Finally some reason with drug policy/Cannabis

Hi Bombi!

Thanks for the update. Do you by chance have a link for this portion,"The President instructed the DEA that arresting and prosecuting medical cannabis users was not a productive use of the an gency's time and resources and discontinued." This is definitely a step in the right direction for different legislation.

Thanks again,
Tippi

http://www.norml.org/index.cfm

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/us/19holder.html

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2009/10/feds_wont_pursue_medical_marij.html

Thank you, was hoping for an across the board and hoped it wouldn't be by state/territory.

This is still key: "in states that allow medical marijuana", for those that don't allow medical marijuana it's probably still open game for the law to go after.

Tippi, I think this will help at least to make a medical defense more viable and hopefully have some influence with legislators from other states and territories who just say "It's illegal".
I think the time is ripe for change in the VI.

Take the quiz
http://marijuana-alcoholquiz.com/home/

Update on where we stand with cannabis legislation here in the USVI.

Currently legislation for legalization is being written here in the USVI. We have met with Senator Nelson and another Senator and discussed our views for legislation. We have been told that legislation that we write WILL be sponsored and presented to the Legislature. Attorney's both at National NORML and the Drug Policy Alliance should be reviewing the legislation by the middle of next month at the latest.

USVI NORML has been holding meetings with small groups of people, discussing the truths and benefits of cannabis, answering questions people have, and laying out a plan for the future. These meetings are ramping up to be held in larger, public locations beginning the end of October.

Currently, we are available to schedule meetings on St. Croix by appointment Monday - Friday evenings. On Oct 30th - Nov 1 I will be on St. Thomas and St. John meeting with people. Should you be on one of those 2 islands and want to meet to discuss this, please contact me to schedule time for that weekend.

I will be on St. Croix until November 20th - at which time we will be representing at Paradise Jam Basket Ball Tournament on St. Thomas. And again, the following weekend as well.

On November 14 we will be representing on St. Croix at TEMPO TURNS 4, so come out to see us.

We have been approached by Ras Attitude and Niyorah - both of whom have offered to represent USVI NORML and our movement to legalize cannabis.

Should anyone wish more information, or have questions about our goals and the legislation we are writing, call me at 340-244-9179. Brochures and newsletters are starting to find their way around the Territory.

There is a good group going on St. Thomas, meeting on a weekly basis with new people and planning for a Freedom Rally/Festival on St. Thomas in the near future.

Much is happening. It is all good. There is only the best interests of the people of this Territory being considered.

Bless,

Linda Adler
Executive Director, USVI NORML
340-244-9179
www,usvinorml.org
lovingadler@gmail.com

I have never used cannabis. For that matter, I've never used tobacco or alcohol, either.

But I see absolutely no good reason to continue prohibition of cannabis while allowing the controlled sale of alcohol and tobacco.

The only consequence of prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s was the creation of a large and deadly criminal class. Prohibition of cannabis has had exactly the same result. I don't like cannabis, but I dislike crime more.

It's time to acknowledge the reality, whether we like it or not, and abolish the prohibition of cannabis and treat it as we do alcohol and tobacco.

And then, cocaine, heroin, crack, meth, the list goes on. Not a user either but once the camel's nose gets under the tent, watch out.

The Govt is talking about "medical use", not recreational use! As allowed by state laws control over medical use.

Head to Venice beach in LA and see what "medical use" means 🙂

I was so confused why people kept asking me if I needed to see a doctor as I strolled the boardwalk. Kind of like how random people here ask you if you need a "pharmacist" 🙂

I'm glad to see this development, I never thought the Federal government had, under our bill of rights and the 10th amendment, the moral authority to prosecute drug cases in states where a citizen acted lawfully under state laws.

Sean

"People say that weed is a drug, weed aint' no drug I done did the research, its just a plant, it just grow like that, and if you should happen to set it on fire...there are some effects. Drugs you got to do things to it chemically you got to add baking soda, water, stir it up i don't know the recipe i'm just sayin. and weed is illegal, asprin is perfectly legal but if you take 13 of them it will be your last headache, you've never heard of someone overdosing on marijuana, you might have thought he was dead...he aint dead! hes gonna wake up in 30 minutes hungry enough to eat up everything in your house! those are the side effects hungry, happy, sleepy thats it!" - Katt Williams LOL (edited of course)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93jQI_6G5Cw

Stiphy,
Are you saying that they abuse the State Law in CA., and if you need a Doctor it's not a problem?

Doctor's have set up shop all along the Venice Beach boardwalk to prescribe MJ for whatever is bothering you. I wouldn't call it "abuse of the state law" more like adherence to the silly laws that only make it partially legal. The law says you can get MJ with a doctor's prescription but leaves it wide open what it can be prescribed for. I can go in and say I have a headache and the doctor can prescribe MJ. Really, why bother with the doctor part?

I'm not sure if the doctor's are selling the MJ themselves or have an affiliate dispensary that sells the MJ, I didn't go that far as I don't smoke MJ really. But I'm sure the doctor's charge for the visit and probably profit off of that.

I believe in CA the dispensaries are supposed to be not for profit. Of course not for profit is a useless phrase because a company can sell a product, make 0 profit, but its employees can be paid a nice paycheck for their work. In my experience it just means there can't be any "for profit" shareholders really.

If anyone here is more familiar with I am to the inner workings of all this I'd love to hear about them. My take on it was that it was far better than the prohibition we have in the VI in that it was at least somewhat above the board, but it was still a bit shady due to the fact that there are stupid regulations to comply with rather than just selling it to anyone over the age of 18 like most other products. Of course I've made my position on drugs clear, they should be legal and I know many disagree.

Sean

This is how they do it in California and yes it seems the original intent of the law is being abused

http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=956

ASA , American's for Safe Access has the best position and tactics regarding making medical marijuana legal,Here's their mission;

Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is the largest national member-based organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research. We work to overcome political and legal barriers by creating policies that improve access to medical cannabis for patients and researchers through legislation, education, litigation, grassroots actions, advocacy and services for patients and their providers. ASA has over 30,000 active members with chapters and affiliates in more than 40 states.

ASA is unique because we are employing strategies that have never been tried in the field of medical cannabis. ASA enjoys unprecedented access to elected officials and a special credibility with stakeholders due to its exclusive focus on medical cannabis. We are working to change federal policy to meet the immediate needs of patients as well as create long-term strategies for safe access and programs that encourage research.

This is the group that has been most sucessful working with states to change laws to allow safe access to medical cannabis.

It is my opinion that complete legalization won't fly with the Feds or the general population, but I'm probably wrong

Stiphy,
DRUGS?

Well, I don't smoke pot or do illicit drugs (and rarely drink), but I would personally like for the government to butt out of this issue. If it grows or can be found in nature-- doesn't require chemical manipulations-- I feel that it should be legal or at least decriminalized. Pot, mushrooms, etc.

I am meeting with some people to talk about the work we are doing tomorrow (Wed.) evening around 6 pm.at Sharky's on St. Croix. Anyone wanting more information feel free to stop in. I'll be in a booth - late 40's white woman who does NOT smoke anything or drink! Hope to see you there!

I have never used cannabis. For that matter, I've never used tobacco or alcohol, either.

But I see absolutely no good reason to continue prohibition of cannabis while allowing the controlled sale of alcohol and tobacco.

The only consequence of prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s was the creation of a large and deadly criminal class. Prohibition of cannabis has had exactly the same result. I don't like cannabis, but I dislike crime more.

It's time to acknowledge the reality, whether we like it or not, and abolish the prohibition of cannabis and treat it as we do alcohol and tobacco.

The voice of reason(tu)

Linda, when and where will you be on St John??

As far as the issue on whether they are abusing the law or not, do any of you know about the problems Florida is facing with "pain clinics"? These so called pain clinics are dispensaries that with a doctors note, which seems like it is not hard to get at all, will give out thousands of pain medications such as oxycontin, oxycodiene, xanax (i know this more for anxiety but it's still given out at these places), and a myriad of other ridiculous drugs to people who claim are in pain. I just watched a documentary about this and how bad of a problem it is but the people they were filming coming in and going out of these clinics were not looking like they were in pain, they were 20-30-40 year old junkies/pill poppers. If you don't know, OC's are basically a pharmaceutical grade pill form of heroin and they destroy lives, turn people into huge addicts and kill people on a daily basis. I just moved from a college town in Vermont where these were around all the time and I unfortunately had friends who got deeply involved in them. I can thankfully say I did not ever touch one because i saw the damage done. At least up there they were around 80$ a pill. These clinics are selling them for around 3 or 5 dollars a pill. It's absolutely disgusting on so many different levels. If anyone is interested in seeing this documentary it's called the oxycontin express (you can find it on Hulu and maybe Youtube) and it is a huge eye opener to some of the realities of what is going on out there. I only bring this up because if you think the gov't should go after people "abusing" the law with medical marijuana, there are many more ways that people are abusing the law with other drugs and the gov't should be focusing their time, money and efforts on issues such as those. Marijuana has never killed someone, pharmaceutical pills now lead the nation in OD's over cocaine and heroin combined. There's just some 2 cents from me...

Saturday, October 31st in the morning I will be on St. John till noonish. Have afternoon appointments on STT. So call me and schedule time that morning or make other plans with me for that weekend.

340-244-9179

Linda

Quite a leap of logic you have going on here...

Just sayin'...

If you don't know, OC's are basically a pharmaceutical grade pill form of heroin and they destroy lives, turn people into huge addicts and kill people on a daily basis.

I disagree, drugs are inanimate objects. They don't destroy lives, people destroy their lives when they choose to take drugs. I hate the "victim" society we create, lets start holding people responsible for themselves.

Fortunately many re-take their lives when they choose to stop taking drugs. If we legalized and taxed drugs we could use that money to help those who went down the wrong path correct their lives when they chose to do so rather than "destroy" their lives indefinitely with prison records and little in the way of meaningful rehab programs.

Just my .02.

Sean

All of that would be fine if they made welfare receivers pee in a cup BEFORE they could receive their benefits. I'm tired of my tax dollars going to people who have screwed up their lives by their own choice. Also if they should be sober when they pick up their check.