Smoking ban? On tobacco yes, Cannabis… not!

Forbidden to toke, 50€ fine... could this become a common sign in California?

Finally, someplace gets it right when it comes to smoking.

Medical marijuana will not be subject to the smoking ban adopted by the Sebastopol City Council on Tuesday — at least for the time being.

The council unanimously(!) voted to remove medical marijuana from the proposed ordinance and focus only on the use of tobacco after a series of speakers, several of whom said they used cannabis for medical purposes, expressed fears that the ordinance would interfere with their legal use of pot.

The ordinance had originally included cannabis, as well as a number of other substances, including crack cocaine, reports George Snyder at Sonoma West Times & News.

The council decided to focus on tobacco alone at the suggestion of council member Linda Kelley as a way to allow medical marijuana users to not become entangled in potential legal issues outlined by City Attorney Larry McLaughlin.

In addition, although recreational pot use is not currently legal, that could change with Prop 19, which would legalize cannabis for adults, on the November ballot, McLaughlin said.

By limiting the focus of the smoking ordinance on the effects of nicotine and tobacco smoke, the council was told, the ordinance could sidestep the marijuana issue.

The council could, perhaps in six months or a year, revisit the marijuana exemption to see if complains about pot smoke indicated a problem, suggested council member Larry Robinson, who had long pushed adoption of the smoking ordinance.

“The point is not to infringe on the rights of people in their home, but to protect others in their homes,” Robinson said.

The city had been working since 2008 to make the smoking ordinance more comprehensive, according to City Manager Jack Griffin.

“The city has already established smoking bans in public parks and playgrounds,” Griffin said. “The proposed ordinance significantly increases the city’s smoking regulations to include a number of additional locations, most notably multi-family dwelling units.”

Current regulations focus on outlawing smoking in public places including retail stores, restaurants, banks, offices, theaters, auditoriums and other businesses.

The biggest change in the proposed ordinance would ban smoking in apartments (“multi-family dwelling units”), as well as in unenclosed apartment complex common areas except designated smoking areas.

The ordinance would require each lease or rental agreement in apartment complexes to contain provisions outlining the new rules.

Single-family homes would not be affected by the ordinance.

Source: Toke of the Town

Colorado companies allowing their employees to use medical marijuana?

When it comes to medical marijuana, Colorado employers are caught between conflicting laws.

The state’s medical-marijuana amendment, passed by voters in 2000, says that employers don’t have to accommodate medical-marijuana use in the workplace.

But another Colorado law, enacted a few years ago to protect cigarette smokers, prohibits firing employees for engaging in legal activities during nonworking hours.

That suggests that people who smoke medical marijuana before arriving at work could be protected under state law, whether their employers like it or not. And with roughly 30,000 Coloradans now estimated to be qualified to use medical marijuana, employers are growing increasingly uneasy.

Rick Simpson – Freedom Fighter of the Year 2009

Last week during the High Times Cup 2009, Rick Simpson was awarded with the title Freedom Fighter Of The Year 2009. We feel that Rick Simpson is one of the people that truly deserves this title.

That is why we feel it is important to tell as many people as possible about this remarkable man and his fight for Medical Marijuana. Mr. Simpson claims that his pure cannabis oil can cure all kinds of diseases and even cancer. The Canadian government does not believe this and have tried to prosecute him as a drug dealer in the past even though his only crime is giving it away for free to terminally ill cancer patients. We don’t get this… Even if you do not believe him, what harm is there to have terminally ill cancer patient try this medicine?

Below you’ll find a short statement on recent events from Rick Simpsons website phoenixtears.ca

On November 25th, 2009, one day before I was crowned the Freedom Fighter of the Year 2009 at the Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam, I received a word that I have been raided again by the RCMP. I contacted Tim Hunter at the Amherst attachment and asked I was being charged. Of course, he refused to give me straight answer. All he would say was that the RCMP wanted to talk to me.

After openly growing hemp in my backyard this past summer and announcing this fact to the public on tom Young´s open line talk show in June, how could the RCMP not be aware of my activities? The truth is they knew exactly what I was doing. RCMP officers were even sending people that needed help to me. I can only surmise that the purpose of this raid was to keep me from returning to Canada.

If I return home, I will be arrested and put in jail without bail or medicine. I am not afraid of their jails but I cannot go without my medicine, the system has nothing that could help me with my conditions. So for me to return to Canada would be like committing suicide. I would be thrown in jail and denied my medicine and a short time later you would hear in the news that Rick Simpson died of natural causes. I cannot tell the people of Canada who are depending on my presence to help their medical conditions how sorry I am. But it was not me who caused this situation.

Cannabis oil a cure for Parkisons disease?

New medical marijuana policy issued by the President

The Obama administration announced today that it will not seek to arrest medical marijuana users and suppliers as long as they conform to state laws, under new policy guidelines to be sent to federal prosecutors Monday 19th October. A 3-page memo spelling out the policy is expected to be sent Monday to federal prosecutors in the 14 states which allow some use of marijuana for medical purposes, and also to top officials at the FBI and the DEA.

According to officials, the memo is designed to give a sense of prosecutorial priorities to U.S. Attorneys in the states that allow medical marijuana. It notes that cannabis sales in the United States are the largest source of money for violent Mexican drug cartels, but adds that federal law enforcement agencies have limited resources – It emphasizes that prosecutors have wide discretion in choosing which cases to pursue, and says it is not a good use of federal manpower to prosecute those who are without a doubt in compliance with state law.

Cannabis to be legalized in Jamaica?

Exports of Jamaica’s primary agricultural products – sugar, bananas and bauxite – have slumped severely since the start of the global financial crisis. As this crisis deepens, many prominent Jamaicans are calling for the cultivation and exportation of marijuana to be legalized for medicinal purposes.

Cannabis as a cancer cure?

On the surface, it stands to reason that people who smoke cannabis could possibly face similar elevated risks for head and throat cancers as do those who smoke tobacco, and/or drink alcohol. Both alcohol and tobacco use carry significantly higher risks for such cancers.

In 1999, a highly – publicised study indicated that cannabis users might face some elevated risk of head and neck cancers, as is the case with consumers of tobacco and alcohol. However, even the researchers from that study cautioned against making too much of their results and called for further study.

Medical marijuana may protect against swine flu!

As schools return from their summer breaks, there is widespread concern amongst parents and teachers alike. Swine Flu (H1N1) thrives off the conditions typical in classrooms and younger demographics are particularly vulnerable. As manufacturers struggle to meet unprecedented demand, one company has a controversial idea.

Patrick Swayze smokes medical weed

UPDATE:

After fighting terminal pancreatic cancer for more then 20 months Patrick Swayze passed away Monday 14 September at the age of 57.

read more here

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Patrick Swayze allegedly has begun smoking medicinal marijuana to help him in the fight against pancreatic cancer.

Medicinal cannabis is already well known to ease nausea, insomnia and anxiety. People that undergo treatment for cancer often loose their appetite, smoking a joint helps a lot of people to gain weight again therefore regain the strength that is needed to fight this terrible illness.

This is what a insider had to say..

“He’s recently gained a little weight and feels more normal that he has in months. Patrick was rapidly losing weight.” a source says.

“Patrick and his brother Donnie get together almost every day and smoke a joint,” the insider added. “They have been seen smoking weed on the roof of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center while Patrick was getting a treatment.”

Swayze, who has been battling pancreatic cancer since January 2008, has not commented.

Oakland imposes a tax on the sale of medicinal marijuana!

The city of Oakland became the first place in America to impose a tax on the sale of medicinal marijuana this week in what has been seen as a huge step on the path towards marijuana’s eventual decriminalization. Famed for its liberal stance on the subject, Oakland (fondly dubbed Oaksterdam by the cannabis community) city council backed the move by unanimously voting through a proposition to allow voters a chance to have their say on Measure F.

Proposed by the city’s 4 “cannabis clubs” themselves as a way of contributing towards the local economy, Measure F imposes a tax of 1.8% on the sale of medical marijuana – $18 on every $1000 sold. “It is important because the city of Oakland is facing a massive deficit like many jurisdictions in California,” says Steve DeAngelo, a leader of one of the city’s cannabis clubs.. “And we decided to step up to the plate and make a contribution to the city in a time of need.” Measure F was passed into state law last Tuesday with 80% of voters backing the proposal in a special postal ballot.

Source: CNN.com

Dr. Bob Melamede – Biology of Democracy

Dr. Robert Melamede aka Dr. Bob is a professor specializing in cancer treatment working at the university of Colorado.

In the video below Dr. Bob explains about Endocannabinoids and the difference between BLP’s (Backward Looking People)and FLP’s (Forward Looking People).

His theory on Endocannabinoids and how they influence everything is interesting. Have a look for yourself as he explains the basics in this video.

He also had some very interesting things to say about Cancer in a response to the Rick Simpson story (Run from the Cure), which we expect many of you have heard about. If you haven’t, we recommend you watch it right now. Click here..

Want to know more? Have a look at Dr. Bob’s youtube channel or his website.