Just concluded the three MAPP meetings this month and I want to thank everyone who took the time to attend. Ruthie Heavrin’s presentation at the Riverside meeting on vegan edibles was as enlightening as it was heartfelt. The discussions at the Palm Springs and Joshua Tree meetings were informative and spirited.
These meetings do more than just keep you informed, they allow you to meet new people and network with other medical marijuana patients and law reform advocates. Most importantly they keep us organized and ready to respond to any situation that might develop whether they be local, state or even national.
The meetings are important and I thank you for coming and I hope those who could not attend any of the meetings this time will be able to the next time – Saturday, May 3 for Palm Springs and Joshua Tree and Wed. May 7 for Riverside.
OBAMA SIGNALS INTEREST IN RESCHEDULING
Not interfering in Colorado and Washington’s marijuana legalization laws, issuing new guidelines that will allow banks to legally provide financial services to state-licensed marijuana businesses and now the Obama Administration has stated that it would be willing to work with Congress if lawmakers want to reschedule marijuana.
At a recent House Appropriations Committee hearing AG Eric Holder stated "We'd be more than glad to work with Congress if there is a desire to look at and reexamine how the drug is scheduled, as I said there is a great degree of expertise that exists in Congress. It is something that ultimately Congress would have to change, and I think that our administration would be glad to work with Congress if such a proposal were made."
Although re-categorizing marijuana would not legalize the drug under federal law, it could ease restrictions on research into marijuana's medical benefits and allow marijuana businesses to take tax deductions. What is amazing is that the Obama Administration has let Congress know that this is an idea that they are willing to go along with and not oppose.
Even as limited as it is, it would send major shock waves in all directions and is a direct slap in the face to all the drug warriors in the DEA, ONDCP and NIDA.
It will be interesting to see if any members of Congress accept the President’s offer to work on this, but it looks like the Obama Administration is finally coming through with what we had hoped he would have done a long time ago. Change sure took a lot longer than any of us wanted, but it does seem to be happening.
The Brownie Mary Democratic Club broke into the big time with their presence at the Calif. Democratic Convention in Los Angeles and the success of their plank on legalization. Now it is time for them to take the next step and get local Democrats to recognize that they are players on the local scene.
The best way to do that is to provide support to a candidate running for office. The question of course is who to support. At the Democratic Convention I met the perfect candidate - Mark Orozco, a dedicated community activist running for the Riverside County Board of Supervisors in the 5th District. The 5th District covers the area from parts of Desert Hot Springs to Banning to Calimesa to Moreno Valley and Perris.
Mark is a teacher, has a legal background, is long time progressive community activist, is a young Latino and is totally in support of medical marijuana patients and marijuana law reform. To see what his candidacy is all about, check out his website at: www.markorozco.com.
The Board of Supervisors is non-partisan so whether one is a Democrat, Republican or whatever, party affiliation is not supposed to be a factor although of course it is. Regardless of his actual party affiliation, there are many reasons to support Mark, but for us a very important reason is that he is running against the incumbent Marion Ashley whose votes on issues regarding medical marijuana have never been in our favor.
I met with Mark and asked him what we could do best to help his campaign and he said he needed money to pay for a mailing to voters in District 5. Why am I not surprised he needs money – after all he is running against one of the richest men in Riverside County.
If it’s money he needs most, then that’s what BMDC will do. After discussing it with the Executive Board of the BMDC, we came up with holding an Ice Cream and Dessert Social.
Mark, of course, will be the center piece of the fundraiser and you will be able to meet and support a candidate that has our interests at heart.
There will be activists from both the marijuana movement and political movement you will want to meet and hear. One of the invited guests is Stephen Downing, a retired Deputy Chief of Police for the Los Angeles Police Department and a member of the Board of Directors for LEAP.
There will also be local Democratic Party leaders at the fundraiser such as Suzan Wilkerson, Region 19 District Director which covers Assembly Districts 42, 56, 67, 71 – very well could be one of the Assembly districts you live in.
The idea is to bring marijuana advocates and active Democrats together. I cannot think of a better and more productive way to bring them together than a fundraiser for Mark Orozco.
More information on the fundraiser will be forthcoming but for now mark your calendars for Sunday, April 27 at 2 p.m. This is what we should have been doing years ago – if we had we might not be in the sorry mess we are in now – but better late than never and with the public’s new attitude towards marijuana, the time has never been better.
A PLACE FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA PATIENTS TO LIVE
Looking for an inexpensive but marijuana friendly place to live? Well if Temecula is the area you want to be in then there are rooms for rent in the legendary home of Marty and Lavonne Victor. This home is a medical marijuana landmark - a place where a medical marijuana citizen can come and live the medical marijuana life. You will have full use of the house, can grow plants and utilize cannabis. There is even a stair chair lift if needed. A beautiful pool for use in the summer with nice and understanding neighbors. It is a safe and good area to walk around in with a major casino down the road plus close by shopping areas. There is also a hospital not too far away. There is a small room for rent for $450.00 a month and a large room for rent for $675 a month. This includes all utilities. The rooms are unfurnished and there is a shared bathroom. There is a $150.00 security deposit. If interested give LaVonne a call at 951-699-5306.
MARIJUANA COMPASSION & COMMON SENSE RADIO SHOW
In October 2012 with guns drawn, the home of Dennis and Deborah Little was raided by federal and state narcotics agents. San Diego’s infamous District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis claimed they had hundreds of pounds but the Little’s said they only had 25 plants for both of them. Facing up to six years in prison, the Little’s underwent an 18 month criminal prosecution. Two weeks ago Jurors sided with the couple and acquitted them of the charges of possession of marijuana for sale and of cultivation of marijuana.
Here is a victory to savor, but the price they paid in their personal lives was beyond belief. On the Monday, April 7 broadcast and simulcast of Marijuana Compassion and Common Sense the Little’s will recount the horrors they were subjected to and how it affected their lives.
Join us this Monday at 6 p.m. and every Monday at 6 p.m. for the award winning radio show Marijuana Compassion and Common Sense with news, views, interviews, grow tips, humor and who knows what else on IE Talk Radio KCAA 1050AM and on the Internet at www.kcaaradio.com.
On the KCAA website, click on Tune In Now to listen and Ustream.tv to hear and see the action in the studio. All shows are archived as podcasts and can be accessed by scrolling down on the home page to Marijuana Compassion and Common Sense and clicking on PODCAST.
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