AKenewell

I would like to get everyone's thoughts on this. I talk to people every day about these issues. Their thoughts always seem to be interesting and it really makes you aware of the breadth of opinions. 1) What is the single most important issue regarding cannabis that you would like to see influenced or lobbied for? That could be either nationally or state wide here in Michigan. 2) If you could choose only one additional qualifying condition, what would it be and why? 3) Where would you like to see medical marijuana 5 years from now?

LOL...I use to play Ms.PacMan too Imi.

“Too High to Fail” is a good rebuttal to those who say stoners never accomplish anything — Doug Fine did. TOO HIGH TO FAIL Cannabis and the New Green Economic Revolution By Doug Fine Illustrated. 319 pp. Gotham Books. $28. He has written a well-researched book that uses the clever tactic of making the moral case for ending marijuana prohibition by burying it inside the economic case. We’ve become a ruthless society, and almost everything (I’m looking at you, Environment and Health Care) has to be sold as “first, it’s good for business.” To his credit, Fine doesn’t do what so many of us do and scream, “Can’t we just stop jailing potheads because that would be the right thing?” Also to his credit, he never admits he’s one of them. The “war on drugs” is America’s longest war. It has cost taxpayers $1 trillion in the last 40 years, Fine notes, and it has turned our nation into “the most highly incarcerated society in history.” In 2011, a global commission on drug policy (whose members included Paul Volcker, George P. Shultz and former presidents of Brazil, Colombia and Mexico) declared that “the global war on drugs has failed.” Sixty-­seven percent of Americans agree. Antonin Scalia and Pat Robertson are now to the left of President Obama on pot. In a way, the author of a polemic on marijuana policy suffers from the odd case of having too many facts on his side. To a person coming to this subject pot-­agnostic, it might seem as if the issue is being loaded. No, it is loaded. As Fine points out, the real addicts of the drug war are the law enforcement agencies that live off this senseless game of cops and robbers. “Too High to Fail” takes the form of a fly-on-the-wall account of Northern California’s burgeoning legal cannabis industry. Fine, an investigative journalist, takes us to Mendocino County, where he follows one plant from seed to medical marijuana patient in the first county in the nation to decriminalize and regulate cannabis farming. Fine fits in well in Mendocino. Bearded and driving his vegetable-oil-fueled truck, he looks and plays the part. But be warned: if you are indifferent to drug culture, you may roll your eyes at some of the stoner talk. When Fine says, describing a Mendocino grow house, “I felt like I was inside a Peter Tosh album cover photo,” even I wanted to tell him he was harshing my mellow. Mendocino County is depicted here as a kind of democratic utopia where local law enforcement and cannabis farmers are on the same side. In 2008, the county passed a land-use ordinance called Chapter 9.31, which authorized growers to cultivate up to 99 cannabis plants (this has since been reduced to 25). Rather than turning the county into a police state, legalization made it safer. Revenues in the municipality increased, and cannabis farmers were treated as law-abiding citizens. Fine calls Mendocino the state’s “progressive lab,” because it was essentially engaging in an act of civil disobedience. It may have been in accordance with California law, but ever since states (17 now, plus the District of Columbia) started legalizing medical marijuana, the federal government under a Democratic (Clinton), then a Republican (Bush) and now a Democratic administration has consistently resisted going along. Consequently, Fine observes, Mendocino has a kind of fifth season: helicopter season. “Helicopter noise is Mendocino County’s summer soundtrack,” he writes of the federal choppers circling overhead. “Something you just have to deal with in warm weather, like the summer before 10th grade when it was ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ ” The most eye-opening and persuasive parts of the book explore the revenue and benefits to be had from cannabis without a single joint’s being lighted. Throughout human history, cultures from Mongolia to Peru have used the non-psychoactive cannabis plant for food, shelter, clothing and medicine. Early drafts of the Declaration of Independence were written on hemp paper, and the covered pioneer wagons that took America westward were made of cannabis fiber. In 1942, cannabis prohibition was suspended because of a shortage in industrial supply during the war, and the government actually encouraged farmers to grow it, using a propaganda film, “Hemp for Victory.” The place industrial cannabis is not found yet, Fine points out, is in the above­ground American economy, thanks to its listing as a Schedule I narcotic. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s official stance is that it has no medical value at all: “Smoked marijuana has not withstood the rigors of science — it is not medicine, and it is not safe.” O.K., Fine seems to say, but tell that to the doctors with evidence of its ability to shrink tumors and ease the effects of chemotherapy; or to the seniors of Orange County who depend on medical marijuana to treat their arthritis, and the doctor who uses it to treat his glaucoma; or to the 30-year-old Iraq war veteran with the shrapnel injuries who thanks God every day for this drug. It is prescription drugs that are now the leading cause of fatal drug overdoses — more than 26,000 each year. Also each year, over 23,000 Americans die of alcohol-related causes. None have died from cannabis alone. As I said, the issue is loaded. And yet the side that has all the load never seems to win in America. The ending of “Too High to Fail” — spoiler alert — is a real bummer. Just as Fine was about to send the manuscript to his publisher in November 2011, the feds cracked down in Mendocino. The 9.31 program was essentially abandoned, and the local, participatory democracy Fine immersed himself in for a year was pushed back underground. He should have seen it coming. Halfway through his adventure, Fine was pulled over by a state trooper when he left the friendly confines of Mendocino and crossed into Sonoma County — where it’s cool to get high on wine, but not on pot. Fine was doubtful that anyone in California actually used the old war-on-drugs tactics until this incident, but it was a reminder that some people are still in battle mode. Relating how he was taken into custody, Fine describes something he calls “Panzer’s Paradox” — basically, the fact that “when it comes to distribution, there is no uniformity in cannabis legal interpretation now,” as William Panzer, a lawyer specializing in cannabis defense, says. (Panzer was an author of Proposition 215, the medical-marijuana act passed in California in 1996.) Fine boils down the difference between a cannabis-friendly county and an unfriendly one to “the career ambitions or personal cannabis views of the local D.A. and sheriff.” He also paraphrases “The Art of War”: “If a war is ill conceived at its core, it can’t be won.” http://www.nytimes.c...l?ref=marijuana

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Seven Initial Co-Sponsors Introduce HR 6335 to Stop Unfair Land Grabs by DOJ Late on Thursday, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and seven initial co-sponsors introduced HR 6335, the States' Medical Marijuana Property Rights Protection Act, in an attempt to stop the seizure of property from landlords of state law-compliant medical marijuana businesses. The introduction of HR 6335 comes less than a month after U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag served an asset forfeiture lawsuit against the landlord of Harborside, a medical marijuana dispensary in Rep. Lee's district of Oakland. The Justice Department action was opposed by Rep. Lee, but it also sparked an outcry from local and state officials, including city council members, the Oakland City Attorney, and the Board of Equalization. "Yesterday, I introduced legislation to urge the Administration and the Congress to begin to align federal law to states' laws that allow for safe access to medical marijuana for patients," said Congresswoman Lee. "As a long-time supporter of the rights of patients to have safe and legal access to medicine that has been recommended to them by their doctors, this bill will provide clarification to California businesses and security for California patients. Steph Sherer, Americans for Safe Access: "Property owners have become the most recent victims in the Justice Department's escalating attack on medical marijuana" "The people of California have made it legal for patients to have safe access to medicinal marijuana and, as a result, thousands of small business owners have invested millions of dollars in building their companies, creating jobs, and paying their taxes," Rep. Lee said. "We should be protecting and implementing the will of voters, not undermining our democracy by prosecuting small business owners who pay taxes and comply with the laws of their states in providing medicine to patients in need." For more than a year, the Justice Department has been threatening the landlords of state law-compliant medical marijuana dispensaries with asset forfeiture proceedings if they don't promptly evict their tenants. More than 300 such letters have been sent to property owners across California as well as in Colorado and other medical marijuana states. Though the number of actual prosecutions is far fewer, the intimidation caused by the threats has resulted in the closure of more than 400 dispensaries in California. "Property owners have become the most recent victims in the Justice Department's escalating attack on medical marijuana," said Steph Sherer, executive director of Americans for Safe Access (ASA), a medical marijuana advocacy group. "However, let us not forget that with the closure of these dispensaries, thousands of patients are prevented from safely obtaining a medication that has already been deemed legal to use with a physician's approval." HR 6335 will prohibit the federal government from using the civil asset forfeiture statue -- 21 U.S.C. 881(7) -- to go after real property owners if their tenants are in compliance with state medical marijuana law. At the same time, the new law would not prevent the Justice Department from using the civil asset forfeiture statue against real property owners in connection with conduct not sanctioned by state law. While property owners have an opportunity to retrieve seized property in civil court, they are not afforded many of the constitutional rights granted to criminal defendants, such as the right to an attorney and a jury trial. In addition, the burden of proof is on the property owner to show their innocence rather than the government having to prove their guilt. In addition to seeking the Harborside property, U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag has threatened similar action against a number of Bay Area property owners. Just in San Francisco alone, nine city-permitted dispensaries have been shut down in the past few months. This week, city and state officials joined a theatrical but somber funeral procession to Haag's office in order to draw attention to the latest two facilities -- HopeNet and Vapor Room -- forced to close due to threatening letters sent by Haag to their landlords. About 100 million people -- one in three Americans -- live in states with medical marijuana laws. Currently, 17 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws authorizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. More Information Copy of HR 6335 [PDF] ASA Fact Sheet on Asset Forfeiture and HR 6335 [PDF] http://www.tokeofthe...ijuana.php#more

Here's Brad Forrester's reply to this …. BradForrester 4 days ago Report Abuse City Manager Spencer Nebel better have his legal people review this decision again. The Sault Ste. Marie ordinance is also unenforceable and in effect void too! Page 3-4 of the COA opinion A city ordinance that purports to prohibit what a state statute permits is void. Walsh v City of River Rouge, 385 Mich 623, 636; 189 NW2d 318 (1971). A state statute preempts regulation by an inferior government when the local regulation directly conflicts with the statute or when the statute completely occupies the regulatory field. USA Cash # 1, Inc v City of Saginaw, 285 Mich App 262, 267; 776 NW2d 346 (2009). A direct conflict exists between a local regulation and state statute when the local regulation prohibits what the statute permits. Id. In its brief on appeal, defendant specifically acknowledges that the purpose of the ordinance is to regulate the growth, cultivation and distribution of medical marihuana in the City of Wyoming by reference to the federal prohibitions regarding manufacturing and distribution of marijuana. In making this argument, defendant relies on the provision of the CSA that makes it unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally . . . to manufacture, distribute, or dispense, or possess with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense, a controlled substance . . . . 21 USC 841(a)(1). Further, under 21 USC 812©(10), marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance; thus, manufacturing or possessing marijuana is generally prohibited under federal law. Consequently, these provisions of the CSA when read together with defendants zoning ordinance, which makes any violation of federal law an unpermitted use of ones property, cause any medical use (3) of marijuana pursuant to the MMMA on any property within the city of Wyoming to be a violation of defendants zoning ordinance. Although plaintiff has not been punished for violating defendants zoning ordinance, defendants municipal code permits civil sanctions, including, without limitation, fines, damages, expenses and costs . . . for violations of the code. Wyoming Ordinance, 1-27(a). In addition, it cannot be disputed that if found in violation of Wyoming Ordinance, 90-66, plaintiff would be subject to injunctive relief that would restrict the use of his property for purposes that would otherwise be permitted under the MMMA. See MCL 125.3407. In contrast, the MMMA permits medical use as defined in MCL 333.26423(e), which includes use, possession, cultivation, delivery and transfer. Further, the plain language of MCL 333.26424(a) provides immunity for qualifying patients, which plaintiff is acknowledged to be, from being subject to arrest, prosecution, or penalty in any manner, or denied any right or privilege . . . . Under these circumstances, the question presented regarding conflict preemption between the MMMA and defendants ordinance is whether the possibility of plaintiff being subject to the civil sanctions of the Wyoming zoning ordinance if found in violation of the city ordinance for engaging in activity otherwise permitted by the MMMA constitutes a penalty in any manner prohibited by MCL 333.26424(a). SSM officials CAN NOT regulate anything the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act permits, period. SSM can enact ordinances that allow for collectives, coops, and dispensaries, but they CAN NOT regulate what a licensed patient or caregiver do on their own property, or in their homes. Any attempts to enforce the SSM ordinance will be met with swift and overwhelming legal action. How much money are taxpayers prepared to let officials spend to defend a position they can only lose? If anyone is cited for a violating SSM's medical cannabis ordinance, please contact me so we can address your grievance and rein-in Mr. Nebel and his errant ordinance. G K (MrKind) 4 days ago Report Abuse Bravo Brad,, Nice seeing ya on here.

Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. — Wednesday’s ruling by the Michigan Court of Appeals overturning local ordinances prohibiting the cultivation of medical marijuana should have little impact on Sault Ste. Marie residents, according to City Manager Spencer Nebel. “We don’t allow dispensaries, but you can grow it,” said Nebel. The Detroit News is reporting that the three-judge panel overturned an ordinance enacted by the city of Wyoming — a Grand Rapids suburb — that sought to prohibit cultivation of medical marijuana based on federal prohibitions against manufacturing and distributing cannabis. “Defendant’s ordinance is void and unenforceable to the extent that it purports to sanction the medical use of marijuana in conformity with” the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, appeals judges Joel P. Hoekstra, Douglas Shapiro and William Whitbeck wrote in an opinion handed down on Tuesday and released Wednesday, according to the Detroit News. The city of Wyoming was not alone in trying to use federal law to ban the planting and cultivation of marijuana within its boundaries as other municipalities throughout the state passed similar ordinances since voters approved the use of medical marijuana in 2008. In fact, Nebel indicated the city officials had considered this avenue when crafting their ordinance before deciding to allow the practice earlier this year. While medical marijuana can be grown in Sault Ste. Marie, there are still plenty of rules governing the process. All cultivation, processing and distribution must comply with Michigan law and the caregiver cannot use more than 25 percent of the livable floor space within the residence for this operation. Growers must also keep their plants in a closed, locked area within the dwelling. Additional regulations prohibit signage or visible display of the product. Caregivers are also subject to periodic inspections by the Building Department. The Sault’s ordinance also prohibits customer traffic to the home-based business, Nebel explained, requiring the caregiver to deliver the product to the customer. This section of the ordinance was designed to curtail traffic in residential areas which could negatively impact the neighborhood. The Detroit News account explained that Wednesday’s ruling does provide immunity from certain municipal zoning sanctions, but does not interfere with federal enforcement of controlled substances. http://www.sooevenin...ocal-ordinances

Last Thursday, state officials released the most recent medical marijuana registry statistics. As of the end of May, there were nearly 99,000 registered patients in the state. The number peaked in July 2011 at nearly 129,000, but then dropped to under 81,000 by November as the feds turned up the heat on dispensaries in the state. The number has been slowing climbing again since then. As of the end of May, there were 98,910 red card-holding medical marijuana patients in the state according to MMJ registry numbers released by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. That's up from the previous report, released in June. But despite a steady increase over the past six months, the sum still doesn't compare to the number of patients registered at this time last year. In the months between July 2011 and November of 2011, the Colorado Medical Marijuana Patient Registry total dropped by more than 48,000 people, from 128,698 to 80,558. The bleeding of patients stopped in December of that year, but the numbers have been slow to regain the lost ground. In the same amount of time that it took for the registry to lose more than 37 percent of it's total, it has only bounced back by 18,352. That includes the most recent boost over the April total of 96,709. Why? Apparently, many patients simply are not returning to the registry. The total number of new patient applications since the program began went up by 3,017 patients, to 180,925, between April and May. But the total increase in valid cards was only 2,101 patients. This implies that while the registry may have gained 3,017 new patients in one month, roughly 816 existing patients either didn't renew their cards, dropped off the registry voluntarily or were kicked off by the CDPHE. This trend has been seen every month since November 2011 with the exception of February, when only 1,619 new patients were added to the registry but it grew by 4,522 people. So while the registry has added nearly 19,500 patients in the last six months, the tota. number of MMJ cards has only gone up by 18,352. Other statistics for the registry remained mostly unchanged through May. Men still make up the majority of the registry and the average age for all patients is 42. The majority of patients live in the Denver metro area and severe pain is the most common reason for medical cannabis recommendations. A majority (54 percent) of patients still designate someone else as their primary caregiver -- and those numbers do not include medical marijuana centers. A CDPHE spokesman said the department is compiling stats on patients who sign up with MMCs; we'll update this post when and if officials get back to us.

Thirteen Arizona county attorneys are urging Gov. Jan Brewer to halt the state's medical-marijuana program, saying state employees will be facilitating federal crimes when they issue licenses to pot dispensaries. The lawyers signed onto a three-page July 24 letter authored by Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk, who requests that the governor prevent the state's issuance of licenses for medical-marijuana dispensaries because the state program is pre-empted by the federal Controlled Substances Act. Yavapai County Attorney Polk's letter to Brewer} Brewer's response The latest round of correspondence over the controversial program comes as the state Department of Health Services prepares for an Aug. 7 lottery to select 99 out of 486 applicants to run medical-marijuana dispensaries throughout the state. Under Arizona's law, there is no limit to the amount of marijuana a dispensary can grow. Patients can obtain up to 21/2 ounces of medical pot every two weeks. About 29,500 people have permission to smoke, eat or otherwise ingest medical marijuana to ease their ailments. The overwhelming majority of medical-marijuana users reported chronic pain as their medical condition; other ailments include muscle spasms, hepatitis C, cancer and seizures. State health officials declined to comment on Polk's letter, which underscores their longtime concerns about the program. In the past, state health officials have expressed concern they could be federally prosecuted for implementing the law. In her letter, Polk pointed out that the federal government is seizing and closing medical-marijuana dispensaries in other states under the Controlled Substances Act. Earlier this month, for example, Melinda Haag, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California, moved to shut down two locations of a dispensary with more than 100,000 medical-marijuana patients. Polk wrote that she has been told Arizona's newly appointed U.S. Attorney John Leonardo "fully intends to prevent any dispensaries from operating in Arizona by seizing each and every one as it opens and commits violations" of the federal act. "We believe it is bad public policy for one arm of the government to facilitate marijuana cultivation and use while another arm of the government is moving to close it down," wrote Polk. She added it is bad policy for the state to take steps to license a dispensary and require individuals to pay thousands for fees and obtain permits from local governments, "knowing full well that these business ventures will result in significant financial repercussions when the U.S. attorney shuts them down." U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Bill Solomon told The Arizona Republic late Monday that Polk's representation of the U.S. attorney's position on medical marijuana is inaccurate. He said the agency's position has not changed since February, when then-Acting U.S. Attorney Ann Scheel told Brewer the agency would follow Department of Justice policy on the issue and would focus efforts on significant drug traffickers, not people who use marijuana as treatment. "Specifically, the Department of Justice is focusing its limited resources on significant drug traffickers, not seriously ill individuals and their caregivers who are in compliance with applicable state medical-marijuana statutes," Solomon wrote in a statement. Brewer responded to the county attorneys Thursday, saying she understands -- and shares -- their concerns. While she remains "deeply concerned about potential abuses of the law," the conflicts between federal and state laws, and the risk of federal prosecution of state employees, she is bound to implement the program because voters approved it. Brewer also maintains that while the Department of Justice has prosecuted a number of medical-marijuana operations in California and elsewhere, "the federal government's position remains unclear" regarding Arizona's program and state workers' participation in the law. Brewer wrote that a federal court dismissed a state lawsuit on procedural grounds seeking to clarify the conflict between the state program and federal law. She pointed out that Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Richard Gama in January, meanwhile, ordered the state to implement the lawful provisions of the medical-marijuana program. Polk told The Republic she appreciated Brewer's "thoughtful response." However, she said, she disagrees with her regarding the interpretation of the Gama ruling. Polk pointed out that the legal quandary put before Gama was not the issue of pre-emption, but whether state health officials exceeded the scope of their authority in expanding rules regarding dispensaries. Halting the dispensary process would force a lawsuit that would require a court to consider the pre-emption argument, Polk said, and whether state employees are subject to criminal prosecution for facilitating violations of the federal law by implementing the medical-marijuana program. She said all 17 states that have medical-marijuana laws are grappling with how to reconcile state and federal laws: "Every single program has had complications and glitches, and in two or three states the governors have refused to go forward because of the issues I'm raising." Greenlee County Attorney Derek Rapier told The Republic he signed onto Polk's letter based on the pre-emption argument. "Everyone agrees the feds' primary target will be the dispensaries themselves, but I cannot, in good conscience, tell my clients, which in this case are county employees, to violate laws," he said, referring to zoning officials who may be asked to permit dispensaries. "I just can't do it." http://www.azcentral...na-program.html

The City Of Wyoming’s Ordinance Banning Medical Marijuana Violates Michigan’s Medical Marihuana Act The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan applauded a state appeals court decision today (August 1, 2012) declaring the City of Wyoming’s ordinance that bans medical marijuana “void and unenforceable” because it directly violates the state’s Medical Marihuana Act. The lawsuit was originally filed in November 2010 on behalf of John Ter Beek, a retired attorney and medical marijuana patient who suffers from diabetes and a neurological disorder that causes neuropathy and severe pain. “In 2008, people across the state overwhelmingly voted to protect patients who use marijuana to treat their medical conditions from punishment and penalty,” said Dan Korobkin, ACLU of Michigan staff attorney. “Today’s decision by the Michigan Court of Appeals rejects the misguided efforts of a few local officials to undo the results of that historic election. Now that the law is clear, all cities should take notice and stop threatening to treat patients who have done nothing wrong like criminals.” The ordinance was adopted by the Wyoming City Council in 2010 despite a public outcry. Ter Beek, who feared criminal and civil penalties if he grew or used medical marijuana in accordance with state law, filed the lawsuit challenging the ordinance. The ACLU later joined the lawsuit. “The fact is medical marijuana helps people; it’s helped me,” said Ter Beek. “I’ve tried narcotic-based drugs like Vicodin and OxyContin and nothing worked like medical marijuana. I couldn’t just sit by as our elected officials try to ignore the will of the people and take this option from me and thousands of others.” In 2008, the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act was approved on a statewide ballot. Sixty-three percent of voters approved the law statewide, including 59 percent of voters in Wyoming. The Wyoming ordinance, while not specifically mentioning medical marijuana, prohibits any violations of federal law. Because medical marijuana is still technically illegal under federal law, the city used this terminology to ban medical marijuana. The federal government, however, does not prosecute patients and caregivers who comply with their states’ medical marijuana laws, and the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act specifically states that registered patients and their caregivers “shall not be subject to arrest, prosecution, or penalty in any manner” for growing, possessing, or using medical marijuana. Just 5 days before Wyoming adopted its ordinance, the ACLU of Michigan filed a similar lawsuit against the cities of Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills and Livonia. The ACLU sent a copy of that lawsuit to Wyoming city officials prior to their vote. The lawsuit against Birmingham is pending in the Michigan Court of Appeals. In addition to Korobkin, Ter Beek is represented by Michael J. Steinberg, Kary L. Moss, Miriam Aukerman and Mike Nelson of the ACLU of Michigan. To read the decision, go to:http://www.aclumich....kCOAOpinion.pdf To read the ACLU of Michigan’s winning brief, go to:http://www.aclumich....erBeekBrief.pdf Source: ACLU http://www.theweedbl...ical-marijuana/

A Southhaven, Mississippi, man arrested for marijuana by police in nearby Jonesboro, Arkansas, was shot and killed as he sat handcuffed in the back of a squad car Saturday. Chavis Carter, 21, becomes the 37th person to die in US domestic drug law enforcement operations so far this year. According to KAIT-8 TV, citing police sources, Carter was a passenger in a pick-up truck pulled over by police Saturday night. Officer Keith Baggett searched the vehicle, while Officer Ron Marsh searched Carter. Marsh found “some marijuana” and some plastic baggies on Carter. When police ran Carter’s name through dispatch, they learned he was wanted on a drug warrant from De Soto County, Mississippi. Carter was sitting in the police car, and when police learned he had an outstanding warrant, Marsh had Carter “exit the patrol unit, placed him into handcuffs, searched him a second time then placed him into the back seat of the patrol unit.” As the two officers walked back toward the police car, Officer Baggett said a car passed and then he heard “a loud thump with a metallic sound.” After questioning and releasing the other two men, Officer Marsh reportedly returned to his vehicle while Officer Baggett said he prepared to leave the scene. He then heard “several thumps” on his trunk and saw Officer Marsh motioning for him and saying that Carter had shot himself. They opened the rear passenger door and found him in a “sitting position slumped forward with his head in his lap.” According to Officer Marsh, Carter’s hands were still cuffed behind his back and small-caliber handgun was found beside him. Jonesboro Police Sgt. Lyle Waterworth told WREG-TV in nearby Memphis that Carter had been searched, but that searches don’t always find everything. “As protocol he was handcuffed behind his back and double locked, and searched”, said Waterworth, “Any given officer has missed something on a search, be it drugs, knife, razor blades, this instance it happened to be a gun.” Officers Baggett and Marsh are on administrative leave pending an investigation, but the police are leaning toward the theory that Carter shot himself with a gun they had missed while his hands were cuffed behind his back. His mother, Teresa Carter, isn’t buying it. “I think they killed him, my son wasn’t suicidal,” she said. She said Chavis had called his girlfriend while being pulled over to say that he would call her from jail. She also said police told her Chavis had been shot in the right temple, but that he was left-handed. http://www.theweedbl...-in-police-car/

Colorado Batman shooting shows obvious signs of being staged Learn more: http://www.naturalne...l#ixzz22M0NEWoR

The federal classification of marijuana as a Schedule I drug doesn't just defy all scientific evidence; it isn't just another way logic and reason are sacrificed on the altar of the War On Drugs. Marijuana's erroneous and nonsensical classification as a Schedule I substance is emblematic of all that is insane with marijuana policy in the United States. It is one big reason American drug policy serves as a worldwide laughingstock of ineffectiveness and futility. Why on earth are we still laboring under a system which equates cannabis with heroin, and considers pot to be more dangerous than cocaine or meth? http://www.tokeofthe...raphic.php#more

Barb Brisson is fully present in her grandson's life, thanks to cannabis. Here is what medical cannabis is all about: People reclaiming their lives. People making the conscious choice to once again be fully present with their families. Every day I hear from chronic pain patients and those challenged by debilitating illness. Every day they tell me that when they had to depend totally on chemical pharms for relief, it was wrecking not only their bodies and minds but their relationships with people they care about. "When we go out on adventures, I tell my grandson that some things, we can't change ... like the sun, moon, rain or snow," medical marijuana patient Barb Brisson of Chatham, Michigan, told me this afternoon. "I teach him to be good to the Earth because it's for everyone to enjoy. "He cleans up and understands not to litter, and as he grows, I want to teach him that some things do change, and he needs to understand and have a voice in those, too," Barb told me. "To think that a little over a year ago, I was so waxed on pain pills my mind was in zombie land," Barb said. "I'm a nurse, but I fell for the pharma line. "My son was so pissed that I was out in left field all time, he said, 'Mom, I don't want your grandson to see you like this,' " Barb told me. "That child gave me my life back. Thanks to compassionate friends, I am now drug free and only use herbs. "In the last year, I have done so much with this boy, and my son loves it -- because that's that's the way I was when he was growing up," Barb told me. "Funny how in the past year I now remember the things my g-ma did with me, and now I teach my grandson. "I think she'd be proud of me, especially when we just walk and talk," Barb told me. "Those were some of my best times with her; she was an amazing woman, way ahead of her time." What is the "dollar value" of one life reclaimed? What is the value of a husband, a wife, a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, returning to life and re-engaging with loved ones? Thank you all for joining me in this fight. People fight hard when they are fighting for their lives and families. We will never give up. http://www.tokeofthe...ijuana.php#more

Sativa vs Indica: The Biggest Differences Between The Two Cannabis Plants Sativa and Indica are the two major types of cannabis plants which can mix together to create hybrid strains. Each strain has its own range of effects on the body and mind resulting in a wide range of medicinal benefits. Indica plants typically grow short and wide, compared to Sativa plants which grow tall and thin. Indica plants are better suited for indoor growing because of their short growth and sativa plants are better suited for outdoor growing because some strains can reach over 25 ft. in height. Cannabis Seeds For Sale: Free Seeds And Shipping From Over 85 Seed Banks The high produced from smoking Indica bud is a strong physical body high that will make you sleepy or ‘couch-locked’ and provides a deep relaxation feeling compared to a Sativa high, which is known to be more energetic and uplifting. Marijuana strains range from pure sativas to pure indicas and hybrid strains consisting of both indica and sativa (30% indica – 70% sativa, 50% – 50% combinations, 80% indica – 20% sativa). Because Sativa and Indica buds have very different medicinal benefits and effects, certain strains can be targeted to better treat specific illnesses. Indica dominant marijuana strains tend to have a strong sweet or sour odor to the buds (ex. Kush, OG Kush) providing a very relaxing and strong body high that is helpful in treating general anxiety, body pain, and sleeping disorders. Photo of a Sativa and Indica cannabis leaf side-by-side: Image of a Sativa and Indica cannabis plant side-by-side (Sativa plant on the left, Indica plant in the middle, the mostly benign Ruderalis on the left): You can see in the photos above Sativa plants tend to be significantly large while Indica plants are shorter and wider. Indicas are very effective for overall pain relief and is often used to treat insomnia for many people. Indica buds are most commonly smoked by medical marijuana patients in the late evening or even right before bed due to how sleepy and tired you become when high from an indica strain of marijuana, like Kush. Benefits of Indica: 1. Relieves body pain 2. Relaxes muscles 3. Relieves spasms, reduces seizures 4. Relieves headaches and migraines 5. Relieves anxiety or stress Sativa dominant marijuana strains tend to have a more grassy type odor to the buds providing an uplifting, energetic and “cerebral” high that is best suited for daytime smoking. A sativa high is one filled with creativity and energy as being high on sativa can spark new ideas and creations. Many artists take advantage of the creative powers of cannabis sativa (marijuana) to create paintings. Benefits of Sativa: 1. Feelings of well-being and at-ease 2. Up-lifting and cerebral thoughts 3. Stimulates and energizes 4. Increases focus and creativity 5. Fights depression The most popular Indica strains currently include Kush, Northern Lights and White Widow, and popular sativa strains include Purple Haze, and Mauwie Wauwie. http://www.theweedbl...rijuana-plants/

A recent study conducted in Glen Oaks hospital in New York, showed that marijuana could have a beneficial effect on neurocognitive functions of patients with bipolar disorder. The study was performed on 200 BD patients, 50 of whom have been smoking marijuana. All of them underwent tests that tested their neurocognitive functions (attention span, speed shifting, digits forward and backward tests and trails B test). The results were intriguing to say the least. Cannabis Use Disorder However, before we present you with the study’s conclusions, you have to bear in mind that the medical world is full of disorders, some being completely justified and others just being labeled as illnesses for the hell of it. In line with that practice, a frequent marijuana smoker ‘suffers’ from CUD (Cannabis Use Disorder) and is more likely to suffer from a history of psychosis than a person who doesn’t smoke. At least, that’s what the research suggests. Simply put, a BD patient with CUD is only 14% more likely to have a history of psychosis than a BD patient who doesn’t smoke marijuana. Results It was concluded that BD patients with CUD had significantly better cognitive tests results than patients who didn’t ‘suffer’ from CUD. That fact alone will significantly motivate further medical marijuana related research because now we can move away from the ‘burnout’ dogma and focus on the actual health benefits of cannabis. We always believed that you shouldn’t became a slave to the plant, but consume it moderately in order to reap the rewards it can provide and utilize its maximum potential. Supporting Studies To support this research, we found a study that was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in August, 2011. The study revealed that middle-aged men could benefit from the use of marijuana as well. Apparently, cannabis can significantly improve their mental stamina. They are able to think more clearly, a benefit that was practically never associated with the use of marijuana. The study was conducted on 8,992 male drug users. The first phase of research was conducted when they were 42, and the second when they turned 50. Basically, much was gained in terms of mental clarity, yet nothing was actually lost for good. Conclusion According to these two studies, it is safe to conclude that the use of medical marijuana is actually beneficial to both patients who suffer from bipolar disorder and middle-aged men. In addition, there seem to be no permanent psychological consequences of frequent marijuana use (at least in the time span of 10 years) with middle-aged men. This actually makes sense because recent research actually proves that the brain is not fully developed until you reach your late 30?s or early 40?s even. So, even you don’t toke in the first 20 years, don’t worry – there’ll be plenty of time to enjoy it afterwards. Some people who have Biploar feel that marijuana works in terms of dealing with their bipolar. Most feel sativa strains are more helpful for treating Bipolar. However it can depend on which mood you are feeling so at certain times an indica strain may be beneficial. http://www.theweedbl...polar-disorder/