Judge Stops Anti-treatment Changes to Prop 36

Groups Stand Up for Patients in California

Save the Date: Beyond Zero Tolerance Conference

Federal Medical Marijuana Vote: Breaking Down the Numbers

Judge Stops Anti-treatment Changes to Prop 36

On July 13, a judge in Alameda County, California, issued a temporary restraining order (PDF) to keep a new law modifying Proposition 36 from going into effect. The order was granted by Judge Winifred Smith at the request of Drug Policy Alliance, the California Society of Addiction Medicine, and Cliff Gardner, co-author of Proposition 36.

If implemented, the law, SB 1137, would radically change California's landmark treatment-instead-of-incarceration initiative. The changes would allow people engaged in drug treatment who relapse to be removed from treatment and locked up in jail for several days.

Margaret Dooley, DPA's statewide outreach coordinator for Proposition 36, said, "This legislation is unacceptable. Relapse is a common part of recovery, which doctors say is best handled through treatment. There is no evidence that stints in jail make for better outcomes, and they could indeed have the opposite effect. But SB 1137 is more than just bad policy--this law violates California's constitution."

According to the state constitution, changes that revise the intent of a ballot initiative cannot be made without putting the question to the voters. Daniel Abrahamson, director of legal affairs for DPA, explained, "SB 1137 radically rewrites Prop 36. Prop 36 provides treatment instead of incarceration, whereas SB 1137 allows incarceration during treatment. That's why this case is so clear cut."

In issuing the temporary restraining order, the judge found that the Drug Policy Alliance and California Society of Addiction Medicine had a "substantial likelihood of success" in the lawsuit to overturn SB 1137.

Proposition 36 was approved in 2000 by 61% of California voters. Since then, the initiative has saved the state over $1.3 billion and helped more than 60,000 people with drug convictions receive treatment and lead productive lives.

The next step in the legal proceedings to protect this groundbreaking initiative will be a ruling from Judge Smith on DPA's motion for preliminary injunction, which would keep the law from taking effect until the court rules on its constitutionality. The current temporary restraining order will remain in effect until the ruling on the motion for preliminary injunction.

The hearing for the motion for preliminary injunction will likely take place on August 23. Briefing, oral argument and a decision by the court on the constitutionality of SB 1137 will take place later this year.

Read More

Groups Stand Up for Patients in California

Several medical marijuana dispensaries were raided by federal and local officials in San Diego last week. Against this backdrop of fear and intimidation, drug policy reform groups have taken action to stand up for patients.

The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Americans for Safe Access (ASA) filed a motion on July 7 to intervene in San Diego's lawsuit against the state, which seeks to overturn California's medical marijuana law, Proposition 215.

Daniel Abrahamson, director of legal affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance, explained, "Our motion to intervene will allow the court to recognize the harm done to patients by the county's frivolous lawsuit." Patients are already in a state of fear and uncertainty about access to their medicine, and will be further hurt if Proposition 215 is overturned.

The lawsuit, initiated by San Diego and joined later by San Bernardino and Merced counties, argues that federal laws prohibiting marijuana use invalidate state laws that permit qualified patients to use medical marijuana. The suit challenges California's laws permitting patients to use, and doctors to recommend, medical marijuana. It also challenges a law requiring the implementation of an identification card program to help protect legitimate patients from prosecution by local and state officials.

Abrahamson said, "We are confident the court will require the state's medical marijuana program to be implemented in San Diego, as required by law. Renegade politicians in San Diego are simply postponing the inevitable, while thousands of sick people suffer."

The groups that filed the motion maintain that states are free to implement medical marijuana policies of their own design, even though the federal government is free to enforce its own prohibition on medical marijuana. The California attorney general's office has taken the same stance on this issue.

The state attorney general will defend California's medical marijuana statutes, while the groups are intervening to assure adequate representation of those most directly impacted: medical marijuana patients, and their caregivers and doctors.

Read More

Save the Date: Beyond Zero Tolerance Conference

"New Directions in Drug Education and School Discipline" will be a one-day conference for educators, administrators, and prevention professionals.

October 25, 2006
Fort Mason Conference Center
San Francisco, CA 94123

Registration will be available online August 7, 2006, so be sure to check the BZT website!

For more information, please contact events! at 916.608.8686 or laura@eventswebpage.com .

Continuing Education Units are available for educators, alcoholism and drug abuse counselors, and licensed clinical social workers.

The conference is co-sponsored by the San Francisco Medical Society; California State Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg; San Francisco Department of Public Health, City and County of San Francisco, Office of the Mayor; Marin County Department of Health and Human Services; and Drug Policy Alliance.

Federal Medical Marijuana Vote: Breaking Down the Numbers

At the end of June, Congress voted on the Hinchey/Rohrabacher amendment to prohibit the federal government from undermining state medical marijuana laws. If you have not yet thanked or spanked your representative for how he or she voted, now is the time. Find out how!

The final total on this year's vote was 163 for and 259 against. Most Democrats voted for the amendment, while most Republicans voted against it. Here's the breakdown:

* 144 Democrats voted for it, and 53 voted against it, a support rate of about 73%. This is one fewer Democratic vote than last year, but three Democratic supporters couldn't make the vote. So Democratic support is actually up two over last year.

* 18 Republicans voted for it, and 206 voted against it (a support rate of about 8%). This is three more Republican votes than last year.

* One independent voted for it, the same as last year.

Members of Congress are slowly but surely starting to recognize that their constituents demand compassion and common sense. Make sure to let them know how you feel about the issue

"Jail sanctions will not be an option. If we find or hear about any jail sanctions, we will be back in court immediately seeking an order of contempt." --Daniel Abrahamson, director of legal affairs for DPA, speaking to the Sacramento Bee about the recently-granted temporary restraining order that prevents legislation changing Proposition 36 from being implemented. FACT: Proposition 36 was passed by California voters as a treatment-instead-of-incarceration initiative. To change a voter-approved initiative in a way that subverts its intent is a violation of the state constitution.

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DPA Seeks Director for California Capital Office The director, based in Sacramento, bears primary responsibility for DPA's California legislative advocacy, supervises a small professional office, and serves on the DPA management team. The ideal candidate will have 7-10 years of experience in public policy, legislative and/or governmental affairs, political campaigns or ballot initiatives; criminal justice and/or public health experience preferred. For more information on responsibilities and qualifications, please see the full posting. » Read More

Law Enforcement And The War On Drugs - A Los Angeles Event You are cordially invited to the official launch of Mike Gray's "Law Enforcement Against Prohibition," a short video about the eponymously named group (called LEAP for short) of patrol officers, chiefs of police, judges and more, which works to end the U.S. prohibition on drugs. Please join us on July 27 for a viewing of the video followed by a discussion on the role of law enforcement in drug reform in Los Angeles and beyond. » Read More

XVI International AIDS Conference AIDS 2006 will be one of the most important scientific gatherings in the fight against AIDS, as well as a unique opportunity for science, government, community and leadership from around the world to advance our collective response to the epidemic. Aug 13-18, 2006 Metro Toronto Convention Centre Toronto, Ontario more info 6th National Harm Reduction Conference For the 6th National Harm Reduction Conference - "Drug User Health: The Politics and the Personal" - we have returned to Oakland, one of our home bases and the site of our first national conference, held in 1996. Nov 9-12, 2006 Marriott Oakland City Center Hotel Oakland, CA more info 2nd National Conference on Methamphetamine, HIV and Hepatitis: Science & Response 2007 This year's conference will once again be driven by collaboration and diversity--it will introduce the latest in methamphetamine research and innovative programming to a wide audience. By presenting the spectrum of response to methamphetamine use, we hope to learn from one another by drawing upon what is effective or promising and applying it to our work. Feb 1-3, 2007 Salt Lake City Hilton Salt Lake City, UT more info » More Events

Drug Policy Alliance 70 West 36th Street, 16th Floor New York, NY 10018 For subscription problems please contact Jeanette Irwin, Director, Internet Communications jirwin@drugpolicy.org 202.216.0035

from weedbay.net

and from weedbay.net

A Class With No Drop Outs! Many of us just started growing medical marijuana recently. Some have been growing ‘forever’. Others are old farmers at heart and take to it naturally. Still others show up at the Bulldog Coffee Shop in Oakland and bring their best questions. From great questions come great answers and the whole medical marijuana cultivation process is broken down into plain old’ English. There is a tremendous sense of enlightenment from just a 2 hour grow class. You walk away with a new vigor for gardening and rightfully so. You know more than you did when you first came in and you feel empowered to grow pot better and safer with buds that are bigger and frostier. You feel that you can do it and you are on a mission - then you notice a gleam in the eye of the farmer next to you and you know it’s contagious. Welcome to….. Location, location, location - you’ve heard it before but this time it also involves security, security, security. Tis the season to grow outdoors and with some real life tips on concealing from and dealing with the neighbors are lessons better learned in the grow class than through life experience. We learn from our close calls and if we’re smart we can learn from others near misses too. This is a good place to start the class, it got everyone interested and everyone felt like we were on the same page. We’ve already bonded! With the bonding process complete the group moved into a discussion on safety and new grow and lighting equipment. Here’s where the new advancements in digital ballasts were explained as well as climate control issues. C02, H202, PH and water quality were discussed as were cleanliness and pest control. The benefits of clones over seeds were discussed. The need to quarantine new additions to the garden was emphasized too. We were urged to share our genetics and to help the other patients we know. Strains under development were discussed and we heard about a new purple kush that is going to be available soon. Then the discussion turned to fielding questions from the friendly crowd. This is where we spent most of the 2 hours and it was interesting. A sense of community developed from the good-sized crowd. The instructor kept things moving with handouts and the props made a real show out of it. Good job buddy! Forums and websites offer a lot of help, but with that help comes flames, nit picks, politics, nitwits and posers. By the time you filter out the static noise from the actual information the message can get lost. If you are serious about growing enough medicine to become self-sufficient then you owe it to yourself to attend some of these grow classes. It’s the best investment a patient can make to provide for their future medicine needs. Classes are planned for every third Saturday of the month, 2:30 – 4:30. Watch here for updates. http://growlove.blogspot.com/ The bulldog Coffee Shop 1739 Broadway, Oakland CA

grow class update...

from ICMAG.com

How was the class?

Hey it was great! I've only been to one other grow class and that one was an OCBC grow class with Jeff Jones.

This crowd was bigger and the students had questions written down, and they were good questions. So that kind of made the class, along with the good expert answers. I have my complete review over on the lead page at weedbay.net but I think the highlights of the class were the real world security tips for outdoor farmers and the update on new equipment available. We even got a hint at the new strains local breeders are working on, fascinating!

Mad props to Skrappy for teaching us, the Bulldog Coffee Shop for having us and the grow shop next door to the Bulldog for the props they provided.

The bottom line is if you are serious about growing enough cannabis to meet your medical needs you owe it to yourself to make the investment to attend these grow classes. The clases are free, the only investment is 2 hours of your time.

WAMM update

WAMM update, garage sale and BBQ 7/22

---

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- Friday, July 7, 2006

New filings in Santa Cruz v. Gonzales case, filing motions against San Diego County for not acknowledging Proposition 215 (Compassionate Use Act), and WAMM garage sale!

CONTACT: Ritika Aggarwal,
(831)425-0580 (office), (831)425-0582 (fax), (831)423-5413 (voicemail)

Last Friday, June 30th, the Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana (WAMM) with the city and county of Santa Cruz presented oral arguments in a constitutional challenge to the federal government’s prohibition of medical marijuana. The case, County of Santa Cruz v. Gonzales, represents the first significant challenge to the federal government’s prohibition of medical marijuana since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Gonzales v. Raich.

Attorneys Gerald Uelman, the San Francisco law firm of Bingham McCutchen, Drug Policy Alliance, Ben Rice, and the American Civil Liberties Union argue that the federal government has unconstitutionally attempted to sabotage California’s ability to chart its own legislative course by selectively utilizing arrests, prosecutions and other means to thwart the state’s medical marijuana laws.

In San Diego, the ACLU, American’s for Safe Access, and Drug Policy Alliance moved today to intervene in a lawsuit brought by several CA counties that seeks to overturn the state’s Compassionate Use Act, passed in 1996.

This lawsuit comes one day after a series of raids of medical marijuana dispensaries in San Diego, a county that has chosen to involve the DEA in their actions and disregard the legality of medical marijuana within CA.

Valerie Corral, co-founder and director of WAMM states that “significant harm is caused both to our legal system and to seriously ill people when a city arbitrarily chooses to defy the law.”

The lawsuit, initially brought by San Diego County and later joined by San Bernadino and Merced counties, challenges state laws that permit patients to use, and doctors to recommend medical marijuana under the explicit protection of state law. The lawsuit further challenges the state’s Medical Marijuana Program Act, which calls for the implementation of an identification card program that would allow police to identity legitimate medical marijuana patients in a database.

Although the California Attorney General’s plans to defend the state’s medical marijuana statutes from the counties’ challenge, several groups are intervening in an order to assure adequate representation of those most impacted by the counties’ legal challenge: medical marijuana patients, their caregivers, and doctors.

WAMM is represented by these groups as well, and is a medical marijuana collective in Santa Cruz, California, whose 200 members, a majority of whom are terminally ill, work together with their caregivers to provide free medicine for a variety of conditions to members in the collective. In addition to entering the case, the groups are seeking a court order that would compel the counties to abide by and implement California’s medical marijuana laws. The groups are also asking the court to affirm that the state’s medical marijuana laws are not preempted by contrary federal statutes.

Despite these challenges, WAMM will continue to operate, although desperately needing funding. On July 22, from 10-4pm, WAMM will be hosting a garage sale with BBQ and live music at 815 Almar Street to raise money for its members in need.

http://www.wamm.org

Victory! CA Six Flags Stops Seizing Medical Marijuana

---

From: steph sherer
Subject: DPFCA: Victory! CA Six Flags Stops Seizing MMJ
Date: Thu, Jul 13, 2006 04:14 PM

July 13, 2006

** Victory! CA Six Flags Stops Seizing Medical Marijuana **


Dear Friend,

When medical marijuana patient and pro-athlete fishing champion Donuel Bruno took his wife to Six Flags theme park, he was expecting a day of rides and laughs.

Instead, security guards at the theme park found his medical marijuana and
destroyed it.

"The security guard told me that my [medical marijuana] recommendation
didn't count because I wasn't a federal patient. Then he seized and
destroyed my medicine," said Donuel. "$100 worth of medicine was a lot
to me because I was on disability. I couldn't believe how misinformed the security guard was."

Outraged, Donuel called ASA to explain what had happened. ASA's legal team
immediately informed Six Flags Theme Park that its action violated the
Compassionate Use Act
.

As a result of ASA's demand letter, CA Six Flags changed their policy on
medical marijuana. Today, security is instructed to ask medical marijuana
patients to return their medicine to their vehicle instead of destroying it.

We are continuously working hard to protect the everyday rights of medical
marijuana patients. Providing direct services such as our legal call-in
program and peer
counseling enables ASA take quick action when situations like Donuel's Six Flags incident occur.
These programs also help over 100 patients a day navigate the legal system,
understand state laws, and connect with others in their community.

* We depend on gifts from supporters like you to continue providing free services to patients.

* Please make a one-time donation or become a monthly ASA Sustainer.

* It's easy. Just click here and to donate: http://www.safeaccessnow.org/donate.

"Thanks to ASA's quick action, the rights of medical cannabis patients
will be honored by Six Flags," said Donuel Bruno. "Six Flags said they
would compensate me $100 to cover the cost of my destroyed medicine. I'm going to donate half of it, or $50, to ASA. I hope that you will join me in donating at least that much to this invaluable organization!"

Americans for Safe Access is the nation's largest organization of patients,
medical professionals, scientists, and concerned citizens promoting safe and
legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research. We provide media
support for court cases, activist training to organizers, and rapid response
to law enforcement encounters. We work with local, state, and national
legislators on issues concerning medical marijuana patients. Our successful
media and legal campaigns have resulted in important court precedents, new
sentencing standards, and more compassionate community guidelines.

Thank you in advance for supporting ASA. We can win this together!

Warmest Regards,
Steph Sherer
Executive Director
Americans for Safe Access

P.S. ASA is pleased to report that Donuel's health has improved, and he
will be returning to the professional circuit of bass fishing in the
upcoming 2007 season. You can reach Donuel at fishboy420@comcast.net

P.P.S Have a legal question or want to report a violation of the
Compassionate Use Act? Call our toll-free hotline at 1-888-929-4367

__________________________
long live overgrow

Have a legal question or want to report a violation of the Compassionate Use Act? Call ASA's toll-free hotline at 1-888-929-4367

Links about the Bulldog Cafe.

http://oaksterdamnews.com/content/view/154/48/

http://www.weedbay.net/comments.php?catid=1&shownews=104

http://www.berkeleypatientsgroup.com/

Thanks to weedbay.com for all the help.

Grow Class this Saturday 2:30-4:30

Thanks to the Bulldog coffeeshop for providing us a place to meet and discuss growing our own medicine. Our class will be Saturday, July 15th at 2:30 at the Bulldog Coffeeshop 1739 Broadway
http://oaksterdamnews.com/content/view/140/62/
The class is FREE to medical patients.
I am so happy the patients will still be able to come and ask questions. Medicine is not cheap and patients need to sieze control of their destiny and GROW THEIR OWN.
Thanks again to Richard Lee and the Oaksterdam News for giving us a place free of charge for the patients for whom none of this would happen without.

Biblical quotes....

From Genesis 1:29....

And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.







From Revelations...

22:2 in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Alert: Kern County (Bakersfield area) supes meet 6/13 to let Sheriff regulate MMJ

---

To all whom support liberty.
Please call the board of supervisors to oppose this ordinance.
A clear violation of the constitution.
Prop 215 kept law enforcement out. This is between the doctor and patient
Thanks,
Doug McAfee,
president, Bakersfield NORML
873-1703

KGET
June 9th, 2006

Kern County Board of Supervisors will be considering an emergency
ordinance to govern medical marijuana stores operating in the county.

If the ordinance passes Tuesday, the Sheriff's Department would get a
list of every patient who fills a pot prescription.

Even though they're illegal under Federal Law, there are four
dispensaries operating in Kern County because State Law permits them.

Chief Deputy Sheriff Willy Wahl said those stores are completely un-regulated.

Wahl has asked Supervisors to enact legislation allowing the
Sheriff's Department to license and inspect the stores, and to
inspect all records of the facilities

That would include sources of the pot and who it's sold to.
------
California NORML (415) 563-5858 // canorml@igc.org
2215-R Market St. #278, San Francisco CA 94114

More J4J photos

http://medmarijuana.meetup.com/119/photos/

These are from Colorado...

Well done folks.

J4J update..

They're headed home. I heard from them in Kansas. They have been away from family for a long time and will take some time off but expect a dvd soon of all their adventures and the interviews too. Get some rest guys, it was good having you here.

Journet for Justice update...

We are currently in the Comfort Inn in Carlin, NV. We left out of Eddie’s place late this morning.

We had a great visit there at the Lepp estate. There’s a wealth of knowledge there. The three of us spent our stay, mostly, just listening. After two days, Ken was ready to start heading east. At this rate, it shouldn’t take long to make North Carolina.

I won’t be staying there very long. I’ll be heading south to meet up with another team member to get started on our video. Beyond the testimony clips, we’re going to do all we can to convert the thirty plus video tapes into promotional cd/dvd/s and, hopefully, a documentary.

We will be cleaning up the new website and hopefully, we’ll be getting the migration to the new site done once and for all.

Plans for the next bike ride are already in the works. The planning will continue some weeks after Ken and Cindy are able to get re-acquainted.

I’m anxious to get back to recording testimonies. I can’t help but feel these interviews could be instrumental in changing the hearts of America. I will be doing everything I can to generate the funds to get me back on the road, on my own this time – much more economically. This brings me back to you. I will be coming back to California, but next time, I want to plan things out very deliberately. So, I hope we’ll be working together again.

Anyway, call any time…..

Mark

http://www.j4j7.info

314-422-4524

Markdpedersen42004@swbell.net

Journey for Justice update...

I talked with them today and they stayed at Eddy Lepp's farm and were introduced to many patients there. Anyone else up there near Lake county or nearby who want to do interviews and/or testimonials should give them a call...

Ken Locke 828-506-0659
Mark Pedersen 314-422-4524
the website is:

http://www.j4j.info

THANKS TO ALL SUPPORTERS!!!!

Thanks to weedbay and Dopey Taylor for his support and Karmical for covering the event with all the photos. Much thanks to the bulldog and Oaksterdam news for hosting the event and thanks to the Berkeley patients group for being incredibly supportive of these weary travellers. Without all of the above people, this event would not have happened and the Journey for Justice would be on the side of the road struggling. They are making hard decisions now about going up the coast to the Seattle Hempfest and I hope they are able to continue as it costs about $100 a day for food and logistics. I'd write more but I've been up all night e-mailing folks for support. Anyone out there know the Seattle Hempfest people? I'd hate to see these guys get there and not be able to make a speech. Please get involved NOW and pm me if you can help going north on the 101 or the 5 above Grant's pass, Oregon.