Download the NORML Daily Audio Stash for 2008-05-05

Es lunes, Cinco de mayo y es cuatro veinte en alguna parte en el mundo. Soy su anfitrión, “Radical” Russ Belville.

This weekend was the kickoff to the summer protestival season. I hope you all enjoyed your Global Marijuana March and took the opportunity to use your freedom of speech, freedom assembly, and freedom to petition your government. But that’s only the beginning, because ending adult marijuana prohibition starts with you. Call your Congress at 202-224-3121, and tell your representative to support Barney Frank’s HR5843 bill that would legalize marijuana for personal use.

For our Political Activism day today I’m bringing you my report from Portland, Oregon’s ninth annual Million Marijuana March, held in the center of downtown at Pioneer Courthouse Square. I’m also calling on all local activists to send me your audio, video, and pictures from your March, so we can share your experience with the global cannabis community.

We’ve got just a few news stories and your Weekly Legislative Roundup, then right after the news we’ll take a look at our Reformer’s Calendar.

Next I’ve got exclusive audio from our Portland event. Friday night we held a party for Oregon NORML’s Board of Directors, PonyBoy, Fuzzy, and SK from Los Marijuanos out of Las Vegas, DJ Selekta Lou from Sacramento, and Chief Greenbud who flew out from Nashville, Tennessee. I’ll take you inside NORML West Coast Media HQ for an impromptu interview. Then you’ll hear speeches from the event by our Executive Director Madeline Martinez, Board Member Melodie Silverwolf, and Co-Founder Anna Diaz.

For our musical break on this Blues Monday, Cannabis Karri brings us a bluesman from my neck of the woods, just south in Salem, Oregon. Mark Lemhouse performs “You Can’t Get That Stuff No More”, something I’m sure we’ve all said a time or two when searching for our favorite prohibited strain.

To conclude our Stash I’ve got an extra-special musical treat as Chief Greenbud joined us on the local cable access show I host in Portland called “A Cannabis Community Forum”. Chief performed two songs live for our show, and you’ll get to hear his parody of the Plain White T’s hit, “Hey There, Delilah” that he has re-written as “It’s Only a Weed”, a tragic tale of an average cannabis arrest, and an original number called “The Legalization Song”.

And remember, if you are a business or non-profit who’d like your message heard on the Daily Audio Stash or the NORML Weekly News, you can advertise with us. We have rates for every budget and a 10% discount for non-profits. You can target your message to the focused audience of enlightened cannabis consumers you’re looking for. With over 28,000 daily downloads and hundreds of thousands of embedded players on websites worldwide, advertising with NORML is the most effective way of reaching your potential customers. Just send us an email at stash ‘at’ norml.org and we’ll have you on the air in no time.

So sit back and relax with your favorite strain, it’s time for your NORML Daily Audio Stash.

Welcome to the Blue Monday music stash! A real blues man, MARK LEMHOUSE sings the blues on, “You Can’t Get that Stuff No More”. In our black/grey market of cannabis, this is a familiar song to many. I have sang the lament many times over the years. Lemhouse, an American Roots and Folk Blues artist has received national recognition as both an outstanding songwriter and performer. His songwriting style is showcased in the impressive guitar work and easy-going lyrical quality. Mark calls Salem, Oregon home. We can hope for a brighter tomorrow, post-prohibition world where you can get that stuff some more! Visit Mark’s website, he is very funny and you can hear more of his music.

Mark Lemhouse
“You Can’t Get that Stuff No More” (mp3)
from “Big Lonesome Radio”
(Yellow Dog Records)

More On This Album

Rep. William Lacy Clay is supporting a bill that would decriminalize small amounts of marijuana.

The Missouri Democrat has signed on as a co-sponsor of the measure to eliminate federal penalties for possessing up to 100 grams - or about 3.5 ounces - of marijuana for personal use.

The bill also would remove penalties for the not-for-profit transfer of up to one ounce of marijuana between adults.

Clay is only the third lawmaker to sign onto the bill introduced last month by Rep. Barney Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat.

Frank says prosecuting people for smoking marijuana is an unwise use of law enforcement resources.

Clay joins Ron Paul (R-TX) as a cosponsor.  I am thrilled to hear of a lawmaker in the Midwest who’s unafraid to stand up for marijuana decriminalization.

New centre will fight marijuana - National - smh.com.au
Cannabis use and addiction have become such a problem, particularly among the young, that the Federal Government is funding a $12 million research centre at the University of NSW to try to turn the trend around.

Cannabis is the most popular illicit drug in Australia, with 33.5 per cent of adults having used it, [The centre’s director] Professor [Jan] Copeland said.

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures from last year showed that 750,000 people used cannabis weekly and 300,000 used it every day.

The number of those seeking treatment had tripled since 1992, but many young people still did not understand the significant potential for harm to their health nor that there were treatment services available, Professor Copeland said.

She said about one in 10 people who tried cannabis would develop a dependence.

Those under 16 who had used it at all were three times more likely to either drop out of school or finish without attaining their Higher School Certificate, she said. Professor Copeland said those who began smoking cannabis in the 1970s were starting to develop respiratory, head and neck cancers.

A single cannabis joint has the same effect on the lungs as smoking up to five cigarettes in one sitting, according to research published in the respiratory medicine journal Thorax last year.

Nothing like starting the week out with a trifecta of drug war lies.

1. Yes, admissions for drug treatment, both in Australia and the US and elsewhere, have increased since 1992.  This is because courts are increasingly sentencing people to drug rehab when they’re caught with marijuana.  Imagine if they sent to rehab people who are ever found to be buzzed on alcohol - would there be a mass media frenzy about the incredible increase in alcoholism?  Of course not, because not all use is abuse.  If you factor out those forced into marijuana rehab, you find the number of pot smokers choosing to enter rehab is quite small.
2. People who have smoked pot in the 1970’s may indeed be getting head and neck cancers some three decades later, but you can’t attribute that to the pot.  Recent studies have concluded that smoking marijuana, even heavily, does not increase the risks of these cancers.
3. The “one joint = 5 / 10 / 20 cigarettes” myth has been debunked as well.  Marijuana does not cause emphysema and marijuana smokers show much better respiratory function than tobacco smokers.

New York Benefit to Celebrate Recent Medical Marijuana Successes : NewsLI.com - Long Island News, News Long Island

(Long Island, N.Y.) On Wednesday, May 14, 2008 the Marijuana Policy Project (www.MPP.org) will host a spring soiree, a night of comedy and music to benefit MPP’s efforts to protect seriously ill New Yorkers from arrest and jail if they use medical marijuana with their doctor’s recommendation. Patient advocate Joel Peacock will be honored and Sony/BMG recording artist Nicole Atkins & The Sea and other special guests will perform. All funds raised will be used to pass a bill to make New York the 13th medical marijuana state in the country.

The Host Committee for the event and those attending include: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart’s Lewis Black, Political Pundit Tucker Carlson, Tony Award Winner Savion Glover, MTV News’ Kurt Loder, Musician Michelle Phillips, ABC’s John Stossel from 20/20, Talk Show Host Montel Williams and more.

Last year - - for the first time ever - - the New York Assembly passed a medical marijuana bill - by a 95-52 vote, sending the bill over to the Senate.

Before his resignation, Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) expressed his openness to signing medical marijuana legislation, and the new Gov. Paterson seems likely to be a supporter as well, so all eyes are now focused on the Republican-controlled Senate, where Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno is supportive of allowing medical marijuana, but has not brought the issue to a vote.

With the Republicans facing a tough election this November, when they could very well lose control of the Senate, we’re hoping they’ll pay attention to the public opinion polling that indicates 76% of New York voters -and even 55% of Conservative Party voters in the state –support legal protection for medical marijuana patients.

The MPP benefit will take place at the Highline Ballroom, 431 W 16th Street between 9th and 10th Aves. (212) 414-5994. Tickets for $250 in advance- $300 at the door (most of your contribution is tax-deductible) are available at (202) 462-5747 Ext. 104 or www.mpp.org/highline

Just catching up on some of the reports from the March this weekend:

Close to 500 protesters took to the streets [of Calgary, Alberta, Canada] Saturday in favour of marijuana’s medicinal use and making it more accessible to those suffering debilitating pain.

Amid the incense aromas and reggae beats, several hundred Austinites rallied at the Capitol on Saturday for the legalization of marijuana for personal and medical use.

Rolling out at high noon May 3, the Ninth Annual Million Marijuana March smoked through downtown Portland as part of Oregon NORML’s protest of pot prohibition and to support the use of medicinal marijuana through Oregon’s sometimes controversial Medical Marijuana Act.

“These guys are easy compared to the anarchists,” said Sgt. Voepel of the Portland Police Department, “they’re on time, and they’re orderly.”

According to the Sarge, the only rabble rousers during the march were two drunkards who were pestering people but were unconnected to the peaceful pro-pot gatherers. No pot smokers were spotted.

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