cannabisnews.com: NORML's Weekly News Bulletin - June 21, 2007





NORML's Weekly News Bulletin - June 21, 2007
Posted by CN Staff on June 21, 2007 at 11:47:26 PT
Weekly Press Release 
Source: NORML
Connecticut: Governor’s Veto Means Arrest, Jail For State’s Medi-Pot PatientsJune 21, 2007 - Hartford, CT, USAHartford, CT: Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell vetoed legislation this week that would have enacted statewide legal protections for authorized patients who use medical cannabis under their doctor’s supervision.
House Bill 6715 sought to allow state-registered patients to possess and cultivate small quantities cannabis for therapeutic purposes. House lawmakers had approved the bill by an 89 to 58 margin. State senators had voted 23-13 in favor of the proposal. The majority votes are just shy of the number necessary to override the Governor’s veto.If enacted, Connecticut would have become the thirteenth state since 1996 to implement statewide legislation protecting patients from prosecution for their use of medical cannabis. In her veto message Gov. Rell, a cancer survivor, said that passing the bill would send "the wrong message" to young people. Rell further claimed that there’s no "’proof’ of cannabis" "effectiveness" and that "legal alternatives" to pot are available to patients by prescription. The Governor also claimed that the bill would potentially place patients at risk of federal prosecution because cannabis remains illegal under federal law. NORML Senior Policy Analyst Paul Armentano called the Governor’s comments cynical and insincere. "Governor Rell’s supposed concern for patients’ well-being rings hollow," he said. "The Governor is well aware that federal prosecutions for state-authorized medical marijuana patients are exceedingly rare, even in state’s like California where it is estimated that several hundred thousand patients are currently using cannabis with their doctor’s approval. Ironically, Gov. Rell’s veto assures that the state and local police can keep arresting Connecticut patients so the Feds won't have to."Under state law, Gov. Rell had the option of allowing HB 6715 to become law without her signature.According to a 2004 University of Connecticut poll, 83 percent of state voters support the use of medical cannabis when authorized by a physician.For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at: paul norml.org or visit NORML’s online "Take Action" center at: http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=9314826An in depth discussion of Gov. Rell’s veto will be broadcast on next Tuesday’s edition of the NORML Daily Audio Stash at: http://www.normlaudiostash.comSource: NORML Foundation (DC)Published: June 21, 2007Copyright: 2007 NORML Contact: norml norml.org Website: http://www.norml.org/CannabisNews NORML Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/NORML.shtml 
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Comment #11 posted by Hope on June 22, 2007 at 08:52:34 PT
In Texas
As I understand it, you don't have to register with a party...but you can only vote in one primary. I'm going to be voting in the Republican primary with the hopes of seeing my man on the ticket. Gotta try.
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on June 21, 2007 at 21:25:13 PT
Hope
I think I am going to vote in the Primary too and that means I will have to register as a Democrat. Currently there are 18 people running and even though it probably doesn't matter voting for who we like is better then not voting at all for me. I wasn't into voting and didn't vote for Gore in 2000 and it took me a while to forgive myself for assuming that he would beat Bush. The Internet has allowed me to read and follow closely the person I would like to see become President. It really is an amazing time for all of us no matter how we feel about politics. I am glad that we can all not fight over politics because it isn't worth it. We have strong reasons why we feel the way we do and respect for each other's opinion is a good thing. If we vote we are trying to do something and that is all that is important. 
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Comment #9 posted by Hope on June 21, 2007 at 20:12:59 PT
I think
I'm going to do something I think I said I'd never do. I'm going to vote in a primary. I think that will technically make me a Republican...but, I want to vote for Ron Paul.
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on June 21, 2007 at 19:53:10 PT
ekim
I think Ron Paul is a good man. He should be in all the debates. So should Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich on the Democrats side.
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Comment #7 posted by ekim on June 21, 2007 at 19:49:17 PT
Paul asked if he would run with Kucinich
he said of all those he now serves with Dennis 
would be one of those that he is able to come to a understanding with.He said that the war on drugs and war on terror are taking our hard won personel rights away.He is worried that we are setting ourselves up for a war by the concept of striking first -- he said that we stared down the USSR for years with out firing one missile why the willingness to give up on containment/i do hope that Ron Paul --- being cut out of the debate in iowa will set up his own town meeting with Dennis that would shake up the MSMHe also said we must get our budget under control -- and get our fighting men and woman back homehe talked about no child left behind -- said he wanted more power to go to the States and less run in Washhe said the health corps have too much power
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Comment #6 posted by ekim on June 21, 2007 at 18:00:49 PT
Ron Paul being interviewed 
on --ON Point NPR now
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Comment #5 posted by mayan on June 21, 2007 at 17:03:14 PT
potpal
It is my belief that the armed citizenry of the United States is the only thing that stands between the globalists and their goal of a one-world government. They know this very well. Hemp is a path to sustainability. By taking away our right to cultivate hemp they keep us reliant upon finite resources and that gives them great leverage against us...leverage which will one day be used to pry our guns from our hands. Imho, at the rate at which things have happened since 9/11, that day is not ver far off.That's likely just one of many reasons for hemp prohibition.SF TRUTH ACTION ON CBS 5 (MUST SEE VIDEO):
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UXKVVI7ZBOYPurdue 9/11 Study: Rebuttal:
http://prisonplanet.com/articles/june2007/210607Purdue.htm9/11 Bombshell: WTC7 Security Official Details Explosions Inside Building:
http://mujca.com/911bombshell.htmRon Paul Asked about 9/11 (video):
http://infowars.net/articles/june2007/210607Ron.htmVancouver 9/11 Truth Conference - THIS WEEKEND!
http://www.v911truth.org/conference2007.html9/11 WAS AN INSIDE JOB - OUR NATION IS IN PERIL:
http://www.911sharethetruth.com/
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Comment #4 posted by potpal on June 21, 2007 at 16:08:09 PT
bassackward
"The United States is the only developed nation in which industrial hemp is not an established crop."How'd did we become so backward? 
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Comment #3 posted by Zandor on June 21, 2007 at 13:25:11 PT
Yet another LIE!!!!
"n her veto message Gov. Rell, a cancer survivor, said that passing the bill would send "the wrong message" to young people."The message she is sending now is if you get sick. You're are shit our of luck so go ahead and die, your government does not care about you. They do care about BIG Pharmaceutical companies and their profits; selling a 5 cent pill for 10 dollars.I wonder how much they donated to her campaign? 
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on June 21, 2007 at 12:50:25 PT
NORML's Weekly News Bulletin - June 21, 2007
Canada Grants Preliminary Approval For Cannabis Extracts For Cancer PainJune 21, 2007 - Ottawa, OntarioOttawa, Ontario: Health Canada granted preliminary regulatory approval this week to Sativex, an oral spray consisting of natural cannabis extracts, for the treatment of advanced cancer pain. The agency issued a Qualifying Notice for the cannabis-based drug, confirming that it qualifies to be considered for regulatory approval. Final approval is expected within approximately 60 days. Sativex is already available in Canada by prescription for the treatment of pain associated with multiple sclerosis. Regulators in Great Britain and Spain have also granted limited regulatory approval for the drug. Produced by the British biotechnology firm GW Pharmaceuticals, Sativex is a whole plant medicinal cannabis extract containing precise doses of the cannabinoids THC and cannabidiol (CBD), as well as naturally existing terpenoids and flavonoids.Last year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted an Investigational New Drug (IND) application for Sativex to enter into Phase III clinical trials in the US for the treatment of cancer pain. The first US trial is expected to begin later this year.For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at: paul norml.org or visit: http://www.gwpharm.comDL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7287***Federal Suit Challenges Government’s Jurisdiction Over HempJune 21, 2007 - Bismark, ND, USABismark, ND: A state representative has filed suit in federal court in North Dakota against the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), alleging that the federal controlled substances act improperly denies state-licensed farmers the legal ability to cultivate hemp for industrial purposes. Hemp is a distinct variety of the plant species cannabis sativa that contains only minute (less than 1%) amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana."Congress did not intend to ban cultivation of industrial hemp where there is no risk of diversion into the market for drug marijuana," states the suit, which was filed by North Dakota state representative David Monson and farmer Wayne Hauge. Both plaintiffs are licensed under state law to cultivate hemp, but have not been granted federal permission to do so. Their suit seeks an injunction barring federal law enforcement officials from taking criminal actions against them for engaging in hemp cultivation. "The regulated parts of industrial hemp plants could not possibly be diverted into and ‘swell’ or increase the supply of drug marijuana," the suit charges. "Therefore, there is no potential for any effect on interstate commerce in drug marijuana. Intrastate cultivation of industrial hemp thus has no connection or effect whatsoever on the interstate commerce [of the] drug marijuana that Congress has determined to regulate."In 2006, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eight Circuit ruled that the federal government could prohibit the cultivation of hemp on Native American land because "problems of detection and enforcement easily justify a ban broader than the psychoactive variety of the plant."In February, US Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) and nine Democrat co-sponsors introduced legislation in Congress seeking to grant states the "exclusive authority" to license and regulate the commercial production of industrial hemp.According to a 2005 Congressional Research Service (CRS) report, "The United States is the only developed nation in which industrial hemp is not an established crop."For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500 or visit: http://www.votehemp.org Text of the lawsuit, David Monson and Wayne Hauge v. US Drug Enforcement Administration and United States Department of Justice, is available online at: http://www.votehemp.com/legal_cases_ND.htmlDL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7286
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Comment #1 posted by dongenero on June 21, 2007 at 11:57:39 PT
The Governor's arguement......
....is based on false premise. But I imagine she already knows that. This decision was not about whether they would allow people to use medical marijuana.
Hey, if someone wants or needs to use medical marijuana, they will.What was being decided was whether or not the state was going to persecute, prosecute and incarcerate these people and saddle them with a criminal record and financial and emotional hardship.
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