The fight to make marijuana legal continues as four U.S. states are currently pursuing the legalization of marijuana. The hope from these states is that marijuana will become fully regulated, and completely legal. The four states pushing to legalize marijuana include Massachusetts, California, New Hampshire, Washington State. There are four bills currently being tossed around, one for each state, with the end result being regulation and legalization of marijuana. According to federal law, marijuana is an illegal substance, but that could be coming to an end if this growing trend continues. More and more states in the U.S. are throwing around the idea of trying to make marijuana legal…Regulation for use of small amounts, and for medical use are some of the methods they’re using.

There will be much more information once January legislative sessions begin.

 

Growing numbers of Mexican and U.S. officials say, at least privately, that the biggest step in hurting the business operations of Mexican cartels would be simply to legalize their main product: marijuana. Long the world's most popular illegal substance, marijuana accounts for more than half the revenues of Mexican cartels.

"Economically, there is no argument or solution other than legalization, at least of marijuana," said the top Mexican official matter-of-factly. The official said such a move would likely shift marijuana production entirely to places like California, where the drug can be grown more efficiently and closer to consumers. "Mexico's objective should be to make the U.S. self-sufficient in marijuana," he added with a grin

 

The past week there has been a few things added to the site...On our marijuana truth pages there are a few new videos that I felt were of significant interest. Also one of these videos led to the idea of an MP3 player on the bottom of the home page. Any ideas for related songs to be added are greatly appreciated.

Wishing everyone a Safe and Merry Christmas and New Year...enjoy the Holiays.

best wishes,
Sean Crystal

The first thing I’d like to say about this article is that there are too many variables to make this a valid study, and they did the research using less than 1000 9th-graders. All that says is that may be true for that group.

University of Pittsburgh researchers say teens who listen to music with references of marijuana are more likely to use the plant than their peers. Surveyed data from 959 ninth graders found that students who listen to music with the most references to pot are almost twice more likely to have used it than peers who listen to music that doesn't focus on the substance. The researchers said in a statement that exposure to marijuana in music was not associated with other high-risk behaviors like excess drinking, strengthening the argument that there is a real link between marijuana lyrics and marijuana use. The researchers estimated that the average study participant listened to almost 22 hours of music per week and was exposed to about 40 marijuana references in music per day. Of these kids, 12 percent identified themselves as pot smokers, and 32 percent of them said they have tried it.

This study, however, would throw out the gateway theory…you know, cigs-alcohol, alcohol-marijuana, marijuana-cocaine, ECT…I guess now its music-marijuana so what are we supposed to do, ban music?

 

Police in Memphis, TN found a marijuana farm hidden under a home on a quiet street near the University of Memphis. The Commercial Appeal reported that the home was raided Monday after a tip. Officers found a 50-foot secret tunnel under the one-story brick home that led to a work area complete with a ventilation system, fans and air conditioning. In total about $150,000 worth of marijuana, including 30 pounds of processed marijuana and 23 plants, along with scales, fertilizer and grow lights were seized.

Police have issued an arrest warrant for the 68-year-old man living there, whose name I will not disclose.

 

"The five major findings are that: (1) nicotine is the most addictive of the four drugs we examined; (2) among female last year users of alcohol and marijuana, adolescents are significantly more at risk for dependence than any other age group of women; (3) conditional prevalence’s of last year’s dependence on alcohol, marijuana and cocaine are higher among adolescent females than adolescent males but significantly different only for cocaine; (4) among adults, the rates of dependence are higher among males than among females for alcohol and marijuana, but lower for nicotine; and (5) among last year users, whites are more likely than any other ethnic group to be dependent on nicotine and blacks to be dependent on cocaine." (Kandel et al. 1997).

“Adolescents are dependent at a lower frequency and quantity of use than adults: the differences diverge as level of use increases. Twice as many adolescents as adults who used marijuana near-daily or daily within the last year were identified as being dependent (35% versus 18%). Frequency and quantity of use each retained a unique effect on dependence, but frequency appeared to be more important than quantity in predicting last year dependence.” (Chen et al, 1997)

“This higher dependence liability of adolescents is sometimes used as an argument against the medical use of cannabis. However, this argument is not used with other medicines, such as the opiates. The IOM report states that permitting the medical use of marijuana would not increase non-medical uses. The report also addresses the suggestion by opponents of medical use that approving marijuana as a medicine "sends the wrong message." The authors say there is "no convincing data to support this concern," and they note that "this question is beyond the issues normally considered for medical uses of drugs." (Joy et al. 1999).

"A variety of estimates have been derived from U.S. studies in the late 1970s and early 1980s, which defined cannabis use and dependence in a variety of ways. These studies suggested that between 10 and 20 per cent of those who have ever used cannabis, and between 33 and 50 per cent of those who have had a history of daily cannabis use, showed symptoms of cannabis dependence (see Hall, Solowij & Lemon, 1994). A more recent and better estimate of the risk of meeting DSM-R.III criteria for cannabis dependence was obtained from data collected in the National Co morbidity Study (Anthony, Warner & Kessler, 1994). This indicated that 9 per cent of lifetime cannabis users met DSM-R-III criteria for dependence at some time in their life, compared to 32 per cent of tobacco users, 23 per cent of opiate users and 15 per cent of alcohol users." (Hall et al. 1999).

"Tolerance develops to the receptor-mediated effects of THC with continued usage. However, there are distinctions in their degree with different effects. Discontinuation of chronic THC use may cause rebound phenomena (transient increase in intraocular pressure, loss of appetite, etc.). Some chronic users report withdrawal symptoms after abrupt cessation. This withdrawal syndrome is characterized by irritability, agitation, sleep disorder, hyperhidrosis and loss of appetite. It is generally mild. Cannabis dependency is less determined by physical than by psychological factors. Dependency and abuse potential of therapeutically employed Delta9-THC is low." (Grotenhermen 2002).

"It is suggested that the studies conducted to date do not provide a strong evidence base for the drawing of any conclusions as to the existence of a cannabis withdrawal syndrome in human users, or as to the cause of symptoms reported by those abstaining from the drug. On the basis of current research, cannabis cannot be said to provide as clear a withdrawal pattern as other drugs of abuse, such as opiates. However, cannabis also highlights the need for a further defining of withdrawal, in particular the position that rebound effects occupy in this phenomenon. It is concluded that more controlled research might uncover a diagnosable withdrawal syndrome in human users and that there may be a precedent for the introduction of a cannabis withdrawal syndrome before the exact root of it is known." (Smith 2002).

 

According to a recent poll located at http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/showthread.php?t=144715 there is an overwhelming support for legalization of marijuana...An astounding 202 (80.80%) Said yes marijuana should be legalized, and 48 (19.20%) Said no marijuana should not be legalized.

The effort to legalize marijuana for recreational use has collected enough signatures to be placed on the 2010 ballot in California.

The petition drive, run by a professional signature-gathering firm, has collected more than 680,000 signatures, 57% more than the 433,971 valid signatures needed to put it on the ballot.

The prop, put forth by Richard Lee, is just one of four attempted initiatives to be put on the ballot. The law would allow people 21 and over to possess, cultivate and transport marijuana for personal use, but would prohibit use & possession of it on school grounds, using it in public, smoking while minors are present, and driving while impaired. The impact on the fiscal debt, "Savings of up to several tens of millions of dollars annually to state and local governments on the costs of incarcerating and supervising certain marijuana offenders," says the summary by the Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance. "There would also be an unknown but potentially major tax, fee, and benefit assessment revenues to state and local government related to the production and sale of marijuana products." A different study based on a piece of legislation currently going through the State Assembly estimates nearly $1.4 billion in revenues for state coffers.

Various polls indicate the law would generate over 50% of the vote, says the Times. A Field Polls says 60% of Los Angeles County supports the idea

 

A national study tries to claim the accepted medical values of marijuana the primary cause of higher use in 8th, 10th, and 12TH graders. However hasn’t prohibition failed for the past 70+ years? Haven’t the numbers been on the rise since the beginning of prohibition?

I don’t know about the rest of the American people, but I’m getting quite sick of the lies and propaganda. The newly accepted medicinal values of marijuana aren’t the reason for the numbers going up. Its prohibition and it has always been prohibition. Our government is just trying to fuel a losing war. I say it’s time to end the lies and propaganda, and allow the American people to make the decision.

 

  You'd think with all the marijuana busts, the thousands of plants, and millions of pounds of bud seized that the numbers would begin to drop. Well West Virginia proves different seizing an all-time record of marijuana plants this year with more than 226,000.

When Obama made his emotional speech regarding the war in Afghanistan he gave us an answer as to when we would definitely begin to move out...he also stated that if his new approach did not work (which he would know by the end of 2010) then there would be a different approach.

With a president that knows whether or not something is going to work in a year, you'd think the marijuana laws would be changed...If something doesn't work for 70+ years isn't it time to change it?