Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 10:12 am | By: Radical Russ
Advocates of reforming marijuana laws will convene in Columbia Nov. 7, according to a news release from organizers Dan Viets and Sean Randall.
The conference of Missouri NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) seeks to educate attendees about the negative effects of marijuana prohibition and to increase public awareness and support of medical marijuana legislation in Missouri, the news release said.
Rep. Kate Meniners of Kansas City will introduce The Missouri Medical Marijuana Bill in the upcoming legislative session, the release said. If approved, it would protect patients from criminal arrest and prosecution who use medical marijuana with recommendations of their physician, the news release said.
Presentations throughout the day will address a variety of topics, including community organizing, firsthand stories of people using marijuana for medical purposes. Paul Armentano, deputy director of national NORML, will be the keynote speaker. He will speak about the safety and effectiveness of medical marijuana in comparison to other prescription and over-the-counter medications at 6 p.m.
The conference takes place at the Ellis Library Auditorium on the University of Missouri campus. It is free and open to the public. For more information, including a schedule, go to www.joplin-norml.org.
NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano has sent a follow-up letter to Assemblyman Ammiano that challenges the more egregious allegations from our opponents (like Scott Kirkland’s “18% to 24%” THC average claim) with all the hyperlinky academic study goodness we have come to expect from Paul.
Thank you so much for holding yesterday’s hearing, “Examining the Fiscal and Legal Implication of the Legalization and Regulation of Marijuana.” This is just the sort of comprehensive, civil, and intellectual debate that is needed if we are to move marijuana policy forward in California.
Over the course of yesterday’s nearly three hours of testimony there were several questions and allegations raised by both witnesses and members of the Committee. I have noted several of them below and have tried my best to provide accurate responses to them. Please note that I’d be happy to make background materials re: all of these issues available to your office upon request. More comprehensive replies to several of these issues are also available in my book Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink? (Chelsea Green, 2009) — a copy of which was handed to you at the conclusion of the hearing.
Monday, October 12th, 2009 at 5:43 pm | By: Radical Russ
I’m editing and compressing audio from our NORML National Conference last month in San Francisco as fast as I can. Here are five items from the conference that are already up at the Special Events feed at http://www.norml.org/rss/normlevents_podcast.xml
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Thursday, September 24th, 2009 at 11:12 am | By: Radical Russ
Paul points out that marijuana has no LD-50 rating. LD-50 means the dose at which 50% of the people taking it will die. Paul tells us that alcohol, aspirin, and even water has an LD-50 rating. His point is that while people think marijuana is OK or safe, they have no idea how uniquely safe it is.
Paul relates the story of Cathy Jordan, diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), given three years to live in 1986. She only uses marijuana now and is still alive, the world record longest surviving ALS patient. So does medical science admit cannabis may help ALS? No, they think they may have misdiagnosed her in 1986. Typical.
Now he’s pointing out how THC programs cancer cells to kill themselves without killing the healthy cells. Why won’t science start testing THC therapy on human cancer patients, when they know so much about what it does to rats?
Saturday, September 5th, 2009 at 2:56 pm | By: Radical Russ
Show 001: Steve Fox (MPP), Mason Tvert (SAFER), & Paul Armentano (NORML) discuss "Marijuana is Safer" book; NORML Exec. Dir. Allen St. Pierre; MMA Fighter Toby "Tigerheart" Grear
I am thrilled to be hosting our debut show tonight at 6pm PT / 9pm ET. I hope you all make it a regular Saturday night ritual.
You can listen to the show live three ways (and no, regular terrestrial or satellite radio is not one of those ways… yet):
Point your web browser to http://live.norml.org and follow the links to Show 001. (Or use the link on the powder-blue BlogTalkRadio player you see there on the right…)
Point your mobile phone’s browser to http://m.blogtalkradio.com/norml. Click the link at the bottom of the page for Shows and Blogs. Click the link for Show 001. (I’m not completely sure the live show will play this way; it may only allow you to see the blog and comments. If so, try…)
Call 347-994-1810 on your mobile phone. (”347″ is a New York area code, so long distance charges, if any, would apply. Probably only an option if you’ve got unlimited minutes and free domestic long distance.)
The show will also be archived about one hour following the live broadcast. You’ll be able to hear it all week on the embedded player to the right or by subscribing to it as a podcast on iTunes.
In our 2nd hour, mixed-martial arts champion Toby “Tigerheart” Grear of True Warrior Fitness discusses being banned from fighting professionally in California because of positive tests for his legal medical marijuana.
We’re also taking your calls at the bottom of each hour. Dial 347-994-1810 to listen in on your phone and press 1 at any time if you’d like to speak to the host or guests. Your call will be screened and we remind you to have a question ready, keep it short and to the point, and avoid profanity (we’re not FCC regulated on the net, but if we want to take this to terrestrial radio, we need to act like it.)
Friday, September 4th, 2009 at 3:36 pm | By: Radical Russ
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 3 /PRNewswire/ — San Diego DUI lawyer Lawrence Taylor claims that California DUI laws should not be applied to marijuana usage. Unlike alcohol and many drugs, he says, marijuana probably does not impair driving.
On the one hand, the California Department of Justice has found that marijuana impairs psychomotor abilities that are functionally related to driving, particularly at high-dose levels or among inexperienced users. (”Marijuana and Alcohol: A Driver Performance Study,” California Office of Traffic Safety Project No. 087902)
However, the San Diego DUI defense attorney points out, two federal studies contradict this.
In one, the U.S. Department of Transportation conducted DUI research with a fully interactive simulator on the effects of alcohol and marijuana, alone and in combination, on driver-controlled behavior and performance. Although alcohol was found consistently and significantly to cause impairment, marijuana had only an occasional effect.
Accidents and speeding tickets reliably increased with alcohol, but no marijuana or combined alcohol-marijuana influence was noted. (”The Effects of Alcohol on Driver-Controlled Behavior in a Driving Simulator, Phase I”(DOT-HS-806-414).)
Taylor, who heads a large firm of DUI attorneys with offices in Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, Riverside and San Francisco, points to another more recent report. Entitled “Marijuana and Actual Performance” (DOT-HS-808-078), it also found that “THC is not a profoundly impairing drug….It apparently affects controlled information processing in a variety of laboratory tests, but not to the extent which is beyond the individual’s ability to control when he is motivated and permitted to do so in driving.”
The researchers found that it “appears not possible to conclude anything about a driver’s impairment on the basis of his/her plasma concentrations of THC and THC-COOH determined in a single sample.”
Sounds like a “whoo-hoo!” moment, huh? Well, not so fast. NORML’s Principles of Responsible Use states “The responsible cannabis consumer does not operate a motor vehicle or other dangerous machinery while impaired by cannabis.”
The $64,000 question*, then, is “what defines impaired?” I can tell you that one puff off a vape bag full of Oregon’s finest will severely impair your average Kansas ditchweed smoker, while that same puff for a 5g/day Oregon patient won’t even break his concentration from completing the New York Times crossword.
The same phenomenon exists for alcohol; the alcoholic can seem perfectly capable with as many drinks under his belt as would knock out your average sorority sister. But as a society, we decided that there should be an absolute measurable physical limit – .08 blood alcohol content – that defines impairment per se, that is, if you’re over .08 you’re too impaired even if you’re not really too impaired.
As always when there is a story about cannabis drug testing and driving, I called on NORML’s Deputy Director, Paul Armentano. Here’s what he had to say:
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Thursday, August 20th, 2009 at 8:42 am | By: Radical Russ
[UPDATE 1:01am ET: Climbed to #14... Glenn Beck's at #10... C'mon, Stashers, only two hours left on the Pacific clock! We gotta dislodge the Beckhole from the Top Ten!]
[UPDATE 12:12pm ET: Up to #16 and it still says "1 day in Top 100", so maybe it goes by Pacific Time and not Eastern.]
[UPDATE 11:45pm ET: Still at #17, but the price has dropped to $8.97. Last chance to hit the bomb!]
[UPDATE 11:00pm ET: #17!!! One hour to go... can we make the Top 15 at least?
[UPDATE 9:36pm ET: #20!!! We did it! Now keep pushing, West Coast, and let's aim for the Top Ten!]
[UPDATE 7:00pm ET: #22!...All right, West Coast, I'm calling you out to push it into the top 20!]
[UPDATE 6:02pm ET: #26... keep pushing to the Top Twenty!]
[UPDATE 5:15pm ET: #28 with a bullet!]
[UPDATE 4:20pm ET: #32 at 4:20]
[UPDATE 3:17pm ET: #38... I'm hoping Stashers getting off work on the East Coast will help push this into the Top Twenty. West Coasters, when you get off work at 5pm, there will only be four hours left on the East Coast for the bomb, so buy early, buy often!]
[UPDATE 2:09pm ET: #47... keep on buying!]
[UPDATE 1:36pm ET: Up to #76 and rising!]
[UPDATE 12:42pm ET: The bomb is working! "Marijuana is Safer" has risen from the #12,000's yesterday to above #200 already! Make it happen! Buy today!]
NORML’s Paul Armentano is the co-author of a remarkable new book, “Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?”. It is available through Amazon.com and today, 8/20, is the Marijuana Book Bomb promotion.
The idea is to drive up Amazon’s sales rankings (they measure daily) to make a book about marijuana law reform #1 on the charts for the first time ever. It is available today for 32% off the list price (only $10.17). If you don’t think marijuana is safer, this book will convince you. If you do think marijuana is safer, this book will provide the knowledge needed to make that case to others. It is one of my favorite marijuana books ever and I don’t just say that as a colleague of Paul’s – I read a lot of these books and this is one of the best-written most-informative easy-reads in the set.
Track Snack: Mornin Stashers! Tokin on the Mean Green Martian for breakfast.
MrSpof: Maybe Dr Mitch could comment on the efficacy of reasonable amount of weed like that consumed (smoked) quickly mitigating migraine effects. I know the lowering of blood pressure would be [...]
MrSpof: Had the onset of a migraine yesterday. Immediately took 8 , moist cool washcloth on eyes, heating pad on neck and upper back, turned off lights. Migraine gone in [...]
MrSpof: As you personal non-accredited doctor, I advise the rest of you to smoke/vape/eat heavily
slash5city: frickazee'd.... Mr. Spof, thank you very much
MrSpof: Risen and roasted How the hell are you?
RevRayGreen: always Fidget......always.
Adam: Maybe in WA, judges are starting to think about the true cost of a Drug charge...
Adam: Tim Lincecum, pitcher for the San Francisco Giants will pea to a paraphernalia charge/ Possession charges DROPPED
Adam: Add some cottage cheese to your pancake batter, replace the maple with a fruit syrup! f-ing killer, YES I was stoned...
Fidget Truittelli: Good morning from beautiful Arizona! I hope you all have a happy, fun day. Remember to 'pay-it' forward. Do something nice for someone.
BenJaMin: Go NORML!!!
BenJaMin: Russ Is Tha BEst! :smokin:
SneakerPimp: oh there it is thanx russ
SneakerPimp: so whats up with today stash?
RevRayGreen: Barney Frank Present When Partner Arrested for pot-- http://bit.ly/1XpM2R
RevRayGreen: KMK 11/17/09 VAL AIR ballroom DSM
bullbog: that's crazy. I had a NORML black t-shirt on. It was hell of a show
RevRayGreen: dude I was probably 4-5 seats from you then
bullbog: 4th row center. I wish I was closer.
RevRayGreen: were in in the orchestra pit 4th row? or 4th row center, that's where I was bu slightly to the right
RevRayGreen: our show ______v'''''''
RevRayGreen: catch our chow tomorrow online Carl'sCannabis Corner
www.macswordlive.com 12-2 PM you can go there now and find archived shows
bullbog: revraygreen after looking at your pic from last nite. I'm pretty sure I seen you. I regonize you from the march in May
Just Legalize It: nothing really cool dealing with marijuana happens in massachusetts.... it sucks.... other than the boston freedom rally... but one thing a year isnt enough! i want to move to [...]
"Truth In Trials Act" Reintroduced In Congress; Maine: Voters Approve Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Measure; Colorado: Breckenridge Voters Overwhelmingly Decide To End Pot Penalties. […]
Maine: Voters To Decide Next Week On Medical Marijuana Expansion Measure; Colorado: Breckenridge Voters To Decide Next Week On Eliminating Pot Penalties; California: Lawmakers Hold Historic Hearing On Marijuana Legalization; New Hampshire: Senate Fails To Override Medical Marijuana Veto. […]
Gallup: Majority Of West Coast Voters Back Marijuana Legalization; Pot Arrests Responsible For Majority Of Marijuana Treatment Referrals; DOJ To Federal Prosecutors: Do Not Focus Resources On Medical Marijuana. […]
Some of the nation’s top athletes discuss why today's pros are turning to cannabis — and away from alcohol and painkillers — off the field, and question why pro sports leagues are continuing to sanction those who do. Moderator: Steve Bloom, Author, Pot Culture; editor, celebstoner.com * Toby Grear, MMA fighter * Sean Neumann, Documentary Filmm […]
Cannabis Law Reform's Missing Link: Law Enforcement Former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper; LEAP and NORML Advisory Board; Author of Breaking Rank Putting the Mexican Cartels Out of Business Mexican drug cartels now employ over 100,000 soldiers and are responsible for nearly ten thousand deaths per year. Their largest source of income is marijuana. […]
Missouri NORML Conference this Saturday, Nov. 7
frickazee'd.... Mr. Spof, thank you very much
and roasted 
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