cannabisnews.com: NORML's Weekly News Bulletin -- August 31, 2006 NORML's Weekly News Bulletin -- August 31, 2006 Posted by CN Staff on August 31, 2006 at 12:46:49 PT Weekly Press Release Source: NORML DEA Criticized For Financing Opposition To Colorado Marijuana InitiativeAugust 31, 2006 - Denver, CO, USADenver, CO: Colorado media outlets are roundly criticizing an effort by federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officials to spend taxpayers' dollars and use paid staff time to campaign against Amendment 44, "the Alcohol-Marijuana Equalization Initiative." Correspondences from DEA officials seeking to hire a professional campaign manager to organize opposition to the initiative were cited by several Colorado media sources, including the Boulder Daily Camera and the Associated Press, on Monday. Sponsored by Safer Alternatives For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER), Amendment 44 would revise state statutes to make the possession of up to one ounce of cannabis legal in Colorado for anyone age 21 or older. Last year, voters in Denver passed a similar municipal initiative by 54 percent. Several Colorado papers, including the Denver Post, the Rocky Mountain News, and the Aurora Daily Sun and Sentinel, immediately opined against the DEA's tactics, warning that taxpayers' funds should not be used to influence local elections. "Federal agencies ... have no business using their muscle to influence state ballot races," opined the Rocky Mountain News. "That's why we hope the DEA will abandon this campaign and that next year, Congress will enact legislation that would prevent any federal agency from pursuing this sort of mischief." While federal law prohibits using public resources to influence local partisan activities, US government officials are not forbidden from campaigning on non-partisan political issues. By contrast, Colorado law forbids state employees from using state resources to advocate for or against any political activity. For more information, please visit: saferchoice.org. To listen to an interview with SAFER Campaign Director Mason Tvert, please download the August 14, 2006 edition of the NORML Audiostash.DL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6998 Cannabinoids May Offer Novel Therapy For Cancer PainAugust 31, 2006 - Gainesville, FL, USAGainesville, FL: Natural and endogenous cannabinoids may offer therapeutic advantages over currently prescribed medications for the treatment of cancer pain, according to a scientific review published this month in the Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy. "Cannabinoid agonists have been described as having efficacy in nociceptive, neuropathic, and inflammatory pain states, all of which can commonly occur in cancer patients," the review's author states. "There are currently no pharmacological agents consistently effective against all three pain types, potentially giving cannabinoids a unique therapeutic advantage." An estimated 25 percent to 40 percent of cancer patients experience some type of neuropathic pain, for which commercially available analgesics are not consistently effective. Clinical trial data published in 2005 by GW Pharmaceuticals reported that cannabis extracts significantly reduced pain compared to placebo in 178 patients with advanced cancer pain. Health Canada recently granted regulatory approval for the prescription use of Sativex, an oral spray consisting of natural cannabis extracts, for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with Multiple Sclerosis. For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at (202) 483-5500. Full text of the study, "Cannabinoids in cancer pain management," appears in the August issue of the Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy.DL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7001Montana: Missoula Voters To Decide Pot "Deprioritization" OrdinanceAugust 31, 2006 - Missoula, MT, USAMissoula, MT: Missoula county election officials confirmed last week that a municipal initiative that seeks to make marijuana law enforcement the city's "lowest priority" has been certified to appear on the November 2006 ballot. Sponsored by Citizens for Responsible Crime Policy, Initiative 2 directs municipal police to make activities related to the investigation, citation, and/or arrest of adult cannabis users their lowest priority. It would also appoint a Community Oversight Committee to monitor police activity as it pertains to marijuana law enforcement. Seattle voters passed a similar proposal in 2003, which has led to a 75 percent reduction in citywide marijuana arrests.Voters in Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, and Santa Cruz, California will decide on similar "deprioitization" initiatives this fall. For more information, please visit: http://www.responsiblecrimepolicy.org/DL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7000 South Dakota: AG's Ballot Summary Is Prejudicial, Judge RulesAugust 31, 2006 - Pierre, SD, USAPierre, SD: The state attorney general's description of a proposed ballot initiative to legalize the physician recommended use of cannabis is prejudicial and must be rewritten, a South Dakota Circuit Judge has determined.As initially drafted, the state's summary of Initiated Measure 4 implied that "the attorney general wants voters to reject the initiative," Circuit Judge Max Gors ruled. "The attorney general should confine his politicking to the stump and leave his bias out of the ballot statement that is supposed to be objective." The initiative, sponsored by South Dakotans for Safe Access, would allow state-qualified patients to possess up to six plants and/or one ounce of cannabis for medical purposes. Qualified patients must possess a physician's recommendation to use cannabis and must register with the state Department of Health. Non-registered patients, or those who possess greater quantities of cannabis than allowed under state law, would have the option of raising an 'affirmative defense' of medical necessity at trial. Proponents of the measure criticized the attorney general's ballot explanation because it falsely stated that physicians who comply with the law would be subject to federal prosecution, among other issues. Eleven states Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington have enacted similar laws. Eight of these did so by voter initiative. Full text of the decision is available online at: http://www.sodaksafeaccess.org/DL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6999Source: NORML Foundation (DC)Published: August 31, 2006Copyright: 2006 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 ekim on August 31, 2006 at 18:50:16 PT Libby this is a good idea -www.leap.cc/events maybe the first dea leap folks will come from CO.Thursday, August 31, 2006 Cookie costs cop job http://lastonespeaks.blogspot.com/ You have to feel sorry for this guy. Jonathon Smith, a three-year officer with the Spokane PD, quit his job rather than be fired after two fellow officers observed him purchasing and consuming a cookie allegedly laced with pot at a rock concert. Note that they were all off duty at the time. But here's the really outrageous part of the story. Meidl and Dashiell, who said they were offered the cookies at $1 each but didn't buy any, contacted Nicks at home and wound up working with Grant County sheriff's deputies in an investigation that resulted in the arrest of Steven Cory Mack, 26, of Bothell, for investigation of delivery of marijuana.Investigators found 2.8 grams of marijuana in a search of Mack's seized 1999 Chevrolet Blazer, along with $300 in $1 dollar bills and a plastic container with crumbs inside, Deputy John Turley said. There's those forfeiture laws again. They seized the kid's car without proving the crime first, and will keep it based on enough pot for, at most, a couple of joints and some cookie crumbs. Does anybody seriously believe this kid is making a living on selling cookies? The cop meanwhile won't be charged with a drug crime because they can't prove the cookies really were laced with pot. The cops who ratted Smith out, call him stupid for buying the cookie in the first place. Seems to me they have it ass backwards. What's stupid is ruining a career and wasting the taxpayer's money on busting a citizen for a dried plant in an amount that would barely fill a thimble. Meanwhile, somebody send Jon Smith an application for LEAP. He's a prime candidate for membership. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by mayan on August 31, 2006 at 18:28:36 PT Backlash Brewing From the first article...Correspondences from DEA officials seeking to hire a professional campaign manager to organize opposition to the initiative were cited by several Colorado media sources, including the Boulder Daily Camera and the Associated Press, on Monday.It's time to smear the DEA and the Bush administration in Colorado. Anti-fascist backlash will carry Amendment 44 to victory!THE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...Dr. David Ray Griffin on Hannity & Colmes Tomorrow Night: http://911blogger.com/node/2408Academic under fire for 9/11 conspiracy theory: http://prisonplanet.com/articles/august2006/310806underfire.htmThe Feds take on 9/11 Truth - and fail miserably: http://prisonplanet.com/articles/august2006/310806truth.htm [ Post Comment ] Post Comment