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A Good Day-Day
Comic and actor Mike Epps opens up about why cannabis is an alternative medicine. 20 Three the Hard Way? It looks like LA patients will be sorting through a triplet of MMJ initiatives in May. 22 Godfather of Compassion The man, the myth, the legend—Dennis Peron tells us the future looks bright. 28 Cancer Answers? A talk with cancer/ MMJ pioneer Dr. Donald Abrams regarding the cannabis-cures-cancer narrative.
34 In Case of Emergency What to do if your local MMJ storefront gets raided. 36 Getting Up There How the ills of aging can be treated naturally. 40 Creature Comfort Don’t give your best buds to your best friend. 42 Tokyo Tea The Land of the Rising Sun revered hemp and cannabis. 46 Mother Load When parents need to prep their kids about the plant. 54 Total Recall Cannabinoids may be the answer for a treating for Alzheimer’s disease. 60 Taking Sides Pot Inc. writer Greg Campbell goes from writer to revolution. 64 Solar Flair Rival Sons get a bluerock endorsement from a legend. 68 Head Games The metal miscreants of Neurosis continue to defy boundaries. 70 Spin Class According to Sander Van Doorn, we’re more progressive than Amsterdam.
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departments 12
Letter from the Editor
Some people just don’t understand the real meaning of pain and suffering.
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News Nuggets
Cannabis makes headlines here, there, everywhere—and we give you the scoop—PLUS our latest By the Numbers
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Visit Luang Prabang, Laos, for a glimpse of laidback locals and rice-hungry monks.
Strain & Edible Reviews
Our ever-popular sampling of amazing strains and edibles currently provided by your friendly neighborhood dispensary.
Profiles in Courage
Our latest feature provides insight into the life—and struggle—of a medical cannabis patient near you.
Healthy Living
Looking for a connection between violence and drugs? Start with anti-depressants.
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Cool Stuff
From the Sumo Lounge to the GravityLight, if it’s a cutting-edge product or cool lifestyle gear, we’re all over it.
SHOOTING Gallery
Here are the green-friendly things we saw you doing around town.
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Destination Unknown
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LEGAL CORNER
Attorney Meital Manzuri spells out the latest developments in SoCal.
GREEN SCENE Show love for humanity this Valentine’s Day.
Recipes
Feeling presidential? You will be after sampling this inauguration-inspired menu. Happy Presidents Day!
Entertainment Reviews
The latest films, books, music and more that define our culture—plus Kevin Longrie’s best Liner Notes ever!
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126 | let’s do this 132 | News of the Weird 8 CULTURE • FEBRUARY 2013
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letter from the editor
Vol 4 IssUE 8
Publisher
Jeremy Zachary
GET YOUR CLICK HERE
www.iReadCulture.com
Roberto C. Hernandez Editor-In-Chief
Editor-in-Chief
Roberto C. Hernandez
Editorial Contributors
Dennis Argenzia, Ashley Bennett, David Burton, Michael Carlos, Grace Cayosa, Jasen T. Davis, Stacy Davies, Alex Distefano, David Downs, Jesse B. Gill, James P. Gray, Lillian Isley, David Jenison, Liquid Todd, Kevin Longrie, Dan Macintosh, Meital Manzuri, Bruce Margolin, Jane Mast, Sandra Moriarty, Assia Mortesen, Damian Nassiri, Arrissia Owen, Paul Rogers, Jeff Schwartz, Lanny Swerdlow
Understanding
Pain If you’re human, you’ve experienced pain. Everyone does. Chances are, you might be in pain right now—which is likely the reason why you turned to God’s green plant for relief. And pain can take many forms. It can range from the soul-killing pain you undergo battling cancer, chemo and radiation treatments. There’s the excruciating, down-to-the-last-white-hot-nerve pain of a broken back or a cluster headache. There’s the profound pain and discomfort of diabetes, multiple sclerosis and muscle spasms. And there’s the crippling psychological pain of stress and anxiety. To paraphrase country music and cannabis icon Willie Nelson, stress “is the biggest killer on the planet, and the best medicine for stress is marijuana.” So, there are all types of pain, and, thank goodness, we can use cannabis to tackle it. Unfortunately, the fact that we experience pain and some of us opt to legally use a plant instead of an opioid to treat it doesn’t sit well with some people. Exhibit A: Arizona lawmaker John Kavanagh. The state legislator recently proposed a measure for the 2014 ballot that would rescind that state’s Medical Marijuana Act, which passed in 2010. What’s Kavanagh’s problem? Well, several things, but he’s upset over the fact that MMJ cardholders in Arizona say they use cannabis for, among other things (and those “other things” include cancer, hepatitis, glaucoma, Alzheimer’s disease, HIV/AIDS, Crohn’s disease and nausea)—
Photographers
pain! Yes, pain. More than 30,000 patients list cannabis as their med of choice for chronic pain. Ah-ha, Kavanagh (a former cop) must have thought, since, in his mind, “vague, ill-defined, impossible-to-disprove” pain complaints suggest abuse. “This is what critics feared: that [Arizona’s MMJ program] would be abused by people saying they had a bad back, and that’s apparently what we’ve gotten,” he told media outlets. So—let me follow the argument here—because lots of people decide to treat their pain with a plant instead of a pill, that’s bad and grounds for potentially shutting down an entire state’s voter-approved MMJ system?!?!?! Kavanagh’s so wrongheaded he won’t even allow an exception for cancer patients to use cannabis if his measure was successful. Wow. What do the “real” experts say about chronic pain? According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. Such pain affects more people than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. Pain costs our country anywhere from $560 billion to $635 billion in health care costs each year, according to 2010 data. Besides the terminal conditions, lower back pain, headaches/migraines and neck pain are the most commonly reported types of pain. Pain is real. Your pain is your own. Only you and your doctor can make a decision about how to treat it. And if you’re lucky to live in an MMJ state, you have the right to use cannabis for the health benefits it provides—don’t let others take that choice away. Never mind what John Kavanagh—and other wrongheaded prohibitionists—say. He’s just being a pain. c
Steve Baker, Tony Catalan, Bettina Chavez, Kristopher Christensen, Michael Gifford, John Gilhooley, Fausto Gonzales, Roxanne Haynes, Amanda Holguin, Khai Le, Mark Malijan, PJ Russo, Michael Seto
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THE STATE Santa Ana dispensary initiative drive submits signatures
Signatures gathered in an effort to legalize dispensaries in Santa Ana were forwarded last month to the Orange County Registrar of Voters, the Orange County Register reports. The Registrar has until March 11 to determine if there are enough valid signatures to place an initiative on the city ballot. The City Council banned dispensaries in 2007. The Medical Cannabis Restriction and Limitation Initiative would allow dispensaries to register with the city and operate in certain zones—in return for a 2-percent tax. A ballot committee submitted nearly 17,000 signatures. If there are enough valid signatures, the measure could end up on the 2014 ballot or a special election.
case, People v. Jackson, essentially overturned a prior decision by a trial court that convicted a San Diego dispensary operator on cannabis charges, and questioned the legitimacy of the collective. The court also denied efforts by several agencies (including the San Diego District Attorney’s Office) to de-publish the ruling. When a decision is published, it can be cited as legal precedent. “This decision establishes that storefront dispensaries are unquestionably legal under California law and that localities cannot continue to rely on their now-discredited view that all sales of medical marijuana are illegal in order to support their ongoing attacks on medical marijuana dispensaries,” Joe Elford, chief counsel for Americans For Safe Access, said on the group’s website. The court also said that a collective or co-opt is legal even if not all members of the group are actively involved cultivating and providing medical cannabis. A member’s involvement in a collective “may be limited to financial support by way of marijuana purchases from the organization,” the court ruled.
Former Inland Empire dispensary figure Aaron Sandusky sentenced to 10 years
Despite operating under California’s medical cannabis laws,
Aaron Sandusky, owner of the G3 Holistic chain of Inland Empire dispensaries, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on Jan. 7. Last October, he was found guilty of conspiracy to manufacture cannabis plants as well as the intent to distribute 1,000 plants. The judge did not allow Sandusky to use California’s Compassionate Use Act as a defense.
breakdown of MMJ applicants shows 90 percent of patients cited using cannabis for severe and chronic pain as opposed to terminal illnesses or cancer, for instance. Arizona’s Medical Marijuana Act passed in 2010.
Cannabis Unity Conference scheduled for the nation’s capital
In an effort to continue pushing the cannabis cause and fighting for patients’ rights, Americans for Safe Access, (ASA), has announced a “Unity Conference” aimed at bringing together activists and experts. The “Bridging the Arizona lawmaker trying to Gap Between Public & Policy repeal state’s MMJ program – Americans for Safe Access National Medical Cannabis Unity in 2014 Conference is scheduled for State Rep. John Kavanagh is Feb. 22-25 in Washington, D.C. proposing a ballot measure for The event is also geared as a 2014 that could end Arizona’s networking opportunity that will medical cannabis program, include exhibitors, scholarships radio station KTAR-FM reports. and other events. The lawmaker alleges there is evidence that suggests provisions of Proposition 203 are being subverted by recreational users. But patients and activists slammed Kavanagh’s proposal. “We see a lot of patients, people who really use it as a medicine, people who are tired of taking painkillers and other pills that just do more damage to the body,” weGrow owner Sunny Singh told KTAR-FM. Kavanagh says the state Department of Health Services’
THE NATION
MMJ defense and storefront dispensaries are legal, court says A recent state Supreme Court ruling suggest storefront dispensaries can legally operate in California and those facing cannabis-related crimes can use their status as MMJ-compliant as a legal defense, according to media reports and activists. The 14 CULTURE • FEBRUARY 2013
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Some of the discussions and presentations include “The Science of Medical Cannabis” and “Lobby Day,” in which ASA supporters will get an opportunity to advocate to members of Congress via face-to-face meetings. Tommy Chong
THE WORLD
High Times Medical Cannabis Cup
More Mexican leaders leaning on the side of legalization
From a country long decried as the source of black-market cannabis, Mexico’s own political leaders—prompted by developments in Colorado and Washington—appear to be leaning towards a more commonsense approach to regulating the controversial plant. The country’s new president, Enrique Peña Nieto, recently told CNN that legalization measures in the United States might prompt his administration into “rethinking the
strategy.” The governor of the Mexican state of Colima has proposed a legalization referendum. A left-wing lawmaker, Fernando Belaunzaran, has introduced a national legalization bill. Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera called for a national legalization forum right before voters in Washington and Colorado approved measures allowing minor cannabis possession for adults 21 and over.
by the numbers
6
The number of medical conditions that qualify MMJ patients in Connecticut: 11 (Source: Hartford Courant).
10
The total number of plants that cultivation centers in Washington, D.C., can grow: 95 (Source: The Washington Post).
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The number of regulations (in pages) governing Washington D.C.’s, MMJ program: 96 (Source: The Washington Post).
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The number of dispensaries shut down in San Diego last year: 200 (Source: Medical Marijuana Business Daily).
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The minimum number of years of experience that Washington state officials are looking for in a cannabis consultant: 3 (Source: Puget Sound Business Journal).
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The number of dispensaries in Imperial and San Diego counties that received cease-anddesist letters from the federal government: 253 (Source: The Associated Press).
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The business tax (in dollars) for every $1,000 in medical cannabis sales, according to a proposed Los Angeles City Council initiative: 60 (Source: KCET).
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How long (in days) a La Habra emergency moratorium on dispensaries can last: 45 (Source: Orange County Register).
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How long (in months) the La Habra moratorium can be extended for: 22 (Source: Orange County Register).
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The percentage of Iowa residents who support the medical use of cannabis: 64 (Source: Des Moines Register Iowa Poll). The number of MMJ cardholders in Montana as of November 2012: 8,404 (Source: Department of Public Health and Human Services).
9
The number of MMJ cardholder in Montana who rely on cannabis providers: 5,211 (Source: Department of Public Health and Human Services).
The estimated number of Israelis who were licensed to use medical cannabis in 2009: 400 (Source: The New York Times). The estimated number of Israelis who are currently licensed: 11,000 (Source: The New York Times).
There’s nothing better than waking up in California knowing that it has nothing but the best: best weather, best people . . . and best MMJ events. The High Times Medical Cannabis Cup is one of those recently added events to L.A.’s already impressive arsenal of things to do. Awards will be handed out for the top medical sativas, indicas, edibles and more—but winning isn’t everything. You can learn new techniques through activism sessions and cultivation seminars and you can witness the great Tommy Chong receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. An outdoor medicating area will allow California residents with medical cards to consume their herbals while performances by The Game, Redman and other artists can be enjoyed by all who attend. Seminars and panels will include “Legalize LA,” “Free Weed” and a “Dab Panel.” The cup may only be allowed to choose one winner in the end, but no one leaves a loser at this event.
IF YOU GO
What: High Times Medical Cannabis Cup. When/Where: Feb. 1617, Los Angeles Center Studios, 451 S. Beaudry Ave., Los Angeles. Info: Tickets $30-$85. Go to www.medcancup.com.
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FLASH
3
Third Time’s the Charm Los Angeles officials propose a new, third dispensary ordinance—which activists support! {By Jasen T. Davis} This May, Los Angeles voters will potentially have up to three dispensary-regulation measures on the ballot to choose from—two that are already on the ballot. Last month, the Los Angeles City Council voted 11-1 to propose the legal language for a third new initiative, which has been described as a hybrid of the other two. Councilman Paul Koretz is the sponsor of the new initiative, which includes limited immunity for owners and workers, increases taxes on dispensaries throughout the city, calls or legal background checks for workers and requires that dispensaries operate at least 1,000 feet away from areas like public schools, parks and libraries. The new initiative also reduces the number of dispensaries currently operating in the city from more than 1,000 to around 100 that can prove that they have existed since September 14, 2007. The Medical Marijuana Regulation and Control Act, originally sponsored by The Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance (GLACA), Americans for Safe Access (ASA) and UFCW Local 770, is similar to the new initiative that has been filed by LA. Both initiatives offer limited immunity from prosecution in exchange for
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increased taxes, regulation and would close hundreds of currently existing dispensaries throughout Los Angeles. Surprisingly, GLACA has formally voted to support the new initiative (and essentially abandon the old one they had sponsored— it was too late to withdraw it). GLACA President Yamileth Bolanos says she is pleased with the results. “The new initiative gives us everything that we’ve wanted,” she says. “The only difference between ours and theirs is the six-percent tax increase at this point, so we’re very happy to stand with the city on this initiative.” Bolanos is confident that voters will approve of the new regulations when they hit the polls a few months from now. “We’re looking forward to a complete victory in this area in May,” she says. In contrast to these two initiatives, The Regulation of Medical Marijuana for Safe Neighborhoods and Safe Access, sponsored by the group Angelinos for Safe Access, sets no limit on the number of dispensaries operating in the city. The legal language of this initiative is otherwise somewhat similar to the others. Don Duncan, California director and co-founder for ASA, a grassroots organization dedicated
to promoting safe access to medical cannabis, has announced that his organization approves of the city’s new initiative. “Americans for Safe Access is also supporting the LA initiative,” Duncan says. “We hope that the whole community can get behind this, including providers, patients, the city, law enforcement, so that we can ultimately prevail at the ballot box.” Once the legal language of the new initiative is official, portions of it can be modified to the benefit of all parties through further legislation in a court of law. “Hopefully then, as we go on, we can improve the law as time goes by once we get it adopted in May,” Duncan says. However, not everyone supports the new initiative. City Council members like Jose Huizar, Mitchell Englander, Jan Perry and Bernard Parks have repeatedly renounced attempts to legislate medical cannabis dispensaries by the city, claiming that the underlining legality of medical cannabis sales is still nonexistent. “The council continues to support a dispensary model for how marijuana is distributed when a dispensary model is illegal under state law,” Huizar says. “A sale of marijuana is illegal, whether you do it over the counter or in the street.’” c
Bern, Baby,Bern Los Angeles City Councilman and former Police Chief Bernard Parks isn’t a fan of LA’s latest attempts to regulate MMJ. Parks says the city shouldn’t try to legislate the industry until the federal government reclassifies the plant from a “dangerous” drug to a plant with medical properties. “I don’t think we can tax contraband,” he said, according to the Los Angeles Times. Parks says he opposes all three initiatives and plans to launch an opposition campaign. Good luck, Bernie.
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FLASH
“This is a Civil Rights Issue.” Dennis Peron, the father of California’s MMJ movement, assures us that the times they are a-changin‘ {By Jesse B. Gill} In the world of medical cannabis activism, Dennis Peron’s name looms large. For decades, he’s been a tireless force for patient’s rights, never wavering in his quest to see cannabis decriminalized. He’s been arrested 22 times, he’s been subjected to police raids and he’s been shot, all in the name of his cause. Today, this activist moves a little more gingerly and speaks a little softer. He’s 66 and he says he suffered a stroke two years ago. “I’m a little older and a little slower and not quite as clever as I used to be,” he told CULTURE, shortly before he took part in a “Medical Marijuana Icons” seminar and honorary dinner last month. A lot has changed since 1996, when Peron co-authored Proposition 215, now a law regulating the use, possession, sale and distribution of medical cannabis in California. One thing that hasn’t changed is the federal criminalization of medical cannabis. For California’s (and later, the entire country’s) medical cannabis patient community to really see real change and freedom, Peron says the country’s policymakers have to change the way federal
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law enforcement views cannabis users. So far, that change hasn’t come. “It will change,” he says. “I hope it happens in my lifetime.” Even with such federal obstacles, things are changing in other parts of the country. At the start of the new year, Washington and Colorado became the first states to legalize limited recreational cannabis use by adults 21+.
The Struggle Continues Just like other civil rights struggles, there have been casualties in the fight to legalize medical cannabis. The federal stance was brought into sharp focus Jan. 7, when Aaron Sandusky, owner of an Inland Empire-based dispensary chain, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute. Sandusky’s attorney maintained that his client operated within the provisions of Prop. 215. That didn’t matter to the U.S. District Court judge, who only observed federal law . . . rendering Prop. 215 null and void in that courtroom. Peron says Sandusky’s conviction is the feds’ vindictive reaction to Prop. 215. “They use intimidation, fear and the power of the state to stop us,” he says. “I’ve never seen such a show of force.” Peron doesn’t believe in recreational use—rather he believes all use stems from a medical need, regardless of what the user hopes to accomplish. “Even for people who say they use [cannabis] recreationally, they are treating issues in their own minds,” he says. And while the new laws in Washington and Colorado may suggest a change in attitude,
Someday, my people will be free. I may not be alive to see it. But someday, it might happen in my name.
Photo by Kristopher Christensen
Peron says they don’t help in efforts to legalize medical cannabis as it acknowledges the federal definition of the plant as a recreational drug. Peron likened the stigma and persecution faced by medical cannabis patients to the unbelievable hardships faced by America’s black and LGBT communities (Peron is openly gay). “This is a civil rights issue,” he says. “It’s always been a civil rights issue. This country has a history of fighting [for] civil rights.” But also like other civil rights fights, Peron says the country is making progress toward change, mainly in terms of its attitude. He says if he wrote Prop. 215 today, it would pass with 80 percent of the vote. Peron speaks of America in glowing terms. He says he loves this country, despite its resistance to social change. He loves the idea of a mix of people, races and cultures. He likes to speak of a day when everyone would be free to use cannabis as they see fit and that freedom would lead to a “reign of peace.” “Someday, my people will be free,” he says. “I may not be alive to see it. But someday, it might happen in my name.” c
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FLASH
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At press time, California’s highest court was scheduled this month to determine whether or not local governments can ban dispensaries. The California Supreme Court is expected to begin hearing oral arguments on Feb. 5 in San Francisco. The case, City of Riverside v. Inland Empire Patients Health and Wellness Center, was sparked by the Riverside County city’s efforts to ban and sue dispensaries. The Supreme Court’s ultimate decision could be significant in light of the fact that state legislators have failed for years to clearly define and detail California’s MMJ cannabis laws and several lower courts have issued contradicting opinions on similar local matters in Los Angeles and Long Beach, for example. It is estimated that roughly 200 cities and counties in California have enacted one type of dispensary ban or another. Efforts to legalize cannabis in California for adult use—not just for medical use— could target the 2014 or 2016 ballot. The Compassionate Use Act—which legalized medicinal cannabis in the Golden State—was enacted 17 years ago. Americans For Safe Access, a national patient and MMJ advocacy group, posted encouraging words on its website. “Rest assured, however, that Americans for Safe Access will work with the lawyers in the Riverside case to obtain a ruling from the California Supreme Court favorable to patients across the state.” c
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BUZZ
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byuAmanda V I S I T U S AT i R ePhoto adC l t u r e Holguin .com
Chief of Oncology and Hematology for San Francisco General Hospital Dr. Donald Abrams has emerged as a leading advocate for medical marijuana in mainstream health circles. A cancer and integrative medicine specialist, Dr. Abrams regularly treats chemotherapy patients’ symptoms with the drug. He also performs revolutionary research on cannabis, leading to a number of landmark papers on the safety and efficacy of the ancient herbal remedy. In an exclusive CULTURE interview, the expert in alternative medicine and cancer discusses some of the thorniest issues in medical cannabis and offers some prescriptions. Many members of the media are wondering if cannabis cures cancer. Is it that simple? The key word is “cure,” and as an oncologist, “cure” means five years of disease-free survival, so I don’t think we’ve come to five years beyond when people started first claiming this. I think “cure” is not a good word and I think it’s irresponsible and unfortunate that people are doing that. It does a disservice to the potential benefit of cannabis to claim that it’s a cure like shark’s fin or laetrile [Editor’s note: laetrile, or amygdalin, is a toxic extract from almonds or apricots kernel that was believed to be a cancer cure, but has since been determined to be an ineffectual—even dangerous— treatment], all of those things in the past that have been bogus. I spend half of my days advising patients who come to me with this list of bogus interventions. Cannabis, I think, is very, very useful for cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. They have nausea, loss of appetite, often they have pain from their cancer. They have insomnia and they have depression. I can sit there and write them a prescription to cover each one of those symptoms, or I can recommend they try one medicine, and that’s cannabis. Do these people that have used cannabis—inhaled or ingested—get cured of cancer? Not in my experience over 30 years treating patients with cancer and cannabis. Not everybody gets cured. Some people get cured, but I would tend to think it’s the
It needs to be studied.
—on whether “Rick Simpson Oil” or “Phoenix Tears” cure cancer
chemotherapy, the radiation and the surgery. But those patients have not been using these highly concentrated forms of cannabis that are being touted now as being the cure: so-called “hemp oil,” “cannabis oil,” “Phoenix Tears,” “Rick Simpson Oil.” So is that different? Does that have different potential? I don’t know. It needs to be studied. There are eight studies in the National Cancer Institute database on the anti-tumor effect of cannabinoids but they’re at the cellular level, right? So CBD in a test tube causes this gene expression related to some cancer. Can we then translate that to, “CBD is going to cure these cancers?” As an AIDS doctor for many years, I knew that in the test tube gasoline and soap suds worked against the virus, but I wouldn’t say that they were effective treatments in people. We need to translate this into people. We’re working on trying to develop some clinical trials.
our ability to answer questions . . . In California, [to conduct human trials with cannabis] I need to get eight different approvals from eight different bodies ranging from our clinical research center, to the medical advisory board, to the DEA; probably ONDCP [Office of National Drug Control Policy] is somehow involved . . . There aren’t that many people that are motivated into becoming involved in doing research on the plant. Is Western medicine fundamentally incompatible with whole plant botanical therapies? Sure . . . People say to me, “Donald, this plant has 400 different chemical compounds in it. We’re in the age of nanotechnology and gene therapy. What are you doing?” Well, I did a two-year fellowship in integrative medicine with [holistic health and alternative medicine expert] Andrew Weil’s program and University of Arizona, and I became very much a believer in plants as medicine. A great fraction of my chemotherapy drugs are derived from plants. Plants are potent. What needs to happen nationally? Rescheduling? De-scheduling? I think that more states need to follow the lead of Colorado and
Washington. I mean, we incarcerate too many people. It’s racism, it’s all that all over again. But I’m just a single oncologist, so I try to stay out of politics. Are general practitioners experts on cannabinoid therapies? Absolutely not . . . I think that’s really sad. Is “Big Pharma” conspiring, as some say, to keep marijuana prohibited? What about tobacco and alcohol? I don’t know that it’s just pharmaceuticals. My understanding is Big Pharma has [its] own preparations or brands—but maybe that’s the tobacco industry. When you debated Drug Czar employee and Harvard Medical School professor Bertha Madras, she said medical marijuana is “sending the wrong message to kids.” You didn’t get to respond. There’s not a lot that she said that I agree with. If a kid’s parents are sick and using something as a medicine, I don’t know how that sends the wrong message, especially if they see benefits in their parent’s use of the medicine. I deal with it all the time. I have cancer patients who have young children who say. “This is what we’re going to do.” One guy sent me an email thanking me for, you know, writing him a letter so he could access cannabis. It took him five cycles of chemo to first use cannabis, because of the stigma, but he wrote that after using it he was then for the first time able to be relieved of nausea and to play with his kids and go to their sporting events and become part of his family again. So what message is that? That “your daddy is getting better?” No. I don’t agree [with Dr. Madras].” c
We’ve heard there might be institutional barriers to doing so. Unfortunately, we live in this society where prohibition impacts
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FLASH
Federal Court
Rejects
Rescheduling
Cannabis . . . For Now Despite being backed by three American advocacy groups, a federal appeals court last month rejected a petition that sought to have marijuana reclassified from its current status as a supposedly
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dangerous drug with no medical value. The three-judge panel essentially tossed the matter back to the DEA and (shockingly!) said there were not enough completed clinical studies to support cannabis as a benign plant with many health
benefits. Well, Americans For Safe Access (ASA) had something to say about that: “To deny that sufficient evidence is lacking on the medical efficacy of marijuana is to ignore a mountain of well-documented studies that conclude otherwise,”
Joe Elford, chief counsel for the patient advocacy group, said. ASA has plans to file for a rehearing, and the DEA still lists “currently acceptable medical use” as requiring “adequate and well-controlled studies proving efficacy.” c
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BUZZ
State of Emergency If your dispensary is raided, here is some advice on what to do {By Jasen T. Davis}
Every medical cannabis patient is apprehensive at hearing that their dispensary has been raided by the Drug Enforcement Administration—unfortunately, it’s not an uncommon sight. Once the feds show up, arrests and confiscations usually follow and people suffering from chronic pain, diseases or other ailments are left stuck in a lurch. Aside from not knowing where they will be able to secure their next dosage, most medical cannabis patients wonder if they will be safe from legal harassment. Will police officers show up at their home or office the next day asking questions? Will they be harassed or arrested by federal agents for being a patient or using cannabis to treat their ills? Ellen Komp, deputy director of California NORML, understands your fears. “We haven’t heard of cases where patients were harassed after raids; they’re looking for the bigger fish.” Remember, President Obama apparently has “bigger fish to fry.” Yes, your attempt to obtain, use and possess a federally controlled substance in theory should lead to your rotting in a penitentiary for years, but the government isn’t rounding up people yet. Here are a few things to keep in mind, according to NORML and several MMJ and cannabis advocates: Be polite to officers, and comply with reasonable requests (like sitting down or staying put). Have your paperwork, ID, doctor’s recommendations, ect., on your person so you can corroborate your status as an MMJ patient. Tell the authorities you wish to remain silent and speak to an attorney As scary as the issue can be, the feds, for the most part, tend to leave individual patients alone—and tend to focus their attention on big dispensary operators, growers and other high-profile members of the MMJ community. “Although all marijuana is illegal under federal law, the feds have pledged not to come after patients, and they have held to that pledge,” Komp says. “They come after operators they claim aren’t complying with state law, are operating for profit, or are too close to schools.” That means that even if your dispensary was raided yesterday, the FBI probably isn’t going to kick down your door tomorrow morning. What about local police? Will a police officer go through the files of a raided dispensary, find a person’s medical records and harass them for being a cannabis patient? Probably not. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects doctors and patients from such a violation of privacy, and the consequences for violating HIPAA security regulations, even for police officers, are very serious, involving heavy fines and even jail time for violators. Yes, medical cannabis patients are protected by HIPAA. Until medical cannabis is finally legalized on a federal level across the United States, some patients will continue to live in fear, on one level or another. The good news is that laws are changing, state by state (18 at last count), and politicians are learning that normal, everyday American citizens approve of legalization and cannabis right more and more with every election cycle. “California NORML is working for full legalization, under which there would be no need for adults to register anywhere to use marijuana,” Komp says. c
Saving Private Info
Parts of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) of 1996 were intended to address the privacy and security of medical patients’ data. Federal law sets rules and limits on who can look at and receive a patient’s health information. For example, doctors, clinics, dentists, psychologists, chiropractors and pharmacies are among the health care providers that must abide by HIPPA’s rules and regulations.
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BUZZ
How
Cannabis Can Help
Seniors
{By Alan Shackelford, M.D.}
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cause neuropathic pain, a kind of nerve pain that can be very difficult to treat. All of these symptoms respond extremely well to medical marijuana, and most people who use it for pain are able to significantly decrease and in many cases to stop their non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and narcotic pain medicines. We have seen many instances of older people again being able to become active again, working in their gardens, taking walks—in short, to become much more functional using medical marijuana instead of multiple prescription medications. Various forms of dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease affect mostly older people as well. The exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not known, but oxidative damage due to free radicals may play an important role in its development. And while there is no effective treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, excellent research conducted in the late 1990s showed
Say What?
The United States has always had something of a youth culture. Advertisers frequently target consumers under 30 and—with the possible exception of pharmaceutical companies—largely ignore the largest demographic group in the country: the Baby Boomers, the 76 million people born between in the United States between 1946 and 1964. Older Americans are one of the fastest growing demographic groups. By 2012 100 million Americans will be over the age of 50. Aging brings with it not only wisdom and experience, but for many people illness and pain. The average 75-year-old suffers from three chronic medical conditions and takes five or more different medications. Some medication side effects can be serious, such as bleeding caused by aspirin, abnormal heart rhythms that can result from some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications or even death from prescription narcotic medications. Adverse reactions to medications may cause as many as 100,000 deaths in the United States every year. It is important to note that no deaths from the use of marijuana have ever been reported in the more than 4,000 years of recorded history of its use. Recent estimates are that 60 percent of all adult Americans have some form of chronic or recurring pain, with 88 percent of seniors suffering some form of chronic pain. Joint pain due to osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is common, as is neck and back pain caused by degenerative disc (DDD) and joint disease (DJD), which most people develop by age 60. Weakened discs can also bulge or herniate and press on adjacent nerves, causing severe pain due to nerve compression. Diabetes also affects older people more frequently, and can
that certain substances found in marijuana are such powerful antioxidants that they might prevent Alzheimer’s disease. The research was so compelling that a patent was issued to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the use of those cannabinoids to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, and to protect the central nervous system form damage from strokes and trauma. Every treatment has some side effect. In the case of cannabis, the side effects are few and mild. These include euphoria soon after its use, interference with short-term memory (though this is short-lived, and some research suggests that memory may be enhanced overall), interference with REM sleep and nausea at high doses and bronchitis if smoked. Someone once said that getting old isn’t for sissies. That’s true. Aging brings with it certain physical problems that can make life difficult. Medical cannabis can make many of those problems much more bearable for many people, and enhance rather than diminish their quality of life with little risk, and potentially tremendous benefit. c “I have strong concerns about the recent actions by the federal government that threaten the safe access of medicinal marijuana to alleviate the suffering of patients in California.” —U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi
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FLASH
Pet Project How to keep the peace between man’s best friend and Mother Nature’s best medicine {By Victor hussar} We’ve all heard the joke about getting a dog high. However, in real life, medical cannabis patients usually don’t and shouldn’t give their cat or dog cannabis, just like a person would never feed an animal Paxil, ibuprofen or alcohol. Medication is a serious subject with serious consequences if consumed by your pet. Eric Barchas, a veterinarian working in San Francisco, has seen the number of cases where a pet has been made ill from eating cannabis increase over the years. “Serious, long-term health consequences and fatalities from marijuana intoxication are essentially unheard of,” Barchas says. “But pets that are exposed to marijuana may display anxiety and are prone to ‘bad trips.’ They may lack the coordination to consume food and water.” Depending on the dosage, your pet will most likely survive any cannabis ingestion, but the animal is not going to enjoy the experience.
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“Intoxication with marijuana appears clinically similar to other, more serious forms of poisoning,” Barchas says. “However, most animals recover from marijuana toxicity over a period of several hours.” Individuals who have exposed their pets—either on purpose or inadvertently—to cannabis may not want to admit the fact to their vet, further endangering the pet’s health. “Because it is a controlled substance, people who know that their pet has consumed marijuana are often reluctant to reveal this fact to veterinarians,” Barchas says. Unless you want to put your pet through more misery, Barchas suggests that you tell the truth. “The symptoms of marijuana intoxication are similar to those of several more serious syndromes. If the veterinarian
treating the pet is not aware of marijuana exposure, he or she is likely to recommend a number of expensive tests and treatments that may not be necessary.” Treatments for a cat or dog that has consumed cannabis include forcing the animal to orally ingest a charcoal solution every four to six hours. The animal is also given plenty of water, intravenously if necessary, to restore lost fluids, to avoid dehydration and kidney failure. The medical bills for your dog or cat can be as much as a car payment, especially if an overnight stay for observation is required. Even if you aren’t trying to medicate your pets, they might poison themselves, warns veterinarian Jennifer Schoedler of the Alpine Animal Hospital in Durango, Colorado. “Dogs love the stuff,” Schoedler says. “I’ve seen them eat the buds, plants, joints and marijuana in food.” So lock your meds up. Your pet really does thank you for it. c
Don’t Weed the Animals Do dogs and cats enjoy being the psychoactive effects of cannabis? According to Jennifer Bolser, a representative of the Humane Society of Boulder Valley, Colorado, the answer is no. “Marijuana exposure in pets causes neurologic toxicity, which is not the same as the ‘high’ that people experience. The symptoms that develop in pets do not appear enjoyable for them,” she says. These symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, loss of bladder control, nausea, heart palpitations, anxiety, apathy, hypothermia and reduced balance and coordination. “The neurotoxic effects of cannabis ingestion in animals usually occur within a halfhour to two hours of eating it, and usually last for about 12 hours,” says Cheryl K. Smith, an attorney and executive director for the Compassion Center in Eugene, Oregon. “However, they can last for days because the cannabinoids are stored in fat.”
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BUZZ
The Emperor
Does
Wear Clothes In Shinto (Japanese for Way of the Gods), cannabis is considered to be a symbol of purity, and therefore holy. When Emperor Hirohito’s heir was blessed in a ceremony as the new spiritual leader of Japan, he did so in a custom kimono made of hemp.
What is the Buddha? Three pounds of hemp! —ancient Zen koan
Island in the Sun Japan’s ancient traditions include revering a medicinal plant {By Victor Hussar} Under current law in modern Japan, possession of just a single joint can land you in prison doing hard labor for up to five years. For your first offense, the best you can hope for is a bare minimum of five months in jail. If you are a foreigner and are caught with any cannabis on your person, at the very least you will be deported back to your country and not be allowed to return (this happened to Paul McCartney). But it wasn’t always like that. When the United States occupation of Japan began in 1948, General Douglas MacArthur instituted what were known as
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the “Cannabis Control Laws” when he re-wrote the Japanese constitution, after he and his soldiers found acres of cultivated and freegrown cannabis growing all over the country. Before the Americans showed up, hemp and cannabis had been an essential part of the culture for thousands of years. The Jomon period of Japan lasted from 10,000 BC to 300 BC. Archaeologists believe that traders sailed across the sea from Korea, bringing with them many different crops, including rice and hemp seeds. A cave painting done by people living in the coastal region of Kyushu (Japan’s third largest island) depicts a boat, waves
and large cannabis leaves flanking the scene, evidence of what had been on the minds of the natives living on the island thousands of years ago. By the 14th century, during the Muromachi period, cannabis was cultivated and used for rope, clothing, string, fishnets and paper all over the country. While the samurai and other upper classes enjoyed liquor made from rice to relax, the peasants used cannabis to achieve the same results. Since the science of Japanese medicine and healing was based on Chinese methods, cannabis was also prescribed for a variety of diseases and other illnesses. The Shinto religion is native to Japan, and is comprised largely of rituals dedicated to the worship of the spirits of nature, whether it is the sea, the air, a single tree or even a humble pebble. Despite modern law, rural farmers still use cannabis as a part of their religious devotions. One Shinto ritual involves the burning of prayer leaves, which are composed of hemp. Hemp rope is also burned to purify an area from evil
spirits, while hemp seeds are scattered during a marriage ceremony to bless the couple. A gohei, or prayer stick, is traditionally made of wood and hemp fiber. Obon is one of the three biggest holidays in Japan, and is connected to both Shinto and Buddhism. During Obon, Many of the rites involve hemp and cannabis. Leaves are burnt to bless homes, cannabis incense was burned to drive away evil spirits. Cannabis and rice were also burned at shrines as an offering, and travelers often left small amounts of cannabis and rice seeds at shrines near roads to bless them on their journey. Zen, a philosophy also native to Japan with connections to Chinese Taoist thought, was influenced by cannabis. One Zen master, Issa Kobayashi, celebrated cannabis with a haiku, or poem that laments how the heat has ruined the cannabis crop in front of his hut. Another Zen master known as Basho wrote a poem dedicated to cannabis praising the leaf for its beautiful, emerald color. c
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No BUZZ
Kidding
The Parents Guide to the Cannabis Conundrum {By Arrissia Owen}
Talking to kids about drugs can be touchy. Add to that a parent who is a patient or cannabis user, and the conversation can take a drastically different direction. To tell or not to tell? Can a do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do-at-leastuntil-you’re-much-older discussion sink in? When the state and federal governments can’t even agree whether the stuff is all bad, how do mom and pop explain cannabis’ complexities to the kiddos? Parents today grew up during a time when drug use was prevalent, and may even have dabbled a bit. The Reefer Madness shtick of their parents’ parents no longer exists as anything more than a joke except to Fox News pundits and its sycophants. And to muddy the waters, many states—20 at last count, plus Washington, D.C.—are just saying no to prohibition, legalizing cannabis for medicinal and/ or recreational purposes. There’s even a 2005 children’s book, now in its third printing, illustrated, written by and self-published by Ricardo Cortes, called It’s Just A Plant: A Children’s Story About Marijuana, meant for younger children to read and discuss with parents. As you can imagine, Bill
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O’Reilly and the gang lost their unimpaired minds over that one. But for parents grappling with how to even begin such a conversation, particularly those consuming cannabis to help battle the effects of cancer, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease or other ailments, a children’s book doesn’t sound like such a bad start. Cortes, a childless New Yorker who famously illustrated the tongue-in-cheek bedtime story Go the Fuck to Sleep, was inspired to create the book after conversations with friends. He listened to the worries of high-functioning cannabis users facing the cannabis conundrum with their kids and got to writing. Sure enough, conservatives went batshit crazy over the book, culminating in Cortes’ rear in the hot seat on The O’Reilly Factor. An Indiana congressman even held up the book up in Capitol Hill during a subcommittee meeting and accused the Drug Policy Alliance of being in cahoots. Cortes left out the clinical effects of cannabis, which when talking to teens could be the clincher. “I was trying to juggle,” Cortes says. “This is actually a children’s book. Some people see it as a joke or a snarky way of talking about
this thing. But I wanted to speak in a very clear language they can understand.” For cannabis-using parents of adolescents, the language probably should become more clinical. Parents can explain that the medicinal qualities of marijuana are too strong for young people with noggins undergoing neurological transformations. According to Dr. Timmen Cermak, a private practice doctor who specializes in addiction and psychiatry, a person who starts using the plant between ages 13 and 19 is at higher risk for cannabis abuse. Studies have shown that because a teenager’s brain is still maturing and developing in the frontal lobe, regular use of cannabis may have an effect on brain growth that leads to more advanced cognitive abilities and executive functions, Cermak says. If you use cannabis as an adult, “there probably is not that much impact it’s going to have on your life,” Cermak says. “But if you do the same thing from 14 to 16, you could gravely modify whether you go to college or be as effective in adolescence. Not to put more pressure, but it’s the truth.” c
Coy Story It’s Just A Plant follows Jackie, who is awakened one night by a strange smell. She goes to her parents, who decide to teach her the facts about the green. Jackie and her parents set off on a quest that starts at a veggie farm where cannabis is grown. She learns about the history of the plant, its medicinal and recreational uses, the legal issues surrounding the drug and more. In the end, Jackie decides that when she gets older she wants to vote to help legalize the cultivation and consumption of the plant. The book does not promote cannabis for kids. For more information, visit www.justaplant.com.
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Man Among BUZZ
Men
The popular talk show host is not shy about his love of the green, if recent media reports are to be believed. While hosting the White House Press Correspondents’ Dinner last year, he quipped, “What’s with the marijuana crackdown? We will deplete the nation’s Funyun supply?” He later added, “Pot smokers vote, too. Sometimes a week after the election, but they vote.” More recently, in a Rolling Stone interview, Kimmel offered the writer some of his smoke, proceeded to obtain his stash and later partook with his wife and the interviewer in the room. Kimmel’s only concern was whether or not his kids would read the article. c
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BUZZ
Brain Drain Cannabinoids might unlock the secrets to treating Alzheimer’s disease
{By Alan Shackelford, M.D.} Some 35 million people worldwide and 5.5 million in the United States have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, equating to about 5 percent of people between the ages of 65 and 74 and nearly 50 percent of people over 85. You may also recall that the numbers appear to be increasing, and that an estimated 10 to 11 million Americans will have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease by 2050. The cause of the disease is not known. It has been postulated that a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors may be responsible for the changes in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Early in its course the disease causes difficulty remembering recent events or recently acquired facts, and mild confusion. These symptoms usually worsen over time, with additional symptoms of word-finding difficulty, disorientation, anger, aggression, agitation, loss of appetite and weight loss, depression, or withdrawal becoming
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increasingly likely. Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by the loss of nerve cells, or neurons, and the connections between them, called synapses, which ultimately leads to atrophy of several areas of the brain. There are no effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, and although several prescription medications are now available that may reduce the severity of some of the symptoms, they do not alter the ultimate outcome. However, results of a ground-breaking study published in the July 7, 1998 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Dr. A. J. Hampson et. al. from the National Institute of Mental Health showed that the chemical compounds in cannabis, THC and cannabidiol, protected rat neuron cells from damage by glutamate, a neurotransmitter that can injure nerve cells at elevated levels. The authors also found that those substances were more potent antioxidants than vitamin C or vitamin E, and concluded that “The
antioxidative properties of cannabinoids suggest a therapeutic use as neuroprotective agents . . .” A number of subsequent studies supported their conclusions, and on October 7, 2003 patent number 6630507 was issued to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the title “Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants.” In the abstract of the patent the authors state that the “cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke and trauma, or in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and HIV dementia.” What are the implications of these findings? As President Obama
has said, it is urgent that new and innovative treatments be found for Alzheimer’s disease because the costs of caring for the millions of patients with Alzheimer’s disease will be astronomical and threaten to overwhelm the healthcare systems of not only the U.S., but other countries around the world. If substances found in cannabis could slow or stop the progression of the disease or even prevent it, it would completely change the complexion of the science of disease prevention. Unfortunately, as many of you know, it is extremely difficult to conduct the kinds of studies that would be necessary to find out if cannabis could be beneficial and to develop cannabis-derived medications because the agencies that approve clinical studies on Schedule 1 substances routinely refuse to grant permission to study cannabis. c
Worst Case
Scenario
Ultimately, someone suffering from Alzheimer’s is no longer able to carry out even the simplest tasks of daily living and requires full-time care. The disease invariably shortens life expectancy, with a median survival of 7 years after diagnosis; only 3 percent of patients live more than 14 years after the diagnosis is made.
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FLASH
Vanishing
?
Points
A Duke University study that suggest the adolescent use of cannabis leads to lasting mental issues is being called into question by a researcher in Norway. Ole Rogeberg, of the Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research, has pointed that the mental issues allegedly tied to cannabis failed to take into account socio-economic status (SES), according to the Los Angeles Times. After studying the Duke conclusions—adolescents who smoke cannabis lose points in IQ tests—Rogeberg stated after his analysis of the Duke study that “simulation results suggest that SES-related cognitive decline is sufficient to reproduce” what was found in the initial research. In other words, a child growing up with disadvantaged social and economic conditions could exhibit the same IQ drop. With that being taken into account, Rogeberg analyzed the socioeconomic mix of the 1,037 New Zealand children studied and concluded that adolescent cannabis use could actually play no part at all in decreased intelligent. His findings can be found in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. c
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BUZZ
Growing
Pains
Photos by Mike Seamans
Pot Inc. writer Greg Campbell’s attempt at growing wasn’t successful at becoming a cash cow for the journalist— out of an $800 investment, he netted $500. He eventually wound up selling his meager crop of just over a couple ounces via Craigslist to a Colorado patient who told the writer appreciatively that he really knows how to grow “sick meds.” (He received an “A-minus” for his finished product from a cannabis professional who evaluated his efforts.)
Dispatches From The
Frontline
Author Greg Campbell goes from observer to “accidental advocate” {By Gregory Daurer} As a war correspondent, Greg Campbell wrote the book The Road to Kosovo about conflicts in the Balkans. In Blood Diamonds, Campbell investigated the intersection between precious gems and the funding of wars and terrorism. Now, in Pot Inc., the best-selling author covers another frontline: the domestic War on Drugs, writing about Colorado’s experience with MMJ and America’s “schizophrenic” history with cannabis—a plant, as he points out, that’s been demonized as well as lauded. “I wanted to provide a bit of a resource and an example of my journey: my maturation in my
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understanding of what this plant is, and, more importantly, the maturation of my understanding of how insane the federal laws currently are regarding it,” says Campbell.
Campbell, 41 of Colorado, had people like himself in mind as he penned Pot Inc.: folks who aren’t cannabis consumers, who haven’t really given legalization all that much thought and who aren’t sure if medical cannabis is “real or a ruse.” Along the way, Campbell transitions from being simply an observer to becoming, as he puts it, an “accidental advocate” for legalization. His cannabis book project began in 2009, when many cannabis novices were flocking to the field of MMJ for work. Dispensaries expanded in Campbell’s city, Fort Collins, as they did elsewhere throughout the state. He decided to try his hand at growing to earn some money and as research for his book As he writes, he had joined “an invisible army of millions of suburban outlaws whose [federal] crime was horticulture.” As befits a war correspondent, Campbell focuses on conflicts, battles and struggles for liberation, in his telling. At one point in Pot Inc. he writes, for example, “Looking at it in terms of an actual war, the cannabis
insurgency has steadily gained ground, helped immensely in recent years by the plant’s newly rediscovered medicinal wonders.” Campbell agrees that the most revelatory part of researching the book, for him, was learning about his late cousin Cynthia’s use of cannabis for nausea during her battle with cancer. Campbell dedicates the book to her. Unfortunately, she lived in New York, which doesn’t allow medical cannabis, which once led Campbell’s aunt to travel to New York City to surreptitiously buy cannabis from someone she’d never met before. It still angers Campbell. He says, “My cousin would have qualified in a heartbeat, if she’d lived out here or in California,” to buy MMJ in “an environment that preserved her dignity and didn’t put my aunt in this position of personal danger—legal, physical—of having to conduct an underground transaction.” He adds, “To me, that was when the bell was rung most loudly in my head about how stupid this [war on cannabis is].” bygregcampbell.com
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TUNES
{By Derek Obregon}
Remember the name Rival Sons because this is one of the hottest bands out there right now. At least according to iconic Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, who recently gave the upstart blues-rock band a nod in a recent NME cover story Even with growing fame and success, Rival Sons frontman Jay Buchanan remains humble and focused. The singer never dreamed of being in a rock ’n‘ roll band—but now he’s playing sold-out shows around the world and the band’s latest album, Head Down, hit the No. 1 mark on the UK rock charts. I guess Jimmy was right. In your own words, can you describe the band’s sound? It’s kind of a tough one. I would say we’re a modern take on rock ’n‘ roll. We call this a rock ’n‘ roll band more than anything. We’ve got bass, drums, lots of guitar solos and bluesy, soulful vocals. That just makes rock ’n‘ roll to me. Is blues where you got your start? Is that where your 64 CULTURE • FEBRUARY 2013
vocals come from? Yeah, blues and singersongwriter acoustic music have always been my main staples. I grew up playing it in coffee shops and stuff through high school and that was my jam. But I also played with blues bands because I loved soul music. Have you always wanted to be a singer/songwriter?
Always, always. I’ve always wanted to be a vocalist. Who influences you as a vocalist? As a vocalist, the list is way too long. All the guys from Otis Redding to Blind Louie Johnson and all of the blues cats, and all of the women like Aretha Franklin . . . It’s not like there’s never ever been someone I’m
trying to emulate. It’s kind of like you end up making this big pot of stew from everything that’s good in your life. Does rock and blues go hand in hand? Yeah, of course, but see rock ’n‘ roll has been missing. [There are] a lot of these bands that are playing rock. They took out the roll because the roll is the honesty part, the V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
truth part. And they didn’t want to be burdened. They didn’t want to have to deal with the sincerity. They wanted to be “rock stars” so they call it “post-grunge” and everything else. Anyways, I had never wanted to be part of the problem. But [drummer Michael] Miley hit me up and said, “Look, man, the guys want you there. I talked to [guitarist] Scott [Holiday] on the phone and we totally hit it off. We qualified each
other on old blues. We got together, and as much as I’d wanted it to not work out, the energy was so good [that] as soon as we started playing together I immediately got out of doing my own project. I had a lot of pots on the stove, and I just thought I have to make room for this. It didn’t take long before it was Rival Sons 24/7. c www.rivalsons.com
“I’m totally fine with it”
Rival Son frontman Jay Buchanan is definitely part of team green. CULTURE asked him about his views medical cannabis, a plant, the frontman says, that was declared illegal for all the wrong reasons. “Now that we know it was wrongfully made illegal, now that we know all the positive things from cannabis we can benefit from, now that people are speaking up around the country, making it legal, I’m totally candid, I’m totally fine with it and totally use it now and again.” FEBRUARY 2013 • CULTURE 65
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TUNES
V
An Act of Submission After a five-year spell, Neurosis plants musical seeds for the future {By David Jenison} “I’m not going to talk about personal shit,” says Scott Kelly, vocalist and guitarist for Neurosis. “I’m not going to talk about it. We’re not going to do that.” Details be damned, Kelly does admit this: personal issues contributed to the delay and depth of Honor Found in Decay, the band’s first full-length album in five years. He continues, “We didn’t intend to take five years between records, but that had more to do with our lives and what was going on. That was what caused the delay, but the experiences we went through really came through on the record. The songs are more open emotionally than they have been before.” Steve Von Till, who shares the vocal and guitar duties, said in a promotional trailer that there can be no legacy if the band doesn’t “continually burn down the past and plant seeds in the ashes.” Neurosis—whose lineup also includes
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Dave Edwardson (bass), Jason Roeder (drums) and Noah Landis (keyboards)—arguably cemented a legacy already as an influential metal band that defies boundaries. Still, this death and rebirth theme epitomizes the band’s artistic fire, and from the ashes arose an album with newly frayed emotions and a deeper electronic assimilation. “It just so happened that Noah really nailed it,” says Kelly, responding to the album’s muchpraised keyboard contributions. “It is very clear that he has moved into another space with his work and comfort level. His sounds really drove the record in many ways as we were writing it, more so than previously.” Kelly sees the band’s divergent side projects as a positive influence as well. He adds, “Anytime you work within this craft, it helps broaden the scope. If [songwriting] is like a funnel, it makes the funnel bigger and allows more
things to come in.” As Neurosis approaches its 30th anniversary, the metal vets remain relevant by employing a novel approach. The band members prefer to support themselves with day jobs rather than live off the band and risk letting the business side of things overpower the art. This allows them to avoid long, punishing tour cycles that might sap their creative energy and enthusiasm. This mindset is evident when Kelly describes what other bands should do to find their own magic. “Do whatever they must to find that spot inside themselves and commit to doing it,” he explains. “It is an act of submission. It is not like practice, practice, practice, and you’ll get better. You must turn your soul over to the shit. That is how it happens. You just have to turn it over and let it go.” c
V For Victory
In the past, Neurosis vocalist/ guitarist Scott Kelly has talked about using psychedelic drugs and struggling with addiction, so he currently pursues a sober path. Still, as Neurosis heads to play in Denver later this month, he praises the state’s new marijuana laws. “I think that is great, man,” he says. “Decriminalization is a victory as far as I am concerned. It will help the economy and keep people out of prison. I don’t see weed as problematic, and much less so than alcohol and tobacco, let alone heroin, speed, cocaine and pharmaceuticals. As far as medical use, he adds, “Sure, why not? I am not a doctor, but totally. It makes perfect sense for me.”
www.neurosis.com
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TUNES
Dutch
Treat DJ Sander Van Doorn supports the movement
{By Kristopher Christensen}
I’m meeting Sander Van Doorn for an interview at a swanky hotel in Costa Mesa at 11:00 p.m. He’s late but that’s OK with me. The fact that he’s scheduled at a club at midnight is a bit worrisome, though. Having just played Las Vegas for three nights in a row before tonight might have something to do with why Van Doorn is tardy. The Dutch-born, world famous DJ is blowing up in the U.S. and he’s a pretty busy guy. By the time he show up to talk to me around 11:15 he has exactly 45 minutes to be on the decks at Sutra, a club about four miles away. Calm, collected and well spoken, we chat about the rise of electronic dance music as well as Dutch and American attitudes towards cannabis.
I listen to Sirius XM Radio all the time and I’ve heard your show called “Identity” a few times on the Electric Area channel. How did you get involved with that? Well, “Identity” started as a monthly show about seven years ago and the first station to broadcast it was DIW FM Radio. The show grew and grew until it became a bi-weekly show and the last couple of years it became a
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weekly show. It’s now syndicated to about 35 to 40 countries worldwide. [With] Sirius XM . . . I have a lot of creative control; I personally think to have a good radio show you need to have creative input in your own house. Being from Eindhoven (which has “coffee shops” similar to Amsterdam) in the Netherlands, I take it you’re familiar with cannabis use and laws in your part of the world. How do you
Say What?
You’ve started to become very big here in the U.S. playing huge festivals. Electronic dance music is getting bigger crowds at festivals than rock or hip-hop acts. How do you feel about that? It’s bizarre to see how things have grown the last couple of years. I’ve been playing here in the U.S. for about eight, going on nine years now. I’ve seen the development and what’s going on these days is crazy. One of my biggest markets right now is the U.S., and it’s also the most fun market to play.
“Soarin‘ through them Kush clouds/Yeah, that’s where I hover at/ I’m lovin‘ that/Jet life to the next life” —Curren$y lyrics to “4 Hours & 20 Minutes [Ride to H-Town]”
feel about medical cannabis use and legalization in the United States? To be honest, it’s funny how Dutch people thought we were really progressive with cannabis. We just had a big debate on Dutch television about how the U.S. has become much more progressive than our own Dutch government. The problem with the Dutch government is that we never actually
made it legal in the Netherlands. We had this strange rule where coffee shops could sell “soft” drugs, but it actually wasn’t legal to do so. The U.S. market kind of solved that by voting on it and saying OK it’s either legal or illegal from state to state—which I think is more progressive and cuttingedge than back home. www.sandervandoorn.com
Say Cheese
Sander Van Doorn supports cannabis—but he just doesn’t use it personally. “Personally, I have nothing against the use of cannabis—a lot of people in my surroundings use cannabis,” he says. “It doesn’t really have the right effect on me as it just makes me really hungry and I’ll want to eat cheese then go to sleep (laughing). I really have to applause the U.S. and the stances the people are trying to make.”
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strain & edible reviews GET YOUR CLICK HERE
www.iReadCulture.com
White Fire OG Every now and then, some outside-the-box-thinking genius takes two things that are perfect all on their own and combines them in a way that makes them even better—bacon burgers and Nacho Cheese Doritos taco shells are a couple of examples of this divine inspiration. White Fire OG, a 100-percent indica from LA Patient Group in Los Angeles, is another. A cross between two enormously influential strains (White Rhino and Fire OG), this daring new strain manages to be both entirely unique and greater than the sum of its parts. It’s so good that this reviewer can’t imagine smoking White Rhino or Fire OG again now that White Fire OG is available, and this reviewer loved those parent strains. Positively sparkling with icewhite crystals, White Fire’s sea-foam green and amber buds appear light and fluffy to the eye but are actually quite dense—a single spear-shaped nug goes a long, long way. It’s a sticky strain—we found the best way to consume it is with a pipe or vaporizer—and burns smooth and evenly. The flavor is like fresh lavender with a candy-sweet aftertaste. Best of all, it provides a powerful buzz without being overwhelming, making it a great medicine for daytime use. This is an excellent remedy for a broad spectrum of discomforts, including pain associated with arthritis, anxiety, migraines and chronic muscle spasms.
Trikom Treats S’Mores Brownie For some patients, brownies are simply passé. Been there done that. Well, those patients obviously never had the privilege of sampling the Trikom Treats S’mores Brownie, available at Cannosseur’s Best Collective in Garden Grove. Set aside all preconceived notions about baked goods because this edible outdoes them all— heck, its label even includes a “Born On” date. It’s a dense, sticky, icky, gooey, ooey square of decadent, rich divinity that begs to be consumed in one sitting—but don’t. Infused with 94.3mg of THC, 2.3mg of CBN and 0.9mg of CBN (canna butter tested by The Werc Shop), this is medicine in its sweetest form that delivers deep, penetrating body relief for at least four hours after the effects kick in. For newbie patients, consume one-quarter brownie at a time and gauge the effects (a good balance between head and body) carefully. Patient beware: we experienced some über-serious red eyes that no eye drops could vanquish after eating this brownie, so keep that in mind should discretion be important. This tasty morsel is delish, so you may fooled into thinking it’s not medicated . . . but it is . . . oh, it is.
Platinum Limón For a strain with a name conjuring shades of silver, yellow and green, this pure indica from Herb Town Collective in Riverside is a dank and dusky beauty with an unmistakable tint of purple to it. The “platinum” comes from its fine coating of milky trichomes, and it’s that powdered-sugar dusting that gives Platinum Limón its extreme kick. Another remarkable quality to its appearance is the abundance of dark hairs in each nug , so much so that the buds have a mottled dove’s egg appearance—as a whole, the variety seems almost as much mahogany as pale green. The buds are big and weighty, about the size of a Brazil nut. The flavor is sharply citrusy and herbal at once, akin to cloves soaked in lemon essence. Once you get past that crisp, tart bouquet, this strain’s deep-seated effects come on fast and hard, lasting an extraordinarily long time; becoming not a break from but an active part of your day. As we’ve come to expect and demand from Platinum varieties, the effect has the electric overtones of a sativa to it—as strong as couch-lock medicine, but without the need for a couch. The strength and long-lasting nature of Platinum Limón makes it ideal for patients with chronic pain, such as that associated with nerve damage, cancer, MS, back injuries and severe PMS.
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Oceanside OG We confess that this original house favorite of Oceanside Wellness Center in Granada Hills took us completely by surprise. Its name is so unassuming and the suggested donation for it so reasonable that it was a shock to discover its flavor and intensity are better than some of the most famous strains on the market (think Train Wreck or AK-47). A 100-percent indica, Oceanside OG is gifted with a stone that literally knocks you off your feet for a good three or four hours after just one bowl. That’s a great thing to happen when you’re in for the night and in need of solid pain relief and not so great when you’re behind the wheel of a large, moving vehicle, so consume wisely. Of course, the lovely aesthetics of the variety should have been our first clue. Pear-shaped and densely packed, Oceanside OG’s buds are the color of frosted spearmint shot throughout with large pockets of burnt sienna. The aroma and taste have a rose perfume quality to them, so much so that a good alternative name for it could have been Green Rose. The buzz is silky and somnambulistic—a dreamy, edge-free sensation not unlike that of drifting off on a bed of pillows. Keep this baby on hand for those nights when arthritis pain is severe, or when suffering from migraines, insomnia or serious muscle and back problems.
The Venice Cookie Co.’s The 4.20 Bar Milk Chocolate + Toffee Ah, Venice, how much do I love thee? Plenty, if you by “Venice” you mean The Venice Cookie Co.’s The 4.20 Bar, available at StemLife Collective in Moreno Valley. We’ve had a lot of medicated chocolates in our day . . . and this one has always been in our Top Five for its consistent taste, quality and effects. First, the packaging is top-notch. Foregoing the usual rasta and Cheech & Chong imagery, Venice opts for clean presentation, detailed nutritional information and patient-friendly design (its conveniently scored into six segments/doses). Loaded with 160mg of delta-9 THC, 10mg of CBD and 5mg of CBN, this bar is the top shelf, big dog you reach for when neuropathic pain or muscular discomfort makes your life unbearable. We sampled the Milk Chocolate + Toffee bar (4.2g dried cannabis) and found the sea salt it was topped with complimented the earthy taste of the cocoa butter and sweetness of the pure cane sugar. The effects come in strong but slowly, languorously; like the tide coming in. I guess I’m in love with Venice all over again.
Big Sur Holy Weed Let’s take a moment to tip our hats to Jade Lotus Society in Garden Grove for serving up one of the best-named strains we’ve seen in a while—seriously, Big Sur Holy Weed is a very cool name. Thank the big holy gods that it’s also a hell of a good variety, as tasty as it is psychoactive, because it would have been a shame to waste such a great name on bad bud. A 60-percent-sativa hybrid, Big Sur Holy Weed has a rich and airy flavor that can only be described by the feelings it evokes: It tastes the way a pristine beach on a foggy morning feels. If you don’t believe it, try it and experience it for yourself. The buds are spiky and light, hued a uniformly dark-olive green and slightly sticky to the touch. It burns hot and clean, making for perfect, fat joints that won’t go out until you put them out. The effects are heavy and deliciously euphoric, striking just the right balance between energized and sedated. We put Big Sur Holy Weed in the category of “happy” strains—pleasing, positive and uplifting. That’s good medicine to take if you’re dealing with anxiety or clinical depression, or just the low spirits that can come with illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, severe arthritis or glaucoma. It’s also a powerful appetite stimulant, and great for patients with HIV/AIDS or undergoing cancer therapies.
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Comedy may have saved Mike Epps’ life. Sure, many performers believe comedy rescued them from the wrong path, but Epps’ tale is not about some abstract future danger. A group of armed men robbed him and ordered him into the trunk of their car. With the stereo cranked to drown out any calls for help, they started to drive around town, possibly looking for a place to shoot him and dump the body. Epps had to think fast. “They were blasting the music the whole time, but the moment they cut the music, I started kicking on the seat,” Epps recalls. “They asked what my problem was, and I said I wanted them to play that song again. They started laughing and let me go. Without my sense of humor, there is no way to know which way this would have went. When it looks like your ass is not going to make it, you better use everything you got.” The Hoosier State native first made a name for himself with the Def Comedy Jam tour and broadcast, but he caught a huge break when Ice Cube cast him as Day-Day Jones in the two Friday sequels. As happened with Chris Tucker after appearing in the original Friday, Epps quickly became a hot commodity, and he racked up several big screen credits with major releases like The Hangover, Hancock, The Fighting Temptations, Soul Men, The Honeymooners and a pair of Resident Evil films. The self-professed “hip-hop comic” also hosted the last four BET Hip-Hop Awards and appeared in movies alongside rap royalty like Cee Lo Green, Method Man, Mos Def, Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa. Fittingly, one of Epps’ routines is even sampled in the Eminem and Royce da 5’9” track “I’m on Everything.” Epps, who reprised his Black Doug character for this summer’s The Hangover Part III, is currently on a stand-up comedy tour entitled Mike Epps Live. As befits a hip-hop comic, Epps recruited iconic rapper and beat boxer Doug E. Fresh to join him on select dates. Comedians like Bill Cosby and Eddie Murphy were far edgier in their stand-up routines than they were on the screen. How are your shows different? I am one of those spontaneous comedians who works off emotional content. Whatever my day was like, whatever I’ve seen, you might 78 CULTURE • FEBRUARY february 2013
get 30 minutes of that first. For example, I saw a pimp with a few of his hos, and they all had Christmas spirit, and I told him, “Merry Christmas to you and your hos.” I talked about that at the show. What city was this? Milwaukee.
Wow, I never saw that watching Happy Days. As a performer, you have a lot of crossover with hip-hop. How does hip-hop music and Mike Epps’ comedy fit together? The era that I grew up in is hiphop. Back in the day, Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor were doing
comedy in a funk era. People were playing funky music and wearing bell-bottoms and afros. That is [why] Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy were compared to comedians like Dave Chappelle and myself. We are products of hip-hop as the music influences our comedy and our comedy V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
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influences the music. On my way to a comedy show, I’m listening to 2Pac or 2 Chainz. You could call me a hip-hop comic. That is why Richard Pryor was saying, “jive turkey” and “you dig” while the comics now are saying “Word up” and all kinds of slang like that. Everything that we do outside comedy influences our art. There are all kinds of rumors that the N.W.A. movie might soon be underway. Ice Cube was a controversial figure when the group came out in the ’80s, and a lot of people probably forgot that. Do you think an N.W.A. biopic would help or hurt Ice Cube in trying to get Last Friday made? I don’t know anything about the politics right there, sir. I cannot answer them questions right there. I just play my part in the movie and keep it pushing. I am not married to none of that shit. It’s a role that I played in a movie. If people like to see me play in Friday movies, I just come and do my job. Last Friday would be the final movie in the Friday series. Do you have any new information on the status of the movie or on what Day-Day Jones might be doing? I don’t know if they are going to do the movie. I don’t want to lie to my fans or hype them up to think they’re going to do another Friday. That Friday series, I keep saying it, but it’s like Dr. Dre putting out his [Detox] album. You have become a mainstay with the BET Hip-Hop Awards. How is it hosting an awards show compared to a regular stand-up performance? That goes back to your question about hip-hop. That is a perfect example of why they both benefit and service each other. There is nothing in the world like someone cracking a good joke in between songs. It is a perfect segue and hook. That is why they keep using me for the awards show.
Obama. What is it like to portray the President knowing that he might actually see it? It was really fun. To play Obama is fun because you get the chance to say some shit that you would like to hear him say. You know what I mean? I know he’s not going to say this, but let me say it for him. What is something you’d like to hear him say? Get the f@#k off my back. After the results came in on election night showing that Washington and Colorado legalized cannabis, you tweeted, “It feel like I can sell [cannabis] in the middle of the street!” Can I assume you were in favor of these propositions? Yes, you can assume. It is real. Do you believe in the medical use of cannabis? I do believe in medical use because so many of us Americans have a lot of mind-altering problems, and we all know that the
pill world is really big and makes a whole lot of money. Not everybody can take pills. Some people’s stomachs cannot handle the pills or they cannot handle them mentally. Marijuana is an alternative. If you do not want to take pills, you can smoke something and calm down or dig deep into something. When it comes to comedy, do you think there is something inherently funny about smoking cannabis? Yes, it is very funny. When I smoke [cannabis], I get a chance to have some options on my thoughts. When you smoke, you sometimes makes decisions that are not exactly the ones you really wanted to make, but they can be the best decisions. It ends up being the best move for you versus the
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You could call me a hip-hop comic.
This year’s ceremony apparently featured some backstage brawls (Rick Ross and Young Jeezy, Gunplay and G-Unit). Were you anywhere near the fights? I didn’t see no suckers fighting, man. You know how those rappers are. What makes me so sad about that is, like, why did they wait to get there to do that? Didn’t you guys see each other at the mall earlier in the day? Damn, you’re going to wait till you’re performing to start fighting? You were just at Fatburger together! You opened the 2012 BET Hip-Hop Awards in character as President 80 CULTURE • FEBRUARY 2013
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CONT. FROM PAGE 80 move you wanted to make. It just turned out all good. You portray Richard Pryor in the upcoming Nina biopic about soul legend and activist Nina Simone. Is it difficult to play such a comedic legend? It was definitely not easy to capture a guy like that because he was so complex and a crazy motherf@#ker. For a minute, I thought I had to be crazy to play him. Then I thought about it and realized if I go crazy to play Richard Pryor, it defeats the art. I really don’t do that kind of acting where I become something for weeks at a time before it’s time to shoot some shit. I like to challenge my art by not becoming that until it is time. That’s what I think. You tackled a dramatic role in The Supremes-inspired remake of Sparkle, which came out last August. Do you see yourself pursing more dramas? I have many shades of myself, and I really love doing drama. I think comedians can make some of the best dramatic actors. I do want to do more dramatic parts, but I want to be selective and do the right dramatic parts. I don’t want to do them just because they are in my face and I want to prove myself. It just has to be something that I love. Do you think your fans were shocked to see you play such a terrible guy in the film? He really does some awful things. It shocked a few of them. It made some of my fans really not like my character. It definitely opened the eyes of people in Hollywood to let them see that I have range and levels and a lot of character behind myself. I showed them that I can dig and bring out some interesting art. Sparkle wound up being Whitney Houston’s last film before she passed away. I heard you tell a great story about Whitney singing along to a Michael Jackson song on the set. That was crazy, right? She was in the trailer getting her hair done, and she was playing Michael 84 CULTURE • FEBRUARY 2013
I do believe in medical use because so many of us Americans have a lot of mind-altering problems, and we all know that the pill world is really big and makes a whole lot of money. Not everybody can take pills. Jackson and singing along with the song. I swear it sounded like they were both in there together signing. I don’t remember what song it was, but the trailer was f@#kin‘ rockin‘. Anything you can tell us about Black Doug’s role in the new Hangover movie? Yeah, I’m playing another black guy in the movie again. I’m playing Black Doug. I think the third installment is really going to be
good. To be brought back into a large comedy, the biggest comedy movie ever, is impossible for me to top. That is the biggest shit I might ever do unless they want to cast me in the next Avengers movie. It was an honor to come back and work with those guys. You are from Indiana but working in Hollywood, so . . . Lakers or Pacers? The Pacers. No, no, no, since I’m doing a show in LA, the Lakers.
How do you think the Lakers can get it together before the playoffs start in April? Dwight Howard and those guys cannot be intimidated by Kobe. Sometimes Kobe Bryant can be self-indulgent to the point where it is all about Kobe. It is hard for the other guys to gel with him and open up. The way he plays is like Kobe, Kobe, Kobe. The other guys seem intimidated by him, but I think they need to stand up to him and let him know that this is a team right here, man. Do you have anything else coming up? At the end of the year, I plan to put out Still Can’t Catch Me. It is a documentary of my journey to become a comedian. I’m going to show Hollywood who I really am because they don’t know who the f@#k I am. They just cast me and deal with me face front. I have been keeping it a secret as to who I really am, but I am getting to that point where I want to show them where I come from and how I did it. I think it will be out in winter 2013. c
mikeepps.com
Shining
Star If you think you’ve seen all Mike Epps has to offer, you haven’t seen him shine in his most recently released movie, 2012’s Sparkle, a remake (the original was released in 1976) starring Whitney Houston that told the story of The Supremes during the Motown era. For the role, the comedian adopted a new persona that’s crude, lewd and abusive. The role was also noteworthy as it happened to be the last film with the legendary Houston before her passing.
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1970
Michael Elliot Epps is born into a family with eight siblings. No wonder appealing for attention came so natural to him.
Late 1980s
After dropping out of high school and spending 18 months behind bars, Epps vows to pursue a career in entertainment after hearing his comedic idol, Richard Pryor.
2008
Jim Jones & Skull Gang Present: A Tribute to Bad Santa, Starring Mike Epps is dropped. That has to be the longest name for a Christmas-themed rap album ever!
2009
Epps releases comedy album, Funny Bidness, which includes an ode to women who love food: “Fat Girls.”
1995
Epps’ career begins on the Def Comedy Jam Tour.
2000
Mike Epps plays the lottery-winning, lovable yet wimpy wannabe gangsta Day-Day Jones in Next Friday.
2010
The comic begins hosting the BET Awards (Nicki Minaj gets the New Artist nod). Let’s hope he leaves the roller skates and Puffy’s metallic jacket at home for this year’s show.
2011
2002
Epps co-executive produces All About the Benjamins with fellow costar Ice Cube.
2006
Epps is the voice of Moe “Mo Gunz” Jackson on the “Wingman” episode of The Boondocks.
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Epps and Tupac Shakur’s mother celebrate the deceased rapper’s 40th birthday party. Epps regularly supports the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation for the Arts in Atlanta.
2012
The Indianapolis native becomes the official ambassador for Super Bowl XLVI. V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
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In honor of the Friday franchise (Mike Epps starred in the last two sequels), we give you a rundown of well-known and obscure flicks to help fill out the rest of your calendar. Cue the lights. by Joe Martone
Stormy Monday
Remember when Sting used to act? Stormy Monday takes us back down that dark and mystifying road, itself an American take on Get Carter . . . except with a lower budget, taking place in the late ’80s, with Sean Bean instead of Michael Caine. Talk about a rough forecast.
Any Wednesday
At last, a comedy on the list, starring Jane Fonda at her hottest. This ’60s sex comedy is about a love square with affairs in an executive’s lavish apartment, but let’s be honest—you’re probably in it for one of most attractive advocates of all time. Be warned—the humor is more dated than Fonda’s career.
Tuesdays with Morrie
Are we cheating by mentioning a made-forTV movie? This flick is an adaptation of the best-selling Mitch Albom book that detailed the writer’s 14 talks with his former professor, now suffering from Lou Gehrig’s disease. Get your tissues ready.
Thursday
The Punisher versus Two-Face with Whiplash butting in? Yes, fan boys, Thursday is a collection of “before they were famous” actors set in a criminal showdown where anything can and will happen. Too bad they forgot to make it good.
Friday
Do we really need to describe this one to you guys? If you haven’t witnessed the hilarious escapades Ice Cube and Chris Tucker get into in this film, put down the magazine/ tablet/smart phone and Netflix this one now. We’re not kidding.
Saturday Night Fever
The quintessential disco movie that defined the ’70s, no one who saw it forgot Saturday Night Fever. It propelled John Travolta to superstardom, made the Bee Gees loop in your head for decades, and defined disco as a contemporary way of life. Try not to sing along, those high notes are not a challenge.
Any Given Sunday
How can we tell this is fiction? A Miami football team makes it past the playoffs and an attractive intelligent white girl is in charge of the team. Despite all of this, it still manages to be one of the better sports films out there with a really polished all-star cast. Worth a watch if your team loses on Sunday.
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The rights of medical cannabis patients are under attack everywhere— even in MMJ states. It can be especially challenging when you’re also a parent (read: Child Protective Services). But even with court decisions or legal opinions that say just because some parents uses cannabis for health reasons doesn’t mean that they are drug users or abusers, there are still risks. Here are a few tips (thanks, Americans For Safe Access):
If you grow at home, lock up your cultivating room. Also, have no more cannabis on hand than your condition or MMJ state allows. If you’re only allowed to possess six mature plants, only have six mature plants.
Use discretion when you medicate—don’t do it in front of your child (Consider medicating after your child goes to bed, for example). Never drive with your child after medicating.
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Illustrations by Vidal Diaz
While we all want to be honest, do not volunteer information about your MMJ status to a family court judge or CPS. However, if directly asked about cannabis use, you should inform officials that you are a patient.
Keep all medicine out of plain sight, and inside child-proof containers in an inaccessible place. Always.
destination unknown
Story and photos by Dennis Argenzia and Grace Cayosa
Lush Landscape Travel through Luang Prabang for eco-minded tourism and religious traditions
5:31 a.m.
Through barely open eyes, we spy a silent, steady march of orange figures just below our window. An army of not-dead Kennys have come to visit us in our fuzzy dream state. But they’re not Kenny, and we’re not in South Park.
One Day Earlier
We find ourselves standing on a peninsula where the Khan and Mekong rivers meet, and thinking, “Weird, this kind of looks like Los Angeles.” Or at least, like a French-inspired outdoor mall somewhere in the county. But we remind ourselves that we’re in Southeast Asia, and this place—Luang Prabang—predates any tweener hangout by at least a hundred years. Once the political capital of Laos, Luang Prabang now holds the more relaxed title of cultural capital. It is home to gold-leafed Buddhist wats (temples), traditional Lao stilt houses, teak-trimmed French colonial architecture, lush green landscape and some of the most laidback locals you will ever meet. We start our day with an elephant ride just outside Luang Prabang. As a rule, elephants pressed into the service of man usually get a bum deal. But at the Elephant Village Sanctuary, abused pachyderms get a second life. As a bonus, local employees learn trade skills, and eco-minded tourists get a short ride atop nature’s Monster Truck of mammals. After a 60-minute jungle stroll, during which our beloved elephant decided to tear her own route back to the village, we were transported by boat to the nearby Tad Sae waterfall. Now, we love water92 CULTURE • FEBRUARY 2013
falls, but Tad Sae appeared strangely fake. It is a stepped limestone waterfall, but looks suspiciously like a theme park contractor decided to build foam pools for blue dye water. We were assured they were real, and then were promptly whisked back to Luang Prabang. We dawdled the rest of the day away in prime tourist manner—wandering the quaint streets, practicing English with young Laos at Big Brother Mouse, getting wicked foot massages from steel-armed local women—until the night market finally opened. The night market is the place to get all sorts of goodies: wax-lined paper parasols, Buddhist prints, “I Heart Beer Lao” T-shirts, whole fried fish on a stick and, of course, green stuff. Cannabis is readily available from tuk tuk and mototaxi drivers, and is clearly wild grown. Quality is generally good, but seeds can be a problem. On paper, Laotian law treats drug possession very seriously: possession of up to 22 pounds of marijuana is legally punishable by a maximum fine of US$2,500 and 10 years imprisonment. For quantities over 22 pounds, punishment is death. In reality, practicing discretion should keep you safe, and if not, a steep bribe should set you free. Early the next morning, we witness
an endless column of orange-clad monks shuffling quietly by our balcony. This is tak bat, or the Theravada Buddhist tradition of silent alms giving. Every morning, the monks leave their monastery, lined up with the most senior person in front, and travel along a set route through Luang Prabang, silently receiving small offerings of food—usually sticky rice—in their bowls. Through tak bat, the monks get their daily meal rations, and the givers earn merit (the religious karma kind, not the Boy Scout kind). There are definitely rules: men can stand, but women must kneel or sit, and both must be respectfully lower than the monks; don’t wear shoes, shorts or tank tops; don’t touch the monks; and, for heaven’s sake, shut up. This is a silent tradition. Rejuvenated by alms giving, awesome French baguettes and Laotian coffee, we rent a motorbike for the day. Our first stop is the Pak Ou caves, about an hour’s ride north and full of Buddha statues, followed by the Kuang Si waterfalls. These are the impressive big brother of the Tad Sae: larger pools, taller falls. You can even climb 200 feet to the top of the main cascade, stand in the rushing water and look over the edge. Yeah, we thought of death too. Our day ended with a minor crash and a rushed repair job. We were certain our passports would be withheld . . . until we heard the singing. It was our motorbike vendor, happily buzzed on Beer Lao. Motorbike and passport were exchanged with a smile, and we watched him ride off, steady and loud, into the beautiful Lao night. c
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profiles in courage Patient: Jon Otto
AGE: 47
Condition/ Illness:
Photo by Michael Gifford
Anxiety, agoraphobia, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, aortic aneurysm, enlarged left ventricle
Using medical cannabis since: April 2012
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Are you an MMJ patient from SoCal with a compelling story to tell? If so, we want to hear from you. Email your name, contact information and details about your experiences with medical cannabis to courage@ireadculture.com.
Why did you start using medical cannabis?
I knew from past experience that cannabis may not kill the pain, but knew it would at least make me forget about it. I also knew cannabis would turn a raging fight-or-flight anxiety attack into a sit-back-and-relax Big Mac attack in about 90 seconds . . . MMJ has, without a doubt, saved me from many more ugly situations and places.
Did you try other methods or treatments before cannabis?
Yes indeed. I have been fighting this spine of mine for a quarter-century and have run the gamut medically from every nerve block shot known to mankind, manipulations [and] many prescription narcotics which I’m happy to report that, due to MMJ, I am down to one pain medication. For me [and] my friends, that is fantastic! I am down to one anxiety med as well. Again, unheard of for me.
What’s the most important issue or problem facing medical cannabis patients?
The biggest issue facing MMJ patients is really two-fold. First is general lack of acceptance of the American people that marijuana is, in fact, medicine and may very well have saved or prolonged one of their loved one’s lives, or at least made their final months bearable if given the opportunity, which brings my second point: uniform laws nationwide. I pray those that have a need for MMJ and cannot legally get it are able to do so soon. I started signing petitions back in the ’70s and will stop when my heart does.
What do you say to folks who are skeptical about cannabis as medicine?
To the skeptical one: Reefer Madness was propaganda! If you or someone you love is wasting away to nothingness due to no appetite—step out of the box [and] give MMJ a chance. c
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411on the 420 in
By Meital Manzuri
California
The Tides Change in San Diego San Diego has, historically, been one of the most hostile regions to medical marijuana and to dispensaries. Today, that has all changed! Recently elected Mayor Bob Filner demanded prosecutors halt all actions against dispensaries—and they’ve complied. Filner took it further and vowed to create citywide regulations soon. He even publicly called for the resignation of San Diego’s overzealous U.S. Attorney, Laura Duffy. More breaking good news out of San Diego: The California Supreme upheld the Jovan Jackson decision, which, once and for all, legitimizes dispensaries by allowing them to bring a medical marijuana defense in court. The Bottom Line: “Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change—this is the rhythm of living. Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress.” — Bruce Barton Los Angeles has Gone into Overdrive What’s happening? The city of no hope, when it comes to regulating medical marijuana, now has three ballot initiatives for the voters to decide on in May. One allows the 100 or so dispensaries
Say What?
legal corner
“I can’t claim a Bill Clinton and say that I never inhaled.” —Sarah Palin
that have been around since 2007 and another implements regulations, but does not grandfather in the older dispensaries. The city’s previous ordinances have been overreaching and have cost the Los Angeles too much money in lawsuits. The Bottom Line: A voter-approved initiative would be binding. Hopefully, though, with three initiatives on the ballot, one will get enough votes to pass, and we don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater!
Sacramento, Our Capital, in Disarray. The medical cannabis community is losing ground in Sacramento, the capital city of a state known as a pioneer in the cultivation and legitimization of medicinal cannabis. Meanwhile, states like Colorado and Washington have moved on to full legalization. It makes no sense. Review of Regression: In October 2011, outdoor growing was banned. In December 2011, the city enacted a ban closing over 100 dispensaries. Another ballot initiative would effectively close the remaining 16 dispensaries in the city. The Bottom Line: “Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice, and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that
block the flow of social progress.” — Martin Luther King, Jr. The Bay Area Continues to Fight for Patients’ Rights The city of Oakland sued the federal government in an effort to allow Harborside to continue providing to its 100,000 patients. Oakland officials warned that a shutdown would lead to a “health crisis.” A federal magistrate in early January agreed and Harborside can continue to operate, at least for now, in Oakland and San Jose despite a bid by federal prosecutors to shut it down. The Bottom Line: “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” — Henry Ford Everything Rides on a Pending Supreme Court Case Out of Riverside City of Riverside v. Inland Empire Patients Health and Wellness Center is headed to the Supreme Court in early February, and will have a big impact in California because it decides whether cities can, legally, have a ban on dispensaries. Nearly 200 other cities in California currently have a ban, and this case could blow the top right off! The Bottom Line: Stay tuned because thousands of dispensaries’ existence is riding on this case and we hope it goes in our favor! c
Attorney Meital Manzuri is a medical cannabis expert, collective consultant and experienced criminal defense attorney. Those with questions about starting a collective or interested in scheduling a free consultation can call (310) 601-3140 or go to manzurilaw.com.
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healthy living
By Lanny Swerdlow, RN, LNC
Guns, AntiDepressants and Cannabis While many elected officials and media pundits fuss over the availability of guns manufactured by our massive gun corporations to mass murderers, there seems to be little concern about the availability of anti-psychotics medications manufactured by our galactic-sized pharmaceutical corporations. This lack of concern is especially surprising as the only thing besides guns that is directly associated with mass murders are anti-psychotic medications. Anti-depressants are the most common prescription for adults age 18-44 with 60 percent of Americans taking them for more than two years. These include popular old-line medications like Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro and Wellbutrin as well as newer medications such as Remeron, Effexor and Cymbalta. To see the relationship between antipsychotic drugs and mass murderers does not require an exhaustive study. From Columbine mass-killer Eric Harris’s use of Luvox to John Hinckley, who took four Valium pills two hours before his failed attempt to assassinate President Reagan, anti-psychotic meds are as much involved in murder as guns. The website ssristories. com is a collection of 4,800+ news stories involving anti-depressants that have appeared in the media or that were part of FDA investigations. Just like most people who use guns do not commit mass murder, most people who use anti-depressants to treat mental illness do not commit mass murder, yet
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there most assuredly is a nexus between mass murders, guns and anti-depressants. So where does cannabis play into this? For one thing it doesn’t play into mass murders or we would surely be hearing about it. Further confirmation can be found by going to search engines like Google and entering “mass murders and anti-depressants” and “mass murders and marijuana” into the subject line. The former produces multiple pages of listings and the latter essentially zero. What is so amazing about all these reports of mass murders is the infrequency of any media accounts reporting cannabis use. Since the vast majority of mass murders are committed by males under 35, it would seem that a large number of them would be using cannabis as well. Although some most assuredly did, it seems most did not. Reuters estimates that almost 7 percent of young adults are current users of cannabis. Since there are hardly any reports about cannabis use by mass murderers, their use may be even less considering that if they were tested for drugs, cannabis would be No. 1 on the list as the plant’s chemical compounds remain in the body for weeks and most other substances disappear within a number of days. Most significantly, mass murderers who only used cannabis and nothing else seem to be non-existent. With over 40 percent of the U.S. population having
used cannabis, we’d all be dead if cannabis led people to commit murder. Pharmaceutical companies shell out hundreds of millions of dollars every year in lawsuits paying off claims that their drugs caused users to commit suicide or mayhem. With over $18 billion in sales each year, drug manufacturers can easily afford shelling out hundreds of millions of dollars to quietly settle these lawsuits. Many people who have used antidepressants have found on their own that cannabis is an effective substitute that provides relief from the symptoms of their mental illness without any of the debilitating and negative side effects of the prescription medications prescribed by their doctors. The possibility that many of the atrocities committed by the anti-depressant pill-popping murderers might not have happened if they were using cannabis is a question that surely deserves an answer. c To receive a list of mass murders committed under the influence of anti-psychotics, send an email to lanny@marijuananews.org. Listen to Lanny’s weekly radio show, Marijuana Compassion and Common Sense, every Monday at 6pm on Inland Empire talk radio KCAA 1050AM and simulcast at www.kcaaradio.com.
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GreenScene
Share the Love Take this Valentine’s Day to show how much you care about humanity
{By NANCY POWELL}
Nothing says “I love you” more romantically than a bouquet of roses and a box of chocolates, but where and how you get it says a lot about the love you have for your fellow humans. According to research firm MarketsandMarkets (in a reported cited by CNN in January 2012), chocolate is an $83 billion-a-year industry with most of it being eaten by Europeans (yes, the Brits, Swiss and German eat an average 24 pounds!). And Valentine’s Day provides a huge economic stimulus to the U.S. (58 million pounds sold within the space of the week, according to the CNN report) for three-quarters of a crop grown on West African soil exploiting child labor, consuming only three percent of the crop and generating a ridiculous .0075 percent profit that goes back into community improvements. A family member working in the cocoa fields brings home anywhere from $30 to $108 each year. Let’s shift to the other obvious V-Day industry, the sweetly smelling bouquet of roses, a symbol of ephemeral beauty whose journey to market involves a less than rosy path. Traditional growing methods utilize a vaporous cocktail of pesticides, endangering not only consumers’ senses, but the very workers who grow them. This time, the dirty job happens to reside on South American farms. Is this really the way we wish to honor those we hold so dear? This is where the dollar really has some impact. The concept of “fair trade” ensures that people supplying these products (tea and sugar are other, well-known, exploitative commodities) get a fair share of the profits and receive dignified and equitable treatment at the hands of its buyers. Fair trade creates a more direct route to market by eliminating the middle men who siphon off the profits. Think of it as economic and social justice, an attempt to give power back to the people and allow them the opportunity to make a decent living, to decide how profits will benefit communities and to control how foods and plants are grown using sustainable methods. If you want your Valentine’s gift to really count, consider doing business through fair trade. After all, what’s good for the community is good for the environment . . . and good for the people you love the most. For more information about fair trade products and merchants, visit Fair Trade USA at www.fairtradeusa.org.
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cool stuff Save-a-Bowl The Save-a-Bowl is a must for any patient on the go, allowing you to pre-pack a bowl in your pipe and keep it safe below any number of designs (peace signs, yin-yang symbols, etc.). The heat resistant plastic is flexible enough to handle the biggest of needs while not slipping off in a busy pocket. (MSRP: $3.50) www.mmjfarm.com (orders under 100), www.saveabowl.com
GravityLight Designed as an alternative to kerosene lamps in Third World countries, the bleeding-edge GravityLight utilizes the universal power of attraction between objects to illuminate the future. A bag filled with rocks and dirt and suspended by a cord below the light provides weight that is then converted into energy—about 30 minutes worth. Truly “green” technology. (MSRP: $5) www.gravitylight.org
Barracuda Cone Filler Isn’t it about time you made life a little easier? How about taking the work out of filling your pre-roll cones by hand? Enter the Barracuda Cone Filler. Slide on the cone, scoop up some herbs, pack it in, twist it and—voila!—time to medicate. (MSRP $5.99) www.conefiller.com
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cool stuff PUFFiT Vaporizer It may look like an asthma inhaler, but the PUFFiT is actually the next generation of portable, discreet vaporizers offering patients another level of personal medicating. Made to vaporize dry, finely ground flowers and herbs, the PUFFiT offers up to eight temperature settings, up to 30 uses per charge and a 90-second automatic shut-off feature . . . in case you get forgetful. Discretion just got redesigned. ($139.99) www.gotvape.com
Measy RC13 Bidirectional Wireless Voice Air Mouse The Wii of remotes! With 79 keys and a million functions, you can use this “air” mouse to control your cursor wirelessly. Comes with a built-in microphone and speaker, and it can work with HTPC and Android media players as well as Google Voice Search, Skype, MSN and AIM. ($45) usb.brando.com
Sumo Lounge Time to ditch that ‘ol bean bag. Sumo Lounge has mastered the science and art of comfort to provide weary bones the perfect way to relax and unwind after a long day. To say this is a super-comfy bean bag—made of rip-proof nylon—is a total understatement. This might just be the best bean bag chair (or piece of furniture!) you’ve ever sat on. Chairs, you’ve been warned. ($229, Sumo Couple Microsuede) www.sumolounge.com
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By Aunt Sandy
Just a couple of weeks ago, we celebrated President Obama and the 57th Presidential Inauguration. With this timely event in mind— plus the fact that Steven Spielberg’s historical drama Lincoln made it on quite a few bestmovie-of-the-year lists, we bring you a dinner menu drawn from The Great Emancipator’s 1865 inauguration.
Menu:
Oyster Stew Broiled Venison Steak Pot Roast Charlotte Russe Cake Lemon Ice
Sandy Moriarty is the author of Aunt’ Sandy’s Medical Marijuana Cookbook: Comfort Food for Body & Mind and a Professor of Culinary Arts at Oaksterdam University. She is also the co-founder of Oaksterdam’s Bakery.
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Pot Roast
1 beef roast (about 6 lbs.) Water 1 onion, chopped 2 tablespoons Canna Butter* 1/4 cup flour for dredging Place beef roast in a pot with just enough water to cover it. Set the roast over a slow fire and allow it to stew for an hour. Add salt and pepper to taste and continue to stew it slowly until the meat becomes tender. Add onions. Do not replenish the water as it boils away. Once the meat reaches desired tenderness, remove the meat from the pot and pour the remaining gravy into a bowl. Add the Canna Butter to the empty pot and dredge your meat with flour. Return the meat to the pot to brown, turning it often to prevent it from burning. Take the gravy in the bowl and skim off the fat. Then pour the gravy in with the meat and stir in a spoonful of flour that’s been moistened with a little water. Let the gravy boil with the meat for 15 minutes and then pour the gravy into a gravy dish. Serve the meat hot on a platter.
Oyster Stew Broiled Venison Steak 4 4-oz. venison steaks Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons currant jelly 2 tablespoons Canna Butter* Broil venison steaks, turning often. When steaks are cooked thoroughly, season with salt and pepper. Mix melted Canna Butter with currant jelly and pour the mixture over the steaks. Serve hot.
2 quarts of oysters Hot water (about 1/2 cup) Salt and pepper 2 tablespoons Canna Butter* 1 pint of milk Oyster crackers Drain the liquid from the oysters. In a saucepan, add the hot water and salt and pepper. Once it comes to a boil, add the oysters. Let it come to a boil again, add the Canna Butter. Once the butter melts, stir in the milk. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Serve hot with oyster crackers. Hint: If you need to thicken up the stew, add more crackers. FEBRUARY 2013 • CULTURE 111
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Lemon Ice
6 lemons 1 large sweet orange 1 pint Cannabis-Infused Simple Syrup** Juice the orange and all the lemons. Grate the rind of three lemons and the orange. Steep the juice in the lemon and orange rind for a couple hours. Strain the juice through a towel and add a pint of Cannabis Infused Simple Syrup. Stir in the syrup until it is dissolved and put it in the freezer for three hours. Scrape the ice with a spoon until it is finely crushed and serve.
Canna Butter*
Charlotte Russe Cake
1 cup unsalted butter 1 ounce low to average quality dried leaf marijuana or 1/2 ounce average dried bud 4 cups water Bring water and butter to boil in a small pot, lower heat to simmer. Simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours. Mash and stir frequently to extract all THC from the plant material. After cooking, use cheesecloth to strain the butter/water mixture. Pour about 2 cups clean boiling water over the leaves in the strainer to extract every last drop of butter. Squeeze plant material well to remove as much liquid as possible. Chill the butter/water mixture in the refrigerator until the butter has solidified (1 to 2 hours). Separate butter from water and keep butter in the refrigerator (or freezer for longer storage) until needed.
Cannabis Simple Syrup** 1/2 oz cannabis buds 1 cup sugar 1 cup water In a saucepan, sauté the buds in sugar and water over medium heat for 20 minutes. Strain the buds. Pour the remaining green-colored syrup into a glass container. Let it cool and refrigerate. Pour over fruit or fruit salad and let the syrup fully absorb.
2 tablespoons gelatin Cold milk 2 cups rich cream 1 cup milk Whipped cream 1 tablespoon powdered sugar 1/2 tablespoon Canna Butter* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Lady fingers or sponge cake 4 eggs 4 tablespoons sugar Lemon or vanilla flavoring Whip the cream until stiff in a large bowl or dish and set on ice. Soak the gelatin in a little cold milk for two hours. Boil the milk and pour it gradually over the gelatin until it is dissolved and strain. Once the cream is cold, add the whipped cream one spoonful at a time. Sweeten the cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract and add the Canna Butter. Line a dish with lady fingers or sponge cake. Pour in the cream and set it in a cool place to harden. To make the meringue for the top, beat egg whites with sugar and lemon or vanilla flavoring. Spread mixture over the top and brown slightly in the oven.
Legal Disclaimer
Publishers of this publication are not making any representations with respect to the safety or legality of the use of medical marijuana. The recipes listed here are for general entertainment purposes only, and are intended for use only where medical marijuana is not a violation of state law. Edibles can vary in potency while a consumers’ weight, metabolism and eating habits may affect effectiveness and safety. Ingredient management is important when cooking with cannabis for proper dosage. Please consume responsibly and check with your doctor before consumption to make sure that it is safe to do so.
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Shooting Gallery iREADCULTURE.com GET YOUR HITS HERE
“Cannabis in California: Ending the 100-Year War” California NORML Conference (Photos by Amanda Holguin)
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Shooting Gallery iREADCULTURE.com GET YOUR HITS HERE
Medical Marijuana Icons Seminar & Honorary Dinner (Photos by Kristopher Christensen)
LA NORML’s We Can Work It Out Tour/Comedy Day (Photos by Steve Baker)
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Shooting Gallery iREADCULTURE.com GET YOUR HITS HERE
NORML Awards (Photos by Steve Baker)
Meen Green’s Cali Cup (Photos by Steve Baker)
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entertainment reviews
Rick Ross
La Costa Perdida Camper Van Beethoven 429 Records In the recent movie This Is 40, actor Paul Rudd rocks a vintage Camper Van Beethoven shirt he dug up from his own collection. For CVB, this is actually 30, and Rudd is one of many Generation Xers giving the indie rockers their due on their 30th anniversary. The pioneering Northern California group recently released its first new album in nine years, La Costa Perdida, and the name certainly fits. The album conjures up images of a hippie Brian Wilson trying to make a Pet Sounds-sized leap with Hunter S. Thompson producing. The harmony-packed “Northern California Girls” is the lead single, but “Too High For the Love-In” is arguably the best song with a psychedelia-teased riff and crazy-ass lyrics, including a “make me a sandwich” chant. The title track also stands out with a quirky, upbeat folk narrative that epitomizes CBV’s trademark depth and diversity. (David Jenison)
Hempology 101: The History and Uses of Cannabis Sativa 4th Edition By Ted Smith The International Hempology 101 Society To bring us up to date on the history of cannabis, author Ted Smith takes us waaaaay back in time when ancient civilizations (not surprisingly) revered the plant’s psychological, physiological and spiritual properties just as much as we do today. And while Smith does a great job detailing how cannabis figured prominently in Vedic, Mesopotamian and Hellenistic traditions, Hempology 101 is no dry, imposing academic tome suited for clinical scholarship. Rather, it’s a coherent plainspeak examination of virtually every facet of the plant’s existence: from the “Hemp For Victory” era, the many uses, products and materials (“hempcrete?”) that can be derived from the plant, its links to counterculture and—surprise, surprise—its medical benefits. Well-researched and with informative flair, Hempology 101 does an intensely readable job of boiling down the ins and outs of cannabis sativa clearly and intelligently. (Matt Tapia)
Thrive: What on Earth Will it Take? Clear Compass Media Dir. By Foster Gamble Ever wondered what it would be like to be part of a movement that aims to improve humanity’s lot in life? Then feel free to look into what the Thrive Movement has to say about human history, forgotten secrets and ways to liberate ourselves through knowledge. In the documentary, director Foster Gamble narrates about how we humans are destroying our own world before leaping headlong into a voyage of discovery that is familiar to those steeped in The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, Raiders of the Lost Ark and “ancient astronauts” theories. While the computer graphics could use an uptick in production values, Gamble charges ahead and makes connections between something called the “Vector Equilibrium”—a pattern showing the primal structure of space—and the I Ching, the Hebrew alphabet, Kabbalistic thought and the Cheops Pyramid, among others. It is the secret of the “Vector” that can help us access the “life force” and transform our society . . . and our minds. (Matt Tapia)
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7th Annual Doesha Cup
Have you ever wished you could be the guy that judges the medical cannabis competitions? The All American Healing Group in Inglewood is making that possible with its 7th Annual Doesha Cup. It is a one-of-a-kind, Euro-style cannabis tasting competition where you can be a part of the action by gaining access to the medical vendors and judging the winner (if you are a Prop. 215-complient patient or caregiver, of course). More than 5,000 patients and caregivers have felt the love from the Doesha Cup. This year, however, do not have to be a patient or caregiver to attend. As long as you are over 18, you can still see special guest comedians Red Grant and Luenell with performances by DJ Battle Cat, Kurupt, King T, 1500 or Nothin and much more. Guest speakers include Dennis Peron, Rick Ross and Tommy Chong. Touch, smell and taste the experience.
IF YOU GO
What: 7th Annual Doesha Cup. When/Where: Feb. 23, location to be disclosed one week prior to event, Los Angeles. Info: Tickets $20-$100. Go to www.doeshacup.com or call (424) 261-3420.
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liner notes Good news for anyone that was young enough or sensitive enough to be moved by the Garden State trailer (or, yeah, the film itself) back in 2003: The Postal Service is reuniting. The band’s official website reads “Postal Service 2013.” The duo, featuring Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello (a.ka. Dntel), famously got its name from the way in which they would send their song ideas back and forth between, you guessed it, the mail. The band will be getting back together to play at Coachella, the festival famous for bringing bands back together and putting them onstage in 115-degree heat in front of unwashed, dehydrated campers. TPS might also be extending the performance into an actual tour; but the extent of that tour has not yet been discussed, nor has the possibility of a new LP. All of this coincides with the 10th anniversary edition special release of their hit debut Give Up. Hearing the news that The Postal Service would reunite, twentysomethings from across the country, from reformed emos to high school jocks with unrevealed depth and sensitivity, jumped around like their collective hair was on fire. Speaking of hair on fire, tiny lord of YouTube dubstep Skrillex got into some trouble recently when trying to blow out candles on his birthday cake. As the faux-bespectacled Corey Feldman look-alike leaned over to ring in another year of life, his hair sparked and began to burn. Sources close to the Skrillex say that his famous mop was too close to the flame and, probably, too full of flammable product. He may often drop basses, but he did not drop the ball: Skrillex quickly patted out the brushfire and any hope that people had that he would throw a fit. He handled it well, with a laugh, and then brought his swift breathy vengeance down upon the offending candle and its entire kin. For those interested parties that would think me a fabricator of the highest degree, one who would mislead you with such asides, I tell you this: take to the Internet and look for video evidence. It exists. It can be Googled. Just like The Postal Service, this is a year of reunions and restarts. Justin Timberlake, who many people feared had abandoned his musical roots, released a new song called “Suit and Tie” featuring Jay-Z. It is currently
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By Kevin Longrie on track to outsell “Sexyback”. Following this tease, he announced on his website that he will be putting a new album out this year: The 20/20 Experience. No word yet on whether it will feature Barbara Walters. Additionally, Beyoncé has been busy, reuniting with those other people that were in Destiny’s Child. They’ve released a new, boring single and there is a rumor they may play at the Super Bowl halftime show. The song, “Nuclear,” features such compelling scientific moments as when the trio points out what happens “when two become one on a quantum level.” Professors at MIT and CalTech have been eager, since the release of the song, to get in touch with the group about their new findings in the field of quantum mechanics; but so far, the academics have gotten no further than Destiny’s publicist. Beyoncé is also releasing an autobiographical documentary through HBO in which the star of Carmen: A Hip-Hopera videotapes herself through her tough times and her victories. The trailer might
be more compelling to someone who wants to see sonogram footage of the unfortunately named Blue Ivy; but to this writer it seemed like something you might find on a lonely YouTube channel: lots of close up shots of her face and meditations we’ve heard before from other hard working pop stars. Beyoncé did direct it, though, which from the look of it seems to mean that she carried around a digital video camera all by herself. Public service announcement: anyone that does not want their face melted off by blistering guitar solos and gut-bursting comedy, steer clear of Tenacious D’s new Festival Supreme, a comedy/rock line-up that will bring rock fans to their knees. c
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CULTURE Quiz HEAD COUNT
?
Time to rev up your brain cells, folks. Take this official CULTURE quiz and test yourself to see how much you know about cannabis. For each question you answer correctly, give yourself 5 points.
as dangerous as heroin—but at the same time holds a patent on cannabis-derived medicine— true or false? The National Cancer 4 Does Institute and the Institute of
Medicine support researching cannabis as medicine?
1 cannabis appear to have 5 Does antioxidant and neuroprotecWhat was the San Francisco 2 Cannabis Buyers Club? tive effects on rat brain cells?
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ANSWERS
federal government 3 The considers cannabis a drug
1. Yes. 2. The first public medical cannabis dispensary in the U.S. It opened in 1992. 3. Shockingly, true. 4. Yes. 5. Yes, according to a 1998 study by the National Academy of Sciences.
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Did Sarah Palin ever admit to smoking cannabis?
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Now Rate Yourself: 5 points: A few classes at Oaksterdam University won’t even help you. 10 points: Are you even a patient? 15 points: Keep medicating. 20 points: Impressive. Almost ready for the big leagues. 25 points: What do you want—a prize?
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let’s do this Our picks for the coolest things to do around town Fourth Annual Kulture Recycling Show, Feb. 8-9
Vintage fashion? New art? “Culture” intentionally misspelled? Yes, it that time of year again. Trendy artists from across the globe will be stopping by Long Beach to celebrate the new theme of the year—“Upgrade.” Fitting with the theme is the new location, the Spruce Goose Dome. Spruce Goose Dome, Long Beach www.inspirationla.com
2013 Bacon Festival, Feb. 9
Everyone loves bacon and they are lying if they say otherwise. The Petersen Automotive Museum is honoring that universal porky love by giving your body more bacon than it can fathom. Bacon dishes from local restaurants, cocktails and more, this is meat-eaters nirvana. Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles www.labaconfest.com
Finch at The Glass House, Feb. 9
After scaring fans with an “indefinite hiatus” in 2006, Finch staged its comeback over five years ago and not only is it still alive, but doing better than ever before. The Temecula natives rocked the ’90s with a hardcore style that was all their own, and apparently you can’t keep a good thing down. The Glass House, Pomona www.theglasshouse.us
Soulfly’s Maximum Cavalera Tour, Feb. 16
There are a lot of you out there who are sick of the gooey sentimentality that comes with Valentine’s Day. Don’t worry; Soulfly is more than delighted to give you the extreme alternative. Growling, head-throbbing, heavy metal madness is the perfect hangover cure to any undue emotions received this holiday. Defy the masses and kick some asses. The Key Club, West Hollywood www.keyclub.com
Harlem Globetrotters, Feb. 18
The best basketball team New York has to offer? Well, that’s always debatable, but they are the most entertaining team you’ll see on the court. Plus, the kids can meet the players before the game and learn a few tricks. Score! Citizen’s Business Bank Arena, Ontario www.cbbankarena.com
Casino Moderne, Feb. 18
Love Boardwalk Empire but can’t master time travel? No worries, the Art Deco Society has you covered. Enter the oldest club in Los Angeles and find yourself transported back to an age of gambling, prohibition, flappers and more. You won’t meet Al Capone, but a safe night of fun is more than a fair trade off. Los Angeles Athletic Club, Los Angeles adsla.org
An Afternoon with . . . Garrison Keillor, Feb. 10
35th Annual Los Angeles Chinatown Firecracker 5/10k Run, Feb. 23
Spank! The Fifty Shades Musical Parody, Feb. 11-13
Chocolate & Art Show, Feb. 22-23
The classic spirit of Lake Wobegon encapsulated in a witty, Midwestern senior, the host of Prairie Home Companion is presenting a one-man act. What’s it about? Lake Wobegon and living in the Midwest. Okay, it’s similar to his show, but the tickets are at least cheaper. Haugh Performing Arts Center, Glendora tickets.haughpac.com It may not be The Book of Mormon, but it’s still making fun of something we can all agree needs a good ribbing. It’s a tale as old as time—boy meets girl, boy hires girl, girl finds out her boss has a huge thing for BDSM. Romantic, right? City National Grove of Anaheim, Anaheim www.citynationalgroveofanaheim.com
When Harry Met Sally drive-in screening, Feb. 14
The quintessential romantic comedy is taking its place front and center this Valentine’s Day. Everyone loves the humor, couples go crazy for the romantic plotline, and it’s playing at a drive-in? Talk about a trifecta. Electric Dusk Drive-in, Los Angeles www.electricduskdrivein.com 126 CULTURE • FEBRUARY 2013
Why not start off a new year by immediately following up on your resolution this time? Chinatown is ringing in New Year with the return of a two-day celebration. The centerpiece of the event is the bike ride around the city, but you can enjoy the local vendors, bands and other wild shenanigans. Gung hay fat choy! Chinatown, Los Angeles www.firecracker10k.org This one is surprisingly edgier than it sounds. An underground art exhibit where you have to be 21+ to get in? But they did promise unforgettable art and delicious chocolate . . . this is one you’re going to have to investigate yourselves. KGB Studios, Los Angeles www.facebook.com/cocoandart
The Octopus Challenge, Feb. 23
Decrease the collective IQ of the room and spend the day with the boys at Caltech. The geniuses have come up with a way to let humans experience what it’s like to be an octopus. You’ll also be able see what the technology can do for everyone, because pretending to be an octopus isn’t cool enough on its own. Caltech, Pasadena www.caltech.edu
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Credit Associated Press, Don Ryan, ID Elvy Musikka
True Originals And then there were four . . . That’s the number of patients left in the now-closed to the public Compassionate Investigational New Drug program. The CIND is the only government program in which patients receive marijuana, grown at the University of Mississippi, from—wait for it—the federal government. At its peak, the program treated 30 people and was expanded to aid those with HIV/AIDS, but now only four people remain active recipients, and they were each part of the program’s inception. Under the program—which had its roots in a 1976 court case involving early MMJ advocate and patient Robert Randall—patients would receive 300 machinerolled cannabis cigarettes every 25 days. The most well-known of the four is Irvin Rosenfeld, an open advocate for legalization who also claims to have smoked 115,000 joints in one year. Rosenfeld struggles with a rare form of bone cancer. He’s also written a book entitled My Medicine: How Irvin Rosenfeld Convinced the U.S. Government to Provide His Marijuana & Helped Launch a National Movement. The other three surviving patients are George McMahon, Elvy Musikka and Barbara Douglass. McMahon and Musikka are also advocates, with the former publishing a book about his experiences as a patient and going on tour while the latter speaks at public events and fittingly sings about her usage. c 128 CULTURE • FEBRUARY 2013
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Changing
Tides
San Diego has decided to at least meet the people halfway, according to The Christian Science Monitor. Mayor Bob Filner has pledged to end the city’s war on legal medical marijuana and will no longer target dispensaries. Filner has also stated that he intends to propose an ordinance that would regulate dispensaries within city limits. However, this doesn’t mean that all dispensaries are safe for now. While City Attorney Jan Goldsmith has openly agreed to comply with Filner’s new direction, her actions are saying something entirely different. According to San Diego Six News, 11 civil cases concerning dispensaries and MMJ are still on the table and they will be prosecuted according to the older standards, before the proposed zoning laws take place. c
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Mass. Appeal
There’s something to be said about a house divided, and Massachusetts might know a thing or two about that when it comes to medical cannabis laws. Though MMJ legalization was passed last November, several cities have come forward to effectively prohibit dispensaries from within their own borders. Multiple outlets are reporting that Peabody, Burlington, Brookline and Needham have already or are in the process of putting moratoriums on dispensaries, prohibiting them from operating or being established until 2014. However, Massachusetts itself is on board with the amendment and is trying to establish regulations. Several public “listening sessions” have been planned in Worcester, Boston and Holyoke to take place throughout this month to establish ground concerning conditions, dispensary security, cultivation and more. The amendment, according to Boston.com, calls for at least 35 “treatment centers” across the state with one in each county. c
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Chuck Shepherd
News of the
Weird LEAD STORY— THREE-STAR ROOM THAT’S A DUMP
; The usual 20,000 or so visitors every year to Belgium’s Verbeke Foundation art park have the option (365 of them, anyway) to spend the night inside the feature attraction: a 20-foot-long, 6-foothigh polyester replica of a human colon created by Dutch designer Joep Van Lieshout. At one end, of course, another body part is replicated (and gives the installation its formal name, the Hotel CasAnus). The facility, though “cramped,” according to one prominent review, features heating, shower and double bed, and rents for the equivalent of about $150 a night. The 30-acre art park is regarded as one of Europe’s “edgiest” art destinations.
FRAGRANCE OF WAR
; Updating “The Smell of Napalm in the Morning”: A cosmetics company in Gaza recently began selling a fragrance dedicated to victory over Israel and named after the signature M-75 missile that Hamas has been firing across the border. “The fragrance is pleasant and attractive,” said the company owner, “like the missiles of the Palestinian resistance,” and comes in masculine and feminine varieties, at premium prices (over, presumably, the prices of ordinary Gazan fragrances). Sympathizers can splash on victory, he said, from anywhere in the world.
COMPELLING EXPLANATIONS
; Giuseppe Tedesco took the witness stand in Newton, N.J., in December and swore that all six shots that hit his girlfriend, Alyssa Ruggieri (one of them fatal), were “self-defense” “accidents.” After she 132 CULTURE • FEBRUARY 2013
discovered his .25-caliber handgun in sofa cushions, he said he reached for it and in the struggle was shot in the hand, but he still managed to grip the gun tightly, and the pair tumbled down some stairs. During the struggle, “both” hands shot Ruggieri twice. Despite their injuries, they both maintained their vice-like grips on the gun, he said, and “they” shot Ruggieri twice more. The final shot, he said, came with Ruggieri holding the gun point-blank at his face, and when he pushed it away, “they” fired another shot that hit Ruggieri in the temple. (At press time, the trial was continuing.) ; The issues director of the fundamentalist American Family Association told his radio audience in November that God’s feelings will be hurt if America stops using fossil fuels for energy. “God has buried those treasures there because he loves to see us find them,” said Bryan Fischer, who described Americans’ campaigns against fossil fuels as similar to the time when Fischer, at age 6, told a birthday-present donor that he didn’t like his gift. “And it just crushed that person.” ; Retrials and appeals are sometimes granted if a convicted criminal demonstrates that he received “ineffective assistance of counsel.” Among the reasons that the lawyer for convicted Joliet, Ill., quadruple-murderer Christopher Vaughn offered in his November motion was the ineptness of other lawyers (but not himself ). Specifically, he argued, the lawyers for the convicted wife-killing police officer Drew Peterson put on such a disgusting case that they gave all defense lawyers a bad name. (The website LoweringTheBar.net V I S I T U S AT i R e a d C u l t u r e . c o m
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pointed out that Vaughn lawyer George Lenard himself violated a lawyers’ “kitchen sink” standard by overlisting 51 separate reasons why his client deserved a new trial.)
CHUTZPAH!
; Mauricio Fierro gained instant fame in December in Sao Paulo, Brazil, as the reported victim of a car theft (captured on surveillance video) when he dashed into a pharmacy. He went to a police station to file a report, but encountered the pharmacy owner making his own report— that Fierro was actually robbing him at the moment the car was taken. More surveillance video revealed that while Fierro was standing outside the pharmacy, wondering where his car was, a man ran by and stole the stolen cash. Fierro then immoderately complained to the police even more about Sao Paulo’s crime rate and lack of security. Afterward, Fierro admitted to a local news website that in fact he had stolen the very car that he was reporting stolen.
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THE CONTINUING CRISIS
; Former undercover cop Mark Kennedy filed for damages in October against the London Metropolitan police, claiming posttraumatic stress syndrome based on the department’s “negligence” in allowing him to have such a robust sex life on the job that he fell in love with a woman whose organization he had infiltrated. Kennedy’s wife has filed for divorce and is also suing the department, and 10 other women (including three of Kennedy’s former lovers) have also filed claims. ; Sarah Childs won a restraining order in Denham Springs, La., in December, forbidding the town from shutting down her “Christmas” lights decoration. The large outdoor display (in a neighborhood with traditional Christmas displays) was the image of two hands with middle fingers extended. ; In a 3-2 decision, the Board of Adjustment in the Seattle
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suburb of Clyde Hill ruled that a homeowner must chop down two large, elegant trees on his property because they obstruct a neighbor’s scenic view of Seattle’s skyline. The board’s majority reasoned that the complaining neighbor (who happens to be former baseball all-star John Olerud) would otherwise suffer a $255,000 devaluation of his $4 million estate. (Olerud was ordered to pay for the tree removal and to plant the neighbor two smaller trees in place of the majestic ones).
PEOPLE WITH ISSUES
; (1) New York’s highest court ruled in November that subway “grinders” (men who masturbate by rubbing up against women on trains) cannot be charged with felonies as long as they don’t use force to restrain their victims (but only commit misdemeanors that usually result in no jail time). (2) Police in Phuket, Thailand, announced that their all-points search for a public masturbator who harassed a restaurant’s staff had produced no suspects—al-
though a spokesman said they did find “a few people (nearby) who were masturbating in their vehicles, but none of them were the man we are looking for.”
PERSPECTIVE
; (1)Update: Four months have passed since News of the Weird mentioned that at least 60 North Carolina prisoners have been improperly incarcerated—legally innocent based on a 2011 federal appeals court decision. (Still others are at least owed sentence reduction because they had been convicted of offenses in addition to the incorrect one.) A June USA Today story revealed the injustice, and the federal government took until August to release holds on the inmates, but since then, only 44 of the estimated 175 affected prisoners have been correctly adjudicated. USA Today reported in December that the recent delay has been because of the obstinacy of some North Carolina federal judges, including cases involving citizens by now wrongfully locked up for more than 18 months.
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; (2) Human rights activists have for years deplored the preferences for male offspring in India and other nations—ranging from cultures that marginalize female babies to some that practice discreet infanticide of girls. Increasingly, though, because of “advances” in science, Westerners can buy expensive in vitro fertilization procedures that use a laser to breach a fertilized embryo to determine whether it contains XY chromosome pairs (i.e., males) or larger XX ones so that only the desired-gender embryos are chosen. Noted Slate.com in September, such procedures are illegal in Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom (except for bona fide medical reasons), but legal in the United States. ; (3) “Fulton Jail Will Get Working Cell Locks,” read the Dec. 19 Atlanta Journal-Constitution headline. The county commission serving Atlanta had finally voted to break a longstanding 3-3 tie that prevented buying new jailhouse locks—even while knowing that inmates could jimmy the
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old ones at will and roam the facilities, threatening and assaulting suspects and guards. The three recalcitrant commissioners were being spiteful because a federal judge had ordered various improvements to the jail, costing $140 million so far, and the three vowed to spend no more. The 1,300 replacement locks will cost about $5 million—but will not be installed right away.
LEAST COMPETENT PARKING ENFORCERS
; (1) The week before Christmas, a Nottingham, England, officer wrote parking tickets to drivers of two ambulances that were taking too long to board wheelchair-using schoolchildren who had just sung carols for an hour downtown to raise money for the homeless shelter Emmanuel House. (Following an outpouring of complaints, the Nottingham City Council revoked the tickets.) (2) An ambulance on call, with lights and siren, pulled into the parking lot of Quicky’s
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convenience store in New Orleans in November to treat a customer, but one employee nonetheless obeyed what he believed to be his employer’s no-parking rule and applied an immobilizing “boot” to the ambulance. The man, Ahmed Sidi Aleywa, was later fired. A co-worker said Aleywa was an immigrant who had said he was not familiar with “ambulances.”
LEAST COMPETENT CRIMINALS
; Recurring Themes: (1) Marquis Diggs, 29, entering the county administration building in Jersey City, N.J., in December for a hearing in family court over his mother’s restraining order against him, became the most recent drug possessor not to have realized that he might be subjected to a search. Police confiscated 32 baggies of “suspected marijuana.” (2) Cleland Ayison, 32, got a sentencing break in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in December when federal judge William Dimitrouleas pitied him. Ayison got only house arrest and community service because
his crime—trying to pass a U.S. Federal Reserve note with a face value of $500 million— was so “silly.”
READERS’ CHOICE
; Ironies: (1) A 20-year-old man’s life ended when he was shot to death in an altercation in San Bernardino, Calif., on Friday, Dec. 21, while attending a Mayan-inspired “End of the World” party. (2) The next night, in Fort Worth, Texas, a 47-year-old drummer collapsed of a seizure and died onstage. He had played with several bands, including Rigor Mortis. ; (2) Unlucky Gary Haines, 59, was arrested in December in Charlotte County, Fla., after he was spotted stealing a trailer by hitching it to his own truck and driving off with it. The “spotter” was the trailer’s owner, David Zehntner, who was out flying in his private plane and happened to be passing over his property at the moment Haines was hitching up. He easily followed Haines from the air and called in Haines’ destination to police. (2) Jason DeJesus, 36,
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and Chanelle Troedson, 33, who share an upscale 4,600 squarefoot home (with pool and courts for playing tennis and beach volleyball) in Morgan Hill, Calif., were arrested in December and charged with luring a 50-year-old handyman to their home, forcibly detaining him, and requiring him to make various repairs for them over a six-hour period (before he managed to escape and notify police.)
GOVERNMENT IN ACTION
; The Philadelphia Traffic Court has been so infused with ticket-fixing since its founding in 1938 that a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court report on the practice seemed resigned to it, according to a November Philadelphia Inquirer account. One court employee was quoted as defending the favoritism as fair (as long as no money changed hands) on the grounds that anyone could get local politicians to call a judge for him. Thus, said the employee, “It was the (traf-
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fic) violator’s own fault if he or she didn’t know enough” to get help from a political connection. Traffic Judge Christine Solomon, elected in November 2011 after a career as a favor-dispensing “ward healer,” said the ticket-fixing was “just politics, that’s all.” ; More than 200 school districts in California have covered current expenses with “capital appreciation bonds,” which allow borrowers to forgo payments for years—but at some point require enormous balloon payments. A Los Angeles Times investigation revealed that districts have borrowed about $3 billion and thus are on the hook for more than $16 billion. “It’s the school district equivalent of a payday loan,” said California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, a former school board member who said he’d fire anyone who sought such loans. (Some defenders of the loans pointed to schools’ occasional need for immediate money so they could qualify for federal matching grants—which, to the districts, would be “free” money.)
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