cannabisnews.com: NORML's Weekly News Bulletin - April 26, 2007





NORML's Weekly News Bulletin - April 26, 2007
Posted by CN Staff on April 26, 2007 at 12:55:37 PT
Weekly Press Release
Source: NORML
NORML Responds To White House's 'Potent Pot' Scare CampaignApril 26, 2007 - Washington, DC, USAWashington, DC: Data published this week by the University of Mississippi's Marijuana Potency Monitoring Project indicating an increase in the strength of cannabis's primary psychoactive ingredient THC is further evidence of the failure of criminal pot prohibition, NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre said today.
"The federal government spends billions of dollars each year enforcing criminal marijuana laws and what does it have to show for it: more marijuana users, greater marijuana availability, and stronger pot," he said.      St. Pierre added, however, that more potent marijuana is not necessarily more dangerous. "Marijuana poses no risk of fatal overdose, regardless of THC content," he said. "In addition, studies indicate that cannabis consumers readily distinguish between high and low potency marijuana and moderate their use accordingly, just as an alcohol consumer would drink fewer ounces of (high potency) bourbon than they would ounces of (low potency) beer."      St. Pierre also denied claims that the availability of stronger cannabis was responsible for the rise in so-called "marijuana treatment" admissions. "The overwhelming majority of young people in the US referred to 'treatment' for marijuana are there because they violated state pot laws, not because they or their loved ones believed they were suffering ill effects from cannabis," he said. "In reality, this surge in treatment admissions is an outgrowth of enhanced marijuana law enforcement, not enhanced marijuana potency."      For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500 or Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at:  paul norml.orgDL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7245Cannabinoid Receptor Agonist Significantly Reduces Post-Operative Pain, Study SaysApril 26, 2007 - London, United KingdomLondon, United Kingdom: The intravenous administration of low doses of the cannabinoid receptor agonist cannabinor significantly reduces post-operative pain compared to placebo, according to clinical trial data released this week by the Israeli biotechnology company Pharmos Pharmaceuticals.Investigators at London's University College Analgesia Centre assessed the efficacy of single doses of the selective CB2 receptor agonist cannabinor on nociceptive pain (nerve pain due to tissue damage) in 100 volunteers participating in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Researchers reported that the intravenous administration of a 12-milligram dose of cannabinor produced a statistically significant decrease in patients' overall pain versus placebo. Larger doses of the drug did not result in pain relief, investigators noted.Patients in the trial reported no adverse side effects from the drug. Investigators said that the findings are sufficient to warrant additional clinical trials on the use of cannabinor to treat various chronic and/or neuropathic pain conditions.A previous trial found that the intravenous administration of cannabinor reduced both pressure-induced and heat-induced pain in the skin of healthy volunteers. Separate clinical trial data published last year in the journal Anesthesiology reported that low doses of cannabis plant extracts significantly relieved post-operative pain in patients who had undergone knee replacement surgery.Most recently, the February 2007 edition of the journal Neurology reported that inhaled cannabis significantly reduces HIV-associated neuropathy, a painful nerve condition that often goes untreated with standard pain medications.For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at: paul norml.orgDL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7246Join NORML, Tommy Chong, And The Nation's Top Pot Law Attorneys At The 2nd Annual NORML Aspen Legal Seminar April 26, 2007 - Washington, DC, USAWashington, DC: Criminal defense attorneys, members of NORML's Legal Committee, marijuana-law reform advocates, and members of the general public are all invited to join NORML in Aspen, Colorado this June for the 2007 Aspen Legal Seminar.      This two-day conference will take place Friday evening, June 8 through Sunday, June 10 at the Gant Hotel in downtown Aspen, one of the nation's most marijuana-friendly cities.      Featured speakers at this year's event include NORML Advisory Board Member Tommy Chong and famed San Francisco attorney J. Tony Serra.Chong, best known for his work as one-half of the comedy duo "Cheech and Chong," was the victim of a selective federal prosecution in 2003 when authorities sentenced him to nine months in prison for selling marijuana-related paraphernalia over the Internet.Serra, whose legendary clients have included members of the Black Panther Party, the Hells Angels, and the Symbionese Liberation Army, also recently served 10 months in federal prison for failing to pay federal taxes --­ an act he defined as one of civil disobedience. This will be one of the first times he has spoken publicly about his experience.      Other speakers at this year's conference include Gerald Goldstein, past president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys (NACDL) and legal counsel for the late-Hunter S. Thompson; former Seattle Police Chief and current NORML Advisory Board Member Norm Stamper; Aspen Sheriff Bob Braudis; Denver attorney Harold Haddon, whose clients have included pro basketball star Kobe Bryant, Jon and Patsy Ramsey, and the late-Hunter Thompson; and Jeralyn Merritt, television legal analyst for MSNBC and host of the popular website: http://www.TalkLeft.com A complete speakers' list and conference agenda is available online at: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6823      After-hours festivities at this year's event include a Friday night opening reception, a special Saturday night benefit dinner (hosted by Chris and Gerry Goldstein and catered by Aspen chef Chris Lanter of Cache Cache), and a Sunday afternoon cookout at the fabled Owl Farm, Hunter Thompson's legendary Woody Creek home.      Non-lawyers and members of the general public will be able to attend NORML's prestigious legal seminar and social events for a reduced price of $150. Don't miss this unique opportunity to listen to and mingle with national legal experts on issues of marijuana law reform, as well as members of NORML's staff and Board of Directors.      For more information, please contact Keith Stroup, NORML Legal Counsel, at (202) 483-5500 or register online at: http://secure.norml.org/aspen/index.htmlDL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7244Source: NORML Foundation (DC)Published: April 26, 2007Copyright: 2007 NORML Contact: norml norml.org Website: http://www.norml.org/CannabisNews NORML Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/NORML.shtml 
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on April 27, 2007 at 15:24:39 PT
News Article from The San Francisco Chronicle
Seriously Ill Man Gets Probation in Pot Growing Case***By Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff WriterFriday, April 27, 2007OAKLAND -- A Walnut Creek man who pleaded guilty to growing a large amount of what he said was purely medical marijuana was sentenced today to five years' probation after a judge agreed with a federal prosecutor that the defendant's medical condition would make a prison term inappropriate. Snipped:Complete Article: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/04/27/BAG35PGSG739.DTL
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Comment #3 posted by freewillks on April 27, 2007 at 13:27:33 PT
Kathryn Johnston death update
Probe into death of 92-year-old goes beyond officers chargedThe Associated Press - ATLANTA
It started as a federal probe to determine how a botched police raid led to the shooting death of a 92-year-old woman, but it has now expanded into a sweeping investigation into possible corruption in the Atlanta Police Department.
http://www.accessnorthga.com/news/ap_newfullstory.asp?ID=91338
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Comment #2 posted by mayan on April 26, 2007 at 18:22:23 PT
Allen St. Pierre 
"The federal government spends billions of dollars each year enforcing criminal marijuana laws and what does it have to show for it: more marijuana users, greater marijuana availability, and stronger pot," he said.Nice one, Allen! If these prohibitionist dolts were "performing" any other job they would have been fired long ago. They are complete failures.On an unrelated note, we are just another inside job away...Making Martial Law Easier: 
http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20070426100430727THE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...The Evidence Is In: 
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/april2007/240407Evidence.htmNeo-Con "Stop Rosie" Founder Admits Defeat:
http://prisonplanet.com/articles/april2007/260407admitsdefeat.htmFox News Lies, Claims Rosie Was Fired:
http://infowars.net/articles/april2007/260407Rosie.htmImprobable Collapse Invited to Screen at Silver Lake Film Festival:
http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20070426101322614Dr. David Ray Griffin in Vancouver May 16:
http://www.v911truth.org/drg.html9/11 WAS AN INSIDE JOB - OUR NATION IS IN PERIL:
http://www.911sharethetruth.com/
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Comment #1 posted by potpal on April 26, 2007 at 16:11:43 PT
Your tax dollars at work
University of Mississippi's Marijuana Potency Monitoring ProjectUn huh, 'Monitoring', sounds like they suck up federal funds year after year monitoring the potency of pot. What a worthy endeavor. At this pace pot will be 110% THC by 2010. Bring it on. The U of Miss (same place they grow the swag for the 8 or so govt sanctioned medicinal users, right?) best come out with good propaganda or they'll lose there special place in Cannabis Prohibition and their blood money.Coincidently, I've been monitoring the pot-ency of Pot for 35 years too.  
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