cannabisnews.com: NORML's Weekly News Bulletin -- June 10, 2004


cannabisnews.com: NORML's Weekly News Bulletin -- June 10, 2004





NORML's Weekly News Bulletin -- June 10, 2004
Posted by CN Staff on June 10, 2004 at 13:43:59 PT
Weekly Press Release
Source: NORML
Cannabis Extracts Relieve Pain In Rheumatoid Arthritis, Study SaysJune 10, 2004 - Salisbury, United KingdomSalisbury, United Kingdom: Whole-cannabis extracts significantly reduce pain caused by Rheumatoid Arthritis, according to the results of a Phase II clinical trial announced this week by GW Pharmaceuticals.
Fifty-eight patients participated in the double-blind, randomized trial. Participants experienced a reduction in pain and improved quality of sleep compared to placebo.Philip Robson, director of GW's Cannabinoid Research Institute, called the results "particularly exciting because this is the first ever controlled clinical trial of a cannabis-based medicine in the treatment of arthritis."GW is currently awaiting approval from Britain's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to legalize medicinal cannabis extracts for use in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis.For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at (202) 483-5500.DL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6130CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtmlEpilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis Patients Using Marijuana Therapeutically, Study SaysJune 10, 2004 - Montreal, QU, CanadaMontreal, Quebec: Nearly one in four epilepsy patients and one in six Multiple Sclerosis patients believe that cannabis is an effective form of treatment for their disease symptoms, and many are using it therapeutically, according to a pair of patient surveys published in the journal Neurology.Among those epilepsy patients surveyed: "Twenty-one percent of subjects had used marijuana in the past year with the majority of active users reporting beneficial effects on seizures. Twenty-four percent of all subjects believed marijuana was an effective therapy for epilepsy."Last year, a study published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics reported that THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, "completely abolished" spontaneous seizures in an animal model of epilepsy.Of those MS patients surveyed, 14 percent reported that they used cannabis for symptom treatment, specifically pain and stress relief, mood elevation, and relief from stiffness and/or spasms.A 2002 British survey of Multiple Sclerosis patients found that 43 percent of respondents used marijuana therapeutically. Among current users, nearly three quarters said marijuana alleviated their spasms, and more than half said it relieved their pain.Most recently, a 2003 survey conducted by the University of Calgary reported, "Subjective improvements in symptom experience were reported by the majority of people with MS who currently use cannabis."For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at (202) 483-5500. Abstracts of the studies are available online at: http://www.neurology.orgDL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6129Epilepsy MS Patients Trying Marijuana for Symptomshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18968.shtmlMedicinal Value of Marijuana Remains Unclearhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18967.shtmlEpilepsy, MS Patients Swear By Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18965.shtml 100+ Congressional Offices Targeted During Nationwide Medi-Pot ProtestsJune 10, 2004 - Washington, DC, USAWashington, DC: Marijuana law reformers held demonstrations outside 125 local Congressional district offices last Friday in a national day of action in support of the medicinal use of marijuana.The demonstrations targeted members of Congress who last year failed to support an amendment introduced by Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) that sought to bar the Justice Department from prosecuting patients who use medical cannabis in compliance with state laws. Congress defeated the provision by a vote of 273 to 152.More than 30 NORML chapters participated in the demonstrations, which sought to persuade members of Congress to vote in favor of the 2004 Hinchey amendment. That vote is expected to take place later this summer.For more information, please contact Kris Krane, NORML Associate Director, at (202) 483-5500. For more information on the Hinchey amendment, please visit: http://capwiz.com/norml2/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=5962431DL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6131Demonstrators Show Support For Medicinal Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18964.shtmlSimmons Under Fire for Marijuana Opposition http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18959.shtmlMedical Marijuana Protests Staged Nationwidehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18955.shtmlPatients Rally for Marijuana's Legal Use http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18943.shtml Economic Think Tank Report Calls For Legalizing And Taxing MarijuanaJune 10, 2004 - Vancouver, BC, CanadaVancouver, British Columbia: Marijuana cultivation and use in Canada is so widespread that Parliament ought to tax and regulate it like any other legal product, concludes a study released Wednesday by The Fraser Institute, an independent economic think-tank in Vancouver.The study's author - Stephen Easton, an economics professor at Simon Fraser University - estimates that taxing marijuana would generate an additional $2 billion per year in federal revenues."Marijuana is too easily produced and exported to be controlled with the tools available to law enforcement in a free society," he writes. "The return on investment is sufficiently great so that for each marijuana growing operation demolished, another takes its place. ... As a consequence, the broader social question becomes less about whether we approve or disapprove of local [marijuana] production, but rather who shall enjoy the spoils. As it stands now, growers and distributors pay some of the costs and reap all of the benefits of the multi-billion dollar marijuana industry, while the non-marijuana smoking taxpayer sees only the costs."The study estimates that there are as many as 17,500 marijuana grow operations in British Columbia alone."Unless we wish to continue the transfer of these billions from this lucrative endeavor to organized crime, the current policy of prohibition should be changed," Easton concluded. "Not only would we deprive some very unsavory groups of a profound source of easy money, but also resources currently spent on marijuana enforcement would be available for other activities."For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, Executive Director of the NORML Foundation, at (202) 483-5500. Full text of the study is available online at: http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/admin/books/files/Marijuana.pdfDL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6128Pot Legalization Report Draws Firehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18977.shtmlStudy Sees Pot of Gold in Illegal B.C. Crophttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18976.shtmlFraser Institute Says Gov't Should Cash in On Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18974.shtmlSource: NORML Foundation (DC)Published: June 10, 2004Copyright: 2004 NORML Contact: norml norml.org Website: http://www.norml.org/NORML's Weekly News Bulletin -- June 3, 2004http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18944.shtmlNORML's Weekly News Bulletin -- May 26, 2004http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18904.shtmlNORML's Weekly News Bulletin -- May 20, 2004http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18882.shtml
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Comment #3 posted by ekim on June 10, 2004 at 20:25:59 PT
Aaron doen BC right
http://www.leap.cc/events/events.php
Jun 15 04 "Judging the Efficacy of the Drug War" Panel Discussion with Bob Owens 01:00 PM Bob Owens Houston Texas USA 
 Taping of the panel discussion "Judging the Efficacy of the Drug War" with Advisory Board Member Bob Owens. Broadcast date and time as well as other panel members to be announced. Jun 25 04 National Sheriff’s Association 12:00 AM Howard Wooldridge Seattle Washington USA 
 June 25th-30th, 2004. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition exhibits at the 65th Annual Convention in Seattle Washington. LEAP attendees include Executive Board Member Howard Wooldridge, Speakers Jim Byron, Walter McKay and Madeline Martinez. Jul 11 04 National Association of Black Law Enforcement Executives 12:00 AM Bob Owens Dallas Texas USA 
 July 11th-13th, 2004. National Association of Black Law Enforcement Executives. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition exhibits at the 28th Annual Training Conference in Dallas, Texas. Exhibitors include speakers Bob Owens, Rusty White, George Bradley and Asst. Speakers Bureau Coordinator Norma Sapp. Jul 18 04 National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice 12:00 AM Jack Cole Jacksonville Florida USA 
 July 18th-22nd, 2004. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition exhibits at the 31st Annual Conference in Jacksonville, Florida. LEAP Executive Director Jack Cole along with Board Member Judge Eleanor Schockett, Speakers George Bradley and Richard Amos will present and staff the LEAP booth with assistant Speakers Bureau Coordinator Steve Heath. 
http://www.mmdetroit.org
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Comment #2 posted by E_Johnson on June 10, 2004 at 14:37:18 PT
The African American left is turning around?
Aaron McGruder is going after the anti-marijuana ads:http://www.uclick.com/client/wpc/bo/I love his comics because he is a dour Marxist with the courage to openly mock his own dour Marxism.
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Comment #1 posted by mayan on June 10, 2004 at 14:35:04 PT
$$$
From the last piece on the bulletin...The study's author - Stephen Easton, an economics professor at Simon Fraser University - estimates that taxing marijuana would generate an additional $2 billion per year in federal revenues.Plus, much time and money would be saved by law enforcement. Prisons could be reserved for real criminals. Courts would no longer be clogged with non-violent cannabis users. Folks would no longer have to pay outrageous prices for cannabis and could spend more money on other goods and services.Also...As it stands now, growers and distributors pay some of the costs and reap all of the benefits of the multi-billion dollar marijuana industry, while the non-marijuana smoking taxpayer sees only the costs."Yes, it is the common taxpayer that is getting screwed by cannabis prohibition. Maybe that is the whole idea?The way out is the way in...Advance tickets for Fahrenheit 9/11:
http://www.f911tix.com/Beating the Bushes in H'w'd:
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1940&u=/variety/20040609/va_fi_ne/beating_the_bushes_in_h_w_d&printer=1Further evidence that FBI was informed of 9/11 terror attacks:
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/jun2004/fbi-j10.shtmlTop 10 Things You Never Knew About Mohamed Atta: 
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/archive/scoop/stories/52/24/200406101523.03f7809a.html
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