Saturday, 31 May 2014
One Direction have nothing on my experiments with pot
My own marijuana memories were sparked by the One Direction story. Photograph: Jockmans/Rex Features
DRUG SHAME OF SQUEAKY-CLEAN BOY BAND seemed a very dramatic headline for a story about two members of One Direction passing a roll-up around a car.
First, there’s no proof that the boys were smoking dope. Audio footage of them saying: “Joint lit. Happy days!” and speculating that a passing policeman could “smell an illegal substance” might just mean they were messing around and role-playing while smoking an ordinary cigarette.
Or, given that they were obviously aware of being filmed, maybe they were making a joky Spinal Tap style sequence for some future purpose; I would love that to be the case.
But even if they were smoking marijuana, I don’t think that qualifies as “drug shame”. Dope is far too respectable these days. Consider the list of people who have discussed their own use of it: Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, George Soros, Michael Bloomberg, Alastair Darling, Harriet Harman, David Willetts, Francis Maude… George Bush and Sarah Palin have smoked dope, for heavens’ sake! Norman Lamont’s had space cake!
(I appreciate that last line sounded like a joke. It isn’t. Lamont has openly talked about gobbling space cake. One wonders how Vic Reeves or Viz could really continue after that.)
The moral is: nothing that happened in that car is any barrier to Zayn Malik becoming chancellor of the exchequer. And frankly, given the state of the economy, he might as well give it a go.
Cannabis seems so popular among MPs that the headline DRUG SHAME OF SQUEAKY-CLEAN BOY BAND may actually have been intended to imply the embarrassment of One Direction (a cool bunch of youngsters with 19m Twitter followers) being caught doing something so ineffably square. Given that it appeared in the Daily Mail I suppose it probably wasn’t, but you’d have to try a lot harder if you wanted to find a link between Francis Maude and Sid Vicious.
I was quite charmed by the possibility that today’s young pop stars might smoke pot, what with their Vans, Snapchats, Instagrams and 8s instead of letters. Beneath it all, the spirit of Woody Guthrie lives on!
Certainly, the whiff of weed does not prevent One Direction from being “squeaky-clean” or, indeed, downright nerdy. Yes: I’m thinking about my own years of DRUG SHAME. Feel free to scan the following list of my marijuana memories, and judge for yourself how rock’n'roll it is …
1987
I am keen to kiss a boy. No boy in particular; anyone will do. Everyone at school is “getting off with people” and I feel like a weirdo because I never have. I go to a party and smoke a joint to get my courage up. A boy asks if I’d like to go for a walk. Suddenly gripped by paranoia, certain that an attempted rape is on the cards, I run to an upstairs bedroom, lock the door and do not come out until morning.
1988
I am determined to be accepted by the cool crowd at school. This is a challenge, as I am fat, good at maths and have a column in the Daily Telegraph. But I relish a challenge. I acquire “a quarter of black”, take it to a party and pretend to be a drug dealer. I smoke copious amounts to demonstrate my expertise. Soon, I find I am hallucinating. I remember that, as a birthday present for my father, I have sponsored an animal at London Zoo: a pelican. I start wondering if the pelican will one day discover it’s adopted and turn against me. I become terrified. I lie on the floor screaming: “The beak! The beak!” This is not as cool as I’d hoped to be. For years afterwards, whenever I tell this story, I claim I had dropped acid. The truth is just too lame.
1991
I am at the Edinburgh Fringe, performing in a comedy show. It’s an eye-opening month. These people have the decadence of ancient Rome, if not the noses. One night, a fellow fringe performer invites me to help make “hash brownies”. We improvise the recipe and it comes out as a liquid that we eat with a spoon, like soup. I become hysterical with laughter, although a few of his jokes soon put a stop to that. I snooze for a while and wake up to discover he’s put on a porn film. The plot involves a robot trying to control the world by means of sex. Despite this, my host is aroused. I immediately vomit and leave. Sometimes I wonder if the poor man has ever been aroused since.
2001
I am in Amsterdam with my friend Charlie (not a euphemism). We go to a coffee shop and smoke fully legal spliffs. Then we go absolutely crazy, by which I mean: we play cribbage for seven hours.
2004
I’ve been in Amsterdam again, this time for the Master Classics of Poker. Walking through customs at Waterloo International, I notice a little group of spaniels on the forecourt. How sweet, I think. Suddenly, all five spaniels hurl themselves against my suitcase. The policemen on the other end of the spaniels ask me to accompany them into a side room. In my suitcase, they discover two cannabis joints forgotten in a pocket. The policemen confiscate the joints and tell me to go home. I say: “Are you going to keep those for your Christmas party?”, and one of the policemen says: “Probably.”
2014
I read that two members of One Direction have been seen sharing a roll-up that may or may not have contained marijuana and I think: the nation’s youth are probably still safe in their hands.
victoriacoren.com
One Direction have nothing on my experiments with pot
Marijuana Stocks and Why Investors Can't Profit From Colorado's Pot Boom
In this episode of The Motley Fool’s Where The Money Is health care analysts David Williamson and Michael Douglass discuss what is trending in recent tweets. One tweet reads:
Legal pot created thousands of jobs in Colorado, and higher revenues could lead to more: http://t.co/aWPghH6Mmj. pic.twitter.com/0CoXvp7J67
— German Lopez (@germanrlopez) May 20, 2014
Watch as they discuss the current state of Marijuana stocks, including Advanced Cannabis Solutions (Nasdaq: CANN) and GW Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: GWPH), and why investors should continue watching from the sidelines for now.
Will this stock be your next multi-bagger?
Give us five minutes and we’ll show how you could own the best stock for 2014. Every year, The Motley Fool’s chief investment officer hand-picks one stock with outstanding potential. But it’s not just any run-of-the-mill company. It’s a stock perfectly positioned to cash in on one of the upcoming year’s most lucrative trends. Last year his pick skyrocketed 134%. And previous top picks have gained upwards of 908%, 1,252% and 1,303% over the subsequent years! Believe me, you don’t want to miss what could be his biggest winner yet! Just click here to download your free copy of “The Motley Fool’s Top Stock for 2014″ today.
Marijuana Stocks and Why Investors Can't Profit From Colorado's Pot Boom
How Dangerous Synthetic Cannabis Became Britain's Most Popular New Legal High
The influx of legal, synthetic forms of cannabis that can be more potent and dangerous than the natural, illegal drug exposes Britain’s “utterly ridiculous” cannabis laws, it has been claimed.
Damaging new synthetic forms of the drug accounted for nearly a quarter of all new legal highs identified in Europe in 2013.
Last year, 29 new forms of “synthetic cannabinoids” were identified, out of 81 total new substances.
In 2012, 30 new forms of it were identified out of a total of 73 new legal highs.
Synthetic forms of cannabis account for a sizeable fraction of new legal highs identified each year
The synthetic drugs can be more potent than their natural counterpart, as well as being mixed with chemicals that cause side effects.
In one case earlier this month, two teenagers were admitted to hospital after taking synthetic cannabis.
Steve Rolles, senior policy analyst at the charity Transform that campaigns for drug law reform, told The Huffington Post UK that having a more dangerous, legal version of the drug meant Britain’s drug policy was “the worst of all worlds”.
He told The Huffington Post UK: “Synthetic cannabis might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back in terms of cannabis reform.
“We currently have an unbelievably stupid situation where people can buy fake cannabis that’s more dangerous. It’s utterly ridiculous.
“It’s absolutely the worst of all worlds.”
Synthetic cannabinoids are usually powders, many of which are manufactured in China and shipped to Britain in bulk. Once in Europe, the chemicals are typically mixed with or sprayed onto herbs.
They mimic the effect of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, which gets people high.
Frank, the drug advice service, has said its most common risks are “an increase in heart rate, feeling on edge or restless, feeling tried or drowsy, feeling sick, being sick and hallucinations”.
One synthetic cannibinoid, AM2201, can cause “panic attacks and convulsions”.
Frank has also warned synthetic cannibinoids could have unknown side effects because the substances it contains are new.
Rolles told The Huffington Post UK that they can be more dangerous because they cannot be labelled to tell people how to take them safely or advise on dosage, as the law forbids their sale “for human consumption”.
Because they are often more potent, people using them can overestimate the dose they should take to get high, Rolles said, adding this often meant people can ended up having a “terrible time” and have to go to hospital having taken too much.
He said: “A lot of the people don’t know what they’re taking or they don’t know it can be more potent or dangerous.”
NEW ZEALAND
Earlier this month, two teens were hospitalised in New Zealand after taking synthetic cannabis drug Illusion.
The pair, aged 13 and 14, were “in a moderate position” and suffering from dizziness, TV station One News reported.
New Zealand has just banned the sale of synthetic cannabis. The country’s Department of Health said it expected up to 200 people to suffer withdrawal symptoms and require treatment.
Before the ban came into affect on May 1, many synthetic cannabis users stocked up on the stuff.
“I think I’ll just stock up to be honest,” one woman who uses them told 3 News. “I don’t want to go back to marijuana.”
Transform has said these drugs “form a key part” of the legal high market in the UK.
In its recent report, How To Regulate Cannabis, Transform said: “The synthetic cannabinoid market is fueled by cannabis prohibition, and will largely disappear when it ends, as most users report a preference for ‘real‘ cannabis over synthetic alternatives.”
The charity said “relatively little” is known about synthetic cannabinoids and the products that contain them.
Synthetic cannabis can be more potent and dangerous than the natural, illegal alternative
Rolles said it was difficult to know for certain how prevalent the use of them in the UK it was, because of the variety of products used to contain them and the fact they are not expressly sold for people to take.
He said the best available data was the annual Global Drugs Survey – the most recent showed British people take the most legal highs of any of the countries that took part, with 12% of people admitting to taking them in the last year.
Rolles told HuffPost UK most cannabis users preferred the natural drug to the synthetic alternative.
He added the relaxed drug laws of the Netherlands meant there was no market for synthetic cannabis there, which demonstrated people would buy the plant if they could.
He said: “The place where there’s no market for this stuff is the Netherlands. It’s prohibition that creates the demand for these products – not the people who buy this shit.”
How Dangerous Synthetic Cannabis Became Britain's Most Popular New Legal High
Medical marijuana's chicken or egg problem
It’s an existential question that went overlooked in state regulations: criminal laws — both federal and state — prohibit possession of marijuana.
So where can the four companies licensed to grow medical marijuana in Connecticut get the first plants or seeds they need to start cultivating their crops?
Wisely, perhaps, they have declined to say.
The first-crop dilemma is a “big, nebulous space,” said Ethan Ruby, of Theraplant, which is preparing a grow facility in Watertown.
“What we’ve done with our genetics and how we grow and what we do with the medicine is proprietary,” Ruby said. “But I am 100 percent absolutely not bringing in any plants of any type into our facility. I don’t want to do anything illegal or potentially jeopardizing our license.”
David Lipton, of Advanced Grow Labs of West Haven, dismissed the question, calling it a trade secret.
But there’s some relief knowing that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has declared they won’t be targeted. And Connecticut’s rather strict regulations provide further comfort, because the so-called first-seed issue, which was a contentious part of the legislative debate for years before medical cannabis was finally approved in 2012, is not addressed at all.
“We’re not enforcing federal law,” said William M. Rubenstein, commissioner of the state Department of Consumer Protection, which drafted the regulations and who has adopted a don’t-ask, don’t-tell attitude. When asked how growers will start their inventories, Rubenstein said “To be blunt, there are plants already in the state.”
Chris Walsh, managing editor of the Rhode Island-based CannaBusiness Media, which includes the Medical Marijuana Business Daily, said the dynamics of how legal growers actually obtain seeds or starter plants is conveniently ignored around the country.
“One of those issues that’s kind of not talked about is how you start the first crop,” Walsh said last week. “Often, laws don’t address that, and local officials look the other way. Marijuana is pretty prevalent in most communities.”
Growers can obtain seeds from other states and bring them into Connecticut illegally as well, Walsh said.
“There are so many ways to get started and obtain cannabis, with the assumption that law enforcement will look other way,” Walsh said. “Anyone who’s getting into the marijuana business on the cultivation side knows how to grow it and probably has been growing it in some fashion. It’s an existential debate on getting started. We haven’t seen local officials trying to track the arrival of seed or plants.”
kdixon@ctpost.com; 860-549-4670; twitter.com/KenDixonCT; facebook.com/kendixonct.hearst; blog.ctnews.com/dixon
Medical marijuana's chicken or egg problem
Colorado marijuana laws raise workplace issues
Medical marijuana patients who legally use pot on their own time away from the workplace but lose their job when they fail a drug test shouldn’t surrender without a fight, according to an attorney on that legal frontier.
Kimberlie Ryan, a Denver attorney who specializes in employment law, said too many people in that situation figure they have no right to challenge dismissal because Colorado is an at-will employment state. They figure their employer has a right to fire them with no questions asked.
That’s not the case, she said this week during a presentation at the 2014 Aspen Legal Seminar held by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. The organization holds an annual seminar in Aspen. This year’s event attracted about 125 attorneys and other interested parties, according to organizers. Ryan was one of the featured speakers Thursday at The Gant conference room.
Ryan said an increasing number of employers are realizing it’s a shaky legal position to fire employees for using medical marijuana off the job, she claimed. In cases she has handled, the employers tend to settle the cases rather than expose their employment policies in a court fight, she said.
“Don’t let people believe they don’t have rights,” Ryan said.
There is a misperception that employees have no rights concerning medical marijuana use outside the workplace because of some court rulings, she said. But those rulings are on narrow points of law that might not carry over to other cases, Ryan said. They have been inaccurately reported, she claimed.
The rights of medical marijuana patients in the workplace are expected to grow into a bigger legal dilemma now that 21 states have joined Colorado in approving that type of pot use. Ryan said she expanded her practice into the rights of medical marijuana patients seven years ago when a friend who was using marijuana to treat MS got fired from her job. The number of cases in Colorado exploded about five years ago, she said.
In one case that she cited, a 23-year-old man was on medical leave from his job at a warehouse to treat testicular cancer. He used medical marijuana as part of his treatment but stopped using it prior to returning to work. He was tested for drugs and failed because remnants of his pot use remained in his system, according to Ryan.
Another case involved a “grandma” who regularly found work through a placement agency and eventually was offered a permanent position. She accepted but decided she should tell them she was a lawful medical marijuana user who treated a longtime ailment. She was fired on the spot, according to Ryan.
Ryan said she has negotiated hundreds of thousands of dollars in out-of-court settlements for clients such as those.
It is unfair to portray all companies as looking for a way to terminate medical marijuana users, Ryan said. Many are grappling to balance rights of medical marijuana users with drug-free-workplace rules.
“We have companies that are trying to figure out what they’re going to do with their drug policies now,” she said.
On the other hand, Ryan suspects some employers are targeting employees who possess medical marijuana cards with allegedly random tests so that they can terminate them.
Amendment 20 of the Colorado Constitution, approved by voters in 2000, allows medical marijuana use.
“It’s very clear that employers can prohibit use at work,” Ryan said.
Some employers have tried to stretch their powers into restricting medical marijuana use off-site. Ryan challenges that interpretation.
She also contends that employers confuse a positive test result with use on the job without justification. The presence of THC in a drug test sample shouldn’t be equated with impairment, she said, because it could be showing up as the result of legal use outside the workplace.
While her cases have been settled out of court thus far, another one has worked its way up to the Colorado Supreme Court. Coates v. Dish Network will test her assertion that medical marijuana patients can use the drug outside work without facing termination if they fail a drug test. She is among some attorneys who have filed a brief to join that case.
“I totally think we’re going to win,” Ryan said. “If not, hopefully the next time.”
Until the law is clear, she believes that many medical marijuana patients who are selected to take a workplace drug test — and know they’re going to fail — should refuse to take the test. It would be better to challenge termination over insubordination than with a failed drug test at this time, she said.
Ryan contends that drug testing is illegal and that court challenges will continue to chip away at the practice. Many people believe she is looking at the issue with “rose-colored glasses,” she acknowledged, but she insists workplace drug testing will eventually meet its demise.
“In Colorado, there’s no statute that gives them the right to drug test,” she said.
Ryan said there have been no court decisions in Colorado that she is aware of that involve personal use or adult use of marijuana. (She avoids the term “recreational use” because she feels it “diminishes” the reasons that some people use.)
She said personal users probably aren’t on the same footing as medical marijuana users, though she stressed that every case is different and she couldn’t make a blanket statement.
“I don’t think it’s necessarily safe for someone to say, ‘OK, I’m going to use it on Friday night [while off-duty] knowing that my employer has a very strict, zero-tolerance policy.’ Because at this point, though I believe that the law recognizes the constitutional right to do this, they would still probably have to establish that by filing a lawsuit against their employer when they get fired,” Ryan said.
Colorado marijuana laws raise workplace issues
Medical Marijuana Legalization In Iowa Follows In The Steps Of Florida's Legal Weed
A medical marijuana legalization bill in Iowa is following in the steps of Florida by enacting something similar to the Charlotte’s web law that was recently passed. But how does this legal weed differ from pot smoking and other methods of consuming cannabis?
In a related report by The Inquisitr, some dispensaries are claiming that their customers who use marijuana plants to treat various ailments report a reduction in pain between 20 and 50 percent. But a study from Harvard researchers claims that recreational marijuana users have “significant brain abnormalities” and caution pot smokers that cannabis may not be safe. At the same time, these researchers are not sure if the changes in brain structure are positive or negative, so they’re working on creating another, bigger study.
Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and many other Republican legislators were originally against allowing any medical marijuana bill to pass in their state. But in this case, only a cannabis oil extract will be used in order to help children who suffer from seizures. This type of legal weed is a non-euphoric form of medical marijuana which is intended solely for children who are suffering from a life-threatening condition, not adults or teenagers wishing to have a good time. In addition, parents must get an Iowan doctor willing to prescribe this type of medical marijuana, get in a waiting list for those looking to obtain the cannabis extract, and pay for traveling to another state which has legalized marijuana in order to purchase it.
Because of these facts, Brandstad says he was convinced by the parents of these children that it was worth allowing this bill to be signed into law:
“This bill received tremendous support and truly shows the power of people talking to their legislators and to their governor about important issues to them, to their families and to their children.”
The law is very similar to Florida’s Charlotte’s Web because it only allows medical marijuana to be dispersed in a liquid form. The bill does not allow possessing normal cannabis, nor is recreational marijuana smoking allowed, either. Doctors will only be allowed to prescribe a specific strain of marijuana which contains very low amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical compound that causes people to feel the “high” normally associated with marijuana. Because of this fact, this medical marijuana could hardly be used as a form of recreational marijuana.
Still, supporters of the bill hope in the future that Iowa may allow medical marijuana to treat other ailments, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Medical Marijuana Legalization In Iowa Follows In The Steps Of Florida's Legal Weed
Senate approves medical marijuana for minors
SPRINGFIELD — The Senate approved legislation Friday that would allow minors to obtain medical marijuana to treat symptoms of epilepsy.
The measure would allow minors under the age of 18 who suffer from epilepsy or chronic seizures to obtain a prescription card under the state’s fledgling medical cannabis regulations.
As originally crafted, the state’s marijuana laws didn’t allow minors to obtain a prescription for any reason, and patients of all ages were unable to receive cannabis to treat epilepsy.
The measure’s supporters point to scientific research showing that cannabidiol — a chemical found in marijuana — has shown considerable success in controlling seizures in many patients.
They dismissed concerns over supplying children with marijuana, pointing to strains of the plant that could be grown with low amounts of the high-inducing chemical, THC.
With the Senate voting 54-2 to approve the proposal, it now heads to Gov. Pat Quinn’s desk for a final decision.
The legislation is Senate Bill 2636.
Senate approves medical marijuana for minors
Arrest in Leitrim cannabis seizure
Arrest in Leitrim cannabis seizure
Saturday, May 31, 2014
A major cannabis seizure in Leitrim has ended with an arrest.
€300,000 worth of cannabis plants were uncovered during the search of a house in Church Manor, Carrigallen this morning.
A 43-year-old man was taken into custody at Carrick-On-Shannon Garda Station where he remains this evening.
The operation was part of a nationwide drugs clampdown designed to disrupt dealers and dismantle their networks.
Email Journalist
Contact Newsdesk: 045 432147
More National News
Two arrested following Dublin pizza driver hijacking
Saturday, 31/05/14 – 9:23pm
No winner of bumper Lotto jackpot
Saturday, 31/05/14 – 9:19pm
Two dead on roads so far this bank holiday weekend
Saturday, 31/05/14 – 7:04pm
Arrest in Leitrim cannabis seizure
Juvenile arrested for distribution of narcotics
PANAMA CITY BEACH — Police have arrested a 14-year-old on charges of intent to distribute cannabis.
Panama City Beach Police Department arrested Brian Bruhmuller,14, following a traffic stop at about 4 a.m. Saturday, according to police reports. The cause for the traffic stop was unclear.
However, during the course of their investigation police discovered a quantity of cannabis on Bruhmuller, and he indicated to officers he was storing a felony amount of cannabis in his bedroom of his residence, police reported. A search of Bruhmuller’s bedroom revealed he was in possession of a quarter pound of cannabis, which was packaged for sale. Investigators also found several other items they said indicated he was engaging in narcotic distribution.
Bruhmuller was taken to Bay County Jail and arrested for possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was later taken to the Department of Juvenile Justice.
Juvenile arrested for distribution of narcotics
Joyce joins calls for medicinal cannabis
Dan Haslam has terminal cancer and his family, and the town of Tamworth are battling to decriminalise cannabis for the terminally ill. Dan is photographed with his wife Alyce. Source: Supplied
THE campaign to ease the suffering of terminally ill patients by legalising medicinal cannabis is gaining momentum, with high-profile Nationals minister Barnaby Joyce adding his voice to the groundswell of support for cancer sufferer Dan Haslam.
Mr Joyce revealed he has had a change of heart from his usual tough stance on drugs after a recent meeting with 24-year-old Mr Haslam and his family, who are forced to break the law so that he can use cannabis to treat his severe pain and nausea from chemotherapy.
The federal minister for agriculture said: “You’re always moved by someone who has cancer and they are looking for whatever opportunity may exist to deal with it.”
Dan has incurable bowel cancer and fortnightly chemotherapy treatments had left him in hospital with severe nausea and weight loss. Since taking cannabis late last year, he has not suffered nausea and has been able to remain at home and eat normally.
His father Lou, a former drug squad detective, and mother Lucy are forced to break the law to help their son obtain the drug they call “miraculous”.
Barnaby Joyce has joined the call for change. Source: News Corp Australia
The family’s plight has also moved senior police to come out in support of legalis cannabis for medical treatment.
Mr Joyce, the member for New England, said: “I am against cannabis for recreational use, but just as people grow opium for therapeutic use in palliative care and pain control, if there is a capacity for the active constituents in cannabis to be prescribed to assist with conditions such as terminal cancer, this should be considered.
“If it is under strict controls and prescribed by a doctor it should be considered.”
Last year the recommendations of a NSW parliamentary committee unanimously supported the use of cannabis for the terminally ill, however it was knocked back by Heath Minister Jillian Skinner due to concerns about supply.
On Thursday a private members bill was announced to address the legality and supply issues of medicinal cannabis.
Mr Haslam said he was grateful for the move and prayed for its success.
“It would be absolutely great and lift a huge stress off my family, knowing we could be prosecuted has been stressful,” Mr Haslam said.
Requests for a response from the ministers of the Baird government regarding the issue resulted in only five replies out of 22.
Premier Mike Baird said he would consider the upcoming bill.
“We will give careful consideration to Mr Anderson’s bill, and I have nothing but sympathy for the Haslam family as they struggle with their son’s illness,” he said.
A spokesman for John Ajaka, Minister for the Ageing and Disability, referred us to the Minister for Health as did a spokesman for Kevin Humphries, Minister for Natural Resources.
Jillian Skinner reiterated her concerns about supply as the “quality and safety of these products cannot be guaranteed”.
However, she did support the use of “prescription pharmaceutical cannabis products that are approved and regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, as these products have been assessed for quality, safety and clinical efficacy”.
Only one prescription cannabis product exists, Sativex, which is approved by the TGA but it is currently not sold in Australia.
Joyce joins calls for medicinal cannabis
Gardnerville, Minden to hear medical marijuana presentation
The Gardnerville and Minden town boards will weigh in with their feelings about having medical marijuana establishments in their communities this week.
On Friday, the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health announced it will accept applications for medical marijuana establishments Aug. 5 – 18. The application form can be found on the department of health’s Medical Marijuana Program web page at: http://health.nv.gov/medicalmarijuana.htm.
Douglas County has imposed a temporary ban on medical marijuana establishments while it collects information to produce an ordinance.
Genoans said they didn’t have anything in particular against medical marijuana, but they didn’t thing any of the businesses would be a fit for the town.
Deputy District Attorney Cynthea Gregory said she is going to the towns and improvement districts gathering input.
Douglas County’s temporary 180-day ban on establishments is in effect until Sept. 16. County commissioners could extend the temporary ban until March 2015.
Gregory said there were 129 medical marijuana cardholders in Douglas County, all of whom grow their own.
Douglas County is allowed one dispensary under state law, but is not under an obligation to approve one, Gregory said.
Gardnerville Town Board members are scheduled to hear Gregory’s presentation at their regular meeting 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. Minden Town Board members will hear the issue at their meeting on Wednesday.
Applications to the state must be submitted with the $5,000 nonrefundable fee. Applicants are eligible to apply and be ranked, whether they have applied at a local government level or not.
According to the state, there are more than 40 pages of text applicants will need to understand as they submit their applications.
“In addition to the merit criteria outlined in the law, applicants will need to submit notarized forms attesting they do not have any disqualifying felony convictions and declaring whether they are subject to a court order for child support,” Nevada Department of Health spokeswoman Mary Woods said. “If they are, they must declare whether they are in compliance with the court’s order. If they are not in compliance with the court’s order, they are not an eligible party to receive a medical marijuana registration certificate.”
Following the passage of Senate Bill 374 of the 2013 Legislative Session, Marla McDade Williams, Deputy Administrator for the Division of Public and Behavioral Health, led the effort to put the new regulations in place.
“We greatly appreciated the input and patience of all of the stakeholders that were involved in this process. Together, we have come a long way in a very short period. By being receptive to feedback received throughout the process, we believe the application allows applicants to promote their unique business model,” said McDade Williams.
Not only must medical marijuana establishment operators obtain permission
Property owners must also declare on a form provided in the application that they are authorizing an establishment to use the property as a medical marijuana establishment.
To ensure there are no biases as applications are reviewed and scored, applicants are prohibited from submitting their response on company letterhead. Individual names of owners, officers, board members, or key staff are not to be used in certain text of the application. There is an Identifier Form that will be required and is essential for applicants to use as they write their responses.
Applicants will be provided an opportunity to waive confidentiality if they want information in their applications to be shared with local government jurisdictions.
Gardnerville, Minden to hear medical marijuana presentation
Woman's cannabis taken from her joint
19:38 EST, 31 May 2014
|
19:38 EST, 31 May 2014
A Darwin woman has asked police to find her stolen marijuana after the handbag she kept it in went missing.
A 44-year-old woman called police on Saturday night to report the theft of her handbag, saying she suspected it had been pinched by a guest at her home.
“She reported that her bag contained all the usual items including some cash – none of which she was too concerned about,” watch commander Brendan Lindner said in a statement on Facebook on Sunday.
“What was of particular concern to her, however, was her cannabis that was inside.”
The woman was very upset about the loss, he said, telling police that her handbag contained two $50 bags of cannabis.
“She was even willing to attend the police station at a later time to make a formal statement about her stolen drugs,” watch commander Lindner said.
“The woman’s handbag remains outstanding and she unfortunately has no more drugs at home.”
He said if residents knew of anyone with cannabis for supply, “please call police … and we’ll be only too happy to speak to them”.
The NT Police often communicate directly with Territorians via social media.
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
Woman's cannabis taken from her joint
The unintended consequences of marijuana legalization
Colorado and Washington are the first states to legalize recreational marijuana. In my state of Colorado, Amendment 64 was passed by 55 percent of voters by ballot referendum last year and took effect on January 1 of this year. State government officials are giddy with the prospects of increased revenue from marijuana sales. Marijuana tourism is booming in Colorado, giving new meaning to “Rocky Mountain High.” Now, four months into this new experiment, it may be worth looking at some of the unintended consequences.
Tax revenue may not be as much as anticipated, according to Governor John Hickenlooper. No surprise there: Government officials salivating over this supposed cash cow may get a chicken rather than a cow. With legal weed costing three times as much as black-market weed, savvy consumers may go with the cheaper product in the same way they did before legalization. Remember the luxury tax on yachts about 15 years ago that actually reduced government revenue by decimating the U.S. boatbuilding industry?
Within two weeks of marijuana legalization in Colorado, a stoned motorist plowed into two State Police vehicles in metro Denver. And a 69-year-old driver was pulled over in Idaho, detained, and his vehicle searched. He was profiled over his Colorado license plate and Washington driver’s license.
Tragically, a 19-year-old Wyoming college student jumped to his death from a Denver hotel balcony after eating a marijuana cookie. Forgoing the usual spring break beaches of Florida or Texas, the student and a group of his friends visited Denver over their spring break to “sample marijuana.” Turns out he sampled a bit more than one cookie, as most cookie-eaters would be prone to do. But he missed the recommendation of the store clerk to cut the cookie into six pieces and eat one at a time. Who cuts a cookie into six pieces and eats one at a time? Does Mrs. Fields cut her cookies into six pieces like a pizza pie? Maybe obvious for this student in hindsight, but he won’t be the last person to eat an entire cookie, as everyone normally does. What about a hungry child who comes across one of his parent’s marijuana cookies and wants a snack? What could go wrong?
A week later, a Denver man shot his wife to death after smoking and eating marijuana. He ate marijuana-infused orange ginger candy, purchased legally, earlier that evening. According to the store, “a single bite is enough.” Like the cookie, who eats a “single bite” of candy? The man’s legal defense will revolve around the “we didn’t know this would happen” argument. “The defense will argue strongly that this is an involuntary intoxication in the sense that he didn’t know it would produce this kind of effect on his mental state.” Gee, wouldn’t this kind of thing be important to know about marijuana before making it legal?
The FDA certainly doesn’t take this approach — if anything, it’s the opposite. A life-saving meningitis vaccine called Bexsero is slowly moving through the approval process despite approval in Europe, Canada, and Australia, and despite lives lost waiting. The FDA has also dithered over a drug for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a crippling and ultimately fatal children’s disease. While it is important to be sure that approved drugs are safe and effective, even limited safety and efficacy is a better option than doing nothing for these otherwise fatal diseases. Yet for a recreational drug like marijuana, also potentially fatal, public safety relies on a store clerk advising customers to cut their cookies into sixths or eat only one bit of a piece of candy.
Researchers at Northwestern and Harvard found potentially serious brain alterations in young adult casual marijuana users. The Wyoming college student certainly falls into this category. What if a pharmaceutical company brought such a drug to market? Especially in a form appealing to children, like a cookie or piece of candy? Would the FDA approve it for market? In the unlikely event they did, imagine the public outcry and litigation over such a drug. Ten years ago, Merck paid out billions of dollars to settle multiple lawsuits over Vioxx for numerous drug-related deaths.
Who is at fault over marijuana-related fatalities? One of the numerous Denver dispensaries? The state legislators charged with regulating marijuana sales and use? The governor, who signs the legislation into law? Or the voters who approved the use of recreational marijuana use in Colorado?
Marijuana is here to stay in Colorado. The news of Easter Sunday was not a celebration of the resurrection of Christ or Easter egg hunts, but instead the 4/20 rally in Denver. To each his own, but is anyone thinking about the unintended consequences of laissez-faire weed and the mounting causalities left in its wake?
Brian C. Joondeph is an ophthalmologist and can be reached on Twitter @retinaldoctor. This article originally appeared in American Thinker.
The unintended consequences of marijuana legalization
Montana NORML chapter praises Daines for marijuana vote
HELENA – A Montana group advocating the overhaul of marijuana laws praised U.S. Rep. Steve Daines on Friday for his vote to limit the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration from interfering with state medical marijuana laws.
Chris Lindsey of Missoula, spokesman for the Montana chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, called it “a political game changer.”
“What we see is that conservatives in Congress are adhering to their principles in support of state’s rights and reducing big government programs, even when it comes to subjects like marijuana policy,” Lindsey said. “We applaud Steve Daines for standing up for Montana’s laws, and expect Montana’s senators to do the same.”
Daines was one of 49 Republicans who voted Thursday to limit federal authority. The House, by a 219-189 vote, supported an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriation Act offered by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif.
It would deny funding to the Justice Department for any efforts to prevent states from implementing their own medical marijuana laws. These laws authorize the use, distribution, possession or cultivation of medical marijuana by those who qualify.
“This is a matter of states’ rights,” Daines spokesman Alee Lockman said. “Steve believes the federal government should respect states’ individual rights and regulating authority. This vote reflected that principle.”
Lindsey said federal interference in state laws has been directed at medical marijuana businesses, including in Montana.
“Today, we have the worst possible scenario in Montana – a law that protects patients who wish to possess and consume, but no clear way for patients to safely and reliably obtain medical marijuana – and few protections for those who do provide to them,” Lindsey said.
He said Montana is second only to California in its failure to implement a regulatory framework, with California likely to pass one. Lindsey said he hopes Montana finally will take “real steps” to protect people who participate in the state program.
“If the Senate also approves of this measure and it takes effect, federal prosecutors who wish to continue to pursue the failed war on marijuana will be hard-pressed to carry on pointless and costly raids on businesses in states that offer substantive regulation,” Lindsey said. “It really now is up to the Montana Legislature to implement a solid program for the good of all Montanans.”
Montana NORML chapter praises Daines for marijuana vote
When it comes to marijuana, many VCs still won't inhale
Silicon Valley entrepreneurs love to beat their chests about how disruptive they are. As the trope goes, they’re fearless about betting on the next far-out idea, whether it’s driverless cars, private space flight or the Airbnb of parking spots.
But that bravery hasn’t extended to one booming industry that’s experiencing a 68 percent growth rate: the legal cannabis market. When it comes to investing in marijuana – California’s largest cash crop – many venture capitalists are still paranoid.
“You guys are willing to invest all this money, you say you’re all disruptive, but when the rubber meets the road and we’re talking about real, legal disruption, you guys head for the hills,” said Justin Hartfield, one of the nation’s few venture capitalists focused on marijuana-related startups.
Alongside his venture capital firm Ghost Group, Hartfield, of Newport Beach (Orange County), runs the dispensary-locating startup WeedMaps.com. He brags about not accepting “one dime” of Silicon Valley money for any of his marijuana-related enterprises, which he says make “north of $25 million a year.”
“Silicon Valley is totally out of touch,” he said. “There’s no dispensaries on Sand Hill Road.”
Four years ago, Hartfield pitched several of the valley’s top investors. He thought billionaire venture capitalist Tim Draper seemed interested. But a few weeks after they met, Draper told him he was out.
Backing out
Miffed, Hartfield relayed the incident to tech publication TechCrunch, including what he said Draper wrote to him: “I am going to chicken out. You have an awesome business, and it will probably be worth a ton someday, but I can’t pull the trigger. Sorry, Best, Tim.” (A representative for Draper did not return requests for comment.)
Hartfield said he does understand the institutional reticence.
Investors are worried that the federal government classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug on par with heroin, and has been clamping down on medicinal marijuana outlets even in states where they are legal, like California.
They question whether there are enough smart, seasoned entrepreneurs to trust with their money. Analysts say the valley doubts that the legal market – which is predicted to grow to $2.57 billion this year – is big enough to generate mega returns.
And there’s fear about scalability. Medical marijuana is legal in only 22 states and the District of Columbia; recreational pot is permitted for adults over 21 only in Colorado and Washington.
Limited partners at traditional venture firms “are particularly uncomfortable with things that may create legal risk, and this is a big one since most government and financial institutions have strict antidrug and drug testing laws for their own people,” said Lisa Suennen, a longtime health care venture capitalist now with Venture Valkyrie Consulting.
Many firms have outright prohibitions against investing in “sin” products like pornography, alcohol, tobacco, firearms and illegal drugs.
Plus, Suennen said, “It’s not entirely clear that there are good entrepreneurs in the space in large quantity yet, as opposed to grown-up stoners that figured out how to monetize their addiction to things that maximize use of Twinkies and Grateful Dead albums. It’s one thing when the CEO shows up in an ironic hipster T-shirt, quite another when that is their actual wardrobe.”
Little so far
That helps explain why there was $8.5 billion of venture funding in San Francisco and Silicon Valley last year and just $51 million invested in cannabis-related businesses nationwide over the past five years, according to the National Venture Capital Association.
It’s the venture capital equivalent of stems and seeds. But over the past few months, insiders say, things have been slowly, quietly changing. Big money and top talent is starting to smell the green.
Privateer Holdings – a marijuana-focused private-equity fund in Seattle – is led by Brendan Kennedy, a former executive at SVB Analytics, a nonbank affiliate of Silicon Valley Bank. Privateer has raised $22 million, and is now aiming to raise Series B of more than $50 million. Kennedy told Geekwire, a tech industry publication, that the new round will include “several institutional investors.”
Tom Bollich, a co-founder of San Francisco online game company Zynga, just took over as chief executive of Surna, a Boulder, Colo., company that invests in marijuana-related businesses. Serna recently purchased Hydro Innovations, which creates cooling systems for large-scale indoor growers.
Bollich likened the nascent marijuana industry in Colorado to the early days of the tech sector. “This is the Silicon Valley of weed,” Bollich told the Boulder County Business Report this month.
Grassp, a product described as the Uber for cannabis, has gained buzz promising to deliver medical marijuana to qualified patients in 60 minutes with only a few keystrokes.
Analysts say one of the safest spaces to invest is pot-related products – high-tech hardware, like vaporizers.
Uptoke is a San Francisco company that sells sleek, cigar-size vaporizers for $299. Started by Berkeley engineer Jason Levin, the company’s tagline points to its dual roots: “Silicon Valley meets Humboldt County.”
Most of the technology has been done by “the cannabis nerds, much as the tech nerds were the first to delve into Silicon Valley,” said Amanda Reiman, policy manager for the Drug Policy Alliance.
“I predict, however, that as the policies and regulations start to expand and incorporate more ancillary businesses, we will see greater involvement from the traditional tech entrepreneurs,” Reiman said.
Ready to jump
Among them may be Adam Wiggins, a co-founder of San Francisco cloud company Heroku, which was acquired by Salesforce.com for $212 million in 2010.
Wiggins, now a board member at the Marijuana Policy Project, “hasn’t made any investments in the sector, but is looking closely,” said Troy Dayton, CEO of the ArcView Group, a San Francisco firm that counts 200 high-net-worth members like Wiggins who are looking to invest in cannabis-related industries.
“That is what we’re seeing a lot of from the tech world. This is a very nascent industry, so they’re thinking about how they’re going to play,” Dayton said.
Ripe for ingenuity
Just a year ago, ArcView had 30 members. This week, Dayton spoke to the Rockies Venture Club, an angel investors group in Denver, the epicenter of the legal marijuana industry. Next month, ArcView will hold an investors forum at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, with a reception to follow at the Four Seasons Hotel.
Dayton says the marijuana industry “is so ripe for the kind of ingenuity that comes out of Silicon Valley.”
“There’s all this capital that has shown up and is ready to go, and yet investors are having a tough time to find the right entrepreneurs to back,” Dayton said. “But that’s changing. It’s coming right now.”
Joe Garofoli is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
When it comes to marijuana, many VCs still won't inhale
Landmark Legislation in House Blocks DEA from Targeting Medical Marijuana
Legalization marijuana is gaining in favorability, with landmark House legislation Friday blocking the DEA from targeting medical marijuana.
Screen capture via Gallup, via Vox.com
“FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS WILL NO LONGER BE WASTED ARRESTING SERIOUSLY ILL MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS AND THOSE WHO PROVIDE TO THEM”
[Vox.com]
IN A landmark vote, the House moved to block the Drug Enforcement Agency from targeting medical marijuana, backing state laws. It will protect patients who rely on medical marijuana, including parents of children, from federal intrusion in decisions made in the privacy of our lives.
From Huffington Post:
An appropriations amendment offered by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) prohibiting the DEA from spending funds to arrest state-licensed medical marijuana patients and providers passed 219-189. The Senate will likely consider its own appropriations bill for the DEA, and the House amendment would have to survive a joint conference before it could go into effect.
Rohrabacher said on the House floor that the amendment “should be a no-brainer” for conservatives who support states’ rights and argued passionately against allowing the federal government to interfere with a doctor-patient relationship.
“Some people are suffering, and if a doctor feels that he needs to prescribe something to alleviate that suffering, it is immoral for this government to get in the way,” Rohrabacher said, his voice rising. “And that’s what’s happening.”
There are still those lawmakers who continue to promote that cannabis has no medical properties, but as Dr. Sanjay Gupta was forced to admit, the evidence proving otherwise.
Currently, 22 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medical use. Five other states — Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Utah, and Wisconsin — have legalized CBD oils, a non-psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that may treat epilepsy.
A number of studies in recent years have shown the medical potential of cannabis. Purified forms may attack some forms of aggressive cancer. Marijuana use also has been tied to better blood sugar control and may help slow the spread of HIV.
Legalization of the plant for medical purposes may lead to lower suicide rates, according to one study.
As a staunch privacy advocate, legalization and medical marijuana are issues that also rub up against my libertarian streak, which can be seen in my writings on gun ownership and responsibility.
The Senate must now act on behalf of parents fighting for their children, cancer patients, and all the people who have found medical marijuana a way to relief of pain.
Compliments of one of my Facebook “friends.”
About Taylor Marsh
Political analyst, cultural voyeur, author. New book out in June 2014, THE SEXUAL EDUCATION OF A BEAUTY QUEEN – RELATIONSHIP SECRETS FROM THE TRENCHES, which you can pre-order now. You’ve never read any book like it! Former Miss Missouri, Broadway performer, & relationship consultant at the LA Weekly, which began a decade-long romp in the trenches of dating, women and men, mating and sex. It’s all in my new book!
View all posts by Taylor Marsh
TM Connect
Stay Connected!
Landmark Legislation in House Blocks DEA from Targeting Medical Marijuana
NORML Montana lauds Daines for cannabis vote
A Montana group advocating the overhaul of marijuana laws praised U.S. Rep. Steve Daines Friday for his vote to limit the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration from interfering with state medical marijuana laws.
Chris Lindsey of Missoula, spokesman for the Montana chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), called it “a political game changer.”
“What we see is that conservatives in Congress are adhering to their principles in support of state’s rights and reducing Big Government programs, even when it comes to subjects like marijuana policy,” Lindsey said. “We applaud Steve Daines for standing up for Montana’s laws, and expect Montana’s senators to do the same.”
Daines was one of 49 Republicans who voted Thursday to limit federal authority. The House, by a 219-189 vote, supported an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriation Act offered by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif.
It would deny funding to the Justice Department for any efforts to prevent states from implementing their own medical marijuana laws. These laws authorize the use, distribution, possession or cultivation of medical marijuana by those who qualify.
“This is a matter of states’ rights,” Daines spokesman Alee Lockman said. “Steve believes the federal government should respect states’ individual rights and regulating authority. This vote reflected that principle.”
Lindsey said federal inference in state laws has been directed at medical marijuana businesses, including in Montana.
“Today we have the worst possible scenario in Montana — a law that protects patients who wish to possess and consume, but no clear way for patients to safely and reliably obtain medical marijuana — and few protections for those who do provide to them,” Lindsey said.
He said Montana is second only to California in its failure to implement a regulatory framework, with California likely to pass one. Lindsey said he hopes Montana finally will take “real steps” to protect people who participate in the state program.
“If the Senate also approves of this measure and it takes effect, federal prosecutors who wish to continue to pursue the failed war on marijuana will be hard-pressed to carry on pointless and costly raids on businesses in states that offer substantive regulation,” Lindsey said. “It really now is up to the Montana Legislature to implement a solid program for the good of all Montanans.”
NORML Montana lauds Daines for cannabis vote
Three arrests, 25kg of cannabis seized
Two men from Larnaca district and a Romanian woman have been remanded in custody for six days in connection with 25 kilograms of cannabis intercepted at Larnaca airport on Friday evening.
The woman, 23, was arrested on Friday after drug squad officers found 25 kilograms of cannabis in her luggage shortly after her arrival from Athens at around 9.30pm.
Authorities had been acting on a tip off.
The 23-year-old agreed to work with the officers in a sting operation to arrest the recipients of the drugs.
She took the drugs to a house in Xylotymbou where she met two men aged 26 and 36.
Police raided the dwelling and arrested the two suspects who were brought before court on Saturday along with the woman.
Officers also found a shotgun and a number of cartridges.
Police said they were seeking one more individual.
Three arrests, 25kg of cannabis seized
Nevada's Largest Paper Endorses Marijuana Legalization Petition
The new campaign to legalize marijuana in Nevada got a boost today from the state’s largest paper, the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The new campaign to legalize marijuana in Nevada got a boost today from the state’s largest paper. Their initiative was endorsed by the editorial board at the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
It’s an important step forward in fixing a failed policy. Taxpayers finally seem to understand that spending vast sums of money at the local, state and federal levels on police, prosecutors, public defenders, judges and jails to lock up nonviolent offenders and enable the enrichment of gangs and thugs has done nothing to diminish demand for marijuana. The banned substance remains everywhere — at schools and streetcorners, in public housing and affluent suburbs. [...]
If you are presented with the petition, and you’re a registered voter, sign it.
Because of the rules governing Nevada’s initiative process the issue won’t make it on the ballot until at least 2016. The campaign needs to collect enough signatures this year so it can go before the state legislature in 2015. The legislature has the right to act first. Initiatives in Nevada only go before voters if they aren’t approved by the legislature.
Because of its unusual rules Nevada is the first state circulating a legalization petition for the 2016 ballot but it won’t be the last. Legalization could easily be on the ballot in roughly half a dozen states during the next Presidential election.
Jon Walker is the author of After Legalization: Understanding the future of marijuana policy
Photo by Mike Herbst under Creative Commons license
Nevada's Largest Paper Endorses Marijuana Legalization Petition
House of Representatives Votes To Stop Federal Prosecutions Against Medical Marijuana
By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
The United States House of Representatives passed a bill preventing federal prosecutions against patients who use prescribed marijuana and cultivation where it is legal in the various states. If passed by the Senate and signed by the President it would mark a profound reversal in federal marijuana policy.
The House voted 219-189 in favor to an amendment of an appropriations bill. The amendment strips the Department of Justice of all funds for enforcing marijuana laws in states where medical marijuana is legal. This would not only include the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) but all other agencies as well as DOJ prosecutions, theoretically if signed into law prosecutions already in process must halt as well. With the recent signature by Minnesota’s governor, twenty two states and the District of Columbia have medical marijuana statutes.
During debate on the House floor, California Representative Dana Rohrabacher called for compassion, saying: “Some people are suffering, and if a doctor feels that he needs to prescribe something to alleviate that suffering, it is immoral for this government to get in the way.”
In addition, the House also passed two amendments that would strip funds in federal intervention of state hemp cultivation and research.
Aaron Houston, a marijuana lobbyist and advocate, called the vote a “tipping point” on marijuana. He noted that this amendment has been offered six times before over the course of 11 years and never before gained traction.
Marijuana Majority Chairman Tom Angell stated “It’s clear that more politicians are beginning to realize that the American people want the federal government to stop standing in the way. If any political observers weren’t aware that the end of the war on marijuana is nearing, they just found out.”
It seems inertia is now favoring the end of Refer Madness.
By Darren Smith
Sources:
Think Progress
Washington Times
Amendment to HR 4660 Offered by Mr. Rohrabacher of California
The views expressed in this posting are the author’s alone and not those of the blog, the host, or other weekend bloggers. As an open forum, weekend bloggers post independently without pre-approval or review. Content and any displays or art are solely their decision and responsibility.
House of Representatives Votes To Stop Federal Prosecutions Against Medical Marijuana
Piedmont family says hemp oil bill may be last chance for daughter with epilepsy
MOCKSVILLE, N.C. — One local family says a new bill introduced into the N.C. House may be their last chance for a normal life.
Phil, Drema, Kaylee and Colton Morris are all too familiar with the effects of epilepsy. That’s because three members of the Mocksville family suffer from the disorder. Drema was diagnosed when she was 13. Both of her and Phil’s children; Kaylee, 10, and Colton, 8, were diagnosed in the months after their birth.
Drema’s epilepsy is controlled by medication. Kalyee and Colton’s, however, are not. Kaylee’s parents say she used to suffer over 200 seizures daily as a result of the disorder.
“Her mind [will] shut down, and then restart, and then sometimes shuts down immediately after that,” said Phil.
Drema says there were periods where the family wasn’t sure that Haylee would survive because the seizures were so severe. The family says they put Kaylee and Colton on a new diet, which has caused Kaylee’s seizures to drop significantly, but not stop.
“We’ve gone through 27 different seizure medications and none of them worked. We kept upping the dosage and none of them worked on her,” said Phil.
Phil and Drema believe a new bill filed on Wednesday, House Bill 1220 (titled “Hope 4 Haley and Friends”), may be their last hope to stop Kaylee’s seizures. The bill would legalize the use of CBD oil, which is extracted from marijuana plants, in extraordinary cases like Kaylee’s.
“We have a lot of hope that this CBD oil can take her out, take her down to zero and maybe even get her off of this diet,” said Phil.
The Morris family, and other families with children that have symptoms similar to Kaylee’s, say CBD oil isn’t smoked and wouldn’t harm their children. They insist that it does not get them high.
“CDB oil [has] all these healing properties in it and it’s got all this stuff to help the brain,” said Phil.
Kaylee has persevered despite the disorder. She has claimed six medals at the Special Olympics; three for equestrian and three for swimming. She and Colton are currently in Raleigh, gearing up to compete in the Special Olympics’ swimming competition. Despite her success, Phil and Drema say all they want is for Kaylee and Colton’s seizures to go away.
“We’ve gone through so many things,” said Phil. “I can’t imagine anything else coming up as a possibility after this.”
The bill has passed its first reading in the N.C. House, and has been referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services.
Piedmont family says hemp oil bill may be last chance for daughter with epilepsy
Mason City family present as Branstad signs cannabis oil bill
DES MOINES | A small army of never-say-quit parents and children — many in wheelchairs — flooded the Capitol rotunda Friday to watch Gov. Terry Branstad sign a law giving them access to cannabis oil they hope will provide relief for epilepsy symptoms.
Among the witnesses were Cassie and Justin Helland of Mason City and their son, Caleb, 9, who has epilepsy and experiences grand mal seizures.
“It’s certainly a good day,” said Cassie Helland.
Branstad said the bill strikes an appropriate balance of oversight, regulation and empathy in providing narrowly targeted immunity in Iowa for the possession of cannabis oil as a treatment for chronic epilepsy.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, credited the tenacity of the mothers who continued to fight for the bill even after lawmakers said it was dead for the session.
“This was a testament to loving mothers with kids in terrible circumstances and nearly untreatable epilepsy,” Gronstal said. “They became the face of this issue and that’s why this issue passed.
“The truth is Iowa is still a place where ordinary citizens can make an impact on decisions,” he said.
During the legislative debate, opponents expressed concern over the lack of FDA approval and potential long-term effects of cannabis oil use.
Critics also were concerned that lawmakers next session will be asked to expand access for people dealing with cancer of other painful chronic conditions.
The new law applies only to cannabidiol for permanent Iowa residents at least 18 years of age with a written recommendation from a neurologist and registration card for the medical treatment of “intractable” epilepsy. No other medical conditions are eligible.
Many parents who attended the bill-signing ceremony said Friday was a first step because now they face challenges of getting an Iowa neurologist’s recommendation to take cannabis oil as treatment and then they likely will have to travel to places like Colorado, Oregon or Michigan where the product is legally dispensed.
Cassie Helland said she was hoping there would be more to the bill, “but you have to start somewhere.”
Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, said he hopes a legislative interim committee will convene later this year to study how the measure is being implemented and explore the possibility of approving cannabis oil as treatment for other chronic conditions, such as cancer and post traumatic stress disorder.
Also Friday, Branstad signed bills that will lessen the penalties for people who unknowingly expose someone to HIV and will provide additional tax credits for installing wind and solar energy systems.
The HIV bill changes a 1998 law and imposes a 25-year prison sentence only when someone intends to transmit a disease without a partner’s knowledge, making Iowa the first state in the country to repeal and replace its criminal transmission of HIV law.
Until now, Iowa has had one of the harshest HIV transmission laws in the country. Under the 1998 law, persons with HIV could face 25 years in prison and inclusion on the sex offender registry if they could not prove they disclosed their status to a sexual partner — even if no transmission occurred and precautions such as condoms were used.
Under the new law, there is a tiered penalty system, which takes into account whether a person took precautions, whether transmission of HIV actually occurred and whether or not the person intended to transmit HIV.
The new law also adds other infectious diseases to the bill such as hepatitis, tuberculosis and meningococcal disease, which causes meningitis — so the law is no longer HIV-specific.
Finally, it removes the requirement those convicted register as sex offenders, and it will allow people convicted under the old law to be expunged from the registry.
— Globe Gazette reporter Mary Pieper contributed to this report.
Mason City family present as Branstad signs cannabis oil bill
NDLEA nabs Malian with 4kg cannabis
Published on May 31, 2014 by pmnews · No Comments
Ahmadu Giade, NDLEA Chairman
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Friday said it had apprehended a 22-year old Malian in possession of compressed cannabis weighing 4kg.
A statement issued in Lagos on Friday by the agency’s Head of Public Affairs, Mitchell Ofoyeju, said that the suspect was a businessman and also a student at Guangdong University of Technology, China.
According to the statement, the suspect holds dual citizenship of Nigeria and Mali.
It said the suspect was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, while attempting to board a Kenyan Airways flight to China.
The statement said that the cannabis was hidden inside foodstuff like melon, dried bitter leaf and assorted local spices.
It said that the suspect, studying Chinese language, was travelling with a Malian international passport No. B0563273.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that his Ibo name is Ebuka Onyedigbo and he hails from Okija, Anambra State.
“Kone Ali has lived in Guangzhou, China, since March 2013. He was found with a student identification card of Guangdong University of Technology, China,” the statement said.
NDLEA commander, Hamza Umar, said the suspect was nabbed while trying to check-in. He stated further that the arrest of Kone Ali took place at the departure hall of the Lagos Airport.
“This was when he brought two bags for check. The first bag was searched and no drug was found. While searching the second bag, it was discovered that five compressed parcels of dried weeds that tested positive for cannabis were packed together with foodstuff.”
The statement quoted the suspect as taking responsibility for his action.
“I am a victim of carelessness. My friend in China called me that I should bring a bag containing foodstuff from Nigeria.
“I had every opportunity to have turned down his request, so I take full responsibility for my actions.
“A man who identified himself as a Ghanaian brought the bag to me in Lagos. He said that he was instructed by my friend in China to bring the bag.
“At the screening, the drug was found by NDLEA officers. Now, I cannot go back to my school and my parents are angry with me,” the suspect was quoted as saying.
Ahmadu Giade, NDLEA Chairman said the suspect violated the provisions of the NDLEA Act.
“It is pertinent to stress the position of the law on unlawful possession and attempt to export illicit drugs.
“The fact is that drug was found in his bag. Investigation is ongoing and I urge members of the public not to collect bags or items from people when travelling.
“If they must collect bags, they should insist that the owners must witness the search at the airport,” the statement quoted Giade as cautioning the public.
It said that the suspect would soon be charged to court.
Posted by pmnews on May 31, 2014, 9:24 am. Filed under Metro, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
NDLEA nabs Malian with 4kg cannabis
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)