Month: November 2019

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5/11/2011 – The number should be zero, but marijuana possession arrests in New York City have soared to over 50,000 per year. That’s almost as many pot arrests that are seen annually in New Jersey and Pennsylvania combined. A new bill has been introduced in Albany that is looking to solve this $75 million dollar problem.

SB 5187 would seek to make the Big Apple follow a 1977 New York state law that  removed the criminal penalties for the possession of small amounts of marijuana by adults. The bill makes for compelling reading as it succinctly and unequivocally reinforces cannabis decriminalization.

PURPOSE:

To standardize criminal penalties for unlawful possession of marihuana.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: This bill amends sections 221.05 and 221.10 of the penal law to standardize penalties for unlawful possession of marihuana.

JUSTIFICATION:

In 1977, the Legislature made possession of small amounts of marihuana a violation punishable by a fine, while possession in public view was made a misdemeanor. The intent behind the law was clear.

Chapter 360 of the Laws of 1977 reads: “The legislature finds that arrests, criminal prosecutions and criminal penalties are inappropriate for people who possess small quantities of marihuana for personal use. Every year, this process needlessly scars thousands of lives and waste millions of dollars in law enforcement resources, while detracting from the prosecution of serious crime.”

According to data from the Division of Criminal Justice Services, in 2010, a total of 54,813 people were arrested for this offense in New York – and fully 50,383 of these arrests took place in New York City. One out of every seven arrests in New York City is for marijuana possession, comprising 15 percent of all arrests in that city.

From 1977 -1994, few people were arrested for 221.10. But from 1997 to 2010, the New York City Police Department arrested and jailed more than 525,000 people for this offense. Those arrested were charged with the lowest level criminal offense – a misdemeanor- and nearly every person was handcuffed, placed in the back of a police car or van, and taken to the local police station, where they were photographed, fingerprinted, and then held, often for 24 hours or longer, in one of city’s jails.

The bill goes on-

Many of these arrests are the result a stop-and-frisk encounter and contribute to stark racial disparities in the criminal justice system. In 2009, for example, the NYPD stopped 574,304 individuals. Of those who were the subject of a police stop that year, nearly ninety percent were people of color; and nine of every ten persons stopped were released without any further legal action taken against them. Of the 50,383 people arrested in New York City for marijuana possession in public view, nearly eighty six percent were black and Latino, and nearly seventy percent were between the ages of 16 – 29 even though U.S. Government surveys of high school seniors show that whites use marijuana at higher rates than blacks and Latinos.

These arrests are extremely costly. According to research by Queens College professor Dr. Harry Levine, the cost of each arrest is between $1,000 and 52,000 – thus New York City spent between $50 – $100 million on marijuana possession arrests in 2010 alone. read full bill

New York is also considering a medical marijuana bill, SB 2774.

Comic Rob Cantrell was one of those busted for a small amount of pot in NYC; his story below:

 

Follow NY marijuana activism:  http://www.facebook.com/NYcannalliance

Read more at Freedomisgreen.com

• Maine Marijuana Legalization Bill Could Go To Voters

• ACLU Calls on US Attorney General For Cannabis Clarification
• Listen up: WNYC on the racial disparity of pot arrests

 

Questions?  [email protected]

Chris Goldstein is a respected marijuana reform advocate. As a writer and radio broadcaster he has been covering cannabis news for over a decade. He volunteers with local groups to change prohibition laws including PhillyNORML and The Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey.

 

5/10/2011 – State Representative Diane Russell started up the testimony on LD 1453 today in front of the Criminal Justice Committee.  “We have absolutely no control whatsoever over the marijuana market today. This bill creates a regulatory structure to limit access to marijuana to those under 21. Let me ask you –  when was the last time you heard of a drug dealer carding someone?”

The committee room was overflowing with supporters. A live audio stream can be found here:  http://www.maine.gov/legis/audio/crj_cmte.html

Russell continued, “This bill, by my estimates, would bring an additional eight and a half billion dollars in tax revenue.”

LD 1453 would tax and regulate recreational marijuana sales and cultivation. The bill would also expand provision s for medical marijuana care givers.

“Right now because we have no control of this market the vast majority of the marijuana market is in the hands of criminals,” said Russell.

Representative William D Burns (D) is a former state trooper. He posed several questions to Rep. Russell.

Burns-“ Why would I want to support legalizing another drug?”

Russell – “It’s not a perfect science but it works a heck of a lot better than outing people in jail.”

Another former state trooper took a different tactic at the hearings. Jack Cole, the founder of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), testified in favor of the bill.

“It will save us billions of tax dollars while creating addition revenue of billions more,” said Cole.

After spending 14 years as part of an undercover narcotics team, Cole had some stark assessments.

“For 40 years we’ve fought this war with one and a third trillion dollars and ever harsher policies. We’ve made over 41 million arrests in that time of non violent drug offenders – More than half were for marijuana charges.”

The hearings will continue this afternoon in Maine. Listen live with this link: http://www.maine.gov/legis/audio/crj_cmte.html

Questions?  [email protected]

Chris Goldstein is a respected marijuana reform advocate. As a writer and radio broadcaster he has been covering cannabis news for over a decade. He volunteers with local groups to change prohibition laws including PhillyNORML and The Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey.

6/29/2011 – Pennsylvania recently passed a law banning some synthetic cannabinoids and New Jersey has pending legislation. These new prohibitions are intended to curb to the use of  fad drugs that are sold under hundreds of brand names but commonly referred to as “K2” or “Spice.” Users seek a high with the ability to pass a standard drug screen.

Earlier this year the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) permanently prohibited six synthetic cannabinoids, including a common Spice ingredient JWH-018.

Dozens of chemicals, including some synthetic cannabinoids, are found in the products. The chemicals are sprayed on random plant material (never real marijuana) and packaged as fragrant, mood affecting incense.

Wholesale K2 suppliers have purchased advertising on websites and in magazines (even setting up booths at trade shows) that target natural marijuana consumers. But, compared to the ubiquitous market for natural cannabis these synthetics were fairly uncommon…until states started banning them.

In a predictable irony, K2 sellers have benefited greatly from the effort to ban their products. Massive advertising campaigns have appeared on billboards, in print and on television that are funded by drug prevention groups and even tax dollars. The awareness efforts have skyrocketed the drugs out of obscurity and successfully made them a household name.

Part of the problem is that prohibitionists have mislabeled the K2 fad drugs as “synthetic marijuana.” But now authorities are finding that K2 manufacturers have altered their recipe. New K2 products have ingredients that are not technically illegal. This makes the bans fully ineffective and the products continue to be sold in retail stores and online.

Another shift for the issue is that a Willow Grove, Pa. based company started marketing urine tests for synthetic cannabinoids this year.  But these tests are not widely available.

Freedomisgreen.com Editor Chris Goldstein and Science Editor Jahan Marcu have been covering the K2 story since late 2009. Below is an interview that was originally published at www.celebstoner.com

Jahan Marcu is one of the few cannabinoid scientists in America. He also serves on the medical advisory board of the national medical marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access.

Marcu is uniquely familiar with both natural marijuana cannabinoids and these new synthetics. He published a landmark research paper proving the anti-cancer properties of THC and is considered one of the top experts in this field. I sat down with Marcu to discuss this strange new trend of people smoking laboratory chemicals.

As someone who is familiar with JWH-018 and these other synthetic cannabinoids in the lab, what is it like to see these things on the streets?

Think about the guys who invented JWH-018. This is probably the worst nightmare imaginable for a researcher to have the product of their hard work for many years, decades maybe, turned into a designer drug of abuse. Because then it gets banned and essentially your chapter in research history is over because your access to the drug vanishes. If they go systematically down the list banning all of the JWH compounds, those are less compounds we can use to enhance our knowledge of how the endo-cannabinoid system works.

What do you think of the recent bans of K2 and Spice products?

Well, I’m not a politician. I’m not a legislator and I’m not in law enforcement. And they need to do what they think is necessary to protect people. As some who’s in research and education my idea would be: Well, let’s see how dangerous these compounds are. Let’s go ahead and fund a bunch of small studies in animals. Let’s have some people who are already taking these drugs volunteer for some tests. Then we can look at them with side-by-side comparisons with alcohol and marijuana for impairment, and really get a good risk assessment. But that’s not going to happen,. There’s just going to be bans and an absence of knowledge.

From the stand point of a cannabinoid researcher, are these synthetic cannabinoid compounds something that humans should be smoking?

I would go with: No. The main reason is the animal data that is coming back is not that promising. There are a lot of JWH compounds and JWH is unique; it’s very potent at low doses. What is a little scary is that around 10 mg per kilogram in rats there was some decreased breathing. We’re talking about 1 milligram per kilogram that was able to cause catalepsy in mice.

This may indicate some off-target effects. What I mean by that is some interaction with the opioid receptors or something else. We’re seeing decreased breathing rates in rats and sort of respiratory depression from these compounds that strongly suggests that those effects are not mediated through the cannabinoid receptor system.

I have seen some rumors of people seeking the benefits of medical marijuana turning to these synthetic  compounds so they can beat their workplace drug tests. Would they have any medical benefit?

At least when you’re going to whole plant cannabis, you can look to the scientific literature and know what you’re getting. There are over 500 compounds in the cannabis plant, but we know what they are. We even know what happens when it burns. No one has done those kinds of studies on Spice. No one has hooked up a Spice cigarette to a gas chromatograph and analyzed the smoke. Those studies have been done with tobacco and marijuana for decades. We have a wealth of information about whole plant marijuana. So you know way more what you are getting into when you use a drug like cannabis.

What’s up with the new urine test for K2?

The game might be over for some of the K2 and Spice compounds. The original research article on the metabolite in Spice – what the body does with them – was published by a group in Moscow. Basically, since only a small amount of the drug is needed to produce an effect, the levels of detection must be very sensitive in order to find these JWH-018 metabolites.

The structure of JWH-018 and (natural) THC is very different. If you looked at the two compounds side-by-side you would not have to be a chemist to see that they look vastly different. The unique part of JWH is the indol ring: It’s a two-ring structure with one nitrogen; this is a common motif found in other hallucinogens like LSD, mescaline and psilocybin, but is not found in (natural) THC.

Researchers have found that the body modifies the indol ring in JWH-018 and thus have developed the drug test around that modification. I’m not sure if it’s the same thing I saw marketed in California, but that is what is in the literature right now.

Do you think these will be effective tests or because of the detection levels someone will have to smoke a lot of this stuff to show up?

You’d have to be smoking a fair amount of Spice to be found in a urinalysis. It’s unclear right now because those studies just haven’t been done yet.

How is the lab community dealing with this K2/Spice phenomenon?

It definitely puts a time crunch on things. These compounds are very important to research. It would be a great loss to the scientific community if these compounds were no longer available for research. It’s a shame that unscrupulous business practices are ruining this for the scientists.

In the end, because there is no real labeling of these products, the most dangerous things in Spice may not be the chemicals we actually know about, but what we don’t. Some have been found to have synthetic opiates, Vitamin E and even acetone.

The continued prohibition of natural marijuana seems to be the only driving force behind the emergence of these new synthetic drugs. States that have decriminalized marijuana seem to have less of an issue with the fad drugs.

To advocates, this is an additional and rather poignant public safety reason for natural marijuana to be fully legalized, right now.

Celebstoner.com: The Truth About Spice & K2

Examiner.com: Facts about new synthetic drugs K2 or Spice

Jahan Marcu’s blog

Chris Goldstein is a respected marijuana reform advocate. As a writer and radio broadcaster he has been covering cannabis news for over a decade. Questions?  [email protected]

Hearings were held in Maine yesterday on bills to reduce the penalties for adult marijuana possession. State Representative Diane Russell (D-Portland) is co-sponsoring the reduction but she made waves when she announced her plans to go further: Russell will introduce a bill in April that will fully legalize, tax and regulate marijuana.

This bill is unique because it handles every aspect of cannabis legalization. Along with a system to grow and sell marijuana to adults 21 and over it also includes provisions for adults to cultivate their own marijuana at home. But the strongest innovations are provisions for existing medical cannabis caregivers and for the large scale farming of industrial hemp.

Diane Russell took time today to speak with Editor Chris Goldstein. This is part one of our interview.

Tell us about the legislation that you are working on right now

There are actually a few that are in the works. We had hearings yesterday on a couple of bills that Rep. Ben Chipman a colleague of mine in Portland that would further decriminalize marijuana. The fines right now are around $1,000 and these would further reduce the fines to around $250. I am a co-sponsor of those two bills, but the bill that I am most passionate about actually legalizes marijuana, regulates it and taxes it. On that bill I am the primary sponsor. We are still finalizing it, but it should be out in the next two weeks.

What does the legalization bill do?

Essentially what it does is to provide a mechanism to bring the underground market onto the regular market and to begin actually having some oversight. One of things that most concerns me is that marijuana seems to be much easier to access for young children and teenagers than say alcohol or tobacco. And that’s because we’re sort of turning a blind eye to this market and not recognizing that it exists.

That said; I want to make sure that we are not unnecessarily turning otherwise law abiding citizens into criminals. I mean if you are an adult and you are not harming anyone by driving why is it a crime to be smoking marijuana or, as some people do, consume it though baked goods?  So this will take away any criminal aspect of marijuana.

We would tax it at 7% sales tax rate which is important because our sales tax rate for food and alcohol at restaurants is 7%. So what this does is move marijuana into a tax structure that isn’t different from everything else. The IRS and the DEA are not going to be able to say , “Oh your goods are taxed at 6.5% and there’s only one thing taxed at that rate under state law, so we know you are selling marijuana.”

We have seen the IRS begin actions against medical marijuana providers in California and Oregon. So these bills look ahead to try and protect small businesses operating legally under Maine state law.

Absolutely. But I did it actually for different reason – I like things to be as simple as possible. Other places that look at taxing it go by volume and it gets really complicated. Why can’t we just have a clean tax rate? But then I heard some folks who were concerned about having a separate tax structure for their product too.

What are some of the details about how the bill regulates marijuana?

The other piece to it is that you must be 21 years old to purchase and possess marijuana. It also allows a person to cultivate and store marijuana for personal use within 75 square feet of space and purchase seedlings from someone licensed to sell the products.

So individuals would be able to grow and store their own marijuana. Under our medical marijuana law caregivers and patients can grow up to six plants, but there is no provision if a plant produces a lot all at once there are no provisions for storing it. So we decided to go with square footage instead to trying to quantify per se exactly how much you are supposed to have at one point. It’s sort of like growing tomatoes – they go into harvest all at one time …same idea, you can’t really play with Mother Nature that much!

There is a commercial aspect. We call them growers …I don’t like that term because someone who does grow tomatoes is not a “grower” they’re a “farmer.” So I use the term farmers…So farmers could purchase one of 300 licenses – current caregivers under the medical law would be grandfathered in – and then they could have up to 2,000 square feet to raise the plants and then store the product.

There are some strict provisions in there – when you look at what happened to Prop 19 in California there were concerns about school safety and workplace safety along with concerns about different municipalities having different systems. And we addressed a lot of those. We made sure that we addressed those issues in the bill we’re putting together and that it is very clear.

We did our best to protect our children and that’s one of the reasons I want this happen, I want to get it out of the hands of children.  But I do believe that if you are an adult you have the right and responsibility that goes with that right to be able to consume things in your own home.

The other reason I did this is that, like many states, we have a major budget crisis and we have to really cut back on services that help vulnerable communities. So I want to make sure we have revenue coming that was not a new tax per se.

So this would provide new revenues but also help with community policing. We have a huge problem with cocaine in Maine, I’m not sure of people realize that. We have huge problems with opiates and prescription drugs. So let’s make sure we are channeling resources into the things that are truly dangers and marijuana is not one of those concerns. So some of that revenue would go to community policing, housing weatherizing projects also to education and some to farming and getting capital investments into farms.

So being able to raise revenue and channel them towards programs and initiatives that really help build a sustainable economy is something that is very important to me. We need to be smart about how to allocate the revenue from this, it will be critical.

The final part of the bill is that we included a provision for growing industrial hemp so that we could start allowing those farmers whose land has gone fallow to plant this in order to rejuvenates nutrients. They could raise hemp on that land because it doesn’t have the same impact as fruits and vegetables.

So the revenue will be coming from two areas with this bill, increasing the positive financial impact…

Well that’s what I’m looking for to be honest Chris is the economic impact of this. As a state lawmaker I have a fiduciary responsibility to my state. I really feel strongly that we need to build a long-term sustainable economy. I’m part of a younger generation I’m 34 and my dad always said in his thick Maine accent, “Jeez Diane we should just legalize it and tax the hell out of it.” And so I’m sort of doing this in honor of my Dad. He’s right. Why are we letting this market go to waste? We’re one of the states where marijuana is already the top cash crop… this is so basic.

More info:

Diane Russell’s Facebook page

Maine’s decriminalization bill

Visit freedomisgreen.com this weekend for the second part of this interview.

Chris Goldstein is a respected marijuana reform advocate. As a writer and radio broadcaster he has been covering cannabis news for over a decade. He volunteers with local groups to change prohibition laws including PhillyNORML and The Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey. He enjoys old-school hip-hop, vintage airplanes and changing the world. Contact chris { at } freedomisgreen.com

5/13/2011 – Tonight in Washington DC there was a memorial for police officers killed in the line of duty. One of those keeping vigil was Neill Franklin. He worked undercover on the streets of Baltimore but now he is one of America’s leading voices calling for an end to the war on drugs as the executive director of LEAP, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.

Franklin spent a career in Baltimore and then at the Maryland State Police Academy, so he has been to the event before, but in a different capacity. He attended the candlelight memorial service this year to honor his partner, Ed Toatley, who was shot during a cocaine buy in 2000 while on an FBI assignment.

Neill’s perspective is both moving and resolute. Still, this was the first time he attended Police Week as the director of LEAP.

We caught up with Neill for a telephone interview as he kept up a busy schedule.

Tell us about why you are attending the memorial event tonight?

Many years ago there was fund started to erect a police officer’s memorial in Washington DC. It’s similar to Viet Nam Memorial where the names are carved into stone. Every year the officers that die in the line of duty are engraved into the memorial with thousands of others. But during Police Week they they also have bike rides, torch runs – one from Philadelphia all the way down to DC Friday- and the vigil at 8:00pm.

It has been many years since I was at this event. The work I’m doing right now with LEAP kind of rung a bell for me …this October was 11 years since Ed Toatley’s assassination. I thought well this year I’m going back to DC for the vigil to celebrate and remember his life and try to make a stament this week that we can save officers lives by ending the war on drugs.

It’s not just police officers here in the US but many hundreds of officers are dying in Mexico, Venezuala, all over the world really. So it’s an international statement we’re making as well.

Chris I have to tell you that this is not a popular position to take among the law enforcement community.

So while I’m at the memorial yeah it’s probably going to be a little awkward if I’m in conversations with the other folks there; who are there to honor those who fallen. But if you look back at history there are so many things were never popular at the beginning – but it has to be done.

Have you seen some thawing on the part of active law enforcement that you have encountered when it comes to prohibition?

There has been more of that at the bottom of the ranks; at the patrol officer level, those out in the streets.

First of all they understand that this is a numbers game – to use the example of New York City; how can we miss that? Fifty thousand arrests! They know it’s a numbers game they see it’s a numbers game. This is how the federal funding comes into the coffers of local law enforcement agencies.

But if we at LEAP continue to do what we do, at least educate these officers to get the facts about the war on drugs – if they pause to let it sink in – they realize that this also makes their job much more dangerous than it needs to be.

When we talk about the Drug War many people many think of it in academic terms, but you experienced it right at the front of the conflict. It seems like police are given an awful job here to make war on their own communities?

This is what has happened. But because of our drug policies, over time, police have now become somewhat removed or physically separated themselves from their communities.

I’ve got to mention this – When I was growing up in Baltimore city the teenagers would all hang out at the end of my block. We weren’t the best kids … we did mischievous things. Some would smoke marijuana down there in the hood. But when the police car turned at the top of the hill no one scattered or yelled 5-0. But we walked over to the car and greeted Officer Rex. And if we were doing something that we shouldn’t be doing he would say ‘DON’T DO THAT! ‘and we stopped.

But he was part of the community. If something were to happen, if something were to go down and Officer Rex was to get in the middle of some real trouble, that community would be there to support and protect him. Let me ask you – Would that happen today?

Now that same neighborhood when the police car turns the corner the people scatter. If there is any communication at all there is no greeting.

This shift in relationship between police and community rests on the foundation of prohibition.

Back when was I was policing undercover I never carried a gun. We went out and worked our cases, many times without backup. That was the 1980s. Today it is unheard of to work without backup and firearm. That tells you how dangerous this job has become.

If the police were in fact a part of the community – which they should be because they often spend more time in the community they police than their homes – But if the police were just there to take a violent person out of the community they would have overwhelming support. That is how it should be.

So can these soldiers, our police, can they come around to get that community relationship back?

I believe so. It wouldn’t happen overnight. We have to begin by handling this huge wall that is put between them and their communities and it really is prohibition.

That’s why they go to search homes; for drugs. That’s why they search cars and search people, all looking for drugs.  If you remove prohibition you can begin to re-build that relationship.

Because of this policy police are put in an awkward position. When you have people dying among them they shut down more and more ….they expect to deal with the worst. The policy creates the criminal market and that’s what creates the violence. Why are so many guns in our community today? Prohibition is the foundation of that too.

So there’s a real need, a necessity, to breakdown this huge barrier that has been constructed over the past 40 years.

Many of us thought we would never see the Berlin Wall come down – why can’t we do that here? Let’s end the madness of prohibition so that we can reduce the overall violence in America.

Learn more: Law Enforcement Against Prohibition http://leap.cc

[Editor’s Note – Also asked Neill about the NYC undercover encounter, look for his thoughts on that in a future post.]

Questions?  [email protected]

Chris Goldstein is a respected marijuana reform advocate. As a writer and radio broadcaster he has been covering cannabis news for over a decade. He volunteers with local groups to change prohibition laws including PhillyNORML and The Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey.

3/16/2011 – A recent medical case-report highlights a striking association between inhaled Cannabis and anti-tumor effects in young adults with brain cancer. This gives scientists new evidence that the chemical compounds from the Cannabis plant (known as cannabinoids) may have significant anti-cancer effects in humans.

Mansoor Foroughi PhD is the lead author of a new paper that suggests the possibility of Cannabis inhalation in the spontaneous regression of gliomas. The MRI images provided in his study demonstrate that the tumors of two patients (11 and 13 years old) did not increase in size after treatment, constituting a state of remission. (To be in remission, a tumor simply must not increase in size.)

The 13 year-old patient showed up at the hospital suffering from increasing headaches, nausea, and vomiting. She had prolonged memory problems and began to deteriorate rapidly. An emergency MRI scan revealed a tumor mass in her brain. She underwent a craniotomy and most of the tumor mass was removed. Her doctors then followed the remaining tumor mass closely with subsequent MRI scans.

The authors note that this patient volunteered that she began smoking cannabis at age 14, after her diagnosis, and continued almost daily from age 16 up to 19 years of age. As they scanned her brain over time, the tumor mass became smaller with each checkup. According to the study, the tumor in the teenager had almost completely disappeared six years after the operation.

The paper states, “The regular use of Cannabis coincided with the time course of radiological tumor regression.”  This patient received no further medication or medical treatment. The biggest variable in her remission seemed to be “Cannabis Inhalation.”

This was not a completely unique case. The 11 year-old patient in the same report arrived at the hospital with a history of headaches that gradually became worse and ultimately lead to nausea, vomiting and confusion. An MRI revealed a tumor mass and she underwent a craniotomy. A small remnant of the cancer was left behind, later confirmed by a follow up MRI. Over the next three years, the tumor would demonstrate the features of regression. Then, around the time the patient was 14, the tumor began to regress. Finally, six years post-surgery, the tumor remnant had nearly disappeared.

The authors write, “The only significant feature in the history was the consumption of Cannabis via inhalation, on average three times a week. This occurred in the last 3 years of follow up, namely between the ages of 14 and 17, and coincided with the time course of the regression of the residual tumor.”

Foroughi and his team suggest there may be plant synergy and recommend studying the whole Cannabis plant, “since any beneficial effect may not be caused by one compound, molecule, or cannabinoid alone.” This theory is supported by previous research;  published evidence shows that cannabinoids have an enhanced anti-tumor activity when they are applied in combination.

The report concludes that “more research may be appropriate to investigate the therapeutic use of these substances” and goes on to say, “Such research will be difficult to achieve because Cannabis is illegal in many jurisdictions.”

There has never been a clinical trial studying the anti-cancer effects of smoked marijuana. However, there has been one clinical trial with pure Delta9-THC and brain cancer. Several patients in Spain were admitted to a study focused on the issue of safety of using cannabinoids in the clinic. The patients were administered Delta-9 THC by direct injection into the site of the tumor. A slight reduction in cancer proliferation was reported but the treatment did not cure any of the patients.

The authors write, “Cannabinoid delivery was safe and could be achieved without overt psychoactive effects.”

Since this was a pilot trial on the safety of injected THC, the most important point is that none of the patients died during the study and no serious adverse effects were reported. A review of the evidence can be read here and a follow-up study is being conducted in Spain.

Can marijuana contribute to the regression or remission of certain cancers? Given the slow progress of clinical trials for whole plant Cannabis, it can be frustrating waiting for years, even decades, trying to answer these vital questions. But for the two young women with brain cancer in Dr. Foroughi’s report, a shift to a cannabis lifestyle may have made a difference.

Jahan Marcu is currently investigating the pharmacology of cannabinoid receptors. He was working at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute when exciting discoveries were made showing enhanced anti-cancer effects with THC and CBD from the Cannabis plant. The findings were published in the Journal of Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. In 2009 he received the Billy Martin Award from the International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS). Jahan is currently the vice-chair the Medical and Scientific Advisory Board at Americans for Safe Access (ASA).   Contact:  science { at } freedomisgreen.com

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent any University, business or affiliates. While the information provided in this blog is from published scientific studies it is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease.

It’s been a friggin’ looooong winter at ye olde Jersey shore. My Mary Jane supply is practically nil. Sadly, I’m forced to roll teeny pinners that burn up in mere seconds upon lighting. I think I’m high, but it could just be the lighter fluid, I don’t know. Sad times indeed but like a bear living off of her fat during hibernation (is that what they do?), I’m forced to make the best of it.

Luckily I’ve found that watching copious amounts of Trailer Park Boys is practically the equivalent of getting high until some kind soul (hint, hint, Exit 63) visits me at the Jersey shore and replenishes my stash.

Okay back to the best show ever.

Now there are plenty of pot-friendly shows (Weeds, Workaholics, etc.), but then there’s Canada’s Trailer Park Boys who literally swim in the shit. (They make a driveway out of hash. Need I say more?)

The cast is adorable, the plot lines are insane and if you watch it long enough, you a. experience a second-hand high and b. almost get the sense that Sunnyvale really exists. (If it does, I’m moving there and hanging with Ricky, Julian and Bubbles.)

So stop what you’re doing and watch the clips below. (Because whatever you’re doing isn’t that important, I promise. Remember I can see you. It’s the Internet.)

Available on Netflix or YouTube.

———

 

Beth Mann is a popular blogger and writer for Open Salon and Salon. She is also an accomplished artist with over 15 years of experience, as well as the president of Hot Buttered Media. She currently resides at the Jersey shore where she can be found surfing or singing karaoke at a local dive bar.

Contact: maryjane {at } freedomisgreen.com

Saturday May 21^st was the only sunny day last week in Philadelphia. The weather was a blessing for the crowd of about 1,000 people who participated in the annual Cannabis Peace March on South Street. PhillyNORML organizes the local demonstration that enjoys one of the best attended marijuana marches in the country. Similar events took place in over 300 cities.

Police and marchers showed mutual respect; there were no incidents or arrests. The message of marijuana legalization rang out in the city where the roots of American government were planted.

Here are some photos and short video clips.

VIDEO1  – march underway

 

VIDEO2 – march middle

 

Video 3- Primate Fiasco band with march at 3rd and South

 

Questions?  [email protected]

Chris Goldstein is a respected marijuana reform advocate. As a writer and radio broadcaster he has been covering cannabis news for over a decade. He volunteers with local groups to change prohibition laws including PhillyNORML and The Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey.

 

He was about 50, heavyset, with cropped grey hair. He wore a button-down short-sleeved shirt, cheap jeans and white New Balance sneakers. His eyes were completely hidden by a pair of knockoff reflective shades – the ‘alien eye’ variety. He had an earpiece with a cable that led to his cell phone. And he was walking along in the NYC Cannabis Peace March, with hundreds of loud pot protestors.

There was one big difference between this man and the rest of the crowd: he was an undercover cop. What happened when I confronted him cuts to the core of why cannabis prohibition must end.

The 2011 New York marijuana march was blessed with inviting sun and 72 degrees of warmth – the first thaw for city dwellers after a long winter. The yearly protest started at Washington Square Park, where about 30 uniformed New York City police officers greeted the gathering marchers.

Participants were told to stand in a box created by sections of metal parade fencing. Although penned and surrounded by police, the marchers were nonchalant, keeping up lively conversation, handing out signs and snapping photos. The uniformed cops were passive, but there was certainly a tense bite to the air.

My job was to help with the organization of the parade. I took a moment to speak with Jim, the Police Civil Affairs Unit contact. He wore a sweatshirt with an embroidered badge instead of a uniform and a gun, but he was clearly a cop.

Jim cordially explained the route and told us to give them a five-minute heads-up before the start. More marchers arrived along with even more uniformed police. Other activists such as Empire State NORML, NYC NORML and Cures Not Wars brought hundreds of rally signs. In a short time, almost every single marcher had one in their hands.

We gathered the marijuana supporters, started them chanting, “DEA GO AWAY” and began to move onto Broadway.

The route would take us about one mile down to Foley Square and we had to stay on the sidewalk. The marching group was happy, loud and plowing through the crowds of weekend tourists and shoppers. Hundreds of gawkers snapped photos, waved and shouted their support for legalization.

We were only about a block down Broadway, but already there was a single file line of almost 30 uniformed police officers walking in the street parallel to the cannabis march.

Helping to keep up the chants had me constantly running to the front, back, and middle of the parade, occasionally having to weave between the fence posts of black uniforms.

Then someone lit a joint. I didn’t see it; I could smell it. Suddenly the sweet odor was gone. A photographer ran up to me saying “They just got some guy.” I looked back but saw nothing. That was the first time I noticed Mr. Undercover, walking in the cop line.

Things were moving along quickly. In fact, we were walking a bit too fast. It began to feel like the Cannabis Peace Jog. As we tried to slow down the pace, a video documentarian grabbed my arm and said, “They’re arresting another one!”

I turned and saw fleeting images of a scuffle through the crowd. Mr. Undercover and two uniformed cops seemed to be handling a 20-something man. Yelling out another chant, I continued with the march.

The next time I looked back, Mr. Undercover was right in the crowd. This time, he was holding one of our marijuana rally signs too. This flipped a little switch in me and my decision was to address the situation.

I sidled up to him as the peaceful protest continued down Broadway. We were under some scaffolding and in the shade. Catching his attention I said, “Hey man, it sure is great to see you guys marching with us.”

Mr. Undercover cut me off with a thick Gotham accent and a deadly serious tone: “You are not going to bring any at attention to me. Do we understand each other?”

“I’m just here marching,” I said.

“And I’m marching too,” said Mr. Undercover. “But if you bring any more attention to me, this march will be over for you. Do we understand each other?”

“Look, I…”

“Walk away from me. You will not bring any more attention to me today. Do we understand each other??”

“I’ll just keep doing what I do then.”

Taking a few steps away, I turned around to face the marchers and shouted, “WHO WANTS TO LEGALIZE MARIJUANA IN NEW YORK?”

Noisy cheers.

“WHO WANTS THE POLICE TO STOP ARRESTING POT SMOKERS?”

Louder cheers.

Mr. Undercover glared at me. I had the uneasy sense that he was taking that very moment to decide whether to shoot, taze or arrest me. But instead he moved out of the crowd and marched off to the side.

We were about halfway to our destination. After our little chat, Mr. Undercover spent the rest of the march intermittently holding his sign up at chest level and then down at his side. He kept a smartphone in his hand or at his ear from that point on.

I imagined him calling up the special police unit that stood ready to handle smartass marijuana activists. But after a few minutes, I recognized that we had an uncomfortable détente.

Mr. Undercover was afraid that I would call “NARC” and point to him – certainly a possibility that crossed my mind. Still, this guy was already sticking out like a sore thumb. Clearly he wasn’t a professional undercover officer but a regular cop in plain clothes. This made me feel sorry for him as a human being, but it also intensified my anger at the tactic.

Using police to poorly infiltrate the political efforts to change marijuana laws goes against everything that the United States stands for. Americans should be free to gather, speak out, and confront the government. Surrounding such activities with armed, uniformed police and sending undercover police agents into a non-violent crowd is what we expect out of China, Libya, Syria, Bahrain or Russia.

But it looks like we must expect that treatment in New York City as well. This heavy-handed approach to legitimate political change should disgust all Americans.

As a Quaker, I believe in and practice non-violence. In order to meet that challenge in real-life confrontation, it takes one thing: empathy.

Law enforcement officers in New York and around the country are enslaved by our senseless prohibition laws. They risk their lives, often losing them, fighting a futile war against their own neighbors. Ending marijuana prohibition is imperative to the freedom of all Americans. But it will also free our law enforcement officers from the bonds of this tragically failed policy.

Commentary from Editor Chris Goldstein

Questions?  [email protected]

Chris Goldstein is a respected marijuana reform advocate. As a writer and radio broadcaster he has been covering cannabis news for over a decade. He volunteers with local groups to change prohibition laws including PhillyNORML and The Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey.

 

 

Freedomisgreen.com will be helping with a letter writing campaign for women currently serving time on marijuana-related charges. Guidelines here.

Tomorrow marks the 40th anniversary of Richard Nixon’s ill-fated “War on Drugs” campaign. Millions of dollars have been spent and countless lives have been wasted or irrevocably altered. As an ongoing series, we will spotlight various women behind bars due to egregious marijuana-related sentencing and how you can help.

This is your chance to move beyond outrage and reach out to women who need your support more than ever. Prison is a profoundly alienating and traumatizing experience. A letter to inmate is a very powerful tool. You can send words of support and inspiration or simply treat them like a pen pal. Remember, these women undoubtedly need some normalcy in their lives. A “day in your life” letter may seem dull to you, but very rewarding to them. Reach out! Show your support, share your story. Studies show that contact from the outside world bolsters self-esteem and helps alleviate depression and anxiety disorders caused by prison life.

Simply put your letter in the body of an email and send to [email protected]. Keep it under 1000 words. No attachments please. In the subject heading, put Patricia Spottedcrow’s name.

Guidelines here.

Here’s some additional tips on writing to a prisoner.

This month, send a letter to: Patricia Spottedcrow

Patricia Marilyn Spottedcrow, 25, currently resides in Dr. Eddie Warrior Correctional Center in Oklahoma where she’ll be spending the next nine years. For the sale of $31 of marijuana, she will live without her four young children and husband and no longer work in nursing homes. She had no prior convictions. Spottedcrow began her sentence on Dec. 29, 2010.

Letter Gidelines here.

Beth Mann is a popular blogger and writer for Open Salon and Salon. She is also an accomplished actor and director with over 15 years of experience, as well as the president of Hot Buttered Media. She currently resides at the Jersey shore where she can often be seen surfing or singing karaoke at the local dive bar. Contact: maryjane {at } freedomisgreen.com