Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear!

Hello everybody.  Sorry for being out of touch.  I'm in D.C. for Jon Stewart's rally.  I'll update more when I return home.

A Cute Cannabis Legalization Video + The Truth About Prop 19

Proposition 19 - The New Leaf from ISHOTHIM on Vimeo.

The last post was about why not to vote for Prop 19, so it is only appropriate to provide some counter arguments and show why you should vote for Prop 19.

noonproposition19.com claims:

"If an employer allows employees cigarette smoking breaks and/or certain areas in which cigarette smoking is allowed, they would have to allow marijuana smoking as well." 

This is a lie to make you think your co-workers will be stoned all day. Prop19 clearly states that it's not intended to effect "any law prohibiting use of controlled substances in the workplace or by specific persons whose jobs involve public safety."  Marijuana use will be treated like alcohol when it comes to the workplace.


noonproposition19.com claims:

"The initiative expressly omits any definition of what constitutes being "under the influence" of marijuana. No driver over 21, including bus, taxi, light rail train operators, or everyday commuters can be required to be drug-free while operating a vehicle. Although the initiative says you cannot use marijuana while driving, it is completely permissible to use marijuana just prior to getting behind the wheel. 

This also opens up a tremendous liability question for employers who operate transportation companies or have company vehicles. They will no longer be able to require employees operating these vehicles be drug free."

The Prop19 initiative specifically states in the first paragraph that the proposition "Maintains current prohibitions against driving while impaired." It goes on to specify that it does not effect "Vehicle Code section 23152 [relating to driving while under the influence]" or "any law prohibiting use of controlled substances in the workplace or by specific persons whose jobs involve public safety."


stop19.com claims:

"Prop 19 will likely supersede prop 215, adversely affecting medical cannabis users by dictating grow size, possession amount, patient to patient sales, and location of use."

Prop 19 will not supersede Prop 215 meaning medical marijuana patients are not effected by prop19 at all. You can read more about it Here.


stop19.com claims:

"Prop 19 will lead to the walmartization of the cannabis industry. And unfortunately, this will result in lower quality and fixed prices."

Just like microbrews in the beer industry, the small growers producing quality product will thrive. Californians have access to some of the best marijuana in the world, it's unlikely that they'll drop their standards and switch to cheap, low quality marijuana.


stop19.com claims:

"Do you grow cannabis with a doctor recommendation? Prop 19 will likely be interpreted by law enforcement and judges to limit your grow space to 5'x5'".

Limiting the amount of marijuana plants a medical patient can grow has been ruled unconstitutional by the supreme court. Prop 19 does not change the constitution and does not effect prop 215 patients. Stop19.com is trying to scare prop 215 patients into voting no. Nearly everything about prop 215 patients on stop19.com is a lie. Don't be fooled, prop 19 will not effect prop 215 patients.


Many Prop19 blogs are claiming:

"There will be a $50 tax on every ounce of cannabis sold."

Under Prop 19 the tax on marijuana sales will be determined by local governments. The $50 an ounce tax is actually part of a different proposition that may be on the ballot in 2012.


Countless anti-marijuana critics have claimed:

"One joint is equal to 20 cigarettes."

Critics often exaggerate the dangers of marijuana use by misquoting a study which found that daily marijuana smokers experienced an increase in airflow resistance in the large airways similar to someone smoking 16 cigarettes per day. What the critics don't tell you is; that same study concluded that marijuana does not cause cancer.


A recent study by RAND claims:

"Legalizing the production and distribution of marijuana in California could cut the price of the drug by as much as 80 percent"

If this were true the price of an ounce will be around $50. At that price the growers would be giving it away for free.
The truth is Californians are used to middle to high grade marijuana that costs money to grow. If you factor in the costs of growing, a profit for the farmer, and a profit for the person/establishment selling it, there is no way it will go to $50 an ounce unless Californian's suddenly decide to drop their standards and switch to low grade marijuana. Nobody expects that except maybe RAND.


Anti-marijuana groups often claim:

"Marijuana has more cancer causing chemicals than tobacco"

Although marijuana does contain carcinogens there have been no known cases of marijuana use causing cancer. In 2006 there were 5 studies that all concluded that marijuana does not cause cancer. In fact some of the studies suggest that marijuana actually prevents cancer. They even suggest that tobacco smokers are less likely to get cancer if they also smoke marijuana.


The United States Government claims:

"Marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance with no known medical benefits."

Marijuana has many accepted medical benefits. Fourteen states have legalized cannabis for medical purposes. Medical marijuana has been prescribed by doctors for a variety of different ailments including:

• Multiple Sclerosis
• Glaucoma
• Cancer
• Anorexia
• AIDS
• Pain
• Nausea
• Crohn's Disease
• Epilepsy
• Arthritis

Help spread the truth.

http://www.prop19truth.info/lies.html

Top 10 Reasons to Vote No on Prop19

When discussing any topic, it is always fair to give both sides of an argument equal time.  There are many stoners who are almost rushing to get Prop19 passed, but what you may be unaware of is that there is also a group of PRO-LEGALIZATION marijuana enthusiasts who are AGAINST Prop19.

One of those people is the author of Prop215 (Dennis Peron).  For those who don't know, Proposition 215 legalized the use of medical marijuana in California.

The editing in the video isn't of the highest quality and Dennis Peron isn't as charismatic as Prop19's main architect and advocate, Richard Lee, but Peron does make some interesting points.

Top 10 Reasons to Vote No on Prop19

1. Proposition 19 isn’t really legalization. It only allows possession of up to one ounce of cannabis. Under current California law, an ounce or less of pot is a simple civil infraction — you CAN’T be arrested, you DON’T go to court, and you WON’T get a criminal record. Prop 19 doesn’t make any improvements to decriminalization or prop 215.

2. Prop 19 creates several new cannabis related crimes with extremely severe penalties. Don’t pass a joint to a 17 year old, you will be looking at a max of 7 years in state prison, seriously.

3. Prop 19 is solely designed to allow large scale cannabis production by politically connected corporations. Oakland has already started the process to license a Prop 19 Cartel mega-grow.

4. Most legal experts agree that Prop 19 is poorly written and will leave police and judges to enforce it at their discretion. For example, consuming cannabis would be illegal in the same "space" as a minor. Police and judges are free to interpret the word "space" to mean the same room, house, or entire apartment complex.

5. There is no need to rush into a law that will be difficult to change. There are better full legalization laws, including one set to be on the ballot in 2012.

6. Prop 19 will lead to the walmartization of the cannabis industry. And unfortunately, this will result in lower quality and fixed prices. Limited competition and government control will allow large scale growers to determine prices and dictate quality standards (or lack thereof).

7. Local governments will control the taxation, production, and distribution of cannabis. This is a touchy political issue; most local politicians won’t risk a backlash by allowing dispensaries in their city. This means many people will have to travel long distances or break the law to purchase cannabis.

8. Prop 19 will likely supersede prop 215, adversely affecting medical cannabis users by dictating grow size, possession amount, patient to patient sales, and location of use.

9. Unbiased cannabis activists do NOT support Prop 19. This includes the late Jack Herer and the co-author of prop 215, Dennis Peron.

10. The federal government has decided to not prosecute medical cannabis users. This will not be the case if Prop 19 passes. Many people believe that the passage of Prop 19 will bring an aggressive response from the feds, perhaps putting medical users at risk of losing access to medicine.

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What do you guys think?  Are these valid points?

Proposition 19

Proposition 19, also known as the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010, is a California ballot proposition which will be on the November 2, 2010 California statewide ballot. It legalizes various marijuana-related activities, allows local governments to regulate these activities, permits local governments to impose and collect marijuana-related fees and taxes, and authorizes various criminal and civil penalties. In March 2010 it qualified to be on the November statewide ballot. It requires a simple majority in order to pass, and would take effect the day after the election. Yes on 19 is the official advocacy group for the initiative, and No On Proposition 19 is the official opposition group.

Proponents of Proposition 19 argue that it would help with California's budget shortfall, cut off funding to violent drug cartels, and redirect law enforcement resources to more dangerous crime, while opponents claim that its gaps and flaws will have serious unintended consequences on public safety, workplaces, and federal funding. As of October 2010, even if the proposition is passed, the sale of marijuana will remain illegal under federal law via the Controlled Substances Act.

Here's a recent The Young Turks episode where they discuss the proposition.

An older video clip talking about the losses that Mom&Pop growers 

may suffer due to the "Walmartization" of Weed.

Stay tuned for more information concerning Proposition 19 and the decriminalization of marijuana in the upcoming days.

The Green Rush: A Legalization of Marijuana Documentary

In just two weeks, California will be voting in to legalize marijuana in the November general elections.  In honor of Proposition 19, I'll be making some posts that may hopefully help to sway you into voting to legalize it.

Today I have for you a documentary which I hope you will not only enjoy but perhaps learn something from as well.  

The Green Rush is an award winning documentary following several marijuana farmers over an entire outdoor grow season.

 

A compelling look at the lives of some not-so-ordinary farmers, The Green Rush is a chronicle of the trials and tribulations of a unique group of marijuana farmers in Northern California. 

Identified only by the color of the bandanas they wear to conceal their faces, Mr. Red, Mr. Blue, Mr. Yellow, and Mrs. Pink represent a growing segment of hardworking and passionate Californians.  They are quasi outlaws, plowing a delicate field between the lines of the law and the American tradition of sustenance.  The backwoods setting narrows a distinct and sharp focus on the battle between the broad and mighty federal authorities and the sympathetic state enforcers, whose mandates are unfairly inverse.

Amongst the trees, mountains and untouched splendor of Northern California's richest soil, these farmers wage a battle crafting the best yield of an unforgiving crop against the looming threat of DEA fly-bys,family and personal hardship, thieves, and the ultimate risk…prison time.   

 

Full documentary:  

 

THIS IS SPARTA! (300 Followers!)

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Thanks everyone for the support!  All the views and comments are really appreciated.  It's been a great ride and let's see if we can get another 300 followers. ;D  As is tradition, here are some presents for you lovely people.

Why Are The Effects Of Marijuana So Unpredictable?

It’s long been known that different strains of the drug contain various amounts of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient. When people talk about the effects of the drug – such as giddiness, the munchies and a sudden desire to watch The Big Lebowski – they’re typically referring to the effects of THC. (Interestingly, the same chemical can also make us paranoid. More on that later.) But THC doesn’t work alone – marijuana also contains cannabidiol, a compound associated with calm and relaxation. The ratio of THC to cannabidiol seems to be the key variable: Skunk-type strains, for instance, contain a higher ratio of THC to cannabidiol than, say, hashish. (According to a paper in Neuropsychopharmacology, “Delta-9-THC and CBD can have opposite effects on regional brain function, which may underlie their different symptomatic and behavioural effects, and CBD’s ability to block the psychotogenic effects of delta-9-THC.”) In general, high levels of THC seem to be desired by marijuana users, which helps explain why levels of THC have increased dramatically in the last few decades.

Now for the bad news: These popular skunk-strains (high in THC, low in cannabidiol) seem to be uniquely associated with memory loss. That at least is the lesson of a recent paper in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

The subjects were divided into groups of high (samples containing more than 0.75% cannabidiol) and low (less than 0.14%) cannabidiol exposure, and the data were filtered so that their THC levels were constant. Analysis showed that participants who had smoked cannabis low in cannabidiol were significantly worse at recalling text than they were when not intoxicated. Those who smoked cannabis high in cannabidiol showed no such impairment.

The larger message is that it’s very difficult to generalise about the effects of most drugs. Just look at marijuana: One of the recurring mysteries of the drug is why the same compound can both relax us and make us paranoid; it sometimes causes uncontrollable laughter and sometimes leads to runaway anxiety. This suggests that the context of use – our mental state when smoking a joint, or eating a pot brownie – can profoundly influence the outcome. While it remains mostly unclear how or why this happens, there’s some interesting new research on endocannabinoids in rough-skinned newts. (Endocannabinoids are a class of neuromodulators widely expressed in the brain. Their name gives away the punchline: THC binds to endocannabinoid receptors with ease.)  The basic moral of these studies is that the endocannabinoid system is tightly interwoven with the stress system.


Read the full article on Gizmodo here.


For those too lazy to read the whole thing, here is the tl;dr version as I understand it.

-Marijuana contains more than just THC. It also has cannabidiol.
-Higher ratio of THC to cannabidiol = more preferred "mind high," but also more impaired memory.
-Lower ratio of THC to cannabidiol = more of a knock-you-out, relaxing "body high," and less/no impaired memory.
-Also, (of course), your high will be different depending on the state of your mind, where you are, etc.


Thanks to Gordon for this comment:

Sativa: mind-expanding, creative, giggly, appetite
Indica: Relaxed, pain-relieving, body stone

Blog Redesigned + News: Facebook Founders Donate $170K to Pro-Pot Initiative

ABC News is reporting that Facebook co-founders Sean Parker and Dustin Moskovitz have both donated fairly significant sums in support of California's Proposition 19 campaign, which seeks to legalize marijuana use across the state come this November's election cycle.

Moskovitz, who left Facebook in 2008 after serving as a vice president at the company, has reportedly donated $70,000 in total toward the measure. Parker—co-founder of Napster and, perhaps more importantly, depicted by pop star Justin Timberlake in the recent release of The Social Network—has kicked in $100,000 to support the measure.

"What's interesting here is that [Parker] is a member of the generation that really gets it," said Drug Policy Alliance spokesman Stephen Gutwillig in an interview with the Associated Press. "We think he's pivotal to the future of drug policy reform in the country."

Approximately $2.4 million has been raised in support of Proposition 19 thus far, reports ABC News. Though significant in that few others have given six-figure (or near-six-figure) donations toward the campaign, Moskovitz's and Parker's gifts pale in comparison to the $1.5 million in support coughed up by Richard Lee, a medical marijuana entrepreneur based out of Oakland, CA.


Read the full article here: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2370523,00.asp

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You may have all noticed that I've changed the look of the blog.  I think it looks better this way but I'd like your opinions on the matter as well.   Also, I've added a new poll to the left - please vote!

Before I post this next song, I have to say, I know haters gonna hate.  However, I gotta say I like this song (It's probably the only song Linken Park has released in the past 4 years that I like).  I love the reggae feel to it.  What do you guys think?

Happy Birthday John Lennon

He would have been 70 today (if you're in the UK).

 

You will be missed, but your message will live on.

 

I highly recommend that all of you watch this documentary
about Lennon's life and involvement in politics.

 

Finally, here's a song that I thought would be appropriate given the upcoming November elections in California.  It's a song Lennon wrote to support a poet and civil rights activist named John Sinclair who was arrested for giving two joints to an undercover narcotics officer.

R.I.P. John Lennon (1940-1980)

Movie, Music, and Comedian of the Day

Movie of the day:  Waking Life

Song of the Day:

Thoughtful quote/Comedian of the day:

A Variety of Songs (1 rap, 1 electronica, 1 rock)

Just some random songs I'm listening to right now while trippin.
1 rap song, 1 electronic song, 1 rock song.


MC Chris is a nerd-core rapper who raps about, you guessed it nerdy stuff...Everything from star wars to nerdy girls to Robitussin trips.

Deadmau5 is a progressive house and electro house producer who makes some baller ass electronic music.

Neon Trees is a new band that just released their first cd in 2010.  I don't know much about them, but this song is catchy.

Breaking News! California Governor Signs Marijuana Decriminalization Bill

I know I just recently made a post but I had to post this.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Thursday signed into law a bill that decriminalizes the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana. The bill reduces simple possession from a misdemeanor to an infraction.

Under the bill signed today, SB 1449, by Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), pot possession will be treated like a traffic ticket. The fine will remain at $100, and there will be no arrest record.

The law goes into effect January 1. Even if Prop 19 passes in November, it leaves in place misdemeanor charges for smoking in public or in the presence of minors. Those misdemeanors would become infractions under the new law. 

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2010/oct/01/california_governor_signs_mariju

 

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_1401-1450/sb_1449_bill_20100405_amended_sen_v98.html

The future is awesome.

But seriously, thoughts? Will this make Prop 19 easier or more difficult to pass?