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6/7/2011 – Today the Connecticut House of Representatives passed SB 1014, a bill to make possession of less than 14 grams of marijuana a non-criminal violation for adults.  There was heavy debate about the concept, but the measure prevailed in a 90-57 vote. The legislation was passed by the Senate over the weekend.

Governor Dannel P. Malloy sponsored the bill and is now expected to sign it into law.

Speaking about the bill on the floor today Republican Rep. Brenda Kupchick seemed torn: “Someone wrote to me today that if I didn’t support this bill that I would be an active proponent to government intervention into the private lives of citizens and interfering with individual liberties. That actually bothered me.”

Rep. Gerald Fox, a proponent of the legislation and the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, answered dozens of questions from his peers. Opponents seemed to be most concerned with lightening the criminal treatment for those ages 18-21. But Fox assured them that young adults would face the same penalties for marijuana as they do for underage drinking.

Rep. Fox also pointed out that by treating possession of small amounts as a non-criminal offense it would not hurt the future employment or military eligibility of young people.

“The penalty is different, but going to court remains the same,” said Fox.

Under the new bill adults in possession of less than half an ounce of marijuana would be punished with a $150 fine on the first occasion and $200-$500 for additional offenses. Those between the ages of 18-21 will need to appear in court and will also have their drivers’ license suspended for 60 days.

[UPDATE 5:05PM] Governor Malloy issued this statement today:

“Final approval of this legislation accepts the reality that the current law does more harm than good – both in the impact it has on people’s lives and the burden it places on police, prosecutors and probation officers of the criminal justice system. Let me make it clear – we are not legalizing the use of marijuana. In modifying this law, we are recognizing that the punishment should fit the crime, and acknowledging the effects of its application. There is no question that the state’s criminal justice resources could be more effectively utilized for convicting, incarcerating and supervising violent and more serious offenders.

“Modification of this law will now put Connecticut in line with the laws of two of our neighboring states, New York and Massachusetts, and a total of thirteen states across the country with similar statutes. I applaud the General Assembly in their passage of this legislation and will sign it into law. I would also like to specifically thank State Senator Martin Looney, who first introduced this legislation in 2009, for his support and advocacy of this issue.”

When the bill is signed into law Connecticut will be the 14th US State to make adult cannabis possession a non-criminal offense.

See NORML’s decrim map here

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]

Medical marijuana growing in CA

5/10/2011 – The national office of The American Civil Liberties Union has issued a letter to the US Department of Justice about medical marijuana. It asks for Attorney General Eric Holder to fully clarify the federal position regarding the seriously ill and often terminal patients who grow or possess cannabis legally in their state.

From the ACLU press release today:

In a letter sent late yesterday, the ACLU expresses deep concern about recent letters from several U.S. attorneys from across the country that threaten people who comply with state medical marijuana laws, including state employees and state licensed providers of medical marijuana, with federal prosecution.“Patients, providers and legislatures need clear guidance from DOJ so they can proceed in confidence that state law will be respected,” said Jay Rorty, Director of the ACLU Criminal Law Reform Project and one of the authors of the ACLU’s letter. “Patients who suffer from serious medical conditions need safe and reliable access to their medicine without the fear of federal prosecution.”

The ACLU’s letter was also signed by Laura W. Murphy, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office and Jesselyn McCurdy, ACLU Senior Legislative Counsel.  READ FULL RELEASE

Medical marijuana advocates and industry professionals had viewed a 2009 memo from the Department of Justice and subsequent statements by Attorney General Eric Holder as a position of non-interference.  Even as DEA raids happened this year in Washington and Montana many thought that federal agents were targeting those facilities less compliant with local medical marijuana laws. But recent letters from US Attorneys to states like Rhode Island have taken a more aggressive stance.

Make no mistake: We are experiencing a nationally coordinated, federal attack on state laws authorizing medical cannabis. ACLU has been always been right in the thick of this fight and the letter yesterday acknowledges the major shift for the issue this spring.

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.

7/19/2011 – Governor Chris Christie called a surprise press conference today to address the stalled medical marijuana law. Taking full responsibility, he has decided to allow six Alternative Treatment Centers to move ahead.

“I have been struggling – as has my administration – to try and find a way to accomplish what I wanted to accomplish…which is to provide compassionate treatment to people who are suffering in a way that will not expose them, the operators of our dispensaries or employees of the State of New Jersey to criminal liability.”

Governor Christie is a former US Attorney and spent a significant amount of time discussing the intersections and conflicts between state and federal laws.

But, in the end, Christie confirmed that the law was moving ahead, “I have instructed the Commissioner of Health to move forward as expeditiously as possible to implement the [program].”

The full press conference video is below.

This is a breaking story – updates soon.

March 11, 2011 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: chris {at} freedomisgreen.com

Activist brings marijuana policy to NJ Libertarian Convention

Chris Goldstein is a respected marijuana activist working locally with The Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey and NORML-NJ. On Saturday March 12^th he will deliver a speech to the New Jersey Libertarian Party Convention. www.njlp.org

The 1PM talk takes place at the Brookdale Community College campus in Lincroft, NJ.

Goldstein has been helping to organize New Jersey patients and advocates in the fight with governor Chris Christie over reasonable regulations for the state’s new medical cannabis program.

The 30-minute talk will include a PowerPoint presentation on the history of marijuana prohibition in America. Goldstein will also speak about current events in the Garden State. There is also a question-and-answer portion for attendees and the media.

“The ongoing impasse over these regulations has been a disaster for the seriously ill residents who need this law to work. It has also created a rare Constitutional conflict. The Legislature is trying to uphold the law and protect the integrity of the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act.”

Goldstein recently launched a new website to cover marijuana reform on the East Coast: www.freedomisgreen.com

CONTACT: chris {at} freedomisgreen.com

New Jersey State House by C. David Freitag

5/6/2011 – The proposed regulations for the medical cannabis program in New Jersey violate the true intent of the Compassionate Use law. Assemblywoman Linda Stender has filed ACR 188, the final resolution that could invalidate them completely. The Senate and Assembly have already voted against the harsh regulations that removed provisions for home delivery, limited THC potency to 10 percent and created a controversial doctor registry for marijuana.

ACR 188/ ACR 151 states:

“A Concurrent Resolution prohibiting the adoption of certain Department of Health and Senior Services rules implementing the “New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act.”

They rules were put forth by the Department of Health and Senior Services  (DHSS) and have been vocally defended by Governor Chris Christie. The seriously ill patients who the law is meant to serve have done nothing but criticize the regulations in a series of public hearings.

 But The Legislature is keeping up the fight for patients by using rare procedure to throw out the rules. It has three steps: 1) A concurrent resolution is passed (complete 1/20/2011) 2) A special public hearing is held to gather guidance testimony (complete 2/3/2011) and 3) Based on such testimony a final concurrent resolution must be passed (now filed as SCR 151/ ACR 188).

This form of resolution does not require the signature of the Governor. In fact it communicates that Governor Christie would have 30 days to amend to rules. If the Executive does not change the regulations to the approval of the Legislature they will be officially invalided in whole or in part.

Advocates and the sponsoring politicians are eager to make changes. The six Alternative Treatment Centers recently approved by the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) can not open until final regulations are adopted. The New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act was supposed to have been fully running in the summer of 2010 but has seen a series of delays.

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.

www.freedomisgreen.com – Marijuana News, Science, Activism and Culture

CONTACT: 267 702 3731 or chris [ at ]  freedomisgreen.com

UPDATE May 26, 2011: Freedomisgreen now appears in the Google News Feed. Site traffic May 1st to May 25th = 25,306 visitors for 35,106 page views

Sponsors enjoy strong presence on a content-driven site that is not overcrowded with ads.

To reserve one of the limited number of sponsorships please call  267 702 3731  or send us an email.

Growing the East Coast cannabis community

3/2/2011 – Chris Goldstein, a nationally recognized journalist and pro-marijuana advocate, is launching a new website to cover the East Coast: www.freedomisgreen.com .

“ Millions of cannabis consumers from Maine to Florida are searching out local information about legalization. Freedomisgreen.com is here to cover the news, activism and lifestyle of American marijuana,” he said today.

Known for popular blogs and newspaper columns in the Philadelphia area covering marijuana politics, Goldstein is regularly featured on FOX, CBS, NBC, Comcast, ABC and the Associated Press.

A limited number of initial sponsorships are available that feature prominent placement for advertising. Three levels of sponsorship are available too accommodate various budgets.

“Many businesses can benefit from sponsorship: Clothing companies, record labels, print publications and consumer products just to name a few. Cannabis lifestyles in America touch upon more businesses than we think, “ Goldstein said.

There are dozens of print magazines and websites catering to cannabis consumers on the West Coast. Now, freedomisgreen.com fills an important niche for the marijuana-friendly community in the eastern US while offering a powerful venue for businesses to connect with the region.

Chris has assembled a unique team of writers to produce exclusive content in the following categories: Freedom Buzz, Sensible Science, Green Justice, Mary Jane’s Corner, Canna-business and Grass Roots. The site has an open-call for submissions of writing, photos and video from voices in the local cannabis community.

For more information please call  267 702 3731  or send us an email

3/9/2011 11:29AM UPDATE 6:11PM- A Florida House Representative has formally introduced a medical cannabis bill this week. Advocates and the sponsor are planning a press conference for 10:00AM local time tomorrow on the 4th floor of the Capitol Building in Tallahassee.

The Tampa Bay Times/Herald reported today:

Rep. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, has filed a joint resolution that if passed would let voters in 2012 weigh in on a constitutional amendment legalizing medical marijuana.

The law would allow the use of medical marijuana if it’s recommended by physicians for patients with “debilitating medical conditions.” The proposal also allows the Legislature to set a maximum quantity of marijuana that can be owned for medical use, but that amount could be exceeded if a patient or doctor says greater amounts are necessary. Read full

Recent polling by the Florida Republicans indicates a groundswell of public support for the issue:  57% of Floridians reported that they want to legalize medical marijuana,

Robert Platshorn at NORMLCON 2010 – photo by NORML/David Sygall

The extra momentum for the new legislation came from an interesting place; two senior activists.

Robert Platshorn,  also known as Bobby Tuna, spent 30 years in federal prison for smuggling marijuana in the 1970’s. Now’s he’s giving talks about the benefits of medical cannabis as part of the NORML/High Times Silver Tour to educate seniors.

Bobby has been joining Irvin Rosenfeld, one of the four surviving federal medical marijuana patients, for special presentations to local  political clubs.

NORML South Florida attended local legislative meetings in January with Rep. Clemens in attendance.

After Bobby spoke in front of the Palm Beach County delegation Clemens requested more information and quickly introduced the resolution.

Look for an exclusive interview with Robert Platshorn on freedomisgreen.com later today!

More information: People United For Medical Marijuana  http://www.pufmm.org/

Video below of Irv Rosenfeld testifying for medical marijuana in Michigan

6/23/2011 – Guest blog by Rob Robinson and Jen Rog – New York has had a good week when it comes to drug policy reform. A 911 Good Samaritan Law passed easily in the Assembly, where we have gotten some results. Working directly with NY state senators, the Drug Policy Alliance and New York Cannabis Alliance influenced the Senate version of the bill, which passed this Monday June 20th. Governor Cuomo is expected to sign it into law. The phone calls, emails and communications that came through to the Senate when we asked for them really moved this bill forward. The public support also insured we got a strong law and not a watered-down version.

Let’s keep up the momentum before the legislative session ends, which will be anyday now. By calling the Speaker of the Assembly and asking him to schedule bill A. 7620 to a floor vote, we will be asking them to add this important job to their workload before they break for the summer. If passed, this bill will accomplish what legislators originally intended when they decriminalized marijuana in 1977: keeping people out of the criminal justice system for posessing small amounts of marijuana. It will also ingnite our support to bring the fight to the NY Senate and pass the bill there next session.

Please call Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s office at 518-455-3791 and ask him to schedule bill A. 7620 for a floor vote before the session ends. Getting it passed this session will make it more likely it will gain movement in the Senate next session. New York residents:  Please contact your Assembly member and ask them to support this bill and for them to pressure leadership (Speaker Silver) to put it up for a vote.

The NYPD has made Cannabis arrests their top enforcement priority. In 2010 alone, 50,383 people were arrested for low-level marijuana offenses—more than the total number marijuana possession arrests between 1978–1997 combined! More than 80% of those arrested are black and Latino, even though studies consistently show that blacks and Latinos are no more likely to use or sell drugs than whites. This new bi-partisan law will close the “public display” loophole and protect New Yorkers from marijuana arrest while saving the state roughly $75 million a year.

It has been a good week in NY for drug law reform. It could get even better – Join us in the struggle!

http://www.damnsam.com/

http://www.facebook.com/nycannalliance

Guest blog by Rob Robinson and Jen Rog at the NY Cannabis Alliance

Philadelphia Weekly cover art 3/2/2011

The Philadelphia Weekly has published a groundbreaking feature article looking at the racial disparity of the city’s marijuana arrests. Blunt Assessment: The Need for Legal Weed in Philadelphia explores the issue from the streets to the courts.

Journalist Nina Hoffmann interviewed hip-hop artists, retired law enforcement, marijuana policy experts (including this author) and most revealing; black Philly residents as they go though Small Amount of Marijuana (SAM) program.

Each year PhillyNORML compiles the arrests statistics for the state of Pennsylvania using the annual Uniform Crime report. PA’s crime datatbase is actually easily accessible by the public, unlike other states like New Jersey.

Read the numbers in the following articles:

2008 city stats – Philly: White women rarely arrested for pot

2009 city stats – Philadelphia: Marijuana arrests remain high

2009 PA statewide – Pennsylvania saw 25,635 marijuana arrests last year

In 2009 and 2010 PhillyNORML urged city officials to change local marijuana procedures.

Last year Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams and the State Supreme Court created a diversion process called the Small Amount of Marijuana (SAM) Program. The tangibly eases the penalties for the over 4,700 adults caught with small amounts of pot each year. The successful and publicly popular shift will save the city about $3 million annually.

Unfortunately, Philly still requires the custodial arrest of citizens caught with any amount of marijuana before they go into the SAM program. Most counties in Pennsylvania issue a summary violation: A ticket with no arrest.

Take a moment to read Blunt Assessment: The Need for Legal Weed in Philadelphia

Amy Winehouse, who reportedly has used weed in the past as a way to suppress her urge for harder drugs, is found dead in her London flat. The singer/songwriter has had well-known battles with addiction over the years.

LONDON — Amy Winehouse, the beehived soul-jazz diva whose self-destructive habits overshadowed a distinctive musical talent, was found dead Saturday in her London home, police said. She was 27.

Winehouse shot to fame with the album “Back to Black,” whose blend of jazz, soul, rock and classic pop was a global hit. It won five Grammys and made Winehouse — with her black beehive hairdo and old-fashioned sailor tattoos — one of music’s most recognizable stars.

Police confirmed that a 27-year-old female was pronounced dead at the home in Camden Square northern London; the cause of death was not immediately known. London Ambulance Services said Winehouse had died before the two ambulance crews it sent arrived at the scene.

An ambulance could be seen parked beneath the trees outside her London home, and the whole street was cordoned off by police tape. Officers kept onlookers away from the scene.

Last month, Winehouse canceled her European comeback tour after she swayed and slurred her way through barely recognizable songs in her first show in the Serbian capital of Belgrade. Booed and jeered off stage, she flew home and her management said she would take time off to recover.

Read more.

Amy Winehouse, the artist: