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The DEA Didn’t Talk To Kratom Users Before Pushing A Ban. Here’s What They Would’ve Said. These people will soon be criminals in the eyes of the federal government. by Nick Wing “Oxycontin, morphine, fentanyl, Darvocet.” Deanna McNair, 36, pauses before ticking off the rest of the drugs she’s been prescribed for pain following a series of car accidents and subsequent surgeries. “Percocet, Opana, Norco, methadone,” she continues. “Not all at the same time, of course.” Then there are the muscle relaxers, antidepressants and medications McNair had to take just to treat the side effects of her other prescriptions. The panoply of pharmaceuticals was a necessity for McNair. Over a period of 13 years, she underwent five lumbar surgeries and one cervical surgery. Three vertebrae in her lower back are now fused, as is one in her neck. “The drugs helped with the pain, but not with getting back to life,” McNair said. “They make you loopy, they make you tired, they make you nod out when you’re taking them.” The prescription regimen left McNair unable to drive. She could no longer focus in class, so she put her education on hold. Despite being dependent on opioids for pain relief, McNair said she was luckier than many people. She never got addicted, and eventually stopped taking the painkillers when she felt she no longer needed them. “I did experience withdrawals, but I just told myself it was the flu,” she said of the sweaty aches, cramps and nausea typically associated with coming off opioids. McNair was eventually able to whittle down her list to five medications. About a year ago, just one, Percocet, was for her chronic pain. She was using it only as needed, maybe a few times a month. It was an improvement, McNair said. But she was still suffering from anxiety, nerve pain and depression, and the pills were affecting her quality of life. She wasn’t ready to accept that this was as good as it could get. Then McNair discovered the herbal supplement kratom. Now that’s all she takes. “I’ve been able to replace all the prescription medicines,” McNair said. Kratom is made from the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa, a Southeast Asian tree related to coffee. People have been using it in Asia for centuries and perhaps longer, and laborers today still chew the leaves for energy. In the 20th century, kratom, which contains alkaloids that activate opioid receptors, gained popularity in Thailand as a replacement for opium. Although most opioids have sedative qualities, low to moderate quantities of kratom actually serve as a mild stimulant. McNair takes capsules filled with the powdered plant matter a few times a day. The kratom works quickly to address her pain, while giving her energy and focus, she said. McNair is taking classes again, and she’s happy to have gotten her life back.
Stories like McNair’s aren’t uncommon. (Read about the experiences of other people below.) Kratom has been gaining popularity in the West over the past few years, attracting attention from prospective patients and drug warriors alike. People most frequently use kratom as a treatment for chronic pain and a variety of other symptoms, including anxiety, depression and opioid addiction. Many kratom advocates suffer from debilitating disorders, like fibromyalgia, or severe joint pain stemming from past injuries or surgeries. Others carry only psychological pain. Most users have spent years searching for a way to effectively treat their conditions, a quest that more often than not involves a variety of prescription drugs. Some say the pills didn’t work at all. Others say they did, but at an extreme cost, including acute side effects, crippling dependency or addiction. Kratom is different, they claim, and provides many of the same benefits without the downsides. Thousands of kratom users now gather online to share their experiences and coordinate bulk purchasing of raw kratom powder from farmers in Asia. But the federal government seems to think kratom is too good to be true. The Drug Enforcement Administration announced last month that it was moving to place kratom in Schedule I ― alongside heroin and LSD ― as soon as Sept. 30. Drugs in this category are considered to have no known medical benefit and a high potential for abuse. They also carry harsh legal penalties for possession and distribution. The DEA argues this move is necessary because kratom hasn’t been approved as a medical treatment by any federal regulatory agency. Isolated reports also suggest that a small though growing number of Americans are doing harm to themselves by abusing the herb. In the six years from January 2010 to December 2015, U.S. poison centers handled 49 cases associated with kratom that involved “life-threatening signs or symptoms, with some residual disability.” It’s unclear how significant a role, if any, the kratom itself played in these episodes, as many incidents involved people who had taken multiple substances. But the DEA used the finding as a basis to conclude that the herb poses an “imminent hazard to public safety.” Kratom advocates are now crying foul at the federal government’s rush to make them criminals without ever having sought their input or any sort of public comment. They accuse the DEA of cherry-picking data and misrepresenting kratom’s potential for harm, while failing to differentiate between natural forms of the herb and the legitimately concerning “gas station” kratom products, which may be mislabeled or contain unknown adulterants. Users also say the DEA ignored emerging science that could support anecdotal evidence of the herb’s therapeutic benefits. One doctor has even suggested that the alkaloids in kratom could help lead to the development of safer alternatives to the narcotic painkillers that have helped fuel the opioid epidemic. As the kratom community shares its own experiences in an attempt to fill in the gaps deliberately left by the DEA, a few themes become clear. Most kratom users are not fanatics of quack medicine. Some may be deeply skeptical or distrustful of pharmaceuticals, but not without reason. Many people who have turned to kratom only did so after years of failed attempts to find effective treatment through more traditional avenues. Kratom works for them where those methods failed. For some, the herb seems to border on a miracle drug. For others, it’s simply a cheaper, milder, all-natural alternative to the pills they’d gotten from doctors. Many believe more broadly that they should be free to choose their own treatment without government intrusion, a point of view that clearly puts them at odds with the DEA. Kratom users are also convinced that the herb has a low potential for acute harm ― a view supported by preliminary research ― and believe people are misstating the risks associated with addiction and dependency. Most users claim that taking too much kratom, or raw kratom ingested on its own, at least, will lead only to nausea and vomiting. And while most users claim kratom is not physically addictive, they admit it can lead to dependency. But many of the people who use kratom have serious underlying medical conditions that require some form of treatment. If they weren’t dependent on kratom, they say, they’d be dependent on something else. Because kratom doesn’t drive them to other drug-seeking behavior or leave them with intense withdrawal symptoms, they see it as a preferable substitute to prescription opioids. Users also believe the sudden move to ban kratom exposes the federal government’s hypocrisy when it comes to addressing the suffering unleashed by the opioid epidemic. The White House and members of Congress have been vocal about encouraging doctors to prescribe fewer opiates, but now the DEA is banning an herbal alternative that has already allowed many people to get off of such narcotic painkillers, or to avoid them completely. Kratom has also been used to wean people off heroin or other prescription maintenance treatments for opioid addiction. Users are quick
to point out that pharmaceutical companies must be pleased by the DEA’s move to kill off an affordable competitor. Above all, however, kratom users are passionate about having found a treatment that works for them. And now, they’re distraught about being forced to choose between continuing to use kratom criminally, returning to pharmaceuticals or potentially ending treatment altogether. The Huffington Post reached out to dozens of kratom users to get their stories. Below are a number of their responses. Some have been edited or condensed for clarity. Some individuals wanted to be identified by only their first name or a middle name because they weren’t comfortable speaking publicly about soon-to-be-criminalized behavior. Tammy Alender, 44 I’m 44 years old. I have three grown daughters and soon to be four granddaughters. Two of my granddaughters live with me and I have to care for them 24/7. Back in 1997, my lower lumbar spine was broken in a domestic violence incident. I didn’t choose this life. It was done to me. I didn’t have surgery to fix my broken spine until 2002. The surgery failed and also caused an incurable and incredibly painful condition known as arachnoiditis. This causes the nerves inside the spinal cord to bind and clump together. The pain of arachnoiditis has been compared to bone cancer, but without the release of death. Doctors told me my working days were over and I would eventually be in a wheelchair. I fought and worked as long as I could until July 2014, when I finally had to stop. We could no longer afford one of my two very strong pain medications because it cost us more than half of our monthly rent. You tell me who can afford $360 per month for just one medication. I don’t have insurance. Even when I did, most companies wouldn’t cover expensive pain meds like fentanyl, and I was on a maxed-out dose ― the highest dose allowed by law. Try suddenly coming off of that! It was horrible. I had to step down to a much cheaper, yet far less effective medication and it just didn’t cut it. I was hobbling around the house with a cane. I was stuck in my recliner all day, every day. I felt like I was 100 years old. I was also diagnosed with arthritis, fibromyalgia and hypothyroidism. Then a friend sent me some kratom and told me to try it. I didn’t believe it could help but she just kept pushing me to do it. What did I have to lose? It took me almost two weeks of consistent use before I finally had good results. One day, I actually ran up the stairs that I had previously barely been able to walk up. I ran! And my legs didn’t hurt! They didn’t burn! My muscles weren’t screaming at me. Yet my head was clear! No fuzzy thinking or sleepiness that had occurred with prescription meds. I could function again, I could take my grandkids to the park. I could go grocery shopping. I still have to pace myself, but I can do so much more now thanks to kratom.
Dr. Oz And His Epic Fail by Nida Khan Donald J. Trump released his long-awaited medical records (if we can call them that) this week on the ‘Dr. Oz Show’. In true showmanship manner, he got precisely what he wanted: intense media hype, suspense, high ratings and most importantly - control of the narrative. While many have criticized Dr. Oz for preemptively stating that he wasn’t going to ask the Donald any questions that he didn’t want to answer, and subsequently allowed him to share only what he wanted, the real tragedy in all of this actually has nothing to do with Trump’s health at all. What most Americans, including some of Trump’s ardent supporters, may not realize is that Dr. Oz is Muslim - yes, Muslim. At a time when attacks against Muslims are skyrocketing and there is a direct correlation between this election cycle and such hate crimes, Dr. Oz’s inability to question Trump on his Muslim ban and varied vile statements on the subject was nothing short of an epic fail. The son of Turkish immigrants, Dr. Oz was raised in a Muslim household where his father was more traditional and his mother secular as he once described to Henry Louis Gates, Jr. on PBS. He identifies himself more on the spiritual side of the religion as he explained. The extent or level of Dr. Oz’s faith however, is irrelevant. Just as there are folks who never go to church and only find their faith around Christmas time (but still identify as Christian when asked), there are Muslims that are secular, semi-practicing or only celebrate the Eid holidays. Just like any other group, Muslims aren’t homogeneous and they are as diverse as humanity itself as I often say. That in and of itself is all the more reason why Dr. Oz, with such a huge national platform and as the son of Muslim immigrants, could and absolutely should have held Trump accountable for his words and ideas because the reality is, they have already had a detrimental effect on Muslims in America. Adelphi University recently published preliminary results of a study they conducted on the impact of this election’s Islamophobia on American Muslims. They included 600 Muslims in the study, nearly half of whom were born in the U.S. - and the results were staggering to say the least. As the Long Island Press highlighted, nearly two-thirds reported experiencing discrimination in the past year, and a shocking 93% said that election-year Islamophobia had “some to extreme negative impact” on their lives and on their families’ lives. A few more depressing stats: 62% said they feel the need to prove that they are Americans, 56% said they experienced their loyalty being questioned and 89% said they feel their lives have less value. As alarming as the Adelphi study is, it sadly isn’t an outlier. Earlier this year, Georgetown University’s Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding published a report highlighting the correlation between a rise in anti-Muslim attacks and the 2016 election cycle. Just between March 2015 and March 2016, they logged 180 acts of anti-Muslim violence which
included murders, acts of vandalism, assaults, arsons and more. In New York City, the supposed bastion of diversity, there’s been a frightening rise in attacks against Muslims in just the past few months alone. Two Muslim women were attacked on a Brooklyn sidewalk last week as they pushed their toddlers in strollers. The suspect in custody reportedly punched one of the women in the head and tried to rip her hijab off while screaming, “get the f—k out of America b——s, you don’t belong here.” The woman accused of this horrendous incident allegedly pushed one of the strollers to the ground as well, and now faces two counts of felony assault as a hate crime and two counts of acting in a manner injurious to a child. Last weekend, a Scottish Muslim woman standing on Fifth Ave. in the heart of Manhattan had her clothes set on fire in what police are investigating as a hate crime. These outrageous incidents follow on the heels of random deaths of Muslims in the City. The aunt of an NYPD cop was stabbed to death as she walked ahead of her husband down a Queens sidewalk last month. Nazma Khanam, 60 years old, was dressed traditionally when the stabbing took place. Police have said she may have been the victim of a robbery attempt even though the family points to the fact that she was found with all of her possessions and they insist this was nothing short of a hate crime. In the same borough of Queens, not long before Khanam’s death, a prominent Imam in the Bangladeshi community and his assistant were killed as they walked from their mosque in broad daylight. They were shot execution style. While there has been an arrest in this case, police have yet to identify a motive and family members in this tragedy again highlight the fact that nothing was taken from the two men. Needless to say, the community is on edge. All across the country, there have been random acts of violence taking place against Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim, their places of worship and anything that may symbolize Islam. In Tulsa, OK, a Christian Lebanese American was shot and killed last month by a neighbor who had called him a ‘dirty Arab’, and previously ran over the victim’s mother with his car according to reports (she survived). Meanwhile in Florida, a 32-year-old man has been arrested and is facing arson and hate crime charges for a fire that severely damaged a mosque (that the Orlando shooter reportedly attended in the past). According to reports, this suspect’s Facebook page contained anti-Islamic rhetoric, including things like “All Islam is radical”. This arson is just one of many against mosques around the country. CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, just released a report concluding that 2016 is on track to be one of the worst years ever for anti-mosque incidents with a total of 55 cases recorded as of mid-September; last year there were 79. And these are just the cases that we know of. As often is the case with crimes committed against a marginalized community that includes immigrants who may have language barriers, may not fully grasp the system or be fearful of retribution, things often go underreported. Ever since Trump touted his Muslim ban, “extreme vetting” process and need to figure out “what the hell is going on,” people have been warning of an imminent backlash against the community. Not only is that backlash very real, but as studies show, there is a direct link to the vitriol of the 2016 campaign. For Dr. Oz, as one of the most powerful Muslims in this nation, to give in to the temptation of a ratings boost and allow himself to be used by Trump without holding him accountable is just pitiful and disappointing at best. Because guess what doc, when people attack Muslims, immigrants, those they view as ‘other’ and chant things like ‘dirty Arabs’ and ‘get out of the country’, they won’t be asking if you’re traditional, secular or spiritual before doing so.
U.S.-Led Airstrikes Kill Dozens Of Syrian Soldiers The U.S. says it halted airstrikes against suspected ISIS targets after Russia warned that Syrian soldiers may have been hit.
by Angus McDowall and Andrew Osborn BEIRUT/MOSCOW, Sept 17 (Reuters) - U.S.-led coalition air strikes killed dozens of Syrian soldiers on Saturday, Russia and a monitoring group said, putting a U.S.-Russian brokered ceasefire in jeopardy and prompting Moscow to seek an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting. The United States military said the coalition stopped the air strike against what it had believed to be Islamic State positions in northeast Syria after Russia informed it that Syrian military personnel and vehicles may have been hit. A U.S. military official said he was “pretty sure” targets mistakenly hit in the coalition strikes were Syrian forces. Russia called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council after the air strikes, which allowed Islamic State militants to briefly overrun a Syrian army position near Deir al-Zor airport. “We are reaching a really terrifying conclusion for the whole world: That the White House is defending Islamic State. Now there can be no doubts about that,” the RIA Novosti news agency quoted Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying. She said the strikes threatened to undermine the ceasefire in Syria brokered by Russia, which has been aiding Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war, and the United States, which has backed some rebel groups. The Russian Defence Ministry said U.S. jets had killed more than 60 Syrian soldiers in four air strikes by two F-16s and two A-10s coming from the direction of Iraq. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group with contacts across the country, cited a military source at Deir al-Zor airport as saying that at least 80 Syrian soldiers had been killed. The ceasefire, which took effect on Monday, is the most significant peacemaking effort in Syria for months but has been undermined by repeated accusations of violations on both sides and by a failure to bring humanitarian aid to besieged areas. As well as the U.S. and Russian involvement, Assad is supported by Iran and Arab Shi’ite militias, while Sunni
rebels seeking to unseat him are backed by Turkey and Gulf Arab states. All those warring parties are also sworn enemies of the Islamic State jihadist group, whose territory extends along the Euphrates valley from the Iraqi border, including around Deir al-Zor, up to land near Syria’s frontier with Turkey. In its sixth year, the conflict has cost hundreds of thousands of lives, displaced half of Syria’s pre-war population, prompted a refugee crisis in the Middle East and Europe and inspired a wave of jihadist attacks across the world. Syria’s army said the strikes, which took place at around 5pm (1400GMT) were “conclusive evidence” of U.S. support for Islamic State, calling them “dangerous and blatant aggression.” The U.S. military said in its statement that Syria was a “complex situation” but that “coalition forces would not intentionally strike a known Syrian military unit.” Islamic State said via its Amaq news channel it had taken complete control of Jebel Tharda, where the bombed position was located, which would have allowed it to overlook government-held areas of Deir al-Zor. The city’s airport and some districts have been entirely surrounded by Islamic State since last year, with the airport providing their only external access. However, Russia and Syrian state media said the Syrian army later recaptured positions it lost. The Observatory monitoring group said at least 20 Islamic State fighters were killed in heavy Russian air strikes during that fighting. The incident threatens to undermine not only the ceasefire agreement, but also proposed joint targeting by the United States and Russia of Islamic State and some other jihadist groups across Syria. SHAKY TRUCE Earlier on Saturday, Russia and Syrian rebels cast doubt over the prospects for the increasingly shaky ceasefire, with Moscow saying the situation was worsening and a senior insurgent warning that the truce “will not hold out.” While the ceasefire has reduced fighting, some violence has persisted across Syria. Meanwhile, there has been little movement on promised aid deliveries to besieged areas and both sides have accused the other of bad faith. Russia’s Defence Ministry said conditions in Syria were deteriorating, adding that it believed the ceasefire had been breached 199 times by rebels and saying the United States would be responsible if it were to collapse. After the Deir al-Zor air strike, it said Moscow had told the United States to rein in the Syrianopposition and make sure it did not launch a new offensive, adding that it had told Washington about a concentration of rebels north of Hama. Insurgents say they only reluctantly accepted the initial deal, which they believe is skewed against them, because it could relieve the dire humanitarian situation in besieged areas they control, and blamed Russia for undermining the truce. “The truce, as we have warned, and we told the (U.S.) State Department - will not hold out,” a senior rebel official in Aleppo said, pointing to the continued presence of a U.N. aid convoy at the Turkish border awaiting permission to enter. Rebels have also accused Russia of using the ceasefire to give the Syrian army and allied Shi’ite militias a chance to regroup and deploy forces ready for their own offensives. OVERNIGHT SHELLING Both sides have accused the other of being responsible for aid deliveries being stuck far from Aleppo, where army and rebel forces were supposed to pull back from the Castello Road which leads into besieged, insurgent-held eastern districts. Russia on Friday said the Syrian army had initially withdrawn but returned to its positions after being fired on by rebels, who in turn say they saw no sign of government forces ever leaving their positions. “There is no change,” said Zakariya Malahifji, an official for a rebel group in Aleppo on Saturday, asked whether there had been any move by the army to withdraw from positions along the road. Syria’s government said it was doing all that was necessary for the arrival of aid to those in need it in all parts of the country, particularly to eastern Aleppo. Two convoys of aid for Aleppo have been waiting at the Turkish border for days. The U.N. has said both sides in
the war are to blame for the delay of aid to Aleppo, where neither has yet withdrawn from the Castello Road into the city. The government said the road was being fired on by rebels, which they deny, so it could not give convoys a guarantee of safety. Senior U.N. officials have accused the government of not providing letters to allow convoys to reach other besieged areas in Syria. (Additional reporting by Tom Perry in Beirut, Katya Golubkova and Andrew Osborn in Moscow, Olesya Astakhova in Bishkek, Phil Stewart and Patricia Zengerle in Washington and Humeyra Pamuk in Istanbul Editing by Dominic Evans)
Small Bomb Detonates On Military 5K Route In New Jersey No injuries were reported, but dozens of homes were evacuated as police searched the area. Andy Campbell A small bomb exploded in a New Jersey beach town along the route of a planned road race on Saturday morning, causing no injuries but prompting authorities to cancel the event and evacuate dozens of homes as they searched for more devices. No damage to surrounding structures was reported after the device went off at 9:35 a.m. in a garbage container ahead of a 5 km charity race in Seaside Park, a resort about 80 miles south of New York City, the Ocean County prosecutor’s office said on Facebook. Even so, the explosion stirred dark memories of the deadly blasts at the finish line of the Boston Marathon in 2013 that killed three people and wounded more than 260 others. The charity run was organized to benefit military veterans and the families of those lost in military service. The run’s name, Seaside Semper Five 5K, is a reference to Semper Fidelis, Latin for “always loyal,” the motto of the U.S. Marine Corps. Explosion with Secondary Explosive Device Investigation. AVOID AREA OF D STREET/OCEAN AVE IN SEASIDE PARK Law enforcement authorities have made no comment about a possible motive for the blast. The explosion occurred five minutes after the 5 km race was originally scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. The explosive went off near the boardwalk by the intersection of Ocean Avenue and D Street, authorities said. According to a course map for the race posted online, runners would have passed near the intersection twice: once 0.7 miles into the race and again 0.7 miles from the finish. A 1-mile “fun run” was due to begin at 9 a.m. It was not immediately clear whether it got off on schedule nor whether its route would have taken runners near the site of the blast. Authorities were evacuating about 30 homes, many of them summer homes, near the site of the explosion, Ocean County Sheriff Michael Mastronardy said in a phone interview. He said authorities were in the initial phase of their investigation and trying to keep people safe. A second device was found near the site of the explosion, according to news website NJ.com, quoting the prosecutor’s spokesman, Al Della Fave. It was not immediately clear whether the second device was detonated, the website reported. Authorities including the FBI were in the town and were investigating the possibility there was at least one other unexploded device, the office said.About 5,000 people were set to run the 5 km charity race in Seaside Park, a family-oriented resort known for its beachside boardwalk, a local NBC affiliate reported. The race was to begin at 9 a.m. but was delayed because of late sign-ins and then canceled after the explosion, the affiliate said. A seafood festival at nearby Point Pleasant Beach scheduled for Saturday was canceled after the explosion, apparently as a precaution, the county sheriff said on Twitter. At the 2013 Boston Marathon, two brothers of Chechen ethnicity who professed allegiance to Islamist militants planted homemade bombs near the finish line of the renowned race. The subsequent explosions killed and maimed dozens of bystanders in the most high profile attack on U.S. soil since Sept. 11, 2001.
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Chicago Cop Indicted For Shooting At Black Teens In Car Officer Marco Proano faces two federal civil rights charges for the 2013 shooting, which was caught on a dash cam.
by Dan Whitcomb A Chicago police officer who was captured on a dashboard camera firing into a car full of teenagers, wounding two of them, has been indicted on federal civil rights charges, prosecutors and local media said on Friday. Marco Proano, 41, was charged in the indictment, which was handed down on Thursday, with two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law for allegedly using unreasonable force with a dangerous weapon, U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon said in a written statement. “When a police officer uses unreasonable force, it has a harmful effect on not only the victims, but also the public, who lose faith and confidence in law enforcement,” Fardon said. “Our office will continue to independently and vigorously pursue civil rights prosecutions to hold officers accountable and strengthen trust in the police,” he added. The teens wounded in the shooting were black, according to local media reports.
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Nick Gordon Found Legally Responsible For Death Of Bobbi Kristina Brown “Mr. Gordon had every opportunity to appear in Court and attempt to clear his name. He declined.� Jenna Amatulli
Nick Gordon was found legally responsible for the July 2015 death of longtime girlfriend Bobbi Kristina Brown on Friday, multiple reports confirm. The Brown estate filed a $50 million wrongful death suit against Gordon shortly after the death of Bobbi Kristina. The suit alleged that the daughter of Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston, who was found unconscious in January 2015, had been in an altercation with her boyfriend, who put her in a bathtub and injected her with a “toxic cocktail” of drugs. The 22-year-old was placed in a medically induced coma and succumbed to her injuries six months later. The suit, which was first filed last June, also alleged that Gordon stole more than $11,000 from Brown’s account after she was found unresponsive in January, and accused Gordon of assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, unjust enrichment and conversion. According to E!, Brown’s father Bobby also became a plaintiff in the suit as of May 2016. Gordon neglected to show up to court on two separate occasions, meaning anything alleged by Brown’s conservator in the suit against him was admitted through omission, according to Fulton County Superior Court Judge T. Jackson Bedford, per NBC. “We have said all along that we believed Nick Gordon was responsible for the death of Bobbi Kristina Brown. This judgment confirms our belief. Mr. Gordon had every opportunity to appear in Court and attempt to clear his name. He declined,” said a statement to E! News from Brown’s father’s legal team. Still, Gordon hasn’t been criminally charged in Brown’s death. Her father also spoke out in light of the judge’s decision, indicating he was pleased with the news while also expressing his grief, according to People. “Today’s judgment tells me it was Nick Gordon,” he said. “Now I need to process all the emotions I have and lean on God to get me and my family through this.”
Yes on Proposition 64 Posted by CN Staff on September 16, 2016 at 14:44:32 PT Los Angeles Times Editorial
California -- Six years ago California voters were asked to make recreational marijuana legal under state law and they declined to do so. But the close decision — 46% voted “yes” on Proposition 19 — suggested that the battle was not yet over. At that time, The Times opposed Proposition 19 not because legalization was necessarily a bad idea, but because it was a poorly drafted mess that would have created a regulatory nightmare. In the years since, a lot has changed. Four states, starting with Colorado and Washington, have legalized adult recreational use, without major problems. Half of the states now allow medical marijuana. Canada is working on legislation to legalize adult use next year. And Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have suggested that, if elected, they wouldn’t use the federal prohibition against marijuana to undermine state legalization efforts. There has also been a huge shift in thinking on drug policy, as more people question the effect of the decades-long war on drugs on law enforcement expenditures, overcrowded prisons, marginalized communities and violent drug cartels. In the case of marijuana, there is growing support for the argument that the cost of enforcing prohibition is too great and delivers too few benefits. By sending mixed messages, the federal government has effectively ceded its role and left it to states to create a new national marijuana policy. In November, Californians will again consider whether to legalize pot, this time with Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act. Voters will have to ask themselves whether the time has come to treat marijuana less like heroin and more like alcohol — as a regulated but acceptable product for adult use. Do the risks of legalization outweigh the costs of prohibition? Does Proposition 64 strike the right balance between allowing adult Californians to make their own recreational choices and protecting their health and safety? Does the measure put cannabis-industry profits ahead of public health? What does it mean that marijuana will be legal under California law but still illegal under federal law? On balance, the proposition deserves a “yes” vote. It is ultimately better for public health, for law and order and for society if marijuana is a legal, regulated and controlled product for adults. Proposition 64 — while not perfect — offers a logical, pragmatic approach to legalization that also would give lawmakers and regulators the flexibility to change the law to address the inevitable unintended consequences. The reality is that California has already, essentially, legalized marijuana. Virtually any adult can get a medical marijuana recommendation and buy pot products legally at a dispensary. And those who can’t be bothered to fake a headache or back pain can buy it on the black market without fear of going to jail. Proposition 64 would end the need for such ruses and deal a blow to the illegal market, which thrives on prohibition. If it is passed, adults 21 and older would be allowed to grow, buy and possess marijuana for their personal use in private homes or at businesses licensed for on-site consumption. The state would license and regulate businesses that grow, process, deliver and sell marijuana. Pot shops could not sell tobacco or alcohol. Cities would have the ability to set local regulations and even ban marijuana businesses, but they couldn’t bar adults from growing, using or transporting marijuana for personal use. The measure would impose state taxes on commercial cultivation and sales that could eventually raise more than $1 billion a year. The measure would dedicate the new revenue to youth drug education, prevention and treatment programs, law enforcement programs to reduce driving under the influence, and environmental restoration of land damaged by illegal cannabis cultivation. For decades, drug enforcement — and particularly enforcement of the marijuana laws — has disproportionately affected African American and Latino men, leaving them with criminal records that make it harder to get a job or to advance in their careers. Though California decriminalized marijuana possession in 2010 and misdemeanor arrests have fallen by 90%, there are still people serving time for marijuana crimes or who are hindered by past marijuana convictions. If the initiative passes, individuals could ask to have their sentences reduced, or if they are no longer incarcerated, they could ask the courts to have their criminal records changed. Also, Proposition 64 would take a less punitive approach to youth enforcement: People under 21 caught with marijuana would be sentenced to drug education and community service. Proposition 64 gets a lot right, but the measure still asks voters to make a tremendous leap of faith. The fact is, the health effects of marijuana consumption are still not fully understood, particularly the long-term, regular consumption of today’s high-potency cannabis products. It is known that young people, whose brains are still devel-
oping, can suffer long-lasting effects and are at increased risk of addiction and mental disorders from frequent use. That is why it is so important to use a portion of the Proposition 64 revenues to educate teens on the risks of regular, daily use. Public health experts had recommended treating marijuana more like tobacco — a legal product that the state has an interest in discouraging through regulations and high taxes. But because a key goal of Proposition 64 is to foster a legitimate, regulated marijuana industry, some of those experts fear that Big Weed may become the next Big Tobacco, using its profits and lobbying power to minimize research into negative health affects and to stymie regulations that curb consumption. Proposition 64 already offers a lot to the industry; it would not, for instance, strictly limit advertising or bar marijuana industry representatives from serving on advisory committees on cannabis regulations, as public health experts had recommended. Proposition 64 would give the Legislature the ability to amend the marijuana industry regulations by a majority vote; other changes to the law would need a two-thirds vote. Regulatory agencies would be given the flexibility to develop rules as issues arise. That flexibility is welcome if lawmakers and regulators use it to make sure the law meets its objectives — not to grant the wishes of an army of marijuana industry lobbyists. Proposition 64 would not change the fact that marijuana is still illegal under federal law, and that is a serious complicating factor. Growers, sellers and even consumers are at risk if a new administration in Washington suddenly decides to enforce federal law. Is that likely to happen? Four states have already legalized recreational use and five more, including California, are voting on legalization in November, and 25 states allow medical marijuana. By choosing not to stop the states, President Obama and Congress have essentially permitted more liberal marijuana laws. At the same time, however, they have been unwilling to amend federal law to make clear what is and isn’t allowed. In fact, the Drug Enforcement Agency decided last month to maintain marijuana’s status as a Schedule 1 drug, meaning it is as addictive as heroin and has no medical value, despite the fact that half the states in the nation permit medicinal use. By sending mixed messages, the federal government has effectively ceded its role and left it to states to create a new national marijuana policy that legalizes marijuana with minimal harm and meaningful protections. Proposition 64 is California’s attempt to do just that. The Times urges a “yes” vote.
Bloody Mary Janes Posted on August 16, 2016 in Breakfast, Drinks Most of us are familiar with a Bloody Mary– the popular cocktail that is a combination of vodka, tomato juice and a number of spices and flavorings. Because it contains so many items, it’s often referred to as the “world’s most complex cocktail.” The cannabis-infused alcoholic beverage that we're about to make is a “twist of this classic cocktail” and is believed to be the perfect cure for hangovers. Worth trying out? Here goes– it’s easy to make if you have all the ingredients and takes just five minutes. Ingredients 1/2 fl oz/15 ml vodka/ cannabis tincture Three dashes Worcestershire sauce (if you're vegan, make the substitute accordingly) 5fl oz/150ml tomato juice 3 drops Tabasco sauce 1 tbsp lemon juice Lemon twist, salt and pepper and celery stalk are all optional. Other things that you need A shaker– any closed container will suffice A tall glass As this is a cannabis-infused drink, you first need to know how to make the cannabis alcohol tincture. The THC (the main psychoactive chemical in cannabis) cannot be accessed by the body in the form it is, that’s why it needs to be extracted into alcohol. To make cannabis tincture, you need to use at least 50 percent alcohol Other Ingredients: ¾ oz/22g finely ground cannabis 3fl oz/90ml alcohol (vodka in this case) The Marijuana bud needs to be de-carbed first by heating it in the oven at 150 degrees F for about an hour. You know that it’s ready if the bud crumbles between your fingers when rolled. Powder the cannabis and soak in water for about 12 hours so that all water-soluble impurities can be removed. Remove the excess water and place the powder in an airtight container after pouring alcohol over it. Store in a cool, dark place for about for 10 days or even more. The longer it stays the better it tastes. Don’t forget to shake the container as often as you can remember. This is sure to test your patience, but the end product is worth the wait. Filter through cheesecloth to remove lumps and solid particles and repeat this till a fine, clear liquid is obtained. Your cannabis tincture is now ready. Transfer the tincture with the sauces and juices to the shaker, give it a final vigorous shake-upand you’re all set to go. Strain into a tall glass and garnish with spices and lemon and celery (in case you choose to use these). Your Buddy Mary is ready to enjoy. The next time you suffer from a hangover, you needn’t worry— your cannabis tinctured cocktail is sure to help you recover in no time. Do keep the tincture on hand all the time—you just don’t know when you will need it.
Federal War on Marijuana is Hurting Veterans Posted by CN Staff on September 08, 2016 at 05:58:16 PT By Christopher Ingraham Source: Washington Post USA -- The American Legion, a group representing 2.4 million U.S. military veterans, has called on Congress to remove marijuana from Schedule 1 of the federal Controlled Substances Act and "reclassify it in a category that, at a minimum will recognize cannabis as a drug with potential medical value." In a resolution passed at the Legion's annual convention last week, the organization said it hopes that better research into marijuana and an official acknowledgment of its potential medical benefits will hasten the development of new treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries, ailments that have plagued veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Legion's resolution, published online by Marijuana.com, noted that the federal Drug Enforcement Administration recently approved the country's first randomized, controlled trial using whole-plant, smoked marijuana to treat PTSD symptoms. That study will be conducted by Sue Sisley, an Arizona researcher who tried for nearly a decade to get a green light for the research but struggled to find an academic institution to sponsor it. The University of Colorado ultimately agreed to fund the research. During an address at the Legion's convention in Cincinnati, Sisley told members that "veterans are exhausted and feel like guinea pigs; they’re getting desperate� and that traditional medications didn't seem to be providing adequate relief to many vets suffering from PTSD. The DEA recently reaffirmed its decades-old policy of classifying marijuana among the most dangerous drugs, citing its "high potential for abuse" and "no currently accepted medical use." That position has faced increasing criticism from federal and state lawmakers, physicians, researchers and even some law enforcement groups. Medical marijuana is extremely popular with voters: A June Quinnipiac University poll found that 89 percent supported the use of marijuana with a doctor's recommendation. A separate survey by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America found that 68 percent of responding members supported legalizing medical marijuana in their state, and 75 percent said that the Department of Veterans Affairs should allow medical marijuana as a treatment option. A DEA position paper from 2013 states that "smoked marijuana has not withstood the rigors of science — it is not medicine, and it is not safe." Christopher Ingraham writes about politics, drug policy and all things data. He previously worked at the Brookings Institution and the Pew Research Center
George Zimmerman Shooter Convicted Of Attempted Murder In Florida Apperson fired a single bullet into George Zimmerman’s vehicle. Barbara Liston and Steve Gorman
ORLANDO, Fla., - A Florida man was found guilty on Friday of attempted murder for shooting at George Zimmerman during a roadside confrontation with the ex-neighborhood watch captain widely known for killing unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin, local media reported. Matthew Apperson, 37, who according to prosecutors has a history of mental illness, was convicted in a jury trial in the Orlando suburb of Sanford, Florida, according to accounts by the Orlando Sentinel newspaper and 24-hour Orlando television news channel News 13. A Sanford jury in 2013 acquitted Zimmerman, 32, of murder in the fatal 2012 shooting of 17-year-old Martin, a case that helped spark the Black Lives Matter movement and overshadowed both Apperson’s prosecution and his defense. Police asserted in their arrest affidavit for Apperson that he seemed to have a fixation on Zimmerman, who claimed to have acted in self-defense when he shot Martin, a high school student walking through the community after stopping at a convenience store. Police initially declined to arrest Zimmerman, citing Florida’s so-called “Stand Your Ground” law. Apperson’s lawyer in turn questioned Zimmerman on the witness stand, getting Zimmerman to acknowledge that he had sold the gun used to shoot Martin for $250,000 and considers Black Lives Matter activists to be “terrorists,” according to the Orlando Sentinel. In addition to second-degree attempted murder, Apperson was convicted on charges of shooting into an occupied vehicle and aggravated assault with a firearm stemming from his altercation with Zimmerman in Lake Mary, Florida, according to the Sentinel. Apperson has been in custody since July 2015, when Seminole County Circuit Judge Debra Nelson revoked his bond following a complaint that he urinated on his neighbor’s porch. In that incident, Apperson was found guilty of disorderly conduct at trial in October 2015, and sentenced to 60 days in jail with credit for time served, according to court records. (Reporting by Barbara Liston in Orlando; Writing by Steve Gorman; Editing by Bernard Orr)
NO MOOR LIES
You said you had my best interest, so don't lie. You said we were friends,. so why are tears of deception, pouring out of your eyes . You said we were brothers-but that's just another bad lie too, the fact of the matter, is that I can see the serpant crawling all through you. Cuz if we were any of that, you wouldn't let poverty burn scars, and pour hot oil all over my back. If we were friends, than why do you feel the need to pretend? If it's true that you believed we to be brothers, then why is injustice spread between my legs, but you open doors of peace for all others. But it's ok don't even bother, to try and buy my friendship with sheckles and a few spoiled dollars. For friends in deed, will never let or cause true friends to bleed. Friends of one-would never let a friend become undone. True friends stand side by side, if one goes down, it is only so the other can live for all time. No moor lies, free your spirt from death, untie your rope to corruption, so you can have better health. Remove death from your mouth, eat lies no moor-work towards world peace, because peace brings love and love is the answer for sure. By Saadiq Busby
CRY NO MOOR Too many tears have fallen and not enough action. We rather complain, than work towards satisfaction. We have the tools to make life better; but we rather be passive, and get mad at our social bad weather. Tears don't make change, only the strong do that; you can check through history and find PLENTY EXAMPLES of this fact. Now dry your eyes so your dreams can come true, if not cursed, you will waste away, and never do what you are born to do. The meaning of life is in the palm of your hands; firm up your back, and begin to take your stand. By Saadiq Busby
your skin nee
eds love too!!!
The more you "SHAE" the better you can play! WHAT MOOR CAN I SAY
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