Marijuana Is Becoming Part of Our Culture. Hope for marijuana supporters and consumers in California has reached an all time high with the “Regulate, Control, and Tax Cannabis Act” initiative on the path for the November ballot. The first step in ending the ban on marijuana, which is getting the required amount of signatures, has almost reached 700,000 and only about 433,000 are needed.  Getting on the November ballot will be a milestone for the supporters of marijuana legalization.  The “Regulate, Control, and Tax Cannabis Act 2010,” states that people 21 years and older can possess, grow, share, and transport marijuana for personal use.  Smoking in front of minors or possessing it on school grounds, driving while inebriated, or smoking in public are all prohibited under the measure relating to the Health and Safety Codes. Recent surveys reveal that the United States has the strictest laws and ironically the largest amount of marijuana consumers, 5.4 million of those are estimated to smoke 300 times a year, which is almost every day.  Although pot is not addictive, a tolerance can be built up and indulgence can be extreme.  It has fewer harmful effects than alcohol or cigarettes, which are legalized everywhere, and there’s no connection between violent offensive crimes and the usage of pot. Marijuana is becoming part of our culture, if not to be used for a medical condition, then to give pleasure to those who use it.  It’s becoming more accepted and in some areas, the norm. Reform would be needed to permit the Act to be implemented, such as allowing people, 21 and older, or those with a medical condition, to consume cannabis.  Current state laws, the “Compassionate Use Act” of 1996 and Proposition 215 in the Health and Safety Codes, are what allow people with medical conditions that can range from migraines to AIDS, from anemia to glaucoma, the use of marijuana now.  A doctor must deem it appropriate and provide a prescription for the patient, as well as all the appropriate licenses to utilize it. Enforcement of state laws relating to public health and safety of children would not be affected by the initiative, but certain aspects of the use of marijuana, such as growing or possessing it, will be relieved of state and local laws.  Police could stop wasting their time on arresting “non-violent” marijuana users and the money wasted on keeping these people locked up can be saved or used for a better cause.  The release of criminals because of lack of space could be prevented and the back up of court systems due to petty crimes, like marijuana offenses, could be alleviated.  The state could save money on the costs to run anti-marijuana programs, which could in turn be re-directed back into police resources to keep real criminals in jail. The Act is meant to benefit Californians as it intends to rid crime by putting marijuana dealers on the streets out of business by “establishing legal, regulated sales outlets,” to sell marijuana just like alcohol and cigarettes, which would in turn be taxed creating revenue for the state.  It is estimated that over 15 billion dollars of marijuana transactions are made each year illegally.  For California cities, that would legalize and tax marijuana a firm legal system would be set up to regulate cultivation and sales, but all regulations would have to follow the Health and Safety Codes.  However, if a city does not want to tax marijuana, residents can still use it within the Codes’ limits. Source: Campus, The (College of the Sequoias, Edu) Contact: http://www.coscampusonline.com/letter-to-the-editor Copyright: 2010 The Campus Website: http://www.coscampusonline.com/ Author: Diane Diniz Other Posts of Interest: Marijuana Proponents To Start Gathering Signatures For Ballot Ballot Measure Is Way to Properly Police Pot Measure to Legalize Pot May Be on Nov. Ballot MA Ballot Initiative Makes Pot a Civil Offense

Cannabis Rolled Up in Ballot

After public outrage forced Colorado lawmakers to postpone a vote on a bill that aimed to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries, a group of legislators have responded by asking the Feds to back off. In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, a bipartisan group of two state senators and two representatives called for an end to medical marijuana raids by the DEA. The DEA is already responsible for three Colorado raids this year alone – two of which focused on laboratories that conducted tests to determine the potency of medical marijuana. According to the letter, which was also sent to President Obama, “ These raids discourage dispensary operators, caregivers, growers and patients from providing testimony or recommendations to state lawmakers, hampering our ability to develop a workable and realistic regulatory arrangement for medial marijuana.” More @ thedenverdailynews.com & nytimes.com  

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Colorado Lawmakers Ask DEA to Stop the Raids

DANNY DANKO’S GET GROWING NOW: A Beginners Guide HIGH TIMES Senior Cultivation Editor, Danny Danko, has compiled some of his favorite beginner articles in our ultimate guide to getting started. From popping seeds and determining plant sex, to choosing systems, harvesting and drying, every aspect of ganja growing is exposed to all.

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Animated Cop Pot Brownies 911 Call

The story of the band goes way back, and although Devillac was founded in the summer of 2000, band members have played together in various acts (including Supercruiser and Fuzzbender) for well over a decade. After Daredevil Records released the well-received Devillac vs. Transonic Science split in 2001 the group started to work on a bunch of new songs for a full-length album. However, that album was never released due to some major line-up changes that were made about four years ago. Micki, the group’s current lead singer, replaced former vocalist, Vesa and Janne joined the group as the second guitarist. Devillac then began work on new growly rock’n’roll songs that would become the album Three Hours to Coma . Devillac added guitarist Markus Bongardt in the summer of 2009, and the band is currently working on the follow-up to Three Hours to Coma . Devillac anticipates a spring 2010 release for the new album. Devillac is : Micki: Vocals Aki: Bass Mikko: Drums Ismo: Guitar Visit Devillac at :     www.myspace.com/DEVILLAC

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Unsigned Band of the Week: Devillac

Oxford, Mississippi — It is the smell — pungent and slightly citrusy — that first greets visitors to Mahmoud ElSohly’s office on the University of Mississippi campus. Next are pictures lining the hallways of the bright green plants ElSohly has spent the past 35 years researching as chief cultivator of the nation’s only federally sanctioned marijuana farm. The University of Mississippi Marijuana Project provides marijuana to licensed researchers around the USA studying the drug under a contract from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. About a dozen researchers and lab assistants grow the marijuana in a fenced-in field, protected by video cameras and motion detectors. They nurture it in a “grow room,” analyze it and store it in drums in two bank-style vaults. “It’s a complicated plant,” ElSohly says of its chemical composition and its political and cultural baggage. “If this was milk thistle or any of these other herbal drugs, it would be no problem making this available.” Although he says he has never smoked it, ElSohly is a big marijuana fan. He is an informed believer in the medical properties of THC, the chemical in the plant that produces a psychoactive high and gives relief to people with chronic ailments such as cancer or Parkinson’s. Ole Miss has had the federal contract since 1968. ElSohly says that experience makes it a favorite to stay the sole provider despite bids from other universities or labs. He is finalizing a renewal of the contract, which pays about $1.2 million annually. Yet Ole Miss’ contract rankles some who see it as a monopoly. “It’s really handicapped research,” says Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance Network, which favors legalizing marijuana for medical use and eliminating criminal penalties for possession. Nadelmann says some researchers complain the Ole Miss farm produces marijuana that is low in quality and limited in variety, claims that ElSohly disputes. Another reason Nadelmann and others question the approach at Ole Miss is ElSohly’s stance against smoking the plant. The federal contract focuses on limiting abuse of the drug, and ElSohly, a research pharmacist, also believes smoking pot is a bad way to take the medicine. He is working on non-smoking methods to ingest the drug, ways that separate the medical benefits from the psychoactive high. Maryland Delegate Dan Morhaim, a Democrat, has introduced a state bill to allow medical marijuana. Morhaim, a physician, said non-smokable marijuana research has value, but it is not the only answer and is not available now. “This is about compassionate care,” he says. “There is no reason to be so marijuana-phobic as we have been in this country.” Source: USA Today (US) Author: Chris Joyner, USA Today Published: March 8, 2009 Copyright: 2010 USA Today, a division of Gannett Co. Inc. Contact: editor@usatoday.com Website: http://www.usatoday.com/ Other Posts of Interest: Mississippi’s Marijuana Legal Pot Farm At Ole Miss There’s a Monopoly on Marijuana Growing & Research Growing Marijuana With Government Approval Explorer: Marijuana Nation

Nation’s Sole MJ Farm Focuses on Limiting Abuse

The WeedMaps.com Blog Source: [ link ] If you live in Los Angeles and are looking to obtain a medical marijuana card, you’re in luck. There are many establishments you can go to that will give you one of these, and chances are there is one in your area. Ever since the state of California legalized medical marijuana, more and more people are creating clinics. In order to get a medical marijuana recommendation, you have to know the process. As the law stands now, this medicine is only prescribed to patients who have particular illnesses that a state has decided can be helped by marijuana. This drug is still illegal by Federal law, no matter what. Luckily, the California laws have directly specified particular illnesses one can get a card for, and they’ve also left it open to “any other chronic or persistent medical symptom” that limits a person’s life activities or can cause serious harm to a person’s physical or mental health (as stated in California SB 420). Some of the serious medical conditions you can get a marijuana recommendation for are: AIDS, cancer, chronic pain, anorexia, cachexia, seizures, persistent muscle spasms, migraines, glaucoma, arthritis and severe nausea. This medicine has also been shown to help anxiety and several other mood disorders. Once you’ve done research and know that the ailment you have has proven to be helped by medical marijuana, you’re ready to go to the doctor. You can either ask your primary care physician to recommend medical marijuana to you, or you can go to a medical marijuana clinic doctor who specializes in recommending this particular drug. To find a clinic where you can get a medical marijuana card in Los Angeles, it’s best to search the internet. Websites like NORML have lists of medical marijuana friendly doctors, and you can also search for a holistic medicine or alternative medicine clinic near you. Call them and ask if they have a doctor who specializes in medical marijuana. Because Los Angeles has a big market for this medicine, it should be easy to find a clinic in your area. If you don’t go to your normal doctor, bring your medical history with you when you see the doctor at the clinic. Tell the doctor what ailment you have and ask if he thinks medical marijuana would help you. If the doctor does, he will write you a marijuana recommendation. This is basically a piece of paper that says you’re a medical marijuana patient and you’re allowed to enter dispensaries and obtain the medicine or grow your own. How you decide to get your marijuana is up to you. Lots of people like going to dispensaries because it saves you the trouble of growing the plants yourself, and usually dispensaries have a great variety of strands to choose from. A lot of these places also have edible goodies you can buy too, if you prefer to ingest the medicine instead of smoke it. There are lots of options at dispensaries, and there are lots of dispensaries to choose from in Los Angeles especially. If you decide to grow your own plants, you’ll need to know how many plants your specific county allows you to have legally. In California, this is not specified by the state law. You can find this out online or you can ask someone from your county office when you go get your medical marijuana card. There are lots of good articles online about how to grow marijuana plants, what type of lights to use and how to take care of them. A marijuana recommendation is all you need to be able to have medical marijuana legally, but California has taken it one step further and made cards as well. They’re statewide and provide an extra layer of protection from cops. These can be obtained through your county and are good for one year, just like your recommendation. You pay a fee and fill out an application to get a card. This medicine has helped many people with serious ailments in California, and it can help you too. If you start the process now, you’ll be on your way to getting a medical marijuana card and be able to reap the benefits of this drug. Post from the original Marijuana blog: MarijuanaNews.com | Cannabis & Marijuana News Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Los Angeles By justin@marijuananews.com (Richard Cowan) Thanks for reading and remember to spread the bud! admin General california dispensaries , cannabis clubs , marijuana dispensaries , medical marijuana dispensaries

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Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Los Angeles – 4638th Edition

The WeedMaps.com Blog The Medical Marijuana Bootcamp provides medical marijuana training , medical marijuana education and mmj  tutorials free to public, released on YouTube HD. It launched 1/1/2010. Reposted from ReeferSmoke.com : As if  Weedmaps and  Nugporn wasn’t enough, on the first day of this new year those clever (and crazy) folks from the  Marijuana News Network launched another new website:  Medical Marijuana Bootcamp . Tang the creator of WeedMaps.com (medical marijuana dispensary finder website) is the brainchild of this new killer project. As (one) of the owners of WeedMaps, he’s in a unique position to speak about the medical marijuana business in general, especially in California, because the site is a meeting place for both patients and collectives and Tang is on first-name basis with many of them, plus has an understanding of the cannabis strains that they purvey, which goes way beyond expert. To not be outdone on the intake and creative output of Tang, a seasoned nug expert was needed, so the dev team recruited the expertise of Chubbs, the founder and connoisseur/weed critic extraordinaire of  MarijuanaReviews.com as well as NUGGETRY SD , the premier cannabis collective located in east San Diego. Chubbs has been actively involved in the marijuana movement since 1989, when he started to;experiment with hydroponics. He started the NUGGETRY delivery service based out of Orange County, CA in June of 2009 and became an overnight success. What’s cool about Medical Marijuana Bootcamp is that unlike their earlier projects the primary form of media is video via YouTube and it’s light-hearted but serious content about the medicinal cannabis strains and the cannabis collectives of California. These videos are not just a couple of stoners quaffing back huge bong hits, although they do, and then mumbling the first random thoughts to the top of their minds, this content is coherent and interesting. The episodes are fairly improv, so their not scripted, they do have meaning and you will gain value in watching. I’m very impressed with this effort and give the Tang and Chubbs to enthusiastic bongs up! Post from the original Marijuana blog: MarijuanaNews.com | Cannabis & Marijuana News Free Medical Marijuana Training Videos — Bootcamp By justin@marijuananews.com (Richard Cowan) Thanks for reading and remember to spread the bud! admin General california dispensaries , cannabis clubs , marijuana dispensaries , medical marijuana dispensaries

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Free Medical Marijuana Training Videos — Bootcamp – 4639th Edition

The WeedMaps.com Blog by Richard Cowan Cowan@MarijuanaNews.com The Kubby/CSI dispute involves some very complicated issues, but my decision to vote to remove him as CEO was based on a few very simple points: First, when someone tells me that if I disagree with him I am therefore a thief, then I really must disagree with him. Second, when agreeing with him would require me to falsely accuse two people of theft, and I do not believe the accusations be true, I would have no choice. It is a question of morality, and simple decency. Besides, I have been slimed before, and there is too much “collateral damage” to the stakeholders, including those who need cannabinoid medicine. Third, when one of the persons being targeted is a leading figure in cannabinoid science, and therefore the company’s most valuable employee, and if he were driven from the company under circumstances that would make it almost impossible to replace him with anyone who was not desperate, it is a question of good business. The point is that Cannabis Science Inc. can be rebuilt by Dr. Melamede, but it cannot be rebuilt by Kubby. Fourth, when I become the target of absurd extortionate threats, I have to conclude that the person making those threats and accusations really should not be running a public company. Finally, when the person accusing others of theft is using company funds for his own purposes and is ignoring the basic practices of corporate governance and doing actual harm to the company, we really must act. Below you will find a very abbreviated history, and some of the recent emails between Kubby and me. After you read them, I think you will understand why I acted as I did, but if you still think that I have looted Kubby’s billions, please tell everyone that I spent it all on sex. That would do wonders for my reputation. RC History: In the Spring of last year, Steve Kubby called me and said that some wealthy friends of his had expressed interest in the pharmaceutical cannabis business, and he was sure he could raise a significant amount of money for such a venture in a short time. I had been acting as Kubby’s “campaign manager” in his unsuccessful bid for the Libertarian Party presidential nomination, so he asked me if I would serve as the Chief Financial Officer, because – many years ago – I had had experience in corporate finance, and he wanted someone he could “trust” in that position. (You will soon see the irony in that, but it seemed logical because I had been defending him through all of his legal difficulties, since his arrest in 1999, and had nominated him for the LP Vice Presidential candidacy in 2000.) I agreed, but Kubby was only able to raise $50,000 from a wealthy neighbor, and that was all that he was ever able to raise, with some dubious exceptions, which we will hear about soon. Kubby was, nonetheless, able to recruit Dr. Robert J. Melamede as the company’s “Chief Science Officer”. Dr Melamede is one of the world’s most respected authorities on cannabinoid medicine, so that was something of a coup. A friend of Dr. Melamede also introduced us – by telephone – to a fellow in Vancouver, Raymond Dabney, who could arrange a “merger” with a public company, which might make it easier for us to raise money. We knew that Dabney had had some problems with the SEC, but we did not consider them serious enough to prevent us from doing business with him. He was the victim of some bad legal advice, but it makes him an easy target. I went to Vancouver and negotiated a deal, but the stock market crash killed it before we could raise any financing. We put together another deal, but everything that could go wrong did, and no one was able to raise any money. Needless to say, I was not getting paid, and I was also feeling my age (I am now 69), and I kept telling Kubby that I did not want to continue as CFO. He asked me to stay on in just a nominal capacity, because he wanted to have someone he could “trust.” During all this time, my stress was greatly aggravated by the problem that Kubby simply could not grasp the nature of public companies, and he said that he did not want to deal with corporate finance. In other words, I realized that I had made a serious error. Inasmuch as we had been unable to raise cash to pay for essential corporate services, Dabney proposed that we use a provision in the SEC rules that would allow us to issue shares for them. The Board – including Kubby – approved the proposal unanimously. I am not an expert on securities laws and/or SEC regs, but the deal was vetted by the company’s lawyer and the shares were issued. I have found Dabney to be both competent and honest, and he has always insisted that everything be done in a legal and honorable way. However, he and Kubby have never gotten along well. In the meantime, Kubby had moved into a large house in the Oakland hills, and was having trouble paying the rent ($3,000 per month). The company’s bills were also mounting, and Kubby was complaining about stress and urging Dabney to sell stock at any price, so he would not be evicted. (Kubby sent that email to all of the company’s employees, and that began a series of increasingly bizarre messages.) Finally, on June 25th, I insisted that my resignation as CFO finally be accepted. Excerpt: “I have been saying for some time that I do not feel qualified to serve in this capacity, and my inability to produce results speaks for itself. Although my health problems are not “life-threatening”, it is clear to me that I do not have the stamina to do the job properly.” Here is Kubby’s response on the same day: “Richard, I regretfully accept your resignation, but only because this appears to be affecting your health.  The last thing we want is for your health to suffer. As for your, “inability to produce results,” I must remind you that the ultimate responsibility for these decisions rests with me.  You advised me, but I was the one who committed us to a program that has not produced the results we all anticipated. I do think you should continue as a Director of CSI. On behalf of the entire Team, please accept our profound appreciation for the work that you’ve done on our behalf. Best wishes,” Steve Then just a week later, on July 2, I received the following email: from Steve Kubby to Richard Cowan date Thu, Jul 2, 2009 at 6:38 PM subject Confidential Full text: “Richard, You know me well enough to know that I never bluff and I never back down. I want you to send me ALL the stock certificates and CFO files you are holding by Monday, July 6th, or I will file charges against you for stock fraud, embezzlement, and bank fraud.” Steve Here is part of my response: July 3, 2009 “Dear Steve, Let peace begin with me. First, you say that I know you “well enough to know”. No, I do not know you at all, because this threat does not come from the Steve Kubby that I have been defending and/or promoting for the last ten years. What a fool I have been! May I remind you that I had been trying to resign as CFO for many months, and you kept begging me to stay because you wanted someone there whom you trusted. Ironic, eh? In fact, nothing would make me happier than to be able to walk away from this deal, but – speaking of ironic – you have made it almost impossible for me to do so, because I have a fiduciary responsibility as a result of the position you wanted me to take and your actions that threaten the shareholders. Second, you say you want me to send you “ALL the stock certificates.” I will be happy to send you the CSI certificate for CANNEX. I do not have a cert in your name, and you have absolutely no right to demand any other certs, but I will also send Bob and Raymond theirs. Heretofore, no one has requested them, but I am happy to get rid of them. Third, regarding the “CFO files”, may I remind you that we have done all of our transactions electronically, and you should have virtually all of these “files”. They all exist in “Googleland”, and you can find them on your own .There really are no physical “CFO files”. Fourth, you threaten that you will “file charges: against me for stock fraud, embezzlement, and bank fraud.” Well, if I had committed those felonies, how would that be cured by my sending you certificates that are not yours and electronic copies of files that you should already have? Actually, you are threatening me with arrest for not making you an accessory-after-the-fact in crimes that – fortunately – I have not committed. Stock fraud? I have done nothing that has not been vetted by the lawyers and approved by the Board, and nothing that I have done is dishonest. Embezzlement? I have taken NO money from any source, directly or indirectly related to CSI, or on its behalf, and I have not been paid anything in such a long time that I have forgotten when the last time was. Bank fraud?  What bank did I defraud? I have had no transactions with any bank on behalf of CSI other than helping you open the WF account. My purpose in going through all the above is NOT to defend myself, but rather in hopes that you will reflect on the absurdity of it all. Unfortunately, your actions over the last few days have given us such grave concerns about your health. Do you really think that Bob, Raymond and I are involved in some sort of vast criminal conspiracy, and plotting against you at the same time? Can’t you see how irrational that is? When you first started this deal you asked me to help you and you said that you would have money in a “week” – or something like that. Now you are saying that Raymond’s plans have failed, but the only deal that you have come close to doing (since Gordon’s $50K) is the now uncertain “C” deal, which would be possible only with the public company that Raymond provided. The serious flaws with the “C” contract you signed without Board approval were confirmed by “C”, but your only response was to announce that you were consulting an attorney about voiding the… deal with the very people who had pointed out those problems. Everyone on that call was astonished by that statement in that context. Also, I assume that you are prepared to proceed without Dr. Melamede, since you say you do not trust him. And after all this, why should he trust you? If you prevail, you will have to have a new Board. Who would want to sit on your Board after what has happened? How are you going to raise money after wrecking the company? What is your plan for going forward with the company? R” As you can see, I raised a number of substantive points asking his plans for how he would go forward, but his response, “No middle ground”, demanded that I again explain a deal approved by him and the lawyers, and ended with this: Excerpt: Dick, “There is no middle ground, now that the fraud is so obvious.  Either you wake up and recognize the fraud and join the effort to expose it, or I can only conclude that you are a willing co-conspirator with Bob and Raymond.” In other words, if I did not agree with him that Dr. Melamede is a thief, then I must also be a thief. Except of course, he had already accused me of being a thief the day before, so I did not feel that there was any point in trying again. That is the sum total of the basis of his accusations against me. As it happens, I have the greatest confidence in Dr. Melamede’s integrity, while I have learned the hard way about Kubby. Don’t Point Your Finger When Your Hand Is In the Cookie Jar: We had also learned that he had proceeded with the “C” deal mentioned above, without Board approval, and he had blocked my access to the Company’s bank account without Board approval, so he could take in $20,000 without Board knowledge or approval, and had paid himself $3,000, without Board approval, while leaving vitally important company obligations unpaid. We have also learned that Kubby used promises of Company shares to borrow money from Company employees and at least one other person without Board approval. The total amount of money involved was not great, but the way he was doing it endangered the company and put the Directors in an impossible position. Consequently, because his behavior had became so irresponsible that the Board had to remove him as CEO, he resigned as a Director and then sent his libelous accusations to the media, claiming to be acting from noble motives. There is one more illustrative point. A month or so ago, Dr. Melamede, who is not a wealthy man, loaned Kubby $2,000 to pay his rent, and Kubby has repaid him only with venom. That reminds me of Mark Twain’s famous line: “A dog won’t bite the hand that feeds him, and that is the principle difference between a man and a dog.” . Now I hope that you will understand why I voted as I did. RC Post from the original Marijuana blog: MarijuanaNews.com | Cannabis & Marijuana News Someone Is Lying: Kubby Fired By Cannabis Science; Accuses Melamede and Cowan of Theft, Etc. Are You A Thief If You Don’t agree With Me? By justin@marijuananews.com (Richard Cowan) Thanks for reading and remember to spread the bud! admin General california dispensaries , cannabis clubs , marijuana dispensaries , medical marijuana dispensaries

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Someone Is Lying: Kubby Fired By Cannabis Science; Accuses Melamede and Cowan of Theft, Etc. Are You A Thief If You Don’t agree With Me? – 4636th…

In our aim to become the best medical marijuana resource on the web we are building up our listings of dispensaries in all legal states.  This will obviously be an ongoing process as medical marijuana state laws and county laws aren’t always the same!  If you have useful information, don’t forget that our medical marijuana forum is designed to be a pooled resource. Alaska California Colorado Hawaii Iowa Maine Maryland Michigan Montana Nevada New Jersey New Mexico Oregon Rhode Island Vermont Washington

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Medical Marijuana Dispensaries State by State

In Denver, CO, four state lawmakers have sent a request to the Attorney General, Eric H. Holder Jr, asking that he stop raids on medical marijuana operations.  The lawmakers say the raids are discouraging dispensary operators and medical marijuana patients and growers from working with them on proposed regulations. The letter was sent by Senators Chris Romer and Nancy Spence and Representatives Tom Massey and Beth McCann. The letter was emailed to Holder yesterday and a copy was sent to President Barack Obama plus officials at the US DEA.  A spokeswoman from the Justice Department declined to comment, although she did say the department would review the letter. Last month, a suburban Denver man who said he was a medical marijuana provider was charged with drug possession in federal court after DEA agents raided his home and found 224 pot plants. Agents became suspicious about the size of the man’s Highlands Ranch operation after he told a Denver television station he expected to make up to $400,000 a year. Agents also raided two Colorado laboratories that test medical marijuana for pesticides and potency after they applied for licenses from the DEA. The operator of one said he was raided on the day he showed up at the state Capitol to testify on some of the proposed medical marijuana regulations. Democratic Sen. Chris Romer of Denver, one of four lawmakers to sign the letter, said he’s most troubled by the laboratory raids since the labs appeared to be in compliance with Colorado marijuana law . He said the Highlands Ranch case is less clear-cut. Romer wants to pass regulations that require dispensaries to grow their marijuana in rural or industrial areas – eliminating neighborhood grows – and have the state keep a confidential database of their location. He said he’s facing resistance because growers fear that the DEA could use the database to crack down on them. “It’s kind of hard to build trust in the environment that’s been created by these raids,” Romer said. Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial, said the federal government shouldn’t be getting involved in any possible violations of Colorado’s medical marijuana law

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Colorado Medical Marijuana Raids Must Stop