Marijuana.com - Legalization/Decriminalization

Taxing Cannabis!

jakspar0w — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:02:52 GMT

So this site emailed me..(I don't know why, it's not like I live in CA..)
I figured I would share it with you guys:
Tax Cannabis
I'm getting the mug in the mail!
Another artist for taxing cannabis :cool:

Vote for SSDP on facebook, for chase charity!

thereal_yeti — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:02:34 GMT

Chase is running a charity where the users of facebook get's to decide who gets some money!

( I think 1 MILLION dollars)

If you have a facebook account, I would highly recommend that you vote for students for sensible drug policy!

Imagine the controversy that THIS alone would create? Then to add icing to the cake, ssdp would have 1 million dollars!

you are not confined to 1 vote, you have 20 votes, one vote per organization. Thus far I used three votes, mpp, leap, and ssdp.

Ssdp, is in the lead of those three though..

Vote for SSDP on facebook, for chase charity!

thereal_yeti — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:02:02 GMT

Rhode Island may legalize marijuana

Themisfit1991 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:55:33 GMT

YouTube- Broadcast Yourself.

Lets hope they do it.

Time Article: Why I would vote no on pot

Freshness420 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:40:51 GMT

Article

Health: Why I Would Vote No On Pot

By Sanjay Gupta Thursday, Jan. 08, 2009

Maybe it's because I was born a couple of months after Woodstock and wasn't around when marijuana was as common as iPods are today, but I'm constantly amazed that after all these years--and all the wars on drugs and all the public-service announcements--nearly 15 million Americans still use marijuana at least once a month. California and 10 other states have already decriminalized marijuana for medical use. Now two of those states--Colorado and Nevada--are considering ballot initiatives that would legalize up to an ounce of pot for personal use by people 21 and older, whether or not there is a medical need.

What do voters need to know before going to the polls?
The first is that marijuana isn't really very good for you. True, there are health benefits for some patients. Several recent studies, including a new one from the Scripps Research Institute, show that THC, the chemical in marijuana responsible for the high, can help slow the progress of Alzheimer's disease. (In fact, it seems to block the formation of disease-causing plaques better than several mainstream drugs.) Other studies have shown THC to be a very effective antinausea treatment for people--cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, for example--for whom conventional medications aren't working. And medical cannabis has shown promise relieving pain in patients with multiple sclerosis and reducing intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients.

But I suspect that most of the people eager to vote yes on the new ballot measures aren't suffering from glaucoma, Alzheimer's or chemo-induced nausea. Many of them just want to get stoned legally. That's why I, like many other doctors, am unimpressed with the proposed legislation, which would legalize marijuana irrespective of any medical condition.
Why do I care? As Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, puts it, "Numerous deleterious health consequences are associated with [marijuana's] short- and long-term use, including the possibility of becoming addicted."

What are other health consequences? Frequent marijuana use can seriously affect your short-term memory. It can impair your cognitive ability (why do you think people call it dope?) and lead to long-lasting depression or anxiety. While many people smoke marijuana to relax, it can have the opposite effect on frequent users. And smoking anything, whether it's tobacco or marijuana, can seriously damage your lung tissue.

The Nevada and Colorado marijuana initiatives have gained support from unlikely places. More than 33 religious leaders in Nevada have endorsed the measure, arguing that permissive legalization, accompanied by stringent regulations and penalties, can cut down on illegal drug trafficking and make communities safer.

Perhaps. But I'm here to tell you, as a doctor, that despite all the talk about the medical benefits of marijuana, smoking the stuff is not going to do your health any good. And if you get high before climbing behind the wheel of a car, you will be putting yourself and those around you in danger.

--------------------------------------------------

Found it kind of interesting. What do you guys think about this article? I personally think that she doesn't have all the facts straight. Long lasting depression and anxiety? I've never heard of that personally.

FINALLY: Medical Marijuana in Pennsylvania!

yer916 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:41:11 GMT

FINALLY: Medical Marijuana in Pennsylvania!

Listen up Pennsylvanians and other marijuana supporters. On December 2nd, a bill will be reviewed by the house of representatives on the topic of legalizing marijuana for medical purposes. Finally, a step further to legalization, and benefits for those in need of access to marijuana. Please help me support this bill, talk to representatives, call, write letters, and DIGG this article!

Bill O'Reilly & Cheech and Chong on Legalization of Marijuana

Themisfit1991 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:09:23 GMT

YouTube - Bill O'Reilly & Cheech and Chong on...

See what they have to say.

Help put medical marijuana on the ballot in Arizona

intangible child — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:27:29 GMT

Dear Marijuana.com members,

I just received this email, It will happen!
We�re getting close.

In Arizona, an MPP-sponsored signature drive to place a medical marijuana initiative on the ballot in November 2010 is moving into the home stretch. If the campaign collects more than 250,000 signatures before the end of February, the Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project could qualify for the ballot earlier in the election year than any other initiative in Arizona�s history.

As of now, the campaign has collected more than 175,000 signatures, almost three-quarters of the way towards our goal. But it costs about $2 to collect each signature, so we need help to get the rest of the way there.

Can you help us finish the job by making a contribution to the campaign today? Every $20 contribution gets us 10 signatures closer to our goal.

A recent poll showed that 65% of Arizonans support the proposed initiative, so once the measure qualifies for the ballot, it will very likely pass. This means that by supporting this signature drive, you can directly help protect seriously and terminally ill patients in Arizona from arrest and jail. The initiative, which would allow for a system of state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries in the state, could also serve as a model for other states considering medical marijuana laws.

I know you agree that patients should never be sent to jail just for following their doctors� advice. With a contribution today, you can help make sure medical marijuana patients in Arizona don�t have to fear this fate.

Thanks in advance for your support. And whether or not you are able to make a contribution today, please forward this e-mail to anyone who might be interested in this campaign.
Thank you,

Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project

E-mail regarding Bill C-15 in Canada

doyoulikegreen — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:02:12 GMT

Hey everyone,

I just got this e-mail reply back

Dear *******:

Thank you for your correspondence regarding Bill C-15.

This legislation is specifically targeted to address the most serious drug offences. It�s not about applying mandatory minimum penalties for all drug crimes. The mandatory minimum penalties are primarily targeted towards the worst drugs (such as heroin, cocaine and crystal meth) and towards those offenders who are violent and/or associated with organized crime and gangs.

I want to emphasize that simple possession offences will not be subject to any mandatory penalties.

With regards to the marijuana provisions of Bill C-15, the legislation is targeted towards criminal organizations and gangs who endanger the public safety of residential communities by operating large, and often hazardous, grow operations. The mandatory minimum penalties in Bill C-15 apply to the production of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, not simple possession.

This legislation targets drug offences which cause the most harm to Canadians. If serious, and often violent, drug criminals are not sufficiently deterred from committing these offences, we believe that such individuals should be separated from society so as to protect ordinary Canadians from harmful behaviour. We are focussed on the most serious drugs and the most serious offences.

We also recognize that treatment and prevention are essential aspects of any comprehensive anti-drug strategy. Bill C-15 contains an exception that allows courts not to impose the mandatory sentence if an offender successfully completes a Drug Treatment Court program. The program works with individuals who have been charged with drug-related offences � who meet certain eligibility criteria � to overcome their drug addictions and avoid future conflict with the law.

Thank you again for taking the time to write me on these issues. If you have any further questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact my office.

Sincerely,

Rob Moore, M.P.
Fundy Royal

Cheech and Chong talk about Marijuana on Fox News

Themisfit1991 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:23:17 GMT

YouTube - Cheech and Chong's Take

See it for your self. They do a great job, and they are still able to make you laugh, but that blond chick, Ann, is not to bright.

New airport rules / TSA

sparq — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:24:34 GMT

Airport rules changed after Ron Paul aide detained - Washington Times

Interesting read that all started from a Ron Paul aide getting stopped in the airport for carrying $4700 in cash. Leads to TSA changing the rules to basically only protecting the aircraft - not policing other laws. So if you dont have weapons or explosives, you are free to go.

No more taping your stash to your balls :cool:

[edit] well nevermind, still gotta tape the stash to the balls :(

The ONLY reason I came here is bc the AMA finally stood up for legalization!

Doctor Pot — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 03:21:41 GMT

I have told many a friend for quite a long time that the first requirement for the legalization of marijuana would be the American Medical Association doing the right thing. It has taken quite a long time but they have finally done the right thing with their call for the removal of pot from it's current idiotic FDA 'class 1' status. Now I may consider rejoining the AMA since I quit in protest about 10 years ago. We'll see.

First U.S. Marijuana Cafe Opens in Oregon

Restricted — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:04:03 GMT

PORTLAND, Oregon � The United States' first marijuana cafe opened on Friday, posing an early test of the Obama administration's move to relax policing of medical use of the drug.

The Cannabis Cafe in Portland, Oregon, is the first to give certified medical marijuana users a place to get hold of the drug and smoke it � as long as they are out of public view � despite a federal ban.

"This club represents personal freedom, finally, for our members," said Madeline Martinez, Oregon's executive director of NORML, a group pushing for marijuana legalization.

"Our plans go beyond serving food and marijuana," said Martinez. "We hope to have classes, seminars, even a Cannabis Community College, based here to help people learn about growing and other uses for cannabis."

The cafe � in a two-story building which formerly housed a speak-easy and adult erotic club Rumpspankers � is technically a private club, but is open to any Oregon residents who are NORML members and hold an official medical marijuana card.

Members pay $25 per month to use the 100-person capacity cafe. They don't buy marijuana, but get it free over the counter from "budtenders". Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., it serves food but has no liquor license.

There are about 21,000 patients registered to use marijuana for medical purposes in Oregon. Doctors have prescribed marijuana for a host of illnesses, including Alzheimer's, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and Tourette's syndrome.

On opening day, reporters invited to the cafe could smell, but were not allowed to see, people smoking marijuana.

"I still run a coffee shop and events venue, just like I did before we converted it to the Cannabis Cafe, but now it will be cannabis-themed," said Eric Solomon, the owner of the cafe, who is looking forward to holding marijuana-themed weddings, film festivals and dances in the second-floor ballroom.

NO PROSECUTION

The creation of the cafe comes almost a month after the Obama administration told federal attorneys not to prosecute patients who use marijuana for medical reasons or dispensaries in states which have legalized them.

About a dozen states, including Oregon, followed California's 1996 move to adopt medical marijuana laws, allowing the drug to be cultivated and sold for medical use. A similar number have pending legislation or ballot measures planned.

Pot cafes, known as "coffee shops", are popular in the Dutch city of Amsterdam, where possession of small amounts of marijuana is legal. Portland's Cannabis Cafe is the first of its kind to open in the United States, according to NORML.

Growing, possessing, distributing and smoking marijuana are still illegal under U.S. federal law, which makes no distinction between medical and recreational use.

Federal and local law enforcement agencies did not return phone calls from Reuters on Friday seeking comment on the Portland cafe's operations.

"To have a place that is this open about its activities, where people can come together and smoke � I say that's pretty amazing." said Tim Pate, a longtime NORML member, at the cafe.

Some locals are hoping it might even be good for business.

"I know some neighbors are pretty negative about this place opening up," said David Bell, who works at a boutique that shares space with the cafe. "But I'm withholding judgment. There's no precedent for it. We don't know what to expect. But it would great if it brought some customers into our store."

First U.S. Marijuana Cafe Opens in Oregon - Health News | Current Health News | Medical News - FOXNews.com

vote to legalize

kimdead — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:25:38 GMT

1-973-409-3274 Legalize it!!!! need a million votes! call and vote to end an endless/ pointless war on weed.

CBS News: Should Pot Be Legal?

StonedCoder — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:15:21 GMT

Point-Counterpoint Between Judge James Gray and Drug Free America Foundation's David Evans
Part 1
Should Pot Be Legal? - CBS News
Part 2
Should Pot Be Legal? - CBS News

It's a pretty long read but I enjoyed it. I liked it better than debate segments on tv because those are always cut short. As usual, one side presents a valid argument, responds to the opposition's questions, and ask questions back. The other side repeats the same regurgitated points and ignore the other's questions. I'll let you figure out which is which ;).