FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 17, 2010
Pennsylvanians for Medical Marijuana PA4MMJ
www.pa4mmj.org
CONTACT: Pittsburgh: Patrick Nightingale [email protected] 412-225-7959
Philadelphia: Derek Rosenzweig or Chris Goldstein [email protected] or 215-586-3483
Doctors, Police will support medical marijuana in Pittsburgh
Public hearings this week on Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana bill HB 1393 will feature powerful testimony in favor of legal access. The House Health and Human Services Committee will meet Thursday in Pittsburgh to address the topic. More info
The Committee will hear from medical doctors, retired police, a former Assistant District Attorney and medical professionals.
- Dr. Cyril Wecht, one of the nation’s most respected forensic pathologists, will testify at he hearing. Wecht said today, "I have personally performed approximately 17000 autopsies during my 50 year career as a forensic pathologist. I have reviewed, supervised or signed off on 36000 other autopsy reports, many of which have emanated from jurisdictions throughout the United States. I have never diagnosed as a cause of death ‘acute cannabinoid toxicity’, nor, in all the other cases that I have reviewed have I ever seen such a post-mortem diagnosis."
- Patrick Nightingale Esq. is a former Assistant DA in Pittsburgh. He is on the Board of directors at Pennsylvanians for Medical Marijuana PA4MMJ and co-founded PittsburghNORML. He commented today, “We are honored to add to the Legislative Record the testimony of such a renowned group of individuals.”
“We believe Dr. Wecht's testimony will provide compelling evidence that marijuana can and is used safely and does not pose the risks of overdose and death commonly associated with opiate based medications such as oxycontin, fentanyl, vicodin and percoset."
- Dr. Lester Grinspoon is Associate Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Grinspoon has written extensively on medial marijuana including the book Marijuana: The Forbidden Medicine. Grinspoon will appear at the hearing to testify via internet video conferencing.
- Jack Cole spent 26 years with the New Jersey State police. He worked for 14 years in narcotics, much of it undercover. Cole went on to found the group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition LEAP and will testify in favor of medical marijuana.
- Sgt. Matt Rite is a 22-year-old Iraq war veteran. Ready to re-deploy with his unit, he was given a general discharge after testing positive for THC. The federal Veterans Affairs Administration recently addressed medical marijuana use. If vets are registered in a state authorized medical marijuana program they will face no internal sanctions.
In addition to the live testimony dozens of Pittsburgh area residents will submit written testimony to the HHS Committee.
Representative Mark B. Cohen introduced HB1393 and the first public hearings took place in Harrisburg last December.
A Franklin&Marshall poll conducted this year showed that 80% of PA residents support the medical marijuana legislation.
Pennsylvanians for Medical Marijuana (PA4MMJ) is a statewide non-profit advocacy group promoting passage of the bill.
PA4MMJ welcomes the opportunity to put legislators and the media into contact with local patients and cannabis experts.
CONTACT: Pittsburgh: Patrick Nightingale [email protected] 412-225-7959
Philadelphia: Derek Rosenzweig or Chris Goldstein [email protected] or 215-586-3483
The 2006 killing of Kathryn Johnston gave the American public a window into the rampant incompetence and needless violence that so often characterizes modern drug enforcement. A massive settlement announced today will hopefully serve as a vivid reminder to police that dirty tactics can carry a heavy price.
Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- The city of Atlanta will pay $4.9 million to the family of Kathryn Johnston, a 92-year-old woman killed in a botched November 2006 drug raid, Mayor Kasim Reed's office announced Monday.
Johnston was shot to death by narcotics officers conducting a "no-knock" warrant. Investigators later determined the raid was based on falsified paperwork stating that illegal drugs were present in the home.
In the four years since Johnston's death, we've seen equally dramatic national controversies emerge from Berwyn Heights, MD and Columbia, MO, as well as countless other disturbing events that for whatever reason failed to generate national outrage. I can only imagine that the next great drug raid fiasco is just around the corner. Until the drug war is brought to an end, the loss of innocent lives will continue and the cost of cleaning up the mess will fall on every one of us.
Cultural Baggage * Century of Lies * 4:20 Drug War NEWS * Time 4 Hemp
Cultural Baggage for 08/15/10 29:00 Gretchen Burns Bergman of Parents for Addiciton Treatment and Healing + Randy Credico senatorial candidate in NY & MJ Borden with Drug War Facts & premiere of "Legalize" by Sloshtown
LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/3028
TRANSCRIPT: TBD
Century of Lies for 08/15/10 29:00 Judge Maria Lucia Karam (ret) of Rio De Janero regarding impact of drug war in the Americas' + Slice from John Stossel with Neil Franklin of LEAP and drug czar wannabe Paul Chabot
LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/3029
TRANSCRIPT: Tue
4:20 Drug War NEWS, 08/16 to 08/22/10 Link at www.drugtruth.net on the right margin -
Sun - Randy Credico, running for Chuck Schumer's senate seat in New York, comments on drug law Sat - Cut from John Stossel show with Neil Franklin of LEAP and drug czar wannabe Paul Chabot Fri - Judge Maria Lucia Karam 2/2 Thu - Judge Maria Lucia Karam (ret) of Rio De Janero regarding her opinion piece re drug war, in the Guardian 1/2 Wed - Gretchen Burns Bergman, Dir of A New Path, parents for addiction, treatment and healing Tue - Mary Jane Borden of Drug War Facts: "Is marijuana a pipeline to other drugs?"
Mon - "It's About the Money - Legalize" a broadcast premiere of the new song from Sloshtown
Programs produced at Pacifica Radio Station KPFT in Houston, 90.1 FM. You can Listen Live Online at www.kpft.org
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Who's Next?": Russ Bellville of NORML
Hundreds of our programs are available online at www.drugtruth.net, www.audioport.org and now at James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University. http://www.bakerinstitute.org
We have potcasts, searchability, CMS, XML, sorts by guest name and by organization. We provide the "unvarnished truth about the drug war" to scores of broadcast affiliates. You can tune into both our 1/2 hour programs, live, at 6:30 central time on Pacifica's KPFT at http://www.kpft.org and call in your questions and concerns toll free at 1-877-9-420 420.
The two, 29:00 shows appear along with the seven, daily, 3:00 "4:20 Drug War NEWS" reports each Monday morning at http://www.drugtruth.net . We currently have 74 affiliated, yet independent broadcast stations. With a simple email request to [email protected] , your station can join the Drug Truth Network, free of charge.
Check out our latest videos via www.youtube.com/fdbecker 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, DTN Producer, 713-462-7981, www.drugtruth.net
The Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey (CMMNJ) is proud to announce a Medical Marijuana Stakeholders Meeting held in conjunction with the national patient advocacy organization, Americans for Safe Access (ASA). Medical marijuana patients, their families, advocates, potential Alternative Treatment Center owners, and health care professionals should attend the meeting.
There will be a benefit dinner at the Hyatt Regency Princeton on Friday night, 8/20/10 at 7:00 PM. CMMNJ’s volunteers, Board members and ASA’s Steph Sherer will will attend the dinner and the public is invited. The Hyatt is located at 102 Carnegie Center, Princeton, NJ 08540. The dinner includes appetizers, salad, a choice of four entrees, dessert and beverages.
The cost to attend the all-day meeting on Saturday is $20, and includes lunch. The cost for the Friday night benefit dinner is $100. There is limited seating. To secure a place at this important meeting, and/or the benefit dinner, send a check made out to "CMMNJ" to 219 Woodside Ave, Trenton, NJ 08618. Or, pay through PayPal at www.cmmnj.org make sure to put “Stakeholders Meeting” in the note.
“CMMNJ is thrilled to bring to Trenton these national leaders in the medical marijuana movement,” said Ken Wolski, a registered nurse and executive director of CMMNJ.
Steph Sherer, Executive Director of ASA, will be the featured presenter at the Stakeholders Meeting. Steph is an international leader and expert in medical cannabis advocacy who aids in drafting legislation and advises governments around the globe. She has been a guest lecturer at University of California, Berkeley and George Washington University, DC. Jahan Marcu, a cannabinoid researcher from Temple University School of Medicine, and a member of the ASA Medical Advisory Board, will discuss his work on cannabinoids eliminating cancer tumors. Caren Woodson, ASA’s Director of Government Affairs, will also give a presentation. Caren played an integral role in the drafting of San Francisco’s ordinance that permits and regulates medical cannabis distribution centers. Also presenting Saturday on the status and details of New Jersey’s medical marijuana law will be CMMNJ’s Ken Wolski RN and Chris Goldstein.
CMMNJ has worked with ASA as a resource throughout the medical marijuana legislative effort in New Jersey. Now that the Garden State has passed a compassionate use law it is vital for local advocates to learn from seasoned experts how to proceed forward. New Jersey’s medical cannabis patients and volunteers can also be an important part of the national discussion about safe access.
ASA has ambitious national, regional and local Goals and Objectives for providing medical marijuana to patients. The Stakeholders Meeting will look at the following topics:
1. Creating the political playing field necessary to pass federal, state, and local legislation.
2. Implementing medical cannabis laws with methods that meet the needs of patients.
3. Passing meaningful legislation that creates safe and legal access in additional states.
Media passes are available. A brief press conference will be held.
