Hawaii Medical Marijuana Patients Under Attack!

Medical cannabis patients need to immediately and decisively take action to a proposed bill which could gut the state medical cannabis program and possibly disqualify more than 97% of the patients currently with blue cards.

No one, including advocates in the medical cannabis community, thought that SB 1458 which would have established state compassion centers (dispensaries) could become an absolute nightmare. Yet legislators, unresponsive to the expressed interests of patients, are currently modifying the original bill so dramatically that if passed and signed by the governor it will be the death knell to Hawai'i's medical cannabis program.

During the past two months patients and advocacy organizations and groups from all over the state have submitted thoughtful testimony and testified before the legislative committees for a number of medical cannabis bills that would have eased the burden of growing and providing for patient needs. Only one bill is still under consideration.

SB 1458 when first passed in the Senate in February would have provided for six compassion centers on the Big Island. Certainly, it was not a perfect bill but with some amendments it could have helped patients with safe access and a reliable source to cannabis medicine.

When the bill moved to the House it was modified from a state-wide program to a five year pilot program on Maui with only one dispensary. Other islands would have to wait. That provision combined with the Senate version which included an extremely high 20K licensing fee, a 30% tax on sales and a $100 licensing fee for out of state visitors raised a red flag for most patients who have been waiting patiently for the legislature to pass an acceptable and comprehensive dispensary bill for many years. (Senator Josh Green is proposing a 30K licensing fee, a 15% tax on gross sales, and still $100 to patients from out of state to get a temporary permit).

Other patient concerns were, also, being ignored such as the refusal to allow intra-state transportation of medicine and concerns patients had with keeping registration with Public Safety.

Then on April 26th the bill became a total nightmare when Senator Josh Green, M.D. (D-Kona and Kohala) began taking the lead in a conference between Senators and Representatives to finalize the bill's proposed amendments to allow only patients with cancer, M.S. and neuromuscular disorders to qualify for medical cannabis. If this proposal passes and is signed by the governor, those who no longer qualify would have two months before they had to turn in their blue card.

Justifying his position, Green stated that he was concerned about the abuse in the medical cannabis program. He cited with information provided by the Department of Public Safety that 50% of the Big Island patients were under the age of 30 and 500 were under the age of 21.

Andrea Tischler, co-chair of Big Island Chapter of Americans for Safe Access, an advocacy group working to improve Big Island patient's medical rights, spoke to Green on Wednesday. In that conversation Green added that "no one under the 21 should be taking anything more than Tylenol" and doctors who recommend cannabis are mostly a bunch of 'scum bags.' For a doctor to refer to others in the same profession in such a manner is truly an eye-opener.

To the medical cannabis community and the compassionate doctors who are open to recommending a safe, effective and proven medicine, the proposed amendments to the SB 1458 and the comments and attitudes of Senator Green cannot be accepted or tolerated for a minute.

This calls for immediate action by all Big Island cannabis patients, advocacy organizations and groups to defeat the vary bill which could have helped us. Law-abiding Big Island medical Cannabis patients will not sit by idly and allow the suggested amendments to SD 1458 to pass the Legislature.

The next conference meeting is Thursday, April 28 at 1:30 pm. Time is extremely short. We urgently ask you to phone, fax and email Senator Josh Green now and tell him that you support the original version of SB 1458 and nothing more. The current proposals are completely unacceptable and we will not allow our legislators to turn a blind eye to the needs of the voting citizens who are medical cannabis patients of the State of Hawai'i.

Mahalo.
Andrea Tischler
Matthew Rifkin
Co-chairs
Big Island American's for Safe Access
Call Senator Green: (808) 586-9385
Fax: (808) 586-9391
Email: Sengreen@capitol.hawaii.gov
- Article Originally from: Hawai'i News Daily

Delta Employees Accused of Drug Smuggling

Federal agents arrested 10 current or former Delta employees Thursday for their alleged involvement in drug trafficking at airports in Detroit and Houston, authorities said.
Two others who were not airline employees also were arrested.
"Today's arrests and charges close a major vulnerability at the airport," Immigration and Customs Enforcement director John Morton said in a statement. "We can't have people working in and around aircraft exploiting their positions for criminal ends."
The investigation -- dubbed "Operation Excess Baggage" -- began in January 2010, when Jamaican authorities seized 53 pounds of marijuana from a suitcase, the immigration and customs agency said in a statement.
The luggage, tagged with a Northwest Airlines baggage tag, was bound for Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport from an airport in Montego Bay, Jamaica, the statement said. Delta and Northwest merged in 2008.
Authorities in Detroit later seized five suitcases containing 16 kilograms of cocaine and nearly 130 kilograms of marijuana, the statement said.
In March 2010, federal agents seized 45 more pounds of marijuana from two Delta employees at the Detroit airport, the statement said. Authorities allege those individuals were participating in a separate smuggling operation between Detroit and Houston.
A Twitter post from the airline said Delta fully cooperated with federal authorities in their investigation.
"Delta does not tolerate employees found using their position for illegal activity and these employees have been suspended without pay," the post said. "Additional disciplinary action could be taken pending the final outcome of the investigation."
All 12 suspects were charged with possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and conspiracy.
- Article Originally from: CNN

Video: TAG: Holiday Edition

UGLY BITCHES

Willie Nelson Calls For National 'Teapot Party' After Arrest (w/ Video Included)

In an email to popular pot website CelebStoner, the well-known singer wrote, "There's the Tea Party. How about the Teapot Party? Our motto: We lean a little to the left."
"Tax it, regulate it and legalize it," Nelson continued. "And stop the border wars over drugs. Why should the drug lords make all the money? Thousands of lives will be saved."
Nelson was arrested at a US Border Patrol checkpoint in Sierra Blanca, Texas on the morning of Friday, November 26 when officers found six ounces of marijuana on his tour bus. Border guards said they smelled the strong odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle and ordered a search. Nelson claimed the pot was his and was arrested with three others.
Nelson could face up to two years in prison according to press reports.
The Grammy Award-winning music star set up a Facebook Page on Sunday morning, Willie Nelson's Teapot Party, and it already has almost 8,000 'Likes'.
The 77-year-old Nelson has been a strong advocate for the legalization of marijuana, and has been arrested for cannabis at least twice before, including once in 1995 for a joint in his car ashtray, and again in 2006 with 1.5 pounds of pot (and three ounces of magic mushrooms) on his tour bus.

But would a Teapot Party get any support?
"If Willie gets behind something, you know it's going to be big and in your face," legendary comedian Tommy Chong told CelebStoner. "Any pot party is a wonderful idea. It's about time we did something pro-active now. We're close - we just need something to push it over the top, and with Willie leading the way we're as good as gold."
According to CelebStoner, NORML founder Keith Stroup also commented on the idea: "Smokers should never again vote for a candidate for public office who wants to treat us like criminals. If we would all do that, pro-pot candidates would begin picking up momentum, and before long, a majority of our elected officials would agree with the majority of the American public that responsible marijuana smokers should not be treated like criminals."
Nelson is a long-time activist and co-founder of Farm Aid, a non-profit organization he started with Neil Young and John Mellencamp to "raise awareness about the loss of family farms and to raise funds to keep farm families on their land". He is also the founder of the Willie Nelson Peace Research Institute, distributor of his own blend of biodiesel fuel called "BioWillie", and there is even a campaign to award him the Nobel Peace Prize for his activism.
The Tea Party Movement is a loosely-defined libertarian conservative populist group of politicians, activists and citizens that has gained popularity in the US since 2008.
There is no word yet on how this may affect Nelson's latest concert tour schedule.
Go to Willie Nelson's Teapot Party Facebook Page and click "Like"!

Pot-Guarding Bears Avoid Execution

News that B.C.'s alleged marijuana-guarding bears have avoided execution is being hailed as a victory by an animal rights activist.

The man accused of dishing up dog food for up to 26 black bears that were found lounging around a pot grow operation near Christina Lake, B.C., last summer has been charged with feeding dangerous wildlife.

But more significant, said Calgarian Doreen McCrindle, is the bruins have been given a new lease on life after B.C. wildlife officials predicted they'd be destroyed after being corrupted by human feeding.
"We're absolutely ecstatic," said McCrindle, adding she's lobbied the B.C. government to seek an alternative to the bears' destruction.

"We highly commend the ministry ... it's proven humane measures are possible and euthanasia should not be a matter of first resort."

B.C.'s Conservation Officer Service now believes most of the bears found at the site have gone into hibernation.

In a statement released by the province's environment ministry, wildlife officers concluded a reduced feeding pattern would wean the animals off their dependence on dog food - and the tendency to frequent human habitation.

"This would allow the bears the best opportunity to return to the wild while also protecting the safety of local residents," it stated.

The bears had become so docile, said police, that they were friendly with RCMP officers, with one even climbing atop one of their cruisers during the August raid that uncovered the marijuana.
McCrindle, whose Help Save the BC Black Bears Facebook webpage has attracted nearly 5,000 friends, applauded the non-Criminal Code charges laid against Allan Wayne Piche.
"People should not feed wildlife - that's it," she said.

Piche has said he began feeding one needy bear at the site a decade ago but the practice snowballed after that.

He's been ordered to fence off his property to prevent the bears' return.
McCrindle said she and her animal welfare colleagues would gladly help Piche erect the fence.
Piche faces maximum penalties of a $100,000 fine and/or a jail term of one year.
McCrindle agreed with B.C. conservation officials that the bears will need to be monitored in the spring.

"We can't wash our hands of it," she said.
No drug-related charges have yet been laid in the case.

- Article from Toronto Sun.

STILL RECORDING!

MUSIC WILL BE COMING BEFORE CHRISTMAS!

ALBUM WILL BE OUT BEFORE CHRISTMAS!

I WILL POST A FREE DL ON ALL THE POPULAR FILE SHARING SITES!

Album still 40% done - 60% more to go. B4 the holidays.

-Midnite Munchies

BREAK UNTIL DEC. 1

Been in the recording studio all October/November trying really hard to get my Debut album finished.

Posting New "Marijuana Station" stuff on Dec. 1 also.

STILL IN THE RECORDING PROCESS! 

TRACKS ALREADY PRODUCED!

ALBUM COVERS DONE EDITING!

EITHER POSTING AN UPDATE ON DEC. 1 - OR THE ACTUAL ALBUM!!!!

EITHER WAY THE ALBUM SHOULD BE OUT WAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS!

Peace & Green

-Midnite Munchies

Video: Snoop On Prop 19