The city says it's seeking documents from five operations in town to figure out if they are legal. The dispensaries refused, in part, on privacy and constitutional grounds.
An Orange County Superior Court judge is expected to rule on Oct. 2 whether to enforce Dana Point's subpoenas for five medical marijuana dispensaries' records as part of a city investigation.
The dispensaries, among other objections to the subpoenas, say the city did not follow proper procedure to issue a subpoena.
The city in July served the subpoenas for records to those operating marijuana dispensaries following a request to amend zoning laws to permit dispensaries, city attorney Patrick Munoz said.
The city does not have a specific ordinance prohibiting medical marijuana dispensaries. But that does not mean the operations are permitted, like many other uses not specifically addressed in municipal codes, said Munoz.
Before making any decision, the council wanted to determine if existing dispensaries are complying with state laws or if they are operating illegally, he said.
The subpoenas followed, but the five dispensaries have not complied.
One of the dispensaries argued that the city's request for records among other reasons violates medical and financial privacy rights of its members, the Fifth Amendment's protection against self incrimination and the Second Amendment protection of freedom of association.
FOR FULL STORY CLICK ON TITLE...
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The Mainstream Media's 5 Favorite Marijuana Myths
Here are 5 recent stories the mainstream media doesn't want you to know about pot:
1. Marijuana Use Is Not Associated With a Rise in Incidences of Schizophrenia
Over the past few years, the worldwide media, as well as federal officials in the United Kingdom, Canada and the U.S. have earnestly promoted the notion that smoking pot induces mental illness.
Perhaps most notably, in 2007 the MSM reported that cannabis "could boost the risk of developing a psychotic illness later in life by about 40 percent" -- a talking point that was also actively promoted by U.S. anti-drug officials. So, is there any truth to the claim that pot smoking is sparking a dramatic rise in mental illness? Not at all, according to the findings of a study published in July in the journal Schizophrenia Research.
Investigators at the Keele University Medical School in Britain compared trends in marijuana use and incidences of schizophrenia in the United Kingdom from 1996 to 2005. Researchers reported that the "incidence and prevalence of schizophrenia and psychoses were either stable or declining" during this period, even the use of cannabis among the general population was rising.
"[T]he expected rise in diagnoses of schizophrenia and psychoses did not occur over a 10-year period," the authors concluded. "This study does not therefore support the specific causal link between cannabis use and incidence of psychotic disorders. ... This concurs with other reports indicating that increases in population cannabis use have not been followed by increases in psychotic incidence."
As of this writing, a handful of news wire reports in Australia, Canada, and the U.K. have reported on the Keele University study. Notably, no American media outlets covered the story.
2. Marijuana Smoke Doesn't Damage the Lungs Like TobaccoEveryone knows that smoking pot is as damaging, if not more damaging, to the lungs than puffing cigarettes, right? Wrong, according to a team of New Zealand investigators writing in the European Respiratory Journal in August. Researchers at the University of Otago in New Zealand compared the effects of cannabis and tobacco smoke on lung function in over 1,000 adults.
They reported: "Cumulative cannabis use was associated with higher forced vital capacity [the volume of air that can forcibly be blown out after full inspiration], total lung capacity, functional residual capacity [the volume of air present in the lungs at the end of passive expiration] and residual volume.
"Cannabis was also associated with higher airways resistance but not with forced expiratory volume in one second [the maximum volume of air that can be forcibly blown out in the first second during the FVC test], forced expiratory ratio, or transfer factor. These findings were similar amongst those who did not smoke tobacco... By contrast, tobacco use was associated with lower forced expiratory volume in one second, lower forced expiratory ratio, lower transfer factor and higher static lung volumes, but not with airways resistance."
They concluded, "Cannabis appears to have different effects on lung function to those of tobacco." Predictably, the scientists' "inconvenient truth" was not reported in a single media outlet.
3. Cannabis Use Potentially Protects, Rather Than Harms, the Brain
Does smoking pot kill brain cells? Drinking alcohol most certainly does, and many opponents of marijuana-law reform claim that marijuana's adverse effects on the brain are even worse. Are they correct? Not according to recent findings published this summer in the journal Neurotoxicology and Teratology.
Investigators at the University of California at San Diego examined white matter integrity in adolescents with histories of binge drinking and marijuana use. They reported that binge drinkers ( defined as boys who consumed five or more drinks in one sitting, or girls who consumed four or more drinks at one time ) showed signs of white matter damage in eight regions of the brain.
By contrast, the binge drinkers who also used marijuana experienced less damage in 7 out of the 8 brain regions. "Binge drinkers who also use marijuana did not show as consistent a divergence from non-users as did the binge drink-only group," authors concluded. "[It is] possible that marijuana may have some neuroprotective properties in mitigating alcohol-related oxidative stress or excitotoxic cell death."
To date, only a handful of U.S. media outlets -- almost exclusively college newspapers -- have reported the story.
4. Marijuana Is a Terminus, Not a 'Gateway,' to Hard Drug UseAlarmist claims that experimenting with cannabis will inevitably lead to the use of other illicit drugs persist in the media despite statistical data indicating that the overwhelming majority of those who try pot never go on to use cocaine or heroin.
Moreover, recent research is emerging that indicates that pot may also suppress one's desire to use so-called hard drugs. In June, Paris researchers writing in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology concluded that the administration of oral THC in animals suppressed sensitivity to opiate dependence.
Also this summer, investigators at the New York State Psychiatric Institute reported in the American Journal on Addictions that drug-treatment subjects who use cannabis intermittently were more likely to adhere to treatment for opioid dependence.
Although a press release for the former study appeared on the Web site physorg.com on July 7, neither study ever gained any traction in the mainstream media.
5. Government's Anti-Pot Ads Encourage, Rather Than Discourage, Marijuana Use
Sure, many of us already knew that the federal government's $2 billion ad campaign targeting pot was failing to dissuade viewers from toking up, but who knew it was this bad?
According to a new study posted online in the journal Health Communication, survey data published by investigators at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania found that many of the government's public-service announcements actually encouraged pot use.
Researchers assessed the attitudes of over 600 adolescents, age 12 to 18, after viewing 60 government-funded anti-marijuana television spots. Specifically, researchers evaluated whether the presence of marijuana-related imagery in the ads ( e.g., the handling of marijuana cigarettes or the depiction of marijuana-smoking behavior ) were more likely or less likely to discourage viewers' use of cannabis.
Messages that depict teens associating with cannabis are "significantly less effective than others," the researchers found. "This negative impact of marijuana scenes is not reversed in the presence of strong anti-marijuana arguments in the ads and is mainly present for the group of adolescents who are often targets of such anti-marijuana ads ( i.e., high-risk adolescents )," the authors determined. "For this segment of adolescents, including marijuana scenes in anti-marijuana ( public-service announcements ) may not be a good strategy."
CLICK ON TITLE FOR FULL STORY....
1. Marijuana Use Is Not Associated With a Rise in Incidences of Schizophrenia
Over the past few years, the worldwide media, as well as federal officials in the United Kingdom, Canada and the U.S. have earnestly promoted the notion that smoking pot induces mental illness.
Perhaps most notably, in 2007 the MSM reported that cannabis "could boost the risk of developing a psychotic illness later in life by about 40 percent" -- a talking point that was also actively promoted by U.S. anti-drug officials. So, is there any truth to the claim that pot smoking is sparking a dramatic rise in mental illness? Not at all, according to the findings of a study published in July in the journal Schizophrenia Research.
Investigators at the Keele University Medical School in Britain compared trends in marijuana use and incidences of schizophrenia in the United Kingdom from 1996 to 2005. Researchers reported that the "incidence and prevalence of schizophrenia and psychoses were either stable or declining" during this period, even the use of cannabis among the general population was rising.
"[T]he expected rise in diagnoses of schizophrenia and psychoses did not occur over a 10-year period," the authors concluded. "This study does not therefore support the specific causal link between cannabis use and incidence of psychotic disorders. ... This concurs with other reports indicating that increases in population cannabis use have not been followed by increases in psychotic incidence."
As of this writing, a handful of news wire reports in Australia, Canada, and the U.K. have reported on the Keele University study. Notably, no American media outlets covered the story.
2. Marijuana Smoke Doesn't Damage the Lungs Like TobaccoEveryone knows that smoking pot is as damaging, if not more damaging, to the lungs than puffing cigarettes, right? Wrong, according to a team of New Zealand investigators writing in the European Respiratory Journal in August. Researchers at the University of Otago in New Zealand compared the effects of cannabis and tobacco smoke on lung function in over 1,000 adults.
They reported: "Cumulative cannabis use was associated with higher forced vital capacity [the volume of air that can forcibly be blown out after full inspiration], total lung capacity, functional residual capacity [the volume of air present in the lungs at the end of passive expiration] and residual volume.
"Cannabis was also associated with higher airways resistance but not with forced expiratory volume in one second [the maximum volume of air that can be forcibly blown out in the first second during the FVC test], forced expiratory ratio, or transfer factor. These findings were similar amongst those who did not smoke tobacco... By contrast, tobacco use was associated with lower forced expiratory volume in one second, lower forced expiratory ratio, lower transfer factor and higher static lung volumes, but not with airways resistance."
They concluded, "Cannabis appears to have different effects on lung function to those of tobacco." Predictably, the scientists' "inconvenient truth" was not reported in a single media outlet.
3. Cannabis Use Potentially Protects, Rather Than Harms, the Brain
Does smoking pot kill brain cells? Drinking alcohol most certainly does, and many opponents of marijuana-law reform claim that marijuana's adverse effects on the brain are even worse. Are they correct? Not according to recent findings published this summer in the journal Neurotoxicology and Teratology.
Investigators at the University of California at San Diego examined white matter integrity in adolescents with histories of binge drinking and marijuana use. They reported that binge drinkers ( defined as boys who consumed five or more drinks in one sitting, or girls who consumed four or more drinks at one time ) showed signs of white matter damage in eight regions of the brain.
By contrast, the binge drinkers who also used marijuana experienced less damage in 7 out of the 8 brain regions. "Binge drinkers who also use marijuana did not show as consistent a divergence from non-users as did the binge drink-only group," authors concluded. "[It is] possible that marijuana may have some neuroprotective properties in mitigating alcohol-related oxidative stress or excitotoxic cell death."
To date, only a handful of U.S. media outlets -- almost exclusively college newspapers -- have reported the story.
4. Marijuana Is a Terminus, Not a 'Gateway,' to Hard Drug UseAlarmist claims that experimenting with cannabis will inevitably lead to the use of other illicit drugs persist in the media despite statistical data indicating that the overwhelming majority of those who try pot never go on to use cocaine or heroin.
Moreover, recent research is emerging that indicates that pot may also suppress one's desire to use so-called hard drugs. In June, Paris researchers writing in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology concluded that the administration of oral THC in animals suppressed sensitivity to opiate dependence.
Also this summer, investigators at the New York State Psychiatric Institute reported in the American Journal on Addictions that drug-treatment subjects who use cannabis intermittently were more likely to adhere to treatment for opioid dependence.
Although a press release for the former study appeared on the Web site physorg.com on July 7, neither study ever gained any traction in the mainstream media.
5. Government's Anti-Pot Ads Encourage, Rather Than Discourage, Marijuana Use
Sure, many of us already knew that the federal government's $2 billion ad campaign targeting pot was failing to dissuade viewers from toking up, but who knew it was this bad?
According to a new study posted online in the journal Health Communication, survey data published by investigators at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania found that many of the government's public-service announcements actually encouraged pot use.
Researchers assessed the attitudes of over 600 adolescents, age 12 to 18, after viewing 60 government-funded anti-marijuana television spots. Specifically, researchers evaluated whether the presence of marijuana-related imagery in the ads ( e.g., the handling of marijuana cigarettes or the depiction of marijuana-smoking behavior ) were more likely or less likely to discourage viewers' use of cannabis.
Messages that depict teens associating with cannabis are "significantly less effective than others," the researchers found. "This negative impact of marijuana scenes is not reversed in the presence of strong anti-marijuana arguments in the ads and is mainly present for the group of adolescents who are often targets of such anti-marijuana ads ( i.e., high-risk adolescents )," the authors determined. "For this segment of adolescents, including marijuana scenes in anti-marijuana ( public-service announcements ) may not be a good strategy."
CLICK ON TITLE FOR FULL STORY....
Booming Medical Pot Sales Concern Officials
LOS ANGELES — Almost 13 years after California became the first state to allow the sale of marijuana for some medical conditions storefront purveyors of the drug are nearly as easy to find as a taco stand.
Yet police and prosecutors say the law is vague on who can sell pot and in what circumstances. They worry that the state unwittingly created safe havens for drug pushers who are doping the population with immunity.
"They appear to be run by drug dealers who see an opening in the market and a way to make a fast buck," says San Diego district attorney Bonnie Dumanis, who says every pot store her office has looked at is operating illegally.
The tangle of regulations and alleged criminality that has followed in the aftermath of California's first in the nation medical marijuana law is hardly restricted to the Golden State.
Thirteen states, from New England to the Pacific Northwest, have passed laws by ballot or legislative action permitting marijuana possession for some medical reasons even though the drug is illegal under federal law.
Some, like Rhode Island, where a medical marijuana law passed in 2006, officials are still trying to figure out how to set up places where people can buy the drug. In Colorado, which approved medical marijuana sales in 2000, cities are passing moratoriums to halt the blossoming of marijuana stores. New Mexico's lone non-profit licensed to distribute pot is overwhelmed by demand.
In Washington state, a legal dispute rages over whether the law permits people to just grow their own pot or also buy it from dispensaries.
Stewart Richlin, lawyer for more than 150 medical marijuana collectives in Southern California, says states that legalize medical marijuana must accept the commerce that follows.
"Once we acknowledge patients have a right to cannabis, they have to get it somewhere," he says.
The medical marijuana movement was begun by advocates who say pot can provide relief for a wide range of illnesses, from AIDS to arthritis. Why should people suffer when pot can help, they say?
"It's highly effective in certain circumstances," San Diego physician Bob Blake says.
Critics say a law meant to benefit a relatively few number of patients is being exploited by entrepreneurs who are making big money.
Los Angeles Police Lt. Paul Torrence says the department investigated a clinic in the fashionable Venice area that was doing up to $140,000 in sales a month. In San Diego, where authorities this month shut down 14 medical marijuana sellers, Dumanis said at least one was operating on that scale as well, over $700,000 in six months.
City Council members Janice Hahn and Dennis Zine, in proposing Los Angeles tax medical marijuana sales, point to Oakland, where they say four licensed dispensaries had gross sales of $19.6 million in 2008.
CLICK ON TITLE FOR FULL STORY......
Blog Notes: Apparently, this is a bigger business than anyone really anticipated. With these kinds of sales, it is obvious that this industry is on the verge of exploding. Medical Marijuana, Inc. is providing solutions for both the government and the dispensary owner. Their Tax Remittance Card, allows the taxes to be automatically dispersed into a dedicated account for tax remittance. As the industry evolves Medical Marijuana, Inc. intends to be the market leader in providing quick, easy payment solutions.
Yet police and prosecutors say the law is vague on who can sell pot and in what circumstances. They worry that the state unwittingly created safe havens for drug pushers who are doping the population with immunity.
"They appear to be run by drug dealers who see an opening in the market and a way to make a fast buck," says San Diego district attorney Bonnie Dumanis, who says every pot store her office has looked at is operating illegally.
The tangle of regulations and alleged criminality that has followed in the aftermath of California's first in the nation medical marijuana law is hardly restricted to the Golden State.
Thirteen states, from New England to the Pacific Northwest, have passed laws by ballot or legislative action permitting marijuana possession for some medical reasons even though the drug is illegal under federal law.
Some, like Rhode Island, where a medical marijuana law passed in 2006, officials are still trying to figure out how to set up places where people can buy the drug. In Colorado, which approved medical marijuana sales in 2000, cities are passing moratoriums to halt the blossoming of marijuana stores. New Mexico's lone non-profit licensed to distribute pot is overwhelmed by demand.
In Washington state, a legal dispute rages over whether the law permits people to just grow their own pot or also buy it from dispensaries.
Stewart Richlin, lawyer for more than 150 medical marijuana collectives in Southern California, says states that legalize medical marijuana must accept the commerce that follows.
"Once we acknowledge patients have a right to cannabis, they have to get it somewhere," he says.
The medical marijuana movement was begun by advocates who say pot can provide relief for a wide range of illnesses, from AIDS to arthritis. Why should people suffer when pot can help, they say?
"It's highly effective in certain circumstances," San Diego physician Bob Blake says.
Critics say a law meant to benefit a relatively few number of patients is being exploited by entrepreneurs who are making big money.
Los Angeles Police Lt. Paul Torrence says the department investigated a clinic in the fashionable Venice area that was doing up to $140,000 in sales a month. In San Diego, where authorities this month shut down 14 medical marijuana sellers, Dumanis said at least one was operating on that scale as well, over $700,000 in six months.
City Council members Janice Hahn and Dennis Zine, in proposing Los Angeles tax medical marijuana sales, point to Oakland, where they say four licensed dispensaries had gross sales of $19.6 million in 2008.
CLICK ON TITLE FOR FULL STORY......
Blog Notes: Apparently, this is a bigger business than anyone really anticipated. With these kinds of sales, it is obvious that this industry is on the verge of exploding. Medical Marijuana, Inc. is providing solutions for both the government and the dispensary owner. Their Tax Remittance Card, allows the taxes to be automatically dispersed into a dedicated account for tax remittance. As the industry evolves Medical Marijuana, Inc. intends to be the market leader in providing quick, easy payment solutions.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Pot Advocates Think Legalization Is Nearer
The 38th annual national convention for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws wraps up today at the downtown Grand Hyatt, and groups of medical marijuana users have been casually passing joints on the outdoor patio. It’s probably what some visitors from Des Moines were afraid would happen when they landed in the marquee city of the Left Coast.
But NORML delegates, basking in the glow of their Barack Obama themed-convention motto - “Yes We Can-nabis” - are convinced this isn’t a fringe issue any more.
“There is no doubt that today, Sept. 25, 2009, is the moment of genuine zeitgeist to decriminalizing marijuana in America,” said Allen St. Pierre, the executive director of NORML. “This conference represents that we are at that tipping point.”
Maybe in the Bay Area, but I doubt voters in conservative Orange County will be thrilled to vote for the Regulate, Control, and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010.
The cannabis act was endorsed Friday by Oakland mayoral candidate and former Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata. Perata was supposed to appear at the conference, but was ill and was not available for comment.
The act would make it lawful for anyone over the age of 21 to “possess, share, or transport not more than one ounce of cannabis.” The act is currently gaining signatures in a petition drive to make the ballot, but it seems more like a first step than a popular vote winner.
The same can be said about State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano’s bill, the Marijuana Control, Regulation, and Education Act, which he says could raise as much as $1 billion. Ammiano insists that even right-wingers will see the benefits of legal pot.
“It’s not the wedge issue it once was,” he said after speaking to hundreds of delegates at the NORML morning session. “When they see that the sales of pot to adults is financing a health clinic, they will see why it will work.”
CLICK ON TITLE FOR FULL STORY....
But NORML delegates, basking in the glow of their Barack Obama themed-convention motto - “Yes We Can-nabis” - are convinced this isn’t a fringe issue any more.
“There is no doubt that today, Sept. 25, 2009, is the moment of genuine zeitgeist to decriminalizing marijuana in America,” said Allen St. Pierre, the executive director of NORML. “This conference represents that we are at that tipping point.”
Maybe in the Bay Area, but I doubt voters in conservative Orange County will be thrilled to vote for the Regulate, Control, and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010.
The cannabis act was endorsed Friday by Oakland mayoral candidate and former Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata. Perata was supposed to appear at the conference, but was ill and was not available for comment.
The act would make it lawful for anyone over the age of 21 to “possess, share, or transport not more than one ounce of cannabis.” The act is currently gaining signatures in a petition drive to make the ballot, but it seems more like a first step than a popular vote winner.
The same can be said about State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano’s bill, the Marijuana Control, Regulation, and Education Act, which he says could raise as much as $1 billion. Ammiano insists that even right-wingers will see the benefits of legal pot.
“It’s not the wedge issue it once was,” he said after speaking to hundreds of delegates at the NORML morning session. “When they see that the sales of pot to adults is financing a health clinic, they will see why it will work.”
CLICK ON TITLE FOR FULL STORY....
Twitter High: California Group Sells Medical Marijuana Online
Artists Collective, a non-profit California medical marijuana delivery service, is now Twittering out its goods, and all it takes to get high is a doctor's note. They've got everything from brownies to blunts and the delivery is free. Rather than whispering "weed" to passersby, the solicitation is like this:
ArtistsCollectve BB Kush, NY Soma, SD Strom, Forrest G, Green C, Baby Crunch, Spy Diesel, buy 1/4 get gram free. Baked goods, Grams, Joints avail.
4:06 PM Jun 29th from web
Dann Halem, 34, started the project about 18 months ago to raise money for California artists, and it's entirely legal, under California's medical marijuana laws. However, the Artists Collective could still be raided at any time by the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents. Medical marijuana operations are still technically in violation of federal law, despite being legalized by more than a dozen states.
CLICK ON TITLE FOR FULL STORY...
ArtistsCollectve BB Kush, NY Soma, SD Strom, Forrest G, Green C, Baby Crunch, Spy Diesel, buy 1/4 get gram free. Baked goods, Grams, Joints avail.
4:06 PM Jun 29th from web
Dann Halem, 34, started the project about 18 months ago to raise money for California artists, and it's entirely legal, under California's medical marijuana laws. However, the Artists Collective could still be raided at any time by the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents. Medical marijuana operations are still technically in violation of federal law, despite being legalized by more than a dozen states.
CLICK ON TITLE FOR FULL STORY...
STUDY SHOWS SMOKING MARIJUANA MAY PREVENT ALCOHOL-RELATED IMPAIRMENTS
A study conducted at the University of California-San Diego discovered that marijuana is not only safer than alcohol, but also protects the brain from damages caused by excessive drinking.
Patrick Stack, director of counseling at Webster University, said any individual has the risk of misusing these types of substances.
"The problem of any type of drug usage originates when a person abuses a drug," Stack said. "As a result of this abuse, the drug has more influence on the person than the person has over him-or herself."
Bruce Mirken, director of communications of the Marijuana Policy Project ( MPP ), said he encourages the legalization of marijuana. MPP is an organization founded in 1995 that advocates regulated use of marijuana in the U.S.
Mirken said marijuana is a less addictive, less toxic and less threatening drug than alcohol.
"According to the Institute of Medicine, 15 percent of people who drink ( it ) become dependent on alcohol," Mirken said. "For marijuana, the figure is 9 percent."
Furthermore, Mirken said marijuana doesn't have the typical effects alcohol has on people.
"Unlike alcohol, marijuana doesn't make people reckless, aggressive and violent," Mirken said.
Not only did Mirken say he believes marijuana is safer than alcohol, he said he also believes it presents great medical value to patients with AIDS, cancer and Multiple Sclerosis.
CLICK ON TITLE FOR FULL STORY...
Patrick Stack, director of counseling at Webster University, said any individual has the risk of misusing these types of substances.
"The problem of any type of drug usage originates when a person abuses a drug," Stack said. "As a result of this abuse, the drug has more influence on the person than the person has over him-or herself."
Bruce Mirken, director of communications of the Marijuana Policy Project ( MPP ), said he encourages the legalization of marijuana. MPP is an organization founded in 1995 that advocates regulated use of marijuana in the U.S.
Mirken said marijuana is a less addictive, less toxic and less threatening drug than alcohol.
"According to the Institute of Medicine, 15 percent of people who drink ( it ) become dependent on alcohol," Mirken said. "For marijuana, the figure is 9 percent."
Furthermore, Mirken said marijuana doesn't have the typical effects alcohol has on people.
"Unlike alcohol, marijuana doesn't make people reckless, aggressive and violent," Mirken said.
Not only did Mirken say he believes marijuana is safer than alcohol, he said he also believes it presents great medical value to patients with AIDS, cancer and Multiple Sclerosis.
CLICK ON TITLE FOR FULL STORY...
WAMMfest: Santa Cruz Medical Marijuana Festival Goes Off Without A Hitch
SANTA CRUZ -- Although smoking was not allowed at the WAMMfest on Saturday due to a planning mix-up, the annual celebration of medical marijuana still filled San Lorenzo Park with hundreds of patients and supporters.
Without an exemption to the city's no-smoking rules in the park, WAMMfest organizers patrolled the park and handed out fliers stating that smoking was not allowed this year. In the past, organizers have set up tents in the park where medical marijuana patients could inhale their medicine.
"What we're trying to do is respect the laws and keep it safe and fun," WAMM board member Suzanne Pfeil said. "We don't want anyone to receive a citation."
Santa Cruz police said they would not increase the number of officers on duty Saturday afternoon for WAMMfest. However, they said those on duty would issue citations if the park's no-smoking rules were not followed.
"Organizers of the event were very respectful and responsive to any inquiries park staff had who were doing their regular patrols of the park," Santa Cruz police Lt. Rick Martinez said. "There was a small smoking tent but it wasn't located on park property. We estimated the crowds to be around 200-300 people. Overall I think it was a success for the organizers."
CLICK ON TITLE FOR FULL STORY...
Without an exemption to the city's no-smoking rules in the park, WAMMfest organizers patrolled the park and handed out fliers stating that smoking was not allowed this year. In the past, organizers have set up tents in the park where medical marijuana patients could inhale their medicine.
"What we're trying to do is respect the laws and keep it safe and fun," WAMM board member Suzanne Pfeil said. "We don't want anyone to receive a citation."
Santa Cruz police said they would not increase the number of officers on duty Saturday afternoon for WAMMfest. However, they said those on duty would issue citations if the park's no-smoking rules were not followed.
"Organizers of the event were very respectful and responsive to any inquiries park staff had who were doing their regular patrols of the park," Santa Cruz police Lt. Rick Martinez said. "There was a small smoking tent but it wasn't located on park property. We estimated the crowds to be around 200-300 people. Overall I think it was a success for the organizers."
CLICK ON TITLE FOR FULL STORY...
420 Times Launches eNewsletter For Medical Marijuana Users
September 29, 2009 -- The 420 Times, Southern California’s leading magazine of medical marijuana and natural healing, has launched the Smoke Signal, its email eNewsletter aimed to benefit users of medicinal marijuana.
The Smoke Signal eNewsletter covers a wide range of content, including the latest news on medical marijuana legislation, coupons for dispensaries and cooperatives, as well as tips and advice regarding medical marijuana use.
“With so much misinformation on the internet, it’s hard to find a reliable resource to keep track of what’s happening in the world of medical marijuana,” notes Brian Lancer, editor of The 420 Times. “We conceived the Smoke Signal eNewsletter as a trustworthy source of the latest medical marijuana news and legislation, things every medical marijuana user should know.”
Also keeping in mind the lingering economic recession, the eNewsletter provides exclusive coupons to save money on medical marijuana. “We understand that the faltering economy has put everyone, including users of medical marijuana, in a financial pinch,” explains Lancer. “That’s why we’ll be including local coupons, offers and upcoming events for medical marijuana dispensaries and cooperatives—we want to give back to our readers.”
Furthermore, people who sign up for the eNewsletter are eligible to win a Volcano™ Vaporizer. The Volcano Vaporizer system is known for being the most technologically advanced professional vaporizer available with its precision air temperature control and reliability.
People interested in the Smoke Signal eNewsletter can sign up at: www.the420times.com.
The 420 Times reports monthly on the latest legal, medical, and business trends in the emerging field of medical marijuana and natural healing. Focusing primarily on the needs of medical marijuana users in Southern California, The 420 Times and its companion web site, The420Times.com, are also among the most informed sources of information for readers from The High Desert to Long Beach and all of Los Angeles County.
CLICK ON TITLE FOR FULL STORY...
The Smoke Signal eNewsletter covers a wide range of content, including the latest news on medical marijuana legislation, coupons for dispensaries and cooperatives, as well as tips and advice regarding medical marijuana use.
“With so much misinformation on the internet, it’s hard to find a reliable resource to keep track of what’s happening in the world of medical marijuana,” notes Brian Lancer, editor of The 420 Times. “We conceived the Smoke Signal eNewsletter as a trustworthy source of the latest medical marijuana news and legislation, things every medical marijuana user should know.”
Also keeping in mind the lingering economic recession, the eNewsletter provides exclusive coupons to save money on medical marijuana. “We understand that the faltering economy has put everyone, including users of medical marijuana, in a financial pinch,” explains Lancer. “That’s why we’ll be including local coupons, offers and upcoming events for medical marijuana dispensaries and cooperatives—we want to give back to our readers.”
Furthermore, people who sign up for the eNewsletter are eligible to win a Volcano™ Vaporizer. The Volcano Vaporizer system is known for being the most technologically advanced professional vaporizer available with its precision air temperature control and reliability.
People interested in the Smoke Signal eNewsletter can sign up at: www.the420times.com.
The 420 Times reports monthly on the latest legal, medical, and business trends in the emerging field of medical marijuana and natural healing. Focusing primarily on the needs of medical marijuana users in Southern California, The 420 Times and its companion web site, The420Times.com, are also among the most informed sources of information for readers from The High Desert to Long Beach and all of Los Angeles County.
CLICK ON TITLE FOR FULL STORY...
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