Want to participate in an anonymous survey that can help advance scientific understanding regarding marijuana use?

Want to possibly win a $250 Amazon gift card? How about a free iPod?

This survey from NORML advisory board member and university researcher Dr. Mitch Earleywine assesses a number of attitudes and personal preferences.

Some questions are directly about marijuana and some are more general beliefs and opinions. the survey also takes a close look at drug and alcohol use, some symptoms of anxiety and depression, and personality characteristics.

It’s markedly shorter than surveys in the past NORML’s highlighted and should intrigue most folks in the NORML community.

As usual, the survey is completely anonymous, and there’s a chance to win prizes. Registration for prizes comes via a code number generated at the end that participants send to a separate email address, so there’s no way to connect your responses to your email or your identity.

Take the survey here.

Speaking at a landmark press conference today, California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) introduced comprehensive legislation to tax and regulate the commercial production and sale of cannabis in a manner similar to alcohol.

“With the state in the midst of an historic economic crisis, the move towards regulating and taxing marijuana is simply common sense. This legislation would generate much needed revenue for the state, restrict access to only those over 21, end the environmental damage to our public lands from illicit crops, and improve public safety by redirecting law enforcement efforts to more serious crimes”, Assemblyman Ammiano said. “California has the opportunity to be the first state in the nation to enact a smart, responsible public policy for the control and regulation of marijuana.”

The proposal is the first marijuana legalization bill ever introduced in California.

“It’s time for California taxpayers to stop wasting money trying to enforce marijuana prohibition, and to realize the tax benefits from a legal, regulated market instead,” said Dale Gieringer, director of California NORML, a sponsor of the bill.

As introduced, Ammiano’s measure would allow for the licensed production and sale of cannabis to consumers age 21 and over. Licensed cultivators would pay an excise tax of $50 per ounce of cannabis. In addition, the proposal would impose a sales tax on commercial sales. (Ammiano’s proposal would not affect the state’s medical marijuana law, allowing patients and caregivers to grow their own medicine.)

If enacted, the measure would raise over $1 billion per year in state revenue, according to an economic analysis by California NORML, available online here.

Ammiano’s bill comes at a time of growing public support for legalizing marijuana. A recent Zogby poll reported that nearly six in ten west coast voters support taxing and regulating marijuana like alcohol.

Faced with a $40 billion budget deficit, other public officials have joined in endorsing Ammiano’s bill, including San Francisco Sheriff Mike Hennessy and Betty Yee, a member of the State Board of Equalization, which oversees collection of sales taxes.

Currently, tens of millions of dollars are paid annually in state and local taxes by licensed distributors of medical marijuana. However, these sales only represent a fraction of the overall statewide marijuana market. “The millions of dollars raised each year on the sales of medicinal cannabis is only the tip of the iceberg,” Gieringer said. “Kudos to Assemblyman Ammiano for proposing a path-breaking bill that would benefit our economy, safety and freedom by making marijuana a winning proposition for California.”

Over 6,000 online voters cast their single ballots for top three NORML ad contest submissions.

Cave Art: Humanity’s First Pro-Cannabis Ad?

Checkout the winners of NORML’s $10,000 cash prize contest for best pro-cannabis law reform ads here.

‘Got to get over the hump!’
NORML’s survey and polling work indicate that a strong majority of Americans support both decriminalization and patient access to medicinal cannabis, but, frustratingly as exampled in the latest Zogby polling, only a strong plurality (44%) of Americans currently support actually taxing and controlling cannabis like alcohol and tobacco products.

The change in presidential administrations, cannabis’ popularity in the country, the outing of Michael Phelps, the record number of reform bills introduced in the states and the crushing economic crisis facing the country have collectively cast a great deal of focus on the question of ending cannabis prohibition portend that now is the best time in 30 years to widely broadcast NORML’s longstanding message of cannabis law reform for responsible adult use.

What will it take to finally move public opinion sufficiently from tacit support for legalization to majority support?

For decades some law reform advocates and communication experts have argued that advertising could be the likely missing component.

Let’s find out!

We can all afford to kick down $10 to purchase 125 TV ads, or $50 for 625 ads!

Please make a tax-deductible donation to the NORML Foundation today in support of this important project.

Let’s start a nationwide ‘cannabis conversation’, please donate in support of placing NORML’s ads on TV and the Internet, let’s get over the hump and achieve real cannabis law reforms as soon as possible.

Author, Harvard academician, NORML Advisory Board member and respected physician, Lester Grinspoon, recently updated his webpage and is seeking cannabis consumers to contribute essays to his newly launched blog devoted to furthering understanding and appreciation of the way in which cannabis enhances a variety of human experiences.

An awesome essay submitted to Dr. Grinspoon’s definitively written Marihuana Reconsidered by a mysterious Mr. X originally inspired this ‘Uses’ project, later to be revealed as the late, great Dr. Carl Sagan.

Dr. Grinspoon is looking for material for a new book examining the myriad and compelling reasons why so many people use cannabis.

Essays can be anonymously submitted…or not.

The ‘Uses’ webpage is companion to Dr. Grinspoon’s comprehensive medical cannabis-related webpage: www.rxmarijuana.com

I don’t think it hyperbolic to observe that the prohibition of marijuana appears to be in serious question as a public policy in the United States these days.

Consider for just a moment the major changes promised by the Obama administration to end the federal law enforcement raids in states with legal protections for medical marijuana providers and patients; the mass questioning of marijuana prohibition via the outing of 14-time gold medal winner Michael Phelps; the crushing economy that apparently is disabusing many state legislators that the costs of prohibition can no longer be sustained and lastly, the graying of the Baby Boom generation (who, in the 1960s and 1970s scoffed at their parent’s Reefer Madness).

What did today’s ‘mail’ deliver to my inbox that just makes my eyes roll:

The Associated Press ran a story entitled ‘Lawmakers Across Nation Look To Booze for Revenues: Governors and lawmakers faced with budget deficits are advocating loosening laws that restrict alcohol consumption so that the state can increase its tax base.’

– In Georgia, Connecticut, Indiana, Texas, Alabama and Minnesota, lawmakers are considering legislation this year that would end the ban on Sunday liquor sales. All but 15 states sell booze on Sundays.

– In Nebraska, a state lawmaker has proposed allowing beer to be consumed in state parks as a way to boost tourism.

– Other states, including Utah, are considering allowing the sale of liquor on Election Day.

Drinkers shouldn’t break out the bubbly just yet: Two dozen states, including California, Massachusetts, Oklahoma and Virginia, are looking to help their budgets by raising alcohol taxes.

Meanwhile, some states are trying to eliminate much less onerous hassles associated with buying alcohol.

–In Colorado and Kansas, grocery stores are fighting for the right to sell full-strength beer. Most of the opposition in those states isn’t coming from morality groups, but instead from liquor stores who like having a corner on the market.

–A similar effort is occurring in Tennessee, where lawmakers are considering allowing the sale of wine in supermarkets.

–In Alabama, a proposal to raise the amount of alcohol allowed in beer from 6 percent alcohol by volume to 13.9 percent is being considered, although some church groups fear it would result in people getting drunker quicker.

Gee, I wonder where else balance budget strapped states could take in billions in unrealized taxes? Hmmm…

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DEA has 106 planes, so why did it charter private jet for chief?

McClatchy Newspapers reports that, in these belt-tightening times, especially for the federal government, that 1) the DEA has 106 airplanes that cost the taxpayers $76 million annually and 2) Even with this mini-Air Force, the DEA’s Acting Administrator Michelle Leonhart still chartered a private jet for over $128,000?

Ugh!

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Laguna Woods’ retirees still await medical pot dispensary –

Responding to some residents’ quality-of-life pleas, the city last year agreed to let a marijuana facility set up shop. But so far no landlord has been willing to risk the wrath of Uncle Sam. LA Times

As more and more senior citizens and Baby Boomers turn to the non-toxic, safe and affordable cannabis plant as a medicine, media stories about senior citizens being denied viable access to medical cannabis in retirement communities and hospices is only going to increase in the near term as the federal government’s strict prohibition against medical cannabis continues to loose both credibility and the weight of law in the American mind.

***

State lawmakers looking to increase revenues by increasing public access to a dangerous and addictive drug (ethyl alcohol products), DEA getting long deserved public scrutiny for wasting tax dollars and senior citizens in California complain in the state’s largest paper about the need for greater retail access to medicinal cannabis…

Yep, America’s cannabis prohibition laws really are primed now more than ever for substantive reform!

Sure, tens of millions of Americans will be hunkering down in front of their television sets with friends and family tomorrow to ostensibly watch the Super Bowl between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals, but as we all know the day of the Super Bowl is America’s showcase for the most expensive and often creative commercial television advertisements of the year.

That’s all fine and dandy, but how much cooler is NORML’s first ever SuperBOWL Pro-Marijuana Law Reform Ad Contest? Heh?! Forget the painfully boring and tedious eight hours of Pre-SuperBowl television programming…watch and share all of these great pro-marijuana law reform ads.

$10,000 in cash prizes and NORML swag is up for grabs for the most creative pro-marijuana law reform ad—and YOU and your friends are the judges to determine this year’s winners.

Starting in September, NORML launched our third annual ‘NORML Ad Contest’, and after culling through hundreds of submissions, NORML’s staff and members of the board of directors recently narrowed the field to the top #25 videos for consideration in our first-ever online poll that will determine the contest’s winners.

Get This Contest Dug on Digg!
Please, tell all your like-minded friends, family and co-workers about NORML’s Ad Contest and encourage them to 1) vote once for their top three choices and 2) join NORML!

Voting online for the winners will last one week and end at midnight (PST), Sunday, February 7, 2009.

There is a terrific variety of videos, artistic creativity and passion for marijuana law reform represented in these top #25 contest submissions, and I want to personally thank the hundreds of NORML supporters who submitted videos and flash animations into NORML’s ad contest for consideration.

Advice for watching and judging NORML Ad Contest Videos: Mindful that you can vote one time and only choose your top three picks for winners, my recommendations are to watch the videos a number of times this week—possibly in different states of consciousness—and then hone in on your top three video choices for NORML’s best pro-marijuana reform ads. Also, for maximum viewing pleasure, when watching YouTube-based videos, it is best that the video first load entirely before viewing is initiated.

Like last year’s winning ad, and because of the generous financial support of NORML’s members, this year’s winning ad(s) will air in selected, local television markets in the United States, including President Obama’s new neighborhood here at the end of 16th Street, in the northwest section of Washington, D.C.*

Thanks again to this year’s contestants for standing up for what is right and for the many online voters who’ll pick this year’s winning pro-marijuana ad contest video or flash animation.

*Subject to local cable providers accepting NORML’s advocacy ads

Well now…maybe the story today on the Drudge Report–featuring a possible photograph of uber-Olympian and champion pitch man Michael Phelps indulging in some marijuana use with a nice, big glass bong–may finally explain why, when I’m in Baltimore, business owners and some in the media often ask me “if Michael Phelps is a big NORML supporter?” My usual reply is ‘no, not as far as I know. Why?’

Now maybe that answer has possibly presented itself. Check out the photo here.

*Update: Phelps acknowledges the photo is accurate and that he has used marijuana…

14-times Olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps caught with cannabis pipe

By Georgina Dickinson, 01/02/2009

News Of the World

In our exclusive photo Michael Phelps, who won a record EIGHT gold medals for swimming at the Beijing games last summer, draws from a bong.

The glass pipes are generally used to smoke cannabis.

And after sporting chiefs announced laws which mean four-year bans for drug-taking, Phelps’ dreams of adding to his overall 14 gold medal tally at the 2012 games in London could already be OVER.

Those dreams seemed the last thing on his mind when he puffed from the bong during two days of partying with students last November, a quiet time in the swimming calendar when athletes would not expect to get tested for drugs.

One party-goer who witnessed the star’s behaviour told the News of the World: “He was out of control from the moment he got there.

“If he continues to party like that I’d be amazed if he ever won any more medals again.”

Phelps’ aides went into a panic over our story and offered us a raft of extraordinary incentives not to run the bong picture.

Full Story

It is hard to imagine liberal House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and conservative Minority Leader John Boehner as soul mates on any discernible level, however, on the issue of marijuana law reform, for entirely different reasons, they’re two peas in a pod.

Shortly after the conclusion of this summer’s Democratic National Convention in Denver, NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano posted a blog highlighting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) comments exhorting the public to take the lead on communicating with their elected policymakers regarding any desired major marijuana law reforms in the upcoming 111th Congress.

With that call to action in the minds of many, American voters elected Democrats into workable majorities in both chambers and elected Barack ‘Change’ Obama—while voters in both Massachusetts and Michigan voted in strong favor for ‘change’ regarding their states’ antiquated marijuana laws—when given the chance and medium to express their viewpoint regarding what other ‘changes’ are on the American peoples’ minds, since the mid 1990s and despite strong, bias media opposition, marijuana law reform has emerged as a major policy change sought by the American public.

House Speaker Pelosi supports medical access to marijuana. That is not in question. However, it is not known whether she publicly endorses decriminalizing marijuana, but, as a longtime representative in the House from San Francisco, she likely supports California laws regarding marijuana, notably the state’s long time decriminalization laws for personal, adult use.

Does she have the power to move medical marijuana through the Congress? Yes, likely she does. Is she going to expend the kind of political capital needed so early in the 111th Congress and this ‘New Dealish’ presidency to accomplish this? I don’t believe so.

Well now, to make matters worse, we have the Republican Minority Leader, John Boehner (R-OH), appearing

Full Story

A major, strongly promoted news special on marijuana prohibition will air this evening at 9 PM and 1AM (eastern) on CNBC.

CNBC is running an online poll in relation with their documentary ‘Marijuana, Inc.’ and the results so far, not at all surprising—98% of voters have voted ‘yes’ to decriminalize marijuana! The positive tone of CNBC’s poll suggests that ‘Marijuana, Inc.’ will indeed be a well-watched news piece on marijuana, and likely another small step towards legalization and regulation of cannabis in the United States.

Just like with the Change.gov/Change.org efforts of the last few weeks, where marijuana reform ranked #1 for Americans, let’s keep the pressure on and see if the vote totals in support of decriminalizing marijuana can maintain a 98%-2% lead. Cast your vote here.

After you watch Marijuana, Inc., come back to NORML’s blogs and comment on what your impressions of the 1-hour documentary are and if you believe CNBC’s coverage of cannabis prohibition is helpful or not in the overall reform efforts.

Thanks to everyone who voted in change.org’s “Ideas for change in America” competition. Out of 7,847 ideas generated, “Legalize the Medicinal and Recreational Use of Marijuana” was voted the #1 idea for change (with 19,530 votes) in America!

Now its time to direct our strong commitment for marijuana law reform at Obama’s official website, where “ending marijuana prohibition” continues to remain in first place…so let’s keep it that way by telling all our like-minded friends, family and co-workers to vote now to make sure that Washington policymakers–from both parties–recognize the clear popularity marijuana law reform enjoys in the United States.