Can Cannabidiol (CBD) Fight Metastatic Cancer?

By Staff Editor
Source: healthnewsdigest.com

According to the latest research the answer is yes.
(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTC: MJNA), a leading hemp industry innovator, is pleased to report on a September 18 San Francisco Chronicle Article, "Pot compound seen as tool against cancer."

The article states that scientists at California Pacific Medical Center who have been researching marijuana's compounds for the 20 years have found that Cannabidiol, or CBD, has the ability to "turn off" the DNA that causes "breast and other types of cancers" to metastasize. CBD is the second-most abundant cannabinoid within marijuana, but does not cause the psychotropic high of THC.

As stated in the article: "We started by researching breast cancer," said scientist Pierre Desprez. "But now we've found that Cannabidiol works with many kinds of aggressive cancers--brain, prostate--any kind in which these high levels of ID-1 are present."

Desprez said he is hopeful clinical trials will begin immediately. He currently has grant funding through the National Institutes of Health, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the U.S. Department of Defense and the California Breast Cancer Research Program.

As previously announced in the MJNA press release dated September 5, MJNA portfolio company, Red Dice Holdings, recently launched its Hemp-based high concentrate CBD health and wellness products, Dixie X, for over-the-counter sales. These Cannabidiol products represent the highest strength of CBD products on the market today, and this same concentrate will soon be used to launch the CanChew Biotechnologies line of CBD-enriched chewing gum. Click here for recent production news from PhytoSphere. Dixie X can currently be purchased in over 100 retail locations in Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico as well as on-line by anyone living in the U.S. at www.dixiex.com.

In short, MJNA and its portfolio company, PhytoSphere Systems, currently produces non-THC, high quality CBD enriched Hemp oil that according to this story, may fight the most aggressive forms of cancers we know of today.

Studies, such as those in this article and at Project CBD, have continually shown that these non-psychoactive CBD wellness products provide powerful relief for pain and anxiety sufferers, but without the euphoric effects provided by THC. The CBD health and wellness industry is estimated by MJNA to be a $5 billion market.

While the company cannot make medical claims, the Dixie X product line has been extremely well received by consumers with many positive testimonials received since launch. Please Click here for customer testimonials: http://dixiex.com/index.php/testimonials.

According to the Chronicle article, when scientists first exposed metastatic cancer cells to Cannabidiol in a petri dish, "the cells not only stopped acting crazy but they also started to revert to a normal state. Both scientists were shocked…But they got the same results each time they did it."

"This article and the findings it reports just confirm what many have known, that Cannabidiol or CBD have tremendous health and wellness potential. We are pleased that our Dixie X line of products are available right now to patients who have an immediate need for CBD and are searching for an easy way to find it," states Ted Caligiuri, Interim President of MJNA. "We take great pride in knowing that our Dixie X line may be of significant health benefit to not only all cancer patients, but those in late stages of metastatic disease. We are also looking forward to the clinical trials that will soon be underway and thank the National Institute of Health, Susan G. Komen Foundation and others for their unwavering commitment to funding this necessary research."

About Medical Marijuana, Inc.
Our mission is to be the premier cannabis and hemp industry innovators, leveraging our team of professionals to source, evaluate and purchase value-added companies and products, while allowing them to keep their integrity and entrepreneurial spirit. We strive to create awareness within our industry, develop environmentally friendly, economically sustainable businesses, while increasing shareholder value.
Medical Marijuana Inc. does not grow, sell or distribute any substances that violate United States Law or the controlled substance act.
For more information, please visit the company's website at: http://www.MedicalMarijuanaInc.com

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) DISCLOSURE
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products and statements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Hemp event comes to Old Town Tustin

By ELYSSE JAMES
Source: ocregister.com

HempAware is holding an educational event in Old Town Tustin to teach people about the non-medicinal uses of the plant.

The Costa Mesa-based group HempAware is holding an 

event in Old Town Tustin to educate people about the uses of hemp.

Ever since Tyler Hoff tried hemp protein powder, he's been on a mission to educate people about the wonders of hemp.

His grandmother, Linda Johnston, introduced him to the hemp protein powder. And then he began to learn more about the different uses of hemp.

"Before that I only knew people smoked it and made jewelry," he said.

Hoff and Costa Mesa-based HempAware are organizing an event from 2 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Earthly Juices, 664 El Camino Real near the Encore Theatre in Old Town Tustin. HempAware is working to increase people's knowledge of the many uses of hemp – in clothing, food and other products, he said.

The event is not about smoking or using medicinal marijuana, according to Hoff.

Hoff, a Costa Mesa resident, has been creating a lexicon (or as he calls it, "hempxicon") for hemp buyers.

"No matter how many people show up, we're going to hempducate and hempower the people," he said.

The plant has been used historically in clothing and fabrics. HempAware will bring together professionals who use hemp in products, such as in food, drinks, fabric and other materials.

The HempAware event costs $20 and features a fashion show, live music, presentations, food sampling and demonstrations of how to make hemp yogurt and hemp ice cream, and a drum circle.

The goal, Hoff said, is to let people know about "this amazing plant that has been pushed under the rug for the last 70 to 80 years."

The fashion show, held outside Earthly Juices, will feature pieces by Natural High Lifestyle, Vital Hemp and Groceries Apparel. There will also be hemp arts and crafts – likely an art installation that will be displayed at Earthly Juices, Hoff said.

HempAware is family-friendly, Hoff said. Children will be able to touch the products, participate in the arts and crafts and live music.

At 6:30 p.m. HempAware visitors will share their occupations and brainstorm ways to further integrate hemp into their lives, Hoff said. The session is followed by a drum circle led by Kiro at African Corner.

"This isn't just about our business or our companies or making money. It's really about seven generations to come," Hoff said.

Information: hempaware.com

Touring A Feral Hemp Patch With Dr. Dave West

By Johnny Green
Source: theweedblog.com

See What A Feral Hemp Field Looks Like

Near Fremont, Nebraska Cannabis TV visited a feral Cannabis Hemp patch with plant breeder Dave West, PhD. Ripe with bowing seed heads, the colors and aromas were enchanting. Dr. Dave points out that the states of Kansas and Nebraska have encouraged farmers to let feral hemp go to seed, as pheasants depend on the tall hemp seedheads sticking out of the snow to make it through the long winters.

Dr. Dave goes on to recount the history of the hemp industry in Nebraska, from the introduction of hemp farming to the Native Americans on reservations to the later introduction of Kentucky hemp. For much more, visit Dr. Dave’s Hemp Archives:

http://www.gametec.com/hemp/archives.html

Plant that looks like pot is not (but it's still illegal)

By MARIA ELENA BACA
Source: startribune.com

Report of cannabis growing in Coon Rapids leads to hemp plant.

Coon Rapids Police Chief Brad Wise examined a hemp cultivar that had 
been reported as a suspected marijuana plant in a remote part of the city.

It looks like pot, it grows like pot. If you get caught with it, you will be prosecuted.

But the "weed" that's sometimes found in Coon Rapids and other parts of Anoka County won't make you high and it could make you sick.

Last week, Coon Rapids public works employees reported a patch of 12-foot-tall cannabis plants growing in an undisclosed location.

Police Chief Brad Wise said such a call comes in at least once a year, from city workers or "Joe Citizen, hiking." Wise worries that someone might see it and think they've come upon marijuana, when it's actually hemp, a relative of the plant.

"To a young person who has basic knowledge of marijuana, from a T-shirt or something, their reaction might be, 'Omigod, this illegal drug is growing in front of me,'" Wise said. "You'd hate to think a youngster could be tempted to a criminal act, to cut the plant, dry it and try to smoke it."

The results would be disappointing, to say the least.

"It looks like marijuana in every way, including the buds and the leaves, but it has almost zero THC, the drug that provides the effect that some people look for," Wise said. "Ultimately, they would end up with a really bad headache and no high that they may have been looking for."

Industrial-quality hemp was grown throughout central Minnesota in the 1940s, said Bob Quist, site manager for the Oliver Kelley Farm, a living-history agricultural museum in Elk River.

"It was for the rope industry," he said. "It really flourished in the later part of the 1930s and 1940s because they used a lot of rope on warships."

It is now illegal to grow hemp in Minnesota. Legislation to allow a regulated hemp industry has been offered in recent years at the State Capitol, but hasn't moved past the committee stage.

Dormant, then back

Hemp seeds can lie dormant in the soil for 20 years, and when conditions are right, the plants will pop up. Quist said he knew of a community garden in Ramsey that had "a nice crop."

"Most people didn't know what that plant was," he said.

The danger is when people think they know what it is, Wise said. He sends out his drug specialists, and they can tell right away by how the plants come up whether they've been cultivated by people or by Mother Nature, he said. Occasionally, they'll come across a patch that's obviously been harvested.

That's trouble, he said. Although the plant has no psychotropic qualities, the law doesn't make a distinction for how much THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is in the plant.

"It would be really foolish for anyone to cut it up, dry it up, put it in a bag and possess it or portray it in any way as marijuana, because they would get arrested."

Cell-Nique Buys Hemp Milk Company, Preps for IPO

By Jeffrey Klineman
Source: bevnet.com

The Healthy Brands Collective Corp. has acquired Living Harvest Foods, a hemp products company that makes a leading brand of hemp milk, Tempt.

Living Harvest is the fourth acquisition by Healthy Brands Collective, which is an acquisition-oriented company formed by Cell-Nique founders Dan and Donna Ratner. The company also owns hibiscus soda brand Ooba, food-allergy sensitive baking company Cherrybrook Kitchen and snack food company Yumnuts.

Living Harvest had nearly $5 million in annual sales when it was selected as number 777 in the Forbes 1000; the company boosts Healthy Brands Collective revenues to nearly $10 million. The acquisition company announced plans to go public in 2010 but has not done so yet — it has more deals in process and is in the middle of its “quiet period” before a late 2012 or early 2013 IPO.

Cell-Nique was introduced by the Ratners in 2006 after an earlier career in health care investment. The company announced in March that it was forming Healthy Brands Collective as a corporate entity to acquire health-oriented CPG companies that had similar routes to market and potential sales and distribution synergies.

Silverwood Partners represented Living Harvest in the transaction, making it the fourth beverage investment the company has shepherded in 2012.

Attune Foods Erewhon Buckwheat and Hemp Gluten-Free Cereal

By Gryphon Myers
Source: celiac.com

One of the biggest complaints I have about the gluten-free food industry is that corn is usually brought in to fill the gaping whole left by the removal of wheat. Corn tastes great and all, but personally, I prefer a more nutritious wheat alternative whenever possible, so long as it still tastes good (which many do, e.g. quinoa and buckwheat). With Erewhon Buckwheat and Hemp Cereal, Attune Foods has crafted something of a gluten-free 'corn flakes' alternative (just to be clear, corn flakes are NOT gluten-free), which is made from two superfoods that we should all eat more of: buckwheat and hemp seed.

Buckwheat is commonly found in top superfood lists because of its low glycemic index and high protein content. Hemp seed is a little less common in top superfood lists, perhaps because people associate it with cannabis (no, it will NOT get you high), but it is incredibly good for you. In fact, hemp is one of the only significant sources of gamma linoleic acid (a relatively rare essential fatty acid that helps boost metabolism). It is also worth mentioning that both buckwheat and hemp contain complete proteins, something that very few plants can boast (part of the beef I have with corn is that its protein is exceptionally low in lysine and tryptophan, making it a particularly incomplete protein). This mean vegetarians and vegans in particular need to start eating more hemp and/or buckwheat in order to maintain a healthy amino acid ratio.

Since this is a product that clearly focuses on nutritional value, it is worth emphasizing that I enjoyed eating it. I love buckwheat, but I haven't eaten hemp seed in this quantity before, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. I'm not sure if it was the hemp seed, but something about this cereal had a really pleasant taste and aftertaste. I found that it went particularly well with coconut milk. The texture is a little bit 'tougher' than a product like corn flakes, but that is partially because buckwheat is so rich in insoluble fiber, and it really doesn't take anything away from the overall taste.

Bottom line, this is one of the healthiest breakfast cereals you could be eating right now, gluten-free or not, and it tastes good!

For more information and a $1 off coupon valid through 12/31/12, visit their website.

47 days for Oregon to make hemp legal again and begin revitalizing our economy

• BY: JENNIFER ALEXANDER

Source: examiner.com

As I continue the countdown until November 6, when Oregonians will vote on Measure 80, I want to focus a little on industrial hemp. Hemp was crucial in our history, from the sails that got the first pioneers to the Americas to the rope and canvas used in World War II. Even though it is a vital component of our history, many Oregonians are not at all familiar with this crop and how it differs from marijuana grown for recreation or medicinal uses. Nor are they aware of the fact that industrial hemp was never made illegal under federal law, even until this day.

Opponents to marijuana often claim that attempts to allow industrial hemp cultivation (and likewise, medical marijuana – which will be the topic of a future article) are simply backdoor paths to legalization of recreational marijuana. On the contrary, most proponents for legalizing marijuana are actually expressing just the opposite, in my experience: They want to legalize recreational marijuana for adults so that there are no longer any legal obstacles to cultivation of industrial hemp (and medical marijuana).

Even though industrial hemp isn’t illegal under federal law, the federal government has been very clear that they will treat hemp farmers as though they were dangerous drug felons. Farmers who would dare grow industrial hemp risk SWAT team raids with guns drawn on their family and employees, just as farmers growing medical marijuana risk. They risk forfeiture of their entire life’s work, including their home, savings, cars, businesses and assets, just to name a few things at stake when you are treated as a drug felon. They can take your children from your custody and they can ruin your reputation, credit and employability by reporting you as a criminal. Without some sort of affirmative approval that removes that risk, farmers simply aren’t able to take the chance growing industrial hemp.

Industrial hemp comes from the same plant as recreational marijuana, Cannabis Sativa, but they are grown in completely different manners that are easily distinguished, one from the other. When growing marijuana for recreational or medicinal purposes, plants are spaced further apart, similar to tomatoes, and encouraged to grow in a “bushy” manner to encourage the flowering tops. Industrial hemp, on the other hand, is grown closely together and encouraged to grow lanky and tall, similar to corn or wheat, to encourage fibers that are derived from the stems and stalks.

The only exception when it might be a bit trickier to distinguish the two is when the hemp is being grown for seed; it is then grown more comparable to how recreational or medicinal marijuana is grown. These particular plants would be heavily seeded. The seeds are derived from the same plant process as the flowers used in recreational marijuana, except that they are pollinated by a male plant to produce seeds within the flowers.

The federal government makes no distinction between industrial hemp and marijuana. This is particularly ironic since the federal laws defining marijuana specifically exclude the hemp in all its forms:

802 (16) The term ''marihuana'' means all parts of the plant Cannabis sativa L., whether growing or not; the seeds thereof; the resin extracted from any part of such plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of such plant, its seeds or resin. Such term does not include the mature stalks of such plant, fiber produced from such stalks, oil or cake made from the seeds of such plant, any other compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of such mature stalks (except the resin extracted therefrom), fiber, oil, or cake, or the sterilized seed of such plant which is incapable of germination.

So while under the actual laws, industrial hemp is not illegal, our government basically looks at what is clearly industrial hemp and says, “We don’t see a difference, that is marijuana” and then threatens to enforce anti-marijuana laws on industrial hemp farmers. How can you defend against the intentionally blind?

In the 1990’s, when Colorado’s legislature was looking at a bill to distinguish between marijuana and hemp, all legislators received a faxed letter just two hours before the final hearing to approve the bill. The letter was from the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA in Colorado, Phillip Perry, who threatened enforcement of federal drug laws on any farmers that might grow hemp if this law was passed. He claimed that passage of the bill “would have the effect of leading otherwise law abiding farmers down the road to the commission of a felony, under the color of a seriously misguided state statute. If even one honest farmer faces such a dilemma, it would be an insupportable miscarriage of justice.”

While clearly trying to make legislators feel responsible for any future legal action that would be taken against farmers if the bill was passed and refusing to distinguish between marijuana and industrial hemp, he claimed that allowing industrial hemp cultivation would “add the force of a Colorado statute to the perception that marijuana is ‘OK.’” Further, he claimed that industrial hemp was an “illegal drug” itself:

And let us be clear that what we are talking about in this Bill is marijuana. Calling it "hemp" on the basis of an artificial threshold level of psychoactive ingredient does not erase the fact that it is botanically and legally the same plant. An illegal drug by any other name is still an illegal drug.

The author of the Colorado bill, Thomas Ballanco, countered Perry with some very appropriate responses, including the fact that the federal government never outlawed hemp and clearly never intended to, according to the public record:

Your letter represents a serious misreading of federal law and a misunderstanding of Congressional policy. At no time, since cannabis was first regulated in 1937, has Congress ever expressed an intent to outlaw the legitimate hemp industry. At Congressional hearings after the World War II "Hemp for Victory" campaign, Will S. Wood, Deputy Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (forerunner of your organization), guaranteed that marijuana regulation would not have a negative impact on the commercial hemp industry. Congress provided for regulation of the hemp industry in all its legislation until the early 1970s. When Congress stopped, the right to regulate commercial hemp farmers reverted back to the states under the tenth amendment. The federal government continues to recognize the legitimacy of the hemp industry in international treaties and by failing to list hemp producing nations as "drug source" countries for marijuana. Finally on June 3, 1994, President Clinton signed Executive Order 12919 which includes hemp in a list of essential national resources. The federal law is far from clear regarding the interplay between federal marijuana laws and the legitimate hemp industry. At a minimum, this is a question to be resolved by a federal court after appropriate argument, not one that can be dictated by your uninformed supposition.

Industrial hemp has tremendous potential for our economy, our environment and our health. Yet, under what seems at best a misguided application of federal drug laws, Americans have not been able to cultivate hemp since just after World War II when it was deemed “patriotic” to grow hemp to help win the war. There is no mistaking hemp cultivation for marijuana cultivation, as can be clearly seen in the World War II video, Hemp for Victory, regardless of what some in authority may claim.

Oregon has a chance to be on the forefront of a restored hemp industry with Measure 80 on November 6. And while opponents (almost exclusively those that profit off the continued war on marijuana, such as law enforcement, district attorneys and drug treatment providers) will continue to point to recreational marijuana and focus on “getting high” – the real focus of advocates is to remove the obstacles presented by the “war on drugs” and further the conversation to the real topics that we should be discussing that include the economic, environmental and health benefits of industrial hemp.

Additional reading from Thomas Ballanco on industrial hemp

As I continue to countdown to Election Day, upcoming topics will include the various uses for hemp, the controversy surrounding medical marijuana and how the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act 2012 will impact Oregonians. I will also focus on the conflicts with federal laws as well as the election process itself, including who can vote and how to register to vote.

Too many Oregonians aren’t even aware that Oregon will be voting on this crucial issue this November 6. This Election Day 2012 countdown will be full of information that is important to voters all throughout Oregon. Please subscribe to receive email alerts for future articles, including continuing coverage of Election 2012 and Measure 80!

Hempstalk and the Coming End of Prohibition

by MICHAEL DONNELLY
Source: counterpunch.org

Another Portland Hempstalk  has come and gone.  This free annual weekend after Labor Day celebration of Cannabis Culture, billed as “Two Days of Hemp and Music,” has grown into quite the cultural event since its start in 2005; despite its being moved by the city from downtown’s easily accessible, highly-used for civic events Riverfront Park – first to a parking lot under a freeway and for the last three years at Kelley Point Park, a beautiful, but hard-to-access, with serious parking problems, no camping allowed peninsula at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers.

The Columbia is the largest river in the Northwest; the Willamette, the third. The Columbia is over a mile wide here and tidal, as is the Willamette, with huge ships traveling and at anchor. The park is surrounded by industrial, mostly import, docks and numerous wetlands, including the largest urban freshwater wetland in the US – the 2000-acre Smith-Bybee Lakes Wetlands.

The wide sandy beaches between the rivers and the park are quite striking for an urban area. Numerous attendees come by boat. A row of cottonwood trees with paved pathways lines an area between the beach and the large interior lawn that holds the stage, vendor and information booths and, drawn by an eclectic assembly of performers, a large, mostly young, quite racially-diverse (especially for Portland) crowd. Despite the access difficulties, I’d estimate 15,000 peaceful people showed up over the two-day event this Sept. 8^th and 9^th.

The focus of the event is “decriminalization of marijuana for medicinal, industrial, and recreational use.” It is sponsored by The Hemp and Cannabis Foundation (THCF) an organization of many skilled, good-hearted people that has helped thousands of patients in ten states and the District of Columbia gain legal access to medical marijuana. This year, also billed as “2012: The End of the Drug War – The Year of Reform,” the focus was on Oregon’s Measure 80, a legalization Initiative that is on this November’s ballot.

Between the many acts and humorous interludes with Comedian/MC Ngaio Bealum, numerous speakers addressed the crowd on the science and politics of medical and recreational cannabis and agricultural/industrial hemp.  (Many of the speeches are available here http://www.hempstalk.org/festival/ )

Preliminaries

I picked my Flint homeboy and counterculture ringleader John Sinclair up at the airport Thursday night. Back in the 60s, John was our Midwest Bill Graham, Abbie Hoffman and Wavy Gravy combined.  We spent a leisurely Friday around NW Portland before heading to the studio where John appeared along with fellow poet, actor and the American Indian Movement’s  (AIM) only chairman John Trudell on the TV show Cannabis Common Sense.

The show is co-hosted by Paul Stanford, head of THCF, and Casper Leitch. The politics of Prohibition and the efforts to end it and reestablish agricultural/industrial Hemp were mixed in with music, an endorsement of Measure 80 from Willie Nelson and acknowledgement of the Right to our own consciousness with Sinclair, who, if anyone does, knows a thing or two about it, noting, “I just want to get high in peace.”

After the show, we all went to the World Famous Cannabis Cafe, the country’s first such safe gathering place for medical marijuana patients. Sinclair, who is the Poet in Residence at Amsterdam’s 420 Cafe, was impressed with the place run by Madeline Martinez, a former Prison Guard and a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). Dozens gathered peacefully; enjoying their medicine, camaraderie and some live music. Many came up and paid respects to both Johns, as people did all weekend long – both of them noted sources of inspiration in addition to having done so much and suffered much for their activism.

At the Confluence

Saturday, the opening day of Hempstalk, we drove through the industrial area on the way to the event. Organizers had an agreement with the city to use two of the four lanes of the road for parking (by Sunday, the cops ignored the agreement and starting maliciously ticketing and towing cars).

Dozens of staffers directed traffic with thousands of people hiking in the last half-mile or so. Shuttle buses ran from designated parking areas and small golf-cart-style shuttles ran back and forth all day – a godsend for older and infirm attendees.

Once at the site, the colors, sights and sounds reminded Sinclair and I of the many such pro-Legalization cultural gatherings that John and his communal partners set up in Michigan back in the day – starting in 1964! After the government cracked back and gave John a 10-year Maximum Security prison sentence for giving two marijuana joints to an undercover policewoman, the events continued and became Free John Now rallies, culminating with the legendary John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Stevie Wonder, Bob Seger, Phil Ochs and many others John Sinclair Freedom Rally which resulted in Sinclair’s release less than three days later after 29 hard months in prison.

Between the music, Jill Stein, presidential candidate from the Green Party addressed the crowd, as did Judge Jim Gray, the vice-presidential candidate of the Libertarian Party. Dan Rush of Local 555 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW – Oregon’s largest private sector union) gave a rousing speech. The Union sees potential for many living-wage jobs from industrial hemp and has also begun organizing efforts with medical marijuana employees – with the full blessing of the owners of these enterprises. Paul Stanford explained Measure 80 and exhorted all to register to vote, as did many other speakers. A Hemp Fashion show was held. Much has changed since 1964, but the combination of music, culture and education still works.

In addition to John Sinclair providing some historical context and doing some of his poems, there were many musical highlights; from the fabulous Pony Boy and Los Marijuanos  to NW Folk legend Jim Page to John Trudell and Bad Dog’s superlative set. It was so great to see my brother Quiltman, who is recovering from a serious illness, standing strong and singing powerfully throughout the set, while the multitude sat mesmerized by Trudell’s moving poetry.

What’s Next

2012 is a landmark year. Legalization Initiatives are on the ballots of California, Washington and Colorado, as well as Oregon. Even Arkansas has Medical Marijuana up for vote – the first Southern state to do so.  Sinclair’s and my hometown of Flint and Detroit also have legalization initiatives that are winning in the polls.

However, Oregon’s Measure 80 lags well behind the other states in funds received. Polls show it’s a dead heat and increased funds could tip the scales. Anyone wishing to contribute money or time to the effort should contact the tireless organizers. All help is greatly appreciated.

Once the law is passed, despite the usual blather about States’ Rights, the Federal Government is certain to sue, as it did in 1994 over Oregon’s voter-passed Death With Dignity Act. The Oregon Attorney General, Ellen Rosenblum, who is surprisingly supportive  would then have to defend the law. It took two years before Death with Dignity won out and became the law of the State of Oregon.

Passing the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act (Measure 80) is the first critical step. Back when we finally got John Sinclair out of prison, we naively thought that Legalization was just around the corner. Here it is 41 years later and Oregon and other states have the opportunity to end the madness. 850,000 Americans were arrested for simple marijuana possession last year. Jailed and/or fined for using a plant that has many beneficial health applications and unlike legal drugs like alcohol, tobacco and numerous medicinal concoctions, has never killed anyone. Despite the Prison/Industrial Complex, Big Pharma, Big Alcohol, Big Oil, Big Cotton, Big Timber/Paper and others’ self-serving opposition, the end of Prohibition is now clearly just around the corner.

As the cultural hero John Lennon once sang about War, Prohibition is over…if you want it.

MICHAEL DONNELLY has great respect for those who have carried on and have fought long and hard. After Hempstalk, he and Sinclair visited with a rejuvenated Quiltman at his Warm Springs Nation home before John headed for the Medical Cannabis Cup festivities in Seattle. He can be reached at pahtoo@aol.com

Wholly Hemp, This Isn't Just a Bar of Soap; California Company Launches Line of Hemp Skincare

Press Release
Source: pr.com



Thousand Oaks, CA, August 27, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Wholly Hemp announces the launch of Wholly Hemp Soothing Soap, a line of moisturizing cleansers handmade with natural hemp seed oil.

Hemp's ideal ratio of Omega 6 to 3 Essential Fatty Acids saves your skin from the drying and irritating effects of conventional cleansers while its high concentration of polyunsaturated fats reduces inflammation and redness, leaving skin smooth and hydrated.

Wholly Hemp Soothing Soap is handmade in California with all natural ingredients.

"The use of hemp predates written history and has been shown to be effective in the reduction of atopic dermatitis," said Robert Lestak, Wholly Hemp's founder, "Instead of drying and irritating your skin like other cleansers, this stuff actually moisturizes while you use it."

Wholly Hemp Soothing Soap provides much needed moisture to dry skin and is an effective cleanser for those with acne, eczema, psoriasis, or sensitive skin.

Wholly Hemp Soothing Soap joins Wholly Hemp's line of natural skincare including Wholly Hemp natural moisturizer and lip balm. Available in select stores nationwide and at WhollyHemp.com.

Contact:
Rob Lestak
rob@whollyhemp.com
WhollyHemp.com
365 E Av Arboles #145,
1000 Oaks CA 91360
Ph: +1-805-409-4599

Alberta farmers cashing in on hemp farms

By Bryan Labby
Source: cbc.ca

Many Alberta farmers have taken to hemp to round out their crops and some say they're making a tidy profit.

According to a recent study done by Alberta Agriculture, farmers in the province seeded the most hemp in all of Canada at 6,434 hectares last year.

The preliminary estimate for this year is 8,000 hectares.

The preliminary estimate for this year's hemp crop is 8,000 hectares. (Bryan Labby/CBC)

"As long as we keep making money we'll keep growing it," says Will Van Rousell.

The Bow Island-area farmer is about to harvest hemp for the third straight year.

He's been contracted to grow the hemp for its seeds, which could be processed into a wide range of products including oil, flour, shampoo and wood sealant. Van Rousell says he's expecting to make three times the amount he would get for wheat.

As for the overwhelming smell from the acres and acres of hemp, Van Rousell says he doesn't mind.

"Well some people don't like it at all. I quite enjoy the smell, so it's fine with me," he said.

New market needed

The Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance says what's needed now is a market for the fibre or straw part of the plant.

"We really just need some industry to step up, and start to put some risk capital in to start to build that business," says Russ Crawford, the alliance's vice president.

Students at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary are one step ahead as the school is trying to develop building panels made out of hemp for Bio-Struct.

Andrew Mackie, the president of the Calgary-based company, says the panels are an all-natural option for fiberglass or foam insulation.

"We can use it to create a very high-performance structure, which means a very energy-efficient structure as well as high performance in terms of how it deals with moisture and retains heat or cool in the summer," Mackie said.

He also said he’s hoping to start construction on a demonstration hemp house within six months, which is good news for farmers like Van Rousell.

He says most of the plant's straw is waste so he either bales it or burns it. He says the Bio-Struct project is "encouraging."

Should marijuana be included in Oct 3 presidential debate?

• BY: DEBORAH MORGAN

Source: examiner.com

On October 3rd, 2012, American voters will be treated to the first presidential debate of the election cycle. Vital issues such as foreign policy, the economy, job creation, healthcare, and clean energy will surely be discussed at length. And they should be. The United States still seems to be floundering for reforms in many areas, with Americans out of work and struggling to survive and the Middle East teeming with uprisings against U.S. interests.

President Barack Obama and GOP candidate Mitt Romney will have much to debate and will certainly offer campaign promises to rectify the issues on the table. But will the issue ofmarijuana law reform - which touches all of the aforementioned issues - even be mentioned at the debate?

A recent Politico article reported marijuana support is high in the pivotal state of Colorado, where the Oct. 3 debate will be held: "At the same time as voters in Colorado head to the polls to cast a vote for president, they will also be addressing ballot questions on abortion and 'personhood,' as well as the decriminalization of marijuana — so it is likely that the two presidential candidates might be asked about them.

Moshe Rute smokes cannabis at the Hadarim nursing home, on March 09, 2011 in Kibutz Naan, Israel. In conjunction with Israel's Health Ministry, The Tikon Olam comany is currently distributing cannabis for medicinal purposes to over 1800 people in Israel.

Photo credit:  

Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images 

The marijuana issue 'is hugely popular with younger voters. … If they come out strongly and the Obama campaign doesn’t do anything to antagonize them on this issue, they could have a real impact,' [Dr. Sam Kamin, a professor of law at the University of Denver] said. “There’s a huge push online to get youth voters energized around that proposition, those are the exact same voters that had a lot of enthusiasm for the president four years ago.”

And Colorado isn't the only state which could decide the election. Currently, 17 states - including the District of Columbia where federal elected leaders live - enjoy state-run medical marijuana programs. There are pro-marijuana organizations nationwide with large memberships. States like Missouri, Arkansas, Oregon, and Washington are set to vote on marijuana reform this November.

Aside from the common knowledge of the drug marijuana, another valuable resource derived from the cannabis plant is hemp, one of the strongest and most resilient fibers known to man. Somehow, this eco-friendly, massively useful, self-replenishing commodity got lumped into the War On Drugs and has been denied to American farmers for cultivation. Strange, considering how devastating this drought has been on U.S. crops in 2012. Cannabis, however, does not seem to be largely affected by the drought, as the Obama Administration has taken advantage of the brown, dead farmlands to spot and eradicate flourishing marijuana crops.

By ending marijuana prohibition and allowing it to become a traded and regulated commodity in the United States, the industrial hemp market will thrive, creating millions of badly-needed American jobs while eliminating the expense of importing hemp. Biofuels created from hemp will decrease U.S. dependence on foreign oil. Regulated medicinal marijuana will remove the monopoly now enjoyed by violent drug cartels who are only too happy to sell to children (along with their other drugs, hence, the "gateway theory").

Jim Lehrer will serve as moderator of the October 3rd presidential debate. It remains to be seen if he will pose the entirely relevant subject of marijuana law reform to the candidates.

Cannabis sativa - or marijuana as it's commonly known - is proven to kill cancer cells; bring relief from chronic pain; relief from tremors caused by multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and Parkinson's disease; ease nausea caused by cancer and AIDS treatments, slow the onset of Alzheimer's disease; and myriad other maladies. It is not fatal in any achievable dose and can be eaten or vaporized rather than smoking it, which carries risks of respiratory effects due to burning the plant material.

Marijuana has been under some form of federal prohibition since 1937. The Nixon Administration officially made marijuana and its derivatives illegal, despite compelling scientific evidence provided by the 1972 Schaffer Report (view the actual report here) which was commissioned by President Richard Nixon himself to prove marijuana was dangerous.

Public support for marijuana and industrial hemp (which is related to the drug marijuana but itself has no psychotropic potential) has risen sharply in recent decades, given the advancement of information available on the internet. Contrary to the rhetoric of prohibitionist organizations like the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and even the White House itself over the years, marijuana - or cannabis as it's properly named - has been proven to be relatively benign in nature while also representing a renewable and highly profitable cash crop.

A 2011 Gallup poll revealed more than 50% of Americans support marijuana law reform.

Let's review:

Industrial hemp will provide jobs, environmentally-friendly products like paper, textiles, building materials, biofuels for vehicles, and seeds which are amazingly high in protein.

A legalized and regulated marijuana drug market will enable doctors to prescribe it to suffering patients for countless ailments and conditions, thereby removing the involvement of violent drug cartels and reducing access to our nation's youth.

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So, will the subject of marijuana law reform be raised during the upcoming presidential debate?

Only a responsible moderator who wants Obama and Romney to address all vital American issues will be in control of that decision. With a little simple research and some patriotic bravery, it could happen. And it could change the face of the 2012 election.

Lawmakers: Hemp would be a boon to Kentucky

By

Scott Wartman

Source: cincinnati.com

Politicians on both sides of the aisle can envision fields of hemp growing among the tobacco and corn fields of Kentucky.

Many cite a flagging economy, social media and the advocacy of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul as reasons why they think the legalization of industrial hemp is closer than ever.

Sen. Paul, R-Ky., and Agriculture Commissioner Jamie Comer promoted efforts to legalize hemp at the Kentucky State Fair in August. Both the Democratic and Republican candidates for Congress in the 4th District support legalizing industrial hemp and have endorsements from different organizations devoted to the cause.

Federal law, however, considers hemp and marijuana the same and bans commercial growing.

Hemp can make rope, cloth, fuel, plastics and a myriad of other products, Comer said. Kentucky’s history as a hemp-growing hub in the 19th Century has proponents predicting a hemp industry that could employ tens of thousands in the Commonwealth. Farmers, however, remain skeptical of how big a market hemp would have in the United States since there hasn’t been one in more than 50 years.

Law enforcement’s historical resistance toward industrial hemp and its association with marijuana have kept industrial hemp from being produced in the U.S., unlike in Canada, Europe and Asia where hemp remains a major crop, said Tom Murphy, national outreach coordinator with Vote Hemp.

Both industrial hemp and marijuana come from the same plant species -- Cannabis sativa -- but are different varieties. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency considers both industrial hemp and and marijuana a Schedule I controlled substance. Some farmers in North Dakota have been issued licenses for industrial hemp but don’t grow it because the DEA won’t allow them. The last industrial hemp farm in the United States closed in 1957 in Wisconsin.

Industrial hemp has a negligible content of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) -- the substance in marijuana that gives users a high -- hemp advocates say. Industrial hemp has a THC level lower than 1 percent, while marijuana varieties have between 3 and 15 percent THC levels, according to a report published in 2009 by the Crop Diversification and Biofuels Research Center with the University of Kentucky.

Uses for industrial hemp

The seeds and stalks of industrial hemp go into a variety of different products manufactured around the world: 

• Textiles: clothes, rope, footwear, luggage, carpet 

• Biocomposites: materials made from a binder, usually a resin, and a reinforcement fiber including automobile parts, such as dashboards 

• Paper 

• Insulation 

• Fuel 

• Food: cereals, oil and dressings 

• Cosmetics: body lotion, hand cream, soap and lip conditioner 

• Household products: paints, varnishes, cleansers, inks, vegetable oil-based detergent 

Source: Votehemp.com

Industrial hemp also can’t be used to hide marijuana since the two plants cross pollinate and would dilute the THC content in the marijuana plant, rendering it worthless for recreational drug use, advocates say.

“It is a manufactured controversy,” Murphy said. “The biggest obstacle is the DEA, and authorities steadfastly refuse to see the difference in varieties.”

But Barbara Carreno, spokeswoman for the DEA, said the agency can’t make an exception for hemp because the Controlled Substances Act doesn’t distinguish between the varieties.

“In the executive branch, we enforce it as it’s written, and Congress has to change the law,” Carreno said.

An uncertain market

Many farmers support legalizing industrial hemp but aren’t certain they would grow it.

New crops touted as potential gold mines to farmers have come and gone, said Hampton “Hoppy” Henton, a farmer from Versailles, Ky., outside Lexington. Jerusalem artichokes and other crops have been pitched to farmers as crops that could get them through the lean years. Henton hasn’t shied away from alternative crops and raises freshwater prawns on his farm that grows tobacco, corn, soybeans and cattle.

Henton and other farmers don’t oppose legalizing industrial hemp but would need guarantees that someone would buy the product over an extended period of time before deciding to grow it themselves.

“I want a contract,” Henton said. “I want someone to say they’ll buy it from me. I’ve got to have someone agree to buy it from me over time. I don’t want to grow it and then in five years I don’t know how to get rid of it. We have raised freshwater prawns, and we continue to do it because we’ve found a reliable market for it. We know it works.”

Useful for many products

Proponents believe the hemp market will grow if the government lifts restrictions. Manufacturers from all over the country have written to the agriculture commissioner saying they would locate in Kentucky and contract with farmers to grow hemp if it becomes legal, Comer said. One potential manufacturer would make car dashboards out of hemp, Comer said. He estimates hemp could create 25,000 jobs in Kentucky based on a study from UK in the 1990s.

“I’m confident if we legalize it, it will create multiple industries,” Comer said. “I hope they are located in rural communities where they can purchase the hemp from the farmers. I will not encourage one farmer to grow industrial hemp unless we have the market.”

Before the state can act, however, the federal restriction on growing hemp must be lifted. Paul has co-sponsored a bill in the U.S. Senate that would take industrial hemp out of the control of the DEA and treat it as an agriculture crop.

Four states (North Dakota, Vermont, Oregon and Maine) have laws in place that would either license hemp growers or allow for easy legalization of hemp if Congress lifts the restriction, according to Vote Hemp, a non-profit advocacy organization for industrial hemp.

Six other states also have passed legislation that would remove barriers for the production or research of hemp.

Hemp advocates have eroded some opposition

Comer wants Kentucky to be one of the states pushing Congress to lift the federal ban on industrial hemp. He has said he would jumpstart the Kentucky Industrial Hemp Commission, which has lain dormant since its creation by the General Assembly in 2001. The commission only met once but ran into resistance, Comer said. It will reconvene and gather research to take to Congress, he said.

“It is going to highlight companies interested in coming to Kentucky,” Comer said. “We will put together an economic impact summary that will show how many jobs and the opportunities to grow this crop. We can demonstrate to Washington, D.C., ahead of other states that we want to make this happen.”

Some law enforcement organizations appear to have changed their attitude toward industrial hemp. Concern over medical marijuana has taken a front seat in many law enforcement groups, said Mike Bischoff, executive director of the Kentucky Police Chiefs Association. Many of the concerns regarding industrial hemp have been allayed, he said.

“We’re more concerned about medicinal marijuana,” Bischoff said. “I think what we’re finding is that if they try to use hemp, it is really not exactly what you would call marijuana. It dilutes it. It would actually produce an inferior drug.”

Many in Kentucky have become involved in the industrial hemp cause through the efforts of Ron and Rand Paul. That’s how Katie Moyer of Hopkinsville entered the industrial hemp movement in 2008. The loyal following aroused by the Pauls has helped push industrial hemp to the forefront, said Moyer, chairwoman of the Kentucky Hemp Coalition.

“When the Ron Paul movement took of, it got a lot of us young people involved,” Moyer said. “It is not just that I want to see Kentucky farmers making money again. I also see industrial hemp as a product or crop that will benefit anybody. Costs will go down because of making biofuels from hemp. Clothing will be cheaper and more durable. It is something with so many different uses for it.”

Lawmakers hopeful but some are wary

For six years, state Sen. Joey Pendleton, D-Hopkinsville, has introduced legislation that would allow the state to issue licenses to grow industrial hemp. He believes enough people from both parties and both houses can pass it next session.

“I’m more optimistic than ever,” Pendleton said. “What a lot of federal legislators keep telling me is that we need to pass it in the states to put pressure on the federal people. I’m seeing more support in the U.S. Senate.”

Some political leaders, however, don’t see a point until the federal government lifts the ban.

“There are two or three things it has got to overcome,” said State Rep. Tom McKee, D-Cynthiana, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. “First, it is a federal issue. Second, we need to know what’s the profit potential. The third thing is that we have to make sure our law enforcement is on board. Until we answer those three things, I think it’s going to be far off in the future.”

Both candidates for Kentucky’s Fourth Congressional District support industrial hemp. The Kentucky Hemp Initiative endorsed Democrat Bill Adkins. The Kentucky Hemp Coalition endorsed Republican Thomas Massie.

Republican Thomas Massie, who is a farmer in Lewis County, said he thinks Congress is close to lifting the federal ban and hopes it can provide an alternative to tobacco.

“My farm is a tobacco farm, and we’ve not found anything to replace that,” Massie said. “My wife grew up on the farm, and they raised cattle and tobacco. Tobacco is really what they made money off of, and now tobacco has gone by the wayside.”

Democrat Bill Adkins also said it would be a priority of his if elected to Congress.

“Kentucky farmers need a new cash crop,” Adkins said. “Tobacco is diminishing as a cash crop, and hemp has so many uses.”