... Turning over FREE a new leaf.

www.WestCoastLeaf.com ISSN 1945-221X • Volume 3 No. 2 Summer 2010 IT’S ON THE BALLOT Cali measure for legal adult neys, faith leaders and organizations, who are generating support for the initiative faces November vote amongst their constituents. By Chris Conrad Vocal opposition is led by lobbyist and The Secretary of State confirmed March 24 spokesperson for the Peace Jack Herer that the Control and Tax Can na bis initia- Officers Assn, John Lovell. The typical line- The Hemperor tive will be on the Nov. 2, 2010 ballot, the up of law enforcement, MADD, drug rehab first non-medical use initiative to qualify in companies, career politicians and fringe June 18, 1939 – April 15, 2010 the state since the 1972 California Mari- religious groups are coalescing under the juana Initiative. The mere fact of cannabis banner, ‘Public Safety First,’ headed by the One of the forefathers of the being up for a vote with a slim majority of ‘No On Prop 5’ strategist Wayne Johnson. movement and author support among CA voters has stoked They have vowed to block the initiative, as of the best-selling book, national and international media discus- have some dealers and illicit growers, so it The Emperor Wears No Clothes, sion of how legal adult cannabis use is to is expected to be a close vote. Jack Herer will be missed. be regulated in the future. Campaign spokesperson Dale Clare The campaign is garnering a growing said that Oaksterdam University founder string of endorsements, which already and initiative sponsor Richard Lee made includes the CA NAACP, political and sure the measure protects existing medical union leaders, Oakland City Council, econ- use laws, winning the strong support of Tribute on page 31 omists, and most cannabis reform groups. advocates and co-proponent Jeff Jones of Photo courtesy of www.sensiseeds.com Bud strain shown in background bears his name. It is forming coalitions of physicians, attor- Please turn to page 19 Medical coming to nation’s capital Cannabis has little effect on driving, By Mike Meno, MPP Georgia), the notorious restriction’s name- Washington DC will soon be added to the sake, who later reversed his position — the study shows; most drive more slowly list of jurisdictions that give seriously ill ban was at last lifted last year, opening the By Paul Armentano NORML again 30 minutes after smoking a single patients legal access to medical marijuana, way for the Council to enact what would Subjects exhibit virtually identical psy- marijuana cigarette containing either 2.9 after a unanimous May 4 vote by the have been the country’s second medical chomotor skills on a battery of driving sim- percent THC or zero THC (placebo). District council approving amendments to use law. Once Mayor Adrian Fenty signs ulator tests prior to and shortly after smok- a medical use law passed in 1998 by 69 per- the law, it goes to Congress for a 30-day Investigators reported that volunteers ing marijuana, according to clinical trial cent of voters in the nation’s capital. review period, but there are no indications performed virtually the same after smok- data published in the March issue of the ing cannabis as they did sober. “No differ- For more than a decade, Congress the Democratically controlled Congress Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. ences were found during the baseline driv- blocked its implementation via the so- will try to intercede. Investigators from Hartford Hospital in ing segment (and the) collision avoidance called “Barr Amendment” — a clause in “A well-working medical marijuana Connecticut and the University of scenarios,” authors concluded. the annual federal budget bill that appro- program in the nation’s capital will pro- Carver College of Medicine assessed the priates money to the District of Columbia. vide a unique opportunity for members of Investigators noted that “participants simulated driving performance of 85 sub- receiving active marijuana decreased their After years of lobbying by the Congress who have never seen such pro- jects in a double-blind, placebo controlled speed more so than those receiving placebo (MPP) and others grams up close to do just that,” said Karen trial. Volunteers responded to various sim- cigarette during (the) distracted section of — including former Rep. Bob Barr (D- O’Keefe, MPP’s director of state policies. ulated events associated with automobile the drive.” Authors hypothesized that sub- “Once they see for themselves that crash risk — such as avoiding a driver who jects’ reduction in speed on this task sug- these laws do nothing but provide compas- New law to was entering an intersection illegally, gested that they may have been compen- sionate care for seriously ill patients, hope- deciding to stop or go through changing sating for perceived impairment. fully they will understand the need to cre- regulate dispensaries traffic lights, responding to the presence of ate a federal policy that no longer criminal- “[N]o other changes in driving per- By Warren Edson, Esq. emergency vehicles, avoiding colliding izes patients in any state who could benefit formance were found,” they reported. with a dog who entered into traffic, and The 2010 Colorado legislative session from this legitimate treatment option.” Please turn to page 14 brought dramatic changes to the medical maintaining safe driving during a second- Unfortunately, amendments approved marijuana community, due to the passage ary (in-the-car) auditory distraction. Please turn to page 15 of House Bill 1284. Provided that Governor Subjects performed the tests sober and then Medi cannabis helping Ritter signs the bill, as he said he will, California pay its debts Colorado will begin regulating — and Humboldt group looks ahead to the legal market legitimizing — the industry on July 1, 2010. Taxes receipts around $100m help draft regulations, and to ease local In order to create a clean legal slate, the ‘Branding,’ cannatourism and By Dale Gieringer California NORML growers’ transition to possible legalization. bill creates three new statutory defenses, sustainability all on agenda The California Board of Equalization HUMMAP is a coalition of cannabis the language and general framework of reported that the state is collecting $50 - By Liz Davidson, HUMMAP patients, cultivators and associated com- which will be adopted by local municipali- $100 million annually in sales taxes from The Humboldt Medical Marijuana munity members united to develop a com- ties over the next year. medical marijuana. The report confirms an Advisory Panel (HUMMAP) was formed prehensive countywide medical can nabis Dispensaries will now be known as estimate previously published by on April 20 to promote the virtues of regulatory policy. Its goals are to integrate Medical Marijuana Centers. An MMC is California NORML* and independently Humboldt-grown cannabis, to educate all related health and safety issues under allowed to be a for-profit business, and it is confirmed by Americans for Safe Access. county communities and government, to Please turn to page 12 specifically not the patient’s ‘caregiver.’ California NORML currently estimates The MMCs will be able to retail to the state’s domestic retail market for med- patients, and they will be able to wholesale Cannabis Freedom Day marked around the globe ical cannabis at over $1 billion per year in a up to 30 percent of what’s in their store- total adult use market of $6 billion. Even front to other MMCs, Infused Product more is shipped out of state. Manufacturers (IPM, a new category, Prohibitionists, led by Los Angeles described below), and caregivers. By Sept. District Attorney Steve Cooley, have 1, they will need to have at least 70 percent sought to choke off the state’s lucrative of the cannabis in their storefront produced medical market by claiming that sales are by their own growers. A $5,000 bond will illegal. Advocates argue that medical sales be required to license an MMC. are legal under SB 420, and the state stands Medical marijuana grow facilities will to lose millions in sales tax revenues if LA’s now be known as Option Premises dispensaries are closed. Cultivation Operations (OPCO). The Regulated adult use could net the state OPCO has to be connected to an IPM or $1.4 billion in revenues according to the MMC, and all their cannabis has to be sent state Legislative Analyst’s office, or over to that one IPM or MMC. Cannabis Freedom Day 2010, AKA the Million Marijuana March, was celebrated around the world $1.2 billion by Cal NORML’s estimate.* The final new cannabis business license on May 1 and 8. Events were held in 334 cities. This historic 10,000 person march took place May 8 from Plaza de Mayo to the National Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina. * canorml.org/background/OakFinancialReportRelse.htm; also canorml.org/background/CA_legalization2.html. Please turn to page 30 Photo courtesy of revista Haze. See cures-not-wars.org for May 7, 2011 info. Summer 2010 Page 2 West Coast Leaf

West Coasterdam Report

Canada’s ‘Prince of Pot’ Marc Emery jailed, extradited to US Canadian Justice Minister Rob Nicholson in May ordered that his country’s most famous legalization advocate be extradited to the US for a five-year federal prison sentence. Moms Unite to End the War on Drugs Rally April 28 at the Cannabis seed entrepreneur and magazine publisher Marc Emery turned San Diego Hall of Justice. Photo by Geni Cavitt. Right: A New himself in to authorities and is in custody in Washington State. PATH Executive Director Gretchen Burns Bergman, with Julia Negron and David Beck-Brown. Photo by Sharon Bair Emery and two employees, Michelle Rainey and Greg Williams, were arrested in Vancouver in 2005 by Canadian police acting at the behest of US authorities, who had Mothers determined to rescue kids from Drug War indicted the trio in Seattle for selling Emery Seed Bank cannabis seeds to US customers By Denise Sagun A New PATH The rally launched a statewide cam- over the Internet. After Rainey and Williams were offered plea-bargains allowing them to paign to stop the violence, mass incarcera- stay in Canada, Emery pled guilty to one count of distribution in exchange for a five-year After decades of destruction caused by the tion and overdose deaths resulting from sentence. He had faced up to life in prison for his seed sales. — Phil Smith, stopthedrugwar.org failed “war on drugs” a coalition of moth- ers is boldly leading the charge to end drug our current damaging and discriminatory Republicans use marijuana petition to sign-up party voters prohibition. drug policies. PATH is partnering with Hundreds of California voters in Orange County had their registrations switched to On April 28, 2010 A New PATH other organizations, such as Families Act!, Republican when they believed they were supporting the effort to legalize cannabis in (Parents for Addiction Treatment and Broken No More, Clergy Against Pro hi - California. After as many as 99 complaints were received, the OC Register newspaper Healing) held a rally in front of the San bition, , and individu- investigated and found another 74 voters that were duped into being registered Diego Hall of Justice in honor of the 11th als in a massive effort to shift policies of Republican. All were under 28 years of age and most were approached in parking lots at anniversary of its work. PATH’s mission is arrest and imprisonment to health-oriented local college campuses and large box stores, such as Wal-Mart. Some reportedly not only to reduce the stigma associated with addic- and therapeutic strategies. did not know they were registered Republican, they did not even know what a Republican tive illness through education and compas- A series of rallies is being staged up the was. In most cases the same type of bait and switch operation was used, luring voters in sionate support and to advocate for thera- coast to Orange County, Los Angeles, Santa with subjects they had affinities for, such as animals, schools — and, yes, legal cannabis — peutic rather than punitive drug policies. Barbara, San Francisco and Sacramento. and conning them into registering for the Republican party. — Mickey Martin Over 50 mothers, family members, Beginning at the border city of San Diego (to bring attention to the violence and denies reciprocity defense to out-of-state patients healthcare advocates and people in recov- ery joined in this event, designed as a deaths of the drug cartels). California vot- The Oregon Court of Appeals rejected the use of an out-of-state physician’s recommenda- protest of punitive and pointless drug poli- ers can dramatically reduce arrests and tion as a defense against cannabis charges in its state courts. Joel Berringer had argued that cies, a rally to promote restorative recovery take massive profits away from drug gangs since he had a letter of approval for medical marijuana that was issued by a California doc- systems and services, and a vigil to remem- in November. PATH is endorsing the tax tor, he should be able to defend his two pounds of medical marijuana he had been arrested ber those who have lost their lives or their and regulate measure, as they have seen carrying while in the Oregon. Qualified patients in Oregon have a safe harbor from pros- liberty to the war on drugs. Speakers first-hand the destruction of drug prohibi- ecution for possession of up to 24 ounces. However, the Court ruled on April 14 that, since included moms whose drug-addicted chil- tion in their own families. there is no specific reciprocity agreement between the two states, the approval should not dren have been lost in the maze of the crim- According to PATH Co-Founder and apply. and New Jersey are the only two states to offer reciprocity for out-of-state inal justice system, as well as mothers Executive Director Gretchen Burns qualified patients. whose sons and daughters have lost their Bergman, “My son wasted a decade of his California patients benefit from Norcal buyout lives needlessly to drug overdose. life recycling through the criminal justice system because of non-violent drug Qualified cannabis patients with physician approvals from Norcal Health Care can rest More than 26,000 lives are lost in the US every year to accidental overdose. Risk of charges. Mothers are demanding this assured that their medical approvals are good, despite the recent legal problems of the change, just as we did with alcohol prohi- medical group’s founder. The health service has been under new management since Nov. criminal prosecution often deters medical professionals, drug users and bystanders bition in the 1930s. The futures of our chil- 19 to handle renewals and new patients. Doctors Philip Denney and Michael Gitter bought dren and our children’s children are at out the Norcal chain — with offices in Oakland, Ukiah, Arcata and Bakersfield CA — with from aiding victims. Some 2.3 million peo- ple are incarcerated in the US. Over 1.8 mil- stake. Please join us. We need your voice in businessman Omar Salah. Denney, 61, is past president of the Society of Cannabis demanding positive change.” Clinicians and widely respected within the field. Denney will also continue to see patients lion people were arrested in America on a For more information on A New PATH two days a week in Carmichael at the office he shares with Robert Sullivan, MD. The loss drug charge in 2008 (1.4 million for simple visit www.anewpathsite.org or email of Dr. Assad’s license created concerns for hundreds of patients who rely on Norcal. possession). Nearly half of all arrests in 2008 were for a marijuana violation. [email protected]. Medical Marijuana Doctors Marijuana ID card issued at time of visit LOWEST PRICES IN THE SOUTH BAY! Same day appointments available • Doctor / Patient confidentiality assured Dependable 24/7 Verification MOST defensible medical recommendation to law enforcement

408.262.3412 OR 408.262.3411 San Jose • Milpitas • Palo Alto RITA THAKUR, M .D. 1669 S. Main St., Bldg. 4, Milpitas www.SFBayTHC.com South Bay Tech Center

The Best New Dispensary North of the Golden Gate • Low Recovery Cost • No Pre-Weighed Medicine We Accept Cash, Credit and Debit

495 Gate 5 Rd (at Harbor Dr.) Sausalito • Just 2 min. from the 101 South on Bridgeway, Then take first light to left: Youʼre on Gate 5 Rd. Ph: 415-289-1111 Fax 415-289-1115 Donʼt forget your Doctorʼs Note to apply. West Coast Leaf Page 3 Summer 2010 Legislature expands access for Washington patients in rural areas By Alison Holcomb patients who need to designate someone requires providers to display the patient’s ACLU of WA Drug Policy Director else to grow or obtain cannabis for them authorization to law enforcement upon Washington state Senate Bill 5798 extends request.) Ultimately, most agreed that the the power to authorize medical use of Only Washington, New Mexico benefit of expanding the list of to all licensed healthcare profes- and Rhode Island, grant authorization professionals who could authorize out- sionals who can prescribe controlled sub- power to all state medical weighed the inconvenience of obtaining stances, as of June 10, 2010. multiple original authorizations. professionals who can prescribe Previously, only MDs and osteopaths Washington remains the only medical could authorize under the Medical Use of marijuana state to have neither a mandato- would be required to obtain multiple Marijuana Act. The new bill adds natur- ry nor voluntary government registry of signed originals to extend protection to opaths, physician assistants, osteopathic authorized patients. their providers. (Washington’s law physicians, and advanced registered nurse practitioners to the list. Only two other states, New Mexico and Washington patients being doubly victimized Rhode Island, grant authorization power to all medical professionals who can pre- Reporting medicine theft may owner. After gunfire erupted, both robber and victim were hospitalized. Five former scribe. Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-Seattle) lead to arrest of the victim sponsored this measure in 2009 to improve dispensary employees were charged in that The winner of The Sixth Annual Oregon Care By Martin Martinez crime, but once again, the victim became Growers Cup was a grower from the North patient access. Coast Chapter who took first place with this Washington’s cannabis patients once hid the subject of investigation. Police confis- “I introduced the bill as many individ- crop of ʻThe White.ʼ See photo p. 10. their lamps in closets and basements, cated all the cannabis at the scene. Photo courtesy of OGF. uals in rural areas of the state who would where narcotics officers occasionally benefit from medical marijuana do not That same month, would-be providers sniffed out a nest and brought yet another have sufficient access to doctors but do in Marysville pulled into their driveway Oregon cup boosts ballot hapless victim to jail. with pounds of medicine they had just pro- have access to other prescribers, such as By Angela Fairless nurse practitioners. Then came the Medical Marijuana Act cured out of state. A dark van pulled up of 1998 to exempt truly ill patients from the behind them and several masked men stole Nearly 400 patients, care-givers, and grow- “This legislation simply honors the will Drug War. Yet the prevailing response from the supply. They apparently had been fol- ers came together from around the state for of the voters who approved Initiative 692 law enforcement outside of the greater lowed all the way from California. a banquet and awards ceremony when in 1998 to allow limited medical use of Seattle area has been largely unsupportive. Oregon Green Free (OGF) hosted its Sixth marijuana by patients with terminal or Patient Mike Howard was murdered in In May 2010, 12 years after voters Annual Oregon Care Growers Cup April 3 debilitating illnesses,” said Sen. Kohl- March 2010, struck in the head by a crow- approved medical cannabis, state and fed- in Gresham. Welles. bar-wielding burglar. Tacoma-area police eral agencies filed criminal charges against emptied his grow room as he lay dying in The measure passed in March with a Tacoma dispensary. the hospital. Adding insult to injury, inves- The information is put into a votes of 34-13 in the Senate and 58-39 in the State law still prohibits cannabis sales, tigators took all the medicine — but left the Strain-to-Ailment database House. Governor Chris Gregoire signed it although King County, home to half of the murder weapon behind. No one has been into law on April 1. In addition to expand- that OGF members can access state’s population, treats cannabis with tol- charged in the murder. ing who can authorize cannabis use, it to help learn which strains are erance. Commercial operations remain ille- adds a new requirement that all authoriza- Such stories are grist for front-page best suited for their needs. gal, but personal gardens are often left tions be issued on pharmacy industry-rec- news, but the vast majority of garden bur- standing. A recent State Supreme Court glaries go unreported because patients fear ognized tamper-resistant paper, and dated. The Coalition for Patients Rights 2010 ruling upheld the power of police to raid arrest and seizure of their property. Previously, the law contained no require- raised over $500 at this event for Initiative- gardens at will. However, police in King ments regarding the type of paper on Prohibition is clearly the major cause of 28, which would create a regulated non- County have been told by Prosecutor Dan which an authorization could be issued. all these violent crimes. If marijuana were profit dispensary system, start a program Satterberg to steer clear of gardens with not such an over-priced commodity, there to help the poorest patients obtain medi- An authorization consisted simply of a legitimate medical approval. Both the “statement signed by a qualifying patient’s would be no need for armed guards to cine, and enable scientific research. Seattle Mayor and City Attorney are vocal secure those flavorful flowers. In the words physician, or a copy of the qualifying Over the 30 days leading up to ‘The supporters of medical use. Progress has of Lester Grinspoon, MD, “It is clear that patient’s pertinent medical records, which Cup,’ 60 patients tested various strains and been made in protecting growers who patients will not be safe until marijuana is states that, in the physician’s professional hash from certified growers in the Oregon abide by the 15-plant limit. legalized for all adult users”. opinion, the patient may benefit from the Medical Marijuana Program. Organizers Now that law enforcement has loos- medical use of marijuana.” made sure that patients selected to be ened its grip a bit, another set of dangers judges had a variety of ailments and illness Copies of authorizations were granted has arisen. The likelihood of robbery, by ACCOUNTING and filled out paperwork for every sample the same force and effect as the signed orig- outlaws or police, remains a threat. BUSINESS FORMATION • TAX inal. The new requirements do not apply to tested. The information is put into a Strain- At least a dozen major garden robberies ESTATE PLANNING • PROBATE authorizations issued before the amend- to-Ailment database that OGF members occurred over the last year, including some ments’ effective date, June 10. can access to help learn which strains are armed robberies. best suited for their needs. The move to require authorizations to In 2009, thieves posed as FBI agents to be issued on tamper-resistant paper was Oregon Green Free is a 501(c)(3) non- raid a Seattle home with weapons drawn. profit founded in 2002 by John Young and prompted by law enforcement concerns Once residents were on the floor, the fake about easy forgery. LAW OFFICE OF Karla Godwin to help patients, caregivers agents fled with their harvest. Police offi- and growers become self-sufficient and to Whereas prior concerns about fraud JEROME D. HANDLEY cers arrived too late to foil the caper, but create a higher quality of life through edu- had motivated introduction of patient-reg- wasted no time in destroying the plants left 1-800-517-5166 cation and the use and production of istry bills in years past, tamper-resistant behind by the imposters. www.jeromehandley.com cannabis under the guidelines of the paper seemed a reasonable compromise. In March 2010, men broke into and [email protected] Oregon Medical Marijuana Act. Some advocates expressed concern that entered the Kirkland home of a dispensary For information oregongreenfree.net

When it comes to California medical marijuana defense you need an attorney The original creation made in USA experienced with handling these cases, knowledgeable about the rapidly evolv- ing law; someone who likes to win and doesn’t mind taking the time to do it.

EUGENE DENSON, ATTORNEY AT LAW PO Box 158, Alderpoint, CA 95511 • Free initial consultations. • I have lived in Humboldt County for 28 years, and was a leader in the fight against the Campaign Against Marijuana Planting abuses. The Only Medical-Grade Grinder! • I’m willing to travel to Northern California counties to defend you. (I’ve been in Del Norte, Siskiyou, Plumas, Shasta, Trinity, Humboldt, Mendocino, • Highest Quality Grinder on the Market Sonoma, Marin, Colusa, Contra Costa, Lake, Glenn, Nevada; even Los Angeles). • Deburred / Disinfected • No Lead, No Toxins, Not made in China! Phone 707-923-4764 for an appointment Only at the finest shops and dispensaries nationwide. email: [email protected] • http://marijuanadefenselawyer.com/ Wholesale Orders 949-292-2294 Summer 2010 Page 4 West Coast Leaf Federal judge most recent to doubt DEA claims Former Drug War POW organizes support for Judge in Lynch case calls for eral enforcement policy. medi cannabis defendants, prisoners and families rescheduling by DEA Wu is not the first federal judge to question the classification of cannabis as a By Jessica Lux By Kris Hermes, Americans for Safe Access dangerous drug with no medical value. In a tapestry-covered Federal District Court Judge George H. Wu Judge Charles Breyer made a similar state- recently issued a 41-page sentencing order booth at a Los Angeles ment in 2003 when sentencing Ed trade show April 23- in Los Angeles stating that medical mari- Rosenthal to one-day time served. More juana provider Charles C. Lynch was 25, Stephanie Landa, a notably, US Supreme Court Justice John 64-year-old activist “caught in the middle of the shifting posi- Paul Stevens wrote about rescheduling in tions of governmental authorities,” and, and federal probation- the landmark Raich decision that refused to er, spread the message “Much of the problems could be ameliorat- give federal relief to cannabis patients. ed ... by the reclassification of marijuana of her group, LPOP, In 1988, DEA Administrative Law from Schedule I.” the Landa Prison Out- Judge Francis Young wrote that, “The evi- reach Program: Lynch, a federal defendant who com- dence … clearly shows that marijuana has “No one belongs plied with California law, was prosecuted been accepted as capable of relieving the and convicted under the Bush Admin- in jail for marijuana,” Mikki Norris, left, of Human Rights and the Drug War, joined Tom distress of great numbers of very ill people, she said. Kikuchi and Stephanie Landa of LPOP in their booth at the THC istration in 2008, and then sentenced after and doing so with safety under medical Exposé April 24. On right is former federal POW Amy Povah In 2002, Landa and President Obama signaled a change in fed- Please turn to page 11 (Pofahl), who won clemency from President Clinton. Povah is Tom Kikuchi relocated founder of CanDoClemency.com, a campaign seeking the release of from Los Angeles to non-violent women who are incarcerated on long mandatory mini- mum sentences (MMS) for drug offenses. West Coast Leaf photo Mediation offers a handy alternative to courts the newly designated sanctuary city of San in delicate issues like divorce and child custody Francisco to form a collective. At medical handmade cards for writing to imprisoned marijuana task force meetings, they dis- ‘freedom fighters.’ By Naomi T. Stal, Esq.* Mediation Company PLC Lifestyle decisions can best be agreed closed their garden plans to members of They circulated a petition on behalf of upon in mediation. Judges cannot order Treating divorce as simply a legal process the San Francisco Police Dept. (SFPD). Bryan Epis, who fought for over a decade limits such as ‘no sugary snacks’ or ‘daily while ignoring underlying emotional following a 1997 raid before being ordered outdoor playtime for children.’ They can Landa describes the experience as “a issues can be dangerous for cannabis to begin his 10-year sentence in 2010. address only four areas in divorce: proper- dream come true. We invested our life sav- patients, as judges can be closed-minded, Volunteers explained the stories of fathers ty division, spousal support, child support, ings in a garden where we could grow uneducated, or even capricious. serving up to 25 years for dispensaries in and custody. dozens of different strains legally and People often use legal ‘claims’ as study their effectiveness for different med- Bakersfield, LA, Merced, Modesto, San While mediation may cost between weapons to act out their strong negative ical conditions.” A few months into the Diego and elsewhere. $1000-$6000, most people spend $20,000- emotions. As a common example, a spouse project, their indoor garden was raided Landa points out that each of the 18 $80,000 each for an average divorce case. may try manipulating the court’s view of and destroyed by the SFPD. people in her POW binder was following cannabis to prevent shared custody of chil- Divorce mediation is relatively quick. state law — and they have added new pro- Kikuchi and Landa were indicted on dren, or to take away custody. Parties generally can have all issues files in the last three months. federal charges, facing sentences from 10 resolved and filed with the court within Landa asked, “Even if no one goes to Divorce mediation can provide an years to life. In federal court, they were not one to three months, while many divorces jail again, what happens to the hundreds of alternative for lawyers and judges. It is a permitted to make mention of state law or can take years in the legal system. thousands of people already wrongly process where a neutral person helps their communications at SFPD meetings. divorcing couples arrive at agreements, The mere act of hiring a lawyer to imprisoned for marijuana?” LPOP also Unable to present a defense, they taking into consideration the emotional ‘fight’ against a spouse inevitably escalates organizes court support for trials, provid- accepted plea agreements and were sen- issues of all parties. and prolongs conflicts, so a struggle over ing a community presence so Southern Cal tenced to more than three years in prison. an old $2 lamp from Grandma can end up defendants do not have to face the courts There are key differences between the Upon their release in 2009 and 2010, costing thousands of dollars over several alone and afraid. traditional divorce process and divorce respectively, the two made it a mission to years. Such conflicts weigh heavily on the As Kikuchi noted, “LPOP alerts the mediation. Mediation is private, while care for other medical marijuana prisoners emotions of the former spouses. community to show up in court and let the courtrooms are public. Mediators are of war (POWs). bound by confidentiality rules and cannot Mediation allows parties to freely judge, the prosecutor, the jury, and, most of The Landa Prison Outreach Program discuss anything mentioned in mediation.* express even very strong negative emo- all, the defendant know that he is a loved (LPOP) sets up folding tables at civic meet- and valued member of the community. We Mediation is a voluntary process in tions and provides a forum to channel ings and festivals to publicize the plight of must do everything we can to stop our cur- which parties make agreements at their them into a productive, useful agreement. POWs. At the THC Exposé this spring rent roster of prisoners from expanding.” own comfort levels, whereas court judges * Each county has its own rules, but guidelines are found in California Evidence Code 1115-1128, et seq. Stahl is an attor- (LA Convention Center), LPOP volunteers Landa can be reached at [email protected]; see issue orders that must be obeyed. ney and mediator. [email protected] greeted visitors with fresh sunflowers and powstephanielanda.com.

DESIGN GROW ROOMS Design, Construction, Troubleshooting • Plumbing • Air filtration • Air conditioning • Electrical • Water installation and filtration Serving Homeowners and Businesses in Los Angeles County [email protected] 323-573-7775 • 323-465-1422 Lic 636942 • Bonded and Insured West Coast Leaf Page 5 Summer 2010 Dutch study: small scale cultivation may Mendocino group looks at life after legislation be best way to ‘expel criminal elements’ By Carole Brodsky survey, “What assets do we bring to this On the first sunny Saturday in months, the industry?” The reply, “Seizeable ones. By Ellen Komp, California NORML in the UK “point at the intangible (social Mendocino Medical Cannabis Advisory We’re third in the nation in seized assets.” An extensive literature review of recent and intrinsic) rewards of growing, and not Board and Cannabis Law Institute organ- Vietnam-era pot pioneers discussed Dutch-language research on cannabis culti- just the financial profits. Others have ized a symposium and film screening enti- protecting seed stock to prevent crop vation has concluded that small-scale culti- acknowledged the existence of ‘ideologi- tled, Life After Legalization: Cannabis Enters monoculture. “Our government gave vation is the most effective means to cally oriented’ dealers and growers, but the Mainstream. patents for cannabis to the Dept. of Health remove crime from the cannabis trade. they either argued these ‘trading charities’ Setting aside shovels and driving hours and Human Services,” asserted one. and ‘mutual societies’ died out in the 1980s The paper, titled “The case for small- to Ukiah from Mendonesian herbal hinter- “My relatives in LA say strains are as they were replaced by more criminally scale domestic ,” lands April 24, growers, workers, patients completely depleted. It looks and smells orientated drug dealers.” authored by Tom Decorte of the Institute and ‘cannabusiness’ owners spoke with like the real thing, but it’s so bad, dispen- for social Drug Research, Ghent University, Decorte’s own findings suggest that government officials, candidates and rep- saries are issuing refunds,” said a woman. Belgium, also concludes that high-THC there is a market for organically grown resentatives of business, education and “If I share my seed with you, what strains may be a health problem, and there bud, and a need to have it certified as such, media in a spirited event evoking early- keeps you from selling out to Monsanto?” is a market for organically grown cannabis. writing, “[M]any small-scale domestic cul- American town meetings and countercul- another man asked. On the wall, a painted If the Dutch findings translate to the tivators grow cannabis because they are ture tribal gatherings. not satisfied with the cannabis products sign read: “Respect the Land for Future US, it seems imperative for public safety Woven among presentations from Generations. Organic Outdoor.” and public health, as well as the quality sold by Dutch coffee shops: too ‘strong’ Richard Lee, attorneys Omar Figueroa, and Caregivers, herbalists and patients and purity of medical marijuana, that the and ‘chemically boosted.’ Edie Lerman, Ellen Komp and others, more spoke. “I just want to grow organically and Emerald Triangle and other regions grow “These users want a ‘milder’, ‘healthi- than 250 people debated all things earn enough to write off expenses,” said a cannabis on small farms to protect the mar- er’ and ‘more organic’ product.... cannabis. Dozens publically declared grower. “Many of us will accept less ket from criminal elements. Nowadays the Dutch coffee shops and themselves growers. Conversations usual- other distributors are also selling some ly relegated to grow rooms were taking money to be able to say, I’m proud of what Decorte discusses a recently published I do,” notes another. paper based on 18 interviews with large- varieties of cannabis as ‘organic weed’ place in a structured community forum. scale cultivators and other entrepreneurs in (‘bioweed’). Whether the ‘organic weed’ in Remarks from the CEO of Ukiah’s During Adam Ross’s documentary, the commercial cannabis sector (Maalsté & the Dutch coffee shops really is any more Chamber of Commerce left little doubt that Cash Crop, the audience watched Panhuysen, 2007) which found “these com- ‘organic’ (read: ‘healthy’) than other vari- the future of cannabis is on Main Street. Mendocino Sheriff Tom Allman watch mercially oriented growers testify about eties, needs to be tested. It might just be a Lee introduced Dan Rush of United Food himself on film, applauding when he said the increasingly criminal character of the smart marketing strategy.” and Commercial Workers Union Local 5, he spends 30 percent of his time on cannabis trade (threats, possession of “If politicians can muster the courage America’s third largest. cannabis and, “There’s other things I need to be doing.” weapons, rip-offs and snitching).” to abandon the traditional repressive On Rush’s jacket, his raison d’être: “One The new, more commercially oriented strategies and authorize decriminalisation Vision, One Voice, One Union.” He esti- There are so many issues: indoor/out- players “are not always interested in quali- experiments in the short term and on a mated legalization will create 50,000 relat- door grower tension; mistrust of dispen- ty and in knowledge about the possibilities local level, steps can be taken towards a ed jobs. “Schools are closing. Police officers saries; greater jury participation; emerging of the plant, but they are more interested in pragmatic and realistic (and hence also a are being laid off. If government opposes CBD-rich strains; whistleblowing; multi- strong weed varieties and the financial more effective) policy,” Decorte concludes. legalization, they’ve lost their minds,” county coalitions; nuisance ordinances. profit that they can generate. According to “At first sight, allowing small-scale Rush said, noting that industry employers, Tim Blake, longtime grower and pro- some growers, this leads to a scantier sup- domestic cannabis cultivation while com- not just workers, have requested union prietor of Laytonville’s Area 101, implored ply of varieties, questionable quality, perni- bating large-scale cultivation, seems an membership for the 1,200 cannabis mem- his community. “We’ve got to take our cious practices and higher prices.” attractive option.” bers enrolled in Local 5. birthright, let go of the past, stop the denial In an internet-based study, cultivators The study can be found at canorml.org/emerald.html Someone read from the workshop’s and embrace our future.”

Marvins Gardens Herbal Cooperative Clean, Quality 223 9th Street P.O. Box 1042, Guerneville, CA 95446 Craftsmanship San Francisco CA 94105 New Patients Welcome (415) 865-4399 14016 Armstrong Woods Rd. # B Guerneville, CA Open Monday thru Sunday from 12:00 to 7 pm 707-869-9687 GENERAL CONTRACTOR • 916-722-6320 Oldest Operating Dispensary in Sonoma County Serving Northern California. Current Doctors Recommendation and CA ID Required Residential Remodels • Mountain & Beach Homes

415-420-9009 Law Office of Wolfgang Kovach GreenThumbConsulting.org Form Your Own Collective • • • Two or more patients may associate within the State of California to collectively cultivate marijuana for medical purposes. (H&S 11362.775). Helping Patients Find Professional - Discrete - Confidential - Exclusive GROW ROOMS Complete Formation Services Offered Hope Through the design/construction/troubleshooting Flat Fee includes 1 year corporate compliance review Compassionate Use Act 949-735-5273 Email: [email protected] For more info go to kovachlaw.com

More Than Just Medical Marijuana. AIMLegal.org: Association of Independent Medical-Legal Consultants Primary Care Medicine: Experienced, Trusted Your Source for Expert Witness-Quality Cannabis Physicians Frank H. Lucido MD Maria Mangini PhD, FNP Founder: Dr. Frank H. Lucido, M.D. Family Medicine since 1979 Co-Founder of American Academy of Medicine (AACM) Medical Cannabis Consultations since 1996 Founder of MedicalBoardWatch • Expert Witness on Cannabis and Medical Practice • Family Medicine since 1979 Primary Care Medicine in the Bay Area • Medical Cannabis Consultant since 1996 New Family Practice Patients welcome. Patient-centered care. Seminars on Medical Cannabis for Physicians Experienced practitioners. Courteous, respectful staff. Seminars on Medical Cannabis for Patients and Caregivers Safe and Appropriate Recommendations for a Safe and Effective Medicine California • • Other States By Arrangement Cannabis-specific consultations: 45 minutes first appointment (30-minute yearly re-evaluation). Dr. Lucidoʼs highly-regarded standards of care are designed to be most protective of the patient’s physical health and the most defensible to law enforcement www.AIMLegal.org Online Locators • Physician and Cannabis Expert Witness Listings* [email protected] • DrFrankLucido.blogspot.com MedicalBoardWatch.com • [email protected] 2300 Durant Ave, Berkeley, CA 94704 For Appointments or *To Get a Listing: 510-848-0958 For Appointment: 510-848-0958 Michigan Office: 877-787-6900 message phone Summer 2010 Page 6 West Coast Leaf

Drastic Tehama ordinance favors wealthy, draws lawsuit @west_coast_leaf By Dale Gieringer Cal NORML representing Tehama patients. “California tivation entirely, after Cal NORML attor- Tehama County patients are challenging a law states patients can have whatever they ney Bill Panzer warned the city that it local ordinance that would drastically limit need for themselves and for collectives.” would be unconstitutional. their right to grow medicine. California Lerman warned patients to expect a long Further court battles are expected NORML is supporting the lawsuit. This is battle, as the case is expected to go to the before higher courts finally rule on the the most restrictive of a rapidly growing appellate level. legality of local anti-cultivation measures. number of anti-cultivation measures that Over 150 patients showed up at a strongly favor rich landowners, proposed meeting to organize against the ordinance. by local officials hostile to cannabis. Dan Arion of Red Bluff said he had been Long Beach ordinance does not cap collectives growing in the same spot for three years. By Damian J. Nassiri* of the proposed location in a commercial or “They can’t simply take everyone’s “Now my garden would be considered too industrial zone, not residential. Collectives close to my fence line so I’d be breaking the Long Beach, CA recently passed a new rights away,” said attorney Edie also must provide a site plan and show ordinance,” he said, “We grow the amount ordinance that allows collectives to operate Lerman, representing Tehama patients. written proof that the property owners are we need and for several other patients. legally in the city with a permit. It is one of aware of, and consent to, their activities. In What am I supposed to do now?” only a few cities in Southern Cal to step The ordinance declares it a public nui- back from banning dispensaries and move addition, a prospective collective would Several other communities have pro- sance to grow cannabis within 1,000 feet of towards regulation. have to provide copies of articles of incor- a school, school bus stop, church, park, or posed limits on personal cultivation. In This ordinance is similar to LA’s, except poration (or association) and related docu- youth-oriented facility. It restricts gardens another lawsuit filed by Lerman, that there is no ‘cap,’ meaning there is no ments to support its legal status and oper- – collective or individual - to no more than Mendocino County patients are challeng- explicit limit on the number of collectives it ating procedures. 12 mature or 24 plants total on parcels of 20 ing an ordinance limiting them to 25 plants will allow. Early reports said the City This ordinance bans distribution of acres or less; 30 mature or 60 total on 160 per parcel, regardless of the number of would limit the number of collectives to 18, hash and edibles. Also, collectives can pos- acres; or 99 maximum on larger parcels. patients served. It was amended to let col- but the current version of the ordinance sess only cannabis that was cultivated on- Outdoor gardens must be surrounded by lectives apply for licenses for larger gar- has no cap. If this stands, it would be a site. This is unworkable, and will likely an opaque fence at least six feet tall and dens of up to 99 plants under certain con- huge advance over the LA ordinance, lead to litigation if the City does not adopt located 100 or more feet from the property ditions. which caps collectives at 70. a more reasonable approach. boundaries. The ordinance also requires Two Mendocino towns, Willits and The ordinance also contains the so- There is no ‘grandfathering in’ of exist- every garden to be registered with the Ukiah, have anti-odor ordinances that ban called “1000-foot rule,” which means that a ing collectives. If its use is “non-conform- county health services agency for a yet-to- outdoor cultivation altogether. Manteca collective cannot be within 1000 feet of a ing,” the collective will have to move or be-determined fee. approved an ordinance requiring all gar- school, park, church, child/daycare, or seek other possible remedies. There are Tehama patients plan to sue to have the dens to be inside a closed structure. other “sensitive uses.” Collectives cannot legal claims a collective can assert which ordinance declared unconstitutional on the Shasta County is considering a propos- abut or be located across the street or alley may win an order permitting it to remain. grounds that it violates their Prop. 215 al that requires patients to file for a zoning from a property zoned for residential use. While definitely a step in the right right to cultivate for themselves. Cal permit to grow cannabis. The city of Lastly, it may not be within 1000 feet of direction, the ordinance may be challenged NORML attorneys argue that local govern- Redding approved a measure restricting another collective. This is unfortunate, but in the courts still, as it arguably violates the ments cannot legally declare activities that home gardens to 100 square feet of canopy better than a total ban. Collectives faced collective right to due process and equal are protected by state law to be nuisances. or 10 percent of home area. In Anderson, with having to relocate should try to work protection. Yet, it is relatively compassion- State law HS 11362.775 bans the use of the planning council has proposed strin- with the City, but ultimately may have to ate in that there is no cap and it is not a ban “nuisance” claims to block collective or gent growing regulations that would cost seek legal counsel to inform them of avail- or moratorium. personal medical access. patients at least $1,000 in hardware and able legal rights and remedies. * Nassiri heads the Cannabis Law Group / Howard & Nassiri licensing expenses. “They can’t simply take everyone’s medical marijuana advocacy/litigation group. To apply for a permit, collectives will rights away,” said attorney Edie Lerman, Red Bluff, in Tehama County, dropped [email protected], cannabislawgroup.com. need to provide the City with the address an even more stringent proposal to ban cul- How To Open a Medical Marijuana Dispensary, Delivery Service or Commercial Grow: A Step by Step Guide to Starting a Legal Cannabusiness in Any State The full package includes • book • videos • audio interviews • budgets • business plan • proforma financial statements • architectural floor plans and designs.

By Scott Rosenfeld Materials cover CA, CO, HI, MD, DC, WA, NJ, OR, RI, MI, NV, NM, MA, AL, MO, VT Prices Vary. Both electronic and hard copies are available.

Order your set online today at: HowToStartaDispensary.com

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 11 AM –7 PM West Coast Leaf Page 7 Summer 2010 LA’s strict ordinance draws patient backlash By Ariel Clark, Esq. and fund seeks donations.* sure of your doctor’s recommendation. limit the number of dispensaries to 70, Eric Shevin, Esq.* The ordinance violates patients’ rights The ordinance also arbitrarily and compared to more than 3000 pharmacies In an effort to stem the ‘green rush’ of to privacy by requiring dispensaries to unfairly discriminates against cannabis there. Additionally, unprecedented use cannabis dispensaries in Los Angeles, the immediately turn over records and medical patients by severely restricting their access restrictions will force nearly all dispen- LA City Council passed an ordinance April usage patterns to law enforcement without to medicine. Absent any legal justification saries to relocate to industrial areas on the 16 that attempts to regulate the dispen- a subpoena or warrant, meaning that a to treat cannabis patients differently than outskirts of LA. saries by shutting down most of them and condition of membership will be the disclo- other patients, the City Council voted to The rights of patients to grow their own their collective cultivation sites. medicine are also drastically limited. By The City Attorney’s Office sent more precluding groups of four or more quali- than 400 letters to dispensary operators Lake Forest dispensing collectives lose round fied patients from cultivating at a particu- warning that they face substantial mone- By Damian Nassiri, Esq. result of the order. lar location, including at their own homes, tary penalties and jail time if they don’t It has been a vigorous battle to protect the Some cities have successfully sued their the ordinance unreasonably denies close, effective June 7. patient’s right to safe access in Lake Forest, collectives and shut them down; however, patients’ rights to associate as provided for The ordinance was passed under pres- to say the least. In November 2009, the City these cities can be distinguished from Lake in the Medical Marijuana Program Act. sure to regulate the proliferation of dispen- served all of its known collectives with Forest in two major ways. Instead of regulating the size of cannabis saries in LA, home to hundreds of outlets. civil lawsuits, alleging the dispensaries First, they had bans in place prior to the grows, four (4) or more patients are forbid- While no one would argue with the need constituted a “public nuisance” by virtue collectives opening. Lake Forest had no den to grow even one (1) plant together. for reasonable rules that regulate the law- of their mere existence in the City. ban or moratorium when its collectives LA’s ordinance effectively deprives ful operation of dispensaries in LA, the After being served with the lawsuits, opened and instead relied on a vague patients of the right to exercise control of ordinance violates patients’ rights through some collectives closed up. Some stayed. municipal code section that disallows any- their own bodies through their choice of arbitrary and unreasonable restrictions in Without offering evidence that the col- thing “illegal under federal law.” medicine — a fundamental, Constitution- violation of patients’ rights to privacy, due lectives are in fact a public nuisance, such Second, the cities that had succeeded in ally-guaranteed right of every Californian. process and equal protection. as crime data or witness testimony, the City obtaining court orders to close their dis- The arbitrary zoning regulations at A coalition of attorneys has filed suit chose to spend a great deal of its taxpayer pensaries had business-license require- issue in LA are proliferating in communi- against the City, charging that the ordi- dollars to eradicate a non-problem. ments. In other words, the collectives were ties throughout California. It is imperative nance severely violates the rights of Although the dispensaries remain open at put on notice that they must file a city that the equal protection and privacy rights cannabis patients. The attorneys are donat- this time, the City recently requested a application — prior to opening — that of patients be vigorously defended. * For court order to close the remaining dispen- states the nature of their business. information on how to contribute or support the suit, email ing and providing at a reduced rate their [email protected] or [email protected]. time and resources, and a legal defense saries. The injunction was vigorously Lake Forest has no busi- argued by both sides and ness license requirement taken under submission by and therefore arguably does the Judge. not put operators on rea- In May, the Court ruled sonable notice that the Mobile Caregivers in favor of the city and activity is banned in the city. Collective ordered the dispensaries to Collectives and quali- shut down. The collectives fied patients alike should MEDICAL MARIJUANA are now considering an seek legal counsel if faced Business Hours 100% Organic appeal, as many patients 8am – 12am with the potential of either www.cal-meds.com will lose safe access to med- civil or criminal prosecu- 209-507-4417 Tracy, Modesto, Patterson icine in Lake Forest as a tion, to defend their rights.

• •

Ten strains of outstanding bud & Piieyed 1639-C variety of blonde , bubble After the dispensaries close... Lewis Brown Dr. hash,wax, delicious edibles 24/7 Deliveries VALLEJO San Jose Area 94589 408-648-9096 $100 minimum 707-643-6313 calcareclub.com Free meds when you mention this ad Start your career in the A Non-Profit Medical Marijuana Collective Medical Cannabis Industry The premier collective in the Tri-City area 7180 Thornton Ave., Newark CA 94560 MenuMenu UpdatedUpdated DailyDaily

Expert Training for the Cannabis Industry 510-744-1261 Cannabis Training University SAN JOSE, SANTA ROSA, SANTA CRUZ www.NBD420.com WEEKEND BOOTCAMP SEMINARS SIGN UP NOW TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT! SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS 10 AM TO 5 PM Free Gift for Learn how to grow your own Medical Cannabis! Special guest speaker Ed Rosenthal First Time Patients See website for dates and locations Learn from industry experts! Learn the latest in grow techniques! Come listen to experts, Cannabis Chefs, Horticulturists, Attorneys, Physicians and Herbalists! Veterans: 15% OFF Purchase The most comprehensive seminar in the Cannabis Industry! Hours are Monday - Saturday 11 - 8, Sunday 12 - 7 www.theCTU.com 888-562-4CTU Summer 2010 Page 8 West Coast Leaf West Coast Leaf Page 9 Summer 2010 San Diego dispensary trial will test new LA City license not enough to protect Organica DA’s aspirations a factor Local ordi- federal policy regarding medical use nances By John Thomas Ellis By Eugene Davidovich San Diego ASA Kasha Castillo, the federal public defender considered Longtime hemp activist and Organica James Stacy was operating Movement in representing Stacy, filed numerous motions Organica Collective founder Jeff Joseph is facing 24 Action, a dispensary in Vista, CA until to get the case dismissed or sent back to to be law- felony counts after a Feb 18, 2010 raid by Sept. 9, 2009, when District Attorney state court, to no benefit. ful and Culver City Police with backup from the Bonnie Dumanis had her Cross Juris dic - According to the DA’s office, 14 dispen- compliant. federal DEA. This was the third time the tional Narcotics Task Force (NTF) raid the saries were raided on Sept. 9. However, The city collective was raided, but the first time collective, seize its members’ medicine, according to San Diego Americans for Safe was work- charges were filed. and hand Stacy to the federal courts, where Access, NTF visited over 20 facilities and ing on its he had no medical defense and now faces told them to close. At least two dozen peo- Organica, a pre-moratorium LA collec- draft dis- the possibility of life in prison. ple were arrested but only two charged in tive registered with the City Clerk for per- pensary mission to operate, was first raided on July This ordeal began in connection with federal court, including Stacy. ordinance, 31, 2008. Since no charges were filed, Operation Green Rx last year, when an In a recent hearing, his attorney asked and the Joseph presumed he could re-open. A week undercover detective came in, presented a the court to allow Stacy to medicate using Council stated that dispensaries had to be after that first raid, California Attorney valid cannabis recommendation and ID, cannabis. The prosecution in response open for business to get recognized as a General Jerry Brown had released guide- completed all the membership agreements, demanded that, due to this request, he be legal collective. The problem was that half lines on how to operate a collective that joined the collective, and received a small drug-tested weekly. The Judge explained the building that housed the collective was suggested collectives form a mutual benefit amount of medicine. to both sides that he could not authorize in Los Angeles, and the other half was in corporation with the Secretary of State. Stacy to medicate since cannabis is still a Culver City, which does not issue business According to police reports, while in Joseph followed both state and LA City Schedule I drug in federal court, but licenses for this kind of use. the collective, the detective asked Stacy if guidelines. he could contribute to the effort in other refused the testing requirements sought by Considering so many other clubs had Nonetheless, a year later it got raided ways besides financially. Stacy explained prosecutors. sprung up in Los Angeles and he was com- again. Joseph was arrested, and his dog that he could contribute in many ways; Although Stacy suffers from daily pliant, Joseph thought he would be fine. was shot by overly aggressive agents. working at the facility, gardening and mis- chronic pain, he continues to comply with Apparently DA Steve Cooley and City Again, no charges were filed. So he cellaneous tasks. The undercover agent all his federal rules, including no medical Attorney Carmen Trutanich who have reopened. Some building code violations took his medicine, thanked Stacy and use, but this lack of proper medical treat- aspirations for higher office and have stat- were found, and within five months all walked out of the collective. ment has taken a profound negative toll on ed that they believe that all sales are illegal were corrected. in California, wanted to make an example Less than two months later, the NTF his health and daily life. Joseph formed Organica with West LA of someone. Unfortunately for Joseph, he raided the collective facility and Stacy’s Stacy’s trial is set to start this summer. patients and its members participated in its was the unlucky one. But, they are in for a home. During the raid at the collective, Visit movementinaction.org for the latest on site collective grows. challenge, as this activist intends to stand detectives seized a firearm, legally owned on his case as well as trial dates. Since President Obama released a up for his rights. and registered by Stacy, which landed him To send Stacy an email of support, write to movementinac- [email protected]. To donate to help Stacy and his family, go to memo adjusting federal policy Oct. 19, For information, updates on the case, and court dates, log on an additional charge. to OrganicaLA.com. movementinaction.org/donate/. To help Truth in Trials Act 2009, Joseph thought the battle was over. Aside from being a cannabis patient, pass, urge your member of Congress to cosponsor HR 3939. Stacy is a black-belt certified in seven disci- plines. The collective was located in the same building as his martial arts school where he taught daily. He explained that the firearm was to be used in connection with a self defense class he taught. Movement in Action, a legal nonprofit, was in full compliance with state law — a point with which the US Attorney’s office seemed to suggest in court that it may agree. Yet it continues the prosecution.

D.K. Brock Law BOB BOYD, ATTORNEY AT LAW — David K Brock, Esq — Corporate and Health Law Attorney Serving Mendocino Specializing in Medical Marijuana & Lake Counties Collectives, Cooperatives and Dispensaries 707-468-0500 Do It Do It Safely Legally — Lifetime Member, NORML Legal Panel — mendocinolaw.com 209-405-1135 • [email protected] Summer 2010 Page 10 West Coast Leaf The joys of gardening — go crazy for Coco By Samuel Janovici With the right combination of nutrients Summer signals a most important turning Coco can replace soil as a safe and effective point. It tells our crop that it’s time to way to grow. Indoor it’s safer and saner bloom. By now outdoor growers are com- than rock wool, perlite or vermiculite, and mitted to a direction, and their attention can be used as mulch or soil additive for turns to nutrients, disease prevention, lawns and shrubs instead of throwing it predators and security. Now is the time to into a waste dump. practice that most important virtue – More friendly to roots even than soil, patience. Coco aerates, allowing nutrients to flow Indoor growers may know that Canna easily and efficiently. Absorption is a two- Coco is an environmentally-friendly, way street. The stuff doesn’t gum up in reusable, and organic growth medium containers or pots and is easy to work and made from shredded and refined coconut clean up – even wet, there’s no dirt or filth husks. Salts normally found in the husks that cannot be swept up with a simple are removed and the result is a loamy, rich broom and some elbow grease. product that allows roots an opportunity to Coco comes in five-liter bags and also flourish without restriction. This fiber-free in sleeves that can be used as mats under This closeup shows ʻThe Whiteʼ plant that won The Sixth Annual Oregon Care Growers Cup April medium is also virus- and mold- free when rock-wool cubes to start clones. This is a 3. A grower from the North Coast Chapter took first place this year at the annual Oregon Green Free patient-grower competition held in Gresham (Story on p. 3).Photo courtesy of OGF. treated with Tricoderma, a bio-control second-best approach to using Coco, but it agent that helps fight fungal and soil dis- works as a transition between the two eases without using toxins. growth mediums. Unfettered light is paramount to suc- still others want to use the 750-watt com- cess. Sculpting shade can improve the promise. With today’s adjustable ballasts, a quality of light for those who toil outdoors, grower is not locked in. but indoors a good grower can dial in near A setup with three 600-watt lights over perfection. a four by eight foot table is ample. If there’s Technology continues to innovate and room, 1000-watt lights will penetrate a improve access to great lighting. Ballasts plant’s canopy more deeply, increasing have become adjustable, allowing growers potential yields. The downside is that, to change the intensity of lumens at any without proper supervision, those bulbs given moment. Some swear by 600- watt can fry a crop in less than an hour. systems, others demand 1000 watts, and Ventilation is key. Thermostatic air-condi- tioning is recommended. Easily adjustable light- ing helps growers avoid damaging their girls with too much light at those tenu- ous times — when plants are vulnerable after transplanta- tion or allowed to grow too tall before budding. Stuff happens. Be safe out there. West Coast Leaf Page 11 Summer 2010 Chronic pain patients show more frequent use By Amanda Reiman, MSW PhD were found concerning frequency of use. Concern exists over the long-term effects of Although the groups were not signifi- prescription drug use among those with cantly different, those with a chronic illness chronic illness. Regular prescription drug most often reported using cannabis three use over extended periods of time can times per day (24 percent), and those with- increase the likelihood of drug depend- out most often reported using it twice a ence, contribute to complications in organ day (33 percent). There was no significant functioning, and potentially interact with difference in method of ingestion. other medications. Cannabis patients suf- Cigarettes were preferred most often by fer both chronic and acute illnesses. Do both groups; however, the chronic condi- patients with chronic illness report differ- tion group reported more use of vaporizers ent use patterns than those without it? (16 percent vs. 8 percent). Anonymous surveys were adminis- Finally, while those with a chronic ill- tered to 350 patients at Berkeley Patients ness were significantly more likely to need Group (BPG), a social-model dispensary in treatments in addition to cannabis to con- Berkeley, CA. Participants were asked to trol symptoms (p < .01), those without such indicate if they had a chronic illness. a condition were significantly more likely CUSTOMIZED GREENHOUSE KITS — Growers Supply has a new Ponic 2-Tier System kit that allows the user to grow hydroponically and aeroponically. The kit supplies everything needed to Additional data were collected on frequen- to report a decrease in use over the previ- build a custom-sized system that can be hydro on both tiers using a water culture raft system, or cy of use, frequency of visits to BPG, ous six months (p < .05). In all cases, the hydro on the bottom and aero on the top using conversion components, including submersible amount used per week, preferred method data are normally distributed. pump, emitter system, and header assembly. Growers Supply carries everything; lights, nutrients, air diffusers, pumps, growing media, greenhouses and high tunnels. For info call 1-800-476-9715 of ingestion, and use of other treatments This study supports that, although or visit growerssupply.com. Photo courtesy of FarmTek. along with cannabis. Chi-Square tests were patients with and without chronic illness run to determine differences in use pat- have similar patterns of use, there are some Judge blames DEA for the medi marijuana mess terns between those with and without marked differences. Patients with chronic chronic illness. illness are more likely to have a physical Continued from page 4 Michele Leonhart, who still must be con- Sixty eight percent of the sample health issue outside of pain, to be undergo- firmed by the US Senate, has authority to supervision. It would be unreasonable, reported having a chronic medical condi- ing multiple treatments, and to ingest grant or deny the petition. An action alert arbitrary and capricious for DEA to contin- tion, and they were significantly more like- using methods such as vaporization. put out by Americans for Safe Access ue to stand between those sufferers and the ly to report a physical condition/not Absence of chronic illness is associated recently got more than 1,500 people to benefits of this substance in light of the evi- chronic pain, compared to chronic pain or a with a pattern that is more situational in write urging Senate Judiciary Chair Patrick dence.” The DEA refused to reschedule. mental health condition (p < .01) Having a nature, and is likely to decrease over time. Leahy to ask confirmation questions of The federal government continues to chronic medical condition nominee Leonhart about this. list cannabis as a dangerous drug with no was not significantly associ- medical value. However, the Obama Until cannabis is rescheduled, howev- ated with how often patients Administration could bring federal policy er, providers like Lynch remain vulnerable. reported visiting BPG. more in line with medical science and the The 2009 DOJ policy discourages federal However, those with a popular will by granting a pending raids in medical states, but does nothing to chronic condition (N= 239) rescheduling petition filed in 2002 by the deter the continued prosecution of more reported visiting BPG a cou- Coalition for Rescheduling Cannabis. than two dozen pending cases. Because of ple of days per week most After a years-long review by the Dept. this, advocates have headed to Washington often (34 percent) and those of Health and Human Services, the petition DC, urging Congress to pass HR 3939, the without (N=101) were most was recently sent to DEA for the final stage Truth in Trials Act, to provide a state law or likely to visit once a week of the process. Acting DEA Administrator medical necessity defense in federal court. (35 percent). Similar results

“NO ONE BELONGS IN JAIL FOR MARIJUANA!” The Law Offices of BRUCE M. MARGOLIN, ESQ. THE NATION’S FOREMOST AUTHORITY ON DRUG AND MARIJUANA LAW Available to represent clients throughout California. 35-year NORML Director Superior Criminal Defense All State and Criminal Defense Attorney of the Year Federal Charges.

8749 Holloway Drive BUSTED? QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? West Hollywood CA 90069 Call 1-800-420-LAWS (5297) — At the SUNSET STRIP — www.1800420laws.com (310) 652-0991 The Margolin Guide to Marijuana Laws Watch for the opening of our Northern California is free to California residents. Call for a office in Berkeley free copy of the Margolin Guide. Download a PDF of the Margolin Guide, available at the above website. Summer 2010 Page 12 West Coast Leaf Orange County DA targets medical users Epis family reeling under 10-year federal sentence By Kandice Hawes Orange County NORML but no charges have been filed. By Vanessa Nelson Another way to assist Epis is by using Orange County collectives haven’t had to Patients and OC NORML held a protest Jailed medical marijuana grower Bryan lodgingsite.com to make hotel reserva- worry about federal interference, but after April 8, asking the DA’s office to stop wast- Epis isn’t begging for big donations or tions. The service supports Epis and offers three new cases, they do have to fear the ing resources on collectives and to use huge favors. Instead, the iconic medical its customers the option to give 10 percent County District Attorney’s office. resources more wisely and work on real marijuana inmate is asking supporters to cash back from their reservations to a non- In the past six months, prosecutors crime that is plaguing the community. pitch in just one dollar each for legal profit reform group or cannabis collective have targeted collectives with lengthy and The DA’s office claims that a collective expenses related to a pardon petition he’s of their choice. For detailed information see costly investigations. Two cannabis collec- is breaking state law when its only relation- putting forth, and hoping that many wal- bestlodging.com/politics. tives were raided simultaneously Nov. 13, ship with a patient is an exchange of lets will make light work of his legal bills. To make a contribution, send one dollar donations and checks 2009 by the Sheriffs Dept. The DA filed money for medicine, and that a majority of made out to his mother, Barbara Epis, for any amount to: His nightmare began in 1997, when law Bryan Epis, 227 W. 22nd St, Chico, CA 95928 charges for these raids months later. its patients need to contribute some service enforcement agents seized 458 plants and Operator Steven Wick of the Health for the collectives to be legitimate. various computer documents from his Collective pled guilty and was given a Until the county prosecutor changes its Chico home shortly after California voters Cannabis consultants three-year sentence. Mark Moen from 215 policy, local collectives will operate know- legalized medical use. Epis was unable to Agenda faces 39 years for multiple counts, ing they could be targeted. OC NORML mount a medical defense because his case help with compliance including money laundering. In April 2010 will hold another protest as Moen goes to was handed over for prosecution in federal By Jason Browne and Mike McCauley* the DA’s office also raided Safe Harbor in trial in state court. court, where state laws don’t apply. With the public perception of less federal Dana Point after a lengthy investigation, To get involved see OrangeCountyNORML.org Epis’ 2002 trial turned on the introduc- intervention has come greater confidence, tion of out-of-context excerpts from seized and today, hundreds of cannabis business- Branding Humboldt as home to quality, organic growers computer documents used to persuade the es have developed to serve the industry. Continued from page 1 nomic development, and cultivate general jury that Epis was guilty of conspiring to Thanks to the underwriters and staff of state law with sustainable organic cultiva- awareness of Humboldt County’s unique cultivate over 1000 plants. He was given Statewide Insurance, led by Mike Aberle, tion practices, and to promote the genetic qualities. the mandatory minimum sentence of 10 cannabis farms and dispensing associa- Humboldt brand name identity. HUMMAP aims to form the core of a years in prison, but was released on bail in tions can now apply for crop and product 2004, pending appeal. That gave him pre- “Medical cannabis is legal under state countywide trade association to network insurance. The next step for the industry is cious years to spend in freedom with his law, but a patchwork of regulations and the with similar groups in the Emerald to self-regulate, in line with national and young daughter Ashley. relative isolation of patients and medical Triangle and across the state. global standards. Full Circle Cannabis growers in Humboldt has left both them “The medical cannabis growers of In spite of claims of prosecutorial mis- Consul tants offer state-of-the-art training and the county government confused and Humboldt County welcome the daylight- conduct and missing evidence, Epis lost and custom developmental services frequently in conflict,” said HUMMAP ing of this industry,” said Lux. “It’s an round after round of appeals. By February through Cannabis Career Institute, with chair Syreeta Lux, asking growers to “share opportunity to promote the healthy, natu- 2010, he had exhausted his legal options up-to-date course materials. their knowledge proudly, form strong rela- ral lifestyles that make the best medicine, and was taken back into custody to serve In addition, Statewide is expanding its tionships with county government, and ensure a healthy future for the planet, and the remainder of his prison term. coverage to include outdoor gardens and is assert leadership in the industry.” create a healthy economy for Humboldt His hopes for early release depend on a continually upgrading and improving its The panel will work with county and California.” two-pronged legal strategy: a writ of habeas services to reflect the latest legal decisions patients, indoor and sun home-growers, HUMMAP’s first job is to clearly define corpus and a petition asking President and developments. This includes the adop- collectives, dispensaries, legal and medical sustainable standards and to certify those Obama to commute his sentence. tion of regulations to bring greater legiti- advisors, the business community, retailers standards among its member growers. Unfortunately, Epis ran out of money for macy to the industry, such as operational and local government to define healthy From this platform, the county can easily legal fees long ago. Now, he’s asking his requirements for gardens and dispensaries and environmentally sensitive cultivation step into taxing and regulating legal adult supporters and the cannabis community that comply with ‘Better Business practices, solidify and refine the Humboldt use as soon as state law allows. for help. If he can get 35,000 donations at Practices’ and ‘Better Farming Practices.’ reputation, identify opportunities for eco- For further information contact: [email protected]. one dollar each, he’ll reach his goal. * Full Circle Cannabis Consultants, Expert Witness The legal authority on all issues medical cannabis WWW.MEDICALCANNABISCOUNSEL.COM Providing legal assistance since 1996 to patients, caregivers and cooperatives in California — and now in Colorado. Offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Denver

Medical Cannabis Workshops, Series II* CHANGING LAWS AND TAX COMPLIANCE** JULY, 2010 1. What’s Happening in L.A., And How You Can Address It. Offered in Los Angeles. 2. The New Colorado Law: Bill 1284, And How to Comply With It. Offered in Denver. AUGUST-SEPTEMBER, 2010 Federal Taxes: The Champ Case, And How It Attorneys Matthew Kumin & Warren Edson Applies To You. Offered in San Francisco, Denver and Los Angeles. The attorneys of Medical Cannabis * CLE approved in CO and CA. Attorneys from those states and the public are welcome Counsel offer varying options of legal ** $50 discount to lawyer-members of the NORML legal committee. representation that range from private one-time legal consultations, through a simple incorporation package to a Go to www.MedicalCannabisCounsel.com broad-based, multi-year representation. for dates, times and cost. 415-434-4500. West Coast Leaf Page 13 Summer 2010

Protestors gathered at the San Bernardino Cal looks at bills to lower penalties, ease District Attorneyʼs office to protest the Countyʼs failure to implement state laws. some restrictions, tighten others, add taxes Photo by Victor Michel

By F. Aaron Smith* Marijuana Policy Project from a misdemeanor to a civil infraction. It’s been a busy year for reform advocates Authored by Senator Mark Leno (D-San in the halls of California’s state capitol. Francisco), the bill has the support of the Here is a summary of cannabis-related bills state Judicial Council, the Cal District pending in Sacramento. Attorneys Assn., the ACLU, and every Authored by Assemblyman Tom major reform organization. The legislation Ammiano (D-San Francisco), AB2254 has made strange bedfellows because, if would make adult cannabis use legal and enacted, it would reduce costs associated tax and regulate it similarly to alcohol. The with processing these low-level offenses. legislation was effectively placed on hold Unfortunately, advocates have to work by the author until after the November to extinguish some bad state bills. vote on the Regulate, Control and Tax One that is particularly offensive to Cannabis initiative. patient advocates is a proposal by Sen. Ron Calderon (D-Montebello) to impose a 41 San Bernardino stall only fires up community SB 1449 would downgrade percent “sin tax” on medical cannabis possession to an infraction sales. MPP and others are working to kill By Lanny Swerdlow, RN Deputy Chief Robert Fonzi, led patients to the bill in the Senate Committee on When the Board of Supervisors passed a believe that the County was serious about Another bill by Ammiano, AB 1811, Revenue and Taxation, where it resides. moratorium in 2009 banning collectives in finally implementing state laws. seeks to legalize the sale of devices used to Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan (D- unincorporated areas of San Bernardino During the two years it spent $50,000 ingest medical cannabis such as, vaporiz- Alamo) is carrying a bill to ban collectives county, CA, they rationalized their action trying to get Prop. 215 declared unconstitu- ers and pipes. Many items used for within 600 feet of any K-12 school. The by claiming staff needed time to draft an tional, the County ignored the laws. cannabis, such as vaporizers and water Public Safety Committee narrowly ordinance that would put reasonable regu- Claiming it did not have to follow state pipes, are now sold as tobacco products, approved AB 2650 after hearing objections lations and licensing procedures in place. law, law enforcement arrested and prose- and retailers are not permitted to supply from patients and advocates in April. It is Instead, county agencies have sabo- cuted qualified patients. information about how they work with scheduled for a vote in the Assembly taged the process. When the moratorium With the ongoing litigation of Qualified cannabis, but AB 1811 would rectify this Appropriations Committee. expires June 19, 2010, the Supervisors will Patients Assn. v. Anaheim before the Fourth flaw in state law. AB 2650 troubles medical use propo- have no ordinance to vote on, and could District Court of Appeals, the same legal The Assembly Public Safety Committee nents because it would set a capricious, rationalize passing a total ban. strategy is being followed again. Ten coun- approved the bill in March and it is head- one-size-fits-all policy for locating collec- Statements by Sup. Paul Biane Sun sup- ty agencies with over 20 staff members ing to the full Assembly for a vote. tives based on the discriminatory premise porting a collective ordinance were report- held six secret meetings claiming to discuss The State Senate is poised to vote on SB that medical marijuana is a nuisance. ed in the Riverside Press Enterprise. That, a collective ordinance. Citing attorney- 1449 to downgrade the penalty for posses- * To get involved or advocate for sensible cannabis policy in along with meetings with Land Use client privilege, the County refuses to sion of less than one ounce of cannabis California, see mpp.org/ca. Services Deputy Director Jim Squire and reveal what was discussed. Many people suspect that the privilege claim is a coverup and that what was dis- Nature grows hemp the US government forbids Alex White Plume to plant cussed at these meetings was not the By Chris Ryan afford a new pickup truck,” said White and leaves, which are left to enrich the soil mechanics of drafting a collective ordi- Industrial Hemp is being successfully Plume. At harvest time, he invited local where they are harvested. Remaining nance, but rather how to structure a legal grown on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and federal authorities to come and stalks are dried, and decorticated using a facade to allow the arrest and prosecution and used for insulation, and as fiber chaff observe his harvest. Instead, the DEA simple machine invented and patented by of patients and providers. for adobe. Some is turned into paper. invaded the reservation and plowed his Thomas Jefferson. On March 9, officers raided a Phelan The founder of the industrial hemp hemp under using a plow-equipped tank. Dried chopped hemp stalks are used as collective and arrested the operators. project is Alex White Plume, American When the DEA took Plume to court, it insulation and as fiber chaff for adobe, KABC news described it as “aggressively Indian and former Vice President of the was shown that the hemp was a strain with which is poured into forms and allowed to cracking down on violators of a county Oglala Sioux Nation. He’s been growing virtually no THC content. dry, much like concrete. The adobe pro- moratorium against selling marijuana.” hemp for several years. The Oglala Sioux It stirred a controversy over treaty vides load bearing walls used for housing True to their threats, three weeks later suffer from 85 percent unemployment. Jobs rights and the sovereignty of the Indian and storage buildings. The chipped stalks on March 30, Sheriffs raided another collec- and homes are needed desperately. Most Nations that continues to this day. Under also insulate those structures. This pro- tive in Chino. There have since been raids have no running water or electricity in the Treaty of Fort Laramie of 1868, the vides badly needed housing at minimal of delivery service collectives in Rancho their homes. Indians are guaranteed agricultural assis- expense, using readily available local mate- Cucamonga and in Fontana. White Plume seeks to overcome this by tance by the US government, and local rials, (mud, water, and hemp.) If the County follows through on the developing industrial hemp as an agricul- autonomy on Indian Nation lands. Labor costs are contained by using the prosecution of all these patients, the arrest tural resource. He started his program to It also started a tradition. The plowed- local Oglala reservation as a workforce. and prosecution costs to County taxpayers create jobs for his family and tribe. Much of under mature, seed bearing herb started Their labor constitutes sweat equity as will exceed one million dollars. Pine Ridge has farming on it, but only one- growing that next spring. Plants still grow down payment for housing. How many more patients will be third of the monies generated goes to the from stock sown by the DEA. The seeds This also provides the beginning of a ensnared in the criminal justice system and tribe. When he realized that market prices germinate where they fall, and the leaves skilled work force which promises to how much more money will San for hemp were higher than those for other and tops decompose and mulch where expand beyond the reservation providing Bernardino continue to waste while wait- crops, he decided to try growing some to they are harvested, fertilizing the field. needed jobs and affordable housing. ing for a collective ordinance to be drafted? generate income. The harvested hemp is hand-stripped Ryan is a Yippie! aka ‘The Anarchist.’ and founder of Swerdlow is an Inland Empire activist. His weekly radio Hempfest. show ‘Marijuana Compassion and Common Sense’ is heard “I thought if I could sell a crop... I could in the fields where it is shorn of tops, seeds, Mondays 6 pm on KCAA 1050AM and at kcaaradio.com.

MARIN ALLIANCE FOR BE SAFE and SMART! MEDICAL MARIJUANA MCD Lawyer • Complete line of security systems — Licensed since 1997 — James Anthony • Protect against home invasion • Safe electrical installations “Money Back Guarantee” • City permits included Medical Cannabis Dispensary (MCD) Permit Law 7 Days • 9:30 - 5:00 Your privacy is our top priority Evenings, Mon - Fri. 7:00 - 8:30 PM Offices in Oakland and Los Angeles [email protected] CONSTANT POWER ELECTRIC 6 School Street Plaza, Ste. 215, Fairfax CA State-licensed contractor #835043 707-426-5199 MCDLawyer.com • 510-842-3553 www.CBCmarin.com • 415-256-9328 Serving the Greater SF Bay & Sacramento Areas The Lentz Law Firm Expert Legal Representation • Criminal Defense Counsel For Medical Marijuana Collectives 1055 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1996 Los Angeles, CA 90017 Jacek W. Lentz Tel. (213) 250 - 9200 Fax (213) 250 - 9161 lentzlawfirm.com Summer 2010 Page 14 West Coast Leaf Jobs remain at risk until bias of prohibition ends By Michael Whitty, PhD Safe Access and endorsed by AFL-CIO, Drug testing and job denial are still a hard AFSCME, and others passed the legisla- fight, maybe winnable only after decrimi- ture. Employees in safety-sensitive posi- nalization. Until then several strategies can tions (where performance could endanger help: seeking personnel policies that limit the health and safety of others) would have testing for cause,’ using impairment tests been excluded. Corporate lobbyists con- rather than detection and setting high vinced the governor to veto it. nanogram levels that penalize only those Sen. Leno said again on April 27, 2010, who are impaired at work. “When voters approved the Compass - Despite qualified patients having a ionate Use Act, Prop 215, who would argue right to use cannabis and the trend to de- that they intended for medical marijuana stigmatize its use, the law continues to sup- only to be used by Californians who are port an employer’s right to drug test, deny unemployed? I remain committed to see- hiring and even to discharge at-will ing that this injustice is reversed.” employees (those who have no contract Now the best defense can be mounted and can be fired for anything but an illegal in a unionized environment if unions bar- reason) on the first offense. gain for strong ‘due process’ language in The employee need not be impaired at the contract. They can claim that on- the- Staff members at Oaksterdam University prepare for a new semester. There are a growing work to get into trouble. If used during off job impairment is the only legitimate number of training programs for the cannabis industry. Oaksterdam University has pioneered the way in terms of curriculum and student services. Photo by Kevin Miyamoto oaksterdam.com time, cannabis might still show up in the health and safety concern of the employer, body. Employees need an employment protecting off-hours use from company contract that limits firing to a good reason, discipline. Union representatives oppose Unions voted in by Cal medi cannabis industry or makes an exception for medical random testing for drugs and alcohol, and cannabis, and employees who are mem- support testing for ‘just cause’ or ‘reason- By Mike Henneberry UFCW Local 5 was demonstrated by employees signing bers of a union may have more protection. able cause’ only, still agreeing that on-the- In the first two weeks of May, United Food union authorization cards. Once the cam- paign period was over cards were collected The 2008 California Supreme Court’s job impairment is unacceptable. and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 5 and a large pro-union majority was Ross decision upheld an employee’s dis- Employers that hold federal contracts won an impressive series of union election achieved. Oakland City Councilperson missal after a drug test, noting that the law often prohibit cannabis use. Random test- victories in the California medical cannabis Rebecca Kaplan certified the count. does not “require employers to accommo- ing is found in some federal government industry May 17. date marijuana use.” jobs, mostly transportation- or defense- Nearly one hundred workers have cho- The medical cannabis industry is a huge enterprise with its genesis in Then-Assemblyman Mark Leno’s AB related. The US Dept. of Transportation has sen to become members to enhance job Oakland. Local 5 intends to proceed with 2279 would have overturned the Court and reiterated that safety‐sensitive employees security and gain a clearer voice on the job. organizing efforts throughout the rest of banned discrimination in hiring or firing cannot use cannabis even in states that Employees at Oaksterdam University and the industry. It is hoped that the coopera- users of medical marijuana. allow medical use, despite the Dept. of its subsidiaries, OCBC Patient ID Center Justice policy memo. and AMCD Inc. voted overwhelmingly for tion that has shown itself throughout this The bill, sponsored by Americans for union representation and are preparing to campaign will prevail in future efforts negotiate collective bargaining agreements since it avoids the traditional confronta- : The next generation bone drugs? with their companies. tional aspects of organizing drives. The Lab Bench By Jahan Marcu all suggest that a less functional receptor is A tentative agreement has been Ron Lind, President of Local 5 said, “The workers involved in the recent organ- A research team from the School of related to poor bone health. reached with AMCD Inc. and will be voted izing drive are dedicated, passionate advo- Medicine at Temple University, Philadel- Researchers have been studying how on by the members there soon. The cates for their industry. They want to make phia, presented their preliminary cannabi- the body responds to traumatic brain employers involved in the elections volun- sure that their jobs are quality ones that noid and bone data at a scientific meeting injuries (TBI). When TBI occurs in a mouse, tarily agreed to remain neutral during the will be there over the long term. The union in Anaheim, CA in April. For the last year, endocannabinoids are made and new bone campaign and agreed to abide by the wish- is prepared to assist them in this effort.” researchers have been trying to reproduce is formed. Thus, cannabinoids may es of the workers to become union which and build upon previous work on cannabi- enhance the healing of bones in some noids and bone, specifically, by characteriz- instances such as fractures. Genetically Cannabis users drive okay — just more slowly ing the effects of removing the CB1 and modified mice without the receptor have a CB2 receptors from mice. deregulated skeleton. Depending on genet- Continued from page 1 association between recent cannabis expo- A 2008 driving simulator study pub- sure (as typically measured by the presence Few labs have published new discover- ic makeup, the animals make too much or lished in the scientific journal Accident, of THC in the driver’s blood) and a gradu- ies regarding cannabis and bone. However, too little bone. So, research has shown that Analysis and Prevention also reported that ally increased, dose-dependent risk of those that have are surprising so far. Some cannabinoids can both increase and drivers administered cannabis are likely to vehicle accident. However, these studies are so profound that the upcoming decrease bone mass. However, all mice decrease their driving speed. “Average have consistently found that this elevated International Cannabinoid Research without cannabinoid receptors eventually speed was the most sensitive driving per- risk is below risk presented by drivers who Society (ICRS) meeting will have a special develop severe osteoporosis (Bab 2008). formance variable affected by both THC have consumed even small (i.e., ‘legal’) symposium to discuss the bone data pro- Plant cannabinoids such as CBDV, and alcohol but with an opposite effect,” quantities of alcohol. duced by just a few laboratories. Research CBG, CBN, THC, and THCV may increase investigators reported. “Smoking THC cig- shows that bone cells have cannabinoid the number of bone stem cells in rats (Scutt By contrast, studies have also found arettes caused drivers to drive slower in a receptors and produce endocannabinoids. 2007). Conversely, has been that drivers engaged in the simultaneous dose-dependent manner, while alcohol Bone cells express a lot of CB2 receptors shown to increase bone turnover by acti- use of both cannabis and alcohol can signif- caused drivers to drive significantly faster and nerves that traverse our bones produce vating osteoclasts, the cells that remodel or icantly increase their risk of accident com- than in ‘control’ conditions.’” CB1 receptors. The ‘anti-cannabinoid’ dissolve bone. CBD can inhibit osteoclasts. pared to the consumption of either sub- receptor, GPR55, is also expressed in bone. The infamous diet drug Rimonabandt, or Previous reviews assessing the crash stance alone. culpability risk of drivers under the influ- NORML’s white paper, “Cannabis and Driving: A Scientific These receptors appear to work togeth- SR141716A, is thought to prevent bone loss ence of cannabis have reported a positive and Rational Review,” is at: norml.org/index.cfm?Group er to regulate bone health. Some clinical in mice by activating GPR55, not the CB1 _ID=7459 evidence supports the role of cannabinoids receptor. Additionally, derivatives like in various diseases. The Clinical WIN55,212 and some JWH compounds Endocannabinoid Deficiency (Russo 2004) appear to severely inhibit osteoclasts from is thought to underlie many treatment- remodeling bone. Researchers have resistant conditions such as irritable bowel already speculated that cannabinoids rep- syndrome, fibromyalgia, and chronic pain. resent a new generation of drugs that could Recently, CB1 receptor mutations were treat a variety of bone diseases. linked to migraines, bi-polar disorder, and DON’T BE major depression (Monteleone 2010). A VICTIM OF Now CB2 receptor mutations may be linked to lower human bone density and DRUG TESTING! hand-bone strength. Research from Japan and France shows that mutations correlate to osteoporosis in post-meno pausal women. The two studies looked at 2,626 elderly adults with and without osteoporo- sis. A study out in Russia analyzed the Protect your human rights! hand-bone strength of 574 adults and found that those with CB2 receptor muta- — Clear Test — tions had weaker hand-bone strength 1.800.248.5655 (Yamada 2007, Karsak 2005, 2009). These cleartest.com West Coast Leaf Page 15 Summer 2010 Recovery program integrates cannabis therapies One book, one site and just the Drug War facts By Jennifer Janichek* are available for patients that seek them. By Mary Jane Borden Editor, Drug War Facts Federal and State Policies, “A statistical Medical marijuana patients often face stig- The program strives to set the gold Everyone interested in drug policy needs analysis of marijuana use by emergency ma, alienation, and rejection in convention- standard for future clinical service pro- to take a new look at Drug War Facts. room patients and arrestees in four states al mental health and addiction frame- gram replication at other cannabis health This long-standing project of Common with medical marijuana programs — works. A majority of clinical service centers. Holistic care clinics at cannabis dis- Sense for Drug Policy has been a staple of California, Colorado, Oregon, and providers tend to deny the therapeutic pensaries provide an exceptional opportu- drug policy research for more than 10 Washington — found no statistically signif- benefits and potential of cannabis. nity to decrease service gaps in the com- years. It has undergone a thorough review icant increase in recreational marijuana use among these two population subgroups The Clinical Services Program at the munity and help fulfill unmet clinical and renovation to not only continue its dis- after medical marijuana was approved.” Harborside Health Center (HHC) holistic desires of patients. play of salient facts with proper citations, The report adds, “Another study looked at care clinic provides a therapeutic and com- * Clinical Services Program Holistic Care, Harborside Health but also to include a link to each fact’s Center [email protected] adolescent marijuana use and found passionate space for patients who seek source, usually a PDF file. The 1,200 direct decreases in youth usage in every state non-judgmental, evidence-based substance quotes in Drug War Facts come from over with a medical marijuana law. … Declines use, misuse, addiction and mental health DC vote allows access 400 reports from governments, peer- in usage exceeding 50 percent were found services. Harm reduction strategies, educa- Continued from page 1 reviewed journals, think tanks, and other in some age groups.” tion and information dissemination, skill by the District Council make the law more authoritative sources at the fingertips of building, and therapeutic and peer sup- restrictive than that passed by voters in drug policy researchers. They cover all “California, the state with the largest ports merge to ground the various clinical 1998. To prevent the abuses that many aspects of illicit drugs and public policies and longest-running medical marijuana services that are offered to HHC patients. politicians on the East Coast are led to toward them in the US and the world. program, ranked 34th in the percentage of The program’s tenets are deeply based believe run rampant in the West, the coun- Answers to many questions about persons age 12-17 reporting marijuana use on individualism, self determination, and cil has placed strict and often cumbersome cannabis can be found in its 45 chapters. in the past month.” human rights. To create a patient-driven limitations on everything from personal For example, prohibitionists claim that use The CRS report concluded, “No clear program and provide services that patients quantities and who can qualify as a patient, by young people is higher in states with patterns [regarding teen use] are apparent desire, over 300 surveys were conducted. to how patients can obtain medicine and medical use laws than in states without in the state-level data. Clearly, more impor- Findings show that a large proportion of where to use it. them. False, as usual. tant factors are at work in determining a HHC patients would like to participate in For example, the law will not include The Congressional Research Service state’s prevalence of recreational marijuana free clinical services. The information col- severe, chronic pain as a qualifying condi- (CRS) stated in its April 2010 report, use than whether the state has a medical lected helped to guide the selection and tion, which 13 of 14 current medical mari- Medical Marihuana: Review and Analysis of Please turn to page 27 implementation of services. For instance, juana states allow. over 40 percent of survey participants indi- Also, it will join New Jersey as the only cated a desire to learn more about how to other medical use jurisdiction to forbid reduce harms from substance use. patients to grow their personal medicine, Group session services offered weekly though they will be able to purchase from include an information-sharing session, five to eight dispensaries located through- online therapeutic support, coping, life, out the city. A commission is expected to social skills and a mental health forum. study how to add home cultivation to the Most of the groups enable patients to law and give its recommendation in 2012. come together, receive information, share Regardless of these shortcomings, stories, and find support, while the skills which MPP and others expressed hope to group focuses on skill obtainment and improve through Health Dept. regulations, advancement. Individual consultations final passage of a medical use law in the with a trained mental health professional nation’s capitol is a tremendous and long- and brief individual counseling sessions overdue victory for patients and voters. Summer 2010 Page 16 West Coast Leaf West Coast Leaf Page 17 Summer 2010 Advertisement Summer 2010 Page 18 West Coast Leaf Student organizers focus on ‘campus change’

By Jonathan Perri SSDP the passage of Tax Cannabis 2010 in National and International Reports Students for Sensible Drug Policy has been November. There are 15 Cali chapters and busy in the past year, hiring a new 11 more poised to become official in the Executive Director, hosting conferences Fall. Jon Perri is helping the campaign with Berlin, Germany adopts 10-15g personal use quantity across the country, and running dozens of the help of student volunteers from all over Berlin, Germany’s top health official, Katrin Lompscher, who is in charge of defining campaigns at all levels of government. the country. “small amounts” under state law, told Der Spiegel Magazine that she intends to raise the Aaron Houston was just hired as current amount of marijuana or that a person can legally possess from 10 to 15 Executive Director. He brings with him Good Samaritan Policies encour- grams. Most other German states consider 6 grams to be the limit. Other European coun- years of drug policy reform experience, age students to seek medical help tries that tolerate simple pot possession are Belgium (3 grams), the Czech Republic (20 most recently as Marijuana Policy Project’s joints), and the (5 grams). Director of Governmental Relations. during a drug / alcohol overdose. Wal-Mart fires cancer patient, honored worker for legal urine While at MPP, Houston was instrumen- tal in getting the US Dept. of Justice memo Evan Nison, a chapter leader at Ithaca Joseph Casias was fired from his position at Wal Mart in Battle Creek, MI for using a med- written that told DEA to not interfere with College in NY is spending his summer in icines recommended by his physician. Michigan allows patients to use cannabis legally. cannabis patients and dispensaries that Oakland to help with student volunteer Casias has an inoperable brain tumor and sinus cancer for which he uses cannabis for comply with state laws. He can help SSDP and campaign coordination. The Cali chap- relief. He was a model employee, and “Associate of the Year” in 2008. The store manage- become more active in federal lobbying, ters are also working to remove punish- ment detected cannabis in his system after he suffered a knee injury while on the job and and increase the push for repealing the Aid ments for students who use cannabis with was drug tested as a result. “The manager told me he was sorry and he had no choice. He Elimination Penalty. a doctor’s recommendation. said he wished he could help me out,” Casias said. “They went and got my personal In March, over 500 SSDP members belongings, and I walked out of the store.”Dan Korobkin, a lawyer with the ACLU in The SSDP has over 160 chapters nation- wide representing almost every state, with from across the country descended upon Michigan stated, “Wal-Mart is sending a shameful message that people who become ill San Francisco for the 11th Annual SSDP Int. and have chronic pain have to chose between their health and leaving a job.” up to 200 expected by the year’s end. Dozens of chapters are working on Conference, including representatives from Drug Warrior Souder resigns from Congress amid sex scandal ‘Campus Change’ campaigns to reform the UK, Canada and Nigeria. It was the largest-ever SSDP conference. Drug War supporter and family values proponent Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) resigned from their drug policies. The majority of these In recent years, more chapters have his seat in Congress May 18 as he confessed to an affair with a female staffer with whom are for Good Samaritan Policies that been hosting regional and statewide con- he made a video touting sex-abstinence education. Best known as the author of the HEA encourage students to seek medical help ferences designed to bring together chap- Aid Elimination Penalty, his bill denies financial aid and grants to students with any drug during a drug or alcohol overdose. ters from across a state or region to coordi- conviction on their records no matter how minor, but it does not apply to violent crimes Some chapters are working on imple- nate activities. This includes the Midwest like rape. Over 200,000 students have been affected by this law, which motivated student menting harm reduction centers. Others region, the Northeast, California chapters activism and led to the formation of Students for Sensible Drug Policy. are working to equalize the penalties for and chapters. San Francisco State U As chairman of the House Government Reform Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, marijuana possession to those of underage alcohol possession. will host SSDP’s 2nd Annual West Coast Drug Policy and Human Resources from Regional Conf. Oct. 16. There are a lot of The West Coast SSDP chapters are 2001 to 2007, Souder had oversight of the West Coast Leaf things going on in the SSDP universe right working to promote legalization initiatives Office of National Drug Control Policy, and now, so check out SchoolsNotPrisons.org Place your ad today! in WA, OR and, of course, CA. California he played a major role in defeating medical to stay updated. marijuana reform legislation in Congress. westcoastleaf.com • 510-215-8326 chapters will be working hard to promote

Make Your Medical Cannabis Harvest Happen Visit our Booth @ Crop and Collective / Seattle HEMPFESTWith Certain Knowledge Aug. 20, 21, 22 and Confidence! Co-op Certifications HUGE YIELDS ... FULL FLAVOR Grower and Collective ... BIG STICKY BUDS! TRY OUR GROW OR BLOOM Compliance consultations FORMULA ... INDOOR OR OUTSIDE WE'LL HELP YOU GROW SUPER SWEET Info@ mccdirectory.org / FIRST TIME ... EVERY TIME! [email protected] / GROW THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME... ORGANICALLY! CANNABISWORMTEA.COM 707-218-6979 NATURE PROVIDES THE PERFECT SOLUTION Chris Van Hook, California Attorney TURNING SIMPLICITY INTO PERFECT DESIGN 541-787-1706 Collective and Cooperative Farming Compliance Consultations Custom Built Legal Binders • Better Farming Practices Collective Certification Program Medical Cannabis Collective Garden Yield and Probable Cost Analysis Consultations Asset Management-Crop Protection William IndependentIndependent GrowersGrowers && PatientsPatients Co-opCo-op McPike •• EdiblesEdibles •• OrganicOrganic Attorney at Law ServingServing SanSan BernardinoBernardino && RiversideRiverside Co.Co. AA non-profitnon-profit coopcoop California 1-888-420-BUDS 1-888-420-2837 760-774-5154760-774-5154 [email protected] WeWe havehave aa fullfull menu.menu. GoGo toto ourour websitewebsite alcalcare.orgalcalcare.org

CRIMINAL The Inland Empire’s DEFENSE o. All Felonies & Misdemeanors N 1 “420 Lawyer” All Federal & State Cases • Collective Incorporation Services • SB 420 Legal Advice • Zoning Issues • Criminal Defense • All Drug-related Cases * Identity Theft / Fraud • Felonies and Misdemeanors • All State Courts • Burglary / Robbery • Weapons Charges • Homicide • Parole / Probation Allen Bartleman, Attorney at Law • Juvenile Cases • Prostitution • D.U.Is 30 Years in Practice • Defending Your Rights Since 1980 TIMES MAY BE TOUGH RIGHT NOW, Cal NORML-listed Lawyer • Member of California Attorneys for Criminal Justice BUT FELONIES ARE FOR LIFE. www.LAsDopestAttorney.com CALL NOW 505 N. Arrowhead Ave. Suite #509, San Bernardino, CA PRACTICE YOUR RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT! TOLL FREE (909)-885-8388 Allison B. Margolin Se habla español Attorney at Law Wir sprechen Deutsch “IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE LAW, KNOW YOUR LAWYER” Toll Free • 24 hrs • 7 days ԿԸ ԽՕՍԻՆՔ ՀԱՅԵՐԷՆ Call for Consultation Appointment 1-888-DOPE-LAW • 323-653-1850 We speak Farsi West Coast Leaf Page 19 Summer 2010 Patient flying to Louisiana guilty of transporting

By Vanessa Nelson medicalmarijuanaofamerica.com from his doctor which stated that three When it comes to legal victories, California pounds was an appropriate amount for his cannabis patient Matthew Zugsberger has personal medical needs. He also had expert been a fortunate guy. The former deep-sea witness Chris Conrad, who explained to diver has a few wins under his belt, most the jury that larger quantities were needed notably a Washington state case in which a for making edible products than those for judge ordered about 11 pounds returned to simply smoking cannabis. him and his girlfriend. Zugsberger testified that he was trying But his luck stumbled during his recent to take the cannabis to New Orleans, where trial in Sacramento, and it cost the outspo- a trained chef would make edibles from the ken 34-year old Zugsberger his freedom kief. He would then transport those edibles after a December 2008 incident in which he back to California for his own personal tried to board a flight at Sacramento Intl. consumption. He only concealed the Airport with three pounds of cannabis in cannabis, Zugsberger said, to prevent its Jessica Corry, a conservative activist, attorney, and mother of two young girls, holds a leading theft. role in the WMM and spoke at the May 6 launch event at the Colorado State Capitol. his luggage and on his person. Photo courtesy of Kim Sidwell. The prosecutor claimed Zugsberger The jurors weren’t so sure. They acquit- had more than was necessary for his per- ted Zugsberger of intent to distribute, but Denver women organize to take on the Drug War sonal medical use. they found him guilty of illegal possession By Mason Tvert SAFER Council unanimously approved an ordi- So, how much was too much? For and transportation. Women from all walks of life gathered at nance clearing the way for 100-200 years, Sacramento jurors were told that He was handed a sentence of 120 days the Colorado State Capitol May 6 to for- cannabis dispensaries to operate in the city. qualified patients legally could possess no in jail and was released in early May, but mally launch the Women’s Marijuana And just last month, the Denver more than 12 plants and eight ounces of Zugsberger is still bound by the conditions Movement (WMM). Attendees included Democratic Party endorsed, as part of its bud. Those numbers came from SB420, of his probation. He may not transport mothers, children, grandmothers, attor- party platform, legalizing cannabis use for passed by the California legislature in 2003. more than an ounce at a time for the next neys, college students, cannabis patients all adults. Then, a few weeks before his trial, the state five years. and dispensary operators, a substance “Thanks to SAFER’s efforts, the mes- Supreme Court’s People v Kelly ruling According to his girlfriend, it was an abuse treatment counselor, and even a sage that marijuana is safer than alcohol struck down those quantities as legal limits expensive stay, as accommodating his reformed anti-marijuana activist. has taken hold in Denver and across and left them as a ‘safe harbor.’ Thus, medical needs and mobility issues cost the “It is widely known that alcohol is a Colorado,” Corry said. “We are now ready Zugsberger’s jurors had to make an indi- county over $4000 per month. major contributing factor in the prevalence to see this message resonate across the rest vidualized assessment of how much Zugsberger plans to appeal his convic- of domestic abuse, sexual assault and other of the country. And we believe having cannabis he could legally possess. tions, so it remains to be seen if his lucky acts of violence, whereas marijuana is not,” women at the forefront of this movement is To that end, Zugsberger had a letter streak will start anew. said Jessica Corry, a conservative activist, not only appropriate, but will underscore attorney, and mother of two young girls, the message itself.” who holds a leading role in the WMM. Visit WomensMarijuanaMovement.org for information. Ad protesting marijuana arrests censored in NYC “The prohibition of marijuana could do far By Gabriel Sayegh Drug Policy Alliance including Mayor Bloomberg. We can’t more harm to my family than marijuana The Drug Policy Alliance received notice arrest them all but Bloomberg is trying. itself ever could.” Initiative makes ballot from North America’s largest transit adver- Marijuana arrests last year: 50,000. Cost to The WMM is a group of women (and Continued from page 1 tising company, Titan 360, that a billboard taxpayers: nearly $100 million.” men) who see the harms caused by the cur- the Patient ID Center, who opened an criticizing Mayor Bloomberg for his out-of- According to a leaked email from an rent laws and want them changed. With Oakland dispensary in 1996 then fought control marijuana arrest policy will not be account executive, the landlord refused the the tagline, ‘Safer for us. Safer for all,’ the and lost a case at the US Supreme Court in allowed to run on the Brooklyn Queens ad due to “political circumstances from the WMM advocates for the legal and regulat- 2001 based on medical necessity. Expressway (BQE). Mayor’s office.” There have been more ed availability of cannabis as a safer alter- The initiative is a conservative proposal The rejected ad states: “Nearly half of arrests under Bloomberg than under native to alcohol, a message also advanced that allows adults 21 years or older to pos- all New Yorkers have tried marijuana— Please turn to page 23 by the organization helping coordinate this sess or share up to an ounce and have a project, SAFER (Safer Alternative for very small personal garden. It tightens Enjoyable Recreation). penalties on sales to minors and creates a The launch coincided with Mother’s framework for localities to regulate and tax Day, and WMM unveiled an e-card for commercial sales to adults, with the poten- individuals to send to their mothers to let tial of raising billions of dollars in revenue them know they believe that cannabis is a to offset the state budget cuts. relatively safe and entirely acceptable alter- As in all campaigns, fundraising will native to alcohol. play a major role in determining the out- Denver has established itself as ground come of the election. The TaxCannabis 2010 zero for the reform movement. Following team estimates that they will need to raise the establishment of SAFER in Denver, the $10 to $20 million for the statewide effort to city passed an initiative in 2005 making the win in November. adult possession of cannabis legal under Being a mid-term election, getting out city ordinances. In 2007, voters approved a the vote among the cannabis constituency second initiative making cannabis posses- will be essential to passage of the measure. sion offenses the city’s lowest law enforce- Info: facebook.com/taxcannnabis; twitter.com/taxcannabis; ment priority. Earlier this year, the City taxcannabis.org.

Subscribe to West Coast Leaf DHWGC Associates Receive A unique newspaper, delivered quarterly in a discreet, plain envelope. Collective Solutions $ Current Annual subscription (1 copy per issue for a year) 20 Farm 2 Lab We have raised the bar in providing Buddy pack (20 copies per issue for a year) $50 Direct 2 U Inventory associated dispensary owners & their 50+ Strains buyers this professional service from Activist stack (50 copies per issue for a year) $75 15+ Types of Hash more than 50 patient/member providers. Distributor bundle (100 copies per issue for a year) $100 30+ Conversion Products: Select from 100+ products. Most are lab For larger quantities: Call 510-215-8326 to make arrangements. Edibles, Tinctures, and much more. tested, organically grown and always priced a little bit below market value. PayPal payments accepted at WestCoastLeaf.com ... or Summer Wholesale Sale Qualified Member Growers Needed Call 510-215-TEAM (8326) for Visa / other Credit Card payments ... or For Associated Collectives Only Several opportunityʼs still exist but Fill-out and mail-in this handy coupon with check or MO to Creative Xpressions Just a few examples of our strains: Godʼs Gift, GDP,. O G , Ice, Grape Ape, HURRY! We have almost reached our Master Kush, Green Kush, SSH, Blueberry, cap. Gardeners, Industry Marketing ❏ Subscriber $20 ❏ 20 copies / $50 ❏ 50 / $75 ❏ 100 / $100 ATF, Blackberry, Bubba Kush, L A Pros, Bakers, Candy and ... Begin: ❏ Summer 2010 ❏ Autumn 2010 Confidential, White Widow, Cali Pie, Lams Conversion Producers needed! Name: ______Bread, Purple Erkle, etc., etc., etc. Our pricing is always “a little below Address: ______Wholesale Market Value!” DHW Growers City, State, Zip Code ______Edible Sale Cooperative Phone or Email ______Food and Conversion New products available daily For Info 916-376-7069 Make check or MO payable to ‘Creative Xpressions’ and mail it with this form to: Creative Xpressions Subscriptions, PO Box 1716, El Cerrito CA 94530 Ad for Baked goods to follow ... or see www.DHWstore.org Summer 2010 Page 20 West Coast Leaf When it comes to costs, there’s no comparison By Paul Armentano Deputy Director, NORML and neck squamous cell carcinoma.” Editorials and Commentary Critics of California proposals to legalize 2) Cannabis is not tobacco. adult use argue that the resulting health Health-related costs per user for drinkers and social costs would not be offset by the are eight times higher than for can na bis Show a little clemency, Obama taxes generated when cannabis is regulat- users, and for tobacco smokers more than ed. They then point out that the retail and 40 times higher, according to a report by We appreciate what President Obama has done to restore science to US policy making, to excise taxes levied on production and sale the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse recognize States’ Rights to effect their own laws and policies, and in telling the DEA to of alcohol and tobacco do not adequately published in the British Columbia Mental back off of medical marijuana providers who comply with their state laws. He seems to cover those drugs’ social costs. Health and Addictions Journal. want reformers to do all the heavy lifting to change the cannabis laws, but realizes that a To which we reply: So what? “In terms of [health-related] costs per large part of his constituency — especially at change.org — wants it to happen, and we are 1) Cannabis is not alcohol. user: tobacco-related health costs are over ready and willing to do the hard work, with the help of voters across the nation. Alcohol is toxic to healthy cells and organs, $800 per user, alcohol-related health costs There is one thing we cannot do, however, that the President can and should. It is a sad a side effect that results directly in some are much lower at $165 per user, and mari- but true fact that many people who have risked everything to help bring medicine to 35,000 deaths per year from illnesses like juana-related health costs are the lowest at patients were captured by drug warriors and now pay the price by sitting in prison for that cirrhosis, ulcers, and heart disease. $20 per user,” it says. courageous effort. Eddy Lepp, Charles Lynch, Dustin Costa, and Bryan Epis are all well known cannabis POWs, and there are many others who are just as self-sacrificing but less 3) Tens of millions of Americans already Governments now collect zero dollars well known. For these people, we join the Landa Prisoner Outreach Project, CanDo use marijuana and pay no taxes on it. Clemencies, Human Rights and the Drug War, the November Coalition and other groups According to a 2007 George Mason Heavy alcohol consumption can in asking a small favor of our chief executive. Mr. Obama, you have the power to issue University economic study, eac h year US depress the central nervous system — clemencies and pardons and to commute federal sentences. So far you have not issued a citizens spend some $113 billion on inducing unconsciousness, coma, and single one, but we implore you to change that pattern and begin signing release orders for cannabis. Under prohibition, all this death — and is strongly associated with our medical marijuana prisoners of conscience. Do it for the patients; do it for the families money goes to an underground economy increased risks of injury. According to the of the POWs; but most of all, do it because it is the right thing to do. Yes, you can. that is untaxed. US Centers for Disease Control, alcohol plays a role in about 41,000 fatal accidents State and local governments are now per year. It also plays a primary role in acts collecting zero dollars to offset societal and Oil spill makes hemp fuel look great of violence. health costs related to cannabis use, so the So far, all we know for sure is that BP and the oil industry have been lying about the size According to the federal Bureau of imposition of any retail tax or excise fee and effects of the worst oil spill in history, one that threatens to wipe out the Gulf of Justice Crime Statistics, alcohol plays a role would be an improvement over the current Mexico as one of the world’s great fisheries. Time to pause and reflect that if we were using in the commission of approximately one situation. hemp for fuel, and had a spill in the gulf, the negative effect would be ... Nothing. It might million violent crimes annually. The claim that present taxes on two soak up some of the oil, in fact. Almost a million Americans are arrested each year for deadly products — alcohol and tobacco — cannabis, but what are the odds of anyone going to jail for causing potentially the worst By contrast, the active compounds in do not fully offset their related social costs environmental destruction in human history? Let’s get hemp growing to power America. cannabis, known as cannabinoids, are remarkably non-toxic. Cannabis is inca- does not explain why taxes should not be pable of causing fatal overdose — cannabi- collected on cannabis sales, especially since Vote Yes Nov. 2 – and do it for Jack noids do not act upon the brain stem — the social and health costs related to and its use is inversely associated with cannabis are far less than those associated As we mourn the untimely passage of Jack Herer, hemp activist extraordinaire and author with other intoxicants. of The Emperor Wears No Clothes, remember that we have the opportunity to make his great aggression and injury. dream a reality: California voters could pass an initiative to legalize marijuana this year. The use of cannabis is not linked to It is irrational for society to condone, if Granted, the conservative approach of this initiative does not reach the idealized vision increased risk of mortality or various types not encourage, the use of alcohol and that Herer extolled, and there are parts with which he disagreed. Nonetheless, we remind of cancer, including lung cancer, and may tobacco while it stigmatizes and criminal- ourselves that it meets his number one test: Adults will be able to again grow, enjoy and even reduce such risk. A 2009 study in the izes the responsible use of cannabis. journal Cancer Prevention Research reports Armentano is Deputy Director of the National Organization share legal marijuana. It also meets his second test: California farmers could soon grow for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and co-author of industrial hemp with the consent of their state and local governments. that moderate cannabis use is associated Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink? For those who think the measure stops short, we simply note that it will provoke with “a significantly reduced risk of head (Chelsea Green, 2009). change at local and state legislative levels, and it paves the way for a California Hemp Initiative in 2012 or later. It’s not the be all / end all initiative; it’s the beginning of a future Former judge supports tax and regulate initiative of hemp freedom. So get all your friends By Tom Angell LEAP They are also working to get their voices West Coast Leaf registered, and get them to campaign and to California’s Control & Tax Cannabis 2010 included in print and broadcast media cov- vote ‘Yes’ in November. Do it for Jack Herer: The West Coast Leaf™ is a free speech publication initiative has been showing support by erage about the issue. He certainly would have done it for you. owned and operated by Creative Xpressions. ISSN 1945-211X. Business license EC08-0002765. The Leaf over 50 percent in recent polls, but police “Like many other cops and law supports tolerance and maintains that cannabis and prison industry interest groups are enforcement professionals, I’ve seen first- sales and cultivation should and will be legal for already lining up to oppose the initiative. hand that the current approach on marijua- Setting the record straight adult consumption. We invite your submissions As the campaign heats up, they’re likely to na is simply not working,” says former LA Regarding the Spring 2010 issue of West and advertising. WCL fosters a socio-political com- munity by providing photos, news, directories, blanket the airwaves with attack ads claim- County sheriff’s deputy Jeff Studdard in a Coast Leaf, the 2010 Laytonville Emerald features, and regional information for our readers. ing that legalization is a clear and present radio ad for the initiative. “That’s why cops Cup was hosted by the Mendocino Special thanks to John Thomas Ellis, Anne Khuner danger to public safety. support Tax Cannabis 2010, the initiative to Medical Marijuana Advisory Board. and Jackie G. Wilson for their editorial assistance. But the traditional solid wall of law control and tax cannabis. It will provide William Eidelman, MD, began to issue Chris Conrad, executive editor enforcement opposition reform is begin- billions to fund what matters, and allow cannabis recommendations in 1997; the Cal Mikki Norris, managing editor ning to crack. A large and growing group police to focus on violent crime. It’s time to Medical Board’s attempt to take his med- PO Box 1716, El Cerrito CA 94530 of pro-legalization cops, judges and prose- control it, and tax it.” ical license began in 2001. He went on WestCoastLeaf.com • 510-215-TEAM (8326) cutors are telling voters how their experi- Studdard, Gray and the other pro- supervised probation in 2004 and finally Vol 3 No 2. Print run: 166,000 copies. ences enforcing marijuana prohibition led legalization law enforcers at LEAP hope to was exonerated on Oct. 5, 2009. Summer Issue. © 2010. All rights reserved. them to support changing the law. reframe the debate on drug policy reform These criminal justice professionals, from whether cannabis is good or bad into organized under the banner of Law one about enacting laws that improve Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), neighborhoods by letting police focus their Upcoming Quarterly Schedule and Submission Deadlines aim to help undecided voters understand limited resources on serious crime. Your ad in this newspaper helps build our community in California and that legalizing cannabis will improve pub- “The key is to show how legalization the West, and will be seen around the world. lic safety by taking control of the plant will not only boost tax coffers from regulat- away from the gangs and cartels who cur- ed sales revenue, but will actually make Autumn 2010 • Deadline Aug. 11 rently control its illegal distribution. our streets safer and improve quality of life Circulated September — November 2010 “The fact of the matter is that keeping for users and nonusers alike,” says Norm Winter 2011 • Deadline Nov. 12 marijuana illegal doesn’t prevent anyone Stamper, an officer in San Diego for nearly Circulated December 2010 — February 2011 from using it,” says Judge Jim Gray, who three decades before becoming chief of police in Seattle, Washington. DVERTISERS AND UBSCRIBERS ELP ROW THE EAF retired from the superior court bench in A S H G L Orange County last year. “The only people To that end, LEAP is helping to circu- West Coast Leaf provides free copies of our newspapers at locations who benefit from ongoing prohibition are late a sign-on letter from California law and events throughout California and the West Coast. the cartels who grow illegal marijuana in enforcers that lays out their reasons for We are an advertiser, subscriber and donor supported community newspaper. our national parks and the gangs who sell supporting a move away from prohibition To subscribe, you can use the handy coupon in this issue or visit us online. it on our streets.” towards control and taxation, which will Place your Ad at www.WestCoastLeaf.com or call: Gray and other LEAP members are likely be published as a newspaper ad spreading this public safety message sometime before November. West Coast Leaf • 510-215-Team (8326) through speaking events at Rotaries and For more information about LEAP’s legalization efforts, visit For bulk distribution, contact us at [email protected] CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com. other civic clubs up and down the state. West Coast Leaf Page 21 Summer 2010 Addressing concerns of the cannabis community Challenging prohibitionist misinformation By F. Aaron Smith Marijuana Policy Project Fear # 2: Regulating cannabis will drive ‘mom By Tony Newman and penalties against cannabis. If they were, the In their day-to-day work fighting to end and pop’ growers out of business and replace Stephen Gutwillig Drug Policy Alliance US – which arrests an astounding 750,000 marijuana prohibition, reformers are used them with ‘Big Pot, Inc.’ The Drug War is on the California ballot people for possession every year – to debating drug warriors who desperately A legal market won’t hurt small cultiva- this November. Voters will decide whether wouldn’t have double the consumption cling to the status quo. But with victory tors; it will stave off the tobacco barons. No to adopt an initiative to decriminalize adult rate of The Netherlands, where its sales within striking distance in California, some town is going to invite Phillip Morris to possession of up to one ounce of cannabis have been tolerated for decades. As for troublesome and surprising fears are take over. Just as the re-legalization of alco- and allow cities and counties to tax and addiction, the risk of becoming dependent emerging from within the cannabis com- hol has allowed the market for craft winer- regulate cannabis sales to adults. on cannabis is mild compared to most munity itself. ies and micro-breweries to flourish, a legal Opposition has recently crystallized within other drugs including alcohol and tobacco. Some activists don’t support the market will have plenty of room for bou- the Drug War lobby, and begun to spin. In fact, most people who enter treatment Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis tique cannabis to be provided without fear Here are their top five talking points, and for cannabis addiction in this country Initiative due to certain aspects that do not of arrest, prosecution, and lengthy prison the facts they ignore. today are referred by the criminal justice match their dream of a perfect policy. In sentences. Drug Warrior Spin #1: Why authorize another system, but 65 percent don’t even meet the some cases, outright misinformation is Fear #3: A natural plant should not be taxed. harmful substance into society? standard criteria for dependence. being spread by people who should know That’s why the Control and Tax Cannabis Cannabis is already widely available in Drug Warrior Spin #3: Regulating cannabis better, simply to cause trouble. initiative allows personal gardens up to 25 society. Like it or not, it is a mainstream will aid drug cartels. The fact is that the initiative will be on square feet. California adults who are recreational drug consumed by millions Banning cannabis makes it so valuable that the fall ballot and it will immediately end unable or unwilling to buy it or pay taxes last year — including one in ten people are willing to kill each other to take the criminalization of millions of adults. will at long last have the legal right to cul- Californians, according to federal data. The over the market. The 22,000 prohibition- That’s why the community needs to unify tivate for their own personal use. initiative simply acknowledges that it’s related deaths in Mexico since 2006 pro- behind this initiative. However, to expect America to make more sensible to regulate this massive mar- vide grim testimony to that. By regulating Some common fears about the cannabis legal and not tax it like other legal ket, as we do with objectively more harm- cannabis and beginning to bring its pro- California initiative are easily resolved. intoxicants is wildly unrealistic. Alcohol, ful drugs such as cigarettes and alcohol. duction and distribution under the rule of law, we eliminate the cartels’ monopoly Fear #1: The initiative weakens medical mari- tobacco, aspirin and coffee all are taxed. Prohibition of a highly popular substance and dramatically siphon their profits. juana laws and harms patients. Reformers need to accept that non-medical fuels a black market and all the crime, vio- lence and corruption that goes with it. Gangs will be the biggest losers in reform. Absolutely false. The initiative protects the cannabis sales will have to be taxed under Drug Warrior Spin #4: Legal cannabis will existing medical marijuana laws and regu- any feasible reform plan. Drug Warrior Spin #2: Regulation will cause cost society more than the taxes it generates. lates non-medical adult use only. Cannabis patients should not be subject consumption and addiction rates to skyrocket. Please turn to page 27 Rates of consumption aren’t determined by Taxing marijuana like alcohol statewide would generate $1. 4 billion in California alone, according to the Board of Equalization. Californians would also save hundreds of millions in scarce law enforce- ment dollars currently devoted to enforc- ing these futile laws. Yet opponents say that drugged driving, increased health care costs, and lost productivity will end up costing much more than taxes would gen- erate. By that logic, alcohol, which causes 100,000 American deaths annually, should be illegal and warrant life without parole. The bottom line is that cannabis is California’s largest agricultural commodi- ty, freely consumed by millions with no regulations or protections, and with no financial benefit to the state. In this eco- nomic climate, this is a reality we literally can’t afford to ignore any longer. Drug Warrior Spin #5: What kind of message does regulating cannabis send to kids? Failed cannabis prohibition does nothing to protect kids. Half of high-school seniors admit to trying it. Students are more likely to smoke cannabis than cigarettes and say it’s easier to buy than alcohol because drug dealers don’t ask for ID. Even more chill- ing, of the 78,000 Californians arrested for marijuana offenses in 2008, one in five was a child under 18 and half were under 30. Uncontrolled access and mass arrests are prohibition’s true impact on our youth. Regulation will reduce that access, separate cannabis from harder drugs, and allow us to focus on effective youth drug education programs. These arguments will play out repeat- edly over the next six months. In the end, California will choose between two very different models of society. Tony Newman is Media Director and Stephen Gutwillig is California Director of the Drug Policy Alliance. Summer 2010 Page 22 West Coast Leaf Conference in RI reports latest scientific findings nol is a “silver bullet,” herbal cannabis is a The American Cannabis Nursing Assn. “synergistic shotgun.” helps nurses present a unified front against By John Dvorak hempology.org research, Raphael Mechoulam, PhD, began Steve DeAngelo of Harborside Health restrictions on therapeutic use. Nurses are Major scientific advances were discussed at his studies in Israel in 1963 with five kilo- Center has been screening cannabis for effecting change in several states. Mary the Sixth National Clinical Conference on grams of confiscated hashish. He discussed mold and identifying high CBD varieties Lynn Mathre, RN, an organizer of the con- Cannabis Therapeutics, held in Rhode the cannabinoids’ bi-phasic effect, in which which are offered to Harborside’s clients. ference, said cannabis is not a gateway Island April 15-17, sponsored by Patients higher dosages may actually decrease the Just as his Ecolution company helped legit- drug but an exit mechanism from opioids, Out of Time and hosted by the RI Patient beneficial effects. For years, he has imize the hemp industry in the 1990s, alcohol and tobacco. Advocacy Coalition. bemoaned the fact that so little research Harborside is setting a standard for Despite impressive advances in Researchers are looking at cannabis in was done into cannabinoids such as cannabis dispensaries. research, the stigma attached to cannabis minute detail, discovering myriad proper- (CBD). use still leads many doctors to shy away ties in this complicated plant. Presenters It was therefore encouraging to hear Serious attention is finally from writing recommendations. Patients marveled at its amazingly low toxicity and how many research advances are being being given to CBD and to the are justifiably afraid that they could lose mild side effects. made. Mechoulam’s own research found use of cannabis to treat PTSS their jobs or custody of their children if it became known that they use cannabis While the amount of research has some cannabinoids to act as a protective medicinally. There are also biases at the jumped significantly, classification of mechanism against osteoporosis, stimulate Many veterans return from war with institutional level: Some hospitals will not cannabis as a Schedule I narcotic stifles in- the healing of fractures, and reduce the post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSS). submit patients into state run cannabis pro- depth research in the US. Dr. Lyle Craker, debilitating effects of Parkinson’s disease. New Mexico was the first state to allow grams. These prejudices can not be fully for one, recounted how the DEA has John McPartland, DO, likened canna - cannabis as a treatment for PTSS. Michael dispelled until cannabis is removed from stonewalled his request to grow research- binoid receptors to a single “door” through Krawitz spoke of working with the US Schedule I and can be studied to its fullest grade cannabis at the University of which various “keys,” such as THC and Veteran’s Admin. to get it to recognize extent by America’s world class research Massachusetts since 2001. CBD, unlock access to different “rooms” of cannabis for PTSS and allow veterans to and development resources. The great-grandfather of cannabis possible therapies. He believes that if mari- use their medicine at VA facilities. West Coast Leaf Page 23 Summer 2010 Jessica Gelay of Iowa group hopes to challenge Fed classification CannAssist.com (a patient and physician referral, soft- By Carl Olsen Iowans for Medical Marijuana to complete a detailed analysis of the infor- ware and verification serv- Medical use of cannabis has been accepted mation it received and explain how it ice) helped out at the West applied the criteria to the evidence. The Coast Leaf booth at the THC by 14 states — yet not one of these has chal- Expose at the Los Angeles lenged the federal mis-classification of Board claims it lacks funds to complete Convention Center in April. cannabis as having “no accepted medical such an analysis. On April 13, IMM filed Thousands of copies of the paper were handed out to use” for treatment in the US. another lawsuit to force the Board to com- expo goers over the week- Instead, the first step to initiate such an plete its work and issue the analysis. end and bundles were picked up by collectives, official challenge to the federal ban comes Once this is done, Iowa will be in a doctors offices, and other from a non-medical use state. Iowans for position to challenge the federal classifica- businesses to share with tion in a three-pronged approach: by the their patients and customers Medical Marijuana (IMM) began the after the show. For more process of legalizing medical use of executive (Iowa Board of Pharmacy), judi- information, visit cial, and legislative branches of state gov- WestCoastLeaf.com. Photo by Jessica Lux. By using the identical criteria ernment. espoused by the federal The IMM hopes this process will government, Iowa may become a national model and lay the foun- Transit agency censors ad critical of NY mayor dation for the next generation of state med- force rescheduling. ical marijuana laws aimed at protecting Continued from pate 19 The NYPD made more than 10 times patients from federal law. former Mayors Dinkins, Giuliani and Koch the number of possession arrests in 2008 cannabis in 2008 by asking the Iowa Board than it had in 1997. Most of the people get- Activists in all states that have legal combined. Despite the mayor’s moderate of Pharmacy to review its classification of ting arrested are low-income Blacks and medical use could initiate the process by and independent reputation, Bloomberg cannabis as having no accepted medical Latinos. Last year, of 46,500 people arrested forcing their states to consider the criteria has overseen more low-level marijuana use in treatment — the same language fed- for possession, 89 percent were Black and that Congress created to amend the federal arrests than any other elected official in eral drug law uses. Latino, although whites have higher rates classification of any drug. history. IMM obtained a court order April 21, of use. Prior to 1997, the lowest-level mari- 2009, forcing the Board to reconsider this juana arrests were one percent of all arrests classification. On Feb. 17, 2010, the Board Trading cards teach about medical strains, effects in the city. Since 1997, they have averaged recommended the Iowa Legislature 10 percent of all arrests in the city. By Erik Miller sets the cards apart as individual works of remove cannabis from its current classifica- New Yorkers may find it ironic that Trading card afficionados now have a new art. Among the Top 10 featured strains are tion after holding public hearings across New York City leads the world in marijua- deck to play with, and it’s loaded. Patients OG Kush, Jack Herer, Grand Daddy the state and reviewing the most current na arrests, given that cannabis has been Care Collective (PCC), a Berkeley dispen- Purple, Afghani Goo, Cheese, Head Band, scientific and medical information avail- decriminalized there since 1977. Why are sary, has introduced the first 10 of its strain- Strawberry Kush, Blue Dream, Romulan, able. The Board also recommended the so many arrested if cannabis is decriminal- specific cannabis collector cards. and . Cards 11 through 20 are state create a program to provide access to already in the works. ized? Often it’s because, in the course of cannabis for patients who need it. The cards debuted April 17 at the San interacting with the police, individuals are Francisco Cow Palace Arena’s “The trading cards were designed as a If the Legislature accepts the Board’s asked to empty their pockets, which results International Cannabis and Hemp Expo fun way to help patients learn about the recommendation, Iowa could be the first in their cannabis being “open to public and were shown the next weekend at the different varieties of medical cannabis,” state to position itself to challenge federal view” — technically a crime. THC Exposé at the LA Convention Center. said PCC manager David Bowers. classification of cannabis, based on current- Even a marijuana arrest can have pro- They were a big hit at both events. “We’re going to do our best to educate ly accepted medical use and supported by found consequences including loss of col- ourselves and other people about this a thorough review of the latest scientific The cards feature beautiful photos, lege financial aid, food stamps, public amazing plant.” and medical information. taken at PCC, with genetic, flavor, effect, housing and, in some cases, even voting and medicinal use info showcased for each Cards are available exclusively at PCC, 2590 Telegraph Ave., However, Iowa law requires the Board Berkeley CA, 94704 or call Bowers 510-540-7878, noon to 6 pm rights. For immigrants, these arrests could strain and distinctive foil stamping that PST. Card art is online at berkeleypatientscare.com. lead to instant deportation.

BerkeleyPatientsCare.com • Trading Cards • Exclusively available at Patients Care Collective, 2590 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley CA

$5 off w/ West Coast Leaf ad for new patients ALSO refer 3 patients and your next year renewal is FREE with our doctor Summer 2010 Page 24 West Coast Leaf for donations. Hawai’i law prohibits the tion. The island also has the largest number THC Ministry raided, yet wins new legitimacy distribution or sale of cannabis, even for of cannabis patients in the state. By Andrea Tischler Big Island ASA* Nevertheless, Christie is taking the medical use. Christie contends that the Religious use of cannabis can be a pow- Constitution provides protection for legiti- is on a mission to liberate opportunity to get a ‘clean bill of health’ erful force in the legalization effort. mate ministry by sincere believers. cannabis for religious use. from the Feds at long last. In a recent letter Christie said that since authorities allowed The Big Island county has been a focus His THC Ministry is located in the to the DEA, he asserted his first amend- his ministry to reopen, he considers it of activity. In 2008, voters passed a lowest- Building in the bayside community ment rights o f freedom of and exempt and lawful, sacrament and all. protested the unlawful law-enforcement-priority ordinance, to * [email protected], Big Island Americans for Safe Access. To contact Rev. Christie, call 808 217-9352 Rev. Roger Christie seizure of the Ministry’s stop helicopter overflights and ban accept- cannabis. “Cultivation and ance of federal grant money for eradica- or visit THC-ministry.org, enjoyment of Cannabis sacrament is a fundamental human right provided by Detroit may legalize local adult use in the city God and protected by the By Mickey Martin General Michael Cox declared that the pro- First Amendment.” An effort to legalize cannabis for personal posal would change nothing about how In his petition he states use by adults in Detroit, Michigan will drug laws should be enforced in Detroit. that he is a state-licensed reli- either be passed by the City Council or State Rep. LaMar Lemmons, one of the gious practitioner with the passed on to voters to decide on Election authors of the proposal stated, “I’d like our right to perform marriage Day in November. Medical cannabis police to concentrate on violent crimes.” ceremonies as a “cannabis patient and activist Tim Beck, 58, turned in Former state Rep. Leon Drolet of sacrament” minister. 6,100 petition signatures to legalize posses- Macomb Township, a Libertarian of Hilo on the Big Island of Hawai’i, where Christie has a therapeutic healing min- sion of up to an ounce of cannabis by Republican agrees. “We all make decisions he serves as an ordained Cannabis istry, using cannabis smoke, vapor, tinc- adults over 21 on private property; far about our health, whether it’s drinking Minister. Christie has provided sacrament tures, the of Moses, and more than the 3,700 signatures needed. alcohol or having a slice of cake. There’s and services for almost 10 years to his christening oil of Jesus. See Exodus 30:23 for “Some things should no longer be con- lots of things people choose to do because “practitioner” members and to cannabis the recipe, substituting the term ‘cannabis sidered a crime, like minor marijuana pos- they feel, in some way, it enhances their patients. He also helps newcomers in an flowers’ for ‘fragrant cane.’ With the last session,” said Beck. He believes it is a good quality of life,” he said. “And unless education and ordainment process to exer- name Christ-ie, literally, ‘anointed exam- time to put the issue up, as California will they’re infringing on anybody else’s life or cise a lifetime right to cannabis spirituality ple,’ he feels blessed to carry on ancient tra- be voting on legalizing cannabis for adults liberty, I can’t imagine why we would and (usually) to perform weddings. ditions as he learns and practices them, and there is a nationwide debate taking prosecute them.” Over the past 24 years, the affable and to meet and work with others on the place on the subject. Beck believes that it is If passed, Detroit would follow hemp/cannabis activist has garnered the -road of life. important to begin addressing the major Denver’s I-100 initiative that legalized pos- respect of most government officials and Ironically, the highly publicized convic- budget issues in Detroit, and that wasting session in 2005 and other cities that have local police. However, on March 10, 2010, tion of a Colorado man for misdemeanor money prosecuting and jailing marijuana voted to make cannabis possession law his ministry was visited by 13 federal possession of cannabis may have played offenders is a major waste and distraction enforcement’s lowest priority. The argu- agents from the DEA, IRS, US Postal into the Feds’ increased surveillance of for the city. ments that cannabis is a safer alternative to Inspector’s Office and the INS. They took Christie’s ministry. The man claimed to be Legalizing possession in Detroit would alcohol, and that strained city budgets can the sacrament, cash, and some records (not a THC Ministry member who actually not mean that it would stop a person from no longer afford to waste resources on member lists) from the premises and joined the church after the incident. being prosecuted under State law, nor cannabis users seems to be resonating with copied his computer hard drive, Christie However, Christie thinks he has been the would it change the rules against driving the public. Petition signature gatherer, said, but, “They treated us with the utmost subject of an ongoing investigation for under the influence. “We’re hopeful the Fritzel Stanley, 59, who gathered thou- respect.” They made no arrests and actual- some time, as he was offering classes in city would honor the people’s wishes and sands of signatures for the proposal said, ly put in writing that the Ministry is legiti- cultivation and provided cannabis to not go after someone possessing a small “Once I explain this to people, they’re in mate with ‘legitimate customers.’ parishioners and medical cannabis patients amount,” Beck said. Michigan Attorney agreement with it, overwhelmingly.

Get your medical marijuana evaluation with our doctor and your next year renewal is FREE with us! West Coast Leaf Page 25 Summer 2010 Montana adjusts program amid rapid changes By Derrick Bergman ‘Cannabis Tribunal’ in the Hague By John Masterson, MT NORML stood at over 12,081, about 1.6 percent of G0NZ0 Media Cannabis is in the news most every day in the adult population. The second edi- Montana, primarily because of controversy The rapid increase in patient numbers tion of the over the state’s medical use law. is due in part to traveling ‘clinics’ that reg- Cannabis Tri- bunal brought Voters passed a medical marijuana ini- ister hundreds of people in a single day, together promi- tiative in Montana in 2004 with a vote of 62 leading some officials to label the clinics nent politicians percent, the highest level of public support and those attending them as ‘illegitimate.’ and top experts recorded at the time. The law requires Adding to the controversy is the fact to discuss the patients to register with the state and they that some caregivers grow for dozens of future of the may optionally designate a caregiver to patients, requiring extensive indoor gar- Dutch cannabis grow cannabis on their behalf for “reason- dens. Some have opened storefront dispen- policy. able compensation.” saries, which were not contemplated in the Former Former Dutch The law was implemented without law, with ads in local papers. prime minister Van Agt prime minister much fanfare for several years, but in late In April, a legislative committee took speaking at Cannabis Tribunal 2010. Dries van Agt Photo by Derrick Bergman, G0NZ0 Media 2009, with Obama’s memo on medical up the medical marijuana issue, and heard told the audi- marijuana, the number of registered from police chiefs, city attorneys, care- ence not to despair: Despite the zero-toler- Another prominent CDA dissident, patients exploded. As of April 2010, the givers, and the public about how to amend ance political climate, “legalization is Gerd Leers (59), former mayor of border number of registered patients in Montana the law when the Montana legislature inevitable and therefore will happen.” city Maastricht, has for years been calling meets in 2011. It appears inevitable that for regulation of growers and wholesales to medical use will be more closely controlled The Tribunal was organized by the Third Colorado City removes coffeeshops. He called for a European con- and regulated in the next year. Assn. for the Abolition of Cannabis all penalties for adult use Prohibition (VOC), an independent ference on cannabis policies, to be based on The legislature may take up another umbrella group combining the forces of facts rather than moral judgments. By Mason Tvert SAFER cannabis issue: taxation and regulation for pro-cannabis organizations and individu- The day ended with a debate among A majority of voters in Nederland all adults. Montana has a culture and tradi- als. It was founded after the first Cannabis five members of parliament from the approved a ballot measure April 6 that tion of personal privacy and individual lib- Tribunal in December 2008. biggest political parties. The debate high- removed all local penalties for private erty, established in its constitution. lighted the great divide in Dutch politics, adult cannabis possession, making the Montana NORML activists are currently The 2010 event took place May 3 in The with all left-wing parties favoring further mountain town the third Colorado locality working to find a sponsor for the bill. Hague and was streamed live via the Internet and is set to be released later this normalization and all right-wing parties to ‘legalize’ marijuana in the past five Voters in 2600-square-mile Missoula year on DVD. Its most prominent speaker favoring more repression. years. Denver voters adopted a citizen-ini- County passed a “lowest law enforcement was Dries Van Agt (79) of the Christian The outcome of the June 9 general elec- tiative to do so in November 2005, and vot- priority” initiative in 2006 with highest CDA Party. As minister of justice and later tion is crucial for the future of coffeeshops ers in Breckenridge approved a similar support in the urban core and university prime minister, he was responsible for and the tolerant Dutch cannabis policy. measure in November 2009. district of the city of Missoula. introducing the liberal Dutch cannabis pol- Voters are split almost exactly in half More than 54 percent of Nederland vot- The initiative requires a nine-member icy in the 1970s. between left and right. Based on the ers supported the measure in what Town volunteer panel to review its effects every Van Agt made it very clear that this pol- Tribunal, VOC developed a voting advice Clerk Christi Icenogle said was a high turn- six months. Citations have not decreased icy was meant as a first step towards full poster that was distributed to the 700 cof- out election. Voters also ousted incumbent since its passage — about one per day in legalization. He expressed his concern and feeshops that remain in the country. Mayor Martin Cheshes, who had vocally the county of 100,000 residents. Mis de - grief over the conservative course of his opposed the measure and referred to it as meanor possession draws up to six months This year, the ‘cannabis consumer vote’ party, that aims to close all the coffeeshops. “foolish,” replacing him with Trustee in jail and a $500 fine in Montana. might just make a crucial difference in the He made an appeal to the world to “finally Sumaya Abu-Haidar. Info: mtnorml.org. Patients, Families United mtpfu.org, election’s outcome. Please turn to page 30 Missoula Initiative co.missoula.mt.us/initiative2, State law rescue cannabis from the claws of the penal www.cannabistribunaal.nl / voc-nederland.org dphhs.mt.gov/medicalmarijuana/ system.”

Pre-Rolled

For Extra-Fast Relief! WHO HAS TIME TO WASTE ON PAIN? MediCone is the pre-rolled cannabis delivery system — fortified with kief for safe, smooth symptomatic relief. Available only at select, lawful medical cannabis providers. Ask for Medi Cone by name. Now available at these and other quality locations: Oaksterdam Spring Cup 2010 Grass Roots, Divinity Tree, and Medi Thrive, San Francisco Winner, Judges Choice Award: Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana, Fairfax CA Berkeley Patient Care Collective, Berkeley CA Medi Cone Purple Kush Blue Sky, Oakland CA Notice: Medi Cone is intended for medicinal use only by qualified individuals with a physicianʼs recommendation or www.Medi-Cone.com approval. Available in California only. Compliant with Prop 215 (CA HS11362.5) and SB 420 (HS 11362.775, et seq.) Summer 2010 Page 26 West Coast Leaf Americans for Safe Access launch new national gets signatures to qualify third initiative campaign to challenge Feds on medical use By Michelle Graye AZ4norml.org Unlike most other states in the West, Arizona activists are entering the home- Arizona is still not a recognized medical- By William Dolphin Americans for Safe Access states within a framework of national stretch of a yearlong campaign to put med- use state, although its citizens have twice Medical use activists from across the coun- impact. Workshop participants learned ical marijuana on the ballot. voted to pass ballot measures. try participated in the April 17-18 launch of how their work toward passing meaning- A truck arrived in Phoenix April 14 Executive Director of AZ4NORML Jon Americans for Safe Access’s new National ful medical use legislation in more states with 203 boxes of petitions, bearing 252,000 Gettel explains, “Our politicians at the time Strategy to achieve comprehensive access and successfully implementing local laws signatures in favor of putting the Arizona felt that the voters did not know what they by 2013. The Warwick, Rhode Island work- links to the passage of federal initiatives to Medical Marijuana Act (AMMA) initiative were voting for, and they invalidated our shop followed the Sixth National Clinical grant access to all Americans who need it. on the Nov. 2 ballot. law. Soon after, voters passed a new initia- ASA staff explained that increasing the Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics, The initiative kicked off in May 2009, tive which will no longer allow our state nationwide grassroots base creates con- sponsored by Patients Out of Time. with the Marijuana Policy Project funding government to change or cancel a voter- stant local pressure to pass federal legisla- Members of the ASA national staff led a small army of petitioners to gather approved initiative.” tion, as does effectively implementing the activists through a series of trainings and 153,365 valid signatures and put medical The AMMA would allow doctors to medical marijuana laws in 15 states and the discussions on everything from strategic use on the state ballot for the third time. “recommend” via a written certification to District of Columbia. planning to lobbying and media training, Campaign manager for the Arizona allow seriously ill patients to purchase “Criticizing another state as either too all focused on building a much stronger Medical Marijuana Project Andrew Myers from a non-profit dispensary up to 2.5 permissive or too restrictive is easy from national grassroots base. put together a motivated group of profes- ounces every two weeks. Cultivation of up the outside,” said Woodson. “But after Small groups discussed anticipating sional petition passers, volunteers and to 12 plants would be allowed by patients hearing the local truth from activists on the and resolving issues around safe access. activists to get the signatures by July 1, and and their caregivers only if they live more ground, people were able to keep a more Activists from Maryland, Michigan, beat the clock by two months. than 25 miles from a dispensary. California, New Jersey and Maine dis- open mind about the big picture -- achiev- cussed what is and is not working with ing national access.” each other and with representatives from ASA’s legal and government affairs Drug War terrorists firebomb MT cannabis clinics staff also unveiled its momentum with the states lacking patient protections, such as By Tom Daubert* Patients and Families United and no human injuries. Obama Administration and Congress to fix and . Montana’s patient advocates celebrated in The domestic terrorists added insult harmful federal policies on asset forfeiture, The guided process — facilitated by 2004, when the state’s voters legalized and sad irony to their attack by painting drug classification, and cannabis research. Executive Director Steph Sherer, Legal medical marijuana with a then-national “Not in Our Town” on the buildings, a slo- Meanwhile, its legal team is pursuing piv- Coordinator Lauren Payne, and Elizabeth record of 62 percent support. They cele- gan previously used in a more high-mind- otal medical marijuana litigation to attain Mewhiney and Caren Woodson from brated again in 2008, when it first allowed ed way by a Billings group that had organ- safe access nationwide, including ASA’s ASA’s Government Affairs office — helped people on probation to be eligible for legal ized to oppose hate crimes that targeted Data Quality Act petition and another to activists identify specific goals and create patient status. Jews. Now their message of tolerance had “reschedule” cannabis to a classification local action plans for their area. been twisted backwards in a hate crime tar- that would remove barriers to research and But advocates were not celebrating in “Having patients and activists from so geting cannabis patients. medical use. April, 2010, when Montana earned the many parts of the country helped everyone dubious distinction of being the only med- The fire-bombing attacks only under- “What’s most exciting about this is see- gain a better sense of what’s possible and ical use state to experience terrorists fire- scored the explosiveness of controversies ing the grassroots take ownership of the what’s difficult,” said Woodson. “ASA’s bombing a dispensary – twice in the same that were already growing steadily. Even process,” said Woodson. “Medical national strategy for mobilizing the grass- week. In the dead of night, two nights in a before the violence, it had been apparent cannabis patients are realizing how to roots is providing them with key support. row, unknown vandals threw a crude, that the law will be amended in major move forward together as a community to They know they’re not alone.” homemade Molotov cocktail through the ways during the legislative session sched- accomplish safe access for everyone.” The ASA strategy is to focus on the spe- front windows of two different facilities in uled to begin in January 2011. ASA’s three-year national strategy plan can be seen online at cific needs and constraints of individual AmericansForSafeAccess.org/Strategy2010. Billings, causing minor property damage Please turn to page 27 West Coast Leaf Page 27 Summer 2010 legislature looks at medical use bill The perfect is not be the enemy of the good

By Loretta Nall Alabamians for Compassionate Care from cancer or other serious medical condi- Continued from page 21 end its brutal war on cannabis? The Alabama House Judiciary Committee tions to go with their physician to the local To exorbitant taxes, and any sensible After that, the legislature and local made history by voting April 7 to pass sheriff, DA and Judge and obtain cannabis reform proposal should include exemp- communities can begin the process of HB642, the Michael Phillips Compass - from the evidence room. tions for medical sales, as would Tom working out details. ionate Care Act. This is the first time a He said he understands the need to Ammiano’s Assembly bills. The initiative medical marijuana bill has passed the first control marijuana and prevent people from also would allow this type of regulation. Montana firebombings hurdle toward becoming state law. abusing the system, but he supports this Fear #4: The initiative continues to criminalize Even more astounding, this is an elec- legislation, believes that cannabis helps certain adult activity, such as smoking in pub- Continued from page 26 tion year in Alabama. The entire house and people and believes the state has an obliga- lic and possession of more than an ounce. Much of the controversy began when senate are up for re-election. To even take tion to pass HB642 and protect patients. That compromise tells voters that this the Montana Caregivers Network began to this bill up, much less pass it, shows that After he finished, ACC members burst into measure is moderate. Adults who cannot hold ‘clinics’ in hotels and warehouses attitudes are changing in the state. It is the loud applause and a lot of “Amens!” around the state in mid-2009, at which only Southern state to have a medical use Another amazing moment came when There is only one legalization physicians operating in other states on webcams, gave recommendations to as bill in committee now, and it could be the Rep. Spencer Collier (R- Mobile), former initiative on the Fall ballot, first state in the South to have such a law. police officer and staunch opponent of many as 1,000 patients in a single day. The medical marijuana, said, in response to so California voters need to pass state’s patient registry ballooned from “As a former police officer I can tell comments about driving under the influ- it and then work out the details, around 3,000 to over 17,000 in roughly a you that [people driving with a high] ence, that, “As a former police officer I can as the sponsors intended. year’s time. blood alcohol content ... are tell you that someone with a blood alcohol When it became clear that many recom- content of 2.57 will drive 100 miles an hour follow the personal-use rules will still have mendations involved no review of medical much more dangerous than someone down the road and are much more danger- the medical option. There are restrictions records and no physical exam, the general who has consumed marijuana and ous than someone who has consumed mar- on where and when alcohol and tobacco public and the Board of Medical Examiners only drives about two miles-per-hour.” ijuana and only drives about two miles- can be consumed, so voters expect similar began questioning the medical validity of per-hour.” – if not more stringent – controls on the entire program. For the last six years Alabamians for Rep. Cam Ward prevented the entire cannabis. The fact remains this initiative is Simultaneously, a profusion of so- Compassionate Care (ACC) has partnered Republican caucus from taking a public the boldest cannabis reform placed before called dispensaries had sprouted visibly with the Drug Policy Alliance, stance opposing the bill and kept the California voters in decades. and sometimes ostentatiously in cities drugpolicy.org, to make this happen. Republicans on the Judiciary Committee Reform will only be achieved through a around the state, augmenting public back- They had expected the bill to pass out from killing the bill. pragmatic and incremental approach that lash and controversy. By the time of the of committee but were unprepared for the Since the bill was passed out of com- addresses the concerns of the electorate-at- fire-bombings, more than 80 cannabis busi- amazing things said in the hearing. mittee near the end of the session, it didn’t large. We can dream about how life should ness licenses had been granted in Billings The most surprising moment came make it any further. However, its sponsor be in a perfect world, but that’s not what alone. In town after town around the state, when Rep. John Robinson (D- Scottsboro), Rep. Patricia Todd (D- Birmingham) has we’ll vote on in November. city officials adopted temporary or perma- with a background in law enforcement, committed to sponsoring it again next ses- When you go to the ballot box, younent bans on commercial ‘caregiver’ opera- told the committee that in the rural area he sion and those who oppose the bill agreed only have one question to consider: Should tions and stores. has represented for 25 years, it has been to work with ACC between sessions to find the state keep arresting tens of thousands Over the summer, the Legislature’s common practice for someone suffering common ground. of responsible adults or is now the time to interim committee on health issues held a series of meetings with patient rights MAR groups, law enforcement officials and O other constituencies in order to identify as FIGUEROA much consensus as possible on a proposal ATTORNEY AT LAW to “fix” the Montana law. COMPLIMENTARY Patient rights activists, led by Patients CASE CONSULTATION. & Families United, and caregivers, led by Years of experience the recently formed Montana Medical defending growers, Growers Assn., expect to face a battery of patients, caregivers and members of collectives / bills at the Legislature next winter. It will coops in CA & Fed courts. probably include a proposal to repeal the Graduate of Yale University, www.NaturalHerbalPainRelief.org medical use law completely. Stanford Law School 519 Parrott St. SAN JOSE CA 95112 and Trial Lawyers College. Patient advocates hope that rational 408-BUD-WEED but strict regulatory licensing and over- 707-829-0215 10% Mon-Fri 11am-7pm Discount (283-9333) Sat 11am-6pm sight of production and distribution will 415-489-0420 for Veterans, Seniors Sun: 11am-5pm & Disabled In the heart of San quell the controversies and carry the day. [email protected] Jose, minutes from • [email protected] (Free gift for new patients) 101, 280 & 87.” 7770 Healdsburg Av. # A Facts turn around a debate www.omarfigueroa.com Sebastopol, CA 95472 Continued from page 15 marijuana program.” The CRS also noted that “These studies are consistent with the findings of a 2002 report by the Govt. Accountability Office that concluded that state medical marijuana laws were operat- ing as voters and legislators intended and did not encourage drug use among the wider population.” This is just a sample of what visitors get in the online Medical Cannabis Chapter at DrugWarFacts.org/cms/Medicinal_Canna bis, along with a link to the CRS report. Many more facts about drugs and drug policy are online at DrugWarFacts.org. Summer 2010 Page 28 West Coast Leaf

Medical Marijuana Permits

The Hemp and Cannabis Foundation Medical Clinics

Please Call for Appointment www.thc-foundation.org 1.800.723.0188

THCF Medical Clinics have helped over 100,000 patients in twelve states and the District of Columbia to qualify for medical cannabis. Our caring medical doctors and knowledgeable support staff will help you through the process of becoming a certified medical cannabis patient and keep you informed about all aspects of medical cannabis programs in your state.

Oregon s Washington s Colorado s California s Montana s s Nevada s Michigan s Washington D.C. s Rhode Island s Maine s Vermont

s#HRONIC3EVERE0AIN s#ROHNS$ISEASE s-ULTIPLE3CLEROSIS s#ANCER s'LAUCOMA s#HRONIC.AUSEA s#ACHEXIA s'%2$ s!)$3()V s3EIZURE$ISORDERS s(EPATITIS# s!STHMA s#HRONIC-USCLE3PASMS s0ARKINSONS$ISEASE s)B3 s!RTHRITIS West Coast Leaf Page 29 Summer 2010 Reform organizations of interest

AMERICANS FOR SAFE ACCESS idpi.us / organizing people of faith to promote reform. safeaccessnow.org / A patient advocacy and support net- 301-270-4473 work. 510-251-1856 LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAINST PROHIBITION Calendar and Community Directory AXIS OF LOVE SF/ Activist Resource Center leap.cc/ Current and former members of law enforcement Patients organizing for their rights and access 223 A 9th who support drug regulation rather than prohibition. St, SF, 415-240-5247 LEGAL SERVICES FOR PRISONERS W/ CHILDREN June 11-13, Harmony Festival, Santa Patient Advocates, November Coaltion, BEDPC prisonerswithchildren.org/ Advocates for the human rights Rosa, CA. Sonoma County Fairgrounds. the Human Solution, and The Cannabis Black and Brown Equitable Drug Policies Coalition, and empowerment of incarcerated parents, children, fami- Music, arts and crafts, exhibits, speakers, Peace Corp. 1:30 - 6 PM. See ocnorml.org ly members and people at risk for incarceration Redstone Building, Suite #209, 2940 16th Street, SF. food, fun . Medicine Tent in 420 Village, Spanish Hotline: 415-595-8251, street actions, support MARIJUANA ANTI-PROHIBITION PROJECT MAPP Aug. 7-8, Northwest Hemp Educational groups, incident reporting mpp.org/ national membership and a Jack Herer Memorial altar, spon- Expo, Eugene, OR. Lane County CALIFORNIA NORML MARIJUANA POLICY PROJECT MPP sored by Peace in Medicine. Tickets and Fairgrounds. Free hemp info, vendors, canorml.org/ Advocacy, directories, lobbying, research, mpp.org/ national membership org. Focuses on removing info at harmonyfestival.com. news, alerts. 415-563-5858 criminal penalties through initiatives and legislation. music, food, speakers. Free. nwhee.com CANNABIS ACTION NETWORK MENDO MEDICAL MARIJUANA ADVISORY BOARD June 19-20, Medical Cannabis Aug. 7-8, HempCon Medical Marijuana cannabisactionnetwork.org/ 1605 Ashby Ave, Berkeley. mmmab.net/ [email protected] Cup, San Francisco, CA. Terra Gallery and 510-486-8083 Show, SF Bay Area. San Jose Convention MEDICAL MARIJUANA OF AMERICA Events, 511 Harrison St. Medical marijua- CANNABIS CONSUMERS CAMPAIGN medicalmarijuanaofamerica.com/ directory, court reports, Center. See hempcon.com for details. cannabisconsumers.org/ Come out of the closet to stand POW stories and contacts. na and hemp expo, with cultivation semi- Aug. 20-22, Seattle Hempfest, WA. Myrtle up for equal rights. MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS UNION nars, VIP party, award ceremony for best CIVIL LIBERTIES MONITORING PROJECT Patients’ Rights Network. 707-964-9377. strains and more. See medcancup.com Edwards Park, on the downtown water- civilliberties.org/ monitors police eradication abuses, etc, [email protected] front. World’s largest annual gathering of to protect civil rights in the CA northcoast. 707-923-4646 MEDIA AWARENESS PROJECT June 26, Cannabis Freedom Rally, Laguna cannabis supporters. Over 90 bands, DRUG REFORM COORDINATION NETWORK mapinc.org/ MAP has generated millions of letters to the Beach, CA. Main beach. Co-sponsored by stopthedrugwar.org/ drcnet.org, global support network for editor. Help gather news for their clearing house. speakers, education, arts, crafts, food ven- OC NORML, Assn. of Patient Advocates, drug policy reformers with weekly analysis. MOTHERS AGAINST MISUSE AND ABUSE dors. See hempfest.org DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE mamas.org/ responsible drug education November Coaltion, the Human Solution, drugpolicy.org/ DPA works on drug policies based on sci- MAPS and The Cannabis Peace Corp. 1:30 - 6 Aug. 28, Know Your Rights, Marijuana ence, compassion, health, human rights and a just society maps.org/ Multidis ciplinary Association on Psychedelic Legal Expo, Anaheim, CA. Anaheim free from prohibition. PM. See ocnorml.org for details. Studies, studies on cannabis, psychedelics. 831-429-6362 Convention Center, Hall E, 800 W. Katella DRUG POLICY FORUM OF CA NORML July 8, New Directions California: A Listserve for Cal cannabis/drug war issues. Sign up at Ave. Good information for patients and norml.org/ National Organization for the Reform of Public Health and Safety Approach To drugsense.org/dpfca/list.htm Marijuana Laws. 202-483-5500 collectives, horticulture tips, initiatives, Drug Policy, LA, CA. 1000 N. Alameda St. DRUGSENSE NOVEMBER COALITION entertainment and vendors. 10 to 10 PM. drugsense.org/ Daily compilation of news excerpts. Web november.org/ National support group for Drug War Sponsored by Drug Policy Alliance and site dev. and hosting. 501(c)3 tax exempt fiscal sponsor. $15/$10 seniors. For more info, see POWs. Publishes The Razor Wire. California Society of Addiction Medicine. DRUG WAR FACTS drugwarfacts.org/ Just the facts. knowyourrightsexpo.com OREGON GREEN FREE 9:30 AM-4:30 PM, drugpolicy.org FAMILIES AGAINST MANDATORY MINIMUMS oregongreenfree.net. Free OMMP info. Aug. 28-29, Olympia Hemp, Love, and famm.org/ Advocates an end to harsh, unjust sentencing OREGON NORML ornorml.org July 10, 707 Cannabis College Expo, laws affecting prisoners and their families. Freedom Rally, WA. Heritage Park, PATIENT ADVOCACY NETWORK panorg.blogspot.com. Redway, CA. Mateel Community Center. FAMILY COUNCIL ON DRUG AWARENESS Olympia, WA. See olyhempfest.com SAFER fcda.org/ Accurate information on effects of drugs and Music, food, speakers, discussion. 12-6 PM saferchoice.org/ Safer Alternative For Enjoyable drug policies. Down loadable PDFs to print and hand out. Sept. 9-11, National NORML Conference, Recreation. [email protected] July 10-12, Oregon Country Fair, Veneta, GREEN AID Marijuana Legal Def. & Education Fund, Inc. Portland, OR. For details and to register, SENSIBLE COLORADO green-aid.com/ OR. Wooded setting near Eugene. sensiblecolorado.org / non-profit resource for patients and see norml.org HARM REDUCTION COALITION those interested in reforming laws. 720-890-4247 Entertainment, food, arts and crafts, infor- harmreduction.org/ works to reduce drug-related harm by mation sharing. See oregoncountryfair.org Sept. 11-12, Hempstalk 2010, Portland, programs such as clean needle exchange. STUDENTS FOR A SENSIBLE DRUG POLICY ssdp.org/ Students for reducing the harms caused by drug OR. Kelley Point Park. Sat. 10 AM -10 HEMP INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION July 16-18, Medical Marijuana and Hemp abuse and drug policies. PM, Sun. 10 AM -7 PM. A celebration of hempindustries.org/ The HIA is a non-profit trade group Expo, Toronto, Canada. Metro Toronto representing hemp companies, researchers, supporters. VOTEHEMP votehemp.com/ Industrial, horticultural hemp. cannabis culture, music, community. Convention Centre "Hall A". Sponsored by HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE DRUG WAR VOTER POWER, OREGON hempstalk.org hr95.org/ Photo display of Drug War POWs, analyzes voterpower.org, Advocating for fair, cannabis laws and Treating Yourself magazine. Vendors, work- human rights abuses. policies. OMMP registration. Portland: 503-224-3051, Sept. 11, Missoula Hempfest, MT. Caras Medford: 541-245-6634 shops, films, seminars, and vapor lounge. INTERFAITH DRUG POLICY INTIATIVE Park. Noon. missoulahempfest.com To get listed, please email [email protected] medicalmarijuana-hempexpo.com July 16-18, Emerald Empire Hempfest, Sept. 25-26, International Cannabis and Local and regional meetings Eugene, OR. Food, guest speakers, music, Hemp Expo, San Francisco, CA. Cow activists, live entertainment, vendors. See Palace, Daly City. Public education event. East Bay NORML, third Thurs/mo., 7:30 PM (after Oakland Measure Z Oversight Committee third Thurs/ Exhibitors, speakers, vendors. intche.org Measure Z Oversight Comm.), OU Student Union, 1915 mo. 6 PM, City Hall emeraldempirehempfest.com Broadway, Oakland. [email protected] Orange County NORML meets third Fri./mo. 7 PM. OC July 24, Aug. 7-8, Cannabis Freedom Sept. 26, WAMMfest 2010, the Life in El Dorado Co. American Alliance for Medical ASA, 8 PM.Giovanni’s Pizza, 922 W. Williamson, in Green, Santa Cruz, CA. Duck Island, San Cannabis, 4th Sat/mo., 2:15-4:20, Garden Valley Grange, Fullerton. Free pizza. ocnorml.org Rally, Huntington Beach, CA. At the pier. 4940 Marshall Rd. Garden Valley, CA, 530-621-2874 San Jose State SSDP, Mondays/6 PM, Costanoan Co-sponsored by OC NORML, Assn. of Lorenzo Park. wammfest.org Marijuana Anti-Prohibition Project Palm Springs/ Room, Student Union, top floor, [email protected] Coachella Valley Area MAPP first Sat / mo. 3 PM, 266 SoCal NORML, second Sat./mo. at 10AM, World Beat N. Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs. Lanny 760-799-2055 Center, 2100 Park Bl., San Diego. Contact 619-467-1235, Local and regional Americans for Safe Access meetings Western Inland Empire Area MAPP/ASA, [email protected] first Wed / mo., 7:30 PM, THCF Medical Clinic, 647 Main Fresno ASA, second Mon/ mo., 6 PM at Full Circle San Diego ASA second Tue. / mo., 7 PM, International St. Riverside, CA 92501. Also hosts Friday evening semi- Brewing Co, 620 F St., Fresno. Contact Diana at Cannabis U, 6070 Mt. Alifan Suite 202 San Diego. nars on Anti-aging and medical benefits of cannabis, 8 [email protected] [email protected] PM. 951-782-9898 West Coast Leaf Humboldt County ASA, third Thurs/mo., 6 PM, Bayview San Diego North County ASA, first Fri./mo., 7 PM, High Desert Area MAPP/ ASA, third Wed/mo. 6:30 PM Don’t miss a single issue! Courtyard Senior Housing, Rec. Room550 Union St., Academy of World Martial Arts, 1050 S. Santa Fe Ave., Castle Inn, 1388 N. Golden Slipper in Landers 92285. Arcata. 707-407-8522, [email protected] Vista, [email protected], 760-500-8868 Lanny 760-799-2055 Subscribe today: LA ASA, 3rd Sat/mo., 1 PM, 7100 Santa Monica Blvd. San Francisco ASA second & fourth Tues/mo., 7:30 PM, Medical Cannabis Safety Council /East Bay third Ste. 70, West Hollywood. Bowers Pizza, 371 11th St, SF. Contact Tues/mo. 12-2 PM, OU Student Union, 1915 Broadway, westcoastleaf.com [email protected] [email protected] Oakland. North Bay, 2nd Mon./mo. 6-7:30 PM, Peace in Sacramento ASA first and third Tues/ mo., 7 PM, Sonoma ASA first Thurs/mo. 5 PM, Dept. of Health, So. Medicine, 6771 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol. Re safety or 510-215-8326 Crusaders Hall, 320 Harris Ave., Suite H, Sacto. Lanette City View Rm., 625 5th St, Santa Rosa, knock loudly. and quality control issues. [email protected] at 916-924-3455, [email protected] Contact [email protected]

Internet radio shows & podcasts on cannabis Cannabis TV, cannabistv.org/watch some great movies and videos on hemp/marijuana. Cannabis Planet TV, cannabisplanet.tv/weekly, 30 minute television show, includes collective profiles, grow tips with Ed Rosenthal, cooking, news and information on all things cannabis. Fri. and Sat. at 10:30 PM, KJLA TV, Ch. 57, So. CA. Drug Truth Network (DTN), drugtruth.net/cms/ 4:20 Drug War News, Cultural Baggage (interviews), live shows, archives, Sundays 4:30-5:30 PT, kpft.org or call 877- 9-420-420. Exposes the fraud, misdirection, and wastefulness of the war on drugs. Marijuana Radio, marijuanaradio.com/ live shows, Tuesdays 6 PM PST, podcasts that cover entertainment, politics, comedy, music and celebrity guests. NORML Daily Audio Stash with host ‘Radical’ Russ Belville, stash.norml.org/ current podcasts, news, interviews, etc. See RadicalRuss.com for archives of his shows. California Marijuana Report with Eric Brenner is a weekly segment that features inter- views with elected officials and marijuana law experts as well as profiles of California residents currently incarcerated or being prosecuted for marijuana offenses. NORML SHOW LIVE: Marijuana Nation, live.norml.org /live talk radio hosted by ‘Radical’ Russ Belville, recap of week’s top cannabis stories, interviews with top activists, politicians, celebrities, etc. Call in 347-994-1810, Saturdays 6 to 8 PM PST. Tax Cannabis 2010 Initiative video interview with Dale Clare and Jeff Jones is posted online at blip.tv/file/2810667 . Time 4 Hemp Radio Show with Casper Leitch/ Time4HempRadio.com, live shows Tues., Thurs. 3-5 PM PT, (sponsored by americanfreedomradio.com). Call in at 512-879- 3805. Time4hemp.com hosts podcasts, hemp music, video, interviews, archives. Summer 2010 Page 30 West Coast Leaf A matter of image … and why image matters Shared pastime links Clintons with sports figures By John Thomas Ellis dangerous when used responsibly. By Ellen Komp veryimportantpotheads.com of AT&T Park in San Francisco. Pictured is Mainstream media have finally awoken to April saw the return to film of Cheech Author Christopher Hitchens, who was at a lanky, stony-looking pitcher named Tim discover that cannabis is hip. From and Chong with the release of Hoodwinked Oxford at the same time as Bill Clinton, Lincecum, who earned his second consecu- Showtime to HBO to ABC-Disney, televi- Too! Hood VS Evil. Meanwhile, independ- purports to explain in his forthcoming tive Cy Young award last year. The 25-year- sion and film have brought marijuana into ent films like Green Goddess and the re-edit- memoir why Clinton said he didn’t inhale. old Washington native has signed a $23 the mainstream. Whether it’s Meryl Streep ed classic, The Moneytree, are searching for “When I was in England I experimented million dollar contract, which many specu- and Steve Martin getting with marijuana a time or two — and didn’t lated wouldn’t happen because of his bust reacquainted with the joys like it — and didn’t inhale and never tried last fall for marijuana. Lincecum paid a of smoking in It’s inhaling again,” Clinton said while cam- $513 fine in January after being caught Complicated, or John Noble paigning for the presidency in 1992. with 3.3 grams of pot and a pipe while of Fringe firing up a bong to Hitchens writes, “He preferred, like driving in his home state. Will money ruin focus himself before he many another marijuana enthusiast, to take what a cannabis bust couldn’t? Catch the reorganizes his office, they his dope in the form of large handfuls of Giants this year to find out. have one thing in common: cookies and brownies.” Meanwhile, Santonio Holmes, the MVP They’re just ordinary citi- This information bolsters that in of last year’s Superbowl, has been traded zens using a little herb. It’s Edward Klein’s book The Truth About by the Pittsburgh Steelers for a fifth-round about time. Showtimeʼs draft pick from the New York Jets. Holmes Nurse Jackie Hillary, which says our Secretary of State The Simpsons, Family met her future husband at a commune is facing a four-game suspension for violat- Guy, Parks and Recreation, called Cozy Beach, where her Yale Journal of ing the NFL’s substance abuse policy, fol- SNL, Parenthood, American Law and Social Action co-editor Kris Olson lowing a pre-Superbowl incident when he Dad, The Cleveland Show, lived. According to Klein, Cozy Beach was was caught with herb in his car. Gossip Girl and Glee have all affiliated with Ken Kesey’s Oregon Hog Apparently Holmes has turned to a harder joined the discussion. No longer is it neces- distribution deals with studios that now Farm, and the Magic Bus riders were said drug (liquor), leading to an incident last sary for networks to impose the negative seek to exploit the viewers they once to be regular visitors. “Bill and Hillary month when he allegedly threw a drink at consequence of police action. spurned — us. often grooved the night away at Cozy a woman in a Florida bar. He could be sus- pended for an entire season if he violates Cable TV has ramped up its support as One day may even see a return ofBeach, spinning the latest Jefferson league policy again. well. Stalwarts like Bill Maher and Jon Screaming Yellow Zonkers. Airplane platters and eating Kris Olson’s Stewart have expanded their conversations Now the media is beginning to recog- hashish brownies,” wrote Miriam Horn in Acknowledging to Sports Illustrated with guests. In Maher’s interview with nize what millions have long known: Rebels in White Gloves. that as many as one third of potential draft Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong they dis- Things go better with grass. “There’s Cy in Here,” shouts an enor- picks have tried cannabis, the NFL is no cussed toking. Jesse Ventura and Maher mous banner currently flying from the top longer disqualifying players who test posi- were candid in their support of changes in tive for pot, but rather is evaluating them the law to allow legal access. Ventura blast- Obituaries on a case-by-case basis. “If you knocked ed the Drug War as a failure and blight. everyone off your [draft] board who has Not a week goes by without a supportive Ravin’s 1975 privacy case legalized pot in Alaska experimented with weed, you’d lose about 20 percent of your board, not to mention nod from Stewart or one of his guests. Attorney Irwin Ravin, 70, who challenged he lived in he always knew both parties of disqualify a few recent presidents,” one Nurse Jackie focused on the inherent med- the boundaries of Alaskan law in 1973 the lawsuit so it was just too complex. He NFL head coach said. ical contradictions in its episode, ‘Apple when he forced police to arrest him for opted for the simplicity of driving a taxi Dr. Frank Lucido, a medical marijuana Bong,’ where her character supplied a cannabis and made the case at trial that and telling tourists stories about the area specialist practicing in Berkeley, told the patient herbal medication behind the backs banning possession in a person’s home of (sometimes pulling their legs). of hospital officials. Wall Street Journal that two former NFL small amounts of cannabis was an uncon- “Irwin was kind of like one of the patri- players with chronic orthopedic pain are The real change is in network reaction stitutional invasion of privacy, died April archs in Homer,” said longtime friend his patients. “I say marijuana should not be to recreational use. In Plain Sight, a show 11. In the groundbreaking Ravin v Alaska Sallie Dodd Butters. “He was one that was a banned substance [in the NFL]. It has too about people in the federal witness protec- (1975), the Alaska Supreme Court agreed around when Hobo Jim and I came into many medical benefits,” Lucido told WSJ. tion program, has gone from portraying that adults having small amounts of town. He will be terribly missed.” He smokers as losers to just normal folks loos- cannabis is a private issue, and outlawing passed away in the company of friends ening up with a little puff. it violates one’s rights. The ruling stands from a heart attack. — Mickey Martin City removes adult penalties So much attention has been focused on after over 35 years of legal battles. In 1982, Continued from page 25 the subject that Fox News weighed in with the Alaska legislature decided that less Police chief, DARE founder a discussion between Melissa Henson of than 4 ounces was a personal amount. In Daryl Gates, the notorious Los Angeles Prior to the announcement of the vote, the Parents Television Council and Allen 2006, the legislature passed a new ban, Police Chief who oversaw the LAPD dur- the Boulder District Attorney Stan Garnett St. Pierre of the National Organization for claiming that cannabis was much stronger ing the Rodney King beating and the told The Daily Camera: “I’ll pay attention if the Reform of Marijuana Laws. than it used to be, but it is unclear whether bloody riots that erupted when the racist it passes. Marijuana enforcement is a sensi- tive issue, and it’s important to gauge pub- St. Pierre cut to the point, “An adult this is in conflict with the Ravin ruling. attitudes that permeated his department lic sentiment. who uses it responsibly should not be “The Ravin decision in 1975 was then, were revealed, died April 16. Gates had a arrested.” Henson wants to protect chil- and remains still today, 35 years later, the drug addicted son, but in 1989 told a US Durango, which voted largely in sup- dren from ideas by keeping the discussion most significant constitutional ruling ever Senate committee that “casual marijuana port of the statewide initiative to legalize within a law-and-order framework, end- handed down in this country regarding the smokers should be taken out and shot.” cannabis in 2006, will likely vote on a simi- lessly forcing viewers to watch the legal marijuana laws,” said NORML founder He co-founded the D.A.R.E. program lar local initiative this November. penalties of prohibition. Keith Stroup. on the premise that it is too dangerous to A recent poll of likely Colorado voters With cannabis recognized as a $100 bil- Ravin gave up law and spent his latter tell children the truth about cannabis found that 50 percent now support making lion a year industry, it’s impossible to ban years driving a cab in Homer, AK, suppos- because it is not scary enough, so the cur- marijuana legal for adults and regulating it it from the air or convince consumers it’s edly because in the remote area of Alaska riculum was based instead on lies. like alcohol. New Colo law regulates cannabis dispensaries, with caveats Continued from page 1 There are major restrictions on those who want to join is the Infused Product Manufacturer (IPM). These license the industry. Drug felons, people who have not lived in the holders will be able to produce cannabis products that are state for two years, and people under 21 cannot own an intended to be ingested through means other than smok- MMC, OPCO, or IPM. All employees will have to submit ing (e.g., edibles, tinctures). If edible products, the items to background checks, and will have to be of “good moral must be made in a commercial kitchen that is only used to standard.” Once they are determined to be okay, employ- make cannabis products. IPM license holders will also be ees will receive state-authorized ID cards, which will pro- able to apply for their own license, however all the tect them from state prosecution. cannabis must be used by their own IPM business; they Caregivers will be restricted to helping up to five will not be able to wholesale like Medical Marijuana patients, and can charge only for their caregiving services. Centerss will be able to do. Caregivers can petition the state to allow more than five The location of MMCs, OPCOs, and IPMs will be con- patients if there aren’t enough MMCs in their area. trolled by local zoning. Municipalities will be able to ban Caregivers will be able to purchase cannabis from an them. While the location of MMCs and OPCOs will be MMC and deliver it to their patients. public knowledge, the locations of the IPMs will remain HB 1284 has clear benefits and flaws. When it takes private. effect, it will begin an unprecedented one-year period of Labs are now clearly allowed, and MMCs and IPM change and litigation. The legislation will more than likely license holders are allowed to dispense small amounts of serve as a model — for good or bad — for the medical use cannabis to the labs for testing. Deliveries will only be community, as the industry becomes required to comply allowed to patients whom the state approves for delivery. with the rules and regulations of the business world. West Coast Leaf Page 31 Summer 2010

Special commemoration of ‘The Emperor of Hemp’ Mikey Jolson stood at the grave urging everyone to keep working to achieve Hererʼs dream of a world with total freedom Herer: Hemp hero eulogized in LA for hemp. Renowned speaker, activist, “you’d have to be crazy to not smoke pot.” He was a teacher and a salesman. He best-selling author passes asserted there was a conspiracy to ban By Chris Conrad hemp primarily to financially benefit the Jack Herer, a living legend of the cannabis polluting industries of timber and fossil reform movement who spoke at thousands fuels, especially the Hearst and DuPont of events across the US and Europe, died in corporations. He educated and recruited the company of his family April 15, 2010 in scores of dedicated hempsters to help Oregon and was laid to rest in Los Angeles. spread the word about the virtues of Hundreds of people came from afar for the cannabis plant with the mantra, his eulogy and funeral at Eden Memorial “hemp for food, fuel and fiber,” also Park in Mission Hills CA on April 25 to paper and medicine, and collect sig- honor a larger-than-life man who changed natures for a CA comprehensive so many people’s lives. Joints and handsful legalization initiative year after year of marijuana were tossed into the grave that never made the ballot. Jack with the urn containing his remains. Herer Born June 18, 1939, Herer’s early years as a Goldwater Republican and a Korean Left: Jackʼs son, Dan Herer shared intimate stories of family life with a War veteran gave no indication that he loving father who remarried several times and spent most of his time on the road. West Coast Leaf photos by Mikki Norris would one day become a world-famous champion of legalizing all things cannabis After making a pact ously until he partnered with Chris and write a book that changed the world, with his companion Ed Conrad, who designed, edited and pro- The Emperor Wears No Clothes. Adaire in the 1970s to legal- duced the 1990 edition which made Herer The gravel-voiced, strong-willed ize cannabis or die trying, into a global celebrity. activist, who in the 1960s threatened to Herer spent decades collect- Herer helped get a legalization initia- leave his first wife when he found out she ing thousands of facts that tive on the 2000 and 2004 ballots in Alaska. had smoked marijuana, became known in went into the Emperor. Few He re peat - later years for making statements such as, took his information seri- edly crossed the country with his book in hand, on his HEMP (Help End Marijuana Prohibition) Tours with the Cannabis Action Network. The German transla- Former High Times editor tion of his book, Steve Hager championed Hererʼs reputation and Hanf, swept work. West Coast Leaf photos Europe by storm and his opus was translated into many lan- guages, sometimes in bootleg editions. His first book, G.R.A.S.S. (1973) is still in print. He was the subject of the documentary, The Emperor of Hemp (2000). A mainstay at the Amsterdam High Times Cannabis Cup, Ben Dronkers of the Dutch company Sensi Seed Bank named a popular strain of cannabis ‘Jack Herer.’ Herer received a lifetime achievement award from NORML in 2002, after he suf- fered a major stroke after a speech he gave at a hemp festival in Oregon in 2000. Even in his depleted condition with halting speech, the charismatic Herer was a big draw at events like the Seattle Hemp - Fest. He extolled Rick Simpson’s oil and credited it for aiding his recovery. He was working on a book about the amanita mus- caria mushroom, but was not able to finish. As Herer stepped off stage after deliv- ering his empassioned, final speech at the 2009 Portland Hempstalk, he clutched his chest and sank to the ground. He clung to life but never recovered from the severe heart attack. Herer was married four times. “Best California Concentrate” He is survived by his wife, six children, a Winner brother, a sister, and a large extended fam- ily of friends and fans the world over. His 2010 International Cannabis son, Mark, still runs the family-owned CLONES AVAILABLE and Hemp Expo headshop, The Third Eye, in Portland, OR. To help cover his growing medical and funeral expenses, please make a donation at jackherermedicalandmemorialfund.org. Summer 2010 Page 32 West Coast Leaf