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Posted by CN Staff on February 14, 2006 at 06:47:41 PT By Phil Strickland Source: North County Times 
California -- Let's get this straight. It's OK to annoy, at the least, nonsmokers with secondhand smoke on publicly owned property, but how dare you take a puff of pot in the privacy of your home to ease the pain of dying? That's the message we seem to be getting from County Supervisor Jeff Stone.Three weeks ago, the former Temecula mayor proposed that Riverside County join San Diego and San Bernardino counties in wasting public money and the time of judges and government attorneys with their attempt to overturn the passage of Proposition 215 ---- the Compassionate Use Act ---- which allows the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. Then, just last week, in the wake of the California Air Resources Board classifying secondhand smoke as a toxic air pollutant, Stone came out against banning smoking in public parks and outdoor facilities. In his words, "We have large parks. And if somebody is smoking and you don't like it, you know what? You can go and sit on a different bench." Too which one is tempted to add: You know what? If somebody is smoking pot for medicinal purposes in their home and you don't like it, don't go there. In conversations over the years, rarely has it been expressed that the medical use of marijuana should be banned. Most people have exhibited a kind of ho-hum reaction to the topic, saying that the government surely must have more important things to pursue. The point is medical marijuana should be a non-issue. The voters approved it and studies from prestigious institutions such as Harvard and Johns Hopkins debunk the myths surrounding its addictive powers and toxicity. Hundreds of thousands of people die each year as a direct result of using alcohol and tobacco, yet deaths directly caused by marijuana use generally are considered to be almost nonexistent. It even fails to rank very high as a contributor to fatal auto accidents and, then, it most often is accompanied by the presence of alcohol. Interestingly, in a 1988 ruling that marijuana should be reclassified to allow medicinal use, Drug Enforcement Administration Judge Francis Young concluded that "In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods. For example, eating 10 raw potatoes can result in a toxic response. By comparison, it is physically impossible to eat enough marijuana to induce death. Marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within the supervised routine of medical care." And addressing the broader issue of decriminalization in 1972, President Nixon's Shafer Commission recommended Congress and state legislatures decriminalize the use and casual distribution of marijuana for personal use. If the past is prelude, Stone will be a vigorous and effective representative for Southwest County. But, with all that needs his attention, the time spent trying to overturn Proposition 215 could be put to much better use. Temecula resident Phil Strickland is a regular columnist for The Californian. Strictly Speaking: Wherein we cut through the buncombe. Source: North County Times (CA) Related Articles: Protesters Picket County Over Marijuana Suit Patients Worry About County's Challenge Critics Decry Stone's Call for Medical Pot Suit Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #37 posted by FoM on February 15, 2006 at 17:18:36 PT |
| Marijuana Activist Switches Attorney *** By Dirk Werkman -- Bee Staff Writer Wednesday, February 15, 2006 Medical marijuana activist Steven Wynn Kubby, serving a 120-day jail sentence in Placer County for his conviction in 2000 on a drug charge, will have a new attorney to represent him in fighting the sentence. J. David Nick of San Francisco will assume Kubby's defense effort and is expected to file a motion Friday in the next hearing scheduled in Kubby's long-running legal battle to be allowed to use cannabis to treat his adrenal cancer.
E. D. Lerman, a Mendocino attorney, was in the courtroom of Judge Robert McElhany on Wednesday to inform the court that Nick would be succeeding William McPike of Fresno County as Kubby's attorney. Lerman said she was serving as a substitute for Nick at Wednesday's hearing. No reason was given for the change. Kubby was incarcerated at the Placer County Jail on Jan. 27 following his arrest a day earlier at San Francisco International Airport. He landed there following his deportation from Canada, where he moved in 2001 after being sentenced on the drug charge. Kubby appeared Wednesday in the courtroom that is part of the Placer County jail, but didn't say anything during the brief hearing. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #36 posted by FoM on February 15, 2006 at 15:47:56 PT |
| I never heard that before. Thanks. Pill Rollers. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #35 posted by Had Enough on February 15, 2006 at 15:35:14 PT |
| My dear ole papy used to call those guys, "Pill Rollers". I still grin about that. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #34 posted by FoM on February 15, 2006 at 15:26:43 PT |
| He sure is a Pharmacist. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #33 posted by Had Enough on February 15, 2006 at 15:02:54 PT |
| Isn’t County Supervisor Jeff Stone a pharmacist? [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #32 posted by jose melendez on February 15, 2006 at 13:04:03 PT |
| Oh well, at least the two Steve's are alive and OK, if in various stages of "freedom". I'm astonished and saddened to hear the rest. It just irks me, is all, I mean how are we to speak out if we have to avoid Turmel's otherwise apparently rational arguments because he calls Emery a narc, and now all this?? Oh well, back to fixing another "broken" windows* box . . . yawn. Someone please wake me when I'm "allowed" to buy flavonoids from Herbdoc. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #31 posted by FoM on February 15, 2006 at 10:52:03 PT |
| San Francisco, Patient Advocates Support Kubby *** Wednesday, February 15, 2006 DPA assisted in crafting a resolution passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors last week in response to the incarceration of medical marijuana patient Steve Kubby. Kubby was extradited to California from Canada earlier this year to serve an outstanding sentence, and is now being held in the Placer County jail. The resolution reaffirms Steve Kubby's right to use medical marijuana to maintain his health while in jail, and supports access to medical marijuana for patients being held in San Francisco and the rest of California. Upon his re-arrest in California, Kubby, who has a rare cancer, was denied access to marijuana. After some days in jail without his medicine, he was finally given Marinol, which synthesizes THC in pill form. The Marinol has reportedly been somewhat helpful, though less effective than the combination of cannabinoids found in the plant form of marijuana. A hearing in Kubby's case is scheduled for Wednesday, February 15. Medical marijuana patients organized by Americans for Safe Access are expected to attend to show their support. http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/021506kubby.cfm [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #30 posted by FoM on February 15, 2006 at 08:41:27 PT |
| Thank you. I don't want CNews to ever be said that it caused Steve and Michele harm. Silence is golden. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #29 posted by herbdoc215 on February 15, 2006 at 08:34:53 PT |
| or we are no better than those we fight against plus Cattrans has even been bringing this up so they already know...but I'm not trying to cause you alarm and i am just sick at my stomach at how well this has screwed up Steve's support as EVERY word Marc said about Steve was a lie and I know it for a fact! If Steve doesn't get out of jail today I'm going to take it hard...it won't be here but war will be on! Freedom and the movement both have NOTHING to fear from the truth...Peace, Steve Tuck [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #28 posted by FoM on February 15, 2006 at 08:22:33 PT |
| Remember something. Emery means nothing to me because he sells seeds or did sell seeds which is illegal and did it publically. He is a Canadian. He is in trouble too. By stirring this up on a site that is read by americans who fight the reform movement can hurt Steve and you can be hurting Steve yourself. Let sleeping dogs lie. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #27 posted by herbdoc215 on February 15, 2006 at 08:20:47 PT |
| 10 years at least not to mention Marc doing all the pigs hard work for them serving as agent provacatuor...WHY did the cops leave his websites and forums up after he was busted and take everybody elses down???? Now with him fighting both gypsy's and OG's people the whole dirty mess the seed biz turned to is being aired for all to see? How many more people is Marc going to be allowed to drag down with him is what I wonder? Peace, Steve Tuck [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #26 posted by herbdoc215 on February 15, 2006 at 08:07:08 PT |
| if needed...quote, "What I know is this, Steve Kubby absorbed over $100,000 in donations from Canadian and American activists, lived in Shangri-La for 5 years on this money (Steve never had any source of income in Canada other than begging and perhaps shedding a few plants here & there) , got thousands of people to write and call, for a result after 5 years that was somewhat worse than what Steve was facing originally, and just didn't have the courage to deal with it back in 2001. He was sentenced to house arrest, could have gotten a prescription for Marinol, could have had his own chosen diet, could have been with his family but felt that several years in Canada indulging activists and the Canadian government's medical marijuana program was more suitable. If you run for Governor of California like Steve did, you really have an obligation to stay in your state and fight injustice no matter what hazard that poses, jail or worse, or how sincere was he?"...Marc accused Steve of diverting his legal meds...there are also passages where Marc outs the owner of OG and CW whom is supposed to be busted now plus ALL investigations started about the time of Narc's bust PLUS there is alot more but i'm sure FoM doesn't want me to turn this nasty and I respect her wishes but Narc is one punk, egotistical Narc! threads...here ya go Narc in action... http://www.cannabisculture.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=current&Number=1203125&page=3&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=all AND... http://www.cannabisculture.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=wwwactive&Number=1209772&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=all and.. http://www.cannabisculture.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1209598&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=all&vc=1 Peace, Steve Tuck [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #25 posted by FoM on February 15, 2006 at 07:53:37 PT |
| People who are trying to publically make money off of an illegal activity don't have my interest and certainly they don't have my respect. Greed and power can hurt everyone involved. I really mind what has happened because it hurts the reform movement. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #24 posted by jose melendez on February 15, 2006 at 03:18:08 PT |
| I seek a link to more details about herbdoc's rather stunning comment #20. "If the past is the prelude," it may be some sort of misunderstanding, as sometimes comments don't read the way they were intended. Or perhaps whoever spiked George Galloway's Kool-Aid* got to Prince Marc. Please consider that things are not always as they seem, as certain paid prohibitionists quickly learned to their horror and dismay when Steve Kubby and Steve Tuck's claims of cannabis' medical efficacy proved completely accurate. Just a thought. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #23 posted by FoM on February 14, 2006 at 22:42:57 PT |
| No problem. I removed the extra post. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #22 posted by herbdoc215 on February 14, 2006 at 22:34:41 PT |
| didn't mean to double post... [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #20 posted by herbdoc215 on February 14, 2006 at 22:33:34 PT |
| As fast as his grubby little dick-beaters can type, Cattrans figures he got Steve beat already with an inside man! It's all the bs from OG and Emery lately I been so mad I can't hardly type with blowing a fuse. I never thought I lived to see the day when people would let a man lie about somebody in jail the way Marc has Steve Kubby. Peace, Steve Tuck [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #19 posted by siege on February 14, 2006 at 18:52:26 PT |
| Cattran stated on Jan. 31st that he does not
consider Steve Kubby to be a danger
to society. However, Cattran is still actively seeking to increase the length
of Steve's sentence. Despite the intense media
interest, Cattran seems to think
that there is not significant support for Steve Kubby. Cattran claimed that his
office has not received very many calls on the subject. Chris Cattran can be
reached at: (530) 889-7000. http://www.indybay.org/news/2006/02/1802231.php [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #18 posted by Hope on February 14, 2006 at 17:19:57 PT |
| I'd like to hear from him. He didn't even comment on that article about him. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #17 posted by FoM on February 14, 2006 at 14:13:17 PT |
| That's a good question. I don't even know who the middle class are anymore. It seems like either a person is rich or struggling very hard just to get by. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #16 posted by SystemGoneDown on February 14, 2006 at 13:55:42 PT |
| I think the major loophole for this marijuana discrimination in this country is to do with the swing voters, the middle class. Legislation for anti-pot initiatives is only viable if the middle class wasn't buying into this bullsh-- propoganda. Can someone tell me what constitutes middle class. $70,000/year? The people that are stuck between the bottom and their ego-boosting aspirations to be on top is what is stopping the marijuana movement. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #15 posted by museman on February 14, 2006 at 13:10:56 PT |
| Do you know of any? [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #14 posted by FoM on February 14, 2006 at 11:57:42 PT |
| LAST STAB FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA *** Blog by Legislature 2006: Steve Terrell February 14, 2006 The Drug Policy Alliance, which has pushed the medical marijuana bill, is hoping for a long-shot chance to revive the bill, which was killed by the House Ag Committee on Saturday. Of course the House might get hung up debating the quail season memorial ... Here's an e-mail the group sent out this morning: Last Chance for Medical Marijuana in New Mexico Don't Let Four People Decide Our campaign to protect seriously ill people who benefit from medical marijuana is in jeopardy. On Saturday, the House Agriculture Committee voted to table the bill 4-3. Rep. Richard Cheney, R-Farmington, made the motion to table, with Reps. Joseph Stell, D-Carlsbad, Sandra Townsend, R-Aztec, and Don Tripp, R-Socorro voting in support of the motion. Four representatives who are not representing the majority of NM voters' opinions should not make the final decision. This lifesaving legislation deserves an up-or-down vote on the floor. Please act now to help pass medical marijuana in New Mexico We only have a few procedural options to move the bill from the table. All of these options need the support of the majority of the House. And that's where we need your help. We need to flood the representatives with emails asking that they do the right thing. The sick and dying in New Mexico deserve a fair debate on the House floor, not to be tabled in a procedural move. Your voice will make a difference. Demand compassion in New Mexico for our most vulnerable. Don't delay, send a letter before Wednesday, Feb. 15 before noon, and invite your friends to join you. It's our last chance for this year. Thank you for your work to demostrate that compassion is a value of the people of New Mexico. Don't forget: the deadline for letters is Wed, Feb. 15, NOON. Sincerely, Reena Szczepanski Director, Drug Policy Alliance New Mexico http://www.freenewmexican.com/readerblogs/39458.html [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #13 posted by FoM on February 14, 2006 at 11:40:25 PT |
| Potential Universal Strategy for Treating Drug Addiction *** February 14, 2006 An international research team led by the University of Saskatchewan has discovered a signaling pathway in the brain involved in drug addiction, together with a method for blocking its action, that may point to a single treatment strategy for most addictions. Their findings appear in the March issue of the prestigious journal Nature Medicine. The team, led by Xia Zhang, associate professor in the U of S department of psychiatry, found that a naturally occurring enzyme known as PTEN acts on the part of the brain where many drugs of abuse exert their rewarding effects - the ventral tegmental area (VTA). "Our results suggest a potential universal strategy for treating drug addiction," Zhang says. "Most drugs of abuse act on the neurons in this area." He cautions that much work remains to be done before a treatment based on the discovery could be developed to help drug addicts. This includes several years of further testing, including animal and, finally, human trials. "We have our peptide, but there's a long way to go before a clinical application," he says. "Dr. Zhang's research is important to our understanding of drug addiction. His work epitomizes how health research holds the key to improved health and quality of life for Canadians and people throughout the world," said Dr. Rimi Quirion, Scientific Director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction. Zhang, who worked with colleagues at the U of S, University of Toronto, and Vanderbilt University in Tennessee on the project, explains that VTA brain cells are sensitive to serotonin, a hormone associated with learning, sleep and mood. The team discovered that PTEN acts on these serotonin receptors, increasing brain cell activity. This is the same "reward" process sparked by drugs of abuse. Armed with this knowledge, the team designed a molecule called a peptide, tailored to fit the serotonin receptors and block PTEN. When rats were treated with this PTEN-blocker, it shut down the drug reward process - including the process that induces craving and withdrawal. The study, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, looked at nicotine and THC (the active ingredient in marijuana). However, Zhang says the results could also hold true for other drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and even methamphetamine. Zhang's U of S research team is part of the Neural Systems and Plasticity Research Group, one of several interdisciplinary health sciences research groups at the University. The group, dedicated to the study of brain systems and how they change with experience, draws expertise from numerous departments across six colleges on campus. http://www.news-medical.net/?id=15924 [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #12 posted by FoM on February 14, 2006 at 11:11:31 PT |
| Happy Hearts Day to you too. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #11 posted by mai_bong_city on February 14, 2006 at 10:59:31 PT |
| roses are red
violets are blue
i love cannabis
and i love you, too! mbc [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #10 posted by ekim on February 14, 2006 at 10:40:55 PT |
| Medical Marijuana hearings in Illinois Tomorrow, the state senate Health and Human Services Committee is scheduled to hold hearings on a medical marijuana bill -- S.B. 2568. If you live in Illinois, call or write your State Senator today. Here's an easy way to send an email to the committee. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #9 posted by FoM on February 14, 2006 at 09:57:40 PT |
| I can't think of how to answer your question since it is different then the way I look at faith related issues. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #8 posted by FoM on February 14, 2006 at 09:55:00 PT |
| Happy St. Valentine's Day to you and Mrs. Green. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #7 posted by Graehstone on February 14, 2006 at 09:45:39 PT |
| What can anyone tell me about the THC Ministry and the Universal Life Church that I can't read on the sites provided.
Is this something that is too good to be true?
I would be interested in this and would like any comments or feedback about it.
http://www.thc-ministry.org/
http://www.ulc.org/
I really like the idea behind this. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #6 posted by BGreen on February 14, 2006 at 09:30:57 PT |
| Happy Valentines day to Hope and FoM, the two ladies in my life that my wife accepts without jealousy or questions. The Reverend Bud Green [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by westnyc on February 14, 2006 at 09:03:56 PT |
| These politicians are only taking the moral high-ground because they believe it will benefit them during election time. I say to the good people in these areas - VOTE THEM OUT! They'll quickly change their mind if that starts to happen; as, they have no loyalty whatsoever to any particular cause except winning the votes. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by FoM on February 14, 2006 at 08:49:50 PT |
| Happy St. Valentine's Day to you too! All we need is love la la la la la! [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by Hope on February 14, 2006 at 08:41:50 PT |
| I love you all and you are my valentines. [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by mayan on February 14, 2006 at 08:32:40 PT |
| The fascists are threatened by the truth and that speaks volumes about them... The Pentagon’s War on the Internet: http://www.altpr.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=599&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0 Bush Tags Bloggers As Terrorists: http://prisonplanet.com/articles/february2006/140206bloggers.htm Outsmart the Bad Guys: http://georgewashington.blogspot.com/2006/02/outsmart-bad-guys.html THE WAY OUT... Kevin Barrett: Bin Laden tapes are as phony as Sept. 11's connection to Islam: http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/column/index.php?ntid=72574&ntpid=1 Question 9/11; A Call To Activism: http://www.communitycurrency.org/jl.html Scholars for 9/11 Truth: http://www.scholarsfor911truth.org/ [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by mayan on February 14, 2006 at 07:48:02 PT |
| But it failed to mention the fact that Riverside County Supervisor,Jeff Stone, IS A PHARMACIST!!! Got motive? [ Post Comment ] |
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