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Pot as Prescription Drug: Where it Stands Today with the Health System

Patients who need medical marijuana are constantly caught in the crossfire between the State and the Feds. In early 2008, the battle intensified yet again.  The DEA, which had been after medical marijuana dispensaries and clubs throughout California, closed 7 of 28 clubs in San Francisco, and threatened action against others.

The city of Berkeley declared itself a “medical marijuana sanctuary” which would not cooperate with the Feds in the event that they went after dispensaries there. At the same time, Marijuana vending machines were placed in Los Angeles to ease access for dispensary users there, with the Feds threatening closure. Since 1996, 12 states have legalized medical marijuana use, placing them at odds with federal law.

The science of medical marijuana is also still controversial, despite strong evidence of benefits under certain circumstances. Still, some researchers and health insurance providers have contended that medical marijuana causes cancer.

In The Trenches

Drug Truth Update 05/01/08

The Unvarnished Truth About the Drug War From the Drug Truth Network: - Clarence Bradford, DA Candiate of Houston joins us next Wednesday, live on the Cultural Baggage show - (To downlad these 29:00 files, click on links below. To simply listen, go to www.drugtruth.net and select the arrow below the shows description.) Cultural Baggage for 04/30/08 Tribute to Dr. Albert Hofmann with Dr. Rick Doblin, Phil Smith reports from Mexico, North Dakotan busted for salvia + Poppygate Report with Glenn Greenway MP3 LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=audio/download/1869/FDBCB_043008.mp3 TRANSCRIPT: (To be posted by Friday) Century of Lies for 04/29/08 US Representative Barney Frank discusses marijuana bills now before US Congress + Fred Gardner seeks input from veterans, Corrupt Cop Story with Phil Smith & "Offical Government Truth" with Winston FrancisMP3 Link: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=audio/download/1868/COL_042908.mp3 TRANSCRIPT: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/?q=node/1868#comments US Rep Barney Frank: "I think when young people look at the system one of the great hypocrisies they see is this smoking marijuana, or using marijuana is theoretically illegal and then they see the number of so-called respectful people who do it--they don't see any logic to it. I think it's one of the things that leads to disrespect for the law." - Century of Lies 042908 PLEASE NOTE: We now have transcripts, potcasts, searchability, CMS, XML, sorts by guest name and by organization. Next - Century of Lies on Tues, Cutural Baggage on Wed, listen online at www.kpft.org: - Cultural Baggage 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: Clarence Bradford, Fmr Police Chief, DA Cand - Century of Lies 12:30 PM ET, 11:30 AM CT, 10:30 AM MT & 9:30 AM PT: Sasha & Ann Shulgin Hundreds of our programs are available online at www.drugtruth.net, www.audioport.org and at www.radio4all.net. We provide the "unvarnished truth about the drug war" to scores of broadcast affiliates in the US and Canada. Programs produced at Pacifica Radio Station KPFT in Houston. www.kpft.org Check out our latest videos via www.youtube.com/fdbecker: More than 55 Drug Policy Videos online) Please become part of the solution, visit our website: www.endprohibition.org for links to the best of reform. "Prohibition is evil." - Reverend Dean Becker, Drug Truth Network Producer Dean Becker 713-849-6869 www.drugtruth.net
In The Trenches

Minnesota Medical Marijuana Bill Under Attack

[Courtesy of Marijuana Policy Project] 

Dear friends:

Some members of Minnesota's law enforcement community are lying in order to kill MPP’s medical marijuana bill in the state — in other words, in order to keep patients in pain. This small but vocal contingent is claiming that marijuana has no medical value, that “every prosecutor in every medical marijuana state” opposes its use, that you can “overdose” on marijuana, and more than a dozen other outrageous lies.

We’re fighting back. Yesterday, MPP held a news conference at the Minnesota statehouse to refute the outright false testimony that law enforcement officials have been providing the legislature and the news media. And we distributed to reporters and legislators an 18-page booklet cataloguing the opposition’s litany of mistruths — along with facts and proof to the contrary — and we’re releasing to the public, legislators, and media one video clip each day showing law enforcement's lies about medical marijuana.

But we're relying on the generosity of supporters to ensure we have the resources to combat our opposition. Would you please give whatever you can today so we can fight back?

MPP's bill, which passed out of the Senate last year, is currently awaiting an historic vote on the House floor. The vote could happen any day now, so it is urgent that supporters like you donate what you can today.

Our campaign has generated an enormous amount of media coverage in Minnesota, which you can read here. And the two largest papers in the state — the Minneapolis Star-Tribune and the St. Paul Pioneer Press — have editorialized in favor of the bill, which also has the support of the Minnesota Nurses Association, the Minnesota Public Health Association, the Minnesota AIDS Project, the Minnesota Senior Federation, and 2-to-1 support among Minnesota voters.

Also yesterday, MPP debuted the second in a series of hard-hitting TV ads featuring seriously ill Minnesotans who are pleading with Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) not to veto MPP’s medical marijuana bill. The new TV ad features Ely resident K.K. Forss, who suffers from excruciating, debilitating pain after a disc in his neck exploded, causing extensive nerve damage. "This doesn't have anything to do with culture wars," Forss says in the ad, noting that he is a registered Republican and a born-again Christian. "We have people suffering in horrible pain, and we talk politics — it doesn't have to be that way."

If you agree that K.K. and others like him shouldn't face the threat of arrest and jail for trying to alleviate their pain, would you please consider donating $10 or more today so that we can keep these ads on the air at this critical moment?

Thank you,

Kampia signature (e-mail sized)

Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.

P.S. As I've mentioned in previous alerts, a major philanthropist has committed to match the first $3.0 million that MPP can raise from the rest of the planet in 2008. This means that your donation today will be doubled.

In The Trenches

Important news about the Rockefeller Drug Laws

[Courtesy of Drug Policy Alliance] Dear Friends: Back in February, I wrote you about our efforts to create a new paradigm in New York, an approach to drug policy that is centered in public health, not prison politics. Many of us have worked together in this effort. We agreed that getting rid of the failed Rockefeller Drug Laws is not enough—New York needs a coordinated drug policy guided by public health principles that will save taxpayer dollars while enhancing safety in our communities. I write you now to let you know about an important development in this effort: The New York State Assembly has taken the first step towards heeding our call. On Monday, the Assembly announced an unprecedented joint hearing on Rockefeller Drug Laws and the future of drug policy in New York. The joint hearing is being convened by six Assembly Committees: Codes, Corrections, Judiciary, Health, Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, and Social Services. We know of no other time that this has ever happened in New York, making this an unprecedented opportunity for us to advance our cause. The hearing announcement is enclosed. There are two hearings: the first on May 8th – the 35th anniversary of the Rockefeller Drug Laws – in New York City, and a second one on May 15th in Rochester. This is a remarkable opportunity to let the Assembly know that we want not only reform of the Rockefeller Drug Laws, but to shift the discussion of drug use and abuse from a criminal justice framework to one of public health. The Assembly hearing announcement states that “Drug addiction is a treatable disease, so among issues raised is whether a system that focuses on preventing and treating drug addiction rather than simply incarcerating individuals will result in a reduction in the use and sale of drugs – something mandatory imprisonment laws have failed to accomplish.” There are four things you can do now to get involved: 1. Sign up to testify at the hearings in New York City or Rochester. Can you testify at one of the hearings in New York or in Rochester? If you would like to testify at the hearing, please contact us and we will help you apply to testify and make your voice heard. Not everyone will be able to testify, which is why we are going to hold a rally outside the hearings on May 8 in NYC (see below). 2. If you are in NYC on May 8, join us at a rally for Public Health, not Prison Politics. Please join us and hundreds of other New Yorkers on May 8th for a rally outside 250 Broadway, the location of the hearing in New York City. We will call on the Assembly to go beyond Rockefeller and treat drug use and abuse in New York State as a public health issue. Details to follow next week. 3. Send this message to three other people. Let your friends, family, and co-workers know about the hearings. 4. Join our Legislator Education Teams: Drug Policy Alliance is spearheading a project to meet with every New York State Legislator from the New York City area. Want to talk with your elected representatives about the Rockefeller Drug Laws? Come join us on May 5, 2008, from 6 – 7:30 for the training to learn how to be part of the Education Teams. The training is free and there will be food. After the training, you can join one of our education teams in New York City. For more info, please email Jill Battagline at [email protected], or call 212-613-8053. That’s it. If you have any questions, please email me directly. Thanks for all you do. Onward, Gabriel ----------------------------------------------------------------- Gabriel Sayegh Director, State Organizing and Policy Project Drug Policy Alliance 70 West 36th Street, 16th Fl. New York, NY 10018 (212) 613-8048 ph. (212) 613-8021 fax www.drugpolicy.org
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