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Ruining Young Lives for Marijuana Possession

Marijuana undermines academic performance, they claim, so the punishment for marijuana is that you're not allowed to go to school anymore:

Three Liberty High School students were expelled for possession of what police and district officials say they suspect is marijuana on Jan. 13, 20 and 21.School employees found a 15-year-old student in possession of a small amount of marijuana on campus Jan. 13.

School officials proceeded to ask questions about other students who might have marijuana on campus as well… [Issaquah Press]

Yeah! Get the kids to rat on their friends so you can expel as many of them as possible. Teach them responsibility by taking away the one responsibility they have. Make them be normal by separating them from their peers and leaving them with no one to turn to.

And if these kids grow up to be total losers, we'll blame it on the marijuana.
In The Trenches

Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc.: February Agenda 2010

Monthly Public Meeting Agenda Lawrence Twp. Library (Mercer County) Room #2 Tuesday, February 9, 2010; 7:00 PM -- 9:00 PM 7:00 PM: Call meeting to order. Approve January 2010 minutes. Discuss: - The New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act was signed into law on January 18, 2010. Thank you to all the patients, activists and volunteers who made this possible. The law is scheduled to take effect in six months (July 2010). Emergency regulations are expected to be put out by the NJ Departments of Health (DHSS), and Law & Public Safety (LPS) in three months. No info will be available about how to apply for ID cards or how to become an Alternative Treatment Center (ATC) before that. - CMMNJ is committed to working for safe and legal access to marijuana for all qualified NJ patients. CMMNJ meetings will continue in 2010, same time, same place. - Public support at MS patient John Wilson's sentencing by Judge Reed on 2/5/10 at 9:00 AM at the Somerset County Court House in Somerville, NJ. Write to the judge asking for leniency. Write to the governor and ask him to pardon John altogether. Even State Senators urge Gov. Corzine to pardon him. - Recent events: Medical Marijuana Breakfast at the New Jersey State Nurses Association on 2/5/10 (8:30 AM -- 10:30 AM) with speakers Reed Gusciora (D-Prnceton), and Ken Wolski, RN ($30 members, $50 non-members). PhillyNORML Fundraiser at The Rotunda on Walnut St., Philadelphia on 1/29/10 at 7 PM ($5 cover). - Treasury report: Checking: $3,138.60; PayPal: $838.51. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to CMMNJ, a 501(c)(3) public charity, to fund education about medical marijuana. Donations may be made securely through Paypal or checks made out to "CMMNJ" and sent to the address below. Get a free t-shirt for a donation above $15—specify size. Thank you for your support. CMMNJ's scheduled meetings are Feb. 9, & March 9, 2010 (the second Tuesday of each month) at the Lawrence Twp. Library from 7:00 PM until 9:00 PM. All are welcome. Snacks are served. The library is at 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence Twp., Tel. #609.882.9246. (Meeting at the library does not imply their endorsement of our issue.) For more info, contact: Ken Wolski, RN, MPA Executive Director, Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc. www.cmmnj.org 219 Woodside Ave., Trenton, NJ 08618 (609) 394-2137 [email protected]
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Obama Chooses Terrible Nominee to Head the DEA

After stalling for a whole year, the White House has finally announced Obama's choice to head the DEA. And there isn’t anything good to be said about it:

For those hoping that Barack Obama would wage the war on drugs less aggressively than his predecessor, this is not a good sign: Yesterday he announced that the new head of the Drug Enforcement Administration will be Michele Leonhart, a career DEA agent who has been the agency's deputy administrator since March 2004 and its acting administrator since November 2007. [Reason]


For all the recent rhetoric about changing the focus of our drug policy and moving beyond the war mentality that's gripped this issue for decades, the White House now plans to promote a Bush Administration holdover who couldn’t more perfectly embody the ugly history we're all working so hard to put behind us.

It was Leonhart who gave marching orders in the federal war on medical marijuana, right up to and even after the Obama Administration pledged to respect state laws. She celebrated the inauguration with a cleverly-timed, though transparently dishonest move to continue blocking medical marijuana research despite the ruling of a DEA administrative law judge. She's been closely tied to the sketchiest career informant in DEA history, even making light of his reputation for perjury. And she even managed to get her name in the press by wasting $123,000 in taxpayer money on a private flight to Colombia, even though the DEA owns 106 airplanes.

Leonhart's nomination is an affront to the Obama Administration's promises of a more enlightened drug policy approach. It's also a clear statement that they don't think we're paying attention to the faces behind the drug war's rich and recent history of arrogance, ignorance and injustice. Let's prove them wrong by opposing this embarrassing nomination as loudly as we can.

Please contact the White House today to tell them that Michele Leonhart's DEA career has already gone on far too long.
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LA City Council Approves Medical Marijuana Ordinance; Hundreds of Dispensaries Will be Forced to Close, Thousands of Jobs Lost

The Los Angeles City Council voted 9-3 today to approve a medical marijuana dispensary ordinance that, if enforced, will shut down more than 80% of the city's estimated nearly one thousand dispensaries. The ordinance also bars dispensaries from operating within a thousand feet of schools, parks, day care centers, religious institutions, drug treatment centers, or other dispensaries. The ordinance allows for only 70 dispensaries to operate in the city, but grandfathers in 137 dispensaries that were licensed before the council imposed a moratorium on new dispensaries. The number of allowed dispensaries could shrink even further if suitable locations that do not violate the 1,000-foot rule cannot be found. With this vote, the city council will effectively push thousands of dispensary employees onto the unemployment rolls. Look for a feature article on the council vote and its ramifications on Friday.
In The Trenches

The Beginning of the End

You Can Make a Difference

 

Dear friends,

Thank the visionary legislators who have introduced bills to tax and regulate marijuana. 

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This is the beginning of the end of marijuana prohibition.

Measures to tax and regulate marijuana have emerged in California, Washington, and New Hampshire, and we can build support for these and other reform efforts by thanking the forward-thinking legislators who are working for better marijuana policies.

New polling shows that nearly half the nation believes marijuana should be legal.  Yet many legislators still shrink from opposing prohibition for fear of losing popular support. 

You and I need to show legislators that backing marijuana reform is no longer a political risk.  If enough of us speak out, we can show lawmakers that there is a groundswell of support for reform throughout the country. 

Right now, we can prove just how big our movement is by thanking legislators who are sponsoring tax and regulate legislation.

Our movement has new champions working to fix our backwards marijuana policies and open up the discourse.  Join me in sending a note of thanks to the California, Washington, and New Hampshire lawmakers who are promoting smarter marijuana policy.

Let's send the message that voters all across the country want marijuana reform.

Sincerely,

Bill Piper
Director, Office of National Affairs
Drug Policy Alliance Network

 

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In The Trenches

NJSNA/INPAC Medical Marijuana for Breakfast - Registration Closes 1/27/10

Last Chance to Register for NJSNA/INPAC Breakfast Series...Registration Closes Wed. 1/27/10 Hear directly from elected leaders who make decisions on the issues impacting your nursing practice. NJSNA will bring together top officials, committee chairs, and candidates for insightful briefings and question and answer sessions. Date: Thursday, February 4, 2010 Time: 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM Session Topic: Medical Marijuana Location: NJSNA HQ - 1479 Pennington Road, Trenton NJ Speakers: Assemblyman Reed Gusciora (D-15) Ken Wolski, RN Executive Director Coalition for Medical Marijuana-New Jersey, Inc. Price: NJSNA Members $30 ~ Non-Members $50 *** Registrations will not be processed without proper payment. Pre-registration is required - there will be no on-site registration for this event *** Register On-Line at www.NJSNA.org
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In The Trenches

Round 1 to SAFER - Starbucks/CDIA Update

SAFER and supporters of marijuana policy reform have won Round 1 in the fight against the Arrest and Prosecution Industry and the companies that sponsor their efforts to keep marijuana illegal.

After being subjected to an action that resulted in thousands of e-mail messages and several unflattering news accounts, the Colorado Drug Investigators Association (CDIA) shut down its Web site entirely and many of its "sponsors" distanced themselves from the extremist anti-marijuana organization. Apparently this law enforcement group has far less support in the community than it had led people to believe on its Web site. Needless to say, we're not surprised. We are, however, shocked that this group would list any company as a sponsor without receiving permission.

Starbucks, the largest "sponsor" listed and a primary target of SAFER's call to action, released a public statement to ensure everyone knows it does NOT support the anti-marijuana group at the national level. Rather, the company said, "It is up to the discretion of our local teams to support those groups that are relevant in their neighborhoods."

Although we feel Starbucks should develop a policy prohibiting its stores from lending support to these types of groups, and that it should be looking into groups like the CDIA who have used their logo without permission, SAFER is no longer calling for a nationwide boycott of Starbucks or these other companies.

Rather, we urge you and all supporters of marijuana reform to use YOUR "discretion" and decide for yourself whether you wish to give them your business. After all, no local store or company should be lending its support to such these extremist organizations lobbying to maintain Marijuana Prohibition so they can continue to arrest and prosecute people for marijuana. SAFER will continue to keep an eye out for stores or other companies that lend support to the Arrest and Prosecution Industry and shady groups like the CDIA, and we will be sure to keep everyone posted on how you can take action if the need should arise.

As the Seattle Weekly's blog put it:

"[This Starbucks boycott is] nothing but a minor brew-ha-ha. But more evidence that we've now entered an (amazing) alternate dimension, where speaking out against pot actually gets you more bad PR than speaking out for it."

If you support SAFER's efforts to expose these types of shady partnerships and take on these anti-marijuana groups, please help us continue to do so by visiting http://www.SAFERchoice.org/donate and making a donation today. If you contribute $25 or more you can receive any one of SAFER's T-shirts or a copy of Marijuana Is Safer: So why are we driving people to drink? signed by coauthor and SAFER Executive Director Mason Tvert.

As always, we greatly appreciate your ongoing support, and we thank you again if you were among those who took action or helped us spread the word about it.


 

In The Trenches

Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws to Unveil New Ad Criticizing D.A. Gammick

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 25, 2010

Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws to Unveil New Ad Criticizing D.A. Gammick

Ad Questions whether Gammick is Making Washoe County Safer by Punishing Adults Who Use Marijuana Instead of Alcohol

CONTACT: Dave Schwartz, NSML ………. 702-727-1081 or [email protected]

RENO, NEVADA — Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws will unveil a new ad Tuesday that asks Washoe County District Attorney Richard Gammick why he is against ending Nevada’s prohibition on marijuana. The ad will air Wednesday, January 27 on KRNV in Reno.

         “The ad we are unveiling Tuesday addresses a serious subject—public safety,” said Dave Schwartz, campaign manager for Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws. “It does so by contrasting the fact that 25 to 30 percent of all violent crimes in the U.S. are alcohol-related with District Attorney Gammick's desire to focus law enforcement resources on adults who use marijuana, which is less harmful than alcohol and less likely to lead to acts of violence. In the end, we ask whether Mr. Gammick wants Washoe County to be safer.  This is not a rhetorical question.  We want Mr. Gammick to explain how punishing adults for using marijuana and steering them toward alcohol instead makes us safer as a society.

            “As a man with a long history in law enforcement—as well as many interesting life experiences—Mr. Gammick should appreciate the wide range of societal harms produced by alcohol,” Schwartz continued.  “From domestic abuse to assaults outside of bars to irresponsible and reckless drivers on our streets, alcohol use poses a serious threat to the health and safety of members of our communities.  In every way, marijuana is less of a threat to our communities.  Yet for some reason, Mr. Gammick feels that marijuana users are less responsible than alcohol users.”

         You can view the ad at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvwJuCeO-uA

         An episode of the television show “Nevada Newsmakers” featuring Dave Schwartz and D.A. Gammick is scheduled to air February 4.

         WHO: Dave Schwartz, campaign manager, Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws

         WHAT: Press Conference Unveiling TV Ad Against D.A. Gammick

         WHERE: Reno Justice Court, Mills Lane Building, One South Sierra Street -- Reno, NV

         WHEN: Tuesday, January 26, at 11:00 a.m.

Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws is a ballot advocacy group formed in Nevada to support a 2012 ballot initiative to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol in the state.

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