Marijuana Policy Project: Ask your Congressional members to sponsor Rep. Barney Frank and Sen. Ron Paul's Federal Ending of Marijuana Prohibition Bill

Marijuana Policy Project::

Today, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), the undisputed leader of marijuana policy reform in Congress since MPP's founding in 1995, has announced his retirement. Come 2013, we will be without his courageous willingness to openly oppose irrational marijuana laws across the board.

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White House Responds to 'Pardon Marc Emery' Petition | Cannabis Culture Magazine

White House Responds to 'Pardon Marc Emery' Petition | Cannabis Culture Magazine: "CANNABIS CULTURE - The White House has finally issued a response to the "Pardon Marc Emery" petition signed by 8,249 people calling for Obama to pardon Marc and send him home to Canada. Not surprisingly, the answer is mostly a disappointing non-response: the White House has "declined to comment"."

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Medical Marijuana Patient Faces Life in Prison for a Half Ounce in Texas | Cannabis Culture Magazine

Medical Marijuana Patient Faces Life in Prison for a Half Ounce in Texas | Cannabis Culture Magazine: "A Texas asthma sufferer who went to California for a medical marijuana recommendation and then got busted in June on a Texas highway with small amounts of marijuana and hashish is facing up to life in prison after being indicted by a Brown County grand jury.

He is charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, a first-degree felony in the Lone Star State.

Chris Diaz, 20, has been jailed on $40,000 bond since the June 27 arrest. He was busted with 14 grams of weed and hash."

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Schafer Commission Report: Marihuana, A Signal of Misunderstanding - Table of Contents

Marihuana, A Signal of Misunderstanding - Table of Contents: "The Report of the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse

Marihuana: A Signal of Misunderstanding

Commissioned by President Richard M. Nixon, March, 1972

Table of Contents

The Report

Letter of Transmittal"

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Real World Ramifications of Cannabis Legalization and Decriminalization

Real World Ramifications of Cannabis Legalization and Decriminalization: "Editor's Note: As more states begin to debate the question of legally controlling marijuana, many lawmakers are posing questions to NORML regarding what effect, if any, such a policy change may have upon the public's use of cannabis and/or young people's attitudes toward it.
The following paper reviews various studies** that have examined this issue in regions that have either a) regulated marijuana use and sales for all adults; b) decriminalized the possession of small quantities of marijuana for adults; c) medicalized the use of marijuana to certain authorized individuals; or d) deprioritized the enforcement of marijuana laws. This paper also proposes general guidelines to govern marijuana use, production, and distribution in a legal, regulated manner.

**This paper expands upon the studies initially referenced by NORML in its paper, Marijuana Decriminalization & Its Impact on Use."

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Gallup: Record Percentage Of Americans Now Support Marijuana Legalization

Gallup: Record Percentage Of Americans Now Support Marijuana Legalization: "Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Princeton, NJ: A record 50 percent of Americans now believe that marijuana ought to be legalized for adult use, according to a nationwide Gallup poll of 1,005 adults.

The percentage of Americans favoring legalization is up four percent from 2010. It is the highest percentage ever recorded by Gallup, which has tracked public opinion data regarding marijuana policy since 1969.

The 2011 survey results also mark the first time ever that Gallup has reported that more Americans support legalizing cannabis (50 percent) than oppose it (46 percent).

Gallup reported that support for legalizing cannabis was highest among self-described liberals (69 percent) and those between the ages of 18 to 29 (62 percent). Support was weakest among Republicans (35 percent), self-described conservatives (34 percent), and those over the age of 65 (31 percent)."

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California: State's Largest Doctor's Association Calls For Legalizing And Regulating Cannabis

California: State's Largest Doctor's Association Calls For Legalizing And Regulating Cannabis: "Wednesday, 19 October 2011

Sacramento, CA: The California Medical Association (CMA), representing over 35,000 physicians nationwide, has called for the 'legalization and regulation' of cannabis for adults, according to a white paper adopted by the group on Friday.

The CMA paper, entitled 'Cannabis and the Regulatory Void,' recommends that cannabis be taxed and regulated "in a manner similar to alcohol." The paper also calls for the reclassification of cannabis under federal law "in order to encourage research leading to responsible regulation."

It states: "In order to allow for a robust regulatory scheme to be developed, cannabis must be moved out of its current Schedule I status. ... Rescheduling cannabis will allow for further clinical research to determine the utility and risks of cannabis, which will then shape the national regulatory structure for this substance.""

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NORML.ORG US CO: Three Operators Of Denver Medical-Pot Operation Charged

NORML.ORG US CO: Three Operators Of Denver Medical-Pot Operation Charged: "
Colorado
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The charging of three medical-marijuana entrepreneurs with federal drug crimes sowed chaos in the state's cannabis community Friday and raised questions about why the owners' dispensary was allowed to stay open after a previous police raid.

Father-and-son Ha and Nathan Do were in federal lockup on drug-distribution charges Friday night, held without bail, after agents raided an unlicensed marijuana-growing warehouse in Denver and seized more than 1,000 cannabis plants. Along with Ha Do's brother, Hai Do, the three run the Earth's Medicine dispensary in Denver and operate three cultivation facilities that have applied for licenses, according to state records.

Hai Do and Richard Crosse, the owner of the raided warehouse, were also charged with drug distribution but have not yet been arrested. "

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NORML.ORG US CA: Column: Going Backward in Drug War

NORML.ORG US CA: Column: Going Backward in Drug War: "California
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New Federal Effort Against Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Will Fail As Have All Other Efforts at Prohibition.

The four U.S. attorneys in California announced last week yet another federal marijuana program, with this one aimed at closing down medical marijuana dispensaries. Not only will this program be as hopeless as its predecessors, it is yet another continuing example of the arrogance, hypocrisy and bullying of the federal government in this area. "

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South Carolina High School Issues Ban On Hemp Jewelry

South Carolina High School Issues Ban On Hemp Jewelry: "Thursday, 08 October 1998

Students attending Spring Valley High School may no longer wear necklaces made out of hemp fiber, according to a new policy enacted by educators this year. Administrators at the school said the ban was necessary because the necklaces are representative of the marijuana drug culture.

"School officials' purpose for banning hemp jewelry likely violates students' constitutionally protected rights to speech," said Tanya Kangas, Esq., director of litigation for The NORML Foundation.

Steven Bates, executive director of the state American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), also voiced opposition to the new policy. "The authoritarian nature of schools is becoming ridiculous," he said. "It's silly. You could smoke it (hemp) all day long and not get high.""

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Clemson University Touted As Nation's Top School For Pot

Clemson University Touted As Nation's Top School For Pot: "Thursday, 22 August 2002

Clemson, SC: Clemson University is the nation's most marijuana-friendly campus, according to The Princeton Review's annual sourcebook, "The Best 345 Colleges," released this week. The report, which is based on candid survey results from 65,000 students nationwide, ranks hundreds of colleges in various categories such as academic achievement and quality of life.

Clemson University edged University of California at Berkeley, University of California at Santa Cruz, New York University and Penn State University to emerge as this year's top school for "higher" learning. Georgia's Institute of Technology ranked #1 on Princeton's "Top 20" list of least pot-friendly campuses.

For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Foundation Executive Director, at (202) 483-8751. For a complete list of this year's Princeton review rankings, please visit: http://www.review.com/college/rankings.cfm"

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NORML Chapter To File Suit Over Free Speech Restriction

NORML Chapter To File Suit Over Free Speech Restriction: "Thursday, 15 April 2004

Columbia, SC: The South Carolina chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is suing organizers of the state's largest annual music festival to allow representatives from Midlands NORML to distribute promotional materials at this weekend's Three Rivers Music Festival.

Event organizers initially rejected Midlands NORML's application to host a booth at the festival because they disapproved of the group's literature - which argues for reforming marijuana prohibition. After receiving letters from the ACLU, Three Rivers Music Festival representatives agreed to grant Midlands NORML a booth at the event, but said that the group could not freely distribute their written materials to festival attendees."

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White House response to NORML’s “We the People” marijuana legalization petition | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform

White House response to NORML’s “We the People” marijuana legalization petition | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform: "The Obama White House has released its official response to the “We the People” online petition for marijuana legalization submitted by NORML. The petition, which garnered 74,169 signatures, was by far the most popular petition submitted. The government response (released late on a Friday to avoid news cycles, we’ll note) repeats the same tired lies and classic misdirections. Most of all, it fails to answer NORML’s actual petition, which asked:

Legalize and Regulate Marijuana in a Manner Similar to Alcohol.
We the people want to know when we can have our “perfectly legitimate” discussion on marijuana legalization. Marijuana prohibition has resulted in the arrest of over 20 million Americans since 1965, countless lives ruined and hundreds of billions of tax dollars squandered and yet this policy has still failed to achieve its stated goals of lowering use rates, limiting the drug’s access, and creating safer communities."

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Study: Alcohol Is “More Than Twice As Harmful As Cannabis” — So Explain To Me Again Why Pot Is Illegal? | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform

Study: Alcohol Is “More Than Twice As Harmful As Cannabis” — So Explain To Me Again Why Pot Is Illegal? | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform: "Alcohol consumption causes far greater harms to the individual user and to society than does the use of cannabis, according to a new review published online in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, the journal of the British Association of Psychopharmacology.

Investigators at the Imperial College of London assessed “the relative physical, psychological, and social harms of cannabis and alcohol.” Authors reported that cannabis inhalation, particularly long-term, contributes to some potential adverse health effects, including harms to the lungs, circulatory system, as well as the exacerbation of certain mental health risks. By contrast, authors described alcohol as “ a toxic substance” that is responsible for nearly five percent “of the total global disease burden.”"

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Medical marijuana turns 15 years old – Has it reached its zenith? | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform

Medical marijuana turns 15 years old – Has it reached its zenith? | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform: "Tomorrow, November 5th, 2011, marks the fifteenth anniversary of California’s passage of Prop 215, The Compassionate Use Act. The Act passed with 55.58% of the vote and remains the greatest achievement in marijuana law reform in the “War on Drugs” era."

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‘We The People?’ — Voters Act To Reduce Municipal Marijuana Penalties, Cops Have Other Ideas | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform

‘We The People?’ — Voters Act To Reduce Municipal Marijuana Penalties, Cops Have Other Ideas | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform: "Two municipal election results from yesterday ought to come as no surprise.

In the cities of Kalamazoo, Michigan and Tacoma, Washington, municipal voters overwhelmingly favored local ballot measures to mandate that the criminal enforcement of cannabis possession offenses be law enforcement’s “lowest priority.”"

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Cannabis’ Impact on Health Justifies Its Legalization, Not Its Criminal Prohibition | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform

Cannabis’ Impact on Health Justifies Its Legalization, Not Its Criminal Prohibition | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform: "The theme of the November issue of the academic online journal CATO Unbound is “If Not Now, When? The Slow Rise of Marijuana Reform.”

I have the lead essay in the journal, which also features forthcoming contributions from NORML’s Executive Director Allen St. Pierre and other notable drug law reform advocates.

Below is an excerpt from my commentary, entitled, “Cannabis Impact on Health Justifies Its Legalization, Not Its Criminal Prohibition.”"

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NORML Attorneys File Suit Against Federal Government | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform

NORML Attorneys File Suit Against Federal Government | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform: "Today, three NORML Legal Committee attorneys will announce lawsuits against the federal government with hopes of ending the medical marijuana crackdown in California. Attorneys Matt Kumin, David Michael, and Alan Silber are coordinating the effort which aims to enjoin the federal government from this latest round of federal enforcement actions against the growers and dispensaries in the state.

The group plans on using a variety of legal theories including the 9th and 10th Amendments, equal protection and due process, and collateral estoppel in their case. NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano has also personally filed a declaration in this suit, which will be raised in each of the four federal districts in California.

NORML will have a more in-depth look at the suit later today when it is formally announced."

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NORML Attorneys file multiple constitutional challenges to federal medical marijuana crackdown | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform

NORML Attorneys file multiple constitutional challenges to federal medical marijuana crackdown | NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform: "NORML Attorneys Matt Kumin, David Michael, and Alan Silber, have filed suit (read here: http://norml.org/pdf_files/brief_bank/2011_11_03_DOJ_Lit_Complaint_EDCA.pdf ) in the four federal districts in California to challenge the Obama Administration’s recent crackdown on medical marijuana operations in the Golden State. Aided by expert testimony from NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano and research from California NORML Director Dale Gieringer, the suits seek an injunction against the recent federal intrusion into state medical marijuana laws at least and at most a declaration of the unconstitutionality of the Controlled Substances Act with respect to state regulation of medical marijuana."

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Chronic High Doses of Cannabinoids Promote Hippocampal Neurogenesis « Science. Why not?

Chronic High Doses of Cannabinoids Promote Hippocampal Neurogenesis « Science. Why not?: "“The recent discovery that the hippocampus is able to generate new neurons throughout a human’s lifespan has changed the way we think about the mechanisms of psychiatric disorders and drug addiction,” says Wen Jian and colleagues in a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation in 2005. It appears that cannabinoids are able to modulate pain, nausea, vomiting, epilepsy, ischemic stroke, cerebral trauma, multiple sclerosis, tumors, and many other disorders. Cannabinoids act on two types of receptors, the CB1 receptors (found mainly in the brain) and the CB2 receptors (found mainly in the immune system). The CB1 receptor is one of the most abundant G protein coupled receptors in the mammalian brain and it accounts for most, if not all, of the centrally mediated effects of cannabinoids. Cannabionoid receptors are evolutionarily conserved amoung various vertebrates and invertebrates which have been separate for 500 million years."

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