The Fall of 2011 saw a major increase in reach and support from around the country and the world. The Alliance is now active on three continents and in five countries. The Facebook page has more than 20,000 followers and reaches over 65,000 people a week. Over 15,000 supporters have signed up for our email list and almost 1,000 have signed up to volunteer.

The NORML Women’s Alliance/SSDP Sister-to-Sister program has matched almost 500 women. While the NORML Women’s Alliance is still in its infancy (the program is barely 2 years old), it is evolving quickly into an effective platform (and forum) for women to speak out and support marijuana legalization. It’s a very exciting time to be a woman in the marijuana law reform movement.

• Get Involved

  Thank you so much for your interest in becoming a local representative for the NORML Women’s Alliance. You will be standing up for millio…

  

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• ________________________________________________________________________________________________

• California Tour: In November of this year Diane Fornbacher, Melissa Sanchez, Sabrina Fendrick and Kyndra Miller held several outreach events as they toured California from Humboldt County to Los Angeles.

• From 707 to the City of Angels

  From the majestic redwoods of Humboldt county to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, the NORML Women’s Alliance’s Sabrina Fendrick, Kyndr…

  

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• Media

  Re-Leaf Magazine conducted an interview with Diane Fornbacher.

  The Daily Caller notes the NORML Women’s Alliance in an article about the now infamous Miley Cyrus Birthday Video in which she declares herself a “true stoner.”

  [Podcast] A Different View: Sabrina Fendrick was interviewed by Moms for Marijuana Director Serra Frank, Iva Cunningham and others about the importance of the Women’s Alliance as well as the different efforts and projects currently being developed.
• “

  A Different View #8 – RadicalRuss ustre.am/:1hyuU

  
  

   

  NORML Women

  
  

  December 26, 2011 4:29:11 PM EST

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• The Plain Dealer (Cleveland’s local publication) quoted Tonya Davis discussing her work with the Ohio Patient Network and the group’s effort to put a medical marijuana initiative on the 2012 ballot.
• Medical marijuana project moves along, while Lewis proposals on hold: Whatever Happened To … ?

  A push to legalize marijunana use that was started in May by billionaire Peter B. Lewis has been waiting for a decision since several pro…

  

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• Upcoming Events in 2012
  **If you are interested in holding an event in your area please call 202-483-5500.
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• NORML Canada Women’s Alliance – Victoria Meets! | Facebook

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• Spring Fling 2012

  Come out of the cold and join us for a cocktail mixer/silent auction where you can meet the National NORML Board of Directors, high-profi…

  

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• Support the NORML Women’s Alliance

• If you too believe in a better and safer world, please consider donating to the NORML Women’s Alliance today. Thank you so much for your financial and moral support.

• Women will be the deciding factor in moving public opinion towards repealing marijuana prohibition. In order to reach out to more women, and continue to build a powerful coalition, the NORML Women’s Alliance is looking to raise money to spread awareness in several different ways:

  1) PSAs and educational announcements on websites, blogs and magazines.

  2) Produce and distribute literature/educational materials about the NORML Women’s Alliance, and the negative effects of marijuana prohibition on women and families.

  3) Develop resources for our community organizers. Funding for travel, training and recruitment.

  4) Provide scholarships to send more women to NORML conferences and related conventions/festivals.

• Donate

  Women will be the deciding factor in moving public opinion towards repealing marijuana prohibition. In order to reach out to more women, …

  

  Norml

From the majestic redwoods of Humboldt county to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, the NORML Women’s Alliance’s Sabrina Fendrick, Kyndra Miller, Melissa Sanchez and I toured almost the entire Sunshine State for nine days prior to Thanksgiving to rally our sisters and brothers in preparation for what will be a mighty 2012 for us all in drug policy reform.

The tour began at a beach-side co-op in the company of our NORML Women’s Alliance colleague Annarae Grabstein of Steep Hill Lab. We enjoyed a brainstorming session and sunset barbecue, then prepared for the incredibly scenic drive north up to Humboldt county the next day to attend 707 Cannabis College’s Hempfest event at the Mateel Community Center in Garberville.

The panel was moderated by Terri Klemetson, News Coordinator for Redwood Community News (KMUD). Speaking were the esteemed Paul Gallegos, Humboldt County District Attorney; Mark Lovelace, Humboldt County Supervisor; Dan Rush, Director of the Medical Cannabis and Hemp Division of United Food and Commercial Workers International Union; Matt Witemyre, Chief of Staff at Medi-Cone; Alexis Wilson-Briggs, Esq., Criminal Defense Attorney/Pier 5 Law Offices and recently named San Francisco and Sacramento NORML Women’s Alliance Community Leader; Samantha Miller, President-Chief Scientist at Pure Analytics, LLC; and Paul J. Von Hartmann, Cannabis Scholar and Biodynamic Agriculturist.

The panel was very lively, and at times heated, with Wilson Briggs asking for clarification from D.A. Gallegos on many different topics, most specifically regarding enforcement tactics, difficulties reconciling state law versus the federal stance on cannabis and protecting local citizens. Overall, the energy was receptive, friendly and informative. Citizens addressed the panelists at the culmination of the event and what was most enlightening to us was how open and honest the farmers were with officials, genuinely wanting to work with the system, be respected in their industry by the government and have best practices so that they may do clean as well as successful business.

Afterward, we were treated to a tour of 707 Cannabis College with Kellie Dodds, Pearl Moon and Donna King. 707 is located in the heart of the “Emerald Triangle” where, “the highest quality education in the health benefits of appropriate cannabis use, sustainable cannabis horticulture and evolving cannabis law” is provided. We were delighted to see that the NORML Women’s Alliance has a huge presence at 707 with a permanent education access table, lots of enthusiasm and solidarity.

The next day, before heading to our evening fundraiser and screening of “A NORML Life” in San Francisco, we spent the day at the historic Pier 5 Law offices of Tony Serra, where NWA’s Kyndra Miller, Esq. has an office. Pier 5 has a long history of defending human rights and is an environment that has a strong female presence. While we were nearing the end of our workday, we were treated to a visit from the humble and sweet, Mr. Clint Werner. He stopped by with his amazing book “Marijuana: Gateway to Health”, a new release.

At the screening of Rod Pitman’s, “A NORML Life”, many NORML principals are featured in the film including Members of the Board: Dale Gieringer, Madeline Martinez, George Rohrbacher, William Panzer, Esq., Allen St. Pierre, and Keith Stroup . Tonya Davis, winner of NORML’s Pauline Sabin Award (In Honor Of And Recognition For The Crucial Need And Importance Of Women Leadership In Ending Marijuana Prohibition) was prominently featured in an inspiring narrative. Also in the house was Lynette Shaw (Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana), Paul Armentano (Deputy Director NORML) who gave a rousing speech in support of the NWA, Ellen Komp (CANORML), Jack Rikess (Toke of the Town), NORML Attorney Matt Kumin, actress Heather Donahue of the Blair Witch Project, and many others at the forefront of reform in California. Executive Producer of the film, Mr. Pitman, gave a very entertaining free form Q&A session after the screening. The event was hosted by NORML Board member Richard Wolfe and his terrific assistant, Grynn. Catering was provided by the lovely Caitlin Martens.

The next day, we headed south to Los Angeles and the Hollywood Hills for our fundraiser, A Cause to Laugh, at The Comedy Union in Los Angeles. The event was hosted by Brooks Colyar and comedienne Simply Cookie emceed. In the house was Co-Founder and Director of Unconventional Foundation for Autism, Ms. Mieko Hester-Perez, well known also as Joey’s Mom. We want to thank everyone who participated in making this event amazing, especially Enss Mitchell, purveyor of the Comedy Union for believing in the NWA and providing valuable insight to achieve our goals for all demographics. Also, special thanks to Cheri Sicard for volunteering, as well as Kandice Hawes (OCNORML) for attending with friends.

It’s really quite difficult to summarize the trip into words but Melissa Sanchez was able to really encapsulate the energy of what we experienced during our whirlwind tour. She explained that, “from the people of Humboldt – people with so much heart living in the beautiful old forest – to the people of San Francisco who are dedicated to the never-ending work of politics and activism to Los Angeles where we were reaching out to a community who knows all about the real impact of the war on drugs, it was inspirational journey. Our movement is large and encompasses people who are not yet active in it: People whose families are affected by the drug war in Latin America, mothers who are patients but can’t speak out because they are afraid of the state taking their children, seniors who are fed up with taking medicine that may end up hurting them instead of healing them, and many others. The NORML Women’s Alliance is here to help bring more people into the movement. The more diverse and broad our movement, the sooner we will see significant change.”

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If you too believe in a better and safer world, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to the NORML Women’s Alliance today. Thank you so much for your financial and moral support.

HIGH TIMES Medical Cannabis Cup in San Francisco

Join us on the NORML Network at http://live.norml.org for our exclusive live stream of the HIGH TIMES Medical Cannabis Cup in San Francisco.

In addition to our mobile studio we’re displaying the first copies of the NORML Big Book of Marijuana Facts, and they’re getting great reviews.  We’re set up for streaming and recording the expert panels, which ar efull to overflow.  We also have the NORML Women’s Alliance (Sabrina Fendrick, Kendra Smith, and Diane Fornbacher) running a booth, next to California NORML and Orange County NORML.

NORML Board’s Bill Panzer headed up a legal panel earlier today… Jorge Cervantes is on the panel currently streaming… Danny Danko runs a cultivation panel at 5pm Pacific.  Tomorrow, NORML’s Paul Armentano and California NORML’s Ellen Komp speak at 1:30pm.  Valerie Corral from WAMM is on panel tomorrow at 3pm.  Nico Escondido from HIGH TIMES runs another cultivation seminar tomorrow at 5pm.  Then the awards are given out tomorrow night at 7pm.  We’ll be here with live coverage the whole time.

Follow @RadicalRuss, @CannabisKarri, @GanjaJon, and @Kaliko8705 on Twitter for updates and photos from the event.

Just visit http://live.norml.org between Noon and 10pm Pacific this weekend. We’ll have coverage grow seminars by Nico Escondido, Danny Danko, and Jorge Cervantes plus all of the speakers and performers. At 2:30pm both days we’ll be bringing you a condensed version of NORML SHOW LIVE, with federal medical marijuana patient Irv Rosenfeld as our guest Saturday and medical marijuana pioneer Dr. Frank Lucido as our guest on Sunday.

NORML Founder Keith Stroup and NORML Outreach Coordinator Russ Belville will be there tabling for NORML as well. Stop by our live stream, create yourself a Stickam account, and ask your questions of our host and guests. It’s the next best thing to being there!

Prohibition Pragmaticism

Wisconsin – When asked by the media about a recently introduced medical cannabis bill in his state, as well as to comment on the Obama administration’s new policies on medical cannabis, Governor Jim Doyle said he has no problem with the use of cannabis to treat severe pain and other medical conditions by way of a physician’s recommendation, and that restricting the use of medical cannabis makes no sense when doctors can already prescribe more dangerous drugs like morphine.

British Columbia – Stephen Gamble, president of the Fire Chiefs’ Association of B.C., recently came out in favor of fire department inspections of the home gardens of federal medical cannabis patients and caregivers in BC, to make sure the cannabis grow operations are safe, and not creating fire hazards. However, numerous medical cannabis patients and advocates in B.C. have spoken out against the proposal citing special federal privacy protections for medical patients.

Washington, D.C. – The Transportation and Security Administration (TSA), in numerous media reports, acknowledged another major departure from prior administrations regarding federal medical cannabis policies: State-compliant medical cannabis patients may not be harassed or arrested for their medical cannabis whilst traveling in federally-controlled airports.

Oakland NLC member Robert Raich, for years, has been pursuing the TSA to allow medical cannabis patients flying out of Oakland International Airport to lawfully possess their medicine in compliance with TSA rules, which are to concentrate on terrorism and public safety concerns, (i.e., weapons, explosives, knives, etc…), and that pilots and the airline crew are not liable for the presence of lawfully possessed medical cannabis.

New Hampshire – New Hampshire’s new US attorney, John Kacavas, told the media that he will not prosecute medical cannabis patients. [The new policy from Obama]…”is saying in a smarter battle against drugs, people who use it to improve their appetite, people who use it to alleviate their pain probably ought not to be prosecuted federally.”

Then…The Drug War Whoring

Washington, D.C. – In one of the grossest, most gratuitous, desperate attempts to get media attention I’ve ever seen (which says a lot…), former public relations flack for the infamous House Select Narcotics Committee (sui generis of many bad, failed and constitutional-warping anti-drug legislation of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Thankfully this congressional committee no longer exists, and these days the once leaders of the group, like powerful New York democrat Charlie Rangel, now support decriminalizing cannabis) and former drug czar Barry McCaffrey’s in-house anti-pot propagandist Bob Weiner employs PRNewswire to hump his absurd press release attacking President Obama’s and Attorney General Eric Holder’s clarification of their ‘hands off’ policies regarding the use of federal law enforcement in states with medical cannabis laws (and presumably in states without state protections for medical cannabis patients).

In a country where approximately 75% of the population support medical access to cannabis, one has to wonder what is wrong with people like Bob Weiner. What does he not get? Or, is the only source for his revenue and self-being these days–almost eight years after taxpayers stopped funding his anti-cannabis propaganda when Weiner, a Democratic political appointee, lost his job when the Bushies took over in 2000–is to whore himself out to the media and anti-drug groups as some kind of anti-cannabis zealot, one that mocks science with his ignorance and drips contempt for the compassion that others seem to possess.

Weiner, a self-proclaimed expert on cannabis, does not seem to understand that 1) cannabis is not prescribed anywhere in the US, 2) the DOJ memo only impacts federal, not state attorneys, 3) Weiner claims, relying on unnamed law enforcement agents, that 9 out of 10 medical cannabis patients are frauds, citizens ‘faking’ a medical need ‘just to get high’, 4) Weiner oddly compares a non-toxic and therapeutic substance like cannabis to laetrile, therein invoking the late Senator Kennedy to supposedly prove the “false hope” of medical cannabis, when, in fact, Senator Kennedy supported both patient access to medical cannabis and active cannabis medical research at the University of Massachusetts @ Amherst, and 5) Weiner whines that politics, not science is the controlling factor; feigns there is a dearth of science regarding cannabis (when there are over 17,500 studies relating to cannabis and/or cannabinoids).

Watch Weiner and the so-called war on drugs get rightly ridiculed by Penn and Teller…or the entire episode here.

Feast your eyes on Weiner’s Wednesday PRNewswire release to see what a real drug war whore looks like seeking the media and public spotlight:

Medical Marijuana: ‘Be Careful,’ ‘Ex-White House Drug Spokesman Bob Weiner Tells DOJ About ‘New Lax Enforcement’ Policy; ‘Use May Explode in Healthy People’

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — “Be careful about the new lax enforcement policy for medical marijuana,” former White House Drug Policy Spokesman Bob Weiner is telling the Department of Justice and the Obama Administration.

“You may get way more than you bargained for”, Weiner cautions of the new policy barring states attorneys from busting and prosecuting users and caregivers of so-called “medical” marijuana who act “in accordance with state law.”

“Prescription marijuana use may explode for healthy people.”

Unfortunately, as many as 90% of purchases at clinical distribution centers are “false defenses”, some law enforcement agents report – “which means individuals are not really sick but simply want the pot,” Weiner asserts.

“Medical marijuana is not as effective as other healing mechanisms for many illnesses such as glaucoma, pain, or nausea that users try it for because of false hype leading to false hope. Just as laetrile was legalized in the 1970′s in 27 states to cure cancer but was found to be useless apricot pits, leading Senator Kennedy in a Senate hearing to decry the ‘false hope’ delaying true treatment, ‘medical’ marijuana today could be a placebo delaying far better treatments,” according to Weiner.

“Many medical marijuana advocates press its use for pain killing and appetite enhancement,” Weiner asserted, “but you might feel just as good after a shot of gin. Science, not politics, must drive what is determined to be safe and effective medicine in America. The medical marijuana advocates never mention the potentially better applications of THC in marijuana from suppositories, jells, aerosols, or the already approved pill Marinol — they just want the high from the smoked version.

“There is a real danger that if marijuana is made essentially a prescription drug, its abuse and usage explosion could parallel other prescription drugs over the last decade, such as OxyContin, which have tripled nationally and quintupled in many locations because of the ease of availability.”

“No one wants to deny a dying cancer patient a hit of grass, if that’s what he or she wants. But to announce and implement a policy of broad-brush non-enforcement when there is so much loose about usage of medical marijuana and its distribution is a dangerous policy.”

“The new policy, a three-page DOJ memo anyone can download, does not only say leave the users alone. It also says leave the ‘caregivers’ alone if they comply with state law. The distribution centers, which are suppliers, and the staff could well be considered ‘caregivers’. DOJ would have serious problems discerning between illicit dealers and distributors.”

Weiner served as White House Drug Policy Office spokesman for 6-1/2 years and communications director of the House Select Narcotics Committee for five years.

Contact: Bob Weiner/Rebecca Vander Linde 301-283-0821/202-306-1200

SOURCE Robert Weiner Associates Issues Strategies

NORML’s 38^th annual conference in San Francisco, convened September 24-26, was the best attended, ever. Held at the Grand Hyatt, downtown, under classic San Fran weather conditions: 78 degrees and sunny, with the fog creeping up over the hills and a river of fog laying atop the water, streaming in from the ocean through the Golden Gate, sailboats, freighters…the sun-drenched surrounding hill…all of which was to be seen from the hotel’s restaurant on the 36^th floor. Medicating could be done, down at street level, on the plaza surrounding the hotel. NORML’s annual conference was held downstairs in the grand ballroom and adjoining meeting spaces. Well, my brothers and sisters in the movement to legalize marijuana, we kicked ass this during this amazing weekend!

Travel author Rick Steves, publisher and comedian Ngaio Bealum and others on the 'Pot, Parenting and Prohibition' panel

The caliber of the presenters and breath of topics @ NORML 38.0 was just astonishing; everything from martial artists using cannabis just before the fight for calming and focus, to how current tax court decisions are shaping the trend toward a wider range of services delivered to patients at dispensaries, to a deep and satisfying look into the science of the exceptional safety profile and utility of cannabis as a medicine. And, if you couldn’t have been there in San Francisco with us, now for the very first time in history, you can attend conference from anywhere in the world, free, on the Internet, simply by visiting NORML’s 38^th conference broadcast.

I arrived in San Francisco early enough the day before Conference started to do the NORML “walk through” with Grand Hyatt hotel staff. My morning had started at home at 4:00am doing chores before the two-hour drive to the airport, then my flight to SFO and transport to the Hyatt, only to find out that I was one of the 57 attendees who were being bumped to other hotel properties for one night, because a nasty overbooking computer-glitch. The cynical among us made muffled comments that this “glitch” might have something to do with the US Customs Service/Homeland Security Conference in progress at the hotel the day of NORML’s arrival. The overbooking problem ruffled a few feathers, but we got over it quickly and everyone with a reservation at conference was booked onsite by the end of the first day. The Grand Hyatt staff was awesome in dealing with the mess. And after all, really, how can you be in a bad mood anyway, you’re in San Francisco at a NORML Conference???

A tiny case in point: on day 1 of Conference, during our 4:20 afternoon break, as several hundred of us medicated on the plaza, San Francisco’s Thursday Green-Transportation Bike Protest, with police escort, pedaled by, a significant number of their ranks biking buck-naked…

As I lay in bed that night, finally in my rightful hotel room, my head a-buzz with all the people I’d talked to and some of the world’s finest cannabis, I pondered why NORML Conference was so much fun, and why I had gotten such a huge emotional lift from the day’s events. Sure, I was seeing old friends, making new ones, the common struggle and all of that…but as I continued to think about it, I realized that while those were all important elements of it, but they did not account for the power of what I was feeling.

Then it struck me! Just three weekends before NORML’s Conference, over the Labor Day weekend, my wife and I had held our daughter’s wedding on our ranch, with 70 campers and 120 guests for a sit-down dinner under a tent set up next to our home. We had the first rain in 14 weeks and rainbows the day of the ceremony. The feelings I was getting from the first day of NORML’s Conference was something very much akin to those same feelings that welled up inside that big tent during my daughter’s wedding. Yes. NORML, too, was a meeting of family, self-chosen family, the very tip of an iceberg, a worldwide network of people who, with cannabis, are strung through the heart.

The more I thought about all the people I’d talked to that first day, our wheelchair warriors, our intellectual samurai, our organizers at ground zero…the more I realized that almost to a person, they were at NORML’s 38^th annual conference because there was a truth that must be told, a wrong that must be righted, sick people who must be cared for, the defenseless defended…they were there in San Francisco primarily because their hearts demanded it, their internal compass of right-and-wrong would accept no less.  And, after all the many years of losing our battles, after 20 million marijuana arrests, the tide has started to turn…

We are winning on many fronts now…but, it is not over, there is so much left to do, please help. Join the fight; please join NORML, if you haven’t done so already. And, I hope to see you at the 39^th annual conference, next year.

NORML 2009: Yes We Cannabis!
September 24-26, 2009
Grand Hyatt Hotel
San Francisco

There has never been a greater cultural, media or political zeitgeist to re-legalize cannabis than right now. Indeed, even more so than the 1970s era of decriminalization.

Indicative of such momentum, last Thursday U.S. Representatives Barney Frank (D-MA) and Ron Paul (R-TX) have re-introduced the cannabis decriminalization bill that NORML help to write and champion for introduction in the 111th Congress.

Take Advantage Of Great Early Bird Registration and Reduced Room Rates At a Four-Star Tower Hotel in San Francisco
For this and other numerous reasons, if possible, please take advantage of NORML’s early bird discounts resulting in 35% off the conference registration and socials by registering ASAP.

>> REGISTER NOW <<

Also, don’t delay in reserving your room for the national conference as NORML always sells out the reserved room block of discounted rooms. Don’t miss out on a room at a great 4-star tower hotel in San Francisco.

Discounted Rooms at Luxury Hotel in SF…Reserve Now!
I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the greatly discounted hotel rooms available at the beautiful, and centrally located Grand Hyatt Hotel San Francisco on Union Square.

Single (or double) occupancy is only $165/night (rack rate for rooms at the Grand Hyatt are usually $275-$400/night) by calling 415-398-1234 (must refer to ‘NORML – National Sales Meeting‘).

Add $75/night for an executive upgrade; triples and quads also available at $190 and $215 respectively.

Negotiating $55/night for a 4-star tower hotel in the commercial district of San Francisco is one way to make the conference as affordable, and popular, as possible.

Limited Number of Reserved Smoking and Wheelchair Accessible Rooms
There are only 30 reserved ‘smoking’, and 10 wheelchair-accessible rooms available for cannabis and/or tobacco consumers. Act fast.

Reserve your room here.

Affordable Airfare Available Right Now
A number of staff have already reserved flights at very low costs, i.e, $215 non-stop, round-trip on Virgin Airlines from Washington DC to San Francisco. Other similar deals currently exist on most airlines.

Medical Cannabis-Only Day
Lastly, the very first day of the conference is devoted entirely to the topic of medical cannabis, the emerging ‘cannabusinesses’ in a number of medical cannabis states (such as California) and ‘best practices’ for patients and providers. At the last two NORML conferences (in Los Angeles and Berkeley) the medical cannabis-only days were very successful and held on day #3 of the conferences; this year it is front-loaded into the day #1 slot.

Once again, guided tours of medical cannabis wellness centers in ‘Oaksterdam‘ and other parts of the SF Bay area available.

About 70% of conference attendees come for the ‘regular’ sessions and the rest come for the medical cannabis-only day, so if you have strong interests in medical cannabis (as you should), please plan on attending all three days of this year’s 38th annual national NORML conference.

Can Last Year’s Conference Party Be Topped?
For those who attended last year’s conference in Berkeley, the best efforts are being made to make sure that, if at all possible, this year’s Saturday Night Fundraising Party during the conference tops last year’s. If you can conceive of that!

Again, with the incredible social, media and political momentum swinging cannabis law reformers’ way since the beginning of 2009 (building on decades of hard work), this really is not the year to miss NORML’s national conference.

Please email conference@norml.org with any questions or concerns about this year’s conference, and I sincerely hope to see you at NORML’s ‘Yes We Cannabis!‘ national conference in September.

>> REGISTER NOW <<

Thanks for all your hard work and support for cannabis law reform!

Kind regards,

Allen St. Pierre
Executive Director
Board Member
NORML/NORML Foundation
director@norml.org

p.s. The conference planning committee has left open a few slots for either your speaker or panel suggestions, please forward your suggestions or proposals to: conference@norml.org

Partial listing of panel topics for this year’s conference include:

-The Zeitgeist of Legalization: Why and How Did This Happen?
-Pot Politics 2009 and beyond
-Has Support For Legalization Reached The Tipping Point?
-What Impact Would Legalization/Regulation Have On Use Rates
-Cannabis Law Reforms Missing Link: Law Enforcement
-Putting The Mexican Cartels Out Of Business
-Marijuana Legalization as a Local, State and Federal Revenue Stream
-Pot, Parenting and Legalization
-Cannabis and Athleticism

Medical Cannabis-only day
-Panels and lectures on the health effects of medical cannabis;
examinations and discussions led by expert lawyers focusing on emerging medical cannabis distribution models; taxation; zoning and business license issues and criminal defense representation.

Patients accepted into the research program will have travel to San Francisco covered and receive cash payments. This research program is part of a continuum of medical cannabis-related research performed by Dr. Abrams and his staff.

The goal’s study is to assess whether using vaporized marijuana affects the safety of prescribed opioids in patients treated for chronic pain.

*To Join This Study You Must:

-Have Ongoing Chronic Pain
-Be 18 or older
-Be on a stable twice-daily dose of sustained-release oxycodone (Oxycontin) for at least 2 weeks before enrollment
-Be willing to give up marijuana for a month prior to entering the study
-Not be a cigarette and/or cigar smoker, or be willing not to smoke for 2 weeks before starting the study
-Meet some additional criteria

If You Are Eligible You Will:

-Spend 5 days and nights in a clinical research center at San Francisco General Hospital
-Have blood tests and other measurements done
-Inhale vaporized marijuana three times a day

If you’re interested in participating in this important medical research, and qualify for the necessary research protocols, please directly contact 415-476-9554 (x315).

Absent these kinds of well constructed scientific research programs to better understand and determine the medical utility of cannabinoids and cannabis, the federal government will continuously oppose patient access to whole-smoked cannabis, therefore this kind of research takes on an even greater sense of concern and scope than just how a specific therapy interacts with patients.