Picture of the Day: Peace Cross Joint

SO DOPE!

Higher Education: Top 20 & Bottom 20 Colleges For Marijuana

http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2011/08/higher_education_top_20_bottom_20_colleges_for_mar.php

Wednesday, August 3, 2011, at 12:20 pm

Photo: Little Eddy

A mass exhale of marijuana smoke at the Unibversity of Colorado Boulder campus at 4:20 p.m., April 20, 2010. UC-Boulder came in fourth on the list.

​California and Colorado dominated the The Princeton Review‘s Top 5 colleges for marijuana use this year, with two entries each.

In the rankings — part of the Review’s “The Best 376 Colleges” survey — Colorado College in Colorado Springs ranked as the #1 pot-smoking school in the United States.

The small private school blazed past the competition in the annual rankings, which The Princeton Review released on Monday.

Colorado College has been a “usual suspect” on the marijuana list for the past few years, said Rob Franek, vice president and publisher of the Review.

Photo: Santa Cruz IMC

A comely reveler at the 4-20 celebration at University of California – Santa Cruz

​Franek said Colorado College, like others on the list, has strong academic standards, reports Brittany Anas of the Boulder Daily Camera.

The Princeton Review surveyed 122,000 students nationwide to come up with the rankings.

“We go directly to whom we think would be experts, and that’s current college students,” Franek said.’

University of Colorado-Boulder spokesman Bronson Hilliard was unimpressed with his school’s #4 showing, saying the rankings are subjective and have no scientific backing.

“The media is way more interested in the rankings than we are,” he sniffed.

Photo: Santa Cruz IMC

University of California at Santa Cruz, April 20, 2010

​ Pacific Northwest favorite Evergreen College, long known as a countercultural haven, just missed the Top 11, coming in at number 11.

The Princeton Review , which a college test prep company with no connection to Princeton University, released the Top 20 standings to garner publicity for its annual guidebook, The Best 376 Colleges: 2012 Edition, which went on sale Monday.

The lists, besides more academically oriented rankings, also include “party school” standings (Ohio University ranked #1) and one called “Got Milk? (beer usage reported low).” Other rankings include “Birkenstock-wearing, tree-hugging, clove-smoking vegetarians,” “class discussions encouraged,” “great college towns” and “most politically active students.”

As for the Bottom 20 Colleges when it comes to marijuana use, it’s no surprise that schools associated with the U.S. military show up near the top of the list, along with places like Mormon stronghold Brigham Young University in Utah and the Catholic school Thomas Aquinas College in California.

Top 20 Colleges: How Widely Used Is Marijuana?

(The “Reefer Madness” List)

1. Colorado College, Colorado Springs

2. University of California – Santa Cruz

3. University of California – Santa Barbara

4. University of Colorado – Boulder

5. Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, New York

6. Lewis & Clark College, Portland, Oregon

7. Warren Wilson College, Asheville, North Carolina

8. Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida

9. New College of Florida, Sarasota

10. University of Vermont, Burlington

11. The Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington

12. New York University, New York City

13. Reed College, Portland, Oregon

14. Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York

15. Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York

16. Pitzer College, Claremont, California

17. Arizona State University, Tempe

18. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

19. Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, New York

20. Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa

Bottom 20 Colleges: How Widely Used Is Marijuana?

(The “Don’t Inhale” List)

1. U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado

2. U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, Connecticut

3. Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, California

4. Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah

5. College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, Missouri

6. U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland

7. U.S. Military Academy, West Point, New York

8. Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois

9. U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York

10. The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma

11. Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio

12. Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan

13. Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska

14. University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana

15. Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan

16. Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama

17. Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport

18. University of Louisiana at Lafayette

19. City University of New York – Baruch College, New York City

20. City University of New York – Queens College, Flushing, New York

Marijuana Users Ain’t “Stupid Stoners”

By NORML on Jul 27, 2011

The consumption of cannabis, even long-term, poses few adverse effects on cognitive performance, according to clinical trial data to be published in the scientific journal Addiction.

Investigators at the University of Melbourne and the Australian National University, Center for Mental Health Research assessed the impact of cannabis use on various measures of memory and intelligence in over 2,000 self-identified marijuana consumers and non-users over an eight-year period.

Among cannabis consumers, subjects were grouped into the following categories: ‘heavy’ (once a week or more) users, ‘light’ users, ‘former heavy’ users, ‘former light’ users, and ‘always former’ — a category that consisted of respondents who had ceased using marijuana prior to their entry into the study.

Researchers reported: “Only with respect to the immediate recall measure was there evidence of an improved performance associated with sustained abstinence from cannabis, with outcomes similar to those who had never used cannabis at the end point. On the remaining cognitive measures, after controlling for education and other characteristics, there were no significant differences associated with cannabis consumption.”

They concluded, “Therefore, the adverse impacts of cannabis use on cognitive functions either appear to be related to pre-existing factors or are reversible in this community cohort even after potentially extended periods of use.”

Separate studies have previously reported that long-term marijuana use is not associated with residual deficits in neurocognitive function. Specifically, a 2001 study published in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry found that chronic cannabis consumers who abstained from the drug for one week “showed virtually no significant differences from control subjects (those who had smoked marijuana less than 50 times in their lives) on a battery of 10 neuropsychological tests. … Former heavy users, who had consumed little or no cannabis in the three months before testing, [also] showed no significant differences from control subjects on any of these tests on any of the testing days.”

Additionally, studies have also implied that cannabis may be neuroprotective against alcohol-induced cognitive deficits. A 2009 study by investigators at the University of California and San Diego reported that binge drinkers who also used cannabis experienced significantly less white matter damage to the brain as compared to subjects who consumed alcohol alone.

For more information regarding the impact of cannabis on brain function, see NORML’s factsheet ‘Cannabis and the Brain: A User’s Guide,’ here.\

[Editor's note: This post is excerpted from this week's forthcoming NORML weekly media advisory. To have NORML's media alerts and legislative advisories delivered straight to your in-box, sign up here.]

Ten Celebrity Potheads That Might Surprise You!

You already know that Willie Nelson loves the green, and you’re probably not surprised to hear Jack Black is a toker. Hell, you probably even remember when sweet Mary Ann from Gilligan’s Island got popped for marijuana possession recently.

But you might not be aware of these celebrities who like to partake from time to time. Here are 10 celebrity potheads that might surprise you

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Kirsten Dunst- Just last year, Kirsten Dunst admitted she likes smoking marijuana. In fact, she said “America’s view on weed is ridiculous” and the world would be a better place if “everyone smoked weed.” No wonder she likes playing the role of Mary Jane in Spiderman. Okay, that’s a lame joke, but I couldn’t resist.

Charlize Theron- It wasn’t all that long ago that Charlize Theron was caught sucking smoke from an apple. The pictures were published in National Enquirer back in 2002. While Theron never admitted to her marijuana use, it’s doubtful that this was her first rodeo.

Brad Pitt- Whether on the set of Ocean’s Twelve or Thelma & Louise, one thing is clear: Brad Pitt likes to unwind after a long day of shooting with a little help from his green friend. Beyond the reports of on-set smoking, Pitt’s also been spotted on numerous occasions with T-shirts professing his love for weed.

Jennifer Aniston- This stunning actress has admitted her love for weed on several occasions. Back when she was still married to Brad Pitt, she confessed that she and Pitt used to smoke together on a regular basis. However, Aniston did make sure to point out that she smokes in moderation.

Harrison Ford- Harrison Ford has Bill Maher to thank for making this list. At a NORML conference, Maher told attendees it was high time Harrison Ford took a step out of the cannabis closet. I knew Indiana Jones had to be under the influence when he would pull off all those crazy stunts.

Morgan Freeman- In an interview with the UK newspaper The Guardian, this legendary actor told reporters he had given up his use of hard drugs, but that he would never quit his relationship with Mary Jane. In fact, he referred to marijuana as “God’s own weed.”

Michael Bloomberg- The 108th Mayor of New York City was once asked if he ever smoked weed before becoming Mayor. Not only did Bloomberg admit to his marijuana use, he said “You bet I did. And I enjoyed it!”

Justin Timberlake- Boy bander Justin Timberlake once said marijuana should be legalized. He told fellow star Nelly that it would cut the crime rate in half. According to Nelly, he and Timberlake love partying together, and they share a love for the green. So, that’s how Justin Timberlake could tolerate being in N-Sync for so long.

George Clooney- When shooting Ocean’s Twelve, the cast went on location to Amsterdam. The owner of a local cannabis café told reporters George Clooney was no stranger there. Apparently, the charming actor visits the store at least a few times a year. It makes sense if you think about it. Clooney is always calm and even-tempered.

Stephen King- Stephen King is the most popular horror novelist of this generation. Unlike some celebrities who recoil when asked about cannabis, King confidently states “I think that marijuana should not only be legal, I think it should be a cottage industry. It would be wonderful for the state of Maine. There’s some pretty good homegrown dope. I’m sure it would be even better if you could grow it with fertilizers and have greenhouses. . . .”

How To: Get A Medical Marijuana Card in Nevada

The Nevada Medical Marijuana Program was adopted by the Nevada Legislature in 2001; registration for a medical marijuana card in the state is administered by the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS), State Health Division.

Registration on the Nevada Medical Marijuana program will afford you legal protection from state level criminal penalties for the use, possession and cultivation of marijuana for medical purposes. Nevada Medical Marijuana Law applies if you suffer from any of the following conditions:

The Nevada Medical Marijuana Program: Qualifying Conditions

• AIDS
• Cancer
• Glaucoma
• Cachexia (wasting disease)
• Persistent muscle spasms, including spasms caused by multiple sclerosis
• Seizures, including seizures caused by epilepsy
• Severe nausea
• Severe pain
• Any other medical condition or treatment for a medical condition that is: (a) Classified as a chronic or debilitating medical condition by regulation of the Division; or (b) Approved as a chronic or debilitating medical condition following an application to the DHSS

The Nevada Medical Marijuana Program: Possession

If you hold a Nevada patient ID card you may legally possess:

• 1oz of usable marijuana
• 3 mature plants
• 4 immature plants

You may designate a primary caregiver to help you cultivate and use your medicine. Patients may legally possess items, such as vaporizers and pipes, that are necessary for using cannabis.

The Nevada Medical Marijuana Program: Application Process

Requests for registration on the Nevada Medical Marijuana Program or changes to your current circumstances must be submitted in writing through the US Postal Service, UPS or FEDEX only. This also applies to changes in your current circumstances. There is no walk in service. Your written request should include the following:

• The address the form should be sent to
• If you have a caregiver, include a request for a caregiver packet
• If you are requesting an application for someone other than yourself, include that persons name and address
• If you are requesting an application for a minor, include a request for a minor release
• You will not be able to obtain a Medical Marijuana Card if you hold a Commercial Drivers License
• A registration fee of $50: your check or money order should be made payable to the Nevada State Health Division
• Mail your request to: Nevada State Health Division, 4150 Technology Way – Suite 104, Carson City, Nevada 89706

You will be sent an application form; to complete it you will need a doctor’s confirmation that you suffer from one of the conditions listed above and recommendation that marijuana will help to relieve that condition. The Division of Health will check the status of the doctor who provided the recommendation; they will also check out whether you have any past convictions for selling a controlled substance.

On approval your registry ID card will be issued at a DMV office in Las Vegas, Henderson, Reno, Elko, or Carson City.
The Nevada Medical Marijuana Program: Doctors

Any Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) licensed in Nevada can recommend a patient for Nevada’s medical marijuana program.
The Nevada Medical Marijuana Program: Caregivers

As a patient, you and your designated primary caregiver are allowed to produce marijuana. You are only allowed one primary caregiver at a time. Your caregiver must be at least 18 years old, have significant responsibility for managing your well-being, and be officially designated as your primary caregiver. If you want a designated caregiver, make sure to request a caregiver packet when you request an application from the Division of Health.
The Nevada Medical Marijuana Program: Important Information

• Nevada medical marijuana law does not protect a patient who uses their medicine while driving or operating a boat. Nor does the law allow you to medicate in any place exposed to public view
• A patient under the age of 18 must have a signed statement from his or her parent or legal guardian saying that the parent will be the patient’s designated primary caregiver and agrees to control the acquisition of medicine, the dosage, and frequency of use
• The list of patients with IDs is confidential and not subject to subpoena, discovery, or inspection by the general public
• Nevada medical marijuana law does not specifically address whether or not you can be evicted because you are a patient with an ID. Nothing in the Nevada law specifically addresses whether or not a person can be a patient and live in subsidized housing. If you live in housing funded by the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Nevada law will not protect you and you may be subject to eviction because medical marijuana is not protected under federal law
• Nevada’s medical marijuana law states that no correctional facility, including a county jail, state prison, or juvenile detention center, is required to accommodate a medical marijuana patient
• Nevada does not require employers to accommodate medical marijuana use in the workplace
• Nevada does not require an insurance carrier to reimburse you for the cost of your medicine
• The Nevada Medical Marijuana Program does not offer protection from prosecution to visitors from other states. If you do not have a Nevada patient ID you will not be protected from prosecution under Nevada law
• The Nevada medical necessity defense should still apply to an out of state patient

The Nevada Medical Marijuana Program: Contact Details

• Nevada State Health Division’s medical marijuana website
• Text of Statute
• Administrative Regulations

-from medicalmarijuanablog.com

12 Inventions That Had To Have Been Created By Stoners

Stoners are some of my favorite people in the world. They are resourceful, innovative, and they come up with some of the wildest ideas around. There is something about being stoned that brings out the most creative sides of people. It also brings out the hungriest and (sometimes) laziest parts of people too. When you are stoned you just want to chill and eat something.

Before you read this list I will give my disclaimer, I don’t know for certain that everyone who invented the products are this list were stoners. This is just speculation but pretty undeniable speculation at that.

Here are 12 inventions that were almost certainly created by someone who was blazing.

George Foreman Grill – Anything that can cook up meat this quickly, easily, and thoroughly had to have been created by a stoner. We need as many assorted munchies as we can have in as short a time as possible.

Multiple disk CD changers – For when you need to hear that track and you just DON’T feel like moving anywhere to change the CD.

Remote controls – Maybe the most important invention for stoners ever for obvious reasons. If it wasn’t for this, you would probably never change your channel, ever.

Recliners – Being comfortable during high times is essential.

Microwave Ovens – This was made by stoners for stoners. Similarly to the George Foreman Grill, fast and easy food is always a good thing.

Vending Machines – More quick and easy food, especially if you do it like these guys do it.

Clips – Any kind of clip can be used for roaches. I don’t even know that they have any other use.

Caller ID – There is nothing worse than picking up the phone while your high and it is someone you DON’T want to talk to like someone who talks too much or your boss.

Silly Putty – You have to be high to come up with some shit like this.

Lighter Leash – Stoners lose lighters like nobodies business. This is the best way for you to offer someone your lighter and make sure you get it back.

iRobot – These automatic vacuum thing are perfect for when your high but someone knocks over the ashtray.

Key ringer – Stoners have the tendency of losing things frequently. Just hope that you are not the ass that is searching for his keys with the key thing that beeps to let you know where they are, and they are right in your other hand.

Map of Cannabis Use Around the World

I came across this wonderful map at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in their very interesting Cannabis Market PDF.

The darker blue areas show where cannabis smokers (or as they call it ‘level of abuse’) are more than 18% of the population.

The data is relatively recent and clearly shows that the US, Europe and Australia love their weed! (or hash)

Read more about World Map of Cannabis Use | Dope Smoker by null

Massachusettes Court: Odor Of Pot Not Enough To Order Suspect To Exit Car

Photo: Flawless Hustle

Yes, I know what the car smells like, officer. Maybe you haven’t heard about the decision from the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts.

​

Huge Victory In Massachusetts Limits Police Power

It’s a logical outcome of decrim, and it finally happened today. The mere odor of burning marijuana is no longer reason enough for police officers to order a person out of their car in Massachusetts, now that possession of less than an ounce of pot has been decriminalized there, the state’s highest court ruled on Tuesday.

“Without at least some other additional fact to bolster a reasonable suspicion of criminal activity, the odor of burnt marijuana alone cannot reasonably provide suspicion of criminal activity to justify an exit order,” the Supreme Judicial Court ruled in a decision written by Chief Justice Roderick Ireland, reports Martin Finucane at the Boston Globe.

Photo: News @ Northeastern

I like this guy: Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Roderick Ireland

​

According to the court, the people’s intent in passing a ballot question which decriminalized possession of small amounts of cannabis was “clear: possession of one ounce or less of marijuana should not be considered a serious infraction worthy of criminal sanction.”

“Ferreting out decriminalized conduct with the same fervor associated with the pursuit of serious criminal conduct is neither desired by the public not in accord with the plain language of the statute,” the court ruled.

In a long-overdue triumph of logic, the court ruled that the change in the law should — you guessed it! — affect how police behave in the field.

Justice Judith Cowin, who has since retired, wrote a dissent in the 5-1 decision. She wrote that up until this ruling, Massachusetts state law has allowed police to perform a warrantless search if they smelled burnt marijuana in a car.

“Even though possession of a small amount of marijuana is now no longer criminal, it may serve as the basis for a reasonable suspicion that activities involving marijuana, that are indeed criminal, are underway,” she wrote in a torturous example of non-logic.

“Our case law is clear that ‘the odor of marijuana is sufficiently distinctive that it alone can supply probable cause to believe that marijuana is nearby,’ ” Cowin wrote.

“The advent of decriminalization certainly has had no effect on the distinctiveness of marijuana’s odor. Nor has decriminalization affected the criminal status of numerous other activities involving marijuana,” she wrote, inadvertently revealing that her fevered imagination around what those potheads must be doing is a lot keener than is her shaky legal acumen.

Massachusetts voters in November 2008 overwhelmingly approved Question 2, which decriminalized marijuana, with backers calling for a “more sensible approach” to marijuana laws and asking law enforcement to focus on more serious and violent crimes.

Pizza Amendment Pokes Fun At Medical Marijuana Measure

Photo: Cannabis Culture

Under a joke amendment proposed by a Republican legislator in Washington, medical marijuana patients could order pizza on the state’s dime.

​It seems everyone’s a comedian when it comes to cannabis. Now a Washington legislator has added a joke pizza amendment to a bill which would expand the state’s medical marijuana law.

Rep. Glenn Anderson (F-Fall City) proposed a joke amendment requiring the state to reimburse medical marijuana patients for pizza the eat while legally high. Anderson’s amendment specifies it would not reimburse for more than three toppings, or for tips to pizza delivery drivers.

Philip Dawdy, spokesman for the Washington Cannabis Association, a trade group for the medical marijuana industry in the state, didn’t seem to mind the joke. “It’s the best amendment in the history of the Legislature,” Dawdy told reporter Jonathan Martin at The Seattle Times.

“The entire subject is rather cheesy,” Seattle Hempfest organizer Vivian McPeak told Toke of the Town. “All I am saying is give pizza chance.”

“Pizza is a no-no on renal diets but hey, as long as it’s government subsidized… after all, they’re concerned with our health, right?” medical marijuana patient/activist Ric Smith told us.

Photo: Seattle P.I.

Rep. Glenn Anderson (R-Fall City): “At this point, smoking a joint might not be a bad idea”

​ Some cannabis activists, however, weren’t amused. After all, Washington’s medical marijuana law requires that patients must be suffering from a “terminal or debilitating” disease.

“Glenn Anderson’s ‘medical cannabis pizza amendment’ might be funny if it were not one of a dozen amendments proposed by a very few legislators which seek to make our law unworkable and ineffective,” Ben Livingston of the Seattle-based Cannabis Defense Coalition told Toke of the Town Monday morning. “It’s not the only amendment he proposed, though it is the least egregious.”

“The former pot smoker may find humor in jokes about the appetite-stimulating properties of cannabis and cancer patients getting the munchies — we admit to making such jokes amongst our friends with cancer and other qualifying illnesses,” Livingston told us, “but wasting state dollars and employee hours with such whimsy seems to trivialize the wasting syndromes and severe nausea that medical cannabis helps alleviate, as well as our state’s budget crisis.”

“Mr. Anderson’s amendment is, at best, insensitive to suffering patients, but it’s indicative of what many of our legislators think of medical cannabis,” Steve Sarich of CannaCare told Toke of the Town on Monday morning. “Unfortunately for Mr. Anderson, he’s made a joke of himself with this ridiculous amendment.”

Rep. Anderson said he came up with the pizza amendment idea during a House Republican caucus on Friday morning when lawmakers got in a discussion about their favorite munchies. “It got to be a pretty long list of favorite comfort foods,” he said. “But you’ve got to draw the line somewhere.”

Anderson said he supports the bill, SB 5073, because it would impose a framework on how medical marijuana can be legally grown and sold in the state. Washington’s medical marijuana law, passed by voters in 1998, doesn’t answer the question of whether dispensaries are legal.

SB 5073, which has already passed the Senate, would legalize and regulate medical marijuana dispensaries and food processors, and would also finally give Washington patients legal protection from search and arrest for possessing cannabis.

Anderson said he suspects most lawmakers have smoked pot, and that the House will pass the bill if it reaches the floor.

The bill could come up for a vote on the House floor at any time. If that happens, Anderson said he plans to talk about the amendment, then he might withdraw it.

“Times are pretty serious right now,” Anderson said. “At this point, smoking a joint might not be a bad idea.”

American Express Can No Longer Be Used To Buy Medical Marijuana

American Express is no longer allowing transactions to be processed at medical marijuana dispensaries nationwide, according to published reports.

A spokesperson told the LA Weekly that the company made the decision to not allow its credit cards to be accepted for medical marijuana because it is their “policy to adhere to the federal law in such matters.”

The American Independent reported that Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) plans to introduce legislation to clarify that banks can maintain normal business relationships with legal medical marijuana dispensaries, possibly as soon as this week.

“I haven’t seen it with other credit cards,” Aaron Smith, executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association, said. “I don’t understand why they would turn their back on a $2 billion industry. It’s perplexing.”

The company has given no explain of its decision, but Dennis Romero of LA Weekly believes the decision may be a result of businesses complaining about the credit cards they issue to employees being used to purchase marijuana. Ilana Greene of Business Insider added that American Express may have received a high number of fraudulent charges from medical marijuana dispensaries, thanks to thieves using stolen cards to try to buy marijuana.