Toke Radio 105: Bernie Intros Federal Marijuana Legalization Bill! Canada Prepares To Legalize Cannabis! Croatia Goes Medical!

Find out what you need to know about the week in cannabis / marijuana news, in just 26 minutes!

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U.S.: Sen. Bernie Sanders Introduces Legislation To End Federal Marijuana Prohibition

(Hemp News)

Democratic Presidential Candidate Bernie Sanders announced at a Wednesday town hall meeting that he is introducing legislation in the Senate that would remove marijuana from the list of federally controlled substances, end federal marijuana prohibition, and let states set their own policies without federal interference.

 

National Cannabis Industry Association Applauds Sanders' Legalization Move

(Hemp News)

The National Cannabis Industry Association on Thursday applauded new legislation to be introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) which would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act and allow it to be regulated similarly to alcohol.

 

GOP Candidates Out Of Touch On Marijuana Legalization

(Hemp News)

This week's Republican presidential debate in Colorado showed that the GOP candidates are out of touch with the majority of American voters when it comes to marijuana legalization, according to a leading financial advisor.

 

 

Canada: Trudeau Prepares To Legalize Cannabis

(Hemp News)

As Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prepares to legalize marijuana as part of his Liberal government's legislative agenda, experts say he'll be able to access a world-class cannabis framework set up under the previous Conservative government.

 

Croatia: Marijuana Legalized For Medical Use (With Tight Restrictions)

(Hemp News)

Croatia has legalized the sale and use of marijuana for medical use, following a campaign sparked by the arrest of a multiple sclerosis patient who grew the plant to ease his pain.

 

South Carolina: Marijuana Charges Dropped After Cop Kills Teen In Parking Lot

(Hemp News)

In a horrific abuse of police power, 19-year-old Zachary Hammond was shot and killed in July in a Hardee's parking lot by an officer after an undercover narc lured 23-year-old Toni Morton, Hammond's date, there to sell marijuana. After Hammond was shot and killed, Morton was charged with possession of 10 grams of marijuana.

 

 

Ohio Poll Shows Support For Legalization, But Not Issue 3

(Hemp News)

A new public opinion poll shows that nearly half of Northeast Ohio residents have tried marijuana, and most support some form of legalization -- but they aren't so sure about Issue 3.

Medical marijuana receives overwhelming support at 83 percent, according to the Baldwin Wallace University Community Research Institute poll released on Monday, reports Jackie Borchardt of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. A smaller majority, 55 percent, favor legalizing possession of marijuana for personal use.

 

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Anonymous Marijuana Activist Comes Out of the Closet

(Toke Signals)

By Miguel AKA Miggy420

Everyone remembers their first time, whether it’s sex or trying a taboo plant that’s been demonized for 100 years by the corporate elite because it doesn’t affect them. If you know your small town politics, you know the world. Marijuana, weed, cannabis, whatever word you want to use this year has always been a part of my life; I’ve always known that its properties aren’t evil.

 

 

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Toke Radio 104: Record Support For Marijuana In USA! Canada Plans To Legalize! Huge Victory For Cali Dispensary!

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New Gallup Poll Shows Record 58% Support For Marijuana Legalization

(Hemp News)

A majority of Americans continue to say marijuana should be legal in the United States, with 58 percent now holding that opinion, equaling the highest-ever support in Gallup's 46-year trend.

 

 

Canada: New Prime Minister Plans To Legalize Marijuana

(Hemp News)

Canada on Monday voted in Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party in a general election, which will have outstanding implications for drug policy reform in the country. The Liberal Party plans to legalize cannabis.

 

 

California: HUGE VICTORY For Medical Marijuana Dispensary In Federal Court

(Hemp News)

Medical marijuana providers across the United States scored a major victory in federal court on Monday.

 

 

Australian Government Introducing Law To Legalize Medical Marijuana

(Hemp News)

The Australian government, under Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, wants to legalize medical marijuana in Australia this year.

 

 

Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer Calls For End To Failed Marijuana Prohibition

(Hemp News)

As representatives from the Oregon Cannabis Association visited Capitol Hill on Wednesday, Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) on the House floor called for an end to the federal government’s failed approach of marijuana prohibition.

 

 

Pennsylvania Religious Leaders Announce Support For Medical Marijuana

(Hemp News)

A group of Pennsylvania religious leaders announced their support for medical marijuana legislation at a Wednesday news conference on the Lt. Governor’s Balcony in the Pennsylvania State Capitol. They then visited with lawmakers to convey their support in person.

 

 

80-Year-Old Marijuana Dealer Pleads Guilty In Federal Court

(Hemp News)

The dramatic exploits of a lifetime of smuggling came to an end on Thursday when 80-year-old Marshall Herbert Dion entered his guilty plea in federal court to running a huge marijuana-dealing and money-laundering operation.

 

 

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Toke Radio 103: Bernie Supports Legalization! Hillary Says Feds Shouldn't Interfere! Cali Gets Medical Marijuana Regulations!

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Sanders Becomes 1st Major Party Presidential Candidate To Support Legalization

(Hemp News)

Candidate Bernie Sanders, for the first time in this campaign, on Tuesday night indicated at the Democratic presidential debate that he supports marijuana legalization.

 

Hillary Clinton Says Feds Shouldn't Interfere With Legal Marijuana

(Hemp News)

Hillary Clinton is feeling the heat when it comes to federal marijuana policy. Just after her first primary debate with fellow Democrats who want to be President, Clinton is finally giving some answers about how she'd handle states which have legalized cannabis.

Clinton had declined to take a position on marijuana legalization in Tuesday's CNN

California Gov. Jerry Brown Signs Medical Cannabis Regulation Bill

(Hemp News)

Governor Jerry Brown on Friday signed the trio of bills known as the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act that will establish regulation of commercial medical cannabis cultivation, manufacturing, and transportation, as well as create a state-level licensing system in California for the first time since the medical cannabis program was enacted in 1996.

 

Washington Troopers Remind Drivers of Marijuana 'Open Container' Law

(Hemp News)

You can't legally drive around in Washington state with an "open container" of marijuana. The state, thanks to a law passed by the Legislature last summer, now bans open cannabis containers in vehicles.

Oregon Medical Dispensaries Struggle While Recreational Pot Skyrockets

(Hemp News)

A gold-rush mentality after recreational marijuana legalization in Oregon is part of what's leading medical cannabis dispensaries to close faster than ever.

 

Denmark Hippie Wonderland Boasts World's Largest Hash Market

(Hemp News)

When Americans think of cannabis destinations in Europe, that usually means Amsterdam. Those a bit more in the know might even mention the nascent cannabis clubs of Spain. But many haven't heard of the biggest green-light district of all: Christiania, in the heart of Denmark's capital city, Copenhagen.

Guy Calls Cops To Complain He's Too High On Marijuana

(Hemp News)

File this one under "I'll have some of what he had, but without the stupidity, please."

Toke Signals Must Read of the Week

Gamers and Ganja: Does Marijuana Make You Better At Video Games?

(Toke Signals)

Most of those in the industry — and in da couch on indica — seem to agree.

 

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Toke Radio 102: Major Marijuana Law Reforms! Florida, Ohio Support Legalization! Huge Sales In Oregon!

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U.S. Senate Spending Package Includes Major Marijuana Law Reforms

(Hemp News)

A new package of spending bills from the Senate, intended to keep the federal government operational for the next year, includes several positive changes in marijuana law.

 

 

Poll: Florida, Ohio Voters Support Marijuana Legalization; Pennsylvania Divided

(Hemp News)

Voters in Florida and Ohio back legalization of marijuana for personal recreational use, while Pennsylvania voters are divided on the subject, according to a Quinnipiac University Swing State Poll released on Thursday.

n, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.

 

California Gov. Jerry Brown Vetoes New Hash Crimes Bill

(Hemp News)

California Gov. Jerry Brown on Saturday vetoed a bill which would have created new penalties for making hash oil with flammable chemicals like butane. Brown said the state already has enough laws, and a prison overcrowding problem, and doesn't need to make the problem worse.

 

 

Union Negotiates First Cannabis Worker Contract In Oregon

(Hemp News)

At least one labor union has begun to organize workers in Oregon's marijuana industry.

 

 

Massachusetts Doctors Use Marijuana As Opioid Substitute

(Hemp News)

Hundreds of opioid addicts in Massachusetts are being treated with medical marijuana, and advocates say the new therapy is a life-changing alternative to the deadly epidemic of painkiller addiction.

 

 

Illinois: Legal Medical Marijuana Smells Like Money And Jobs

(Hemp News)

The skunky aroma of marijuana in a rural southeastern Illinois town isn't a source of complaints... in fact, to most residents, it smells like money and jobs.

 

 

Oregon Marijuana Dispensaries Report Massive Recreational Sales

(Hemp News)

Medical marijuana dispensaries in Oregon remained busy throughout the weekend after opening their doors to recreational customers on Thursday. The Oregon Legislature approved tax-free recreational sales through medicinal cannabis dispensaries through the end of the year.

 

 

Former Marine Billy Dekle Is Serving Life For Pot

(Toke Signals)

Cannabis POW of the Month: Billy Dekle

By Cheri Sicard
Cannabis Cheri

After growing up on a farm and serving in the marines, north Florida native Billy Dekle found his true passion in aviation. His early career in the 70s and 80s flying planeloads of marijuana into south Florida is the stuff of Carl Hiaasen novels and Jimmy Buffett songs, with hair-raising flights and narrow escapes from unsavory characters. While he never hurt anyone, the activity earned him one federal and two state felony convictions for marijuana before his real trouble began in 1990 when Billy Dekle was arrested for the marijuana conspiracy case that would land him a life sentence.

 

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Toke Radio 101: Legalization Doesn't Turn Kids Into Potheads! Washington Opens Up Marijuana Licensing! Legalization In Florida?

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Evidence Shows Legalizing Marijuana Unlikely To Turn Kids Into Potheads

(Hemp News)

Supporters of the War On Drugs often claim that loosening restrictions on marijuana use -- such as decriminalization, allowing medicinal use, legalizing it completely, or even discussing legalization -- will "send the wrong message" to young people and lead to increased teen drug use. But the evidence has repeatedly shown this notion to be inaccurate.

 

 

Washington To Open Retail Marijuana License Applications; No Initial Cap

(Hemp News)

The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) on Wednesday announced that beginning October 12, it will accept new retail applications "using the priority criteria set forth in the law." According to the Board, there will not be an initial cap on the number of licenses issued.

 

 

Seattle IRS Agent Charged With Bribing Marijuana Store Owner

(Hemp News)

A Seattle-based Internal Revenue Service agent was charged on Monday with soliciting a bribe and accepting payment from a local recreational-marijuana business owner.

 

 

Pakistan Military Conflict Threatens Marijuana Crop

(Hemp News)

Pakistan's traditional marijuana crop, basis of its thriving hashish industry, is being threatened by Pakistan's decade-long war against terrorism and Islamist militancy.

 

 

Florida Cannabis Act Would Legalize Marijuana, Regulate Like Alcohol

(Hemp News)

A new drive to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida was launched last week. West Palm Beach attorney Michael Minardi is proposing to regulate marijuana like alcohol.

 

 

Oregon Legal Marijuana Sales Begin Oct. 12; Past Convictions Can Be Cleared

(Hemp News)

Oregon wasn't the first state, or the largest, to legalize marijuana. But when it begins retail cannabis sales next month, the state will blaze a new trail, because it will consider applications to clear the record of past marijuana convictions.

 

 

Willie Nelson's New Marijuana Brand Willies Reserve Gets Funding

(Hemp News)

Country music legend Willie Nelson is teaming up with private investors looking to cash in on a celebrity-endorsed brand of marijuana.

 

 

Toke Signals Must Read of the Week

Hemp In The Hinterlands Can Save Brazil's Economy
By Sergio Vidal

(Toke Signals)

Anyone who has deepened a little more in the history of Brazil that do not have schools know that since the beginning of colonization until the early 20th century, many Brazilians have cultivated legally marijuana in various regions of the country, including the government, through the Real Feitoria Hemp and other initiatives. This had as the main objective the extraction of plant fibers at the time leading textile crop in the world.

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Toke Radio 100: Parliament To Debate Legalization! Tourists Can Buy Medical Weed In Vegas! 67 Men Serving Life For Pot!

Find out what you need to know about the week in cannabis / marijuana news, in just 21 minutes!

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U.K.: Parliament To Debate Cannabis Legalization Next Month

(Hemp News)

In what looks to be a first for the United Kingdom, Parliament will debate the legalization of cannabis next month, House of Commons authorities announced on Wednesday.

Nevada: Tourists Can Now Buy Medical Marijuana In Las Vegas

(Hemp News)

Fifteen years after Nevada voters approved the legalization of medical marijuana, the first dispensary opened its doors August 24 in Clark County. The southwest Las Vegas shop is allowed, under state law, to serve tourists who are registered medical marijuana patients in their home states, as well as Nevada residents.

U.S.: At Least 67 People Are Serving Life Sentences For Marijuana

(Hemp News)

At least 67 people are serving life sentences in prison right now for marijuana in the United States.

The plight of marijuana lifers has received new attention since the release last week of Jeff Mizanskey, who had been one of them, reports Tony Dokoupil at MSNBC.

U.S.: Controlled By Prison Lobby? Hillary Clinton Unlikely To End War On Drugs

(Hemp News)

More and more Americans have come to realize that the War On Drugs is a colossal failure -- but presidential contender Hillary Clinton doesn't seem to be one of those. Hillary seems unlikely to end that futile war and the mass incarceration which results from it, due to her ties to the prison lobby.

U.S.: DEA Chief Says Marijuana Is Dangerous, Should Stay In Schedule I

(Hemp News)

New federal Drug Enforcement Administration head Chuck Rosenberg in a TV interview last week called marijuana "dangerous" and added, "If we come up with a medical use for it, that would be wonderful. But we haven't."

Kansas: Vietnam Veteran, 65, Denied Pain Pills After Testing Positive For Marijuana

(Hemp News)

A nationwide argument between the Veterans Administration and groups which protect the rights of veterans emerged in Kansas on Tuesday.

Seniors Seeking Out States Where Marijuana Is Legal

(Hemp News)

There's a new factor playing a big role when seniors choose retirement locales these days: marijuana laws.

Toke Signals Must Read of the Week

Meet Antonio Bascaro, The Nation's Longest Serving Marijuana Prisoner

(Toke Signals)

Cannabis POW of the Month
By Cheri Sicard (Cannabis Cheri)

 

Antonio Bascaro, who has served more than 35 years behind bars for a nonviolent marijuana conspiracy offense, holds the dubious honor of being the nation’s — and perhaps the world’s — longest serving marijuana prisoner. A former Cuban naval pilot who participated in the Bay of Pigs invasion, Bascaro fled Castro’s Cuba shortly thereafter.

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Toke Radio 99: Marijuana Lifer Walks Free After 20 Years! Marijuana Monopoly In Ohio? Legalization Drive Advances In Mass.!

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Missouri: Jeff Mizanskey Walks Free After Serving 2 Decades In Prison For Pot

(Hemp News)

Jeff Mizanskey walked out of prison Tuesday morning a free man after spending 21 years behind bars because of a minor, nonviolent marijuana offense. Mizanskey walked into the arms of more than a dozen family, friends and supporters, including his son, who had fought for years for his dad's release from prison.

Denver Cracks Down On Pesticides In Marijuana Products

(Hemp News)

Denver health officials on Tuesday started inspecting and quarantining hundreds of cannabis products because their labels listed pesticides not approved by the state for use on marijuana.

Fears Of Marijuana Monopoly Undercut Support For Ohio Legalization Measure

(Hemp News)

If a ballot measure says "legalization" on it, it's always good, right? RIGHT? Maybe not.

Canada Revenue Agency Confirms Medical Marijuana As Allowable Medical Expense

(Hemp News)

The Canada Revenue Agency has officially confirmed that medical marijuana to be purchased by an individual patient from a licensed producer under Health Canada's Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR) is an allowable medical expense under the Income Tax Act.

Massachusetts Initiative To Legalize Marijuana Moves Closer To Ballot

(Hemp News)

A proposed initiative to regulate and tax marijuana like alcohol in Massachusetts moved another step closer to the 2016 ballot Wednesday when the state Attorney General’s office certified the petition in support of the measure.

Wisconsin Marijuana Decriminalization Movement Taking Off Across State

(Hemp News)

More and more cities across Wisconsin are relaxing penalties against people caught with small amounts of marijuana, as the decriminalization movement sweeps across the state.

Uruguay Recommends Marijuana Legalization To The Rest Of The World

(Hemp News)

Uruguay isn't just defending its own national sovereignty regarding its legalization of marijuana. The small South American country is now recommending that the rest of the world adopt its policies as an alternative to the War On Drugs.

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Toke Radio 98: Ohio Could Be 1st To Legalize In Midwest! Oregon Sets Rules For Marijuana Sales! Alaska Wants To Sell Homegrown!

Find out what you need to know about the week in cannabis / marijuana news, in just 17 minutes!

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Ohio Could Become First State In Midwest To Legalize Marijuana

(Hemp News)

Ohio could become the fifth state, and the first in the Midwest, to legalize marijuana under a measure that qualified on Wednesday for the state's November 2015 ballot. The measure itself, however, remains controversial, as it basically hands control of the state's legal cannabis industry to a handful of entrepreneurs.

Oregon: Draft Rules Issued For Recreational Marijuana Sales

(Hemp News)

Oregon marijuana dispensaries that plan to make recreational sales to people 21 and older must first tell the state health authority and record the birthdates of shoppers, along with the quantities of cannabis they buy, under draft rules issued Wednesday.

Alaska Advocates Call For Home Growers To Be Able To Legally Sell Weed

(Hemp News)

Home cannabis growers in Alaska need a way to enter the legal marijuana market, a group of advocates said Tuesday at the first public hearing dealing with legal marijuana businesses in the Fairbanks North Star Borough.

Washington: Top Marijuana Advisor Steps Down

(Hemp News)

The bureaucrat who helped implement Washington state's recreational marijuana law -- and dismantle the state's medical marijuana program -- is stepping down.

 

 

Israel: Medical Cannabis Could Be Worth More Than Natural Gas

(Hemp News)

Israel's natural gas reserves off its shores are considered a boon for the nation's economy. But the general consensus Thursday at a Thursday conference was that Israel is missing an even bigger opportunity -- in the field of medicinal cannabis.

The conference, on how Israel's farmers could benefit from the global market for medical marijuana, was hosted by the Israel Loss Adjusters Association (ILAA), reports Niv Elis at The Jerusalem Post. The cannabis market in the United States alone stands at $35 billion a year, according to Doron Havkin, chairman of the ILAA.

Backroom Deals Prevail As Marijuana Goes Mainstream

(Toke Signals)

It’s no secret there’s lots of green gravitating to the cannabis business, and we’re not just talking herbs. The scent of money has led to some sketchy deals and the welfare of mom-and-pop businesses, along with that of medical marijuana patients, has more often been taking a back seat to financial considerations (hello, Washington state).

Unfortunately, the playing field is not level.

Kentucky: Sheriff's Office Asks Drug Dealers To Turn In Rivals

(Hemp News)

Is it the American way? A sheriff's office in Kentucky is encouraging drug dealers to turn in their rivals, counting on old-fashioned greed to help them make arrests.

Toke Signals Must Read of the Week

This Booth Was Openly Vending Weed At Seattle Hempfest

(Toke Signals)

 

I’ve attended Seattle Hempfest for a decade now, but yesterday I saw something I hadn’t seen before: marijuana being openly dealt from a booth at the event.

Make no mistake about it — it’s been easy to score weed at Hempfest every time I’ve gone, and I’ve written about that before (to the irritation of those who’d prefer to keep such things stuffed tightly in the closet). I got some pretty good herb, for instance, during Vivian McPeak’s “Don’t buy weed at Hempfest speech” in 2013.

 

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Toke Radio 97: Lt. Gov. Says Cali Will Legalize Next Year! Texas Cops Search Woman's Vagina In Public! Marijuana Lifer Granted Parole!

Find out what you need to know about the week in cannabis / marijuana news, in just 20 minutes!

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Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom Says California Will Legalize Marijuana In 2016

(Hemp News)

California voters will legalize, tax and regulate marijuana for adults in the 2016 general election, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom predicted on Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday. "I'm leading the effort," Newsom added.

California Cannabis Hemp Initiative Signature Drive To Begin Oct. 31

(Hemp News)

The California Cannabis Hemp Initiative (CCHI 2016) is organizing a statewide infrastructure of volunteers and activists in a drive to qualify for the November 8, 2016 ballot.

Texas Police Search Woman's Vagina For Marijuana - In Parking Lot

(Hemp News)

A Texas woman says sheriff's deputies violated constitutional protections by conducting a body cavity search in the parking lot of a gas station during a routine traffic stop last June.

Missouri Man Serving Life In Prison For Marijuana Granted Parole

(Hemp News)

In a case of justice long delayed, a Missouri man serving life without parole for marijuana will be released from a maximum security prison, according to the man's son.

Federal Lawmakers Urge Oregon To Speed Up Industrial Hemp Program

(Hemp News)

U.S. Congress members from Oregon on Monday urged state agriculture officials to speed up a pilot project allowing farmers to begin cultivating industrial hemp crops in time for next year's growing season.

Colorado Cannabis Chamber Warns Against Overregulation of Edible Products

(Hemp News)

The Colorado Cannabis Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday urged against a culture of dangerous potential overregulation of legal cannabis edibles in Colorado.

Activist Group Exposes Secret Law Enforcement Meetings on Medical Marijuana

(Hemp News)

A group of Washington state medical marijuana patient/activists has exposed secret law enforcement meetings on medical marijuana, held by Washington State Liquor Control Board officials as they prepared to extend their authority to medicinal cannabis in the state as they implemented I-502, the recreational marijuana legalization initiative approved by state voters back in 2012.

The announcement, from the Board of Directors of the Viper’s Club, is reproduced in its entirety here.

Toke Signals Must Read of the Week

If The Truth Hurts, Censor It: Seattle Hempfest Has Journalist's Facebook Account Shut Down

(Toke Signals)

 

Seattle Hempfest REALLY doesn’t want you to know about Hempfest Vice President John Davis’s support for legislation which ended medical marijuana as we’ve known it in Washington state for 17 years.

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Toke Radio 96: States Want Their Own Pot Laws! Congressman Calls On DOJ To Reclassify Weed! Legalization Initiative In Mass.!

Find out what you need to know about the week in cannabis / marijuana news, in just 24 minutes!

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State Legislatures Demand Federal Govt. Allow States To Set Marijuana Policies

(Hemp News)

The National Conference of State Legislatures on Thursday passed a resolution demanding that federal laws "be amended to explicitly allow states to set their own marijuana and hemp policies."

U.S. Rep. Blumenauer Calls On DOJ To Reclassify Marijuana Under Controlled Substances Act

(Hemp News)

U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) on Thursday welcomed Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg’s acknowledgement that “heroin is clearly more dangerous than marijuana,” and called on the Department of Justice to reclassify or de-schedule marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act.

Massachusetts: Ballot Initiative Filed To Legalize Marijuana

(Hemp News)

A statewide ballot initiative to regulate marijuana like alcohol in Massachusetts was filed on Wednesday with the office of state Attorney General Maura Healy. The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (CRMLA) is behind the measure.

California: Santa Cruz County Medical Marijuana Cultivation Ban Repealed

(Hemp News)

A historic vote in medical marijuana history took place on Wednesday at the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors meeting. The County Board of Supervisors voted 4 to 1 to repeal Ordinance 5201, the ban on cannabis cultivation, and approved appointments to a 13-member Cannabis Cultivation Choices Committee.

Health Canada Plans Crackdown On Marijuana Advertising

(Hemp News)

Canadian Health Minister Rona Ambrose on Saturday ordered a crackdown on groups that illegally advertise marijuana, and repeated the Conservative Party's promise to keep storefront dispensaries illegal on the eve of the launch of a federal election campaign.

ASA Makes Statement on DOJ Memo Regarding Medical Cannabis Amendment

(Hemp News)

Press reports on Wednesday revealed a February 2015 memorandum from the United States Department of Justice on the Rohrabacher-Farr Medical Cannabis Amendment’s impact on federal law enforcement actions related to the Controlled Substances Act. The memorandum argues that federal prosecutions against private citizens participating in state-level medical cannabis programs would not be impacted by the amendment.

Georgia Man Arrested On Drug Charges Claims Marijuana Is Salad

(Hemp News)

A 26-year-old Georgia man was arrested Friday after police found a pound of marijuana during a traffic stop. Richard Relliford was unable to convince the cops that he was just heading home planning to salad, according to a Facebook post from the St. Mary's Police Department.

Toke Signals Must Read of the Week

Michael Pelletier Is Serving Life In Prison For Marijuana

(Toke Signals)

Michael Pelletier, a wheelchair bound paraplegic since the age of 11, sits in federal prison serving a sentence of life without parole for a nonviolent, victimless marijuana conspiracy offense. To listen to prosecutors and press reports at the time of trial, Pelletier was a calculating kingpin behind a multi-million dollar drug ring, living a lavish, opulent lifestyle off his ill-gotten gains. That narrative is vastly different from the reality.

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Toke Radio 95: Is Smoking Weed At Hempfest A Felony? OR Gov OKs Recreational Pot Sales! South Dakota Tribes To Sell Cannabis!

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Ah, Seattle Hempfest. A carefree weekend of getting high the park, a little bit of heaven on Earth, where…
IT’S A FELONY TO GET HIGH IN THE PARK?

(Toke Signals)

In the most painful of ironies, under Washington state’s anemic brand of “legalization,” smoking marijuana at Seattle Hempfest is now a felony offense, at least according to a Thursday afternoon post from Hempfest head honcho Vivian McPeak.

Oregon: Early Recreational Marijuana Sales Bill Signed By Governor

(Hemp News)

Oregon Governor Kate Brown on Tuesday signed legislation allowing medical marijuana dispensaries in the state to start selling recreational cannabis to adult consumers on October 1.

South Dakota: Native American Tribe Set To Begin Marijuana Sales

(Hemp News)

Tourists in South Dakota may soon be able to go to a Native American reservation, buy a joint of marijuana for $10 to $15, then try their luck at the nearby casino.

Washington: Open Container Law Passed For Marijuana

(Hemp News)

Don't keep those roaches in the ashtray! Drivers in Washington state, where recreational marijuana is legal, after September 26 will be required to keep all cannabis in the trunk of a vehicle, in an unopened container, or behind the rearmost row of seats.

New DEA Leader Admits Marijuana 'Probably' Not As Bad As Heroin

(Hemp News)

It's progress -- of a sort.

The new head of the Drug Enforcement Administration admitted on Tuesday that heroin "probably" is more dangerous than marijuana, an admission his predecessor, the embattled Michele Leonhart, would not make, reports Steven Nelson at U.S. News.

Neuroscientist Says THC Level In Sandra Bland's System Was Negligible

(Hemp News)

The amount of THC in Sandra Bland's system was negligible, and equal to placebo, according to neuroscientist Dr. Carl Hart, who has spent nearly 20 years researching the neurophysiological, psychological and behavioral effects of marijuana.

Florida: Charges Dropped Against Injured Veteran Accused of Growing Marijuana

(Hemp News)

Charges have been dropped against an injured Iraq war veteran in Florida who was arrested after deputies said they found marijuana plants in his home.

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Toke Radio 94: Senate OKs DC Legalization! Pot Shops Caught Selling To Minors! Weed Smell Not Enough For Warrant In Arizona!

Find out what you need to know about the week in cannabis / marijuana news, in just 21 minutes!

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Toke Signals Bud Pick of the Week

Toke Signals Stories of the Week

Senate Committee Allows Marijuana Legalization To Move Forward In Nation's Capital

(Hemp News)

A key Senate committee on Thursday passed a bill allowing the nation’s capital to establish regulated marijuana stores and let banks provide financial services to state-legalized marijuana dispensaries.

Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Marijuana Banking Measure

(Hemp News)

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved a measure 16-14 that is intended to ensure marijuana businesses have access to banking services.

Congressional Briefing Highlights Federal Barriers To Medical Marijuana Research

(Hemp News)

Americans for Safe Access (ASA) on Thursday hosted a Congressional Briefing with Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) on federal barriers faced by researchers working to understand the medical uses of marijuana.

Arizona Appeals Court Says Marijuana Smell Not Enough For Cops To Bust In

(Hemp News)

The smell of marijuana is no longer enough for police to get a warrant and bust down the door, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled on Wednesday.

Washington: Purple Haze Pot Shop Slapped With 2nd Citation For Underage Sales

(Hemp News)

Purple Haze, a recreational marijuana store in Everett, Washington, has become the only outlet in the state to be caught twice selling cannabis to minors, ironically calling to mind one of the themes of the 2012 I-502 legalization campaign, which was "illegal pot dealers don't ask for I.D."

Washington: Medical Marijuana Referendum 76 Won't Be On Ballot

(Hemp News)

Voters won't get the chance this fall to have their say on whether the Washington should keep changes made by the Legislature this spring to the state's medical marijuana laws.

Israel: New Study Shows Marijuana Helps Heal Broken Bones

(Hemp News)

In yet another demonstration of the broad usefulness of cannabis for a range of diseases and injuries, Israeli scientists have discovered that marijuana can be effectively used in healing broken bones, and possibly in treating skeletal illnesses.

Toke Signals Must Read of the Week

Medical Marijuana: Corporate Control vs. Compassionate Use

By John Novak
Treasurer, The Viper’s Club

 

It has been incorrectly argued by large corporate interests that no more than 150 or so varieties handled by one or two corporations will be enough for every condition. This argument is inaccurate as it clearly lacks the most basic horticultural knowledge of maintaining an expanding, dynamic gene pool. Access to stabilized varieties, especially heirloom and landrace, provides a large gene pool for horticulturists worldwide.

 

Toke TV/Toke Radio = a joint production
of Toke Signals and Indie Media Weekly

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Toke Radio 93: Medical Marijuana Helps Fight Painkiller Abuse! Oregon Travelers Can Fly With Weed! Cannabis Gateway Theory Debunked Again!

Find out what you need to know about the week in cannabis / marijuana news, in just 17 minutes!

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Toke Signals Bud Pick of the Week

Toke Signals Stories of the Week

Medical Marijuana Helping To Reduce Painkiller Abuse, Deaths

(Hemp News)

States with medical marijuana have seen the number of admissions to drug rehab facilities for pain medication and opioid overdoses decrease by 15 percent and 16 percent respectively, according to a new paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research. "Our findings suggest that providing broader access to medical marijuana may have the potential benefit of reducing abuse of highly addictive painkillers," the researchers concluded.

Federal Appeals Court Says Marijuana Businesses Cannot Deduct Expenses

(Hemp News)

In a huge blow to the newly legal marijuana industry, the IRS has convinced the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that marijuana dispensaries can't deduct business expenses, and must pay taxes on 100 percent of their gross income, reports Robert W. Wood at Forbes.

Oregon Travelers Can Fly With Recreational Marijuana

(Hemp News)

Travelers at Portland International Airport in Oregon can legally board airplanes with up to an ounce of marijuana for in-state flights under the state's new law legalizing recreational cannabis, UPI reported on Thursday.

Yet Another Scientific Study Debunks Marijuana Gateway Theory

(Hemp News)

Yet another scientific study has been added to the mountain of evidence debunking to so-called "gateway theory," which maintains that marijuana use leads to harder drugs.

Colorado Marijuana Tax For Schools Hits Record; Exceeds 2014 Total

(Hemp News)

Just-released marijuana tax data from the Colorado Department of Revenue shows that schools in the state received more money from the state's cannabis excise tax in the first five months of 2015 than they did all year in 2014.

Italy Parliament Looks At Marijuana Legalization

(Hemp News)

A proposal to legalize the recreational use of cannabis has been introduced in the Italian parliament, and has gained the support of more than 200 lawmakers.

Hawaii Governor Signs Bill Legalizing Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

(Hemp News)

Hawaii Gov. David Ige on Wednesday signed House Bill 321, legalizing and establishing a system of medical marijuana dispensaries in the state.

Toke Signals Must Read of the Week

Washington State Medical Marijuana Patients To Rally July 24

(Hemp News)

 

On April 24 this year, Governor Jay Inslee chose the Washington State Liquor Control Board to regulate medicine by signing into law SB 5052. When one reads the law and federal and state constitutions, how does one not come to the conclusion that it violates the various amendments of our constitutions; as well as various federal and state laws under HIPAA, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protections, protections from monopolies, etc.?

On July 8, 2015, King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg and Sheriff John Urquhart announced that they are closing collective gardens around unincorporated areas of the county in 30 days, moving well ahead of the July 1, 2016 deadline signed into law. Their reason was that they must protect the recreational store down the block in White Center, and get taxes to Washington state — even though it was already scheduled to happen to collective gardens by the July 2016 deadline.

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Toke Radio 92: Obama To Free Drug Prisoners! Marijuana Banking Bill In Congress! Feds Raid Tribal Pot Farm, Seize 12K Plants!

Find out what you need to know about the week in cannabis / marijuana news, in just 23 minutes!

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Toke Signals Bud Pick of the Week

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Obama Plans To Free Scores Of Nonviolent Drug Prisoners

(Hemp News)

Aides expect President Barack Obama, sometime in the coming weeks, to issue orders freeing dozens of federal prisoners locked up for nonviolent drug offenses. With the stroke of his pen, the President will likely commute more sentences at one time than has been done in half a century, since the days of LBJ.

Marijuana Banking Bill Introduced By Bipartisan Group Of Senators

(Hemp News)

Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Michael Bennett (D-CO), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) on Thursday introduced the Marijuana Business Access to Banking Act, a bill that would allow banks to provide depository and other financial services to state-legal marijuana businesses.

Federal Agents Raid Tribal Marijuana Farm, Seize 12,000 Plants

(Hemp News)

Dreams of a new era of federal tolerance of cannabis cultivation on Native American tribal lands took a big hit Wednesday as law enforcement officers from at least four agencies raided land occupied by two tribes in California, seizing at least 12,000 plants and more than 100 pounds of processed marijuana.

Bipartisan Efficacy of Marijuana Amendment Introduced In House

(Hemp News)

Republican Congressmen H. Morgan Griffith (VA-09) and Andy Harris, M.D., (MD-01), and Democratic Congressmen Sam Farr (CA-20) and Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) on Wednesday introduced the “Credible Research on Medical Efficacy of Marijuana Amendment” to the 21st Century Cures Act, or H.R. 6, which is currently scheduled to be considered on the House floor this week.

Washington: Rowdy News Conference Announces Closure of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

(Hemp News)

Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg and Sheriff John Urquhart must have envisioned quite a different news conference than the one which actually happened Wednesday morning, when they announced the closure of medical marijuana dispensaries operating in King County. 

Dallas Woman Raises Awareness About 'Cite and Release'

(Hemp News)

Texas has a law allowing law enforcement to write a ticket rather than taking someone to jail for less than two ounces of marijuana, and it's been on the books since 2007 -- but most cops statewide aren't using it. 

Chile Moves Toward Marijuana Decriminalization

(Hemp News)

Chile has made a move towards decriminalizing marijuana after the lower house of congress approved -- by a wide 68-39 margin -- a bill that would change the cannabis laws in this South American country.

Toke Signals Must Read of the Week

Grateful Dead Drummer Wears Hemp T-Shirt At Band's Final Show

(Toke Signals)

Legendary psychedelic rockers The Grateful Dead, never prone to do anything half-heartedly, went out in style this weekend with a series of three 50th Anniversary Fare Thee Well shows at Chicago’s Soldier Field.

Drummer Bill Kreutzmann didn’t disappoint at Sunday’s final performance, sporting a pro-hemp message on his t-shirt, which pictured Uncle Sam with the words “I Want You To Grow Hemp.”

Toke TV/Toke Radio = a joint production
of Toke Signals and Indie Media Weekly

Check out this episode!