# NORML's Weekly News Bulletin



## LdyLunatic (Aug 12, 2006)

*Supporters Turn In 129,000 Signatures In Favor Of Colorado Pot Legalization Initiative *

August 10, 2006 - Denver, CO, USA 
Denver, CO: Supporters of a proposed statewide initiative to eliminate all criminal and civil penalties for the possession of cannabis by adults turned in 129,000 signatures this week to the Colorado Secretary of State's Office to place the measure on the November 2006 ballot. State law requires proponents to collect valid signatures from 68,000 registered Colorado voters in order to qualify the initiative on the electoral ballot.

"The fact that we collected nearly twice as many signatures as are required under [state law] highlights the widespread support for ending the madness of marijuana prohibition in Colorado," said Mason Tvert, Campaign Director for Safer Alternatives For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER) the organization sponsoring the initiative. 
If certified by state officials and approved by voters this November, the measure would make the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana legal in Colorado for those age 21 or older. Last year, voters in Denver approved a similar municipal measure by 54 percent.


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## LdyLunatic (Aug 12, 2006)

*Heavy Cannabis Use Not Independently Associated With Cardiovascular Risks* 


August 10, 2006 - San Francisco, CA, USA 
San Francisco, CA: Heavy marijuana use is not independently associated with high blood pressure or other cardiovascular risk factors, according the findings of a 15-year longitudinal study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Cardiology. 
Investigators at the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco, assessed the association between marijuana use and caloric intake, body mass index (BMI) and cardiovascular risk factors in 3,617 young adults participating in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults project (CARDIA). Though heavy self-reported use of cannabis was associated with higher caloric intake (3,365 calories per day in those who used cannabis 1,800 days over a 15 year period versus 2,746 calories per day in non-users), marijuana use alone was not associated with higher levels of triglycerides, atherosclerosis, or blood pressure among respondents. 
Investigators did note that the heavy use of cannabis and alcohol together was positively associated with cardiovascular risk factors. 
A previous review of cannabis use and cardiotoxicity published earlier this year in the journal Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology reported that moderate marijuana use likely poses little cardiovascular risk in humans. 
In human trials, cannabis smoking is typically associated with a dose-dependent increase in heart rate and blood pressure in marijuana-naive subjects, though users often become completely tolerant to these effects over time. By contrast, cannabinoid administration in animals is typically associated with vasodilation, transient bradycardia and hypotension. The administration of synthetic cannabinoids has also been shown to lower blood pressure in animals and has not been associated with cardiotoxicity in humans. In addition, recent studies demonstrate that anandamide and other endocannabinoids profoundly suppress cardiac contractility in hypertension and can normalize blood pressure.


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## LdyLunatic (Aug 12, 2006)

*NORML's Daily "AudioStash" Approaches 100,000 Downloads* 

August 10, 2006 - Washington, DC, USA 
Washington, DC: Nearly 100,000 listeners have downloaded episodes of NORML's daily podcast since the program¹s launch in June. The original 30-minute programming, known as "NORML's Daily AudioStash: The Growing Truth About Marijuana," is available via podcast and direct MP3 download every weekday at 4:20pm at either http://www.normlaudiostash.com or http://www.norml.org 
Archived shows are also available online. 
"In just two months, nearly 100,000 marijuana law reformers have tuned into NORML's daily programming to keep abreast of the latest pot-related science, news, and events information that they won't find anywhere else but on 'NORML's AudioStash,'" NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre said. "The popularity of NORML's daily podcast illustrates that there are large numbers of Americans who desire fact-based, educational information about marijuana and marijuana law reform, and that this population is increasingly turning to NORML and away from the federal government and the mass media in order to obtain it." 
According to tabulations released by Apple Computer's iTunes Music Store, NORML's podcasts rank as one of the most popular political audio programs available on the Internet. Guests on NORML's "AudioStash" have included Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), noted travel author Rick Steves, Allen Hopper of the ACLU Drug Law Reform Litigation Project, NORML Advisory Board Member Mitch Earlywine, Burning Rainbow Farm author Dean Kuipers, comedian Tommy Chong, and many others.


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## LdyLunatic (Aug 17, 2006)

*Week of August 17, 2006 *

*Cannabinoid May Halt Alzheimer's Progression, Study Says*
August 17, 2006 - La Jolla, CA, USA
La Jolla, CA: THC inhibits the formation of amyloid plaque, the primary marker for Alzheimer's disease (AD), far more effectively than approved medications, according to preclinical data to be published in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics. 
Investigators at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California reported that THC inhibits the enzyme responsible for the aggregation of amyloid plaque in a manner "considerably superior" to approved Alzheimer's drugs such as donepezil and tacrine.
"Our results provide a mechanism whereby the THC molecule can directly impact Alzheimer's disease pathology," researchers concluded. "THC and its analogues may provide an improved therapeutic [option] for Alzheimer's disease [by]... simultaneously treating both the symptoms and the progression of [the] disease."
Previous studies have shown cannabinoids to possess anti oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, both of which may play a role in moderating Alzheimer's. 
Last year, investigators at Madrid's Complutense University and the Cajal Institute in Spain reported that the intracerebroventricular administration of the synthetic cannabinoid WIN 55,212-2 prevented cognitive impairment and decreased neurotoxicity in rats. Other cannabinoids were also found to reduce the inflammation associated with Alzheimer's disease in human brain tissue in culture. "Our results indicate that... cannabinoids succeed in preventing the neurodegenerative process occurring in the disease," investigators concluded.
Over 4.5 million Americans are estimated to be afflicted with Alzheimer's disease. That figure is expected to triple over the next 50 years. 
Previous human trials of synthetic THC (Marinol) and Alzheimer's found that administration of the drug reduced agitation and stimulated weight gain in patients suffering from the disease.


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## LdyLunatic (Aug 17, 2006)

*Colorado Cannabis Legalization Initiative Certified For November Ballot*
August 17, 2006 - Denver, CO, USA
Denver, CO: The Colorado Secretary of State's office announced Wednesday that a statewide initiative that seeks to eliminate all criminal and civil penalties for the possession of cannabis by adults has been certified to appear on the November 2006 ballot.
Sponsored by Safer Alternatives For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER), the measure would amend state statutes to make the possession of up to one ounce of cannabis legal in Colorado for those age 21 or older. Last year, voters in Denver passed a similar municipal initiative by 54 percent.
Sponsors turned in more than 130,000 signatures from Colorado voters to qualify the measure for the November ballot.
"The campaign will highlight the hypocrisy of laws that prohibit the use of marijuana while allowing and even encouraging the use of alcohol, an infinitely more harmful drug," said SAFER Campaign Director Mason Tvert.


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## LdyLunatic (Aug 17, 2006)

*Seattle Hempfest Celebrates 15 Years This Weekend *
August 17, 2006 - Seattle, WA, USA
Seattle, WA: Event organizers are anticipating nearly 150,000 attendees at this weekend's 15th annual Seattle Hempfest, taking place this Saturday and Sunday at Myrtle Edwards Park in downtown Seattle. More than 80 speakers - including NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre and NORML Founder Keith Stroup - and over 50 bands will participate in the two-day event, which is the largest annual marijuana law reform rally held anywhere in the world.
Other speakers scheduled to appear at this year's "protestival" include: NORML Board and Advisory Board Members Dale Gieringer, Dominic Holden, Norm Kent, Frank Lucido, George Rohrbacher, Norm Stamper, Jeffrey Steinborn, and Dan Viets, as well as Ethan Nadelmann, Executive Director of the Drug Policy Alliance, Mikki Norris, Executive Director of the Cannabis Consumers Campaign, Madeline Martinez, Executive Director of Oregon NORML, and Debby Goldsberry, Executive Director of the Cannabis Action Network.
For a complete schedule of this year's Seattle Hempfest speakers and events, please visit: http://www.seattlehempfest.org/


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## LdyLunatic (Aug 17, 2006)

*DOE Cuts Funding For Random Student Drug Testing Programs*
August 17, 2006 - Washington, DC, USA
Washington, DC: The US Department of Education (DOE) has dramatically reduced the level of funding available to subsidize random student drug testing programs in public high schools and middle schools, according to the agency's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
According to the agency, only $1.7 million in federal funds will be available for schools that wish to enact student drug testing programs for the 2006-2007 school year. Last year, the DOE subsidized student drug testing programs in 350 schools nationwide at a total cost of more than $7 million.
The White House had previously proposed increasing the budget to fund student drug testing programs to more than $25 million. 
According to the DOE, grantees will be required to participate in an ongoing national evaluation of the effectiveness of mandatory student drug testing programs.
To date, the only federal study to assess the impact of student drug testing policies on a national basis found that "drug testing, as practiced in recent years in American secondary schools, does not prevent or inhibit student drug use."


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## LdyLunatic (Aug 30, 2006)

*Week of August 24, 2006 *
Endocannabinoid System Protects Against Seizures, Study Says

August 24, 2006 - Mainz, Germany
Mainz, Germany: The endocannabinoid system provides "on demand" protection against experimentally induced seizures and neuronal cell death, according to preclinical data published this month in the journal Neuron. 
Investigators at the Johannes Guttenberg University in Mainz and the Max Planck Institute in Munich reported that endocannabinoids, acting upon the brain's CB1 (cannabinoid) receptors, directly target hippocampal glutamatergic neurons to mediate against experimentally induced seizures and cell death in mice. "CB1 expression on hippocampal glutamatergic circuits accounts for this protection and might represent a suitable target for the treatment of neurological disorders associated with excessive neuronal excitation," authors concluded.
Separate preclinical studies have previously demonstrated that natural cannabinoids such as THC and cannabidiol (CBD) are neuroprotective against ethanol-induced cell death, cerebral infarction, and glutamate toxicity. Glutamate, a neurotransmitter, may be produced at toxic levels following strokes or severe head trauma often leading to irreversible brain damage. 
In recent years, researchers have identified the endocannabinoid receptor system to be involved in the regulation of several primary biological functions including appetite, body temperature, mood elevation, blood pressure, bone density, embryonic implantation, learning capacity, and motor coordination.


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## LdyLunatic (Aug 30, 2006)

*Renee Boje Legal Battle Finally Resolved *



August 24, 2006 - Los Angeles, CA, USA 
Los Angeles, CA: A US federal court judge has sentenced American expatriate Renee Boje to one year's probation, during which time she will be allowed to reside in Canada with her family. 
The ruling concludes a nearly decade-long legal battle for Boje, who filed for refugee status in Canada in 1998 after US federal agents raided a marijuana cultivation operation at the home of cancer survivor and medical cannabis patient Todd McCormick, with whom Boje had a working relationship. Boje faced a potential 10-year federal sentence for her alleged role in the McCormick case. 
Under the terms of a plea agreement struck between Boje and federal prosecutors, Boje pled guilty to minor marijuana possession and was sentenced on August 14 to one-year probation. She was allowed to return to Canada the following day, where she resides with her husband and three-year-old child. 
Earlier this week, Canadian immigration officials granted Boje a 6-month visitors permit to remain in the country while she attempts to secure Canadian citizenship. Boje and US prosecutors had begun negotiations to end her legal fight after Boje was denied refugee status in Canada in 2005. Last June, Canadian Justice Minister Irving Colter ruled that Boje must turn herself over to federal authorities and face extradition to the United States. Lawyers for Boje had been appealing that decision, but were not optimistic that it would be overturned.


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## LdyLunatic (Aug 30, 2006)

*California: Legislature Approves Hemp Cultivation Bill* 
August 24, 2006 - Sacramento, CA, USA 
Sacramento, CA: The California legislature this week approved legislation recognizing industrial hemp as an "agricultural field crop" and establishing regulations governing its cultivation by state-authorized farmers. The bill, AB 1147 (The California Industrial Hemp Farming Act), now awaits final approval from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R). 
Under the proposal, authorized farmers and researchers would be allowed to cultivate non-psychoactive varieties of cannabis containing less than 0.3 percent THC for industrial purposes, such as fiber content and seed stock. Farmers in Canada, the European Union and elsewhere currently grow hemp commercially as an agricultural commodity for a variety of consumer products, including food. According to a 2005 Congressional Research Service report, "The United States is the only developed nation in which industrial hemp is not an established crop."


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## LdyLunatic (Aug 31, 2006)

*Week of August 31, 2006 *

 DEA Criticized For Financing Opposition To Colorado Marijuana Initiative
August 31, 2006 - Denver, CO, USA
Denver, CO: Colorado media outlets are roundly criticizing an effort by federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officials to spend taxpayers' dollars and use paid staff time to campaign against Amendment 44, "the Alcohol-Marijuana Equalization Initiative." 
Correspondences from DEA officials seeking to hire a professional campaign manager to organize opposition to the initiative were cited by several Colorado media sources, including the Boulder Daily Camera and the Associated Press, on Monday. 
Sponsored by Safer Alternatives For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER), Amendment 44 would revise state statutes to make the possession of up to one ounce of cannabis legal in Colorado for anyone age 21 or older. Last year, voters in Denver passed a similar municipal initiative by 54 percent. 
Several Colorado papers, including the Denver Post, the Rocky Mountain News, and the Aurora Daily Sun and Sentinel, immediately opined against the DEA's tactics, warning that taxpayers' funds should not be used to influence local elections. "Federal agencies ... have no business using their muscle to influence state ballot races," opined the Rocky Mountain News. "That's why we hope the DEA will abandon this campaign &shy; and that next year, Congress will enact legislation that would prevent any federal agency from pursuing this sort of mischief." 
While federal law prohibits using public resources to influence local partisan activities, US government officials are not forbidden from campaigning on non-partisan political issues. By contrast, Colorado law forbids state employees from using state resources to advocate for or against any political activity.


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## LdyLunatic (Aug 31, 2006)

*Cannabinoids May Offer Novel Therapy For Cancer Pain*
August 31, 2006 - Gainesville, FL, USA
Gainesville, FL: Natural and endogenous cannabinoids may offer therapeutic advantages over currently prescribed medications for the treatment of cancer pain, according to a scientific review published this month in the Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy. 
"Cannabinoid agonists have been described as having efficacy in nociceptive, neuropathic, and inflammatory pain states, all of which can commonly occur in cancer patients," the review's author states. "There are currently no pharmacological agents consistently effective against all three pain types, potentially giving cannabinoids a unique therapeutic advantage." 
An estimated 25 percent to 40 percent of cancer patients experience some type of neuropathic pain, for which commercially available analgesics are not consistently effective. 
Clinical trial data published in 2005 by GW Pharmaceuticals reported that cannabis extracts significantly reduced pain compared to placebo in 178 patients with advanced cancer pain. 
Health Canada recently granted regulatory approval for the prescription use of Sativex, an oral spray consisting of natural cannabis extracts, for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with Multiple Sclerosis.


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## LdyLunatic (Aug 31, 2006)

*Montana: Missoula Voters To Decide Pot "Deprioritization" Ordinance*
August 31, 2006 - Missoula, MT, USA
Missoula, MT: Missoula county election officials confirmed last week that a municipal initiative that seeks to make marijuana law enforcement the city's "lowest priority" has been certified to appear on the November 2006 ballot. 
Sponsored by Citizens for Responsible Crime Policy, Initiative 2 directs municipal police to make activities related to the investigation, citation, and/or arrest of adult cannabis users their lowest priority. It would also appoint a Community Oversight Committee to monitor police activity as it pertains to marijuana law enforcement. Seattle voters passed a similar proposal in 2003, which has led to a 75 percent reduction in citywide marijuana arrests.
Voters in Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, and Santa Cruz, California will decide on similar "deprioitization" initiatives this fall.


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## LdyLunatic (Aug 31, 2006)

*South Dakota: AG's Ballot Summary Is Prejudicial, Judge Rules*
August 31, 2006 - Pierre, SD, USA
Pierre, SD: The state attorney general's description of a proposed ballot initiative to legalize the physician recommended use of cannabis is prejudicial and must be rewritten, a South Dakota Circuit Judge has determined.
As initially drafted, the state's summary of Initiated Measure 4 implied that "the attorney general wants voters to reject the initiative," Circuit Judge Max Gors ruled. "The attorney general should confine his politicking to the stump and leave his bias out of the ballot statement that is supposed to be objective." 
The initiative, sponsored by South Dakotans for Safe Access, would allow state-qualified patients to possess up to six plants and/or one ounce of cannabis for medical purposes. Qualified patients must possess a physician's recommendation to use cannabis and must register with the state Department of Health. Non-registered patients, or those who possess greater quantities of cannabis than allowed under state law, would have the option of raising an 'affirmative defense' of medical necessity at trial. 
Proponents of the measure criticized the attorney general's ballot explanation because it falsely stated that physicians who comply with the law would be subject to federal prosecution, among other issues. 
Eleven states &shy; Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington &shy; have enacted similar laws. Eight of these did so by voter initiative.


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## LdyLunatic (Sep 8, 2006)

*Week Of September 7, 2006*



*98 Percent Of All Domestically Eradicated Marijuana Is "Ditchweed," DEA Admits*
September 7, 2006 - Washington, DC, USA

Washington, DC: More than 98 percent of all of the marijuana plants seized by law enforcement in the United States is feral hemp not cultivated cannabis, according to newly released data by the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program and the Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics. 

According to the data, available online at: http://www.albany.edu/sourcebook/pdf/t4382005.pdf of the estimated 223 million marijuana plants destroyed by law enforcement in 2005, approximately 219 million were classified as "ditchweed," a term the agency uses to define "wild, scattered marijuana plants [with] no evidence of planting, fertilizing, or tending." Unlike cultivated marijuana, feral hemp contains virtually no detectable levels of THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis, and does not contribute to the black market marijuana trade.

Previous DEA reports have indicated that between 98 and 99 percent of all the marijuana plants eradicated by US law enforcement is ditchweed.

NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre criticized the DEA program for spending millions of taxpayers' dollars to predominantly eradicate wild hemp. "The irony, of course, is that industrial hemp is grown legally throughout most the Western world as a commercial crop for its fiber content," he said. "Yet the US government is spending taxpayers' money to target and eradicate this same agricultural commodity."

According to a 2005 Congressional Research Service report, "The United States is the only developed nation in which industrial hemp is not an established crop."

St. Pierre said that most of the hemp plants eradicated by law enforcement are remnants of US-government subsidized crops that existed prior to World War II. "Virtually all wild hemp goes unharvested and presents no legitimate threat to public safety," he said. "As such, it should be of no concern to the federal government or law enforcement."

According to DEA figures, Indiana reported seizing over 212 million ditchweed plants - far more than any other state. Missouri law enforcement confiscated some 4.5 million plants, and Kansas reported eradicating approximately 1.2 million plants. More than half of all states failed to report their ditchweed totals.

California led all 50 states in the number of cultivated cannabis plants eradicated in 2005, with the DEA reporting that more than 2 million plants had been destroyed.

The Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program is a joint federal and state effort funded, in part, by the DEA.

STATE LEADERS:
DITCHWEED ERADICATED (2005)
Indiana (212,441,768 plants confiscated)
Missouri (4,529,695 plants confiscated)
Kansas (1,177,976 plants confiscated)
Wisconsin (272,650 plants confiscated)
Oklahoma (100,736 plants confiscated)

STATE LEADERS: 
CULTIVATED CANNABIS** ERADICATED (2005)
California (2,011,277 plants confiscated)
Kentucky (510,502 plants confiscated)
Tennessee (440,362 plants confiscated)
Hawaii (255,113 plants eradicated)
Washington (136,165 plants confiscated)

**DEA footnote: "May include 'tended' ditchweed."


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## LdyLunatic (Sep 8, 2006)

*British And European Drug Regulators To Decide Approval Of Prescription Pot Spray*

September 7, 2006 - Salisbury, United Kingdom

Salisbury, United Kingdom: Representatives of the British biotechnology firm GW Pharmaceuticals filed a request this week with European and UK drug regulators for approval of Sativex, an oral spray consisting of natural cannabis extracts, for the symptomatic treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Sativex is currently available by prescription in Canada and on a limited basis in Spain and Great Britain for patients suffering from neuropathic pain, Multiple Sclerosis, and other conditions.

Regulators from the United Kingdom, Denmark, Spain, and the Netherlands will review the request, which includes clinical data on the use of Sativex in nearly 700 patients with MS. In clinical trials, Sativex has been demonstrated to alleviate numerous MS-associated symptoms compared to placebo, including pain, muscle spasms, and bladder incontinence.

British drug regulators will consult with officials from each of the three countries before rendering a decision. If the UK endorses the drug, it will receive simultaneous regulatory approval from all three nations.

GW officials initially sought to gain approval for Sativex in 2003, but were told by British drug regulators that further clinical evidence of the drug's efficacy was necessary before they would consider approving it for licensing in the UK. 

Separate clinical trials investigating the use of Sativex for the treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain and cancer pain are ongoing.


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## LdyLunatic (Sep 15, 2006)

*Week of September 13, 2006*

*New NORML Report Summarizes The Role of Cannabis in Moderating Disease Progression* - - Review Of 120+ Recent Scientific Trials Reveals That In US, Politics Trumps Science
September 13, 2006 - Washington, DC, USA

Washington, DC: Recently published clinical and preclinical research on the therapeutic use of cannabis indicates that cannabinoids may curb the progression of various life-threatening diseases - in particular, autoimmune disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, as well as neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (a.k.a. Lou Gehrig's disease) - according to a comprehensive new report published today by the NORML Foundation. 

The NORML Foundation report summarizes over 120 recently published trials assessing the therapeutic utility of cannabinoids for the treatment of fifteen specific disease indications: Alzheimer's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, diabetes mellitus, dystonia, fibromyalgia, gastrointestinal disorders, gliomas, hepatitis C, hypertension, incontinence, osteoporosis, pruritis, rheumatoid arthritis, sleep apnea, and Tourette's syndrome.

"Despite continued political debates regarding the recreational use of cannabis, clinical investigations of the therapeutic use of cannabinoids are now more prevalent than at any time in history," states the report's author, NORML Foundation Senior Policy Analyst Paul Armentano. "In some of these cases, modern science is now affirming longtime anecdotal reports of medicinal cannabis users. In other cases, this research is highlighting entirely new potential clinical utilities for cannabinoids."

Whereas initial clinical investigations into the therapeutic use of cannabis focused primarily on whether cannabinoids might provide symptomatic relief, investigators today are exploring the potential role of cannabinoids to inhibit the progression of several life-threatening diseases including cancer, Armentano says.

"Arguably, this latter trend represents far broader and more significant applications for cannabinoid therapeutics than researchers could have imagined some thirty or even twenty years ago," he concludes. "Unfortunately, because of the US government¹s strong public policy stance against any use of marijuana, the bulk of this modern research is taking place outside the United States and continues to go unrecognized in North America. Nevertheless, the emerging body of clinical and preclinical work published over the past six years makes it clear that the US government's stance against the therapeutic use of cannabis and cannabinoids is based on politics, not science."


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## LdyLunatic (Sep 15, 2006)

*Missouri: Federal Judge Limits Random Drug Testing Of Public Employees*

September 13, 2006 - Jefferson City, MO, USA

Jefferson City, MO: A US federal court judge this week struck down the practice of random drug testing for the majority of Missouri's Department of Mental Health (DMH) employees, finding that the blanket policy violated Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches by the state.

US District Judge Nanette Laughrey ruled Tuesday that the Department failed to demonstrate a "special need" to justify drug testing all of its employees without probable cause.

"In the end, DMH's decision to subject the Plaintiffs to random drug tests is nothing more than a 'gesture or symbol' that DMH does not approve of illegal drug use," she opined. "Every public employer has an interest in ensuring that its employees are not under the influence of illicit drugs. ... Because this interest is so pervasive, if it alone were enough to justify warrantless drug testing, the Fourth Amendment's protection for public employees would be meaningless."

The judge did uphold random drug testing as it applies to employees in state habilitation centers, determining that employees who work with this "particularly vulnerable" population may be subjected to stricter state scrutiny.

Approximately one-third of the state's 10,000 DMH employees would continue to be randomly drug tested under the ruling, said attorney Dan Viets, who brought the suit on behalf of Missouri NORML. "While the Court's order allows such testing under circumstances where there is a reason to suspect drug use, and of some employees of state habilitation centers, the most offensive and pervasive for of testing - random drug testing - has been permanently stopped by this order," he said.


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## LdyLunatic (Sep 22, 2006)

*Week of September 21, 2006*


*Arkansas: Municipal Pot Initiative Certified For November Ballot *
September 21, 2006 - Eureka Springs, AR, USA

Eureka Springs, AR: Eureka Springs city election officials confirmed this week that a municipal initiative that seeks to decriminalize minor marijuana possession offenses has been certified to appear on the November 2006 ballot. 

Sponsored by the Fayetteville/University of Arkansas chapter of NORML, the proposal direct local law enforcement to issue a summons in lieu of a criminal arrest for adults found to be in possession of up to one ounce of cannabis and or marijuana paraphernalia.

Several municipalities - including most notably Ann Arbor, Michigan and Madison, Wisconsin - have enacted local decriminalization laws. Voters in Columbia, Missouri passed a similar ballot initiative in 2004 amending the city criminal code to depenalize the possession of marijuana and/or paraphernalia to a fine-only offense.

Voters in several cities - including Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, and Santa Monica, California, as well as Missoula, Montana - will also decide on municipal ballot measures to liberalize marijuana possession laws this fall.


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## LdyLunatic (Sep 22, 2006)

*Deterrent Effect Of Workplace Drug Testing Overstated, Study Says*

September 21, 2006 - Irvine, CA, USA

Irvine, CA: Claims that workplace drug testing programs can dramatically reduce employee drug use are overstated, according to the findings of a study to be published in a forthcoming issue of the journal Health Services Research.

"Previous studies have interpreted the large negative correlation between workplace drug testing and employee substance use as representing a causal deterrent effect of drug testing," the study says. "Our results using more comprehensive data suggest that these estimates have been slightly overstated due to omitted variable bias" such as failure to account for other workplace programs (e.g., employee assistance programs) and/or whether employees who do not consume illicit drugs are more likely to work in environments that mandate drug testing.

Though the study did report a negative correlation between workplace drug testing and self reported monthly use of marijuana, the study did not conclude that workplace drug testing was necessarily associated with increased employee productivity or decreased accidents.

The study reported that US businesses spend an estimated $6 billion per year on employee drug testing programs.


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## LdyLunatic (Sep 22, 2006)

*Experts Call For Legal Cannabis To Treat Hep C Virus*

September 21, 2006 - Toronto, Ontario

Toronto, Ontario: Patients afflicted with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) should be legally permitted to use cannabis to combat treatment-related side effects of the disease, advises an international team of investigators writing in the October issue of the European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology.

The researchers issued their recommendation following the results of an observational study by the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) that found that HCV patients who used cannabis were significantly more likely to adhere to their treatment regimen than patients who didn't use it. 

Patients on HCV therapy medications typically report numerous adverse side effects - including fatigue, headaches, nausea, anorexia, depression, and insomnia that cause many of them to prematurely discontinue treatment.

Commenting on the study, investigators from Canada and Germany wrote that cannabis' "potential benefits of a higher likelihood of treatment success [for HCV patients] appear to outweigh [its] risks. ... Even before such effects are conclusively established, HCV treatment patients ... desiring to aid their treatment adherence by cannabis use should be legally permitted in doing so."

Though survey data indicates that many HCV patients use cannabis therapeutically to treat both symptoms of the disease as well as the side effects of HCV therapy, no clinical studies have been performed to assess the safety or efficacy of cannabinoids for hepatitis C treatment. In addition, a 2005 retrospective study of untreated HCV patients reported that daily cannabis smoking was associated with hepatic fibrosis. However, UCSF investigators found "no significant difference in liver fibrosis" between moderate cannabis smokers and non-users in their observational study.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at (202) 483-5500. Full text of studies, "Treatment for hepatitis C virus and cannabis use in illicit drug user patients: implications and questions" and "Cannabis use improves retention and virological outcomes in patients treated for hepatitis C," are available in the October issue of the European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology


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## LdyLunatic (Sep 22, 2006)

*Marijuana Arrests For Year 2005 -- 786,545 Tops Record High... Pot Smokers Arrested In America At A Rate Of One Every 40 Seconds*

September 18, 2006 - Washington, DC, USA

Washington, DC: Police arrested an estimated 786,545 persons for marijuana violations in 2005, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's annual Uniform Crime Report, released today. The total is the highest ever recorded by the FBI, and comprised 42.6 percent of all drug arrests in the United States.

"These numbers belie the myth that police do not target and arrest minor marijuana offenders," said NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre, who noted that at current rates, a marijuana smoker is arrested every 40 seconds in America. "This effort is a tremendous waste of criminal justice resources that diverts law enforcement personnel away from focusing on serious and violent crime, including the war on terrorism."

Of those charged with marijuana violations, approximately 88 percent some 696,074 Americans were charged with possession only. The remaining 90,471 individuals were charged with "sale/manufacture," a category that includes all cultivation offenses even those where the marijuana was being grown for personal or medical use. In past years, roughly 30 percent of those arrested were age 19 or younger.

"Present policies have done little if anything to decrease marijuana's availability or dissuade youth from trying it," St. Pierre said, noting young people in the U.S. now frequently report that they have easier access to pot than alcohol or tobacco.

The total number of marijuana arrests in the U.S. for 2005 far exceeded the total number of arrests in the U.S. for all violent crimes combined, including murder, manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

Annual marijuana arrests have more than doubled since the early 1990s.

"Arresting hundreds of thousands of Americans who smoke marijuana responsibly needlessly destroys the lives of otherwise law abiding citizens," St. Pierre said, adding that over 8 million Americans have been arrested on marijuana charges in the past decade. During this same time, arrests for cocaine and heroin have declined sharply, implying that increased enforcement of marijuana laws is being achieved at the expense of enforcing laws against the possession and trafficking of more dangerous drugs.

St. Pierre concluded: "Enforcing marijuana prohibition costs taxpayers between $10 billion and $12 billion annually and has led to the arrest of nearly 18 million Americans. Nevertheless, some 94 million Americans acknowledge having used marijuana during their lives. It makes no sense to continue to treat nearly half of all Americans as criminals for their use of a substance that poses no greater - and arguably far fewer - health risks than alcohol or tobacco. A better and more sensible solution would be to tax and regulate cannabis in a manner similar to alcohol and tobacco."

YEAR -- MARIJUANA ARRESTS

2005 -- 786,545
2004 -- 771,608
2003 -- 755,187
2002 -- 697,082
2001 -- 723,627
2000 -- 734,498
1999 -- 704,812
1998 -- 682,885
1997 -- 695,200
1996 -- 641,642
1995 -- 588,963
1994 -- 499,122
1993 -- 380,689
1992 -- 342,314
1991 -- 287,850
1990 -- 326,850


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## LdyLunatic (Oct 6, 2006)

*Week of September 28, 2006*

*Study Finds No Casual Link Between Marijuana Use And Depression*
September 28, 2006 - Baltimore, MD, USA

Baltimore, MD: Marijuana use by adults is not a statistically significant predictor of depression, according to the results of an ongoing longitudinal study to be published in the October issue of the journal Addiction. 

Investigators at John Hopkins University in Baltimore and at the Bloomberg School of Public Health in Santa Monica assessed the association between self-reported marijuana use and current depression in 8,759 adults (age range 29-37 years) over a 17-year period. Investigators concluded, "After adjusting carefully for baseline differences between adults who subsequently use marijuana and those who abstain, the significant associations that are initially present between ongoing marijuana use and depression are substantially reduced, if not eliminated."

They added, "The findings reported in this paper suggest that the associations observed between marijuana use and subsequent depression status may be attributable not to continued marijuana use, per se, but to third (common) factors associated with both the decision to use marijuana and to depression."

A separate study co-authored by NORML Advisory Board Member Dr. Mitch Earleywine and published last year in the journal Addictive Behaviors determined that adults who use cannabis report suffering from less severe incidents and/or symptoms of depression than non-users. 

"Despite comparable ranges of scores on all depression subscales, those [respondents] who used cannabis once per week or less had less depressed mood, more positive affect, and fewer somatic (physical) complaints than non-users," authors wrote. "These data suggest that adults apparently do not increase their risk for depression by using marijuana."

Commenting on the most recent study, Earleywine said, "This new data is actually markedly stronger than my earlier work because the investigators utilized a large, representative sample and conducted long-term follow up research. If marijuana use caused depression, this design model would have revealed it by showing the development of symptoms in users. There's simply no support for the idea."


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## LdyLunatic (Oct 6, 2006)

*Oral Pot Spray Aids Glaucoma Patients, Study Says *

September 28, 2006 - Oxford, United Kingdom

Oxford, United Kingdom: The oromucosal administration of natural THC extracts temporarily reduces ocular hypertension in glaucoma patients, according to the findings of a pilot study to be published in the October issue of the Journal of Glaucoma.

Six patients diagnosed with ocular hypertension or early primary open angle glaucoma participated in the randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Investigators measured the impact of THC, CBD (cannabidiol), or placebo on patients' intraocular pressure (IOP) following single dose administration. Elevated IOP can cause damage to the optic nerve and is considered to be a leading risk factor for glaucoma.

"Two hours after sublingual administration of 5 mg [of] delta-9-THC, [patients'] IOP was significantly lower than after placebo," investigators found. "[Patients'] IOP returned to baseline level after the 4-hour IOP measurement."

Investigators further reported that a single dosage of CBD had no impact on IOP in low doses (20 mg) while elevating patients' IOP at high doses (40 mg).

Clinical trials performed at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1971 first reported that inhaled cannabis temporarily reduces ocular tension. 

An estimated three million Americans suffer from glaucoma, which leads to blindness if left untreated.


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## LdyLunatic (Oct 6, 2006)

*Canadian Parliament Cuts Medical Marijuana Research Funding

*September 28, 2006 - Ottawa, Ontario

Ottawa, Ontario: Federal funding that had been earmarked to pay for clinical research on the therapeutic use of cannabis will no longer be available to investigators, under budget cuts announced this week by Canadian government officials.

The $7.5 million dollar Medical Marijuana Research Program (MMRP) , initially established in 1999, was axed as part of a government proposal to eliminate $2 billion in federal programs. A separate Health Canada program that oversees the production and distribution of medical cannabis to federally authorized patients will remain in place, at least temporarily, despite the cuts. Fewer than 300 Canadian patients are estimated to use cannabis provided by Health Canada due to its reportedly poor quality.

Despite earmarking funding for cannabis research, only one clinical trial investigating marijuana's therapeutic potential was ever approved by Canadian health regulators. That study, which seeks to assess the safety and efficacy of smoked cannabis in chronic pain patients, remains ongoing.


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## LdyLunatic (Oct 6, 2006)

*Week Of October 5, 2006 *

*California: Medical Pot Patients May Receive Financial Reimbursement*
October 5, 2006 - Sacramento, CA, USA

Sacramento, CA: The purchase of medicinal cannabis by state-authorized patients is a "bona fide" medical expense and may be covered in part by California's Medical Assistance program (Medi-Cal), according to a decision released last week by the director of the California Department of Health Services (DHS). 

The plaintiff in the case, who uses medical cannabis under her physician's supervision to alleviate symptoms of lupus and reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), sought financial reimbursement from the state's medical assistance program for several thousand dollars of expenses she incurred in 2003 and 2004 from the purchase of medicinal marijuana.

Writing on behalf of the DHS, director Sandra Shewry determined that the expenses incurred by the plaintiff should be reimbursed by the agency. "State law recognizes the medical use of marijuana," she wrote. "When used consistent with the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 and [the] Medical Marijuana Program Act, DHS considers medical marijuana [to be] a bona fide medical expense."

The Office of Legal Affairs of the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) offered legal assistance in the case.


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## LdyLunatic (Oct 6, 2006)

*North Carolina To Study Economic Impact Of Hemp Cultivation *

October 5, 2006 - Raleigh, NC, USA

Raleigh, NC: State officials will assess the economic and environmental feasibility of industrial hemp production, following the approval of legislation authorizing an independent commission to study the domestic production of the agricultural crop.

As enacted by the legislature, "The Beneficial Uses of Industrial Hemp Act," creates a commission to study the "economic opportunities industrial hemp provides to the state and to consider the desirability and feasibility of authorizing industrial hemp cultivation and production as a farm product in North Carolina."

The commission is anticipated to report its findings and recommendations to the 2007 General Assembly and the Environmental Review Commission by December 1, 2006.

Previous state-sponsored hemp studies commissioned in North Dakota, Kentucky, and elsewhere have estimated that hemp cultivation could yield farmers revenues from $320 to $600 per acre.

Earlier this week, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) vetoed legislation that sought to establish regulations governing commercial hemp cultivation by state-authorized farmers, stating that federal law makes no legal distinction between hemp grown for industrial purposes and cannabis.

According to a 2005 Congressional Research Service report, "The United States is the only developed nation in which industrial hemp is not an established crop."


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## LdyLunatic (Oct 6, 2006)

*Cannabis Spray Reduces Pain, Spasticity, And Incontinence, Trial Data Says*

October 5, 2006 - London, United Kingdom

London, United Kingdom: Clinical trial data presented at the 22nd Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) and at the 10th Congress of the European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS) demonstrates that the administration of cannabis extracts can reduce feelings of neuropathic pain, as well as spasticity and incontinence in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and other diseases.

Investigators at the EFNS conference reported that subjects who continue their use of cannabis extracts long-term maintain reductions in pain, spasticity, and bladder dysfunction, as well as improvements in sleep quality for periods of up to 100 weeks. Researchers evaluated the long-term use of Sativex, an oral spray consisting of natural cannabis extracts, compared to placebo in 507 patients who elected to continue using the drug in an extended, open label clinical trial. Subjects who participated in the follow-up trial did not report developing tolerance to Sativex, and most characterized the drug's side effects as being mild or moderate in severity.

Separate trial data presented this week at ECTRIMS also reported that Sativex administration significantly reduces MS-associated spasticity and has a positive impact on MS-associated incontinence and nocturia. 

Clinical trial data published earlier this year in The International Urogynecology Journal reported that both cannabis extracts and oral doses of THC reduced episodes of bladder incontinence in subjects by 38 percent and 33 percent respectively.

Sativex is currently available by prescription in Canada and on a limited basis in Spain and the United Kingdom for patients suffering from MS-associated neuropathy and other symptoms. European and UK regulators are currently reviewing a request to allow for the broader prescription use of the drug in Great Britain, Denmark, Spain, and the Netherlands.


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