Attorney Claims Congress OKs Medical Marijuana Everywhere With DC Rules

If one prominent attorney is right about the legal ramifications of the District of Columbia's marijuana law -- specifically, that it was approved by the U.S. Congress -- then it could be a game-changer nationwide.

D.C.'s medical marijuana law was the first time that the United States Congress had ever given its explicit assent to any state or local law that permits the medicinal use of marijuana -- and, according to a California attorney who specializes in health care compliance, that is enormously significant under the Equal Protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Long Beach bans medical marijuana collectives

LONG BEACH - The Long Beach City Council on Tuesday voted 8-1 to ban medical marijuana collectives but to exempt 18 city-approved operators for six months.
City Attorney Robert Shannon had sought an outright ban after an appeals court in October ruled in Pack v. Long Beach that the city's 2010 permit process for the collectives violated federal law prohibiting the sale and distribution of marijuana.

Tenth Annual Medical Marijuana Week Events In Sonoma County

10th Annual Medical Marijuana Week

Starts Sunday 2/12 Here in Sonoma County!

It will be a week filled with fun in the Bay Area:
Friday 2/10 Sign Making Party in SF email dcgoldman@yahoo.com for details

Saturday 2/11 Volunteer get together at Aaroma Roasters for 2/12 event 5pm, 5th & Wilson in Santa Rosa

Sunday 2/12
Benefit for Arlene Francis center, Sonoma Chapter of ASA, Americans for Safe Access and Redwood Food Bank, on Sunday February 12^th kicking of 10^th annual Medical Marijuana Week celebration.
A FREE showings of the films  “The True History of Marijuana” & “What if Cannabis Cures Cancer?” Question your own knowledge of the healing aliaments of cannabinoids by viewing the doctors and scientists working on this research worldwide. Then meet one of the Sebastopol doctors featured in this film, Dr Jeffrey Hergenrather. This will be followed by a panel of Cancer Survivors who use cannabis.
At 4pm, Music & Entertainment begins, with a $10 cover.

Why is the Obama Administration Suddenly Fixated on Stomping out Medical Marijuana?

At the same time public support for marijuana legalization reached record highs, Obama shifted from one time medicinal cannabis sympathizer to White House weed-whacker.

February 8, 2012  |  

Broken promises are nothing new in Washington, DC. Yet even by the Beltway’s jaded standards, President Obama’s role reversal from one time medicinal cannabis sympathizer to White House weed-whacker is remarkable.
Indeed, the man who once pledged on the campaign trail that he was “not going to be using Justice Department resources to try to circumvent state laws on this issue,” has – since taking the Presidential oaths of office – done virtually everything in his administration’s power to do precisely that. Yet he's taken these steps at the very time that a record number of Americans, including 57 percent of democrats and a whopping 69 percent of self-described liberals, endorse doing just the opposite. Nonetheless, in recent months, the Obama administration – via a virtual alphabet soup of federal agencies – has launched an unprecedented series of attacks against medical cannabis patients, providers, and in some cases even their advocates.

Elk Grove Officials Pass Strict Outdoor Cultivation Ordinance

The Elk Grove City Council on Wednesday night approved one of the most restrictive medical marijuana growing ordinances in Northern California, requiring that any growing operation be conducted indoors.

The 3-2 vote, with council members Sophia Scherman and Steve Detrick opposed, will allow patients eligible to use medical marijuana or their primary caregivers to grow pot only on limited space indoors.

California pot industry's next move: Ballot initiative for state regulation

A proposed ballot initiative aimed for the November elections begs a key question looming over California's medical marijuana industry: Can stricter state regulation keep the federal government from shutting it down?
Dispensaries, medical marijuana growers and a powerful union local are rallying behind an initiative that would regulate California's $1.5 billion pot trade.

Sacramento Group Files Medical Marijuana Act; Will Gather Signatures

 

The Patient Access to Regulated Medical Cannabis Act of 2012 has been filed with Sacramento County Elections Office and will begin gathering signatures to qualify for the November ballot.

Medical cannabis patients, providers, activists and supporters in Sacramento County, California have come together in an effort to qualify a measure for the November 2012 ballot that will establish a reasonable and controlled system for qualified patients to access their medicine.

Over the past two years, medical cannabis advocates said they have attempted to work with Sacramento County officials to develop a regulatory system that would allow for safe access points throughout the unincorporated areas of the County.

CBD May Help Prevent Colon Cancer

Cannabidiol (CBD) Reveals Potential for Prevention of Colon Cancer

Colon cancer is the most common cancer afflicting the Western world, with over 100,000 new cases and nearly 50,000 deaths each year in the United States alone. Cancers are generally considered a cellular disease, characterized by unlimited cell proliferation, causing tumors and subsequent metastasis (migration from the tumor). In past studies, CBD, a constituent of medical cannabis called cannabidiol, has already shown many potential benefits in the treatment of cancer as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-oxidative and neuroprotective agent. In these cases, CBD seems to protect normal cells while attacking those that are diseased. New research shows that CBD shows potential to be a preventative measure against colon cancer.

A recent article from the Journal of Molecular Medicine showed that CBD administered to mice which are predisposed to developing colon cancer, significantly decreased the formation of pre-cancer (tissue aberrance and polyps) and cancer growths (tumors). Additionally, this study showed that CBD induces cell death and inhibits tumor formation in cultured colon cancer cells through a variety of cellular pathways. By exploiting these disease-dependent pathways together, CBD may create an inescapable means of killing off and prohibiting the growth of cancer cells. This is a truly remarkable task for any single molecule — to attack multiple disease pathways while maintaining function in healthy cells. This study strengthens the evidence for CBD’s anti-tumor effects and provides evidence for CBD as a novel preemptive strike against colon cancer.



Brandie M. Cross is a Ph.D. candidate at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology Program. She is a recipient of the Thomas J. Kelly Award, specializes in the mechanisms of calcium signaling and transport in the body, and was formerly a professional breakdancer. She is a guest blogger for MPP.

Living Outside The Marijuana Laws: The Duality Of Honesty

Welcome to the duality of honesty. 

Clancy is a master-grower. He lives deep up on one of those canyon drives that seems so off the beaten path that it's hard to believe someone actually lives there.  Barely in his 30s, Clancy's a kid in terms of the hills and cultivation, but unlike many of his youthful contemporaries, he studies the old ways.

There are rumors that today's third generation growers doesn't care squat about growing in the sun. That the kids today will go indoor, outdoor, light deprivation, green house, even in a warehouse: It's said that they grow to follow the money.

S.F. Marijuana Dispensaries Annual Sales Estimate: $41 Million

In an unprecedented analysis of sales tax revenue from the sale of medical marijuana at city dispensaries, the San Francisco controller's office has estimated annual sales of medicinal cannabis at $41 million.

San Francisco's roughly two dozen licensed collectives must pay the city's 8.5 percent sales tax rate, coming from California's 7.25 percent sales tax with a local one percent sales tax going to S.F.'s general fund, and a .25 percent sales tax that goes to other areas like transportation, reports David Downs at the East Bay Express.

Obama Ignores Medical Marijuana During Google+ Hangout

President Barack Obama again turned to social media to connect with voters -- and again he used it to ignore talking pot.

You might have noticed that every time President Obama takes to the series of interactive intertubes, the unwashed masses want to talk, not taxes, and not turkey, but the good herb. Last year, POTUS employed YouTube and Twitter to walk among the people, and on Monday, Obama connected with his fellow Americans using "Hangout" on Google+.

Just like the last two times, viewers/voters submitted questions to the president for consideration via YouTube. And just like the last two times, a question about marijuana legalization was the top draw.

And, just like the last time, the question from a retired cop about failed drug policy and a reexamination of law enforcement priorities was not forwarded to the president.

Yet again, Obama is blameless: The White House says Google+ moderators selected the questions.

Cannabis Compound Halts Cancer

The CBD compound found in cannabis is non-toxic
A compound found in cannabis may stop breast cancer spreading throughout the body, US scientists believe.
The California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute team are hopeful that cannabidiol or CBD could be a non-toxic alternative to chemotherapy.

Unlike cannabis, CBD does not have any psychoactive properties so its use would not violate laws, Molecular Cancer Therapeutics reports.

The authors stressed that they were not suggesting patients smoke marijuana.

Benefits and Information on CBD

Barriers between pro-Cannabis MDs and the medical establishment are falling. Doctors who monitor cannabis use by patients were bursting with questions yesterday during a talk by Sean McAllister, PhD, who has been studying the anti-cancer effects of cannabinoids in the laboratory (on a grant from NIH and with a license from the DEA). The occasion was the winter meeting of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians. "That's a very good question," McAllister would say, and provide the answer, and tie it back into his main thread.

How Can Marijuana Be So Misunderstood?

I recently met someone who is absolutely 100% against marijuana use and she also believes that this plant has zero medical value. She has been taught her whole life that this is an addicting, dangerous drug. She has never tried cannabis but does have people in her life who are "stoners."
Never have I met someone so viahmently against marijuana. She is even in the health industry. I can tell I will never be able to change her mind about marijuana.
I created this site to try to change peoples thoughts and feelings about cannabis. But the propaganda that has been used against pot and it's users has worked for the establishment. They have convinced so many people that weed is horribly bad.

Healdsburg Medi-MJ Theft Victim To Seek Payment for Stolen Medicine

In what may be the first case of its kind in state history, a Healdsburg man whose marijuana was stolen in a home-invasion robbery will be allowed to seek restitution from the defendants.

“It certainly does represent a milestone,” said Kris Hermes, a spokesman for Americans for Safe Access, an Oakland advocacy group for medical marijuana users. “I appreciate the court recognizing this as a lawful substance. Victims should be compensated.”

S.F. Green Lights Medical Marijuana Dispensary Permits Again

San Francisco has begun issuing medical marijuana dispensary licenses again, following a recent state Supreme court decision that will allow local pot dispensaries to do business -- for now.

The city's Medical Cannabis Act permitting process had been on hold for several months, following a state appeals court ruling in Pack vs. Long Beach. The ruling said that city or county laws regulating medical marijuana violated federal law; the decision led cities and counties throughout the state to suspend, reconsider, or repeal their regulatory schemes.

California Supreme Court Agrees To Hear Medical Marijuana Cases

The California Supreme Court issued an order today indicating its intent to review two controversial medical marijuana cases that have resulted in the suspension of several local dispensary ordinances across the state. As a result of today’s order, Pack v. City of Long Beach and City of Riverside v. Inland Empire Patient’s Health and Wellness Ctr., Inc. have both been vacated in anticipation of the High Court’s ruling. The Pack decision held that some dispensary regulations may be preempted by federal law and the Riverside decision held that localities could legally ban distribution altogether.

San Francisco Not Issuing Any New Permits for Pot Clubs

San Francisco, the hotbed of marijuana law reform, has frozen medical cannabis dispensary permitting this winter as the City — and dozens of others across the state — nervously await a decision by the California Supreme Court on the very legality of such permits.

Nine groups that are seeking permits to open new San Francisco clubs — mostly in the Mission — have been caught in limbo, the Department of Public Health told Legalization Nation. San Francisco currently has 26 permitted dispensaries. However, an October decision by California's Second District Court of Appeals, in the case of Pack v. Superior Court, states that local regulations — such as permits and fees — are preempted by federal drug law.

Feds Raid Medical Marijuana Collectives in Costa Mesa

Federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents reportedly raided at least three medical marijuana collectives in Costa Mesa, California, starting at about noon today.

Reportedly raided, according to California Cannabis Coalition, were Otherside Farms, Simple Farmer/Burning Farms and American Collective.

Feds Looking To Seize Building Of Sacramento Dispensary

U.S. authorities filed suit Thursday seeking to seize the building of a Sacramento dispensary, charging the marijuana store violated federal laws against drug transactions near schools.

The forfeiture complaint filed over the Sacramento Holistic Healing Center – a Southside Park dispensary also known as "Grass on 10th" – marks the first formal federal seizure action against a medical marijuana outlet in the city.