cannabisnews.com: 'Joint Conference' in J'lem Next Week





'Joint Conference' in J'lem Next Week
Posted by CN Staff on October 15, 2006 at 15:37:50 PT
By Sheera Claire Frenkel
Source: Jerusalem Post
Israel -- At a time when Palestinians and Israelis appears on the brink of a new cycle of violence one group has found a way to have the two come together for a whole new purpose - the legalization of marijuana. Aleh Yarok, Israel's branch of the Green Leaf Party, has organized the first ever conference for Palestinians and Israelis to discuss Marijuana Legalization. Scheduled to take place October 25 at the Hebrew University, the day-long event will see speakers from both populations discuss ways in which they can mutually advance their causes. 
"There are so many reasons this is important to us, but first and foremost we want to see peace in the region…peace begins with a shared interest to advance certain goals," said Ohad Shem-Tov, the head of Aleh Yarok. While Israel has emerged as one of the worldwide leaders in the practical application of medical marijuana - last year, a group of doctors at the Sheba Medical Center published findings which suggested that marijuana might be one of the most effective tools in combating head trauma - the issue remains on the fringes of Palestinian society, said Shem-Tov. "Arab Israeli families are facing more and more problems with drug addictions in the family. They are beginning to feel that changing the laws might make the situation better," said Shem-Tov. "For many reasons this issue is not talked about as much, and there is no party that resembles Aleh Yarok in any Arab country. We feel that by bringing this to Arab individuals we are putting it on the map." Among the dozen speakers scheduled to address the conference is Harvard Professor Dr. Lester Grinspoon, often referred to as the founder of the medical marijuana movement due to his research in the field during the early 1970s. "He has somewhat of a cult following," said Michelle Levine, the head of the Aleh Yarok environmental division. Levine invited Grinspoon to address the conference after discovering that the Jewish professor had never visited Israel because he had never been invited to speak at a conference here. According to Levine, the idea for the conference came after the group first tried to send a letter directly to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. "We wrote the letter, but the day before we could send it Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was kidnapped and we felt that with all the chaos going on it was not likely that our letter would get read," said Levine. Source: Jerusalem Post (Israel)Author: Sheera Claire FrenkelPublished: October 15, 2006Copyright: 2006 The Jerusalem PostWebsite: http://www.jpost.com/Contact: http://tinyurl.com/yy25z5Related Articles & Web Site:Dr. Lester Grinspoonhttp://www.rxmarihuana.com/Israel To Soothe Trauma With Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19585.shtmlPot Shots for Israeli Soldiershttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19285.shtmlStudy: Marijuana Eases Traumatic Memories http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13601.shtml
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Comment #17 posted by FoM on October 25, 2006 at 14:16:54 PT
Green Leaf: Marijuana Will End the Conflict
By Yael Ivri October 25, 2006At ‘First Israeli-Arab Joint’ conference at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, pro-marijuana party presents its vision for Mideast peace – through pot: ‘Cannabis brings about a basis for common identity’ Weed for peace? Marijuana may achieve the end of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - or at least so believe members of the Green Leaf party, which organized the First Israeli-Arab Joint conference at Jerusalem’s Hebrew University Wednesday. 
 Chairman of the Green Leaf party, Ohad Shem-Tov, explained the idea behind the conference. “Many youths, Jewish and Arab, act the same due to cannabis. This similarity creates a basis for common identity, identity that exists culturally as well owing to the music created around the use of cannabis. We believe this create a basis for something that can in the future bring peace,” Shem-Tov said. The conference also hosted many speakers. However, most of the speakers preferred to disregard the drug’s peace-generating potential in favor of addressing its health benefits, the need for legalization, and invariable anger against “the establishment.” 'Marijuana Reconsidered'The most conspicuous speaker at the event was Professor Lester Grinspoon, former Harvard lecturer in psychiatry and considered one of the top experts in the world on marijuana and its medical uses. His book “Marijuana Reconsidered” was published in 1971 with the aim of warning marijuana users of harm caused by the drug. However, in the process of writing, Grinspoon started to change his mind. In addressing Green Leaf and their supporters Wednesday, Grinspoon explained that during his research, he started thinking he’d been mislead all 
these years about the drugs negative effects and wanted to try marijuana. However, out of concern this would interfere with the scientific objectivity his research, he decided to delay his first toke – until after the book’s publication. By the end of the conference, Green Leaf’s vision of peace did not seem to be any nearer, especially considering the fact that all the Arab speakers invited to the conference cancelled at the last minute. Copyright: Yedioth Internethttp://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3319707,00.html
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Comment #16 posted by FoM on October 16, 2006 at 14:57:40 PT
Toker00 
I understand what you are saying. It sure is a mess.
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Comment #15 posted by Toker00 on October 16, 2006 at 14:29:40 PT
FoM
They only want the oil so badly because they think it will allow them to continue with this Fascist BS they have gotten away with for so long. When these diabolical people get what they finally want, control of ALL the oil, I hope we, as a people, are strong enough to tell these demons to take all that oil and shove it! Stop driving. Stop shopping. Stop paying into this unsustainable economy. Develop another kind of money, or just stop using it all together. Walk away from the factories and sweat shops. Replace cars with horses or what ever works for your area. Work with and help people become UNPLUGGED from this WAY OF LIFE. BEGIN THE HEALING OF THE NATIONS.Toke.
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Comment #14 posted by Hope on October 16, 2006 at 12:32:39 PT
Thestales
I don't recall seeing your moniker, before. Maybe I missed it...but if this is your first post...I'd like to extend a welcome to you.Thanks for joining us and welcome.
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Comment #13 posted by Celaya on October 16, 2006 at 10:28:29 PT
Rainbow Over The World!
Yes. It's almost impossible for a group of sincere people to sit down and share cannabis and keep rancor in their hearts - especially if that hate is created by superficial, illogical, government propaganda.Rainbow Chapters everywhere!
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Comment #12 posted by Thestales on October 16, 2006 at 09:10:41 PT
Healing of the Nations
If Herb were to end the fighting in the middle east...Just imagine how angry the War mongers would be. I love it!!
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Comment #11 posted by dongenero on October 16, 2006 at 09:02:14 PT
debate-comment #9
I sure would like to see a webcast of this debate. However, I do not see anything on that web site that would indicate a web simulcast.....c'mon public television, one word, internet. Maybe after the fact web access will become available.By the way, how about Marc Emery sponsoring the Middle East conference on cannabis legalization!? Good move, I would say.
Keep it up Marc.
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on October 16, 2006 at 08:38:04 PT
Debate
I wonder if we will be able to watch it live as it is happening?
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Comment #9 posted by potpal on October 16, 2006 at 08:22:38 PT
the debate
On Wednesday...
http://www.kbdi.org/tv_schedule/program_details.cfm?episode_id=186493 
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on October 16, 2006 at 07:21:14 PT
Off Topic
Bush's Petro-Cartel Almost Has Iraq's Oilhttp://alternet.org/waroniraq/43045/
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Comment #7 posted by mayan on October 16, 2006 at 07:03:33 PT
Debate on 44 Wednesday!
It ought to be a goodie...Tune In Wednesday For Live Marijuana Showdown on KBDI:
http://safercolorado.org/blog.htmlTHE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...Loose Change 2E on national TV:
http://911blogger.com/node/3760Al-Qaeda video tape evidence indicts “Azzam the American” but not bin Laden:
http://www.teamliberty.net/id308.htmlPublic's Right To Know - Declassification and Release of Documents:
http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20061015232728654Americans Question Bush on 9/11 Intelligence:
http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm/fuseaction/viewItem/itemID/13469New York Times and CBS News Poll: Most Americans Believe Bushcons Hiding Nine Eleven Crimes:
http://kurtnimmo.com/?p=606Deception Dollar #9 Seeks to Unmask State Sponsored Terrorism: 9/11
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/10/15/18320463.phpPeople For 9/11 Justice:
http://peoplefor911justice.com/
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Comment #6 posted by E_Johnson on October 15, 2006 at 22:38:17 PT
Oh how cool
I met my husband at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. It was a conference. Not peace, physics.
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Comment #5 posted by ekim on October 15, 2006 at 18:49:36 PT
Lester Grinspoon deservers the Nobel Peace Prize
"For many reasons this issue is not talked about as much, and there is no party that resembles Aleh Yarok in any Arab country. We feel that by bringing this to Arab individuals we are putting it on the map." i can not get my head around the statement above. A group of humans that has had the privledge feeling the value of Cannabis and not to have one group allowed to stand and speak is quite shameful
http://www.leap.cc/events
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on October 15, 2006 at 17:33:19 PT
Off Topic: Hawaii
I just want to say that I hope our friends from Hawaii are ok. It doesn't appear that the earthquake caused much damage luckily.
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Comment #3 posted by whig on October 15, 2006 at 17:14:18 PT
The GCW
I mentioned that too:http://cannablog.wordpress.com/2006/10/15/arab-israeli-joint-conference-for-peace/
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Comment #2 posted by The GCW on October 15, 2006 at 17:07:20 PT
Two things.
This article (which I haven't read yet) reminds Me of the very last page of the Bible where We're told:The leaves of the tree of life (kaneh bosm / cannabis) are for the healing of the nations.See Rev. 22!---But I came here today to post this one!US: Marijuana's Active Ingredient May Actually Improve Memoryhttp://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1383/a04.html?397
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Comment #1 posted by Celaya on October 15, 2006 at 16:36:57 PT
This Conference.....
is sponsored by Marc Emery and Cannabis Culture magazine. Wouldn't it be something if peace started there and spread out? How subversive 8^)Way to go, Marc!
Mideast Peace Pipe Conference
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