April 25th, 2008 by Peter Bonginelli
filed under: Medical Marijuana, News
No Comments
Source: Bay Area Reporter
Washington, D.C. — Two bills introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives last week would put a serious dent into federal prosecution of medical use of marijuana and offer protection to patients who use it.
Representative Barney Frank (D-Massachusetts) is a leader on both measures, which were introduced April 17. The Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act (HR 5842) would reschedule marijuana a from a Schedule I to a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act. The change would allow physicians to recommend use of marijuana under conditions set by state law.
The other bill, the Act to Remove Federal Penalties for the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults (HR 5843) would eliminate federal penalties for the possession of small amounts (up to 100 grams) or not-for-profit transfer of small amounts (up to one ounce, 28.3 grams) of marijuana. It would create a civil penalty of $100 for the public use of marijuana.
→ continue reading
April 24th, 2008 by Peter Bonginelli
filed under: Pictures
No Comments
April 23rd, 2008 by Peter Bonginelli
filed under: Medical Marijuana, News
No Comments
MA – Lyle Craker, Professor of Plant Science at UMass Amherst may be taking the Drug Enforecement Agency (DEA) to court after they denied his appeal to grow marijuana for medinal purposes.
Craker submitted his request in 2001, and was first rejected by the DEA in 2006. The DEA Chief Administrator initially ruled against issuing the license, only for a separate DEA judge to rule in favor. The final verdict will not be decided for another 18 months, however Craker plans to take the DEA to court in the event that they deny his license again.
“If the DEA administrator denies this, then we can go to court outside the DEA and then the DEA has to follow the court ruling,” he said. “The court makes their own decisions, so I don’t know if I’ll be denied. Who knows, this is ultimately a political decision.”
The DEA has repeatedly blocked attempts by scientists and researchers to grow marijuana in order to study its potential medical properties. A medical researcher was quoted as saying, “It is almost like the government is censoring our research at this point.” Even the second biggest medical association in the United States, the American College of Physicians, released a statement this year asking that more research be done on medical marijuana.
Craker adamantly believes that ill patients have a right to medicine that could potentially help them, and that clinical trials need to be done on that medication. “Have there ever been any clinical trials that actually demonstrate this [the claim that marijuana inhibits vomiting and is of medicinal value] better than a placebo? The answer is no, so that’s why you have to do research on it,” Craker said. “If clinical trials show there is no difference [in using marijuana for medical purposes] than giving somebody sugar water, then go ahead and keep it illegal.”
April 23rd, 2008 by Peter Bonginelli
filed under: Uncategorized
No Comments
After several days enjoying the 4/20 holiday I am back and ready to continue development on Chronic Corner. As always, we welcome your posts for the main website and participation in the forums as a way to further the cause for legal marijuana. I hope you all had a good holiday and be sure to let us know of any good times over in the forums!
Chronic Corner has been steadily growing over the past two months as has our movement to legalize marijuana as a whole. Remember to send a letter to your representative and stay active!
-Peter Bonginelli
April 10th, 2008 by Peter Bonginelli
filed under: News
No Comments
Mark Emery, the Prince of Pot, and his two colleagues will face an extradition hearing starting later this year in the B.C. Supreme Court. The charges stem from American drug-trafficking and money-laundering regarding Mr. Emery’s cannabis seed shop.
Mark Emery is a long time legal marijuana activist and even has his own pro-marijuana magazine, Cannabis Culture. Mr. Emery runs several websites, including Pot Tv and his own seed bank, which is what ultimately led to his arrest. According to the Vancouver Sun “Though he and his associates had not ventured south of the border, Emery was the target of federal U.S. anti-drug crusaders because of his decade-long campaign to end the criminal prohibition against cannabis in North America.
”Emery was convicted in Canada of selling cannabis seeds in 1998, however he continued to sell seeds until his arrest in 2005 and paid over $600,000 in provincial and federal taxes as “a marijuana seed vendor”. Emery has also fought for legal marijuana at the federal, provincial and civil levels for years.
April 9th, 2008 by Peter Bonginelli
filed under: Medical Marijuana, News
1 Comment
Rhode Island became the eleventh state to adopt legal medical marijuana in 2006, however it still remains illegal under federal law. This week Rhode Island lawmakers will hear a proposal that would expand that legislation, allowing nonprofit businesses to dispense medical marijuana to licensed patients. “Compassion Centers,” as they would be called, would be allowed to dispense up to 2.5 ounces of the drug every 15 days to a patient or their caregiver.
The major flaw Rhode Island’s current medical marijuana law faces is that it never specifies where a patient can obtain the drug, as it still remains illegal to sell marijuana in Rhode Island. This legislation aims to fix that, providing a safe and reliable source of the drug, and cutting out the need to meet with violent drug dealers.
Loading ...
