Archive for January, 2015

CANNABIS SANCTUARY ORDINANCE

Tuesday , January 2744, 2015 | Posted By: admin

{Nederland, Colo.} — On January 23, 2015, a group of Nederland, Colo. citizens, who are all members of the Closer to the Heart Cannabis Ministry, filed a citizen’s ballot initiative to put an ordinance on the ballot to make the Town of Nederland the first official “cannabis sanctuary” in the U.S., and perhaps the world.

The citizens need to collect about 80 signatures of Nederland registered voters to have the ordinance appear on the April 7, 2015 election ballot.

If approved by voters, the ordinance states that the Town of Nederland cannot spend any money to enforce any laws applicable to cannabis, as long as the cannabis is for spiritual or medical use and the act related to cannabis use does not cause any harm to another person or property. In Nederland, 73% of voters voted for Amendment 64 in 2012, so there is a large support for cannabis legalization in town.

The ordinance is modeled after the sanctuary city laws passed in the 1980s that were designed to help protect Central American refugees who had entered the U.S. illegally, seeking refuge from U.S.-sponsored covert war that had destroyed their home countries. To help protect these refugees, over 500 religious congregations across the U.S. declared themselves sanctuaries to these illegal immigrants, where federal immigration law could not be applied. This church movement gave rise to many sanctuary city ordinances, where localities passed laws or policies declaring that no funds or resources could be used to enforce federal immigration laws.

Closer to the Heart Ministry sees the idea of a sanctuary ordinance as another way to protect cannabis users in Nederland.

“We are forced to put this ordinance on the ballot, because, contrary to popular perception, cannabis has not been legalized in Colorado,” says Chippi, founder of the Ministry. “Not a single marijuana crime was removed from the Colorado Revised Statutes by Amendment 64. People are still being prosecuted. We went from 3 pages of cannabis law in Colorado to over 600 pages of cannabis law, and high courts have ruled that cannabis remains illegal. This is not legalization. You can still lose custody of your children, still lose your employment, still lose your right to own a firearm, still lose your occupational license, still lose your housing, your health insurance and your veteran’s benefits. You can still have all your assets seized by the feds. You can lose the ability to get an organ transplant, and, of course, you can still lose your freedom.”

Closer to the Heart Ministry is a church that believes cannabis use is a sacrament. The Ministry follows the teachings of the Bible, where cannabis is mentioned repeatedly as “sweet calamus”, “fragrant cane” or “kaneh
bosm”. Of particular importance to the Ministry is the recipe that God gave to Moses to make holy anointing oil, which contained cannabis. (Exodus 30:22-33)

Chippi founded Closer to the Heart Ministry in 2010. She has retail boutique called One Brown Mouse, located at 95 East First Street in Nedlerand. Closer to the Heart Ministry holds fellowship meets at the shop, and people to gather to become educated about the many uses of cannabis. Chippi is acting as the spokesperson and official representative for the two local residents who are proponents of the initiative, Robert Howard and Marisa Gaia Moffett.

“It’s a healing plant, which can solve so many of humanity’s problems,” says Chippi. “I truly believe it is the ‘Tree of Life’ mentioned in the Bible, which is to be used for the ‘healing of the nations’.”

Closer to the Heart Ministry does not sell or provide marijuana to members. Most members are patients under the Colorado’s medical marijuana constitutional amendment and cultivate their own cannabis for both medicinal and spiritual use.

“The sanctuary ordinance represents a step towards true legalization, not the fake feel-good ‘legalization’ that has been promoted by the drug policy ‘reform’ groups like MPP, NORML, Senisble, SAFER, ASA and DPA,” says
Chippi. “This cannabis sanctuary ordinance prevents money from being used to persecute people. It is another way of having citizens send a message to the government that we are sick of the harm and waste of resources caused by the War on Cannabis Users.”

The cannabis sanctuary ordinance was written with the help of Colorado native Danyel Joffe, lead attorney of the Joffe Law Firm in Denver.

The ordinance was submitted to Nederland Town Administrator Alisha Rees on Friday, Jan. 23. Reis needs to set a ballot summary by the end of the week. After that, Reis must approve a printer’s proof of the proposed petition. Then the collection of signatures can begin and must be completed by the end of February. Reis has history of being antagonistic towards citizen’s ballot initiatives, but hopefully she will perform her administrative duties in a timely fashion this time. Press can contact Alisha Reis, Town Administrator at (303) 258-3266.

*FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT*

Kathleen Chippi
1-888-EAT HEMP (1-888-328-4367)
Email: kathleen@cannabissanctuary.org
Web: http://www.cannabissanctuary.org

*BACKGROUND INFORMATION*

Joffe Law Firm
http://www.joffelawfirm.com/

Boulder Daily Camera, June 24, 2010
“Cannabis Ministry seeks Boulder County disciples: Activists hope religious
protections will apply to non-medical pot use”
http://www.dailycamera.com/ci_15372956

Sanctuary Movement
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctuary_movement

Sanctuary City
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctuary_city

Cannabis and the Bible
http://www.equalrights4all.org/religious/bible.htm

Entheogenic use of cannabis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entheogenic_use_of_cannabis

Kaneh Bosm: Cannabis in the Old Testament
http://www.cannabisculture.com/articles/1090.html

*CONTACT US*

Nederland Cannabis Sanctuary
http://www.CannabisSanctuary.org

Visit us in downtown Nederland at the
One Brown Mouse Boutique
95 E. First Street
Downtown Nederland, Colorado
Phone: 303-258-1200
Hours vary, please call ahead.

Contact us:
P.O. Box 1794, Nederland, CO 80466
Phone: 1-888-EAT HEMP (1-888-328-4367)
Web: www.CannabisSanctuary.org
Email: kathleen@cannabissanctuary.org

 

 

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REFINING MARIJUANA ARGUMENTS

Thursday , January 1502, 2015 | Posted By: admin

REFINING MARIJUANA ARGUMENTS: LET’S GET REAL

For Immediate Release – January 15th, 2015

Refining Marijuana Arguments: Let’s Get Real

For some of us it has taken a lifetime for attitudes about marijuana use to soften to the point that it could become legal in some states and widely adopted as a medicinal product. That second factor alone differentiates smoking grass from its often-cited sin sister alcohol. To wit: You never saw “a glass of wine every day,” written on a prescription pad, even though it is widely cited as having health benefits.

The respected medical information site WebMD tackled that question and appeared to have no problem finding doctors who recommended their patients indulge in wine on a regular basis, given studies have concluded that is good for the heart.

This peculiarity finds us at another parallel with marijuana use and alcohol in that a glass of wine on a regular basis and a bottle or two of wine every day are two entirely different things. A bottle of wine every day is a sure path towards two bottles every day, and alcohol is well documented as hell on wheels for anyone who crosses the line into alcoholism.

There is hardly a body organ not affected by years of abusing alcohol. The liver is often the first to go, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the body has been spared. The word “pickled” mean anything in this context? Absolutely.

Both anti-marijuana and pro-marijuana groups point to alcohol use and abuse to make their arguments. But the correlation is flawed and we can’t let this influence our thinking about marijuana completely.

Where does repeated marijuana use cross over into abuse and addiction? Well, those are two entirely different things. A pain doctor I talked to recently explained that one slight puff of Mary Jane can clear your head, allowing for improved concentration and overall cognitive function. But it is all to easy to cross the line and find yourself in a marijuana stupor, which is not precisely recommended for driving a school bus, piloting a plane or running a chainsaw, if you catch my drift.

This tells you something: Abuse is circumstantial. The definition of marijuana abuse differs from people sitting on the beach and for those directing traffic at a busy intersection. This guide helps to put the issue in perspective.

Take this concept into any state legislature across the country and you will find out quickly how lazy your elected officials are. You could write a law saying, “Marijuana can be used legally on your day off from work, but it is legal to fire someone who is stoned at work.” Quickly, you will see that lazy politicians have a point. You can’t legislate to every circumstance out there. Life has too many variables. (Example One: What if a surgeon is stoned at the beach and gets called to work for an emergency? Should that surgeon be allowed to go to work high as a kite?)

Lawmakers do not like complicated. They know law enforcement officials don’t like complicated. Courts don’t like complicated. It may make sense, but laws are how we slice through arguments, like Alexander The Great cutting through the Gordian knot. Cutting through complications with a sword is easier and quicker than unraveling them.

This gets us to the worn-out arguments about marijuana addiction.

The ancient fault line was the point that anti-marijuana factions postulated that marijuana use leads to addiction to so-called “harder drugs,” like barbiturates, speed or opiates (aka heroin).

Like early suspicions that cigarette use caused lung cancer, the standard response to this accusation was simply “Prove it.” For over 150 years, cigarette companies waited for proof to come along. An awful lot of people died before research finally proved the point. By then, cigarettes were so widespread, you could say the culture was addicted to nicotine.

Similarly, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to find a correlation between heroin addiction and recreational marijuana use. And there may never be proof on a cellular, chemical or biological level. But people on a path of self-destruction have to start somewhere. It falls to reason that people addicted to heroin – especially in areas where both marijuana and heroin are illegal – also have higher than average correlation to marijuana use.

Let’s just say the argument could be shifted. Forget the idea that marijuana use has a correlation with heroin use and just target “people on a downward spiral of self-destruction.” Would it be possible to get the entire political spectrum – from anti-marijuana types to daily smokers – on the same page? Smoking marijuana doesn’t eliminate a person’s capacity for altruism or does it? The same could be said for those opposed to marijuana use. Everyone is on the same page there, one can hope.

Back to that bottle of vino described up above. Is there a difference between taking a head-clearing puff of weed every four hours or so and wolfing down a bong hit just as often as you can sit up to do so? That would seem self-evident, of course, just as it would be completely impractical to enforce a law of that nature – trace amounts OK if you’re driving a car, but the sky’s the limit when you’re bowling. I can just hear what local police would say about that.

 

 

 

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BOSTON’S FIRST MEDICAL MARIJUANA CONVENTION

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BOSTON’S FIRST MEDICAL MARIJUANA CONVENTION

For immediate release – January 13th, 2015

Boston’s first Medical Marijuana Convention will feature 40+ vendors and 2 days of Industry Programming

The New England Cannabis Convention will be held from noon-6pm on Saturday January 31st, and 11am-5pm on Sunday February 1st at the historic Castle at Park Plaza in downtown Boston, easily accessible by the T.  Attendees at NECC’s first-ever event in Boston will have the opportunity to network with over 40 local Cannabis Industry businesses, shop for a huge variety of the latest & greatest smoking, vaping, and growing accessories, and learn everything they want to know about the Cannabis Industry during 2 days of lectures & panels made up of MMJ experts.  The show will be Tickets for this 18+ event can be bought online at: www.cannaticket.com and www.digboston.com/deals.  A limited amount of tickets will also be available the days of the shows.

NOTE: This is an industry & accessory show ONLY.  No medicinal marijuana will be present at the show. The show is sponsored by the Maine Wellness Connection, Maine’s largest MMJ Dispensary.

 

A sample of the more than 40 vendors includes:

  • Medical Marijuana product suppliers: CBD Please, Project CBD, Wellness Connection of Maine,
  • Smoking/vaping accessories: Green side up gallery, Canna Pac, Roll-uh-Bowl,
  • Cultivation aids: HTG Supply, Greenlife Garden Supply Co, Griffin Greenhouses, Healthy Headie
  • Doctors: Canna Care Docs, inter8 Health,
  • Consultants: EZChem Consultency, Mass Cannabis Consulting,
  • Testing: Cannlabs, Proverde Labs
  • Staffing: THC Staffing, Hempstaff , UFCW International Union,
  • Schools:  Grass Roots Institute, New England institute of Cannabis

 

Programming highlights include:

  • Cultivation for Patients and Caregivers
  • MMJ Politics/Activism Panels on both days, moderated by Dig Boston News Editor Chris Farone on Saturday and by “Blunt Truth” Columnist (and longtime MMJ activist) Mike Cann on Sunday
  • Careers in Cannabis
  • Medical Marijuana as Medicine
  • Cooking with Cannabis
  • The Key Note presentation will be given on Saturday by Becky DeKeuster, M.Ed, the founder of Maine’s largest MMJ Dispensary, the Wellness Connection of Maine.

 

More details about NECC can be found at: www.newenglandcannabisconventions.com

 

For more information: Marc Shepard  |  774-254-5073  |  marc@digboston.com

 

 

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INDIANA CANNABIS LEGALIZATION

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INDIANA CANNABIS LEGALIZATION INFORMATION

By Lex Renner

Follow me on Twitter @roll_lex

 

INDIANA CANNABIS LEGALIZATION EFFORTS

Indiana seems to be an unlikely state to see any form of cannabis legalization in the coming years, but that is not stopping State Senator Karen Tallian. Even though she has submitted other bills regarding cannabis legalization, she thinks the time is right for another one.

Coming off of the bill passed by the federal government that will end federal raids on legal dispensaries, Tallian is submitting a bill to the Indiana Senate that will legalize medical marijuana. This bill, if it passes, will set up a medical marijuana system similar to that seen in other states with legalization.

Coming off of a sneaky spending bill that ended federal funding for raids of legal dispensaries, momentum in the legalization movement is building. This is the first sign of legitimacy from the federal government, and Tallian has taken it as a green light.

Her previous attempts at submitting bills have ended without so much as a hearing, but Tallian thinks this time will be different. She hopes that in the wake of this new federal law, her bill will at least be heard. Will the first sign of legitimacy from the federal government, momentum might be in Tallian’s favor.

While experts still say that Indiana will likely be one of the last states to legalize, Tallian is not deterred. She thinks that her efforts will have an impact. At the very least, she is hoping to bring decriminalization to Indiana, which still harbors harsh penalties for possession. At this point, state decriminalization seems only logical. The Indiana state government does not agree.

Tallian’s efforts are unlikely to be rewarded any time soon, but she is still fighting relentlessly to bring cannabis to this Midwest state. Even though she is fighting a conservative, Republican Senate, she remains hopeful that her efforts will have an impact on the legalization movement in Indiana.

The state may still have a long way to go, but there is momentum building in every state that will take over eventually. Tallian’s efforts will not go in vain, even if no legalization results from her efforts.

She is bringing this issue to the forefront of Indiana politics, and to the minds of many in the Senate that would not give it another thought without her. Even without any action in law, Tallian is bringing the discussion to the floor. Opening up this discussion will lead to action in the future.

 

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MARIJUANA IN 2014

Monday , January 545, 2015 | Posted By: admin

A LOOK BACK: MARIJUANA IN 2014

By Brandon Cook January 5, 2015 [Visit Whaxy.com for the full release]

2014 marked one of the most historically significant years for cannabis legislation since Nixon signed the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. The wheels of the legislative process are slowly turning, and laws are starting to reflect the views of the growing majority of marijuana supporters in the United States. This infographic takes a close look at the changing tides of legislation and the rapidly shifting social perceptions of marijuana in 2014.

 

 

 

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