tagged w/ Jack Herer
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Researchers in Canberra have helped develop a DNA database for cannabis to help police investigators better track the illegal drug.
The Australian National University and Canberra's TAFE worked with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) on the project.
The AFP's Forensic and Data Centre manager, James Robertson, says it has taken more than a decade to develop the technology, which will help detect bigger drug busts.
"An investigator might have a number of cannabis seizures, but no way to show whether they're related or not and through this technique you'll be able to compare them and look to see if they've had a common source," he said.
"If there's other investigative information then that might show that there's been a conspiracy to grow say a commercial quantity."Researchers in Canberra have helped develop a DNA database for cannabis to help police... more
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DRUG TESTING OF TEACHERS NECESSARY?
School superintendents are reluctant to test teachers for illegal drug use, even though most believe they have the right to do so.
That was the finding of a University of New Hampshire study that polled superintendents across the country, asking whether their district has policies on drug testing teachers, and whether they would support such policies.
The Telegraph's informal survey of local school districts found none that have implemented drug-testing policies for teachers.
For example, Robert Suprenant, superintendent in Milford, said there is drug testing done for school bus drivers but not for teachers.
"I can't say that I would see the need for that," he said. "It's not really something that's been considered."
The UNH study, titled "To Test or Not to Test? Drug Testing Teachers," was published in the June issue of Teachers College Record.
Lead author Todd DeMitchell, professor of education at UNH, said a random sampling of 500 superintendents was chosen. Of the 144 superintendents who responded, only six said they had mandatory drug testing of teachers prior to employment.
Two superintendents said their school districts conduct random drug testing among currently employed teachers.
Only one school district had implemented both pre-employment drug testing and random drug testing of current employees.
This seems, however, to fly in the face of their beliefs.
Of the superintendents who took part in the study, 70 percent said that student safety outweighs a teacher's right to privacy and 71 percent said that teachers hold "safety sensitive" positions, meaning a momentary lapse of judgment could have disastrous consequences.
DeMitchell said the most common reasons superintendents gave for opting not to implement drug-testing policies is that they don't feel it is an issue among their staff.
"They don't see it as a problem and they don't see ( drug testing ) as effective," DeMitchell said.
One superintendent wrote: "I do not believe in doing something just for the sake of doing it. There needs to be a problem before we act."
Of the superintendents polled, 85 percent said they do not believe drugs are a problem with their educators. And only 22 percent said they believed drug testing would be an effective means for combating drugs in schools.
Some superintendents in smaller school districts reported that they were hesitant about forcing colleagues they know personally to urinate in a cup, DeMitchell said.DRUG TESTING OF TEACHERS NECESSARY?
School superintendents are reluctant to test... more
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FEDERAL COURT SAYS STRIP SEARCH OF TEEN WAS WRONG
The strip search of a 13-year-old Safford school girl to see if she had drugs was unjustified and excessive, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday.
In a split decision, the full court overruled its own three-judge panel which had concluded that school officials had reasonable grounds to believe that the girl was violating either states laws or, at least school policies. Judge Kim Wardlaw, writing the ruling, said school officials "acted contrary to all reason and common sense as they trampled over her legitimate and substantial interests in privacy and security of her person."
The judge specifically said the tip from an "informant" another student was unreliable, especially as the girl had never been in trouble before. And Wardlaw said school officials overreacted given that they were searching for nothing more than a prescription strength version of ibuprofen, a pain killer that in smaller doses is sold over the counter.
But Judge Barry Silverman, writing for the dissent, said he believes the facts of this case provided school officials with "sufficient information" to reasonably suspect she had a pill, one which Silverman said had a high enough dosage to be potentially dangerous to children.
Mark Tregaskes, superintendent of the Safford Unified School District, said he had not seen the ruling. But Tregaskes said that the school has made several alterations to its policies since the 2003 incident that would make it "less likely" a student would be stripped searched in similar circumstances.
What ultimately led to the search was that girl, caught with some pills, said she got them from the girl in question here. That occurred the same time another student told the vice principal some kids were planning to take drugs.
The girl, under questioning by school officials, denied bringing pills to school, denied distributing pills to classmates and said consented to the search.
She was told to pull her bra to the side and shake it, exposing her breasts, and being told to pull her underwear out of her crotch and shake it, exposing her pubic area. The search produced nothing.
Her mother subsequently filed suit alleging her daughter's constitutional rights were violated. But a trial judge threw out the case, as did a three judge panel of the appellate court.
Wardlaw said the test of whether a search of a student in school is permissible is whether the actions are reasonably related to the objectives of the search, the age and sex of the student, and the nature of the infraction. She said that is designed to balance the need of schools to maintain order while avoiding "unrestrained intrusions upon the privacy of schoolchildren."
That, the judge said, did not occur here.
Wardlaw said the basis for the search was the "unsubstantiated tip" of another student, who had been caught with drugs, "seeking to shift the blame from herself."FEDERAL COURT SAYS STRIP SEARCH OF TEEN WAS WRONG
The strip search of a 13-year-old... more
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Jonathan Simchen, Who Has Kidney Failure, Is Latest Example of User Turned Down for Organ TransplantsJonathan Simchen, Who Has Kidney Failure, Is Latest Example of User Turned Down for... more
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Charlie Lynch is the owner of a medical marijuana dispensary in Morro Bay, California. Though the business is legal under state law, Lynch was arrested in July of last year for violating federal drug laws. Last month, he was featured in the Drew Carey documentary below. As the video explains, Lynch is facing extra charges for giving medical marijuana to 17-year-old Owen Beck, who used the drug to treat the symptoms of bone cancer.
Lynch faces up to 100 years in prison. His trial begins Tuesday.
Check Lynch's website for more information on his case, including directions to the courthouse where he'll be tried.
Charlie Lynch is the owner of a medical marijuana dispensary in Morro Bay, California.... more
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http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/939b46/composites_and_tec) has announced the addition of the "Composites and Technical Fabrics: The Potential for Flax and Hemp" report to their offering.
Composite materials are found in many everyday products, ranging from aircraft, cars and boats to skis and golf clubs. They consist of a tough fibrous material which is bound with a resin. The result is a structure which is light in weight and strong. Many critical industrial, aerospace and military applications make use of composites because of their durability and their resistance to severe environmental conditions at a reasonable cost.
A high percentage of composites are based on glass fibre, combined with polyester, vinyl ester or epoxy resins. However, the use of natural fibres such as hemp and flax in composites has been growing. Such materials are already being employed as components for the automotive and building industries. Although the amounts involved are small, it is thought that there could be much wider potential for flax and hemp in these applications.
The use of flax and hemp can result in a number of benefits. The fibres are seen as being "green" in the sense that they constitute a renewable resource and the processing of the fibres is environmentally friendly. Also, the cultivation of flax and hemp is heavily subsidised by the EU. The main drawback of using flax and hemp is that their performance characteristics tend to be inferior to those of the more commonly used synthetic fibres. Consequently, flax and hemp can only be used in a limited range of technical textile applications.
However, extensive research and development (R&D) is being undertaken in some European countries, particularly France, in a bid to widen the market and find profitable end uses for these materials. http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/939b46/composites_and_tec) has announced... more
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The extent to which medical cannabis users discontinue or reduce their use of pharmaceutical and over-the-counter drugs is a recurring theme in a recent survey of pro-cannabis (PC) California doctors. The drug-reduction phenomenon has obvious scientific implications. Medicating with cannabis enables people to lay off stimulants as well as sedatives -suggesting that the herb's active ingredients restore homeostasis to various bodily systems. (Lab studies confirm that cannabinoids normalize the tempo of many other neurotransmission systems.) The political implications are equally obvious. Legalizing herbal cannabis would devastate the pharmaceutical manufacturers and allied corporations in the chemicals, oil, "food," and banking sectors. Put simply, the synthetic drug makers stand to lose half their sales if and when the American people get legal access to cannabis.The extent to which medical cannabis users discontinue or reduce their use of... more
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Moderate cannabis use has a positive effect on treatment for cocaine dependence in patients with comorbid ADHD and cocaine dependenceModerate cannabis use has a positive effect on treatment for cocaine dependence in... more
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Administering a substance found in the cannabis plant can help the body's natural protective system alleviate an allergic skin disease (allergic contact dermatitis), an international group of researchers from Germany, Israel, Italy, Switzerland and the U.S. has found.Administering a substance found in the cannabis plant can help the body's natural... more
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5/31/08|The Times-Standard| by Thadeus Greenson - The Times-Standard
California's medical marijuana patients are one step closer to being protected against work place discrimination after a bill made its way through the state Assembly this week.
Assembly Bill 2279, authored by Assemblyman Mark Leno and co-authored by Eureka's Assemblywoman Patty Berg, would make it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against an employee because of their status as a medical marijuana patient or caregiver or for failing a drug test.5/31/08|The Times-Standard| by Thadeus Greenson - The Times-Standard... more
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Most people know that the "drug czar" -- the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) -- is an advocate for the government position regarding the drug war. But not everyone knows that he and his office are mandated to tell lies as part of their Congressional authorization.Most people know that the "drug czar" -- the director of the White House... more
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Two men were in custody Friday on suspicion of breaking into a downtown Oakland building hours after it was raided by federal drug agents during a marijuana investigation, authorities said.Two men were in custody Friday on suspicion of breaking into a downtown Oakland... more
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MSNBC's Keith Olbermann interviews a bold and honest physician/pediatrician from the University of Southern California who explains how medical cannabis can be used to treat ADD in children. Its a great video.MSNBC's Keith Olbermann interviews a bold and honest physician/pediatrician from... more
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By Nick Nilsson
Hemp protein is an up-and-coming protein supplement that I tested for 2 months as my ONLY protein supplement. Find out how hemp stacked up!By Nick Nilsson
Hemp protein is an up-and-coming protein supplement that I tested... more
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International Classification of Diseases 9 - CM 1996
Chronic Conditions Treated With Cannabis
Encountered Between 1990-2004International Classification of Diseases 9 - CM 1996
Chronic Conditions Treated With... more
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Some families have found marijuana (mmj) to be nothing short of miraculous. Some of the symptoms MMJ has ameliorated include anxiety--even severe anxiety--aggression, panic disorder, generalized rage, tantrums, property destruction and self-injurious behavior.Some families have found marijuana (mmj) to be nothing short of miraculous. Some of... more
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Dr. Phil Leveque Salem-News.com
When I chose this title I thought I was being a smart aleck. I checked Google I found over 50 articles on the same subject.
Salem-News.com
Scene from the propaganda movie "Reefer Madness" from 1938
(MOLALLA, Ore.) - Response to February 4th 2008 editorial in The Oregonian.
This is not what you may think but it could be because marijuana acts like a comforting tranquilizer. But that is not exactly what I am writing about.
The Oregonian seems to be getting some perverse superpleasure writing about how bad it is with the pejorative words "abuse", "workplace hazard" and "out of control medical marijuana program" and that the Oregon Marijuana law is a "bad law".
They decry that Oregon has the highest rate of marijuana use and the highest rate of marijuana abuse. Both of these allegations are perversely false and they should know it. It reminds me of the "Reefer Madness" movie. Perhaps they saw it and believed it.
Oregon has possibly the toughest marijuana law. They do not mention that about 2,700 doctors have signed the applications for patients they certify are eligible for the about 20,000 patients who have permits. If the Oregonian thinks these patients are bamboozling the doctors they are totally mistaken.
The U.S. government estimated that there are 300 thousand Oregon marijuana users. It is a cheap, safe, quick-acting tranquilizer. These patients are getting to doctors as soon and fast as possibly and the number of permit card holders is increasing by about 100 per week.Dr. Phil Leveque Salem-News.com
When I chose this title I thought I was being a... more
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Augustana sociology professor Geraint B. Osborne is of the opinion that people who use marihuana are no more a criminal threat to society than are alcohol and cigarette users.
"Some people argue that drug use leads to crime, and that somehow those who use drugs are in such an altered state they don't know what they are doing and have to go out and hurt someone or get involved in acts of vandalism," said Osborne, whose study, Understanding the Motivations for Recreational Marihuana Use Among Adult Canadians, was published in the spring edition of the journal Substance Use and Misuse. "What I found in the research, with the people we talked to, was that doesn't happen. It doesn't make you want to go out and do those types of things."
Augustana sociology professor Geraint B. Osborne is of the opinion that people who... more
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It's generally believed that the number one product from California's number one industry isn't legal. Agriculture remains the Golden State's biggest business, and some believe marijuana is worth $14 billion. No one really knows for sure.It's generally believed that the number one product from California's number... more
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The elderly are being described as the new type of drug mule by law enforcement. According to the News & Observer May 16, 2008 article,("Little Old Granny A Trend in Drug Trade") 'From 2006 to 2007, the number of people over 60 charged with trafficking drugs in North Carolina state courts nearly doubled. In 2007, at least 44 elderly people were arrested for trafficking everything from marijuana to powder cocaine. The aged are just the latest of disguises drug lords use to move drugs up and down the East Coast. The state Highway Patrol has been on the lookout for elderly traffickers but had not encountered one until Davis. Davis, too, would have slipped through the county had Trooper G. Taylor not pulled her for speeding on Dec. 12."
The article notes, "Seven years ago, doctors discovered Davis had a blood disease. It was a long, painful ordeal, one she braved without health insurance. The bills mounted and still linger. She owes more than $20,000. Then, her daughter got into a bad car crash and needed plastic surgery to reconstruct her face. The cost: at least $3,000. So when a friend asked Davis whether she wanted to make some quick cash, she nodded. The friend linked her with a drug trader who quickly hired her to drive some of his supply from Miami to Manhattan. This was her sixth run, the last she needed to finally have enough to settle her debt and buy her daughter plastic surgery. Davis said she would set her cruise control at 74 mph to keep with traffic. She only drove during daylight hours. When she saw blue lights swirling behind her early that December morning, she figured she'd charm her way out of a speeding ticket. A strong odor he couldn't quite peg rushed over Taylor, the trooper, as Davis rolled down her window. He drilled her about her travel plans. She pointed to a small bag in her backseat and told him she'd be visiting a friend in New York. He raised an eyebrow when she said she didn't know when she'd return. On a hunch, he asked to search her car. Davis nodded her OK, figuring there was still a chance he wouldn't notice the locked suitcases in the trunk. Then the trooper called for the drug dog. Davis knew her game was over. The dog went nuts when Davis opened the trunk, Henline said." The elderly are being described as the new type of drug mule by law enforcement.... more
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