quote:


Massachusetts Democrat Barney Frank, along with a bipartisan coalition of 13 co-sponsors, is seeking to strengthen legal protections for state-authorized medical marijuana patients. House Bill 2835, The Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act of 2009, would ensure that medical cannabis patients in states that have approved its use will no longer have to fear arrest or prosecution from federal law enforcement agencies. Thirteen states -- Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington -- have enacted laws protecting medical marijuana patients from state prosecution. Yet in all of these states, patients and providers still face the risk of federal sanction -- even when their actions are fully compliant with state law.
It is time that we allowed our unique federalist system to work the way it was intended. Patients and their state representatives should have the authority to enact laws permitting the medical use of cannabis -- free from federal interference. Previous versions of The Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act were introduced in both the 108th and 109th Congress, but failed to receive a public hearing or a committee vote.

quote:


...US Patent #6630507...Issued October 7, 2003
Assignnee:  The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health & Human Services
Abstract:
Cannabinoids have been found to have antioxidant properties, unrelated to NMDA receptor antagonism. This new found property makes cannabinoids useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of wide variety of oxidation associated diseases, such as ischemic, age-related, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke and trauma, or in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and HIV dementia. Nonpsychoactive cannabinoids, such as cannabidoil, are particularly advantageous to use because they avoid toxicity that is encountered with psychoactive cannabinoids at high doses useful in the method of the present invention. A particular disclosed class of cannabinoids useful as neuroprotective antioxidants is formula (I) wherein the R group is independently selected from the group consisting of H, CH3, and COCH3. ##STR1##...PatentStorm

quote:

ORIGINAL: LadyEllen

Really Mercnbeth - you, who for the benefit of all point out that it was prohibited using vile racial caricatures as an aspect of the supporting argument to do so, then wish to argue that the reason Obama wont legalise (or at least back non-enforcement) is because of his personal failings, rather than the simmering pot of racist slander and libel that would explode in his face should he do so?

E

quote:

ORIGINAL: LadyEllen

Oh for goodness sake - are you being deliberately obtuse, I certainly hope so
E

quote:

ORIGINAL: tazzygirl

~FR

Why do so many seem to have higher expectations of him because of his color?

quote:

ORIGINAL: rulemylife

quote:

ORIGINAL: ThatDamnedPanda

But even so, that won't prevent anyone from growing their own. The government can't tax what you grow in your back yard. That's the main point I'm making - if people in California can grow 10 or 15 plants in their own backyard, they'll never need to buy a single ounce from the corner marijuana store, and the government won't be collecting any tax from people who choose to do this.

Then you get back to the convenience of buying it from the corner store.

People can grow all kinds of vegetables in their backyards, but how many do?  Have you been in the produce section of a grocery store lately?  They now have containers of pre-chopped onions, peppers, watermelon, cantaloupe, etc., so you don't even have to break out a knife.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mercnbeth

quote:

ORIGINAL: tazzygirl

~FR

Why do so many seem to have higher expectations of him because of his color?

You mean why is anyone expecting him to live up to his campaign commits compared to others? Good question - his own 'CHANGE!' banner may be contributory.

Higher expectations? I don't see any of that going on. Many people are excusing his results but I don't think anyone is saying he should do more. However you are right - his results compared to his campaign rhetoric prove he's no different that Bush or anyone else who preceded him. That is confirmed more and more with each passing day, and with each special interest group that is served by this Administration.

quote:

ORIGINAL: ThatDamnedPanda

But it doesn't make any sense to discuss the convenience without discussing the cost. That's my whole point. How many vegetables cost several hundred dollars an ounce? I  like tomatoes, but I don't bother growing them because they cost less than a dollar apiece. If they cost $500 a piece, I'd suddenly develop a  strong interest in growing tomatoes. There are people who easily smoke well over $10,000 worth of weed a year, at ounce prices. If it's legal, they can grow the same amount of dope in their backyard for a couple of hundred bucks. You really think nobody's going to think that's a cost-effective alternative?

quote:

No, but what I believe would happen is the cost would decrease as you begin to have legal mass production.

quote:

ORIGINAL: tazzygirl

The Average price of mid-grade marijuana in Amsterdam is $20.90 per ounce. Remember marijuana is still illegal in the US.

http://www.chacha.com/question/how-much-is-an-ounce-of-pot-in-amsterdam


Only a few bars offer both drinks and drugs, so combining the two activities is difficult. At the places that do, it's fl5 for a hash or marijuana cigarette and fl15 for a "popper," a quick high that freezes the brain cells for about five minutes. Fortunately, the cells do recover.

Cost is approximately 12-15 euros for a two to three gram bag of marijuana or for four pre-rolled joints. Most places supply rolling papers and filter tips. Save the "happy snaps" for the bars; taking photos are highly discouraged. Sodas, coffee and water are often the only beverages available.

http://www.pubclub.com/amsterdam/coffeehouses.htm

Not sure what the conversion rate is.

Mid-grade in Los Angeles is about $200 an ounce and that is the same whether you are buying in a legal marijuana store or on the street.
It will be interesting to see what a little free enterprise might bring

quote:

Does any one have any first hand data on prices in some place like Amsterdam where it is "de facto" legal if not totally "de jure"...where does the "free market" take the price?

quote:

ORIGINAL: thompsonx

quote:

No, but what I believe would happen is the cost would decrease as you begin to have legal mass production.

Does any one have any first hand data on prices in some place like Amsterdam where it is "de facto" legal if not totally "de jure"...where does the "free market" take the price?

HST

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mercnbeth

quote:

Does any one have any first hand data on prices in some place like Amsterdam where it is "de facto" legal if not totally "de jure"...where does the "free market" take the price?

when we visited Amsterdam last May/June we went to at least 12 coffeeshops. None sold alcohol...and none sold ounces. it was available for purchase by the gram with a strict limit of 5 grams per customer, per day. (28 grams in an ounce, for those following along that aren't familiar with weights and measures)

the most expensive "The Cheese" gram was 17.00 Euro which translated to $24.63.

the least expensive gram we encountered was "Red Haze", 9.00 Euro which translated to $13.00

obviously, our experience was MUCH different than tazzygirl's.

quote:

my post was a link. open to debate, debunking, or whatever.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Mercnbeth

quote:

my post was a link. open to debate, debunking, or whatever.

Our mistake thinking you knew "first hand data" didn't mean 2nd from a dated website. Appreciating your lack of empathy to those who can not take aspirin derivative pain killers needing medicinal marijuana; maybe you didn't grow up and just didn't leave your "pot world" behind you quick enough.

quote:

I dont consider a trip to Amsterdam from the US medical use.. lol. give me a break. never tried Tylenol?