cannabisnews.com: NORML's Weekly News Bulletin -- April 13, 2006 





NORML's Weekly News Bulletin -- April 13, 2006 
Posted by CN Staff on April 13, 2006 at 15:18:22 PT
Weekly Press Release 
Source: NORML 
 Alaska: Recrim Measure On Its Way To GovernorApril 13, 2006 - Juneau, AK, USAJuneau, AK: A legislative conference committee voted last night in favor of Senate provisions that seek to overturn a 1975 Alaska Supreme Court ruling (Ravin v. State) upholding the right of citizens to possess up to four ounces of marijuana in the privacy of their homes.
The committee decided to keep the controversial provisions -- which make the possession of less than four ounces of marijuana a misdemeanor and the possession of greater amounts a felony -- as amendments to House Bill 149, which primarily addresses the manufacturing of methamphetamine. The Alaska Senate had approved adding the anti-marijuana provisions to the bill earlier this year, but House members ordered them to withdraw the changes, arguing that they had not been properly debated by lawmakers.House Bill 149 now returns to the House and Senate for ratification, and then to the Governor, who strongly supports the recrim measure. According to a recent telephone poll of 500 Alaskan voters, 56 percent oppose the legislature's effort.If the bill becomes law, it will likely compel the Court to revisit its 1975 ruling. If that happens, NORML Legal Counsel Keith Stroup predicts that the Court will strike down the new law."The right to privacy, enshrined in the Alaska state constitution, is more important to the Court and to most Alaskans than the Governor's ill-advised war on marijuana smokers," Stroup says.In 2004, the Alaska Supreme Court rejected a petition by the state attorney general's office to reconsider a September 2003 Court of Appeals ruling finding that the possession of marijuana by adults within the home is constitutionally protected activity.For more information, please contact Keith Stroup, NORML Legal Counsel, at (202) 483-5500 or visit: http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=8474126DL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6870University Of Maryland Approves "Marijuana Equalization" Initiative April 13, 2006 - College Park, MD, USACollege Park, MD: Students at the University of Maryland voted overwhelmingly this week in favor of a campus referendum calling on officials to decrease university-imposed marijuana penalties.Sixty-five percent of U-Maryland students approved the "Alcohol-Marijuana Equalization Referendum," which demands University officials reduce sanctions for minor marijuana offenses so that they are no greater than university-imposed penalties for alcohol possession."It's time for university leaders to recognize marijuana for what it is -- a relatively benign recreational substance that is less likely than alcohol to lead to violence, riots, or even death," said Victor Pinho, president of NORML Terps, which coordinated the campus referendum, along with the University of Maryland chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) and SAFER (Safer Alternatives for Enjoyable Recreation).NORML, SAFER, and SSDP have previously coordinated similar campus initiatives at Florida State University and the University of Texas at Austin.SAFER, which successfully passed a citywide initiative eliminating municipal marijuana penalties in Denver last fall, is now gathering signatures to place a similar proposal on the November 2006 Colorado ballot.For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, or Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at (202) 483-5500.DL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6871 Tommy Chong To Appear At 2006 NORML Conference In San FranciscoApril 13, 2006 - Washington, DC, USANORML To Screen Documentary A/K/A Tommy Chong At Friday LuncheonWashington, DC: Veteran actor/comedian Tommy Chong has announced that he, along with writer/director Josh Gilbert, will appear at next week's 2006 national NORML Conference in San Francisco to screen their award-winning documentary A/K/A Tommy Chong. The duo will appear on Friday, April 21, from 1 to 3 pm.Chong will also speak to conference attendees on the need to reform America's laws criminalizing the use and possession of cannabis. [QUOTE FROM TOMMY CHONG]In 2003, Chong and members of his family were among 55 people indicted by the federal government for selling glass pipes over the Internet in a sting operation known as Operation Pipe Dreams. Chong was sentenced to nine months in federal prison, fined $20,000, and was forced to surrender more than $100,00 in cash and merchandise as a result of the bust. He was the only person arrested in the nationwide sting who was sentenced to time in prison. Most legal experts believe that Chong was singled out by government officials because of the actor's high profile as a cultural icon among the cannabis community.A/K/A Tommy Chong documents the federal raid on Chong's family-run business, Nice Dream Enterprises, as well as his prosecution, incarceration and release in 2004 through numerous personal and heartfelt interviews with the noted actor and his family. The film has been called "an amusing and sometimes frightening portrayal of eroding civil liberties in modern-day America," by film critic Jason Buchanan of the All Movie Guide."NORML is pleased to bring Thomas Chong to San Francisco to speak first-hand of the injustices of the government's war on cannabis," said NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre. "This will not be an appearance of Tommy Chong the comedian. Rather, this will be an appearance by a man who was targeted by the federal government and served time in prison as a result of this country's misguided pot policies, and who has pledged to use his fame to bring about their long-overdue repeal."NORML's 2006 annual Conference will take place from April 20-22 at the Holiday Inn Golden Gateway in downtown San Francisco. The three-day "extravanganja" will feature presentations from over 50 of the nation's top cannabis activists, educators, and advocates, as well as an awards banquet and auction, live musical entertainment, and a special Saturday evening High Times Cannabis Comedy Night to benefit NORML. Featured comedians include Doug Benson of Best Week Ever, Greg Proops of Whose Line Is It Anyway, Rick Overton of The Aristocrats and many more. The NORML benefit show is at 8pm on Saturday, April 22 at Cobb's Comedy Club.For more information on registering for this year's Conference, please call (202) 483-5500 or visit: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6756 to sign up online.DL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6869Source: NORML Foundation (DC)Published: April 13, 2006Copyright: 2006 NORML Contact: norml norml.org Website: http://www.norml.org/CannabisNews NORML Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/NORML.shtml 
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on April 20, 2006 at 11:04:03 PT
NORML's Weekly News Bulletin - April 18, 2006
They must have released the bulletin early so I am just adding the links to last weeks.http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6877http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6876http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6878
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Comment #5 posted by ekim on April 13, 2006 at 20:44:54 PT
the media darling --Vote Nall ya-all
Nall campaign building steam
http://lastonespeaks.blogspot.com/
Loretta Nall is destined to become the media darling in the Alabama gubernatorial campaign. Her recent press conference was well covered by the local outlets, including radio and TV. And the Montgomery Advertiser wrote an reasonably good piece, although they just had to mention Loretta's pending case for possession of less than a gram of marijuana, that by the way was planted by the police when they raided her home with a SWAT team and helicopter. Not that they mention that part. I guess you can't blame the press for it. Drug reform does define her persona to a great extent since her political experience rests largely on reform activism and the bust makes a good hook for them. Anyway, there's no such thing as bad press unless they spell your name wrong. Wednesday, April 12, 2006 
http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/Idiot DEA agent sues DEA for letting people find out he's an idiotHammer of Truth has the story.
You may remember this guy. He's the DEA agent who was doing a presentation in a school and telling the kids to stay away from guns and that he was the only one in the room professional enough to handle a Glock .40. One second later he shot himself in the foot. And it was captured on video. (Hammer of Truth's got the video in the post. Check it out if you haven't seen it.)According to the Smoking Gun, he's suing the DEA for allowing the tape (recorded by an audience member) to be disseminated. http://leap.cc/events/ 
Apr 18 06 Two Perspectives of America's War on Drugs 12:00 PM Eric Sterling Washington District of Columbia USA 
 Speakers Eric Sterling and Matthew Fogg present "From Policy Making to Interdiction: Two Perspectives of America's War on Drugs" to students, faculty and the public. Eric will discuss the policy making side of the early years of the Drug War and Matthew will discuss the issue of enforcing the laws that the policy makers wrote. Location: Hotung Hall, Georgetown Law School http://www.law.georgetown.edu/ccp/hotung.html 
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Comment #4 posted by mayan on April 13, 2006 at 18:17:01 PT
Debate? Representation???
The Alaska Senate had approved adding the anti-marijuana provisions to the bill earlier this year, but House members ordered them to withdraw the changes, arguing that they had not been properly debated by lawmakers.A debate would have blown the proposed changes out of the water! An honest debate is the prohibitionists greatest fear. Lying cowards!According to a recent telephone poll of 500 Alaskan voters, 56 percent oppose the legislature's effort.That 56% was comprised of folks who were brave enough to voice their true opinions over the phone. It wouldn't surprise me if many more folks felt the same but feared being spied on by their intrusive criminal government! Once again, the people are not being represented. God bless Amerika!On an unrelated note, Phony Tony is now all alone in Europe. The house of cards is falling fast...Blair isolated on Iraq conflict as Berlusconi bows out:
http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article357234.eceTHE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...Charlie Sheen to be on Ellen DeGeneres & Jimmy Kimmel Shows Tomorrow (Fri.)!!! 
http://www.911blogger.com/2006/04/charlie-sheen-on-ellen-degeneres-show.htmlWelcome To The World Of Synthetic Terror:
http://rense.com/general70/synth.htm9/11 families sue TSA lawyer: 
http://www.911citizenswatch.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=849Sept. 11 Widows Demand Answers:
http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20060412225938604The Al Qaeda Myth:
http://www.tompaine.com/articles/2006/04/12/the_al_qaeda_myth.php9/11 Busters:
http://www.911busters.com/
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Comment #3 posted by lombar on April 13, 2006 at 16:58:04 PT
How do they do it?
A better question to ask is if police cannot control drugs in a police station, how could they ever control it in the world in general? 
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Comment #2 posted by Sam Adams on April 13, 2006 at 16:47:53 PT
Maryland
re: FOM's post - not another police evidence locker! The most broken-into places in the whole world! Yep, they're in the most secure place in town, a modern fortress with alarms, locks, 24-hour police presence, but darnit, those "thieves" somehow find their way in! How DO they do it??re: Maryland....remember our Young Republican butt-kissing friend??? How ya like me now, chump? Is 65 percent good enough for you?I quote:
>>>>
The proposal was written by the university’s Students for Sensible Drug Policy leader Damien Nichols and National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws President Victor Pinho. In its original form, the proposal was a binding resolution, which means if 50.2 percent of students supported efforts to change the current drug policies, then the SGA would have to do everything within their power to make sure the administration changed its policies, said SGA academic legislator Kevin Rodkey.“This created some concern because 50.2 percent or even 55 percent of students is not a strong majority, and a drastic change in policy like this should be supported by a strong majority of students,” Rodkey said.Rodkey amended the proposal to make the referendum non-binding. If the majority of students say that the policy should be changed, then incoming SGA leaders will have to decide whether they want to lobby for the changes.
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on April 13, 2006 at 16:10:06 PT
Emeryville Pays $15K For Illegal Pot Plant Seizure
April 13, 2006(BCN) EMERYVILLE -- The city paid $15,000 to a medical marijuana user to settle a lawsuit accusing police of illegally seizing his pot plants, which were later stolen.James Blair of Emeryville said police refused to return 30 full-sized marijuana plants and equipment, including lamps and air filters that were seized in a December 2003 raid.Prosecutors dropped criminal charges against Blair, who uses marijuana legally to alleviate neck pain.In early 2004, thieves broke into an evidence storage cage and stole $35,000 worth of evidence from a number of cases, including some of Blair's plants.Blair said it was ironic that the same plants that were taken from a legal user of the drug fell into the wrong hands.Copyright: CBS Broadcasting Inc.URL: http://cbs5.com/topstories/local_story_103170405.html
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