Posted by Jonathan Martin
 
The former U.S. Attorney for Seattle, Kate Pflaumer, endorsed marijuana legalization in a Seattle Times guest editorial today, adding credibility to an already high-profile initiative campaign.
Pflaumer joins former U.S. Attorney John McKay in endorsing the New Approach Washington campaign, an initiative likely headed to the 2012 state Legislature that would legalize and regulate marijuana similarly to alcohol. The Seattle Times column also was signed by former King County Judge Robert Alsdorf and Anne Levinson, a former Seattle Municipal Court judge.
McKay had been the highest level law enforcement official to endorse legalization, according to advocates, and has made an interesting journey from a Republican, George W. Bush-appointed prosecutor. The initiative also has been endorsed by the state Democratic party, Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes, former Spokane County public health officer Kim Thorburn and travel guru Rick Steves.
 
Read complete article here:
http://today.seattletimes.com/2011/11/another-former-top-federal-prosecutor-endorses-pot-legalization/

http://www.koinlocal6.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=3013366

Researchers determined that subjects’ pain “was significantly decreased after the addition of vaporized cannabis” and surmised that cannabis-specific interventions “may allow for opioid treatment at lower doses with fewer [patient] side effects.”
 
Read complete article here:
http://www.enewspf.com/latest-news/health-and-fitness/28754-study-vaporized-cannabis-augments-the-analgesic-effects-of-opiates-in-human-subjects.html

Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan (top right) wearing the hemp suit in the Dáil this morning

LUKE ‘MING’ FLANAGAN wore a Louis Copeland suit made out of hemp in the Dáil chamber this morning to highlight the 10 year anniversary of his campaign to have cannabis legalised.
A spokesperson for Louis Copeland confirmed that it was the first time the high-end tailor had created a suit made out of hemp.
Speaking to theJournal.ie, the TD for Roscommon-Leitrim South said that he had bought the material outside of Ireland but that the suit had been made in Dublin. “If I could have purchased it here, I would have,” he said.
The hemp suit is “very comfortable, excellent material, and it’ll be my attire for many an occasion from now on,” said the TD.
Flanagan said that it is ten years since he posted joints to journalists and members of the Oireachtas as part of a National Legalise Cannabis Day – but that little has changed.
“In the 10 years that have passed, it is estimated that €7.5 billion has ended up in the pockets of the kind of people who had Veronica Guerin killed. 60,000 people have ended up with a criminal record and for what? What was the goal?”
“The idea was to reduce usage – that hasn’t happened. It was supposed to make life safer for people – that hasn’t happened”.
Flanagan emphasised the specific issue of cannabis being sold with adulterated substances which are seriously harmful to the health of the user,  noting that silicon, crushed up car tyres and “God knows what” is being added to cannabis. “Someone found dealing the substance with these adulterants in it should receive a stricter sentence”, he said.
Flanagan, who gave up smoking cannabis several years ago, said that the best way to guarantee that people know what kind of cannabis they have is to legalise it.
 
Read complete article here:
http://www.thejournal.ie/luke-ming-flanagan-wears-hemp-suit-in-the-dail-275244-Nov2011/

Tacoma voters were easily passing citywide ballot Initiative No. 1 — the measure seeking to make “marijuana or cannabis offenses … the lowest enforcement priority of the City of Tacoma.”
By The News Tribune 

Kalamazoo voters have overwhelmingly approved a proposal to write a relaxed attitude toward marijuana use into the City Charter of the western Michigan community.
The proposal on Tuesday’s ballot directs police to make enforcement of laws against possession of small amounts of marijuana a low priority. Supporters gathered about 2,600 signatures in order to win a spot for the charter amendment on the ballot.
 
Read complete article here:
http://www.freep.com/article/20111108/NEWS06/111108081/Kalamazoo-votes-relaxed-marijuana-enforcement-?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE

The Huffington Post   Kathleen Miles
It is rare for a politician to openly advocate the legalization of drugs as the solution to the country’s drug problem. But that’s just what California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson did this week at the four-day International Drug Policy Reform Conference in downtown Los Angeles.
As the Los Angeles Times remarks, with reggae music blasting and people wearing marijuana leaf-shaped pins, the conference does not seem a likely event for a GOP presidential hopeful to attend. And yet, Republican candidate Johnson, a libertarian often compared to Ron Paul, stood in front of the conference audience and promised that if he was elected president, he would fully pardon anyone in prison for a non-violent marijuana crime.
 
Read complete article here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/04/newsom-johnson-drug-conference_n_1076573.html
 
 

Craig Huckerby for local2 sault ste. marie

 
You may recall a story that appeared on local2.ca a few weeks ago about a cancer survivor who credits the narcotic, Hash Oil as a cure for his cancer.
David Triplet was diagnosed with skin cancer and opted for alternative treatment instead of the regular treatment prescribed by his doctor.
Triplet, who took matters into his own hands started doing his own research when he learned about the healing powers contained in the illegal drug.
Once he discovered that cannabis cured his cancer, Triplet produced a short documentary outlining his success and why the the ” establishment ” has not pushed for more research into cannabis for cancer treatment.
Triplet contacted local2.ca about a follow up video that documents his findings along with other patients that have also tried the cannabis treatment.
“This is the story of how myself and others cured our cancer using cannabis oil. This film goes into the closing of dispensaries, politics and history of cannabis and cancer. It features several cannabis patients who’s lives have been saved through the miracle of cannabis.” said Triplet.
Triplet believes it’s time to legalize cannabis and to use hash oil as a treatment for various cancers. In the video Triplet documents other survivors from prostate , and other skin cancers. Triplet notes in the video that more and more studies about the drug as a cure for cancer are being made.

 
See video here:
http://local2.ca/ssm/viewarticle.php?id=3320

By Khari Johnson
Congressman Brian Bilbray is opposed to legalized medical marijuana in California, but his daughter, who has cancer, is pushing back against a federal crackdown.

Cancer patient Briana Bilbray—the daughter of Congressman Brian Bilbray—and local medical marijuana cooperatives on Monday filed for an injunction to stop a federal crackdown on marijuana sales.
Attorney Matt Kumin, who filed for the injunction, said the goal is for the U.S. Justice Department and U.S. attorneys “to stop threatening folks who are in compliance with state law.”
The filing comes a month after the Justice Department pledged to crack down on California’s commercial marijuana cooperatives and dispensaries.
Plantiffs in the case include four medical marijuana cooperatives from across San Diego and 25-year-old Imperial Beach resident Briana Bilbray. Bilbray’s brother, Brian Patrick Bilbray, is an Imperial Beach city councilman and her father, Brian Bilbray, is a U.S. Congressman representing California’s 50th District and a former mayor of Imperial Beach. The congressman’s district includes Rancho Bernardo, Rancho Peñasquitos and 4S Ranch.
Briana Bilbray has Stage 3 melanoma cancer and opposed the city of Imperial Beach’s efforts to restrict medical marijuana cooperatives earlier this year.
“Before I had cancer I thought it was people just trying to get it legalized,” she said. “That changed pretty much once I realized that it really did work and it was a legitimate way to get nausea to go away.”
 
Read complete article here:
http://ranchobernardo.patch.com/articles/congressman-bilbray-daughter-on-opposite-sides-of-medical-marijuana-debate
 

Tim Sampson, Missouri News Horizon

(Jefferson City, MO) — A Columbia-based group has won approval to begin circulating a petition to legalize marijuana in the state of Missouri.
On Monday, Secretary of State Robin Carnahan gave the group Show-Me Cannabis the go-ahead to begin circulating two ballot referendum petitions that, if successful, would make marijuana use legal for all state residents over the age of 21 and make Missouri’s cannabis laws the most relaxed in the country.
 
Read complete article here:
http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=550607