It’s Time for Obama to Have His “Marijuana Moment”

The internet was ablaze yesterday with talk of President Obama’s youthful pot use. Which is odd, considering the only thing atypical about Obama’s high school years is how common and relatable they seem.

Recent polling has shown support for marijuana legalization growing exponentially. Just this month, 56% of people responded in favor of legalization in a survey from Rasmussen Reports, with only 36% opposed. This is just the latest in a continuing trend of polling data demonstrating majority support for regulating cannabis. In October 2011, a Gallup poll had 50% support amongst those polled. Ending the war on cannabis consumers is no longer a political liability, it is a political possibility. President Obama should use this opening to embrace reforming our country’s marijuana laws and encourage Congress to pass laws to facilitate ending the arrest of 850,000 American citizens a year.

It is time for Barack to get in touch with his inner “Barry” and advocate for ending this country’s war against responsible adults who choose to consume cannabis. The majority of this country is waiting for your opinion to “evolve” on this issue, this could be your chance.

We encourage you to make your voice heard as an American voter and let the White House know this is an issue you consider to be of importance in this election. It is time those in Washington realize supporting rational reforms to our country’s marijuana laws can win them support at the ballot box.

RT!: @BarackObama: It’s time to have your “marijuana moment” #LegalizeIt2012 #DescheduleMJ – http://bit.ly/Kb3EAk
President Obama Twitter
White House Contact

Marijuana and Autism Survey – NORML and UF4A Collaboration

Over the last five years there have been numerous media reports about the anecdotal use of cannabis to help autistic children. Two brave women, one on the east coast the other the west, have been at the forefront of this effort to help scientifically explain why cannabis appears to be so helpful. Marie Myung-Ok Lee wrote about her experience in Rhode Island, a state with medical cannabis laws, in 2009. Soon after, inspired by Marie’s writings, Mieko Perez Hester and her son had a similarly positive experience with treating his autism in California. Mieko, soon after going public about their experience, was invited onto ABC’s Good Morning America.

The reply from parents around the country to these charter members of the NORML Women Alliance experience as parents using cannabis as a therapy for their autistic children has been overwhelming and inspired the need to perform proper scientific research to possibly develop cannabinoid-based treatments for autism in both children and adults.

To help accomplish this Mieko established The Unconventional Foundation for Autism (UF4A), which is asking the NORML community of hundreds of thousands of cannabis consumers and patients to help with a scientific survey today.

The NORML community has joined UF4A in this remarkable journey and fight, and has offered to help solicit feedback through the survey.

Target: Persons on the autism spectrum currently using or interested in using cannabis as a safe and effective medication to treat autism.

With more than 1 in 88 children affected, autism is the fastest growing developmental disability in the United States.  Currently, there is no medical detection or cure for autism; however, there are pharmaceutical and therapeutic treatments that have proven to be effective in treating the condition. Among the safest and most remarkable is the therapeutic use of medical cannabis.

Amidst a highly controversial setting, one California mother is sharing her autistic son’s triumphant and life-saving journey with the world.  Single mother of three, Mieko Hester Perez was watching her young son, Joey, succumb to various combinations of 13 different prescription drugs that ravaged his body and internal organs.  Joey weighed only 46 pounds, and was in a battle for his life.  

Read more: www.uf4a.org

In 2009, The Unconventional Foundation for Autism (UF4A) was formed. UF4A is lighting a path in hopes that others may benefit from alternative therapies that may be available to other families on the Autism Spectrum. Mieko helped create a survey to help solidify and amplify her results and the level of help the Foundation can provide.

At UF4A, we believe providing the most accurate information to medical professionals for research purposes will pave the way for clinical trials for unconventional treatments.

We seek to solidify and further the fundamental understanding we have in regards to the effectiveness of cannabis alleviating symptoms along the Autism Spectrum. The information collected in the survey will be used to further guide families, new patients, doctors and lawmakers in making informed and proper decisions for themselves and our community.

SURVEY LINK:
If this survey applicable to you or a loved one, we invite you or them to fill out the form UF4A Treatment of Persons on the Spectrum with Cannabis. To fill out the survey, click here.

Barry Obama Loved Marijuana, President Obama Now Locks People Up For It

New insight into the early life of Barack Obama has been recently made available in the form of excerpts from the forthcoming biography, “Barack Obama: The Story.” Apparently young Barry Obama, like countless of his contemporaries, enjoyed partaking in the use of marijuana. The president even was a trendsetter amongst his peers:

As a member of the Choom Gang, Barry Obama was known for starting a few pot-smoking trends. The first was called “TA,” short for “total absorption.”

Along with TA, Barry popularized the concept of “roof hits”: when they were chooming in the car all the windows had to be rolled up so no smoke blew out and went to waste; when the pot was gone, they tilted their heads back and sucked in the last bit of smoke from the ceiling.

He also was unafraid to go against proper smoking protocol:

Barry also had a knack for interceptions. When a joint was making the rounds, he often elbowed his way in, out of turn, shouted “Intercepted!,” and took an extra hit. No one seemed to mind.

What is clear from these anecdotes is that not only did Barry Obama try cannabis, but he was what many would refer to as a recreational user, a “stoner” if you will. Which begs the question, when exactly did Barry Obama, who participated in three foot bong hitting contests, become President Barack Obama, who laughs off the issue at town hall meetings, oversees the annual arrest of 850,000 Americans for marijuana violations, and ramps up the war against medical marijuana to new heights?

It is time the President says publicly what he already knows personally: Responsible marijuana use should not be a crime and it is time we put an end to the war on cannabis consumers.

Read more marijuana related excerpts here.

Arizona Considering New Uses for Medical Marijuana

May 25, 2012

Dear NORML supporters in AZ,

Good news!

The Arizona Department of Health Services (azdhs.gov) who administers the medical cannabis program is apparently soliciting information on peer-reviewed research for the efficacious use of cannabis for four new conditions for consideration of including on the list of conditions acceptable for use under the official program.

Those four conditions under consideration are:

*Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

*Migraines

*Depression

*Generalized Anxiety Order

The administrator, Will Humble, posted to the AZDHS blog on May 24th, 2012 that on “Friday afternoon” (May 25th), they are soliciting public comments both in person and online.

The link to the blog post of May 24th:

http://directorsblog.health.azdhs.gov/?p=2638

The link to what Mr. Humble calls the “online comment tool” is:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VFSKND7

Below is a news article from AZ affirming this effort that pushed on the wires late last night.**

Medical cannabis patients in a number of other states have been able to expand the scope of these medical cannabis programs, but only with active participation in the political process.

If you, a loved one or friend in AZ suffers from PTSD, migraine headaches, depression or anxiety, please take the opportunity afforded right now by AZDHS to let your public officials know that you support these pragmatic improvements to AZ’s nascent medical cannabis program.

Kind regards and thanks for your help and support,

-Allen St. Pierre
Executive Director
NORML
Washington, D.C.
director@norml.org

**Mojave Daily News

Arizona considering new uses for medical marijuana

Published: Friday, May 25, 2012 1:12 AM MDT

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona is considering requests to expand its fledgling medical marijuana program to allow use of the drug for an array of conditions, including post-traumatic stress syndrome and migraines, beyond those allowed under the law approved by voters two years ago.

The Department of Health Services, which is required under the 2010 law to consider requests to expand coverage, holds a public hearing Friday on the first batch of requests.

Besides PTSD and migraines, the requests for covered conditions include depression and general anxiety disorder. The law already permits medical marijuana use for such medical reasons as cancer, glaucoma, AIDS, chronic pain, muscle spasms and hepatitis C.

Even as the state considers expanding the program, it is still implementing a key part of the law.

Friday is the deadline to submit applications to operate medical marijuana dispensaries. Up to 126 dispensaries will be permitted statewide, but only one per designated area. Those typically are either rural towns or parts of metropolitan areas.

The process of awarding licenses to dispensaries that will sell marijuana to users was delayed by Gov. Jan Brewer’s reluctance to implement that part of the law.

The state has awarded medical marijuana user cards to more than 28,000 people. Chronic pain is the most common medical condition, though users can have more than one. Most of the users also got permission to grow marijuana until there is a dispensary in their area.

Arizona is among 17 states that have enacted laws allowing medical marijuana use, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

States’ programs vary, and some already cover the additional medical conditions being considered by Arizona. For example, New Mexico allows medical marijuana use for PTSD, while California’s covered “serious medical conditions” include migraines. Meanwhile, Colorado’s decade-old program has denied petitions to add more than a dozen conditions, including PTSD, hepatitis C and depression.

Marijuana is still illegal under federal law, but the Veterans Affairs Department in 2011 issued guidelines that permit patients treated at VA hospitals and clinics to use medical marijuana in states where it is legal. The guidelines don’t allow VA doctors to prescribe medical marijuana.

Consideration of possible expansion of Arizona’s medical marijuana program follows efforts by the state to crack down on early abuses.

State medical regulatory boards already have disciplined doctors for failing to adequately consider patients’ needs and conditions before recommending medical marijuana.

The state Medical Board in February reprimanded one physician who wrote certifications for 483 patients without making required checks of a controlled-substance database.

The Naturopathic Physicians Medical Board suspended another doctor’s license for failing to adequately examine patients and document their conditions before certifying them for medical marijuana.

In advance of Friday’s hearing, Health Services Director Will Humble said he is most interested in peer-reviewed scientific studies, not personal testimony.

“To me, it’s really about presenting good science,” Humble said. “To me, that’s the compelling information that we need.”

Humble’s department has contracted with the University of Arizona to identify research relevant to the requests for expanded coverage. “I’m not aware of very much published literature to support adding those,” he said.

Humble said he feels a need to be cautious about adding conditions because he doesn’t want patients to forego traditional medical treatment to opt for questionable benefits from marijuana.

And he said Arizona’s law doesn’t allow the agency to remove a condition once it’s listed, so it would be troubling if scientifically reliable information later surfaces that undermines the value of approving medical marijuana for a particular condition.

Brewer last year balked at allowing dispensaries, saying she feared state employees could face federal criminal prosecution. She later acquiesced after a judge ruled the state had no discretion implementing the dispensary portion of the law.

The state already had received about 200 dispensary applications through close-of-business Wednesday, and Humble said he expected many more before Friday’s deadline.

Copyright © 2012 – Mohave Daily News

Rhode Island: Governor Signs Legislation Authorizing State-Licensed Medical Marijuana ‘Compassion Centers’

Governor Lincoln Chafee signed legislation into law this week authorizing the creation of state-licensed ‘compassion centers’ to engage in the production and distribution of cannabis for authorized patients. It is the second time since 2009 that state lawmakers have approved legislation allowing for the state regulation of medical marijuana facilities.

Under the new law, Senate Bill 2555, health regulators will license three not-for-profit entities, known as ‘compassion centers,’ to operate within the state. Compassion centers will not be allowed to cultivate more than 150 cannabis plants on the premises at any one time, only 99 of which may be mature. Centers will also be restricted to possessing no more than 1,500 ounces of usable product at any one time.

Lawmakers have suggested that the imposed statutory limits will lower the likelihood of federal law enforcement officials interfering with the implementation of the law. At least one other state, New Mexico, imposes similar caps on authorized dispensaries.

State lawmakers initially enacted legislation allowing for the authorization of ‘compassion centers’ in 2009. However, Gov. Chafee suspended the law in 2011, stating, “[L]arge-scale commercial operations such as Rhode Island’s compassion centers (would) be potential targets of ‘vigorous’ criminal and civil enforcement efforts by the federal government.” Earlier this year, Gov. Chafee agreed to revisit the issue and to work with lawmakers to amend the law so that a limited number of small-scale distribution centers could apply for state licenses.

In response to the legislature’s actions, US Attorney Peter Neronha has said he will continue to oversee the enforcement federal drug laws. However, he has not specifically said whether ‘compassion centers’ will be targeted.

Three states – Colorado, Maine, and New Mexico – presently issue licenses to allow for the state-sanctioned production and distribution of cannabis. So far, dispensary facilities in those states have operated largely without federal interference.

Similar licensing legislation approved in recent years in Arizona, New Jersey, Vermont, and Washington, DC has yet to be implemented by local lawmakers.

In February, Delaware Gov. Jack Markell announced that he was suspending the implementation of a similar licensing program in that state.

Rhode Island lawmakers legalized the limited use and cultivation of cannabis for therapeutic purposes in 2006. Over 3,000 Rhode Islanders are presently authorized under state law to use cannabis.