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Medical Marijuana

ASA's Medical Marijuana in the News: Week Ending 11/9/07

ASA ACTION: Defending Patients’ Right to Work

The California Supreme Court heard oral arguments this week from ASA Chief Counsel Joe Elford on behalf of patients’ right to use medical marijuana without fear of termination. ASA contends that the voters intended for a patient using medical marijuana should be accorded the same workplace protections as those using other prescription drugs. This case is being closely watched, as it will affect how the state’s employers handle employee drug testing. For a video of the hearing, see www.calchannel.com/MEDIA/1106D.asx

Calif high court considers whether medical pot users can be fired
by Paul Elias, Associated Press
When his new boss at Ragingwire Inc. ordered Gary Ross to take a drug test, the recently hired computer tech had no doubt the results would come back positive for marijuana. But along with his urine sample, Ross submitted a doctor's recommendation that he smoke pot to alleviate back pain—a document he figured would save him from being fired.

Calif. Supreme Court May Need Tiebreaker for Pot Dispute
by Mike McKee, The Recorder (CA)
Pity Justice Carol Corrigan. Not only was she sick with the flu on Tuesday, but she might turn out to be the deciding vote in a major case that could determine whether employers have the right to fire employees who use marijuana as medicine.

Local Man's Firing for Medical Pot Goes to State's High Court
by George Warren, KXTV News 10
California's medical marijuana law is facing a critical test Tuesday morning. The state Supreme Court will decide if an employee can be fired for off-duty marijuana use.

The Clash Between Federal Drug Law and California's "Medical Marijuana" Law
by Vikram David Amar, FindLaw
Two news items during the past couple of weeks in California highlight the complicated legal and political tangle that is American federalism - the relationship between federal and state governments -- today. Both incidents involve the interplay between, on one hand, California's (now decade-old) decision to decriminalize marijuana use for medicinal purposes, and, on the other hand, the continuing illegality under federal law of all marijuana cultivation, possession, distribution and use, for any purpose.

NETHERLANDS: Health Minister Defends Medical Marijuana

Cannabis is available by prescription from Dutch pharmacies, but the Health Ministry would like to see more progress on research into targeted cannabis derivatives. A five-year extension to the government-funded program will ensure patient needs are met while drug development process goes forward.

More research into medical marijuana
DutchNews.nl
Research into the medicinal effects of cannabis should be continued for a further five years, health minister Ab Klink said on Wednesday. The extension means there is a serious chance a medicine with cannabis as a raw material can be developed, a ministry spokesman said.

Dutch health minister extends medical marijuana program for five years
Associated Press
The Dutch Health Ministry announced plans Wednesday to extend its experimental medical marijuana program for five years, despite setbacks. Under the program, launched in 2003, standardized marijuana is grown by government-licensed growers under controlled conditions and sold by prescription in pharmacies.

Dutch want cannabis registered as regular medicine
by Emma Thomasson, Reuters UK
The Dutch government said on Wednesday it wants to promote the development of cannabis-based medicine and will extend the drug's availability in pharmacies by five years to allow more scientific research.

ASA’s Media Summary for the Week Ending 11/2/07

ASA IN THE NEWS: Drew Carey Video Features ASA Executive Director

In addition to speaking with a Los Angeles police officer and a Vietnam veteran who uses medical cannabis, comedian, actor and now game-show-host Drew Carey interviews ASA Executive Director Steph Sherer, who tells Carey how federal raids on medical cannabis collectives in the San Francisco Bay Area led to the founding of Americans for Safe Access. To view this episode of the Drew Carey Project, please visit www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/DrewCarey.

Drew Carey defends medical marijuana in new online video
by Sandy Cohen, Associated Press
Bob Barker famously closed each episode of "The Price Is Right" with a pitch to spay and neuter pets. His successor is taking a stand on a more controversial subject: marijuana. Drew Carey won't tout toking up on "Price," but he defends the use of medical marijuana in a video posted online Thursday on Reason.tv.

Drew Carey Defends Medical Marijuana
eMax Health
"I think it's clear by now that the federal government needs to reclassify marijuana. People who need it should be able to get it -- safely and easily," says The Price Is Right and Power of 10 host Drew Carey in a new Reason.tv video examining medical marijuana and the war on drugs.

FEDERAL: Hayward DEA Raid Leads to Arrests

DEA spokespeople have made much of the revenues they claim a Hayward medical cannabis collective enjoyed. They fail to note that the reason for an increase in revenue has been the systematic closing of the other dispensaries in the area, forcing the county’s many patients to one location. The increased revenue reflects an increased volume of patients more than profiteering. ASA's rapid response program again meant that the media was alerted immediately, helping ensure full coverage, and patients and activists were notified by text messages and emails so they could protest at the main dispensary location.

Feds raid seven East Bay medical pot sites
Bay Area News Group
Federal officials raided seven locations in the East Bay this morning that were connected to a medical marijuana dispensary in Hayward, officials said.

Medical-pot brothers held on drug charges
by Henry K. Lee, San Francisco Chronicle
Two East Bay brothers were arrested Tuesday after being indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that they ran a large-scale drug operation from a Hayward medical marijuana club from which proceeds were delivered to a bank by armored car, authorities said.

Two brothers arrested, accused of drug dealing
by Jason Sweeney, Paul Thissen and Scott Marshall, Mercury News (San Jose)
Federal agents arrested two brothers early Tuesday and seized a Lafayette house after they were indicted on charges that they ran a multimillion-dollar drug operation out of a Hayward-area medical-marijuana collective.

Press Release: California State Supreme Court to Hear Landmark Medical Marijuana Employment Discrimination Case on Tuesday

[Courtesy of Drug Policy Alliance] For Immediate Release: November 5, 2007 For More Info: Tony Newman, (646) 335-5384 or Tamar Todd (510) 593-4908 California State Supreme Court to Hear Landmark Medical Marijuana Employment Discrimination Case on Tuesday Gary Ross, Fired After Testing Positive for Medical Marijuana, Despite Using Off-Hours and in Accordance with California Law Leading Public Health Organizations File Amicus in Support of Gary Ross; Outcome May Affect Thousands of Working Californians Who Use Medicine to Relieve Chronic Pain On Tuesday, November 6, 2007, the California Supreme Court will hear oral argument in Ross v. Ragingwire Telecommunications, Inc., a case in which a lawful medical marijuana patient was fired by his employer after testing positive for medical marijuana he used during off-hours in accordance with his doctor’s recommendation for the treatment of severe pain. The case concerns Gary Ross, who treats his chronic pain and muscle spasms from a military injury with physician-recommended medical marijuana in compliance with California law. Mr. Ross provided the company with documentation of his legal status as a medical marijuana patient but was fired after eight days on the job because he tested positive for THC in a pre-employment drug test. Mr. Ross filed suit alleging wrongful termination but two lower courts sided with the employer, holding that the company did not discriminate against Mr. Ross based on his disability and chosen treatment. “The livelihoods of thousands of working Californians who are using medical marijuana in full compliance with state law are at stake in this case,” said Tamar Todd, staff attorney at the Drug Policy Alliance. Mr. Ross is represented by Joe Elford of Americans for Safe Access, who will be arguing that case in front of the California Supreme Court on Tuesday. The Drug Policy Alliance filed an amicus (friend-of-the-court) brief in support of Mr. Ross on behalf of leading national and state public health organizations, including the American Pain Foundation, the American Medical Women’s Association, the Lymphoma Foundation of America, the American Nurses Association, the California Nurses’ Association, the AIDS Action Council, the National Women’s Health Network, Doctors of the World – USA and the Gay Men’s Health Crisis. The brief argues that patients should not be forced to choose between the best course of treatment or employment, and outlines the sound evidence that marijuana is medically appropriate treatment for chronic pain and other serious medical conditions. Signatories to the brief represent a powerful contingent of medical and public health organizations that represent a broad class of patient-employees. “These leading health organizations recognize the need for patients to be able to follow their doctors’ advice for pain relief and treatment without fear of being fired from their jobs for doing so,” said Todd. Oral argument is scheduled for November 6, 2007 at 9 a.m., in the California Supreme Court‘s Capitol courtroom, Stanley Mosk Library and Courts Building, 914 Capitol Mall, Sacramento.

Americans for Safe Access Monthly Activist Newsletter

Defending Patients' Access to Medical Marijuana

  • November 2007
  • Volume 2, Issue 11

ASA Pressures Calif. Governor to Stand Up for Patients' Rights

Schwarzenegger Asked to Resist Federal Interference in Medical Marijuana Program

In response to the dramatic increase in federal raids on California's medical marijuana patients and caregivers, Americans for Safe Access this month organized a campaign to convince Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to stand up for his state's most vulnerable citizens.

The campaign—which included more than 40,000 postcards to the Governor, as well as hundreds of phone calls and emails, all urging him to take action to defend patients' rights—included a meeting with a representative of the governor on October 5. Governor Schwarzenegger's chief advisor for health and transportation spent an hour with ASA Executive Director Steph Sherer and ASA California Director Don Duncan, discussing how medical marijuana patients and providers in California are being victimized in the state-federal conflict. The advisor assured them that the governor's office has received hundreds of cards from ASA supporters and is well aware of the issue. ASA's constituents have the governor's ear, she said, and the governor is listening.

Six days after the meeting, more than 300 medical marijuana patients and advocates gathered at the governor's Los Angeles office for a rally urging the governor to act.

People began gathering in front of the governor's office over an hour before the event. By the time the rally began, the crowd took up almost the entire block, spilling into the streets and chanting, "support patients' rights, stand up and fight," and "we're patients, not criminals!" Many held movie-marquee style signs with such slogans as “Coming Soon: The Gov. in End of DEA Days.”

The rally at the governor's office The rally drew 300

The Los Angeles City Council was represented at the rally by Brian Perry, a staff member in Council Member Dennis Zine's office, who read a prepared statement, saying, "this year has seen a dramatic increase in federal law enforcement activity surrounding medical cannabis, including raids, confiscation of medicine and plants, and indictments." Council member Zine, a former Los Angeles police officer, has been leading the City Council in working on city regulations for the operation of medical marijuana dispensaries. The LA City Council has publicly condemned the recent federal raids and asked the DEA to not interfere as the regulatory process goes forward.

Orange County Supervisor Chris Norby also sent a statement of support, and other speakers included Sherer, Duncan and Michael Martin, the former medical marijuana edible maker who was recently raided by the DEA. The rally ended on a somber note, as the crowd went silent to hear medical marijuana patient Stephanie Landa, 60, say a few words by speakerphone from federal prison, where she is serving a 41-month sentence. The rally got extensive coverage from local LA media, which reaches 10 million people.

Advocates are also urging the governor to discourage state and local law enforcement agencies from cooperating with federal medical marijuana raids. Governor Schwarzeneg-ger is also being encouraged to join New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and other governors in states with medical marijuana laws to change federal policy.

This year alone, the DEA and other federal agencies have conducted more than 44 raids of California patients and providers, more than double the number of the two previous years.

Meanwhile, Governor Schwarzenegger has allocated more than $1 million to fund a statewide ID card program, and the state has established sales tax rules for dispensaries. Since 1996, more than 30 cities and counties have adopted regulations for dispensaries.

ASA's campaign will continue until the governor takes action to stop federal interference in California's medical marijuana program. See: AmericansForSafeAccess.org/StandUp.

 

Patients Protest DEA Raid on Medicinal Edible Maker

Feds Deny Patients Access to Alternative to Smoking

On October 4th, ASA activists and medical marijuana patients gathered in protest at the Oakland Federal Building, as an activist turned himself in to federal authorities to face charges that he supplied edible medical cannabis products to other patients.

Surrounded by protestors carrying signs reading, "DEA: Keep your hands out of the medical marijuana cookie jar," Michael Martin, 33, spoke to the press before surrendering. Martin condemned the ongoing raids in California, with his wife, Elinor; their sons, 3-year-old Tyler and 5-month-old Lucas; and his mother by his side.

The Martin Family The Martin family in happier times

"I believe truly in my heart that I have done nothing wrong," Martin said outside the Oakland Federal Building. "We must put a stop to this travesty and, as a community, speak up and defend a patients' right to use safer alternatives of medication as they and their doctors see fit."

Federal prosecutors had issued an arrest warrant for Martin in connection with raids the previous week on Tainted, Inc., a maker of baked goods and other medical marijuana edibles. He was released later that day on a $300,000 bond; he faces charges that could result in more than 20 years in prison and $1 million in fines. Three others who worked at Tainted were charged along with Martin; all three are free on $200,000 bond.

Edible cannabis products provide an alternative to smoking cannabis and are preferred by many patients. Ordinances allowing for the sale of edibles by dispensaries have been adopted by many local officials, including the County of Los Angeles, the County of Alameda, and the City of Oakland, where the raids on Tainted, Inc. occurred. The medical cannabis products made by Tainted, Inc. carry prominent warning labels and are available only to qualified patients through dispensaries.

"Since I cannot smoke cannabis, I rely on edibles to control my pain and to allow me to sleep through the night," said Lenny Fisher, a 54-year-old cancer patient who has used Tainted's medical marijuana products.

The development of delivery methods that do not involve smoking was one of the recommendations of the White House commissioned 1999 Institute of Medicine Report on medical marijuana. While long-term studies of chronic marijuana users have shown that there is no associated risk of lung cancer or other diseases, many patients remain concerned about smoking cannabis or find oral ingestion to be easier or more effective.

Drew Carey Kicks It with Steph Sherer

Dear Friend,

In this second episode of The Drew Carey Project, released on Reason.tv, Drew interviews ASA Executive Director Steph Sherer and takes a look at federal interference with medical cannabis dispensing in California.

Check out the video at: www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/DrewCarey

The video is the second episode of a joint project between Drew and Reason, The Drew Carey Project. Its mission is to create “a series of video documentaries that take a hard look at the variety of threats to our liberties -- and celebrate what it really means to be free.”

In the video, Steph shares her story with Drew and talks about how her own experiences led to her founding of Americans for Safe Access. Drew also visits a Los Angeles dispensary and goes on to interview Steve Whitmore, spokesperson for the LA County Sheriff’s Department, as well as Bill Leahy, Vietnam vet and medical marijuana patient.

Share this episode of the Drew Carey Project with your friends and family! We know medical cannabis improves the lives of millions of people and we know that the federal interference with state medical marijuana laws is outrageous. But unless we share Drew's report with friends and family who might not support our views or who might not feel as passionately as we do, we will lose a great opportunity to reach out and educate people about medical cannabis and the threats facing patients nationwide. So please forward this email and share Drew Carey’s report on Medical Marijuana!

Enjoy watching Drew’s report at www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/DrewCarey and please remember to share it!

Thank you,

Rebecca Saltzman
Chief of Staff
Americans for Safe Access

 

 

P.S. The only way we can continue our work and educate people about medical cannabis is with support from people like you. Please visit www.AmericansforSafeAccesss.org/Donate today to become a member of ASA.

ASA's Medical Marijuana in the News: Week of 10/26/07

RESEARCH: Federal Research Project Findings Withheld

Despite the insistence of federal agencies that there is no medical use for marijuana, for decades a handful of seriously ill Americans have been receiving marijuana grown and paid for by the U.S. Government. The Investigational New Drug program includes only a handful of people now, since the program was closed to new applicants during the HIV epidemic of the 1980s. While each of the participating patients has been certified by physicians who report regularly to the federal government on the effectiveness of the treatment, those in charge of the program have yet to release any data.

A few people get Uncle Sam's weed
by Bryan Denson, The Oregonian
The U.S. government's official policy on marijuana is that it's dangerous and illegal, even in states such as Oregon and California that have approved its medical use. Yet Uncle Sam prescribes pot for 68-year-old Elvy Musikka of Eugene, one of seven test subjects in a little-known federal medical marijuana program.

RESEARCH: Pain and Depression Helped by Low-Dose Cannabis

Prohibition and the attendant reluctance of the federal government to fund or even allow research studies on medical marijuana have slowed scientific advances -- as the AMA predicted in 1937, when Congress passed the first law restricting marijuana. But researchers in other countries are active, and the state of California is now funding research that is starting to be published. Recent findings show that relatively low doses of cannabis can be highly effective in treating pain and depression.

Smoked Cannabis Proven Effective In Treating Neuropathic Pain
Science Daily
Smoked cannabis eased pain induced in healthy volunteers, according to a study by researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Center for Medical Cannabis Research (CMCR.) However, the researchers found that less may be more.

Cannabis shows anti-depression benefits, but too much has reverse effect
Canadian Press
Cannabis in small doses has some beneficial effects for curbing depression, but too much of the drug can cause the polar opposite effect, a new study suggests.

A Little Marijuana Helps, but Lots May Hurt
by Brandon Keim, Wired
A moderate dose of medical marijuana can soothe your hurts, both mental and physical -- but getting flat-out toasted may actually make the pain worse.

Too much cannabis 'worsens pain'
BBC News (UK)
Smoking large amounts of cannabis for therapeutic reasons may increase rather than reduce pain, a US study suggests.

COLORADO: Test Case Yields Return of Marijuana

Another court case has helped clarify the rules around medical marijuana in Colorado, and the outcome is again largely thanks to attorney Brian Vicente, director of the Colorado Campaign for Safe Access, a joint project of Sensible Colorado and Americans for Safe Access. In this case, police returned the property of a qualified caregiver.

Marijuana returned to caregiver
by Howard Pankratz, Denver Post (CO)
A small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia was returned by Jefferson County authorities today to a medical marijuana caregiver who was issued a summons at Mount Falcon Park earlier this year.

Press Release: U.S. Crackdown on Medical Marijuana in Eastern District of California Modest Caregiver Growers Face Federal Prison, Forfeiture

California NORML Release - Oct 24th, 2007 U.S. Crackdown on Medical Marijuana in Eastern District of California Modest Caregiver Growers Face Federal Prison, Forfeiture SACRAMENTO -- The U.S. Attorney's office in the Eastern District of California is waging an aggressive crackdown on medical marijuana, taking up modest cases that would normally be tried in state court and pursuing them with federal charges involving heavy penalties. Recent cases include Michael Lombardo, 49, who has been federally charged for a five-patient medical garden in Nevada County involving 65 to 100 plants, far below the typical 1,000-plant threshold for federal prosecution. While Lombardo's garden was arguably legal under California's medical marijuana law, no medical defense is available to him under federal law. In addition, the federal government has filed to forfeit Lombardo's home. Under federal law, any property used to grow marijuana is subject to forfeiture, regardless of whether it was lawfully acquired. Lombardo, an electrician with no prior offenses, has owned his home for seven years. Other Eastern District Prop 215 caregiver growers facing federal forfeiture of their homes include a Plumas County couple, Jeff Sanderson and Alice Wiegand (also facing criminal charges), Ron Hennig of Siskiyou County, James Robertson of Butte County, and Patricia Hatton, also of Butte County. Hatton's attorney, Jodea Foster, denounced the federal charges as "legal extortion." The crackdown is being led by U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott, who has been soliciting local law enforcement to turn over medical marijuana cases. Many DA's and sheriffs have been happy to do so in order to avoid the difficulties of state prosecution. California NORML denounced both Scott and local law enforcement officials for conspiring to circumvent Prop. 215. "Federal laws against medical marijuana laws are inherently bankrupt and unjust," said California NORML director Dale Gieringer. Under federal law, defendants are denied the right to even mention medical marijuana or Prop. 215 at their trials. Medical marijuana defendants who are prosecuted in federal court typically receive tougher penalties than non-medical offenders in state court. In some cases, Prop. 215 defendants in the Eastern District have been snatched up from state court and hauled off to jail on federal charges after having state charges dismissed. Recent examples include Gordon Rasmussen, charged with a 210- plant caregiver garden in Chico, and Donato Canceleno, a 63-year old disabled patient with a similar garden in Madera County. While each might have been found innocent under state law, they face a potential five-year mandatory minimum under federal law for growing over 100 plants. The Eastern District is particularly notorious for harsh sentences against medical marijuana defendants. Examples include Dustin "DC" Costa, currently serving 13 years - the longest known sentence for any Prop 215 defendant - for a cultivation coop in Merced; Vern Rylee, a severely disabled patient from Trinity County who is serving 71 months in federal prison for cultivation, and David Harde, sentenced to 30 months for a caregiver garden in El Dorado County. Another severely ill defendant, Joe Fortt in Kern County, served 21 months in prison before being deported to Canada. Eastern District prosecutors are currently seeking a five year mandatory minimum against Dr. Mollie Fry and Dale Schafer for growing for patients of their medical clinic in El Dorado County. Another Eastern District defendant, Bryan Epis, is currently appealing a 10-year sentence for a Prop 215 garden that he had wanted to organize as a legal co-op. The Eastern District has also been aggressive in moving against medical cannabis dispensaries. In 2005, Scott circulated a memo to all DA's, sheriffs and police chiefs inviting them to hand over dispensary cases. Earlier this year, the DEA raided a major dispensary near Bakersfield, Nature's Medicinal, even though it had been licensed by the sheriff and was paying sales and payroll taxes. In another case, the feds moved to prosecute the proprietors of the California Healthcare Collective in Modesto even after they had paid some $1 million of sales taxes to the state. California NORML denounced the federal government for wasting resources on imprisoning and prosecuting medical marijuana defendants rather than changing federal law. So far, more than 100 Californians have been federally charged for medical marijuana offenses. "The Department of Justice has prosecuted more California cases for medical marijuana than for terrorism," says Cal NORML director Dale Gieringer. For more info contact Cal NORML: (415) 563-5858 - [email protected].

Only one month to collect 100,000 signatures in Michigan — please help!

[Courtesy of MPP] 

As I wrote you at the end of last month, the Marijuana Policy Project needs your help to place a landmark medical marijuana initiative on the Michigan ballot.

Landmark? Yes, because if Michigan voters are given the opportunity to pass the initiative in November of next year, Michigan will become the first state in the Midwest where patients will be able to use, possess, and grow marijuana legally for medical purposes.

And we can pass the initiative, because the only two public opinion polls that have been conducted in recent years show that between 59% and 61% of Michigan voters support the initiative. And this polling is accurate, because five out of five Michigan cities have passed local medical marijuana initiatives with an average of 64% of the vote since 2004.

I want to thank the 44 generous supporters who made a financial donation after my last message about this campaign. But now I need your help, too.

Would you please donate $10 or more today, so that we can afford to pay our hard-working petitioners who are working furiously to collect the remaining signatures that are needed to place the initiative on the November 2008 ballot?

Our petitioners have done a great job since we kicked off the drive on May 23. But, we still have work ahead of us: In the next month, we need to collect the final 100,000 signatures that are needed to place the initiative on the ballot.

Please donate $10 or more today, so that Michigan voters will have the chance to protect marijuana-using patients who have cancer, multiple sclerosis, and other medical conditions from arrest.

Fully 10.1 million people live in Michigan, so making Michigan the 13th medical marijuana state would provide a huge boost to change federal law to end our government’s persecution of medical marijuana patients nationwide.

If our hard-working petitioners fail to collect 100,000 signatures over the next month, the initiative will not appear on the ballot, and all the work we’ve done — and all the money we’ve spent — in Michigan will have been in vain.

If you live in Michigan, please volunteer to collect 100, 500, or even 1,000 signatures from registered voters over the course of the next month. Or, if you’re unable to do so, please donate $10 or more so that we can pay others to do so.

If you do not live in Michigan, please reach out across state lines to help make medical marijuana legal in the first Midwestern state by donating $10 or more today.

Please lend your support today — and do not delay. I’ll be grateful for anything you can do to help. Thank you for considering this request ...

Sincerely,

Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.

P.S. As I've mentioned in previous alerts, a major philanthropist has committed to match the first $3.0 million that MPP can raise from the rest of the planet in 2007. This means that your donation today will be doubled.

ASA’s Media Summary for the Week Ending 10/19/07

ASA IN THE NEWS: PBS Examines the California Quandary

The award-winning Public Broadcasting Service news program, the News Hour, did a segment looking at the policy contradictions around marijuana law enforcement in California. In addition to law enforcement officers, the program interviewed the acting Southern California Coordinator for Americans for Safe Access, Don Duncan, who highlighted the problems created for patients by the refusal of federal officials to work with California on protecting the health and safety of some of the state’s most seriously ill and injured citizens.

California Grapples with Polices on Marijuana
by Jeffrey Kaye, PBS NewsHour
Don Duncan, Americans for Safe Access: Right now, we have a situation in California and in Los Angeles where medical cannabis is legal. Collectives like this one are legal and tolerated. And yet, under federal law, all of that conduct is illegal. And it's very, very important that we harmonize the federal laws with the laws in the states that allow for medical marijuana so patients and providers and facilities like this can be safe.

VERMONT: Program a Success Despite Scare Tactics

As happened in California when the initiative came before voters, many in Vermont’s law enforcement community predicted disaster if medical marijuana were made legal. But in practice, the state has discovered that medical marijuana is in many respects no different from any number of other drugs available with a doctor’s prescription: diversion is not a substantial problem and police have little difficulty distinguishing between qualified patients and drug abusers.

Pot Fears Unfounded
by Brian Joyce, WCAX TV (Burlington, VT)
A little more than three years ago Vermont became the thirteenth state to enact a medical marijuana law despite strong opposition from law enforcement. The police predicted the law that permits physicians to prescribe pot as a pain-killer was just a pretext to legalize marijuana for everyone. Today a top cop acknowledged those predictions have been wrong.

CALIFORNIA: Implementation a Local Matter

The voters had their say on medical marijuana in 1996, telling officials to find ways to make it safely and legally accessible to everyone whose doctor recommends it. The legislature add its two cents in 2003, directing counties to help protect patients and caregivers from arrest by accepting minimum amounts they can grow and possess. Now it’s up to local communities to work out the land use rules for cultivation and distribution.

Council fine-tunes role of marijuana task force
by Cerena Johnson, Eureka Reporter
The Arcata City Council approved the creation of a working group Tuesday to identify guidelines for land-use regulations of marijuana grow houses and clinics.

Sponsor a medical marijuana patient today

John Lehman has suffered from AIDS for the last 10 years. The pain medicine he takes kept him unfocused and mainly in bed, keeping him from his work as a writer. "It was frustrating, to say the least, when vague thoughts of stories danced in my head and there was nothing I could do to put them onto a page," he says.

Luckily, John lives in Montana, where voters passed MPP's medical marijuana ballot initiative in November 2004. Since then, patients like John have been permitted to use and grow their own marijuana legally for medical purposes. However, with no income, John couldn't afford the $50 fee to register with the state's medical marijuana program and obtain the ID card that would protect him from arrest.

Fortunately, MPP was able to help. Through our medical marijuana scholarship program, we paid John's registration fee so that, now, he doesn't need to fear being arrested by state and local police.

Here are John's own words:

Fewer pain pills to pop plus using medical marijuana to alleviate my discomfort equals the opportunity to write again. Medical marijuana also stimulates my appetite when keeping my weight is threatened. In turn, this enables me to go out into the community and give back.

If anyone can help continue the phenomenal work of the Marijuana Policy Project by a kind donation, please do. Other patients like me need your help.

Won't you please help other low-income patients get the protection they need by paying a full or partial registration fee?

A donation of $50 will keep one patient out of jail in Montana or Vermont; a donation of $75 will do the same in Rhode Island; and a donation of $110 or $200 will do the same in Colorado or Nevada, respectively. If you can't afford those amounts, please give what you can.

After MPP's recent lobbying campaigns in Vermont and Rhode Island and our ballot initiative campaign in Montana, these three states now allow patients to possess and grow their own marijuana. But many seriously ill patients have little or no income and are unable to afford fees for the required state medical marijuana ID cards. In response, MPP created a financial assistance program to help pay the registry fees for patients who cannot afford it — and has since paid the registration fees for 90 financially needy patients.

Would you please sponsor a low-income medical marijuana patient today? Your donation can prevent medical marijuana patients from being arrested and jailed simply because they cannot afford to pay the registration fee.

Whether it's $10 or $1,000, cancer, AIDS, and other seriously ill patients are hoping you will give the most generous gift you can to help them. Please give now, while it's fresh in your mind. Thanks so much ...

Sincerely,

Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.

P.S. As I've mentioned in previous alerts, a major philanthropist has committed to match the first $3.0 million that MPP can raise from the rest of the planet in 2007. This means that your donation today will be doubled.

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