laws: . . . Read Complete Report

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Old Globe SOURCE commons.wikimedia.org Public DomainWORLD WIDE REPORT

From Cannibus Culture News uploaded by PotTVNetwork

Cannabis Culture News LIVE: Glass is Blowing Up

Published on Jun 3, 2013

POT TV – Watch Cannabis Culture News LIVE every Friday at 4PM PT on http://Pot.TV for the latest news and views on pot politics and the marijuana community. In this episode: Glass is blowing up! We talk to Marco Renda of the Treating Yourself Expo about his new glass gallery and glass artist Redbeard about the great Canadian Glass Gathering.

Also on today’s show: We play video clips from the highly successful Treating Yourself Expo 2013
http://www.pot.tv/video/2013/05/23/Tr…

Watch PAST EPISODES of CCN LIVE
http://www.cannabisculture.com/v2/tax…

UPDATE: Why Businessman, Politician Support Pot (Video Report)

Featured Image: Marijuana Joint.  SOURCE middletownct.patch.com (Public-Domain).

I think I’ll weigh in on that. Why would someone with so much money and power be willing to go out on a limb and tell the world  that he plans on putting up millions with aims of building a worldwide outlet for a substance that can not be sold over most of the world legally. Is he crazy?   Is he having ‘high’ pipe dreams? Does he know something we don’t?

I believe the answer is none of the above. I just thank he has done his home work. After all, the major argument for the rationalization for making the  possession etc. of the hemp plant a felony with long prison sentences is the claim that “There is no medical benefit for the drug.”

With 19 states, and more talking about making medical marijuana legal that no longer holds true.  And when you throw in the fact that the Federal Government has been supplying patients with medical marijuana since the 1970’s, a good lawyer can tear the government’s argument out by the roots! 

And without that argument the whole conspiracy against hemp will fall like a row of dominoes. . . . EDITOR

From youtube uploaded by PigMine4

Published on May 30, 2013

Israel pushing ahead in medical marijuana industry

from Yahoo News

By LAUREN E. BOHN | Associated Press

10/2/2012

SAFED, Israel (AP) — Moshe Rute survived the Holocaust by hiding in a barn full of chickens. He nearly lost the use of his hands after a stroke two years ago. He became debilitated by recurring nightmares of his childhood following his wife’s death last year.

“But after I found this, everything has been better,” said the 80-year-old, as he gingerly packed a pipe with marijuana.

Rute, who lives at the Hadarim nursing home outside of Tel Aviv, is one of more than 10,000 patients who have official government permission to consume marijuana in Israel, a number that has swelled dramatically, up from serving just a few hundred patients in 2005. . . . Read Complete Report

Gary Johnson’s Support for Medical Marijuana Legalization Will Help, Not Hurt His Campaign (w/Video’s)

This is an opinion piece. But an important one for sure, I personally do not believe it will hurt or help.

The only thing to help the Libertarian Party grow is what many of us have said since back in the day, have patience, spread the word, and give it time, lots of time. The Libertarian Party has been the only 3rd Political Party to have been on every Presidential Ballot in every state in the Union over the past 40 years. Other so called third political parties have appeared over the years, but the Lib Party is the only one to have been there year after year.

As things get worst more people will wake up to the Liberty movement and the answers we present.  . . EDITOR

from A Little Rebellion

This article originally appeared at PolicyMic.

8/4/12

While campaigning in Seattle, Washington, last Thursday, Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson predicted that marijuana would be legalized in the U.S. by 2016 and reiterated his support for its legalization.

Dean Chambers, who covers the 2012 elections for the Examiner.comargues that Johnson and libertarians in general are making a mistake by raising the issue of marijuana legalization. “The voters have never shown a willingness to elect a candidate to the presidency who makes legalizing pot the number one issue,” writes Chambers. “Never at any time have the polls on issue priorities ever shown the American people viewing the legalization of marijuana as the highest national priority. The Libertarian Party nominee always goes to pot and marginalizes themselves for doing so.”

I completely disagree. Johnson is absolutely right to make this an important issue for several reasons. . . . Read Complete Report 

GO DEEPER: Gary Johnson’s web site

 

 

from youtube

Gov. Gary Johnson Among the Occupy Wall Street Protesters

Uploaded by  on Oct 20, 2011

“The root of all evil,” says GOP presidential candidate and former two-term Gov. Gary Johnson (R-N.M.), “is politicians that are going to save [us] from terrorists, from illegal immigrants, from drugs. ‘Elect me,’ [they say], ‘and I’ll save you.’. . .” Posted with video

Dig a Little DEEPER: Medical Marijuana