MJ News for 08/20/2014

[7greeneyes]

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2014/08/19/minn-family-takes-son-to-oregon-for-marijuana-regiment/

Minn. Family Takes Son To Oregon For Marijuana Regimen​

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Twin Cities family says they couldn’t wait any longer for medical marijuana to become legal in Minnesota. They’ve spent the last month in another state to see what cannabis can do to help their son.

The Hausers were one of the families that fought for the law at Minnesota’s Capitol for months. Their son Wyatt was having hundreds of seizures a day but a program in Oregon is showing real promise.

“It’s been a long month that’s for sure,” Jeremy Hauser said.

The Hauser’s spent most of it in separate states — Jeremy and E.J. lived in Minnesota while Jessica and Wyatt stayed in Eugene, Ore.

When WCCO first met the family, 2-year-old Wyatt was suffering 200 seizures a day. They had tried a strict diet and 10 different epilepsy drugs without seeing much of a difference. Desperation sent them 1,800 miles from home.

“He’s alert. He’s engaged. He’s doing things for the first time that he’s never done before,” Jessica Hauser said.

For the last four weeks, Wyatt has been a part of a program through MxBiotech, a clinic that’s worked with more than 3,500 patients in Oregon to connect them with cannabis.

“Wyatt represents proof it works,” founder Troy Morris told WCCO over Skype.

Wyatt tried small doses of 18 different marijuana strains over the course of several weeks. His seizures have been cut nearly in half.

“Any reduction for him is a huge improvement. It’s amazing,” Jessica Hauser said.

Wyatt has also started to walk. It’s a milestone the Hausers weren’t sure would ever happen.

“He discovered himself in the mirror for the first time. We’ve been waiting for him to do that since he was 8 months old,” Jessica Hauser said.

But Wyatt’s time using marijuana will come to an end. The Hausers are heading back to Minnesota this Wednesday. With careers, a home, and a close family, they need more time to decide if a longer move is possible.

Patients like Wyatt will be able to access marijuana in Minnesota next summer. Still, there’s no guarantee he will be able to get the specific strain that’s helping him right now. Minnesota’s law is considered one of the most restrictive in the country. The law doesn’t recognize a prescription from another state, so Wyatt will essentially have to start over.

“It’s basically you have the solution and then they can’t have it,” Morris told WCCO.

The Hausers know Wyatt will likely lose all he’s gained this month. After helping to change a law back home that they once hoped would mean they wouldn’t have to move.

“We’re at a crossroads,” Jessica Hauser added. “What do we do to save our son?”

Wyatt is currently off all of his prescription epilepsy medication that, without insurance, would cost the Hausers thousands of dollars each month. The small amount of marijuana he’s taking runs about $50 a month.

Under Minnesota’s program, it’s estimated that 5,000 patients will sign up for medical marijuana.

Jessica Hauser is keeping a blog on Wyatt’s battle with seizures.

 

[7greeneyes]

http://www.hanfordsentinel.com/news...cle_528aa08a-4dac-5b86-a041-4764afabb09c.html

(California) Hanford weighs ban on medical marijuana cultivation​

HANFORD – The Hanford City Council took the first steps Tuesday toward possibly banning the cultivation of marijuana in the city limits.

Capt. Parker Sever said local law enforcement is aware of several Hanford residences with more than 100 marijuana plants on site. Sever said the locations have been the source of numerous complaints by neighbors, as well as reports of theft and burglary.

"It's obviously an attractive nuisance to the youth of Hanford when they find out where these locations are and they know all they've got to do is jump a fence to get to them,” Sever said. “And then you have homeowners who are trying to protect their crop."

Sever said the Hanford Police Department has been working on two possible ordinances to address the issue. One would enact an outright ban on the cultivation of marijuana in the city limits. The other ordinance would allow the plants to be grown in the city’s industrial zones as long as the operation complied with various safety requirements.

Either option would still permit those with medical marijuana cards to use the drug at their residence. They would simply have to go to a dispensary in another city to obtain it.

Councilman Jim Irwin expressed concerns that an outright ban could be hard on citizens who have a legitimate medical need for the drug.

"I just have a problem with, if someone really has a medical issue that [marijuana] works for them, that you would say, 'No, you can't here. Move elsewhere,'" Irwin said.

Vice Mayor Russ Curry, a retired Hanford police officer, said he felt an outright ban would be the best solution.

"Personally, I'd like to see it banned, period,” Curry said. “I don't want to see it in the industrial parks, and then next thing you know it's in commercial zones. It's just easier for me just to say no."

The California Supreme Court ruled last year that cities may regulate the cultivation and distribution of medical marijuana, including banning those activities.

In the absence of Mayor Gary Pannett and Councilwoman Joleen Jameson, Curry asked that the council wait until all five members are present to make a decision.

Sever said he will return with both possible ordinances for the full council to consider at a later meeting.

As the council goes forward with its discussion, other local agencies have already begun tackling concerns about the state’s medical marijuana system.

In 2011, the Kings County Board of Supervisors adopted an all-out ban on medical marijuana cultivation, cooperatives, collectives and other forms of medical marijuana distribution.

Kings County Sheriff Dave Robinson told The Sentinel that the ordinance was aimed at addressing loopholes in Proposition 215, which was approved by California voters in 1996 to allow seriously ill patients to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes.

Robinson said a single plant can yield about five pounds of marijuana, meaning that a person with 100 or more plants is growing far more than they could use by themselves. He said sheriff’s office staff is trained to use their discretion so they don’t seize plants from people who clearly need them as medicine.

“That’s not medical use,” Robinson said. “That’s an abuse of the law.”

Lemoore adopted an ordinance in late 2012 that placed strict regulations on the cultivation of medical marijuana. Cultivation is only permitted in a secure, locked and fully enclosed structure.

Lemoore police Chief Darrell Smith said Hanford’s decision will likely influence some revisions to Lemoore's ordinance.

“I’m going to watch that closely,” Smith said of the Hanford discussion, “because at some point I’m going to add some modifications to [our ordinance].”

Smith said he believes that any local law should ultimately be backed by statewide legislation like Senate Bill 1262. That bill, introduced earlier this year, garnered support from the California Police Chiefs Association but failed to make it out of the Assembly Appropriations Committee before last week’s deadline.

Robinson said state legislators need to work together to pass a bill that will finally address issues in the state’s medical marijuana system.

“Until they do, we need everything we can get at the local level,” Robinson said.

 

[7greeneyes]

http://wabi.tv/2014/08/19/potential-marijuana-legalization-concerns-medical-marijuana-caregivers/

(Maine) Potential Marijuana Legalization Concerns Medical Marijuana Caregivers​

A bill to legalize, regulate and tax marijuana in Maine was defeated in the legislature last session but some communities like Portland and South Portland have taken steps on their own to make possesion of marijuana legal for people over 21 in preparation for a possible citizens initiative in 2016 to legalize marijuana statewide. But some in the medical marijuana community have worries about the possible legalization of marijuana and the impact that could have on them.

“Mark my words. If the Marijuana Police Project’s bill passes it’ll have a drastically negative effect on the patients in this state,” said Paul McCarrier, legislative liaison for the Medical Marijuana Caregivers of Maine.

McCarrier is concerned about how a law similar to the one passed in Colorado would impact the medical marijuana patients in Maine. A report last week showed Colorado has only taken in $12-million in the first six months of this year, well short of the more than $33 million they were projected to make.

“My concern is that they’re going to be forcing more and more bureaucracy on sick people and putting more and more regulations on these compassionate medical providers to force more patients into the recreational market in an effort to gain more tax revenue,” McCarrier said.

Currently there’s only 9 conditions and some other symptoms approved for medical marijuana use in Maine. David Boyer, of the Marijuana Policy Project argues that legalizing marijuana altogether takes the shackles off people who suffer from conditions that are not yet on that approved list.

“Those patients shouldn’t suffer and some of them do. some of them choose to break the law and use marijuana for that relief. it took over ten years for PTSD to be added so for vets to wait that long isn’t right. Tourettes, they had a hearing in augusta and they denied Tourettes from being a qualifying condition. So by making marijuana available for all adults you’d have patients being able to relieve their pain.”

As Maine moves closer to a showdown on whether to legalize marijuana, some will be watching Colorado to see if recreational marijuana can co-exist with medicinal marijuana.

 

[7greeneyes]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/...est-crassroots-movement-cannabis-social-clubs

Europe's Latest Grass-Roots Movement: Cannabis Social Clubs​

Gabriela walks into a large, dimly lit apartment, goes to a counter, buys a bag of sativa and sits on the sofa with her friends, joint in hand, like in Amsterdam. Except this is not Amsterdam. This is Barcelona, and the open sale of marijuana is illegal.

Still, places like these are popping up all over the city and in many other European capitals like London, Paris and Ljubljana, Slovenia, part of a sneaky end run around Europe's widespread prohibition of pot. These "cannabis social clubs" are seemingly innocent nonprofit associations that only serve members, at least in principle. Call it a grass-roots movement, emphasis on the grass.

"It's so convenient," says Gabriela, a 25-year-old secretary. "You pay a small yearly fee and then just come, pick what you want and sit around watching TV, playing video games ... some fancy clubs even serve drinks and hot food."

We'll have one large pizza, hold the prohibition, please.

Club Cannabis is a sexy model in a legal gray area. The social clubs operate openly in countries where personal consumption of small amounts of weed is not prosecuted, and growing that small amount might not technically break the law, either. Pair quasi-legal personal consumption with the right of association, and you have a pretty sneaky way around marijuana prohibition. As long as the total amount grown and distributed matches the sum of individual legal limits — presto! — it's not illegal trafficking, say members.

The authorities sometimes disagree. In June, a Catalonian club was shut down for drug trafficking, and some in the movement are pushing for more regulation so as to distinguish good clubs from bad ones.

The spread of European clubs tracks the awkward steps toward legalization in the United States. In both places, the shift began with medical marijuana. In the United States, many states have sanctioned uses of the drug that are banned under federal law — an absurd situation, according to most observers.

European law begs logic, too. In many European countries, private consumption is decriminalized, but growing and selling weed remains illegal. In spite of their different processes, Europe is heading to the same place as the United States. Users are puff, puff, puffing their way toward easier access and legalization.

The social clubs are for some a sly way to smoke up with friends, but proponents have embraced them as a cause, saying they're a model for grass-roots regulation. "Cannabis social clubs are the best alternative to a strict government monopoly or the large-scale legalization, which tends to incentivize consumption and benefit only big companies," says Joep Oomen, founder of Belgium's first CSC, Trekt Uw Plant, and secretary of the European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies.

It's a crazy patchwork quilt of regulation across Europe. But somehow, marijuana usage seems to be spreading almost everywhere.

In Belgium, having less than 3 grams of weed or one female plant is OK. So the five cannabis clubs in the country can't offer more than that per person and can't have shared smoking spaces either. Members go to an office to pick it up and then head home to smoke.

Purchasing drugs for personal use isn't criminal in Slovenia, though users could face fines. Still, the country has six clubs and will have 10 soon, according to Jaka Bitenc, founder of the country's first cannabis association, SkSk.

The ultimate stoner paradise is Spain, where the law allows growing and consuming marijuana for private use without specifying a quantity. Pot clubs are thriving. The number of clubs in Spain has grown from 40 in 2010 to more than 700 today, with over 165,000 members.

"People come because they want to know the quality of what they consume and they want to support a more transparent model than the black market," says Martin Barriuso, from Club Pannagh.

Of course, some clubs skirt the rules. In violation of founding principles and codes of conduct, many associations allow members to register online. In downtown Barcelona, it's easy to spot people giving out fliers or bringing in tourists for a quick puff. Some call Barcelona the "Holland of the South."

In Catalonia alone, pot associations sell an estimated €5 million a month ($6.7 million), so it's no surprise that a club has already been shut down for drug trafficking and four people have been accused of money-laundering.

Regional authorities have responded by drafting strict new measures to regulate the sector, such as forbidding the use of cash or advertisements. Spain's Ministry of Health is set to come up with new regulations by 2015.

Most associations welcome the news. "Regulation was a necessity because we have been operating with a lot of legal insecurity and things were getting out of hand," says Jaume Xaus, the spokesman for the Catalonia Federation of Cannabis Associations.

Others would rather ban the clubs outright. "Legislating is giving up," says Per Johansson, secretary of the board of the World Federation Against Drugs. He says arguments in favor of cannabis social clubs are "naive at best," because regulation will not put an end to the black market.

Still, Johansson seems like a voice in the wilderness as associations gain momentum even in countries where the laws are strict.

In France, any consumption or distribution is illegal, and yet there are some 400 underground clubs. The U.K. is also gearing up with 74 associations like the London Cannabis Club, which organizes meetings for weed aficionados to discuss growing methods and lobbying strategies and have the occasional smoke-out.

Austria's Hemp Institute just launched a parliamentary initiative to legalize cannabis, and major Swiss cities like Geneva, Basel and Bern are backing an initiative to regularize the use of marijuana through users' associations. There's even talk of a first cannabis cafe opening in Berlin.

Of course, the social club model could go up in smoke if governments legislate against it. More likely: This bottom-up approach could get European countries rivaling Colorado as a smoker's heaven.

 

[7greeneyes]

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/stor...mom-charged-for-giving-son-cannabis-oil-early

Minnesota mom charged for giving son cannabis oil early​

After years of watching her son suffer with the symptoms of a traumatic brain injury, Angela Brown turned to medical marijuana as a last resort. It worked, but the decision has left her facing criminal charges.

Minnesota this year became the 22nd state to approve specific forms of marijuana for medicinal use, but prosecutors in Lac qui Parle County don't want people getting a head start. When the law goes into effect in July 2015, it's likely that Brown's 15-year-old son would qualify to access the cannabis oil he was already taking; however, the mother from Madison, Minn., is now facing two gross misdemeanor charges, including child endangerment. Each charge carries a penalty of one year imprisonment and a $3,000 fine.

"Trey described it as the pressure in his brain was being released," Brown told Fox 9 News, "Once it hit his system with the right amount of dose, the muscle spasms would stop. The pain was eased. It was just relief."

When her son was 11 years old, a baseball that struck his temple left him with a severe brain trauma. The pain associated with the injury had led to "self harming" episodes, according to charging documents. After exhausting all other options to help the now-15-year-old cope with the pain, the family took a vacation to Colorado and bought oil containing THC at a shop there. His mother would administer just a few drops as needed, and in a matter of hours, the symptoms would vanish. The teen's parents say he was even doing better in school as a result.

"It was just amazing to find something that helped our son," David Brown admitted.

The criminal complaint, which was filed in June, states that Brown was not embarrassed about the legally-questionable decision. In fact, Brown admitted that her son was using medical marijuana after a Lac qui Parle County deputy requested a child protection worker interview her about the use of cannabis oil. During an interview with police, she even handed over the substance that had helped her son so much.

"I mean, you finally find something that works for your child, that takes the pain away, and I had to give it up because I had a fear of going to jail -- because how am I supposed to take care of my child?" Angela Brown told Fox 9 News.

Given that the boy's condition would likely qualify him for medical marijuana access in Minnesota once the law takes effect, his parents don't see why they should wait a full year to give their son his medicine. Now, Angela Brown believes prosecutors are trying to make an example out of her -- but she warns they may get more than they bargained for.

"I have said to many that then, I'm going to be the best example that I can be of what medicinal cannabis can do, not only for my son but anybody that is suffering," she explained.

In the interim, however, the family is focusing on making sure their son can access the oil that has improved his quality of life. That means they're preparing for the possibility of leaving the state, and may move to Colorado if necessary.

"The legal protections will be in place soon here in Minnesota, but for the family, not soon enough," Rep. Carly Melin, who authored the medical marijuana legislation, said.

 

[7greeneyes]

http://www.king5.com/story/news/local/2014/08/18/14053620/

Cannabis business hopefuls flock to Tacoma, WA for CannaCon​

TACOMA, Wash. -- The new marijuana laws in Washington are driving new innovation in business. Thousands of cannabis hopefuls are flocking to the CannaCon held at the Tacoma Dome to share ideas and get their names out in this new industry.

Organizers have called the CannaCon 2014 event a home and garden show with a twist. Participants might not be able to sell or smoke marijuana, but they can find elements for edibles or new innovations related to this relatively new industry, where innovators are already seeing growth.

We ve been around for six years and we are growing at an extremely rapid pace, said Sam May, the CEO of Cabinet Grow. We re seeing 100 percent growth every year.

The 2014 CannaCon brings together more than 100 vendors that are catering to the cannabis industry, from soil producers and hash oil extractors to growing rooms. Businesses can both share ideas and sell products.

Organizers say this is the largest convention of cannabis-related businesses and the first time it's open to the public.

Basically CannaCon is your first business-type expo where you re just doing business; no smoking, no doing live music, no activism or all that and that the public is allowed to come into, said organizer Bob Smart.

Smart anticipates beginning next year, he will hold six CannaCon events throughout the country in cities like Denver and San Diego. He hopes the one at the Tacoma Dome will be a yearly event. He said an estimated 2,000 people already pre-registered for this weekend's event, which happens to fall on the same weekend as Hempfest. Organizers say those who purchased tickets to this event will be able to catch a free shuttle to Hempfest beginning Friday.

 

[7greeneyes]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-20/medicinal-cannabis-trial-rejected-after-police-concern/5684530

Tas police were concerned over medicinal cannabis trial in 'apple shed'​

Objections by police were partly behind the Tasmanian Government's rejection of a medical cannabis growing trial, Parliament has been told.

Health Minister Michael Ferguson rejected a bid two months ago by Tasman Health Cannabinoids to grow a cannabis crop for medicinal trials.

He has told Parliament that police were concerned an apple shed had been suggested as a proposed location.

The Government knocked back the proposal for the growing trial on the grounds of safety, security and the potential for social harm.

Primary Industry Minister Jeremy Rockliff had said the decision was partly about protecting Tasmania's poppy industry.

But the Greens have continued to challenge government ministers to explain their decision.

They claimed documents obtained under Right to Information laws contradicted the Government's arguments.

In Parliament, Greens MP Cassy O'Connor offered a different explanation.

"[It] was in fact a knee-jerk reaction based on your right-wing ideological opposition to progressive policy," she said.

Mr Ferguson rejected that.

"That trial didn't have police support for the growing of cannabis in Tasmania," the Health Minister told Parliament.

"My feedback was that police weren't satisfied that an apple shed in the Huon Valley was an appropriate growing location.

"It's been said that the trial had the support of the University of Tasmania. Well, guess what - it doesn't.

"The University of Tasmania has not approached the Government and, as far as I have been able to ascertain, it was not a partner in the proposed trial."

Minister rejects conflict claims

Ms O'Connor went further with her criticisms.

She claimed Mr Rockliff should have disclosed his financial interest in the poppy industry when he defended Mr Ferguson's position.

"As a shareholder in a poppy company, if he thought that medicinal cannabis was a threat to the poppy industry - an industry from which he derives an income - then he is conflicted, and he should have declared that," she said.

Mr Rockliff denied that allegation.

"I reject any assertion that I have a conflict of interest," he said.

"What I was talking about in my public statements was reflecting the concerns of Poppy Growers Tasmania, who expressed their concerns about the medicinal cannabis trial."

Mr Ferguson also said he was supportive of the Upper House inquiry into medicinal cannabis which will begin next month.

Federal Minister worried about mental health effects

Earlier today, Federal Health Minister Peter Dutton said he also had concerns about medicinal cannabis trials.

Mr Dutton was waiting on advice from the chief medical officer, but he was worried about mental health issues associated with cannabis.

"A long-term use of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is mind altering, it has definite links now to depression and to mental illness otherwise," he said.

"There are lots of considerations for a Federal Government to take on board because we just can't allow people for political reasons to sign up to a particular medication for argument's sake and find that there are long-run health implications.

"Now that may or may not be applicable to medicinal marijuana."

Earlier this month, the Commonwealth intervened to stop a growing trial on Norfolk Island.

 

[7greeneyes]

http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2014/08/20/northeastern-institute-of-cannabis-classes-enrollment/

(Massachusetts) Open House for Weed School Starts Wednesday Night​

Though medical marijuana dispensaries have yet to open their doors in Massachusetts, there's a growing interest to get in on the ground floor of the industry. To that end, a new school is opening up to teach the ins and outs of medical marijuana, and open houses for prospective students kick off Wednesday night.

The Northeastern Institute of Cannabis will open its doors for its inaugural class in nearby Natick, Massachusetts. Open houses to learn about the syllabus and course load will be held Wednesday, August 20; Thursday, August 21; Monday, August 25; and Tuesday, August 26. Each event will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The address is 10 Tech Circle.

Each open house will include a tour of the facility, a meeting with Institute instructors, networking opportunities with members of the cannabis community, and further information about courses and other logistics for the fall.

Completion of NIC's full 12-class curriculum awards graduates a Cannabis Industry Certification, which exemplifies a student's "dedication to cannabis" while also demonstrate's their knowledge of "what every person should know who would like to work in the industry," according to the website.

The full certification program consists of 12 courses ranging from Medical Marijuana 101 to Cannabis History to Media Training. You can check out descriptions for the dozen classes right here.

If you're interested in enrolling, check out the open house. If planting roots in the medical marijuana industry is your bowl of ganj cup of tea, consider that classes take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, as well as 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, and Tuesdays and Thursdays. Weekend classes are offered 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

But NIC is more than willing to accommodate your busy schedule. Don't feel like you have to load up on classes this semester because NIC will "work with each student individually to create a schedule that will work with your needs and time constraints," noted Executive Director Mickey Martin in a mass email.

All 12 classes are going to run you $1,500 but if you want to take just a select few, they cost $199 each. Students are allowed to pay sums of $500 in three installments if taking the entire program but due to banking regulations pertaining to medical marijuana, only cash or check will be accepted at this time.

Oh, and they don't have any dorms either.

"We are here to help you succeed and teach you everything you need to know to compete for a good paying job in the cannabis industry," added Martin in his email. "We look forward to educating you on the cannabis plant, its many uses, and the industry and movement that make up the cannabis landscape."

 

[7greeneyes]

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/stor...kie-chan-apologizes-after-son-s-cannabis-bust

Jackie Chan apologizes after son’s cannabis bust​

BEIJING - Hong Kong movie star Jackie Chan said Wednesday he felt "ashamed" of his son's detention on drug-related charges, adding he had "failed to educate" his child.

Jaycee Chan, who like his father is a singer and actor, was detained last week after police found more than 100 grams of cannabis at his home in Beijing, according to Chinese state-run media.

The charges were a potential embarrassment for kung fu star Jackie Chan, who has a high profile in China where he was appointed as a government-backed "anti-drug ambassador" in 2009.

The "Rush Hour" star said in a post on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo service that he is "extremely angry and extremely shocked" over his 31-year-old son's detention.

"As a public figure, I am ashamed. As a father I feel terrible," he added.

"I have failed to educate my son. I must also take responsibility, and in my son's name take a deep bow and apologize to the public."

Consuming and supplying cannabis are both illegal in China.

Jaycee Chan was detained "on suspicion of accommodating suspected drug users," China's official Xinhua news agency reported this week.

He was held in a swoop which also saw a well-known Taiwanese actor known as Kai Ko detained on drug charges.

China launches periodic crackdowns on illegal drug use, which in the past have involved arresting celebrities.

At least 10 locally-known stars have been detained on drug-related charges this year, state-run media have said.

The younger Chan was shown on state TV late Monday with his face blanked out as a plain-clothed investigator pulled small boxes of drugs from a cabinet in his Beijing home.

He has featured in several films but has not so far won the acclaim earned by his father, one of Asia's best known actors with a string of Hollywood hits to his name.

In his message on Wednesday, Chan addressed his son directly, saying: "If you do something wrong, you need to bear the consequences. As your father, I am willing to face the future with you together."