cannabisnews.com: NORML's Weekly News Bulletin - February 28, 2008 NORML's Weekly News Bulletin - February 28, 2008 Posted by CN Staff on February 28, 2008 at 17:21:38 PT Weekly Press Release Source: NORML New Hampshire: House To Vote Next Week On Pot Decriminalization Proposal February 28, 2008 - Washington, DC, USAConcord, NH: Members of New Hampshire’s House of Representatives are scheduled to vote Wednesday next week on a measure seeking to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis. If approved by the House, HB 1623 would replace criminal sanctions outlawing the possession of up to one-quarter ounce of marijuana with civil penalties, punishable by a fine only. Under current state law, the possession or of any amount of cannabis is a misdemeanor offense punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.In January, Vermont Senators approved similar legislation, calling for fine-only sanctions for adults who possess up to one ounce of cannabis. That measure is now pending before the House Judiciary Committee.Currently, twelve states have enacted versions of marijuana decriminalization – replacing criminal sanctions with the imposition of fine-only penalties for minor pot violators.For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, or NORML Legal Counsel Keith Stroup at (202) 483-5500. Additional information on HB 1623 is available from NORML’s "Take Action" Center at: http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=10823311 or on NORML’s blog at: http://blog.norml.org/2008/02/27/new-hampshire-house-to-decide-on-pot-decrim-plan/DL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7534 NORML Remembers Outspoken Conservative Marijuana Law Reform Advocate William F. Buckley February 28, 2008 - Washington, DC, USAWashington, DC: Conservative author and political pundit William F. Buckley died on Wednesday, February 27, from complications from diabetes and emphysema. He was 82 years old.Though most well known for his politically conservative writings as founder of the magazine National Review, Buckley also spoke out routinely against the criminal prohibition of cannabis. Buckley is believed to have penned more than 40 syndicated columns criticizing America’s ‘war on drugs,’ and enjoyed a nearly five-decade long friendship with former NORML Executive Director (and current MarijuanaNews.com editor) Richard Cowan. NORML expresses its sincere condolences to the friends and family of William Buckley.DL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7535 NORML Launches New Blog, Front Page Redesign February 28, 2008 - Washington, DC, USAWashington, DC: NORML’s popular website, www.norml.org, unveiled its first redesign in more than eight years this week – adding a pair of staff-driven blogs to the site’s front page. "NORML’s front page redesign reflects the organization’s commitment to be in more frequent contact with our supporters, as well as our desire to provide activists with the most up-to-date and breaking marijuana law reform news and science," NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre said. "NORML’s new blog updates – along with NORML’s widely popular daily podcast and successful outreach efforts on social networking websites like Myspace and Facebook – gives us greater ability to communicate in a timely and substantive manner with the millions of Americans who desire an end to the government’s war on cannabis consumers." Allen St. Pierre, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano, and NORML Outreach Coordinator Ron Fisher will be posting their thoughts periodically on: http://blog.norml.org/ Daily commentaries from NORML Daily Audio Stash host Russ Belville will also be available online at: http://stash.norml.orgDL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7533 Nationally Syndicated Talk Show Host To Be New Voice For NORML’s Daily Audio Stash -- Over 28,000 Daily Listeners Download Web’s Most ‘Pot-Friendly’ Political Podcast February 28, 2008 - Washington, DC, USAWashington, DC: The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) has tapped syndicated radio talk show host Russ Belville as the new voice for its highly popular podcast, the NORML Daily Audio Stash.Belville (aka ‘Radical Russ’) is the current host of the nationally syndicated radio show, "The Russ Belville Show," which airs on XM Satellite Radio's Air America channel 167 and on various terrestrial stations across the country. Belville also serves as the associate director for Oregon NORML."We are thrilled to welcome Russ on board as the new voice of NORML’s successful audio-programming," NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre said. "Five days a week, Russ will share his broadcast expertise and cannabis insight with the tens of thousands of NORML listeners who tune into the Daily Audio Stash and visit the program’s new interactive blog: http://stash.norml.org "Belville takes over for departing Audio Stash host Chris Goldstein, who co- founded the program with NORML’s Executive Director in June 2006. Today, NORML’s Daily Audio Stash ranks among the top 10 ‘most subscribed’ political podcasts in Apple Computer’s iTunes Music Store – typically receiving more downloads than podcasts produced by the White House, the Pentagon, and US Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.Available for download Monday through Friday at 4:20pm eastern time at: http://www.norml.org the Daily Audio Stash provides a forum for politicians, celebrities, physicians, scientists, and citizen activists to participate in uninhibited conversations about marijuana and legal reform. Recent guests on the Audio Stash include US Congressmen and Presidential candidates Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich, noted poet and political activist John Sinclair, recording artists Fishbone and the Kottonmouth Kings, PBS travel-host and author Rick Steves, comedians Tommy Chong and Rob Cantrell (Last Comic Standing), political columnist and commentators Clarence Page and Froma Harrop, and pot cultivation expert and noted author Ed Rosenthal.For more information or to learn how you can advertise on NORML’s top-rated podcast, please contact host Russ Belville at: radicalruss gmail.com or Audio Stash Executive Producer Allen St. Pierre at (202) 483-5500.DL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7532Source: NORML Foundation (DC)Published: February 28, 2008Copyright: 2008 NORML Contact: norml norml.org Website: http://www.norml.org/CannabisNews NORML Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/NORML.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by Paint with light on February 28, 2008 at 23:46:27 PT Richard Cowan I used to stop at Richard Cowan's site on a daily basis. Then for a few months I did not see any new posts. I just checked and it seems he has been back at it for quite awhile. It has always amazed me how much knowledge, history, and science are on our side, yet things have moved so slow.I like the idea of Norml reaching out in some different ways. We had some good things happening with them at one time but they brought in a state director that ran off me and several other activists by trying to run meetings like a third grade class. I am all for orderly meetings but this was rediculous. I don't hold that against Norml though. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by fight_4_freedom on February 28, 2008 at 19:01:46 PT: Activism in Action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBfmy70YbdMSan Francisco advocates charge the mayor's office with plants as their weapons :)Beautiful Site! [ Post Comment ] Post Comment