East Coast Cannabis News and Culture» Grass Roots

Marijuana found at White House during Victory on Drugs presser

Chris Goldstein — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:23:40 +0000

4/1/2013 by Chris Goldstein - The April showers are just arriving but some May flowers have already bloomed. Tourists discovered six marijuana plants in the Rose Garden just as President Obama announced a major victory in the so-called War on Drugs.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) marijuana experts rushed to the scene this morning and estimated that each four-foot tall cannabis plant was getting ready to yield 500 pounds of pot.

“We think it’s Sour Diesel,” said one expert who declined to be named citing the ongoing investigation.

ONDCP Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowse arrived and personally eradicated the crop with a gold-plated weedwacker that he keeps in a glass case behind his desk.

“Think of the children,” said Kelikowse, “imagine what would happen to the ice cream reserves if three thousand pounds of Sour D hit Capitol Hill.”

The Czar was pulled away from a high profile “Victory on Drugs” press conference with President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry.

They announced that Drugs (including crack, heroine, meth, bath salts, Krispy Kreme donuts and others) were tracked to their secret hideout in Afghanistan and eliminated in a joint special operation last night.

Still images taken from combat video cameras and drones showed Drugs being shot numerous times.

Drugs were then put into a rocket and fired directly into the Sun.

Reporters immediately pointed out the distinctive sound of the Drug Czar’s 24kt cannabis eradicator just outside.

President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry seemed unsurprised, saying that the timing of the raid (4:20AM) allowed Marijuana to remain at large.

Kerry pointed out that official government scientists at the National Institute of Health (NIH) and National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) are not sure if marijuana is a Drug.

“Right now we encourage American citizens and the citizens of every country in the world to get quality health insurance,” said Kerry, “everyone needs to start taking wholesome, nutritious, US FDA approved prescription pharmaceuticals.”

The DEA said that Mexican or South American cartels were the primary suspects in the White House farming operation.

But one observer noted that staffers from Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Jared Polis (D-CO) were milling around the Rose Garden with Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) looking “really bummed out.”

Filed under “Satire” updated 4:20PM April 1, 2013

Chris Goldstein is a respected marijuana reform advocate. As a writer and radio broadcaster he has been covering cannabis news for over a decade. Questions? chris(at)freedomisgreen.com

Five Ways To Get Medical Marijuana Working in New Jersey

Chris Goldstein — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 01:36:42 +0000

Medical marijuana sign by activist Jim Miller on the steps of the NJ State House- *photo by Diane Fornbacher

COMMENTARY from Chris Goldstein 1/15/2012 – It has been two years since the compassionate use law passed in New Jersey. There was some hope in Trenton that day. But now there have only been delays, basement hearings and promises broken. Not a single sprout of legal marijuana yet.

Terminal patients we work with die off while chronic patients constantly scour the underground market for medical-quality cannabis. Sadly, these patients who risk arrest every day can only expect to have better choices on the streets even if the state-authorized Alternative Treatment Centers (ATCs) eventually open their doors.

Governor Chris Christie and his administration have attempted to experiment with every aspect of the medical marijuana program. Politicians, bureaucrats and businesspeople (in typical Jersey style) have over-indulged the Executive Branch. A pot monopoly for Rutgers; calling in the Feds; the granite wall of regulatory authority – We’ve seen it all. The end result is a failure to fully implement the law.

Among advocates there is talk of some options to truly jump-start the program for patients. In a more perfect Garden State here’s how the Governor, the Legislature and the respective state agencies could work towards a law that seriously ill residents still desperately need.

Stop the doctor registry and start the Patient Registry

Part of the regulations issued by the NJ Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) require the nation’s first registry for physicians. Only these listed docs are allowed by the state to recommend medical marijuana. Doctors, nurses, medical professionals and patients testified many times in Trenton last year as to the problems with this structure. No similar requirement is mandated for drugs like morphine. Opened in October 2010 just 109 doctors have signed up out of almost 30,000 that practice in New Jersey.

But the patient registry was never opened. This means that seriously ill individuals have no legal protections related to marijuana. Unfortunately residents with qualifying medical conditions are still part of the more than 26,000 marijuana arrests in NJ each year.

The regulations currently require that patients have a registered physician and choose one of the six ATCs to even apply for the patient registry card. But the doctor registry list is not being made public by DHSS and none of the ATCs have opened. This leaves patients with no options. The unique and problematic physician registry could be discontinued or suspended in favor of a streamlined process for DHSS to begin issuing the patient registry cards. Patients could then be offered the legal protections that the state has long promised. The changes required are procedural language changes within the regulations. The logistics of actually issuing the cards to patients is relatively easy.

In other words: Can we stop treating medical pot as if it were highly addictive, radioactive machine gun bullets?

Grant Patients Immunity

If they could have the registry cards then patients could be offered immediate immunity from arrest and prosecution for possessing up to two ounces of marijuana. (Two ounces is the monthly supply allowed under the law – the lowest in the nation.) The current regulations only protect a registered NJ patient if their marijuana product was purchased at an authorized ATC. But the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act already includes guidelines for appropriate possession and use. This could be generally applied to any marijuana, especially during this extended time that the ATCs have not been able to open. Such immunity would free the police, courts, doctors, patients and their families from having to continue dealing with an expensive and senseless criminality. Again this would only take a few changes to the regulations. This legal protection for seriously ill residents was the core intent of the compassionate use law.

In other words: Can we please finally just follow one simple rule – stop putting handcuffs on sick and dying people for having a few joints?

Allow home cultivation

New Jersey passed the first compassionate use law in the country that did not include provisions for patients or their caregivers to grow cannabis. Language to allow micro-plots of up to 6 plants was stripped away from the legislation at the last minute by the Assembly Health Committee. The vision for the program was that seriously ill residents would rely on the regional Alternative Treatment Centers for all of their marijuana. But NJDHSS and the six hand-picked ATC operators have struggled to open leaving NJ patients with no marijuana at all. The regulations from the Christie Administration further restricted the choices patients would have in their therapy. The far-reaching rules limit THC to just 10%, exclude edible preparations other than lozenges and limit each ATC to growing just three strains of cannabis.

Americans enjoy an array of consumer choices in their medical care, from their professionals to their products. But qualifying NJ residents do not currently have any cannabis, let alone a variety. Patients should have access to the strengths, strains and delivery methods that provide the best relief. Amending the NJ compassionate use law to include the original language allowing patients and caregivers to cultivate small plots of cannabis would lift the immediate barrier on patient access. It would also give patients and doctors greater security in knowing that cannabis therapy will be tailored for specific patient needs.

In other words: The freaking US Department of Justice –THE Feds – even have a more lenient policy on individual patients growing their own compared to NJ…wtf??

Educate doctors, patients and medical professionals

New drugs and medical therapies are often marketed by for-profit companies. There are TV ads, billboards and suit-clad representatives visiting doctors’ offices with free pens and notepads. Think about the approach taken for profit-pills like Viagra. But medical marijuana in New Jersey (as it is in many states) is a not-for-profit enterprise and does not have a slick general marketing campaign. Although the six NJ Alternative Treatment Centers have tens-of-millions of dollars in start-up capital they have not planned to use any of it on public or professional awareness at this time.

The NJDHSS, Board of Medical Examiners, NJ Medical Society, State Nurses Association and other groups could fill in this information vacuum. These groups could hold seminars, compile relevant cannabis information into a statewide public journal and publish education materials. This would help residents, towns and medical professionals benefit from the medical cannabis program.

In other words: How hard would it be to go out there and talk about all of the amazing clinical research on cannabis and cannabinoids? Speaking from some experience, it might even be a little fun…

Advocate to local townships and municipalities

Politicians and state agencies could easily educate townships as to the benefits and details of the Medicinal Marijuana Program. Presentations or panels could be run during events like the League of Municipalities conference. Awareness events like Town Hall Meetings on the topic could be run by the Governor, DHSS or supporting elected officials. They could invite some of the dozens of qualifying residents, hospice nurses, doctors or other advocates who testified with solid information on the topic to speak with them or address questions.

Eighty-six percent of NJ residents support the medical marijuana law – this is the greatest level of support for any legislation in NJ. But there is a lack of information about the nuts-and-bolts of how the law is supposed to work or who it serves. Just like any other new program, the medical marijuana issue deserves the full effort of the state. Towns and municipalities deserve the tools to make effective decisions about the ATCs and their local patient population. Local governments have a special responsibility for this program, as these ATCs must serve an entire region of patients from their local base of operations.

In other words: At our Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey information booth at the NJ League of Municipalities Conference the most common question we get about medical marijuana (we clock hundreds of these per day; no kidding) “Do you have any free samples?”

Final Note

There really is only one way forward for New Jersey’s program: Governor Christie and the new state MMP director John O’Brien need to meet with qualifying medical marijuana patients. Listening to them, face to face, about what they need for the law to work is the best path to success.

Chris Goldstein is on the Board of Directors at The Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey and NORML- NJ. As a writer and radio broadcaster he has been covering cannabis news for over a decade. Questions? chris@freedomisgreen.com

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DC, NY and East Coast residents pay highest prices for marijuana

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Medical Marijuana Dispensary Opens in Maine

Chris Goldstein — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:24:57 +0000

from maine.gov's medical cannabis section

1/11/2012 - Wellness Connection of Maine opened their facility in Hallowell this week and has permits to open two more facilities this year. When fully operational the group will be the largest medical marijuana provider in the state.

WGME reported yesterday:

Mayor Charlotte Warren says she’s heard no complaints about this dispensary locating in Hallowell. The mayor says “They’ve met with our Chief of Police, they’ve met with the city manager. I feel very confident that they run a tight ship. They know what they’re doing. And I don’t have concerns about that.” read more

There are only eight permits for medical marijuana dispensaries in Maine. The limits created fierce competition. Berkeley Patients Group of California spun off an arm called Northeast Patients Group to get a piece of the new market but eventually internal relationships went sour. Controversy over start-up funding and business interests became public after a lawsuit last year.

Former NBA player Cutino Mobley tried for a marijuana dispensary license in Rhode Island. Then he turned up some funding for the Northeast operation in Maine. With the new money and name Wellness Connection weathered the lawsuit by the former backers in California and moved ahead.

Still their plans are to operate the first year at a significant financial loss.

In July estimates filed with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, the group said it expected to serve 540 patients and lose $1.75 million. read more

From a patient perspective Maine has one of the most robust medical cannabis programs in the country. Home cultivation is allowed and so are caregivers, who maintain a solid network. Last year the Medical Marijuana Patient Privacy Protection Act passed making registration with the state voluntary and preventing municipalities from over-regulating medical cannabis.

The dispensaries in Maine are seen as a compliment to overall patient access and not as the sole-source for medical marijuana.

Read more at Freedomisgreen.com

DC, NY and East Coast residents pay highest prices for marijuana

Maryjane’s Corner

Sensible Science

Chris Goldstein is a respected marijuana reform advocate. As a writer and radio broadcaster he has been covering cannabis news for over a decade. Questions? chris@freedomisgreen.com

Rowan University Student Senate Backs Marijuana Decrim

Chris Goldstein — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:34:31 +0000

12/8/2011 – It seems that student government is ahead of the state legislature in New Jersey. Seventy-five percent of Rowan University student senators voted to support a state bill to reduce penalties for adults possessing cannabis.

The bill to decriminalize possession of up to 15 grams of marijuana, A4252, was introduced in Trenton this summer. A4252 came out strong with eighteen bi-partisan co-sponsors in the Assembly, but a companion bill has not been introduced in the state Senate.

A4252 would make possession an “infraction” instead of a “misdemeanor” and create a tiered set of fines for those over the age of 21 ranging from $150-$500. Those under 21 would also need to attend an education class.

The Rowan University Student Government is the first in the state to formally support the bill. The final vote among the student senators was 70 in favor, 20 against and 2 abstentions

There are over 26,000 arrests every year in New Jersey for marijuana, about 85% of those arrests are for possession of less than 50 grams.

New York State decriminalized marijuana possession in 1979 and Connecticut passed a decrim law earlier this year. There are 14 states that have reduced penalties for adults possesing cannabis. NORML Decrim map

The Rowan senators can count on public support as well. A Rutgers-Eagleton poll on November 30, 2011 found that 58% of New Jersey residents favor decriminalizing marijuana for adults.

Rowan student senator Phillip Simmons, who is also president of the campus chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), said, “I am happy that the Rowan Senate voted in favor of this bill because it means that the student body recognizes the unfair, unjust, and crippling effects of the current law.”

Rowan Student Government Supports NJ Bill No. A4252 An Act to decriminalize possession of 15 grams or less of marijuana. from Phil Simmons on Vimeo.

Read more at Freedomisgreen.com

DC, NY and East Coast residents pay highest prices for marijuana

Maryjane’s Corner

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Chris Goldstein is a respected marijuana reform advocate. As a writer and radio broadcaster he has been covering cannabis news for over a decade. Questions? chris@freedomisgreen.com

DC, NY and East Coast residents pay highest prices for marijuana

Chris Goldstein — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 18:56:45 +0000

8/31/2011 - Floatingsheep.org released their analysis of the underground marijuana market in the United States. The end result isn’t news to consumers: East Coast residents pay the most for an ounce of pot.

Wired magazine also featured a unique map (see below) that was created from the study data. It compares marijuana prices to the severity of laws. There were some other factors included into the equation, like the distance from Humbolt County, California.

The study centers on prices gathered directly from the public through anonymous online submissions. Thousands of individual reports were sent in through www.priceofweed.com.

Here is their rundown on the average cost of top-shelf marijuana:

Distribution of High Quality Observations by State

Connecticut Reports= 124 Price = $426.20/oz

Delaware Reports = 26 Price = $450.00/oz

D.C. Reports= 71 Price = $460.70/oz

Florida Reports=575 Price = $361.80/oz

Georgia Reports = 209 Price = $412.20/oz

Maine Reports = 57 Price = $360.00/oz

Maryland Reports = 162 Price = $436.30/oz

Mass. Reports = 368 Price = $416.30/oz

New Hampshire Reports = 58 Price = $407.60/oz

New Jersey Reports = 198 Price = $412.40/oz

New York Reports = 876 Price = $416.90/oz

N. Carolina Reports = 254 Price = $417.90/oz

Pennsylvania Reports = 400 Price = $414.30/oz

Rhode Island Reports =71 Price = $419.30/oz

S. Carolina Reports = 98 Price = $399.00/oz

Vermont Reports = 61 Price =$393.60/oz

Virginia Reports =223 Price = $411.90/oz

West Virginia Reports = 35 Price =$392.80/oz

Read the complete study here.

High Times Magazine has employed a similar method of collecting price information from readers for many years. The monthly “THMQ Pot Prices” column also offers a market analysis of different grades of marijuana and even individual strains.

Again, East Coast readers of HT mag are willing to exchange the most greenbacks for green flowers (with hints of reds, lavenders, oranges and purples). High Times July 2011 THMQ showed Chem Dog selling in New York for an astounding $560 per ounce.

While that was definitely the costliest bud found, many of the THMQs are close match for the floatingsheep.org prices.

Population density, thus simple demand, is a major factor to driving up prices on the East Coast. The severity of laws also tends to bump up the cost as distributors take a greater risk and pass that on to consumers.

Perhaps the most interesting trend for the cost of cannabis has been its stability over the last decade. There have been moderate increases in the cost of all grades of marijuana. But there has been nothing of a cannabis price bubble compared to other consumer items, like housing, food or gasoline.

Some good news is that several data sources are showing a general decline in marijuana prices. For example the floatingsheep.org study showed that Oregonians pay an average of $255.80 per ounce for high-grade cannabis. So far, those kinds of price reductions have not reached the East Coast.

Read more at Freedomisgreen.com

IMPORTANT - Full Text: Department of Justice Memo on Medical Marijuana

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Chris Goldstein is a respected marijuana reform advocate. As a writer and radio broadcaster he has been covering cannabis news for over a decade. Questions? chris@freedomisgreen.com

East Coast Marijuana Reform Bills Staying Active

Chris Goldstein — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 19:27:52 +0000

8/12/2011 - Politics are staying green this summer as state legislators keep momentum on bills to legalize medical cannabis or decriminalize pot possession for adults. Extended debates continue for some legislation, but there is significant momentum behind new campaigns.

Here is a short rundown of what’s already on the books.

Massachusetts: It looks like there will be two chances in 2011/2012 for medical marijuana to become law. HB625/SB1611 had an important hearing in June before the Joint Committee on Public Health. Patients and advocates are preparing for an active fall session. At the same time, the Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Alliance has submitted language for a statewide ballot initiative on medical cannabis. Voters could have a say in the matter during the important 2012 election. Finally, the Bay State is also considering a bill to Tax and Regulate recreational marijuana for adults. HB1371 is supported by MASSCANN/NORML and is seeking a hearing before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary in 2011.

The 22^nd Annual Boston Freedom Rally takes place on September 17, 2011. The largest marijuana reform event on the East Coast draws a crowd of 50,000 to the Boston Common. MASSCANN/NORML and other local groups helped to pass a statewide ballot initiative to decriminalize marijuana in 2008.

New York: Two important bills remain active in the Empire State. Advocates have kept up the medical marijuana fight for thirteen years, now there are more co-sponsors than ever for HB2774. Unfortunately the language has evolved to be very limited, following New Jersey’s model of prohibiting home cultivation. The restricted scope may be more palatable to politicians. Legislators also took a strong step in June to bring New York City in line with the existing marijuana decriminalization policy. A new bill, SB5187/AB7620, would stop more than 50,000 racially disparate pot arrests each year in the Big Apple.

Rhode Island: Advocates are continuing to pressure Gov. Lincoln Chafee to lift his suspension of medical marijuana dispensaries. Three compassion centers have been approved but have not been allowed to open. A bill to Tax and Regulate marijuana remains on the legislative schedule. HB 5571 would set up at least one cannabis retail store per county.

New Jersey: Gov. Chris Christie announced that he would expedite the startup of medical marijuana Alternative Treatment Centers. Six have been approved and the Garden State government is working though final regulations for implementation. Concurrent resolutions are active in the Senate and Assembly that would revise the proposed rules. ACR188/SCR151 would remove some of the worst restrictions like the 10 percent cap on all THC potency.

New Jersey also got its first decriminalization bill this year. A4252 was introduced in June with the first reading and a committee assignment expected in the fall. The legislation would remove criminal penalties for adults caught with 15 grams or less. The effort has notably strong support right out of the gate with 18 bi-partisan co-sponsors.

Pennsylvania: The Keystone State will go into its third year of considering medical marijuana. SB1003/HB1653 were re-introduced and assigned to the Health committee in both houses. Favorable public hearings were held in 2009 and 2010. Philadelphia has been making news about the Small Amount of Marijuana program. The new court diversion for minor pot possession cases has saved the city millions and measurably reduced the jail population.

Maryland: As mandated by the legislature this year, the state will continue a study phase for medical cannabis. A law allowing seriously ill residents to offer a positive medical necessity defense was passed as an interim measure to a full program.

East coast advocates are hopeful for some further reform activity in the fall such as marijuana bills in North Carolina, Connecticut, New Hampshire, West Virginia and Florida.

Check back for more updates on cannabis politics here at Freedomisgreen.

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IMPORTANT - Full Text: Department of Justice Memo on Medical Marijuana

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Chris Goldstein is a respected marijuana reform advocate. As a writer and radio broadcaster he has been covering cannabis news for over a decade. Questions? chris@freedomisgreen.com

New Jersey Patients Say Medical Marijuana Regulations Still Need Work

Chris Goldstein — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:49:14 +0000

Sandy Fiaola, NJ multiple sclerosis patient

July, 20, 2011 press release from The Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey (CMMNJ) www.cmmnj.org

Gov. Christie Allows Medical Marijuana, Regulations Still Need Work

Trenton – NJ Governor Chris Christie held a press conference on July 19, 2011 to address the status of the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act. He has decided to reverse his suspension of the program and allow six Alternative Treatment Centers to move ahead with their operations.

After discussing the various intersections or conflicts between state and federal laws Christie said, “I have instructed the Commissioner of Health to move forward as expeditiously as possible to implement the [program].”

VIDEO: http://www.livestream.com/governorchrischristie/video?clipId=pla_a1a6bf2e-1630-4282-bb87-f28f93e72f9a&utm_source=lslibrary&utm_medium=ui-thumb

“We are happy that the governor is moving forward with the medicinal marijuana program,” said Ken Wolski, a registered nurse and executive director of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey (CMMNJ). “Patients have suffered too long waiting for this,” said Wolski, “In thousands of cases patients in NJ have already died without the improvement in quality of life and relief of suffering that marijuana can bring.”

CMMNJ remains focused on a final set of rules for the program that will be workable. “We still have a number of concerns about the regulations put out by the DHSS for this program,” Wolski said, “The physician registry is unnecessary and will disqualify numerous patients. Plus the cap on THC level is arbitrary and home delivery is not being permitted. These are all roadblocks to patient access that we hope the Christie Administration will reconsider.”

Some of the ATCs have expressed the same concerns. http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/03/07/nj-to-hold-hearing-on-medical-marijuana-rules/

Seriously ill New Jersey residents who would qualify under the law expressed surprise and measured hope at the governor’s change in rhetoric.

Jay Lassiter lives with HIV and has testified for better regulations in Trenton, “This is a small step in the right direction for New Jersey and I’m glad that Governor Christie has finally discovered a sense of urgency to help New Jersey residents with cancer and AIDS. I look forward to the day when I won’t be a criminal just for taking medical cannabis.”

Charles Kwiatkowski, a father of three, lives with multiple sclerosis and has been one of the most visible patient advocates in New Jersey. “It’s good and bad…all the restrictions,” Kwiatkowski said today. “But, I’ll believe it when I see it. So far it has been a really long, painful wait.”

[Editor's Note - Freedomisgreen posts submitted content to the site. If you are interested in sending press releases, text or photos please contact chris@freedomisgreen.com .]

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IMPORTANT - Full Text: Department of Justice Memo on Medical Marijuana

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OPED: New Jersey Families Can Change Marijuana Laws

Chris Goldstein — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 15:28:10 +0000

Diane Fornbacher with her family in NJ. Photo by Kevin Monko

7/17/2011 by Justin Escher Alpert - Last night may not have seemed unique in New Jersey, another pleasant and clear summer evening the likes of which fill my memories of The Garden State. After a day with the family trolling the shore for bass, or after a day with friends hitting a links in the lush green mountains, or after a day with the kids basking in the sun at the town pool, people gathered together under the stars and a nearly full moon.

Maybe they drank sangria and maybe they made fresh fish tacos. They shared and they talked and they gossiped and maybe they thanked God for the life that they were given, for the friends and family that they have, for their past experiences and future opportunities.

And maybe, as everyone relaxed, the sweet smell of Sensimilla filled the air.

They were your doctors, your lawyers, your bankers, your hairdressers… they were the clerk at that store you love and your trainer at the gym… they were Democrats and they were Republicans (definitely Libertarians), they were gay and straight, they were Christian and Jewish and Muslim and some other religions of which you may or may not have heard. They were parents and grandparents. They were friends and neighbors.

No, last night wasn’t particularly different than any other summer night in The Garden State. Last night was beautiful.

Do you know any of those people who got together last night? Those people who are adults and have lived their lives according to the rules, and studied hard, and married the right person, and are raising their kids properly, and are working real hard but don’t always get it right… do you know any of those folks? The folks navigating their lives pursuant to the sum of their past experiences and doing the best to captain their own ships?… do you know any of those folks?

Come in real close… I have a favor to ask. Do you think you could ask just a few of those folks to write to their State legislators?

We’re not asking them to light up a doobie on the State House steps in protest… No, just a simple email to their legislators.

They can find them and email them here (http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/municipalities.asp).

Just something simple like-

Dear Senator _________, Assemblyman/woman __________, and Assemblyman/woman __________,

I support the intention of the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act and believe that safe, effective, and legal medicinal marijuana ought to be made immediately and readily available to those patients who might benefit upon the recommendation of their physician.

I also support Assembly Bill A4252, which would decriminalize possession of 15 grams or less of marijuana.

I am an adult and believe that other adults are capable of making responsible choices when it comes to the use of marijuana.

Sincerely,

Name
Address
Phone

Do you think you could ask them to do that?… Your friends and neighbors? They are adults now, with real jobs and real families and it is their real destiny to be in the place to make the decisions about the rules that will govern their real lives.

There is no telling what we will be able to accomplish together when we are honest with ourselves, and we ask others to be honest with themselves.

Read it, digest it, talk about it, copy it, paste it, email it, post it, share it, like it.

Today will be another beautiful summer day in The Garden State.

Justin Escher Alpert is an attorney, writer, musician, actor, activist, husband, father, friend, and neighbor, and he lives his life to the best of his abilities with his family in Livingston, New Jersey.

[Editor's Note - Justin walks-the-walk by keeping up a regular email dialogue to NJ legislators and testifying in Trenton (video below). Freedomisgreen posts commentary and other submitted content that is exclusive to the site. If you are interested in sending text or photos please contact chris@freedomisgreen.com .]

IMPORTANT - Full Text: Department of Justice Memo on Medical Marijuana

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NJ Coalition Forms to Support Bi-Partisan Marijuana Decrim Bill (Press Release)

Chris Goldstein — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:35:04 +0000

New Jersey Coalition Forms to Support Bi-Partisan Marijuana Decriminalization Bill

Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) and the New Jersey chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML-NJ) have started a new coalition to support decriminalizing marijuana: Sensible New Jersey.

A bi-partisan marijuana decriminalization bill, A4252, was introduced on June 29, 2011 in Trenton. Sponsored by Assemblymen Reed Gusciora (D) and Michael Patrick Carroll (R) the measure would remove criminal penalties for adults who posses less than 15 grams of marijuana.

Gusciora said today, “Right now, an astronomical proportion of marijuana possession charges are for under 15 grams. This is a drain on our already strained police force and our over-burdened court systems.”

New Jersey performs more arrests for marijuana than for all other drugs combined. In 2009 (the most recent data available) 22, 439 people were arrested for possessing less than 50 grams of cannabis. A conservative estimate of cost of arresting and prosecuting these marijuana offenses is about $30 million dollars annually.

Rachel Cotrino, an attorney and board member at NORML NJ said, “In addition to imprisonment, offenders of the current law face loss of driving privileges from six months to two years. This unreasonably punitive measure causes many, otherwise law abiding citizens, to lose their jobs because they cannot get to work. Offenders also face eviction from their leased premises or loss of public housing. It is time to decriminalize the individual user and remove the current penalties that stifle our community and economy.”

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) has joined the effort. Jack Cole, a 26-year veteran of the New Jersey State Police and board chairman for LEAP, said, “As a former undercover narcotics detective in New Jersey, I now know that all the time and resources I spent arresting people for marijuana offenses over the course of my career didn’t accomplish anything good. In addition to being a waste of money that should have been spent solving and preventing violent crimes, these arrests in many cases ruined otherwise productive people’s lives. The marijuana decriminalization bill is a great first step to undoing some of the damage wrought by the failed ‘war on drugs.’”

Fourteen states, including New York (1979), Massachusetts (2008) and Connecticut (2011) have decriminalized the possession of small amounts of marijuana by adults.

“We are ready to begin this conversation in the legislature and will continue to lay the foundation for this groundbreaking effort. This is about cutting costs and ending the failed practice of criminalizing otherwise productive members of society for possessing a substance that is less dangerous than alcohol,” stated Victor Pinho, a Sensible New Jersey coordinator and NJ Chapter Coordinator for SSDP.

CONTACT: Victor Pinho – newjersey@ssdp.org and Evan Nison – evan@normlnj.org

Sensible New Jersey on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sensible-New-Jersey

K2, Spice and Synthetic Cannabinoid Bans Widen

Chris Goldstein — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:30:08 +0000

6/29/2011 - Pennsylvania recently passed a law banning some synthetic cannabinoids and New Jersey has pending legislation. These new prohibitions are intended to curb to the use of fad drugs that are sold under hundreds of brand names but commonly referred to as “K2” or “Spice.” Users seek a high with the ability to pass a standard drug screen.

Earlier this year the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) permanently prohibited six synthetic cannabinoids, including a common Spice ingredient JWH-018.

Dozens of chemicals, including some synthetic cannabinoids, are found in the products. The chemicals are sprayed on random plant material (never real marijuana) and packaged as fragrant, mood affecting incense.

Wholesale K2 suppliers have purchased advertising on websites and in magazines (even setting up booths at trade shows) that target natural marijuana consumers. But, compared to the ubiquitous market for natural cannabis these synthetics were fairly uncommon…until states started banning them.

In a predictable irony, K2 sellers have benefited greatly from the effort to ban their products. Massive advertising campaigns have appeared on billboards, in print and on television that are funded by drug prevention groups and even tax dollars. The awareness efforts have skyrocketed the drugs out of obscurity and successfully made them a household name.

Part of the problem is that prohibitionists have mislabeled the K2 fad drugs as “synthetic marijuana.” But now authorities are finding that K2 manufacturers have altered their recipe. New K2 products have ingredients that are not technically illegal. This makes the bans fully ineffective and the products continue to be sold in retail stores and online.

Another shift for the issue is that a Willow Grove, Pa. based company started marketing urine tests for synthetic cannabinoids this year. But these tests are not widely available.

Freedomisgreen.com Editor Chris Goldstein and Science Editor Jahan Marcu have been covering the K2 story since late 2009. Below is an interview that was originally published at www.celebstoner.com

Jahan Marcu is one of the few cannabinoid scientists in America. He also serves on the medical advisory board of the national medical marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access.

Marcu is uniquely familiar with both natural marijuana cannabinoids and these new synthetics. He published a landmark research paper proving the anti-cancer properties of THC and is considered one of the top experts in this field. I sat down with Marcu to discuss this strange new trend of people smoking laboratory chemicals.

As someone who is familiar with JWH-018 and these other synthetic cannabinoids in the lab, what is it like to see these things on the streets?

Think about the guys who invented JWH-018. This is probably the worst nightmare imaginable for a researcher to have the product of their hard work for many years, decades maybe, turned into a designer drug of abuse. Because then it gets banned and essentially your chapter in research history is over because your access to the drug vanishes. If they go systematically down the list banning all of the JWH compounds, those are less compounds we can use to enhance our knowledge of how the endo-cannabinoid system works.

What do you think of the recent bans of K2 and Spice products?

Well, I’m not a politician. I’m not a legislator and I’m not in law enforcement. And they need to do what they think is necessary to protect people. As some who’s in research and education my idea would be: Well, let’s see how dangerous these compounds are. Let’s go ahead and fund a bunch of small studies in animals. Let’s have some people who are already taking these drugs volunteer for some tests. Then we can look at them with side-by-side comparisons with alcohol and marijuana for impairment, and really get a good risk assessment. But that’s not going to happen,. There’s just going to be bans and an absence of knowledge.

From the stand point of a cannabinoid researcher, are these synthetic cannabinoid compounds something that humans should be smoking?

I would go with: No. The main reason is the animal data that is coming back is not that promising. There are a lot of JWH compounds and JWH is unique; it’s very potent at low doses. What is a little scary is that around 10 mg per kilogram in rats there was some decreased breathing. We’re talking about 1 milligram per kilogram that was able to cause catalepsy in mice.

This may indicate some off-target effects. What I mean by that is some interaction with the opioid receptors or something else. We’re seeing decreased breathing rates in rats and sort of respiratory depression from these compounds that strongly suggests that those effects are not mediated through the cannabinoid receptor system.

I have seen some rumors of people seeking the benefits of medical marijuana turning to these synthetic compounds so they can beat their workplace drug tests. Would they have any medical benefit?

At least when you’re going to whole plant cannabis, you can look to the scientific literature and know what you’re getting. There are over 500 compounds in the cannabis plant, but we know what they are. We even know what happens when it burns. No one has done those kinds of studies on Spice. No one has hooked up a Spice cigarette to a gas chromatograph and analyzed the smoke. Those studies have been done with tobacco and marijuana for decades. We have a wealth of information about whole plant marijuana. So you know way more what you are getting into when you use a drug like cannabis.

What’s up with the new urine test for K2?

The game might be over for some of the K2 and Spice compounds. The original research article on the metabolite in Spice – what the body does with them – was published by a group in Moscow. Basically, since only a small amount of the drug is needed to produce an effect, the levels of detection must be very sensitive in order to find these JWH-018 metabolites.

The structure of JWH-018 and (natural) THC is very different. If you looked at the two compounds side-by-side you would not have to be a chemist to see that they look vastly different. The unique part of JWH is the indol ring: It’s a two-ring structure with one nitrogen; this is a common motif found in other hallucinogens like LSD, mescaline and psilocybin, but is not found in (natural) THC.

Researchers have found that the body modifies the indol ring in JWH-018 and thus have developed the drug test around that modification. I’m not sure if it’s the same thing I saw marketed in California, but that is what is in the literature right now.

Do you think these will be effective tests or because of the detection levels someone will have to smoke a lot of this stuff to show up?

You’d have to be smoking a fair amount of Spice to be found in a urinalysis. It’s unclear right now because those studies just haven’t been done yet.

How is the lab community dealing with this K2/Spice phenomenon?

It definitely puts a time crunch on things. These compounds are very important to research. It would be a great loss to the scientific community if these compounds were no longer available for research. It’s a shame that unscrupulous business practices are ruining this for the scientists.

In the end, because there is no real labeling of these products, the most dangerous things in Spice may not be the chemicals we actually know about, but what we don’t. Some have been found to have synthetic opiates, Vitamin E and even acetone.

The continued prohibition of natural marijuana seems to be the only driving force behind the emergence of these new synthetic drugs. States that have decriminalized marijuana seem to have less of an issue with the fad drugs.

To advocates, this is an additional and rather poignant public safety reason for natural marijuana to be fully legalized, right now.

Celebstoner.com: The Truth About Spice & K2

Examiner.com: Facts about new synthetic drugs K2 or Spice

Jahan Marcu’s blog

Read more at Freedomisgreen.com

Chris Goldstein is a respected marijuana reform advocate. As a writer and radio broadcaster he has been covering cannabis news for over a decade. Questions? chris@freedomisgreen.com