Medical Marijuana

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                                 

JUNE 7, 2010

New Marijuana Ordinance Could Have Disastrous Impact on Los Angeles

By Closing More Than 400 Medical Marijuana Dispensing Collectives, City Will Lose Countless Jobs and Tax Dollars, Force Some Patients Into Black Market

CONTACT: Aaron Smith, MPP California policy director …………… 707-575-9870 or 707-291-0076

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — Today, the City of Los Angeles is expected to begin enforcing an ordinance that could shut down more than 400 medical marijuana dispensing collectives within the city. Approved by the L.A. City Council, the ordinance will give collectives that opened prior to 2007 (about 130 of which remain) six months to comply with new regulations that will force many into new locations.

         “This new ordinance is all but guaranteed to have a disastrous impact on Los Angeles,” said Aaron Smith, California policy director for the Marijuana Policy Project. “By imposing zoning laws on medical marijuana collectives that are stricter than those for gun dealers, adult entertainment businesses, alcohol vendors, or pharmacies, the city is placing an undue burden on thousands of medical marijuana patients whose quality of life may depend on safe and reliable access to their medicine. There is no rational reason to impose stricter regulations on medical marijuana collectives than on liquor stores, which sell a substance that everyone knows is more harmful than marijuana and doesn’t require a doctor’s recommendation to purchase. With so many collectives being forced to close shop, many patients whose neighborhood dispensaries close will no doubt turn to the criminal market to obtain their medicine. That means sales taxes won’t be paid on those transactions, it will be impossible to monitor the quality or origin of that marijuana, and the typical turf wars and crime associated with black markets will become more prevalent in surrounding communities.

         “Even in terms of simple economics, closing these businesses makes entirely no sense,” Smith continued. “Why, in the midst of a recession, in a city already plagued by economic stagnation, would anyone think it’s a good idea to shutter more than 400 legitimate businesses that employ hundreds of residents and contribute millions in tax revenue? More empty storefronts are not the solution to L.A.’s financial woes.” 

         With more than 124,000 members and supporters 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 www.mpp.org.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more info, contact: Ken @ (609) 394-2137

Medical Marijuana press conference at Trenton State House on 6/4/10 at 1:00 pm

WHO:     Patients, professionals and medical marijuana advocates

WHAT:   Plan a medical marijuana press conference

WHEN:   June 4, 2010 at 1:00PM

WHERE: Trenton, NJ State House – State Street entrance steps

WHY:       To urge the timely implementation of the medical marijuana law

On Friday June 4, 2010 at 1:00 pm local medical marijuana advocacy groups will hold a press conference at the State House steps in Trenton, NJ.  Doctors, nurses, potential medical marijuana patients, and supporters of the new law will address recent news of a proposed delay in implementing the program.

The New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act was signed into law in January 2010. As passed, the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) was to issue regulations in July and patients were anticipating access to the program by the fall.  Last week a request was made by the Christie administration for an additional 6 to 12 months before the medical marijuana regulations would be issued. The extension would require legislation.  Ken Wolski, a registered nurse and Executive Director of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey said, “If the Department of Health cannot write these regulations in 6 months, there is no guarantee they will be able to write them in 18 months. There is no need for this delay.  Patients are suffering continuously as they wait for this program.”

Anne M. Davis, Executive Director of NORML-NJ said, “This is a law and there are no exceptions.  There are patients with chronic or even terminal illnesses that cannot get an extension on life.”

Wolski continued, “Marijuana is recognized as medicine in New Jersey and patients deserve timely access to it.  The recent trial and conviction of MS patient John Wilson in Somerville amply proves that patients desperately need regulated access to marijuana that is legal in the eyes of police, prosecutors, judges and juries around the state.”

Ken Wolski, RN, MPA, Executive Director

Coalition for Medical Marijuana--New Jersey, Inc.
219 Woodside Ave., Trenton, NJ  08618
609.394.2137 www.cmmnj.org   [email protected]

Additional contacts for further information:
Anne M. Davis: [email protected] 732 477 4700
Chris Goldstein: [email protected] 505 577 5093(cell)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                                 

JUNE 1, 2010

Medical Marijuana Qualifies for Arizona Ballot

Arizona Will Join South Dakota in Having Medical Marijuana on the Ballot in November; 14 States and Washington, D.C. Have Similar Laws

CONTACT: Mike Meno, MPP director of communications …………… 202-905-2030 or [email protected]

PHOENIX, ARIZONA — Today, the Arizona Secretary of State announced that an initiative to pass a medical marijuana law in Arizona has qualified for the November ballot. In April, the Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project, the group that organized the initiative, turned in nearly 100,000 more signatures than were required to qualify. 

         Under the proposal, seriously ill patients with certain qualifying conditions would be given legal access to medical marijuana if they have a recommendation from their doctor. Since 1996, 14 other states and the District of Columbia have passed similar laws, and more than a dozen state legislatures across the nation have considered the issue this year. In March, a medical marijuana initiative in South Dakota also qualified for the November ballot. 

         “We are very happy that Arizonans will have the opportunity this November to vote for a compassionate and responsible law that protects seriously ill patients,” said Steve Fox, director of state campaigns for the Marijuana Policy Project, which provides significant funding and support to AMMPP. “By voting in favor of this initiative, Arizonans will ensure that residents suffering from cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and other serious ailments will be given safe access to a medicine they and their doctors believe can relieve their condition. The proposed law will also create a dispensary system that will provide patients the same reliable access to medical marijuana that they would have to any other medicine – meaning they won’t have to risk their own safety by purchasing it from the criminal market.”   

         Upon passage of the initiative, the Arizona Department of Health Services will regulate medical marijuana, and qualifying patients or their caregivers will be permitted to legally purchase their medicine from tightly regulated clinics. The new law will protect seriously ill patients from arrest and prosecution for the simple act of taking doctor-recommended medicine. A January ABC News/Washington Post poll showed that 81 percent of Americans support medical marijuana laws.

         With more than 124,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. For more information, please visit www.mpp.org.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact for comment: Chris Goldstein [email protected]


New poll shows 8 in 10 support medical marijuana in PA

Medical cannabis legislation is active in PA and residents continue to show strong support. New polling conducted by Franklin & Marshall College saw a full 80% respondents either ‘Strongly Favor’ (53%) and ‘Somewhat Favor’ (27%) legal medical marijuana in Pennsylvania.

The F&M poll was released this week and showed an increase in support from 2006.

Medical marijuana is active in both the House (HB 1393) and the Senate (SB 1350) of PA.

The same poll also saw a full 11% jump in support for overall marijuana legalization.

The full F&M release can be found at : http://edisk.fandm.edu/FLI/keystone/pdf/keymay10_1.pdf


READ MORE

www.pa4mmj.org

MEDIA CONTACT: Chris Goldstein [email protected]