New Jersey Legislature approves bill to make state 14th with medical marijuana

The New Jersey legislature voted Monday to make that state the 14th in the country to approve marijuana for medicinal use, pending the governor's signature.

Gov. Jon Corzine, who leaves office next week, has said he would sign the bill.

Two years after the bill was introduced to the legislature, the New Jersey Compassionate Medical Marijuana Act was passed by the state Assembly in a 48-14 vote. It received Senate approval just hours later in a 25-13 vote.

According to the news release from the state Senate, the bill would allow doctors to give to patients with state-issued identification cards prescriptions to buy marijuana legally from registered alternative treatment centers. The identification cards would be issued by the Department of Health and Senior Services

Only patients with proven "debilitating conditions" would qualify for ID card. Such conditions include "cancer, glaucoma, positive HIV/AIDS status or other chronic, debilitating diseases or medical conditions that produce, or the treatment of which produces, wasting syndrome, severe or chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, or severe and persistent muscle spasms," according to the Senate news release.

"Out of the 14 states that have similar bills, New Jersey's will be the strictest," Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, one of the bill's sponsors, told CNN. "I believe that this bill will be model legislation for states here on out that will look to (be) legalizing marijuana. We looked at the pitfalls of California and made a more restrictive bill."

Sen. Nicolas Scutari, the bill's Senate co-sponsor, also attributed the bill's success to its restrictive measures, saying, "We put a whole lot of safeguards to make sure that what had happened in other states with respect to abuses ... would not happen here, and I think everyone was satisfied as a result, so it passed pretty easily."

Gusciora pointed to the omission of stress and anxiety as one of the qualifying conditions for a prescription, to further emphasize the bills distinction from other states' bills, saying "I feel like every college student would qualify for stress and anxiety, and has qualified in California."

Marijuana use would be restricted to private property under the measure. Patients with legal prescriptions could still be arrested for using marijuana in public, and they could still face driving under the influence charges if they used marijuana and got behind the wheel, according to Gusciora.

The bill has been passed in time for Corzine to sign it before Gov.-elect Chris Christie takes over on January 19. According to Scutari, although Christie has shown a "willingness to sign" the bill, the timing of the bill's passage is ideal.

"I didn't want to start from scratch," says Scutari, "I've been working on this for five years, and we wanted to ensure while we had control of the bill that we could get it passed in a form that was acceptable to all sides.

According to Gusciora, the bill will still take six to nine months to take effect. Various safeguards such as Department of Health approval of dispensaries and tracking of patients by the Division of Consumer Affairs need to take place before doctors and patients can legally buy medical marijuana in New Jersey.

For most of the New Jersey state lawmakers, however, this is huge victory. "My mother has multiple sclerosis and I could tell you that anything that could alleviate her symptoms, I would certainly want to be able to offer," said Scutari.

Source: CNN

Judge orders CHP to return 60 pounds of marijuana

It had been confiscated from a motorist whose attorney convinced a judge that California's medical marijuana law allowed its transport.

With the debate on medical marijuana still at a full boil in Los Angeles, a judge Friday ordered the return of 60 pounds of pot to a man after his attorneys successfully argued that a state law gave him the right to transport it.

Saguro Doven, 33, was initially charged with possession of marijuana for sale and transportation of the drug, a violation of the state's health and safety code.

The marijuana was bundled in individual bags that were tucked inside a larger duffel bag when Doven was pulled over on the 101 Freeway by a California Highway Patrol officer, according to court records.

But defense attorney Glen T. Jonas argued that his client was a member of a Venice-based medical marijuana collective and that he was authorized to transport the marijuana. The California attorney general's guidelines regarding medical marijuana indicate that collectives are allowed to both grow and transport quantities of marijuana for its members.

Jonas said the prosecution's expert witness, CHP Sgt. Richard Fuentes, was unqualified to render an expert opinion in the case because he lacked the knowledge required to distinguish lawful from unlawful possession and transportation of marijuana, according to court records.

Fuentes had testified that only caregivers can transport or carry large quantities of marijuana. The law, however, states that members of a collective may transport marijuana on behalf of the group and are exempt from prosecution.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge William Sterling agreed that the prosecution expert was unqualified and ordered the charge of possession for sale dismissed.

On Monday, the Los Angeles County district attorney's office asked that the remaining transportation count be dismissed.

Doven's attorney then asked for the 60 pounds of marijuana to be returned -- a request that was granted. Doven could have faced a maximum of four years in state prison if found guilty.

"Although justice was delayed, I am thankful it wasn't denied," Doven said.

Source: Judge orders CHP to return 60 pounds of marijuana (January 09, 2010 by Gerrick Kennedy)

Legalize Marijuana on Califonia's November Ballot!

The California Secretary officially certified the Regulate, Control, and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010 for the state’s November ballot. This means that on November 2, Californians will be able to vote to send marijuana prohibition to the ash heap of history!

The groundbreaking initiative would make personal possession and cultivation of marijuana legal for adults over 21 in California. It would also allow cash-strapped cities and counties to tax and regulate marijuana sales in order to reap millions in new tax revenues. The proposition will also call on the legislature to enact a statewide system to tax and regulate marijuana.

Will the nation’s largest state finally create a legal market – complete with tens of thousands of new jobs – for what’s already its top cash crop?

From MPP Blog

Q & A

Q: What is the difference between Indica and Sativa?
A: Scientifically (and legally), all cannabis plants are Cannabis Sativa.

In practice, indica and sativa are the names used to distinguish each end of the cannabis 'spectrum'. There are a multitude of different growth-patterns, qualities and effects within this spectrum, most of which are a result of cannabis' remarkable ability to adapt to its environment. Genetically, and in terms of interbreeding, all cannabis is in the same family.

Q: What is the sativa cannabis high?
A: The sativa high is often characterized as uplifting and energetic. The effects of a sativa marijuana are mostly cerebral. They give a feeling of optimism and well - being, as well as providing a good measure of pain relief for certain symptoms. A few pure sativas are also very high in THC content. They are known to have a quite spacey, or hallucinogenic, effect. Sativas are a good choice for daytime smoking.

Q: What is the indica cannabis high?
A; The indica highs are most often described as a pleasant body buzz. indicas are great for relaxation, stress relief, and for an overall sense of calm and serenity. Marijuana indicas are also very effective for overall body pain relief, and often used in the treatment of insomnia. They are the late - evening choice of many smokers as an all - night sleep aid. A few pure indica strains are very potent in THC, and will cause the "couch lock" effect, enabling the smoker to simply sit still and enjoy the experience of the smoke.

Ways to Medicate

Vaporization is an alternative to smoking. Rather than burning the herb, which produces irritating, toxic, and carcinogenic by-products, a vaporizer heats the material in a partial vacuum so that the active compounds contained in the plant boil off into a vapor. No combustion occurs, so no smoke or taste of smoke is evident. There are numerous designs of vaporizers you can find out there. The typical design is a box shaped heat source with a separate rubber or plastic hose guiding the THC byproduct to a mouthpiece for inhalation. A new design rising in popularity is the bag system. In this design the heat source mounts a balloon style baggy on its top and collects the THC byproduct, for an easy handheld inhalation system. Whichever design catches your eye, know that vaporizing provides a different high. Try one out and see if this is the high for you. Enjoy!

I Left My Heart in San Fran-Bleezy

by Chris Greeley

Having lived in San Francisco for quite a number of years now, I have been able to experience the beauty of Liberalism at its finest. Marijuana is perhaps the sweetest taste of Liberalism I think I have come to encounter in the City. However, it has been a long time coming: after numerous years of networking to find the finest quality of bud for the best price, I finally got my medical cannabis card. Though it is true that the Los Angeles area (however big you’d like to expand that to) has the most amount of medical dispensaries, San Francisco has a more concentrated amount of dispensaries. (For instance, on my birthday, I went to about 8 clubs in the matter of two hours on my bike; that included patient sign up and purchase-time as well.) I guess it really doesn’t matter, since all you need is one fine, local dispensary in your backyard. But because I get anxious and excited easily, I like to try many different clubs in search of the best quality and experience. If you are thinking of making your way to this beautiful city, and you find yourself in the Haight-Ashbury (like I’m sure many of you will), you should take a stroll down to The Vapor Room in lower-Haight. Perhaps you have heard of it, perhaps not. This dispensary has anything and everything you would probably want. Here is just a short list: at least 3 strands of each kind of buds—sativa, indica and hybrids; edibles—pastries, butters (coconut, too), ice-cream and more; pre-rolled joints of all qualities; and perhaps the best amenity: four perfectly working volcano vaporizers. With a name like Vapor Room, how could they not? For you smokers who enjoy a nice bong, they have a few of those as well. The wood finishing on the ground, the nicely-painted walls, the sliding-door bathroom, the miniature palm trees, the personable personnel; all make for a pleasant experience to enjoy your tasty buds with your buds. I have met a new individual every time I have gone to The Vapor Room, though they have been mostly older middle-aged men who just like to talk. But, shit, they always have the best stories to tell. What can I say, blonde busty babes don’t just linger around medical dispensaries. If you are looking to get blitzed to the dome, The Vapor Room will always have the best Trainwreck your little heart and head will desire, since they have used the same supplier for years now. But like I said, they will always have some of the finest quality for whatever you are looking for; it just depends on your personal preference of high, taste, and price. The Vapor Room, like most dispensaries, has their own strange specials specific to their club, but if you are looking for yr basic bud, it is a standard $50 out-the-door eighth. If you are willing to pay the price, I promise you’ll be feeling nice.

Most Down for the Cause

by Matthew Delarosa

“Any friend of yours is a friend of mine.” Has anybody ever told you that? Have you ever really concluded that any friend of “yours” is actually compatible with that particular person? For that matter would you be equally compatible with all of their friends? After heavy consideration I could only muster up one bud, no pun intended, that truly fit the bill to qualify that statement... DING DING DING! You guessed it, marijuana! So I asked myself, “Who is consequently my pal for sharing an interest in my other pal, Mary Jane?” that's when I started my research on celebrities and other various figures in the public eye that possessed this common friend. Results included the likes of Al Gore, Neil Young, Calvin Klein, Brad Pitt... wait Brad Pitt? I love Brad Pitt! Seven, Fight Club and Inglourious Basterds! All films that were made paramount by the quality acting of my newly found smoking mate, Brad Pitt. It enthused me needless to say. I looked deeper into Mr. Pitt's support for marijuana and my findings revealed that this actor has more than just a simple admiration for greens. Recently in an interview, Bill Maher recalls Brad's rolling paper skills as … “better than a cigarette.” Brad replied, “I'm an artist.” Another interview following the grand success of Inglourious Basterds, uncovered that Quentin Tarantino had recruited the actor for the role of Lieutenant Aldo Raine during a quaint hash and wine session. It was clear to me that marijuana has played a positive part in Brad Pitt's life. So what kind of positive influence has Brad put back? Newsweek Magazine named him as one of “15 People Who Make America Great.” Charities that Brad supports include: Right To Play, Human Rights Watch, the ONE campaign and many more successful organizations providing better lives for people around the globe. I believe it is important we become aware of our fellow stoners, both in the lime light and in your communities, that are contributing role models to society. “Any friend of yours is a friend of mine.” Brad Pitt, I salute you as this issues OtherSide Farms Most Down for the Cause. Each OtherSide Farms Newsletter will include one new Most Down for the Cause candidate who has respect for the sweet leaf and the sweet life. Until then my friends, enjoy life, liberty and the right to medicate!