Dr. Phillip Leveque Salem-News.com

Dr. Phillip Leveque spent his life as a Combat Infantryman, Pharmacologist, Forensic Toxicologist and Physician.

(MOLALLA, Ore.) – I was asked by a healthcare professional at the Portland VA Hospital if I would help PTSD Veteran Victims to get permits to use legalized medical marijuana. I already had some Veteran patients from WWII, Korea and Vietnam.

The doctors and other healthcare professionals had heard from a sprinkling of Nam Vets that marijuana provided good relief PTSD and probably other battle related problems including pain from gunshots, mine blasts and almost anything else.

I told her yes and within two weeks I had more than 50 Nam Vets requesting my help. As part of their medical history I asked what previous medicines they had been given or prescribed.

I was astonished to review the lists. There were two main types: strong pain killers like Oxycontin and Morphine and every related pain killer.

Apparently many of these were given just to knock out the patients. These drugs are called narcotics because they CAUSE sleep.

Most PTSD victims have insomnia or difficulty going to or staying asleep. The second type of drugs were anti-depressants. Severe pain causes depression and some do enable sleep.

I was flabbergasted to read the anti-depressant list of many patients; Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro, etc it goes on through the whole list of about 12.

The Vets were adamant about the miserable adverse side effects of both these kinds of drugs. I was familiar with the drugs like Morphine but the new class of anti-depressants had me baffled. I was also familiar with amphetamine type drugs which were stimulants which I originally assumed must be related in action to the anti-depressants.

Elavil was one of the first anti-depressants and it was a mild stimulant like a junior grade amphetamine but the newer ones were definitely in another ball park. The Vets complained that they were zombified by them and many stopped them and resorted to alcohol because of the illegality and scarceness of marijuana.

I checked my computer for anti-depressant dangers. I don’t shock easy but this was a shock. The FDA (Food & Drug Administration) reported that they caused a whole bunch of very bad adverse side effect including anxiety, depression, addiction, severe withdrawal, homicidal rage and suicide.

These PTSD Veterans didn’t need these adverse effects on top of PTSD.

Subsequent to my success with these Vets with marijuana I heard from Veterans all over the U.S. and the world that marijuana was better than both Morphine drugs and anti-depressants.

courtesy of www.salem-news.com

SAY “NO!” TO FOR-PROFIT INCARCERATION!

The escapes from the privatized Kingman prison highlight continuing concerns about the management of state prison facilities by for-profit corporations.  Arizona’s elected officials are suddenly expressing shock that such high-security prisoners would be held in a privately run facility.

Yet many of these same state leaders supported Governor Brewer’s budget bill, which would have privatized entire state prison complexes—including high security units like death row and the supermax.

This piece of the budget bill was later rescinded, but the state is still planning to hand out lucrative contracts to these same for-profit prison corporations to build and run an additional 5,000 prison beds in Arizona.

Among the for-profit prison corporations bidding for the contracts is Management and Training Corporation (MTC), the company that manages the Kingman prison and has been widely panned for glaring security lapses that lead to the escapes.

Recently it was revealed that two senior members of Governor Brewers’ staff are lobbyists for private prison companies.  But Arizona’s lawmakers have been drinking the private prison kool-aid for years.  The Institute for Money in State Politics reports that private-prison interests — primarily lobbyists — gave $77,267 to Arizona candidates during the 2002 and 2004 election cycles. Russell Pearce, then Chair of the Appropriations Committee, received the largest amount.  No surprise, Pearce was the main sponsor of the budget bill calling for privatizing more prisons last session, as well as the infamous SB1070 anti-immigration bill.

House Democrats are calling on the Governor to address the issue of prison privatization in the special session.  Let’s add our voices to the chorus calling for the end of for-profit incarceration in Arizona!

What YOU can do….

Contact Governor Brewer and Corrections Director Chuck Ryan and demand:

• An immediate halt to all bidding processes involving private prison operators and a moratorium on new private prison beds
• Hold public hearings during the special session to address the problems with for-profit prisons in Arizona
• Enact other cost-cutting measures that not only save money but enhance public safety, like earned release credits, amending truth in sentencing, and restoring judicial discretion

Governor Jan Brewer

602.542.4331 or 800.253.0883 ph,

602.542.1381 fax.

Make a comment online at:  http://azgovernor.gov/Contact.asp

Arizona Department of Corrections Director Chuck Ryan

(602) 542-5225

cryan@azcorrections.gov

Why Arizona should SAY NO to for-profit prisons:

1.  For-profit prisons have histories of escapes, disturbances, prisoner abuses, financial mismanagement, and other scandals.

The Kingman escapes come on the heels of a riot at the same facility in June in which eight prisoners were injured.  A prison run by Corrections Corporation of America in Eloy was recently on lockdown after prisoners from Hawaii rioted over an Xbox video game.  When a staff member attempted to intervene, he was severely beaten, suffering a broken nose, broken cheekbones and damage to his eye sockets.  The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) found a significantly higher rate of prisoner-on-prisoner assaults in private prisons (66% more) than in public prisons.  Inmate-on-staff assaults were 49% higher in the for-profits.

2.  You get what you pay for.

For-profit prison corporations are primarily concerned about the bottom line and making money for their CEO’s and shareholders.  The companies cut corners everywhere they can, but primarily on staff pay and training.

The result is a facility with high turnover rates, where the staff is inexperienced and the prisoners have nothing productive to do.  Such a prison is unsafe for the inmates, the guards, and the surrounding community.

Finally, there’s no evidence that private prisons can do it cheaper.  Maximus, an independent, reputable research firm, compared cost savings in Arizona’s public and private prisons in 2006. It determined taxpayers were spending an estimated $1,526,289 MORE annually on two privately run prisons.

3.  Less Transparency and Accountability.

For-profit prison companies are corporations doing the job of government without any of the checks and balances that keep government accountable to the people.  In the case of the Kingman escapes, which occurred at 9:00 pm, MTC waited until 10:20 pm to notify The Mojave County’s Sheriff’s Office.  Another 80 minutes elapsed before MTC notified state officials with the Arizona Department of Corrections. The media wasn’t alerted until mid-morning the next day, and thus the public was not informed about the dangerous escapees until that time.

There is an inherent threat to democracy when an institution with so much power over the lives of so many individuals is immune to any public accountability.

August 19, 2010
 
 
Dear “Constituent”,
 
Thank you for contacting me about current marijuana legislation.  I appreciate hearing from you.
 
Under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), marijuana and its derivatives are classified as a Schedule I substance, the most restrictive of five categories.  According to Congressional Research Service, Schedule I  substances have a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and a lack of accepted safety standards for use of the drug under medical supervision.  Currently, state medical marijuana laws do not preempt the CSA.
 
As you may know, several bills have been introduced into the 111th Congress regarding marijuana.  Specifically, the Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act (H.R. 2835) would allow the medical use of marijuana in states that permit its use with a doctor’s recommendation.  This bill would relax the classification of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II and exempt patients and medical marijuana providers, who act in accordance with state laws, from federal prosecution.  This bill was introduced on June 11, 2009 and has been referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee.
 
The Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2009 (H.R. 2943) was introduced on June 18, 2009 and would eliminate the Federal penalties for possession of 100 grams or less of marijuana for personal use.  This bill has been referred to both the House Judiciary and Energy and Commerce Committees.  Should either of these bills come to the House floor for a vote, I will keep your thoughts in mind.
 
In 1996, Arizona voters passed Proposition 200, also known as the Drug Medicalization, Prevention and Control Act, which allowed doctors to prescribe marijuana for medicinal use. Soon after, the Arizona legislature passed legislation overturning the initiative. In 1998, voters again supported referendums that would defeat the changes–Proposition 300 and 301–which were then again overturned by the state legislature. In November 2002, voters rejected a new drug policy reform bill, Proposition 203. This bill would have decriminalized small amounts of marijuana, set up a medical marijuana program and removed court control of non-violence drug offenders.
 
On June 6, 2005, the Supreme Court ruled that there was no medical necessity defense against prosecution for the federal crimes of cultivating or distributing marijuana, even in places where state law recognizes such a defense. The state of Arizona does not.  In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration issued a statement reinforcing the federal government’s position that “smoked marijuana is harmful” and has not been approved “for any condition or disease indication.”
 
I believe that while legalization of marijuana might help alleviate pain for some patients and reduce the high costs of prosecuting and enforcing some narcotics crimes, the larger cost to society must be considered. There are serious public health costs associated with drug misuse, as well as larger economic and societal costs.  For these reasons, I do not support broadly decriminalizing marijuana.
 
I always appreciate hearing from constituents, like you, who are informed and interested in the important issues affecting Arizona and the nation.  My job as your representative is to help you connect with federal agencies, access services and get your questions answered thoroughly.  Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if you require assistance.
 
 
Sincerely,

Good evening AZ4NORML supporters and friends! We have a lot of upcoming events and meetings and I hope you will join us at some of them. AZ4NORML is a nonprofit group of volunteers that work hard to educate our community about the benefits of medical cannabis, the safety of recreational marijuana, and the value of industrial hemp. We need you to donate time, money, or materials to our cause and help us bring a sensible, responsible policy towards marijuana to Southern Arizona. Join us at our monthly meeting this Saturday and our 4th medical marijuana forum, tomorrow (details below).

Our 4th Summer Forum Series continues! Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 18th at 630PM we will be hosting a discussion on medical marijuana and Proposition 203. Join us at the Joel Valdez Downtown Library for this lively and important forum. Questions will be answered and the public is invited to attend. Please tell your friends, family, and neighbors about this important event.

Our next meeting will be on Saturday, August 21st at 3PM. New members are welcome! Please join AZ4NORML as we discuss our upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and marijuana news from Arizona and around the country. We meet at 3202 E. 1st Street near Speedway and Country Club in Tucson. Please enter at the back door and bring nonperishable foods to donate to local nonprofits.

On Tuesday, August 24th AZ4NORML will be participating with a small table at The Hut on 4th Ave in Tucson. Echo Movement, a great reggae band will be the artist and we have our volunteers for this event chosen. If you are interested in volunteering for one of our events and getting free tickets to great concerts like Kottonmouth Kings also playing on August 24th, Cheech and Chong, Lords of Acid and much more, please become a member of AZ4NORML and help us bring our important message to the community. Email volunteer@az4norml.com for more details.

On Saturday, August 28th at 4PM KXCI celebrates 1970! Hosted at Rialto Theatre, AZ4NORML will be staffing our informational table at this event. Please join us to celebrate this fun decade and support our community radio station.

It’s that time of year! The 2010 Just Say Now! NORML conference will be held in Portland, Oregon on September 9-12 and several members will be attending. Please join us, these conferences are a lot of fun and we always learn a lot as well. During this time, Hempstalk will also be going on and there will be opportunities to go to that event as well. Email jon@az4norml.org for more details!

On Saturday, September 18th we will be hosting our Smoke the Vote Tailgate party with our friends at Cheba Hut! Please join us at 4:20PM as we support UofA against Iowa and we help spread the word about Prop 203 and encourage students to register to vote! We need help setting up, staffing and designing this event, please join our team and help us make this a big success!

AZ4NORML has many more volunteer opportunities available over the summer and fall. We will be at the AIDS Walk, Nam Jam, Blues Festival, Pride in the Desert and many more events. Please consider becoming a member of AZ4NORML and helping us staff these exciting events! We also will be participating in summer and fall parades and we need artists and craftspeople to help us design our float, tables and other outreach.

Did you know? AZ4NORML is a 501c3 nonprofit. Any donations you make can be tax deductable and go to help our very busy local chapter. AZ4NORML needs cash to fund our events, buy insurance and products to provide at our informational tables. We also need laptops for our voter registration outreach. Please consider donating generously and check our website at www.az4norml.org for more ways to help!

LINKS, NEWS, and INFORMATION

NEWS: Media Coverage of Rand Marijuana Report Spurs Reefer Madness. You can read the report here and listen to some audio here.

NEWS: Read ‘When the Truth Is At Odds With the Law’ by Bob Newland and Paul Armentano

VIDEO: Watch a humorous take on the friendly skies.

VIDEO: Watch a video on Harry J. Anslingers statements about marijuana. NSFW for rough language and racist statements. Harry Anslinger was instrumental in implementing our current marijuana policies almost 75 years later.

VIDEO: Watch a great video entitled “Should California Make Marijuana Legal Already?”

VIDEO: Here’s another good video “Yes to Marijuana in California”

VIDEO: Watch MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow discuss the private prison situation in Arizona. Watch Part 1 and Part 2. Did you know there is a goal to fill these prisons with illegal entrants and low level drug offenders? There is now a financial incentive to throw more people in prison! Stand up and take action, join us!

NEWS: California Medical Marijuana Patients Harassed by US Border Patrol, Usually in Arizona!

NEWS: A War on Drugs? No, this is a War on People! and Mexico’s Faltering Drug War and Mexico’s Presidents Are Considering Legalizing Drugs – Will the US Join the Debate? Report: Mexico’s Drug War is Not Working.

VIDEO: Watch Five Great Anti-Drug War Videos.

NEWS: The CIA’s Shocking Experiments on Children Exposed: Drugging, Electroshocks, and Brainwashing.

VIDEO: Crazy Man Leads Opposition to Marijuana Legalization in California. and Anti-Prop 19 supporters created this video. Also Donate to Support Prop 19 and get a free sticker!

NEWS: California Endures another Summer of Pointless Marijuana Raids

NEWS: We Must Move Towards Rational Marijuana Policy

VIDEO: Medical Marijuana by Drew Carey and Reason.tv

NEWS: How Marijuana Could Split the Tea Party

VIDEO: David G. Evans: Drugwar Loser and Tommy Chong Tells Him So!

VIDEO: Snoop Dogg Takes Over Prime Time TV and Goes 420 Crazy.

NEWS: Jane Hamsher on Pushing for Legalized Pot

VIDEO: Social Security — Keeping the Promise for 75 Years.

Weird News: Nearly Naked Man Charged with Drug Possession.

Thanks for reading our newsletter and taking action where you can. Please consider supporting AZ4NORML with a generous financial donation. You can donate at our website or send a check to AZ4NORML 3400 E. Speedway Blvd Ste 118 Tucson, Arizona 85716. All money is carefully used to benefit this important cause. All members are volunteers and no money is used for salaries and all donations are carefully accounted for.

Shopping with Amazon.com will also earn AZ4NORML a small rebate, please use our link for any shopping you need to do with this quality merchant. You must use the link for AZ4NORML to receive credit.

Highest Regards,

Jon

Jon Gettel
Director
AZ4NORML
www.az4norml.org
www.myspace.com/tucsonnorml
Facebook | Aznorml Tucson
www.twitter.com/az4norml
http://www.youtube.com/user/az4norml

Good afternoon AZ4NORML supporters and friends! We hope you have a great week and that you join us at many of our upcoming events throughout the summer leading up to the November vote to bring medical marijuana in a carefully controlled manner to Arizona. Please get registered to vote and consider donating time and money to AZ4NORML and its efforts to help this important proposition pass. Please support Proposition 203 and tell all your friends, family, and coworkers about this bill.

Saturday, August 14th AZ4NORML will be hosting our informational table at 2nd Saturdays in Downtown Tucson. It runs from 5:30PM to 10:30PM with live music, food, and family friendly fun! If you are interested in volunteering to help us staff this table please email jon@az4norml.org.

On Sunday, August 15th AZ4NORML will be throwing a Sunday BBQ Bash to celebrate the birthdays of several members and a general recognition party for medical marijuana patients and AZ4NORML members and volunteers. This BBQ and POTLuck begins at 4:20 and continues into the evening. Please bring your favorite dish to share and email us at jon@az4norml.org for more information or to have us pick up any donations for this party. The party is in the courtyard of 1206 N Jones Blvd in Tucson near Speedway and Country Club.

Our 4th Summer Forum Series continues! On Wednesday, August 18th at 6PM we will be hosting a discussion on medical marijuana and Proposition 203. Join us at the Joel Valdez Downtown Library for this lively and important forum. Our special guest will be Proposition 203 campaign manager Andrew Myers. Mr. Myers was instrumental in organizing the signature collection campaign to place The Arizona Medical Marijuana Act on the ballot this year, in fact, many more signatures were collected than were needed and collected in a record amount of time!

Our next meeting will be on Saturday, August 21st at 3PM. New members are welcome! Please join AZ4NORML as we discuss our upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and marijuana news from Arizona and around the country. We meet at 3202 E. 1st Street near Speedway and Country Club in Tucson. Please enter at the back door and bring nonperishable foods to donate to local nonprofits.

On Tuesday, August 24th AZ4NORML will be participating with a small table at The Hut on 4th Ave in Tucson. Echo Movement, a great reggae band will be the artist and we have our volunteers for this event chosen. If you are interested in volunteering for one of our events and getting free tickets to great concerts like Kottonmouth Kings, Cheech and Chong, Lords of Acid and much more, please become a member of AZ4NORML and help us bring our important message to the community. Email volunteer@az4norml.com for more details.

It’s that time of year! The 2010 Just Say Now! NORML conference will be held in Portland, Oregon on September 9-12 and several members will be attending. Please join us, these conferences are a lot of fun and we always learn a lot as well. During this time, Hempstalk will also be going on and there will be opportunities to go to that event as well. Email jon@az4norml.org for more details!

On Saturday, September 18th we will be hosting our Smoke The Vote Tailgate party with our friends at Cheba Hut! Please join us at 4:20PM as we support UofA against Iowa and we help spread the word about Prop 203 and encourage students to register to vote! We need help settting up, staffing and designing this event, please join our team and help us make this a big success!

AZ4NORML has many more volunteer opportunites available over the summer and fall. We will be at the AIDS Walk, Nam Jam, Blues Festival, Pride in the Desert and many more events. Please consider becoming a member of AZ4NORML and helping us staff these exciting events! We also will be participating in summer and fall parades and we need artists and craftspeople to help us design our float, tables and other outreach.

Did you know? AZ4NORML is a 501c3 nonprofit. Any donations you make can be tax deducatble and go to help our very busy local chapter. AZ4NORML needs cash to fund our events, buy insurance and products to provide at our informational tables. We also need laptops for our voter registration outreach. Please consider donating generously and check our website at www.az4norml.org for more ways to help!

Our friends at Phoenix NORML and CAMP 420 have been very active this summer and helping to educate Phoenix residents and the general public about Arizona’s medical marijuana law, Prop 203, that is on the ballot in November. There will be a Medical Marijuana Q&A and Medical Marijuana support group on Saturday, August 14th at 5PM at Sweet Tomatoes 52 E. Camelback Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85012. Registered nurse Rain Baker and Prop 203 Campaign Manager Andrew Myers will be available for all questions. Call or email Rain to register for the valuable event at 602-923-1954 or rainbaker@phoenixnorml.net.

LINKS, NEWS, and INFORMATION

NEWS: The Mexican drug war and violence continues unabated. Many of us know that marijuana represents 70% of all drugs smuggled across the border, once we carefully regulate marijuana we will solve a large part of the drug war. Check out some recent news from Mexico. 28,000 People Dead, Mexican President Considers Marijuana Legalization. In Other News: No Mexicans Killed Over Corona Beer.

NEWS: Medical Marijuana Inhibits Breast Cancer Progression

NEWS: Too Many Laws, Too Many Prisoners. Never in the civilized world have so many been locked up for so little.

VIDEO: Five Ways the Drug War Hurts Kids: A Conversation with LEAP Member Neill Franklin. LEAP is Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, a great group of police, retired law enforcement, judges, and district attorneys who work to educate the public about the failures of the drug war. Also – Parents End the War on Drugs for Your Kids

NEWS: Owners of Dog Murdered by Sierra Vista Police Place Ad in Arizona Newspaper.

VIDEO: Watch this fun and informational animation titled “Kurt Cannabis Meets Connie Cancer” NSFW due to rough language.

AUDIO: Have you ever listened to the Drug Truth Network? This radio program and Podcast covers a wide range of important issues and special guests. From marijuana prohibition news to medical marijuana edible recipes, this entertaining audio program educates and informs! Check it out.

VIDEO: Congress does not have time to deal with the economy but they have time to pass a misguided law to double the penalties for medical marijuana edibles. Watch Jane Hamsher of FireDogLake discuss this outrageous action. Take action and write your Congresspeople and let them know there are much more important issues and to stop wasting time!

VIDEO: Watch actor Eric Braeden discuss why Californians should support Prop 19. a measure to legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana for responsible adults in California. The NORML Blog has an informative response to the critics of Prop 19. Here is another video made in support of Prop 19. Check out the Prop 19 campaign posters.

NEWS: President Obama’s New Drug War Strategy and the Low-Down on ‘America’s Trillion Dollar Dope Game’

VIDEO: Aging Brings Inflammation to Your Brain: Marijuana and Coffee are good fo reducing that inflammation with Professor Gary Wenk.

NEWS: The Veterans’ Administration Easing Rules for Users of Medical Marijuana. This is great news for veterans who use the VA system, many of who were persecuted for using medical marijuana to reduce the amount of strong painkillers necessary to remain comfortable and functional.

NEWS: MPP Drops Support of Nevada Marijuana Tax Initiative. Marijuana legalization lags in most recent Nevada poll.

ACTION: Take action against rogue DEA administrator Michele Leonhart. The DEA has continued to raid marijuana clinics in legal medical marijauna states, stealing medicine and seizing money but not arresting anyone. Tell President Obama to withdraw his nomination of this compassionless nominee.

NEWS: Police Target Wrong Man in Deadly Marijuana Raid

NEWS: Medical Marijuana in….. TEXAS?

NEWS: Prohibitionist Joyce Nalepka writes more nonsense to rally anti-medical marijuana activists in Montana. Check out the comments and please add your own. Also, Montana police chief arrested for growing marijuana at home.

NEWS: Would legalizing marijuana destroy Canada’s economy? Cannabis has become such a valuable industry in Canada could Marijuana cause Canada’s economic comedown?

VIDEO: Even Glenn Beck supports marijuana?. Surprised?

NEWS: D.C. Poor Eligible For Discount on Medical Marijuana

NEWS: California Endures Another Summer of Marijuana Raids.

VIDEO: Watch how a small closet grow is set up using clones of several varieties.

VIDEO: Ron Paul: Repeal the War on Drugs — Just Like We Repealed Prohibition.

NEWS: Should Videotaping the Police Really be a Crime?

VIDEO: Good Opium…. Good Economics. Heroin, Inc.

NEWS: Men charged after landing plane near marijuana plants….. The total haul of this terrible crime? Two plants.

NEWS of the Weird: Man Calls 911 For a Ride to the Liquor Store… 3 Times.

Thanks for reading our newsletter and taking action where you can. Please consider supporting AZ4NORML with a generous financial donation. You can donate at our website or send a check to AZ4NORML 3400 E. Speedway Blvd Ste 118 Tucson, Arizona 85716. All money is carefully used to benefit this important cause. All members are volunteers and no money is used for salaries and all donations are carefully accounted for.

Shopping with Amazon.com will also earn AZ4NORML a small rebate, please use our link for any shopping you need to do with this quality merchant. You must use the link for AZ4NORML to receive credit.

Best Wishes,

Jon

Jon Gettel
Director
AZ4NORML
www.az4norml.org
www.myspace.com/tucsonnorml
Facebook | Aznorml Tucson
www.twitter.com/az4norml
http://www.youtube.com/user/az4norml

Good Evening,

I want to thank everyone who braved the rain and came to the third in our series of medical marijuana forums here in Tucson. We discussed Proposition 203 which will be on the ballot this November and how it will be different from other medical marijuana laws. We will post the video of the forum on our video hosting site soon, stay tuned to our different media outlets or website for all the details. An enthusiastic thank you to AZ4NORML Vice-President Tom Maza and Proposition 203 Campaign Manager Andrew Myers for leading our forum and the question and answer period.

On Friday, July 23rd (Tomorrow) Democratic Senate candidate John Dougherty will be at Club Congress from 9AM to 11AM to discuss “Why it is time to end the drug war?” . We are sorry for the late announcement but hope you can make it.

On Wednesday, July 28th at 3PM AZ4NORML will hold its next leadership meeting to discuss the future and upcoming events that the group will participate in. Please help us make this chapter the best in the country! Please reply to this email if you are interested in attending.

On Saturday, August 14th at 5PM in Phoenix, Camp 420 will host a Medical Marijuana Support Group presented by Veteran Registered Nurse Rain Baker. A discussion of Proposition 203 and its benefits will be the primary topic. Please contact Rain at 602-923-1954 to register for this event. Check out the new Phoenix NORML website at www.phoenixnorml.net

Wednesday, August 18th AZ4NORML will host our fourth panel series this summer on medical marijuana. This panel will delve deeply into Proposition 203, the new medical marijuana law Arizonans will vote for in November. This panel will answer your questions and help explain the language that the bill contains. Prop 203 is well written and well regulated and this forum will discuss all aspects of it. Time and location to be announced – stay tuned to our website for all the details.

Saturday, August 21st at 3PM will be the August Monthly Meeting. We meet at the Ward 6 Council Offices at 3202 E. 1st Street in Tucson, new members are welcome. Please bring a canned food or diaper donation for the community, if you can.

On Tuesday, August 24th AZ4NORML will be at The Hut in Tucson hosting a table for the Echo Movement concert. Echo Movement is a 7 piece reggae band that is amazing. I hope you will join us to enjoy this fantastic concert.

ACTION ALERT: Please take time to express to President Obama your disapproval of his appointment of Michelle Leonhart. Ms. Leonhart was originally appointed by former President Bush and she is a rabid prohibitionist. In fact, rogue DEA agents led by Ms. Leonhart have been raiding medical marijuana patient’s homes in California and stealing their medicine without arresting anyone. President Obama has said that he will respect medical marijuana patients in medical marijuana states but clearly Ms. Leonhart has not got the message. You can read more about these DEA actions and Ms. Leonhart here. Please take action at the following links to express your disapproval with a customizable, prewritten letter. At The Marijuana Policy Project AND at Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.

Links, Information and More!

NEWS: High School Drug Testing Shows No Long-Term Effect on Use

NEWS: Oakland, California Considering Licensing Large Marijuana Farms

NEWS: California’s New Marijuana Patch: Los Angeles County?

NEWS: The Nose Knows: The Odor of Marijuana and Probable Cause

NEWS: Maine Licenses Its First Dispensaries, New Mexico Approves Six More

NEWS: Marijuana Use Rarely Leads to Emergency Room Visits Study Shows. Will this finally end the prohibitionist claim that it does?

VIDEO: Here are some great YouTube videos from the 2010 Hemp Expo in Toronto. Watch Terry Parker, Robert Neron, Doug and Laurie Nielson, Real Martin And Pierre Drouin, Derek Francisco, and James Turner

NEWS: Skies Over Texas Raining Marijuana

VIDEO: Actor Nicholas Cage Discusses Magic Mushrooms and His Cat on The David Letterman Show Last Week.

VIDEO: Before You Judge Medical Marijuana Users, Walk a Mile in Their Shoes.

NEWS: The US Patent and Trademark Office Removes its New Marijuana Classifications. Don’t register that new strain yet…..

ACTION: Please join the cause “Abolish the DEA“

VIDEO: Excellent Documentary from Amanda Van West on California’s Cannabis Culture

VIDEO: Pro-Legalization Police Officer Silenced by Department

VIDEO: Comedian Patton Oswalt discusses his visit to Amsterdam. An Ex-Cop Talks About Techniques to Bust Stoners

VIDEO: Author Daniel Okrent Talks About the End of Prohibition

VIDEO: Hemp for Economic Victory; US Govt Subsidized Marijuana Farmers

VIDEO: Michael Savage Discusses Why Stoners are Losers I think the true loser becomes clear very quickly, what do you think?

Thank you so much for helping us bring attention to this valuable medicine!

Highest Regards,

Jon C. Gettel
Director
AZ4NORML
3400 E. Speedway Ste 118
Tucson, Arizona 85716
www.az4norml.org
www.myspace.com/tucsonnorml
www.facebook.com/aznorml
www.twitter.com/az4norml
AZ4NORML YouTube Page

Good Afternoon!

Thank you so much for supporting AZ4NORML. Our mission is to educate the public about the benefits of medical cannabis, the safety of recreational marijuana, and the value of industrial hemp. We will also be educating the public about the upcoming medical marijuana proposition in Arizona! Proposition 203 will be on the ballot in November and you must get registered to vote in order to have your say on this important issue. We hope to see you at our meeting this Saturday or at our summer forums, details below.

Our next meeting is this Saturday July 17th at 3PM at the Ward 6 Council Offices at 3202 E. 1st Street. Please enter through the back door and bring some canned food donations for the food bank if you are able. We have lots to discuss and feel free to arrive a bit early or stay after to talk with one of us.

On Sunday, July 18th at 8PM we will be hosting our informational table at the Lords of Acid concert at The Rialto Theatre, tickets are still available and we hope to see you there!

On Wednesday, July 21st at 6PM AZ4NORML VP Tom Maza will be hosting our July forum on the upcoming medical marijuana proposition! Tom has secured AMMPP‘s Andrew Myers to discuss the initiative in detail. The forum will be a lively discussion with question afterwards. Andrew Myers has been managing this campaign supporting Prop 203 and we welcome him to Tucson!

On Tuesday, August 24th at the Hut will be The Echo Movement, a 7 piece alternative reggae band. This group has offered AZ4NORML a chance to table at their concert and we will be there! We hope that you can attend and show your support for this unique band.

A local group has donated electronic equipment to raise funds for AZ4NORML. Please support their website Tucson Insiders.

We are looking for volunteers to staff our informational tables at upcoming events, please reply to this email or come to Saturday’s meeting. AZ4NORML is now a nonprofit affiliate of Amazon.com, please use the link at AZ4NORML’s Donate page or here and we will get some small credit that will cost you nothing. Also, check our Donate page for any of the other ways to help.

Have a great weekend and we hope to see you at Saturday’s meeting!

Jon C. Gettel
Director
AZ4NORML
3400 E. Speedway Ste 118
Tucson, Arizona 85716
www.az4norml.org
www.myspace.com/tucsonnorml
www.facebook.com/aznorml
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We had our 2nd summer forum on Cooking with Marijuana last week and it was a huge success. Michelle, Mary and Roz answered lots of questions and helped patients figure out whether edibles might be a good choice for them. It is a safe, long lasting way to receive the benefits of medical marijuana. Stay tuned for our next forum on the Legal Aspects of Medical Marijuana on Wednesday, July 21st, more details to follow.

We also had an informational tent at the St. Phillips Farmer’s Market on Saturday, July 03rd! Ed runs the show down there and does a tremendous job! Although traffic was light we were able to engage the public on this important issue. Thank you to Garrett, Kyl, Mary, Michelle, and Chris for holding this successful event and our table later that night at the Top Dead Center show at The Hut!

On a serious note, medical marijuana patients are being arrested in Arizona. We must put an end to that., Please support Proposition 203 and help medical marijuana patients get the medicine that helps them best!

AZ4NORML needs your donations! We accept donations via our google checkout link on the Donate page of www.az4norml.org. Keep in mind, whenever you buy something at www.amazon.com, please link through our website so AZ4NORML can earn a small commission that costs you nothing additional. Thank you!

Our next meeting will be the leadership meeting this Wednesday July 07 at 3PM. Please join us as we determine the future events that AZ4NORML will be participating in as well as helping us establish our community presence. We meet at the Ward 6 Council Office, a huge thank you to the Ward 6 Council Staff who have treated us very kindly.

The next general meeting will be Saturday, July 17th at 3PM at the Ward 6 Council Offices at 3202 E. 1st St, 1 Block South of Speedway, 1 Block East of Country Club Rd in Tucson. New members are welcome! Please bring a canned food donation for the food bank!

We will be staffing informational tents around town all summer. If you would like to participate, please reply to this email.

Also, we heard the story this week about a man who was fired from his job because he was charged with a drug offense over 10 years ago, charges that were dismissed for lack of evidence. Those charges were used to deny this man a job! This is another outrage that we must speak up against!

News & Information

This upcoming week some members of AZ4NORML are putting on a program at the
River Library on cooking with Medical Marijuana. You may already have seen
theflyer, but I wanted to invite you personally to come attend this program.

COOKING WITH MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Wednesday, June 30 from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm River Center Library (corner of River & Craycroft)
5605 E. River Rd.

This program is part of our summer/fall public forums on medical marijuana
and an exciting line-up will continue until the election on November 2.

Please feel free to bring a friend or a family member to learn more about
medical edibles. A short film (Making Cannabutter) that was produced and
shot locally by graduates of the Pima College Digital Arts program will be
shown on Wednesday.

Any questions please let me know and I’ll get right back to you.

Highest regards now,

Michelle
Chapter Secretary ~ AZ4NORML

Supporters of Arizona’s medical-marijuana initiative say the law will pass—and better yet, survive this time

by Mari Herreras

About 10 years ago, a near-fatal car accident left Jon Gettel in unbearable pain, especially during therapy, when the then-25-year-old was forced to learn how to walk again.

The only thing that helped him get through the pain, he says, was marijuana.

Gettel, director of the local chapter for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, aka NORML—a marijuana-legalization group—says the illegal drug saved his life.

“I spent six months in the hospital, and four months in intensive care. I nearly died. I had to go through months of grueling physical therapy,” Gettel remembers.

The painkiller that doctors prescribed made him nauseous, Gettel says.

“I had remembered marijuana from my college days. I found I could get through it much easier with the help of marijuana, and I could use less painkillers,” Gettel says. “And it improved my mood. Here I am, a 25-year-old man, using a walker. You get depressed. Marijuana elevates your mood and relieves your pain, and does that nontoxically, so I found it incredibly helpful during that time, and I recovered fairly well.”

Gettel says he knows many others in Tucson who use marijuana to treat pain and other illnesses—and have to break the law to do so. That could change, however, if Arizona voters approve a medical-marijuana law in November.

The medical-marijuana law would only allow patients with a terminal or serious illness to get the drug with a doctor’s approval. The initiative defines the qualifying illnesses as “debilitating medical conditions,” such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and HIV/AIDS. People with prescriptions for medical marijuana would be allowed to buy 2.5 ounces every two weeks.

Gettel continues to use marijuana to treat pain from nerve damage in his feet and fingers that he says was probably caused by an allergy to CT scan dye.

“It doesn’t take away the pain, but it does help me to not focus on the pain,” he says.

Gettel says he belongs to a medical-marijuana dispensary in California, but he only goes there when visiting, and he never brings that pot back to Tucson. He buys his pot from local dealers, or what he calls the “black market.”

“I recommend that people never travel between states with marijuana, even if it’s medical marijuana from California. The problem is at the Border Patrol checkpoints: They are zero-tolerance checkpoints,” Gettel says. “The police here (in Tucson) are very fair-minded and seem to evaluate the facts of the case before they will arrest you.”

If the Arizona law passes, there will be reciprocal benefits for card holders between Arizona and California. And until then, Gettel says, his organization is holding events to campaign for the initiative—and to dispel lingering misconceptions.

Gettel says he hears people comment, “Isn’t smoke bad for you?” He agrees that “burning plant material may not be the best choice,” but says the marijuana’s benefits are immediate for someone who needs instant relief, whereas it takes time to, say, make brownies or brew tea.

Gettel says smoking it also makes it easier for someone to control the dosage.

“While a cancer patient may need four to five puffs or inhalations of marijuana smoke, someone like me, I can get relief from my pain from one or two. You can pick the number you need to get the relief you want. That’s why smoke has to be an option. Sure, you can make edibles, but you can’t control the dose.”

Another concern he has heard—from people he describes as “prohibitionists”—is that marijuana strains are getting stronger, and are therefore more dangerous. But to him and other medical-marijuana advocates, stronger is better. Most of the marijuana bought from dealers is low-quality, he says, which means patients have to smoke more to get anything out of it. Meanwhile, strains sold legally through pot dispensaries are “simply more effective.”

California is often used as an example by people opposed to medical marijuana, because of the growing number of marijuana pharmacies or clubs there.

“I often hear the mainstream media say, ‘There are more marijuana shops (in California) than Starbucks,’” Gettel says. “But Arizona’s law is tightly controlled.”

According to the initiative, only one medical marijuana dispensary will be allowed for every 10 pharmacies registered in Arizona. However, the initiative also says the state can go over the limit to make sure there is at least one dispensary in each county.

However, the biggest hurdle Gettel thinks the initiative may face is disillusionment from voters who have passed medical-marijuana laws before, in 1996 and 1998, only to see them dismissed by the state legislators.

However, in 1998 voters also approved Proposition 105, the Voter Protection Act, which prohibits lawmakers from substantially altering voter-approved ballot initiatives.

“So when people say to me, ‘Why should I vote for it this year when they ignored it in previous years?’ There are things that are different this time,” Gettel says.

Organized efforts against the initiative have had little fanfare thus far. Stop the Pot, a campaign committee against the initiative, was started by Max Fose with a $2,500 contribution of his own money. Fose, a former John McCain political aide, owns a website-development and political-consulting firm. He developed the committee’s website, www.stopthepot.com.

Fose did not respond to e-mail requests for comment.

Andrew Myers, campaign director for Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project, which led the effort to get the initiative placed on the ballot, says he’s unsure how many people in Arizona will access pot dispensaries if the initiative passes. However, he compares Arizona’s law to that recently passed in Colorado, where 60,000 people are registered to receive medical marijuana.

While Myers says he was pleased the campaign was able to collect more than enough signatures to put the initiative on the ballot, he admits he’s surprised by its across-the-board support.

“Much of that is passive support,” Myers says. “Most elected officials have remained silent, and that is telling. No one wants to come out in favor or against, and that’s OK.”