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OPNews - May 2007 edition

A Publication of Ohio Patient Network (OPN)

ORGANIZATIONAL NEWS

Why be a member?

At the recent Spring Meeting, OPN rolled out paid memberships. Historically, OPN has operated on a completely free basis, relying on grants along with large and small donations to survive.

Spring Meeting Report

OPN held its annual Spring Meeting on the cold and wet Saturday, April 14. Fourteen OPN members attended for a half-day of strategic planning, speech making, networking, and friendship building. The OPAN quarterly board meeting was held in the morning, and OPN's quarterly board meeting followed in the late afternoon.

Results of Spring Meeting Strategic Plan Exercises

Most organizations function better if they have some sort of plan to follow in order to achieve their goals. These plans are called Strategic Plans.

While there may be some debate as to exactly what comprises a strategic plan, most people will concede that planning at least requires an honest evaluation of oneself. Further, solidification of a long range vision helps construct the pathway that leads to that vision.

At OPN's Spring Meeting, OPN President Mary Jane Borden led the group through several exercises designed to elicit that honest evaluation and produce the long range vision. Here is a summary of the results of those exercises.

Casting Call for Documentary Video

Sponsor: Ohio Patient Network (OPN), a 501(c)(3) educational not-for-profit organization.
Subject: Personal stories about medical marijuana patients
Contact: Ed Sisson
E-mail: esisson@emailaccount.com
Phone: 1-888-647-2843

GoodSearch

What if the Ohio Patient Network earned a penny every time you searched the Internet? Well, now we can! GoodSearch.com is a new search engine that donates half its revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. You use it just as you would any search engine, and it's powered by Yahoo!, so you get great results.

Help Wanted

The Ohio Patient Network is currently looking for dedicated individuals to fill the following positions:

The Values of the Ohio Patient Network

Central to the Ohio Patient Network is the cannabis plant. It could reasonably be said that cannabis affects each person differently, but neither can one escape the fact that cannabis has predictable and desirable effects of its own. These effects are what have drawn people to the plant for more than 5,000 years. They personify the plant and in many ways represent universal human values, which OPN members hope to emulate.

Meeting Notes

Upcoming Meetings

Online meetings represent one of the primary ways OPN and OPAN conduct business. It's a great feeling to speak with like-minded people from all over Ohio in real time and, in the process, plan how we're going to make a big difference in this state.

STATE NEWS

Ohio justices allow looking for drugs, guns on traffic stops

Thursday, March 29, 2007 -- By James Nash, The Columbus Dispatch -- Police in Ohio can search vehicles for guns and drugs if a person stopped for a routine traffic violation is behaving suspiciously, the state Supreme Court ruled yesterday.

OH: PUB LTE: MARIJUANA SHOULD BE TREATED AS SOCIAL, PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE

Bill O'Reilly cites an oft-repeated but highly misleading statistic in his March 25 column.

Equality Ohio Lobby Day

Friends, In order for our efforts to be successful, we must reach out and build coalitions with other organizations. I think we will find allies with the good people of Equality Ohio.

NPR does story in Ohio on medical cannabis

http://statenews.org/story_page.cfm?id=9984

NATIONAL NEWS

UT: Pot Odor Not Sufficient For Warrantless Search, Supreme Court Rules

Salt Lake City, UT: The odor of burning marijuana emanating outside of a home does not grant law enforcement the authority to enter that residence without a warrant to search for contraband, the Utah Supreme Court recently ruled in a 4-1 decision.

Smokeless Cannabis Delivery System Found "Safe And Effective," Study Says

San Francisco, CA: Vaporization is a "safe and effective" cannabinoid delivery mode for patients who desire the rapid onset of action associated with inhalation while avoiding the respiratory risks of smoking, according to clinical trial data to be published in the journal Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics.

HI: OPED: SAY 'NO' TO GREEN HARVEST, 'YES' TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA

I am a patient with a medical marijuana permit in three states and Canada. I was a schoolteacher, a case manager and for the past 14 years I have been a disability advocate here in Hawaii. This is a call to all Hawaii residents to say "no" to federal money for Green Harvest.

Trafficker or Healer? And Who's the Victim?

By JOHN TIERNEY -- ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 26 -- The case of the United States v. William Eliot Hurwitz, which began in federal court here on Monday, is about much more than one physician. It's a battle over who sets the rules for treating patients who are in pain: narcotics agents and prosecutors, or doctors and scientists.

NH: MEDICAL MARIJUANA MEASURE REJECTED

State House Vote Sees Debate Over Benefits -- By a slender margin, lawmakers decided yesterday against letting people with debilitating illnesses use marijuana for pain relief or other medical purposes.

UP IN SMOKE

Former Rep. Bob Barr (R-Ga.) was a major buzz kill when he was in Congress. Termed "the worst drug warrior" on Capitol Hill by the Libertarian Party, he led the charge among conservative Republicans against the drug legalization movement.

Why is Marijuana Illegal?

A brief history of the criminalization of cannabis - http://marijuana.drugwarrant.com

BARR SHIFTS IN SUPPORT OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Washington -- Bob Barr, a former Georgia Republican congressman and anti-drug crusader, has become a lobbyist for the Marijuana Policy Project.

THC relaxes the colon and may be useful in irritable bowel syndrome

According to a study conducted at the Mayo Clinic, USA, with 52 volunteers the application of THC relaxed the large intestine. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a single dose of 7.5 mg oral THC or a placebo. The effects of THC on the colon were measured one hour after medication, during fasting and one hour after a meal rich in calories (1000 kcal). THC caused a significant increase in colonic compliance, a non- significant increase of relaxation in fasting colonic tone and a significant inhibition of colonic tone after the meal.

Medical pot's future is hazy

Apr 1, 2007 - By K KAUFMANN staff writer for The Desert Sun -- PALM SPRINGS, Calif. - The day the Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided his home, Garry Silva was on his way to pick up his state-issued medical marijuana ID card.

New Mexico becomes 12th medical marijuana state!

April 2, 2007 - Just a little while ago, Gov. Bill Richardson (D) signed New Mexico's medical marijuana legislation into law. As a result, New Mexico is now the 12th state to protect seriously ill patients from arrest and jail for using medical marijuana with their doctors' approval.

NM: POT NOW LEGAL FOR SERIOUS ILLNESS

SANTA FE -- Nearly three decades after medical marijuana first was approved in New Mexico, Gov. Bill Richardson on Monday signed a law authorizing the state Department of Health to give the drug to some seriously ill patients.

MO: OPED: MEDICAL USE OF MARIJUANA SHOULD BE LEGALIZED

You probably know me as a talk show host and, perhaps, as someone who for several years has spoken out about my use of medical marijuana for the pain caused by multiple sclerosis. That surprised a few people, but recent research has proved that I was right: right about marijuana's medical benefits and right about how urgent it is for states to change their laws so that sick people aren't treated as criminals. The Illinois General Assembly is considering such a change right now.

Saliva Tests Still Not Reliable For Detecting Cannabis, Study Says

Bethesda, MD: Saliva tests do not reliably detect the presence of THC, according to a review of ten separate oral fluid, point-of-collection drug testing devices published in the January/February issue of the Journal of Analytical Toxicology.

IL: Column: SICK PEOPLE NEED POT

Most politicians are prone to strike poses while public servants. And sometimes as they vogue, they actually lead. At other times, they stumble down the runway. To highlight my point, think three simple words: George Walker Bush. The president misled us into invading, then occupying, Iraq and is dead set on keeping us in his misadventure, now with his Hail Mary surge.

CALIFORNIA IN BID TO IMPOSE 7.25% SALES TAX ON CANNABIS

FOR decades, smoking marijuana has been an illicit affair, a key anti-establishment ritual for America's counter-culture underground.

RICHARDSON CONTENT TO START SLOW IN WHITE HOUSE RACE

SANTA FE, N.M. -- On the afternoon of the 58th day of New Mexico's 60-day legislative session, Gov. Bill Richardson reclined on the green leather couch in his office, rubbed his eyes and growled to the cluster of staffers surrounding him: "What can I sign?"

MT: MARIJUANA: MEDICINE OR DRUG?

Because Robin Prosser uses prescribed marijuana to ease her chronic pain and illness, she calls it medicine.

Oregon's Messy Medical Marijuana Statehouse Politics

from Drug War Chronicle, Issue #481, 4/13/07 -- With some 14,000 patients registered with the state under the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act (OMMA), Oregon's is one of the most successful programs in the country. But thanks to a well-organized, if fractious, activist community, as well as legislative foes of medical marijuana, OMMA itself (the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program) and the patients are the objects of a frenzy of activity in the legislature this year.

Bill to Make Rhode Island Law Permanent Passes House, Senate Committees

from Drug War Chronicle, Issue #481, 4/13/07 -- A bill that would make Rhode Island's medical marijuana law permanent is headed for House and Senate floor votes after the House Health, Education and Welfare Committee passed it on a 10-3 vote Tuesday and the Senate Health and Human Services Committee passed it on a unanimous voice vote Wednesday. Unless HB 6005 and its companion legislation in the Senate, SB 0791, pass, the Rhode Island medical marijuana program will be ended on June 30.

Medical marijuana at legal, clinical crossroads

Kristen Gerencher, Apr 13, 2007 -- SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Phillip Alden credits marijuana with stimulating his appetite and suppressing what he describes as debilitating foot pain that comes from an AIDS-related condition known as peripheral neuropathy.

CA: THEY CAN'T SEND 'GURU OF GANJA' TO JAIL, BUT FEDS WILL RETRY CASE

Federal prosecutors brushed off a judge's suggestion that they not retry a prominent marijuana advocate on cultivation charges and said Friday they would press ahead, even though he cannot be sent to prison if he is convicted.

REJECTED IN COURT, MEDICAL POT ADVOCATES TURN TO DEA

A federal appeals court's rejection of Angel Raich's plea for permission to ease her suffering without fear of prosecution has medical marijuana advocates looking for reform in a surprising venue -- the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Fourth National Clinical Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics

Some presentations of speakers at the Fourth National Clinical Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics that took place on 6-8 April 2006 are now available online on You Tube (http://www.youtube.com/cannabistherapeutics). Further presentations will follow.
(Source: Patients Out of Time of 6 April 2007)

CA: OFFICIAL BACKS MARIJUANA OUTLET

Pleasanton: Councilman Studies Issue As Others Seek Ban on Medical Dispensaries -- Pleasanton Councilman Matt Sullivan would like to make a medical marijuana dispensary work in the Tri-Valley.

CA: PUB LTE: POLITICS AND POT

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson may want voters to believe that it was politically "risky" -- and thus courageous -- for him to support and sign medical marijuana legislation in New Mexico, but the polls show otherwise. The latest national Gallup Poll on the issue found 78% of voters in support of medical marijuana. So Richardson gets to have his cake and eat it too by taking a politically popular stand while getting credit for being brave.

Marijuana Compound May Fight Lung Cancer

By Amanda Gardner, April 17 (HealthDay News) -- While smoking marijuana is never good for the lungs, the active ingredient in pot may help fight lung cancer, new research shows.

Employers grapple with medical marijuana use

By Stephanie Armour, April 16, 2007, USA TODAY -- On a typical weekday, stockbroker Irvin Rosenfeld has a marijuana cigarette before work, then goes to his firm's smoking area for another after he gets to the office. By day's end, he usually has smoked more than a half-dozen joints — and handled millions of dollars' in clients' holdings.

Rockford pastor supports use of medical marijuana

By Aaron Chambers - REGISTER STAR, SPRINGFIELD, IL — During his 30 years as a Presbyterian pastor, the Rev. Bob Hillenbrand said, he encountered a number of folks whose treatment could have been enhanced by medical marijuana.

Studies Validate Smoke–Free Medical Marijuana

Vaporization Avoids Exposure to Contaminants in Smoke; Associated With Reduced Respiratory Symptoms -- SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA — Two new studies, one from the University of California, San Francisco, and the other from the University at Albany, State University of New York, provide strong evidence that technology now allows medical use of marijuana with the rapid action and easy dose adjustment of inhalation, but without the respiratory hazards associated with smoking. This is considered highly important, as the risks associated with smoke inhalation have been cited by both government officials and independent experts as a major argument against medical marijuana.

Former candidate for governor cleared of marijuana charges

Apr 20, ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. (AP) -- Loretta Nall of Alexander City, founder of the U.S. Marijuana Party and a former write-in candidate for governor, had marijuana charges dismissed on Friday - a day that held special significance for her and her cause.

GETTING CARDED

One Journalist's Trip Through the Culture of Medical Pot Clubs to a Pain-Free Life

CONNOISSEURS OF CANNABIS

Like Fine Wine, Growing Medicinal Weed Has Become So Specialized As to Inspire Tastings and a New Vocabulary

TN: POT GROWER WHO MAY LOSE FARM SAYS HIS ONLY CRIME WAS CARING

Bernie Ellis is an unrepentant soul.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Judge wants medical marijuana user to get pot in jail

A medical marijuana activist in Calgary was sentenced Tuesday to four months in jail for trafficking in marijuana, but the judge ruled that corrections officials must make sure he has access to the drug while behind bars.

Cannabis could hold the key to ending multiple sclerosis misery

Researchers investigating the role of cannabinoids - chemical substances contained within cannabis - in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), have found they could significantly enhance therapy, not only by reducing nerve damage and erratic nerve impulses, but perhaps even by hindering development of the condition.

Italy: Government wants to allow the use of cannabis-based medicines

The Italian Senate should approve "the new law proposal by the Italian government, that simplifies the medical prescription of all analgesic drugs, not only opioid-based drugs but also those containing cannabis derivatives, without delay." This is the solicitation of Health Minister Livia Turco, at the meeting "Rehabilitation activities: yesterday, today, tomorrow", held at the Leonarda Vaccari Institute in Rome on March 22.

OTTAWA PUTS HIGH PRICE TAG ON ITS POT

OTTAWA -- The federal government charges patients 15 times more for certified medical marijuana than it pays to buy the weed in bulk from its official supplier, newly released documents show.

OPNews Disclaimer

OPNews, a publication of Ohio Patient Network (OPN), provides medical cannabis news that affects Ohio patients, caregivers, and health professionals. Articles are intended for information purposes and do not reflect an official position by OPN or the OPN Board of Directors.

YOU ARE INVITED TO OPN MEETINGS

The OPN Board of Directors invites you to participate in OPN/OPAN meetings, which are held at 7:30 p.m. (Eastern time) every Wednesday. Electronic voice/text meetings are held at the DrugSense MAP sponsored chatroom in Teamspeak. More information about meetings and using Teamspeak is available at http://www.ohiopatient.net/v2/content/view/435/160/.

HELP THE OPN SUPPORT PATIENTS

The Ohio Patient Network's goal is to provide a voice for Ohio's medicinal cannabis patients and create an environment where this vital medicine becomes an accepted and legitimate therapy. To do this, we need your help. We'd like you to personally become involved in OPN by donating your time. Please check out our various committees on our website.

If you'd prefer, you can also support medicinal cannabis and what we are doing by contributing monetarily to OPN. Please note that the Ohio Patient Network is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation in the State of Ohio. Donations to OPN are tax deductible to the extent provided by law. Please visit our website (http://ohiopatient.net) and click on the Donate button on any page to make a contribution using your credit card. Please note that these donations will be processed through Paypal.

If you would prefer to donate by check or money order, please make them payable to the "Ohio Patient Network" and mail to P.O. Box 26353, Columbus, OH 43216.

Thank you for supporting the Ohio Patient Network

HOW TO SUBMIT NEWS

You may submit news items via email. To have your information considered for publication, submit your story to feedback@ohiopatient.net with NEWS SUBMISSION in the subject. PLEASE DO NOT SEND ATTACHMENTS.

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND SENATOR

Find your Representative in the Ohio House at http://www.house.state.oh.us/jsps/Representatives.jsp

Find your Ohio Senator at http://www.senate.state.oh.us/senators/

Write to your officials care of their district office, or send your letter to their Columbus office at:

The Honorable (name)

Ohio House of Representatives

77 South High Street

Columbus, Ohio 43266-0603

-or-

The Honorable (name)
Ohio Senate Building
Columbus, Ohio 43215

Telephone calls and emails are also persuasive, especially when the constituent contacts the district office.

To Unsubscribe from this Newsletter

You can remove yourself from this list at any time. Please go to http://ohiopatient.net/v2/content/view/169/95/ to unsubscribe.

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