2 KUSH L.A.
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KUSH L.A. 5
Kush L.A.
Inside Prohibition - by Sam McCommon
10
A Marine’s Story - by Leanna Harshaw
12
Cannabis And Medical Marijuana For Pain - by Mark Rose
16
Downside of the Drug War - by Lisabeth Hughes
26
Stony Parker - By Joe Posner
30
The Bitter Taste of Chocolate - by Helga Douglas
34
Get More From Out of Your Vaporizer - by Joe Greco
38
215 Discrimination - by Andrew D.
42
Dear Courtney - By Courtney Bee
44
Legalizing Good Lady “Mary Jane” - by Tyler Hamme 46 Smoke Screen - By Jim Luksic
52
The Glitz the Glam and the Dark Side - by Star Jasmine
56
This is L. A. - by S. Donim
61
Clean Green - by Chris Van Hook
64
My Opinion: Party Like it’s 1999 - by Jack LeBlanc
68
Staff Publishers & Editors Ron Dennis • Michael Lerner Associate Editors Leanna Harshaw • Annie Belle • Charlotte Cruz Director of Advertising Michael Lerner Account Executives Dina Davis • Molly Black Business Office Manager Ron Dennis Director of Sales Audrey Cisneros Internet Sales Director Heather Gulino Administration Leah Berman • Leanna Harshaw creative director Dave Azimi Writers Sam McCommon • Leanna Harshaw • Mark Rose Lisabeth Hughes • Joe Posner • Helga Douglas Joe Greco • Andrew D. • Courtney Bee Tyler Hamme • Jim Luksic • Star Jasmine S. Donim • Chris Van Hook • Jack LeBlanc cartoonist Dan Gibson 5737 Kanan Rd. #277, Agoura Hills, CA 91301 (888)9-KushLA • Fax (888)9-KushLA Info@kushla.com
6 KUSH L.A.
Letter from the Editors
W
elcome to our 3rd issue of Kush LA Magazine. The response from our adver tisers and readers alike has been nothing shor t of amazing. It is our mission to produce the highest quality publication along with the most diverse distribution within the Medical Marijuana industry. We hope you look forward to our magazine on the 20th of every month! We want you to feel that Kush LA is your magazine, so we urge you to get involved by submitting your thoughts, story ideas, ar ticles and anything else you would like to see in our upcoming issues or online. You can send these to us at info@kushla.com. Hot on the heels of our premiere issue, we are proud to introduce our website, www.dailybuds.com. The traffic has been incredible and we hope you visit us often. We will be updating the site regularly, wowing you with some incredible technology and doing our very best to make dailybuds.com your most informative and friendly destination on the Web. With our simple locator, sharing tools and relevant media, we’re confident you will agree that on www.dailybuds.com “it’s all right here!” Once again we thank you for making us the number one premium Los Angeles publication. Respectfully, Ron & Michael
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KUSH L.A. 7
Letter to the Editor
The solutions to the ICO and hardship issues facing us now are clear. There are many of us who have tried as hard as we can to take advantage of this time in history and make a positive difference in the industry of cannabis collectives. Now is a time when some great new steps can be taken and the communities that are involved can benefit and not suffer the way most have up to this point. I am ashamed of our city council and the fact that they are going to fumble this opportunity. They have started by making matters even worse and continue to create huge, unnecessary obstacles. The fate of this industry is not safe in their hands and it’s time we fought back and showed them that we are the intelligence behind these issues. They have struck many blows against us which are ridiculous since we are simply citizens, trying to exercise some of our harmless, God given rights. And I’ll argue with anyone to show me where cannabis has been more harmful to our communities than cigarettes or alcohol. I am not saying that cannabis does not come with its negatives. Many have
abused the system and could care less about patients. The rest of us love helping people who really need help, and at the same time we should be able to make a living doing it. How can we spend our lives helping if we can’t live ourselves? There’s as much greed in our system as there is in the government system or in our city council. They really should be ashamed that they are going to blow their chance to really make this issue succeed for all involved. The cities, the states and the collective members can all benefit from a properly structured and well run operation. Our own council isn’t even paying attention to those of us who are different and positive and those of us who are not. They are failing the power of that office and it’s time they felt the sting of all of us as we defend our rights. We need to mobilize and come together to file suit against the city. There are a handful of collectives with hardships turned in and we should band together to file a lawsuit against the city for the illegal operation of the ICO and hardship application process. The city has made many mistakes. This
Got Bud? www.dailybuds.com 8 KUSH L.A.
is a fact and not my opinion. These mistakes give us the only open wound where we can attack. We have legal council ready to act and the proper plan of attack is all ready to go. Please join us and come see how we can achieve some success in what should be getting done. Not like these insulting Mickey Mouse circuses of council meetings. Seriously, I’ll say again how ashamed I am to watch how grown human beings can show such coldness and carelessness to others who are asking simply for a way to succeed. They once begged us for those positions. We voted them in. Now they look down on us, simply for the cause we back. THEY HAVE FAILED US, AS WELL AS THEMSELVES. We can stand up for our rights and not only embarrass the city for the insult they’ve given us by not openly accepting our rights concerning these issues, but we can make the city work with us to come to a proper and positive goal. I’ve been downtown, a lot, and I’ve seen how these people work. They are lost and they don’t even care to be burdened with the task of helping us be a safer, happier civilization. They are horrible politicians, not because they don’t care about our side of the issues, but because they don’t even give us the respect to care that we have an issue. We are being pushed through with arrogance and disrespect and the issue is being handled with foolishness and stupidity. Cannabis can save a declining economy. It can help people with their medical issues and it can have a place in this world. Life is about making a place for everything that helps us survive and move forward positively. I’m disgusted that we are being made to fight for OUR place. They are biased and unintelligently set against our
ways, imprinted from their relic of a society who destroyed the usefulness of cannabis for monetary gain in the timber and textile world. This is the movement that will make history on these issues. Please find the courage to stand with us and take a giant step forward. We have a collective willing to lead the march and the rest can be openly or silently involved as all will benefit. Anyone with losses, which is all of us, can create turmoil in the city. They wouldn’t try our way, so we’ll show them how we play their game. It’s about time that the law is actually on our side and can kick in and help us out. For information on how to get involved contact: The Law Offices of Eric Shevin (818)784-2700 15260 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1050 Sherman Oaks, CA. 91403
Editor’s note
The editors invite you to submit your letters or articles to be published in Kush LA. They can be sent to Ron@KushLA.com
KusH L.A. 9
Prohibition
The similarities between the prohibition of alcohol and the current prohibition of marijuana are uncanny.
by Sam McCommon
The
prohibition of alcohol in the United States between 1920 and 1933 was a failed social experiment that had drastic consequences for the nation and its citizens. Not only did the crime rate in the country increase significantly, revenue was lost from the brewing and distilling industries and an even greater sum was lost on the ultimately fruitless attempts to enforce the 18th amendment, which constituted the new law. But prohibition wasn’t just an accident. Nothing of historical importance happens inside a vacuum, and there was indeed popular momentum behind the movement. But where did that momentum come from, and how did it find willing ears? What were the effects of the prohibition movement on American society and American mentality? And last, how does the prohibition of alcohol compare to current drug laws in the United States? One could trace the historical roots of the prohibitionist movement to puritanical times, but the movement first started gaining steam in the early to mid-19th century. The first few decades of the 19th century saw a massive “awakening” in protestant communities that expanded both church attendance and zeal, thus greatly increasing churches’ powers to influence their members. The American Temperance Society is a prime example of the influence of moralistic thought at the time; formed in 1826, within 12 years it claimed 1.5 million members nationwide. The 1840 census boasted roughly 17 million souls in the United States. This means that, although it was indeed influential, less than 10 percent of the nation’s population belonged to this temperance organization in a nation well-known for its civil societies. Although it consistently grew in power and influence in the second half of the 19th century, World War I helped to bring the prohibitionist movement to a fevered pitch. This is for two
reasons. First, from the government’s point of view the liquor industries were siphoning precious grain and man-hours of labor from the war effort. Second, there were strong racist currents in the country against its German-American population, which both consumed and produced a disproportionate share of the nation’s alcohol. Propaganda showed that drinking was the vice of the evil Hun and this stigma stuck to alcohol. Prohibition didn’t succeed in destroying demand for alcohol by destroying its supply, though this was the official strategy. Most statistics from the prohibition era cite that alcohol consumption throughout the nation dropped by 30% for the first few years. However, both supply and demand rebounded and steadily increased back to its pre-prohibition levels as bootlegging and home stills grew in popularity. In two situations, alcohol was considered decriminalized. Oddly enough, alcohol was legal for in-home consumption though it could not be purchased, sold or even given as a gift. Furthermore, wine remained legal for religious purposes, and this was an often-abused avenue to illegally obtain alcohol. Ironically, the dangers of the excesses of alcohol were dramatically increased due to the lack of quality control over the liquor produced in home stills and its overall higher levels of potency. The similarities between the prohibition of alcohol and the current prohibition of marijuana are uncanny. First, and this should make you grin, it was legal to obtain alcohol if you had a prescription from your doctor, which may sound familiar to many card-carrying Californians. Second, like the war on drugs the lack of legal availability of alcohol did by no means destroy supply of it or demand for it. It simply coerced people to go through legal loopholes or circumvent the law entirely to obtain what they desired. Third,
Prohibition clearly didn’t work, and there’s not a soul who would dispute that. If our nation’s current drug policies are this strikingly similar to the failed policies of the past, how can our government expect different results?
10 KusH L.A.
Continued on page 72
A Marine’s Story
by Leanna Harshaw
Greg Meguerian sits in his office calmly going through the day’s mail. His girlfriend wants to know which bills to pay and Rex, his pit bull puppy, sits by his side. This scene is a far cry from Greg’s former life – he was a Marine. He was there when U.S. troops invaded and liberated Baghdad. Greg is a hero who has finally found some peace since his medical discharge from the Marines in August 2007. His story begins when he was just 20 years old. It was the end of 2000 and Greg joined the Marines. He graduated boot camp and combat training before he was sent for NBC (Nuclear Biological Chemical Warfare Defense) training.. He was planning to go home on leave when terrorists sent this country into turmoil. It was September 11, 2001, and there would be no leave for Greg. Instead, he found himself in Afghanistan. At 21, Greg saw some really grisly things for such a young man. He made it home after a six-month deployment for some more training and to spend some time with family, which included a young son.“I missed three of his birthdays and three Christmases while I was with the Marines.” In December 2002 and Greg was in Kuwait. From Kuwait, he and his fellow Marines made their way into Iraq. In March 2003 Greg helped liberate Baghdad, which took about two weeks. “I saw some really bloody battles during this time,” he said. Greg counts him-
self lucky – he has all of his limbs. But while a Marine, he was hurt several times. He recalls that a bomb exploded near him and shrapnel hit him in the head. Fortunately, Greg was wearing his Kevlar helmet, but he was still wounded. He couldn’t see out of his left eye due to all the blood caused by the big gash in his head. “I should have been medavacked, but I was a sergeant and I wasn’t going to leave my Marines behind,” he said.“They packed the wound with gauze and gave me Motrin. There were lots of guys worse off than me.” Though he was wounded, Greg thought everything was fine. But then he began falling asleep at odd times and at the drop of a hat, a result of his head injury. “When I get really stressed-out, my brain shuts off and I fall asleep.” This injury leaves Greg with a dent on the left side of his head – a reminder of all he has been through. When he touches it, he can’t help but think of how close he came to dying for his country. Greg was no longer considered combat-ready by the Marines. He was home and his new job was to recruit more Marines.“I never lied,”he comments.“Only a couple of the people I recruited went to infantry, I gave all the others technical jobs.” During this time, Greg was drinking heavily and smoking a few packs of cigarettes a day. He was also on lots of prescription drugs. He had one of those pill cases that had a compartment for every day of the week that he filled up so he didn’t forget to take any. But the drinking and smoking and prescription drug weren’t a good combination. Greg recalls that he was full of rage and anger that didn’t have an outlet. “Every month someone I knew was dying – sometimes every week. I was stuck here and I couldn’t go back,” he said. “I felt like I was letting my Marines down. The Marines were everything.”This feeling of helplessness made his anger intensify. Greg says he was a loose cannon waiting to go off. Greg went to the VA for help. “It’s very important to support veterans – actual support,” he said.“While you are in, they (the military) take care of you. But when you’re out, it’s just the VA. It’s the lack of funding.” Greg knows there are lots of vetContinued on page 54
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KUSH L.A. 15
CANNABIS AND MEDICAL MARIJUANA FOR PAIN by Mark E. Rose, BS, MA Licensed Psychologist History and background
16 KUSH L.A.
Pain is a complex sensory and psychological experience, and although many of the critical focal points involved in pain have been identified, the precise mechanisms underlying the perception and modulation of pain are not fully understood. Chronic pain is more complicated than acute pain and is a major health problem. Various cannabis preparations have been used as a medicinal therapy for pain for thousands of years. Anti-inflammatory claims for cannabis date back to the Sumerians binding the head with the herb. Crude preparations of cannabis were recommended for a variety of painful conditions in the 1800’s, and were considered especially effective in conditions with a prominent psychological component to the pain such as migraine, dysmenorrheal and pain from terminal illness. Cannabis eventually lost favor to the more potent opiate-based drugs because its pain-relieving properties were milder and less predictable. However it was also noted that compared with opiates, cannabis possessed less toxicity, created less functional impairment, and had a negligible addiction liability. Recent identification and synthesis of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9 THC) as the primary psychoactive constituent has reawakened interest in the therapeutic potential of cannabis. In the past decade numerous studies investigating the effectiveness of synthetic cannabis derivatives and smoked marijuana (MJ) in the treatment of pain have been published. A large body of literature indicates that cannabinoids suppress behavioral responses to acute and persistent noxious stimulation in animals. Also cannabinoid receptors (receptors for the active molecules in cannabis) found in the central and peripheral nervous systems in humans have been shown to modulate the perception of pain. Additional pain-relieving properties of cannabis are explained by delta-9-THC inhibition of the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme, an effect that is selective to the COX-2 enzyme. THC has also been shown to increase beta-endorphin levels. Surveys of medical marijuana use have found that marijuana is smoked to alleviate symptoms of pain by roughly 15% of chronic pain patients, and 10-12% of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The reasons for use include pain, sleep, mood (including stress), appetite, nausea and spasms. Many analgesic effects of cannabinoids cannot be reproduced by opiates, particularly in cases of neuropathic pain. The cannabinoids evaluated in the following research on pain treatment were nabilone (a synthetic cannabinoid), dronabinol (synthetic delta-9 THC), an oromucosal spray delivery of two synthetic cannabinoids marketed as Sativex (approved in Canada, pending in the US), and herbal smoked cannabis. Although many of the studies used synthetic cannabis derivatives, it is important to view the results as applicable to smoked cannabis. Continued on page 22
18 KUSH L.A.
Cannabis for Pain Continued from page 16 Neuropathic pain Neuropathic pain occurs in 3 to 8% of individuals in industrialized countries and is often refractory to existing treatments. Drugs currently available to target neuropathic pain are, at best, moderately effective. Despite management with opioids and other pain modifying therapies, neuropathic pain often compromises the quality of life and daily functioning of afflicted persons. A study of patients with HIV-associated neuropathic pain found that smoking marijuana reduced pain by 34%, compared with a 17% reduction in patients who were provided with placebo cigarettes in which THC was removed. Adverse events, including sedation, dizziness, and confusion, occurred more often among patients smoking the active treatment. In a study of painful HIV-associated sensory neuropathy, twice as many patients given smoked marijuana reported significant pain reduction than those assigned to placebo. Patients with HIV-associated neuropathic pain resistant to at least two previous classes of painkillers continued their prestudy analgesic and received either smoked cannabis or placebo. Pain reduction was significantly greater with cannabis than the placebo. Smoked cannabis was generally well tolerated and effective when added to concomitant analgesic therapy. Among patients with chronic neuropathic pain, MJ containing 9.4% THC significantly reduced pain compared with MJ containing 0%, 2.5%, or 6% THC. In comparing nabilone with MJ in neuropathic pain, nabilone was more likely to cause dysphoria, and patients
tended to report better pain relief with smoked cannabis and fewer side effects. Nabilone was also estimated to cost 10 times as much as street cannabis.
Pain associated with multiple sclerosis Debilitating pain occurs in 50 to 70% of MS patients, the most common manifestation being extremity pain accompanied by burning, aching, pricking, stabbing, or squeezing. Painful spasms of the extremities have also been classified as a pain phenomenon. Pain in MS is often refractory to treatment. Sativex was found superior to placebo in reducing the average intensity of pain and sleep disturbance. Sativex was generally well tolerated, with side effects of dizziness, dry mouth, and somnolence, and the cognitive side effect limited to long-term memory storage. Two studies of patients with MS found that average pain intensity and average pain relief were significantly improved during dronabinol treatment compared with placebo. Dronabinol also raised the threshold for patients’ perception of pressure pain that was administered with an automated device. Adverse events, including dizziness, were more frequent with dronabinol.
Migraine Opiates may actually aggravate some pain conditions such as migraine. Therapeutic doses of morphine are often unable to relieve migraine attack and can lead to increased sensitivity to pain from long-term use when administered during headachefree intervals.
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Mechanisms involving the brain chemical serotonin are implicated in migraine causation, and have been specifically targeted in the development of the triptan class of anti-migraine drugs. THC stimulates the synthesis and release of serotonin, and increases the brain content of the neurotransmitter, possibly explaining its effectiveness in the treatment of these types of headaches. An extensive review of cannabis treatment of migraine concluded that cannabis, whether ingested or smoked, has a long history of safe and effective use in the treatment and prevention of migraine; has a mild but definite analgesic effect in its own right; may interact with serotonin and other pathways implicated in migraine; possesses anti-nausea and anti-vomiting properties, both of which are very useful in migraine treatment; possesses a very low addiction potential; and when inhaled, is rapidly active and eliminates the need for gastrointestinal absorption (impaired markedly in migraine), with the dose easily adjusted by the patient for symptom relief.
Pain associated with spasticity About 30% of patients with chronic upper motor neuron syndrome (UMNS) suffer from disabling spasticity-related pain not sufficiently correctable by conventional treatment. Nabilone was found to significantly decrease pain in these patients, although spasticity, motor function and activities of daily living did not change. Nabilone was a safe and easily applicable option in patients with chronic UMNS and spasticity-related pain that was otherwise uncontrollable.
Pancreatitis Pain management is the cornerstone of conventional therapy of acute pancreatitis and still represents a major clinical challenge. Insufficient pain control significantly delays recovery and may worsen the course of the disease. The use of opioids is effective but frequently leads to serious and difficult to manage side effects. A synthetic cannabinoid, HU210, completely blocked abdominal pain in experimentally-induced acute pancreatitis, suggesting the therapeutic potential for cannabinoids in abolishing pain associated with acute pancreatitis and in partially reducing inflammation and disease pathology.
Cancer pain A group of 10 patients with advanced-stage cancer were given either dronabinol or placebo. High doses of dronabinol were effective at relieving pain, but the sedation and mental clouding limited the value of the drug. Lower doses showed a trend toward improved pain relief compared with placebo. The pain reduction appeared to be independent of the anti-anxiety and euphoriant effects of the drug.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) Compared with placebo, Sativex produced statistically significant improvements in pain on movement, pain at rest, quality of sleep, and current pain. A significant analgesic effect was observed and disease activity was significantly suppressed following Sativex treatment.
Fibromyalgia Patients who received nabilone for 4 weeks experienced KUSH L.A. 23
significant improvements in pain, disability, and anxiety. After a 4-week wash-out period at the end of the trial, all benefits were lost in the nabilone group, which returned to previous levels of pain and quality of life. Patients who received placebo experienced no change throughout the study. Side effects among nabilone patients included drowsiness, dry mouth, and vertigo.
Studies on mixed populations of pain patients Experience with Sativex in clinical trials with over 2000 subjects demonstrated marked improvement in reports of sleep among patients with a wide variety of pain conditions including MS, peripheral neuropathic pain, intractable cancer pain, and rheumatoid arthritis, with an acceptable side effect profile. No tolerance to the benefit of Sativex on pain or sleep, or need for dosage increases were noted in studies of up to four years, with 40-50% of subjects attaining good or very good sleep quality, a key source of disability in chronic pain syndromes that may contribute to patients’ quality of life. A group of 30 patients with chronic pain treated with smoked cannabis were followed for 1–5 years. Ninety-three percent of the patients reported moderate or greater pain relief. Side effects were reported by 76% of patients, the most common being increased appetite, a sense well-being, weight gain, and slowed thoughts.
Acute pain In postoperative pain, low dose cannabinoids did not differ from placebo in pain reduction, and at high doses were associated with adverse effects or worsening of pain intensity.
24 KUSH L.A.
Alternative delivery systems A delivery system is now available that vaporizes marijuana, making it possible to deliver even high doses of THC to the lungs far below the flash point of the cannabis leaf and bud, thus reducing smoke, tar and other possible carcinogens. However, the standard marijuana joint remains as effective as any smoking device, including those employing water filtration, in providing a favorable ratio of THC to tar and other undesirable by-products. Precautions Cannabinoids should be avoided in patients with a history of psychoses and other major mental illness, and in patients with unstable ischemic heart disease. Patients ingesting any form of cannabis should avoid driving or operating heavy machinery. Approximately 9% of persons who try recreational marijuana will develop a dependency syndrome at some point. The risk among medical marijuana users is unknown, but is probably much lower. Conclusion Data from several well-designed studies show that cannabinoids are effective in reducing several forms of chronic pain with side effects comparable to existing treatments, suggesting that cannabinoids can play a useful role in the management of chronic pain. Cannabis seems to lack effectiveness in the treatment of acute pain. The management of chronic pain often requires a polydrug approach, and cannabinoids are a potential addition to Continued on page 36
Downside of the Drug War by Lisabeth Hughes In these uncertain times, everyone is wondering what the solution to our current economic downturn could be. While the topic is on the tip of everyone’s tongue, even the highest levels of our government don’t seem able to offer a viable solution without the prospect of spending more and more money to offer what may be merely temporary solutions. While it has been said that wars tend to strengthen the economy by providing more jobs, the government’s War on Drugs takes people out of the workforce, leading to a depletion in consumer spending According to the World Prison Population List (fourth edition), right now 664 out of every 100,000 U.S. citizens are incarcerated. The Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) published in 2002 that the prison population had exceeded 2,000,000. That’s more than the entire population of Phoenix, AZ! Why has the United States of America, the so called paragon of democracy, been waging war on its own citizens for decades? The government spends twice as much on law enforcement each year as on prevention, rehabilitation and education. In fact, on average, the combined efforts of the state and federal governments to enforce arcane and ineffective drug criminalization laws cost around $49 billion per year, not including the cost of imprisonment, while 61% of this cash is spent on law enforcement alone. (What Does the Drug War Cost? New Times June 24 1999). Do we really need more police officers and drug task forces or do we need less “criminals?” With a considerable part of our workforce whiling away the hours performing menial and meaningless tasks behind a triple layered electric barbed wire fence, is it any wonder consumer spending has steadily declined? Even when these inmates are released, the odds are against them ever returning as a profitable member of society because of the stigma placed on them by government regulations and social discrimination. Contrary to popular belief, a study published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in the 2001 Southern Economic Journal reported that, “Non chronic drug use was not statistically related to either of the labor supply measures, indicating light or casual use did not lead to negative effects on the labor supply.” But the drug war does. When self-defeating laws and misled perceptions make it nearly impossible for ex-cons to obtain housing, jobs and driver’s licenses, is it any wonder the majority end up back behind those impenetrable walls rather than contributing to their communities? It’s a vicious cycle. U.S. law enforcement seized billions of dollars worth of illegal drugs last year. According to NORML (National Organization for Marijuana Legalization) statistics, in 2006 nearly 28,000 people were doing time in state and federal prisons for a marijuana charge which translates to an estimated loss of $600 million dollars per year. If marijuana was legalized, regulated and taxed like alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs, all of which have more serious potential side effects and resulting deaths, think of what that could do for our economy! With more government revenue, less spending on drug criminalization and a larger labor force we may be able to turn the current recession around much more quickly. In addition, marijuana legalization would create jobs, which is good news for the approximate 9% of Americans currently unemployed. A whole new industry would be opened up, and a very lucrative one at that. Continued on page 28
According to NORML (National Organization for Marijuana Legalization) statistics, in 2006 nearly 28,000 people were doing time in state and federal prisons for a marijuana charge which translates to an estimated loss of $600 million dollars per year. 26 26KUSH KUSHL.A. L.A.
Drug War Continued from page 26 For the past several years the medical marijuana debate has been in the spotlight, and now that state and local governments are seeing their revenues drop like stones down the Grand Canyon and their coffers growing just as dry, we are witnessing more support from public servants such as Gov.Arnold Schwarzenegger who is urging consideration of marijuana legalization as a solution to California’s fiscal crisis. Former President Jimmy Carter advocated marijuana legalization in his speech to Congress in 1977, attesting that, “Penalties against the possession of a drug should not be more damaging to the individual than the drug itself; and where they are they should be changed. Nowhere is this more evident to me than in the laws against marijuana in private for personal use.” He went on to recommend that federal law be amended to eliminate all criminal penalties for possession of up to one ounce of nature’s pharmaceutical. The fight to legalize marijuana, and the government’s response by declaring “war,” is not a new one. It is time to stop looking at our own citizens as criminals and make peace.
It is our right and our responsibility to be informed as a society and to question our government when their policies are detrimental to our continued well being. Albert Einstein gave us his first impression of the USA in 1921, saying,“The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered by the prohibition law. For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the dangerous increase of crime in this country is closely associated with this.” The Drug War creates “criminals.” Clearly, a nation at war with itself cannot function effectively. If there is a War on Drugs underway in America, then the ones imprisoned because of it can certainly be called prisoners of war. We do have the power to change the current situation in dramatic and beneficial ways. We own the system, we are not owned by it. Let’s speak up and educate those who are unaware by dispelling the outdated and outrageous propaganda of an out of touch government.
Former President Jimmy Carter advocated marijuana legalization in his speech to Congress in 1977, attesting that, “Penalties against the possession of a drug should not be more damaging to the individual than the drug itself; and where they are they should be changed.”
28 KUSH L.A.
Stony Parker in...
Escape to the Present a fiction
by Joe Posner
When we left our hero, young USC journalism student and counterculture reporter Stony Parker, it was November 1973. Parker, who could smoke ANYBODY under the table, had unexpectedly run out of pot. In a desperation move, Stony smoked a meteorite fragment in his Buddha pipe. After three hits, Stony fell into ... The Big Nap. In his dreams, Stony was falling down a long, wide dark tunnel. Periodically, images from his past appeared below him like color still pictures projected on a movie screen. As Parker fell through them, new images from his life would eventually appear. Mom and Dad giving him a beagle puppy for his birthday. Young Stony proudly tying his shoes by himself. That first ride on his shiny red Schwinn bike WITHOUT the training wheels on. Stony continued to fall. Very gradually, Stony Parker woke up. He felt very stiff. Stony noticed Buddha on the floor. He picked up his beloved pipe and the small meteorite fragment off the carpet. Parker walked them over to the Uncle stash box and put them away. Stretching and looking around, Stony was surprised at how dusty things were and the huge spider webs that hung down from the ceiling. “When did that happen?” he wondered. He pushed the button on his gold, Pulsar digital watch. Red numerals appeared briefly on the dark watch face: 3:33 p.m. “What the ...?” Stony thought. It had been 9 p.m. when Stony started his spacey smoke odyssey. “I slept for 18 hours?” Shaking his head, Stony put on his brown, corduroy jacket and USC ball cap. Almost as an after thought, Parker took what remained of the bigger meteorite rock from the gold box and put it in his jacket pocket. Stony hurried to the door. He turned the doorknob and and pulled. Nothing. Tried again. The door still wouldn’t open. Frustrated, he remembered something
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Robert Culp used to do in “I Spy”TV episodes in the ‘60s. Stony stepped back 12 feet from the door. Running toward the door, Parker leaped in the air and kicked out with his right, sneaker-clad foot hard. Out in the hallway, a cute brunette coed, wearing a tight USC T-shirt and short shorts, was unlocking the door to her room as Stony’s door cracked loudly and fell down into the hallway. She turned toward the sound. “What the hell? she exclaimed “Who are you?” “Bruce Lee,” Stony quipped, racing past her down the hall. He flew down the stairs, taking the steps three at a time. Parker was out the front door, on the sidewalk, and out of view down Adams before the freaked out coed ever got to the front door. Being a great runner, on and off the track, was a useful talent. When he figured he was safe, Stony slowed to a brisk walk. “What was happening?” Stony thought. Several people passed him on the sidewalk, talking into flip-top cell phones. “Communicators,” Stony thought. “I guess the Star Trek convention is in town.” Stony kept walking quickly, passing the Second Church of Christ Science with its Southern-style pillars and majestic copper dome. Turning left on Hoover Street, Stony headed toward the SC campus a few blocks way. Something wasn’t right. Where the 32nd Street Market Street should be was a laundromat. And a brand new Denny’s had, somehow, sprung up overnight. Stony approached the Los Angeles Times newspaper rack out front of the Denny’s. He read the bold, black headline: IS UNCLE SAM BROKE? What caught Stony off guard, stunning him, was what he read above the headline: July 20, 2009. Stony gripped the side of the newspaper rack. “How was that possible?” Stony wondered. He suddenly realized he was hungry enough to eat TWO horses. Parker
went into Denny’s. Stony always thought better on a full tummy. As he ate and drank it came to him. That weird meteorite fragment he smoked had somehow catapulted him 36 years into the future. Boy, that stuff makes Maui Wowie seem like a Girl Scout cookie! Back outside, Stony saw the Von KleinSmid Center’s brick tower, with its golden sphere perched atop it, in the near distance. The familiar landmark calmed down our stoner chrononaut just a bit. Soon, Stony was on the SC campus. The Doheny Library, Bovard Administration Building and the Tommy Trojan statue remained largely the same. Many new buildings, however, had sprung up in the intervening years and some of the older ones were bring refitted, refurbished or renovated. On a kiosk near the center of campus, a brochure caught his eye: “Emerald City Compassionate Cannabis Caregiver” Below the address and hours was some copy that stated if you brought a California I.D. and a doctor’s note to their office, they would provide you with “legal” pot for whatever ailed you, for a cash donation to their collective. “Marijuana is legal now?” Stony pondered. “Cheech & Chong must be stoked!” Eventually, Stony wandered back in the direction of Hell House. He was only half a block away when Parker noticed the two campus security officers standing near their electric golf cart on the sidewalk outside Hell House. They were talking to the coed who had seen him break out of his room earlier. When the girl pointed at Stony, the guards hopped on their cart and raced toward him. Stony turned on his heal, running down Severance Street and through Fraternity Row, on his way back toward campus. With the security guards in hot pursuit on their golf cart, Stony zigged and zigged, jumping hedges and bike racks with equal ease.
Stony looked back once. Although he was still in the lead, the campus cops were catching up. They talked into their walkie-talkies. Before too long, Stony was trapped: Two security guards AND two LAPD officers, all now on foot, occupied the four points of the compass. They all moved toward Stony. Parker reached in his pocket and pulled out the larger meteorite fragment. Breaking off another small chunk, he reached in his other pocket, pulling out his second favorite pipe: The bearded, hollow and bespectacled head of the Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia, which served as the bowl, looked particularly dazed and confused. “What do you have in your hands?” the nearest cop asked. My ticket home,” Stony replied. Before the LAPD could unholster their guns, and the campus cops their flashlights, the ever nimble Parker lit the pipe and inhaled. There was a tremendous explosion of light. Sometime later, Stony woke up in the bushes outside the Administration Building. From his low down angle, he could see both the moon and the Tommy Trojan statue on its pedestal. Parker pushed the button on his watch: It read 2:02 am. As Stony got up, and dusted himself off, he noticed a partially crumpled Daily Trojan paper nearby. He picked it up. The date read: November 21, 1973. “I’m back,” Stony said with enthusiasm. “I’m back.” Stony made his way back to Hell House without incident. When he was finally alone in his room, Stony hung his corduroy jacket on the back of the chair that faced his writing table. Parker exhaled, stretched, cracked his knuckles and reached for a piece of typing paper off the stack. Rolling it into his Flintstone-era typewriter, Stony began to type: The Big Nap by Stony Parker When the sun came up, and the birds began to sing, Stony Parker, a broad smile on his face, was still happily typing away.
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The Bitter Taste of Chocolate by Helga Douglas For many of us, chocolate is a delicious part of life, a delightful pleasure which is often attached to fond memories. However, for the children who are caught up in the chocolate slave trade, their life is a living nightmare. Each year, billions of dollars are spent by consumers on chocolate, chocolate ice cream, chocolate cookies and other chocolate products. The majority of the world’s cocoa to make these goods is produced in West Africa, with Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire supplying 70% of the world’s cocoa. There are more than 2 million cocoa farms across West Africa and each year many young boys, especially between the ages of 12 to 16, are sold into slave labor and forced to work in them. Here they harvest the cocoa beans from the pods of the cocoa plant in order to produce chocolate while being subjected to inhumane working conditions and severe abuse. Many of these children are preyed upon by trafficking agents who find them alone or begging for food. They are then lured away with promises of paid work and a better life for themselves and their families. However, when they reach the farms, they are forced to work for very little or no pay and confined to prevent escape. They are beaten regularly and are subjected to the dangers of using machetes and applying pesticides and insecticides with no protection. These children are given very little to eat, work over 12 hour days and are sometimes sexually abused. They must endure working with wounds, broken bones and snake bites and often develop severe back pain as a result of carrying extremely heavy loads while working. It is difficult for authorities to know where children are being exploited, as these farms are tucked far away into the jungle. This also poses a challenge for manufacturers who usually do not deal with the farms directly and therefore don’t have any evidence as to what conditions the cocoa was produced, unless they seek it out themselves.
In 2002, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture reported that nearly 284,000 children were working in unsafe conditions. That same year, chocolate makers started the International Cocoa Initiative to address international concerns regarding child slavery in the industry. It was agreed that by July 2005, they would eradicate slavery from the cocoa farms. When this time came, they had been unable to achieve this goal so they extended the deadline to July 2008. In a report issued recently in 2009 titled “The Cocoa Protocol: Success or Failure,” the International Labor Rights Forum presented various findings pointing to the fact that the original intent of the protocol has not been achieved. It stated that “consumers today have no more assurance than they did eight years ago that trafficked or exploited child labor was not used in the production of their chocolate.” It also mentions that “reports from West Africa point to the continued use of the worst forms of child labor as well as trafficking of children.” Recently there has been a growing awareness of this situation and many manufacturers and consumers are demanding slave free chocolate products. Thankfully there are several brands that offer Fair Trade chocolate as an alternative. In the Fair Trade system, purchasers of cocoa beans agree to pay above market prices for the products. The farms selling the cocoa then commit to grow and produce goods in accordance with rigorous standards in relation to worker rights, community empowerment and environmental sustainability. Often the money goes towards schools, hospitals and other community infrastructure. The products can then be labeled “Fair Trade Certified” so consumers can be sure that their chocolate was produced in an ethical, humane manner. It should be noted that organic chocolate is also slave free as farmers receive a premium price for their chocolate.
In 2002, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture reported that nearly 284,000 children were working in unsafe conditions.
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Some examples of companies that offer slave free produced chocolate are Dagoba, Green and Black’s, Endangered Species and Newman’s Own Organics. Also, in March 2009, Cadbury Chocolate, one of the major chocolate manufacturers in the UK, stated that by the end of summer 2009 they would certify that their dairy-milk chocolate is Fair Trade. This is a major step forward in the industry as this alone will increase the amount of Fair Trade chocolate in the market by three fold. Now the power lies in our hands, the consumers. It would not make sense to boycott cocoa as 40 to 50 million people depend on this industry for their livelihood. However, we must prove that Fair Trade Certification has a competitive advantage over non Fair Trade Chocolate to ensure that this exploitation will come to an end once and for all. The only way this can be done is by always choosing Fair Trade or organic products and refusing to purchase chocolate which has been produced by slaves. So next time you reach for that chocolate bar, remember to ask yourself if you really know where it came from.
For more information on how you can help, please visit www. slavefreechocolate.org Helga Douglas is a certified Green Consultant and President and Founder of Green Gaia Consulting. Her website is www.greengaia-la.com and she can be contacted at helga@greengaia-la.com
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Cannabis for Pain Continued from page 24 the arsenal of treatment options. Synergy between opiates and cannabinoids may reduce the need for opiates, extend the duration of pain relief and reduce opioid tolerance and dependence. Although much of the data comes from studies using synthetic cannabis derivatives, it seems reasonable to extrapolate these results to smoked marijuana. And there is some evidence that smoked cannabis is more effective than the synthetic derivatives, with fewer unwanted side effects, more accurate dosing (and the elimination of accidental overdosing) and greater patient acceptance. The bottom line is not whether medical marijuana is superior to other painkilling drugs in large groups of patients under experimental conditions, but whether some patients obtain added or superior pain relief from marijuana, either as a sole therapy of as augmentation to their existing pain-relieving regimen. And in this capacity medical marijuana can serve a vitally important role. Sources Abrams DI, et al. Neurology 2007;68(7):515â€?21. Ashton JC, et al. Curr Opin Investig Drugs. 2008 Jan;9(1):65-75. Berlach DM, et al. Pain Med. 2006 Jan-Feb;7(1):25-9. Blake DR, et al. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2006 Jan;45(1):50-2. Ellis RJ, et al. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2009 Feb;34(3):672-80. Hosking RD, et al. Br J Anaesth. 2008 Jul;101(1):59-68. Hosking RD, et al. Br J Anaesth. 2008 Jul;101(1):59-68. King SA. Psychiatric Times. February 1, 2008;25(2). MartĂn Fontelles MI, et al. CNS Drugs. 2008;22(8):645-53. Narang S, et al. J Pain. 2008;9:254-64. Nurmikko TJ, et al. Pain. 2007;133:210-20. Rog DJ, et al. Neurology. 2005 Sep 27;65(6):812-9. Russo EB, et al. Chem Biodivers. 2007 Aug;4(8):1729-43. Skrabek RQ et al. J Pain. 2008 Feb;9(2):164-73. Svendsen KB, et al. BMJ. 2004 Jul 31;329(7460):253. Ware MA, et al. Pain Res Manag. 2002 Summer;7(2):95-9. Ware MA, et al. Pain. 2003 Mar;102(1-2):211-6. Wilsey B, et al. J Pain. 2008 Jun;9(6):506-21. Wissel J, et al. J Neurol. 2006 Oct;253(10):1337-41. Wright S, et al. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2006 Jun;45(6):781. Zajicek J, et al. Lancet. 2003;362(9395):1517-26.
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Part 2:
by John W. Greco Remember the last issue of Kush L.A. Magazine? Amongst the dozens of interesting articles, comics and other engaging information about marijuana and the associated movement, there was a little article entitled “Get More From Your Marijuana.”The article spoke about the vaporizer – a great smoking apparatus which allows you to heat marijuana to temperatures where vapors are produced, but out of the range of combustion where harmful smoke is formed. This is a great way of obtaining the high we all know and love while preserving higher amounts of THC in comparison to conventional smoke. At the end of the article was a sentence that read, “Stay tuned for the next article about how to use the vaporizer to the best of its ability.” Drum roll please… If you were expecting something really life changing or mind altering it will soon become clear that that’s an entirely different article. But let’s be honest, using something and using something to the best of its ability are two completely different things. So if you’re a first time user of a vaporizer or are interested in picking one up, here are some pointers to make your smoking more enjoyable. Make sure your vaporizer is clean. When you’re smoking a steady amount of marijuana in your vaporizer, like any smoking apparatus, the effects of the sticky green goodness are apparent; weed residue, and resin build up in both the bowl and bag are just a couple effects that commonly take place. Make sure you clean the components of the vaporizer with a recommended cleaner every 4 – 6 weeks. This will not only help maintain the unit, ensuring a clean vapor session, but it will also help in preserving the weed’s natural flavor and aroma. Set the temperature correctly. Nine times out of 10, we’ll meet folks who don’t like the vaporizer because the vapors don’t have the same feel going down as a good old
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fashioned joint. Make sure you set the temperature correctly and don’t worry, it’s not that complicated. It can usually be set in the form of a dial from 1 – 9, one being the lowest temperature and nine being the highest. After all, there are many different kinds of marijuana, right? Some wet, some dry. You’re not going to vaporize dry weed and get the same taste and feel as you would wet weed at the same temperature. The drier your marijuana is, the lower the temperature. The wetter your marijuana is, the higher the temperature. But remember big guy, you’re the one operating that vaporizer, so if you want harsh vapors turn that puppy up! Well I guess those are a couple pointers I’ve learned in my countless encounters with the vaporizer that I wanted to share with you. I know what you’re all thinking, ”That’s it?! Two pointers? Shouldn’t any half decent article written by a twobit, wannabe writer at the very least include three pointers? Just to round things off a little and make them more complete?” The answer is yes. I thought so too. But I just couldn’t think of another novel pointer. Perhaps I will at a later date. But in the meantime, let me take a second to ask any of you if you had a chance to read an article in the last issue of Kush L.A. Magazine by S. Domim entitled, “Have Bong Will Travel”? I did and I thought it was pretty funny. Hats off to you S. Domim. So as I sit around my vaporizer trying to think of more useful pointers for my friends reading Kush L.A., maybe I’ll try and write something a little funnier next time. Something a little more entertaining if you will.something more complete.
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215 Discrimination? by Andrew D. Los Angeles is a great place to be if you’re a medical marijuana patient. There are storefront dispensaries galore with dozens of types of kush. There are doctors to write you a prescription for weed if you’re going through chemo, sprained your ankle or if you have some trouble sleeping at night. While some of this may ring true, in reality this is the case for only a small portion of Los Angeles County’s ten million residents. To those not already in the know, a quick Google Map search will show that to be a 215 patient with adequate access to a doctor and medicine one really must be in the Hollywood, San Fernando Valley or the Westside. While the aforementioned areas enjoy a close proximity to these services that leaves South Central, the South Bay, the Harbor area, East L.A., Watts, Compton and many cities at the east edge of the county are sorely lacking in the physician/ dispensary department. In the South Bay, the cities of Hawthorne, Hermosa Beach, Lawndale, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, Redondo Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes and Palos Verdes Estates have all enacted bans or moratorium’s on storefront collectives. Because of the lack of availability to physicians, a lot of possible 215 patients aren’t aware of their rights or don’t even bother to get a 215 recommendation. Life-long South Bay resident Phil Larner said, “I’ve had a
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full knee replacement and it’s hard for me to get around. I had to drive all the way to the (San Fernando) Valley to see a doctor, and then obviously I have to drive out of the South Bay to get my medicine.” Kevin Hermes of Americans for Safe Access (ASA) said, “There are more than 100 cities that have banned outright the dispensing of medical marijuana: ASA believes such bans to be a violation of state law, especially after the California Attorney General issued guidelines in August 2008 recognizing the legality of dispensaries under state law. This is another way that localities in California can skirt the full implementation of state law. There are also rogue cops that refuse to uphold state law, but they are a dying breed due mainly to the fact that they have less and less legal basis to refuse to abide by California’s medical marijuana laws.” In the mostly black and Latino areas of South Central Los Angeles there exists a physical lack of services, as well as a lack of awareness of rights afforded to them by laws such as Prop. 215 and S.B. 420. Akil, a medical marijuana activist in the South Central area said, “You can come down Crenshaw Boulevard and see a CVS and Walgreen’s across the street from each other, and within 200 yards of that you could get to a Rite-Aid. On La Brea there’s a CVS and a Rite-Aid across the street from each other, and an
Albertson’s with a pharmacy. There definitely needs to be more physicians and dispensaries available in the South Central area, the black and Latino communities,” Akil continued. “Many people have been self-medicating for years but are afraid to express themselves, because they still think they’re doing something illegal. In May, the City of Los Angeles closed a “loophole” in the laws that may have allowed more dispensaries to open in minority areas of the city that lack them. Activists believe more studies need to be done on the demographics and geography of the medical marijuana program to get a more accurate analysis of patients’ needs. Kris Hermes said,“It is difficult to determine whether or not discrimination exists in terms of patient access to medical marijuana dispensaries because a thorough demographic analysis has not been conducted to make such a determination. There seem to be fewer dispensaries in rural areas, with a higher concentration in urban areas.” Hermes believes a bigger discrimination occurs along socioeconomic lines. “The most prominent way that discrimination occurs is the sheer cost of becoming a patient, obtaining an state ID card, growing medical marijuana indoors and/or buying it from a dispensary. It can be prohibitively expensive to become a legal patient and to purchase medicine outside the normal healthcare system. Thankfully, the State of California has reduced the cost of obtaining an ID card by allowing those on Medi-Cal to pay half of the cost they would otherwise have to pay. But, the ID card is not mandatory, so many patients simply choose not to pay anyway. It is very expensive to grow indoors and it is also expensive to purchase medical marijuana from a dispensary compared to the cost on the illicit market, forcing many patients to use the illicit market at great risk to their health and safety,” said Hermes. Comparisons of the cost of traditional medicine versus that of medical marijuana is an entirely different debate. But it is ironic that the mostly minority, lower middle-class to poor citizens with limited access to traditional goods and services, (education, health care, etc.) and who are so often stigmatized as the main sources of drug abusers in the city, are being left out of access to 215 physicians and collectives as an alternative to traditional medicine that may be unaffordable for or unavailable to them. Scientific analysis on geography withstanding, it is much better to be a 215 patient with a serious condition (HIV, cancer, wheelchair-bound, etc.) living in Hollywood than it is to be a patient in need of medicine living in Watts or Redondo Beach.
Kevin Hermes of Americans for Safe Access (ASA) said, “There are more than 100 cities that have banned outright the dispensing of medical marijuana: ASA believes such bans to be a violation of state law...
Dear Courtney, Pleasing my girl in the bedroom has been a bit of an ongoing struggle. I’ve tried everything to get her to climax but no dice. Lately she’s been insisting that we throw a vibrator into the mix and I’m a little offended. She says that it’s her preferred method of masturbation and that the vibrator helps her orgasm, but I was kind of hoping that would be my job! I don’t like the idea of an inanimate object with batteries stealing my thunder. Is it wrong to banish her sex toy from the bedroom, or am I overreacting? Vibrator Hater, West Hollywood, CA
Dear Vibrator Hater,
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be your girlfriend’s sticky pleasure god, but throwing out Mr. Buzzy isn’t going to do your sex life any favors. A small percentage of women are able to get off through intercourse alone, but the majority sometimes needs a little extra help to get to O-town. Oral sex, manual stimulation and sex toys with adorable bunny ears can make orgasm less elusive, and the fact that your girlfriend knows exactly what she needs and isn’t afraid to ask for it is a good thing—not a sign of failure on your part. And forbidding sex toys during your mattress sessions is just going to make her feel guilty or resentful. Imagine if you said, “Honey, there’s this amazing, surefire way to bring me a massive explosion of pleasure that I’d like you to try” and her reply was an immediate veto. The truth is that no tongue or penis can generate 2,500 rpms of consistent vibration (and don’t try or you’ll sprain something). There’s nothing “off” about a girl that can’t achieve orgasm without a vibrator; consider this technology a gift that can make carnal ends meet. My suggestion is to make the little bugger your ally. Think of the toy as your special helper rather than your nemesis. Example: While you’re having fun with your girlfriend’s breasts, the vibrator can keep her genitals warm for you. And when you’re plundering her from behind, she can heighten the sensation by allowing the vibrator to stimulate her clitoris. It’s a win-win! The act of choosing and playing with new sex toys can bring couples closer together, so consider visiting your local adult goody shop with your girlfriend. And while you’re there, you might as well pick up some snazzy new anal beads for yourself. However you choose to handle your girlfriend’s vibrator preference, it’s important that you avoid forbidding something that brings her pleasure. Remember how sad you felt when that bucktoothed neighborhood bully stole your favorite G.I. Joe? Don’t be that bully. Don’t steal your girlfriend’s G.I. Joe.
Courtney Bee
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Legalizing Good Lady “Mary Jane” By Tyler Hamme Day by day and little by little, marijuana is slowly becoming accepted legally into this world. Take the United States for example; the topic is hotter than ever, and our U.S government is finally realizing that no matter what they do and how hard they try the people who already love the hobby will not stop doing it just because it’s illegal. Not to mention that marijuana is getting more and more new fans everyday. Our very own United States President, Barack Obama, has said himself that he is open to the topic of legalizing the good lady “Mary Jane” (Town Hall “Open for Questions conference”, March 26, 2009). So far, 12 states in the U.S. has decriminalized laws on marijuana, and once that train catches on with the rest of the nation, it is only a matter of time before we are able to walk around smoking “joints” in the public without having to have one of those fancy medical cards. One of the main advantages to legalizing marijuana worldwide is it’s ability to help in medical challenges. All over the world people are finding small cures, suppressants, and other new ways to help the body on a daily basis by using tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). For example: asthma patients and/or some marathon runners use certain strands of THC to exert dilating effects in human airways (temporary expansion of bronchial tubes), letting more air and oxygen into the circulatory system. Body builders use THC to decrease the buildup of lactic acid in their muscles after working out. THC also reduces nausea from chemotherapy for cancer patients, reduces problems with glaucoma, and is a safer form of therapeutic relief than antidepressants, just to name a few of so many. You may already know about the medical shops all over the United States… that’s only a step to what is to become, but it’s a big step. Having legal medical shops nationally will help prove the medical and economic advantages of the “drug.” The other main topic and incentive to legalizing marijuana is the government monopoly and the ability to tax marijuana sales. This is good news to some and bad news to others. The good news is that marijuana will be legal. The bad news is that this will put a kink in all of the underground business. Whether a consumer buys from an underground seller or not, they would have to pay a little bit more than what they have been use to. As you know, our nation has been in
a bit of a financial crisis in the last year or two and legalizing marijuana, then being able to tax it, would put an estimated $7.7 billion annually into our economy. Other similar reports estimate close to if not the same numbers. The war on drugs greatly emphasizes arresting citizens for possession and smoking marijuana. Since the early 90’s, 5.9 million American citizens have been arrested on marijuana charges. In the year of 2000 alone, 734,498 people were arrested for marijuana violations. Taking marijuana or any other substance use out of proportion and doing obvious stupid and unacceptable acts will certainly and without a doubt have it’s consequences. If the huge previous mentioned numbers of arrested people were all for trafficking to minors and students, and driving while under the influence, then the efforts for the arrest would be fully and greatly appreciated. Wasting time and money on minor misdemeanors for under 28 grams seems to be adding to our economic problem. Keeping the marijuana prohibition going and penalizing its users costs approximately $7.6 billion per year (that says a lot for itself). The money used for investigation and prosecution for misdemeanors and minor marijuana violators could be used elsewhere, perhaps the DEA could focus on more dangerous aspects of the drug trade. There is more than one way that marijuana could help the U.S and world revenue -for instance, the fast food industry all over the world already gets a financial boost from different pot smokers everyday. The ‘Miron Report’ estimates that legalizing cannabis would put in $6.2 billion in annual revenue if taxed, which is more than what alcohol and tobacco produce. Speaking of alcohol, some people believe that if marijuana were to be legal, then the majority of consumers would leave the drinks and take up smoking (if either hobby are of interest). This would be a good idea. If more people were users of marijuana than consumers of alcohol there would be less drunk drivers to cause accidents and deaths and less alcohol related violence. Granted, people would be under the influence of marijuana instead, but will not be aroused to the stimulation of fighting OR driving anywhere, and by law will still not be allowed to operate heavy machinery or to drive while under the influence. Marijuana
Since the early 90’s, 5.9 million American citizens have been arrested on marijuana charges. In the year of 2000 alone, 734,498 people were arrested for marijuana violations.
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effects different people in different ways. Some have a high tolerance to THC, some have a low tolerance. Some people feel like staying in, some feel like being active, and sometimes it just depends on the strand of marijuana being smoked. But, to most smokers (not all) when under the influence of THC, a feeling of just wanting to stay put and “chill for a little bit� takes place. A lot of good ideas, plans, and creativity takes place when a person is under the influence of THC (helping to put into a deeper trance of thought). Marijuana has been here naturally from the beginning, and will remain with us for the rest of our lives. With the help of added activist every year, grad school subject studiers, and scientist’s revealing more helpful truth and advantages from the cannabis plant... the states, and maybe even the rest of the world will have one more thing in common with each other.
Got Bud? www.dailybuds.com
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SMOKE SCREEN Too hot outside? New and worthy DVDs abound. by Jim Luksic Movie theaters are known as cool, dusky respites from the sweltering summer heat. During the more oppressive days of July and August, however, the mere notion of stepping outside is less than tempting: Who wants to feel like they’re cloaked in damp wool? If film-going truly is the second-most fun you can have in the dark, watching DVDs in the sanctity of your home ought to rank third. In recent weeks, a few big-name pictures – released at cinemas in the spring – have entered the DVD realm: State of Play, Watchmen, The Soloist, and I Love You, Man are among this season’s choices poised to find themselves under your roof. My favorite of the recent batch is actually a decade old, its upgraded DVD having resurfaced after slipping out of circulation. The Last Days of Disco, set in the early 1980s, follows the nightclub path of freshly minted yuppies: The lovely Kate Beckinsale, Chloe Sevigny (best known these days for HBO’s Big Love), Chris Eigeman and Robert Sean Leonard (the sacrificial lamb in both Dead Poets Society and TV’s House). At first glance, it may seem filmmaker Whit Stillman is spinning his wheels in Metropolitan mode, but with Disco he serves up stronger solutions. It remains a breezy, plausible and insightful meditation – minus stuffy plot mechanics – about the end of an era. Fast-forward to the contemporary front and you’ll find other considerable keepers on the DVD shelves around Los Angeles: State of Play, a gritty throwback about journalism in the vein of All the President’s Men, pits Russell Crowe as a gritty reporter, Rachel McAdams as the upstart blogger and Helen Mirren as their old-school editor. Primary pursuit: The mysterious death of a young lady, possibly at the hands of an unfaithful politician (Ben Affleck). For director Kevin Macdonald, it has been nearly 10 years since the documentary A Brief History of Errol Morris put him on the map. Now, he again shows a flair for ingrained artistry, setting up viewers as silent eavesdroppers during staff meetings about the newspaper’s purpose and its industry’s fate. The intelligent, chatty narrative tends to meander, but proves fortifying. The Soloist marks downtown Los Angeles’ latest spark of inspiration, the well-chronicled (and oft-delayed) true tale of Nathaniel Ayers, a gifted musician found on skid row by a crusading Times columnist. Jamie Foxx portrays the former, Robert Downey Jr. is the latter, while “indie” favorite Catherine
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Keener stirs up tension as the scribe’s love interest (“By all means, don’t take full responsibility.”) Amid the lead actors’ flavorful friendship, the sentiment soon becomes sugary. Director Joe Wright, a peculiar choice to traverse L.A. if only because of his British heritage, conjures up enough images that ring true – even though he doesn’t know when to quit. Its title notwithstanding, I Love You, Man needn’t frighten homophobes: John Hamburg’s worthy comedy about male bonding amounts to a step up from his modest Along Came Polly, and is more redolent of his Meet the Parents screenplay. As the protagonist, Paul Rudd surprisingly demonstrates he’s capable of carrying a movie, doing the heavy lifting with assists from Jason Segel (he of Forgetting Sarah Marshall notoriety) and ubiquitous J.K. Simmons (Burn After Reading, Juno and the upcoming Extract!). This comedy could’ve been a disaster, but the sensible-minded Hamburg and his ear for dialogue put its commodities to good use. Although wickedly amusing, Watchmen proceeds at a glacial and repetitious pace, before collapsing at the finish line just short of three hours. An abbreviated summary of this convoluted story: A vigilante looks into the murder of an ex-superhero. Billy Crudup won’t go unnoticed as the massive azure creature Dr. Manhattan (think Mr. Clean meets Blue Man Group), while Carla Gugino and Jackie Earle Haley (best remembered from the original Bad News Bears) labor to lend credence. Director Zack Snyder’s similar function with Dawn of the Dead (2004 version) should’ve been an agreeable match for Watchmen and, for the most part, that’s the case. But his interminable take on comic book heroes was beaten to the punch a year ago, by the engrossing if equally arduous The Dark Knight. Jim Luksic has been a professional writer and editor for 20 years, and a film critic for nearly that long but nobody has stopped him yet.
A Marine’s Story Continued from page 12 erans who aren’t as lucky as he is– veterans who are homeless, without limbs, addicted to drugs and alcohol. Greg is one of the lucky ones. He actually gets the help he needs to get clean and deal with his anger. “Thank God, they (the VA) sent me to counseling,” comments Greg. “I’m more open now. I’m talking. I’m also lucky because I have a good family.” With the help of his counselor and his family, Greg stopped smoking and drinking hard liquor. “I also dumped all my pills. The drugs were bad.” Greg was, however, secretly smoking marijuana. “What was my family going to think? I didn’t know about the medical marijuana movement. I even got arrested for having an ounce of marijuana. I went to court in my dress uniform which impressed the judge.” In August 2007, Greg was medically discharged from the Marines. He started working as an armed guard at a medical marijuana dispensary. He also started learning about the movement and he even got a medical marijuana card so he didn’t have to smoke in secret anymore. Greg’s parents are old-school. They don’t necessarily agree with the marijuana, but they see the benefits. “The marijuana helps me to focus, calms my nerves and helps with my anger management,” he said. “I’m so happy now. I went from taking seven pills a day, drinking and smoking cigarettes to just smoking medical marijuana and having an occasional glass of wine. They should provide all the veterans with medical marijuana. I don’t know where I’d be with out it.” Currently, Greg runs a collective in North Hollywood. “It keeps me busy and active,” he said. “When I’m with patients, I sit there and talk with them. Sometimes talking with a stranger is easier. I don’t judge. Nobody cares about your background here. Medical marijuana brings people together.” In the smoking room, Greg puffs with his patients.“We talk. People just need to get it out.” He likens it to a group therapy session.“We all have our demons.”
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The Glitz the Glam and the Dark Side
T
he glitz the glam and the dark side of the city.Los Angeles county has the largest number of medicinal marijuana clinics in the state. We are sitting on the forefront of a major awakening. We Angelinos have a unique opportunity to spread the word about legalizing marijuana. There are so many everyday people in this city using medicinal marijuana and this writer believes there is a need for these “everyday” people to speak out on the subject. When the subject is approached though, it is usually met with a disagreeable, if not unwelcome reaction to the topic. If this is not the case, then a tone of secrecy and or a surreptitiousness nature is brushed over the whole conversation. I believe that people react this way largely from the projection of societal views. Common society beliefs see marijuana as a “Gate Way Drug” or a “Evil Drug.” Much of our beliefs are based on historic propaganda, largely formed from campaigns starting in the forties and fifties, hoping to convince people of the “evils”of smoking marijuana. If the topic of legalizing, as well as the useful benefits of both medicinal marijuana and hemp were more acceptable, people would begin to have important conversations revealing the truth regarding the helpful and healing aspects, as well as the distressing factors. There is a huge need for honest and open discussion on the usage of marijuana. Conversations need to begin to happen about what it really means to be a marijuana smoker. An average of 150,000 to 350,000 medical marijuana smokers are in California according to City Beat’s 2007 article “Card Carrying Smokers.” These people are those you would not commonly “stereotype” or “label” as your normal marijuana users. These everyday people do not want to be classified in categories like “Stoner,” “pot head” or most notorisly a “drug user.” This fear of being labeled keeps people from speaking their minds and sharing the wonderful impact marijuana has made in their lives. This is a new time period of marijuana use and its impact is great. Functional smokers, not displaying the stereotypical behavior of a “marijuana smoker,” are around us all the time. I believe that the mentality is moving toward a more sophisticated realm, bringing more understanding and acceptance into the thought process. Understanding that marijuana is a
particularly useful pain relief medication, as well as its other known benefits, can have a vastly auspicious effect. People that currently have a marijuana prescription are going to set the stage for a new understanding. Being a script holder entitles you to the freedom of procuring, growing, smoking and benefiting from the use of marijuana. We, as script holders, are going to show the world what it truly means to be marijuana smokers, bringing new awareness of the fact that all people using marijuana are not wild, distracted or dangerous people. We are just everyday citizens choosing to alleviate pain via the use of marijuana. However, this script is not to be misused or taken advantage of. Marijuana is a special “enlightenment,” in which there are responsibilities that need to take place when on or in possession. Treating it as the true medication it is, we should use it only in times where we are not going to be operating a vehicle or hindering anyone else’s chosen path. Respect must always be given for those who do not wish to partake. The most important thing though,is to teach others about what it truly means to be a “stoner.” You may start to wonder how each one of us can begin to do our part as a member of the 420 Movement. The best way to help is to get the word out even though many may not want to be a known supporter. If you feel you’re ready to voice your option or ask those important questions Latalkradio.com is the haven you seek. Just recently a new radio show
An average of 150,000 to 350,000 medical marijuana smokers are in California according to City Beat’s 2007 article “Card Carrying Smokers.” These people are those you would not commonly “stereotype” or “label” as your normal marijuana users.
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on Latalkradio.com has become a platform for this movement. At 4:00pm each Friday, from their offices in Studio City, “The 420 Show” has started to make its mark. Creator Jamie Simon is host of the famous“Hold em Talk Radio”(8pm Tuesday to Sunday) as well as “RT”The Twitter Show (Friday 7a.m.). This show has given supporters the chance to come together on the topic of marijuana. This show includes such co-hosts as Sheena Metal, the fantastic talent of Sheena’s Metal Show on Latalkradio.com on Friday’s following “The 420 Show,” and lastly myself Star Jasmine, co-host of “The Sam in the Morning Show” (9am every weekday morning). This venue gives just the right opportunity to expose an in-depth look at marijuana, bringing people together to relate their true feelings on the matters of hemp products/ collectives/legalization/medical uses/growing and curing, as well as the smoking of marijuana. Get ready to share in a new thought process long over due, a larger and more correct understanding of a healing plant that has long been shamefully shunned. It is time to find a new way of thinking, and of a stronger voice for speaking. All sides are welcome to call in and communicate/exchange your thoughts and opinions at Latalkradio.com every Friday at 4:00pm PST for the New “420 Show”
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This Is L.A. We Know What We Like. by S. Donim
W
e like barrel-chested blonde knockouts in our clubs and hotel lobbies. We like Porches gleaming in front of coffee shops, free wi-fi, hazy summer Sundays and fish tacos. We like buying our beer at supermarkets, our weed at corner pharmacies, and our dogs in carry-on size. But one thing we never tire of, as a city, is our sports teams whupping the everloving crap out of our opponents. Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce your 2009 World Champion Los Angeles Lakers. This city has a huge man-crush on the Lakers—much like Boston has about Dennis Leary, but more so. Next time you’re driving, take a look around. Not only do you see the Laker flags waving by the dozens on the 405, but there’s also the decals, the pennants, the Kobe jerseys duct-taped to the back windows. Purple and Gold have become mandatory uniform around here—even the 105 lb. girls with the tablesaucer sunglasses are rocking the uni. I actually saw a low-rider bouncing with every championship banner hand-painted on its side. It was like the ghetto victory parade, all by itself. But it’s more than that. The love is deeper. You talk to the 105 lb. girl, and she’ll throw stats at you. The low-riding driver will discuss our chances at resigning Lamar Odom, and the clerk at the Coffee Bean will let you know, forcibly, that Shannon Brown should be our full-time backup point guard. This city is invested. So it’s only fitting that when the Lakers won it all, we partied like L.A. should. Once the final horn sounded, I threw my lady-friend into the car (“you are NOT missing this”) and booked it down to the Staples Center, my own twin flags flying proud over my black Saturn, matching my alternative black Kobe uni, two sizes too big. We couldn’t make it to the first stoplight without getting honked and screamed at. Even on the 10 freeway, fans were coming together, looking for others to share in the glory while driving 70 into the night. Once we exited off on Grand, things went as expected. Dudes were running into the streets,
We like buying our beer at supermarkets, our weed at corner pharmacies, and our dogs in carry-on size. But one thing we never tire of, as a city, is our sports teams whupping the everloving crap out of our opponents. horns never stopped blaring (including my own), and the cars that could burn out their back tires did so with gusto. The traffic circled around Staples at a crawl, and for the first time, no one cared that it was jammed. The music blasted in an impromptu street festival, in the middle of traffic. We all shouted “Yeah! Yeah! Lakerrrrrs!”for absence of a better way to convey our true feelings. It was manic, joyous, scary. It was a coronation, it was unpredictable, and it was absolutely perfect. The next Wednesday, my buddy and I packed up his Prius in our full Lakers ensemble - talk about L.A.! - and booked it to the Coliseum for the parade. We left a little late, and were turned away at the gates, having been bested by 100,000 fans who had their schedule more together than we. But that hardly stopped the celebration. The remaining overflow took to the streets, sang, drank, danced, and barbecued while the cheers of the attendees flowed through the air. It was the best time I ever had not attending an event. For those few moments, driving around and around the Staples center and cheering outside the Coliseum with our brethren, the past six years became crystal clear to us Laker fans. Together, as a fan base, we were unceremoniously booted out of the Finals (twice), we tasted 100 proof mediocrity, we lost one franchise player to Miami and nearly lost the other one to the Clippers. Slowly, the young, inexperienced roster earned its stripes, hit its shots, and began showing its teeth. We had come a long way, and the city knew it. Now, “NBA champion Pau Gasol” is throwing out the first pitch at the Dodger game, all seven feet of him standing atop the pitcher’s mound like the freaking Space Needle. Gotta say, it feels good. Not to say there aren’t haters out there. In honesty, the Lakers could be the most polarizing franchise in sports. Recently, at the NBA draft, when Commissioner David Stern congratulated Los Angeles on their victory, all of Madison Square Garden let out the pent-up boos that they’ve been storing through their harsh winters and heat rash-inducing sauna summers. But for the fans that ride through L.A., there was no sweeter a feeling than seeing this city come together for its team. It was like aVIP holiday - a jubilee for L.A. and L.A. alone. And that’s the way it should be. Let the haters be bitter…even Spike Lee became a Kobe fan eventually.
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LBOC inc. A patient’s collective for patient compassion
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Mon - Sat 10am - 10pm Sunday 11am - 7pm
851 Pine Ave. in Downtown Long Beach Phone: (562) 495-2000 Recognition for New Patients and Patient Referrals KUSH L.A. 63
Clean Green Third party certification programs bring a measure of product saftey to the growing of medical cannabis as well as compliance with state laws. by Chris Van Hook As many people in the health Industries are aware, the USDA has established an Organic Program to begin the certification of agricultural products claiming to be“Organic.”This certification process was conducted by companies who had shown enough education, experience, and expertise to become accredited by the USDA to issue Organic Certifications to crop producers and processor/handlers. The goal of the program was and continues to be, to monitor the growing methods, the inputs used during production, and to verify the safe handling of agricultural products claiming the Organic status. Many in the medical cannabis industry saw the importance of an organic, certified medicine for patients with compromised immune systems, or for those who did not want synthetic chemical based fertilizers and sprays used on their medicine. In response to requests for a USDA Organic Certification of their medical cannabis, the USDA issued a decision that “Medical Cannabis was not eligible for USDA Organic certification as it was not a federally recognized agricultural product.” This rejection by the USDA was a disappointment but not a complete set back for the medical cannabis community.
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Soon thereafter, medical cannabis community leaders and forward thinkers requested that a parallel third party certification program be set up to address the needs of a safer medicine. Leading this push for a certified medicine was Liz McDuffie. It was her encouragement that lead to the development of the only unconflicted third party certification program available today for the medical cannabis community. The program is called the “Clean Green Certified” program and it is available to both growers and handlers alike. The Clean Green Program is based on many of the same cornerstones of the USDA Organic program, which for growers are: 1). A review of all of the inputs (fertilizers and sprays) used in the growing of the certified medicine. 2). An environmental component requiring that the medicine be grown in a sustainable
records of the applicant are retained by the Clean Green staff. Again, as under the USDA Organic program, handlers (dispensaries) must also be certified to ensure that proper safeguards are being taken while under the control of the handler. These requirements include: 1). An application filled out explaining the handling and tracking of product through the facility.
manner, minimizing impacts.
environmental
3). An annual on-site inspection of the growing area, to verify that what the applicant states they do, they in fact are doing. This includes a full inspection of their input cabinet, the taking of labels for off-site product review where necessary, as well as verification that the handling and processing is being done in a safe and proper manner. After the on-site inspection, all of the necessary records and documentation is taken back to the Clean Green office for another review to determine the compliance of all inputs and procedures. If approved for certification, the grower receives a complete binder with a certificate. All records and documentation are returned to the grower for their safe keeping. No
2). An on-site inspection verifying that the facility has the ability to do what it was they said they are doing in the application. 3). Mock tracking of product exercises to review the facilities ability to monitor medicine into and out of the facility. 4). An inspection of the facilities cleanliness, and medicine handling procedures. 5). The overall safety, cleanliness, and proper location of the facility, as well as policies and procedures in place to effectively screen their membership applications and to verify member recommendations. After the on-site inspection, any documentation and applications are again taken back to the Clean Green main office for an independent review, and if all is acceptable, a complete binder is sent to the operation. The binder includes a certificate, a compliance report if applicable, the application and any documentation taken during the on-site inspection for independent review off site. As with the grower certification process, all applications and documentation are returned to the certified operation. In addition to the verification of the above items, the
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a licensed California attorney familiar with both the medical cannabis industry, as well as State and local laws. The on-site inspection provides a safe opportunity for a grower, or handler, to have an attorney walk through their facility with an eye for compliance issues. It also provides an excellent opportunity for a grower or handler to ask any questions, or to have any documents they want to be reviewed looked at. For a handler/ dispensary it also provides an extra level of protection by requesting that all of their grower/members become certified. In this manner, a dispensary is contracting out to an unconflicted third party that their member/growers are compliant with State and local law and growing their medicine in a safe and proper manner. In today’s climate of changing laws and regulations regarding the growing and dispensing of medical cannabis, a third party certification program is one more way for growers and dispensaries to stay ahead of the curve, and to further differentiate themselves from operations that are clearly not compliant. Chris Van Hook Attorney at Law P.O. Box 1394 ∙ Crescent City, California 95531 Ph. (707) 218-6979 California State Bar No. 243550
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MY OPINION by Jack LeBlanc
Party Like It’s 1999
I’ll never forget the first time I saw the music video for Eminem’s “My Name Is” ten years ago. I chuckled as I watched a bleached-blond goofball in a white t-shirt bash everyone from the Spice Girls to his junior high English teacher. As I tried to wrap my brain around this new model of Ritalin-fueled rap, I never in my wildest dreams imagined that ten years later I’d still be trying to figure out the real Slim Shady. While his home town of Detroit has suffered, the Real Slim Shady has flourished. After ten years, countless controversies and numerous breaks, Eminem is still on his game, topping the U.S. album charts after a four year hiatus with his sixth studio album “Relapse.” And he’s not the only artist making a comeback this summer. If nothing else, this summer seems to be a “remember us?” for those artists topping the charts in the months before y2k. But, have these artists gotten better with time, or worse? Ten years later, are they reinventing themselves and pushing the envelope, or are these old farts still partying like it’s 1999?
311: “Uplifter” Back in the day, the veteran rockers were at the height of their cult stardom, releasing “Soundsystem,” to professional and fan praises. Propelled by the single “Come Original,” 311 reached the apex of its commercial success. After releasing “Evolver” to marginal success in 2003 and “Don’t Tread on Me” to outright disappointment in 2005, many began looking at 311 as a 90s band, but the guys weren’t quite ready to retire. The band took a break following “Don’t Tread on Me,” and is trying to regain the trust or fans and critics alike with their newest effort, “Uplifter.” Released on June 2, the album blends a variety of styles from reggae to rock to hip hop to create a true summer soundtrack, but I couldn’t help but be a little disappointed by the simplistic lyrical content. The first single from the album, “Hey y you”, ou”, has been playing on radio stations throughout the country since April and has received mixed reactions from critics and fans. The catchy tune is a summer hit, but will not garner the success of “Come Original” The album falls well short of anything released pre-2000, but it’s a lot better than anything that came after. The verdict: Better in ‘99. Incubus: “Monuments and Melodies” Back in ’99 the guys were riding the success of their break-out album “SCIENCE” and preparing for the mainstream success that came with “Make y yourself,” released in October 1999. Ten years later, Incubus released its first greatest hits album “Monuments and Melodies” on June 16 following a yearlong hiatus. The two-disc album features 13 previously released singles from past studio albums along with two new tracks, “Black Heart Inertia” and “Midnight Swim.” Also included are rarities, including B-sides, soundtrack cuts, alternate versions, three previously unreleased songs, and a cover of Prince’s “Let’s Go Crazy”. While the new songs may not gain the commercial success that hits like “Privilege” and “Pardon Me” did in ’99, they are nonetheless pretty damn good. “Black Heart Inertia”peaked at #8 on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart, the band’s fifteenth Top 10 track.
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Overall, the album is a decent representation of the band’s work. My main complaint is that early albums “Fungus Amongus” and “Science” seem a little underrepresented, but the songs on these albums weren’t really “hits” in the first place. The progression from song to song is weak, but that is expected on a greatest hits album. Great b-sides and rarities like “Look Alive,” “Pantomime” and an acoustic version of “A Certain Shade of Green” round out a pretty decent greatest hits album. The verdict: The best of ’99 and ’09 all on one album.
Jack LeBlanc is a 21 freelance writer from south Louisiana. He’s currently trying to figure out what to do with his life and is open to suggestions. If 6 turned out to be 9, I wouldn’t mind. Blog: www.if6wasnine.wordpress.com
The Dave Matthews Band: Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King Back in the summer of ’99, Dave and the guys took part in the Woodstock ‘99 concert and then released their third live album, “Listener Supported.” The band was nominated for two more Grammy’s, marking the band’s 6th and 7th nomination before 2000. Their newest album, Big Whiskey and the the GrooGrux king, was released on June 2, 2009, coinciding with a supporting summer tour, slated to run through early October. The album is the first without the late saxophonist LeRoi Moore, who died unexpectedly in August 2008 following an ATV accident on his farm near Charlottesville, Virginia. Matthews, who did the cover artwork for the album, portrays Moore as a giant laughing head on a Mardi Gras float, and Moore’s saxophone solos mark the bookends and the beginning and end of the album. On this album, the band seems to turn it up a notch and the drums and bass just seem a little louder. The strengthened backbone keeps Matthews wandering voice on track, and the result is one of my favorite DMB albums. “Lying in the Hands of God”strongly recalls the band’s earlier ballads, while “Why I Am” showcases renewed energy in the percussion section and some bright horns. The verdict: Good in ’99, better in ‘09 KUSH L.A. 69
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Prohibition Continued from page 10 the law was unenforceable in the long run. There were thousands of speakeasies (bars that sold liquor illegally) in New York City alone, and nowhere near enough police or funds available to combat the distribution and consumption of alcohol. Fourth, it instigated a massive wave of gang violence, think Al Capone, that destabilized whole cities and took the lives of many innocent people. Finally, the amendment became extremely unpopular and ultimately served to undermine the government’s moral standing in the public’s eye. The Great Depression so greatly reduced the state’s ability to enforce prohibition, while it simultaneously made lawmakers desperate to find any taxable asset, that the law was quickly repealed under the administration of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In an open letter to Congress, industrialist John D. Rockefeller stated, “When Prohibition was introduced, I hoped that it would be widely supported by public opinion and the day would soon come when the evil effects of alcohol would be recognized. I have slowly and reluctantly come to believe that this has not been the result. Instead, drinking has generally increased; the speakeasy has replaced the saloon; a vast army of lawbreakers has appeared; many of our best citizens have openly ignored Prohibition; respect for the law has been greatly lessened; and crime has increased to a level never seen before.” Prohibition clearly didn’t work, and there’s not a soul who would dispute that. If our nation’s current drug policies are this strikingly similar to the failed policies of the past, how can our government expect different results? How long are we going to allow illogical, ineffective and unenforceable pot laws to continue in this country?
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