Oregon Cannabis
Connection Connecting the Medical Cannabis Community Across Oregon
US Attorney for OR Bashes OMMP Pr o g r a m THCF Manager Speaks Out Recipes: Brownies, Hot Wings Jello Shots
Vol. 2 Issue 4
Sheriff Winters Appeals Gun Case To U.S. Supreme Court Obama's War On Dr ugs Jim Klahr To Run For Oregon House Dist 1
Garden Security
OMPI Introduces New Initiative
S e a t t l e M a yo r Signs Dispensar y L aw Southern Oregon Altern. Medicine: 10 years of service
Purging Your Garden Book Review: Secrets of the West Coast Masters
Hemp for Bio-diesel
Citizen Lobbying Ti p s FIVE
O
Police Log
FREE Aug/Sep 2011
Cover Image Š 2011 Oregon Cannabis Connection
Huge Busts in West and Mexico
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In This Issue
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Oregon News Winters Actually 'Pulls The Trigger' - Sheriff
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Appeals Gun Case To US Supreme Court
THCF Clinic Manager Speaks Out After Conviction
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A Good Samaritan Policy At U of O
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Sensible Oregon Begins Petition Campaign
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US Attorney Attacks OMMP
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Southern Oregon Alternative Medicine: 11 Years
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of Serving Patients
The Emerald Empire Hempfest 2011
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OMPI Unveils New Initiative For 2012
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Oregon News Nugs - News From Around the Beaver State
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I-Five O - Oregon Medical Marijuana Police Log
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Mixed Results in Salem For OMMP
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Book Review: Secrets Of The West Coast Masters
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Jim Klahr To Take On Kreiger For Oregon House Seat
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National News DOJ Workers Can Legally Run Medical Marijuana Programs
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Cops Harass Tacoma Hempfest
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Seattle Mayor Signs Medical Marijuana Dispensary Law
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Understanding Obama's 'War On Drugs'
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Major Marijuana Grows Busted In The West and Mexico
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National News Nugs - News From Around The
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Country
Citizen Lobbying - By Doug McVay
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Mexican Drug War Update
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Medical News Medical Benefits of Marijuana: The Viewpoint
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of a Vet
Study: Marijuana Derivitive Fights Cocaine Addiction In Mice
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Debunking The Myth of a Link Between Marijuana and Mental Illness
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Industrial Hemp Hemp's Bio-diesel Benefits Hemp Seed Evaluated As Potential Livestock Feed
All On Page 18
Hempcrete Benefits
Recipes Black Bean Brownies Glycerine Tincture Jello Shots Basil Vinagrette Dressing/Marinade
All on Page 19
High Fyling Hot Wings
Cultivation Time To Purge (or Clean) Your Garden Stoney Girl Gardens
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Mr. Jenkins Journal - Security Tips
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10 Biggest Mistake in Your Garden - MrFixit of Oregon Organiks
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Clinics & Information A Listing of Oregon Clinics, Organizations, and Cannabis Friendly Businesses
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Oregon Cannabis Connection is Oregon's only statewide, Oregon focused cannabis newspaper. Please read, enjoy, and patronize our advertisers since their support enables us to bring you this service. Visit us online at www.oregoncannabisconnection.com
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Winters Actually 'Pulls The Trigger' Sheriff Appeals Gun Case To US Supreme Court, Living Up To OCC's Previous Assesment
By Keith Mansur Oregon Cannabis Connection We wrote an editorial in our last issue questioning the intelligence of Jackson County Sheriff Mike Winters (see Jun/Jul 2011, Is Sheriff Winters Really That Stupid? We can unequivocally say... we were right! With a final waste of time and money, on July 26th news broke that Winters and Jackson County Attorney Ryan Kirchoff had joined with Washington County Sheriff Ron Gordon and filed their failed case, Winters v. Willis, with with the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). In their petition to the SCOTUS, Winters and Gordon hope to overturn their recent defeats in 3 separate courts in Oregon, including the Oregon Supreme Court. Though most people considered the final decision of the Oregon high court to be the end of the fight, apparently the Sheriffs did not. Both filed petitions in Washington D.C. Within days of each other, likely hoping to draw attention to the case. On May 19th, the Oregon Supreme Court found in favor of Willis and 3 other respondents from Washington County, indicating that the Concealed Handgun Licenses (CHL) must be issued. Their ruling said, in part, Congress has not enacted a law requiring license denial as a means of enforcing the policy that underlies the federal law, and the state has adopted a licensing statute that manifests a policy decision not to use its gun licensing mechanism for that purpose: State law requires sheriffs to issue
Oregon News concealed gun licenses without regard to whether the applicants use medical marijuana.”
The Oregon decision went on to say, “It is well established that the federal government Sheriff Mike Winters of lacks Jackson County, Oregon. constitutional Winters denied Concealed authority to Handgun Licenses to OMMP cardholders. commandeer the policymaking or enforcement apparatus of the states by requiring them to enact or enforce a federal regulatory program.” This indicates the Feds can't force their own regulations upon Oregon to regulate state issued CHLs. That is apparently too far reaching for Federal authority. The SCOTUS gets upwards of 10,000 petitions each year, and agree to hear only 5% of them. That does not deter Kirchoff, who indicated cases such as these are more likely to get heard by the highest court in the land. In a pre-emption case, the authority of Federal law and State law come into play, and that is the point of this case. The question presented at the beginning of the petition asks, “Is the state law preempted to the extent it requires issuance of a license to a person who is otherwise comprehensively prohibited under federal law from possessing or acquiring a firearm by any means?” The pre-emption question is the meat of this case. It later states,”One of the principal objectives of the Gun Control Act is to keep firearms out of the hands of people Cont. on Page 6
THCF Clinic Manager Speaks Out After Conviction By Keith Mansur Oregon Cannabis Connection The Office Manager for The Hemp and Cannabis Foundation Clinic (THCF), Brenda Thomas, was found guilty of manufacturing and distribution of a Controlled Substance in July. Since the controlled substance was marijuana, her only real crime may be in letting down her guard in a time of need and trusting someone she should not have. We recently spoke to Ms. Thomas and thought we would bring you another perspective. On October 29th, 2009, Thomas' home in Wilderville was raided after a traffic stop near Ashland led police back to her home. The Nevada couple that was stopped were found to be in possession of 1.2 pounds of marijuana, but neither occupant possessed a Oregon Medical Marijuana Card. They told Police the address where they obtained the medicine, which was the home of Ms. Thomas, an OMMP cardholder who ran a medical grow co-op for 13 patients. Although not taken into custody, police charged 3 individuals, including Thomas, and confiscated nearly 200 pounds of marijuana, which likely included a lot of unusable material. According to Thomas, Ninety Nine Percent of what they took was still on stalks and stems. She also said, They weighed wet, they weighed dry, they weighed hanging, they weighed everything. Yet, She said only 60 pounds of moldy marijuana was ever produced as evidence in court, and that only 7.5 pounds of that was from her growers. The charges against Thomas were originally for only possession. Thomas said, “They later added manufacture and delivery. Similarly, Susan Bryant, Thomas' self proclaimed best friend, and Thomas Bletko, the man Thomas allowed to live on the property, were charged with one violation, then others were added. Thomas said, “Susan was charged with
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delivery, and they later added manufacturing. Tom was charged with manufacturing and they later added on possession.” Also, a recent report out of The Grants Pass Courier said testimony indicated that they had 72 plants in the ground, which was not true, according to Thomas. She said, “We had 63, I believe. We never had 72, and they admitted in court that they never counted the stalk holes. “The total weight was around 200 pounds, but police said she was authorized to
Brenda Thomas at the THCF office in Grants Pass
have only 19.5 pounds on hand. Bryant was in the process of obtaining her card and was helping Thomas sanitize the home, which is necessary with some illnesses. Unfortunately, it was her sister and brother-in-law from Nevada that were stopped in Ashland. After many, many hours of questioning by police, they indicated they had been helping trim the plants and received the marijuana in exchange for labor and some cash. Thomas explained that Bletko, who was DA Caso's star witness, made a deal for 18 months probation for possession, with no need to report to a parole officer, and told to stay out of Oregon. Not surprisingly, he has
Cont. on Page 8
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A Good Samaritan Policy at U of O By Sam Chapman President U of O SSDP For the past two years I have been researching Good Samaritan policies at Universities across the country, and Good Samaritan Laws in the few states that have mustered up the courage to introduce them. Why am I so vested in learning about Good Samaritan policies? They eliminate the hesitation that often comes when considering weather you should call 911 in times of alcohol or drug related medical emergencies. In other words, they SAVE LIVES! Imagine your self in the shoes of a 19 year old college freshmen going out to the biggest fall party of the year. You and five of your friends decide that it would be a great idea to drink a half gallon on cheap vodka before you go out just to make sure you have the maximum amount of fun once you get into
the frat house you plan to go to, which happens to be throwing its annual “foam” themed rave this weekend. You get split up once you get inside, but you could care less because you just found a kid inside selling ecstasy. What the hell, you and your friend both by one, because the social pressures of being young at a college party have kicked in. An hour later you realize your friend isn’t doing so well. Someone informs you that he just threw up inside the party and needs to go outside for a breathe of fresh air and possibly a ride home. You get outside, and he starts vomiting even more, but still manages to scream at the top of his lungs, “I’M FINE! LETS GO PARTY!!” then he passes out in the grass. Clearly you are not nearly as sick as he is, but you are still pretty intoxicated and have
Oregon News no doubt in your mind that you couldn’t pass a breathalyzer . What do you do? Ideally you want to call for help, because it seems like he really needs it and god forbid you’re the one who doesn’t call for help and something horrible happens to him. On the other hand, you don’t want to get him in trouble, and you don’t want to get your self in trouble. The clock is ticking, do you risk getting both of you and trouble to get him the medical attention he needs, or do you wait it out in hopes that he just needs to be escorted into a bed and drink some water? You kind of have an idea of what alcohol overdose looks like, but you have no clue what drug overdose looks like given that this was your first encounter with ecstasy. These are situations that students encounter at Universities WITHOUT GOOD SAMARITAN POLICIES. It is situations like these that expose the potential life or death decisions in which most students are not willing, or in a sober enough mind set to make the decision to call for help. Good Samaritan Policies reduce the heavy amount of hesitation to make the call for help that students encounter in these situations. When students are aware that their school has a Good Samaritan Policy (GSP), realizing that they willing not be held accountable for possession of alcohol or drugs (or for simply being intoxicated), they are more likely to make the call. I have met with the University of Oregon Dean of Students on four separate occasions, most recently in a meeting that brought almost all the key players to the table, simultaneously. As of now, the University of Oregon Dean of Students is backing the implementation of a GSP for
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alcohol related medical emergencies, and for this I commend him. HOWEVER, he has gone on to make it very clear that the University is not likely to endorse an all inclusive GSP which would include not just alcohol related emergencies, but drug related medical emergencies as well. The three documents I gave to each administrator that attended the last meeting can be found at the web site at the end of this article. Within each packet was a memo specifically defining what we wanted the policy to look like. We included both a list of 30 Public Universities that have some form of a GSP, of which 19 cover alcohol AND drugs, and a list of the four states that have passed Good Samaritan Laws (GSL). During the meeting I repeatedly reminded the administrators of the information that lay in front of them in response to things such as "we are a federally funded school, we can't condone drug use, we would lose all our money" and "our current system is purely educational, we don't punish students, we educate them". Honestly, the University of Oregon probably has one of the most liberal policies I have seen in regards to punishing students by way of the student conduct code, but, the bottom line is they have no policy in ink to show anyone. When it came down to them saying "we educate our students", they had no policy to back it up. Sure they could have told me how many students have gone through their alcohol education classes, but that doesn't address the problem. Before the meeting was concluded, I very clearly announced my plans to move forward. I would continue to help see that the alcohol GSP get molded and implemented, but I also promised to come back with quotes from a few of the 19 different public universities explaining why they had decided to enact an all inclusive GSP, opposed to one that only covered alcohol. For those that are not familiar with what a GSP looks like, as well as its functionality, you can find a brief overview of what a GSP does at www.ssdp.org
Sensible Oregon Begins Petition Campaign From Sensible Oregon As the federal government tries to tighten the screws surrounding cannabis for medical use, many states have responded with legislation attempts to end cannabis prohibition for all adults. Oregon is no exception. The most recent and most viable is Sensible Oregon. With Madeline Martinez, Sole Proprietress of the World Famous Cannabis Café and Executive Director of Oregon NORML, as Chief Petitioner, the prospective initiative would remove existing civil and criminal penalties for adults twenty one years of age, who cultivate, possess, transport, exchange or use marijuana. “The state would manage access,” reports Martinez, who is also the first Latina to serve on the board of national NORML, “which will protect our children and boost our economy. Money that was going to the black market can be funneled into our state’s economy. We all know that drug dealers don’t ask for ID.” Sensible Oregon, a group made up of multiple organizations dedicated to ending adult marijuana prohibition in 2012, began the process in January 2011. After several drafts, the final result was submitted for circulation over the 4th of July weekend. “Cannabis prohibition is a costly and harmful policy that unfairly hurts the poor and wastes tax payer dollars,” states Anthony Johnson, Vice President of Oregon Green Free and Political Director of Progressive Reform of Oregon. “Our limited law enforcement resources are needlessly spent arresting and jailing non-violent citizens for using a substance much safer than alcohol and pharmaceutical narcotics. It is sensible to focus our resources on protecting our state's citizens from burglars, rapists and murderers.” By removing all civil and criminal penalties for cannabis for adults, this innovative proposal will allow the legislature to enact the industrial hemp bill that passed the Oregon legislature in 2009. Our farmers will help create new sustainable jobs, and we can eliminate our dependence on foreign oil and provide Oregon’s children the quality education they deserve and need to lead our future. Current laws surrounding minors and DUII will remain in place to protect public safety. The Oregon Medical Marijuana Act is also retained to ensure that the program’s 50,000 registrants are safeguarded. Currently recruiting volunteer petitioners and interns, members of Sensible Oregon are available for speaking engagements and to provide information. Please feel free to contact us at sensibleoregon@gmail.com, 503239-6110 or find us on facebook.
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US Attorney Attacks The OMMP By Keith Mansur Oregon Cannabis Connection We reported in the last issue about a letter sent from U.S. Attorney for Oregon District Dwight Holton to many collectives and resource centers around the state threatening them with potential prosecution and forfeiture of assets if they distribute medical marijuana. It seems the letter had the desired effect of forcing organizations to close down and make worried landlords evict others. He recently appeared on Oregon Public Broadcasting radio (OPB) to defend his actions and answer questions, which turned out to be a typical stunt to misinform the public by law enforcement and the Feds. On July 21st, OPB's talk show Think Out Loud welcomed Dwight Holton to their show to field questions from host Dave Miller, as well as Steve Geiger, Director of the now closed Foster Healing Center in Portland, and a lone caller from Eastern Oregon named Vicky. Holton spent most of his time bashing the Oregon Medical Marijuana Progam (OMMP), bashing patients, and accusing some Oregon collectives of being multi-million dollar drug trafficking organizations.
Oregon News program, focusing on the inclusion of acute and chronic pain as a qualifying condition. He said, “The question is whether or not there are legitimate people looking for medicine or people looking for an excuse to purchase marijuana." He then cracked, “The vast majority of cardholders have cards because they have pain... I'm 6'5 and I fly coach, so I have pain, too” Eventually, Miller called him out on his griping, saying, “You're talking about a general indictment of the OMMP, as opposed to something specific you see going on at dispensaries.” This refocused Holton to the other propaganda he wished to share, about collectives and resource centers. Holton responded, “What we see is the OMMP is a Train wreck.” He added, “Dispensaries are increasing access in a way that makes it more available to young people, and makes it more ripe for abuse.” One wonders where he gets his facts. Last
US Attorney for Oregon, Dwight Holton
Right off the bat, Holton spouted statistics that were inaccurate, scary, and intended to misinform listeners. To start the show, Dave Miller asked, “Why did you send these letters?” Holton said, “The OMMP is essentially completely unregulated, so what we see are striking numbers.” He then claimed that the number of patients in Oregon was the same as the total number of patients in California, stating, "50,000 cards is as many as California." Last time I checked, the estimates of California medical marijuana patients ranges between 400,000 and 1 million! Since there is no requirement to register in California, his statement is ludicrous. Next Holton went on to describe abuses that he perceives within the OMMP
time I checked, ALL the collectives and resource centers require OMMP cards to receive medication, so where are the youngsters? He then went on to accuse many of the collectives of being, “Significant multimillion dollar drug trafficking organizations” stating, “I know there are sincere medical marijuana advocates....[and] they know they have a problem, that drug traffickers are highjacking their cause in order to make a buck”. He mentions Wake-N-Bake by name, which I visited a few times, and it hardly seemed like a “Multimillion dollar” operation.
Southern Oregon Alternative Medicine: 11 Years of Serving Patients By Keith Mansur Oregon Cannabis Connection One of the longest operating alternative medical clinics helping patients get authorization for the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) is Southern Oregon Alternative Medicine. Starting in a large home that was offered by a benefactor in 2000, the clinic has now become a mainstay across large parts of the state. Brent Kenyon, the founder and owner of the clinic, was inspired by the mother of a sick friend who was suffering from HIV which she received from a blood transfusion and used medical marijuana to alleviate her symptoms. When he was young, she introduced him to Sheba, a California medical marijuana activist that exposed Kenyon to the movement in California. He explained, “She, and a group of friends defended this place, called CHAMPs, at a rally. We were part of two or three different pro-marijuana marches for AIDS patients and the right to use marijuana.” CHAMPs was one of the groundbreaking California clinics, which is an acronym for Californians Helping Alleviate Medical Problems. At about 19 years of age, Kenyon began working in hospice care, helping his friends mother, then later, others. He was exposed directly to the benefits of medical marijuana, even before the legalization of medical marijuana in Oregon. After California passed their medical marijuana initiative, he began working with Voter Power and it's founder, John Sajo, and one of the original board members, Geri Culp. He eventually became the youngest member of their Board of Directors. In about 2002, Kenyon decided to break away from Voter Power and found his own clinic. He mentioned the lack of a permanent place for clinics as one of the main reasons, stating, “I saw a problem with using motel rooms as clinics.” He wanted to have a permanent location in Southern Oregon, a “bricks and mortar store,” he said. He later added, “I saw a need for the patients, and I couldn't do it out of the back of my truck.”
Luckily, Kenyon had a wealthy friend, Selena, with a large historical mansion in At this point, Steve Geiger of Foster Jacksonville Oregon, who said to him, Healing Center was invited into the “Use my mansion to run your clinics." discussion. Miller asked his opinion of Kenyon now had a permanent location to Cont. on Page 10 start holding clinics. He said, “We had,
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for the first time, a place other than the Best Western.” He then found a willing physician, known to many around the state, Dr. George. With a steady doctor and a permanent location, their business started growing. “We opened our first office on Bartlett St. in Medford in 2003," he said. Taking inspiration from CHAMPs name, Kenyon originally named the clinic Southern Oregonians Helping Ease Medical Problems, or SOHEMP. He indicated they were the first permanent location in the area, saying, “We were the first official medical marijuana office in the Rogue Valley. The others had no office,
The lobby at Southern Oregon Alternative Medicine's Medford office is professional and comfortable
they all did 'Hotel' clinics.” Kenyon said they have always had strict standards in their operation, and never have handled medication in their clinics. He is very concerned over patient records and confidentiality, explaining that a raid by police, and the possible confiscation of patient records, would be a failure in his responsibility to his patients. He said, “The most important thing to me is the patients confidentiality and their medical records...I'm very focused on what the law tells me I need to do, and morally what I need to do to protect my patients. He said it would not be appropriate, asserting,”Having law enforcement buzzing around my place and raiding me because they think we are dispensing medicine.” Although they began doing only medical marijuana authorizations, they soon saw a need for more extensive health services. Kenyon said, “We had a lot of people coming in with 1980's records,which is not recent enough to get authorization. Since many primary care doctors avoid recommending medical marijuana, patients were having trouble getting updated records.” He said, “Doctor's were very apprehensive about giving us records once they Cont. on Page 8
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Oregon News
Cannabis Connection consumption, or personal manufacture. Wolfe said, “It's been vetted by a lot of legal minds, and it polls well, so I think we have a winner on our hands.”
people and worked very hard.
The Emerald Empire Hempfest 2011 By Keith Mansur & Kristi Anderson Oregon Cannabis Connection We returned again this year to the Emerald Empire Hempfest in Eugene, Oregon. It was held, as usual, on the 3rd weekend in July, and for the second consecutive year along the river at Maury Jacobs Park. It is the original 3 day Hempfest, beginning Friday at 4:20 (when else?) and ending Sunday evening at about 8:00 PM, closing down each
Many of the same bands returned to play the event, as well as a few new ones. The band Takilma returned from Southern Oregon to play, representing the region well. Henry Turner and Flavor returned from Louisiana to play again. They are always a favorite, engaging the fans to dance and do the “Limbo”. Its their 5th year playing at EEHF, and they indicated they will return next year as well! New artists performing included Hannah's Field and Big Dub & J. Mack. Hannah's Field is an eclectic duo from North Carolina. They played an array of songs, many with a marijuana theme. Their CD's included a recipe book for medical patients! Portland artists Big Dub & J. Mack performed with Lab Rats, sharing their unique medical marijuana hip hop. Even though a scheduling mix-up almost prevented their performance, Dan Koozer got it straightened out and they were able to play. Many people began to dance, despite a little rain. The band even treated the crowd to a couple of new songs that will be released on upcoming record, Still Medicated.
Top Left: Big Dub & J Mack with Lab Rats. Top Right: Dan Koozer addressing the crowd. Left: Henry Turner leading the "LImbo"
evening at 10:00. It rained on and off, but nothing heavy enough to stop Oregonians! A few noticeable changes occurred this year. Most apparent was the confined space the city required the festival occupy. A large circle was fenced off around the stage. This allowed ample room for the event, but segregated it from the rest of the park, especially the bike path. Last years event was along the pathways, and some park visitors were likely surprised by the commotion, and theme of the event. The city responded by confining the space, but that did not deter from the event. Willamette Valley NORML's Dan Koozer (also known as DanK), the event founder and organizer, again did a bang up job with limited resources. However, a large group of volunteers assisted vendors in their set-up and break-down, and also acted as security at night to protect the vendor's goods. My hats off to Dan and his help, they are good
A few speakers also were on hand, including Jennifer Alexander, Bob Wolfe and Perry Stripling. Jennifer was promoting the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act and getting signatures for the initiative. Bob was there to promote Oregon Marijuana Policy Initiates new, simple, full decriminalization initiative, which has also started a signature drive. Perry Stripling, Director of Mercy Centers, spoke in general to voters, activists, and potential activists to encourage involvement. A few others spoke, promoting Hemp, legalization, and the benefits of medical marijuana. We saw many vendors that we met last year, including Stoned Made Clothing, and Mercy Centers. Of course, we set up our booth next to Mercy, our friends. Some of the clothing vendors also returned, selling tye dyes and hemp products, but a few of the pipe vendors were noticeably absent, making one wonder if the Tacoma Hempfest raids were to blame. As usual, DanK ended the event with a raffle of many products donated by vendors. Kristi is usually lucky in raffles, but not a single prize was garnered. Maybe next year, since we plan on returning as a sponsor and vendor.
OMPI Unveils New Initiative for 2012 By Keith Mansur Oregon Cannabis Connection Oregon Marijuana Policy Initiative (OMPI) has filed a new, simple measure, to be placed on the 2012 ballot. The Chief Petitioner is Bob Wolfe, director of OMPI, who said they have already formed a petition committee. They hope to raise enough signatures before the July 3rd deadline. They have submitted language for the measure to the secretary of state and need 1000 valid signatures from registered voters to get a ballot title. Once the title is approved, which can be challenged by supporters or the opposition, the push will be on to collect over 118,000 valid signatures, which means 180,000 total, to insure all necessary signatures are valid. Bob Wolfe visited Rogue Cannabis Radio on July 12th to discuss the launch of the measure. He was heavily involved in the M74 campaign last year, and believes a simpler measure would be more viable. Bob said, “There have been measures in the past...that have run 24 pages or 36 pages, and every extra word, paragraph, or clause gives our opponents something to grab onto and to drag us down.”
Bob Wolfe also plans on introducing a stripped down dispensary Bob Wolfe speaks with Channel 12 in Salem during system, based the protests this Spring. loosely on M74. It's a statutory initiative ordering the Oregon Health Authority to establish a safe and regulated supply system to reliably supply Oregon’s medical marijuana patients. When asked if there will be a problem garnering support for multiple measures on the same ballot, he said, “I think that all efforts to move forward are positive, all things that move us backward are to be opposed. If more than one [measure] is on the ballot, we give...our voters a variety of options.” For more information, go to www.ompicampaign2012.org for more information.
As Bob explained, “There are 2 effective sentences. It is short and to the point, and it makes incredibly clear, logical sense.” The two sentences are: “Except for actions that endanger minors or public safety, neither the criminal offenses and sanctions, nor the laws of civil seizure and forfeiture of this state shall apply to the private personal use, possession or production of marijuana by adults 21 years of age and older. The State may enact laws and regulations consistent with this amendment to reasonably define, limit and regulate the use, possession, production, sale or taxation of marijuana under state law.” “These measures are easy to understand, easy to explain, and easy to defend,” he explained. He believes simplicity is best, and that voters can understand it, and will agree with the premise - Keeping people out of jail in Oregon for marijuana possesion,
Winters Appeal Cont. from Page 3
whom Congress considered to be potentially dangerous and irresponsible.” Thus, certain classes of persons are prohibited from possessing firearms, including unlawful users of controlled substances. The Sheriffs contend that the Gun Control Act pre-empts Oregon law concerning the right of a person to obtain an Oregon issued CHL. Lee Berger, Willis's attorney in the case, does not understand what Winters is thinking. He said to the Mail Tribune's Damian Mann, "How many judges do we need to rule on this?" He also said, "It's unfortunate that their cases are based on prejudice, fear and ignorance.” Berger went on to say, essentially, that the Federal government should butt out, saying, "It's none of the Federal government's business how Oregon chooses to regulate its criminal law.” It is unlikely to make it to the Supreme Court of the United States, but if it does, gun owners that medicate legally in their own state might have a unfavorable outcome. With the right leaning court in Washington, strict enforcement of the Gun Control Act to deny potheads guns seems eerily possible. But, I think the gun owners will have some powerful groups on their side, including the National Rifle Association. That might keep them off our backs.
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I-Five-O Oregon Marijuana Police Log
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An amazingly quiet 2 months along I-5, and across the state in general. We report on the big grow in Wallowa National Forest on page 9, please see it for information on that bust. Well, maybe people are learning? Nah...its just the middle of Summer! June 9 Gresham (Gresham PD) - On the afternoon of June 6, Gresham Police Department's Special Enforcement Team (SET) served a search warrant on 33rd Ave. in Gresham, seizing more than $145,000 worth of processed marijuana, plants and growing equipment. SET began the investigation after a concerned citizen left a message on the department's drug tip line. On June 9 SET Detectives arrested a man after they discovered he was the person who had rented the home from a female who knew nothing of the man's intentions. The suspect was also listed as the applicant with Portland General Electric (PGE) in securing electricity for the residence. During the interview with detectives, the suspect admitted to the manufacture of marijuana, which is a Class A Felony in Oregon. He was taken to and booked at the Multnomah County Jail on charges of manufacture of a controlled substance with a bail amount of $50,000.00. Detectives are also working with PGE to investigate the possibility of power theft and initial estimates of value in the diversion of electricity is in excess of $10,000.00. August 3 Sutherlin (OSP) - A Kennewick, Washington man was arrested Wednesday morning when an Oregon State Police (OSP) trooper discovered approximately 2 lbs of marijuana hidden in the vehicle during a traffic stop on Interstate 5 about three miles north of Sutherlin. According to the OSP, at approximately 10:40 a.m. an OSP trooper stopped a passenger car northbound on Interstate 5 near milepost 138 for a traffic violation. The driver was identified as a male, age 33, from Kennewick, Washington. Subsequent investigation during the traffic stop with the assistance of an OSP drug detection canine led to the discovery of approximately 2 lbs of marijuana hidden in the car. Estimated value of the seized marijuana is $5,000. SMITH was arrested without incident and lodged in the Douglas County Jail for Unlawful Possession and Delivery of a Controlled Substance - Marijuana.
Lakeview/Eastern District June 17 La Pine (OSP) - Two California women were arrested early Friday morning during an Oregon State Police (OSP) trooper's traffic stop in LaPine when they were found in possession of two pounds of marijuana.
Oregon News
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At approximately 12:33 a.m. an OSP trooper stopped a 1989 Toyota 4Runner displaying California license plates northbound on Highway 97 near milepost 168 for an equipment-related traffic violation. The vehicle had two female occupants identified as California residents. Subsequent investigation during the traffic stop led the trooper to find approximately 2 lbs. of marijuana inside a suitcase, and a loaded handgun. The seized marijuana value is estimated at $5,000. The women were arrested without incident and lodged in the Deschutes County Jail for Unlawful Possession, Delivery and Manufacture of Marijuana.
Oregon News Nugs Judge Rules Hash Not Useable Marijuana Attorney Leland Berger recently argued a case for a medical marijuana patient in Washington county. The question Judge Upton faced was whether or not Hashish is usable marijuana, as defined by the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act. In the case, Berger's the prosecutor agreed to return most of his clients property, after his case was dismissed. They requested return of all his clients property, including his medical marijuana and hashish, but the prosecutor refused to return the hash, on the grounds that it was not useable marijuana. The prosecutor indicated the Attorney Generals office supported their Leland Berger speaking at a rally in interpretation. Portland protesting
OMMP fee increases Berger filed for a hearing and Judge Upton heard testimony on July 25th from Todd Dalotto and Dr. Greg Melby on support of the use of hashish. Unfortunately, the judge did not consider the evidence presented and decided that hashish is not usable marijuana, explaining it was a matter of statutory construction. Berger has requested reconsideration of Judge Upton's decision, and that request is pending as of press time. If reconsideration is denied, an appeal is likely to follow.
Klamath Falls Raids On Friday, July 29th, Klamath Falls Police and detectives raided 2 Klamath Falls businesses. The Cannabis Pipeline and Klamath Compassion Center were both raided, property was seized, and the a couple of people were taking in for
World Famous Cannabis Cafe Celebrates 1 Year
Klamath Police surround the Klamath Compassion Center on July 29th.
questioning. No arrests were made. According to witnesses, the police surrounded Cannabis Pipeline with numerous police vehicles, armed and taping off the area as a crime scene. One witness said, “It looked like there was a multiple murder right downtown. The streets were blocked, and the whole area taped off.” According to a Klamath Falls Police press release, police also searched three businesses and one residence. The police seized processed marijuana, marijuana plants, paperwork, and money. The Herald and News in Klamath Falls also reported that police heard “reports” that transactions for medical marijuana were occurring at some of the businesses, and that undercover agents had bought marijuana at a clinic in previous weeks. Since 2 of the businesses are registered with the state as advisory centers, the Klamath Falls District Attorney is considering referring the case to the Oregon Attorney General's office.
Wake and Bake In Aloha Raided On June 15th the Washington County police and the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team raided the Wake-N-Bake Cannabis Lounge in Aloha, Oregon. Police alleged that the lounge was selling cannabis to customers, in violation of state and federal drug laws. No arrests were made, but the police spent a great deal of time going over there records and interviewing customers that showed up. Residences of those connected with the operation of the lounge were also searched by police. The Oregonian reported that Washington County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. David Thompson commented, “Businesses like Wake N Bake attempt to get around the law by requiring customers to bring a medical marijuana card and charging a fee to become a member of the club.” He also told them, “The sheriff’s office believes they have no legal basis to distribute or sell marijuana.”
The World Famous Cannabis Cafe in Portland celebrated its first year anniversary at their current location, 322 SE 82nd Ave. Beginning on July 29st, the Cafe hosted a 2 day event to celebrate the milestone. Madeline Martinez told Toke Of The Town, “When the café opened in November 2009, my dream to create a safe and welcoming place for cardholders to consume their medicine out of public view was realized.” Starting at 4:20 on Friday, the Cafe hosted a number of events over the weekend, including music and comedy. Martinez also told Toke, “Celebrating this anniversary means that we also provide stability for those we serve, and that is important.” About 350 people attended the event. The World Famous Cannabis Cafe is open to Madeline Martinez Oregon Medical speaking at the Cafe Marijuana Program registrants Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m, and Mondays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is closed on Sundays. For more information, please visit www.worldfamouscannabiscafe.com or call 503-208-3395. You can also find the World Famous Cannabis Cafe on Facebook and Twitter.
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Oregon News
Mixed Results in Salem for OMMP Program
SOAM Clinic Cont. From Pg. 5 figured out what our clinic did.” Some Physicians went so far as to refuse to continue seeing long standing patients that obtain a MMJ recommendation.
By Keith Mansur OCC The legislature this past session attempted to pass a truckload of initiatives, and most every one was stopped. Many activists turned out to protest the many subversive bills, and they seemed to have an impact. By showing up at hearings, protesting on the Capitol steps, speaking to the press, and emailing legislators to let their opinions known, Oregonians supporting medical marijuana made a difference. One of the leaders in the Oregon movement, and the Vice Chair of the Advisory Committee on Medical Marijuana, is Todd Dalotto. Todd is also a Cannabis Horticultural Researcher and was the first director of Compassion Center in Eugene.
Todd Dalotto speaking with the T.V. News at a Salem Protest
• $50 replacement card (for change of grower, growsite, or caregiver) • Considering making those qualifying for the low-income discounts exempt from growers fee with the trade-off of making all replacement cards $50
His recap of the recent legislative session recently:
• Renewal fees same as initial fees
• 35 bills related to cannabis • 28 bills roll back rights of OMMP patients • 1 bill improved protections for OMMP patients • 7 bills related to non-OMMP cannabis use, possession and distribution • 16 bills directly affected OMMP administration • 2 bills proposed regulated medical marijuana dispensaries and licensed producers (HB 3423 & SB 874) • Hearings held only on HB 2982, SB 777, and HB 3664
A number of other options to raise the required money set forth in SB 5529 were proposed, but not taken seriously by OMMP Administration. One of the proposals was to include Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to the list of qualifying conditions. This would have increase the number of participants in the program sufficiently enough to increase the revenue from the program to the levels required in SB 5529. Although the interim OMMP Administrator at the time, Barry Kast, indicated he would consider the idea, the truth is the idea fell flat.
Todd explained: This includes SB 5529, which is the spending bill that will cause an OMMP fee increase, and SB 939, which many folks may not be aware of. SB 939 gives the OHA statutory authority to create a 'growers fee'. The ACMM challenged that the OHA doesn't have the authority,and the issue was put to OHA Legal Counsel. Instead of responding to the ACMM in a timely manner, it was announced at the Rules Advisory Committee meeting on July 11th.. The meeting was on the final day of the legislative session and was introduced in, and passed, both houses on the same day, with no public hearing or notice.
Oregon Health Authority has set up 3 meetings around the state to get public input. We recommend everyone who is able attend the meetings and show your disappointment in the fee increases.
The fee proposal from the Rules Advisory Committee meeting July 11th is as follows: • $150-180 Regular applicant fee • $50 Grower fee (unless applicant is grower)
Southern Oregon September 16, 2011: 11:00 AM Jackson County Library Large Conference Room 205 South Central Ave Medford, OR 97501 Northern Oregon September 19, 2011: 9:30 AM Portland State Office Building 800 NE Oregon St. Room 1B Portland, OR 97232 Eastern/Central Oregon September 20, 2011: 11:00AM Deschutes County Administration Building Barnes Room 1300 NW Wall St Bend, OR 97701
• $40 fee for SSI recipients • $80 fee for OHP & SNAP (Foodstamp) recipients • $25 replacement card (for lost or stolen cards)
It is your chance to be heard, so make the most of it!
In 2006 they changed their name to Southern Oregon Alternative Medicine (SOAM) to better reflect their business, which now includes a multitude of services, including primary care, massage, acupuncture, chiropractic, and more. They also moved to the office complex that they currently occupy, at 836 E. Main St., Suite 6 in Medford. They have moved a few times within the complex, and will be doing so again soon, due to their need for more space. By offering expanded services, they have developed their own long standing relationships with patients, and have had great success. Most of their patients are repeat customers, and some have been coming for over 10 years. Kenyon said, “I would say we have a 95% return rate.” To Help keep patients coming back, Kenyon decided to introduce a lower fee for patients. “We went from what was always 200.00 to 175.00, to give the patients a better deal and possibly bring in more clients.” Originally offered to Veterans, he extended the discount to renewing patients, and further dropped the renewal rate to 150.00. Now they have 2 physical locations and handle clinics in other locations across the state, due partly to his own patients needs. “We had people driving [to Medford] from everywhere... so I reached out to other organizations,” Kenyon said. Eventually, he developed many locations utilizing the facilities of other medical resource centers across the state, such as South Coast Compassion Center in Coos Bay and Gold Beach Cannabis Services in Gold Beach. He opened their Springfield office in 2009 to serve the many patients in the Eugene region. SOAM does not prescribe any narcotics. They, in fact, have been hugely successful stopping prescription drug use and abuse through medical marijuana recommendations. Kenyon said, "I have watched people shed 5 or 10 bottles of pills out of their life." He also said, “It's been unbelievable, even to me, the willingness of people, and their success, in giving up their prescription pain killers.” They even received a Certificate of Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention from RX Security, which congratulates them for,“Making a difference in the war against prescription drug abuse.” They are a main sponsor of the Jefferson State Hemp Expo on August 26th and 27th in Takilma, Oregon, and plan on offering recommendations during the event. If you are attending, make sure you check out their tent and bring recent medical records if you want to get your recommendation. SOAM may offer a discounted rate at the event, too, but the States own OMMP fees will be increasing soon, so don't hesitate.
Cannabis Connection clinics for OMMP recommendations and ongoing appointments for their other services. Their hours are from 10AM to 3PM Monday through Friday and they are located at 836 East Main St., in Medford. Their Springfield office is located at 152 Main St. and their hours are also from 10 to 3. Their satellite clinics currently serve the Salem, Coos Bay, Eugene, Klamath Falls, Bend, Sutherlin, and Gold Beach areas. See their ad on Page 1 on the Oregon Cannabis Connection for all their locations and more information.
THCF Manager Cont. From Pg. 3 been charged in California for manufacturing, possession and delivery of hashish AND marijuana. His history is spotted with arrests and unsavory behavior, and his California arrest attests to that. Thomas said she should have been more careful, saying she should have run a background check on Bletko and didn't. She explains, “I was introduced by a business acquaintance who was standing next to him when I was on the phone, telling him I needed a grower because I couldn't do it all. When asked what it was that was so hard to handle, she explained, “A couple of friends had asked us to grow for them, and we took them on. Then, Dar started to get really sick, and we didn't know why, and I was having a hard time keeping up with my responsibilities.” As it turns out, Dar (short for Darlene), who is Thomas' partner, had stage 4 cancer. They didn't know it at the time it was cancer, but the illness was taking its toll, and she couldn't handle the garden alone. It appeared Bletko was the answer, and Thomas made an agreement with him to help with the garden. That was her biggest mistake. She explained, "The growers like him, who intimidate people, are the bad part of the program.” The Grants Pass Courier reported Bletko's testimony indicated he had reached an agreement with Thomas to do all the growing, Thomas would do the trimming, and they would then only give the patients the one and a half pound limit the law provides, give 8 plants to the grower that introduced them, and split the remainder. That's not the way it went down, according to Thomas. “That is not true," she said. As for the allegation of the 8 plant payoff, she said that was also a lie, stating, “He had said....he was actually just picking him up some clones, and they had just met. He said he was looking for a place to stay because he was running from some crazy girlfriend.” That would be very generous of a grower, to give 8 plants to someone for simply introducing them. It is absurd, really. Bletko had orders to stay out of the state, and away from Thomas, yet the day before the trial, he was in town and apparently too close for Thomas' comfort. She said, “Bletko intimidated me even up to the day before trial by getting his hair done at that salon connected to my office.”
SOAM in Medford currently offers weekly Cont. on Page 10
Cannabis Connection
Book Review: Secrets of The West Coast Masters By Keith Mansur OCC Are you interested in growing pounds instead of ounces in your grow room? Do you need help developing a grow room? Are you experienced but looking for new ideas to increase your yield? Well, Oregon resident and master grower Dru West has written a new book that explains how some master indoor growers produce high quality, and large yields from their bedroom sized grow rooms. Aptly entitled Secrets of the West Coast Masters, West has put together a easy to follow guide showing the techniques and equipment needed to become a master grower yourself. A resident of Bend, Oregon, West has been a grower, caretaker, and patient. According to West, for 15 years he has been, “Designing, managing, and consulting for numerous grow operations across the U.S.” His collaboration with other growers led to the development of techniques that are simple, effective, and affordable, for an indoor grow operation. “Secrets” begins with the basics, including a chapter titled “How to use this book” He even provides a conversion chart for metric measurements, for his International readers. The book's ease of use is apparent immediately, and is broken down in 4 sections. The first section is about “Getting Started” and it explains selecting your grow room location, set up, types of grow medium, whether to use seeds or clones, and even cost saving tips on building your own equipment. There are step by step instructions to explain ventilation systems, watering systems, and even how to waterproof a carpeted bedroom floor. West explains the advantages and disadvantages of different growing mediums, covering the 3 most widely used techniques, soil, coco, and hydroponic. He explains the advantages of clones versus seeds, advising that clones are faster, especially for indoor cycles. Then he provides complete instructions on building a “Clone Master” with a standard 5 gallon bucket and a few other supplies.
Oregon News covers fertilizing, watering, and pest control in the section, warning to be diligent with all, but especially fighting pests. The third section is all about SCROG growing and creating “Monster” plants. West goes into great detail to explain the SCReen Of Green system and how it works. Using detailed drawings and many photos, West shows how you can get up to 64 quarter ounce buds off of one indoor plant in a 15 gallon pot. That's 1 pound in 8 weeks! By topping and training the plant and forcing the plant tips through a framework or net, you create a low and wide canopy on the plant that develops many more and much larger buds than any untouched plant. The final section covers the potency stage of your medicine, including flushing, harvest, and curing of the buds. His flushing advice is excellent, although time consuming. He developed a very thorough routine that will remove all the nutrient build up before harvest. Pretty standard harvest techniques are used, including trichome shape, trichome color, and pistil color, but he does go to great effort to explain how and why you cure your buds. I have always thought it is vital to cure them right, and West does a good job of explaining the chlorophyl/ammonia connection. Secrets of the West Coast Masters is a wonderful resource for any grower, experienced or beginner. It has something to offer everyone, and will be an integral additional tool for experts that wish to become master growers, as well as a basic reference book for beginners. West has put together a great book, and I recommend it to everyone interested in growing monster plants like the masters of the West Coast!
By Keith Mansur OCC Longtime medical marijuana activist, Jim Klahr, has announced his candidacy for Oregon's First District House seat, located along the South Coast. Rep. Wayne Kreiger currently occupies the seat, and is openly hostile towards the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP). With few medical marijuana supporters in the legislature, Klahr would be a breath of fresh air in Salem. Most recently known for being a Chief Petitioner for Measure 74 last fall, Klahr has been involved in the movement, and politics, for many years. Growing up in Caldwell, Idaho, Klahr was from a family that was heavily involved in politics. He told the Oregon Cannabis Connection, “I had an Aunt that was a city councilwoman, I had another Aunt that was a county commissioner who became head of the Democratic Party in Idaho.” He even ran for City Council himself in 1970 at 18 or 19 years of age. His platform was, “Give the young people something to do and you won't have them out on the ditch bank drinking beer.” He lost the election, but it planted the seed of politics firmly in his mind. For a few years, Klahr chased a music career, and had modest success. He was a founding member of Salem Mass, a rock band from Idaho. He played keyboards, and was quite good, I might add (you can still find the album Witch Burning online in CD format). The band needed to be closer to the music scene, so off to Portland they went. As Klahr said, “Portland has always been... a hotbed for the music scene in one way or the other.” They eventually release 2 albums, and Jim found himself bouncing back and forth between Reno and Seattle for a few years, following the music scene. Eventually, Klahr's parents moved to Oregon's South Coast region to retire. Known as “The Banana Belt”, the region right around Brookings-Harbor is unusually warm at certain times of year, making it a hotbed for retirement compared to other coastal areas. As he said, “There's been plenty of times on Christmas Day you can drive a convertible 25 miles either way with the top down before you get out of it.”
The second section is basics on indoor growing techniques, and how to master them. West begins with transplanting, and explains how to do it with the least “shock” to the plant. He then moves to the training techniques, which uses a “Training rail” he explains how to build in the previous section. This is an important step in creating massive plants. He also
Reach thousands of customers, advertise in the Oregon Cannabis Connection
Klahr To Take On Kreiger For Oregon House Seat
332 West 6th Street Medford, OR 97501 Ph - (541) 779-1448
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Klahr eventually owned a bar in Smith River, CA., just a few miles from his parents. Due to his parents failing health, he eventually moved to his parents duplex in Oregon, to assist in their care. His parents both Jim Klahr at the Portland developed Rally in June, he announced cancer, his intentions at the event. eventually passing away, and his time was heavily occupied assisting them. He said, “Eventually what happened was they got so sick that the California Liquor Commission allowed me to put my license into surrender, which means its still mine, it's just not in use." He closed his bar, and was never able to permanently re-open. While in California, Klahr became involved with the Prop 215 movement, the original California legalization initiative. Oregon's burgeoning medical marijuana movement spurred Klahr to return. “I had heard about Oregon measure 67, but it didn't even have a measure number yet," he said. He became involved in a few groups, including the Legislative Advisory Council which was formed to bring stakeholders to the table, including patients and law enforcement, to advise how legislators could produce something. Klahr has served on the Advisory Committee on Medical Marijuana (ACMM) from its inception. In fact, Klahr said, “I just completed two terms as the chair of the ACMM.” He also helped get another critical Oregon organization off the ground. “Eventually, I rented a small apartment in Portland because I was helping with the formation of Oregon Green Free,” he said. He helped them organize a plan of action, and also, to help obtain federal 501c3 non-profit status, which is a difficult process, especially for any medical marijuana organization. Klahr's said, “I definitely believe the way to change things is to change the law.” He also believes in Industrial Hemp and its potential, explaining, “There have been studies done that are very helpful, and these need to be put into action. The idea that we're not using hemp is crazy. The possibilities are numerous." Klahr explains, “The introduction of specialty equipment... Cont. on Page 10
Oregon News
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THCF Manager Cont. from page 8 It was also reported, in the same "fish wrapper" newspaper, that Bletko said he delivered marijuana to Thomas at the THCF clinic in Grants Pass three or four times, and she would come home with money. That statement was left hanging there in the original article, but Thomas explained to the OCC, “He made up everything that mister Ray Meyers wanted him to say.” She explained, “Ray Myers told my wife on the night of the raid that he would do what ever it takes to shut [the OMMP] program down." She also staunchly defended the clinic, stating, "I am not allowed to at work, I signed a contract with THCF that says we do not distribute or sell from any office, period....period!" Detective Meyers is on the Grants Pass Police Department and also a member the areas Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) task force. He was recently named in a lawsuit accusing him of politicking against M74 last fall, on police time, and using county resources. This is not his first go-round with medical marijuana patients, and his views are well known. The THCF clinics, founded and run by Paul Stanford of Portland, may have been a target of Meyers. Stanford is as outspoken about ending cannabis prohibition as Meyers is about keeping it, but in a more civil, and law abiding way. Stanford, fortunately, uses his clinics, and Oregon citizens via the initiative system to develop legislation to stop cops like Meyers, who prefer intimidation and fear over reason and logic. Stanford's support is unwavering, and he explained to OCC, “I am 100% supportive of Brenda as our Clinic manager. I believe she was railroaded, her appeal will be successful, and she is a valuable asset, not only to the clinic but to the entire community. What they have done to her is a shame, and a sham.” Thomas also added, “I think they're trying to convict me because I work where I work.” Another unfortunate development was the
unwillingness of her original attorney to push the case to trial. Thomas explained, “On the day before the trial, my other attorney, Claudia Browne, and I had discussed a plea, and they came back with an offer that I didn't agree with. They wanted me to admit to something I didn't do." She refused the plea deal. Thomas explained Browne's response, “She couldn't do anything more for me besides get a plea.” Bend, Oregon attorney Foster Glass was gracious enough to take on the case, indicating to Thomas that he could do more for her than get a bad plea deal. He indicated to her that the case had been mishandled. Even though her trial was only 24 hours away, Judge Pat Wolke forced them to proceed, giving Glass no time to prepare. Thomas expects to file her appeal immediately after sentencing, and the date has yet to be set. She plans on retaining her new attorney, Foster Glass. With more time to prepare, hopefully Mr. Glass will be successful in her defense. Brenda Thomas is not a criminal, she is helping patients in need.
Jim Klahr Cont. from page 9
projects. He is not sure who, if any, may run against him for the Democrat spot in the primary, and may not until the deadline to file on September 8th. As for Kreiger, Klahr said, “Krieger is an almost 20 year incumbent now, he's a 27 year law enforcement veteran, and he's a Republican. Basically he's got a horrible voting record, and he got a score of “Zero” from the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union).” Krieger was a leader in opposition to the OMMP last session, sponsoring many bills aimed at closing down or curtailing it. His rhetoric is out of date and typical, and with his law enforcement background, expected. Krieger even boasted to a fellow lawmaker last April, during a legislative hearing, how he had killed many sea lions as an OSP officer in the 1960's. He said, "You could not fit them in this room. They wouldn't fit." He eventually told the Oregonian, “I shot 'em. Everybody did.” Some animal rights groups are calling for an investigation, even though Krieger claims it was legal at the time. Many residents in the region do not like the sea lions, blaming them for declining salmon populations, but many also find it abhorent, and Klahr represents the more progressive view. To support Jim Klahr for the Oregon Assembly or for more information, visit www.jimklahr4rep.com.
thats a whole new market, all the way through the job market and economy.” Klahr's positions extend beyond medical marijuana and Hemp. He is concerned about the region where he lives, and wants to do what he can to help. He considers himself a progressive, and will be running on the Democrat ticket. Some of his views are, reduction of prison populations, mainly through the end of drug prohibition and ending the incarceration of non-violent drug offenders and start treating them for their addictions instead. He believes in health care reform, and tort reform, and also opposes coastal dredging, a cruise ship port, or any other ecologically destructive
Holton OMMP Bashing Cont. from page 5 Holton's claims, and Geiger said, "His acknowledgment that some people are [operating illegally], and his inability to find out who those people are and also who are the people that are doing it the right way illustrates how reckless and irresponsible it was sending out these letters. Geiger had been operating Foster Healing
Cannabis Connection Center until they closed down following the letter from Holton in July. According to Geiger, they had dotted their “I's” sand crossed their “T's” He said, “We were a State non profit.....we had 4 employees, everything was on a donation basis, everything we did we verified with state attorneys to make sure it was legal and within State law.” When Geiger asked if Holton had ever visited a resource center like Foster Healing Center, he answered, "No." Holton's reason for getting involved? “Treatment providers from around the state...came to me and said 'Marijuana Abuse is killing us'. [It's] the number one unreported problem in the state,” he said. Which begs the question, if it is unreported, how does he know its the number one unreported problem? Geiger also took issue with their lack of research. He indicated the letter he received was not even properly addressed. Geiger said, "Dwight Holton made no effort whatsoever to even find the correct name of our establishment or our address." He added, "They sent [the letter] to my head shop, instead of the Healing Center, so they didn't even have the right data." When asked about how Holton's office had compiled the list of businesses they mailed the letters too, he replied, “It was a collection of things, but a lot of it was online research." Their office admittedly used web sites like potlocator.com for much of their information. They must not realize that many of those listings are incorrect and simply “crawled” by websites just to populate their data as much as possible. Errors are commonplace, and using those sites for legal research is like using Wikipedia for references in a scientific paper, absurd. The one caller that phoned in was a seemingly elderly lady from Eastern Oregon named Vicky, and she was not fooled by Holton's trickery or deterred by his snide comments. She is not a medical marijuana patient, yet she supports its use and regulation, stating, “I'm not A MMJ user. I'm absolutely for it, and I am also for regulation.” Vicky started by chastising Holton for his comments about flying coach and being in pain. She said, “I took offense to your comments,” later adding, “I have a 4 inch spinal cord tumor that I take a lot of synthetic morphine just to be able to walk. I would love to be able to try MMJ to get off of those drugs, but I am afraid too. I don't want to get in trouble” When Miller asked her to elaborate on her fears, she said, “I don't want to get arrested, and I don't know anybody that I would get it from. I think there's one dispensary here, but if they're going to start cracking down on it, I don't want to try it.” Holton's response...”It's a matter of federal law, the distribution of marijuana is simply illegal.” He did backpedal a bit, referring to the Ogden memo and indicating sick people wont be targeted, but finished with, “I guess that's the best I can tell you.” Near the end of the show, Holton made what is arguably the most outrageous statement of the interview. He contended that ALL marijuana busts OUTSIDE of Oregon include marijuana from OMMP gardens. I kid you not, he really did! He stated, “Every single seizure outside of this state, of any significant quantity, more than a couple of pounds of marijuana, has come from someone that was an alleged OMMP grower” One might wonder why US District Attorney Holton has such animosity to the medical marijuana patients in Oregon. He really needs to get his facts straight, and stop using old “reefer madness” rhetoric. What it is doing is making patients afraid, and people should not be afraid to get their medicine.
National News
Cannabis Connection
DOJ: State Workers Can Legally Run Med Marijuana Programs By Steve Elliott Toke Of The Town
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Cops Harass Tacoma Hempfest By Keith Mansur Oregon Cannabis Connection image: tucsoncitizen.com
Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona
The Oregon Cannabis Connection traveled to the 2nd annual Tacoma Hempfest this year, to both promote our current paper and also to see if there was support for a Washington Cannabis Connection newspaper. We had a great time, even though the Tacoma police disrupted the event initially. Justin Prince did a great job on the event, and thousands of people attended. Held on June 25th at Wright Park in Tacoma, the event attracted a similar number of patrons as the previous years event, upwards of 15,000 by most estimates. 60 or more vendors set up across the south end of the park, and a stage for the live music was tucked in a side area. Unfortunately, the police harassed many glass vendors attempting to sell their pipes and accessories, right from the start. They strolled into the park, just as vendors had finished set-up, and began issuing criminal citations to vendors that were selling pipes or smoking accessories, and any vendor selling medicated foods. At least 15 officers were counted in the park during the event, which seems like a ridiculous number at a Hempfest.
Seargent Frank Krause of the Tacoma Police Dept. writing a citation to one of the vendors at Tacoma Hempfest June 25th.
Prince explained to Cannabis Culture magazine immediately after the event, “We're still just trying to figure out what the hell happened.” As Price explained, "People worked their butts off for months to make sure there were enough products on hand, and then the police just shut them down? You can't just go do that.” The officer in charge, Sgt. Frank Krause,, was also the one who decided the number of officers
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After their initial “raids” on the vendors, the cops stayed back a bit, and the event went forward with few interruptions. We were able to hand out 600 to 700 papers at the event, and many other vendors did quite well. Some pipe vendors tried to stick it out, but most closed up their booths.
Photo: Kristi Anderson
A raucous crowed followed the police as they went from booth to booth. The event organizer, Justin Prince, also followed, encouraging people to video tape and take photos. As the police strutted through, Prince exclaimed, “Everybody take pictures and video, document this harassment.” When some people crowded in too close, Prince actually asked for people to give them more space, stating, “Everybody, please step back.” Police eventually handed out 13 citations to vendors.
Reprinted by permission from www.tokeofthetown.com copyright 2011 Village Voice Media
would cover the event, driving up the cost for Prince. Krause has a huge conflict of interest in that decision, since he gets paid an additional salary to cover off duty events such as the hempfest. As Prince exclaimed during the showdown, “This cost me 7,000 dollars, 7,000!,” which included about 3,000 for the police coverage at the event.
The music played all during the event, and included four different sessions, Tacoma Music Brunch, Rhythym and Blues Jam, Rock/Hard Rock Jam, and the Hip Hop Jam. Session leaders included Andrew Childs brunch, Malcom Clark Band during Blues, Big Wheel Stunt Show during Rock, Josh Rizeburg during Hip Hop. Many, many others performed during the sessions. Overall the event was great, and we will likely return to it next year, but Wright park turned out to be the wrong park to hold the event. Hopefully it will be in a location that allows for less harassment by the cops.
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National News
Seattle Mayor Signs Medical Marijuana Dispensary Law
Understanding Obama's 'War on Drugs'
By Steve Elliot Tokeofthetown.com
By Neill Franklin Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP)
Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn scheduled a Wednesday signing ceremony with City Attorney Pete Holmes, state Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles and other officials to sign a bill regulating medical marijuana like any other business.
Seattle Mayor McGinn signed a law for the city that flys in Gov. Gregoire's face.
Marijuana prohibition "denies an appropriate medication" to patients who need it, Mayor McGinn said at the ceremony. "Prohibition does not work."
council, requires that dispensaries be licensed, obtain food-handling permits if they sell cannabis edibles, and follow all other regulations such as land use codes, reports The Associated Press.
"We are taking the approach that what we need to do is honor the wishes of the City of Seattle and honor the wishes of the voters of Washington when it comes to medical marijuana, and appropriately regulate its use," Mayor McGinn said.
"This makes me glad I voted for McGinn," commented "geographer 22," one Seattle Times reader. "I don't agree with him on everything but this is the right thing to do ... Good job, Seattle; way to stand up to this pointless drug war."
"I wish I could say that the actions we've taken today will provide complete clarity to the public, to law enforcement personnel, and to medical marijuana patients," McGinn said. "It does not. We are in a time of transition, and the laws, because of the conflict between federal law and state law, it creates an interesting situation.
Another commenter, "recon33halo," was more concise. "At least someone has the balls to follow the will of the people!" he offered.
"But we are doing our best here in the City of Seattle to provide the greatest possible direction and clarity to the public, to medical marijuana users, and to our enforcement officers in the police department as well as the city agencies, on what's the appropriate way to move forward," the mayor said. "We hope that if we can demonstrate, here in Seattle, a more sane approach to how we can work with this, that we can continue to move towards a transition on how we regulate and oversee the use of marijuana in an intelligent way rather than an irrational way that the prohibition era has given us," McGinn said. The bill, passed on July 18 by the city
The tolerant approach contrasts with several other cities in Washington, which have imposed moratoriums on dispensaries and the patient collective gardens allowed by the remnants of SB 5073 which survived a lineitem veto gutting by Governor Christine Gregoire. Medical marijuana regulations in Washington have been uncertain since Gregoire hen-heartedly vetoed much of that bill, which would have allowed and regulated dispensaries in the state. She left in sections allowing collective gardens of up to 45 plants by up to 10 patients. Reprinted by permission from www.tokeofthetown.com copyright 2011 Village Voice Media
Last month I was interviewed on CNN.com as part of the network's coverage of the 40th anniversary of President Richard Nixon declaring the "war on drugs." It was just one of thousands of articles, broadcasts and blog posts featuring the voices of police officers, politicians and scholars marking an anniversary that offers little to celebrate. Many commentators across the political spectrum eagerly welcomed the opportunity to seriously examine the failures of our drug policies, evaluate possible reforms and opine on what it all might mean. But not everyone was as excited by the opportunity for reflection on how we can make drug policy more effective. After reading my interview on CNN.com, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy apparently contacted the news organization and demanded equal time to defend the Obama administration's continuation of U.S. drug prohibition policies. The published response presents a rare and revealing window into the thinking behind the nation's drug policy at the beginning of the fifth decade of the "war on drugs." The transcript is of great interest to anyone who wants to understand why -- despite clear scientific evidence, real-world experience and political opportunity -- a policy that is so obviously failed and is so profoundly harmful is able to continue year after year. Written by Rafael Lemaitre, a public affairs staffer in the drug czar's office, the interview answers obfuscate important facts and completely avoid many of the most important issues in the debate about drug policy. With polished clarity, Lemaitre spells out a worldview and political intent based on three key (false) ideas: We are making great strides against drug abuse. The "war on drugs" is permanent, and any alternative to it means anarchy. The only goal of real importance in drug policy is to reduce the number of drug users. Is the "War on Drugs" Working? As proof that we are making "tremendous progress," Lemaitre clings to the fact that that cocaine production in one country -Colombia -- has dropped over the past decade according to some metrics and that drug use in the U.S. is now lower in some categories and demographics than it was during the raucous 1970's. First of all, the fact that cocaine production in Colombia seems to be falling isn't really a sign of success in light of the fact that U.S.backed eradication efforts -- to the extent they have "worked" -- have only really succeeded in pushing production of the drug into neighboring Peru, where coca growing has risen every year for the past five years. And when it comes to drug use in the U.S., the truth is that use rates have continually fluctuated over the years and decades. The
Cannabis Connection fact that drug use today is down in some categories compared to 1979 isn't all that meaningful when you consider, for example, that the percentage of 12th graders who regularly use illegal drugs has sharply increased over the past two decades. Now, compare this to the historic across-theboard reduction we've seen in tobacco use over the past few decades. To achieve this, we haven't had to knock down any doors with SWAT teams, sentence anyone to decades in prison under harsh mandatory minimum sentences or strip anyone of their right to vote or to receive government benefits. Instead, a long-term and diverse educational campaign, in which government and industry have collaborated, has defined nicotine addiction as a health issue and has helped many Americans quit smoking without the threat of the criminal justice system. But: Could Ending the "War on Drugs" Open the Drug Use Floodgates? Lemaitre says that ending prohibition of the currently illegal drugs would be irresponsible and would make drugs "more available in our communities," leading to an explosion in use and abuse. But, consider a recent study by the World Health Organization showing that the U.S. -despite being the home of the global "war on drugs" -- has the highest rates of marijuana and cocaine use in the world. Indeed, Americans use drugs at a higher rate than people in other countries that have modernized their laws by treating drugs as more of a health -- rather than a criminal -issue. It's clear that creating harsh penalties for drugs doesn't reduce use, and the absence of harsh penalties doesn't lead large numbers of people who wouldn't otherwise imbibe to become addicted to dangerous drugs. Lemaitre says he sympathizes with people who are "frustrated by the negative impacts of drug use and who might be tempted to submit to "silver bullet 'solutions.'" To be clear, though, no one on the anti-prohibition side of this debate would characterize regulating drugs as a panacea. We have to do a lot better, and while legalization itself won't be a cure-all for drug abuse problems, it will at least bring those problems out of the criminal realm and above-ground where a true public health strategy can begin to work. As an added benefit, ending prohibition would undo much of the additional non-use-related damage that banning drugs has created. Which brings us to the third question raised by Lemaitre's comments: Is Reducing the Number of Drug Users the Most Important Goal in Drug Policy? When asked by CNN what individuals can do given the enormous complexity of the drug problem, Lemaitre offered a quick to-do list: talk to your kids about drugs, be alert to risk factors such as "association with drugabusing peers" and clean out the medicine cabinet. Implicit here is the view that it's all about individual users. While concern for drug-using individuals is obviously an important issue for anyone looking at drug policy, there are several other considerations one should not ignore -- like market violence, economics, human rights and international relations, just to name a few. This use-focused mindset is an important part of what lets prohibitionists like Lemaitre essentially turn their backs on Cont. on Page 14
Don't Miss Our New Industrial Hemp Section on Page 18 Hemp field in Hungary, where it is still legal to grow.
Cannabis Connection
National News Nugs Alabama Sending Legislature a MMJ Bill The Alabama Medical Marijuana Coalition (AMMJC), which, just two months after its founding, on Thursday announced that the Alabama Medical Marijuana Patient's Rights Act will be introduced in the next session of the Alabama Legislature. The AAMJC came into existence on June 3 this year. Rep. Brown agreed to sponsor the Alabama Medical Marijuana Patient's Rights Act on August 4 -- just 62 days after the organization was founded.
"Representative Brown is ready to go," AMMJC CoPresident Crumpton told Toke of the Town August 5th. "We made no changes to the legislation that we presented him with, which is Americans for Safe Access's state model legislation. We looked at a lot of legislation; the ASA state model is by far the most neutral bill," Crumpton said. "It is not so liberal that it would make enforcement virtually impossible and it is not so strict that it will harm patients. The AMMJC is hosting a series of informational picnic meetings across Alabama. The next one is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, August 13, at Blue Springs State Park, 2595 Highway 10, Clio, AL 36017. You can visit their Facebook page for more information. Used by permission from tokeofthetown.com Copyright 2011 Village Voice Media
National News Ohio Marijuana Petitions Rejected; Not Enough Valid Signatures An Ohio group that wants to legalize medical marijuana has failed to submit enough petition signatures in its first effort toward putting the idea before voters. On August 3rd, Attorney General Mike DeWine (it would be a lot cooler if he was named DeWeed) rejected the initial petition for putting a proposed constitutional amendment on the November 2012 ballot, reports The Associated PressThe Associated Press. The amendment would allow cannabis possession for patients with qualifying ailments, along with their caregivers. Patients would need authorization from their doctor to use medical marijuana. At least 1,000 valid signatures were required before the group could go ahead. Only 534 of the 2,134 signatures turned in were valid, according to DeWine, reports The Weed Blog. The initial signatures, and approval of wording on the issue, are required before the group can circulate additional petitions. They would then need about 385,000 valid signatures to get the measure on the Ohio ballot. A second petition campaign is underway for the Ohio Medical Cannabis Act of 2012 (OMCA), another amendment that would take another approach toward marijuana in Ohio by having the state regulate it similarly to alcohol, according to the Ohio Patients Network, which supports the medicinal use of cannabis. If approved by voters, the OMCA 2012 would establish a regulatory system modeled after the Ohio State Liquor Control system. (OK, that seems a little strange -- why would a medicine be controlled by the liquor board?) There would be an Ohio Commission of Cannabis Control, plus a state division and superintendent to run it. Marijuana purchases under OMCA 2012 would require a doctor's authorization and would be subject to state and local sales taxes. Used by permission from tokeofthetown.com Copyright 2011 Village Voice Media
New Jersey Governor OKs State Medical Marijuana Program New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has given approval to the state’s medical marijuana program. He says he believes the state’s narrowly focused program will not be subject to federal prosecution. The state’s six approved medical marijuana dispensaries could be up and running by the end of 2011, according to The Wall Street Journal. The program serves patients with certain severe medical conditions, such as terminal cancer or multiple sclerosis. Patients can only receive a two-ounce supply every 30 days, and the active ingredient, THC, is limited to no more than 10 percent. In June, Gov. Christie said he would not proceed until he was assured that the federal government would not prosecute people carrying out the program. At the end of June, the Justice Department issued a memo saying that law enforcement would not concentrate its enforcement efforts on small, narrowly focused state programs. The New Jersey governor said while the memo did not directly address the state’s program, he believes the federal government was sending the state a signal.
Cop, Judge Collect Sigs For Colorado Cannabis Legalization Police officers, judges and other criminal justice professionals who once enforced Colorado's marijuana prohibition laws are now helping to get an initiative to legalize and regulate cannabis onto the state's 2012 ballot. On August 3rd, a former Denver cop and a former Lafayette judge will participate in a signature-gathering drive to support the new initiative by the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol. “During my 36 years as a Denver cop I arrested more people for marijuana than I care to remember, but it didn't amount to one bit of good for our citizens," said Tony Ryan, a former officer Ryan and Frieling with the image from www.westword.com Denver Police Department and a board member for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). "Keeping marijuana illegal doesn't do anything to reduce marijuana use, but it does benefit the gangs and cartels who control the currently illegal marijuana trade," Ryan said. "When so many murders, rapes and robberies go unsolved, it makes absolutely no sense to keep taking up space in our courtrooms and jails with
people arrested for marijuana possession," said another member of LEAP, former Lafayette Judge Leonard Frieling. "And even on the distribution end, no matter how many drug cartels and gangs we bust, there are always more criminals willing to step up and risk their lives and freedom for a chance at lucrative black market profits," Frieling said. "Our state's voters have the power to strike a bigger blow against organized crime with this initiative to treat marijuana like alcohol than any amount of skill and dedication in the criminal justice system ever can." The anti-prohibition law enforcers are just a few members of a huge statewide effort to collect signatures to place the marijuana legalization initiative on next year's ballot. More information about the initiative and details about how to get involved in the signature gathering drive can be found at www.regulatemarijuana.org. Used by permission from tokeofthetown.com Copyright 2011 Village Voice Media
Eddy Lepp's 10 Year Sentence Upheld The 10 year sentence of Rev. Eddy Lepp, Rastafari Minister and marijuana activist was recently upheld. Arrested in Upper Lake, CA. In 2004 by federal agents, Lepp has maintained his innocence all along, explaining that the marijuana which was seized on his property was for medical patients. Sentenced in 2009 to the harsh sentence, Lepp said the 32,000 plants found on his property were for authorized California medical marijuana patients. Federal law requires a minimum sentence of 10 years when a peerson is growing at least 1,000 marijuana plants. At the time of the arrest, Lepp told officials he was a Rastafari minister, and that marijuana is a sacrament. He explained that he was growing the plants for 2,500 members of his church, who were sharecroppers. The Appeals court did not agree, and ruled with Judge Patel, the original Judge, finding that his religion was not a defense of the charges. They also found that the sentence was not “cruel and unusual” Lepp's lawyer, Michael Hinckley, had argued that the 10-year sentence was grossly disproportionate to the crimes. Hinckley said that he was disappointed by Wednesday's ruling, stating, "the thought of him spending 10 years in prison, in circumstances like these, is tragic."
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Major Marijuana Grows Busted in West and Mexico By Justin Jenkins OCC In mid-June, police discovered one of Oregon’s largest marijuana growing operations in the northeast corner of the state in Wallowa County, near the city of Enterprise. Acting on a tip from hunters, a multi-agency law enforcement team, including air support from the Oregon Army National Guard, discovered 91,000 marijuana plants growing in a ravine stretching for approximately one mile. State Forest Service workers are currently surveying the scene in order to better assess the possible environmental impact and estimates of the amount of cleanup needed. Authorities say there were miles of plastic tubing for irrigation, food, supplies, and weapons, as well as large amounts of trash including plastic containers, herbicides, and toxic chemicals that were reportedly dumped along a river’s edge. Authorities said some of the fertilizers and chemicals used are ones that have been manufactured out of the country and are currently Police search a cleared area of banned in the the Wallowa National Forest in United States. Oregon Additionally, the plants were hidden in areas where the trees and underbrush had been removed and the ground below them terraced, adding to the already stressed environment. “Many people would be outraged by the damage to our public lands caused by illegal marijuana growers,” said La Grande police sergeant John Shaul, supervisor for the Union/Wallowa County Cont. on Page
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Obama's 'War on Drugs' Cont. From Pg. 12 pressing concerns about the hundreds of billions of dollars in global tax-free revenue that prohibition creates. No more worries about why we have given control of this lucrative traffic to violent criminals. Not once in his CNN interview does Lemaitre express any concern about the forty thousand dead in Mexico's drug wars in the last five years or the millions of Americans whose lives have been tainted by criminal records resulting from pointless drug possession arrests. The drug czar and those in his office know all-too-well that these horrors are a regrettable but unavoidable price for a drug prohibition strategy that they mistakenly believe is helping to significantly reduce drug use. So, they'd rather not talk about it. In an encouraging sign, the administration does appear to at least acknowledge the emerging political consensus that the "drug war" is a failure and that a new direction is severely needed. To wit, the Lemaitre interview contains glossy rhetoric about our inability to arrest our way out of the drug problem and the "balanced" approach that the Obama team is taking. But nobody should be fooled. The Obama administration's own drug control budgets show that it, like every recent one before it, is all-in with a punishment-oriented drug policy in which "victory" is impossible, "defeat" is unthinkable and evidence, science, common sense and compassion can take a hike. If the Obama administration really wants to go down in history as the first to take drug policy in a significantly new direction, they're going to have to change their thinking, their polices and their budgets, not just their rhetoric. Neill Franklin is the Director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, a Washington D.C. based lobbyist group trying to bring an end to the war on drugs. visit their website at www.leap.cc
Listen to Rogue Cannabis Radio Tuesdays from 7 - 9 PM on www.kskq.org
National News Raids in West & Mexico Cont. From Pg. 13 Drug Team, as reported by William McCall of the Associated Press. Cleanup will end up being a monumental task, requiring extensive funding and planning because of the high mountain terrain. “It’s going to be very difficult,” said Ken Gephardt, a district ranger for the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, to AP news. Six men, ages 21-32, all of them of Mexican descent, were arrested in the raid. They are being held at Union County Jail in La Grande. This may seem like small potatoes compared to the marijuana busts that have been taking place in and near the Mendocino National Forest and Bureau of Land Management land in Northern California. Counties included in the raids were Lake, Mendocino, Colusa, Glenn, Tehama, and Trinity. In a coordinated effort including over 300 people working for 25 local, federal, and state law enforcement agencies during the last two weeks of July and the first week of August. Trash left behind at one the California illegal Operation “Full of grow sites. Court Press” was California’s most recent attempt at eradicating illegal grow operations in the largest national forest in northern California. In a news conference on July 29th, authorities announced that operation “Full Court Press” has so far led to the arrests of 102 people with more expected in the coming weeks with 25 currently being federally prosecuted according to U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag, writer of the now famous “Haag Memo”. Also to date, according to operation Full Court’s press release, there has so far been the seizure of over 500,000 marijuana plants, 1,520 pounds of processed market ready marijuana, 18 grams of methamphetamine, 22 Xanax pills, $15,981 in cash, 32 weapons, and 11 vehicles. And just like in the northern Oregon bust, the amount of damage to the land and trash left behind is staggering. Current totals so far are more than 23 tons of trash, 22 miles of irrigation line, 2,171 pounds of fertilizer, and 51 pounds of pesticides. Authorities also stated they have 13 man-made dams that are disrupting the water shed that are still waiting to be dismantled.
openly chastised the operation in early August, calling it part of the failed war on drugs. “I think we all know that the war on drugs has failed. This is just another aspect of that,” Hamburg said, referring to the operation, which got under way July 15. “This is not a winnable fight…It’s going to come out somewhere else,” according to Tiffany Revelle of The Daily Journal. His statement was in response to 2nd District Supervisor John McCowen, who called the operation a success. Hamburg went on to say he supports the operation, but said the operation “catches the small flies,” with agents arresting “the people doing the grunt work,” and no “kingpins”, who run the cartels. He also used the opportunity to again voice his previously stated view that marijuana should be legalized on a national level, according to The Daily Journal. Even I question how much money and resources this is costing northern California. All of this seems to be a part of a larger trend. America has one of the most insatiable appetites for marijuana in the world, and if it doesn’t come from within our own borders, it will come from somewhere else. Unfortunately, one of the largest producers of marijuana is Mexico. It seems like almost every day Mexico makes headlines because of outbursts of violence that have been on the constant upswing for years. According to current statistics, more than 40,000 people have died from the drug war in Mexico since 2006. There have been 15,273 deaths in 2010 alone, with no sign of it slowing down. And, due to America’s need for weed, growing the world’s most valuable cash crop has increased the size of grow operations, not only in America, but in Mexico as well. Late July, Mexican soldiers discovered the largest marijuana plantation in the country’s history, in the middle of the Baja, California desert, approximately 150 miles south of Tijuana. Hidden under black cloth, authorities discovered a 300-acre plantation that was four times larger than any previously discovered grow operation. The cloth made it, according Army general Alfonso Duarte, difficult to smell what was growing underneath, despite the fact that everything was exposed to the open air. It was only when authorities were able to reach the isolated area by vehicle that they discovered thousands of marijuana plants, some as tall as eight feet. According to the reports, they could have harvested approximately 120 tons of marijuana, which is worth an estimated $160 million. Estimates of approximately 60 people were employed and working at the plantation, but when they saw military personnel, they fled. A few were later detained at a nearby roadblock, according to The Daily Mail Recorder.
All of this is not without its criticisms; Fifth District Mendocino County Supervisor Dan Hamburg
OREGON CANNABIS CONNECTION is a bi-monthly publication for the medical cannabis community in Oregon. Published by K2 Publishing Co. in Medford, Oregon, we strive to inform the public on the value of medical marijuana, as well as provide news, information, and opinions concerning marijuana laws, legalization, and medicine. All information in our publication is intended for legal use by adults only. Our publication is advertiser supported and over 28,000 copies are distributed FREE at over 200 locations throughout Oregon.
Distributors needed! All issues are provided free. Subscriptions are available within the U.S.A for 3.00 per issue. Please visit www.oregoncannabisconnection.com to subscribe. To advertise or distribute, please contact Keith at 541-621-1723. Next issue is September 9th, advertising deadline is Sep20th
Cannabis Connection Part of becoming an activist involves learning how
Citizen Lobbying By Doug McVay to approach a lawmaker, or a member of staff, to talk about an issue with which one is concerned. It can feel intimidating, though it's much less so when your representative is already on record favoring your position. In any case though, it's vital for us to let our representatives know our opinion on issues. As activists, beneath the facts we use to buttress our case, lies our passion. We're motivated by our heartfelt beliefs. Politicians and their staffers identify with this – people go into politics for a number of different Doug McVay Speaking In Por tland at Rally June reasons, but often 26th it's because they have a passion for an issue, or a cause. Our task as citizen-lobbyists is to communicate our passions and our beliefs in a calm, reasoned, cognate manner, and to provide a concrete way in which the official can help. Our challenge is to find common ground, and a common language, between ourselves, and officials and their staffers. I recently had the opportunity to meet with a staffer for my member of Congress, Rep. Earl Blumenauer. The specific legislation I went to Rep. Blumenauer's office to garner support on was HR1983, the United States Medical Marijuana Patients Protection Act introduced in Congress. My meeting was with the district office staffer responsible for constituent concerns around healthcare, as well as medical cannabis – a definite plus. We quickly found that we had much in common. She had experience in cancer research, and had previously worked in hospice care. As a cancer survivor myself, I naturally tend to focus on the needs of patients who have just received their cancer diagnosis and who are days from beginning very harsh chemo or radiation treatments. These are some of the patients who are most in need of dispensaries because they have no time for a plant to grow to maturity, they don't have the strength to grow for themselves, and, as they're truly ill, they are the last people who should go out to the streets to buy cannabis. To say the least, this staffer “got it.” It's always important to have an “ask” at a meeting like this. I brought along a copy of HR1983, and my “ask” was that the Congressman become a cosponsor. The staffer I met was surprised to learn that Rep. Blumenauer wasn't yet a co-sponsor – he spoke at NORML's national conference in Portland, OR, a few months earlier, so the cannabis issue was hardly one from which he shied away. After a nice conversation, it was time for me to leave and let her get on with her work. She promised to check with the legislative staff in DC and get back to me. I followed up that afternoon with a thank you email. Early the next day I was surprised to get a phone call from her. She had contacted their DC office after I left. They had also been surprised to learn the Congressman wasn't a sponsor, so they in turn checked with the office of Rep. Barney Frank (the chief Democratic sponsor of the bill) and by the end of the day, Congressman Blumenauer had become a cosponsor of HR1983. I am the first to admit, it's not usually that easy. Felt good, though. Here are a few tips about how to be a citizenlobbyist. First, find your representative. This is easy using the web, or a public library.
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Cannabis Connection
National News Friday, July 29
Mexico Drug War Update From Stopthedrugwar.com Mexican drug trafficking organizations make billions each year smuggling drugs into the United States, profiting enormously from the prohibitionist drug policies of the US government. Since Mexican
In the city of Chihuahua, authorities captured a high-ranking figure in La Linea, the armed wing of the Juarez Cartel. Jose Antonio Acosta Hernandez, "El Diego," is alleged to have participated in some 1,500 murders in the Ciudad Juarez area. Among the crimes he's accused of masterminding is the murder last year of a US consulate employee and the January 2010 massacre of 15 teenagers at a party. Saturday, July 30 In Nuevo Laredo, about 80 local leaders including the mayor demanded that the local police force be reinstated. The Nuevo Laredo municipal police was disbanded in June and replaced with military personnel pending the vetting and testing of local police. Crime has since continued to rise. 21 other municipalities in Tamaulipas also had their security duties taken over by the Mexican military.
Michoacn, after apparently being mistaken for members of La Familia. In Nuevo Leon, a police supervisor and his son were gunned down in front of a school in the town of San Nicolas de las Garza. Tuesday, August 2 In Ciudad Juarez, authorities announced the arrest of a prison director and four guards in connection with last week's deadly clashes which killed 17 inmates in Ciudad Juarez's municipal jail facility. The director, Lucio Cuevas, is accused of granting favors to inmates. Video of the shooting shows guards letting in gunmen to open fire on inmates. In Coahuila, authorities captured Valdemar Quintanilla Soriano, allegedly the number two financial operator of the Zetas Organization. Quintanilla is also thought to have connections to the top tier of Zetas leadership, such as Heriberto Lazcano. Another man was also taken into custody.
Sunday, July 31 president Felipe Calderon took office in December 2006 and called the armed forces into the fight against the so-called cartels, prohibition-related violence has killed around 40,000 people, including more than 15,000 last year. The increasing militarization of the drug war and the arrest or killing of dozens of high-profile drug traffickers have failed to stem the flow of drugs -- or the violence -whatsoever. The Merida initiative, which provides $1.4 billion over three years for the US to assist the Mexican government with training, equipment and intelligence, has so far failed to make a difference. Here are a few of the latest developments in Mexico's drug war:
In Ciudad Juarez, two people were murdered. According to researcher Molly Molloy, this brings July's total to 216, including 13 women and 8 minors. In Michoacn, police arrested the head of the Knights Templar Organization for the city of Apatzingan. Nery Salgado Harrison, 24, has been in charge of the Apatzingan area since 2009 and is thought to be heavily involved in the production and local
In Reynosa, five gunmen were killed in a fire fight with the army. The city used Twitter and other social networking sites to warn residents of the fighting, which took place at around noon in the Las Fuentes area of the city. Reynosa is just across the border from McAllen, Texas. Total Body Count for 2007: (approx): 4,300 Total Body Count for 2008: (approx.): 5,400 Total Body Count for 2009: (approx.) 9,600 Total Body Count for 2010: (official) 15,273
In Ciudad Juarez, Interior Minister Francisco Blake said that federal forces would not be withdrawn from Juarez, despite a statement Tuesday by Mayor Hector Murguia that federal police would be withdrawn in the area in September. The relationship between local security forces and the federal police is notoriously bad. Just last week, federal police shot at the convoy of municipal police chief Julian Leyzaola.
Mexican Drug Cartel Arrest in Mexico distribution of meth. The Knights Templar is an offshoot of La Familia, which splintered into quarreling factions after the death of boss Nazario "El Chayo" Moreno in December 2010. Monday, August 1 In Acapulco, federal police captured a high-ranking leader of the Independent Cartel of Acapulco. Moises Montero Alvarez, 42, "El Koreano," was captured along with one other suspect. Alvarez is thought to be connected to the September kidnapping and murder of 20 tourists from
and time for a meeting. Before the meeting, check the route to the office – a good thing in my case because I faced road construction delays. Congressional staff are busy people, so they should not be kept waiting. Dress well and dress conservatively. It's a sign of respect. Personal appearance shouldn't make as much difference as it does, but until the world changes dramatically, it's important to appear clean and well-groomed. Be sure to bring along a few good, concise, wellwritten informational pieces. Even friendly staffers will need a good deal of information – remember, we're the ones focused on cannabis issues; members of Congress and their staff are focused on budgets, health care, military, and other major issues which are constantly on the front pages and leading the news programs. Don't overload the person with excess amounts of paper, however. Americans for Safe Access has some terrific information resources for meetings like these, including general information sheets and a set of policy recommendations for the current administration. Don't let a meeting drag on. It may be tempting to talk until the other person formally calls the meeting to an end, but don't yield to temptation because they will have stopped listening well before that point. Short, succinct, and concise beats longwinded and overbearing every time.
Total Body Count for 2011: (approx.): 6,600
At the end of the meeting, get the staffer's business card. Be sure to follow up immediately with a “thank you” email. If there was information you're supposed to get for them, send it or let them know when you will, and remind them again of the bill number for the legislation you support.
Citizen Lobbying
Follow up on the legislation. If the member signs onto the bill you were supporting, send another thank you. If they don't, or worse yet if they criticize it, send a polite note simply letting them know that you're disappointed and hope that they will reconsider – the real point being to let them know that you're paying attention, and that you'll still remember come election day.
Wednesday, July 27 In Veracruz, a local newspaper published an editorial strongly denying that a recently slain journalist had ties to drug trafficking organizations. Last week the state attorney general said that journalist Yolanda Ordaz De La Cruz -- who was found decapitated and tortured -- may have been killed by one gang because of her ties to another. The newspaper, Notiver, has called on state attorney general Reynaldo Escobar to publicly apologize and resign.
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Cont. from Pg 14 Second, set up the meeting. In my case, the website for my member of Congress has an easy mechanism online for constituents to make contact, so I used that to email his office. I told them I was a new constituent, and that I wanted to visit the District office in order to discuss with a staffer the issue of medical cannabis and the need of patients for safe, secure access. (Americans for Safe Access has a great “meeting request” letter template on their website which I highly recommend.) Soon I was put in touch with a staffer who dealt with constituent healthcare concerns and medical cannabis, as well. From there it was just a question of setting up a day
Read the Oregon Cannabis Connection to get vital information on the medical cannabis movement!
Medical News
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Medical Benefits of MMJ: The Viewpoint of a Vet By Richard Roush I recently re-connected with my friend Keith Mansur after two decades apart, a childhood friend who I looked up to and admired. Facebook is a wonderful thing! After catching up, and talking about our kids and families, we started on the topic of his radio show and newspaper. I thought what a great venue to share positive news of the medicinal and therapeutic attributes of marijuana! After we spoke about his endeavors, I told him of my time in Iraq, and how marijuana was helping the issues and symptoms of several ailments I had contracted. He asked if I could write a short paper on how marijuana was helping, and I agreed. Unfortunately, he said it needed to be done by Friday, and visions of homework and deadlines came rushing back. Thanks Keith!
Michael Krawitz (R) of Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access, listening to Sunil Aggarwal. Krawitzl, a disabled Air Force Vet, has been fighting for Veteran Acces for years.
I believe the most pressing of my health conditions is HEP C1A (a type of Hepatitis C Virus, or HCV), non medically responsive. This has to be the most debilitating virus, attacking not only your body but your mind and spirit as well. I was informed that I had HCV during a routine examination at a Veterans Administration (VA) medical center in Georgia. I knew something was wrong with me before that diagnosis, but many more things became clear when it was given a name. The feelings of fatigue, exhaustion, annoying joint pains, and abdominal pain do to an enlarged the liver. This, in combination with other ailments to be discussed later, left me weak and unable to not only maintain my
home, but myself either. My wife was at the end of her rope, having to take care of me, the house, and work. She was spent.
Last but not least, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This has been a thorn in the side of many, whether it's the VA resisting to pay for treatment of the disorder, or the Veterans who have to prove that they have it. They say Shortly the proof is in the after, I pudding. Night started sweats, screaming treatment and kicking for the HCV Pictured (L to R) Richard Roush, Dan Patten, Sweet, Martuccio, nightmares, and all and at the bottom is Weddle. Taken at the Logistical Staging Area (Pegasys of it so real you can - Anaconda, near Balad Iraq. He is with the The 81st MP Platoon, Interferon smell the cordite. HHC 81st HBCT, just after receiving a care package! and The feeling of Ribavirin) my health took a horrible turn for constantly having to look over your shoulder, the worse, from infections of the brain, to or checking areas for security, grew diminished white and red blood cell counts, monotonous. For years after Iraq, I would anemia, and constant nausea. This was worse walk through my house at night, my little than the virus, and to make matters worse, I “patrol”, to assure myself everything was OK, had to give this medication to myself. After 4 only to do it again an hour later, the same months, there was no response to the route, the same checking of doors and treatment. This virus wasn’t going anywhere. windows. I don’t think I slept for more than 3 I thought there had to be a better way...so I hours a night for 5 years. The first night I wouldn’t feel sick all of the time. My brothermedicated with marijuana, I slept like a baby. in-law was using medical marijuana for pain A full 8 hours of sleep, and I tell you I felt like management and suggested I try it. Now let’s a million bucks. I was now able to have clear be serious here, I have smoked marijuana and productive plans of action to both get before, this wasn’t my first time to the circus. I myself better, and to get my family better. I decided to give it a try, anything had to be felt healthier than I had in a long time, and better than what I had gone through. Before more capable of taking care of my long, my symptoms began to decrease. I had responsibilities. an appetite again and I started to get some back some weight. I didn’t have the constant I want to thank you Keith for giving me the pain in my abdomen, and that was a great opportunity to share in your forum. I relief, not to mention the mental side, being appreciate the chance you have given me to able to have rational thoughts and share with other people the good things that conversations that didn’t revolve around how come from medical marijuana. My life now is sick I was. looking great. I no longer take the drugs the VA gives me, and I feel clean and better The second ailment that I consume marijuana adjusted to handle what life gives me. My wife for is a severe hiatal hernia I recently had still loves me, and I am able to help out more corrected. Half of my stomach was resting around the house. My wife isn’t complaining against my heart in the thoracic cavity. My about me cooking, that’s for sure! Again, I esophagus had been pushed into two separate hope this will show someone else,that may be curves, also in the thoracic cavity, this made in need of this therapy, that there is hope. eating a nightmare. I found that when I was trying to eat, not only was there pain from Richard Roush joined the US Army in 1983. He is a food trying to make its way through my now veteran of the Iraq War, serving 2 tours, and was curved esophagus, it had to pass through my injured by an IED in 2005. He has been using medical now two chambered stomach. I found that marijuana for years for his own ailments and supports after using marijuana, my ability to eat was its use for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as well as greatly improved and my esophagus and other ailments. Oregon Cannabis Connection thanks stomach were more relaxed. I could enjoy him for his submission. eating again!
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Study: Marijuana Derivative Fights Cocaine Addiction In Mice By Steve Elliott Tokeofthetown.com A marijuana component helps mitigate cocaine addiction in mice, according to a new study, lending further evidence to the notion that marijuana is an "exit" drug and could become the next big anti-addiction therapy. The discovery by researchers in China and Maryland was announced in the July 2011 issue of Nature Neuroscience magazine, reports Stephen C. Webster at The Raw Story. Cannabidiol (CBD), a medically useful component of marijuana that does not produce a "high," effectively turns down a receptor in the brain that is stimulated by cocaine, the study found. Scientists used a synthetic version of cannabidiol, called JWH-133, to see how mice given regular doses of cocaine might respond. The found the mice dramatically reduced their intravenous cocaine intake -- by up to 60 percent -- after being given JWH-133. "It's a very significant reduction," said ZhengXiong Xi, the lead author of the study and a researcher at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), reports Maia Szalavitz at Time. "It's extremely exciting," said Antonello Bonci, scientific director for intramural research at NIDA. After THC, CBD is the second most prevalent compound in marijuana. Researchers formerly believed that cannabidiol's CB2 receptor wasn't found in the brain and that therefore CBD had no psychoactive effects, but a growing body of evidence suggests otherwise. Their demonstrated success of reducing cocaine consumption could lead to new drug replacement therapies for cocaine and crack addicts, helping them detox and overcome withdrawal symptoms. Having quit cocaine in 2004 with the aid of cannabis, I can personally attest to the effectiveness of this method. Ethnographic research by Ric Curtis, chair of anthropology at John Jay College in New York, backs me up on that point. National surveys found that as crack cocaine use declined in the early 1990s, marijuana use rose -- and Curtis found that many recovering crack addicts reported substituting marijuana for crack, finding it cheaper and less disruptive. Marijuana, as a recreational drug, produces less dependence and withdrawal effects than even coffee. Cocaine, on the other hand, is much more intoxicating and reinforcing, making users more likely to use the drug again, and with increasing frequency. JWH-133 is chemically related to JWH-018, which has been the subject of controversy because of its use in Spice, K2, Black Mamba and other herbal "incense" smoking blends which are supposed to produce marijuana-like highs. While JWH-133 does not produce such effects, JWH-018 and similar chemicals do, leading the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to recently place them on their list of controlled substances. Cont. on Page 17
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Medical News 2005. Researchers reported that the "incidence and prevalence of schizophrenia and psychoses were either stable or declining" during this period, even the use of cannabis among the general population was rising.
Debunking the Myth of a Link Between Marijuana and Mental Illness By Paul Armentano Deputy Director, NORML Prohibitionists have a long history of exploiting tragedy to further their own drug war agenda. Case in point: Members of Congress in the 1980s seized upon the overdose of basketball star Len Bias to enact sweeping legislative changes establishing mandatory minimum sentencing in drug crimes, random workplace drug testing for public employees, and the creation of the Drug Czar’s office. So it was hardly surprising to see anti-drug zealots return to this tried-and-true playbook in the days immediately following the shooting this past January of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and 18 civilians. Only hours after alleged shooter Jared Lee Loughner was taken into custody, pundits on the political far right opined that the 22-year-old former pot smoker had been driven mad by weed. For example, less than 24-hours after the shooting former George W. Bush speech-writer David Frum posed the question, “Did pot trigger the Giffords shooting?” to which the longtime conservative commentator answered, “Increasingly, experts seem to be saying ‘yes.’” Frum’s accusation appeared to gain a modicum of respectability one month later when the mainstream media highlighted a report in The Archives of General Psychiatry that purported to have linked marijuana use with psychosis. “It is increasingly clear that marijuana is a cause of schizophrenia,” the study’s lead researcher, Matthew Large of Prince of Wales Hospital in New South Wales, Australia, told the online publication Web MD in February. (In a separate interview he said he was “horrified” by suggestions that the plant should be legalized and regulated.) Large further insisted, “[T]he schizophrenia caused by cannabis starts earlier than schizophrenia with other causes.” Or not. In truth, the supposed new ‘study’ contained no new findings at all. Rather, Large and his team simply reviewed previously published research – much of it decades old. “There are no new data. I want to emphasize that. This is a meta-analysis, which means it (reviews) the studies that were already out there,” SUNY Albany psychology professor Mitch Earleywine, author of the book Understanding Marijuana: A New Look at the Scientific Evidence, explained on the NORML Audio Stash days after the report’s release. “What you’re not hearing in the media is that in fact, this (reported association) is probably early-onset folks self-medicating (with cannabis).” There are several published reports to back up Earleywine’s suspicion. For instance, a 2005 study of 1,500 subjects that appeared in the scientific journal Addiction reported that the development of “psychotic symptoms in those who had never used cannabis before the onset of (such) symptoms … predicted future cannabis use.” Other studies reinforcing Earleywine’s ‘selfmedication’ theory include a 2008 study published in the International Journal of Mental Health Nursing which found that schizophrenics typically report using cannabis to reduce anxiety and “improve their mental state.” Marijuana use has also been associated with clinically objective benefits in some schizophrenics. Recently, a 2010 report in the journalSchizophrenia Research found that schizophrenic patients with a history of cannabis use demonstrate higher levels of cognitive performance compared to nonusers. Researchers in that study concluded, “The results of the present analysis suggest that (cannabis use) in patients with SZ (schizophrenia) is associated with better performance on measures of processing speed and verbal skills. These data are consistent with prior reports indicating that SZ patients with a history of (cannabis use) have less severe cognitive deficits than SZ patients without comorbid (cannabis use).” A 2011 meta-analysis published online by the
"[T]he expected rise in diagnoses of schizophrenia and psychoses did not occur over a 10 year period," they concluded. "This study does not therefore support the specific causal link between cannabis use and incidence of psychotic disorders. ... This concurs with other A Historic "Reefer Madness" poster from the 1930's. The reports indicating that propaganda against cannabis was rampant increases in population cannabis use have not been followed by increases in psychotic incidence." journal Schizophrenia Research also affirmed that schizophrenics with a history of cannabis use demonstrate “superior neurocognitive performance” In April, scientists at the University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Bern, compared to non-users. Investigators at the Switzerland also published clinical trial data University of Toronto, Institute of Medical Sciences indicating that cannabis use plays virtually no role reviewed eight separate studies assessing the in the early onset of psychosis in younger patients. impact of marijuana consumption on cognition, Researchers assessed the differences in the age of executive function, learning, and working memory onset of psychosis among 625 patients admitted to in schizophrenic subjects. Researchers determined the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention that the results of each of the performance Centre in Melbourne, Australia. They reported, measurements suggested “superior cognitive “Only cannabis use … starting at age 14 was functioning in cannabis-using patients as compared associated with an earlier age at onset at a small to non-using patients.” effect size.” Overall, the age at onset for patients with first-episode psychosis “was not significantly Investigators stopped short of attributing subjects' different” among patients with a history of cannabis cannabis use to the improved outcomes, use versus non-users. hypothesizing instead that patients with superior cognitive skills may be more likely to acquire These results don’t particularly surprise Dr. Julie cannabis than subjects with lesser abilities. “[I]t is Holland, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at difficult to determine whether it is cannabis itself the NYU School of Medicine and the editor of The that triggers alterations in neuropsychological Pot Book: A Complete Guide to Cannabis – It’s Role functioning or if drug-using patients represent a in Medicine, Politics, Science, and Culture. “The subset of the schizophrenia population who exhibit bottom line here is no one knows exactly what better neurocognitive performance,” they wrote. causes schizophrenia, and scientists have been Nevertheless, they concluded that it would be looking for decades,” she says. “The best reasonable to assume that “cannabis likely has explanation is a ‘stress diathesis’ model, where modest … effects on neurocognitive function in people have a genetic tendency toward schizophrenia.” schizophrenic illness, and then something triggers its appearance. But unless you have the genes, you Other clinical literature also casts doubt on Large’s claim that marijuana use accelerates mental illness. won't get the illness. Cannabis won't change one’s In a study published last year, a team that included genetic predisposition.” researchers affiliated with the Albert Einstein Holland does caution that people with a College of Medicine, Yale University, and the predisposition toward schizophrenia “tend to have a National Institute of Mental Health assessed stronger, more psychotic-like reaction to cannabis, whether lifetime pot use was associated with an but that is different from the idea that pot actually earlier age of onset of symptoms in schizophrenic gives you schizophrenia, which is completely patients. They concluded, "Although cannabis use untrue.” As for the severity of these potential precedes the onset of illness in most patients, there psychotic symptoms, Holland states, “When the was no significant association between onset of drug wears off, so do its effects. There is no lasting illness and (cannabis use) that was not accounted psychosis from pot.” for by demographic and clinical variables.” The researchers also criticized the findings of previously published studies that purported to have uncovered a ‘pot trigger’ for mental illness. “Previous studies implicating cannabis use disorders in schizophrenia may need to more comprehensively assess the relationship between cannabis use disorders and schizophrenia.” Unlike Earleywine, however, the researchers in this study were not convinced that a large percentage of schizophrenic patients are ‘self-medicating’ with pot. “We … found that about half of our subjects discontinued the use of cannabis when their psychotic symptoms worsened,” said Dr. Serge Sevy of the Zucker Hillside Hospital, who led the study. “(But) unfortunately, our study did not include questions about (patients’) reasons for using or discontinuing cannabis. I cannot provide the percentage of patients who discontinued cannabis use because of a worsening of psychosis … (versus those who) became too impaired to obtain cannabis.” As for Large’s most serious claim, that juvenile marijuana use “is a cause of schizophrenia,” most experts on the subject – and most scientific reviews of the matter – disagree. For example, authors of a 2009 study published in Schizophrenia Research said definitively that increased cannabis use by the public has not been followed by a proportional rise in diagnoses of schizophrenia or psychosis. Investigators at the Keele University Medical School in Britain compared trends in marijuana use and incidences of schizophrenia in the United Kingdom from 1996 to
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Retired associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Lester Grinspoon, has studied both cannabis and schizophrenia for over 40 years, authoring the books Schizophrenia: Psychopharmacology and Psychotherapy and Marihuana The Forbidden Medicine. His expert opinion largely echoes the views of Drs. Holland and Earleywine. “Schizophrenia is largely a genetically determined disorder. However, not all people who have this genetic makeup develop the disorder. So, we have been searching for other variables that must be involved but so far with little success,” he explains. “Recently we have seen the publication of a number of papers that point the finger toward cannabis. Because my work in schizophrenia was first undertaken in the 1960s when marijuana was first observed to be increasingly widely used by young people, I was always careful to include the possibility that the patient had previously smoked marijuana in my history taking. I can't tell you how many patients this involved, but it was certainly measured in the hundreds and not once did I find that it could be considered causal. Its use, on a few occasions, seemed like an attempt to alter an insufferable internal environment, much as people with schizophrenia often do with alcohol and tobacco.” Ultimately, however, even if such a causal connection between cannabis use and mental illness were to one day be established, this finding alone would do little to support pot prohibition. In fact, the policy implications of such a determination should be just the opposite. Health risks connected with drug use – when scientifically documented – should not be seen as legitimate reasons for criminal prohibition, but instead, as reasons for legal regulation. After all, there are numerous adverse health consequences associated with alcohol, and it’s precisely because of these effects that the product is legally regulated and its use is restricted to specific consumers and settings. Similarly, if there are legitimate mental health risks associated with use of cannabis by certain individuals then a regulated system would best identify and educate these people so that they may refrain from its use. Placed in this context, drug warriors’ fear-mongering surrounding the issue of marijuana and mental health does little to advance the cause of tightening prohibition, and provides ample ammunition to wage for its repeal. Paul Armentano is the deputy director of NORML (the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), and is the co-author of the book Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink (2009, Chelsea Green).
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Hemp's Bio-diesel Benefits
Industrial Hemp A large industrial hemp grow in Hungary. It has been reported that you can produce as much as 300 gallons of oil from one acre of hemp, pressed from the seed. Thats a lot of Bio-diesel!
Hempcrete has a number of environmental benefits over concrete. It also has a number of general benefits too.
Hemp is known to have many great qualities such as rope or cotton. Well according to the Researchers at the University of Connecticut have found that the fiber crop Cannabis sativa, known as industrial hemp, has properties that can make it a crop for producing bio-diesel. Hemp is attractive as a raw material or feedstock, so bio-diesel can now just be added to the list of great qualities hemp has.
“For sustainable fuels, often it comes down to a question of food versus fuel,” says Parnas. The major current bio-diesel plants include food crops such as soybeans, olives, peanuts, and rapeseed. He also said, “It’s equally important to make fuel from plants that are not food, but also won’t need the high-quality land.” Industrial hemp is grown across the world in such parts of Europe and Asia. Fiber from the plant’s stalk is strong, and until the development of synthetic fibers in the 1950s, it was a premier product used worldwide in making rope and clothing like is said early. With the earth and the world going more green to become more economic hemp should definitely be used to produce things that are now polluting the earth.
Hempcrete Benefits By Keith Mansur OCC
from Cannabiszone.com
The marijuana plant has the ability to grow in an infertile soil, which also reduces the need to grow it on primary croplands. Richard Parnas, professor of chemical, materials, and bio-molecular engineering, even says that hemp can be reserved for growing food. He is the one who is leading the study.
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General Benefits: * Stronger: Hempcrete is said to be 7 times stronger than concrete * Lighter: Hempcrete is about half the weight of concrete * Less cracking: Hempcrete is more elastic than concrete, which means it is less prone to cracking Environmental Benefits
Photo: Wikimedia
Hemp Seed Evaluated as Potential Livestock Feed TheCattleSite.com News Researchers with the University of Manitoba are confident the nutritional benefits of hemp seed in human food products can be effectively applied to livestock rations, writes Bruce Cochrane. Hemp products are not currently approved for use in any class of livestock diet but hemp-based products are widely used in human nutrition. To generate data to support the registration of hemp products in livestock rations researchers are evaluating the safety and effectiveness of hemp seed as a feed ingredient in poultry diets. Dr Jim House, the head of the University of Manitoba's Department of Human Nutritional Sciences, says studies have shown hemp protein to be highly digestible and that should carry over to most major classes of livestock. “Right now we're looking at three different classes of hemp products, the hemp seed, the hemp oil and the hemp meal or the protein concentrate.
We're looking at doing production trials in both laying hens and in broiler chickens and generating data on performance, on any issues related to health indices and we're also going to be collecting data on the quality of the eggs and on the meats of the broiler chickens. Once we've got all that data we'll be able to generate significant evidence in support of the use of hemp in livestock diets, in particular poultry diets at this stage. Another unique aspect that we're going to be looking at is because hemp is a nice oil in terms of its fatty acid composition, it has a significant amount of omega-3, in particular the alphaLinolenic acid, we're looking to see whether of not the use of hemp seed or hemp oil will allow us to make claims relative to omega-3 content within either boiler meat or in eggs. This carries over from some studies that we're also doing looking at omega-3 enrichment in poultry products.” Dr House is confident the nutritional benefits of hemp products in human nutrition can be applied to poultry as well as to other livestock species.
Using hempcrete instead of concrete can drastically reduce carbon emissions produced by our buildings. In the UK for example, the construction and ongoing use of buildings accounts for over 50% of carbon dioxide emissions. Studies have shown that, for each square meter of house walling, up to 200 kilograms of carbon dioxide is emitted from its construction. This works out to be around 40 tons of carbon dioxide emitted for a typical house. Hempcrete, on the other hand, can actually remove carbon dioxide from the air, and trap it within the wall construction. The producers of Tradical Hemcrete claim that it has been found to lock up around 110 kilograms of carbon dioxide per m3. Houses built from hemp have been found to use less energy, create less waste and take less fuel to heat than conventionally constructed homes. Foundations can be made out of hemp hurds. A hemp plywood frame is filled with a hemp hurds combined with lime, sand, plaster, some cement and enough water to dampen, and then let to set for a day and to harden for a week. A sixth century hemp-reinforced bridge in France is testimony to the stone-like strength and durability of this material, which has come to be known as “hempcrete”. Hemp building boosters claim that hempcrete foundation walls are up to seven times stronger than those made of concrete, half as light and three times as elastic. This superior strength and flexibility means that hemp foundations
Cont. on Page 21
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Recipes
Medical cannabis consumption can be unpredictable, always start with a quarter Glycerine Tincture serving and give it time. Effects can take Jello Shots up to an hour and sometimes longer. If you By Kristi Anderson have doubts, you should contact a cannabis Oregon Cannabis Connection clinician about dosage.
Black Bean Brownies By Hannah's Field Ingredients: 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips 1 cup cana-butter 1 can or 2 cups black beans 1 cup walnuts 1 tbsp vanilla 1/4 cup brewed coffee 1/4 tsp salt 4 tbsp flax seed (ground) 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup oat flour
Directions: Melt chocolate and butter on medium low stove top. Puree black beans, walnuts, vanilla and coffee. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. Grease 9x12 baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Until a toothpick comes out dry.
Ingredients: 1 box (6oz.) Jello gelatin 2 cups boiling water 1 1/2 cup cold water 1/2 cup glycerine tincture (recipe in Last Issue) 1-2 oz. jello shot cups with lids Directions: Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add jello mix to the boiling water and stir until completely dissolved. Add tincture to cold water and stir together. Combine both mixtures together and pour into shot cups. Put the lids on and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. For best results, let jello melt in your mouth and around your tongue before swallowing. Effects may vary per individual, use with caution. This makes approximately 30 one ounce shots.
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Basil Vinaigrette High Flying Hot Dressing/Marinade Wings By JLynn Ingredients: 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 shallot, chopped 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar 1/2 cup roughly chopped basil leaves 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 3/4 cup canna-olive oil (I use the same method for making oil as I do for tincture. Substituting oil for glycerine) Directions: Place the salt, sugar, mustard, shallot and basil in a blender or food processor. Pulse several times to combine. Scrape the sides of the blender down with a spatula. Add the vinegar and pulse again. Turn the blender on low and take off the cap in the center of the blender’s lid. Slowly pour in the olive oil. It may sputter a little out of the open cap, so hold your hand over it to minimize splashing. When the olive oil is incorporated, turn off the blender and scrape the sides down one more time. Cover and purée everything for 12 minutes. Store covered in the fridge for up to a week. Makes a little more than one cup.
By Dani B. Oregon Cannabis Connection
Ingredients: 1/2 cup allpurpose flour 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon salt 10 chicken wings oil for deep frying 1/4 cup canna-butter 1/4 cup hot sauce (Franks® Red Hot® is good) 1 dash ground black pepper 1 dash garlic powder Directions: In a small bowl mix together the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt. Place chicken wings in a large nonporous glass dish or bowl and sprinkle flour mixture over them until they are evenly coated. Cover dish or bowl and refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes. Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). The oil should be just enough to cover wings entirely, an inch or so deep. Combine the canna-butter, hot sauce, pepper and garlic powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir together and heat until butter is melted and mixture is well blended. Remove from heat and reserve for serving. Fry coated wings in hot oil for 10 to 15 minutes, or until parts of wings begin to turn brown. Remove from heat, place wings in serving bowl, add hot sauce mixture and stir together. Serve.
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Mr. Jenkins' Journal By Justin Jenkins, Oregon Cannabis Connection Alright folks, let’s go through this checklist one more time: 1. Designated garden space – check 2. A lovely array of kushes – check 3. Proper nutrients – check 4. Clean water – check 5. Security – um, no check Wait a second, did I read that right? So you got everything you thought was important, but you’re missing the one thing that can take all of those things away. How are you going to solve this problem in a way that protects you, your rights, a possible intruder’s rights, and most importantly of all, that gaggle of green girls you have growing in your garden?
Cultivation of stopping him to ask for an autograph you run into your shed and pull out your Mossberg 500 tactical pump 12 gauge shotgun loaded with 2 ¾ inch #4 buckshot and you unload on his ganga-swiping ass. STOP Now I know you always wanted to bust out your brand new Kentucky noise maker, but there are a few things you should consider. In the state of Oregon it is a crime to use deadly force in the protection of property as stated in ORS §161.229: A person is justified in using physical force, other than deadly physical force, upon another person when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes it to be necessary to prevent or terminate the commission or attempted commission by the other person of theft or criminal mischief of property.
The number one most important thing that you can do to protect your garden reminds me of a song I recently heard by Big Dub and J Mack from Portland. The three things that they feel were most important for the safety of your garden is: 1. Keep it to yourself. 2. Keep it to yourself. 3. Keep it to yourself. Really doesn’t get more right on than that. Ever heard of that game Six Degrees of Separation with Kevin Bacon? Well Kevin wants to steal your shit. He doesn’t know you, but he knows Steve, who knows Rick, who is best friends with Carl, who was sitting next to Paul, your buddy’s cousin, at the bar one night and overheard what you’re doing. So he concocts a plan. Fortunately for you, if you’re outdoors, you’ve followed the law (kinda had to) and you erected a fence around your entire garden. But Kevin is not your average thief, (you know he has the cash and resources); he looks at that wall and decides it’s not going to stop him. At this point, you just so happen to be in your garden watering, and here comes Mr. Bacon climbing up over your fence. Instead
Video Surveillance cameras are not expensive and offer an effective, non-lethal deterrant.
The same thought should be going through your head as it should be going through Mr. Bacon’s head. That is, this is not worth dying over, or in your case this is not worth killing over, it is just medicine, you would be better off investing in a Tazer or a big ol’ can of pepper spray. Now let’s say you weren’t at your garden watering, and because of Paul’s loud mouth, Mr. Bacon is on his way there. Well, it was a good thing you decided to hide those trip lines that unleash a hailstorm from hell of poison tipped darts like something out of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. And while he’s running away from said chaos, he falls into your hidden tiger pit filled with piranha tipped Punji sticks. Garden is safe now, right? Wrong. Instead
of my words, I’ll just show you a little snippet of an article from usconcealedcarry.com written by K.L. Jamison, ESQ: “If a person is killed, the charge is likely to be at least second-degree murder. One defendant was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death after setting a spring gun designed to kill police officers in general. He intended to blame the murder on a personal enemy. 9 The concern is that a fireman or other emergency personnel might enter the boobytrapped premises and be injured. Even if the injured person were a burglar, charges would be filed. Hazardous force can only be used to protect persons, never property.” I guess the easiest way to put it, you can’t booby-trap, period. End of story. So now what can you do? You can’t shoot Mr.Bacon. You can’t set traps him. And you can’t pray the guy away. One good option is you could just film him . To me, this seems like the most logical thing you can do in a garden. It’s like one of those signs you see on people’s yards: “this house protected by ADT”. The sign alone is a good enough deterrent. Just like cameras in a grocery store to stop shoplifters. Having visible cameras on your property with signs saying “this property under 24 hour surveillance” will, under most circumstances, stop an approaching thief before he even comes onto your property. Nowadays on the internet, you can find cheap cameras that hook directly to your computer for around $100. Or, multiple camera systems can be installed by a professional starting at around $600. And, with things like apps for your smartphones that allow you to monitor and control the camera from anywhere there is phone service. You can then use thousands of hours of record time to your benefit, and to prosecute intruders. In our state it is a crime to steal marijuana from growers, so having video evidence for the police to go over will help bring justice to those that have taken from you. Just be sure not to be on the other side of that coin. Your brain is your first line of defense, use it above all others. One other good option is what I like to call “Barking Narc’s”, otherwise called the good old fashioned dog. A team of yapping and yipping Poodles or Yellow Labs loud enough to wake the neighborhood is one of the best alarms money can buy. Now, one word of advice about them, as well. Do not train them to kill, that’s a no-no. Also, one thing you do not to do is to clip vocal cords, or have them wear debarking collars. That is also considered a boobytrap. What’s the point of having a dog for an alarm if it doesn’t actually go off? And I just want you to leave with one last point that can’t be stressed enough: Loose lips sink ships so keep your mouth shut and grow.
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Time To Purge (or Clean) Your Garden By Mike Mullin Master Gardener, Stoney Girl Gardens
Powdery Mildew has been a huge problem in Northwest Oregon throughout the entire year due to our extreme wet and cool seasons. We have seen more powdery mildew around the state this year than we have ever seen, and in places we never thought we would see it. Mildew can spread quickly. Along with pests, your garden can be destined for quick destruction. The use of baking soda and heavy sulfurs on flowering plants leaves residues and affects the taste. Milk is another often recommended treatment however this too leaves residue and is a basis for other contaminates. Powdery Mildew is a fungal disease that thrives in temperatures ranging from 55 to 70 degrees F and a humidity range of under 50%. Now is your chance to tackle any mildew before winter sets in. Ventilation is usually a key to avoiding mildew. Mildew is propagated through spores so best to put a heppa filter on your intake vents to begin with. Mildew can be transferred from leaf to leaf, tools to leafs and people to leaves. Clean your tools, hands and clothes if you are handling an infested crop and before going around clean plants. Remove any infected plants from your rooms and If kept isolate them somewhere else until you can treat them. You can finish then outside this time of year. Spores can remain dominant until triggered by environment. Twice a year we purge our rooms. This is a thorough cleaning. We usually do this once in the early spring, so that we will have a clean room going into the summer, and once in the late fall so that again we have a clean room to go into the winter with. Purging cleans your rooms and kills any molds, mildews, bugs, spiders and any living thing that might give you trouble. You start out a new round with a completely clean and fresh start. Remove all your plants and place them outside if you can. Outside is a great place to finish your plants this time of year. Outdoor farmers begin the budding cycle around August 15th, so anytime from then on you can put your plants outdoors and let them finish on their own. If you have batch crops, time the purging between harvests. We use a perpetual cycle (plants are always in the rooms) but we still time our crop cycles for purging. The ones that need finishing for a few weeks get left outside on our deck to be finished by Mother Nature. Here is where we had to plan ahead and Cont. on Next Page
Call (541) 621-1723 or visit www.oregoncannabisconnection.com
Cannabis Connection
10 Biggest Mistakes In The Garden By MrFixit, Oregon Organiks 1. Don't Over water Over watering kills marijuana plants. Water once the top few inches of the soil dry out or later. The dryer the better as long as the plant does not wilt. When you water, water thoroughly, do it in steps, do not add all the water at once. Let it soak in before adding more. Make sure to get 10 to 20% runoff from you pots each time. Filter your water if at all possible. Letting it sit for 24 hours does not work anymore as municipalities use Chloramines not Chlorine now and it does not evaporate out like the chlorine used to. 2. Don't Tell People Why? They will only be jealous. People love to feel important and that is why they will tell other people; because others will listen to them. The most common problem seems to come from friends and relatives. Keep it to yourself. 3. Don’t touch/kill Germinating Seeds Please have some patience. It sometimes takes 10 days for a seed to sprout once planted. I sprout my seeds in a shot glass with water and use a sterile spoon to get them out and plant them in their pots. 4. Don’t grow seeds from seeded marijuana Growing from a plant that was not intended to produce seeds can be a big problem. 90% of what the final product will be is in the seed's genetics and has little to do with the environment the plant is grown in. Growers get their hands on a seed and think they have a gold mine. However it will probably grow something like: hermaphrodites, tall late flowering females coupled with early flowering males. This is because the only pollen that could have produced the seed was from a hermaphrodite or a very stunted and late flowering male the grower did not notice.
Cultivation Unless you are prepared for possible disappointments don’t use "unknown" seeds.
Purge Garden
5. Don't Over fertilize. Fertilize after first 2 spiked leaves appear and follow the label. DON'T FERTILIZE EVERY TIME YOU WATER!!! If your soil is already rich in nutrients you may want to wait much longer. Start with 25% and work your way up! Organic growing is recommended. It tastes better and burns better. If the leaves suddenly twist or fold under, Leach and Spray with pure water! Molasses added to the water is also good.
have new starts ready to plant for the next crop. Plants that are in vegetation stage can be easily treated before taking back into the room, unlike flowering plants.
6. Don't Under fertilize Under fertilizing is less common but it happens. If you are one of those people that like to give the plant just enough nutrients make sure you use an organic soil mixture with blood meal and bone meal or some slow release fertilizer with micro nutrients.
Sweep and clean the floors. Use a shop vaccine if you have one.
7. Don't Start Too Early Outdoors or wait until they are too large indoors. For several reasons! If you are starting outdoors in Oregon May 15th is about the earliest. Starting earlier is not always better. It’s strange but usually true. Plants started in early spring will get big but they will take significantly longer to start flowering. This is because at the peak vegetative period they sense the light cycles getting longer and longer, until June 21. Somewhere in the middle of August the plant sense the light change and it produces buds in August and September or later. These will be tall but have smaller buds due to the fact that the sun is not as strong in September and October. Now if the plants are put out later, say middle of June they sense the light change sooner and start budding in July and August when the sun is much stronger. These will produce a smaller plant with bigger buds. I addition to finishing earlier the late started plants are not nearly as noticeable. Indoors is the same for different reasons. The light cannot penetrate more than a few feet. So flower when plants are a foot or 2 tall. If you wait longer because you want bigger yields, you will get smaller yields and wait longer for them. 8. Don't Provide A Bad Environment. Always provide air circulation and fresh air even during the night cycle is fine. All the air indoors should be replaced every 5-10 minutes, more if at all possible. Humidity should be between 40-60%, temp aim for around 72-80 lights on, 60 to 65 lights off. Air movement in the room is critical to help the plants breath and to strengthen them. Even seedlings need a gentle fan to strengthen the stems. 9. Don't Harvest Too Early. I know it’s hard to wait but like fine wine it takes it’s time. You see the buds and resin forming at a rapid rate. The buds look great and you feel tempted to cut them down! The only problem is if you harvest early you lose 25% of the weight that will form in the last couple weeks. Wait until the plants have stopped growing and the trichomes are milky with some amber and some clear. Outdoors if security is a factor make your own call on when to sacrifice the fields. 10. Again, Don’t tell ANYONE!
Page 21
Purging is a process whereby we remove all living plants from the rooms and unplug all electrical appliances. Leave the electrical gear in place, including light bulbs and fans. Let the room cool down.
Make up a mixture of 1/4 cup Clorox bleach per gallon of water and fill your 2 gallon sprayer. Use protective eye glasses and a mask and go into your room. Spray the entire room: ceiling, walls, floors, lights, fans and all. Let the room thoroughly dry before reentering. First turn on your ventilation fans and air out the room. Let the room fully vent out all the fumes before going in to work. Now clean your light bulbs with rubbing alcohol. Make sure all appliances have dried before plugging them in and turning them on. When you are done with this purging process you have a beautiful clean room, purged of any insects, molds and mildews. This is a sure fire way to put a halt to those ongoing problems of molds, mildews and pests and insure you're getting a fresh, clean start. Happy Gardening!
Mice study
Printed by permission from www.tokeofthetown.com copyright 2011 Village Voice Media
Hempcrete are resistant to stress-induced cracking and breaking, even in earthquake-prone areas. The building material is also self-insulating; resistant to rotting, rodents and insects; and fire proof, waterproof and weather resistant. Irish builder Henry O’D Thompson of The OldBuilders Company is a fan of using hemp and lime on old stone walls for insulation, condensation, sound muting and breathability. A restoration and conservation specialist who once lived in Canada, he says that lining walls with the hemp/lime mixture makes for a healthy house that doesn’t grow toxic mold. Pipes can be made out of hempcrete and they, too have greater flexibility and greater elasticity than other those made from conventional materials, and they are resistant to cracking. Stones can also be made out of hemp by wetting the stalk’s cellulose, and forming it into a hard black rock, which can be cut, drilled, cast, carved or formed into any shape. When hemp hurds are mixed with a combination of lime products, they can produce a light weight insulating plaster, which can be cast around a timber frame or sprayed against a wooden or even stone form. Interior walls can be left exposed or finished with a natural paint. In France, the use of hemp plaster is common, partly because of its high insulation properties but also because it works in old stone buildings.
Clinics & Listings
Page 22 CLINICS, CO-OPS, & ORGS 45TH PARALLEL GROUP 1343 S.W. 30th Street Ontario, OR 97914 (541) 889-6147 ALTERNATIVE MEDICAL CHOICES 4867 NE MLK Jr. Blvd. Portland, OR 97211 (503) 288-5579 Fax (503) 282-1272 www.altmedchoices.com ANDREW JONATHAN DORFMAN, MD board certified in family medicine secure electronic records, reasonable fees home visits available if needed southern OR and northern CA ajd.md@live.com (541) 512-5445 ASHLAND ALTERNATIVE HEALTH, LLC 180 Clear Creek # 103 Ashland, OR 97520 (541) 488-2202 www.ashlandalthealth.com CANNA RELIEF Hand Crafted Organic Cannabis Infused Healing Lotion www.getcannarelief.com CANNABIS PIPELINE 1225 Main St. Klamath Falls OR 97601 (541) 884-6225 www.cannabispipeline.com CANNABIS COUNSELING COMMUNITY A Community Commited to Education and Counseling Regarding Alternative Modalities Portland, OR 97229 (503) 716-8693 CENTRAL ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE www.centralalternativemedicine.com 2 Locations: MEDFORD, OR 820 Central Ave. Suite A (541) 776-CARD (2273) BEND, OR 142 NW Hawthorne Ave. (541) 383-2237 CHRONIC CARE, INC. 570 Lawrence St. Suite 101 Eugene, OR 97401 (541) 344-1688, Fax (541) 344-8110 www.chroniccareinc.com COLUMBIA GORGE ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 1302 A Street Hood River, OR 97031 (541) 436-4161
COMPASSION CENTER 2055 West 12th Avenue Eugene, OR 97402-3522 (541) 484-6558 www.compassioncenter.net
MT. HOOD WELLNESS CENTER 14325 SE Stark (971) 279-4116 www.mthoodwellness.com NATIONAL GREEN FRIENDS RESOURCE CENTER 7958 SE Foster Portland, OR 97206 Mon-Sat 12pm-8pm (503) 777-2355 www.nationalgreenfriends.com
COOS COUNTY CO-OP 625 Virginia Ave. Suite 9 North Bend, OR 97459 (541) 294-8529 GOLD BEACH CANNABIS SEVICES 29964 Ellensburg Ave. Gold Beach, OR 97444 (541) 247-9080
OREGON ALTERNATIVE, LLC. 169 S. Old Pacific Hwy. Tri-City, OR (Myrtle Creek Area) (541) 863-4173
GORGE MMJ COMMUNITY Socials and Free Classes (541) 478-3525 Hood River, OR www.gorgemmj.org GRANTS PASS COMPASSION CENTER 1457 NE 6th St. # B Grants Pass, OR 97526 (541) 660-0209 www.grantspasscompassioncenter.com IT'S EASY OMMP SERVICES Ongoing Classes at OMMP Clinics Or in Private For All Services (541) 653-5907 itseasygrowing@yahoo.com INSTITUTE FOR CANNABIS THERAPEUTICS PO Box 4058 Medford, OR 97501 (541) 393-8494 ww.instituteforcannabistherapeutics.com LINN-BENTON OMMP RESOURCE CENTER Uniting Patients, Caregivers and Growers 30942 A Ehlen Dr. Albany, OR 97321 (541) 981-2507 MAMA MOTHERS AGAINST MISUSE AND ABUSE www.mamas.org 3 Locations: PORTLAND OR 5217 SE 28th Ave. (Steele & 28th) (503) 233-4202 Fax (503) 233-8266 THE DALLES, OR 319 E. 7th. St. (541) 298-4202 Fax (541) 296-2983
OREGON GREEN FREE OGF OMMP RESOURCE CENTER 10209 SE Division St. Bldg. B Portland, OR 97266 (503) 760-2671 fax: (503) 345-1157 www.oregongreenfree.net OGF SOUTH CHAPTER (541) 210-8790 www.oregongreenfree.net OREGON MEDICAL CANNABIS UNIVERSITY 2900 SW Cornelius Pass Rd. Ste. 548 Hillsboro, OR 97123 (503) 649-2999 www.omcu.net OREGON MEDICAL HELP Everything OMMP Clinic Directory|News|Forums|Classifieds And More... www.oregonmedicalhelp.com OREGON NORML PO Box 16057 Portland, OR 97292-0057 (541) 239-6110 www.ornorml.org PATIENTS HELPING PATIENTS OF SOUTHERN OREGON 531 Parsons Street Suite 103 Medford, OR 97501 (541) 690-1105 PATIENTS CHOICE CLINIC SERVICE 332 W. 6th St. Medford, OR 97501 Ph(541) 499-5431 Fax(877) 885-9910
BEND, OR 454 NE Revere St. (503) 233-4202
PORTLANDSTERDAM UNIVERSITY Locations in Portland, Eugene, and Medford (503) 788-2349 www.portlandsterdamuniversity.com
MERCY CENTERS 1469 Capital St. NE, Suite #100 Salem, OR 97301 (503) 363-4588 www.mercycenters.org
PORTLAND ALTERNATIVE CLINIC INC. 816 NW Hoyt St. Portland, OR 97209 Ph(503) 477-5643 Fax(888) 243-9356 Dr. Sandra Camacho Can See You Today
Cannabis Connection
RIP CITY REMEDIES 3325 SE Division St. Portland, OR 97202 (503) 235-6000 www.ripcityremidies.com
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
SOUTHERN OREGON ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 836 E. Main St. #6, Medford, OR 97504 (541) 779-5235 Fax (541) 779-0479 www.southernoregon alternativemedicine.com
OREGON GREEN LAB Cannabis Testing Services. Drop Locations Statewide. www.oregongreenlab.com PAUL LONEY, ATTORNEY Practicing Medical Marijuana Law (541) 787-0733 paultloney@gmail.com
SOUTH COAST COMPASSION CENTER OF BANDON 49045 Hwy 101 & Beach Loop Junction Bandon, OR 97411 (541) 551-0568
SUNRISE ANALYTICAL LLC Test For THC (503) 625-6593 www.sunriseanalytical.com
SOUTHERN OREGON CANNABIS COMMUNITY CENTER 332 W. 6th St. Medford OR 97501 (541) 779-1448 Fax (541) 779-1665 www.so-norml.org
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
THCF THE HEMP AND CANNABIS FOUNDATION www.thc-foundation.org 2 Locations: PORTLAND, OR 105 SE 18th Ave (503) 281-5100 (800) 723-0188
NORML AND THE NORML FOUNDATION 1600 K Street, NW Suite 501 Washington, DC 20006-2832 (888) 67-NORML (888-676-6765) (202) 483-5500 www.norml.org
GRANTS PASS, OR 558 NE F St. #1 (541) 244-4000 (800) 723-0188
AMERICANS FOR SAFE ACCESS 1322 Webster Street, Suite 402 Oakland, CA 94612 (510) 251-1856 www.americansforsafeaccess.org
THE GREENERY Call about new location Ashland, OR 97520 (541) 295-2794 www.ashlandgreenery.org
BUDBOOK.ORG Your Medical Marijuana Online Community www.budbook.org
TLC MEDICAL CENTER (FORMERLY AMOP) 455 W. Corey Ct., Roseburg, Oregon 97470 (541) 440-1934 Fax (541) 440-1943 www.amop.org VOTER POWER OF OREGON www.voterpower.org 3 Locations: PORTLAND, OR. 6701 SE Foster (503) 224-3051 EUGENE, OR 687 River Ave (503) 224-3051 MEDFORD, OR 1708 W Main St (541) 245-6634 WORLD FAMOUS CANNABIS CAFE 322 SE 82nd Ave. Portland, OR 97216 www.usacannabiscafe.org
DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE 925 15th Street NW, 2nd Floor Washington, DC 20005 (202) 216-0035 www.drugpolicy.org MARIJUANA POLICY PROJECT P.O. Box 77492 Capitol Hill Washington, DC 20013 (202) 462-5747 www.mpp.org STUDENTS FOR SENSIBLE DRUG POLICY www.schoolsnotprisons.com U of O chapter contact samuelc@uoregon.edu TOKE OF THE TOWN www.tokeofthetown.com Village Voice Media JACK HERER WEBSITE www.jackherer.com
More Listings
Events Calendar August / September 2011 Tualatin Crawfish Festival
Smokey Bear’s 67th Birthday Celebration
CHAMPS Glass Games
August 12-14, 2011 Tualatin, OR 97062
August 13, 2011 27500 E. Timberline Rd. Government Camp, OR 97028
August 23-25, 2011 Las Vegas Convention Center
The Tualatin Crawfish Festival offers a wide variety of food, entertainment and activities. There’s something for all ages! Join us Friday evening near the lake at Tualatin Commons and then come back to enjoy the best Saturday in August at Tualatin Community Park and Sizzling Fun at the Car & Hot Rod Show on Sunday. For more info, go to www.tualatincrawfishfestival.com.
Join Smokey and his Ranger friends to celebrate Smokey Bear's 67th Birthday! Activities include games, prizes, Smokey songs, appearances by Smokey, and birthday cake! Meet in the Barlow Room inside historic Timberline Lodge. For reservations, call (800) 547-1406. For general info, call (503) 2723311 or go to www.fs.fed.us/r6/mthood.
Northwest World Reggae Festival
Sisters Bead Stampede
August 12-14, 2011 Marcola, OR 97478
August 13-14, 2011 Barkley Park Sisters, OR 97759
The 7th Annual Northwest World Reggae Festival is blessed to be at Bob's Ranch near Marcola, Oregon for another year. We are welcoming conscious musical artists from seven countries performing ROOTS - ROCK - REGGAE! Family and friends will experience the jubilation and positive energy of this growing community. And it doesn’t stop with the music. Forget about the world outside while participating in diverse activities and a growing green community spirit. Learn about local non-profit organizations and fair trade/sustainable businesses, re-fuel with a variety of delicious organic foods and explore fair trade crafts from more than 50 vendors, showcasing ideas to inspire your mind and energize your soul.
Bite of Oregon August 12-14, 2011 Tom McCall Waterfront Park Portland, OR From coast to Cascades to canyons, the Bite of Oregon is a stunning celebration of Oregon, its food, its people and its extraordinary quality of life. Come join the fun at the best summer party on the Portland waterfront and discover for yourself why Life Tastes Better Here! For more info, go to www.biteoforegon.com.
Siletz Bay Sand Castle Competition August 13, 2011 Lincoln City, OR 97367 Saturday, Aug. 13th, the beach just off SW 51st St. in Lincoln City will be covered with mermaids, castles, sea monsters and other sandy creations. The occasion is the 34th annual Siletz Bay Sand Castle Competition, and registration starts at Noon. This family friendly competition boasts prizes awarded in various categories and age groups, ranging from $100 bills to baskets of gift certificates and merchandise. Registration is just one can or more of food per entrant and will be donated to the Lincoln City Food Bank. For more info, go to www.taftbeach.com or call (541) 9963800.
The 8th annual bead show at Barkley Park. Artists selling handmade one-of-a-kind beads and jewelry from beads and buttons. Onsite demonstrations. Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call (541) 549-0251 or e-mail jeri@sisterscountry.com for more information or go to their website at www.sisterscountry.com.
High And Dry Bluegrass Festival August 19-21, 2011 22664 Nelson Rd Bend, Oregon 97701 The High and Dry Bluegrass Festival has been the highlight of the year for Central Oregon Bluegrass lovers for the past three years. For more info, go to www.highanddrybluegrassfestival.com.
Seattle Hempfest 2011 August 19-21, 2011 Elliot Bay, Myrtle Edwards, and Olympic Sculpture Parks 3130 Alaska Way W. Seattle, WA Seattle Hempfest is held the third weekend in August each year. The next Seattle Hempfest is August 19-2021, 2011. It's open to the public on Friday from 12 noon to 8 pm, and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 8 pm. Admission to Seattle Hempfest is free. For more info, go to www.hempfest.org
Huck Fest X August 20, 2011 87542 Hwy 101 Sand Master Park Florence, Oregon 97439 Join Dune Riders International for all big air and record jumps at this Pro/Am. For more info, call (541) 9976006 or go to www.sandmasterpark.com.
Welcome to the GLASS GAMES! In celebration of our 25th show in Las Vegas, CHAMPS wanted a different approach to the traditional flame-off event. Enter: 2011 DFO Winner Matt White, our new Glass Coordinator. After several rounds of brainstorming and fine-tuning, we have put together three separate challenges designed to place focus on specific obstacles that stand in the way of the glassblower and their finished work. The Glass Games highlight different aspects of glass blowing fundamentals, while also forcing each competitor and team member to utilize every second of their time as best they can. Each event will see its three top finishing competitors or teams win cash prizes, as well as automatically qualify for an invitation-only event scheduled for Spring 2012! For more info, go to www.champstradeshows.com.
Jefferson State Music Festival and Hemp Expo 2011 August 26-27, 2011 Cave Junction, OR "Southern Oregon's Largest Educational Hemp Exposition and World Class Music Feastival." Two day music festival and educational hemp exposition featuring speakers and hemp industry advocates, 30+ regional and national musical acts on two stages, camping,vendors, artists and more. For more info, go to www.jeffersonstatehempexpo.com.
World of Wine Festival August 27, 2011 Jacksonville, OR 97530 The World of Wine (WOW) Festival, the Rogue Valley's premier wine showcase. Some 40 wineries will participate. More than 750 people will attend the grand public tasting, which accompanies a professionally judged wine competition. This festival features the very best of southern Oregon wines. Come for the wine, but stay to enjoy the food, live music and silent auction. New venue this year in Jacksonville, OR. For more info, go to www.worldofwinefestival.com.
Olympia Hempfest 2011 August 27-28, 2011 Heritage Park 5th Ave. and Water St. NW Olympia, WA Olympia Hempfest was founded in 2003 as a gathering of 500 people on the original Washington state capitol campus in downtown Olympia and has grown into one of the major Olympia events in just under its fourth year, with a annual theme of “Helping.” Each year Oly Hempfest strives to break down the
barriers and remind people about our heritage and our responsibility to be active citizens. For more info, go to www.myspace.com/olyhempfest.
Golf World Pacific Amateur Golf Calssic August 29 - September 2, 2011 Sunriver, OR 97707 Celebrating its 15th year, this five-day tournament is the largest amateur golf classic in the West. With over 600 players and daily play at the finest courses throughout Central Oregon, it is the driving force for championship-caliber amateur golf. This prestigious event is open to all amateur golfers who possess an established USGA Handicap. For more info, call (888) 425-3976 or go to www.visitcentraloregon.com.
The Arkayik Revival September 10, 2011 3345 Redwood Hwy. Grants Pass, OR A one day family friendly picnic and show live at The Rogue Bowl. Picnic time is 4-6 and Revival is 6:309:30. Featuring Alcyon Massive and The Bound For Glory Band with special appearances by Cornflower, The Fret Drifters, Marko, Ras Cricket, Mista Chief, Frankie Hernandez and hosted by Michelle Bellamy. For more info, go to alcyonmassive.com.
Portland Hempstalk 2011 September 10 - 11, 2011 Kelley Point Park Portland, OR Portland's annual Hempstalk Festival in Portland, Oregon advocates decriminalization of marijuana for medicinal, industrial, and recreational use. Founded in 2005 by the Hemp and Cannabis Foundation, the festival takes place the weekend after Labor Day in September, and features food vendors, live music, guest speakers and information booths. This public event has always been free to attend. for more info, call (503) 235-4606 or go to www.hempstalk.org.
Pendleton Round-up September14 - 17, 2011 1205 SW Court Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 One of the largest four-day rodeos in the world. 2011 will mark 101 years of rodeo excellence. Along with the rodeo, this authentic Western Town is alive with entertainment of all types including a carnival, night pageant, 2 parades and too much to list! For more info, call (541) 276-2553 or go to www.pendletonroundup.com.
25th Annual Cruz the Coos September 16-18, 2011 50 Central Ave. Coos Bay, OR 97420 More than 400 classic cars can be seen at this fun filled 3 day event. Friday night beach party, Saturday registration and poker run at the Mill Casino Hotel, Saturday night Cruz the Coos through downtown Coos Bay, and a Sunday show and shine at Shore Acres State Park. This three day event is one of the popular events of the Bay Area Fun Festival. For more info, call (541) 888-3863 or go to www.sunsetclassicchevys.com.
SOLV Great Oregon Beach Cleanup September 17, 2011 Various Locations North Bend, OR 97420 Join Solve Volunteers from 9am - 1pm at over 40 beach sites to clear the Oregon Coast debris. North Bend and Charleston. For more info on this cleanup, call (503) 844-9571. You can also go to www.solv.org for more information on other beach cleanups up and down the Oregon Coast.
56th Annual Indian Style Salmon Bake September 17, 2011 Depoe Bay, OR 97341 Enjoy a succulent salmon meal, great performances and music. Over 2,000 pounds of salmon is slow roasted to perfection on alder stakes, just as the Native Americans did 2,000 years ago. Watch as Native Americans perform their traditional dance and song. For more info, call (541) 765-2889 or go to www.depoebaychamber.org.
Rocktober Fest September 17-18, 2011 Downtown Rockaway Beach Wayside, OR This is a fund raising event for the Rockaway Beach Chamber of Commerce. Music all day, beer garden, vendor booths, and food booths. Come join the fun. Families welcome. Dance, eat and be merry. Celebrate the coming of Autumn. For more info, go to www.rockawaybeach.net.
To submit your event for consideration, please email info@oregoncannabisconnection.com
Cannabis Connection EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES
Clinics & Listings
ALL LED LLC LED Grow Lights up to 740 w (503) 443-9083
MAGIC MUSHROOM / OREGON GIFTS "Look For The Giant Mushrooms" Next to I-5, Exit 136 Sutherlin, OR 97479 (541) 459-7481
DRAGON HERBARIUM 4638 S.W. Beaverton- Hillsdale Hwy Portland, OR 97221 (503) 244-7049 www.dragonherbarium.com
NEW VISIONS 2 Locations ONTARIO, OR 772 N. Oregon St. (541) 889-5145
DRAGON'S LAIR 210 Northwest 6th Street Grants Pass, OR 97526 (541) 479-5617 www.dragonslairglass.com
LA GRANDE 1105 Washington Ave. (541) 962-9708
FANTASTIC FIVE FERTILIZER Grow Healthy Herbs Organic & Natural All-Purpose Fertilizer (541) 212-4491 www.f5fertilizer.com HIGH HOPES FARM Statewide Services For OMMP Patients, Growers & Caregivers (541) 890-9357 www.highhopesfarm.com HIGHWAY 420 6418 SE Foster Rd. Portland, OR 97206 (503) 572-5266 JIM'S PIPE DREAMS 175 Hwy. 101 Waldport, OR 97394 (541) 563-5033 KLAMATH GLASS BLOWERS 1040 East Main St. Klamath Falls, OR 97601 (541) 850-8556 MAGIC LAND 1461 SE Stephens Roseburg, OR 97470 (541) 733-9695
NICKEL MOUNTAIN ORGANICS Quality Organic Soil 416 Gravel Pit Ln. Riddle, OR 97469 (541) 874-3737 or (541) 391-0906 OGF GRATEFUL GARDEN SUPPLY (503) 715-0120 www.gratefulgardensupply.com OPERATION PIPE DREAMS 2021 W. Main St. Medford, OR 97501 (541) 773-3165 www.myspace.com/ operationpipedreams OREGON ORGANIKS Your Wholesale Oregon Organic Garden Supplier www.oregonorganiks.com ORGANIC GLASS ART 164 Market Ave. Coos Bay, OR 97420 PANDORA'S BOX www.pandoraspipes.com 3 Locations: UMATILLA, OR 1300 6th St. #E (541) 922-9237
SUTHERLIN, OR 123 W. Central Ave. (541) 459-1133 KENNEWICK, WA 5300 W. Clearwater (509) 396-9700 PUFFIN STUFF – OMMP SERVICES 828 S. Central Ave. Medford, OR 97501 (541) 499-0489 RICH'S HYDROPONICS & SOIL 1463 SE Stephens Roseburg, OR 97470 (541) 890-1377 www.richshydroponicsandsoil.com RICKS MONSTER GROW/DUTCH GIRLS 6.5 5309 Rogue River Hwy. Rogue River, OR www.medicalrick.com (800) 851-3761 SILVER SPOON 8521 S.W. Barbur Blvd. Portland, OR 97219 (503) 245-0489 www.silverspoonpdx.com SMOKEY'S NOVELTIES 285 Liberty Rd. NE, #160 (in Liberty Plaza) Salem, OR 97301 (541) 851-1563 ST. JOHN'S CRYSTAL CATHEDRAL Head Shop 8959 N. Lombard St. John's, OR 97203 (360) 852-0084 STONEY GIRL GARDENS Seed Company U.S.A. www.gro4me.com (503) 788-2349 SUNNY GIRL GARDENS Premium Organic Soil www.sunnygirlgardens.com (503) 788-2349
Page 23 LIBATIONS
THE PIPELINE 2 locations: ALBANY, OR 97321 1907 Pacific Blvd SE (541) 981-2364
THE GYPSY 205 W. 8th St. Medford, OR 97501 (541) 770-1212
LEBANON, OR 97355 732 Park St. (541) 258-3139 www.myspace.com/albanypipeline
PLEW'S BREWS 8409 N. Lombard St. Portland, OR 97203 (503) 283-2243 www.plewsbrews.com
THE SHADOW BOX 1941 Winchester Ave. Reedsport, OR 97467 (541) 361-6077
ENTERTAINMENT ERIC SKYE Adventuresome Acoustic Jazz Guitar youtube.com/min7b5 ericskye.com
TONY'S SMOKE SHOP 1318 Northwest 9th St CORVALLIS, OR (541) 753-0900 www.tonysintl.com
KSKQ COMMUNITY RADIO 94.9 FM "Home Grown" Radio Streaming Live at KSKQ.com 330 East Hersey St, Ste #2 Ashland, OR 97520 (541) 482-3999
VICTORIA'S STATION THE STATION , LLC 120 Galice Rd. Merlin, OR 97532 (541) 471-1396 X-TRACTOR Professional Filter Extraction System (541)761-4293 kim@x-tractor.com
STATE OF JEFFESON BAND Performing At Festivals, Concerts, Special Events, And More! Organizers of Jefferson State Hemp Expo www.stateofjefferson.org
APPAREL
PUBLICATIONS
GARMENT ART Direct to Garment Printing Custom Artwork Creations, Embroidery (541) 234-7639 www.garmentart.weebly.com
WEST COAST CANNABIS Ed Disney/ Regional Manager ed@westcoastcannabis.com www.westcoastcannabis.com www.wccfinder.com
STONED MADE CLOTHING Hand Made Oregon Apparel www.stonedmade.com
To Include your Business or Organization in the Listings, email info@oregoncannabisconnection.com