Colorado Law Sets up Marijuana Banks; Feds Must OK

[Source: ABC News]

Seeking to move marijuana businesses away from cash-only operations, Gov. John Hickenlooper signed legislation Friday that tries to establish the world's first financial system for the newly legal industry in Colorado.

The legislation seeks to form a network of uninsured cooperatives designed to give pot businesses a way to access basic banking services like checking. But approval from the Federal Reserve remains a hurdle.

Out of fear of violating federal law, banks don't work with marijuana businesses. That has led to concerns that the burgeoning marijuana industry could be a target for robberies.

Mike Elliott, executive director of the Marijuana Industry Group, said a member of his organization was robbed a few days ago. The cash-only model has become stressful for businesses and their employees, he said.

"We don't a need a vault. What we need is checking," he said. "We're looking for a way to take cash out of the businesses.

READ MORE HERE: Colorado Law Sets up Marijuana Banks; Feds Must OK

U.S. House vote blocking feds from meddling in state medical pot laws surprises even advocates

[SOURCE: OregonLive]

An amendment barring the U.S. Department of Justice from interfering with state medical marijuana laws got a surprising boost from GOP lawmakers.

Though many Republican lawmakers remain opposed to marijuana reform, others view the federal war on drugs as overreach "and a violation of the rights of more than two dozen states that have legalized cannabis or specific components of it for medical use," the Los Angeles Times reports. The U.S. House narrowly passed the amendment Friday; it now heads to the Democratic Senate.

Writes LA Times reporter Evan Halper:

Most GOP stalwarts, of course, continue to rail against liberalization of the laws. Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, a physician, declared during floor debate that medical marijuana is a sham. Real medicine, he said, "is not two joints a day, not a brownie here, a biscuit there. That is not modern medicine."

READ MORE HERE: U.S. House vote blocking feds from meddling in state medical pot laws

 

Dr. Oz Backs Medical Marijuana, Says It's 'Hugely Beneficial'

The movement of the benefits that medical marijuana can provide just keep climbing the mountain that many thought was impossible. Nothing is IMPOSSIBLE!!!

[Source: Huffington Post ]

Medical marijuana just got another celebrity doctor's public support.

During an interview Monday with Dr. Mehmet Oz on "Larry King Live", King asked Oz if he'd changed his views on marijuana.

"I have," Oz responded, and went on to explain just how far he's come from his early beliefs about the plant. "I grew up like most of my generation believing that marijuana was something Satan was throwing at Americans, a communist plot. But I think most of us have come around to the believe that marijuana is hugely beneficial when used correctly for medicinal purposes," Oz said.

Oz joins the ranks of other TV medical experts who have come out in support of medical marijuana in recent years, including CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who recently "doubled down" on his support, and ABC News' chief health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser.

A vast majority of Americans now believe that marijuana should be legalized for medical purposes. According to a recent CBS News poll, 86 percent of Americans think that doctors should be able to legally prescribe medical cannabis to patients suffering from serious illnesses.

READ MORE HERE: Dr. Oz Backs MMJ

Colorado Lawmakers Shoot Down Cannabis Banking Legislation…For Now

[Source: International Cannabis Business Conference]

Right now as you are reading this article, chances are someone in Colorado is making a legal marijuana purchase. The transaction involves cash, the amount of which likely ranges between $20 to multiple hundreds of dollars. When you compile all of these cash transactions throughout the day, the pile of money that results is sizable. For some recreational or medical marijuana stores in Colorado, the pile is so large that they are having trouble finding a place to keep it, Since federal banking laws are hazy at best when it comes to marijuana businesses. In related news, safe and vault sales are on the rise in Colorado.

Large piles of cash lying around can pose some public safety issues, as they are magnets for robbers. This is something that non-marijuana businesses haven’t had to deal with since the invention of armored transport (something else that marijuana businesses can’t use). Colorado lawmakers were trying to change that problem, but efforts were squashed this week.

Read entire article here: Colorado Lawmakers Shoot Down Cannabis Banking

Retired Supreme Court Justice Stevens: Feds Should Legalize Marijuana

[Source: NORML]

In an interview with NPR released today, retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens came out in support for marijuana legalization.

When asked if he believed the federal government should legalize marijuana, the 94 year old former Justice replied:

“Yes, I really think that that’s another instance of public opinion [that's] changed. And recognize that the distinction between marijuana and alcoholic beverages is really not much of a distinction. Alcohol, the prohibition against selling and dispensing alcoholic beverages has I think been generally, there’s a general consensus that it was not worth the cost. And I think really in time that will be the general consensus with respect to this particular drug.”

Listen to the Radio Interview HERE: Feds Should Legalize Marijuana

In an interview with NPR released today, retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens came out in support for marijuana legalization.
When asked if he believed the federal government should legalize marijuana, the 94 year old former Justice replied:
“Yes, I really think that that’s another instance of public opinion [that's] changed. And recognize that the distinction between marijuana and alcoholic beverages is really not much of a distinction. Alcohol, the prohibition against selling and dispensing alcoholic beverages has I think been generally, there’s a general consensus that it was not worth the cost. And I think really in time that will be the general consensus with respect to this particular drug.”
- See more at: http://blog.norml.org/2014/04/24/retired-supreme-court-justice-stevens-feds-should-legalize-marijuana/#sthash.Vp9ycbdA.dpuf

In an interview with NPR released today, retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens came out in support for marijuana legalization.
When asked if he believed the federal government should legalize marijuana, the 94 year old former Justice replied:
“Yes, I really think that that’s another instance of public opinion [that's] changed. And recognize that the distinction between marijuana and alcoholic beverages is really not much of a distinction. Alcohol, the prohibition against selling and dispensing alcoholic beverages has I think been generally, there’s a general consensus that it was not worth the cost. And I think really in time that will be the general consensus with respect to this particular drug.”
- See more at: http://blog.norml.org/2014/04/24/retired-supreme-court-justice-stevens-feds-should-legalize-marijuana/#sthash.Vp9ycbdA.dpuf

In an interview with NPR released today, retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens came out in support for marijuana legalization.
When asked if he believed the federal government should legalize marijuana, the 94 year old former Justice replied:
“Yes, I really think that that’s another instance of public opinion [that's] changed. And recognize that the distinction between marijuana and alcoholic beverages is really not much of a distinction. Alcohol, the prohibition against selling and dispensing alcoholic beverages has I think been generally, there’s a general consensus that it was not worth the cost. And I think really in time that will be the general consensus with respect to this particular drug.”
- See more at: http://blog.norml.org/2014/04/24/retired-supreme-court-justice-stevens-feds-should-legalize-marijuana/#sthash.Vp9ycbdA.dpu

In an interview with NPR released today, retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens came out in support for marijuana legalization.
When asked if he believed the federal government should legalize marijuana, the 94 year old former Justice replied:
“Yes, I really think that that’s another instance of public opinion [that's] changed. And recognize that the distinction between marijuana and alcoholic beverages is really not much of a distinction. Alcohol, the prohibition against selling and dispensing alcoholic beverages has I think been generally, there’s a general consensus that it was not worth the cost. And I think really in time that will be the general consensus with respect to this particular drug.”
- See more at: http://blog.norml.org/2014/04/24/retired-supreme-court-justice-stevens-feds-should-legalize-marijuana/#sthash.Vp9ycbdA.dpuf

In an interview with NPR released today, retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens came out in support for marijuana legalization.
When asked if he believed the federal government should legalize marijuana, the 94 year old former Justice replied:
“Yes, I really think that that’s another instance of public opinion [that's] changed. And recognize that the distinction between marijuana and alcoholic beverages is really not much of a distinction. Alcohol, the prohibition against selling and dispensing alcoholic beverages has I think been generally, there’s a general consensus that it was not worth the cost. And I think really in time that will be the general consensus with respect to this particular drug.”
- See more at: http://blog.norml.org/2014/04/24/retired-supreme-court-justice-stevens-feds-should-legalize-marijuana/#sthash.Vp9ycbdA.dpuf

Allstar Blake Griffin Endorses Medical Marijuana Use In The NBA

[Source: TheWeedBlog]

In an interview with Rolling Stone yesterday, Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers voiced his support of medical marijuana use to treat pain in the NBA.  Currently, the NBA has strict penalties for drug use, which typically lead to suspensions and fines. It was only in 2011 that the NBA stopped testing for marijuana use in the off-season, but now that marijuana is in the limelight, its place in the NBA, as a form of medical treatment for pain, has come into question.

Entire read here: Griffin Endorses MMJ

United States Legislators Lead The Push For Federal Cannabis Policy Reform!!!

 
[Source: Medical Jane]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The tides seem to be turning, at least as far as cannabis policy in America is concerned. A group of 18 legislators sent a letter to President Barack Obama Wednesday that states the current classification of cannabis as a Schedule I controlled substance “makes no sense.”

As noted in the letter, “Classifying marijuana as Schedule I at the federal level perpetuates an unjust and irrational system. Schedule I recognizes no medical use, disregarding both medical evidence and the laws of nearly half of the states that have legalized medical marijuana.”

Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), the letter’s lead author, explains that reclassifying cannabis “is a step the administration can take to start to rationalize federal marijuana policy to bring it in line with the advances that are happening in the states.”

Read entire article "US Legislators Lead The Push For Federal Cannabis"

 

Pot legalization effort moves eastward to Maine

[Source: FOX News]

Advocates of recreational marijuana use are looking to an upcoming vote in Maine as an indicator of whether the East Coast is ready to follow in the footsteps of Colorado and Washington by legalizing cannabis.

Voters in Portland are being asked whether they want to make it legal for adults 21 and over to possess -- but not purchase or sell -- up to 2.5 ounces of pot. The Nov. 5 vote is being eyed nationally as momentum grows in favor of legalizing marijuana use.

The Marijuana Policy Project, a Washington, D.C.-based group that supports legalization, says it targeted Portland because it's Maine's largest city and because, unlike many other states and cities, it has an initiative process to get the referendum on the ballot. Organizers hope passage of the Portland initiative could spur similar results in other liberal Northeast cities.


Full read: Pot legalizing moves eastward

Colorado poised to be the first state to regulate pot sales

[Source: Greg Campbell, http://dailycaller.com]

Against what looked like long odds at the beginning of the week, the Colorado state legislature passed several historic marijuana bills with time to spare on the last day of the lawmaking session Wednesday.

If signed into law by Gov. John Hickenlooper — as expected, although he has voiced his reservations about legalized pot in the past — Colorado will be the first state to officially regulate sales of the federally prohibited drug.

Among the new measures is a bill passed Tuesday that sets a stoned-driving limit of 5 nanograms of active THC per milliliter of blood, arguably the most contentious of the pot bills heard this year.

Lawmakers have tried six times over three years — including three times this year — to pass such a law. Opponents have said the limit is both arbitrary and a poor indicator of impairment, since marijuana affects people differently and chronic users can have elevated levels of THC even when they are perfectly sober.

READ MORE: Colorado poised to be the first state to regulate pot sales 
 

Colorado measure to halt marijuana sales dies

[Source: By John Ingold, The Denver Post]


Marijuana advocates late Monday fought back an effort that could have halted Colorado's plans for legal marijuana shops, ending a debate that swept through the state Capitol like a dust devil for a little more than three hours.

The proposal, Senate Concurrent Resolution 3, would have put two separate constitutional measures before the voters in November. The first would have asked voters to approve special sales and excise taxes on recreational marijuana. If that measure failed, a second measure would have asked voters whether they wanted to suspend recreational marijuana sales.

The resolution was introduced at about 6 p.m. on the third-to-last day of the legislative session — the absolute last moment it could have been formally proposed. It was sponsored by two dozen senators, including Senate President John Morse. And it cleared a Senate committee less than an hour after it was introduced.

READ MORE: Colorado measure to halt marijuana sales dies - The Denver Post

House Resolution 1635 - the National Commission on Federal Marijuana Policy Act of 2013

[Source: Jennifer Huizen, Marijuanadoctors411.com]

Congressmen last week introduced House Resolution 1635 - the National Commission on Federal Marijuana Policy Act of 2013 – which lays out terms for a 13-member committee consisting of ‘weed experts’ who will work together with government aid to review “the state and efficacy of current policies of the Federal Government toward marijuana.” Among other topics, the committee will focus their time on exploring how federal policy should act in conjunction with State law, the cost of prohibiting marijuana versus the potential tax benefits of legalization, the health impacts of marijuana, and the role of the current legal system in furthering improper or excessive marijuana prosecution. The committee will also rework the Controlled Substances Act, recommending “appropriate placement of marijuana in the schedule of the [federal] Controlled Substances Act,” in hopes of redefining marijuana from the same classification as heroin.

<<<Time to talk Federally continued>>>

Ask your U.S. representative to cosponsor H.R. 1523, the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act!

via The Marijuana Policy Project: There is big news in the halls of Congress! A new bipartisan bill would modify the federal Controlled Substances Act so that anyone acting in compliance with a state marijuana law would be immune from federal prosecution.

That’s right. The federal Controlled Substances Act simply would not apply to marijuana users, dispensary operators, and other individuals who have been courageous enough to help take marijuana production and sales above ground into state-regulated markets. Click here to urge your member of Congress to co-sponsor the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act.

We would like to thank Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) for his leadership on this bill. It presents a perfect opportunity for members to embrace the notion that states should be able to devise systems for regulating marijuana without their citizens having to worry about breaking federal law.

The goal is to have this bill be truly bipartisan, so it is being introduced with three Republicans (Reps. Rohrabacher, Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI), and Don Young (R-AK)) and three Democrats (Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Jared Polis (D-CO)). In order to build up the list of co-sponsors, we need you to make your voice heard.

Please use our online action center to urge your member of Congress to co-sponsor the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act. Just two minutes of your time will make a big difference. And please don’t forget to share this email with friends and family so that they can take action too.

ACT NOW!!!

New York: Lawmakers Likely To Debate Marijuana Decriminalization Measure

 [Source: NORML]

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo reaffirmed his commitment to decriminalize the public possession of 15 grams or less of marijuana during his 2013 State of the State address. Governor Cuomo had previously announced his support for a similar legislative proposal in 2012, but state lawmakers failed to act on it.

Under state law, the private possession of up to 25 grams of marijuana is a non-criminal civil citation, punishable by a $100 fine. By contrast, the possession of any amount of cannabis in public view is classified as a criminal misdemeanor [NY State Penal Law 221.10].

In 2011, New York City law enforcement spent $75 million arresting approximately 50,000 minor marijuana offenders under Penal Law 221.10. Many of these offenders had marijuana on their person, and only revealed the cannabis publicly after being ordered by police to empty their pockets during 'stop-and-frisk' searches. According to the Governor's office, 94 percent of arrests for small amounts of marijuana in the state are in New York City. Over 85 percent of those charged were either African American or Latino.

The public supports this reform measure, recent polling from Sienna College found that 63% of New York State residents supported decriminalizing the possession of 15 grams or less of marijuana in public view to a fine only violation.

Equalizing cannabis penalties will save taxpayer dollars, protect citizens against illegal searches, and reduce unwarranted racial disparities in arrests.

NORML will continue to update you in the coming weeks as this proposal moves forward.

Alternative medicine for severe pain and injury - MMJ

Do you suffer from severe pain or a painful sports related injury? A possible accident or even a workplace related pain? If you answered yes to any of these, Medical Marijuana (MMJ) may offer you an all natural way to relieve your pain and stress. The following conditions qualify you for a medical marijuana card in the State of Colorado.

Debilitating medicinal conditions include:

• Chronic Pain   
• Cachexia  
• Glaucoma  
• Cancer  
• HIV  
• Severe nausea  
• Epilepsy  
• Muscle Spasms  
• Multiple Sclerosis

Other qualifying medical situations might also include a persistent or constant medical condition that limits the capability of the patient to carry out one or more key life activities as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 & if not alleviated, may cause severe harm to the patient's safety, physical, and mental health.

• Anorexia  
• Arthritis  
• AIDS  
• Chronic low back pain  
• Huntington's chorea  
• Migraines  
• Neuropathy  
• PMS

Contact us or come on down and let our knowledgeable and educated staff help answer any questions or concerns that you may have on your mind. Call now!

North Boulder Wellness Center

1495 Yarmouth Ave.

Boulder, CO 80304

(720) 328-0118

Illinois: House Committee Approves Industrial Hemp Bill

 
 [Source: NORML]

Legislation to legalize the licensed cultivation of industrial hemp, House Bill 2668, has been approved by the Illinois House Agriculture and Conservation Committee in a 9-8 vote. The measure now awaits action from the full House. You can read the full text of House Bill 2668 here.

The United States is the only developed nation that fails to cultivate industrial hemp as an economic crop, according to a 2005 Congressional Resource Service (CRS) report. Hemp is a distinct variety of the plant species cannabis sativa that contains only minute (less than 1%) amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. Farmers worldwide grow hemp commercially for fiber, seed, and oil for use in a variety of industrial and consumer products, including food and clothing. House Bill 2668 would allow Illinois to authorize a licensed, statewide hemp industry.

Please use the pre-written letter below to contact your Representative to urge him or her to vote "yes" on HB 2668 and support industrial hemp in Illinois. NORML will keep you updated as this legislation moves forward. You can find further information on this measure from Illinois NORML here.

Illinois: House Committee Approves Industrial Hemp Bill Article

Legal Cannabis Dispensaries – The Future of Colorado

[March 16, 2013 By Michelle Schmeer]

The legalization of medical marijuana in a number of states over the past few years has been a huge victory, to be sure, but there is still a long way to go as far as marijuana being legalized for recreational use, but not as far as you may think.  Colorado is one of two states to lead the path to legalization and now they are gearing up to get everything situated so that the state can begin to benefit from taking this unprecedented step.  One thing that will have to be worked out is how marijuana can be obtained, which also means working out how it will be sold.  So far it seems that the methods of moving and obtaining will be done through legal cannabis dispensaries, rather than private individual dealers.  This leads to numerous questions as to how and by whom the dispensaries will be run.  And a few of those questions are particularly important to have answered before it comes time to start buying or selling legal marijuana in Colorado.


Review some of the issues that are being questioned by going clicking here

New Hampshire Medical Marijuana Legalization Bill Defeated

[Source: Paul Smith, www.stopthedrugwar.org]

A bill to legalize marijuana in New Hampshire is dead after a House vote Wednesday. The measure was defeated on a vote of 239-122 with no debate. Democrats supported the bill on a roughly two-to-one margin, while Republicans opposed it by roughly the same margin.

The vote against the bill came after the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee voted 12-8 last month not to pass the measure.

The bill, House Bill 337, would have removed marijuana from the state's criminal code, effectively ending marijuana prohibition in the Granite State, but did not contain any provisions for taxation and regulation of cultivation and sales.

Another marijuana legalization bill, House Bill 492, is still alive, but is stuck in the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee with no vote scheduled. That bill would allow people to grow up to six plants and sets up a scheme to tax and regulate marijuana commerce.

Original Article HERE