OPNews - June 2007 edition
A Publication of Ohio Patient Network (OPN)
ORGANIZATIONAL NEWS
OPAN and Don Murphy Join Forces to Lobby Ohio Legislators
The Ohio Patient Action Network has had the pleasure of twice hosting Don
Murphy, former Maryland Assemblyman, sponsor of Maryland's
medical marijuana bill, and founder of the group Republicans
for Compassionate Access. During his first visit on February 7, 2007, we
had appointments with 18 different offices both in the Ohio House of Representatives
and in the Ohio Senate. April 26, 2007, was Mr. Murphy's second visit to our
Statehouse and we visited 14 Republican Ohio House Representatives.
Read more...
On Harmony ...
"It's not necessary to be a government agent provocateur. Even the most
well meaning among us can create chaos and division unless we consider our words
and actions carefully..." Mike Gray, Common Sense for Drug Policy
Read more...
Please Join OPN
Now you can make your voice heard in Ohio's medical marijuana debate while
helping to fund a great cause. OPN is rolling out paid memberships. We have
two introductory membership levels: Individual ($15) and family ($25). We're
temporarily keeping these fees as low as possible so that everyone who can afford
to join or wants to join can do so. Membership are good for one year. You will
be notified as your membership is due to expire.
Read more...
Hempfest and Comfest
Come and have some fun! Please join OPN at the upcoming Hempfest and Comfest.
Each year since our inception, OPN has participated in two major events: the
Hempfest held on the South Oval of The Ohio State University on the first Saturday
of June and Comfest held at Columbus' Goodale Park on the last weekend of that
same month. Please note the details below.
Read more...
OPAN Report on Democratic dinner
OPAN's Rob Ryan and Brandy Zink recently attended the annual Democratic dinner
in Columbus. They met many of our political representatives and reminded them
that medical marijuana does not hurt politicians. Rob reports that he had a
small opportunity to talk with Senator Hillary Clinton. Rob told her “Please
have the courage to say yes to medical marijuana while you are in office rather
than a month after you are out like Bill did.” OPN members are encouraged
to put it on your own "to do list" and call your representative to
encourage support for medical marijuana reform.
Read more...
Help Wanted
The Ohio Patient Network is currently looking for dedicated individuals to
fill the following positions:
Read more...
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.
Read more...
NATIONAL NEWS
The War on Drugs and Human Rights
Rob Ryan, host of the Cincinnati-based "Amnesty International Hour"
radio show (www.aiusa86.org),
is pleased to report that he has authored and passed a resolution at the 2007
Amnesty International USA annual meeting. Note that Amnesty International is
the largest human rights organization in the world. The resolution is titled
"The War on Drugs and Human Rights". The resolution calls for sending
a coalition message to the political leadership of United States (which is all
the way up and down the political chain) about the numerous impacts of the war
on drugs. Our drug war policies have many victims including medical marijuana
patients in the United States and right here in Ohio. The next step for the
resolution is implementation; Rob has been in contact with the National Organization
of Criminal Defense lawyers as a partner in this effort. If you are interested
in getting involved in this effort contact Rob at radio@aiusa86.org
or 888-385-2843.
MAINE MEDICINAL MARIJUANA BILL DEBATED
AUGUSTA - Maine voters approved the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes
in 1999 by 61 percent to 39 percent. But supporters told lawmakers Monday that
the law has not worked and urged passage of a new bill that would assure they
have access to the drug.
Read more...
MARIJUANA MARTYR
Bernie Ellis Gave Comfort to the Sick and Dying. for That Crime, the Government
Means to Take Everything He's Got.
Life came unglued for Bernie Ellis on the day drug agents raided his farm like
it was the fortified villa of a South American cocaine kingpin. Ellis was bush-hogging
around his berry patches when two helicopters swept low over the treetops. Then,
rumbling in on four-wheelers, came 10 officers of the Tennessee Marijuana Eradication
Task Force. The war on drugs had arrived, literally, in Ellis' backyard. It
was a major operation to strike a righteous blow against the devil weed.
Read more...
Cops admit planting marijuana to cover murder of 92-year-old woman
Yesterday, the Atlanta police provided even more horrifying evidence that the
government’s war on drugs continues to be a disastrous failure.
Read more...
THC promotes weight gain in elderly subjects suffering from appetite and
weight loss
According to research conducted at the Saint Louis University the use of THC
may increase weight in elderly subjects who suffer from anorexia (loss of appetite)
and weight loss. Scientists conducted a retrospective observational study on
28 patients with a mean age of 79.5 years, who received oral THC for twelve
weeks.
Read more...
THC reduces cancer growth and spreading to other organs in lung cancer
According to a press release by the American Association for Cancer Research
(AACR) an animal study by researchers at Harvard University was presented at
the 2007 annual meeting of the organisation on 14-18 April in Los Angeles, which
shows that THC may be useful in lung cancer.
Read more...
WEED IT & WEEP! GRANNY'S BUSTED
She is 71 years old, a great-grandmother - hardly the type of person you would
expect to see in Bronx Criminal Court to answer charges of buying two dime bags
of pot.
Read more...
LEGISLATURE POISED TO OK MARIJUANA FOR MEDICAL USE
The Minnesota Senate today is set to approve the use of marijuana for people
who are critically ill or in excruciating pain.
Read more...
NEW STUDIES DESTROY THE LAST OBJECTION TO MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Anyone who advocates for medical marijuana sooner or later runs into arguments
about smoking: "No real medicine is smoked." "Smoking is bad
for the lungs; why would any doctor recommend something so harmful?" It's
a line of reasoning that medical marijuana opponents have used to great effect
in Congress, state legislatures, and elsewhere. Indeed, the FDA's controversial
2006 statement opposing medical marijuana was couched in repeated references
to "smoked marijuana."
Read more...
POLS LIKE MEDICAL MARIJUANA
PROVIDENCE - Leaders of both the House and Senate say bills to extend the life
of Rhode Island's medical marijuana law will likely pass this week, probably
with enough votes to withstand a veto by Gov. Donald Carcieri.
Read more...
THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA MOVEMENT GROWS IN SANTA BARBARA
Emerald Dreams and Smoky Realities
In a small two-bedroom home, nestled anonymously on the upper Westside of Santa
Barbara, the lights are humming right now. Vaguely Victorian in style with a
white picket fence and a well-manicured front lawn, the home does little to
betray the blooming emerald harvest growing inside its walls. A woman walking
her dog passes by the driveway, urging her four-legged friend to "do your
business," never giving a second thought to the perpetually drawn window
shades of the back room, the constantly spinning electricity meter humming in
the side yard, or the sweet odor of fresh ganja blowing in the breeze.
Read more...
Vaporized marijuana may be easier on the lungs
NEW YORK (May 4, 2007 Reuters Health) - Users of marijuana (also called cannabis)
who vaporize the drug have fewer lung symptoms than those who smoke it, researchers
report.
Read more...
Science Magazine Weighs in on Federal Medical
Marijuana Lawsuit
Scientific journal of AAAS says federal government has failed to recognize
efficacy of medical marijuana
Oakland -- Former FDA Commissioner and Editor-in-Chief of Science Magazine,
Dr. Don Kennedy, authored an editorial on medical marijuana in this week's edition
of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) publication.
The AAAS concluded that the federal Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS) violated its own guidelines regarding information quality when it rejected
the petition filed by national medical marijuana advocacy organization Americans
for Safe Access (ASA).
Read more...
RI: Senate backs medical marijuana bill
By Joe Baker/Daily News staff -- PROVIDENCE - Following the lead of the House
of Representatives, the Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation Thursday
that would make permanent the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
Read more...
In Theory: DEBATING THE USE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Clergy in Illinois are supporting the legalization of medical marijuana, arguing
that its use in treating pain and nausea associated with chemotherapy treatments
for cancer, the pain of multiple sclerosis and other conditions is moral. What
do you think?
Read more...
East Tennesseans Debate Medical Marijuana
Knoxville (WVLT) - Some cancer patients say marijuana relieves nausea and other
side effects from chemotherapy. And some states have passed legislation removing
the state penalties for marijuana use for medical purposes.
Read more...
RI: MARIJUANA LAW GETS SENATE NOD
PROVIDENCE - Following in the footsteps of Wednesday's House vote, the Senate
approved legislation Thursday to make the state's medical marijuana law permanent.
Read more...
Oakland activist drops medical marijuana case
Raich plans to take crusade to U.S. Congress
by Josh Richman, ANG Newspapers May 11th, 2007 -- Oakland medical marijuana
patient and activist Angel Raich dropped her lawsuit against the federal government
Thursday, ending a five-year legal odyssey which had taken her all the way to
the U.S. Supreme Court.
Read more...
Inhaling cannabis without the smoke
Study shows vaporizer delivers marijuana 'safely and effectively'.
Arran Frood (nature.com) -- Vaporizing cannabis leaves instead of burning them
can release the drug's active ingredient just as effectively — while avoiding
the harmful toxins inhaled through smoking the drug, according to a pilot study.
Read more...
Uncle Sam's Cannabis Patch
Did you know that the federal government grows 1.5 acres of cannabis at the
University of Mississippi, not just for research but also to supply the 7 remaining
patients in the Compassionate Investigational New Drug (IND) program? For free!
This program was closed to new entrants in 1991 by President George H.W. Bush.
Read more...
Pot, Politics and Inhumanity
(May 18, 2007) Springfield -- Illinois lawmakers missed an opportunity that
just might have prolonged, and perhaps saved, the lives of some seriously ill
citizens. Instead, the state Senate's failure to legalize the use of medical
marijuana did just the opposite, dashing the hopes of some terminally and seriously
ill, their families and friends. We had hoped lawmakers would at last abandon
the hollow law-and-order, anti-drug political arguments of opponents, especially
after the Senate Public Health Committee approved SB650.
Read more...
Retrial for medical-pot advocate opens
Bob Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle May 15th, 2007 -- The retrial of marijuana
advocate Ed Rosenthal on federal cultivation charges opened today with his lawyer
doing everything she could to make it clear to jurors that he had been growing
cannabis for medical use, a subject the judge has put off-limits.
Read more...
Stoned - Again - In Court
Joshua Zaffos, Rocky Mountain Chronicle May 18th, 2007 -- Medical marijuana
providers James and Lisa Masters and their lawyers enjoyed a 20-second victory
in court on May 14, before a judge dismissed most of their latest round of motions.
Larimer County Chief Judge James A. Hiatt ruled that a drug task-force officer
illegally searched the Masters' house, but he then refused to throw out the
evidence gathered during a follow-up search.
Read more...
Ten years after California legalized medical marijuana, OC's war on
cannabis continues
by Nick Schou, OC Weekly (May 17th, 2007) -- All Richard "Shaggy"
Quell and his girlfriend wanted to do was shower affection on their wounded
cat, Kushy. The pet had just survived an operation after losing a vicious fight
with a fellow feline. When they got the call on April 17 that Kushy was ready
to go home, they rushed to the veterinarian and returned to their Anaheim apartment
at about 7 p.m. Waiting for Quell in the parking lot of his apartment complex
was a uniformed Anaheim police officer.
Read more...
WALK'S AIM IS TO LEGALIZE USE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Libertarian Group Advocates Pot As Pain Reliever
Seaside Heights, NJ - A group of Libertarian Party members plans to set out
today on a "Walk Across New Jersey" with a message for lawmakers:
Legalize medical marijuana.
Read more...
IN MEMORIAM: TOD MIKURIYA
Pioneering researcher on marijuana and cannabis therapeutics dies at 73.
Read more...
MEDICAL MARIJUANA USE INITIATIVE LAUNCHES IN MICH.
An initiative that would allow seriously ill Michigan residents to use marijuana
as a pain reliever without repercussions will be launched this week, The Coalition
for Compassionate Care announced Wednesday.
Read more...
CT: Marijuana Bill Passes In House
Law Would Allow Patients To Grow Plants At Home
COLIN POITRAS, Courant Staff Writer (May 24, 2007) -- After one of the longest,
most poignant debates of the legislative session, the House of Representatives
Wednesday approved a bill allowing seriously ill individuals to grow marijuana
at home to ease their pain.
Read more...
Marijuana Intoxication Does Not Adversely Impact Decision Making, Study
Says
New York, NY: Experienced marijuana users perform tasks as accurately after
having smoked cannabis as they do sober, according to clinical trial data published
in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology.
Read more...
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
AMA BACKS PRESCRIBING CANNABIS
MARIJUANA would be prescribed by doctors in South Australia for medicinal purposes
under planned legislation.
Read more...
The Commission on Narcotic Drugs of the United Nations decided against
reclassification of dronabinol (THC) due to political reasons
On its 50th meeting held in Vienna from 12-16 March 2007 the Commission on
Narcotic Drugs (CND) of the UN decided against a rescheduling of dronabinol
(THC), the main active principle of cannabis, from Schedule II to Schedule III
of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, as it was proposed by the
Expert Committee of the World Health Organisation (WHO) at its meeting in 2006.
Read more...
CANNABIS CHEMICAL CURBS PSYCHOTIC SYMPTOMS, STUDY FINDS
One of the active chemicals in cannabis inhibits psychotic symptoms in people
with schizophrenia, according to a study which compared it with a leading anti-psychotic
drug. Although the finding could lead to new treatments for schizophrenia, scientists
think it may also explain why cases of cannabis-induced psychosis are apparently
on the rise.
Read more...
On the future of cannabis as medicine
A new article by Dr. Lester Grinspoon, a professor at Harvard Medical School,
USA, entitled "On the future of cannabis as medicine" has been published
in CANNABINOIDS, the online journal of the IACM. In an invited letter Dr. Ethan
Russo, Senior Medical Advisor of GW Pharmaceuticals, replies to the article.
See http://www.cannabis-med.org/english/nav/home-jcant.htm
for both. Short letters to the editor are welcome.
Schizophrenia
British scientists analysed symptoms of 757 subjects, who developed schizophrenia,
of whom 182 (24 percent) had used cannabis in the year prior to first presentation
to a psychiatrist due to the disease. There were no significant differences
in the symptoms between cannabis users and non-users that have been observed
in some small studies. In addition, cannabis users who developed schizophrenia
had no greater family history of schizophrenia. The authors concluded that this
"argues against a distinct schizophrenia-like psychosis caused by cannabis."
(Source: Boydell J, et al. Schizophr Res 2007 Apr 24; [Electronic publication
ahead of print])
Pancreatitis
Researchers of the University of Heidelberg, Germany, found that patients with
acute inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) showed elevated levels of
cannabinoid receptors and endocannabinoids in the pancreas. In studies with
mice with pancreatitis a cannabinoid that as THC binds to CB1 and CB2 receptors
reduced pain and inflammation of the disease. (Source: Michalski CW, et al.
Gastroenterology 2007;132(5):1968-78.)
REGULAR FEATURES
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
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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
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