Dennis Peron - A Legacy Beyond Medical Marijuana

 

peron_close_up.jpgDennis Peron Changed the World

 

Medical Marijuana

Was Only Part of It

 

Dennis Peron died Saturday, Jan. 27 at the far too young age of 72. He is being remembered and eulogized as the father of medical marijuana. Yes he was certainly that, but he was much more than that. In my estimation he changed the world for the better more than almost any living person today.

 

Dennis_Peron___Lanny.JPGThe last time I was a guest at his fabled Castro Castle was in 2015 where we had marijuana fueled chats late into the night. It was there that I told him that not only was he a personal hero of mine, but that I considered him to be one of the most important and influential people of our time. He shook his head in denial of my thesis but under his modest exterior I knew he knew better.

 

Dennis understood the power and necessity of political involvement. He was a realist of the first order and knew that marijuana legalization and the end of the War on Drugs would not come about until people took action.

 

dennis_doc_interview.jpg jonathan.jpgKnowing firsthand how marijuana benefited people afflicted with AIDS, Dennis recounted in an interview for the unreleased Documentary American Dream: Cali’s 215 how the death of his lover Jonathan West from AIDS in 1990 inspired him to take action. “I dedicated my life to the thousands of Jonathans in the world who were suffering from purely political reasons.”

 

To that end, he was the originator, propagator, organizer and chief agitator for Prop. P which legalized medical marijuana in San Francisco. It was the first time since the beginnings of marijuana prohibition in 1937, that a law was passed directly challenging federal and state prohibition laws and making it available again.

 

Prop. P was just the beginning as he successfully got three bills through the state legislature legalizing the use of marijuana medicinally only to have all three vetoed by Governor Pete Wilson.

 

peron_1996.jpgOut of sheer frustration and with a mountain of determination, he then took the extraordinary step of commencing a state initiative that would legalize the medicinal use of marijuana. With the help of activists and lawyers, the three medical marijuana bills were rolled into one initiative which was given the number 215.

 

prop_215_dennis_on_phone.jpgThere has been all kinds of arguments and recriminations on how it got passed, who got it passed and who should get the credit ad nauseum. It really doesn’t matter who got the nuts and bolts together to get it passed. None of the people or organizations who put in the blood, sweat, tears and money into getting it onto the ballot and eventually passed would have had the chutzpah to even begin a ballot initiative in 1996. Everyone was talking – Dennis was doing.

 

Dennis wanted to see marijuana legalized, but being a political realist and being so impacted by the life affirming qualities of marijuana, he knew the path to legalization and ending the War on Drugs had to be incremental.

 

dennis_peron_book.jpgIn the documentary interview he explained that “Part of me was to expose this War on Drugs for what it really is which is a war on patients, war on people, war on the most wonderful people of America - the most thinking and loving people of America - the people who smoke marijuana. My whole being has been to legalize marijuana but in the interim maybe we could legalize medical just for those people.”

 

I know from my talks with Dennis that he had reservations about the marijuana legalization initiatives, but he was well aware that the linchpin of the War on Drugs was marijuana prohibition and that only by legalizing marijuana would that linchpin ever come undone and the iron door of prohibition fall.

 

He knew what he had begun was far more than just re-storing the medical uses of this ancient plant. At the very beginning of the interview he stated “My name is Dennis Peron. I am the author of Prop. 215. You can say that is the beginning of the end of the War on Drugs. It did change the world.”

 

Next to the genocide of Native Americans and the enslavement of Africans, the War on Drugs is the most hideous, murderous, reprehensible and inhumane racist program undertaken by the United States government and abetted by almost all segments of American society. This country has exported our War on Drugs throughout the world resulting in millions murdered and tortured with untold millions of lives and families destroyed and ruined through imprisonment and criminal sanctions.

 

dennis_peron_pose.jpgDennis is indeed the father of medical marijuana, but that is just an adjunct achievement to the major accomplishment of his life. More than any one other individual, Dennis dealt a lethal blow to the police/prison/industrial triumphant that profits from the trillions of dollars shoveled down the bottomless pit of prohibition and the cruelties and misery inflicted on people all over the world.

 

Without the foresight and dynamic energy of Dennis, the U.S. would not be even close to where it is today in legalizing marijuana and winding down the War on Drugs. We follow in his footsteps with gratitude and a determination to finish what he so bravely, knowingly and heroically foresaw and began.

 

DSC07960.JPGDennis was interviewed by Eddie Funxta in the making of the documentary American Dream: Cali’s 215. The interview was conducted in 2010 at the Hotel Normandie in Los Angeles which Dennis was hoping to open as a hotel similar to his Castro Castle in San Francisco only on a much larger scale.

 

The documentary from which this interview was taken has still not been released but to view the interview with Dennis Peron CLICK HERE. To see a video recounting the life and times of Dennis Peron, CLICK HERE.

 

MAPP_Logo.jpgFEBRUARY MAPP MEETINGS ARE COMING!

 

calif_map_leaves.jpegInsights from the Real World on How Marijuana Legalization is Proceeding in California

 

If you are fortunate enough to live in the Inland Empire, then mark your calendars for the first week in February for the MAPP meetings near you. We will be taking a look at the first month of legal adult-use sales of marijuana in California and how it is progressing in the Inland Empire. You will also be given a sneak preview of the questionnaire that will be circulated to candidates running for office in the June primary and learn how the information will be used to grade candidates’ A – F on issues relating to marijuana.

 

DSC07871.JPGSaturday, Feb. 3 at 12 noon - Palm Springs/Coachella Valley meeting – Meeting held at Crystal Fantasy, 268 N. Palm Canyon Dr., downtown Palm Springs 92262.

 

Saturday, Feb. 3 at 3 p.m. - Joshua Tree/Morongo Basin meeting – Meeting held at Beatnik Lounge, 61597 Twenty-Nine Palms Hwy., Joshua Tree 92252.

 

Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 7:30 p.m. – Moreno Valley/Western IE MAPP meeting –. Meeting held at Greenview Medical, 22275 Alessandro Blvd, Moreno Valley, CA 92553

 

pipe.jpg milk_and_cookies.jpgBring a guest and you will both receive a free pocket pipe. Everyone can enjoy a delightful assortment of cookies with milk and punch.

2018.jpgis going to be a crucial year for marijuana law reform!

 

Help provide the resources to keep the work of MAPP going in the right direction with a much appreciated donation.

 

Make a one-time donation - CLICK HERE

Join MAPP's 420 Club and automatically donate $4.20 from your credit card every month - CLICK HERE

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Extraordinary Opportunity to Improve Prop. 64

ca_hiway_sign.jpgProp. 64 Problems?

Taxes & Regulations Off-the-Wall?

AG Sessions Waving His Sword?

browne_mary.jpg                            Brownie Mary Says

YES WE CANNABIS!

 

reefer_madness.jpgCalifornia is coming off of 80 years of reefer madness infused prohibition. Our elected officials on both the local, state and national level see caution as the name of the game, but there are problems inherent in Prop. 64 like the ban on smoking in public places and the lack of protection from being fired for using marijuana off the job that must be dealt with. In addition there are concerns regarding the implementation of Prop. 64 such as the size of commercial grows, onerous taxes and overly burdensome licensing fees and regulations.'

 

And now AG Sessions threatens fire and brimstone on states that legalize marijuana by tearing up the Obama Administration's Cole Memo which allowed U.S. Prosecutors to send to the bottom of the barrel enforcement of federal marijuana law if states were following eight conditions such as preventing access to children, keeping criminals out of the business and deterring cannabis from going-out-state.

 

For many reasons the Brownie Mary Democrats of California (BMD-CA) are in the best position to be one of the most effective organization to address and correct these and other problems that directly affect you.

 

California_Democratic_Party.pngBMD-CA is one of only seven statewide Democratic organizations that is officially chartered by the California Democratic Party (CDP). They are an active and influential member of the Party that controls the government of the most populous state in the U.S. and the 6th largest economy in the world.

 

members.pngFrom rank and file Democrats to elected officials on the state and local level, their members come from all over California and are involved in every level of government interacting with the people who are passing the laws and making the regulations you have to live and work under. Members are active throughout the party as delegates to the annual state convention, as members of the Executive Board which sets policy for the state party as well as being elected to their county Democratic Central Committees where they work with local Democratic officials on County Boards, City Councils and other local governing commissions and committees.

 

BMD-CA is seen by the 3,000 state delegates, the 300+ Executive Board members and state party officers and elected officials as the most knowledgeable and, because they are part of the Democratic party, as the most trustworthy.

 

sacramento_prop._64_highway_sign.jpgBMD-CA has made the implementation of Prop. 64 a priority for the CDP through the adoption of pro-marijuana planks in the Party’s platform and resolutions. Just a few of the planks and resolutions adopted by the party that were introduced by BMD-CA are:

1. Calling for the legalization of marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol and tobacco

2. Denouncing bans and moratoriums and encouraging cities and counties to adopt ordinances implementing the commercial provisions of Prop. 64.

3. Opposing IRS Code 280E which disallows any business deductions for any commercial activity related to marijuana

4. Support making California a cannabis sanctuary state by not allowing state and local police to cooperate with federal police in the arrest and prosecution of licensed marijuana businesses

5. Support passage of a law preventing hospitals from denying organ transplants to medical marijuana patients.

 

Within the CDP, BMD-CA is not viewed with skepticism and seen as some outside special interest group. As a chartered member they have an unprecedented ability to interact with Democrats at all levels of government and to further the interests of marijuana consumers and businesses. Democratic candidates seek the endorsement of BMD-CA as they have personally seen the significant influence we have earned with party officials, activists and rank and file Democrats.

 

vote_guide.jpgTo that end, they are in the process of interviewing candidates for elective offices eliciting their position on issues relating to cannabis. With this information, BMD will produce a voter’s guide that will be distributed throughout the state for the June primary and November general elections. Candidates know that thousands of voters, especially Democratic voters, trust and follow their endorsements.

 

Democrats holds every statewide office and a super-majority in the state legislature. BMD-CA is in the best position of any cannabis advocacy organization to influence policy and get our elected officials to solve the problems inherent in Prop. 64, resolve the issues that have cropped up now that legalization has commenced and enact legislation that will further the interests of marijuana consumers and businesses. There is simply no other organization in the state of California that has the political clout, connections and insider networks like the Brownie Mary Democrats of California.

 

2018_convention.pngOne of the most effective outreaches for BMD-CA is to participate in the annual California Democratic Party State Convention which this year takes place February 23 - 25 in San Diego. The State Convention is where Democratic office holders and candidates from throughout the state of California cadem_conv.pngcome to seek support, endorsements and funding for their campaigns. It is an unprecedented opportunity to meet these elected officials and candidates for office and to educate them and elicit their support for policies that are beneficial to the cannabis consumer and business community.

 

booth_overall_(2).JPG$5,000 is needed for an exhibit booth, annual meeting at the state convention, participation in the many caucuses and meetings held at the convention and to prepare brochures and other items to be handed out to the 3,000+ delegates and more than 1,000 Democratic Party officers and elected officials. This includes a new brochure entitled “What Has Marijuana Legalization Wrought? - What Every Candidate Needs to Know!"

 

browniemary_button_final.jpgThere is no other marijuana advocacy group like the Brownie Mary Democrats of California. As the chair and founder of the Brownie Mary Democrats, I would appreciate your supporting contributions for their presence at the State Convention to help you and the cannabis community take its rightful place in the governance of California and the United States of America.

 

As a way of thanking your for your support, contributors of $100 or more will receive a display quality CERTIFICATE OF CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY suitable for framing and your contribution will be duly noted on a display board posted in the exhibit area.

 

Contributions may be made by credit card by CLICKING HERE or by check made out to BMD-CA and mailed to: BMD-CA, PO Box 739, Palm Springs CA 92263. Please note that contributions are not tax deductible.

 

Thanks for your help and support,

Lanny

Lanny Swerdlow RN LNC

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The + Size Lady Sings Jan. 1 & Suppositories/Prognostications at MAPP Meets

 

ca_hiway_sign.jpg mj_sign.jpgReally Real Legalization Finally Begins

 

On Jan. 1, 2018 the most populous state in the U.S. and the 6th largest economy in the world begins the legal sales of marijuana along with the legal cultivation and manufacturing of marijuana to make those legal sales possible.

 

decrmin_vs_legalize.pngIn reality, Jan. 1, 2018 is the genuine beginning of legalization in California. When Prop. 64 passed on Nov. 8, 2016, all that became legal was personal possession of less than an ounce and the growing up to six plants by people 21 and over. That is more akin to decriminalization than legalization. True legalization begins when commercial cultivation, manufacture and sales are allowed and that is what is happening in California beginning Jan. 1.

 

get_out_of_jail.jpgIt is interesting to note that almost all the people who are in jail or were in jail were imprisoned for selling, manufacturing and growing more marijuana then would be needed for their own personal consumption. If personal consumption and cultivation were all that was legalized by Prop. 64 i.e. decriminalization, people would not be getting out of jail as is happening now. It is only because Prop. 64 legalized commercial cultivation, manufacture and sales that those people are getting out of jail.

 

go_to_jail.jpgFurther without the legalization of cultivation, manufacture and sales by Prop. 64, people who continued to sell, manufacture or grow more than they needed for their own personal consumption would be in danger of arrest, prosecution and imprisonment.

 

successfailure.jpgAs it stands, the calamitous prognostications of the opponents of Prop. 64 have not materialized. We will see when the marijuana legalization pedal hits the commercial business metal whether California makes it to the promised nirvana finish line or crashes and burns in a mushroom cloud of disorder, disaster and dismal failure.

 

Many cities are betting the bank on marijuana reviving their moribund economies. Cathedral City is celebrating the imminent arrival of the green cash cow by allowing their dispensaries to open at midnight on Jan. 1 with the first legal adult-use sales in the state.

 

Of course by Jan. 1, the Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) will have only approved a relative handful of state licenses for adult-use sales so for most folks, if they want to buy in their communities on Jan. 1, they are still going to have to be bona-fide medical marijuana patients or buy it the old fashioned way from criminals.

 

shoveling_money.jpgWith all the money to be made from mom & pop cannabis microbusinesses to corporate ganja entrepreneurs all shoveling tax dollars into state and local government pockets, it is just a matter of time before the BCC gets the approval machine up and running smoothly with hundreds, if not thousands of stores receiving state licenses.

 

sell_alcohol.jpgThousands may seem an overreach, but the BCC has a long way to go to catch up with the Bureau of Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC)  which has licensed, as of 2014, 13,806 LIQUOR stores or one store for every 2,755 residents.

 

If the ABC can do it, so can the BCC. If they don't, then it is up to us to get our state legislators to breath down their necks to get it done and pass whatever legislation is needed to undo whatever bottlenecks are causing the BCC not to issue licenses quickly and efficiently.

 

California and the other seven states that have legalized marijuana are coming off of 80 years of reefer madness infused prohibition, so being overly cautious is how the game is being played as there are still three 800 pound gorillas opposed to legalization – police, pharmaceutical companies and the alcohol industry.

 

gorillas.jpgWringing their hands and rolling their eyes amid predictions of mass carnage on our highways from stoned drivers and children gorging themselves on cleverly disguised gummy bear edibles, the three 800 pound gorillas haven’t gotten in the way that much - no lawsuits filed, no organizing hysterical parents to march on city halls and state capitols. That isn't to say that behind closed doors local police haven't been furiously browbeating local city councils and county board to enact bans and onerous regulations.

 

No doubt the gorillas will rejoice and gloat over every hiccup and bump-in-the-road (many of which they have caused) that surfaces during California’s roll out of legal marijuana cultivation, manufacture and distribution. The BCC is moving forward as fast as they can and I believe they will do their best to effectively and expediently solve many of these problems, but there are some major problems that are beyond the regulation authority of the BCC.

 

illegal_to_consume.jpgWhere to consume is a big one. Outside of your private home and businesses where-on site consumption is allowed (and there aren’t many of them – yet), there are no legal places to consume cannabis. Prop. 64 makes it illegal to use cannabis in any public place including public places where tobacco smoking is allowed with fines up to $250.

 

Small growers are calling fowl over the BCC’s allowing cultivators to apply for multiple small cultivation licenses which allow cultivation up to one acre. Even so, these cultivators are large only in a Lilliputian sense, maybe obtaining enough licenses to grow 20 acres. If the small cultivators are apoplectic over that, they will go into a state of catatonic hysteria when the cultivation lid comes off in 2023 and California’s farmers cut back on growing water guzzling rice and begin growing hundreds if not thousands of acres of potent quality marijuana.

 

mj_delviery2.jpgThe BCC is allowing delivery services, including ordering on line, even though Prop. 64 advocates argued that the initiative did not allow customers to obtain cannabis online, but only “in a brick and mortar establishment.” Police are grumbling about that and will be badgering state legislators to outlaw delivery services claiming that allowing on-line sales will make it easy for teenagers to obtain cannabis.

weedmaps.jpg

 

Although there is grumbling among commercial marijuana businesses over the restrictions on advertising, some businesses like Weedmaps, which do not sell marijuana but merely direct people to places that do, are not covered by the advertising prohibitions. There is grumbling going on in the state legislature over that too.

 

fired_using_mj.jpgAlthough you cannot get fired from your job for using alcohol or taking Vicodin when not at work, you can still get fired if you use marijuana when not working. To say that is not fair is a multi-billion-dollar understatement. Changing that will not be easy, but it can be done if we develop sufficient political clout.

 

Between the procedural and technical problems that are bound to arise when commercial cultivation, manufacture and sales begins on Jan. 1 and the inherent problems in Prop. 64, such as where you can consume it and not getting fired from your job when you do, cannabis consumers and businesses, civil liberty advocates and folks with plain old-fashioned common sense have their work cut out to redress the problems involved in commercial development of cannabis amid the over-cautiousness of Prop. 64.

 

problem_solution.jpgIn the next newsletter, I will discuss the ways these problems can be addressed and solved including what may be a golden opportunity that we ignore at our own peril. Like a cliffhanger in a network TV show, you will have to wait until the next newsletter for “the answer."

 

January MAPP Meetings

mj_wuppowity4oyt.jpgMoreno Valley

Learn to Make Your Own Cannabis Suppositories

prognostication.jpgPalm Springs

Joshua Tree

2018 Prognostications

 

mj_supposityro_cartoon.pngThe mention of suppositories always elicits guffaws and giggles, but as a Registered Nurse, let me assure any doubters that providing a dose of medicine via the rectum is one of the most effective and easiest routes of administration.

 

Like we overcame 80 years of reefer madness, we can also overcome a lifetime of the lingering puritanical mores about our derrieres that still infect American culture and the litany of childhood butt jokes that makes us snigger and tighten our sphincters.

 

kathie_z.jpgAt the Wednesday, Jan. 3 MAPP meeting in Moreno Valley, Kathie Zamanjahromi, a retired nurse with a specialty in oncology, will explain the advantages of using suppositories over inhaling and eating cannabis, will discuss the ailments that it is especially useful for, explain the proper way to administer suppositories and most importantly perform a hands on demonstration on how to make your own cannabis infused suppositories.

 

In the past suppositories were scarcer than hen’s teeth at dispensaries, but today a very limited number are stocking them. Whether they eventually take off with a suppository section at every dispensary or they are still hard to locate, it won’t matter to you as Kathie demonstrates live and in a specially prepared video the step by step procedure for making your own suppositories.

 

You might not need them now or know anyone who does, but someday you, a family member or close friend might find them just the ticket for treating their ailments and restoring their health.

 

There will also be announcements of upcoming events, an analysis of the latest cannabis news and of course the camaraderie that only takes place at a MAPP meeting. The MAPP meeting in Moreno Valley takes place on Wednesday, Jan. 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Greenview Medical Clinic, 22275 Alessandro Blvd., Moreno Valley 92553.

 

The Palm Springs and Joshua Tree MAPP meetings might not have anything quite so salacious as the Moreno Valley suppository infused MAPP meeting, but there will be discussions on what happened in 2017 and what will be happening in 2018 including a look at what happened in the first week of legal cultivation, manufacture and sales of marijuana. There will also be information distributed on a free cannabis seminar to be held Jan. 9 on the Palm Desert campus of the California State University at San Bernardino.

 

Wednesday, Jan. 3 at 7:30 p.m. – Moreno Valley/Western IE MAPP meeting –. Meeting held at Greenview Medical, 22275 Alessandro Blvd, Moreno Valley, CA 92553

 

Saturday, Jan. 6 at 12 noon - Palm Springs/Coachella Valley meeting – Meeting held at Crystal Fantasy, 268 N. Palm Canyon Dr., downtown Palm Springs 92262.

 

Saturday, Jan. 6 at 3 p.m. - Joshua Tree/Morongo Basin meeting – Meeting held at Beatnik Lounge, 61597 Twenty-Nine Palms Hwy., Joshua Tree 92252.

 

A delightful assortment of cookies with cool milk and juice will be served.

2918_new_year.jpg2018 is going to be a crucial year for marijuana law reform!

Help provide the resources to keep the work of MAPP going in the right direction with a much appreciated donation.

Make a one-time donation - CLICK HERE

Join MAPP's 420 Club and automatically donate $4.20 from your credit card every month - CLICK HERE

lanny_swerdlow.jpgI gratefully & sincerely

appreciate your support.

Lanny

 

 

 

 

#marijuana #marijuananews #marijuanalegalization #marijuanacultivation  #cannabis #medicalmarijuana #MAPP #marijuanaantiprohibitionproject #marijuanataxes #drugpolicyreform #drugwar #warondrugs #growingmarijuana #outdoormarijuana #prop64

Marijuana Anti-Prohibition Project
http://www.marijuananews.org/

-=-=-

Marijuana Anti-Prohibition Project · PO Box 739, Palm Springs, CA 92263, United States

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Marijuana = World Peace, Good Will to All + MAPP Speak

potleaf_hold_world.gif 2_hours_world_peace_w_pic.jpgThe Case for
Marijuana &
World Peace

 

socializaton.jpgThe socialization aspects of cannabis are one of its most important, but least understood usages. That cannabis calms people down, makes them more amenable to all situations and is capable of defusing even the most hostile of circumstances is legendary.

 

This remarkable ability of marijuana to relax, soothe and promote congeniality is applicable to more than just individual social situations. Its potential to improve outcomes on the world political stage is gargantuan.

 

wolrd_politcal_state.jpgCan marijuana actually make political negotiations more likely to succeed? Can it bring disparate parties together to form a common bond and reach agreements to defuse crisis situations where hundreds of thousands if not millions of lives hang in the balance?

 

Hashish, a concentrated and potent form of cannabis, provides a viable answer.

 

Hashish originated in Arabia at least a thousand years ago. It is so Arabic that the word hashish derives from the Arabic word for “grass.”

 

arabs_smoke_hiash.gifFrom the legendary tales of One Thousand and One Arabian Nights to the incendiary Satanic Verses, hash was de rigueur in Arab society. Many social interactions involved either consuming hash as an edible or smoking hash. Hookahs were common and ornate and were perfect to use for the communal consumption of hashish. One of the reasons postulated for the former perfusion of cannabis use in the Middle East is because alcohol is forbidden to adherents of Islam

 

sunni_vs_shitie.jpgAlthough the redrawing of national boundaries in the Middle East at the end of World War I has led to many of today’s problems, the fact remains that Sunnis have been quarreling viciously with Shiites for some fifteen hundred years along with various incursions by Christian nations stirring up the pot even more.

 

What has changed that these internecine problems are no longer constrained? Why has all-hell broken out over the last 50 or so years? One major change could be attributable to the status of hashish in the Middle East.

 

great_satan.gifRecent orthodox Islamic leaders have uncharacteristically accepted the Great Satan’s reefer madness ideology and deemed cannabis an intoxicant or haram and forbidden its use. Enacted into criminal law as well as religious decrees, the use of hashish has significantly decreased during the same time that the horrors of intolerance and civil war have exploded in the Middle East. Is it a coincidence or is there a connection?

 

As any regular cannabis consumer will tell you, there is a more than a kernel of truth to the idea that if the Sunnis and Shiites shared a hookah brimming with hash before sitting down for peace negotiations, maybe the legendary ability of marijuana to calm, ameliorate, broaden perspective and induce tolerance might lead to a breakthrough in understanding and compromise. Hard to see how it could make things any worse.

 

Although the Israeli/Palestine conflict is relatively new, if hashish consumption could reduce the friction between different segments of Arabic societies as it did in the past, then marijuana could even provide concrete help in this intractable imbroglio. With death and destruction plaguing the Middle East from Egypt to Iraq, the problems are so extreme that very potent strains of cannabis would be needed to achieve any kind of breakthrough. Dabbing with concentrates might be just the ticket.

 

diagram.jpgA simple and cost-effective experiment would be to provide and promote hash use before any Israeli/Palestine negotiations. If after one year of hash infused negotiations peace has not been achieved then concluding that these problems are so inexorable that even marijuana cannot save them would be justified.

 

However if the negotiations mitigated with hashish consumption actually bring about peace, then sharing a hookah or a joint at the beginning of all international negotiations whether it be in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Africa or at the United Nations would be part of established diplomatic protocols.

peace_bird.jpg 

Cannabis for fiber, food,
fuel, medicine, recreation
and WORLD PEACE!



MAPP_Logo.jpgMORENO VALLEY/WESTERN IE
MAPP MEET WED. DEC. 6

While Riverside County plows ahead with developing commercial marijuana regulations, San Bernardino County has firmly buried its head in the sand. In stark contrast the City of San Bernardino, the seat of SB County government, is plunging full speed ahead as a result of an initiative passed last year by the voters of this beleaguered and bankrupt city.

cicio.jpgWill the City of San Bernardino have dispensaries open by Jan. 1, 2018? Will they be conveniently located? Where will cultivation take place? Will there be businesses manufacturing edibles and concentrates? Find out just what is happening from our featured speaker William Cioci who has worked with several San Bernardino City Council members on this most delicate issue and has spoken before the SB City Council more times then he can probably remember. Join William in an energetic discussion about the tangled history of the city's initiative, what the initiative will do, the progress being made to make it happen and the timeline for its implementation.

The implications of the passage of a resolution by the California Democratic Party calling on cities and counties to stop banning and start implementing the provisions allowing commercial marijuana businesses will be discussed along with a discussion on how to use the resolution to get San Bernardino County and other recalcitrant local governments to get on Prop. 64's commercial bandwagon.
greenview.jpg
Find out what is happening in the IE and what is going to be happening at the MAPP meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m. The meeting is held at the Greenview Medical Clinic, 22275 Alessandro Blvd, Moreno Valley, CA 92553 Bring a friend and receive a free pocket pipe. Milk, cookies and camaraderie will be served.

BTR_MCCS_Logo.jpgradio_show.jpgGEORGIA
ON MY MIND

Marijuana in the Bible Belt

ga_arrest_mj.jpgWhen it comes to marijuana, living in the south can be very dangerous. Georgia reflects that danger but change is afoot as Atlanta GA decriminalized marijuana possession in October 2017. Leading the charge to reform Georgia's draconian marijuana laws is Peachtree NORML battling for common sense marijuana laws where few dare to tread.

 

dean_sines.jpgDean Sines is the fearless Deputy Director of Peachtree NORML and has been involved for years working to end marijuana prohibition. On this special segment of Marijuana Compassion and Common Sense, Dean speaks out about the current law in GA today, the political environment regarding changing the law, NORML's role in Atlanta's recent decriminalization of marijuana, the ease of finding and the quality of marijuana in Georgia, what is being done to change the law, what Peachtree NORML is up to and a few more intriguing tidbits about life in the deep south.

 

Listen to the award winning podcast of Marijuana Compassion and Common Sense at www.blogtalkradio.com/marijuananews and find out how marijuana legalization is changing the political landscape in the south and is helping bridge the cultural gap between north and south. It’s on right now –  CLICK HERE to listen.

420_club.jpg
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make marijuana available safely,
reliably, locally & affordably.
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Marijuana Anti-Prohibition Project
http://www.marijuananews.org/ -=-=-

#marijuana  #marijuananews  #marijuanalegalization  #marijuanacultivation  #marijuanafundraiser  #cannabis  #medicalmarijuana  #MAPP  #marijuanaantiprohibitionproject  #marijuanataxes #drugpolicyreform #drugpolicyalliance #michellealexander #drugwar #warondrugs #nowar #worldpeace #arab #israel/palistine

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The Magic Bullets of Prop. 64

 

bullet.png Finding the Gun to Fire
Prop. 64's Magic Bullets


ca_hiway_sign.jpg ban_sign.jpgAlthough Prop. 64 allows for the implementation of laws allowing for commercial cultivation, manufacture and distribution of marijuana, Prop. 64 also allows local governments to totally ban any commercial activities. Unfortunately most cities and counties have been enacting bans rather than allowing commercial marijuana businesses forcing people in their communities to drive long distances to secure marijuana or more likely continuing to buy it from criminals.

 

__hand_mj.jpgTo encourage implementation rather than bans, Prop. 64 has several carrots to entice local governments to allow commercial marijuana businesses. The most enticing is the ability to license and tax all phases – cultivation, manufacture and distribution. Local governments can make millions of dollars in taxes and for those that have allowed commercial production, developing a new source of tax revenue is the reason most allow it.

 

Financially challenged cities in the Inland Empire like Desert Hot Springs and Adelanto have literally bet the bank on marijuana licensing. Desert Hot Springs is permitting over 2 million square feet of cultivation and manufacturing in their industrial zones as well as permitting an almost unlimited number of dispensaries.

 

_1billion.jpgAnother carrot found in Prop. 64 requires cities and counties that want to share in the grants from the billion plus dollars the state takes in from taxes and license fees, must permit commercial businesses. If they don’t, they don’t get any of the money.

 

police.jpgIt is so ironic that most of these grants will be for public safety projects meaning most of the money goes to the police. If police oppose allowing commercial businesses as they have opposed medical marijuana businesses in the past, they will be the biggest money losers. It will be interesting to see if police now call for licensing commercial businesses.

 

mjoutdoorgrow.jpgAn unexpected carrot found in Prop. 64 that most people are not aware of is very important not for businesses but for personal cultivation. If local governments ban outdoor personal cultivation, they will also not be eligible for any of the state grant money. This can be really good news for people who are not medical marijuana patients and can only grow six plants. Growing six plants indoors won’t get you much pot, but growing six plants outdoors can get you pounds of pot.

 

mj_arrow_quiver.jpgUnfortunately, all those carrots don’t seem to be enough to get a lot of local elected officials to overcome 80 years of reefer madness. Marijuana advocates need as many arrows in their quiver as possible and California’s Democratic Party has given them a new and powerful arrow to encourage implementation rather than bans.

 

As a member of the Executive Board of the California Democratic Party and elected member of the Party’s State Central Committee, I can introduce planks and resolutions that if enacted become policy for the Democratic Party and elected Democratic officials on both the federal, state and local levels.

 

I have introduced a number of planks and resolutions including a plank in the 2014 Party platform calling for the legalization of marijuana. The adoption of the plank paved the way for the Party to actively support Prop. 64 in 2016 which played a crucial role in its resounding success.

 

dem_donkey_ca_mj.jpgThe inclusion of a plank supporting legalization in the Party platform made it possible for many Democratic elected officials to support Prop. 64 who otherwise would have been reluctant to publicly support it. When something becomes Party policy, whether it is single-payer health care, immigration reform or marijuana legalization, Democratic elected officials are supposed to not just support it, but too actively develop programs to make it happen.

 

DSC07733_(2).JPGAt the Nov. 17 – 19 California Democratic Party Executive Board meeting, I introduced a resolution calling on the California Democratic Party to encourage counties and cities to cease banning and to enact ordinances regulating the commercial cultivation, manufacture and sale of cannabis.”

 

READ_THE_RESOLUTION_PDF-page-001.jpgThe resolution was passed unanimously and is now the official policy of the California Democratic Party. If you live in a city or county that has banned implementation of Prop. 64’s commercial marijuana production provisions, you can inform your local elected Democratic officials that banning goes against Party policy and that they should be implementing regulations allowing commercial marijuana businesses. If the taxes to be made were not enough to move them in the right direction, this new policy directive from the state Party might do it.

 

The California Democratic Party is the largest state political party in the U.S. and controls the government of the 6th largest economy in the world. It has CLOUT. Since the state and local county Democratic Parties help many candidates with their campaigns both in financing and securing volunteers, many Democratic office holders pay close attention to policies favored by the Party.

 

Of course if you don’t have any elected Democrats on your local governing boards, then it won’t do much good. Maybe you can try to get the California Republican Party to pass a similar resolution, but I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one.

 

If commercial marijuana businesses are banned where you live and you want to see that ban repealed and regulations enacted that allow commercial businesses, there are far more arguments on your side now then on those opposing commercial businesses.

 

meeting.jpgYou just need to leverage those advantages with your local elected officials. I would be delighted to provide you with information on how to do that and help you in any way that I can to stop banning and start implementing in your communities. Feel free to contact me at any time by calling 760-799-2055 or sending an email to [email protected].

 

BTR_MCCS_Logo.jpgradio_show.jpgGEORGIA
ON MY MIND

Marijuana in the Bible Belt

ga_arrest_mj.jpgWhen it comes to marijuana, living in the south can be very dangerous. Georgia reflects that danger but change is afoot as Atlanta GA decriminalized marijuana possession in October 2017. Leading the charge to reform Georgia's draconian marijuana laws is Peachtree NORML battling for common sense marijuana laws where few dare to tread.

 

dean_sines.jpgDean Sines is the fearless Deputy Director of Peachtree NORML and has been involved for years working to end marijuana prohibition. On this special segment of Marijuana Compassion and Common Sense, Dean speaks out about the current law in GA today, the political environment regarding changing the law, NORML's role in Atlanta's recent decriminalization of marijuana, the ease of finding and the quality of marijuana in Georgia, what is being done to change the law, what Peachtree NORML is up to and a few more intriguing tidbits about life in the deep south.

 

Listen to the award winning podcast of Marijuana Compassion and Common Sense at www.blogtalkradio.com/marijuananews and find out how marijuana legalization is changing the political landscape in the south and is helping bridge the cultural gap between north and south. It’s on right now –  CLICK HERE to listen.

 

MAPP_Logo.jpgDECEMBER
MAPP MEETINGS

meeting2.jpgLooking Back - Looking Ahead

Join us for our last MAPP meeting of the year for a round-up of what happened in 2017 including a look at the one year anniversary of California's foray into marijuana legalization.  Of special interest will be a look ahead as to what is in store for 2018. As you can tell from this newsletter, a main emphasis in 2018 will be to get local governments to implement the provisions of Prop. 64 which allow for commercial cannabis businesses whether it be cultivation, manufacturing or distribution.

 

Join us at one of our meetings to celebrate the advances in 2017 and help set the agenda for 2018.

 

Saturday, Dec. 2 at 12 noon - Palm Springs/Coachella Valley meeting. There will be discussion of Palm Springs’ recent actions regulating marijuana including regulating on-site consumption. Meeting held at Crystal Fantasy, 268 N. Palm Canyon Dr., downtown Palm Springs 92262.

 

Saturday, Dec. 2 at 3 p.m. - Joshua Tree/Morongo Valley meeting. Information on the Yucca Valley marijuana initiative. Meeting held at the fabulous Beatnik Lounge, 61597 Twenty-Nine Palms Hwy., Joshua Tree 92252

 

Wednesday, Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m. – Moreno Valley/Western IE MAPP meeting - Greenview Medical, 22275 Alessandro Blvd, Moreno Valley, CA 92553

 

Milk, cookies and camaraderie at all three meetings.

420_club_bldg.pngThere is so much to do to protect our
rights to access marijuana and we
could use a little help from our friends.
Become a friend and
hang out at our 420 Club

Donate $4.20/month
CLICK HERE TO JOIN

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A ONE-TIME DONATION

 

advertise_with_us_woman.jpgIf you are reading this, others are too!
Support our efforts and your business
by advertising on our radio show and our newsletter.
Rates so low that if we could afford an attorney,
they would not allow us to publicize them.
For rates and other info,
send an email to:
[email protected]
or
call 760-799-2055




Marijuana Anti-Prohibition Project
http://www.marijuananews.org/

#marijuana  #marijuananews  #marijuanalegalization  #marijuanacultivation  #marijuanafundraiser  #cannabis  #medicalmarijuana  #MAPP  #marijuanaantiprohibitionproject  #marijuanataxes #drugpolicyreform #drugpolicyalliance #michellealexander #drugwar #warondrugs #growingmarijuana #outdoormarijuana #prop64

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2017 Celebrity MJ Busts + 64's Power Tools

 

bill-murray-marijuana-quote.jpgCelebrities Being Busted
for MJ is Nothing New

Three Arrested in 2017

 

etheridge_mug_shot.jpgEtheridge Smiles for Police Mug Shot

It is no surprise that lots of celebrities consume marijuana, so it should come as no surprise that some of them get busted. Melissa Etheridge was busted on August 17 for drug possession after a drug sniffing dog discovered marijuana on her tour bus when crossing the border from Canada into the United States in North Dakota.

It wasn’t even bud that Etheridge was arrested for – it was marijuana oil which she was using to mitigate the pain and suffering from the chemotherapy treatments she was receiving to treat breast cancer.

It was singer David Crosby, the sperm donor for Etheridge’s two children, who suggested the “Come to My Window” singer use medicinal marijuana to get through the chemotherapy after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004.

 

melissa-etheridge-marijuana.pngShe has openly spoken about smoking marijuana with her two oldest children, 20-year-old Bailey and 18-year-old Beckett. In an interview with Yahoo News, Etheridge said "It was funny at first, and then they realized, it's a very natural, end-of-the-day (thing). And it brings you much closer. I'd much rather have a smoke with my grown kids than a drink. Oh, God no."

 

Etheridge is not new to cannabis advocacy and has often spoken out in favor of marijuana use and law reform. Last year she announced that her company, Etheridge Farms, will provide cannabis products to medical patients in California.

 

As for the bust, the famed singer plead not guilty to charges of possession of a controlled substance and is scheduled for a pretrial conference on Nov. 14.

 

border_crossing.jpgtodd_rungren.jpgAnother marijuana bust at the same border crossing, but a couple weeks later on September 9 was 70’s rock icon and producer Todd Rundgren, best known for his 1972 singles "Hello It's Me" and "I Saw the Light", which continue to have heavy rotation on classic rock radio stations.

 

Although the drug sniffing dogs who caught Etheridge failed to find anything in Rundgren's luggage, exasperatingly thorough border agents did find two vape pens and containers with liquid THC. Unlike Etheridge, Rundgren plead guilty with a court appearance scheduled for Nov. 11.

 

Another recent bust happened on October 21 when Corey Feldman, who starred in the blockbuster films The Goonies and The Lost Boys as a teenager, was arrested along with six others, for marijuana possession in Louisiana.

 

On the way to a performance of his band at corey_feldman_today.jpegthe Live Oaks Bar and Ballroom in Monroe, Louisiana, the child actor turned musician was charged with one count of possessing marijuana and one count in regard to a traffic violation. The charge is a misdemeanor requiring payment of a fine. He was released without being booked into jail.

 

In a Twitter post, Feldman wrote that “it was a bit of a good ol shakedown! After we paid them in cash, they asked for pics and autographs and then called the local paper to do interviews.”

 corey_feldman_and_corey_haim.jpg

Although Feldman has previously spoken about the child sexual abuse he and co-star Corey Haim endured, the arrest happened a few days after he spoke out against sexual abusers in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal.

 

armstrong_2.jpegbeatles.jpgThere has been a plethora of celebrity marijuana busts over the years. All the Beatles, save for Ringo, have been arrested along with most members of the Rolling Stones. Other notables include Louis Armstrong, Willie Nelson, Bill Murray, Eric Clapton, David Bowie, Whitney Houston, Chuck Berry, Woody Harrelson, Paris Hilton, Robert Mitchum, Oliver Stone, Gene Krupa ad infinitum.

 houston.jpegstone.jpg

What is so disappointing is that except for Willie Nelson and Woody Harrelson, most celebrities that have been busted for marijuana have done little to nothing to help end marijuana prohibition and stop the arrest, prosecution and imprisonment of over half-million Americans and millions more world-wide every year.

 

I guess that isn’t so surprising considering that only a tiny fraction of the tens of millions of Americans who have been charged criminally for marijuana law violations have gotten involved in ending its prohibition and allowing for its legal distribution. Celebrities though are people with name recognition that, like it or not, are role models for millions of Americans across all spectrums' of society. That they do not speak out is a shame and a disgrace.

Convincing local government to
allow outdoor personal cultivation
and commercial operations

Prop. 64 Provides Powerful Tools

to Make It So

MAPP_Logo.jpg

November

MAPP meetings


Unlike the silent celebrities, you do have a chance to speak out and take action if you live in the Inland Empire, by attending any of November’s three meetings of the Marijuana Anti-Prohibition Project.

 

plan_meet.jpegAll three meetings will be focusing on getting local municipalities to get with the program and allow for commercial marijuana operations and outdoor personal cultivation as allowed under Prop. 64.

 

Unlike our previous efforts to get cities and counties to allow for medical marijuana distribution, Prop. 64 gives us some carrots to entice local government officials to finally do the right thing. Numero uno is the taxes that they can collect from local taxation and the big bucks from grant funds generated by the state's marijuana taxes estimated to exceed one billion dollars in 2018 alone.

 

league_ca_cities.jpegAs pointed out by the League of California Cities in their Powerpoint presentation to cities:

 

Bans on cultivation or retail sale of cannabis will terminate local eligibility for grant funds. This includes bans on outdoor personal cultivation, which are often enacted locally due to nuisance concerns.

 

no_mj2.jpegno_dollar.gifGot it? Cities and counties that BAN outdoor personal cultivation will not receive even one dollar from the one billion dollar plus state marijuana tax revenues if they do not allow outdoor personal cultivation. With so many cities throughout the IE banning outdoor cultivation, this can be just the ticket to get them to reconsider these reefer-madness and police supported bans.

 

outdorr_orw.jpgFor those who want to grow their own, this is exceedingly important. Indoor cultivation is expensive, tedious, time consuming and just plain difficult. Outdoor cultivation is way easier, magnitudes less expensive and if you are limited to only six plants per household, can still produce a lot of marijuana.

 

Come to one of the MAPP meetings below to learn what is happening in Riverside County and what should be happening in San Bernardino County. Specific goals and targets will be outlined at each meeting with actions that you can participate and even commence in your local communities.

 

Take the time to activate, communicate and motivate – your participation is needed.

 

barry.jpgWednesday, Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. – Moreno Valley/Western IE MAPP meeting – Guest speaker will be Barry Glover with a review of the Commercial Cannabis Licensing Workshop sponsored by Riverside County that attracted close to 500 people. Meeting takes place at Greenview Medical, 22275 Alessandro Blvd, Moreno Valley, CA 92553

 

Saturday, Nov. 4 at 12 noon - Palm Springs/Coachella Valley meeting – Crystal Fantasy, 268 N. Palm Canyon Dr., downtown Palm Springs 92262.

 

Saturday, Nov. 4 at 3 p.m. - Joshua Tree/Morongo Basin meeting – Beatnik Lounge, 61597 Twenty-Nine Palms Hwy., Joshua Tree 92252.

 

cookie_milk.jpgglass_pipe.jpgA captivating assortment of cookies and fresh milk will be served at all 3 meetings. Bring a friend and receive a free glass pipe!!!

420_club_bldg.png
There is so much to do to protect our
rights to access marijuana and we
could use a little help from our friends.
Become a friend and
hang out at our 420 Club

Donate $4.20/month
CLICK HERE TO JOIN

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A ONE-TIME DONATION

 

advertise_with_us_woman.jpgIf you are reading this, others are too!
Support our efforts and your business
by advertising on our radio show and our newsletter.
Rates so low that if we could afford an attorney,
they would not allow us to publicize them.
For rates and other info,
send an email to:
[email protected]
or
call 760-799-2055




Marijuana Anti-Prohibition Project
http://www.marijuananews.org/

#marijuana  #marijuananews  #marijuanalegalization  #marijuanacultivation  #marijuanafundraiser  #cannabis  #medicalmarijuana  #MAPP  #marijuanaantiprohibitionproject  #marijuanataxes #drugpolicyreform #drugpolicyalliance #michellealexander #drugwar #warondrugs #growingmarijuana #outdoormarijuana

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What is Black & White and Glossed All Over?

 

opiod_white_hand_pic.jpgblack_hands_crack.jpgThe Opioid Epidemic
vs. The Crack Epidemic
As Different as Black & White - Literally

drug_polcy_conf_pic.jpegI was very fortunate to be given a scholarship to attend the 2017 International Drug Policy Reform Conference in Atlanta GA Oct. 11 – 14. The biennial conference attracts over 1,500 drug policy scholars, researchers professionals, victims and reformers from over 80 countries for three days of plenary sessions and seminars. It is a treasure house of knowledge and an orgy of networking.

 

malexander_and_new_jim_crow.jpegRacial justice has always been a topic at previous Drug Policy Reform conferences, but this conference put it front and center making it the focal point of multiple breakout sessions, rallies and exhibits. Featuring keynote speaker Michelle Alexander, author of the acclaimed bestseller The New Jim Crow – Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, the centrality of race and the drug war was paramount.

 

nixon_and_erhlicman_2.jpgThat the Drug War has always been about race can be traced to 1972 and the beginnings of President Richard Nixon’s declaration of a War on Drugs. In 1994, John Ehrlichman, White House counsel and Chief Domestic Policy Advisor to President Nixon told Harper's magazine journalist Dan Baum:

 

“The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people. You understand what I’m saying? We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.”

 

drug_arrest_b_and_w_cartoon.jpegThe hippies may be mainly a thing of the past, but the black community is not. That our country's new AG Jeff Sessions, who was denied a federal judgeship in 1986 by the Senate Judiciary Committee because of racist statements, is reinvigorating the War on Drugs with all its racist implications and underpinnings is to be expected. Ms. Alexander’s keynote address centered on the need to understand that emphasizing “We must be committed to placing race and racial justice at the very center of the drug policy reform movement.”

 

black_vs_white_arrests.jpgAsking “how drug policy fits into the bigger picture of American Democracy,” Ms. Alexander’s address was as disturbing as it was empowering. Upon hearing it some people will jump to their feet applauding her every word while others may feel scapegoated and put upon, but it is an address that needs to be heard and judged by all. Fortunately, her spellbinding presentation was videotaped and you can see and hear it now – CLICK HERE.

 

m_alexander_speaking2.pngThe first few minutes are perfunctory acknowledgements but soon she comes to a comparison of the current opioid epidemic to the crack epidemic of the 90s and the presentation becomes spellbinding, riveting and illuminating beyond measure. This is a presentation that shifts the paradigm - check it out HERE.

To check out my other blogs on a variety of issues relating to marijuana and the War on Drugs, go to www.marijuananews.org/blog

 

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Wild Fantasy @ IE Licensing Workshop + PS & JT MAPP meets + Fundraiser Success

 

weed_biz.jpgWant to Become A Legal
Big or Small Time Ganja Guru?

gov_employee.jpgTax Payer Paid Government Employees
Will Tell You How

 


Dreams can come true. To wit: this email would have been one of my wildest fantasies a couple years ago, California’s newly created Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) with the support and cooperation of Riverside County (yes, RIVERSIDE COUNTY!!!!) is sponsoring a Commercial Cannabis Licensing Workshop and you are invited and encouraged to attend.

 

The purpose of the Licensing Workshop in the words of the BCC and Riverside Co. is to “To provide interested applicants with the information they need to be ready to seek licensure and be ready to operate on January 1, 2018.”

 

move_right_direction.jpgOther than a handful of cities in the Coachella Valley, no Riverside Co. city is going to issue any licenses in time so that stores will be able to sell any cannabis by Jan. 1, 2018, but it is a sign that many cities are moving in that direction. Most importantly it is a sign that Riverside Co. is moving forward in that direction and that those living in the unincorporated areas of the County will be able to go into the cannabis business.

 

washington.jpegjeffries.jpgSupervisor Jeffries and Supervisor Washington are members of an official Riverside Co. committee looking into the issuance of local licenses for cannabis cultivators, product producers and distributors. Holding this Licensing Workshop indicates just how serious the County is in pursuing this avenue of following the will of the voters in Riverside Co. – 53% voted yes.

 

momentum.jpegIt is not a done deal, but the momentum is on our side and the Licensing Workshop is as good an indication of that momentum as you can get.

 

This kind of momentum is not occurring in San Bernardino Co. even though the city of San Bernardino is moving forward with developing regulations and licenses so that legal marijuana businesses might be able to begin operation on Jan. 1, 2018. Even so, if Riverside Co. is going to do this, San Bernardino Co. won’t be far behind if for no other reason than they will be getting pissed off seeing all their SB Co. residents driving into Riverside Co., buy their marijuana there and SB Co. not getting one dime of the tax money.

 

No matter the momentum and no matter where you live in the Inland Empire, if you are interested in becoming a ganja entrepreneur of one kind or another, you should make attending this Licensing Workshop at the top of your list.

 

government_agencies.pngIn attendance at the Workshop will be Lori Ajax, Chief of the Bureau of Cannabis Control along with representatives of the California Dept. of Food and Agriculture, the Dept. of Public Health and the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. All four agencies are involved in the licensing and regulation of cannabis businesses so you will be hearing directly from the people who will be issuing your licenses, regulating your business and collecting taxes from you.

 

Of special interest to a lot of people will be the opportunity to discuss the microbusiness and on-site consumption licenses the state will issue if local government permit them. These licenses are specifically for the small-time ganja entrepreneur. Whether you intend to cultivate, manufacture or distribute on a small, usually local level, these are the licenses for you and the Licensing Workshop is the place to learn about them.

 

lori_ajax1.jpgMost importantly you will get to meet the actual people who are employed by the people of California to enact Prop. 64 and to continue enacting Prop. 215. You will have the marvelous opportunity to meet Lori Ajax, the person who is in charge of making it all happen. I know there is lots of skepticism out there about this entire process, but when you hear and meet Ms. Ajax, you will realize that she is serious about her responsibility to implement marijuana legalization and to accomplish it in a manner that is feasible, efficient, fair, workable and, most importantly, to have it done on time.

 

free-2.jpgYou may have seen advertisements from businesses and attorneys running seminars costing hundreds of dollars. Well this one is FREE and will provide the same and arguably better and more factual material than any of those expensive seminars.

 

At the Workshop, Lori Ajax and representatives of the other licensing, regulating and taxing agencies will present an overview of their responsibilities and how they will be implementing them. This will include information on the laws governing marijuana, the regulations that are being promulgated and how complex the labyrinth will be to obtain licenses.

 

q___A.jpgThere will be Q and A opportunities following the presentations but most importantly at the conclusion of the formal workshop, there will be an open house where you can individually seek out the specific information you want to know from each state agency.

 

blown_mind.jpegThis is an event no one should miss – even if you have no interest in getting involved in California’s legal multi-billion $ cannabis industry. To just witness state and local government agencies putting on a workshop to aid individual citizens set up private cannabis businesses is beyond mind blowing.

 

riv_co_ad_center.jpgThe Licensing Workshop will take place on Friday, Oct. 13 and runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will take place at the Riverside County Administrative Center in the County Board Meeting Room at 4080 Lemon Street, Riverside, CA 92501. More information can be obtained at http://www.bcc.ca.gov, by email at [email protected] or by phone at (800) 952-5210.

 

MAPP_Logo.jpgPALM SPRINGS & JOSHUA TREE MAPP
MEETINGS RESUME SAT. OCT. 7

Elections and Local Licensing Focus of Meetings

 

The Palm Springs and Joshua Tree MAPP meetings are roaring back into high-gear after last month’s hiatus and will take place this Saturday, October 7. Catch up with the latest news and join in the discussions on what is happening on your local level.

 

vote_here.jpgIn Palm Springs there is a hotly contested City Council election set for November 7. There are five candidates and I have had the opportunity to speak with them. I will report on what I have learned about each candidate’s position on marijuana cultivation, manufacture and distribution in Palm Springs.

 

pot_vs_booze.jpgOf specific importance in Palm Springs will be the issuance of microbusiness and on-site consumption licenses. Prop. 64 does not allow marijuana to be consumed on the same premises as alcohol so it is expected that businesses with liquor licenses will be strenuously objecting to restaurants and clubs opening that offer on-site consumption of marijuana. The potential for them to draw business away from bars and reduce alcohol consumption significantly is real and they know it.

 

We will be discussing what our role in Palm Springs will be in securing the provisions of Prop. 64 that allow for microbusinesses and on-site consumption. Strategies and possible actions will be discussed.

 

The Palm Springs MAPP meeting will be this Saturday, Oct. 7 at 12 noon. PLEASE NOTE: Due to a special event at Crystal Fantasy, we will be meeting almost next door at the Gre Coffeeshop and Art Gallery, 278-C Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs CA 92262. It is just one door west of Crystal Fantasy and at the end of the small shop alley. If you have any trouble locating it, just ask the folks at Crystal Fantasy where MAPP is meeting. Since it is a coffee shop we will not have cookies and milk available, but you will be able to purchase coffee and other beverages as well as light snacks if you choose.

 

Although there is no exciting council race anywhere up in the Morongo Basin, there is still plenty of local action to discuss. With several cities in the nearby Coachella Valley allowing or about to allow marijuana cultivation, manufacture and distribution to take place, there will be pressure on local governments everywhere to allow it. We need to shape and help create that pressure in the Morongo Basin.

 

coalition.jpgAlthough Yucca Valley may be out-of-the-picture now and 29 Palms under the thumb of the federal government due to the dominance of the 29 Palms Marine Base in the town's economy, the unincorporated areas of SB County, which is the rest of the Morongo Basin, are most definitely in play. I am in contact with other groups and individuals that are working to bring legal marijuana businesses to SB Co. similar to what is happening in Riverside Co.

 

We need to form coalitions with these groups and coordinate strategies with them to make this a reality. If Riverside Co. does go ahead with licensing and regulation, which seems to be in the cards, SB Co. will not be far behind. We need to start working with the County now so that when the time comes we will have already set-up a network with connections throughout the County so that these licensing and regulations can be introduced smoothly, efficiently and quickly.

 

This will be a most interesting and illuminating meeting so plan on attending. The Joshua Tree meeting will take place on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 3 p.m. at the usual location in the storied Beatnik Lounge, 61597 Twenty-Nine Palms Hwy., Joshua Tree 92252. A delectable assortment of delightful cookies and milk will be available.

 

wanda_group.jpgWanda’s Fun Filled Fundraiser A Smash Hit

  Photo by Steve Bee

wanda_money.jpgWanda’s Fundraiser was a fantastic and fun success!!! With 26 people in attendance, $1,360 was raised to help our long-time dedicated activist navigate through and overcome the economic difficulties due to the death of her husband of 50 years and exacerbated by her ailments affecting her well-being and health.

 

In addition to being a financial success, the fundraiser was really truly fun. The fundraiser brought together many of our medical marijuana and law reform activists from all over the IE. It seems that we are always getting together on the business of gaining access but never kick back and enjoy each other’s’ company.

 

DSC07366_(2).JPGThe great food at Brandon’s, Chris Smith’ heartfelt and eloquent eulogy to his grandfather, Rory’s expressive song, Victoria Newbill’s ribald and melodic song styling plus the fabulous auction and raffle, made for a memorable evening for all.

 

WANDAHELP.jpgI would like to thank everyone who donated items for the auction and raffle and all those who worked to make it happen. It was definitely a joint effort by many of Wanda’s friends and I am glad to have been part of the team.

 

I would like to especially thank all of you who took the time out of your busy lives to come down to Moreno Valley and help makes Wanda’s life whole again. Thank you all.

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Prop. 64 Creates Emergency + Prizes & Sizzling Entertainment @ Wanda Fundraiser

red_light.gifState to Rescind
All Previous Regulations

Emergency Declared to
Meet Jan. 1, 2018 Deadline

bcc_logo.jpg
After holding numerous public sessions and spending thousands of hours drafting the Proposed Regulations for Medical Cannabis Cultivation Program which were released in the spring of this year, the Bureau of Cannabis Control along with Dept. of Public Health and the Dept. of Food and Agriculture has announced that these all-encompassing regulations will be withdrawn on Oct. 6.

 

The reason for their withdrawals lies with the passage of Prop. 64 and the passage and signing into law of the Medicinal and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act a.k.a. SB 94. This implementing legislation combines Prop. 64 with Prop. 215 making it necessary for the three state agencies to start all over again.

 

not-enough-time.jpgSince there is not enough time to write the new regs and undertake the usual procedures of holding hearings and obtaining public input before the voter mandated Jan. 1, 2018 date for implementation, the three licensing authorities will use the emergency rulemaking process to write the new regulations. The emergency regulations are expected to be published in November with implementation date for the issuance of commercial cannabis licenses still targeted for January 1, 2018.

 

doorstop.jpgSo what will these new regulations look like? To get an idea of that, you can search their website for the Bureau of Cannabis Control’s Initial Study on the Commercial Business Licensing Program Regulations. At 491 pages, it makes a great door stop, but it also makes great reading – well great skimming anyway as much of it is a reprint of all 148 pages of SB 94.

 

The Executive Summary provides as good an overview of what is going to happen as you will find anywhere. It also explains all the other information in the report from types of licenses to references supporting their conclusions.

 

The new regulations are being formatted as you read this and will be released as noted above in November. It is interesting to note that the Proposed Regulations for Medical Cannabis Cultivation Program that are being withdrawn ran 58 pages. It would be expected that the new regulations will be longer and more encompassing, but most likely will fall far short of the regulations for alcohol which are 577 pages long.

 

bcc_licensing.jpgNo matter what the length, the regulations will surely prove to be a full employment program for attorneys. Whether that will hold true of the microbusiness license or on-site consumption license remains to be seen. Since these licenses are specifically targeted for small operators, it will be hoped that the application process can be done easily and without the need for the costly services of an attorney.

 

lori_ajaz.jpgWith all the anti-marijuana sword waving of the Trump administration and his reefer mad AG Jeff Sessions, it is reassuring to know that our legislators and government officials are not using the specter of federal interference to torpedo the implementation of our voter mandated marijuana distribution laws. As Laurie Ajax, Chief of the Bureau of Cannabis Control, has stated regarding implementing the distribution of marijuana by Jan. 1, 2018, “failure is not an option.”




keep-calm-and-attend-our-fundraiser.pngPrizes, Auction & Sizzling
Entertainment at Wanda Fundraiser

Join your friends and make new friends as you win fun prizes, bid on superlative auction items and enjoy the musical and comedic talents of singer/songwriter Victoria Newbill at the Wed. Oct. 4 fundraiser for our longtime dedicated medical marijuana activist Wanda Smith.

 

Even though Wanda lives literally out in the middle of nowhere near Phelan and is suffering from cardiovascular and respiratory ailments with weekly dialysis sessions, Wanda regularly made it to our meetings and most importantly to numerous city council and council board meetings.

 

At these meetings she was a persuasive and sincere spokesperson on behalf of medical marijuana patients and their right to have safe, reliable and local access to marijuana. Who could disagree with her motherly looks and admonitions?

 

Wanda_and_husband3.pngNever one to turn us or anyone down when they needed help, she now needs our help. On September 3, Rob, her husband of 50 years, died unexpectedly. Living together for so many years on the distant outskirts of Phelan, they got by day to day with water trucked in and a diesel electric generator for power. They were about as off the grid as possible. With her health problems and living as simply as possible, she was not prepared or equipped to handle the funeral and other expenses associated with the loss of her husband and needs our help.

 

Let’s help Wanda and at the same time have a lot of fun and take home some wonderful prizes and auction items - bud products of all types, pipes, vaporizers, books, artwork, movie passes, gift certificates and so much more.

 

victoria_joint.jpegYes the prizes and auction are special but even more special will be the live performance by singer/songwriter Victoria Newbill. Just arrived in southern California from Portland Oregon where she performed her songs and music in clubs and venues throughout the Pacific Northwest. Showcasing her indie music styles encompassing rock to country, she will be performing songs from her premiere CD The Time is Now. From quirky to sublime, songs such as Light ‘Em Up, Revolution Now and Cowboy Circle Jerk will have your toes-tapping and your sides splitting with laughter.

 

wanda_fundraiser_2-page-001-1.jpgJoin your friends and make new ones at this special fundraiser to help our friend Wanda. Asking for a $10 donation at the door which includes five raffle tickets and all the fun and camaraderie you can handle. Additional raffle tickets can be bought for $2 each or three for $5. There will be a 50-50 raffle as well plus superlative auction items.

 

brandons.jpegThe event takes place in the private banquet room at Brandon’s Diner at 24626 Sunnymead Blvd. in Moreno Valley, CA 92553 – it’s just off the 60 freeway at the Perris Blvd. exit. Most dinners are $10 or less and the food is excellent and so are the portions.

 

Join us for dinner at 6:30 p.m. Food and beverages including adult use beverages, will be available all evening. The festivities start at 7:30 p.m. so if you can’t make it for dinner, please join us at 7:30 p.m. for the auction, raffles and our featured entertainer Victoria Newbill. For more information, email [email protected] or call 760-799-2055.

 

PLEASE NOTE: Wanda's Fundraiser is being held in place of the regular first Wed. of the month MAPP meeting in Moreno Valley which would have been Wed. Oct. 4. There will be no MAPP meeting at the Greenview Medical Clinic that night. On Wed. Oct. 4, please come to Wanda's Fundraiser at Brandon's Diner.

Add your reaction Share

Prizes, Auction & Sizzling Entertainment at Wanda Fundaiser

mj_leaf_fun.jpgJoin your friends and make new friends as you win fun prizes, bid on superlative auction items and enjoy the musical and comedic talents of singer/songwriter Victoria Newbill at the Wed. Oct. 4 fundraiser for our longtime dedicated medical marijuana activist Wanda Smith.

 

Even though Wanda lives literally out in the middle of nowhere near Phelan and is suffering from cardiovascular and respiratory ailments with weekly dialysis sessions, Wanda regularly made it to our meetings and most importantly to numerous city council and council board meetings.

 

At these meetings she was a persuasive and sincere spokesperson on behalf of medical marijuana patients and their right to have safe, reliable and local access to marijuana. Who could disagree with her motherly looks and admonitions?

 

Wanda_and_husband2.jpgNever one to turn us or anyone down when they needed help, she now needs our help. On September 3, Rob, her husband of 50 years, died unexpectedly. Living together for so many years on the distant outskirts of Phelan, they got by day to day with water trucked in and a diesel electric generator for power. They were about as off the grid as possible. With her health problems and living as simply as possible, she was not prepared or equipped to handle the funeral and other expenses associated with the loss of her husband and needs our help.

 

Let’s help Wanda and at the same time have a lot of fun and take home some wonderful prizes and auction items - bud products of all types, pipes, vaporizers, books, artwork, movie passes, gift certificates and so much more.

 

victoria_joint.jpegYes the prizes and auction are special but even more special will be the live performance by singer/songwriter Victoria Newbill. Just arrived in southern California from Portland Oregon where she performed her songs and music in clubs and venues throughout the Pacific Northwest. Showcasing her indie music styles encompassing rock to country, she will be performing songs from her premiere CD The Time is Now. From quirky to sublime, songs such as Light ‘Em Up, Revolution Now and Cowboy Circle Jerk will have your toes-tapping and your sides splitting with laughter.

 

wanda_fundraiser_2-page-001-1.jpgJoin your friends and make new ones at this special fundraiser to help our friend Wanda. Asking for a $10 donation at the door which includes five raffle tickets and all the fun and camaraderie you can handle. Additional raffle tickets can be bought for $2 each or three for $5. There will be a 50-50 raffle as well plus superlative auction items.

 

brandons.jpegThe event takes place in the private banquet room at Brandon’s Diner at 24626 Sunnymead Blvd. in Moreno Valley, CA 92553 – it’s just off the 60 freeway at the Perris Blvd. exit. Most dinners are $10 or less and the food is excellent and so are the portions.

 

Join us for dinner at 6:30 p.m. Food and beverages including adult use beverages, will be available all evening. The festivities start at 7:30 p.m. so if you can’t make it for dinner, please join us at 7:30 p.m. for the auction, raffles and our featured entertainer Victoria Newbill. For more information, email [email protected] or call 760-799-2055.

 

PLEASE NOTE: Wanda's Fundraiser is being held in place of the regular first Wed. of the month MAPP meeting in Moreno Valley which would have been Wed. Oct. 4. There will be no MAPP meeting at the Greenview Medical Clinic that night. On Wed. Oct. 4, please come to Wanda's Fundraiser at Brandon's Diner.

Add your reaction Share