A Congressional Cannabis Caucus Is Born | NORML Blog

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With public support for reforming marijuana laws at an all time high, Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Jared Polis (D-CO), and Don Young (R-AK) have formed the first-ever Congressional Cannabis Caucus to promote sensible cannabis policy reform and to ease the tension between federal and state cannabis laws.

The official establishment of a Congressional Cannabis Caucus represents yet another step forward toward ultimately reforming cannabis policy at the federal level. The creation of this caucus is yet another manifestation that our political power is growing — even inside the beltway.

Click here to email your Congressional Representative and urge them to join the Cannabis Caucus today.

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Entire post at the Source: A Congressional Cannabis Caucus Is Born

Marijuana industry, angered by White House reversal, speaks out “It just defies logic”

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By Jennifer Kaplan and Polly Mosendz, Bloomberg News

The cannabis industry was rattled Thursday after White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said he expects the Department of Justice to increase enforcement of federal laws prohibiting recreational pot, even in states where it’s already legal.

Along with the District of Columbia, eight states have legalized recreational use among adults, including California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada just this past November. That means one in five American adults can smoke, vape, drink, or eat cannabis as they please under state law.

Meanwhile, over half of the nation’s states have legalized medical marijuana despite federal laws prohibiting its sale. The industry is estimated to be worth north of $6 billion and will hit $50 billion by 2026, according to Cowen & Co.

“Today’s news coming out of the administration regarding the adult use of cannabis is, of course, disappointing,” Derek Peterson, CEO of marijuana cultivator Terra Tech Corp., said Thursday in a statement. “We have hoped and still hope that the federal government will respect states’ rights in the same manner they have on several other issues.”

Spicer sought to distinguish the prospect of federal enforcement for medical, versus recreational, cannabis use, saying “there’s still a federal law that we need to abide by when it comes to recreational marijuana and other drugs of that nature.”

Spicer’s statements reanimated industry concern that first arose when Republican President Donald Trump’s short-list of potential attorney general nominees emerged. The final pick, former senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, a Republican, has long opposed cannabis use, but is a major proponent of state’s rights.

In his mid-January confirmation hearing, Sessions said he wouldn’t “commit to never enforcing federal law” but added that “absolutely it’s a problem of resources for the federal government.” He said that if Congress felt marijuana possession should no longer be illegal, it “should pass a law.” Trump has similarly gone back and forth on the issue of legalization.

Read the rest of the article at the Source:  Marijuana industry, angered by White House reversal, speaks out “It just defies logic”

New Hampshire the 12th State to Allow Constitutional Carry

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Residents of New Hampshire are enjoying a long-awaited expansion of their Second Amendment rights with the signing into law on Wednesday of a bill allowing them to carry a firearm without first obtaining government permission. The third time “is a charm,” it is said, and this bill passed on the third attempt. The previous two attempts passed both state houses but were vetoed by previous Democrat governors. […]

via New Hampshire the 12th State to Allow Constitutional Carry — Reclaim Our Republic

Thank You to our readers

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This blog was born due to frustration from trying to add helpful information to Wikipedia, and eventually being disallowed in lieu of Big Pharma propaganda. I kept files on my computer of all the i…

Source: Thank You to our readers

Indiana Legislature Passes Bill to Legalize Medical Use of CBD, Now Goes to Governor

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Legislation to legalize the medical use of cannabidiol (CBD) has been approved by Indiana’s full legislature.

The measure was approved 98 to 0 by the state’s House of Representatives on Tuesday, following approval from the Senate. It now goes to Governor Eric Holcomb for consideration.

Under the proposed law, it would be legal for those with a seizure disorder to possess and use medicines that contain marijuana-derived CBD, given they receive a recommendation from a physician. Tinctures, oils and pills would all be allowed, given they contain little virtually no tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Advocates of medical cannabis praised the decision by the legislature to approve the measure, but say it doesn’t go nearly far enough; they wan t the law expanded to include more medical conditions, and to allow for full-plant cannabis use and not just CBD.

Vermont Marijuana Legalization Bill to Receive Public Hearing on Thursday

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A bill that would legalize marijuana for those 21 and older will receive a public hearing in Vermont’s House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, February 23rd.

Vermont Marijuana LegalizationThe committee will hold their public hearing on House Bill 170 at 1pm on Thursday. The measure would legalize the possession of up to two ounces of cannabis and the personal cultivation of up to two cannabis plants, as well as a regulated system of cannabis retail outlets.

Below is a list of speakers that have been invited by lawmakers to either support or oppose the measure:

  • Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Council
  • Matt Simon, Legislative Analyst, Marijuana Policy Project
  • Major Glenn Hall, Commander, Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Vermont State Police
  • Robert Sand, Vermont Law School
  • Greg Nagurney, Attorney, Department of State’s Attorneys & Sheriffs
  • Laura Subin, Director, Vermont Coalition to Regulate Marijuana
  • Tim Trevithick, Student Assistance Program, SAM-VT 
  • George Merkel, Chief of Police, Vermont Police Association
  • Cary Giguere, Agrichemical Program Manager, Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
  • Robin Weber, Senior Research Associate, Crime Research Group
  • Jay Diaz, Staff Attorney, American Civil Liberties Union – Vermont
  • David Cahill, State’s Attorney, Windsor County
  • Dr. Jill Rinehart, MD, FAAP, President, American Academy of Pediatrics, Vermont Chapter
  • Barbara Cimaglio, Deputy Commissioner, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program,Vermont Department of Health
  • Shayla Livingston, Public Health Analyst, Department of Health
  • Marshall Pahl, Appellate and Juvenile Defender, Defender General’s Office
  • Monique McHenry, Executive Director, VT Patients Alliance

Legislation receiving a public hearing is a necessary step to it being passed out of committee; the vast majority of bills never receive a hearing.

Vermont is one of the five states we believe could legalize cannabis by next year.

New Hampshire’s House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee has passed a bill to decriminalize cannabis and hash possession.

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New Hampshire’s House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee has passed a bill to decriminalize cannabis and hash possession.

House Bill 640 was approved with an overwhelming 14 to 2 vote. The measure would decriminalize the possession of up to an ounce of cannabis, and up to five grams of hash, for those 21 and older.

If police do catch someone possessing cannabis or hash within those limits, it would be “a fine of $100 for a first offense under this paragraph, a fine of $200 for a second offense within three years of the first offense, or a fine of $350 for a third or subsequent offense within 3 years of 2 other offenses.” Under current law the possession of even a minuscule amount of cannabis is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.

House Bill 640 is sponsored by a bipartisan, bicameral coalition of a dozen lawmakers including Representatives Robert Cushing (D), Keith Murphy (R), Frank Sapareto (R), William Pearson (D), Carol McGuire (R), Chuck Grassie (D), Daniel Eaton (D), Patricia Lovejoy (D), as well as Senators Martha Clark, John Reagan, Daniel Innis.

Last year New Hampshire’s full House of Representatives passed a similar bill with a 289 to 58 vote, but it failed to pass the Senate.

According to a WMUR Granite State Poll released July of last year, 61% of New Hampshire voters support legalizing cannabis.

The full text of House Bill 640 can be found by clicking here.

Source:  New Hampshire Committee Passes Bill to Decriminalize Cannabis and Hash appeared first on TheJointBlog.com.

After Months of Public and Legal Pressure, DEA Removes Marijuana Misinformation from Website

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The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has removed marijuana misinformation from their website following months of public and legal pressure.

After months of public pressure, and a legal request by the nonprofit medical cannabis advocacy group Americans for Safe Access, the DEA has removed factually inaccurate information about marijuana from their website.

As part of the legal request, Americans for Safe Access argued that there was over 25 incorrect statements on the DEA’s website about cannabis, which violates the Information Quality Act, which prohibits government agencies from providing false information to the public, and requires them to respond to requests for correction of information within 60 days.

“The DEA’s removal of these popular myths about cannabis from their website could mean the end of the Washington gridlock” said Steph Sherer, Executive Director of Americans for Safe Access. “This is a victory for medical cannabis patients across the nation, who rely on cannabis to treat serious illnesses. The federal government now admits that cannabis is not a gateway drug, and doesn’t cause long-term brain damage, or psychosis. While the fight to end stigma around cannabis is far from over, this is a big first step.”

Americans for Safe Access’ full legal request which brought forth this change can be found by clicking here.

 

New Cannabis Patch To Treat Fibromyalgia And Diabetic Nerve Pain Revealed

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A company that specializes in the use of cannabis as a form of medication have come up with a revolutionary pain patch that can be used to treat diabetic nerve pain and symptoms of fibromyalgia. This could change the way cannabis is viewed in the medical world forever.

The new medications are designed to be administered as transdermal patches, which are basically adhesive patches that are stuck to the skin and release certain chemicals over time to help combat neurological nerve pain associated with diabetes and fibromyalgia. Using this medium means a controlled dose of the medication can be administered on a daily basis, with no negative side effects discovered so far.

Cannabis Science, the company who originally designed the patches, said:

“Promote healing to an injured area of the body. An advantage of a transdermal drug delivery route over other types of medication delivery such as oral, topical, intravenous, intramuscular, etc. is that the patch provides a controlled release of the medication into the patient, usually through either a porous membrane covering a reservoir of medication or through body heat melting thin layers of medication embedded in the adhesive which will be containing high potency cannabinoid (CBD) extract that slowly enters into the bloodstream and then penetrates the central nervous system of the patient delivering the pain relief sought.”

CBD is the second most major cannabinoid contained in cannabis, the main one being THC. CBD has incredible pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties and comes from a completely natural source with very few side effects, including the hallucinogenic effects commonly associated with THC.

Mr. Raymond C Dabney, CEO of Cannabis Science stated that:

“The development of these two new pharmaceutical medicinal applications are just the tip of the iceberg for what we see as the future for Cannabis Science. While we strive to increase our land capacity for growth and facilities to produce our own product to supply our scientists with proprietary materials to make these formulations, we are also busy researching more potential needs for Cannabis related medical applications and developing the methods for delivery of these medications.”

Fibromyalgia is thought to affect up to 10% of us, with a huge number of sufferers not yet diagnosed. Nerve neuropathy diabetic pain affects a large number of people worldwide, and this new treatment will be a massive step in the right direction towards limiting certain symptoms, and maybe even curing these illnesses for good.

Mr. Dabney concludes:

“As more states nationwide legislate for the legalization of cannabis and cannabis-derived medications, we here at Cannabis Science are focused on developing pharmaceutical formulations and applications to supply the huge growing demand expected over the coming few years.”

Source:  Live The Organic Dream – New Cannabis Patch To Treat Fibromyalgia And Diabetic Nerve Pain Revealed

Call To Action ~ Oregon ~ American Mining Rights Association ~

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amra_logo-1024x323

CALL TO ACTION OREGON:

A new bill has been created to ban all forms of mining in Oregon. They are even declaring it an emergency to pass this ban.

Here is an excerpt from the bill:

Senate Bill 3
Sponsored by Senator COURTNEY (Presession filed.)
SUMMARY

The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the measure as introduced.

Modifies area where moratorium on mining using motorized equipment applies.
Exempts certain mining operations from exclusion certificate requirements.
Operative January 2, 2019, excludes certain upland placer mining operations from moratorium and requires certain upland placer mining operators to hold operating permit. Requires motorized equipment used for certain upland placer mining operations to be operated only during certain hours. Punishes upland placer mining operation outside certain hours or without permit coverage by maximum of $2,000 fine.
Establishes permitting requirements for motorized in-stream placer mining. Requires Director of Department of State Lands and Director of Department of Environmental Quality to enter memorandum of understanding allowing Department of Environmental Quality to issue certain removal fill permits. Authorizes Department of Environmental Quality to issue consolidated water quality and removal fill permits for motorized in-stream placer mining. Places certain restrictions on motorized in-stream placer mining.
Punishes motorized in-stream placer mining without permit coverage by maximum of $2,000 fine.
Requires motorized equipment used for motorized in-stream placer mining to be inspected at aquatic invasive species check stations.
Provides that motorized in-stream placer mining permitting, use restriction, inspection and penalty provisions become operative January 3, 2021.
Requires consultation to determine whether state and federal mining programs can be better coordinated.
Declares emergency, effective on passage.

An emergency? You must stand up to horrendous ideological bills like this or be steamrolled by their hatred for public lands, small miners, fishermen, hikers, hunters and property owners.

We urge you to read this bill and oppose it. We also urge anyone in Oregon to attend the public hearing this coming Monday at the State Capital in Salem.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL
RESOURCES
Oregon State Capitol
900 Court Street NE, Room 347, Salem, Oregon 97301 Phone: 503-986-1751
3pm

Here is the entire bill:

https://olis.leg.state.or.us/…/MeasureDocume…/SB3/Introduced

Oregon, rise up and defeat this tyrannical bill.

Source:  AMRA – American Mining Rights Association Call To Action