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Ron Paul

The Republican Case for Legalizing Marijuana

republican party

From the social movements in the 1960s, to the Democratic party embracing the idea in recent years,  marijuana reform has not enjoyed a tremendous amount of conservative support.  Oddly enough, the modern bullet points for legalizing actually match the Republican/conservative philosophy perfectly.

Republican campaign manager, Ryan Scheutte recently submitted a piece to www.policymic.com, highlighting the reasons that marijuana legalization is and should be a Republican mission.  The article describes quotes from Pauline Sabin, the first woman to sit on the Republican National Committee and was also the founder of The Women’s Organization for National Prohibition Reform.  Back in 1932, she commented on alcohol prohibition by saying publicly “The young see the law broken at home and upon the street, can we expect them to be lawful?”  Scheutte mentions that she was correct, and credits her with being an integral part in revoking the disastrous experiment of alcohol prohibition.

Scheutte discusses that it is acceptable to change one’s mind.  In 2009, he ran a campaign for a candidate looking to unseat Ron Paul (R-TX), an outspoken defender of personal liberties and marijuana rights.  The campaign referred to marijuana as a “troubling substance” and any measure to normalize it was a “blatant disregard” for the
districts values.  Scheutte now admits he was mistaken and compares his view of only a few years ago to his great grandmother’s.

Ryan Scheutte then outlines, in detail, four benefits to marijuana legalization with all of them matching Republican values:

1.      Pot would create jobs and help prevent Detroit-style bankruptcies
2.      We could unplug overcrowded prisons and save tax dollars
3.      Legalization could help starve violent cartels at home and abroad
4.      We could ease suffering for those who live with chronic illnesses

We at marijuana.net agree!  There are even more benefits, but for the time being it would be great progress if the Republican party adopted the above four principles.  New Republican support is not a surprise as the vast majority of this country believes in serious marijuana reform.  It is becoming the consensus issue.

 

Click here for the article from Ryan Scheutte

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Medical Marijuana Industry News July 20, 2012

dark knight risesDark Knight Rises Actor Morgan Freeman Rails Against Marijuana Criminalization… Later tonight (unless you could not help yourself and already went to a 12:01 screening) excited moviegoers will be out in force to see one of the biggest movies of the year, and maybe since Heath Ledger’s joker captivated the world in 2008.  The Dark …continue reading

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Medical Marijuana Industry News June 22, 2012

uruguay

Uruguay Looks to Legalize Marijuana In Effort to Reduce Violence and Crime…

Efforts by Central American countries to convince the United States government to reconsider their rigid stance on marijuana has proved unsuccessful.  America’s demand for marijuana has lead to a rise in cartel power and violence all over Central America.  Both President Obama and Vice President Biden have been hammered by criticism from leaders in the region on recent trips.  Vicente Fox, former president of Mexico has been very vocal regarding how United States drug laws are having a devastating impact on Central America.  Leaders in Uruguay are taking the initiative and will not wait for United States to take action at a glacial pace.  Uruguay’s Defense Minister Eleuterio Fernandez Huidobro said this week that prohibition was causing “more problems than the drugs themselves.” Analysts believe this is only a start and that many nations will follow Uruguay’s lead.

 

For more on this story click here

 

New Hampshire Governor Vetoes Bill To Legalize Medical Marijuana…

Recently New Hampshire lawmakers approved a measure that would permit medical marijuana.  There has been momentum for such a program for several years as a similar measure was passed in 2009 only to be vetoed by Governor Lynch.  He has done so again with the new 2012 bill however advocates and lawmakers are hoping they can gather enough votes to override the Governor’s veto.  The bill passed by a wide margin in both New Hampshire’s House and Senate though it is still unclear if enough legislators would support overriding the governor’s veto.

 

For more on this story click here

 

Two House Representatives Refuse to Let DEA Official Avoid Answering Marijuana Questions

Jared Polis (D-CO) is one of the nation’s most recognized marijuana supporters in Congress.  Along with Barney Frank and Ron Paul (R-TX) Mr. Polis has certainly fought hard for marijuana patients.  This week he grilled Michele Leonhart of the Drug Enforcement Administration during a Congressional hearing.  As Ms. Leonhart was asked questions regarding marijuana, she seemed unwilling to elaborate as to why the federal government has marijuana classified as a schedule 1 drug.  Steve Cohen (D-TN) also demanded straight forward answers from Leonhart  Below you can find an excerpt of the exchange between Polis and Leonhardt:

POLIS: Is crack worse for a person than marijuana?

LEONHART: I believe all the illegal drug  are bad.

POLIS: Is methamphetamine worse for somebody’s health than marijuana?

LEONHART: I don’t think any illegal drug is good.

POLIS: Is heroin worse for someone’s health than marijuana?

LEONHART: Again, all the drugs –

POLIS: I mean, either yes, no, or I don’t know. I mean, if you don’t know, you can look this up you should know this as the chief administrator for the Drug Enforcement Agency. I’m asking you a very straightforward question. Is heroin worse for someone’s health than marijuana?

LEONHART: All the illegal drugs are bad.

POLIS: Does this mean you don’t know?

LEONHART: Heroin causes an addiction that causes many problems that’s very hard to kick.

POLIS: Does that mean that the health impact is worse than marijuana, is that what you’re telling me?

LEONHART: I think that you are asking a subjective question.

 

Marijuana.net Will Be Attending the High Times Cannabis Cup In San Francisco this weekend…

There is no rest for the weary as marijuana.net will be taking the excitement from San Jose’s Hempcon with us to San Francisco and the 2012 High Times Medical Marijuana Cannabis Cup.  If you are in the Bay Area come check us out on Saturday, Sunday, or both days.  We will continue with our popular raffles and we encourage patients to learn more about which medication is right for them with a free one on one session with our strain master .  We’ll also be showing off our comprehensive strain library and be providing education on the newest marijuana reform developments.


Click here to find out more about the 2012 Medical Marijuana High Times Cannabis Cup in San Francisco

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Meghan McCain Says Yes to Marijuana Legalization

meghan mccain

As the two mainstream candidates for president continue to dodge and squirm away from marijuana related questions, others in the political arena are gladly standing up to address the issue.  Marijuana.net has previously covered outspoken supporters such as Gary Johnson, Barney Frank, and Ron Paul, but a new voice has entered the discussion.

The daughter of longtime senator and former presidential candidate John McCain (R-AZ) has been taking her father’s moderate and often bi-partisan platform to a new level.  Meghan McCain is known for being a centrist and represents a younger generation of voters who are not locked into conservative bullet points.  Some of her actions have upset American conservatives, especially recently as she appeared in a photo shoot (fully clothed) in Hugh Hefner’s Playboy magazine.  She now has come out in support of legalizing marijuana, making conservatives already weary of both her and John McCain’s middle of the road approach to government, even more aggravated.

Joining the skyrocketing number of Americans who are tired of watching tax dollars being thrown into an abyss, Meghan McCain strongly supported legalization in her new book “America You Sexy Bitch: A Love Letter to Freedom” which was also co-written by comedian Michael Ian Black.  In one segment she states I believe the legal ramifications of possessing marijuana are egregious. For one reason, I think it is a substance that does no more damage than alcohol does, and second, if we legalized marijuana in this country and taxed the hell out of it, our economic problems would at least be temporarily helped a great deal. In fact, you could even use the revenue stream to pay for universal health care if you wanted.”  She also went on to say “Mostly though, I do not completely understand the allure and taboo associated with marijuana. The few times I have partaken in smoking pot it has been a mild experience. Yes, it is a substance that will alter your mind frame and judgment, but as someone who is high strung and has a natural tendency to get nauseated, I can see its appeal.”

While this nation may be polarized, campaign strategists often seem to overplay the hand.  Meghan McCain’s view on marijuana is quickly becoming the consensus of the mainstream.  Gary Johnson and Ron Paul’s popularity already show a country ready for a more compromising voice, instead of the gridlocked and dysfunction we typically see in Washington.  As unemployment continues to be a concern in the United States, we see politicians desperate to do anything to avoid unemployment lines filled with regular working class people.  However, walking the lobbyist line may no longer offer the job security it once did, but opening up an entirely new multi-billion dollar per year job market may help everyone get off the unemployment line.

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Mitt Romney Secures Enough Votes with Win in Texas to become GOP Nominee

mitt romney

Although thought to be a foregone conclusion, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has secured the GOP nomination for the 2012 presidential election.  The race has been all but official for some time now as other GOP candidates such as Rick Perry, Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Jon Huntsman, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Perry had already exited the primaries.  Long time marijuana supporter, Ron Paul has remained in the race.  Romney will accept the party’s nomination at the Republican National Convention, which is to be held in Tampa Florida during late August.

Mitt Romney now will turn his focus squarely on his run against President Barack Obama.  The road has been long for Romney who attempted a failed candidacy in 2008  only to lose to the popular senator from Arizona, John McCain.  In a statement Romney said “Our party has come together with the goal of putting the failures of the last three and a half years behind us, I have no illusions about the difficulties of the task before us. But whatever challenges lie ahead, we will settle for nothing less than getting America back on the path to full employment and prosperity.” Mitt Romney has and will likely to continue his attacks on the president regarding the economy.

Should he secure the presidency, Americans will hope to see Romney keep his word to fix the the economy.  Although job reports and GDP numbers seem to be improving, the economy is fluctuating and with the impending doom of the Greek economy, and continued reports on the European Debt Crisis, Romney may still have his political opening.

Supporters of marijuana legal reform have their own ideas as to how Mitt Romney can accomplish this. Marijuana and even economic advocates would hope that he would pursues decriminalization and taxation measures that could tremendously boost the economy.  This year’s presidential election is already proving to be monumental and cannabis reform does not appear to be going away.  Judging by the Oregon race for Attorney General, candidates may no longer be able to turn their backs on the issue.  Although the candidates will talk about the important standard issues such as tax rates, immigration reform, maintaining or overturning Roe V. Wade, one issue is emerging as the American consensus issue.  At about 75% approval, medical marijuana is more popular than any living or recently deceased president.  At this point both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama would be happy enough to enjoy the same popularity as legalization of recreational cannabis, which hovers above either candidates approval rating at 56%.

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Lawmakers Propose New Tactic in Fight for Marijuana Reform

congress

For decades the idea of high profile politicians taking on the issue of marijuana reform was laughable.  Even after the Proposition 215 passed, many lawmakers outside of California would not publicly consider proposing changes to marijuana law.  Currently there are now 16 states, (with Connecticut expected to join the growing list) and the nation’s capital where marijuana is permitted for medical use.

Americans have stated their desire for a compassionate medical system.  We are seeking to move on from medical treatments that rely on addictive pills and unaffordable bills. However, the greatest threat to our new compassionate medical system are the people who work for us.  The Federal government, despite statements from President Barack Obama that the Department of Justice would not be using tax payer resources to circumvent state laws, has tried to dismantle relief one dispensary at a time.  Fortunately, U.S. House of Representatives members Sam Farr (D-Calif.), Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) and Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) have proposed outlawing federal funds from being used to interfere with state laws.  The debate is over HR bill 5326, the bill that determines the funding for the Department of Justice.

Most of the reform conversation has revolved around protests and ballot initiatives.  While these have been successful, ballots to change the law have not been able to protect caregivers from federal raids.  It is only recently that our elected officials have decided to push the issue and get more creative.  Many of us are familiar with the popular legalization bill proposed by Barney Frank (D-Mass) and Ron Paul (R-TX).  The bill was met with predictable opposition, but at least kept the issue in the spotlight.  An attempt to defund the DOJ is a new method being utilized by lawmakers and may be a more effective way to frame the discussion.  If deficit spending continues to dominate the campaign coverage then saving money on raiding marijuana dispensaries should match the national financial conversation in step.

Like the ghosts of a haunted past, marijuana reform is rearing its pretty head everywhere.  The president has been taking criticism on marijuana policy seemingly everywhere he goes.  Foreign leaders (Vicente Fox), domestic allies (Nancy Pelosi), presidential candidates (Gary Johnson), comedians( Jimmy Kimmel), evangelicals (Pat Robertson) and of course patients seeking pain relief are all voicing their opinion in support of cannabis reform.  Now that politicians on a national stage are starting to support compassionate reform, hopefully they will use even more creativity in trying to pass legislation that will finally end a century long error.

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Marijuana Friendly Gary Johnson Nominated as Libertarian Candidate for President while D.C. Program off to Rough Start

gary johnson party nominee

It has been an eventful week for marijuana law as Connecticut is poised to enact a strict medical marijuana program, aimed at avoiding the legislative pitfalls seen in other states, especially California.  Over the weekend there was also the Global Marijuana March, which saw hundreds of thousands gather across the world with events held in over 160 cities in 29 different nations.

As always, there were many other stories that developed over the weekend.  Although presumed to be the nominee for months, two term New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson has officially been named the Libertarian Party’s choice for President in the upcoming 2012 election this November.  The long time supporter of marijuana reform/legalization won by capturing 70% of the party’s 632 delegates at the Libertarian Party’s convention held in Las Vegas.  Mr. Johnson told Reuters that “I am very humbled. This is just the start.”  In addition to his promise to reform marijuana laws, Gary Johnson has taken aim at big government spending and income tax laws.  Gary Johnson shares Ron Paul’s view on ending income tax and replacing it with a “Fair Tax”.  The proposal would see an end to the current income tax structure and replace it with flat rate 23% tax on new goods.  Resold goods would not face any sales tax.  Mr. Johnson is also hopeful that Ron Paul and his supporters will back the ex-Governor.

As Gary Johnson prepares for a possible journey to the White House, he may face the issue of marijuana reform before he even unpacks his bags.  Washington D.C. has finally started to move forward with a medical marijuana program that has been weighed down by legal disputes.  The program was originally voted on and approved by D.C. residents 12 years ago.  Six licenses have finally been granted to cultivation centers with hopes of patients being served within a few months.  Despite the approvals finally being issued, some applicants seeking to open dispensaries are filing lawsuits.  They feel they have easily met the criteria laid out by the Health Department in order to open and have been denied anyway.

According to the Washington Times, 3 law firms have filed a total of 5 civil complaints that contest the way in which the D.C. Department of Health scored and denied the applicants.  Dr. Duplessie is one of the plaintiffs and is seeking his application to be re-sent to Department of Health with a third party to oversee the second review.  The Washington Times article quoted Dr. Duplessie as saying “It appears that the D.C. Board of Health has either not read my application or the playing field is not level, I think the process is beyond flawed.”  Dr. Duplessie’s attorney has questioned what they believe is a lack of transparency, and said city health officials should elaborate on their decision further than simply saying “it’s just our right.”

While the D.C. story is not what patients want to hear, it is important to note how much progress has been made.  With a presidential candidate and the city of Washington D.C. supporting cannabis reform, the future for patients appears bright.  Despite whatever recycled statements are emitted from the well dressed men in landmark buildings, compassion seems to be winning out.

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History of the Cups

Denver Cannabis CUp

[caption id="attachment_14659" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Denver Cannabis CUp"][/caption]

It is finally time for the Denver Medical Cannabis cup.  If you are in Denver this weekend, please come and visit us as we will be one of the sponsors of the event!  We are sure patients will gather for another safe event as they have in the past.  But first, a quick look on how we got here…

The first Cannabis cup was organized by Steven Hager, of High Times Magazine.  In 1987 Amsterdam was the most famous of cities for legalized consumption of marijuana. So it was held there, in a great smoke-off to find the finest marijuana that a person could smoke.  In 25 years the contest has matured; there are multiple categories, seeking the best strains, hybrids, consumables, seeds and so forth.  It has also developed into a massive trade show, where builders of bongs can showcase their latest pipes, vaporizers, and novelty papers.  Vendors also bring in t-shirts and other apparel and all other kinds of accessories.  As the Cup has grown, it has incorporated other elements that have accompanied marijuana use.  It has embraced spirituality and the counterculture ideas of the late 60’s and 70’s.  Also, as politics have shifted across the world, so have the ideas espoused by the Cup’s sponsors and attendees.

 

Today, the United States is host to four of High Times’s Medical Marijuana Cups.  In Detroit, Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco.  The First one was the San Francisco Cup in 2010.  Last year saw the inaugural events for Denver and Los Angeles also.  These are not just pothead toke-fests as conservative demagogues would paint them; they’re not dens of sin, iniquity and crime, or doorways to destruction.  These are modern affairs, full of people with honorable agendas seeking to help people who are suffering from various ailments. For many of these patients, cannabis holds the best treatments they can hope to receive.  New categories include judging for high CBD (cannabidiol) strains, which the medical community now agrees hold the key to treating many neuromuscular disorders.  One of the largest growing segments of the Cup community is for political activism.  Most major events now have devoted sections to increasing political awareness.  On a national stage most politicians won’t touch the topic of marijuana; there are few candidates, like Ron Paul and Gary Johnson, who are willing to discuss it.  But on state and local levels, many politicians are eagerly discussing with their constituents.  Also, there are many active groups like NORML, LEAP and ASA who attend these gatherings and try to increase awareness and activism.  For years the pro-marijuana lobby was small and quietly ignored.  Now attitudes are turning from universal recreational use (like alcohol and tobacco)  to a focus more on compassionate care and medical use, at least in enough cases now to be taken more seriously.    Also, by highlighting the many failures of the 40 year-old “War on Drugs” people have realized that change, on a federal level, is necessary for the health of the Union and its people.  All of this has helped the Cups to grow from crowds of hundreds to tens of thousands of supporters.

The Seattle HempFest is another event that has grown from very humble roots.  The first one was held in Seattle in 1991, with only 500 people in attendance; last year’s event estimated close to 300,000 attendees!  At each of these events people have gathered peacefully for several days.  Recently, Cannabis use, in public, has been tolerated with no ill effects.  Alcohol sales are banned at Hemp Fest, too.  And in that wake, there have been no riots, no fights, no dangerous crimes committed.  This is a far cry from the mighty fears that Henry J Anslinger stirred up when he pushed to have marijuana made illegal in the 1930’s.  In 1991, there were no laws anywhere for compassionate use.  Then, in 1998 Washington State passed their medical marijuana legislation.  In 2003, Seattle made marijuana its lowest police priority and in 2008 the city stated it “would no longer prosecute simple possession cases.”  This year, the state legislation approved patient cannabis gardens and an ordinance for cannabis collectives.  With perseverance and patience, even the smallest of groups can hope to accomplish great deeds.

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Super Tuesday filled with Highlights

super tueday

While the NCAA tournament will begin later this month, another “March Madness” occurred yesterday.  Super Tuesday was the largest vote to take place this year besides the actual presidential election.  Ten states participated in the vote Tuesday which treated political junkies to a dramatic day and a guarantee that the race for the Republican nomination will continue.

Mitt Romney had a chance to place an almost insurmountable distance between him and Rick Santorum.  Mr. Romney may not have ended the race but his 5 wins including the highly coveted Ohio, places him in great position to secure the nomination.  Romney also won in Vermont, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Idaho while Santorum was victorious in North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.  Newt Gingrich won in Georgia, the state where he served in Congress and launched his political career, and the Alaska caucus takes two weeks to finish completely.

As the battle within the GOP waged on yesterday, there was another important news story that may have gotten lost during the frantic elections but was a big part of this Super Tuesday.  Joe Biden was in Honduras to meet with many Central American leaders, including Felipe Calderon, the president of Mexico who has a firsthand look at the violence and Cartel power due in large to America’s drug policy.  Calderon has already implied that the U.S. should consider a new approach as the violence in Mexico has escalated.  Mr. Biden may get an earful from the struggling countries in the Central America region as they are looking for desperate help from the U.S, help that does not even need to cost money except for the paper and ink the reformed laws would be written on.  Biden said on Monday that “there is no possibility” of the U.S. enacting legalization efforts.  He then followed up by saying it would be worth discussing, which of course only adds to the confusion as to what the U.S. is willing to do to solve the problem.

Although the political process in the United States can often leave a bitter taste in our mouths, keeping up with current discussions and issues is still necessary in order to have any chance at reform.  Besides Ron Paul (who appears to have little chance of securing the GOP nomination) every candidate including the president seems ready to battle with marijuana advocates and ignore the desperate need for economic and medical reform, all of which marijuana can provide.  We hope the community makes it a goal to focus on the next Super Tuesday in 2016, where marijuana reform should be front and center or hopefully it will be an issue we have already moved past.

http://youtu.be/EQwrB1vu74c

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Is Roseanne the brand new Marijuana Candidate for Leader?

roseanne barr

At marijuana.internet we attempt good to help keep visitors informed on political developments that may have an affect on patients/advocates.  Periodically we’ve provided updates on Leader Obama and also the GOP candidates competing for that nomination.  Names like Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Wealthy Santorum, and Ron Paul have been in existence the block several occasions.  Another title can also be within the race for leader which candidate certainly an experienced of media coverage, but a rookie regarding the political spectrum.

Last August, Roseanne Barr introduced on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno that they was planning to operate for leader from the U . s . States.  The storyline has acquired momentum in recent days as she announced she’d legalize marijuana.  To date it appears to become the focal problem of her campaign but she’s also layed out four other primary goals her presidency would aim to accomplish.  Ms. Barr is running underneath the Eco-friendly Party.  She’d also aim to eliminate corporate personhood, to “obliterate” the 2 party system, to institute “Economic Justice”, and also to buy foreign troops and employ the saved funds to assist fund a real single payer health care system for People in america.  Click this link for additional particulars on her behalf political platform.

Lots of people who visit the polls within the U . s . States are single problem voters.  Abortion, foreign wars, and health care have typically been single problems that have motivated voters to create their method to the polls.  With your a sizable consensus of People in america seeking marijuana reform and government investing cutbacks, can marijuana be a new and enormous single voter problem?  Conservatives and liberals are generally motivated by abortion laws and regulations.  Exactly the same could be stated about immigration reform too.  Even while Leader Obama and many running within the Republican primary have sprinted from talking about marijuana , the relaxation of the nation is participating in the conversation.

While marijuana reform might not have the ability to ring within the Roseanne Barr presidency, cannabis clearly has effectively fought its taboo status.  Much talked about people appear to possess increasingly more security in with extreme changes to marijuana laws and regulations.  Many experts feel Roseanne Barr is just attempting to use her public image to bring focus on the eco-friendly party.  Ms. Barr is anticipated to operate against Jill Stein but has formerly been an advocate of Stein.  Because of this many expect Roseanne Barr, ultimately get noticed to Jill Stein and also the Eco-friendly party, especially since obliterating the 2 party product is this type of high priority on her.  What’s obvious, however, is when Roseanne Barr truly wishes to create a serious run for leader, she will have to perform some repairing of her loyal image.  Take a look at Roseanne Barr Singing the nation’s anthem in 1990.

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