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Poll: L.A. Voters Oppose Plan to Close Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
OCTOBER 22, 2009
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Poll: L.A. Voters Oppose Plan to Close Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
Mason-Dixon Finds Only 14% Back District Attorney; 77% Want Dispensaries Regulated
CONTACT: Bruce Mirken, MPP director of communications â¦â¦â¦â¦â¦ 415-585-6404 or 202-215-4205
LOS ANGELES â A new poll of Los Angeles County voters reports massive opposition to Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooleyâs announced plan for a wholesale shutdown of medical marijuana dispensaries, with only 14 percent backing Cooleyâs effort. After Cooley made his statement, Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich proposed an ordinance that would effectively shut down all dispensaries in the city.
        The survey of 625 randomly chosen L.A. County voters was conducted Oct. 19 and 20 by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.
           Asked whether they support or oppose Californiaâs medical marijuana law, including patientsâ ability to buy their medical marijuana, 74 percent said they favor it, with 16 percent opposed and 10 percent undecided. Following that question, voters were asked about Cooleyâs assertion that all medical marijuana dispensaries in the county are illegal and should be closed. Asked, âWhich of one these two alternatives come closest to your view: Prosecute or close all medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles County, or create and enforce uniform licensing requirements and regulations for the operation of medical marijuana dispensaries within Los Angeles County,â 77 percent supported regulation, with only 14 percent backing a large-scale shutdown.
           Support for regulating the dispensaries crossed all demographic groups, including a 62 to 30 percent margin among Republicans.
           In a third question, 54 percent of county voters supported âmaking marijuana legal for adults who are 21 or older, and regulating and taxing marijuana similarly to alcohol,â with 33 percent opposed. Full results of the poll are available at http://www.mpp.org/assets/pdfs/general/MPP-LA-County-10-09-Poll.pdfÂ
           âItâs clear that voters utterly reject calls for a wholesale shutdown of medical marijuana collectives and overwhelmingly support sensible regulation,â said Aaron Smith, California policy director for the Marijuana Policy Project. âAngelenos support patientsâ right to obtain medical marijuana, and want them to do it through safe, regulated businesses and not force them to turn to street dealers, as Cooley and Trutanich would do.â
        With more than 29,000 members and 100,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. For more information, please visit http://MarijuanaPolicy.org.
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Latin America: Mexican Drug War Update--October 22
Christian Science Monitor Thinks Arresting Cancer Patients Will Stop Marijuana Legalization
The federal government has limited resources to fight drugs, and funds should not be wasted on prosecuting users and providers of medical marijuana who comply with state laws, the Obama administration said this week.That, right there, is everything you'll ever need to know about why anyone still opposes medical marijuana. It is not any more or less complicated than the fact that they're afraid of legalization and they wonât hesitate to throw seriously ill patients under the bus if they think it will curb our momentum. It's a motivation so selfish and shameful, we've rarely seen it acknowledged and its emergence now is really a remarkable testament to the vacancy of credible objections presently available to those seeking to undermine patient access.
While this argument may indeed seem a sensible prioritizing of federal effort and dollars, the White House and the public should realize it comes with a cost.
That cost is Washington's tacit approval of state-sanctioned medical marijuana, which the drug's proponents will take as a green light to push even harder for their ultimate goal: full legalization of marijuana use and distribution.
What perfect irony that those who advocate arresting patients as a necessary means to prevent broader legalization would dare accuse us of exploiting the sick and dying for political ends.
Assembly Hearing on Legalization of Marijuana: Social, Fiscal and Legal Implications for CA - Oct. 28, 2009 - with Public Comment time
John Stossel & Bill O'Reilly Debate Drug Legalization
Stossel just took a job over at FOX News and if that means we'll be seeing more of this, I'm all for it (the good stuff starts at 2:25):
All it takes is a few words from Stossel to send O'Reilly (who's been known to vaguely support medical marijuana) into a rambling tailspin about how legalizing medical marijuana causes heroin addicts to sell it to children. Yeah, that's pretty much what we've learned to expect from him, but as much as O'Reilly makes me sick, I think he epitomizes the sort of pure drug war lunacy that's done so much to alienate the public.
Apparently, the producers at FOX see it too, which would help to explain why they've brought Stossel in on the conversation.
Asia: Drug Users Form Regional Drug User Organization
Southwest Asia: Afghan Opium Trade Wreaking Global Havoc, UNODC Warns
Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc. October Minutes and DOJ Memo
Monthly Public Meeting Minutes
Lawrence Township Library
Tuesday, October 13, 2009; 7:00 PM â 9:00 PM
7:15 PM:  Meeting called to order. September 2009 minutes approved. Discussion:
àAssemblyman and doctors support medical marijuana in New Jersey. All three gubernatorial candidates said they support medical marijuana during their recent debate. Libertarian candidate for governor also supports the bill. See the excellent article in Inside New Jersey, âMedical marijuana bill gains momentum in New Jersey.âÂ
àThe New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, which was approved by the state Senate in February, is due for a vote by the Assembly this fall. Tell your legislators that you want the Senate version of the bill to pass into law. This version does not contain the very restrictive changes to the bill that was released by the Assembly Health Committee. See CMMNJâs recent blog for talking pointsâbut tell your story in your own words. Donât let a possibly unworkable bill pass into law. CMMNJ working on postcard project.
àSupport multiple sclerosis (MS) patient John Wilson, who faces 20 years in prison for growing marijuana to treat his MS. Wilson was forbidden by the judge to even mention his medical condition during the upcoming trial. Wilsonâs next pre-trial hearing will be on 10/30 at 9AM. Also, a Warren County NJ mother, day care operator, and Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) president faces many years in prison after her September arrest for medical marijuana that she used to treat severe anxiety.
ÃÂ CMMNJ is scheduled to appear at the following upcoming events (volunteers needed):
·        10/17 & 11/21, 11:30 AM, Medical Marijuana Info Seminar, Collingswood, NJ Public Library (free);
·        10/19, 6:00 PM, Ocean Co. Community College Medical Marijuana Debate, SGA Room 100;
·        Tues., 10/20, 7 PM, NORML NJ Open Mtng., Dog House Saloon, 270 Pascack Rd., Wash. Twp, NJ 07676;
·        11/17 â 19, League of Municipalities Conference at Atlantic City Convention Center (set-up is 11/16).
àCMMNJ representatives recently appeared at the following events: 9/13, Hamilton Septemberfest, Hamilton Twp., NJ; 9/19, Boston Freedom Rally, Boston, Mass.; 9/24-26, NORML Conference, San Francisco, CA.; 10/4 Lawrence Community Day, Lawrence Twp., NJ.; NY State Harvest Festival; 10/10, Ewing Community Fest, TCNJ, Ewing Twp., NJ.; Wisconsin
àCMMNJ raised $178 as a cause on Facebook! See Kenâs Facebook page & Facebook Friends of CMMNJ!
àTreasury report: Current balances: Checking: $4974.21; PayPal: $436.19. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to CMMNJ, a 501(c)(3) organization, to fund public education about medical marijuana. Donations may be made securely through Paypal or checks made out to âCMMNJâ and sent to the address below. Get a free t-shirt for a donation above $15âspecify size. Thank you for your support.
Scheduled meetings are Nov. 10, & Dec. 8, 2009. CMMNJ meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the 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
844 Spruce St., Trenton, NJ 08648Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
(609) 394-2137
DOJ Memo: Hands off medical marijuana users and caregivers
Drug Truth Update 10/19/09
Medical Marijuana Victory
You Can Make a Difference |
Dear friends, Today we have something huge to celebrate. All your calls and letters to the White House this year have paid off: The Obama administration just announced that it's directing federal drug agents not to arrest or harass medical marijuana patients who comply with state laws. Your determination to hold the administration accountable turned campaign promises into official policy. Congratulations! Donate now to turn this momentum into more medical marijuana victories. The next step is to protect patients by making sure that states with medical marijuana laws also provide safe and legal ways for people to obtain their medicine. We have a perfect chance to do that in Maine on Election Day. An initiative on the state's November ballot would create a legal, regulated distribution system for medical marijuana. We can reach 35,000 Mainers who support the initiative to make sure they cast their vote, but we need your help to do it. Will you make a donation to help us call Maine voters? Raising $10,000 in the next week will allow us to conduct the outreach that could make the difference on Election Day. A victory will not only protect patients in Maine, but build momentum for medical marijuana efforts around the country. Please donate now and help us reach our $10,000 goal. Sincerely, Bill Piper |
Yes, we did: Obama ends medical marijuana raids in 13 states
DrugSense FOCUS Alert #417: Los Angeles Prepares for Clash Over Marijuana
Save the Date! SSDP's drug policy conference in San Francisco
Friends,
In the spring of 1932, Al Capone sat in his cell at Alcatraz, gazing across the San Francisco bay at a city filled with illegal speakeasies. One year later, alcohol prohibition would be repealed, leaving Capone's criminal empire in ruins. Violence and corruption decreased... until the U.S. declared a "War on Drugs."
In the spring of 2010, hundreds of members, alumni, and supporters of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) will convene at San Francisco's beautiful Fort Mason Center to discuss modern day prohibition -- drug prohibition -- and its disastrous effects on our society. During the weekend of March 12-14, we will plot a course toward reform, make connections with fellow advocates, and experience a vibrant city on the forefront of sensible drug policy.
Will you join us?
To RSVP for SSDP's International Conference, please visit http://www.ssdp.org/conference/rsvp
While we haven't launched our official registration page yet, RSVPing will ensure that you are at the front of the line for our reduced-price tickets once they are available. We will also be offering travel/lodging scholarships to those who RSVP early. And by RSVPing, you can help us select our conference theme!
With the public and the media embracing reform like never before, this is an exciting time to be involved in changing drug laws. We hope you'll join us in San Francisco for a weekend of education, skills training, and fun!
http://www.ssdp.org/conference/rsvp
Stay Sensible!
Amber, Jon, Micah, Stacia, and Tyler
Students for Sensible Drug Policy
P.S. If you'd like to help us make this the biggest, best SSDP conference yet, please make a donation today.
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