medicinal

Jim Squatter: Testament to the human spirit—and cannabis!

Posted on June 29th, 2011 by Bill Weinberg and tagged , , , , , , .

Jim SquatterJim Squatter was already a longtime veteran of the squatting, anti-nuclear and anarchist movements before a devastating accident turned him into a medical marijuana user—and a fighter for the right to medicinal cannabis.

Patients testify in bid to halt restrictive Montana medical law

Posted on June 20th, 2011 by Global Ganja Report and tagged , , , , .

cannabis A former cancer patient and the husband of an elderly woman with serious health problems told a district judge in Montana June 20 of their concerns about whether they can still obtain medical cannabis if a new law takes effect July 1 to ban commercial growing operations in the state. The testimony came in the first day of hearings in a lawsuit filed by the Montana Cannabis Industry Association and others asking Judge James Reynolds to issue an injunction to stop the law from taking effect. 

Colorado enacts restrictive new rules for caregivers

Posted on June 16th, 2011 by Global Ganja Report and tagged , , , , .

cannabisThe Colorado Board of Health on June 15 adopted new rules for the state's small-scale medical marijuana providers, over the objections of cannabis advocates who say the rules are too harsh. The rules require that caregivers—medical marijuana providers who by law must serve five or fewer patients—do more than just provide cannabis. They must now do something extra, such as help patients with shopping, cooking or getting to doctors' appointments. Medical marijuana advocates fear the added responsibilities will severely limit the number of caregivers, which today stands at 16,000 by official figures. (Denver Post, June 15; Sensible Colorado)

Corporate cannabis grows approved by DEA

Posted on June 6th, 2011 by Bill Weinberg and tagged , , , , , .

cannabisDuring last year's Prop 19 fight in California, we noted the strange phenomenon of "Stoners Against Legalization"—tokers who opposed the legalization measure, sometimes spouting bizarre conspiracy theories that the ballot initiative was all a plot by Monsanto and other big corporations to corner the cannabis market and squeeze out independent growers with bio-engineered patented varieties. We noted that even if Prop 19 passed, "cannabis will remain illegal at the federal level, allowing Monsanto to be shut down if they dabble in the Evil Weed." But now it emerges that—surprise, surprise!—the feds have actually been giving multi-national corporations the legal right to grow cannabis that us commoners are denied.

Patient advocates back three medical bills introduced in Congress

Posted on May 25th, 2011 by Global Ganja Report and tagged , , , .

Three medical marijuana bills were introduced in Congress May 25 with support from patient advocates. The most significant of the three bills is one introduced by Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), which would reclassify marijuana from its current status as a dangerous drug with no medical value. Another bill, introduced by Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), will allow banks and other financial institutions to provide services to medical marijuana businesses without being subject to "suspicious activity" reporting requirements. The third bill, introduced by Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), changes the federal tax code "to allow a deduction for expenses in connection with the trade or business of selling marijuana intended for patients for medical purposes pursuant to State law."

Medical advocates sue federal government over rescheduling delay

Posted on May 25th, 2011 by Global Ganja Report and tagged , , , .

cannabisA coalition of advocacy groups and patients filed suit in the DC Circuit Court on May 23 to compel the Obama administration to answer a nine-year-old petition to reclassify medical marijuana. The Coalition for Rescheduling Cannabis (CRC) has never received an answer to its 2002 petition, despite a formal recommendation in 2006 from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the final arbiter in the rescheduling process.

Restrictive medical bill advances in Oregon

Posted on May 25th, 2011 by Global Ganja Report and tagged , , , .

Former state troopers in the Oregon legislature have revived a bill that would make it harder for people to qualify for a medical marijuana card and tighten controls on the those growing it. The Omnibus Cannabis bill, or House Bill 3664, got a hearing last week in the House Rules Committee at Salem. Under the bill, cannabis caregivers must be over 21 years of age, and must submit to a national background check each time they re-apply for a permit.

Fresno County bans outdoor growing after shooting incident

Posted on May 18th, 2011 by Bill Weinberg and tagged , , , .

CaliforniaCalifornia's Fresno County has banned outdoor medical marijuana growing following the case of Phayvanh Dydouanghphan, who shot to death an intruder who tried to steal his crop. Dydouangphan, a licensed medical grower, was sentenced to life in prison for the crime, AP informs us May 16. County Judge Arlan Harrell, imposing the sentence, said that Dydouangphan "apparently valued his pot more than human life," in AP's paraphrase. A story from Sept. 8 of last year on Fresno's KFSN provides more details on the case:

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