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Marijuana news from around the world

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Lady Gaga Adds Marijuana To Her List of Causes

lady gaga

It may be easy to mock high profile entertainers and actors when they decide to take a public stand.  Sometimes stars have been known to get themselves in over their heads when engaging on social issues.  The most recent case and point may be Clint Eastwood’s debate with a chair that should have been a far easier conversation for “Dirty Harry” to win.  However, there are times where stars use their notoriety push issues forward.

Marijuana has caused many famous individuals to come out of the shadows.  It appears Lady Gaga will be joining this group.  The famous pop star has traveled the world performing songs such as “Born This Way” and come across many different cultures.  She seemed to be embracing Amsterdam’s culture in a recent tour stop.  She was handed a joint on stage and lit up saying “I want you to know it has totally changed my life and I’ve really cut down on drinking.  “It has been a totally spiritual experience for me with my music.”

Lady Gaga has an extremely loyal and engaged fan base worldwide.  This is not to say fans will start smoking marijuana around the world but many may be encouraged to get the real facts on marijuana.  Additionally Lady Gaga has a history of caring about social causes.  In order to protest the military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy (President Obama has ended the controversial policy) Lady Gaga donned the now famous “meat dress” at the 2010 MTV Music Awards.  She has also donated large sums of money to many charities has also created The Born This Way Foundation, which according to the foundation website, was designed “to foster a more accepting society, where differences are embraced and individuality is celebrated. The Foundation is dedicated to creating a safe community that helps connect young people with the skills and opportunities they need to build a kinder, braver world.”

This is not to say that Lady Gaga or any entertainer can bring about marijuana reform alone.  However, the chorus of those who support reform is growing louder.  The issue has built up momentum and supporting marijuana in public is no longer a scarlet letter.  Normally we see a wedge between entertainers and the working class, however, as marijuana gains acceptance we may bear witness to one of the few times where the two are aligned.

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Lady Gaga Adds Marijuana To Her List of Causes

lady gaga

It may be easy to mock high profile entertainers and actors when they decide to take a public stand.  Sometimes stars have been known to get themselves in over their heads when engaging on social issues.  The most recent case and point may be Clint Eastwood’s debate with a chair that should have been a far easier conversation for “Dirty Harry” to win.  However, there are times where stars use their notoriety push issues forward.

Marijuana has caused many famous individuals to come out of the shadows.  It appears Lady Gaga will be joining this group.  The famous pop star has traveled the world performing songs such as “Born This Way” and come across many different cultures.  She seemed to be embracing Amsterdam’s culture in a recent tour stop.  She was handed a joint on stage and lit up saying “I want you to know it has totally changed my life and I’ve really cut down on drinking.  “It has been a totally spiritual experience for me with my music.”

Lady Gaga has an extremely loyal and engaged fan base worldwide.  This is not to say fans will start smoking marijuana around the world but many may be encouraged to get the real facts on marijuana.  Additionally Lady Gaga has a history of caring about social causes.  In order to protest the military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy (President Obama has ended the controversial policy) Lady Gaga donned the now famous “meat dress” at the 2010 MTV Music Awards.  She has also donated large sums of money to many charities has also created The Born This Way Foundation, which according to the foundation website, was designed “to foster a more accepting society, where differences are embraced and individuality is celebrated. The Foundation is dedicated to creating a safe community that helps connect young people with the skills and opportunities they need to build a kinder, braver world.”

This is not to say that Lady Gaga or any entertainer can bring about marijuana reform alone.  However, the chorus of those who support reform is growing louder.  The issue has built up momentum and supporting marijuana in public is no longer a scarlet letter.  Normally we see a wedge between entertainers and the working class, however, as marijuana gains acceptance we may bear witness to one of the few times where the two are aligned.

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Colorado Study Shows Need For Regulation and Marijuana Testing

marijuana mold spores

As the election season continues we are pretty much ensured that the political conversation will remain within the narrow scope of only a handful of issues being discussed until January.  While healthcare will be part of the next two months, it will only likely find its way in the campaign through the lens of Obamacare vs. Romneycare.

For many patients who only find relief with marijuana, this will be yet another election where their concerns will not be addressed.  Ignoring and tolerating medical marijuana to some extent is no longer going to be acceptable.  Medication needs to be safe and with a far less rate of addiction and side effects in comparison to opiates and other medication, cannabis already satisfies much of the criteria for useful medicine.  However, with it’s legal status constantly in limbo, cannabis has suffered from a lack of regulation and required testing as many elected officials hope that 75% of the country soon changes its mind and stops supporting medical marijuana.  That seems highly unlikely and our elected officials have chosen to ignore the safety of Americans in favor of outdated talking points and rhetoric.  Simply put, marijuana is here to stay, and providing safe medicine must be a concern.

Shedding more light on the problem is a recent study conducted in Colorado.  Dr. John Martyny of the National Jewish Health studied the findings from 30 grow operations in the Larimer and Denver areas.  The research indicated that certain grows had mold levels about 100 times higher than what is considered safe.  In some growing operations, the mold levels were too high to for their instruments to properly measure.  Dr. Martyny said “These are extremely high levels that we would consider dangerous.”  Fortunately, none of the growing operations studied were legal, giving at least some hope that Colorado medical marijuana patients are not breathing in high levels of mold.

However, there is evidence that even legal growers are not taking the proper precautions in preventing high levels of mold.  The Werc Shop also finds similar problems when conducting laboratory analysis, but unlike Dr. Martyny they DO test cannabis from legal dispensaries.  In a recent conversation with marijuana.net, Dr. Jeffrey C. Raber of the Los Angeles area lab said “We have had numerous secret shoppers find instances of mold and bacteria present at unacceptable, sometimes alarmingly high levels.”  The Werc Shop is one of the most well regarded testing laboratories and was responsible for much of the screening for the 2012 High Times Los Angeles Cannabis Cup.

Research shows that we may only be hitting the tip of the iceberg in regards to just how much potential medical marijuana holds.  However, as with any consumable product, improper testing and screening invites devastating side effects.  The high levels of mold found by both Dr. Martyny and Dr. Raber only highlight the need for regulation and testing.  The products created by large Pharmaceutical companies have to abide by FDA standards and a lack of regulation would not be accepted even for over the counter medicines.  As the national campaigns ignores this problem, it is up to patients and activists to demand for regulation, testing, and safety.

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Attorney General Eric Holder Pressured by Ex-DEA Officials To Oppose State Marijuana Laws

eric holder

After years of foreign wars, the Patriot Act, and an unpopular healthcare mandate, voters are weary of big government proposals.  Politicians on both sides of the aisle are quick to point out that they want to reduce the size and scale of government, even if their actions betray this sentiment.  The idea of letting states decide many issues has gained traction, with one major exception.  Marijuana.

Approximately 75% of Americans support a physician’s right to prescribe medical marijuana.  Even more interestingly, is that now over half of the country supports legalizing, regulating, and taxing marijuana even for recreational use.  Three states, Colorado, Washington, and Oregon will have residents in their states voting to enact such plans.  Of course we all know the people simply passing the law may not end the ongoing feud between federal and state authorities.  The problem the White House faces is that they have tried to make the case that they will not use any federal resources to circumvent state law.  This leaves them with trying to apply federal law only when a dispensary is in violation of state law, as confusing as that sounds.

This approach is being challenged by 9 former heads of the DEA.  Attorney General Eric Holder has not publicly indicated how the federal government would handle a situation where states operate legal marijuana sales.  His silence has drawn the ire of those who feel the federal government needs to take a more definitive stand and send out a message that federal law trumps state law.  Holder has spoken out on previous legalization initiatives.  He indicated that he would enforce federal law in California in 2010 if residents voted to legalize marijuana.  In the letter, obtained by news outlet Reuters, the group said that “To continue to remain silent conveys to the American public and the global community a tacit acceptance of these dangerous initiatives.”

Of course taking a stand against laws voted on and enacted by the people offers its own set of “dangerous initiatives”.  No administration wants to be known as the White House crushed state laws and the will of the people.  The old system has failed and while many of us understand that federal authorities have to carry out the law, there is a chance of overreaching here.  A war between residents and the federal government on this issue could be one of the highest profile examples of the government ignoring the will of the people.  Even those who do not support marijuana legalization may be outraged at such large scale intervention.  With most Americans feeling the war on drugs is a failure, spending more money and resources to keep the antiquated approach alive could be a disaster as small government fans, fiscal hawks, civil rights groups, and medical supporters could all find themselves coming together over the issue.

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Paul Ryan Almost Gives Hope For Reform Advocates

paul ryan

The prospects of marijuana becoming a campaign issue seemed dim for most of the presidential race.  President Obama has avoided the issue when engaging in online forums and Mitt Romney had recently told a college crowd he would fight medical marijuana “tooth and nail”.  Whether intentional or not, medical marijuana was front and center, even if for a brief time.

Mitt Romney has been running for president since 2007 with Biden and Obama now holding office for almost 4 years.  Paul Ryan represents the only fresh face Americans may not be as familiar with.  In a move that most likely upset Romney campaign organizers, Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan recently stated that he felt marijuana should be a state issue.  He told a local television network in Colorado, KRDO TV, that “it’s up to Coloradans to decide.”  Before activists get their hopes up he also added that medical marijuana “is something that is not a high priority of ours.” The stance makes sense as a growing wing of the Republican Party is seeking to promote state rights, smaller government, and fiscal responsibility.

Campaign officials for Romney/Ryan were quick to change the tone.  They later released a statement that Paul Ryan agrees with Mitt Romney that marijuana should never be legalized.  This is not the first time the two have not seen eye to eye.  Mitt Romney has been attacked on many items in Paul Ryan’s controversial  proposed budget which would make deep cuts to many social programs.  The two also differ on abortion as Paul Ryan does not believe in exceptions even for incest, rape, or when a mother’s health is compromised.  Additionally, last night on “Meet The Press” Mitt Romney said Republicans were wrong to vote to cut defense spending, even as it was brought to Mr. Romney’s attention that GOP leadership (including Ryan) voted for the cuts.  This has seriously brought into question by analysts as to exactly why Mitt Romney selected Paul Ryan as his vice presidential candidate being that the two seem to differ substantially on issues.

Perhaps they are worried about their conservative base, a base that has not fully embraced Mitt Romney.  However, it is always interesting when a candidate says something in plain language only to have a spokesperson take it back later.  Are they trying to have their cake and eat it too by having Ryan curry favor with reform advocates, then turning around and appeasing the “tough on drugs” crowd?  Even if Paul Ryan truly does support state rights in this instance, just putting toe in the water is not good enough.  Patients have felt mislead by the President so a simple statement alone will not win over this community.  The Romney/Ryan ticket had a chance to win over disenfranchised patients, but instead chose to do what Romney has been famous for, sending conflicting messages.

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Gary Johnson in Charlotte During DNC

gary johnson

As the Democratic National Convention occupied most of the headlines this week, another candidate for President was also in Charlotte.   Gary Johnson attended several events in the Charlotte area which included a NORML demonstration and a Tea Party event about a half hour away from the DNC.  The marijuana reform advocate seemed to enjoy his status as a third party candidate and possible spoiler for either Mitt Romney or Barack Obama.  Johnson said “I really do wish I was known as a spoiler on both sides, that the notion that people really do care about the fact that we are in endless wars, the fact that we do care about civil liberties, that we have a growing police state.” While third party candidates have little chance of winning the presidency they can bring attention to their cause.  Many feel that Ralph Nader and Pat Buccanan had a significant impact on the 2000 election.  Both candidates should probably be fearful but Mitt Romney his campaign in particular seem worried about Johnson upsetting their chances for the White House.  Attorneys for the Romney campaign have been filing legal challenges in many states including important swing states such as Virginia, which could be the key to the election.  Mr. Johnson is a former Republican and may still have support from voters in the party who are not energized by Mitt Romney.

For more on Gary Johnson and his upcoming appearances click here

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US Government Burns Through More Than One Billion Dollars in Recent Marijuana Crackdown

government burning marijuana

Over the past year, the federal government has intensified its anti-marijuana crusade.  Analysts are unsure of the exact reasons, especially as it seemed tolerance was in the air when President Obama was elected.  Starting last fall, federal raids on medical marijuana dispensaries were carried out in several states including California, Montana, and Colorado.  However, burning through marijuana this way may just show how out of touch our elected officials with the wishes of the average American.

However, the DEA reported this week that they have destroyed well over 1 billion dollars worth of marijuana since launching an intense effort on July 1st.  The popular news site “The Raw Story” said that, according to the Justice Department “Federal, state and local law enforcement in the seven states have eradicated more than 578,000 marijuana plants from public lands. The DEA estimates the value of this marijuana to be well over $1 billion.”  Over 80% of the plants destroyed by the government were located in California.

Sending out huge teams to search, locate, and terminate the plants does not come without cost.  No one has confirmed just how much the recent effort is costing taxpayers.  There are understandable reasons as to why the government would go after the grows (other than just pursuing their outdated policies on marijuana).  The Department of Justice said they removed “Huge amounts of trash, miles of irrigation line, and many pounds of fertilizer and pesticides were removed from grow sites on public lands.”   All of this only further highlights the need for a regulated system.  Under a more defined system,

As the American public calls for both medical and recreational legalization of cannabis, how long can we expect federal agencies to keep these efforts up?  Though they frame their actions as a way of helping the public, no one wants to lose their job.  Recently, heads turned when Todd Akin showed just how disconnected he was with his comments on “legitimate rape” and women’s health.  Both major political parties stand to lose considerable power as the people will continue to bypass ineffective leaders with ballot initiatives to legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana as a way to fix both our healthcare and economic system.  Instead of destroying 1 billion in cannabis (plus the cost of sending out agents) jobs, tax revenues, and preserving the natural beauty of America could be our focus instead.

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LA Councilman Shows Marijuana Appeal Growing

bill rosendahl

 

The move to ban dispensaries in the City of Los Angeles devastated patients and advocates not only in the area, but across the nation.  Los Angeles has become the epicenter for the medical marijuana movement with sick patients moving their so they can pursue relief.  While this move stings, it is not even clear if it will stick.  The move by the Los Angeles City Council directly contradict a ruling by California’s 2nd District Court of Appeals, which stated weeks ago that municipalities do not have the right to ban marijuana dispensaries.

With that being said, we would like to look farther ahead than the day to day politics of marijuana, which in a frenzied election season are sure to change daily.  Last week marijuana.net posted a story that shows just how far the perception of marijuana has evolved.  Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl announced to the L.A. Times that he has been a medical marijuana patient himself for over ten years.  The councilman said he medicates with cannabis to help alleviate symptoms related to neuropathy.  Last week he revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer, explaining his absence from City Hall meetings and perhaps another reason he will medicate with cannabis.  Mr. Rosendahl said he would have had a tough time without medical cannabis and the neuropathy makes his feet “red hot with pain.”  Many politicians have admitted to previous marijuana use but usually chalk it up misguided decisions made in their youth.  Few elected officials admit to currently smoking marijuana.

President Bill Clinton famously admitted to smoking marijuana, but he carefully tiptoed the political line and said he did not inhale.  Under his administration many federal raids of marijuana dispensaries were carried out.  Our current president, Barack Obama, admitted to frequent marijuana use in his earlier years only to now direct his agents toward the largest crackdown in medical marijuana’s 16 years.  Although Bill Rosendahl is not the president, he may represent the next phase of balancing marijuana and politics.  Is it crazy to think that one day a sitting president of the United States will also hold a medical marijuana card?

That day may yet be a ways off but Bill Rosendahl is showing that America is ready for the truth.  With approximately 75% of the nation supporting a doctor’s right to prescribe cannabis, the game has changed.  The future looks bright and we were glad to see that people came out in support of Mr. Rosendahl.  His admission lets patients know they are not on their own, and that one of their own represents them.  We at marijuana.net look forward to Bill Rosendahl’s return to the Los Angeles City Council, and his continued pursuit of providing compassion and relief.

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Can Hemp Repair Fractured Relationship Between Obama and Marijuana?

obama sadBarack Obama, the president of the United States, seems to have already found the love of his wife.  Any quick internet search on he and Michelle Obama will yield many pictures where the couple looks genuinely in love.  However, like many marriages, a former love can really make a situation difficult to deal with. It …continue reading

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Gary Johnson Links Border Security to Marijuana Prohibition

border security

Border security has and will likely continue to be a point of debate in this election cycle.  While we hear candidates talk about unrealistic and unaffordable “Great Walls” to separate Mexico and the United States, we hear very little in addressing the root causes of violence along our borders.

Giant security walls have not enjoyed their place in history.  The GOP has taken a very rigid stance on immigration and border control (click here for a breakdown of recent statements made by GOP candidates regarding border security).  However, the Republican modern hero, President Ronald Reagan famously said “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall” and then we all know what happened in Berlin shortly after.

Former republican Gary Johnson has actually decided to engage in a conversation on border security that avoids the typical clichés and talking points.  Mr. Johnson, former republican and now libertarian candidate for president, recently told Fox News “It should not be under-emphasized how much the violence on the border has to do with the prohibition of drugs, I think if we legalize marijuana, we will take a huge step toward a rational drug policy.” When asked about building a giant border fence, Gary Johnson responded by saying “It’s a no brainer, don’t build a fence; it’s an incredible waste of money.” The party of supposed fiscal conservatism may have a hard time selling Newt Gingrich’s moon base and extremely costly (approximately 3 million dollars per mile) border projects.

Many Americans truly want to see a new approach to marijuana reform, immigration, and border security.  Supporting marijuana reform would go a long way to appease patients and advocates.  Taking money and power out of cartel hands with new marijuana laws could also enhance the party’s credentials on border security.  Political strategists have identified cannabis supporters and immigrants as vulnerable groups for President Obama as many of them feel he did not live up to expectations on these issues.  However, if the policies of the GOP remain on the current path, those groups will likely (even if reluctantly) throw their support behind Barack Obama.

We have to ask ourselves how effective a giant barrier is going to be dividing the Mexican and US border.  For one, marijuana.net recently ran a story that described the massively complex tunnel system cartel members are using to smuggle in marijuana.  A giant wall will likely result in more cartel resources being directed at the often undetectable tunnels.  In a sense, the fence may drive the problems underground, literally, with security becoming even more of a concern.  Does ignoring a problem and erecting a barrier ever truly deal with any of our problems on either an emotional or physical level?  If we had a problem with our next door neighbor we would not request tax dollars during a troubled economy to separate two homes from view of each other.  Additionally, if we erected such massive wall, what would we do about Canada?  Would criminals and terrorists direct their efforts to the even larger border we share with Canada?  Sooner than later America will set aside all the emotionally charged rhetoric against marijuana and decide to simultaneously improve our security, economic, and healthcare concerns.

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