The Los Angeles City Council will vote on an ordinance regulating medical cannabis collectives next week, and we need you to help us make it workable. There are some provisions in the draft ordinance that are simply unacceptable. If these are adopted and enforced, many of the city’s collectives will be forced to close.

Can you take a moment today to call your representative on the Los Angeles City Council and ask him or her to make the changes listed below? It does make a difference! City Councilmembers have already responded to community input by making big improvements in the draft ordinance.

You can find your City Council representative by typing your address in the “My Neighborhood” box at http://www.LACity.org or by calling (213) 978-1020.

Don’t live in Los Angeles? No problem! May we recommend you contact City Council President Eric Garcetti at (213)-473-7013?

Tell you representative: “I am support sensible regulations for medical cannabis in Los Angeles. I want you to adopt the changes recommended by advocates on Friday, November 20. Specifically, I want you to…”

(pick two or three points here that are most important to you)

•    Protect patients’ rights by keeping records confidential
•    Adopt buffer zones of 500 feet or less between collectives and sensitive uses
•    Let collectives share an ally with residential uses
•    Reject a narrow definition of a collective that requires on-site cultivation
•    Allow a sufficient number of collectives to serve the growing number of patients in the city – at least two hundred

Make these calls now so that City Councilmembers know what patients need before Tuesday’s vote.

What:  LA-ASA Meeting

When:  1:00 PM * Saturday, November 21

Where:  Patient ID Center, 470 S. San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles 90048

Public Transit Info: http://www.mta.net/riding_metro/default.htm

Other Info:  don@safeaccessnow.org

Please invite your friends and loved ones!

RELIEF, NOT REEFER, IS REASON FOR BILL

It's nothing more than coincidence that Cheech and Chong are coming to Wisconsin next week just as a bill to legalize medical marijuana begins to make its way through the Legislature.

The comedians' "Light Up America" tour celebrates the party-down use of the psychoactive plant.

That's definitely not what the bill he authored is about, Sen. John Erpenbach, a Democrat from Waunakee, told me Thursday.

It's time to stop slapping a criminal label on seriously ill people who benefit from puffing pot as medicine with the blessing of their doctors.

"I think people are saying that medical marijuana being against the law is kind of ridiculous now," Erpenbach said.

Thirteen states and several other countries have said so. Last year in Michigan, the law passed in every county, and in the first six months, the state issued about 5,000 certificates to qualified medical users, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Gov. Jim Doyle has said he supports the change, and the Justice Department under President Barack Obama announced it will stop chasing suppliers and users of state-approved medical marijuana.

That still leaves plenty of people for the police to lock up in the interminable and expensive war on weed. Erpenbach said he's increasingly urged by Wisconsinites to go ahead and legalize marijuana for adult use. He knows this is the slippery slope that opponents of medical marijuana fear.

For now, all he's talking about is medicinal use.

"We're not talking about everybody here, first of all. Second, we're talking that you have to get a doctor's note, and the condition you're dealing with has to qualify," he said.

So far that includes cancer, glaucoma, AIDS, Crohn's disease, hepatitis C, Alzheimer's disease, post-traumatic stress disorder and others.

Nonprofit dispensaries known as compassion centers would sell up to 3 ounces of marijuana to qualifying patients, or the patients could grow up to 12 plants of their own.

This has gotten a little crazy in Los Angeles and Denver, where dispensaries have sprung up in large numbers, and sometimes with neon pot leaves in the front windows. Erpenbach said sellers here would be licensed and regulated by the state, and buyers would have to register.

"It's not like you're going to be walking down State Street in Madison or walking in downtown Milwaukee and there's going to be compassion centers or dispensaries every other door. I just don't think that's going to happen," he said.

The state may want to keep an eye on the reefer marketplace. Some doctors in California have developed a reputation as an easy yes, handing out prescriptions to people with any pain, anxiety or difficulty sleeping.

Medical marijuana is sold under catchy names like Space Queen, Blue Dream, Purple Urkel and Train Wreck, and health-conscious users are gravitating toward vaporizers rather than smoking.

It will seem strange at first to have marijuana sold in storefronts rather than alleys. But the product is more likely to be pure and safe, Erpenbach said. Doctors already can approve much stronger drugs, and this would be another form of medicine.

The law prohibits users from driving or operating heavy machinery, and from smoking at their jobs, on public transportation and at schools, jails or youth centers, among other locations.

It's a waste of precious jail space to lock up any pot smokers, especially when you consider that predatory swim coach Daniel Acker was somehow allowed to be tanning in Florida while he awaits sentencing for molesting children. Let's keep our focus on the real criminals.

I know, I know: People with a marijuana orientation threaten the sanctity of the marriage of humans and alcohol. But it's cruel to make sick people sneak around to get the relief from pain, nausea and other symptoms when the solution eagerly sprouts from the earth.

A hearing on the bill, which was introduced with 17 legislative co-sponsors, is scheduled for Dec. 15 in front of the Senate and Assembly health committees. Erpenback refrained from calling it a joint hearing.

Policy-makers, he said, are trying to catch up with the high level of public approval for this change.

I am a physically disabled person and a medical marijuana patient who have recently been denied of unemployment insurance benefit. I used to work for a company where managments are rarely enforced company's policy, including drugs and alcohol's policy. When I first got hired, I was given a bunch of paper works (e.g. Jobs offered letter, Drugs and Alcohol's policy, Employee's Handbook, etc.) by the HR Assistant to take home and read, signs, and return to HR upon completion. After I signed all of the paper works, I returned them to the same HR Assistant and was never ever given any formal training or orientation regarding the company's employee handbook and company's drugs and alcohol policy or whatsoever. To my understanding, the company does not have a "Zero Tolerance" drugs and alcohol policy and the terms and conditions were very loosely written in the company's employee handbook. 

I was an "at will" employee and worked for this company for about a year and a half and realized early on that managements were being very easy on employees who had reported to work with a hang over or were unprepared to do the essential task. Some employees have a history of poor work attendances (chronic absenteeism) and tardiness but are hardly a major concerned issue for management to deal with. My immediated supervisor is an admitted cocaine user and drugs addict and never said anything when employees violated company's policy. Whereas my supervisor's supervisors, they just turn the blind eyes.

Because I knew early on that some people were a known drugs and alcohol user and my supervisor and managers were O.K with it (all of them are still working for the company), I was made to believe that employees won't get fired if caught, and that the company condone drugs and alcohol uses. Having been a medical marijuana patient myself, I was feeling comfortable and happy to notice this and therefore made myself known to other employees, including my supervisor. I told them that I am a medial marijuana patient and I use the drug to treat my pains and stresses associated to my disability.

During the times I was working for this company, I have made significant progress and my work performance was always above average. I was a very productive worker and had never caused any problem with any body. Not to mention, I had never violated company's policy no matter how small or big they were. I was an excellent worker and have always showed respect to everyones, including those that doesn't help me.

About a month ago, to my very shock and suprise, I was asked to take a random drug test and was let go by my HR manager because I've told her that I use medical marijuana to treat my disability. Her reason was that I didn't inform her soon enough about my disability and my usaged of medical marijauna. Since then , I have filed charges with the EEOC and my case is currently being under investigation. I also tried to file for unemployment benefit but was denied because now the company said that I used marijuana during working hours and that they have witnesses. The truth is I don't use my medical marijuana during working hours, but how do I prove myself before the administrative judge?

Please help!

"Norcal Healthcare System spoke with the California Medical Board yesterday regarding the validity of Dr. Hany Assad's recommendations and were told that recommendations written before October 23rd, 2009 will remain valid until the date of expiration because Dr. Assad's license was in good standing when those documents were written."

Just legalize it

Letters to the Editor
Posted: 11/20/2009 01:15:31 AM PST

I keep reading articles about marijuana raids everywhere. And I keep thinking about all the good that would come if it were finally legalized (not just medically). Not only would this rid people of growing it in large quantities, but by taxing the use of it would help California's budget and perhaps boost the economy which is obviously suffering.

One thing that I would like to make clear is that people who want to use marijuana will use it the same whether it is illegal or not. Marijuana also is not as harmful as many people make it out to be. Why is it that something such as alcohol which kills 85,000 people annually is legal whereas marijuana has killed 0 and is illegal? This doesn't make much sense to me. Drug use such as tobacco also kills between 340,000 and 395,000 people each year. Tobacco and alcohol both have their age limits and regulations, why can't marijuana have its own, as well? Especially considering the fact that tobacco and alcohol kills many people each year and marijuana kills none.

Marijuana is also non-addictive (unless you are part of the 10 percent of Americans who already have an addictive behavior) and has been proven to be non-violent by the U.S. Shafer Commission.

For the record, I am not a marijuana user, I just don't see the harm in it. I definitely believe there would be a more positive outcome from finally legalizing it.

Julie Frisbie
Fortuna

If you would like to check it out here is the link.

I hope this will raise at least a little $$ for ASA. 

My license and physician are in Los Angeles County, as that is where I was previously living.
Do I need to obtain a license issued from the county I am living in?

I have a doctor recomended increase in cultivation numbers also. Will I need a re evaluation? Will these numbers be upheld. Thank you.

PROSECUTORS ATTACK PROPOSED L.A. ORDINANCE TO REGULATE MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

Attorneys at the Los Angeles City Attorney's office and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office blasted a proposed city ordinance this week for running afoul of state laws that prohibit the sale of marijuana.

The Los Angeles City Council postponed a scheduled Wednesday vote on the ordinance, which would have regulated marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles. Another vote is scheduled for Nov. 24.

The proposed ordinance comes as the medical marijuana dispensaries have increased dramatically in Los Angeles. Also, the city just lifted a two-year moratorium on regulating dispensaries.

Medical marijuana is legal in more than a dozen states, including California.

On Monday, Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich argued before the council that a ban on sales of the narcotic must be included in the ordinance. Trutanich cited Proposition 215, or the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, the ballot initiative that permitted medical marijuana use in California, and the Medical Marijuana Program Act, legislation passed in 2003 that clarified the ballot initiative. Those laws, he said, allow for the possession and use of marijuana for medical purposes, but not the sale.

"Those two pieces of legislation give an affirmative defense to a person charged with growing marijuana," said David Berger, special assistant to the city attorney. "However, there is no defense for selling marijuana and no mechanism for selling marijuana. And that has been the battle that exists between the council and the city attorney."

Berger said that 186 dispensaries are legally operating in Los Angeles, but that about 1,000 such shops exist. Ordinances in some other California cities, such as Oakland and West Hollywood, allow for the sale of marijuana, he said.

But in arguing against the proposed ordinance for Los Angeles, Trutanich is focusing on recent case law in California, namely a 2008 California Supreme Court decision clarifying that medical marijuana dispensaries are not considered primary caregivers under the Compassionate Use Act or the Medical Marijuana Program Act. Under California law, primary caregivers are allowed to receive compensation under state law, he said.

The case, People v. Mentch, also provided guidance to prosecutors on how to litigate cases involving medical marijuana, said Joseph Esposito, head deputy of the major narcotics division at the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office. Since July 2009, the DA's office has increased the number of its prosecutions each month, he said.

On Tuesday, the office announced that it would continue to prosecute any dispensaries that violated California law by selling marijuana.

"The Los Angeles city attorney correctly analyzed the law surrounding the Compassionate Use Act and the Medical Marijuana Program and for some time advised that any ordinance state that sales of marijuana are illegal," Esposito said. "The city council appeared to be toying with the idea of taking out that language and allowing for cash contributions or cash compensation for these collectives or operatives."

Several motions to amend the ordinance were introduced on Wednesday, including expanding the distance between medical marijuana dispensaries and schools or parks, said Monica Valencia, press deputy to Councilmember Ed Reyes, who is spearheading the draft of the proposed ordinance.

She said Reyes has not been "dissuaded" by the legal opinions regarding the ordinance. In response to those opinions, Reyes issued a statement: "This is not about creating the Starbucks of marijuana sales. It's about creating access for people who really need it while at the same time protecting the health and safety of our communities from nuisance operations. Once we adopt the medical marijuana ordinance, we would expect our city attorney to vigorously defend it."

Last month, the U.S. attorney general's office issued medical marijuana guidelines indicating that federal prosecutors would not target people who were in compliance with state and local laws.

SOAKING UP THE ATMOSPHERE AT AMERICA'S FIRST 'CANNABIS CAFE'

At first glance it could be any other coffee shop in America. Chocolate croissants are stacked behind the counter and patrons lounge on sofas. There are, however, a few crucial differences.

A shelf is lined with large glass jars, containing what appear to be plant samples. The customers do not have coffee pots in front of them, but "vapourisers" with digital readouts indicating when the plant samples have been heated to precisely 375F, at which point a thin mist rises from them into large transparent plastic bags. The patrons "sip" on the bags using the kind of valves that you might see on a diver's oxygen tank.

Above their heads hangs a sign that explains everything: "Cannabis Cafe". Opened only a few days ago, this establishment, in Portland, Oregon, is America's first and only legal marijuana coffee shop.

How long it survives is entirely up to the Obama Administration, which, for the time being, has instructed its Attorney-General, Eric Holder, to leave the policing of marijuana to individual states.

"Prohibition didn't work the first time around," said Madeline Martinez, 58, a former prison warden, who runs the cafe. "It just created a culture of gangsters and murderers. And now it's happening again. I say we take marijuana away from the Mexican mob."

She added that she would like to see the state of Oregon itself become the primary supplier. "They could grow it in state prisons," she said, without cracking a smile. "The best growers are already in there."

For the time being, however, visiting the Cannabis Cafe is not quite as easy as going to Starbucks.

First, you must be enrolled in Oregon's Medical Marijuana Programme -- available only to residents of the state. Joining requires a $100 (UKP60) fee and a doctor's certificate confirming that you suffer from cancer, glaucoma, Aids, Alzheimer's, or any condition that results in severe pain, appetite loss, spasms, seizures, or nausea.

Only after being issued with a patient ID card are you allowed to join the Oregon chapter of the National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), which costs $240 a year. Patrons must show their patient ID and NORML membership cards before being let through the doors of the Cannabis Cafe.

As for the price of a hit -- it's free. Unlike the so-called dispensaries in California that have been accused of profiteering, the marijuana served at the Cannabis Cafe is donated by state-approved growers, who painstakingly document which strains are most effective at treating specific symptoms.

Inevitably, some neighbours are concerned. Although Ms Martinez claims that over-medicated patrons are not allowed to drive home, there do not appear to be any strictly enforced rules, and urine-based drug tests -- unlike Breathalyser tests -- are notoriously unreliable.

As for whether the Cannabis Cafe's patrons are genuinely in need of medical help, Greg Woods, a 35-year-old patron who has suffered chronic pain since a 2003 car accident, appears to provide the answer.

"I'm able to cut down on the number of narcotics I take because of this," he said. While a Vicodin pill knocks him out, "smoking a bowl" keeps him functioning.

And what about the coffee? Is it any good? He looked blank. Then he smiled. "Haven't tried it," he said.

Please support the "Truth in Trials" Act.
You represent one of the largest congressional districts in the nation and your support of this legislation is very important to your constituents.
One in four Americans lives in a state with duly-enacted medical marijuana laws. Unfortunately, law-abiding citizens from these states are still prosecuted on marijuana-related charges in federal courts, and in the process denied the opportunity to speak the truth at their trial.
The “Truth in Trials” Act is not about the merits of medical cannabis. Instead, the bill concerns due process and procedural fairness issues for individuals facing federal prosecution.
Currently, 13 states have laws governing the medical use of marijuana. However, when medical marijuana patients or their care providers are prosecuted by the federal government, they are prohibited by from introducing evidence which demonstrates that they were acting in accordance with and pursuant to state law.
Truth in Trials is a logical and necessary complement to the Obama Administration's new medical marijuana policy guidelines. Unfortunately, those recently issued DOJ guidelines do not direct U.S. Attorneys to permit evidence at trial that might exonerate defendants in medical marijuana cases.
This legislation would ensure that defendants have the ability to defend themselves and present evidence that may demonstrate compliance with state law.
Please join the 28 Members of Congress who have already signed on to co-sponsor this important legislation.
#############
##########
########## #####

List of current co-sponsors of the “Truth in Trials” Act.
Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2] – 10/27/2009
Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] – 10/27/2009
*Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28] – 10/27/2009
*Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23] – 10/27/2009
Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] – 10/27/2009
Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14] – 11/2/2009
*Rep Eshoo, Anna G. [CA-14] – 10/27/2009
Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4] – 10/27/2009
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] – 10/27/2009
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] – 10/27/2009
*Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15] – 10/27/2009
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] – 10/27/2009
*Rep McClintock, Tom [CA-4] – 10/29/2009
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] – 10/27/2009
Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2] – 10/27/2009
*Rep Miller, George [CA-7] – 10/27/2009
Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8] – 10/27/2009
Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8] – 10/28/2009
Rep Pastor, Ed [AZ-4] – 11/2/2009
Rep Paul, Ron [TX-14] – 10/27/2009
Rep Polis, Jared [CO-2] – 10/27/2009
*Rep Rohrabacher, Dana [CA-46] – 10/27/2009
*Rep Sanchez, Linda T. [CA-39] – 11/4/2009
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] – 10/27/2009
*Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27] – 10/27/2009
*Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13] – 10/27/2009
*Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30] – 10/27/2009
*Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] – 10/27/2009

* Congressional Members from California

Organizational Endorsements

The Honorable Bobby Scott, Chairman
The Honorable Louie Gohmert, Ranking Member
Members, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security
U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary
B-370 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Re: Letter in Support of the Truth in Trials Act, H.R. XXXX

Dear Chairman Scott, Ranking Member Gohmert, and Members of the Subcommittee:

We, the undersigned organizations, strongly support the "Truth in Trials" Act of 2009, H.R. XXXX, introduced in the House by U.S. Representative Sam Farr, (D-CA). This important legislation amends the U.S. Code to establish an affirmative defense for those individuals authorized to use or provide medical marijuana in accordance with their state law. The "Truth in Trials" Act is about fundamental fairness in our courts and seeks to balance the scales of justice.

Despite the adoption of medical marijuana laws in thirteen states, which represent the will of nearly 75 million Americans, individuals in these states are still vulnerable to arrest and prosecution under existing federal law. To make matters worse, federal defendants are prevented from introducing evidence of medical use or state law compliance in order to exonerate themselves at trial. Due to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Gonzales v. Raich, federal prosecutors have the discretion to exclude evidence of medical use and state law compliance, and U.S. Attorneys have exercised that discretion in every case they have taken to trial.

The fallout from this lack of an affirmative defense is quite severe. In the past few years, dozens of people have been convicted in federal court and sentenced to lengthy prison terms of between 5-20 years for activity that was lawful under their state's medical marijuana law. Furthermore, there are currently at least two dozen pending federal cases in which defendants are unable to mount an adequate defense, underscoring the urgent need for this legislation.

Unfortunately, the recently issued DOJ guidelines do not direct U.S. Attorneys to permit evidence at trial that might exonerate defendants in medical marijuana cases. The "Truth in Trials" Act is a common sense and compassionate approach that would ensure that defendants have the ability to defend themselves and present evidence that may demonstrate compliance with state law. In this way, the "Truth in Trials" Act is a logical and necessary legislative complement to the Obama Administration's new medical marijuana policy guidelines.

The "Truth in Trials" Act does not seek to legalize the use of marijuana, nor would it affect the enforcement of the federal Controlled Substances Act. In fact, the "Truth in Trials" Act strengthens existing law by providing for criminal penalties if the defendant's activity is found to be outside of compliance with state law.

We strongly support the "Truth in Trials" Act, which would restore due process and fundamental fairness for individuals facing federal prosecution in matters that concern the limited, medical use of marijuana. We urge you and the other members of Congress to support and pass H.R. XXXX.

Sincerely,

AMERICANS FOR SAFE ACCESS
Washington, DC

AIDS ACTION COUNCIL
Washington, DC

THE AIDS INSTITUTE
Washington, DC & Tampa, FL

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION of PEOPLE WITH AIDS
Washington, DC

NATIONAL MINORITY AIDS COUNCIL
Washington, DC

ASSOCIATION OF NURSES in AIDS CARE
Akron, OH

CENTER for REGULATORY EFFECTIVENESS
Washington, DC

PATIENTS OUT of TIME
Howardsville, VA

AIDS PROJECT LOS ANGELES
Los Angeles, CA

AMERICAN ALLIANCE for MEDICAL CANNABIS
Arch Cape, OR

AMERICAN CANNABIS EDUCATION & SOLUTIONS
Perris, CA

CASCADE AIDS PROJECT
Portland, OR

FOUNDATION for CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION
Austin, TX

ASA-FRESNO
Fresno, CA

GREATER LOS ANGELES COLLECTIVE ALLIANCE
Los Angeles, CA

ABRAHAM L. HALPERN, M.D.
Mamaroneck, NY

HIVICTORIOUS, INC.
Madison, WI

HUMBOLT COUNTY - ASA
Eureka, CA

IOWANS for MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Des Moines, IA

LOS ANGELES PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS FOUNDATION
Los Angeles, CA

MEDICAL CANNABIS CONSULTANTS of NEVADA
Las Vegas, NV

MEDICAL CANNABIS JOURNAL
Lake Elsinore, CA

OHIO PATIENT NETWORK
Columbus, OH

OLYMPIA PATIENT RESOURCE CENTER
Olympia, WA

ORANGE COUNTY - ASA
Huntington Beach, CA

OREGON GREEN FREE
Portland, OR & statewide chapters

PATIENT ID CENTER
Los Angeles, CA

ASA - SAN DIEGO
San Diego, CA

SAN FRANCISCO - ASA
San Francisco, CA

SHELTER FROM the STORM
Windsor,

SONOMA COUNTY - ASA
Santa Rosa, CA

SOUTH DAKOTA COALITION for COMPASSION
Sioux Falls, SD

THCF MEDICAL CLINIC and PATIENT CENTER
Riverside, C A

US VIRGIN ISLANDS - ASA
St. Croix, US Virgin Islands

VOTER POWER
Portland, Eugene and Medford, OR

The Honorable Bobby Scott, Chairman
The Honorable Louie Gohmert, Ranking Member
Members, Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security
U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary
B-370 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Re: Letter in Support of the Truth in Trials Act, H.R. XXXX

Dear Chairman Scott, Ranking Member Gohmert, and Members of the Subcommittee:

We, the undersigned organizations, strongly support the "Truth in Trials" Act of 2009, H.R. XXXX, introduced in the House by U.S. Representative Sam Farr, (D-CA). This important legislation amends the U.S. Code to establish an affirmative defense for those individuals authorized to use or provide medical marijuana in accordance with their state law. The "Truth in Trials" Act is about fundamental fairness in our courts and seeks to balance the scales of justice.

Despite the adoption of medical marijuana laws in thirteen states, which represent the will of nearly 75 million Americans, individuals in these states are still vulnerable to arrest and prosecution under existing federal law. To make matters worse, federal defendants are prevented from introducing evidence of medical use or state law compliance in order to exonerate themselves at trial. Due to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Gonzales v. Raich, federal prosecutors have the discretion to exclude evidence of medical use and state law compliance, and U.S. Attorneys have exercised that discretion in every case they have taken to trial.

The fallout from this lack of an affirmative defense is quite severe. In the past few years, dozens of people have been convicted in federal court and sentenced to lengthy prison terms of between 5-20 years for activity that was lawful under their state's medical marijuana law. Furthermore, there are currently at least two dozen pending federal cases in which defendants are unable to mount an adequate defense, underscoring the urgent need for this legislation.

Unfortunately, the recently issued DOJ guidelines do not direct U.S. Attorneys to permit evidence at trial that might exonerate defendants in medical marijuana cases. The "Truth in Trials" Act is a common sense and compassionate approach that would ensure that defendants have the ability to defend themselves and present evidence that may demonstrate compliance with state law. In this way, the "Truth in Trials" Act is a logical and necessary legislative complement to the Obama Administration's new medical marijuana policy guidelines.

The "Truth in Trials" Act does not seek to legalize the use of marijuana, nor would it affect the enforcement of the federal Controlled Substances Act. In fact, the "Truth in Trials" Act strengthens existing law by providing for criminal penalties if the defendant's activity is found to be outside of compliance with state law.

We strongly support the "Truth in Trials" Act, which would restore due process and fundamental fairness for individuals facing federal prosecution in matters that concern the limited, medical use of marijuana. We urge you and the other members of Congress to support and pass H.R. XXXX.

Sincerely,

DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE
New York, NY

NORML
Washington, DC

STUDENTS FOR SENSIBLE DRUG POLICY
Washington, DC

IDPI - INTERFAITH DRUG POLICY INITIATIVE
Washington, DC

NOVEMBER COALITION
Colville, WA

CALIFORNIA NORML
San Francisco, CA

CANNABIS CONSUMERS CAMPAIGN
El Cerrito, CA

CONEXTIONS, Inc.
Jersey City, NJ

DRUG POLICY FORUM of HAWAII
Honolulu, HI

DRUG SENSE/MEDIA AWARENESS PROJECT
Irvine, CA

FAMILY COUNCIL on DRUG AWARENESS
El Cerrito, CA

HUMAN RIGHTS and the DRUG WAR
El Cerrito, CA

MARIJUANA ANTI-PROHIBITION PROJECT
Palm Springs, CA

NEW YORK - NORML
New York, NY

ORANGE COUNTY- NORML
Huntington Beach, CA

SAFER - SAFER ALTERNATIVE for ENJOYABLE RECREATION
Denver, CO

SENSIBLE COLORADO
Denver, CO

SOUTHERN OREGON NORML (SONORML)
Medford, OR

VIRGINIANS AGAINST DRUG VIOLENCE
Crewe, VA"

excerpt - “My campaign slogan is going to be, ‘Which candidate would you rather smoke a joint with? Credico or Schumer?’”

Inspiring, Kickass Drug Activist to Take on Chuck Schumer -- Meet Randy Credico

By Jan Frel, AlterNet

Posted on November 18, 2009, Printed on November 19, 2009
http://www.alternet.org/bloggers/www.al … rg/144050/

A New York Times blog from this morning alerted me to a promising development, and gave me new respect for fellow Santa Monican Larry David:

"Randy Credico, 54, a stand-up comedian and drug law activist who was director of the fund for the past 12 years, has decided to step down from [the William Moses Kunstler Fund for Racial Justice. He plans to devote himself full-time to his United States Senate campaign, in which he intends to challenge Senator Charles E. Schumer for the Democratic nomination next September."
Mr. Credico said his campaign manager is a former comedy writer for “Saturday Night Live,” and then he began pouring forth with phone numbers of celebrities and comedians he said were endorsing him. I called only one: Larry David, at his office in Los Angeles. Mr. David would not reveal any details about the season finale of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” on HBO, but he did offer his support of Mr. Credico’s candidacy – in his own inimitable, free-associative, hilarious style – and praised his passion for fighting harsh drug laws.

“It’d be pretty interesting, Credico in the Senate — kind of like tying a bunch of cans to a dog and setting him loose in a china shop,” he said. “I don’t envy Schumer. Randy’s really going to get under his skin.”

When told that Mr. Credico plans on running the race sober, Mr. David said, “Listen, I can’t tell the difference whether Randy’s drunk or sober.”

Then Mr. David said, in an unprintable way, that Mr. Credico had a lot of guts.
“He’ll say absolutely anything that’s on his mind,” he said.

Hmm, just like Larry David, I observed.

“No, I only do it on TV,” Mr. David shot back. “I’m only Larry David on TV. Credico’s Larry David in real life.”...

“My campaign slogan is going to be, ‘Which candidate would you rather smoke a joint with? Credico or Schumer?’” he said, while racing around the penthouse apartment of a friend and directing a small staff of young adults with laptops on how to get out word of his candidacy. He wore his usual jeans and sport jacket and smoked cigarettes and chugged Coke — the soft drink — directly from the 2-liter bottle. He had on hand two boxes of Cuban cigars that he claimed were a gift from former Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau.

Last year, Mr. Credico was arrested after interfering with police officers making a marijuana arrest on Gay Street.

Mr. Credico makes no pretense about his longtime battle with drugs and alcohol addiction. He said he has been free of drugs and alcohol for two months now and hopes to stay sober for the entire campaign.

Though sober, Mr. Credico does hope to appeal to the partying public.

It's worth going into that line about how Credico was arrested to understand him  -- the story behind it gives good insight into his real-world approach to activism, and puts on display a very direct theory of social change: Be the change. Tony Papa of the Drug Policy Alliance gives the fuller description in a June 2008 article:

Last night, political comedian and long-time activist, Randy Credico was enjoying a cool summer evening with his friends barbecuing in the backyard of his Gay Street home in New York City's West Village. After hearing a loud commotion in the street, Credico stepped out of his front door and witnessed New York City police officers arresting a couple of young adults for allegedly smoking marijuana. Credico got into a shouting match with the cops. One of the officers turned out to have a history with Credico and was involved in a similar incident some months back when Credico documented the arrest of some other young adults accused of simple marijuana possession. Following the verbal altercation with officers, Credico was arrested and charged with resisting arrest and making obscene gestures....

Credico called me at 5:00 a.m. from his cell in New York City's notorious "Tombs" to notify me of his arrest. "It's horrible here" he said. "All I did was to try and save a couple of kids from being arrested for smoking pot."

And one more item about his general approach:

He sits on his stoop on Gay Street in the West Village, a quiet block where pot-smokers like to go, and warns people not to smoke there because the cops will likely bust them.

A pretty harmless campaign, and as Mr. Credico puts it, "Listen, I don’t want people committing crimes on my street and I tell them not to." But he also spent a night in the Tombs a few weeks ago after yelling at officers and telling them "that that they should be 'solving murders,' not making marijuana arrests."

He may claim that his warnings to pot smokers are just a crime-fighting strategy, but Credico is a much cooler and stranger guy that. He's the same one who randomly offered Shawn Kovell $25,000 for bail when she was arrested along with "preppy killer" Robert Chambers--one of my favorite stories from last year. She ended up turning down his offer for unclear reasons (she said she would have preferred rent money), but Credico's generosity seemed to stem from his desire to decriminalize drugs and get people in trouble like Shawn Kovell out of jail and into treatment.
Credico's pedigree is not that of a press-humping vanity candidate -- but someone who really believes in what he's doing, which means, as Larry David says, that he'll get under Schumer's skin and forcibly crack open areas of debate that New York's senior senator would much rather leave closed.

© 2009 Independent Media Institute. All rights reserved.
View this story online at: http://www.alternet.org/bloggers/www.al … rg/144050/

"Dairy cows can also carry some common maladies, including mastitis, a bacterial infection of the udder; foot rot, which they can develop from standing for long periods in manure, mud and damp straw; and Johne's (pronounced yo-neez) disease, a wasting illness.

Scientists believe these diseases are not carried into the human food chain, with one possible exception: Health and animal scientists are currently debating whether the traits of Johne's are responsible for Crohn's disease in humans. Crohn's disease is an intestinal disorder that can cause inflammation of the colon, severe abdominal pain, diarrhea and weight loss."

You can read the full article here: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nati … 4254.story

Is there anyone who would be interested in researching this therapy?