Supervisors approve temporary pot-club ban

By Jo Stanley
Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 30, 2005 4:07 PM PST

Supervisors unanimously imposed a 45-day moratorium on new medicinal marijuana clubs Tuesday, curbing a trend that saw many more outlets opening around The City in recent months. "It's a little bit awkward to be in this position," said Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, who said he "fervently" supports medicinal cannabis users but nonetheless sponsored the emergency ordinance amid concerns over lack of regulation. Mirkarimi noted that some residents had complained about the 35 or so existing clubs, saying action was necessary given the likelihood of upcoming U.S. court rulings on medicinal cannabis that could change the legal landscape. "We don't want to trigger the intervention of the federal government," he said Full Story.......

People Helping People, is a UK based non-profit organisation

To successfully use this herb as medication, the user must respect & understand it and know how to use it to get the best results.
Hundreds of thousands of sick and disabled people worldwide have (and still do) self medicate with this herb and have achieved wonderful results. Their quality of life has increased, and they get great relief from their pain. Many people in the UK, with the help and support of P.H.P. are doing this now. People must be aware though that Cannabis is a dangerous substance if not used correctly, especially if it is 'Soapbar' they have obtained and not herbal cannabis. Not many people know the difference - do you? P.H.P. has now launched an education campaign to help alert and advise users to this dangerous substance (1).
People Helping People, is a UK based non-profit organisation, run for many years now, by the sick and disabled, with a worldwide community. Their membership is growing daily, and they will stand firm and fight for the rights of their members to be able to use a natural unadulterated herb as their medication, and not have to endure the horrendous side effects from a chemically created pill. Contact .......................

They've proved that cannabis makes you aggressive.

The Guardian Tuesday March 29, 2005

Lock three men in a room, make them smoke cannabis, and then try to provoke them into being hostile. Thirty years ago a team of American doctors actually conducted this daring experiment. They then described it in a report called Marijuana and Hostility in a Small-Group Setting.
The conventional wisdom at the time said that cannabis would make people less hostile, that it would tend to quieten aggressive behaviour even in people who tended to be pugnacious. Such was the widespread belief among cannabis smokers, and also among people who knew cannabis smokers, which included a large proportion of the American population.
But conventional wisdom is not always right. Several aggressive political figures voiced with certainty that cannabis had pernicious, vicious effects, and that directly or indirectly its use led to hostility, violence and worse. Several medical eminences agreed. This experiment was an attempt to settle the question.
Carl Salzman and Richard Shader were co-directors of the Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory at Harvard Medical School in Boston. Together with a colleague, Bessel A van der Kolk, they recruited 60 brave volunteers, all healthy men between the ages of 21 and 30, all with prior experience of smoking cannabis. More Research required....

The Medical Marijuana Muddle

March 28, 2005
By Linda Halstead-Acharya Of The Gazette Staff
Source: Billings Gazette

Montana -- Last November, 62 percent of Montana's voters approved the use of marijuana for medical purposes. That means that all a patient has to do is ask his or her doctor for a prescription, and if stopped by a police officer the patient is let off the hook. Not quite. While the margin of support for Initiative 148 was clear, the aftermath is anything but. Law enforcement officers, physicians and even the 82 Montanans already registered as qualified patients are all wondering what Montana's new law means to them. Currently, a doctor can't prescribe marijuana because it's still categorized as an illegal, Schedule 1 drug. The new statute does, however, allow a patient to seek the signature of a physician affirming that the patient suffers from one of the conditions listed under the statute, such as cancer, glaucoma, AIDS and chronic diseases such as severe pain, nausea, seizures and muscle spasms. But even with the signature, there's no legal way to buy marijuana. Patients in Montana now smoking it still have to get it the old-fashioned way, illegally.
Doctors like Jim Guyer, the medical director at the Deering Clinic in Billings, don't plan to approve requests for medical marijuana until the gray areas are clarified. Since the initiative passed, he's had a handful of requests.
"Because we are a federally qualified community health center, we fall under federal guidelines," he said. "There's some concern that if we prescribe it, it could jeopardize our grant funding."
Guyer refers to an incongruity between state law, which apparently allows medical marijuana, and the federal law, which prohibits it. More...............

Cannabis use 'trigger for schizophrenia

24.03.05
By KENT ATKINSON

Cannabis use as a teenager increases the risk of developing schizophrenia in later life, a study using research on New Zealand youths has revealed.
A report in the British Medical Journal showed those who used cannabis as a teenager had a 10 per cent chance of developing psychosis by the age of 26. The general public have a 3 per cent risk.
The conclusions were based on a study by the Institute of Psychiatry in London of 759 people born in Dunedin, New Zealand, between 1972 and 1973.
That report was used and supported by Dutch researcher Dr Jim van Os, who drew similar conclusions from a study of youths in Munich, Germany, to be published in the New Scientist next Saturday. More Of........

'Skunk can affect people's mental health'

But 15 months is a long time in politics and now Charles Clarke has taken over one of the most important jobs in Parliament. He has ordered a review of the dangers posed by cannabis and is said to be alarmed by recent studies showing a link between the drug and mental illness.This rethink could lead to the stronger form of the drug which has the street name skunk being made a Class B drug. Police say this could cause major confusion as they would not be able to tell the difference on the street.But Brendan Morrell, manager of The Bridge Project a drug information and treatment service based in Mill Road has welcomed the new debate, saying he has seen clear evidence that skunk can affect people's mental health. Read On ..............

Dr: No

• 26 March 2005 From New Scientist

AT THE end of Jim van Os's street in the pleasant Dutch city of Maastricht there is a coffee shop. As with many such establishments in the Netherlands, "coffee shop" is something of a euphemism: most of its customers go there not to drink coffee but to buy and smoke dope. Van Os isn't too keen on the place. He doesn't like the shady characters it attracts. He doesn't like the fact that his children have to walk past it. And most of all he doesn't like that fact that the place breaks the law and sells marijuana to under-18s. Van Os's fears are rooted in more than the usual parental angst. He is a psychiatrist at the University of Maastricht who investigates the effect of marijuana on people's brains - particularly adolescents' brains. And the findings of his research make him worry about the effects of all this dope smoking on the kids in his neighbourhood. Read On................

MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL FAILS

Santa Fe New Mexican (NM) Steve Terrell 22 March

A Republican supporter of a bill that would allow sufferers of certain serious diseases to use marijuana made a last-minute - -- literally -- attempt to pass the bill that sat for days on the House calendar as a result of a political dispute over an unrelated bill.
Though the move was unexpected, it wouldn't have been impossible to push the bill through.  In the closing minutes of the session -- which, according to the state constitution, ended at noon -- the House took action on several bills.
However, the attempt to revive Senate Bill 795 was stopped cold by House Speaker Ben Lujan, D-Nambe, who said, "This is a very controversial item.  We probably need a three-hour debate."
Then House Majority Leader Kenny Martinez of Grants moved to adjourn the session.
Medical marijuana was one of this session's most glaring examples of how bills can be delayed, held hostage and even killed as a result of political spats between lawmakers. In this case, Rep.  Dan Silva, D-Albuquerque, admitted this week he was working to hold up SB 795 until the Senate Judiciary Committee heard a bill of his dealing with impact fees on Albuquerque developers. Full Story................

'The pot club'

Suzanne Herel, Tuesday March 22, 2005

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom called for a moratorium today on medical marijuana clubs in the city after learning that one such clinic planned to open on the ground floor of a city-funded welfare hotel that is home to a number of recovering drug addicts."That obviously raised some concern, not just from the community, not just from our Departments of Human Services, but from the residents within the building themselves, who appropriately said, ‘Hey, I'm just trying to get away from drugs and alcohol and here you have a pot club downstairs,' " Newsom said."It was at that moment that our office started looking at a way we could amend all of our contracts with the Department of Human Services to restrict the ability to purchase ... units under the Care Not Cash program and restrict the use of medicinal marijuana clubs in those facilities."The pot club that grabbed Newsom's attention was the Holistic Center, which plans to open this week on the ground floor of the All-Star Hotel in the Mission District. The hotel is among a dozen that serve welfare tenants under Newsom's Care Not Cash program.Since state voters passed Proposition 215 in 1996, legalizing More Of................

No more 'drug' war

Posted: 03.18.2005 Isaac Tripp

In 1971, President Nixon declared that drugs were America's No. 1 enemy. This date is considered to be the start of the "War on Drugs." Since that time, the War on Drugs has grown to be a costly, ineffective, and damaging policy that has created a tremendous crime problem, sapped federal funds, and imprisoned millions of Americans, all while doing almost nothing to solve the problem of drug abuse. It is imperative that America stops deluding itself into thinking the drug war is effective and begins to enact serious changes. At the bare minimum, medicinal marijuana should be legalized nationwide. Furthermore, minor drugs (e.g. marijuana) should be decriminalized or legalized completely.The drug war has been an area of U.S. policy that has done far more harm than good. The total cost of the drug war in the year 2000 alone was estimated to be $136 billion. Despite the ever-increasing amount of tax dollars Full Tale.......

The man from GW Pharmaceuticals says' yes '

18 March 2005

Young men are most likely to use cannabis for pain relief

One in six people who take cannabis for pain relief say their doctor advised them to use it, a survey suggests.The UK survey, published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice, asked just under 1,000 people about their use of the drug.Almost 70% said cannabis significantly relieved their symptoms - 45% said it worked better than prescribed drugs.But the British Medical Association said it had never heard of a doctor recommending the drug.The results show that people with a wide range of conditions thought cannabis had benefits
Dr Mark Ware, McGill University Health CentreThe survey was sent out to people who contacted the company GW Pharmaceuticals because they were interested in its research into using cannabinoids as treatments. People with chronic pain were Read On......

"Cannabis Clubs," raided by narcotics agents

Jennifer MacDonald, Staff Writer 17 March 05

Myasthenia gravis, a rare neurological disorder that affects the muscles causing loss of strength with each use of that muscle, is one of many illnesses for which marijuana is prescribed. The naturally growing plant can aid in reducing side effects like loss of appetite and stomach cramps caused by medication taken to alleviate symptoms of the disease.In California someone suffering from myasthenia gravis or a number of other illnesses can receive a prescription from a doctor allowing legal marijuana use at least under state law. But the patient can't wander down to Rite Aid to fill this prescription. And most places set up to provide marijuana to medical users called "Cannabis Clubs," are raided by narcotics agents. This prevents medical users from having a reliable source for the medicine and they are left to buy the beneficial herb off the streets.The legalization of marijuana for medical use on the state level is a step in the right direction toward a system where AIDS, cancer and glaucoma patients could obtain the medicine in an organized, legal and safe way. But the federal government not only continues to oppose legalization for medical use, they refuse to declassify marijuana as a Schedule I substance: illegal and having no medical benefits.Read On.............

'Chronic Pain'
16 Mar 2005
International Journal of Clinical Practice

Sixteen per cent of people who use cannabis for medical reasons say that their doctor suggested it, according to research published in the March issue of IJCP, the International Journal of Clinical Practice.947 people in the UK reported using cannabis for medical purposes, with more than a third (35 per cent) saying that they used it six or seven days a week. The majority (68 per cent) said that it made their symptoms much better.“The results of our UK survey, including the extent of use and reported effects, lend support to the further development of safe and effective medicines based on cannabis” says lead author Dr Mark Ware from McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, Canada.People with chronic pain were most likely to use cannabis for medicinal purposes (25 per cent) followed by patients with multiple sclerosis (22 per cent), depression (22 per cent) arthritis (21 per cent) and neuropathy (19 per cent).Younger people, males and those who had used cannabis recreationally were also more likely to use it for medicinal reasons.More Of........................

'Pot ban'

March 15th.

Ontario council considers ban on medicinal pot, medical marijuana ONTARIO - The city will consider a temporary ban on clinics, co-ops and dispensaries that distribute medical marijuana Tuesday.According to a city report, a unanimous vote of the four sitting City Council members is required to pass the ban, which would be effective for 45 days. That would give the city time to consider a permanent change to its zoning code.The city report noted that, since California voters passed Proposition 215 to approve medical marijuana use in 1996, some cities have had difficulty addressing the zoning issues posed by medical marijuana establishments.

'chopped fingers' a case for mediganja

A MUSICIAN who had three fingers hacked off in a home invasion told a Brisbane court today how his attackers threatened to set his housemates on fire if he screamed during the ordeal.Phil Evans, 21, from Herston in Brisbane's inner north, came face to face in the Brisbane Magistrates Court with the man accused of hacking off his fingers with an axe.David William Ritchie, 29, from Brisbane, is facing several charged over the incident including torture, assault occasioning bodily harm while armed and deprivation of liberty.A second alleged assailant remains at large.Giving evidence at Ritchie's committal hearing, Mr Evans detailed how on July 21, 2003, he came home to find two intruders in the Herston house he shared with three other students.The talented saxophonist told the court that the two men were armed and they pushed him on the floor, taped his mouth up, his legs together and tied his right wrist to the leg of a table.He said that while his first finger was being cut off he had screamed and Ritchie had grabbed his head and said: "If you make a noise, I've got your flatmates in the lounge room and they have petrol on them and I will light them up." Interested .........................

'SEVERELY SCRUTINIZED'

The Journal of the American Botanical Council March 12/3/05

For over 10 years the U.S. government has distributed marijuana (Cannabis sativa) to a small number of patients suffering from serious illnesses. The weed has been used in its whole form (smoked by the patients) or in tablets ("Marinol") made with the "active ingredient," tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The THC and marijuana have been used to allay nausea associated with chemotherapy treatments for AIDS and cancer. Additional medical use includes treatment for relieving ocular pressure for glaucoma patients.But now the U.S. Public Health Service will no longer provide marijuana cigarettes to new patients with either AIDS, cancer, or glaucoma. There has been a "rapid increase" in the demand for the herb due to AIDS. Government officials, fearing that the pot program sends a mixed message about drug use, are terminating any new approvals for the drug.Under the new policy, 34 patients who are currently approved to receive the government-grown marijuana cigarettes will continue to qualify for them. However, new applications will be severely scrutinized; applicants must prove that they receive no benefit from the THC tablets which will still be made available.In defense of the new policy, Bill Grigg, a spokesperson for the Public Health Service, said, "It was felt that this might get out of hand, both in terms of the supply we might have and the government saying, rather successfully, that marijuana is not good for you. It might be (perceived as) saying it's safe and effective, which is the standard for a new drug." Read On.......................