Nevada s largest and most elegant Medical Marijuana Dispensary.
4850 West Sunset Road | Las Vegas, NV 89118 | 702.206.1313 | MedizinLV.com
Contents
Editor:
Stephanie Shehan editor@vegascannabismag.com (702) 622-8001
Publisher:
Bill Shehan bill@vegascannabismag.com (702) 589-1282
Contributing Writers:
Becca Nichols Cindy Brown Derek J. Connor Dr. Kit Hopper Stone Jennifer Shepherd Mindi Griffiths Rob Ruckus Shelly Berkowitz Tony Serra
Design:
Dustin Amato
Advertising:
Jason Sturtsman jasonsturtsman@gmail.com
Web Design:
Agency THC
Chris Williams Danielle Vitale O’Brien Dr. Aseem Sappal Dustin Amato Jason Sturtsman Miggy Fourtwenty Pamela Jayne Sharon Letts The Happy Chef Willie Spearmint
Photographer: The Herbal Connoisseur Cartoonist: Neal Warner Cover Photo: Cover: BaM Sin Mint Cookies Photo Provided By: BaM
Value $4.95
Vegas Cannabis Magazine, LLC 1631 E. Sunset Road, #C-104 Las Vegas, NV 89119 Editorial: (702) 622-8001 Advertising: (702) 589-1282 Fax: (702) 977-7135
Dispensary Map Events Resources Nurse Jenn An Educated Stoner Voices of the Cannabis War The Other Oils Medical Las Vegas Hempfest To Snitch or Not to Snitch Legal Higher Education Tokin with the Infamous Words from the Inside J-Diggs Interview Bet it All on Green Patients First The Ruckus Rant LV Cannabis Championship Product Reviews New Dispensary Products High Time Cannabis Cup Oaksterdam University The Happy Chef
10 14 18 22 26 30 32 38 40 42 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 67 69 73 77 83 85
Vegas Cannabis Magazine, LLC features content about marijuana, hemp, and marijuana-related products and information. In addition, we feature articles, legal information and medical news relevant to the cannabis industry. All content within our publication and on our website is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered personalized legal or medical advice. Both the printed publication and the website are intended for those over the age of 18. Vegas Cannabis Magazine, LLC assumes no responsibility for the advertisements within this publication. We strive to ensure the accuracy of the information published. Vegas Cannabis Magazine cannot be held responsible for any consequences which arise due to error or omissions. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.
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editor’s note As of March 31st, there were 16,053 patient cardholders in the state of Nevada. Of those, a whopping 6,866 patients are over the age of 55. Times are changing. People are becoming wary of the pharmaceutical industry and choosing the non-addictive and completely harmless medical cannabis route to treat what ails them. For many patients, the various methods of cannabis delivery have replaced most everything in the medicine cabinet, and rightfully so. Currently, our dispensaries carry everything from the usual flower and concentrates to topical lotions, edibles and tinctures. Some products contain THC in varying levels while others contain just non-psychoactive CBD. This plant, as many are discovering is one of the superior forms of alternative medicine. There are many that assume that those who obtain a medical cannabis card may not necessarily be using cannabis to treat an illness. I would urge those making assumptions to step back and really analyze medical necessity. According to the American Institute of Stress, three out of 4 doctor’s visits are for stress-related ailments. The AIS website also states that stress dramatically increases the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Most Americans are under a large amount of daily stress and many turn to alcohol and pharmaceuticals to de-stress while suffering further side effects and possible liver damage. We even have cannabis users who mistakenly deem themselves “recreational users” and indicate that their cannabis use is mainly for relaxation. Little do they know, they are keeping their bodies and minds healthy by using cannabis to destress and relax. Medical ailments come in all forms. What is a mild ailment for one person could be a huge ailment for someone else. Getting legal is a process and one of the biggest complaints that we hear is from patients feeling as though they were ripped off by a doctor when obtaining their medical marijuana card. Please pass this magazine along to anyone seeking a physician, all of the physicians that advertise with us are under $300 for the complete Nevada process. If you visit a medical marijuana doctor and they charge $400 or more, you are indeed paying much more than you need to. Keep in mind, $100 of the physician’s fee gets sent in to the State. In closing, I would like to say thank you to all of our advertisers. Without you, this magazine would not be possible. This month we increased our distribution to 15,000 copies in order to meet the demand of our readers and to ensure that our advertisers are seen. Please use our magazine as a resource and when visiting the establishments that advertise, mention to them that you saw their ad in Vegas Cannabis Magazine.
Stephanie Shehan
editor@vegascannabismag.com
events ONGOING: NEVADA CANNABIS NEWS HOUR: Every Tuesday, 3pm-4pm, www.vegasallnetradio.com, call 844-WECANLV for more info.
W. Craig Road, North Las Vegas, NV, www.lasvegashempfest.com. REGGAE IN THE DESERT: 6/11, 12pm11pm, $40, www.reggaeinthedesert.com for more info.
WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS AT ESSENCE DISPENSARY: Bi-weekly education program for current and prospective patients, 5765 W. Tropicana, 7pm, FREE, visit www.essencevegas. com/wellness-wednesdays/ for a calendar and to RSVP.
SUBLIME WITH ROME & TRIBAL SEEDS: 6/25, 9pm, Mandalay Bay Beach, www.mandalaybay.com for info.
FREE PATIENT CLASSES AT OASIS MEDICAL CANNABIS: Ongoing FREE classes for medical cannabis patients. Visit www.oasismedicalcannabis.com/ calendar/ for a listing of classes.
GEORGE CLINTON: 6/22, Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, www.brooklynbowl.com/lasvegas for details.
“WHAT IF CANNABIS CURED CANCER”: Movie screening, 4th Thursday of each month at Herbally Grounded, 4440 W. Charleston Blvd, 7pm, www.cannabiscures.org.
MAY: CANNAGROW EXPO: 5/7-5/8, Paradise Point Resort, San Diego, CA, www.cannagrowexpo.com for more info. FLO RIDA: 5/28, The Foundry at SLS, doors open at 8pm, 18+, $39.50, www. foundrylv.com. J BOOG & HIRIE: 5/22, Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, www.brooklynbowl.com/lasvegas for details.
JUNE: LAS VEGAS HEMPFEST: 6/4, 11am3am, Craig Ranch Regional Park, 628
DRU HILL: 6/18, Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, www.brooklynbowl.com/las-vegas for details.
TOMORROWS BAD SEEDS: 6/11, Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, www.brooklynbowl. com/las-vegas for details. A WEEKEND OF CANNABIS KNOWLEDGE: 6/11-6/12, LVCIC, free mixer, seminars and classes, new location to be announced, vendor space available, call (702) 761-6770 for details.
JULY: CHALICE CALIFORNIA: 7/8-7/10, San Bernardino County Fairgrounds, San Bernardino, CA, www.chalicecalifornia. com. CHAMPS TRADE SHOW: 7/19-7/21, Las Vegas Convention Center, www. ChampsTradeShows.com for more info. SLIGHTLY STOOPID, SOJA, THE GROUCH & ELIGH & ZION I CREW: 7/1, 7:30pm, Mandalay Bay Beach, www.mandalaybay.com for info. 311: 7/2 & 7/3, 8:30pm, Mandalay Bay Beach, www.mandalaybay.com for info. UB40: 7/30, 8pm, Mandalay Bay Beach, www.mandalaybay.com for info. THE OUTLAWZ WITH THA DOGG POUND: 7/2, Brooklyn Bowl, 3545 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, www.brooklynbowl. com/las-vegas for details.
AUGUST: SEATTLE HEMPFEST: 8/19-8/21, 25th anniversary, www.hempfest.org for info. REBELUTION: 8/18, 7:30pm, Mandalay Bay Beach, www.mandalaybay. com for info.
Interested in having your event listed in Vegas Cannabis Magazine?
Send listing to editor@ vegascannabismag.com
THE DESTINATION FOR LAS VEGAS MEDICAL CANNABIS • DAILY MENU DEALS! • Out of State Patients WELCOME! • Convenient Hours - Open early and late • Central Location - Just minutes from Downtown and the Strip • Plenty of parking available in our private and discreet lot • Senior Citizen and Veteran’s discounts offered
Call ahead (702) 420-2405, or order online at www.oasismedicalcannabis.com for a quick pickup. Nevada Patients get free delivery with a minimum $50 order. Our well-trained and courteous staff are here to help you medicate your way. A relaxing environment and outstanding variety of medication options offer an extraordinary experience.
Call (702) 420-2405 or visit our online menu at www.oasismedicalcannabis.com
COME CHECK OUT OUR AMAZING SELECTION! WE HAVE OVER 30 STRAINS OF FLOWER AND MORE THAN 25 VARIETIES OF CONCENTRATES TO CHOOSE FROM! Hours: Monday - Saturday 8 am to 10 pm Sunday 10 am to 8 pm
resources PATIENT SUPPORT & INFORMATION:
WECAN: Wellness Education Cannabis Advocates of Nevada, Meetup.com/WeCan702/ is free to join and provides a platform for people to post and discuss ideas in a controlled environment, www.WeCan702.org or https://www.facebook.com/wecan702. LAS VEGAS NORML: The world’s largest organization working to reform marijuana laws. Membership: www. lasvegasnorml.com/membership, Information: www. lasvegasnorml.com, Contact: staff@lasvegasnorml. com. LAS VEGAS CANNABIS INFO CENTER: Provides referrals for all your cannabis needs including doctors, lawyers, legal dispensaries and classes, (702) 7616770, www.lvcic.com, www.CannabisCafeTV.com. COMPASSION NEVADA CONSULTING: Assistance with obtaining a Nevada medical marijuana card, 2800 S. Highland Dr, Las Vegas, NV, (702) 506-6379. NEVADA MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM: For information about obtaining your Nevada Medical Marijuana card visit http://health.nv.gov/ medicalmarijuana.htm.
DOCTORS:
GETTING LEGAL: No medical records required, 99% approval rate, 2619 W. Charleston Blvd, #100, Las Vegas, NV 89102, (702) 979-9999, www.GettingLegal. com. DR. GREEN RELIEF: Affordable evaluations, 7200 Smoke Ranch Rd, #120, Las Vegas, NV 89148, (702) 707-2414, drgreenrelief.com. ULTIMATE “U” MEDICAL: Medical recommendations and renewals, 8660 Spring Mountain Road, Suite 101, Las Vegas, NV 89117, (702) 353-9777, www. ultimateumedical.com. CAM CARE: Registration services & 2 physicans on staff 5 days a week to help patients obtain their cards. Also offering a variety of services to promote complete wellness, 2923 W Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas NV 89102, (725)777-3631. LAS VEGAS MEDICAL MARIJUANA CONSULTANTS: Visit any Diversity location or call
Have a company, organization or website that could benefit medical marijuana patients? Email your info to editor@vegascannabismag.com. (702) 313-7273 for more information, www.LVMMC. com. 420 EVAL: $199 all inclusive, (702) 420-3825, 3131 La Canada, Ste. 110, Las Vegas, NV 89169, www. lasvegasmedicalmarijuana.com. COHEN MEDICAL CENTER: (702) 564-6420, 3650 S. Decatur Blvd, Unit 23, Las Vegas, NV 89103. THE HEALING CENTER MEDICAL CLINIC: (702) 280-7755, 1550 E. Tropicana, Ste. 1, Las Vegas, NV 89119. CANNABIS CARE LAS VEGAS: VIP packages & state recommendations available, (702) 8522420, info@cannabiscarelasvegas.com, www. cannabiscarelasvegas.com. KARMA HOLISTIC HEALTH FOUNDATION: 9111 W. Russell Road, Suite 120, Las Vegas, NV 89148, (702) 388-1119, www.khhf.org.. GOLDSMITH HEALTHCARE LTD: 5375 S. Ft. Apache, Las Vegas, NV 89148, (702) 425-5191.
ATTORNEYS:
AMANDA CONNOR: Connor & Connor PLLC, provides legal services to medical marijuana patients and medical marijuana businesses, 2450 St. Rose Pkwy, Ste 120 A, Henderson, NV, www.connorpllc.com, (702) 750-9139. CHRISTOPHER TILMAN: Tilman Law Office, 1211 S. Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89104, (702) 2144214, www.christophertilman.com.
GROW:
BEST HYDROPONIC SUPPLY: 6818 W. Cheyenne Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89108, (702) 750-9300, www. besthydroponicsupply.com.
EDUCATION:
OAKSTERDAM UNIVERSITY: Coming soon to Las Vegas, www.oaksterdamuniversity.com, (510) 2511544. NURSE JUHLZIE: Certified cannabis registered nurse providing nursing-based information and educational services for patients, organizations, medical professionals, and corporations, (406)748-2624, www. AskNurseJuhlzie.com. UNCONVENTIONAL FOUNDATION FOR AUTISM: (714) 805-8342, Resources for special needs families, www.UF4A.org.
INSURANCE:
FARMERS INSURANCE-THE VENUTO AGENCY: (702) 458-1475, 7965 S. Rainbow Blvd, #100, Las Vegas, NV 89139, vFi1.com, jeff@vfi1.com.
DISPENSARIES: SEE MAP
LABS:
DIGIPATH LABS: (702) 209-2429, info@digipath.com, www.digipathlabs.com.
SECURITY:
GREEN SHIELD SECURITY: (800) 236-3132, sales@ gsguard.com, www.gsguard.com.
GREENSPOT HYDROPONICS: 3355 W. Lake Mead Blvd, North Las Vegas, (702) 463-6000, Open Mon-Fri, 10am-7pm and Sat 10am-6pm.
CULTIVATION/PRODUCTION:
MEDIGROW NV: Professional cultivation education, (702) 606-9059, www.MediGrowNV.com. Also provides in home grow consultations.
GREEN LIFE PRODUCTIONS: Sustainable, organic, cannabis cultivation, located in Pahrump, NV, www. GreenLifeProduction.com.
AAA INDOOR GARDEN: 2 W. Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89102, (702) 450-4769, www. vegasindoorgarden.com.
EVERGREEN ORGANIX: Cultivation & production, (702) 550-4855, www.evergreenorganix.com.
GREEN THERAPEUTICS: www.GTNevada.com.
HIGHLAND MEDICAL: (702) 385-2312, www.highlandmed.com. NEVADA MEDICAL GROUP/BAM QUALITY MARIJUANA: www.BaMmarijuana.com. SILVER STATE TRADING: info@silverstatetrading. com, located in Sparks, NV, www.silverstatetrading. com.
WEBSITES:
www.dpbh.nv.gov www.lvmmn.com www.allbud.com www.leafly.com www.SafeAccessNow.org www.Parents4Pot.org www.AskNurseJuhlzie.com www.norml.org www.mpp.org www.420insight.com www.lvmma.org www.nvmma.org
Vegas Cannabis Magazine • May 2016 • 18
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nurse jenn My Story
By: Nurse Jenn When people think of consuming cannabis, most don’t relate it to doing physical activity. For me, however, this is a topic I’m eager to discuss since cannabis is a tool I use to help me have a physically active lifestyle. I was born with a hip disorder that required my legs to be immobilized by a spica cast, and it kept me from walking until the age of three. The physician told my parents not to worry because it was temporary; I wouldn’t have any problems after I got the cast off my legs and learned to walk. This wasn’t the case though. In eighth grade I began experiencing chronic pain in both my hips especially during basketball practice. I was taken to a specialist who discovered I had arthritis/ degenerative changes in both of my hips and spondylolisthesis (a slipped vertebrae in my back that causes pain in my back and down my right leg). I was told I would no longer be able to play basketball or participate in any other sports except swimming. They even gave me a “get out of gym” pass that worked through high school… NO GYM! Sounds great, right? For me, though, it was devastating. My back and hips constantly hurt and got increasingly worse because I wasn’t able to do exercises to strengthen my abdominal or back muscles, and this led to an inactive lifestyle and depression. It wasn’t until I discovered that cannabis could get me through that pain threshold that my life began to change and I became active again. Some medical professionals view cannabis as a last-resort medication. Others dismiss it altogether because they are unaware of the homeostasis-promoting benefits of cannabis since the topic isn’t even covered in medical school. I, however, believe it should be the first line of defense to pain and be used as a preventative medicine. Cannabis is said to be a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that anecdotal evidence suggests to be effective in treating chronic pain. In my own case, cannabis has allowed me to
visit: www.EssenceVegas.com work out and keep my weight down and muscles toned, which kept the pain from becoming worse. THC and CBD potentially work better for pain relief, and when combined, work even more effectively for alleviation than just THC alone. Cannabis also has terpenes (smell and flavor profiles) that can play a role in mood, including limonene, which is said to be a powerful antidepressant and reduces anxiety, and myrcene, which is an
that today I live virtually pain free and am physically in the best shape of my life. My disorder still exists, which is something I will live with my entire life, but with the assistance of cannabis and natural homeopathic regimens such as a nutritional diet, regular exercise and ice/heat, my quality of life has certainly improved. If you would like more information on strain and terpene profiles or to schedule an appointment with Nurse Jenn, please stop by one of our three Essence locations or call 702-9982191. Patients may have more than one consultation as Essence wants to make sure that patients have the education they need to make the best decisions for their health. Essence Cannabis Dispensary Locations: Essence West 5765 W. Tropicana Las Vegas, NV Open 10am-10pm Essence Strip 2307 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV Open 10am-9pm Essence Henderson 4300 E. Sunset Rd. Ste. A2 & A3 Henderson, NV Open 10am-8pm For More Information visit EssenceVegas.com.
antispasmodic for muscles and may help with pain. A few strains high in limonene are LA OG and Ghost OG. If you’re watching your weight, the cannabinoid THCv potentially decreases appetite rather than stimulating hunger. Strains that are high in THCv include 98 Open, 98 Open Concentrate and O.penVAPE’s Pineapple Express, Grape Stomper and Golden Goat. Another product to try is the 60mg THC Trokie which is dissolvable in the mouth and is high in THCv. The conclusion to my own story is
Vegas Cannabis Magazine • May 2016 • 22
The content provided here is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or care. We encourage everyone to seek the advice of qualified healthcare providers if you have any questions regarding the content of this article.
Medical Marijuana Studies
Enrolling NOW
• Patients with Pelvic Pain • Chemotherapy Patients with Nausea & Vomiting • Patients with Back Pain
Call 702-326-0585
NEVADA MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM What You Need to Know ... To Request a Patient Cardholder Application
If you wish to request a medical marijuana patient registry application packet, please click on FORMS in the column on the right and select “Application Request Form.” Print, fill out and send or remit in person the Request Form, with $25 to: Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health ATTN: Medical Marijuana Division 4150 Technology Way, Suite 104 Carson City, Nevada 89706 Approved Conditions for Medical Marijuana in Nevada • Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) • Cancer • Glaucoma • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) • Cachexia (general physical wasting and malnutrition from chronic disease) • Persistent muscle spasms (including multiple sclerosis) • Seizures (including epilepsy) • Severe nausea • Severe pain (the most commonly reported condition) For additional information, please call (775) 687-7594.
Vegas Cannabis Magazine • May 2016 • 24
an educated stoner Making Medicine: Cannabis Infused Honey Tincture By: Sharon Letts
Since replacing prescription medicines with cannabis, keeping the medicine of the plant in my system has been a daily practice of this patient. And though I have several deliveries I do throughout the day, infusing honey is one of the most simple to use, as well as being beneficial in its own right. Though tinctures are now readily available in legally run dispensaries and collectives in medically legal States, if you have access to trim or bud it’s never a bad idea to learn to make your own medicine
In compliance with: CA prop 215, SB 420 Sections 11362.5 & 11362.7 of HSC Do not drive; Keep out of reach of children; For medical use only; Not for resale.
to one part plant material
Process:
1. Grind plant material and wrap in cheese cloth, secure with string. Place bundle in crock pot and cover with honey. Set crock pot on “low” and cover with lid 2. Steep Cannabis four (4) hours on low, checking to make sure it does not burn. Note: All crock pots are different – if it gets too hot, turn off and let set to cool, then start up again – stirring often. This process is not an exact science. As noted, the main goal is to make the strongest medicine without burning the tincture.
Waste Not Want Not
Using every bit of this plant is a tribute to its sustainability. That bundle of goodness you soaked in honey for umpteen hours still has a good deal of medicine in there. In Hebrew the definition of “chai” is “life.” In India it’s a drink made from black tea, spices and honey – and one of my favorite drinks. Doubling up on meanings, you could say the medicated chai made from the bundle of Cannabis-infused honey is “Life Chai,” hence my endeared name for this drink.
Life Chai Tea
Ingredients:
The process of making honey tincture is as easy as steeping tea, and can be done simply in a crock pot. If you are fortunate enough to have a medicine making machine, such as The Magical Butter Machine, all you need to do is push a button. Whole plant theory is key. I’ve used leafy trim with stems, sugar trim, and small, leafy buds not worth trimming, but packed with good medicine. Typically, sativa is used for daytime energy and stimulation; and indica is used for calming or nighttime use. If you don’t grow your own or know a farmer, most safe access points or dispensaries sell leaf and trim at a discounted rate for medicine makers. It’s perfectly fine to experiment as you learn with the right combinations for the right strengths for your specific needs. When dosing with honey (or any ingestible), the trick is to start with a small dose of around one teaspoon, one hour before bedtime, waiting an hour or so in between dosing to measure effects.
Sharon’s Honey Tincture
Materials Needed: • • • •
Crock pot with “low” setting Cheese cloth, string 1 cup plant ground material (stems, leaf, smalls) 3 cups honey Basically, three parts honey
3. After four or five hours turn the crock pot off and let sit. Test for flavor and color. Once cooled, you can make the decision to stop the process and have a light tincture, or you can let it sit overnight and heat it up again in the morning for a stronger batch. 4. Once the tincture is at the desired consistency and strength, remove the bundle from the honey, squeezing as much tincture as possible from the bag. Set aside for making tea (recipe follows). Before honey cools or thickens ladle tincture into jars. I use a canning funnel and fill small jelly (Mason) jars for easy dosing.
Label With Love
Label each jar with a warning. This is important for many reasons. Someone choosing honey for their tea from your cupboard shouldn’t be surprised by the outcome, whether they are copasetic to Cannabis or not. Using California’s coding as an example:
Vegas Cannabis Magazine • May 2016 • 26
•
• 1 saturated bundle of ground cannabis/honey (from Honey Tincture Recipe) • 6 cups of water • Heaping tablespoon each: whole cardamom pods, whole cloves, & freshly chopped ginger • Two cinnamon sticks • Four tea bags… choose black, green, or herbal tea. Since I use this at night for sleep, I use a “bedtime” tea blend, but traditional chai is made with a strong, black tea (note: black tea has caffeine). 1 to 2 sticks vanilla (If using extract, add 1 tbsp at end of cooking process)
Process:
1. Add bundle to water in a large kettle (with lid) with spices; 2. Bring mixture to boil on a stovetop over medium/high heat. 3. Immediately turn down to low and simmer until tea darkens in color, about one hour, more for a stronger brew. 4. Store in glass Mason jars in the fridge. Tea keeps for several days. Serving options: Traditionally milk or cream is added before drinking. I use coconut cream. Sharon Letts started in this world as a gardener, ended up a writer/producer, and continues to advocate for the freedom to garden every seed bearing plant. You can find her on Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter @lettsgarden.
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vow Voices of the Cannabis War:
News from the Front Lines
By: Kristin Flor, Mindi Griffiths, Miggy 420, Danielle Vitale-O’Brien & Becca Nichols
PRISON OUTREACH Love conquers all, in time of peace and time of war; love conquers all through steel bars and concrete walls, love conquers all; as in the case of pot for lifer Jimmy Romans and Pamela Raber. Even though the law has deemed Jimmy a criminal, it’s love and understanding that make him a human being. Even while sitting in a small cell locked away from humankind, Jimmy is more of a man and human being than those who are willing to put another human being behind bars for a plant. Jimmy sits behind bars not based off of material evidence, but from the word of an ex-wife and two others, the drug war is a losing war, often times turning partners on each other. Currently, Jimmy and his fiancé are seeking clemency, this is Jimmy’s hope and number one option. Please visit Jimmy’s website and see how you can help. While love has found Jimmy Romans, hate and racism chases Ferrell Damon Scott, a man guilty of being black with marijuana in the wrong state, a father, grandfather, and friend, he is a victim of the misguided drug war. Learn more about Ferrell Damon Scott and how to help him here: https:// www.facebook.com/freeferrellscott/.
no victim = no crime = not guilty no one should be caged for cannabis! NATIONAL NEWS
OREGON
Blue River, Oregon~ April was filled with court hearings for Crockett Bain Anderson, an elder member of the Oklevueha Native American Church (ONAC). He was pulled over in Summit County, Utah earlier this year on his way to deliver the “Mother Sacrament” (cannabis) to other church members in need. He identified himself as an ONAC member and explained his sacred mission to law enforcement, only to be arrested and charged with marijuana offences. At the time of this article the results of the April court hearings are unknown. The cannabis DUI case against Joy Graves
the 17th Annual Global Cannabis March in Portland Oregon on May 7, 2016. Nearly 300 cities worldwide participate in the yearly march. Portland participants will gather at Pioneer Courthouse Square for a rally at 12pm. The march will begin at 4pm and stretch throughout downtown Portland, accompanied by a police escort. You can find full details of the event at https://www.facebook.com/ events/1682927788591727/. Taking it to the Streets - On April 1st, members of Voices Of the Cannabis War, The Human Solution and documentary LIFERS, gathered at Pioneer Courthouse Square in Portland with signs and letters for people to sign for the President asking him to grant clemency to some of our plant prisoners who are still serving LIFE! The event was amazing, and all of the public agreed, that no one should be in prison for our plant! If you would like to ‘take it to the streets’ please e-mail us for help at voicesofthecannabiswar@ gmail.com and we will help you coordinate an event!
WASHINGTON:
(ONAC spiritual leader) is currently at a standstill as Joy continues to work with council to determine the best way to proceed. News about ONAC and its member’s plight for personal and global freedom of the plant is changing daily. For full details and the most upto-date information, please visit, http:// onackmoregon.wix.com/news-and-currentaff. Portland, Oregon~ VOW is happy to announce that they will be participating in
Kettle Falls Family - Members of The Kettle Falls Family are still waiting to hear about the outcome of their appeal. The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit continued their case briefs to June 2016. Their case is separated from other cases at the Ninth Circuit, because of Section 538, which prohibits the US Federal Government from using federal funds to prosecute those in states where marijuana is legal. If the appeal does not work in their favor, the family will be forced to serve their prison sentences. For more updates about their case visit their
Facebook page or visit their website at www.kettlefallsfive.com
OKLAHOMA:
In December of 2012 while retiring in Mountain View, Hawaii, Albert Thomas came across a copy of Plant Spirit Medicine, written by Eliot Cowan. After reading this book, Albert had what can only be called a spiritual awakening in regards to his own connection to the cannabis plant. Albert states, “While in Hawaii over a 2 year period, I learned to grow and process this plant making a medicine which healed my body from chronic pain ailments and advanced arthritis. My passion was further heightened as I began to feel a spiritual connection to this plant for healing others as well.” After Albert’s spiritual awakening in 2012, he became active in the Hawaii cannabis community by starting the Big Island Cannabis Club, which became the Florida Cannabis Club after moving to Florida and is now SpiritDevine Cannabis Club based out of Oklahoma, where Albert currently resides. SpiritDevine Cannabis Club is “dedicated to sharing information related to healing using the cannabis plant.” Albert started the various cannabis clubs to promote the benefits to people that suffer from chronic pain and as a natural alternative to prescription pain pills that have been shown to cause addiction and further health complications. Sadly, Albert is facing felony cultivation of a controlled substance, felony intent to distribute and a misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia despite never selling any cannabis as a result of his only child - his son along with a few other people attempting to rob him of his medicine and growing equipment. On December 18, 2015, Albert’s son and the other unnamed offenders kicked in the door where the equipment was, stole most of it and then took over Albert’s home and locked him out. At this point Albert called the police, knowing of no other way to resolve what had just occurred. Albert states “I called the sheriff who made contact with my son and then arrested me on what my son told him. They were led to the previously mentioned locked room where they found a plant drying and other plant materials. My son set me up to be robbed and framed and now I must defend myself.” Albert will be having his preliminary trial May 26, 2016 at 9am at the Seminole County Courthouse in Wewoka, Oklahoma. Any support that can be offered will be greatly appreciated. Oklahoma is not a medical marijuana state and if found guilty Albert could be sentenced to life in prison.
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Lance Gloor - Since Lance’s federal trial, while awaiting sentencing, he was taken into custody because of a cell phone violation. He is currently being held at the SeaTac Federal Bureau of Prisons. The judge rescheduled his sentencing to June 3, 2016. Lance needs your support, he needs you to write a letter to Judge Leighton, asking him to be lenient on his sentence. You can e-mail your letter or questions to psm103_17@yahoo.com. If you would like to send Lance some mail to help cheer him up, his address is: Lance Gloor #44270-086, FDC SEATAC PO Box 13900, Seattle, WA 98198.
There will be no cannabis available at the open house, so that everyone can join us and learn about its natural healing properties. Medical Marijuana card holders will be given special return discount cards for our May 13 opening. L E A R N T H E T RU T H A B OU T C A N N A B I S , HOW T O G E T A M E DIC A L C A R D, M A S T E R C U LT I VAT OR S A N D MOR E !
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the other oils Love Your Active Life Using Essential Oils By: Shelly Berkowitz
Reflexologist & Holistic Health Counselor If you ever played a little too much football at the 30-year class reunion; have gone out hiking when maybe you haven’t hiked since Nixon was impeached; or have maybe just slept the wrong way, there are awesome essential oils out there that help with supporting the body’s muscular system, and helping to give your body some natural support & relief, when needed. For me, last week was filled with many activities, one was hitting the gym. It was the first week back after a long hiatus. It would have been a whole lot harder had I not had my go-to oil blend of wintergreen, peppermint, lemongrass and camphor oils, plus a few others. Ahhh… take me away! These beautiful oils were my best friends both before and after my routine. The oils also helped my peace of mind in just knowing that I could recover fast and continue with my week without crawling out of the house each day.
Every day before I got on the treadmill, I quickly breathed in some peppermint and frankincense. It helped make me feel stimulated and ready to take on a mile or three. Then at night, because I wasn’t used to working out, I had a few restless nights. I used just a drop of lavender on my pillow and on my feet. Worked like a charm to give me that calm feeling and soon I fell sound asleep.
Finally, as I like to use essential oils in my cleaning, I take a small spritzer of lemon, melaleuca and water with me to the gym. I can spray the equipment before and after use to help keep the microbes at bay and to ensure that I don’t bring home anything other than my towel. I have also been taking warmer baths, especially after my workouts. By using my special concoction of Epsom salts, lavender, wintergreen & baking soda, I am relaxed, and my tub stays clean after each bath.
Vegas Cannabis Magazine • May 2016 • 32
For my nerds out there, I did a little research to find out why wintergreen oil works the way it does with your body: Methyl salicylate, (found in wintergreen or birch oils) was found to inhibit leukotriene C4 (a chemical messenger involved in the inflammatory response), while also demonstrating gastroprotective against ethanol-induced gastric injury in rats (Trautmann, et al., 1991). What all this basically means is that in a study on rats, wintergreen was found to help the body naturally with inflammation. Not sure about
you, but for me, what isn’t inflamed spells ‘happiness’ in my book. Wintergreen is one oil that a handful of people are allergic to. Pregnant women are directed not to use it at all, nor people with epileptic conditions. If these previously stated conditions are not existent, test a small area prior to use. And with children, as well as adults in this instance, I suggest dilution with a carrier oil, like fractionated coconut oil. In a bath, no more than 6 drops are needed when using really good, therapeutic-quality oils. After a week of work outs, I noticed that my tennis shoes were beginning to get that “I’ve been going to the gym again” smell. To rectify the situation, I will be making a baking soda & melaleuca shaker to shake into my shoes to make them smell fresh again and to help alleviate the bacteria that causes the odor in the first place. Because water is so very essential to life, especially when including a workout or exercise routine, I have made sure that my water intake includes at minimum 64 ounces, and I drink it with a drop of grapefruit oil. Why grapefruit oil? Grapefruit, and its’ component limonene, was shown to affect the body’s autonomic nerves and reduce appetite and body weight in rats exposed to the oil for 15 minutes three times per week (Shen et al., 2005). In all of this, I just wanted to remind you that you aren’t alone in wanting to be healthy and I am here to show you that you can do it without all of the discomfort & agony. I have found a routine that works for me and the oils to support me while I do it. For free consultations, samples or more info about how to use or purchase essential oils, please contact Shelly Berkowitz at (714) 5143737. Shelly can also be reached via email at ahealthyresidual@yahoo.com and her website can be viewed at www.mydoterra.com/ shellyberkowitz. You can also find her on Twitter @shellyberkowitz & Facebook @ A Healthy Residual. FDA Disclaimer: The information, advice, statements, and testimonials made about the essential oils, blends, and products mentioned on this web site have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The information on this site and the products listed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease, nor are they intended to replace proper medical help. It is always recommended to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any regimen with essential oils. User submitted testimonials are based on individual results and do not constitute a guarantee that you will achieve the same results - what works for one may not work for another.
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medical Easing Pain with Cannabis
By: Dr. Kit, Pharm.D, RPh. Chronic pain affects one in five adults in the developed world, including one in three to four adults in the United States. It is one of the most difficult diseases to treat successfully, with success merely defined as partial relief of pain. Currently in the US, 46 adults die every day from prescription painkiller overdose. The CDC has recently released new recommendations to avoid the use of opioids in the treatment of chronic noncancer pain. In light of this, new attention has been directed toward the use of medical marijuana, either alone or in conjunction with other medications, to treat chronic pain. In Nevada, severe pain is the most common condition for which use of medical cannabis is requested in the state’s medical marijuana program. In this month’s article, we will look at some of the published evidence for the use of cannabis in chronic pain. A recent study published in 2016 in the Clinical Journal of Pain surveyed 274 patients who received medical cannabis to treat chronic pain. Compared to baseline, patients who received medical cannabis over a 6-month period reported a 10% decrease in pain symptom scores. Patients also reported a 17% decrease in scores of the severity of their pain, and an 18% decrease in pain interference scores, which measures how much pain interferes with daily living. Patients also reported a decrease in the amount of opioids used during the six-month period compared to baseline. Overall, cannabis was well-tolerated, with only 2 patients that discontinued cannabis due to side effects. This study, however, relied upon the selfreports of the patients, who knew that they were taking cannabis. This knowledge may have affected the responses of the participants, depending on how they viewed medical cannabis and if they believed it would or would not be helpful in reducing their pain. No placebo was used in this study, so patients could not be sure whether the effect reported was due to the cannabis, due to the belief that cannabis would be helpful, or due to improvements in their pain over time. Another article published in late 2015 in the Journal of Pain assessed the safety of cannabis to treat chronic pain. A total
of 215 patients at 7 clinical centers across Canada who used cannabis to treat their chronic, non-cancer pain were compared with 216 control patients at the same centers who did not use cannabis. Patients were surveyed on a variety of serious and non-serious side effects, as well as effectiveness of their medications, at appointments and in telephone interviews. They were also given cognitive function tests and urine drug tests. Cannabis patients also underwent lung function tests and blood tests throughout the one year follow-up period. Cannabis was generally well-tolerated in this study, with no significant difference in serious adverse effects between cannabis users and non-cannabis users. Cognitive function was not significantly different between both groups, either at baseline or after one year of follow up. No decrease in liver, renal, endocrine, or lung function was observed in cannabis users over the year of follow up. However, patients in the cannabis user group reported a significant decrease in intensity of pain compared to controls and greater improvements in physical function compared to the control group. Cannabis patients and controls in this study self-selected which group they were in, rather than being randomly assigned, which could lead to possible bias in wanting cannabis to work both from patients and researchers. This study was relatively small, with only about 400 participants, and had a relatively short follow up period of one year. Larger study sizes and longer durations may have shown more side effects or uncovered more rare side effects, or conversely, showed just how rare a side effect actually is. In a 2015 Journal of Pain article, the investigators studied 244 patients with chronic pain who were dispensed medical cannabis at Michigan dispensaries. Investigators sent out an invitation to complete an online questionnaire. They evaluated changes in opioid use, quality of life, medication classes used, and medication side effects before and after adding cannabis to the treatment regimen. In this study, medical cannabis use was associated with a 64% decrease in opioid use, a decreased number of different medications used and decreased side effects of those medications, and an improved quality of life. Again, this study did not have a placebo
or control group and did not randomly assign patients to one of those groups. Patients chose to take cannabis, and may have shown bias either in perception or reporting decreases in pain or decreased use of other medications. The study’s sample size was small overall, but does add to the evidence of the effectiveness of cannabis for chronic pain. A 2011 British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology article reviewed 17 studies examining the effectiveness of cannabis and cannabis derivatives vs placebo in the treatment of chronic pain, along with another study that compared dihydrocodeine (an opioid pain medication) with nabilone. All but one study showed moderate decreases in pain relative to placebo, with nabilone and dihydrocodeine showing similar reductions in pain. While cannabis did not completely ease pain in these studies, it did show that cannabis could be a useful medication, along with other medications and interventions, to treat chronic pain. Cannabis and cannabis derivatives were well-tolerated, with few side effects reported. Most of the studies evaluated in this review were short-term studies (days to weeks) and involved few patients. Side effects may not have been noticed or reported in the short time of the studies, but might be seen over the longer term. And having more patients may allow the more rare side effects to be seen. However, each study showing the effects of cannabis on chronic pain adds to the body of evidence that it does have a role in its treatment. While larger, longer-term studies, especially placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials, will need to be conducted to further show strong evidence for the use of medical cannabis for chronic pain, medical cannabis shows great promise as another weapon in the arsenal to fight chronic pain. By adding cannabis to their pain management regime, patients may be able to decrease their opioid use while maintaining the same or better pain control, decreasing their risk of death from overdose. And being able to add another option for treatment may help to improve the treatment of this notoriously difficult condition, easing the pain for the more than 100 million Americans with chronic pain. Dr. Kit, Pharm.D, RPh, is the co-owner of Medigrow, a Nevada grow school, established in 2008. She has also been a licensed, practicing pharmacist in Las Vegas since 2004.
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hempfest The 3rd annual Las Vegas Hempfest & Cup, presented by Medizin™ is coming up Saturday, June 4th, 11am-2am at Craig Ranch State Park. With live music, informational speakers, dispensaries on site, vendors, a carnival, the Miss Hempfest contest and more, this event will be the largest cannabis event in Vegas to date. Hempfest is an all ages event. Tickets can be purchased online, at Vegas Cannabis Magazine and at Medizin Dispensary. EDUCATION This year’s Hempfest will include a wide array of speakers and seminars. This year, speakers and educators will be scheduled to make 15-minute introduction speeches on the main stage in between the live bands sets. These short speeches will inform attendees what topics each speaker will be speaking on. After the short
intro, each speaker will then continue speaking at their designated vendor booth location. At the booth, you can get up close and personal and ask questions, learn more and collect whatever literature they have to offer. One of this year’s featured speakers include Gary Tovar, creator of Coachella Festival and many others whi will speak for the first time ever about his 8 years in prison for cannabis charges. Award-winning cultivator Yoshi will speak on growing. And, Cannabis Chef Fred will be cooking live while speaking about cooking with cannabis.
DJ Hoppa will also be on stage. Bands will be added up until the day of the show – visit the Hempfest website periodically for updates.
event. Growers both private and professional will be able to enter. So, get your samples ready - a limited amount of entries will be accepted.
MUSIC The music lineup this year is outstanding. Hempfest patrons will be entertained by a wide array of musical genres. From Dizzy Wright and Too Short to Sublime LBC and Mod Sun, there will something for everyone. Tha Dogg Pound, AfroMan, Jarren Benton and
GROWER’S CUP The Hempfest Grower’s Cup will be held May 27th through May 29th. Online intake will be open soon, watch the website for details. The awards ceremony will take place on June 4th at Hempfest. All entrants will also receive a general admission pass to the
VIP AFTER PARTY After Hempfest, don’t miss the VIP after party which takes place on the roof top at the Hustler Club. The Hustler Club is located at 6007 Dean Martin Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89118. Craig Ranch State Park is located at 628 W. Craig Road in North Las Vegas
To Snitch or Not to Snitch By: Tony Serra Introduction By: Pebbles Trippet
TONY SERRA IS A PRINCIPLED PERSON AS WELL AS AN EFFECTIVE TRIAL ATTORNEY FOR OVER HALF A CENTURY, fiercely defending the right and the good with all he’s got. Some say he’s the greatest criminal defense lawyer of the 20th century. His concern for big picture justice is not limited to justice for his client but justice for the common good. He believes in individual liberty, a synthesis of clashing ideas and “a meaningful system of justice in every culture.” He asks is it good for the individual, is it good for the justice system, is it good for society as a whole? What is Tony Serra’s conclusion about snitching, based on these questions? “The act of snitching does not better a person or the justice system’s truth seeking process and has so thoroughly tainted the pathways of justice that it should be banned.” “The dissident voice is being silenced by the snitch system”, undermining the adversarial nature of obtaining truth in law, based on criminals’ lies for a reduced sentence, or case dismissal, or financial reward. Nothing noble. Tony Serra’s concept of justice raises the bar to higher ground and the search for a morally justifiable criminal justice standard. His article, “To Snitch or Not to Snitch,” was originally presented in two parts by SKUNK Magazine to focus on how to improve the common good by making the justice system just. With permission from Tony Serra and SKUNK Magazine, It is being reprinted again in two parts by Vegas Cannabis Magazine. Should snitching be banned or can it be reformed?
The definition of an informant is a person who cooperates with law enforcement in order to have a suspect (real or imagined) arrested and/or convicted. For his cooperation, the informant receives “consideration” from the government and, on occasion from the court system.
they are receiving, for unsealing those portions of affidavits for search warrants or wire tap that pertain to informants. For the most part, the law shields the informants. Many cases are prosecuted where the defendant doesn’t even know who “ratted” on him or her.
The present day criminal justice system relies on informants more than any other legal system, ever! Law enforcement cultivates informants for investigation, for testimony, for search warrants, for telephone wiretaps, for Grand Jury statements, for sentencing, for virtually every phase of criminal prosecution. We have informants preceding the arrest of a suspect and informants developed after arrest. We have cooperating defendants who become “state evidence” against their co-defendants.
Informants are sometimes not even charged with a crime; other times, they are given great leniency in their own pending case; other times they are given monetary rewards, new identities, removal to another location and extensive immunities for crimes they admit committing.
We have more laws, more legal precedents, more legalese involving informants than any other legal system. We have participatory informants, percipient informants, material informants and further, reliable informants, and sources of information informants. Every category of informant has its own applicable law. We constantly bring motions for revelation of informants, for discovery of what payments or leniency
Even though their lack of credibility is evident, they are omnipresent in our criminal judicial process. Any system of justice that relies on informants in a quest for truth debases itself and compromises its integrity. We must rid our system of this cancer, this disease that is rapidly spreading and infesting the administration of justice. In marijuana prosecution, beware as informants come from every milieu! The farm workers, the manicurers, the suppliers of water, equipment, fertilizers and clones; also from neighbors, from the property owner, the real estate agent, even from the buyers or users of marijuana. The
simple largest source of informants are those who have already been arrested on separate charges and who are cooperating to “work off their beef.” Informants are a dominant part of a prosecution’s presentation in federal and state cases relating to drugs and political activities. They’re used for background data, leading to search warrants and/ or grand-jury investigations, Informants sometimes participate in the alleged criminal conduct, either as witnesses or hands-on, in a reverse-sting operation, for example. Especially in investigations of so-called dissident and subversive political factions, government infiltrators and informants themselves have promulgated a lot of criminal activity; they’ve had the ultimate inside perspective on what is occurring, because they’d instigated it. This was especially true, in the author’s experience, of the Black Panthers and the Symbionese Liberation Army. Informants sometimes claim to have seen possession of contraband or the sale of drugs; they sometimes claim to have heard incriminating statements from suspects. They’re sometimes wired to record their conversations with suspects. Sometimes they testify; other times they’re never revealed.
Vegas Cannabis Magazine • May 2016 • 43
In return, informants aren’t charged with crimes for which they’ve been arrested or receive up to dozens of years off their sentences for convictions. Informants sometimes receive payment in cash, immunity from past crimes, and when required, a change of identity and address. Informants have worked their way into the judicial system in ever-increasing numbers. “Most of my cases have involved informants and I’ve gone after them for so long now that I do it unthinkingly. It’s not intellect; it’s just raw nerve instinct. It’s Pavlovian.” J. Tony Serra leaned on the speaker’s podium as he addressed a group of lawyers and law students on the subject matter of informants. “And, it’s filled with bitterness and pain. I have a very strong view that it’s bad morally and practically; it’s bad in every way. Presently, there’s a blizzard of informants. Every major drug case involves them as key witnesses. It’s a blight on our judicial system.” Serra’s voice softened as he revisited some pain. “A few weeks ago, I went to see a person in prison who’d recently been busted. He was twenty-one. Had one prior, and was facing a mandatory sentence of twenty years to life. I sat with him for about two hours. He was young and innocent and immature in worldly terms. His role in this bust had been trivial. He’d been a courier and had received a very small amount of money. But for him, it was going to be twenty to life. Twenty to life!” Serra pounded his fists on the podium for emphasis, then threw them up in the air as though throwing away a life.
“It was a contact visit, and we were at a real narrow table, face to face. He just cried, man.” Serra paused, cupping the pathos of the situation in his hand and feeling the weight of it. “He cried for about an hour and a half. Here’s this child really, not a man yet, and he’s crying for an hour and a half, sobbing in front of me.” Serra’s voice changed from somber to pleading as he switched roles. “And he’s saying, “They want me to roll on my best friend, Tony. I don’t want to roll on him; I don’t want to inform on him.” His tears are coming down and he’s saying, “But I don’t want to go either! I’m only twenty-one, and I won’t get out till I’m forty, and I have an old lady and we want to have babies.” Ah, it was so heavy! “What’ll I do?” He poses it right there: “What’ll I do? I don’t wanna roll! Can we beat the case, Tony? Can we beat it? Serra’s head dropped and he stared at the floor; the impact this had on him was apparent. When he lifted his head, his face was twisted with his own emotion upon recounting this story. “And here I am, the champion of the anti-snitch position, a guy who dreams about snitches! What do I do? I can’t emotionalize. I have to be Zen. This situation called for just being present. So I say, “Let’s look at it. Let’s see the tapes that were body-wired on the cooperating defendant for the alleged time of pickup…” Ultimately, my client didn’t snitch, and ultimately, they didn’t indict him. He was very lucky. The tension in the room gave away to relief. “Let me give an example to show how strongly I feel on this issue. I’ve got five kids, including twin boys who are about the same age as this kid in jail. I love my kids as much as anyone’s capable of loving his children. So, let’s just pretend I see my own kid in this position. And I say to myself, “Well, what would you do Tony? What would you do if it was your own kid? And this is the conclusion I’ve
Vegas Cannabis Magazine • May 2016 • 44
come to: I would tell him how I really feel,” he confided to the audience, growing more attentive word by word. “But you can’t talk to your clients like that. You don’t preach ideology to your clients. You’re their agent. You can’t tell them whether to snitch or not to snitch on someone. I’m a trial lawyer; that’s not my prerogative. So, if a person wants to cooperate with the feds, I just walk away. That is my prerogative. I don’t represent snitches. I never have and I never will. Not knowingly anyway, because sometimes they’re snitches and they’re even snitching on you and you don’t know it. Serra shifted position as if to take a solid stance. “So, this is what I would tell my kid. I would say, “No! No! We fight it. We always fight it. We fight it all the way!” His hand, clenched into a fist, vibrated the force of his statement. “But dad!” I hope my son wouldn’t be crying, but he could be, when he says, “You know we’re gonna lose. They got me wired! There’s gonna be two witnesses against me. We’re gonna lose! And I’m gonna go for twenty years!” Tony Serra’s voice deepened as he changed roles from son to the authoritative father figure. “And then I would say, “We’ll fight it all the way. Maybe we’ll get lucky. I’ve gotten lucky before. Maybe we can do something. Maybe we’ll hang it. Maybe the judge will commit reversible error. Maybe a miracle will happen. But we’ll fight it, son!” Then, switching quickly back to the role of his son, he said, “But I’m gonna be gone for twenty years, Dad!” Then back again to father. “If that happens, we’ll visit you. We’ll love you! We’ll respect you. We’ll honor your name! Your picture will hang on our walls. We’ll pay tribute to you. You will be beloved amongst us, your family and your friends. You will never be forgotten! It will all be waiting for you when you’re outside again. Everything within our grasp that we can give we will give.” And then if he says, “I can’t do it dad; I can’t do it. I can’t do twenty years,” I would say, “Then I will bring you the hemlock! You don’t have to do it. You can’t do twenty years? Then die! If you can’t do it, it’s better that you die! Die honorable.”
This I would say to my son. I don’t say this to my client. But I want you to know the strength of the emotional involvement I have in this issue! “You die and we will revere your image forever! We will hallow your image. We’ll tell everyone how brave you are, how courageous you are! What a warrior you are. How loyal you are! How strong you are! We will love you! And you’ll be born again. But you die a lion! You do not live the life of a dog!” His hand pounded out these shocking words on the podium. “That’s what I would tell my son!” He again pointed emphatically. That’s the honest truth! I would sacrifice son, I would sacrifice self, I would never, never countenance within my blood, within my family, what I call the Judas Syndrome. That’s how strongly I feel!” Continuing in a softer tone, he said, “Then I would tell him, “Hey! Half of the world has always been nuns and monks. Don’t you see? You’ve been chosen! A large burden has been lifted from you, though an equally large burden has been given to you. But how can you master Hesse; you can master Shakespeare, Schopenhauer. You can read all of Socrates. You can create poetry! You can create literature! You can look into yourself. You can find huge free zones within meditation. It’s not so bad to be in there twenty years!” I would tell that to my son. In and aside to the audience, he said, “Obviously, the other polarity of incarceration is loss; it’s defeat, selfdestruction, and death. This is the symbol that we lawyers can’t countenance.” Serra paused for a moment, letting one wave of passion ebb as he began to ride the next one. “But to my son, I would say, “You’re given the sun that shines. The same sun that shines outside shines in prison. The winds that blow the spirits, that murmur and purr to you within your spirit, can’t ever be confined. They will come to you. All the eternal truths are in as well as outside prison. In Buddhist societies, more than fifty percent of the society is monks. They live in cells. The privations and deprivations of jail are the same privations they choose! You’ve been given a holy life! See that part of it.”
“You see, we’re all Western materialists, so we have this notion about confinement. There is no confinement. There is never confinement. That’s an illusion. The mind is free! And the inner mind is vast!” The mood of the room quivered in grim silence. An uncomfortable tension was now apparent; some of the lawyers in this audience represented snitches as a policy. Serra turned to soul-searching. “Why do I feel this strongly? What are the underpinnings? What’s the rationale? The theory? The logic? Why am I preaching this kind of view? I’ll describe it in stages. “You take the person who turns, who rats,
“The universal moral precept of loyalty is so strong that when a person gives that up, he destroys himself.” who becomes a snitch, who participates in the Judas Syndrome. The person who turns over his friends, his family, his mother, maybe his father, maybe his brother. Take that person. Is society doing any good for that person by making him an informant? Is it something wholesome? Are we rehabilitating him? Are we regenerating his moral values? No! We’ve destroyed that person! We’ve totally destroyed him! Have you ever seen a tree that has snapped in the wind? It still has a stark kind of stature of boldness and strength. There’s courage in the broken trunk. But the tree that’s bent by the wind, the tree that no longer stands upright, that’s sad. That’s depressing. No one wants to look at that!
“Loyalty is connected to survival of the species, to natural selection. Loyalty. Loyalty to family, Loyalty to tribe. Loyalty to your environment. Loyalty, ultimately, to nation. It’s a deep-seated universal instinct. That’s why treason has always been viewed as so heinous a crime. That’s why the Judas image has always horrified everyone. That’s why, in every society, disloyal people are banned. They’re killed – we still kill them if they turn treasonous in battle! “The highest crime has always been to go against your family, your friends, your ideology, those who have nurtured you, those who have supported you, the ones who will perpetuate your species. That’s why always the courageous have died to allow family, or tribe or friends to exist. You must sacrifice yourself! So, that’s another deepseated instinct. It’s a deep-seated conditioned response. Loyalty is a universal moral precept; it exists on all levels of civilization. Death to anyone who disowns, devalues, or undermines the right of his or her tribe or family to exist!” In a calmer voice, he said, “The universal moral precept of loyalty is so strong that when a person gives that up, he destroys himself. He’s never the same. As a lawyer, do you think you’ve done him some good by encouraging him to snitch? Do you think you’ve turned him around? Do you think you’ve rehabilitated him? You’ve done nothing but kill him! He would have been prouder in prison. His friends would have saluted him. He would have been a symbol of strength and courage and resistance. But now, as the lawyer who has turned him over, you have participated in his Judas Syndrome. You have totally annihilated him as a moral human being, because he’s now gone against everything that’s instilled in the youth in every society: loyalty. “To Snitch or Not to Snitch” was originally published in the book, “Lust for Justice,” by Paulette Frankl.
Vegas Cannabis Magazine • May 2016 • 45
legal Will You Vote Yes on Question 2? By: Derek J. Connor Esq.
You may have heard about the upcoming Marijuana Initiative on this year’s ballot. On November 8th, the people will vote to legalize recreational marijuana in Nevada, and if the initiative passes, retail marijuana stores will begin to open in 2018 with approximately 130 retail licenses available statewide. But, you may have some questions about it. What exactly does it entail? What will change? And what will stay the same? If passed, any adult aged 21 or older will be able to purchase marijuana from licensed retail stores, and possess up to one ounce of flower or one-eighth of an ounce of concentrated marijuana for personal use. The possession of marijuana will no longer be an offense and law enforcement cannot seize it from you. Anyone not within 25 miles of a retail store may grow up to 6 marijuana plants in a locked area of their home. The initiative also decriminalizes the possession of
visit: www.connorpllc.com marijuana paraphernalia.
legalize public use of marijuana, so using marijuana in parks, malls, or other public areas will still be prohibited. The same goes for driving while under the influence of marijuana, which will remain illegal. The initiative also does not change any employment policies, so employers will still have the right to maintain current marijuana policies or establish new restrictions. Similarly, cities or counties are still able to enforce zoning or land restrictions that inhibit retail marijuana establishments. Other restrictions could exist and could be laid out by regulations or ordinance and may vary by city and county.
This initiative could greatly change and benefit the Nevada cannabis community. The regulated market will ensure packaging, labeling, and testing requirements for all marijuana and marijuana products. The State will also require other safety measures for retailers, such as signage and marketing regulations, heightened procedures, and additional qualifications for licensures. As a result, the marijuana market will have safe and clean product for cannabis consumers. Not only will the process of obtaining marijuana be more protected, but your identity will also be protected. Consumers will not be required to show any other identifying information other than a government I.D. to determine age, and retailers will not be required to gain or store any records that have personal information about the consumers. Of course there are some restrictions. For starters, one consumer cannot sell marijuana to another consumer. Recreational marijuana can only be purchased from a licensed retailer, and the licensed retailer will check identification to enforce the 21 years of age or older requirement. Anyone who allows access to or provides marijuana to minors may be subject to criminal penalties. Additionally, the initiative does not
If you are a current medical marijuana patient and concerned about your existing situation, don’t be. The initiative does not change any existing medical marijuana laws or patient access, and patients can continue purchasing from their local dispensaries. The taxes for medical marijuana patients will remain lower than recreational consumers. The initiative does not change the medical marijuana laws and the medical marijuana program will continue. It is important to understand the current laws and what is at stake on the ballot this fall. If you have any questions, you should contact an attorney that is familiar with the cannabis laws in your state. Derek J. Connor Esq. is the co-founder of Connor & Connor PLLC along with his wife, Amanda N. Connor Esq. Derek practices primarily in the areas of medical marijuana, civil litigation, business law and criminal defense.
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higher education On Campus and in the Classroom By: Willie Spearmint
The focus of this month’s Higher Education column is how cannabis is being incorporated into the classroom and other academic settings on the college campuses of Nevada. On April 15, Nevada State College (NSC) hosted their inaugural Undergraduate Creative Works Research conference presenting research and creative activities that have become a hallmark of the undergraduate experience. The conference featured the work of nearly 100 students from all academic disciplines. Local cannabis community leader and NSC student Deuvall Dorsey submitted four cannabis themed projects to the conference of which two were accepted. “I was happy to be invited to participate in the conference and surprised they felt the need to warn me not to smoke cannabis during my research lecture presentation,” said Deuvall. Deuvall studies visual media and communications with a focus in public relations. Over the past two years he has worked with professors structuring his courses and specific interests to coincide with the growth of the local cannabis industry. His lecture, The cannabis conversation coming to a college campus near you, explained how NSC professors guided his cannabis projects from the
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like: Nevada State College ScorpionsCAN classroom to real world opportunities. The focus of the 20-minute lecture was divided into three parts. First he discussed working with a variety of professors to create cannabis themed class projects and a customized curriculum including a number of one on one independent study courses focused entirely on southern Nevada’s emerging cannabis industry. He then described the importance of founding the Nevada State College Scorpion’s Cannabis Awareness Network the first and only student cannabis organization in Nevada. Lastly he shared how he’s using these same projects and ideas to launch a career in the cannabis industry right now. “When a colleague referred to me as the Nevada cannabis industries number one graduating prospect of 2016, I humbly agreed,” said Deuvall. His short film Runner’s High received the first place award in the documentary portion of the digital media presentations. This six-minute piece was produced last August as part of a scholarship application. The video talks about the challenges he faced in 2015 after going public with his cannabis use when he became an online vlogger and internet personality known as the Vegas 420 Runner, endurance athlete and cannabis ambassador. His most important project is a website culminating his work into the capstone of his college experience. www. REDEFINEcannabis.com is redefining cannabis and the people who use it by way of athletics and academics. The site also features production details of a documentary being made about the vote for recreational use in Nevada this November and the plans to screen the film on a state-wide college student voter registration tour across Nevada in September and October. (Be on the lookout for more details about the college tour and a full review of the website in a future issue of Vegas Cannabis Magazine.) During his closing statements Deuvall said, “On behalf of Nevada’s cannabis industry I salute Nevada State College for taking the lead on incorporating cannabis topics in the curriculum and extracurricular ideas. NSC has laid a blue print for how cannabis careers and college can be successfully combined.” Contact: Deuvall2012@yahoo.com
The month of April also included two
additional student organized cannabis events at the UNLV Boyd School of Law. “Hosting these events was an opportunity for our student organizations to work together to create a discussion where students and others can ask experts in the field about topics such as changes to the tax structure, changes to DUI laws and concerns with reciprocity,” said Phi Alpha Delta President Kenny Tedford. On Monday April 11th the Federalist Society hosted the CATO institute’s Ilya Shapiro in a talk entitled “High on Federalism”. At that event, Ilya talked about the legal issues inherent in a federal government including the restraints on state governments enforcing federal law, the topic of rescheduling or decriminalizing marijuana, as well as Department of Justice memos that came about as a result of other states legalization of recreational marijuana. On Thursday April 14th the local Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity chapter held a panel discussing Nevada’s concerns, both legally and practically, with our medical marijuana industry and the ballot question regarding the legalization of recreational marijuana. At this talk was Nevada State Senator Tick Segerblom and local attorney Derek Connor of Connor & Connor PLLC., a firm that works with a number of local medical marijuana establishments. These events are being held because students in both the Federalist Society and Phi Alpha Delta realize that cannabis use is an important issue in the state, and the citizen referendum leading to this year’s ballot questions demonstrates its importance. “Regardless of an individual’s stance on legalization of cannabis, we realize that there are important questions that come along with the issue of legalization and that these questions should be asked and discussed in an open setting,” said Kenny. The Nevada Cannabis college student of the month is Kenny Tedford, one of the primary students responsible for organizing the recent cannabis events at UNLV. Kenny was born and raised in Nevada and graduated from UNR in 2014 with a degree in history. He is currently a student at the UNLV Boyd School of Law and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) Candidate, 2017. At Boyd, Kenny is the President of the local chapter of the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. Contact info: Tedford@unlv.nevada.edu
Tokin’ With the Infamous
For this month’s Tokin’ with the Infamous, I smoked out with edible master, Brett Long of Leaf of Life Lollies on the high holiday of 4/20 at the Red Dragon Brotherz 2nd Annual Las Vegas Cannabis Championship. Let’s just say there were too many top shelf strains to be named, and we smoked them all. Literally. All of them. And that was before we got into the edibles… Hopper: How long have you been making edibles? Brett: We’re in our second year of edibles. We’ve been making topicals for going on five years now. Hopper: Right on. Did you already have a passion for cooking, and adding cannabis was the logical thing to do?
Brett: Last year we won third place in edibles at the Las Vegas Cannabis Championship.
with
Hopper: I remember that. Good times. Brett: Also, last year we were voted the best toffee brittle by Edibles List Magazine. That was a real honor. Hopper: That’s huge. Brett: Yeah, we took a lot of pride in that one. This year we’re going to try to get to Chalice. We’re gonna try to collab with Pheno Finders, on the jerk spiced bacon we make. We want to enter that in the World Cup in Jamaica this year.
Brett: Absolutely. Our recipes are based on family recipes. We took the candy we ate as kids, that our grandmas made and just started medicating it.
Hopper: Wow. You know what they say … Everything is better with bacon! Brett: Absolutely! In-N-Out, going on a Double Double, yeah! Hopper: Are edibles your preferred way to medicate? Would you rather smoke, dab, or all of the above? Me, I’m an all of the above guy. Brett: I’m an all of the above guy, too. It depends on the situation. We try to make our edibles better for everyone all around at a lower dosage, so that they can have a little or eat more. Hopper: You’ve been crushing the award scene lately. What cups/awards have you taken?
Hopper: What else do you have coming up in the future? Like you said, things are moving fast. Brett: We’ve been working with a company called Quality Fresh Glass that puts on little Sesh’s. We’re trying to get into medicated catering. Hopper: You gotta let me know when one of those events are coming up. I definitely want to come out and support. Brett: Definitely. We are looking at another Big Bear event in June possibly.
Hopper: You’re known for your award winning brittle, what other goodies do you have to offer? Speaking of, I just tried your new jalapeno brittle. It was epic! So is the medicated bacon. Brett: Yeah, some friends of ours begged us to start cooking and we worked on it for a long time. Once we felt comfortable with it, we took it out. The first Sesh we took it to sold out in an hour and a half or so. It was gone that fast. It’s to the point now where we only take it to special events because we can’t produce it fast enough.
medicine should be tested. I believe that they need to know what’s in their medicine. We’re also big on child-proof packaging and things like that.
Hopper: Big Bear is always nice, I wouldn’t mind heading up. Brett: We just did one there, and it went really well.
Hopper & Brett Hopper: Hell yeah, that sounds dope! Brett: We’re looking at some big things this year. Hopper: That’s huge. Just keep it growing. No pun intended! Haha! Brett: I think our biggest thing coming up this year is becoming Nevada compliant. That’s going to be huge for us, working with Red Dragon Brotherz. We are very blessed to have had all of our packaging approved by the state. We got our state card for Nevada, and we’re just waiting on that facility. Hopper: Are you happy with the cannabis community as it is now? Brett: Well, I personally feel there should be some changes. Hopper: That goes to my next questionWhat would you like to see changed? Brett: I’m a big proponent of the patients. I believe that people’s
Hopper: It’s been another great sesh, it’s always nice to hang out with you. Are there any shoutouts you wanna throw before we head out? Brett: Always, Red Dragon Brotherz. You can’t beat what they’re doing for the patients. They are truly patients over profits. Hopper: True that. They are the real deal. Brett: It’s nice to be connected with people that believe in that philosophy. Also, a shout out to my local place that I like to hang out at, The Hippie Lounge in Hemet, California. Hopper: Next time I’m up that way, I’ll have to swing by and hang out. Brett: Absolutely, we can sesh at any time! Hopper: For sure, so until next time, we’ll leave it on that note. Nice tokin’ with you, brother! Peace!
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words from the inside The Harm in Snitching By: Chris Williams
In the fall of 2012 I stood trial in federal court. All of the charges against me originated from my ownership of a state legal medical marijuana company in Montana. Even after many years in prison my memories of the trial are vivid. Going to trial in federal court is like a bloody battle for your freedom. The stress is palpable and my perception of time slowed down. The adrenaline rocked my body, my mouth was so dry my tongue was stuck to its roof like plaster. While standing in front of the judge and jury I felt alone. Then, as my former business partners, some staff members and friends testified against me, I knew I was alone. I hear them called by many names; informant, rat, and snitch are just a few. In prison, they are the lowest form of life. With such universal disdain of snitches, you may wonder, why are they so common? To begin to understand you must know that snitches are controlled by fear. This fear creates a swell of betrayal in a person’s nature. Unfortunately the current structure of our criminal justice system propagates this tragic aspect of human nature. Snitches are cowards who have refused to accept the punishment for their actions. You may not realize that long before the federal indictment is filed deals are being made. Federal law enforcement officers and federal prosecutors have an overabundance of power. This power is unchecked by courts or a jury. No matter what the level of guilt and culpability in a crime, the federal agent and prosecutor can grant the accused freedom, but nothing is free, so this freedom comes with a price. To gain freedom a person becomes an informant, they betray everyone they know. Suddenly a partner who you once trusted becomes a confidential informant, a witness against you, and a snitch. In this scheme; subversion, lies, and cheating are common and nothing is off limits. Law enforcement officers and prosecutors will even allow informants to continue illegal activities. The use of snitches by law enforcement and prosecutors promotes many injustices in our country and is a disgrace. The
visit: www.FreeChrisWilliams.com conspiracy laws are so broad and the prosecutors thirst for convictions so strong that an informant can send a person to prison with no evidence, other than lies. Can you imagine spending decades in prison just because a snitch uses you as a get out of jail free card? Even though this is common and legal, it does not make it fair and just. The fundamental problem of the snitch system is that a low level offender can receive the longest prison sentence, while the highest level offender with significant criminal history can receive the shortest prison sentence, and in many cases walk free. To help you understand how this criminal justice system is broken, I will share one of many cases I know of. Think of a large medical marijuana grow operation when it is raided. Even though the owner was obeying state law, they now face a federal sentence that is unbelievably long due to harsh mandatory minimums. As the drug enforcement agents and federal prosecutors stack charges and use scare tactics, the owner of this operation becomes more desperate. The federal prosecutor leverages this fear and turns the head of this medical marijuana operation into a snitch. As an informant for the federal government, they are required to fully disclose all their “illegal” activity. And it is worse than you could imagine; every name of every patient, every person they have ever done business with, no one is off limits. This method by federal agents continues to cascade down to everyone the large grower knows. Then at the bottom is a small time player; such as a landlord, or transportation company, or a patient that grows, or even a friend or family member. Keep in mind the head of this organization is under immense pressure, they will name anyone to gain their freedom or reduce their sentence. Under the current federal conspiracy laws, the people named by this snitch may not have even known them, but still they can face decades in prison. Now take a second and think about this... With no evidence, just the testimony of a desperate snitch, who is struggling to save themselves, people serve decades in prison. During my pre-sentence negotiation, after being found guilty at trial, a federal judge made this crystal clear. He said, “Often the most culpable person in a conspiracy does not do the most time in
Vegas Cannabis Magazine • May 2016 • 56
prison, the person with the most knives in their back does.” The federal prosecutor’s practice of overcharging creates unprecedented conviction rates and is unethical, and another intended result, it promotes the snitch system. Overcharging is the practice of charging a defendant with multiple crimes, of such severity, that the defendant will not go to trial, even if they are innocent. This can best be understood with a simple example. Imagine if every time you were speeding, you were issued a speeding ticket, as well as a ticket for reckless driving and charged with attempted vehicular homicide... Now the crime of driving faster than the posted speed limit could turn into many years in prison, especially if the crime has a mandatory minimum sentence. Anyone facing such a prison term would plead guilty to speeding in exchange for the more severe charges being dismissed. For the federal prosecutors that is not enough, they also want you to testify against other drivers you know. This example makes clear why the conviction rate in the federal courts is above 95%. Most people are extorted into taking a plea deal and turning into a snitch in the process. This is a common practice in the federal system. Unfortunately this takes away your right to a trial and removes the jury and judge from the process. My case in federal court is normal in many ways, but rare in that, I went to trial. I never accepted a plea deal and I did not cooperate with law enforcement in any way, while many of my co-defendants did. Some of the witness’ against me were never even indicted. They worked with law enforcement before the raids on our company, and the level of cooperation was so significant that they didn’t even face charges. Had we all stood together and defended one another the case could have been very different. Like most snitches, the snitches in my case were manipulated through extortion, by threatening and overcharging. My personal experience has given me a detailed inside view of this system. Thank you for your continued support. Please take the time to visit http:// www.freechriswilliams.com/. Share and comment on this and other stories to spread the word and help change this broken criminal justice system.
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bet it all on green Bet It All On Green: Superior Customer Service By: Jason Sturtsman
If you are pursuing a career in the cannabis industry, you must provide superior customer service to patients, establishing the difference between those who want a job from those looking for a lifelong career in the cannabis industry. If you are in the minority of those who are constantly improving themselves by seeking out new information, you will soon be unstoppable in the cannabis industry. Attracting new customers and maintaining current customer satisfaction are keys to a successful dispensary. Patients First When showing patients you care, you are putting them first. Listen carefully to the patient, always using their name to provide good rapport. Understand what their needs are to provide the optimal medicine they need for their symptoms. Be consistent with positive interactions that not only let them
know which medicine you have available, but what deals you have that day. Testing Information What differentiates state licensed dispensaries from the black market is that all cannabis products in Nevada must be tested to assure safety and consistency. Make sure you always convey to the patients the THC, CBD, CBN, and the
terpenes that create the entourage effect. It is the responsible thing for budtenders to help patients find their proper dosage and cannabinoid profile specific to their ailment, for maximum benefit through their body’s endocannabinoid response. When a patient walks into a Nevada dispensary, a dispensary agent should always pull
out the medicine’s lab testing information, communicating that their medicine is tested for potency, terpenes, foreign matter, microbial, mycotoxins, heavy metals, and pesticide residues. Know the Products To be effective at your job, you will connect with a customer better if you have actually tried the product. Most customers will ask what your favorite strain is or what cannabis product you use to treat your symptoms. A recent cannabis business survey found that over 80 percent of patients will purchase something based on their budtender’s recommendation. Your authenticity will become quickly apparent to patients, who are relying on your opinion to help them get the optimum solution to their ailment. Be Helpful With No Immediate Profit Talk to patients like you would a friend, without making them feel you are trying to sell them, but counsel them to make the best purchase to treat their symptoms. Patients always need help navigating the Nevada desert, knowing what their rights are and how to protect themselves. Las Vegas is known for providing extraordinary customer experiences that the rest of the world talks about when they return home, which include superior customer service, from the waiter to the hotel concierge. My hope is that patients will come to Las Vegas and feel that their dispensary experience and medicine are the best in the entire world. Jason Sturtsman is a Nevada Independent Cannabis Laboratory Advisory Committee Member (ILAC), Wellness Education Cannabis Advocates of Nevada (WECAN), Vice President and Owner of Healthcare Options for Patients Enterprises (HOPE), a Cannabis Cultivation and Processing Facility, and a Manager at Las Vegas Releaf, a Las Vegas Dispensary. He can be reached at JasonS@wecan702.org for comments or questions.
Vegas Cannabis Magazine • May 2016 • 60
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patients first Patients Must Stand Together By: Cindy Brown
As a medical cannabis advocate for many years, I have been communicating with legislature for quite some time. There is a bit of a learning curve to all the right & wrong ways of doing things. My husband, Rick & I run a patient support meetup group, Patient to Patient, of which, some members also participate in the legislative process. At one point, we had a medical marijuana sub-committee headed up by Tick Segarblom that was supposed to address ALL the patient issues in the 2015 session. However, there were no patient concerns addressed at all, nor was there a BDR presented on the patient’s behalf. Last session (spring 2015), we were told that a lobbyist would be appointed who would listen to the patients and take our concerns to the legislature. I called our lobbyist on several occasions to no avail. It is apparent that the legislature does not want to address the needs of the patients unless we can contribute money or pay for a lobbyist! It seems they forget that those of us who need this the most are usually broke from all the medical problems we’ve had. Additionally, I must question why our police department is allowed any say in the crafting of our medical marijuana program? I would assume that at least 25% of Metro has no idea that we’ve had a grow-yourown medical program since 2000. Most of them think it just came into existence a few years ago. We also have the issue of the nano gram limit. This pertains to the patients who if stopped by the police would need to consent to a urine test and if found over the current 10 nano gram limit could be hit with a driving under the influence charge. Previously, we submitted blood & urine samples to the legislature showing an array of patients with nano grams from 116- 613, which does not indicate impairment because cannabis stays in your system much longer than any other substances. Someone please explain to me why our legislature feels it is good to continue making laws that make no sense AND hurt decent, kind people? I was told there were five lobbyists for Metro, but they do not understand the difference in recreational users & patients. And further, WHY should it even matter?
Correspondence from the State indicated that some of the laws in place are there for federal reasons, such as the law that does not allow patients to hold a concealed carry permit. This doesn’t make sense... THE WHOLE PROGRAM IS FEDERALLY ILLEGAL! And, although cannabis is federally illegal, laws were still put in place to allow the sales of cannabis but at the same time, patient’s right to carry a concealed weapon was taken away. In order to amend this situation, we have to ask for a special session. In order to obtain a special session to voice our patients concerns, we are asking that every one of you who reads this article write your own paper letter or email to your representative as well as all the others. There is no reason for them to deny a special session for the patients of Nevada,
When contacting the legislature, please be kind and courteous. A rep in California told the group he was tired of people cussing at him on the phone and in voice mails. For us patients, this is a very sensitive topic with heated emotions. When making contact, being stern & concise is best. Suggested topics to address: • How cannabis helps you • Your age • Medications that did not work prior to using cannabis • Voter status • Be sure to list all issues you have with the current law. Review my list below as it might trigger you to think of other issues. Please include any of the same issues I mentioned so it is clear that we care about many of the same issues. Email correspondence & phone calls need to be done as soon as possible. If we can get 2/3 of the legislature to agree to a special session, we can fix these problems a year sooner.
Rick & Cindy Brown
Below is the email that I wrote to the Governor a few weeks ago to get the ball rolling on our special session request:
after all, they did one for Tesla and one for Faraday. The local cannabis industry will create more jobs, tax money, and tourist dollars than either of those companies. Following is the link to find your representative. Once you find your rep, please email & call to let them know an email is coming & that you would appreciate a response: http://mapserve1. leg.state.nv.us/whoRU/ Also, be sure to register to vote! When you can say “I AM a registered voter,” those in higher power listen a little closer: http:// www.clarkcountynv.gov/election/pages/ registertovote.aspx PLEASE send an email to the following and ask that it be forwarded to the rest of the Senate or Assembly. This is how we reach all of them simultaneously: Senate@ LVCB.State.nv.us & Assembly@ASM. state.nv.us
Governor Sandoval, The medical marijuana patients of Nevada would kindly request a SPECIAL legislative session to finally address all of the medical marijuana issues. This industry will be a multibillion dollar industry and we have a lot of problems still left to fix. During the regular session we endured numerous canceled hearings & were rushing to get things completed. This has led to numerous oversights. One example is inconsistent advertising abilities throughout the entire state varying from one side of the street to the other. Then, the fees to cross city lines are unnecessary & cause undue hardship on the MME’s in those jurisdictions. Other issues that need to be addressed is our patient issues and rights. When the patients ask for dispensaries to be put into place we did not anticipate the owners would want to remove our rights to grow. The numbers used to do all of the production projections for profits for these dispensaries were based on Colorado numbers of over 100,000 patients in their patient base. At the time, Nevada had a mere 6000 patients in our database as you can see that is a substantial difference. We are trying very hard to get more patients for the dispensaries to become profitable but that does take time. In the meantime we do not want to see our rights to grow removed. I have listed below most of the issues we see as needing to be
fixed & clarified. We would also request that the law be made into two separate sections. One which clearly states the laws applying to patients & those which clearly only apply to businesses. There have been two lawsuits against the state by patients & the minute orders are saying we must fix the law legislatively. We feel very strongly that a special session is the best way to address all the issues. There are also pending lawsuits against a few of the dispensaries by GW Pharmaceuticals. The legislation last session was supposed to solve that problem too but it has not. We also have the IP1 legalization petition to address & we should have legislation in place to address immediate sales, once it passes. So once again we so humbly request a special session to fix the MMJ program completely. We feel that a special session will give both the patients & the businesses the time needed to cover all the details that need to be fixed. Medical Marijuana Patient Essential Bill Draft Revisions: 1. Protect the patients’ right(s) to grow their own medicine at home 2. Revisit the DUI laws so residual lingering amounts of THC is not cause for false prosecution. 3. Protect parents from Child Protective Services’ rules in relation to the conflict of parental rights and child safet 4. Protect workers’ rights to be medical marijuana patients. 5. Allow concealed weapon permit holders and all gun owners alike to be medical marijuana patient cardholders without restriction. 6. Reinstate our right to make our own oils, lotions, butters, etc. 7. Remove consumption restrictions and limitations for ALL medical patients. 8. Reduce the fee for Nevada residents to become cardholders and keep program costs reduced for our lower income medical patients. Maybe a 50% reduction for Veterans? 9. Create regulations that allow for patients to consume their medicine at hotels, commercial establishments and while attending conventions. 10. Remove restrictions on dispensaries giving away free medical samples and related products. 11. Allow for outdoor cultivation and/or greenhouses to let patients extract a plants full cannabinoid profile. 12. Require hospitals and hospice care facilities to allow patients access to cannabis extracts and vaporization methods of titration without medical or legal detriment. 13. Allow local jurisdictions to choose dispensaries that have been approved by the state regardless of the state’s ranking.
14. Allow caregiving for more than one person in an assisted living situation. 15. Patient tested medicines at the labs 16. Create language which allows for patient-owned co-ops and collectives. I’m sure there are some things I have missed but this is a good start. If we’d like to be the premier medical marijuana program for the rest of the country to strive to be like, we NEED to do this RIGHT. We keep hearing,”Oh we will get those things fixed NEXT session. “Next session”, has been going on for 15 years now. It is time to finally get this done properly & completely with the goal of protecting the citizens of Nevada. Cindy Brown, Patient to Patient, owner
If you feel inspired, please send an email yourself to:http://gov. nv.gov/Contact/Emailthe-Governor/. It is time for our political leaders to realize we need their FULL attention to get this done right. During regular sessions they have all sorts of people to distract them from our NEEDS… not wants, but NEEDS. Cindy Brown will be compiling a mailing list for those interested in legislative updates. Once you receive a response from your correspondence with the legislature, please email a copy to Cindy at ABigPurpleDiamond@ icloud.com so that she can track the type of responses patients are getting.
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