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Debby Goldsberry is a formidable presence in the arena of cannabis reform and has been for the past 25 years. She received the NORML Pauline Sabin award in 2005 and co-founded Berkeley Patients Group. In honor of Women’s History Month, our very own Diane Fornbacher interviews this long-standing pioneer.

You helped found the successful Berkeley Patients Group in 2000, what other projects have you got cooking?

Right now, I am largely focused on helping to implement the medical cannabis ordinances passed in Oakland and Berkeley in the fall of 2011. Each city is planning to issue more dispensary permits, and they are trying to issue manufacturing permits for medical cannabis cultivation. The federal government is pushing back hard, even threatening to arrest the Oakland City Council. So, there is work to be done in each of these cities to get permits issued. Medical cannabis needs to be produced in a safe manner, and these two cities plan to set a standard for others to follow nationwide.

I’ve also been working closely with the NORML Women’s Alliance (NWA) on the Steering Committee to amplify the voices of women in the drug policy reform movement, specifically regarding parents and families.

Cannabis Action Network (CAN), where we are setting the stage for further development and evolution are developing the CAN History Project, which will record counterculture history from the 1980’s until 1996 when Prop 215 passed. A lot of history needs to be preserved and shared. Also, knowledge gained through tough times and the fun times over the last 20 years in fighting against the drug war will be documented.

Since Proposition 215 or the (Compassionate Use Act of 1996) passed, 15 states and Washington D.C. have had varying degrees of success and failure with their medical marijuana programs. Which states do you believe have the most compassionately crafted laws?

Well, I don’t think anyone’s done it perfectly yet. None of them are effectively dealing with the supply problem. Many patients still can’t get their medicine, there is an over proliferation of dispensaries which creates a backlash – in Michigan, Colorado and in Los Angeles specifically (there are pockets of perfection in the Bay Area). In Maine, each dispensary must supply all of their own medicine from only one facility. Recently, large greenhouses in Maine suffered roof collapses from snow. Imagine that one problem like this wiping out the entire supply of medicine for the patients there. It would take months to get back up and running. Locally is where most of the hope is found. When a city works with stakeholders, good regulations develop. Sometimes the states don’t do a great job, but locally, good plans can come to pass. We want to work on regulations more here in California and hope other state governments will follow our successes. Until then, we’re sort of in a holding pattern until things get more precise and functioning properly at our local level.

Read more.

Today the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) marked 40 years of fighting for an end to prohibition. While the battle has reached a high point, America’s top marijuana advocacy group took a moment to recognize the strength of its grassroots. NORML Executive Director Allen St Pierre said in a release today:

Cannabis law reformers are on the precipice of major social changes in favor of the liberalization of cannabis laws—and the state and federal governments, law enforcement and competitors to legal cannabis all recognize this to be true.

None of this would have been possible for NORML over these many years without the dedicated grassroots support provided by stakeholders.

Recognizing that most of the hardest work that entailed the greatest amounts of personal self-sacrifice are thankfully behind us, we also have to recognize there is still much work left to do before adults can lawfully use cannabis products in a manner and form similar to the way adults can consume alcohol products.

Take a moment to read the full release here:  http://blog.norml.org/2011/03/02/norml-america%E2%80%99s-best-known-and-respected-marijuana-lobby-organization-turns-40-years-old/

Steve Bloom at Celebstoner.com also has an excellent overview: www.celebstoner.com/201103025998/blogs/steve-bloom/norml-at-40.html

I am here to tell you, first hand, that National NORML serves as the most important resource for local marijuana activists.

Here are some of the rather priceless tools NORML has provided, for free, to the New Jersey and Pennsylvania medical cannabis efforts:

–    Mass awareness: When NORML puts a local campaign into the weekly press release or posts it to Facebook and Twitter the story gets instant attention

–    Providing expert testimony to legislative committees: Deputy Director Paul Armentano, one of nation’s leading cannabis experts along with NORML’s network of professionals help us make our case to elected officials

–    Providing information that is easy to use and share: Booklets, ready documents, pre-made pamphlets, web banners and research material are all available at norml.org

–    The CAPWIZ program: Having local residents contact their elected officials is probably the most essential form of organizing political change. NORML provides a tool to make that citizen-to-legislator interaction possible. The CAPWIZ service is expensive, far beyond the means of most local chapters. But National NORML works with volunteers on the ground to use CAPWIZ, generating vital contact.

NORML’s founder Keith Stroup was interviewed on NORML Show Live today and was asked about the future of the group beyond legalization. Keith hinted that NORML would likely become a powerful consumer protection lobby once cannabis was regulated and taxed, something akin to a sweeter smelling version of Nader’s Raiders.

At 40 years strong  NORML clearly owns an important role in the future of American freedom.

Please take a moment right now to donate to national NORML – pot will NOT legalize itself!

6/28/2011 – The concurrent medical marijuana bills in Massachusetts had a public hearing today before the Committee on Public Health. Medical professionals and potentially qualifying patients outlined the strong case for legal accesss.

“…injuries from multiple car accidents left me with broken bones and nerve damage, I suffer from chronic pain that I will have for the rest of my life, including unpredictable debilitating pains on the entire left side of my body.” said Richard Merrill from Fitchburg. “The opiates I was prescribed made me vomit, caused sleeplessness, and put me into a long term depression. With the help of medical marijuana I’ve been able to get off the opiates and put my life back together again.”

Dr. Karen Munkacy MD, a specialist in Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, testified in favor of medical cannabis at the hearings. “It’s much safer than Oxycontin and even safer than many over the counter pain relievers.” said Dr. Munkacy. “I once treated a patient with a Tylenol overdose. That doesn’t happen with medical cannabis.”

The bills, H.625 and S.1161 would allow doctors to recommend cannabis and regulate up to nineteen “Medical Treatment Centers” for dispensing marijuana across the state. Massachusetts decriminalized adult possession of cannabis (for all uses) by a ballot measure in 2008. But doctors are still not allowed to address the issue with seriously ill residents in a fully legal manner.

The Associated Press covered the committee hearing today in-depth:

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/20110628bill_in_mass_would_legalize_medical_marijuana

Grassroots links:

Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Coalition

MASSCANN/NORML

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]

National NORML’s video producer Erik Altieri stopped by for the NORML Womens Alliance Art Auction on Saturday March 26. The event raised over $1,000 for marijuana reform and the Freedomisgreen.com team was in attendance.

Patricia Smith’s appeal was denied several months ago. This New Hampshire-based nurse with no criminal background is currently serving the next 2 – 4 years in the New Hampshire Department of Corrections for growing marijuana in her own home. Financially she was nailed too, paying over $35,000 in fines.

Letters to inmates help considerably with morale, self-esteem and connectivity to the “outside world.” And it only takes a few minutes.

In general, it’s best not to go on endlessly about the injustice surrounding her case (she gets it, trust me), but instead write about yourself, incidents in your life, interests, etc. Think of writing to a pen pal in a really crappy situation. Keep it informal, supportive and friendly.

Sabrina from NORML passed on this information:

Please write to hospice nurse and MMJ patient Patricia Smith who was sent the NH State Prison for growing medicine. She is serving 2-4 years. Please send her a letter of encouragement and solidarity today. Patricia Smith, Inmate #90724, NHSP/W 317 Mast Rd, Goffstown, NH 03045. If you wish to send her books or magazine subscriptions, they must be sent directly from recognized mail order companies or publishers. The receipt must be included within the packaging or it will be returned to the sender. Let’s support our struggling but brave sister.

More on Patricia Smith’s story:

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

Diane speaking on the NWA panel

4/29/2011 by Diane Fornbacher – As the NORML Women’s Alliance (NWA) Vice Chair and Grassroots Activism Editor at Freedomisgreen.com, I was very proud to speak on the ‘Closing The Cannabis Gender Gap’ panel. I spoke about being a mother, cannabis reform activism and the D.A.R.E. program.

I was joined by Sabrina Fendrick, Chair of the NWA (who also moderated the panel) as well as Georgia Edson from Mile High NORML/Herbal Connections, Kyndra Miller of Cannabusiness Law, and Stacia Cosner who is the Associate Director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP). We are all members of the NWA Steering Committee.

The Ballroom at the Grand Hyatt was packed and the audience was so beautiful and supportive. We received a standing ovation and our luncheon following the panel was completely sold out.

Watch the panel in its entirety here thanks to NORML Show LIVE:

Special thank you to Madeline Martinez, the Executive Director of Oregon NORML and proud Member of the Board of NORML.

In another stomach-turning example of judicial injustice and marijuana-related arrests, Patricia Smith’s recent appeal has been denied. This New Hampshire-based nurse with no criminal background will do time for growing marijuana in her own home, in addition to paying over $35,000 in fines. Please forward this story. Patricia Smith hasn’t gotten the same media coverage as Patricia Spottedcrow and others, though is a victim in this never-ending “war on drugs” nonetheless.

New Hampshire’s highest court has upheld a woman’s marijuana-growing conviction, ruling she had no reasonable expectation to privacy in a wooded area of her property from which police observed her house and detected the smell of marijuana coming from a vent.

Patricia Smith of Haverhill was charged in 2009 after police raided her house and found a pot-growing operation and 120 plants. During court proceedings, a superior court denied Smith’s motion to suppress evidence.

In appealing to the New Hampshire Supreme Court, Smith’s attorney argued that police violated Smith’s constitutional right to privacy and protection from unreasonable searches when they essentially conducted a stakeout in the woods behind her home.

Source: Boston.com

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

4/3/2011 – The East Coast continues to come alive with bills to allow legal access to cannabis for seriously ill residents. House Bill 577 The North Carolina Medical Cannabis Act was introduced by sponsoring legislators on Thursday March 31. This is the third time in five years that the Tar Heel State has tried for similar legislation. Local media isn’t giving the current effort much of a chance, but regional support is trending in favor of the concept.

Asheville Citizen-Times: Rep. Patsy Keever, D-Buncombe, is one of three primary sponsors of the North Carolina Medical Cannabis Act filed on Thursday.

The legislation would allow patients with debilitating medical conditions to use marijuana to alleviate their symptoms. It would set up a system for operating medical cannabis centers and growing marijuana for medical use.

Keever said marijuana has proved to be a good, affordable pain reliever for people who suffer from chronic illnesses or are undergoing cancer treatments. She said the state could also make money from growing it.

“We’re not saying that we want everyone smoking weed,” Keever said. “We want people to be alleviated from their pain.”

Medical use and cultivation of marijuana is legal in 15 states and the District of Columbia, but no Southern states have legalized the drug for medical use.

Similar medical marijuana bills introduced in North Carolina have gained little traction. Previous legislation introduced in past sessions never made it to the floor.  read more

NC joins over a dozen US States with active legislation considering safe access. Most of the states with existing laws operate some type of system for patients to grow, posses and/or purchase medical cannabis.

Activism link: http://www.nccpn.org/

Many of you have followed Patricia’s Spottedcrow’s story here and on other sites. Perhaps because her story so aptly personifies a flawed system: a working mother with no prior convictions is sentenced to 12 years for selling $31 of marijuana. In potentially better news, Patricia has a hearing for a sentence modification set for Oct. 6, 2011. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed. Or better yet, send her a letter of support and show you care.

Patricia M. Spottedcrow, 26, received a 12-year prison sentence last October for selling a total of $31 in marijuana to a police informant in December 2009 and January 2010. Her mother, Delita Starr, 51, was also charged.

In blind guilty pleas before a judge, Spottedcrow received prison time, and her mother received a 30-year suspended sentence. Neither had prior criminal convictions.

Oklahoma City attorney Josh Welch said he has requested Spottedcrow be present to speak directly to the judge.

“Patricia wants to let the judge know what she has learned and been through,” Welch said. “She wants him to know she’s remorseful, accepts responsibility and it will not happen again. She doesn’t want a free pass or makes excuses for her conduct.

“With all things said, we disagree with the 12-year sentence, with it being excessive for this case.”

Spottedcrow was featured in a Tulsa World article on Feb. 20, published in media across the state through the nonprofit journalism group Oklahoma Watch.

The judge, who is now retired, said in a previous interview that Spottedcrow’s decade-long sentence was imposed because her four young children were in the home at the time of the drug buys. She said first-time offenders usually do not go to prison and alternatives including treatment are typically sought.

When Spottedcrow was booked into the jail after sentencing, some marijuana was found in a jacket she was wearing. She pleaded guilty to a drug possession charge and was given a two-year sentence to run concurrent with her other sentence.

The judge said she gave Starr a suspended sentence so she could care for Spottedcrow’s children, who are now 10, 5, 3 and 2.

In the filing, Starr reportedly earns about $800 a month from her job at a truck stop earning $8 an hour. Expenses for the children are a minimum of $500 for food, clothes, diapers and medicine, and $500 for utilities, water and home maintenance. She cannot drive because her license was revoked in her sentencing.

Starr owes $8,091 in court fees.

Read more.

Please take a moment to sign the Change.org petition for a pardon –  https://www.change.org/petitions/ask-oklahomas-governor-to-commute-10-year-sentence-for-3100-marijuana-sale