cannabisnews.com: NORML's Weekly News Bulletin - December 7, 2006










  NORML's Weekly News Bulletin - December 7, 2006

Posted by CN Staff on December 07, 2006 at 14:07:37 PT
Weekly Press Release  
Source: NORML  

 Judge Upholds Ruling Dismissing Counties' Prop. 215 ChallengeDecember 7, 2006 - San Diego, CA, USASan Diego, CA: Superior Court Judge William Nevitt upheld last month's preliminary ruling rejecting a lawsuit filed by San Diego County supervisors, who had argued that the state's medical cannabis laws should be pre-empted by the federal Controlled Substances Act.
In his opinion, Nevitt declared that the state's ten-year-old medical marijuana law is legal because it does not "require" conduct that violates federal law. Nevitt also rejected plaintiffs challenge to California's three-year-old medical ID card system, ruling that "requiring the counties to issue identification cards for the purpose of identifying those whom California chooses not to arrest and prosecute for certain activities involving marijuana does not create a 'positive conflict' [with federal law.]"      In 2004, the California legislature approved legislation calling on counties to issue identification cards to state-authorized medical cannabis patients. San Diego supervisors, along with lawmakers from San Bernardino and Merced counties, filed suit against the state of California and NORML's San Diego affiliate earlier this year rather than comply with the ID card law.      It is unclear whether defendants will appeal Judge Nevitt's ruling."We are pleased that the court ruled that San Diego must follow California's medical marijuana law," said California NORML Coordinator Dale Gieringer. "[Defendants] would be well advised to stop wasting taxpayers' money on this ill-advised lawsuit. The ID cards will save the county money by avoiding needless arrest and prosecution of legal patients."For more information, please contact Keith Stroup, NORML Legal Counsel, at (202) 483-5500 or Dale Gieringer, California NORML Coordinator, at (415) 563-5858. Text of the decision in the case, County of San Diego v. San Diego NORML and the State of California, is available online at: http://www.normlaudiostash.comDL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7117 Marijuana Use Per Se Not a 'Gateway' To Illicit Drug Use, Study Says December 7, 2006 - Pittsburgh, PA, USAPittsburgh, PA: Adolescent marijuana use is not a reliable predictor of later substance abuse, according to clinical trial data published this month in The American Journal of Psychiatry.      Investigators at the University of Pittsburgh, School of Pharmacy, tracked the drug use patterns of 214 boys, beginning at ages 10 to 12, for a period of up to twelve years. All of the subjects eventually used either legal or illegal drugs. Researchers found that adolescents who used marijuana prior to using other drugs, including alcohol and tobacco, were no more likely to develop a substance abuse disorder than other subjects in the study.      The study's findings "call into question the long-held belief that has shaped prevention efforts and governmental policy for six decades," researchers declared in a press release.      Investigators said that environmental factors (e.g., a greater exposure to illegal drugs in their neighborhoods) as well as subjects' "proneness to deviancy" were the two characteristics that most commonly predicted substance abuse.      "This evidence supports what's known as the common liability model ... [which] states [that] the likelihood that someone will transition to the use of illegal drugs is determined not by the preceding use of a particular drug, but instead by the user's individual tendencies and environmental circumstances," investigators stated in a press release. They added, "The emphasis on the drugs themselves, rather than other, more important factors that shape a person's behavior, has been detrimental to drug policy and prevention programs."      A 1999 review by US National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine also disputed the hypothesis that cannabis use is a stepping-stone to other illicit drug use, concluding that pot was not a "gateway drug to the extent that it is a cause or even that it is the most significant predictor of serious drug abuse."      For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, or Paul Armentano. NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at (202) 483-5500. Full text of the study, "Predictors of marijuana use in adolescents before and after licit drug use: examination of the gateway hypothesis," appears in the December issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry. Further discussion of this study is available on the December 6, 2006 edition of NORML's daily AudioStash at: http://www.normlaudiostash.comDL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7118NORML's Daily "AudioStash" Celebrates Six-Month Anniversary, Surpasses 775,000 Downloads December 7, 2006 - Washington, DC, USAWashington, DC: More than 775,000 listeners have downloaded episodes of NORML's daily podcast since the program's launch six months ago, ranking the "AudioStash" as one of the most popular political audio programs available on the Internet.      More than 100 original 30-minute episodes of "NORML's Daily AudioStash: The Growing Truth About Marijuana" are now available on Apple's iTunes or online at: http://www.normlaudiostash.com Featured guests on the show have included: PBS television host and NORML Advisory Board Member Rick Steves, New York Congressman Maurice Hinchey, comedian and NORML Advisory Board Member Tommy Chong, musical artists The Kottonmouth Kings, director Josh Gilbert, Chicago Tribune columnist Clarence Page, television producer and NORML Board of Directors member Ann Druyan, Santa Barbara City Councilman Das Williams, and former Seattle police chief and NORML Advisory Board Member Norm Stamper, among many others. Daily podcasts also feature breaking news, music, and political commentary. Archived interviews and episodes of the "AudioStash" are available for download online at: http://www.normlaudiostash.com/archivetest.htm      "The popularity of NORML's daily podcast illustrates that there are large numbers of Americans who desire fact-based, educational information about marijuana and marijuana law reform, and that this population is increasingly turning to NORML and away from the federal government and the mass media in order to obtain it," said the show's producer Chris Goldstein.      NORML's "AudioStash" now averages over 40,000 downloads per week, often drawing a larger listenership than podcasts produced by the White House, New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, the US Council on Foreign Affairs, and the Pentagon.      For information on advertising on "NORML's Daily AudioStash," becoming a sponsor, or to inquire about being a featured guest of the show, please contact Chris Goldstein at: podcast norml.orgDL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7119Source: NORML Foundation (DC)Published: December 7, 2006Copyright: 2006 NORML Contact: norml norml.org Website: http://www.norml.org/CannabisNews NORML Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/NORML.shtml 

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Comment #20 posted by afterburner on December 09, 2006 at 05:43:00 PT
OT: Follow the Money
Canada: MADD's `exorbitant costs' anger charity's volunteers.
Dec. 9, 2006. 04:27 AM.
KEVIN DONOVAN,
STAFF REPORTER.
http://tinyurl.com/vf2v9
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Comment #19 posted by afterburner on December 09, 2006 at 05:36:56 PT
OT: Death and Taxes
Alcohol Finland's No. 1 cause of death.
Growth in binge drinking followed 2004 beverage tax cut.
Dec. 9, 2006. 07:19 AM.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
http://tinyurl.com/y88xw7Dying GOP Congress passes tax, trade bill.
Dec. 9, 2006. 07:26 AM.
REUTERS
http://tinyurl.com/vocxl
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Comment #18 posted by afterburner on December 09, 2006 at 05:14:03 PT
Canadian Cannabis Reform Keeps Rolling
Canada: A Fresh Look At The War On Drugs, Chronicle Herald, (08 Dec 2006) 
http://www.mapinc.org/newstcl/v06/n1665/a08.html?176CN QU: Where There's Smoke There's Pot, Hour Magazine, (07 Dec 2006) 
http://www.mapinc.org/newstcl/v06/n1665/a02.html?176CN ON: Column: Is Punishment Out Of Fashion?, Toronto Sun, (04 Dec 2006) 
http://www.mapinc.org/newstcl/v06/n1663/a06.html?176CN ON: PUB LTE: Bust Makes No Sense, The Chatham Daily News, (07 Dec 2006) 
http://www.mapinc.org/newstcl/v06/n1663/a07.html?176CN NF: PUB LTE: Legal Pot Would Shut Gangsters Down, Express, (07 Dec 2006) 
http://www.mapinc.org/newstcl/v06/n1663/a09.html?176
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Comment #17 posted by afterburner on December 09, 2006 at 04:49:57 PT
Come Alive, American Families
{
NORML's Daily "AudioStash" Celebrates Six-Month Anniversary, Surpasses 775,000 Downloads. 
December 7, 2006 - Washington, DC, USA
}Marijuana Arrests For Year 2005 -- 786,545 Tops Record High... Pot Smokers Arrested In America At A Rate Of One Every 40 Seconds.
September 18, 2006 - Washington, DC, USA
http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7040786,545 Marijuana Arrests: 775,000 Downloads!!!Could it be -- one family member getting info on ending this unjust war on our families for each person arrested?
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Comment #16 posted by afterburner on December 09, 2006 at 04:16:48 PT
Ontario Is Rife with Paraphernalia Sales
CN ON: Cops Seize Drug Items 
by Emily Paige, (Source: Chatham This Week)
06 Dec 2006
Ontario-------"The largest seizure of drug paraphernalia in Chatham-Kent Police Service's history occurred when police executed a search warrant last Thursday at a business in the 400 block of St. Clair St., police said Monday. "A 49-year-old businessman was arrested and charged with selling and promoting instruments for drug use. He was released that same day and is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 24. "The items included bongs, pipes, grinders and scales, police told a news conference."more...
http://www.mapinc.org/norml/v06/n1661/a06.htmThe new Conservative Crackdown on Cannabis is focusing on the still existent paraphernalia law. However, sales of paraphernalia are so widespread in Ontario that the police are using selective prosecution of this archaic law as a tool of political persecution of cannabis activists. I haven't heard anything lately from the "pot poet," but this political lack of equal protection under the law bodes well for his court case resulting from his alleged activities at the Hamilton Compassion Society and the Up In Smoke Cafe.
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Comment #15 posted by John Tyler on December 08, 2006 at 18:33:17 PT
by by "gateway theory"
So the old "gateway theory" has been scientifically refuted. I hope the prohibs. will now drop it from their littany of anti-cannabis rants. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #14 posted by global_warming on December 08, 2006 at 15:13:57 PT
re: all my friends are stoners
just passed by to say high'
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Comment #13 posted by whig on December 08, 2006 at 10:08:42 PT
mbc
Thanks for posting the article and it's good to see you.I think maybe what we need is a pardons court, a process other than relying upon the generosity of spirit of one man (John Ellis Bush) who may be unwilling or uncaring to listen. Well, his brother has a pardon too but will probably reserve it to use for real nasty criminals rather than anyone actually innocent.Like he cared about Karla Faye Tucker.
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Comment #12 posted by ekim on December 08, 2006 at 08:54:22 PT
Pete asking for Geek help
Web Geeks NeededI'm helping out an organization that is needing some (volunteer or unpaid internship)expertise in web development to help put together a dynamic, interactive site for a major medical marijuana legalization effort. 
The site should be a resource for chapters and volunteers to download and print literature and documents. 
The site should sign up members, get details about them, and to store them in a database by region to communicate with them for specific actions in the future.The site should facilitate interchapter communication among volunteers, (talklist or blog, etc.).
http://www.drugwarrant.com
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Comment #11 posted by Celaya on December 08, 2006 at 08:42:19 PT
Totally Baked
National Lampoon takes marijuana to the movies.
Totally Baked
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Comment #10 posted by goneposthole on December 08, 2006 at 07:26:07 PT
On stress and substance abuse
"...Stephen Suomi and colleagues used 97 monkeys, finding that those taken away from their mothers as infants exhibited more signs of stress later on, and, if offered alcohol, tended to take it more than other monkeys. This study, it could be argued, is not research, but simply a graphic illustration of pre-existing knowledge. As in the gruesome infant-separation experiments conducted by Harry Harlow, Suomi’s mentor, Suomi has taken a well-known human phenomenon—the association between disrupted early infant-parent relationships and later alcoholism— and illustrated it in animals. Other examples abound in which animal studies are used to confirm phenomena already well known in humans. Carol Cunningham of Wake Forest University is training monkeys to drink ethanol. He hopes they will develop irreversible liver damage and serve as an “animal model” for cirrhosis. James Ruth at the University of Colorado is exposing mice to nicotine and other drugs to study the detection of residues in their hair. Bethany Neal-Beliveau at Indiana University is teaching undergraduate students how to conduct alcohol research on animals. A 2002 review paper in the journal Pharmacology and Therapeutics describes methods to recreate alcohol relapse in rats and cites some 175 related studies, almost all using animals.1 A 2002 paper on relapse to heroin and cocaine-seeking in rats cites some 300 related animal studies.2"http://www.pcrm.org/magazine/gm03spring/gm03spring04.htmlSo, in reality, all governments are abusing the people they govern. It is only a natural reaction by the people to use substances to help them cope with abusive governments.Remove governments and a more peaceful human population on this planet will be the result.The cannabis plant is gaining a foothold. I vote for cannabis to govern us all. It treats you right.
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Comment #9 posted by mai_bong_city on December 08, 2006 at 06:55:00 PT
OT but yet, not. 
i came across this and thought it was worth a read.http://tinyurl.com/ygo6vapeace on earth, goodwill to all~*
mbc
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Comment #8 posted by mayan on December 07, 2006 at 18:16:28 PT
Uh-Oh
Iran plans to reduce use of dollar in trade:
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=148236Iraq tried the same thing.THE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...Boston Tea Party Kicks off 9/11 Truth Revolution - Barrett to Throw “Mr. Bill” O’Reilly in Harbor—But Will He Pull Him Out?
http://mujca.com/teaparty.htmThe 9/11 Conspiracy Theories (We Must Have A New And Completely Independent Investigation Into The Events Of 9/11):
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_matt_kje_061204_the_9_2f11_conspiracy_.htmInvestigative Reporter Breaks Israeli 9/11 Foreknowledge:
http://www.infowars.net/articles/december2006/071206Haas.htmHollywood Making a Move on 9/11 Truth: 
http://www.jonesreport.com/articles/061206_hollywood_911.html
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Comment #7 posted by whig on December 07, 2006 at 17:59:06 PT
Would you say
I pressed a button?
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Comment #6 posted by mayan on December 07, 2006 at 17:58:45 PT
Here To Stay
From the first article on the bulletin...It is unclear whether defendants will appeal Judge Nevitt's ruling.Let them appeal. Let them take it all the way to the supremes! The supremes have ruled against medical cannabis twice already but the healing herb just wont go away! Cannabis will provide the bulk of the medicine,meat and material in this millenium. Cannabis will never go away and neither will those who demand it. It is here to stay! Other drug-war craziness...BUSH ADMINSTRATION IMPLICATED IN NARCO DEATH SQUAD COVER UP:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_alex_gab_061205_bush_adminstration_i.htmStudent sues over 10-day suspension:
http://sundaygazettemail.com/section/Today/2006120514
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Comment #5 posted by whig on December 07, 2006 at 17:57:13 PT
gw 
There will be a seventh loaf, and perhaps seven new starters, and seven times seven more will come soon thereafter.
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Comment #4 posted by global_warming on December 07, 2006 at 16:07:16 PT
wish i had a ticket
to see Santa, would ask for peace on this world.Can you imagine Santa bringing a full sack of peace, and some kind bud, right down that chimney, if you don't have a chimney, then you might get to see Santa when he leaves,...
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on December 07, 2006 at 15:49:53 PT
global_warming 
For a longtime now I've wondered about a Gore - Obama ticket. I know if Bush hadn't been made president in 2000 we wouldn't be in the mess we are in now in Iraq. Maybe Bin Laden might have been caught too. History would have been recorded so very differently. That really is sad when I think about it.
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Comment #2 posted by global_warming on December 07, 2006 at 15:42:04 PT
re: Gore and Obama (D-IL)
"When asked if Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) is the man to beat on the Democratic side in 2008, Gore said once again, "I think it’s too early to evaluate the candidates who look like they are planning to run."http://tinyurl.com/ymw23s
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Comment #1 posted by global_warming on December 07, 2006 at 15:11:29 PT
re: the study
"The study's findings "call into question the long-held belief that has shaped prevention efforts and governmental policy for six decades," researchers declared in a press release."Has it only been six decades, seems so much longer, is it time yet to free the slaves in this war on people who use cannabis?Is it time yet to stop hating so many people?
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