By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

The California Supreme Court on Monday is expected to make a major decision, deciding if cities are allowed to ban medical marijuana dispensaries.

About 200 citywide bans are hanging in the balance; a Supreme Court decision could resolve years of conflicting rulings by lower courts, reports Maura Dolan of The Los Angeles Times.

Several justices indicated during a February hearing that they favor upholding city dispensary bans. Their comments hinted that the court might rule that local governments have the power to ban the shops, despite California's medical marijuana law, Prop 215, approved by voters back in 1996.

If the court rules that dispensary bans are acceptable, many more communities across the state are expected to zone the shops out of existence, ending safe access to medicinal cannabis for hundreds of thousands of patients. Advocates have lamented that many patients would be forced to drive hundreds of miles to get medical marijuana legally.

The case currently before the California Supreme Court stems from a dispensary ban by the city of Riverside. Lower courts have given conflicting rulings over whether such bans are legally permissible.

Come out and support what has become a staple of local Portland culture, the Global Cannabis March.

By Michael Bachara, Oregon NORML/CRRH

Portland, Oregon – Nearly three hundred cities worldwide, including Portland, will participate in the fourteenth annual Global Cannabis March on Saturday, May 4, 2013. Portland participants will gather in Pioneer Courthouse Square to march at high noon through downtown Portland, accompanied by a police escort. Campaign for the Restoration and Regulation of Hemp (CRRH) and Oregon NORML are sponsors of this event.

Musicians Justin James Bridges, Tim Pate and John Cornett have joined the roster for the rally, which runs from 11:00am to 2:00pm. Speakers for the rally include Leland Berger, Portland Attorney and advocate for the group Compassionate Oregon, Russ Belville of 420 Radio, Madeline Martinez of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) and more.

“Cannabis proponents agree; the war on the cannabis plant is a farce, the drug war is taking a last gasp. No political movement in America has made it this far without eventually winning, it's just a matter of time.” according to Michael Bachara, Executive Director of Oregon National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

A Colorado Senate committee is expected to vote on legal marijuana regulations and taxes Friday as the deadline for such a decision is closing in.

Lawmakers have until Wednesday to come up with regulations and tax rates for marijuana, newly legal since state voters approved Amendment 64 in November, reports The Denver Channel.

Members of the Legislature have clashed over whether to set a marijuana blood limit for drivers, and whether to limit the size of growing operations and the number of cannabis outlets.

If the Senate Finance Committee approves the regulations and taxes on Friday, the full Senate must still debate the bills. Senators may work over the weekend -- an unusual move -- to get the job done.

By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

Mayor Vincent Gray and the District of Columbia Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday launched D.C.'s first campaign against "synthetic marijuana" use among District youth. The zombie-themed campaign will highlight the negative side effects and dangers of the illegal drug, which really shouldn't be called "marijuana" at all, since -- unlike cannabis -- it can be dangerous.

Synthetic smoking mixes go by a variety of different names such as Spice, Spice Gold, K2, Zombie World, Scooby Snax, and Potpourri. They are often packaged in bright, colorful three-ounce plastic pouches decorated with designs, graphic imagery, quotes from cartoon characters and popular movies, and other recognizable mainstream logos.

Public health and law enforcement officials have traced the sale of the drug to many D.C. tobacco shops and smoke shops, gas stations, convenience stores and over the Internet.

"One of my top priorities is to ensure that District youth have an opportunity to learn, live, and grow in a city that takes a proactive approach to ensure their right to a healthy, safe and drug-free life," Mayor Gray said. "The new campaign designed to create awareness of the extreme dangers and negative effects of synthetic marijuana is remarkable and very necessary.

By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

The federal crackdown on medical marijuana continues, with the feds sending landlord threat letters from the U.S. Department of Justice to collectives. A new round of letters went out this week to landlords and collectives throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.

Many California cities have had similar federal interference recently, including Oakland, Berkeley, Fairfax, Long Bach, Santa Ana and others.

Los Angeles has lost more than 80 collectives, and San Francisco has seen more than a dozen permitted medical cannabis dispensaries close due to the federal threats of asset forfeiture, prosecution and imprisonment.

California's Patient Advocacy Network is responding with a Day of Action on Monday, May 6. "Feds Out of California" rallies will be held from noon until 1 p.m. in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sacramento, with more details to be announced.

• San Francisco: Noon, Federal Building, 90 7th Street, S.F., CA 94103

• Los Angeles: Noon, Edward R. Royal Federal Building, 255 E. Temple St., L.A., CA 90012

• Sacramento: Noon, Federal Building, U.S. District Court, 501 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

Supporters are encouraged to contact California Attorney General Kamala Harris on Monday, May 6, to demand that she stand up for California and defend Prop 215, the medical marijuana law. Ask that Atty. Gen. Harris work to stop the federal attacks on collectives, patients, property owners and banks.

By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

A Dutch mayor has warned his city's 13 cannabis cafes ("coffee shops") that he will take legal action if they continue with plans to sell marijuana to non-residents this Sunday.

The local cannabis cafe association announced its intentions earlier that all outlets will sell to people who don't live in the Netherlands on Sunday, when the Dutch celebrate the end of World War II, reports Dutch News.

Under recently adopted rules, the cafes, known as coffee shops, are now only allowed to sell marijuana to people who officially live in the Netherlands.

But a court ruling last week in favor of one coffee shop -- closed by Mayor Hoes because it sold to foreigners -- has given rise to hopes that the ban on sales to foreigners would be lifted.

"That ass should f off... really... Since this stupid rule there's an increase of shady dealers running around the city in the evening," commented Roy Kwarten. "And they sell a lot more than just cannabis. People who just enjoyed a smoke on the 'weed'-boat or coffee shop seldom bother anyone... These dealers are something else altogether, though. And they attract too many junkies, as well."

The bigger northern cities in the Netherlands, Amsterdam in particular, have said they will "use their discretion" about imposing the ban on foreigners, which means, in effect, they are ignoring it.

By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

Longtime cannabis advocate Ed Forchion, the N.J. Weedman, has turned his attention to the marijuana laws themselves. Forchion, a Pembertown Township resident, has posted a 12-page legal motion online which he said can be used by anyone arrested for marijuana possession in New Jersey.

"I'm tired of being a one-man gang," Forchion said, reports Mike Davis at The Times of Trenton, N.J. "I've been arguing these arguments for years. I'm just putting it out there. I don't care who does it, but let's get it done."

Forchion filed the brief in response to his most recent bust, after two Evesham, N.J., police officers found two joints on him after a vehicle stop on April 15.

"It's just like taking aspirin or Motrin," Forchion said. "I've got three joints with me right now. This could happen to me every day. I just about always have something on me."

Forchion argues that his arrest -- and all cannabis arrests since January 18, 2010 -- should be declared null and void.

That's because former N.J. Gov. Jon Corzine on that date signed the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act into law. The Act allows patients with specific serious illnesses to register with the state, and to buy cannabis from one of six allowed dispensaries (only one of which is open so far).

By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

An Ohio lawmaker has introduced two proposals, one of which would allow patients with certain conditions to use marijuana medicinally, and another which would provide Ohioans the chance to legalize recreational marijuana at the ballot box.

Rep. Robert Hagan (D-Youngstown) introduced the proposals at the statehouse on Thursday, reports 10tv.com.

House Bill 153 would allow patients to use marijuana to treat medical ailments with their doctor's authorization.

The other measure, House Joint Resolution 5, would provide state residents with the opportunity for a statewide vote to legalize and tax cannabis. The measure is based on Colorado's successful legalization measure from last year, Amendment 64, according to Rep. Hagan's office.

"With billions upon billions spent on the War On Drugs with little progress to show for it, it is time for more sensible drug policy in this country," Rep. Hagan said. "This issue deserves a Yes or No vote by the people."

(Graphic: The Weed Blog)

Group of legislators will join local advocates to discuss the measure at a pre-hearing news conference in the State House Welcome Center Friday

Bipartisan group of 35 legislators co-sponsoring bill to establish a legal market for businesses to sell marijuana to adults 21 and older

By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

The Maine Joint Standing Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety will hold a hearing Friday at 10 a.m. ET Friday, May 3, on a bill that would make possession of limited amounts of marijuana legal for adults 21 and older and establish a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol.

"A majority of Americans are ready to move beyond marijuana prohibition, and this bill presents our legislature with a golden opportunity to take the initiative to develop a sensible new approach," said David Boyer, Maine political director for the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP). "I hope members of the legislature will keep in mind our state motto, 'Dirigio' or 'I lead,' when hearing testimony and casting their votes on this bill.

"Marijuana is objectively far less harmful than alcohol for the consumer and for society," Boyer said. "People are fed up with laws that punish adults for making the safer choice."

Bill with maximum number of House and Senate sponsors would allow Minnesotans with serious illnesses to access and use medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it

By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

A bipartisan group of Minnesota state lawmakers joined patients and advocates for a news conference at the state capitol on Thursday to announce the introduction of a bill that would allow people with serious illnesses to access and use medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it.

Rep. Carly Melin (DFL-Hibbing) is introducing the bill in the House of Representatives (HF 1818), and Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Minneapolis) is introducing the companion bill in the Senate (SF 1641). Both bills have the maximum number of sponsors allowed -– 35 in the House, including 12 committee chairs, and five in the Senate, including two committee chairs.

"Medical marijuana made life bearable for my daughter in her final few months," said Joni Whiting of Jordan, who attended the news conference. Her daughter, Stephanie, used medical marijuana to relieve the extreme pain and nausea associated with cancer and chemotherapy.

"She would have tried using medical marijuana immediately after her doctor recommended it, but we feared the legal consequences and she suffered for months before we decided it was worth the risk," Whiting said. "This legislation will prevent patients and families from being put in such a terrible situation."

By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

As President Barack Obama departs for a three-day trip to Mexico and Central America to meet with several regional counterparts, advocates are urging him to put drug policy reform at the top of the agenda.

The failed Drug War has wreaked havoc throughout Latin America. In Mexico, the War On Drugs has caused an estimated 70,000 deaths, 25,000 disappearances and more than 250,000 internally displaced people since 2006.

Meanwhile, drug trafficking organizations have increasingly moved or expanded their operations to Central America, which has become one of the most dangerous regions in the world, according to the United Nations. And rather than reducing the supply of or demand for drugs, prohibitionist drug policies have only enriched criminal organizations while increasing rates of incarceration and drug-related harms.

Obama is scheduled to meet Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on Thursday and then travel to Costa Rica on Friday to meet with President Laura Chinchilla, as well as heads of state of the other Central American countries and the Dominican Republic. Many of these leaders have voiced support for alternatives to drug prohibition -– including exploring options for legally regulating marijuana and other drugs -– in order to reduce the power and profits of violent drug traffickers.

Cannabis Possession Can Get You 20 Years For Third Offense Under Current Louisiana Law

By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

After debating for for more than an hour on Wednesday, a Louisiana House committee advanced a bill that would soften the state's penalties for marijuana possession.

The sticking point in House Bill 103, reports Michelle Millhollow of The Advocate, was how to address habitual offenders and other already convicted marijuana offenders.

Current Louisiana law requires a third or subsequent marijuana possession conviction to be punished by up to 20 years in prison. The felony conviction can also be used to enhance the prison sentence when offenders have at least two other felony convictions.

Louisiana prosecutors sometimes use marijuana possession charges to send offenders to prison for life under the state's Three Strikes habitual offender law.

HB 103 sponsor Rep. Austin Badon (D-New Orleans) wants to allow those in jail for marijuana possession to be able to ask the court to reconsider their sentences. He also wants to stop prosecutors from sending marijuana possession offenders to prison for life as habitual offenders.

Gov. Martin O'Malley Will Sign Bill Into Law On May 2; Program Could Take Until 2016 To Implement

By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

Maryland will become the 19th state in the U.S. to legalize medical marijuana.

Gov. Martin O'Malley's spokeswoman, Raquel Guillory, confirmed on Wednesday that the governor will sign a medical marijuana bill into law on Thursday, May 2, but it could be up to three years before the program is up and running, reports The Associated Press.

Supporters hope that some research centers will move faster now that they've seen how the program would work.

Some medical marijuana supporters, however, say the bill doesn't go far enough to help the seriously ill people who need cannabis medicinally.

The bill allows academic medical research centers to establish programs to dispense marijuana to patients who have a physician's authorization.

(Graphic: Medical Cannabis News)

By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

The chief psychoactive compound in marijuana appears to be able to damage and weaken the most common strain of the HIV virus, according to a recent study.

Tetrahydrocannabinol, more common known as THC, is the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis; it's the chemical that gets you high. A synthetic form of THC was used to attack the HIV-1 virus, which represents more than 90 percent of all HIV types, reports Ian Steadman at Wired UK.

HIV interactions with the CB2 cannabinoid receptor in white blood cells, specifically in macrophages, one of the many types of white blood cells. While lymphocytes -- the main white blood cells -- do the bulk of the infection-fighting work by tracking down and destroying germs, macrophages are sort of a backup part of the immune system. Macrophages are attracted to damaged cells, which they surround and engulf.

Unfortunately, macrophages are also one of the first types of cells infected by HIV when it invades the body. HIV can live inside macrophages for months, infecting other cells.

Investigators and researching how to stop the HIV virus from infecting macrophages; doing so could dramatically reduce the speed at which infection progresses, giving time for other antiretrovirals to help keep it at bay, or even eliminate it.

By Steve Elliott
Hemp News

After months of deliberation, the New Mexico Department of Health on Tuesday upheld a recommendation by the Medical Cannabis Program’s Medical Advisory Board and announced that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) will remain a qualifying condition for New Mexico’s medical marijuana program.

Patients’ access to medical marijuana under state law was threatened by a request to withdraw PTSD as a qualifying condition for the New Mexico Medical Cannabis Program after Dr. William Ulwelling, a retired psychiatrist in New Mexico, submitted a formal request to the state's Department of Health requesting PTSD be removed from the list of eligible medical conditions for enrollment in the state’s medical marijuana program.

During her 2010 gubernatorial campaign, Gov. Susana Martinez (R) vowed to repeal New Mexico’s medical marijuana law.

“Although today patients suffering from PTSD can breathe a sigh of relief, we will not rest until the Martinez Administration continues to demonstrate, as they did yesterday, that they will not turn their backs on all medical marijuana patients, including veterans, patients with disabilities, and victims of trauma and violent crime,” said Emily Kaltenbach, director of the Drug Policy Alliance’s New Mexico office.