Recently, there has been a plethora of media coverage on the marijuana debate, and particularly President Obama's written statement to the DEA outlining the new federal position on states that allow medical marijuana. In the memo, President Obama tells U.S. Attorneys that they should avoid prosecuting people that use or distribute medical cannabis as long as they are in accordance with state laws. While this sounds like a major victory for the medical community, in reality this does not change much.
The "new" policy that has been written out by Obama is really just a reiteration of what federal policy has been ever sense he arrived in office. Obama has been interviewed on the subject many times previous to this written statement, and in all of these discussions he has stated that he does not want to waste federal resources trying to circumvent state laws on the issue. While the policy sounds good, unfortunately the DEA has felt it not necessary to follow. Sense Obama has taken office, there have been at least 22 raids on medical dispensaries in California that have been organized by, or assisted by, federal agents. One of the clubs raided by the DEA in San Francisco was shut down because of what the DEA called "irregularities in the collection of state sales tax." This has nothing to do with violations of state drug laws. When was the last time a bank or pharmacy was raided by federal agents at gun point for irregularities in their state tax forms? Maybe this is why the President now feels it necessary to provide the policy to federal law enforcement in writing.
Unfortunately even this written statement holds little weight with the DEA, particularly in California. Because of the language of the policy, federal agents can still raid medical dispensaries that they feel are out of accordance with state laws. Where this becomes a problem is when officials with opposing views on the subject interpret state laws differently for different districts. This visibly true in the Los Angeles area and San Diego.
The DA of San Diego has been against the medical movement from the get go and continues to shut down San Diego dispensaries with the help of the DEA. In addition, the District Attorney of Los Angeles Steve Cooley has recently published an opinion that, in his mind, renders 99% of the over 800 dispensaries in the LA area illegal because they all use over the counter sales. This would leave legal room for the DEA to assist in raiding all of these Los Angeles clubs because the DA of that area deems them illegal by state law. However, this legal interpretation that Steve Cooley has made public, does not follow the guidelines that California Attorney General Jerry Brown issued in March that clearly state that collectives can charge for cannabis sativa as long as they only take in enough revenue to cover overhead and operating expenses.
All of this media hype and mixed messages from officials are leaving the actual picture of the cannabis sativa debate very divided for those involved, and even more clouded and unsure for the people observing. A clearer picture needs to be drawn about the legal stature and enforcement of cannabis for both the people onlooking the debate and the people debating if any sort of workable solution is going to be formed for the either the legalization or medical use of marijuana.
Until next time,
The Cann Ban Man
Showing posts with label legalization. Show all posts
Showing posts with label legalization. Show all posts
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Los Angeles DA Threatens Local Dispensories
On Saturday, the Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley stated that L.A. law enforcement is now of the opinion that almost all 900 dispensaries operating in Los Angeles are running illegally. According to a State Supreme Court Ruling, the 1996 medical law on the books legalizes the medical use and growth of cannabis. According to the DA, this does not legalize the over the counter sale of marijuana, which is currently how all dispensaries operate. Cooley stated to The Los Angeles Times that, "The vast, vast, vast majority, about 100%, of dispensaries in Los Angeles County and the city are operating illegally, they are dealing marijuana illegally, according to our theory,"
His plan is to first warn the clubs of their illegality in order to give them a chance to comply with law enforcement's interpretation of the law. Unfortunately, it would be impossible for any club to maintain its business without over-the-counter sales, and the DA's ultimate goal is to shut down all of the collectives in LA county. This is the largest threat to the medical cannabis industry sense the Obama administration's announcement that federal raids would stop on all dispensaries that were in accordance with state law.
The most confusing part of all of this is the motivation behind the announcement. Why does law enforcement want to crack down on cannabis? Are there not more serious and victimizing crimes that they could redirect their cannabis efforts toward? Or is cannabis enforcement just the most profitable avenue for the department? Can Cooley really justify stripping California for 18 million a year in tax revenue by finding a loop hole in the legislation and demanding that "It's the law!" Finally, if LA law enforcement is taking tax money from the state government, and they are trying to effectively nullify legislation that was voted in by the state's people over ten years ago, who are they working for?!
This is a major development in the legalization debate and it could have dramatic effects on how the medical market operates. I will keep updates on the issue as more information develops.
His plan is to first warn the clubs of their illegality in order to give them a chance to comply with law enforcement's interpretation of the law. Unfortunately, it would be impossible for any club to maintain its business without over-the-counter sales, and the DA's ultimate goal is to shut down all of the collectives in LA county. This is the largest threat to the medical cannabis industry sense the Obama administration's announcement that federal raids would stop on all dispensaries that were in accordance with state law.
The most confusing part of all of this is the motivation behind the announcement. Why does law enforcement want to crack down on cannabis? Are there not more serious and victimizing crimes that they could redirect their cannabis efforts toward? Or is cannabis enforcement just the most profitable avenue for the department? Can Cooley really justify stripping California for 18 million a year in tax revenue by finding a loop hole in the legislation and demanding that "It's the law!" Finally, if LA law enforcement is taking tax money from the state government, and they are trying to effectively nullify legislation that was voted in by the state's people over ten years ago, who are they working for?!
This is a major development in the legalization debate and it could have dramatic effects on how the medical market operates. I will keep updates on the issue as more information develops.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Cannabis Science Can Save Millions on Healthcare
Several blogs and some online media outlets have been covering a new study by a San Francisco based company on cannabinoids potential anti-bacterial qualities. Cannabis Science Inc. was asked to report on the progress of research relating to the use of cannabinoids to reduce the spread of drug resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphyloccus aureus (MRSA).
MRSA and similar "superbugs" are hospital breed bacteria that are much more resistant current antibiotics. People with weakened immune systems and those with open wounds are also more susceptible to these bacteria, making hospitals excellent breading grounds for the bugs. These new parasites are becoming a major problem by extending patients normal hospital stays and risking long term patients, such as AIDS or cancer patients, to further infections. The annual death toll for MRSA alone is now in the tens of thousands.
Dr. Robert Melamede, PhD., Director and Chief Science Officer of Cannabis Science Inc. stated that,
University studies in both England and Italy support the company's findings by reporting that the five major cannabinoids found in marijuana showed exceptional antibacterial activity against two forms of MRSA that have been deemed epidemics in English hospitals. Unfortunately news of this new research is being downplayed in the UK because of the governments negative view toward using cannabis as a medicine.
Research into use of whole cannabis extracts and multi-cannabinoid compounds has provided the scientific rationale for medical marijuana’s efficacy in treating some of the most troubling diseases mankind now faces, including infectious diseases such as the flu and HIV, autoimmune diseases such as ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and diabetes, neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s, stroke and brain injury, as well as numerous forms of cancer. One common element of these diseases is that patients often suffer extended hospital stays, risking development of various Staphyloccus infections including MRSA. A topical, whole-cannabis treatment for these infections is a functional complement to our cannabis extract-based lozenge.
The American Medical Association published in 2007 that MRSA infections caused 18,500 hospital-stay related deaths annually and directly increased healthcare costs by as much as $9.7 billion. Now, in order to gage California's contribution to these added costs, the simplest way would be to use the states percentage of the national population. In California this may even by a low estimation of its contribution due to the millions in added healthcare costs from unreported illegal residence. However, this may been seen by some as too inaccurate or too general of a measurement. So lets assume California's contribution to the national MRSA healthcare cost is only 6%, instead of it's relative population size to the county of 12%. This means that if the cannabinoid antibiotics are legalized in California and they eliminate the costs of MRSA infections, then California will save $582 million annually in healthcare costs.
This estimation also does not take into account the possibility that other states and nations, such as the UK, that have similar problems with antibiotic resistant bugs will take notice of the product's positive results. They may then legalize it for their own hospitals and populations, with a California based supplier ready to meet their demand.
Hopefully this is a good example of how much just one potential product from marijuana legalization can benefit the state economically, as well as an eye opening example of just how real, and potent, cannabis' medical potential is turning out to be.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Social Bookmarking About Marijuana Legalization.
While looking for more information to bring to the discussion of marijuana legalization, I decided to check out what other people are reading and discussing about the debate. After searching for "marijuana legalization in California" on delicious.com, I came across 17 articles relating to the debate about marijuana legalization. Delicious is a social bookmarking site that has more users than any of the others. I felt this would be the best sight for getting useful resources because it has the largest, and presumably most diverse, number of users to give input on the topic. The two most bookmarked articles actually made arguments for the national legalization of all drugs.
In the first story, CNN published a Harvard Economics Professor’s article about how the legalization of all drugs in the United States would greatly reduce violence in the country. Jeffrey A. Miron explains that prohibition actually causes this violence by forcing the markets underground. This prohibits the buyers and sellers of these products from settling their disputes with lawsuits or other legal avenues. Instead they must fall back on organized crime, fear, and violence.
His arguments shed more light on just how detrimental prohibition and the “war on drugs” have become. Because of prohibition, politicians and law enforcement are seen as threats to the profits of these illicit markets. This, in turn, pushes the producers and distributers of these products to threaten, bribe and terrorize these threats in order to protect profits. He argues that this never happens in legal industries.
One of his other points was that drug prohibition is bad for national security, By destroying opium and coca fields in countries such as Columbia and Afghanistan, Miron argues that we are fostering hatred for the United States. He also believes that interfering with trafficking endorses terrorism because many of these traffickers now hire terrorist organizations for protection services. Many if not all of Miron’s arguments could easily be applied to just the marijuana market of California.
Another interesting article I found while searching the delicious social bookmarks explained that the tax revenue predictions for the sales of marijuana have to be grossly overestimated. Michael Hiltzin argues that the estimate that California’s marijuana crop has an anal worth of 14 billion is based on an industry that does not provide financial statements and therefore cannot possibly be accurate. He also feels the mainstream media is buying too much into these guesstimations in the quest for ratings. This article has spurred me to look further into the estimations about weed revenue and really try to figure out what they are based on.
By turning to what sites other people have found interesting about the debate, I have been able to discover not only new things to discuss about legalization implications, but also new viewpoints on previous resources and arguments.
In the first story, CNN published a Harvard Economics Professor’s article about how the legalization of all drugs in the United States would greatly reduce violence in the country. Jeffrey A. Miron explains that prohibition actually causes this violence by forcing the markets underground. This prohibits the buyers and sellers of these products from settling their disputes with lawsuits or other legal avenues. Instead they must fall back on organized crime, fear, and violence.
His arguments shed more light on just how detrimental prohibition and the “war on drugs” have become. Because of prohibition, politicians and law enforcement are seen as threats to the profits of these illicit markets. This, in turn, pushes the producers and distributers of these products to threaten, bribe and terrorize these threats in order to protect profits. He argues that this never happens in legal industries.
One of his other points was that drug prohibition is bad for national security, By destroying opium and coca fields in countries such as Columbia and Afghanistan, Miron argues that we are fostering hatred for the United States. He also believes that interfering with trafficking endorses terrorism because many of these traffickers now hire terrorist organizations for protection services. Many if not all of Miron’s arguments could easily be applied to just the marijuana market of California.
Another interesting article I found while searching the delicious social bookmarks explained that the tax revenue predictions for the sales of marijuana have to be grossly overestimated. Michael Hiltzin argues that the estimate that California’s marijuana crop has an anal worth of 14 billion is based on an industry that does not provide financial statements and therefore cannot possibly be accurate. He also feels the mainstream media is buying too much into these guesstimations in the quest for ratings. This article has spurred me to look further into the estimations about weed revenue and really try to figure out what they are based on.
By turning to what sites other people have found interesting about the debate, I have been able to discover not only new things to discuss about legalization implications, but also new viewpoints on previous resources and arguments.
Monday, September 21, 2009
NORML Profile
While searching for blogs within my area I came across several that spoke on the topic. While most where somewhat dry and purely information based, the one I chose was able to draw an interesting connection between the "Beer Summit" recently held by President Obama intended for better race relations, and the building debate over marijuana legalization.
In, "What This Country Needs Is a Marijuana Summit", Current (www.current.com) blogger David Bearman, M.D. discusses the need for a Marijuana summit intended to better the health of millions of Americans and generate millions in tax dollars.
Current is a user generated news web page and television station lead by former Vice President Al Gore. The news company films reports all over the world, and they generally have a slightly activist message behind them.
The most interesting thing about the blog to me was how the argument was posed as more of a calling by the American people to hold some form of public discussion on the topic of Marijuana. As opposed to another post reciting health studies and beneficial economic numbers based on legalization and taxation. It is becoming clear that these facts are being dismissed by politicians, either as lacking substantial backing, or are flat out being ignored. Rather than reciting numbers and studies that are already know, this author brings to light the fact that most Americans do know the dangers and benefits behind Marijuana, and are ready to accept them.
If a nation can call on its government to re-legalize alcohol with all its known dangers and no possible health benefits, and the same nation can keep tobacco legal after decades of obvious corrilations to cancer and other negative side effects. Then why is there so much hesitation to openly discuss re-legalizing a substance that could improve the health and lives of millions as well as help to stimulate a weakening economy? With the growing need for strong markets and increasing unemployment, why wouldn't the government want to take full advantage of a multi-million dollar industry that is already in place within its borders? These are the types of questions that are citizens need to be asking their politicians. Dr. Bearman realizes that the people must demand that the politicians work for them. That if the majority of voters agree on a topic, than it is the responsibility of the nation's representatives to further that view. They should not need convincing by they people that they represent about weather the majority is truly correct in their opinion.
Bearman goes on to say that their should be a public discussion between director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske, and doctors and researchers on medical marijuana. Making such an event televised would not only show the public that the director of drug control policy is hearing all of the facts, but it would also let the public know expert opinions about the uses of medical marijuana directly from researchers in the field.
In all the blog was quite detailed and it made me think of new ways of looking at the topic rather than simply through health studies and econ figures. Persuading and using the voice of the people is equally as powerful as crunching numbers and reciting facts. Even if the economic benefits are blinding, the people need to scream at their politicians for change in order to see these benefits.
In, "What This Country Needs Is a Marijuana Summit", Current (www.current.com) blogger David Bearman, M.D. discusses the need for a Marijuana summit intended to better the health of millions of Americans and generate millions in tax dollars.
Current is a user generated news web page and television station lead by former Vice President Al Gore. The news company films reports all over the world, and they generally have a slightly activist message behind them.
The most interesting thing about the blog to me was how the argument was posed as more of a calling by the American people to hold some form of public discussion on the topic of Marijuana. As opposed to another post reciting health studies and beneficial economic numbers based on legalization and taxation. It is becoming clear that these facts are being dismissed by politicians, either as lacking substantial backing, or are flat out being ignored. Rather than reciting numbers and studies that are already know, this author brings to light the fact that most Americans do know the dangers and benefits behind Marijuana, and are ready to accept them.
The federal government must concur with what we the people already know. In the Obama Transition Team’s own on-line poll, respondents overwhelmingly selected legalizing marijuana as our country’s number one priority. This May, even a Zogby poll commissioned by the conservative O’Leary Report, found 52 percent of American voters in favor and only 37 percent opposed to legalizing (and taxing) marijuana.
Bearman goes on to say that their should be a public discussion between director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Gil Kerlikowske, and doctors and researchers on medical marijuana. Making such an event televised would not only show the public that the director of drug control policy is hearing all of the facts, but it would also let the public know expert opinions about the uses of medical marijuana directly from researchers in the field.
In all the blog was quite detailed and it made me think of new ways of looking at the topic rather than simply through health studies and econ figures. Persuading and using the voice of the people is equally as powerful as crunching numbers and reciting facts. Even if the economic benefits are blinding, the people need to scream at their politicians for change in order to see these benefits.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Hello World
Welcome!
Currently, California is going through a serious economic crisis. There is a 26 billion dollar budget deficit, and the state government just pushed through legislation to make 15 billion in spending cuts in order to close the spending gap. 9 billion dollars of this cut is to come directly from education. The plan is said said to not even fix the crisis, there is still a rising 11.6% unemployment rate and foreclosing homes all over the state. Some economists feel that the spending cuts will actually hurt the economy by making the California recession longer and more severe than it normally would be.
Because of the widespread knowledge of the Cali economic crisis, and the widespread lack of solutions by the state government, Governer Schwarzenegger has decided to enlist the help and ideas of the state's residence. He has created a myidea4CA.com twitter page where normal people can tweet their ideas about how to help the crisis. The people's overwhelming plan?
Legalize Marijuana.
This blog addresses the effects that the people's plan would have on the state and its economy. As a student of economics, medical Marijuana user and fellow Californian, I have always wondered why the state government would not want to take full advantage of California's largest cash crop. For years Californians have been fighting for legalization, and unlike most Americans, these activists embrace taxation with open arms. So why then is the government still so hesitant? For many years the economy was not on as dire of straights as it is now, and the old federal administration was opposed to the idea and was willing to enforce the federal laws on marijuana throughout California. Now however, the state is squeezing cash from anywhere it can think of, and President Obama has already ended the DEA raids on Marijuana medical clinics. He has also hinted at a lack of federal opposition to a California Legalization movement.
The time for Marijuana activists seems to be coming, and not a moment too soon. They have been screaming for taxation for many years, and are now closer than ever to legalization. There is legislation in Sacramento set for 2010 that will put an alcohol-like legalization on pot. Only those 21 and over will be able to purchase Marijuana and only stores with the correct permits will be able to distribute it. The direct and indrect effects of such legislation would be immediate and outreaching. Hundreds of inmates would be granted their freedom on their non-violent marijuana charges, hemp products would immediately become re-legalized in California, and thousands of taxable jobs would be created by the newly legalized industry. An increase in health-care and medical treatment may result from an increase in Marijuana users but this has yet to be determined.
The overall goal of this blog is to fully explore all of the different sectors of the California state economy that would be effected by legalization and to summarize findings and overall effects that this act could have on the state's people and it's growing economic crisis. The purpose is not to push for legalization, but rather to weigh in all the effects a plan like this would have on California and make conclusions about its feasibility and effectiveness.
Welcome and feel free to provide any comments or insights you may have on the subject.
Currently, California is going through a serious economic crisis. There is a 26 billion dollar budget deficit, and the state government just pushed through legislation to make 15 billion in spending cuts in order to close the spending gap. 9 billion dollars of this cut is to come directly from education. The plan is said said to not even fix the crisis, there is still a rising 11.6% unemployment rate and foreclosing homes all over the state. Some economists feel that the spending cuts will actually hurt the economy by making the California recession longer and more severe than it normally would be.
Because of the widespread knowledge of the Cali economic crisis, and the widespread lack of solutions by the state government, Governer Schwarzenegger has decided to enlist the help and ideas of the state's residence. He has created a myidea4CA.com twitter page where normal people can tweet their ideas about how to help the crisis. The people's overwhelming plan?
Legalize Marijuana.
This blog addresses the effects that the people's plan would have on the state and its economy. As a student of economics, medical Marijuana user and fellow Californian, I have always wondered why the state government would not want to take full advantage of California's largest cash crop. For years Californians have been fighting for legalization, and unlike most Americans, these activists embrace taxation with open arms. So why then is the government still so hesitant? For many years the economy was not on as dire of straights as it is now, and the old federal administration was opposed to the idea and was willing to enforce the federal laws on marijuana throughout California. Now however, the state is squeezing cash from anywhere it can think of, and President Obama has already ended the DEA raids on Marijuana medical clinics. He has also hinted at a lack of federal opposition to a California Legalization movement.
The time for Marijuana activists seems to be coming, and not a moment too soon. They have been screaming for taxation for many years, and are now closer than ever to legalization. There is legislation in Sacramento set for 2010 that will put an alcohol-like legalization on pot. Only those 21 and over will be able to purchase Marijuana and only stores with the correct permits will be able to distribute it. The direct and indrect effects of such legislation would be immediate and outreaching. Hundreds of inmates would be granted their freedom on their non-violent marijuana charges, hemp products would immediately become re-legalized in California, and thousands of taxable jobs would be created by the newly legalized industry. An increase in health-care and medical treatment may result from an increase in Marijuana users but this has yet to be determined.
The overall goal of this blog is to fully explore all of the different sectors of the California state economy that would be effected by legalization and to summarize findings and overall effects that this act could have on the state's people and it's growing economic crisis. The purpose is not to push for legalization, but rather to weigh in all the effects a plan like this would have on California and make conclusions about its feasibility and effectiveness.
Welcome and feel free to provide any comments or insights you may have on the subject.
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