cannabisnews.com: Big Pharma In Frenzy To Bring Cannabis To Market





Big Pharma In Frenzy To Bring Cannabis To Market
Posted by CN Staff on July 05, 2008 at 05:43:20 PT
By Paul Armentano, AlterNet
Source: AlterNet
USA -- The US government's longstanding denial of medical marijuana research and use is an irrational and morally bankrupt public policy. On this point, few Americans disagree. As for the question of "why" federal officials maintain this inflexible and inhumane policy, well that's another story.One of the more popular theories seeking to explain the Feds' seemingly inexplicable ban on medical pot goes like this: Neither the US government nor the pharmaceutical industry will allow for the use of medical marijuana because they can't patent it or profit from it.
It's an appealing theory, yet I've found it to be neither accurate nor persuasive. Here's why.First, let me state the obvious. Big Pharma is busily applying for -- and has already received -- multiple patents for the medical properties of pot. These include patents for synthetic pot derivatives (such as the oral THC pill Marinol), cannabinoid agonists (synthetic agents that bind to the brain's endocannabinoid receptors) like HU-210 and cannabis antagonists such as Rimonabant. This trend was most recently summarized in the NIH paper (pdf), "The endocannabinoid system as an emerging target of pharmacotherapy," which concluded, "The growing interest in the underlying science has been matched by a growth in the number of cannabinoid drugs in pharmaceutical development from two in 1995 to 27 in 2004." In other words, at the same time the American Medical Association is proclaiming that pot has no medical value, Big Pharma is in a frenzy to bring dozens of new, cannabis-based medicines to market.Not all of these medicines will be synthetic pills either. Most notably, GW Pharmaceutical's oral marijuana spray, Sativex, is a patented standardized dose of natural cannabis extracts. (The extracts, primarily THC and the non-psychoactive, anxiolytic compound CBD, are taken directly from marijuana plants grown at an undisclosed, company warehouse.)Does Big Pharma's sudden and growing interest in the research and development of pot-based medicines mean that the industry is proactively supporting marijuana prohibition? Not if they know what's good for them. Let me explain.First, any and all cannabis-based medicines must be granted approval from federal regulatory bodies such as the US Food and Drug Administration -- a process that remains as much based on politics as it is on scientific merit. Chances are that a government that is unreasonably hostile toward the marijuana plant will also be unreasonably hostile toward sanctioning cannabis-based pharmaceuticals.A recent example of this may be found in the Medicine and Health Products Regulatory Agency's recent denial of Sativex as a prescription drug in the United Kingdom. (Sativex's parent company, GW Pharmaceuticals, is based in London.) In recent years, British politicians have taken an atypically hard-line against the recreational use of marijuana -- culminating in Prime Minister Gordon Brown's declaration that today's pot is now of "lethal quality." (Shortly thereafter, Parliament elected to stiffen criminal penalties on the possession of the drug from a verbal warning to up to five years in jail.) In such an environment is it any wonder that British regulators have steadfastly refused to legalize a pot-based medicine, even one with an impeccable safety record like Sativex? Conversely, Canadian health regulators -- who take a much more liberal view toward the use of natural cannabis and oversee its distribution to authorized patients -- recently approved Sativex as a prescription drug.Of course, gaining regulatory approval is only half the battle. The real hurdle for Big Pharma is finding customers for its product. Here again, a culture that is familiar with and educated to the use therapeutic cannabis is likely going to be far more open to the use of pot-based medicines than a population still stuck in the grip of "Reefer Madness."Will those patients who already have first-hand experience with the use of medical pot switch to a cannabis-based pharmaceutical if one becomes legally available? Maybe not, but these individuals comprise only a fraction of the US population. Certainly many others will -- including many older patients who would never the desire to try or the access to obtain natural cannabis. Bottom line: regardless of whether pot is legal or not, cannabis-based pharmaceuticals will no doubt have a broad appeal.But wouldn't the legal availability of pot encourage patients to use fewer pharmaceuticals overall? Perhaps, though likely not to any degree that adversely impacts Big Pharma's bottom line. Certainly most individuals in the Netherlands, Canada, and in California -- three regions where medical pot is both legal and easily accessible on the open market -- use prescription drugs, not cannabis for their ailments. Further, despite the availability of numerous legal healing herbs and traditional medicines such as Echinacea, Witch Hazel, and Eastern hemlock most Americans continue to turn to pharmaceutical preparations as their remedies of choice.Should the advent of legal, alternative pot-based medicines ever warrant or justify the criminalization of patients who find superior relief from natural cannabis? Certainly not. But, as the private sector continues to move forward with research into the safety and efficacy of marijuana-based pharmaceuticals, it will become harder and harder for the government and law enforcement to maintain their absurd and illogical policy of total pot prohibition.Of course, were it not for advocates having worked for four decades to legalize medical cannabis, it's unlikely that anyone -- most especially the pharmaceutical industry -- would be turning their attention toward the development and marketing of cannabis-based therapeutics. That said, I won't be holding my breath waiting for any royalty checks.Oh yeah, and as for those who claim that the US government can't patent medical pot, check out the assignee for US Patent #6630507.http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6630507/fulltext.htmlNote: While the the American Medical Association claims pot has no medical value, Big Pharma is busy getting patents for marijuana products.Complete Title: Big Pharma Is in a Frenzy To Bring Cannabis-Based Medicines To MarketPaul Armentano is the senior policy analyst for the NORML Foundation in Washington, DC.Source: AlterNet (US)Author:  Paul Armentano, AlterNetPublished: July 5, 2008Copyright: 2008 Independent Media InstituteContact: letters alternet.org Website: http://www.alternet.org/URL: http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/90469/NORMLhttp://www.norml.org/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #40 posted by FoM on July 11, 2008 at 13:00:08 PT
museman
Since ths stats aren't public I wanted to say that we are doing better then we have in years. Article axcess is high and we did over 90,000 yesterday. What I think are people are reading more since we don't have all the fussing over the right anymore.
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Comment #39 posted by FoM on July 11, 2008 at 12:24:54 PT
museman
Thank you. I have always been a person to believe in people until they prove to me that they are here to cause division and then it's over. There are people who only want things like they are and are not interested in thinking outside the box. I often feel problems long before I act on them.
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Comment #38 posted by museman on July 11, 2008 at 11:59:06 PT
Fom
"I also wonder if people are sent in to stir up trouble. I believe that happened during the 60s. I believe it has happened on CNews too."Don't wonder, it's a fact.Government instigators have been introduced into every movement that showed promise of potency and a possibility of effecting outcomes.They started such movements as 'The Weathermen' a group of revolutionaries in the 60's who were into violent revolution, and had the reputaion as 'mad bombers.' In the 80's they started a group called "Earth First" that is now considered 'ecoterrorists'. Their founder, a guy by the nickname 'Lone Wolf' was revealed to be a CIA implant.The Rainbow has been identifying and dealing with them for years. They don't last very long in a situation where truth is held in high esteem, only in organizations that do a lot of compromisign with the status quo.I have intuited a few posters here from time to time that seemed to be here to promote the agendas of the status quo, and therefore prohibition, just by the way they support all the nuances of right-wing thinking, and white-man society.I think that most folks here are aware of these particular people, and they usually don't get much mileagle. But there have been a couple that are/were almost clever with their double-think and double-speak, and they are harder to 'weed out.'Their contradiction usually stands out quite visibly however, even if they themselves aren't aware of their own visible hypocrisy.I've seen this community deal with these folks several times, and I get a kind of satisfaction in seeing them revealed for what they are. You have a good feel for sincere folks and insincerity, and that's one of the reasons why this 'front porch' of yours is so attractive to intelligent sincere folks, and so frustrating to those who would disrupt it.Our front porch is relatively safe because of these facts. At least I feel comfortable and safe here, even if Lucyfur hisself reads my comments. In fact I direct a lot of my comments right at 'him'(it)! 
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Comment #37 posted by FoM on July 11, 2008 at 11:02:30 PT
museman
I know and understand about the desire for privacy. I wish I knew how to fix the situation but I only have ideas. I can take a short video with my cellphone. It takes pictures too. Big brother has been watching for a long time. I also wonder if people are sent in to stir up trouble. I believe that happened during the 60s. I believe it has happened on CNews too.
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Comment #36 posted by museman on July 11, 2008 at 10:53:50 PT
FoM, Hope
Webcams, is a good idea, but not likely to happen at a rainbow gathering, not while any such info could be gathered by the fed and used against someone. Used to be that even taking photos at the gathering without permission from those being photgraphed was a big no-no. Even though just about everything is in plain sight and in the open -more-or-less- at a Rainbow Gathering, as long as we are in a war on personal liberties, people are going to want to protect their privacy.Quite frankly I was surprised to go back a few years ago after staying away for over 20 years to find that little standard pretty much gone. The fact that there are cameras recording stuff at this point is inevitable, because they are cheap and readily available. Some of the newer members might agree enthusiasticly with this idea, and any of them reading this have my agreement and support, but I'm not going to be the one to suggest it, I'm pretty sure I know how most of my old rainbow friends would react. It is a good idea however.Hope;I think you would have such a wonderful time at a gathering, you'd have a crowd of youngers leaning on your words and feeling. They'd be talking about the 'New Elder' that showed up. This makes me think of a point I've been trying to make for almost ever; that as long as we invest our BELIEF, whether in the form of fear, or faith in such a system as we have in place, no amount of comnpromise, or 'tweaking' of it is going to amount ot real change.Real change happens when you throw out all the stinking, moldy structure, and begin tyo replace it with something new. When this country was formed, most people who gave their all to win the conflict against Britain, believed that that was what was happening. If they'd told the people they were going to replace one hiearchical 'kingdom' with another one just as bad, they would have never left their farms to fight.Fortunately, the same liberties that the bankers and merchants wanted from englands authority, were inadvertantly extended to the people, and they've regretted it ever since, which is why we are now governed by economics instead of constitutional law, and the constitution itself has been corrupted with ammendments further empowering the social/economic elite and disempowering the people.I hear so many excuses on a daily basis, as to why we can't move forward, and are apparently condemned (in a fearful, and faithless perspective) to having to 'play the game' without any real hope of seeing change. When are people going to realize that THEY are the force and power that is being weilded in the world, and that by agreement. We collectively agree to allow the powers that be to use our power and authority to do whatever they want, at our expense. When we agree to work for state-established wages, to 'pay' taxes, and in general piss our lives away thinking we are 'doing something' we are feeding the beast. When we agree to empower politicians with our 'vote' we are validating the corrupt.Nothing that is worth doing is really all that easy. There is no 'armchair solution' to what we face. Real sacrifice has to be made. I know that it is possible because I have managed to live most of my life without all the pretty little bells and whistles that are the carrots on the stick for most people, and I haven't been led through life by others choices, I've been able to make a substantial amount of choices and witness the consequence, thereby learning the art of choosing well. In this society people aren't taught how to make informed and responsible decisions, that power is reserved to the state and it's masters. As long as we believe we haven't the power to rise above the current corruption and BS, because the system is 'too strong' or too well 'established' then it won't no matter who is elected, and what 'legislation' is enacted.One can live with the inevitable compromises that are being made with the establishment in the name of 'progress' but in order to actually GET progress, one cannot let go of the target in their sight.I could go on....
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Comment #35 posted by Hope on July 11, 2008 at 09:52:12 PT
What about the children?
What about the message?Oh yeah... the message is to scare them and traumatize them into being sheeple, instead of people, or lock them up in a cage or kill them or their parents if they don't do as exactly as they're told by authorities in even the smallest aspects of their lives. No thinking! No choices! No trying to understand!!! Do as your told or else! And believe me, the "or else" will be as traumatic or deadly as possible. Don't forget that I am much bigger and infinitely more powerful than you!!! I will hurt and kill you if you show any signs of differing from my ideas for your lifestyle or even thinking about a different "choice" than the one I've made for you. Do you hear my message? Do you see me screaming at your mother and knocking her down and pulling her hair? Is my message clear? I will hurt you if it's not!!!There will be absolutely no thinking or choices on your part!!! You are a sheeple!!! You have always been a sheeple!!! You will always be a sheeple!!! Don't think!!! Thinking is dangerous!!!The complete message has nothing to do with reason or thinking... you are a sheeple and you will obey me and only me or suffer terribly or possibly die for it!!!End of message!!! Not another word about it... unless you are marching in step and baaing agreeably with the rest of the sheeple!!! Do you understand the message?
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Comment #34 posted by FoM on July 11, 2008 at 09:21:55 PT
museman
I wanted to add something about web cams. I think if they were pointed to very public places it would be a good thing. I don't think web cams would be good pointed at private places if that makes sense. Do most of the problems happen in public places during the gathering? Something must be done to stop this from happening. Young children going on a vacation with their family should not be exposed to cops scaring them like they do. That's mental child abuse to me.
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Comment #33 posted by FoM on July 11, 2008 at 06:18:21 PT
museman 
I really hope the ACLU can help. The Rainbow Gathering is a tradition after this many years and I believe in preserving tradition. We are a product of our past and that is important. I have a suggestion since we are in the computer age. Maybe mounting a web cam at different locations where it would cover main events would help stop the police violence. No one can get good video in the middle of an attack. A web cam will. It's just a thought.
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Comment #32 posted by museman on July 10, 2008 at 21:03:42 PT
FoM#30
Rumors have been planted about stopping the gathering, at least 37 times -one for every gathering.The most they could possibly do is force it underground.Stop the Gathering? Not without coming right out and admitting that the US Constitution is toilet paper.Yes the videos weren't all that clear, but its not surprising, considering people weren't all that ready for an actual attack.The videos didn't start until after the attack started. You can hear at least two shots being fired by the feds.My sons have returned from the gathering, but they can add nothing to what is already known, other than to confrim that its impossible to concieve of anyone there attacking the feds without great provocation.They would have never done this while my generation was in its prime, too many bros were nam vets, they wouldn't have had the guts to try. They've really gotten quite emboldened with the Bush regime, and the Patriot Act. Its pretty easy to push around unarmed women, children, and known-to-be-passifist men. If I were in any way associated with this establishment; in public office, or law enforcement, BLM, or any other position upholding the premises and justifications that allow this kind of thing to go on, I would be pretty damn asshamed of my association, but of course I'm not, because I have a modicum of integrity. It actually feels good to know that I have managed to find ways to not justify supporting such as system with compromise and capitulation.My bank account may be perpetutally empty, but I am a relatively free man, bound by nothing but my own choices. I owe no debt, and am under no illusions as to what has real value, and what is just a well-marketed illusion.I am so glad that I had the opportunity to experience liberty in America before it became absolutely dependent on finance and commercialism.The Rainbow Gatherings are the only free place left in America, and thats why they'll never end. Once one has had a taste of liberty, and consciousness, they never go back to the bondage and limited awareness -if allowed the choice. Most, like me will take the choice of liberty and consciousness, whether we are ALLOWED it or not.I may live in a police state, they may yet find a way to put me in a box again, but I will never surrender to their error, no matter how its dressed up with fancy compromises and glittering fools gold. I will remain free where it counts, no matter what they do.
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Comment #31 posted by FoM on July 10, 2008 at 12:57:53 PT
museman
I watched the videos but it is hard to know what is happening. I hope people are contacting the AP writer who wants comments about that days events.
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Comment #30 posted by FoM on July 10, 2008 at 12:45:08 PT
museman 
Thank you. I will watch them. I read where they might try to stop Rainbow's from gathering. I don't know how they can do that though. 
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Comment #29 posted by museman on July 10, 2008 at 12:34:43 PT
rainbow videos
There are only a few up so far, but I'm sure more are on the way.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1SL58BHBSchttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq12KRIQkS8http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV9s7rT1-iYI will try to post any new videos that come up
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Comment #28 posted by afterburner on July 10, 2008 at 07:45:09 PT
observer #6 RE Patent
From the horse's mouth:Big Pharma "Doomed" if it Doesn't Change, Says Eli Lilly Chairman. 
Thursday, July 03, 2008 by: David Gutierrez | Key concepts: Eli Lilly, Big Pharma and pharmaceutical industry
http://www.naturalnews.com/023566.htmlSince Big Pharma has many patents expiring and few new blockbuster drugs in the pipeline, they may embrace cannabinoid "drugs" to keep those profits coming to their investors. Will this result in Schedule 2 cannabis status or just more Schedule 3 Marinol-like scams?
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Comment #27 posted by FoM on July 09, 2008 at 06:38:33 PT
afterburner
I am sorry that you were having computer problems and I hope you have it fixed now.The video was only for the holiday and is off line now. I think it will be in the documentary when it is released this Fall I hope. I ordered the CD and it is scheduled for release on July 22.CSNY/Deja Vu Live [LIVE] http://www.amazon.com/CSNY-Deja-Crosby-Stills-Young/dp/B001AW9DKK/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi/105-2768784-9331666
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Comment #26 posted by afterburner on July 09, 2008 at 02:32:49 PT
Paul
"I won't be holding my breath waiting for any royalty checks."Me too.I've been off-line since Friday due to a nasty virus that disabled my anti-virus, firewall and messed up my display. I logged on last night and found that the several days of scanning, support security downloads and resetting parameters had finally restored my display and Internet protection. I've just been catching up on nearly a week of posts. Museman, it's terrible to hear about the attack on the Rainbows. That multi-media fusion that you, unkat and John Tyler were discussing on another thread sounds interesting. I'll check out some of the downloads tonight. FoM, thanks for the Neil's 4th of July CSNY link from the Pittsburgh concert. I'll check that one today too if I can still find it.
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Comment #25 posted by museman on July 08, 2008 at 12:24:15 PT
had enough
Man I got to practicly go to the Supreme Court to get that error corrected, but I'm on it.
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Comment #24 posted by museman on July 08, 2008 at 10:49:26 PT
Had Enough
There's no 'confusion' any more.The guy must be trying to sell his book or something.I just deleted the whole section.If it comes back, I'll delete it again.
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Comment #23 posted by Had Enough on July 08, 2008 at 05:42:24 PT
museman
#16 about the wikipedia thing….This part - “Confusion over Hopi Legend”. I think it got re-edited again. I wanted to show it to someone and it had changed, and I belive your text is gone.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Gathering
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Comment #22 posted by RevRayGreen on July 07, 2008 at 16:02:47 PT
I was just on Howie 
either he had to take a break after the call or the shows over :)
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Comment #21 posted by FoM on July 07, 2008 at 14:56:03 PT
museman
I really do think that the videos will help. I hope you hear from your kids soon but I'm sure they are ok. I want to see them intimidating the children. That makes me angry. Don't traumatize the children. There's no excuse.
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Comment #20 posted by museman on July 07, 2008 at 14:36:57 PT
FoM
According to what I heard the radio co-host who is/was at the gathering say, there is a wealth of video getting gathered up for evidence and youtube. Its only a matter of days. Today is the last official day of the gathering. I'd expect the videos to start showing up tomorrow or the next day.I'm still waiting for my kids to get back to me. I'm sue they are alright, or I would have heard. The feds are real good about rubbing in the fact that they got your kin.I'm glad stick liked the video. 
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Comment #19 posted by FoM on July 07, 2008 at 13:02:46 PT
museman
Did anyone get any video? A picture can be worth a thousand words. PS: My husband finally was able to watch your video yesterday and he really liked it too.
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Comment #18 posted by museman on July 07, 2008 at 12:56:30 PT
I gotta say this
I don't know if anyone checked out the entire radio show I linked to, but if you fast forward past the mortgage law debate, you get to the eyewitness accounts of what had just accurred literally minutes before at the rainbow gathering.What has just happened here is a huge precedent in regaining our civil liberties. This attack on peaceful people, and CHILDREN.... (ON CHILDREN you f--ing asshole dogs sprung from bushes anus -you fed bastards.) (sorry..:-)They tried to start a riot and failed. They reported to the AP thinking they'd get the propaganda out there before the real information so they could taint the publics perspective with their lies and BS, just like they've always done to cover their criminal, evil activities.Well guess what? Not only was there a live radio broadcast going on, so that the real story actually got out before the AP version,(even though it took a day to find it) but there are reportedly a multitude of videos taken of the incidents.As reported, the ACLU has already taken the case. There are two aspects to this major precedent. First and foremost has always been about the Bill of Rights; the right to peaceful assembly, freedom of religion, and personal liberties. Second and always -up to now- the tried and true method of doing this has eben through liberal application of the justifications of the WOD, particularly concerning LSD and cannabis,..mushrooms too.You (if you listen to the broadcast) you will hear a witness account of how they "stormed through the forest in military formation" and how they were going on about "I smelled it over here." "Yes I can definitely smell it"How they dragged an old man out of his tent and cuffed him-for posession of pot. How they grabbed a young woman by the hair and threw her to the ground because she told them to "Mellow out."How they fired on everyone in sight after the ones who were trying to deal with the situation got shot over and over with their automatic pepper guns, causing welts, injuries, and cuts and bleeding on many people including children. It's a wonder no one lost an eye or worse.And their initial report of the Rainbow 'attacking them with stick and stones' is absolutely false. Sticks and stones were thrown AFTER THEY WERE SHOT BY THE FEDS. They were trying to drive them away from the children. And they chose Kiddie Village to stage their coup. It was a cold calculated attempt to insight a riot on the part of the IMT (Incident Management Team of the BLM) and without a doubt instigated by the bush administration.Kiddie Village is a part of the Gathering that was established many many years ago, as a place for mothers and kids to hang out. They always got the best and first pick of food and supplies, and usually there is some form of organic natural, playground built for the duration. Always lots of good vibes, good food, and good music.Those feds knew right where to attack to get their expected results.Well it has backfired on their ass.I am insensed however. I had a dream last night that we had 'em on the run. We were looking at their backs as they were trying to escape justice. Most people stopped chasing them at that point, thinking that they'd won and it was over, but I yelled at averyone; "No! Now's not the time to stop! It's time to chase them down, and push their false cause off the edge of the earth!" And in the dream we did. Glorious 'victory!'What has just happened with the Rainbow is an opportunty to do just that. They just gave more validation to the Rainbow, and have given it new focus and impetus. They have in their blind egoism concerning their own jurisprudence and gun-backed power thought they had real power, but they have now been confronted with a taste of REAL power, and the whole world is going to see it - if they choose. It will be interesting to see the mainstream media's take on this.It's quite probable that they will pooh-pooh it, making it out to be like the original AP report. However, I am willing to bet that after all the videos go forth on youtube, they too are going to be forced to acknowledge the truth.There is a lot of side stuff related to what happened as well. If you listen to the show, you will hear how the local law enforcement and court pissed off the feds, because they were dismissing all the tickets they were handing out to the Rainbows. And if you do some peripheral search you find this little story about how the local sheriffs son was missing, his truck was found in the vicinity of the Rainbow Gathering with fresh bullet holes in it.The feds first tried to rile up the locals and blamed it on the Rainbows, but even the father, the sheriff, wasn't buying it. They believed that the son was at the gathering, and that the bullet holes were a random act of vandalism -which was probably done by a local driving by.Oh its one big can of worms alright, and they all got government stamps on 'em.I expect that we are going to be seeing more stupid fed activity in the months ahead, but like this one, I believe the shoe has shifted to the other foot, and we are now wearing it.When we got 'em on the run though, we got to make sure that we don't stop until they've been completely removed from their power and control.Lets go get 'em.
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Comment #17 posted by museman on July 06, 2008 at 21:15:38 PT
It might seem OT at first glance..
But I think it is the literal 'front lines' in the WOD.I haven't heard the entire broadcast yet, but what I've heard so far leads me to post this as soon as I can.This is a live radio broadcast that was in satellite telephone communication with the Gathering Site at the time of the raid.source url;http://wyominggathering.blogspot.com/the radio showhttp://mp3.wtprn.com/Kelton/0807/20080703_Thu_Kelton.m3u
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Comment #16 posted by museman on July 06, 2008 at 14:38:40 PT
and this
Is even closer...http://tinyurl.com/576nafand this is wikipedias take on rainbow, though I found one glaring error I felt obligated to correcthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Gathering
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Comment #15 posted by museman on July 06, 2008 at 14:07:48 PT
rainbow update
This report has a ring of truth to it.http://www.denverpost.com/ci_9788592?source=rssstill waiting for my kids to get back to me.
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Comment #14 posted by FoM on July 06, 2008 at 08:48:01 PT
LaGuardia
Thank you and I agree. I try to post negative articles but some are way out there. 
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Comment #13 posted by LaGuardia on July 06, 2008 at 08:39:40 PT
FoM
I agree. It is better to put comments on bostonherald.com anyway. All the better to discredit Mr. Carr and his cult of personality.
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on July 06, 2008 at 08:11:05 PT
LaGuardia 
You're welcome. I couldn't bring myself to post it since news is slow and it would sit on the top of CNews for a while. A link is all it deserved.
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Comment #11 posted by LaGuardia on July 06, 2008 at 08:02:11 PT
FoM
FoM, thanks for the heads up on Howie Carr's column on bostonherald.com. Good Lord, that man is a troglodyte. I like it when he beats up on Massachusetts state employees and writes about Whitey Bulger, but in this case he is worse than Bill O'Reilly. If you read the comments on bostonherald.com now about the article they are already skewing pro-legalization and most of the anti-legalization posts are, shall we say, "half-baked" (e.g., tying smoking weed to selling missile technology to China, WTF?). It's almost as if the anti-pot posters were on drugs . . . it is one of those situations where I would recommend to the anti-pot posters that: If you are on drugs you need to stop, but if you are not on drugs you need to start.Most of the pro-pot posts, in contrast, are literate and well-reasoned.
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on July 06, 2008 at 05:32:01 PT
museman
I hope we will get to see video of what happened on Youtube soon. 
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on July 06, 2008 at 05:30:52 PT
Sensible Pot a Half-Baked Policy, Dude
http://news.bostonherald.com/news/opinion/columnists/view.bg?articleid=1105198
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Comment #8 posted by museman on July 05, 2008 at 21:13:12 PT
sticks and rocks my ass
Thats about as likely as George Bush becoming a monk with a lifetime vow of abstinance and silence.Well, maybe slightly more likely than that.This is at the least an overblown interpretation of the facts. Its quite possible that a handful of people -not conscious of the agreement of peaceful action (like cops and rangers) might have thrown sticks or a stone or two, but if they actually did rest assured they were provoked.In any instance, I am waiting for a call back from my son who is there, and I will most certainly give more credibility to his account than AP, which is quite embedded with a high tolerance for propaganda bullsh-t.Considering history, the contemporary mighty attempts to abolish fundamental rights and liberties in the crapload of BS labeled 'anti-terrorism,' and the time of man, it is not all that surprising that such a thing would happen.Those who have become numbed to the day to day burgeoning police state have forgotten what it was like to actually have the freedom and liberties that they are systematicly taking from us in the name of 'protecting' them.Once upon a time, not so long ago, the Rainbow Gathering was a place of peace and freedom. A place where everyone was welcome, no matter whether they were christian, muslim, jew, or krishna, or any of the myriads of other religious perspectives and points of view. It didn't matter whether you had a penny to your name, or rode in to the parking lot in a limosine. It didn't even matter if you were a cop or a ranger. Everyone is invited.The only requirement was to leave your guns, alcohol, and bad drugs at home, or in your car in the parking lot. You were asked to respect the earth, and each other.For years the cops and rangers came to the gatherings, -leaving their guns behind - until Bush the 1st - and they respected the space. Until this year there were never any incidents on the part of the rainbow people, though it is well speculated amongst us that many of the negative events that have happened over the years, like an uncanny recurrence of giardia, and dissentery even though extremely careful measures had been taken to protect the water source were direct results of covert government sabotage.Its practically a proven fact that the CIA hired two white supremacists to murder two young rainbow sisters in 1980 in West Virginia, and tried to pin it on the Rainbow. The Rainbow Family fought that case for over 2 decades before the truth finally came out.I have personally been amazed that the feds have allowed it to go on for so long. I think they thought that it was just a fad that would eventually die out.They're scared now, the fed. becasue an entire new, more-focussed generation has moved into place, and the Rainbow Family (which ideally is all of us together in a harmonious reality) is showing no signs of diminishing.I will post the real story as soon as I get it.Thanks for the heads up toker
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on July 05, 2008 at 16:00:13 PT
Rainbow Gathering
I am glad to read the ACLU is getting involved. 
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Comment #6 posted by observer on July 05, 2008 at 14:58:37 PT
Patent-Drugs: Traveling Medicine Show Buys US Gov
I'm not sure I understand all of this.I read the patent at 
http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6630507/fulltext.html If corporations/government allow us once again to freely grow our own cannabis (like Americans were allowed to do before say, 1900 - like they are allowed to grow marigolds), what's in it for that or any other cannabis-related patent-holder? Is Sativex or Marinol worth more or less if people can grow cannabis like aloes? Why do we find patent-drug profiteers like Johnson & Johnson so eager to jail us for using cannabis? Under current pot prohibitions and regulatory regimes, I think "Big Pharma" will find it most profitable to bring clearly patentable cannabinoid analogs to market. At the same time, I expect more of the same from the corporate/government cryptocracy that passes for a representative democracy in the U.S. Fake, false-front Disneyland democracy with heaps more Mickey Mouse freedom. In other words, Big Pharma will continue to be a big friend of big government: an especially faithful errand boy for prohibition. But heck, what do I know? Maybe large pharmaceutical corporations, flush with cash from gouging us for patent-drugs, and powerful because of their proven ability to craft favorable laws by buying lawmakers, will stop backing prohibition and put people ahead of profits. Maybe large pharmaceutical corporations will now help us in our quest to simply cease jailing people involved with cannabis. Such a peacable kingdom would be nice. 
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Comment #5 posted by LaGuardia on July 05, 2008 at 14:28:57 PT
AP Article on Rainbow Family in Wyoming
Here is a link to an AP article about the Rainbow Family's incident with federal rangers.
5 arrested in Rainbow Family clash with feds 
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Comment #4 posted by Toker00 on July 05, 2008 at 14:23:54 PT
Yep. They did.
Here's a link to one story.http://www.infowars.com/?p=3131Toke.
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Comment #3 posted by Toker00 on July 05, 2008 at 13:39:34 PT
I heard
The Rainbow Family got assaulted by Forest Rangers today. No stories, yet?Toke.
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Comment #2 posted by ezrydn on July 05, 2008 at 13:06:43 PT:
The "Patent"
Interesting, isn't it? Made me reread the CSA where I noted the word "currently" in Schedule One's description. So, Uncle Scam has positioned themselves for when "currently" becomes "current." They'll be in place to call for license fees and royalties, both nationally and internationally. Since we know that a true paradox can't exist, The US Government should shut down the ONDCP today or tomorrow. This patent has totally shattered any words those people might utter, prior to leaving office. Especially, Johnny, Scotty and Tommy! Let's not forget Michelle!
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on July 05, 2008 at 07:34:30 PT
OT: Opinion: This Is The U.S. On Drugs
July 5, 2008URL: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-fleming5-2008jul05,0,4580840.story
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