News Nuggets

MICHIGAN

AG Bill Schuette: MMJ patients don’t automatically lose their kids

If you’re a parent and a patient, that doesn’t mean you’ll automatically lose custody of your kids because you use a plant that grows naturally as medicine. That’s the legal opinion of Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, according to The Detroit News. A judge however, Schuette said, can make a determination about whether or not a parent’s use of medical cannabis creates an unreasonable danger to children.

Schuette had been asked for his legal opinion by state Sen. Rick Jones (R-Grand Ledge). His opinion only applies to patients who have been approved by the state to use cannabis or grow it for others.

Lansing coalition pushes to decriminalize cannabis for those 21 and older

A Lansing coalition just announced a petition drive aimed at reforming local cannabis law. The Coalition for a Safer Lansing petition seeks to eliminate the legal penalties for possession, use or transfer of one ounce or less of cannabis for adults 21 years of age or older on private property.

“It’s important for Lansing to take the lead on this issue,” Coalition spokesman Jeffrey Hank told The Daily Chronic. “Polls and surveys tell us the citizens support cannabis reform. The laws as currently written abrogate constitutional freedoms, waste taxpayer dollars and undermine a more healthy relationship between local people and the justice system. State legislators should see a working model of re-legalization every day. The Capitol City is prepared to make Lansing at the forefront of cannabis reform.”

Last year, voters in several Michigan cities approved charter changes or measures that reduced penalties for cannabis. The Lansing petition has begun circulating.

Davison keeps MMJ moratorium on the books until September

The Flint suburb of Davison has opted to keep its existing moratorium on dispensaries in place until Sept. 12, according to Mlive.com.

“City Manager Michael Hart said at that time there was still uncertainty and case law being discussed that made it difficult for council members to make a decision on dispensaries,” the website reports.

Councilman Paul Hammond had sought to end the moratorium during the May 13 meeting. Councilman Gary Peppin, however, said he felt the moratorium should remain in place.

“There are so many questions to be answered,” he said. “There will be more opinions from the justice system . . . we’ll be in a better position in September.”

In February, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that dispensaries were not legal and violated the state’s public health code.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Protesters—and an airplane—strike out at Attorney General Eric Holder and his “Cannabis War”

Attorney General Eric Holder—already the target of activists’ ire—got an earful last month after protesters swarmed UC Berkeley’s campus to protest the country’s top prosecutor, KGO-TV San Francisco reports. Holder was addressing the university’s School of Law class. Also part of the protest: an airplane, circling for two hours, towed a banner behind it that read: “Holder: End Rx Cannabis War #Peace4Patients.”

The protest was organized by California NORML and Americans For Safe Access.

“Holder can’t come to Berkeley and not be reminded of his department’s bad faith with respect to medical marijuana,” Dale Dieringer, president of Cal NORML, told The Huffington Post.

MMJ activists have harshly criticized Holder and other federal law enforcement officials for the federal crackdown on medical cannabis in the Golden State. Last month, the state Supreme Court ruled that cities and counties have the legal right to ban dispensaries through zoning and land-use policies. Justice also suggested, however, that the situation would be different if legislators and citizens changed the law.

So, what did Holder tell Berkeley students? “You are about to embark on your legal careers in an hour of particular consequence, at a crossroads in history.”

Berkeley mayor and city officials criticize U.S. Attorney

The mayor of Berkeley blasted U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag for her role in attempting to shut down the well-known Berkeley Patients Group (BPG), considered an aboveboard, by-the-book provider of medical cannabis, according to the East Bay Express. BPG moved to its current location after federal officials last year told the San Pablo Avenue storefront it was operating too close (1,000 feet) to schools and sensitive areas. The feds’ complaint this time? Same thing: BPG is allegedly too close to schools.

“There are no schools around there,” Bates declared at a news conference last month. BPG has had “virtually no problems with law enforcement.”

Another Berkeley official chimed in.

Councilmember Darryl Moore said, “To see the atrocities of our Department of Justice, it’s just outlandish and needs to be stopped.”

SAN DIEGO

Former SD Medical Marijuana Task Force chair says AB 473 could fix things

Thomas Jefferson School of Law associate professor Alex Kreit—a former chair of San Diego’s Medical Marijuana Task Force—recently said California’s MMJ issues might be resolved by AB 473, a proposed state bill that would put MMJ regulations and enforcement under the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, according to KPBS.

“This issue has been up in front of the state Supreme Court a ridiculous number of times,” Kreit says. “When you have this amount of court activity around an issue it points to a problem with state law.”

San Diego Mayor Bob Filner still optimistic about regulated access

Despite the fact that the state’s highest court ruled that cities can use zoning regulations to ban storefront MMJ providers, San Diego Mayor Bob Filner says he’s hoping his local government will end up regulating MMJ, according to Fox 5 San Diego. Filner, who has been pushing for MMJ regulations, said “I don’t like it, but that’s the ruling,” regarding the California Supreme Court’s May 6 ruling. “I would hope that our city would move to regulated access.”

City Attorney Jan Goldsmith concurred with Filner, adding “If someone who is seriously ill and in pain and wants to use it, I’m not going to say, ‘no’ or put you in jail for doing that.”

In April, Filner attempted to get his fellow council members to approve his proposed regulations, which allowed dispensaries in commercial and industrial zones and set up annual permit fees and an excise tax, but was rebuffed in favor of stricter regulations originally proposed in 2011.

One On One Patient Association reacts to recent DEA raid

One On One Patient Association—one of the few storefronts left in San Diego—was raided by the DEA last month immediately after association president Kenneth Cole testified in favor of Mayor Bob Filner’s proposed MMJ regulations before the city council.

“I want the federal people to tell the general public—starting with our lawyers—that they have been lying to us for four years or five years or six years if necessary, by telling us that ‘if you do follow all of the guidelines, you do follow all of the rules, we’re not coming after you. You’re not the bad guys. We’re going after drug dealers.’”

Cole did not state whether or not the dispensary would reopen and is in talks with his attorneys.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Los Angeles Councilman Rosendahl “would not be alive today” without MMJ

Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl—who has gone public about his MMJ use—recently said that his cancer has gone into remission. And he says medical cannabis is the reason he’s still alive, according to the Los Angeles Times. “Without it, I would not be alive today,” he told the Times.

The Westside councilman who was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer had previously discussed undergoing 13 radiation sessions and 10 rounds of chemotherapy before realizing that such treatment were not helping. On top of that, pharmaceutical drugs that he was also taking at the time had very negative effects on his body, he said. Rosendahl was diagnosed with cancer of the ureter, which is a tube that connects the kidney and bladder.

“I was able to get six hours of sleep a night uninterrupted and with no pain—that came from medical marijuana,” he told MedicalJane.com.

After serving office for eight years, Rosendahl is stepping down. His chief of staff will take over his post July 1.

Measure D gets the most votes—and creates a cap on storefronts

Voters in Los Angeles lent their support to Proposition D, an initiative backed by the City Council and some older medical cannabis storefront operators that will cap the number of dispensaries allowed in the city to 135. Under the terms of Prop. D, the storefronts that were already operating and registered with the city before a 2007 moratorium was enacted will be eligible to remain open.

Proposition D, which captured more than 62 percent of the vote, raises taxes on storefronts by 20 percent, requires background checks on employees and requires that MMJ providers close between 8pm and 10am. Ordinance F had also proposed to raise taxes but placed no limits on the number of dispensaries allowed to operate (some dispensaries that began operating after 2007 supported F). Ordinance E is very similar to Proposition D (minus the new taxes), but was rendered moot once E’s backers decided to back the City Council-backed Prop. D instead.

California Supreme Court: cities and counties can ban MMJ

Despite a voter approved law that legalized medical cannabis and a political groundswell calling for much-needed changes and reform, the state’s highest court last month ruled that cities and counties have the legal right to ban collectives and other MMJ operations and storefronts.

Since the ruling, some federal and local officials have begun to renew efforts to shut down providers of medical cannabis.

WASHINGTON

Snohomish pig farmer feeds his pigs the swine-r things in life

Call it a win-win situation: The pigs get extra fiber in their diet. A medical cannabis co-op gets a new way to dispose of its organic waste, Medical Daily reports.

Butcher William von Schneidau feeds the pigs at his family-operated Bucking Boars Farms in Snohomish the stems and unusable leaves from Top Shelf Organic. The move reduces the feed costs for Bucking Boars and waste costs for Top Shelf. The pork is sold at BB Ranch Butchers, von Schneidau’s shop in downtown Seattle.

As a tribute to the cannabis-fed hogs, von Schneidau held a five-course, head-to-tail dinner in Seattle’s Historic Pike Place Market. Dubbed the Pot Pig Gig, another event is planned for the summer.

State Liquor Control Board releases proposed recreational use rules, seeks input

The state Liquor Control Board released draft rules for the legalized cannabis marketplace ushered in by the passing last year of Initiative 502. The 46 pages of rules, released May 16, cover product testing, labeling and growing licenses.

The proposed rules would allow retail cannabis stores to remain open seven days a week (from 6am to 2am) and residents and out-of-state visitors to purchase up to an ounce of dried flowers. Cannabis could be grown indoor or in greenhouses. Grow operations are not limited in size or number.

The number and location of retail cannabis stores have not been determined. Concentrates—waxes, budders, hash, etc.—cannot be purchased under the retail framework.

The Liquor Control Board is seeking the public’s input on the proposed rules by June 10. Input can be emailed to rules@liq.wa.gov.

Eleven MMJ storefronts face cease-and-desist orders from the DEA

Eleven providers of medical cannabis received cease-and-desist orders from the DEA last month, another example of the federal government’s ongoing disconnect with Washington state law. Those that received the orders say they have 30 days to comply and close up shop. Federal officials allege that the storefronts were operating within 1,000 feet of a school, and accuse them of selling an illegal drug.

Not everyone is taking it lying down. Douglas Gerdes of Ballard, who runs The Only Natural, says he is taking a stand against these letters.

“I would love for the DEA to come out here and take a look,” Gerdes said to King 5 News, “I’m not doing anything wrong.”

Last August, DEA officials sent 23 similar letters. Those who refuse to close are subject to property seizure and forfeiture.

THE NATION

Anti-cannabis NY Assemblyman Steve Katz cleared of cannabis possession charge

New York Assemblyman Steve Katz—who serves on his state’s Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Committee and has voted against medical cannabis—has been cleared of all pot charges after agreeing to 20 hours of community service, according to The Journal News.

Katz was found in possession of three and half grams of marijuana earlier this year after he was stopped by state police in southern Albany County. The lawmaker was ticketed for unlawful possession and allowed to drive away. In a mailer to his constituents, Katz talked about how “our community has been stricken with an increase in drug use and drunk driving by our youngest citizens,” according to the New York Daily News. He has also criticized his community’s “struggle against illegal drug culture and the abuse of narcotics.”

Katz has yet to reveal why he had cannabis in his possession to begin with.

American Urological Association: Frequent cannabis use linked to lower risk of bladder cancer

The American Urological Association found a strong link between frequent marijuana use and a lower risk of bladder cancer, reports USA Today. This conclusion comes at the end of an 11-year study.

Researchers compared the cancer risk in more than 83,000 men who smoked cigarettes only, cannabis only—or both. Those that only smoked cannabis were least likely to develop bladder cancer. One researcher expressed doubts over the study, stating that the experiment lacked a control group of nonsmokers for comparison, among other factors.

Men have a four-percent chance of developing bladder cancer in their lifetimes, with the odds being one in every 26 people.

THE WORLD

Colombia city officials turn to potent strain to battle homeless’ drug addiction

Colombia’s capital city is going to new, progressive lengths to tackle Bogotá’s drug-addicted homeless population, according to The Miami Herald. Many of the city’s poor and destitute are addicted to bazuco, a cocaine derivative that is just as addictive as heroin. Bogotá’s plan? Replace the bazuco with a potent strain of cannabis.

The cannabis is being supplied by a company called Cannamedic, which is run by former bazuco addict Camilo Borrero. The strain is carefully selected for its powerful psychoactive effects (or “high”) to help bazuco addicts deal with the symptoms of withdrawal and transfer their addiction to a benign plant.

Bogotá’s homeless population is estimated to be about 9,500, and approximately 79 percent of it is addicted to bazuco.