ASA's Medical Marijuana in the News: Week of 5/4/07

ASA ACTION: Science Supports DQA Lawsuit ASA IN THE NEWS: Defending Election Fairness DISPENSARIES: Regulations Working in Many Cities RHODE ISLAND: Veto-Proof Margin for Medical Marijuana Bill MINNESOTA: Senate Passes Medical Marijuana Bill VERMONT: Medical Marijuana Law May Broaden ILLINOIS: Political Pressure for Medical Marijuana Bill NEW HAMPSHIRE: Locals Push for Legal Access TEXAS: Medical Marijuana Bill Considered CONNECTICUT: Massive Support May Spur Bill WASHINGTON: Medical Marijuana Law’s Limit Tested FEDERAL: California Dispensary Raid OREGON: Doctor Explains Medical Benefits CANADA: Activists Working Toward Better Policies _________________________________ ASA ACTION: Science Supports DQA Lawsuit The editorial in this week's edition of Science, the journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, supports ASA’s lawsuit asking for a correction of the misinformation about medical marijuana being spread by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Such mention in one of the world’s most prestigious scientific magazines would be noteworthy on its own, but it’s even more so when the author is also the former FDA Commissioner. EDITORIAL: Turning the Tables with Mary Jane by Don Kennedy, Editor, Science ASA finally brought its case to federal court, asking it to substitute for the agency's false statement one that says, "Adequate and well-recognized studies show the efficacy of marijuana in the treatment of nausea, loss of appetite, pain and spasticity." Will the judge make HHS change, giving ASA the injunctive relief it seeks? We'll have to wait to see whether this case turns the tables on DQA, but it's already clear that HHS has violated its own DQA guidelines--going, you might say, one toke over the line. _________________________________ ASA IN THE NEWS: Defending Election Fairness ASA’s litigation over a narrowly lost local medical marijuana initiative may result in fairer and more accountable election results. The ability to re-count ballots cast on electronic voting machines is at issue, and a judge is siding with ASA. Many election observers have questioned the reliability of such voting machines; a positive ruling helps protect basic democratic principles. Judge scolds county for loss of files by Ian Hoffman, ANG Newspapers A state judge chided Alameda County officials Friday for giving away the only internal electronic records of a contested election to Diebold Election Systems Inc., after an appeals court ordered the county to preserve the records. The judge's scolding came as a medical marijuana group, Americans for Safe Access, sought penalties against the county for getting rid of its touch-screen voting machines last summer without first downloading the electronic ballots and internal logs related to contested Measure R, a marijuana dispensary initiative Berkeley voters rejected in 2004. _________________________________ DISPENSARIES: Regulations Working in Many Cities The operation of medical marijuana dispensaries is an issue being considered by local leaders across the state. Cities and counties with sound regulations in place have found that patient and community needs can all be met. With ASA’s encouragement, dispensary operators are starting to work together to establish best practice guidelines for patient services. The Medical Marijuana Movement Grows in Santa Barbara by Ethan Stewart, Santa Barbara Independent Acting at the behest of medical marijuana lobbying group Americans for Safe Access (ASA), representatives from all but one of the S.B. clubs began meeting on a monthly basis in order to, as ASA organizer Chris Fusco put it, “get to know one another and to try to establish a standard of care for Santa Barbara.”… The hope is this early intervention will make fringe clubs clean up their acts while simultaneously streamlining the regulatory process when the city and county decide to tackle it. Fusco enthusiastically explained, “The end result in this, for everybody, is regulations and a higher standard of care.” The club owners seem to be onboard, as one explained last month, “To be one of the people who helped set the regulations and the precedent for Santa Barbara? That would be a great honor.” _________________________________ RHODE ISLAND: Veto-Proof Margin for Medical Marijuana Bill The bill to make permanent the one-year medical marijuana bill in Rhode Island passed the legislature by a veto-proof margin. Despite a year with virtually no problems, the governor has pledged to block the bill. But even if a few lawmakers switch sides, that veto should be easily overridden. Marijuana law gets Senate nod by Jim Baron, Pawtucket Times (RI) Following in the footsteps of Wednesday's House vote, the Senate approved legislation Thursday to make the state's medical marijuana law permanent. The vote was 28-5, far exceeding the three-fifths vote required to survive the veto Gov. Donald Carcieri says is likely to come. R.I. lawmakers advance medical marijuana bill Associated Press House lawmakers voted 49-12 on Wednesday to permanently extend a program permitting the chronically ill to possess and use marijuana for pain relief in Rhode Island. Senate votes to allow medical marijuana permanently by Ray Henry, Associated Press State senators voted Thursday to make permanent a program allowing the chronically ill and their caregivers to possess and use marijuana for pain relief. R.I. lawmakers to vote on medical marijuana Associated Press Rhode Island lawmakers are planning two votes this week on whether to extend the state's medical marijuana program. _________________________________ MINNESOTA: Senate Passes Medical Marijuana Bill Much attention this week was on the progress of a medical marijuana bill in the Minnesota Senate. While supporters are not assured of final passage, the Senate’s approval marks a milestone. Despite Senate support, marijuana bill is a long shot by Mark Brunswick, Star Tribune (MN) In a historic vote that opponents said signaled a "cultural sea change" for Minnesota, a bill allowing patients to use medical marijuana won preliminary approval in the Minnesota Senate on Tuesday. The bill, which passed 33 to 31, would allow patients who qualify to possess up to 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana and to receive similar amounts on a regular basis from groups set up to dispense the drug. Marijuana bill passes in Senate by Associated Press, St. Cloud Times A bill to legalize marijuana for those suffering from cancer, AIDS and persistent pain barely made it through the Minnesota Senate on Tuesday. State Senate OKs medical marijuana use by Rachel E. Stassen-Berger, Pioneer Press The Minnesota Senate today approved a measure allowing extremely sick people to use marijuana. Marijuana bill’s future cloudy by Don Davis, West Central Tribune Minnesota senators narrowly voted Tuesday to allow some patients in extreme pain to smoke marijuana, and the House author of the measure predicted a narrow victory, but Gov. Tim Pawlenty promises to veto any such bill. State Senate gives medical marijuana tentative OK by Rachel E. Stassen-Berger, Pioneer Press (MN) Minnesotans should be allowed to use marijuana if they're really sick or in excruciating pain, the state Senate decided in a preliminary vote Tuesday. Go ahead, giggle. Make jokes about the munchies, dope, stoners and hippies. Lawmakers themselves occasionally laughed as they've debated the measure giving suffering Minnesotans access to medical marijuana. Then, they got serious. Minnesota looking to legalize marijuana Wahpeton Daily News (MN) A bill moving through legislation would legalize "medical marijuana" in Minnesota and is receiving a lot of attention. _________________________________ VERMONT: Medical Marijuana Law May Broaden The medical marijuana bill Vermont enacted in 2004 restricted legal protections to people with Cancer, HIV/AIDS, and MS. The new bill making its way through the state legislature would also allow those with nausea, wasting, chronic pain, or seizures to use medical marijuana without fear of arrest or imprisonment. House nears passage of expanded medical marijuana bill Vermont Guardian Tuesdays’ vote, originally planned for today, clears the bill for a final House vote, which could come today. If it passes, the bill will go to a conference committee so it can be consolidated with the Senate's version, which the Senate passed at the end of February. _________________________________ ILLINOIS: Political Pressure for Medical Marijuana Bill State lawmakers in Illinois have considered medical marijuana legislation each of the past few years now. While politicians debate the merits of the current Senate bill, patients can only hope that their medical care will not result in arrest. Organizations of clergy and medical practitioners have asked their lawmakers to act now. Will our leaders be dopes? Or will they have the courage to legalize medical marijuana? by Jim Ritter, Health Reporter, Chicago Sun-Times Multiple sclerosis patient Julie Falco makes a compelling case that Illinois should legalize marijuana for medical uses. Three times a day, Falco eats a small marijuana brownie to relieve tingling, numbness, spasticity, bladder problems, insomnia and depression. Pot works so well she has tossed out her prescription drugs. _________________________________ NEW HAMPSHIRE: Locals Push for Legal Access Over the past decade, New Hampshire’s lawmakers have repeatedly consider removing criminal penalties for those patients who are using medical marijuana on their doctors’ advice. Each year it gets closer, the latest being only narrowly defeated in March. One town has tired of waiting and is voting on approving it locally. While it can’t change state law, it sends a message to state lawmakers. Medical marijuana advocates put question to Hanover voters by Associated Press , WCAX TV (Burlington, VT) Hanover (New Hampshire) residents next week will vote on allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes, but officials say the vote is meaningless given state law. _________________________________ TEXAS: Medical Marijuana Bill Considered As governor, George W. Bush said the question of medical marijuana should be left to the states to decide. His is doing that now. Texans may soon enjoy protection from arrest for medical use, if their elected officials heed public support. Texas Bill Could Legalize Medical Marijuana KXAN - TV36 (Austin) A proposed bill in the state Legislature is pushing to legalize marijuana for legitimate medical illnesses. The drug would act as a pain reliever. One Texas organization supports the idea. Medical Marijuana Advocates Take on Texas House KAMC - ABC News Legalizing medical marijuana has been a heated debate across America for some time and now it has made its way to the Texas House. _________________________________ CONNECTICUT: Massive Support May Spur Bill The state General Assembly is considering a bi-partisan bill that would remove criminal penalties for medical marijuana in Connecticut. A recent poll shows a remarkable level of support, with more than 8 out of 10 in the state saying it should be legally available. Ease Patients' Suffering with Access to Medical Marijuana: A Cancer Survivor's Story by Cole Krawitz, Huffington Post A 2004 UCONN poll revealed that 83% of all Connecticut residents believed doctors should have the ability to recommend marijuana to their patients. Over the past three years, advocacy groups, numerous politicians, the Connecticut Nurses Association and more than 500 doctors have expressed strong support for passing medical marijuana legislation. _________________________________ WASHINGTON: Medical Marijuana Law’s Limit Tested Many state laws, Washington’s included, require patients to be registered with a state agency to legally use medical marijuana. But the intent of medical marijuana laws is clearly to protect patients from arrest and imprisonment, not create more paperwork. A state appeals court just agreed, reversing the conviction of an elderly man who had not registered but was nonetheless using marijuana to treat his glaucoma. Man's conviction dropped in medical marijuana case by Kevin Graman, Spokesman-Review (WA) A state appeals court on Tuesday dismissed the conviction of a 64-year-old Whitman County motel owner who grew marijuana to treat his glaucoma. Court voids medical marijuana conviction by Associated Press, Seattle Post-Intelligencer The conviction of an aging motel owner who said he grew marijuana to treat his glaucoma has been reversed on medical grounds in what his lawyer said may be the first ruling of its kind in Washington. _________________________________ FEDERAL: California Dispensary Raid In another affront to not only the voters of California but also its state legislature and local officials, federal agents again raided a licensed medical marijuana dispensary. In this case, the DEA pressed the local sheriff into service on the bust, even though it is the sheriff’s office that is responsible for overseeing the dispensary’s compliance with county regulations, regulations which are the product of extensive work ASA staff did with Kern County Supervisors. The sheriff expressed his discomfort at having his officers caught in the middle, and they shouldn't be. Until the DEA desists, California law enforcement can refuse to assist. Feds raid Oildale marijuana dispensary KGET TV 17 (Bakersfield) A fight brewed Tuesday between Kern County medical marijuana users and federal agents. This after a raid at a marijuana dispensary in Oildale, where agents collected 50 pounds of pot among other things. Bakersfield Medical Marijuana Shop, Home Searched By Feds KERO -TV23 (Bakersfield) The Bakersfield office of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration searched a medical marijuana facility and the facility's owner's home early Tuesday morning, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Department. _________________________________ OREGON: Doctor Explains Medical Benefits Few outside of the specialists who make it their study understand the breadth of marijuana’s therapeutic applications. And scientists and doctors are only beginning to unlock its potential. One of Oregon’s foremost cannabis specialists helped explain who might use it and why. Medical Marijuana Doctor Tells All: Q&A Part 1 by Bonnie King, Salem-News (OR) Legal or illegal, countless numbers of Americans use marijuana, and they have for a long time. There is virtually no one who does not at least know someone who smokes it. But few people know or understand the potential consequences marijuana can have when it comes to their health, and for that reason, and because many people wonder if medical marijuana might help their ailments, we present the first question and answer segment with Dr. Phillip Leveque, Oregon's top expert on medical marijuana. _________________________________ CANADA: Activists Working Toward Better Policies Even with Health Canada actively engaged in a medical marijuana program, activists there continue to work for improvements in access. Government policies and supplies have not met the needs of all Canada’s patients. The personal dope on medical marijuana by Joe Fiorito, Toronto Star (Canada) The pot smokers came to a downtown hotel on a recent afternoon to hear the speeches, to meet others and to talk. Who, me? I attended the Cannabis Awareness Forum, not because I am unaware, nor because I inhale, but because I tend to favour legalization. Ill Canadians rally for improvements to medical marijuana program by Debbie Stultz-Giffin, Nova News (Canada) Medical marijuana patients and advocates, cannabis consumers and freedom supporters, will rally in the Halifax North Commons from 1 to 4 p.m., May 5, to mark the annual Global Marijuana March as we join over 200 cities worldwide to seek changes to current cannabis laws.