Benefit Event Set For Fired Walmart Medical Marijuana Patient

http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2011/07/benefit_event_set_for_fired_walmart_medical_mariju.php

Photo: Joseph Casias

Cancer patient Joseph Casias, former Employee of the Year at Walmart: “I just don’t understand why it is so bad to use something that helps me and many others who suffer with illnesses and pain”

​Once in awhile, corporate America commits such a glaring injustice that people are sickened by the inhumanity of it. Such was the case last year when a Michigan Walmart fired its former Employee of the Year, Joseph Casias, after he showed up positive for marijuana on a routine drug test — despite the fact that he is a seriously ill cancer patient legally using medical cannabis on the recommendation of his physician.

Casias, 30, who has an inoperable brain tumor, was sacked by the Battle Creek Walmart after he failed a routine urine screen following a workplace injury. And despite a chorus of nationwide protest, the corporate behemoth stuck by its heartless decision and eventually prevailed in court after a judge upheld the dismissal.

Casias said that he only used marijuana after his work shift, and never used on the job. He tried cannabis after his oncologist suggested it.

Photo: Joseph Casias

Joseph was Associate of the Year at his Walmart store — until they fired him for being a legal medical marijuana patient.

​ He went to work every day during his five years at Walmart. “I gave them everything,” Casias said. “One hundred and ten percent every day. Anything they asked me to do, I did. More than they asked me to do. Twelve to 14 hours a day.”

Joseph’s attorneys, including a team from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), said that his firing undermined Michigan’s medical marijuana law, and forced patients to choose between jobs and medicine.

His case attracted so much attention that it influenced the writing of medical marijuana laws in places like Arizona, where an initiative including workplace protection for cannabis patients was approved last November.

But meanwhile, Joseph Casias, a family man, is still out of a job in Michigan’s grim economy. Walmart last year even tried (unsuccessfully) to deny him his unemployment benefits.

“I just don’t understand why it is so bad to use something that helps me and many others who suffer with illnesses and pain,” Casias said in a Facebook note. “Why would you not want to help people who are suffering with high levels of pain? Where is the compassion for your fellow man?”

“Medical marijuana helps me and a lot of others, and I am grateful for every person who helps sick patients with their medicine and information on medical marijuana, because without people like them I would not know what I know today,” Casias said.

“I am encouraged by others’ fights to stand up for this medicine and our right to use this as such,” Casias said. “I want to say thank you, thank you for helping the sick … Thank you for all your support and love. I only hope that one day people would see that this is a medicine and it does help.”

“To all of the medical marijuana patients, I love you. I care, and there are a lot of others who do as well,” Casias said. “Together we need to work as one to show others that this is a medicine, that it does help a lot of very sick people who are only trying to live the best life they can.”

It’s time for the medical marijuana community to pitch in and help one of our own.

Great Lakes Compassion Benefit For Joseph Casias

A three-day Great Lakes Compassion Benefit for Joseph Casias has been set for Friday, September 16 through Sunday, September 18, at Lucky Lake Campground, 3977 West Wilke Road, Montague, Michigan.

Photo: Lucky Lake Campground

Enjoy beautiful natural surroundings while supporting a good cause.

​ A beautiful 180-acre campground which has a 40-acre private lake has been secured for the event. Weekend passes with camping will be available as well as single day passes for Saturday, September 17 only.

“I feel this event is important for so many reasons, it is hard to know where to start,” organizer Clark Nienhuis told Toke of the Town. “First off, Walmart failed to do the right thing. What does it say when a man gets sick, he has no right to employment if his treatment includes medical marijuana?”

“Joseph was not looking for a free ride or the easy way out,” Nienhuis said. “He was working while being sick, not sitting home on a pity pot. Joseph, as any good husband and father, only wants to provide for his family.”

Photo: Clark Nienhuis

​ “Let us not forget, before his testing positive, he was awarded Associate of the Year for the store he worked at,” Nienhuis said. “So Joseph came through when Walmart needed him, but when Joseph needed Walmart, they kicked him to the curb.”

“This event is also to show that medical cannabis patients are, in fact, kind, loving, hard-working members of this nation and that we do care,” Nienhuis said. “The government has fed a propaganda campaign portraying cannabis users as lost souls who have no morals, integrity, work ethics or even capable of love and compassion.”

“We would like to remind voters why they voted YES on Proposal 1 in 2008,” Nienhuis said, referring to the initiative through which voters legalized medical marijuana in Michigan. “I feel the road to ending cannabis prohibition is through education and compassion.”

“We will have guest speakers, and vendors with arts, crafts, grow room supplies, head shop items and much more,” Nienhuis told me. “I do anticipate a great time to be had for everyone who attends. This is a great opportunity to meet good people and get to know them on a personal level. l

Ticket prices will include a donation for Joseph. Event ticket prices will be announced soon and “will be reasonable,” according to event organizers.

Lucky Lake is a private lake and fishing is allowed without a fishing license, but is “catch and release” only. A fishing contest is anticipated; bring your fishing poles and cameras to take pictures of your catches, because you will be required to release them.

The site is still quite warm in September, so bring a swimsuit, along with a raft or inner tube, and relax in the clean, sandy-bottom lake. Water volleyball nets are set up on the beautiful sand bar on one side of the lake.

Most campsites are along the shoreline. Picnic tables and fire rings are on the campsites. The beach area has grills and picnic tables, as well as some hammocks in the pines overlooking the beach.

Items will be raffled, including a 1000-watt HPS light system, patient certification/recertification (must have qualifying medical condition), grow supplies and many other items. All proceeds from the raffles will go to Joseph Casias.

The event is looking for sponsors, vendors, bands, comedians, arts/crafts, industrial hemp products, and event committee members. If you’re interested and would like to participate, you can “Like” the event’s page on Facebook and contact the organizers.

Here’s How You Can Help

1. Please help promote this benefit for Joseph (i.e. email, word of mouth, Facebook, etc).

2. All suggestions for fundraising ideas for Joseph are welcome and appreciated.

3. Donations for door prizes.

4. Donations for the pig roast are needed. A pig roaster, pig, plastic ware, paper products and additional accompanying items as needed.

5. A web page designer is needed. The web page will provide details regarding the event and allow those who cannot attend to donate online to Joseph.

6. Volunteers are needed for the fishing contest, pig cooking, and for the door prizes.

7. Individual or Business financial sponsorship to help cover expenses.

8. Vendors (foods, artists, crafts).

9. Bands that will perform free-of-charge.

If you can help, please email Clark Nienhuis at harleydakotadog@aol.com.

Rick Simpson: Run From The Cure

 http://www.theweedblog.com/rick-simpson-run-from-the-cure/

Rick Simpson has been providing people with Hemp Oil medicines, at no cost, for about years. The results have been nothing short of amazing. Watch the documentary Run From The Cure to understand more about using cannabis as a cure for cancer and other medical problems!

#AskObama Twitter Town Hall Ignores Flood of Marijuana Legalization Questions

Republicans were not the only ones flooding President Barack Obama with questions during his “#AskObama” Twitter town hall; the event also generated a huge response from those opposed to the war on drugs.

Data gathered by TwitSprout showed the most retweeted question for Obama was about the legalization of marijuana.

“Would you consider legalizing marijuana to increase revenue and save tax dollars by freeing up crowded prisons, court rooms?” was retweeted 4911 times, according to the analytics service.

A question about letting the Bush tax cuts expire came in second place, with only 1800 retweets.

Although marijuana legalization was an overwhelmingly popular question with Twitter users, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, who moderated the online town hall, focused on questions pertaining to the economy, education and space exploration.

“#AskObama why they will answer Rep. Boehner’s question, but won’t talk about #CannabisJobs! Legalize it, start a new job creating industry,” the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws complained in tweet, which was itself retweeted more than 100 times.

During his YouTube Q&A in January, Obama was asked what his plan was to help alleviate the detrimental effects of America’s drug war.

He responded by saying that while he’s not in favor of legalization, he did see room for adjusting the drug war to focus less on incarceration and enforcement and more on medical treatment and other forms of interdiction.

The position expressed by President Obama was largely unchanged from 2009, when he told a community driven Q&A that he did not believe legalizing marijuana was a good strategy to grow the economy. He did not, however, crack a joke about the question, calling the debate over drug policy “legitimate.”

With prior reporting by Stephen C. Webster

Donated Marijuana Found in Goodwill Dropbox

Posted by Ninja Smoker at 1:51 am on July 18, 2011

A surprise appeared among the donations at a Goodwill store in Kansas over the weekend.

A Lawrence, Kan., Goodwill donor dropped off some marijuana with other items, officials say.

A Goodwill employee found a small amount of marijuana mixed in with a variety of other things in the drop box at 8 a.m. Saturday, the Lawrence Journal World reported.

Police say they believe the donation was accidental.

“I don’t think they did it on purpose,” said Lawrence police Sgt. Ted Bordman, who confiscated the marijuana and said it would be destroyed.

http://www.theweedblog.com/donated-marijuana-found-in-goodwill-dropbox/

Seattle Committee Passes Bill to License Cannabis Dispensaries

Thursday, July 14, 2011, at 9:42 am

Photo: Steve Elliott ~alapoet~

​A Seattle City Council panel on Wednesday unanimously passed a measure licensing and regulating medical marijuana dispensaries in the city.

The ordinance now moves to the full City Council for consideration on Monday, July 18, reports Chris Grygiel at the Seattle P.I. But prior to the vote by the Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee, one attorney told the council members that the ordinance won’t stand up in court.

“I want to applaud the City Council for taking a look at this matter … unfortunately I must urge you to reconsider your proposal,” said activist/attorney Douglas Hiatt, who said he represents medical marijuana patients. “Go back to the drawing board. I do not believe there is any way you can pass your ordinance will stand under the law. The state’s controlled substances act pre-empts the field … Marijuana is still illegal … It’s illegal for all purposes, you cannot regulate an illegal business without a specific authority.”

Photo: Douglas Hiatt

Attorney Douglas Hiatt: “If you pass this, I will take you to court and do my very best to knock it out”

​ When Gov. Chris Gregoire line-item vetoed a bill earlier this year which would have allowed medical marijuana dispensaries statewide, she nixed language that would have allowed the Council to pass its own regulations, according to Hiatt.

“If you pass this, I will take you to court and do my very best to knock it out,” Hiatt told the Council.

Earlier this year, the Washington Legislature passed a medical marijuana bill, but Gregoire vetoed most of it, claiming she was worried the law would put state workers at risk of federal prosecution, even though that’s never happened in any medical marijuana state.

Washington has allowed patients with qualifying conditions to use medical marijuana since voters approved it in 1998, but the federal government doesn’t recognize any medicinal use for cannabis. The bill that passed in the Legislature was intended to set clearer regulations on dispensaries, establish a licensing system, and institute a patient registry with arrest protection.

Gregoire vetoed provisions which would have licensed and regulated marijuana dispensaries. She also vetoed the provision which would have created a patient registry under the Department of Health.

Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, along with the city attorney and King County’s executive and prosecutor had all supported establishing a legal framework for medical marijuana.

The ordinance before the Seattle City Council, sponsored by Councilman Nick Licata, would require medical marijuana dispensaries to get business licenses, pay taxes and fees and meet city land use codes. The shops would also be subject to the city’s Chronic Nuisance Property Law, which means if there were repeated complaints about their activity, they could be fined or shut down.

The “open use and display of cannabis” would be prohibited at the dispensaries.

Not all people testifying before the Council on Wednesday thought the effort was in vain. A University District resident urged the Council to come up with zoning rules so that neighborhoods like his aren’t “overrun” with dispensaries.

To read medical marijuana documents presented to the Council, click here and here.

5th Grader Turns in Pot-Smoking Parents

Parents Arrested After Fifth Grader Turns Them In For Having Marijuana Joints; Kid Inspired By L.A.-Founded D.A.R.E. Program

D.A.R.E. ensares parents who smoke — gasp — joints.

​ You gotta love D.A.R.E., the anti-drug program created by late Los Angeles police Chief Daryl Gates in 1983. It’s done a great job of eradicating drugs in schools. More importantly, it’s made snitches out of children who have been taught by cops to turn in their parents.

That’s what happened last week in Matthews, North Carolina, a suburb of Charlotte, where an 11-year-old elementary school kid brought a few joints to campus and turned them in, saying they belonged to mom and dad.

This, of course, was after the good officers at D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) came to school to give their anti-drug lecture.

Matthews police Officer Stason Tyrrell told WBTV the 5th grader did the right thing:

“Even if it’s happening in their own home with their own parents, they understand that’s a dangerous situation because of what we’re teaching them. That’s what they’re told to do, to make us aware.”

The dad, age 40, and the mom, age 38, were arrested on suspicion of marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia — misdemeanors.

The dad, who’s name was withheld by the TV station, told WBTV it’s “no one’s business” how the 11-year-old got a hold the joints, and that “I don’t give drugs to my kids.”

D.A.R.E. has been widely criticized as ineffective, a product of the Just-Say-No ’80s. But its L.A.-based proselytizers carry on as if Nancy Reagan is still the first lady.

What’s ironic is that, had this case happened in D.A.R.E.’s hometown, the parents very well could have had a prescription for their weed, and the cops might have had to lay off.

Documentary Planned for Cancer Patient Cured by MMJ

Documentary Planned For Critical Cancer Patient Cured By Medical Marijuana

Cannabis Science Inc. (nasd otcbb:CBIS) a pioneering US biotech company developing pharmaceutical cannabis products, is pleased to announce that it has been contacted by Lynnice Wedewer, Ph.D. who is a 34 year multiple cancer patient survivor who has been cured of 7 of her 8 cancers in a major part because of medical cannabis. Dr. Wedewer wishes to share her story through Cannabis Science and help our case and education towards general acceptance of medical cannabis as a natural and viable treatment for cancer.

In 1979, Iowa passed a medical marijuana law which impacted five children suffering from cancer and who were placed into a cancer treatment program using medical cannabis under the supervision of the University of Iowa. Dr. Wedewer was one of those children and only 1 1/2 years ago did the law in Iowa finally change to allow these patients to finally speak out about their treatment and success stories in battling cancer with medical cannabis.

The Company is excited to feature Dr. Lynnice Wedewer’s cancer success story and testimonial in its upcoming documentary, along with other cancer survivors who were cured through the use of medical cannabis.

Dr. Wedewer runs a website http://www.lynnicewedewer.com where she provides her testimony, speeches, educational material, marijuana facts, interviews and documentaries, and other informational links regarding marijuana.

Dr. Robert Melamede, Ph. D., Cannabis Science Inc., President & CEO said, “These are exciting times to be part of a burgeoning medical marijuana movement and shedding light on patients who are telling their stories and opening up medical files to demonstrate the cancer curing power of medical cannabis. We are enthusiastic and hopefully that Dr. Lynnice Wedewer’s testimonial and cancer success along with other patient success stories, including profound medical evidence, will help to educate and finally open up the eyes of federal regulators to decriminalize medical cannabis; so more people’s lives can be saved by this natural herbal remedy and stop killing people with man-made pharmaceuticals.”

About Cannabis Science, Inc.

Cannabis Science, Inc. is at the forefront of pharmaceutical grade medical marijuana research and development. The Company works with world authorities on phytocannabinoid science targeting critical illnesses, and adheres to scientific methodologies to develop, produce and commercialize phytocannabinoid-based pharmaceutical products. In sum, we are dedicated to the creation of cannabis-based medicines, both with and without psychoactive properties, to treat disease and the symptoms of disease, as well as for general health maintenance.

Federal government says marijuana has no accepted medical use

LA-Marijuana has been approved by California, many other states and the nation’s capital to treat a range of illnesses, but in a decision announced Friday the federal government ruled that it has no accepted medical use and should remain classified as a dangerous drug like heroin.

The decision comes almost nine years after medical marijuana supporters asked the government to reclassify cannabis to take into account a growing body of worldwide research that shows its effectiveness in treating certain diseases, such as glaucoma and multiple sclerosis.

Advocates for the medical use of the drug criticized the ruling but were elated that the Obama administration had finally acted, which allows them to appeal to the federal courts, where they believe they can get a fairer hearing. The decision to deny the request was made by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and comes less than two months after advocates asked the U.S. Court of Appeals to force the administration to respond to their petition.

“We have foiled the government’s strategy of delay, and we can now go head-to-head on the merits, that marijuana really does have therapeutic value,” said Joe Elford, the chief counsel for Americans for Safe Access and the lead counsel on the recently filed lawsuit. Elford said he was not surprised by the decision, which comes just after the Obama administration announced it would not tolerate large-scale commercial marijuana cultivation. “It is clearly motivated by a political decision that is anti-marijuana,” he said. He noted that studies demonstrate pot has beneficial effects, including appetite stimulation for people undergoing chemotherapy. “One of the things people say about marijuana is that it gives you the munchies and the truth is that it does, and for some people that’s a very positive thing.”

DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart sent a letter dated June 21 to the organizations that filed a petition for the change. The letter and the documentation that she used to back up her decision were published Friday in the Federal Register. Leonhart said she rejected the request because marijuana “has a high potential for abuse,” “has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States” and “lacks accepted safety for use under medical supervision.”

This is the third time that petitions to reclassify marijuana have been spurned. The first was filed in 1972 and denied 17 years later. The second was filed in 1995 and denied in 2001. Both decisions were appealed, but the courts sided with the federal government.

Ron Paul & Hemp for American Farmers:energy efficiency grants

Energy audit [Economist articles in description – Ron Paul mentioned in one] A video consisting of an US Government history lesson about hemp which leads into an argument for hemp and then Ron Paul’s Hemp legislation. Hemp has the potential to be a huge boon for American farmers and the US economy all while helping the environment and improving US security by lowering our reliance on foreign oil…and Ron Paul is the only candidate in favor of legislation to allow American Farmers to grow it. Music Artist – The Whitest Boy Alive Song – Golden Cage (Economist – 6/23/07) Nowadays farmers are banned from growing hemp without a permit from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which usually refuses to grant one. So many hemp products in America—food, lotions, clothing, paper and so forth—are imported from China or Canada, where farmers have been allowed to grow hemp commercially since 1998. Hemp grows so easily that few pesticides or even fertilisers are needed. “Feral” hemp is said to grow by the roadside in Iowa and Nebraska. Barbara Filippone, owner of a hemp fabric company called Enviro Textiles, says demand has rocketed—sales are growing by 35% a year. Nutiva, a California-based hemp company that sells hemp bars, shakes and oils, saw sales rise from under $1m three years ago to $4.5m last year. “Hemp is the next soy,” predicts John Roulac, Nutiva’s founder. American farmers would love to grow hemp. North Dakota, which in 1999 became the first state to allow industrial hemp …energy saving

 

The Environmental and Nutritional Benefits of Hemp

The hemp plant is of foremost importance to protecting the environment. It is simultaneously the most useful and the most underutilized plant of anything we have access to. The environmental implications of hemp are wide reaching and extremely powerful.

Not only is hemp great for the Earth’s environment, but it is the most nutritious resource for the human body’s internal environment.

While hemp’s benefits require pages upon pages to describe completely, I’d like to give a brief overview of everything this one plant is capable of.

Growing Hemp

The act of simply growing hemp is great for the environment. The roots are incredibly long, and break up the soil to make it easier for other crops to grow in. This also brings up nutrients from deep down for future crops, including more hemp.

One report from Kentucky stated that a batch of hemp was grown on the same land for 14 consecutive years, without any reduced yields or soil depletion. This is pretty incredible, considering that hemp can yield four times as much pulp per acre as trees, and three times as much fiber as cotton.

One ton of carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere for every two tons of hemp grown, and since hemp can produce as much as twelve tons per acre, the carbon dioxide removed adds up fast.

Hemp Products

Hemp can be used to make all kinds of environmentally friendly products, and is a great way to help us use much less petroleum.

Hemp can be used as a clean biofuel which releases no sulphur oxides when burned, and as a biodegradable alternative to petroleum plastics.

Hemp paper is stronger than wood pulp paper, can be recycled up to 8 times (compared to 3 with regular paper), and does not require dangerous bleaching agents.

The list goes on and on, but what is perhaps most important is the power of hemp nutrition.

Hemp Food

Seed from the hemp plant is the most nutritious food in the world. It contains 11 grams of protein per 3 tablespoons, but the quantity is not as important as the quality. Hemp protein is 100% complete, with all the essential amino acids, but an even better characteristic of hemp protein is its bioavailability. It is 65% globulin edestin, a simple type of plant protein that is very easy to digest. This is the highest in all the plant kingdom and it makes hemp protein the best protein in the world.

As if that wasn’t good enough, hemp protein has the perfect balance of Omega-6 and Omega-3 essential fatty acids, along with Omega-9 fatty acid. These acids are critical for the body to efficiently perform life sustaining chemical processes, and having high quantities of good fatty acids will reduce the risk of all types of diseases.

Further still, hemp seed has lots of fiber (10% soluble, 90% insoluble), minerals (magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, zinc, calcium, and more), antioxidants, and chlorophyll.

Why is this especially important?

Hemp seed can be baked into bread and used as a staple food. If this were the staple of the world, there would be no malnutrition at all, and that goes for developed and undeveloped countries. The power of hemp needs to be utilized by the world, for the sake of the environment’s health and our health!

This article was written by Justin Kander from Versativa, an innovative new company which produces raw hemp food and a powerful type of hemp seed concentrate. Dozens of people with little raw food or hemp experience have used these products to change their lives and experience the benefits of hemp for themselves. If you want highly detailed information about the company, products, and dozens of testimonials, check out the Versativa Superfoodspage.