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Marijuana: Weed War Breaks Out Among Philly Politicos
Medical Marijuana: DC City Council Approves Bill, Advocates Criticize Restrictions
Marijuana: Detroit Possession Legalization Initiative Hands in Signatures
Weekly: This Week in History
Is Medical Marijuana a Step Towards Full Legalization?
That's what a FOX reporter asked me after the D.C. Council passed the medical marijuana bill on Tuesday. You can see my answer here:
I was happy to have a chance to make that point, because the whole medical marijuana debate is so often dismissed by our opponents as nothing but a cynical and exploitive tactic in pursuit of a larger agenda. But I don't hear medical marijuana patients complaining when people try to legalize their medicine. If there are any agenda-driven sickos in this debate, it's the drug warriors who lobby for the right to continue arresting seriously ill patients, solely because they're afraid that failing to do so will result in the eventual legalization of marijuana.
Medical marijuana laws can't possibly lead to full legalization unless the American people are impressed with how well those laws work and agree to expand them. Unfortunately for the drug warriors, recent polling suggests that this is already beginning to happen. Sucks to be you, I guess.
Americans for Safe Access: Activist Newsletter - May 2010
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Flash Report: Statewide Dispensary bill likely to become Law
Dispensary Regulation Bill Likely to Become Law
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A Small Bag of Marijuana = Police Shooting Your Dogs in Front of Your Child
You just watched as police shot 2 dogs in the presence of a small child, only to find nothing more than a small bag of marijuana. Incredibly, the parents were charged with child endangerment, not the police who fired guns inside the home.
The madness of prohibition just can't be illustrated much more powerfully than this. You have to see it with you own eyes to fully absorb the brutal callousness of the people who carry out these violent attacks on peaceful families. Even knowing as I do how often events like this take place, I still shuddered while witnessing the suspect's grief at discovering his dogs had been shot.
This is the vicious reality that the drug war's defenders can't and won't ever acknowledge. Blaming drugs for violence might be easy enough to do when it suits your agenda, but the role of our laws and their enforcers in creating horrific bloodshed is too real to be ignored.
Standing in Our Way
You Can Make a Difference |
Dear friends,
Weâre making amazing progress toward ending the war on marijuana, but a major obstacle stands in our way â Michele Leonhart. The DEAâs acting administrator is a Bush holdover whoâs blocked scientific research and overseen dozens of medical marijuana raids. Now sick and disabled veterans are suffering because of her hardline stance against medical marijuana patients. We canât tolerate a DEA administrator with such backwards ideas. Under Michele Leonhartâs direction, the DEA is advising the Veterans Administration (VA) to prohibit its doctors from recommending medical marijuana to their patients, even in states where itâs legal. A Bush holdover is standing in the way of reform, and we need to stop her. The Senate will soon consider whether to confirm her as the permanent administrator of the DEA. Urge the Senate to block her nomination. VA doctors are barred from recommending medical marijuana even though many veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic pain and other ailments have found that itâs the best medicine for their symptoms. Veterans who survived the wars abroad have returned home only to become victims of the war on drugs. Urge the Senate to demand a new DEA administrator. Sincerely, Bill Piper  |
FINALLY: District Council unanimously approves medical marijuana legislation
Marijuana Policy Project Alert | May 5, 2010 | |||||
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FINALLY: District Council unanimously approves medical marijuana legislation Passage of bill implements medical marijuana program 11 years in the making. Dear friends: In yet another sign of the growing acceptance and support of medical marijuana, the Council of the District of Columbia yesterday gave unanimous, final approval to legislation that would place our nationâs capital alongside 14 other states in allowing doctors to recommend medical marijuana for seriously ill residents suffering from cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and other debilitating illnesses. The measure would also create a government-regulated distribution system to provide marijuana to qualifying patients though 5-8 dispensaries located throughout the District. The bill now goes to the mayorâs office for approval and, once signed, will be transmitted to Congress for a mandatory 30-legislative-day review period. If approved as expected, the effective date for the legislation would be mid-July. Not only did the Council give its approval to the bill, but the amount of marijuana patients can purchase could also be raised. Previously, the maximum potential amount was 2.5 ounces. Under an amendment offered by Councilmember Phil Mendelson, the mayor will now be able to raise that limit to 4 ounces. Unfortunately, several other amendments offered by Councilmember Jim Graham that would have improved upon the bill by allowing Virginia and Maryland physicians to make recommendations and providing for civil discrimination protections for patients were defeated with Councilmember Mendelson and Councilmember David Catania leading the opposition. Nonetheless, yesterdayâs vote represents a victory 11 years in the making. District voters approved Initiative 59 with nearly 70% support in 1998, but Congress quickly put the measure on hold by including a rider preventing the initiative from taking effect in the appropriations bill that provides funding to the District. MPP succeeded in removing the "Barr amendment" (after then-Rep. Bob Barr) late last year, and immediately went to work lobbying the Council to implement the initiative. Now that members of Congress from around the country will have an opportunity to see a properly regulated medical marijuana program in person, perhaps weâre closer than ever to seeing federal legislation to protect medical marijuana patients. MPP would like to express appreciation to Teresa Skipper, the D.C. Patients Advocacy Coalition, and countless other patients and activists who help make this day possible. Congratulations to D.C. voters and patients whoâve been waiting 11 years for this victory, and, as always, thank you for your continued support of the Marijuana Policy Project. Sincerely, Dan Riffle  |
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Cop Accidentally Argues for Marijuana Legalization
Police say pot accounts for so many arrests not only because it is so commonly used but also because it's often easier to detect than crack cocaine or heroin, with a distinctive odor that has a way of wafting out car windows during traffic stops.
"You can drop a rock and run," said D.C. Assistant Police Chief Peter Newsham. "If you drop a Ziploc bag of marijuana, you're going to leave a big patch of green."
D.C. police seized about 840 pounds of pot last year, Newsham said. "People don't feel marijuana is dangerous, but it is, because of the way it is sold," he said. "We frequently recover weapons when serving search warrants associated with the sale of marijuana." [Washington Post]
Really, how much clearer could it be? Far and away, the greatest danger associated with marijuana is the black market. If even the police understand this, then who do we still need to explain it to? Changing the way marijuana is sold couldn't be any simpler. In fact, the D.C. Council did exactly that this afternoon with regards to medical marijuana.
If we don't want any more violence in the pot business, we can accomplish that with remarkable ease. Ironically, the only obstacle is the bizarre complaints of police and politicians who insist on blaming marijuana for the violence of prohibition.
DC City Council Approves Medical Marijuana Bill, Advocates Criticize Restrictions
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