Hemp News - October 1998



		News Archives: October 1998 ACLU Sues to Guard Marijuana Measure Congress October 31, 1998 - Washington Post Saying that D.C. voters have a right to decide political issues, the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit yesterday to prevent Congress from voiding the results of a measure on Tuesday's ballot that would make it legal for seriously ill people to use marijuana for medical reasons. Campaign Ad Misleading On Marijuana October 31, 1998 - Anchorage Daily News JUNEAU - A newspaper ad opposing a ballot measure that would legalize marijuana for some medical uses misrepresents the American Cancer Society's position on therapeutic pot. Judge Proposes DOJ Establish Program To Distribute October 30, 1998 - The Legal Intelligencer A federal judge is urging the Justice Department to establish a program to make marijuana available to anyone whose medical condition could be improved by it. Court Snuffs Pot Initiative's Last-gasp Effort October 30, 1998 - The Gazette DENVER - The Colorado Supreme Court on Thursday refused to order county clerks to count votes cast in connection with a proposal to legalize the medicinal use of marijuana, effectively ending a battle to allow voters to decide the issue Nov. 3. Libertarian's Ad Takes Cues From 'South Park' October 30, 1998 - The Sacramento Bee Gray Davis and Dan Lungren are debating once again on television, and this time they sound almost exactly alike. I-692: Medical Marijuana - Agent Of Terror Or Compassion October 29, 1998 - Statesman - Examiner Drugs like morphine are legal for pain relief, and medical marijuana will also become an option someday if voters pass Initiative 692 this November. Backers Of Medical-Marijuana Initiative Roll Out TV Ads October 29, 1998 - Seattle Times Backers of Initiative 692 - which would legalize medical uses of marijuana in Washington state - have unveiled a $220,000 statewide television campaign in the last week before the election. Ex-Presidents Rail Vs. Marijuana October 29, 1998 - Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) -- Three former presidents -- George Bush, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford -- are urging defeat on Election Day of referendums in several states to legalize marijuana for medical use. CGP Seals $10 Million Industrial Hemp Contract October 29, 1998 - PR Newswire WILLARD, Ohio -- Consolidated Growers & Processors, Inc. (OTC BULLETIN BOARD: CGPR), through its wholly owned subsidiary CGP Europe, AG, today announced a US$1O million, three-year agreement with ALCOPOR (ALCN), a major European manufacturer of insulation, to deliver 18,000 metric tons of industrial hemp fiber for use in building insulation. After Rejecting Plea Bargain, 19-Year-Old Jumps To Death October 29, 1998 - Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) -- A 19-year-old man apparently distraught over a prison sentence offered in exchange for his guilty plea in a drug case jumped through a courthouse window Thursday and fell 16 stories to his death. Council Votes To Use TV To Air Those Arrested For Drugs October 29, 1998 - Boston Globe Amid passionate objections that the measure would trample civil rights and drive some people to suicide, the City Council yesterday passed a resolution to put the photographs, names, and hometowns of those arrested for buying or selling drugs on cable television. US Officials Urge Vote Against Medical Marijuana October 28, 1998 - Reuters WASHINGTON - Federal anti-drug officials Tuesday urged voters to reject initiatives to legalize the medicinal use of marijuana that are on the Nov. 3 ballot in four states and the District of Columbia. Man Who Grew Dope For Son Sentenced October 28, 1998 - Kitchener-Waterloo Record A Kitchener father who said he grew marijuana at home so his son wouldn't have to buy it on the street probably escaped a jail sentence Tuesday because he agreed to live with his mother for six months. Buckley Lied On Recount, Her Own Workers Allege October 28, 1998 - The Gazette DENVER - Employees of Secretary of State Vikki Buckley say they never completed a line-by-line recount of 88,815 signatures on a proposal to legalize the medicinal use of marijuana - contrary to what Buckley told the Colorado Supreme Court. Medical Marijuana Faces Test At Polls October 27, 1998 - USA Today PORTLAND, Ore. - A state-by-state strategy for legalizing marijuana to treat certain medical ailments gets its first big test next Tuesday as voters in four states confront closely watched ballot measures. Guilty Plea Won't Stop Hemp Activist October 27, 1998 - Chicago Tribune Although he pleaded guilty Monday to possession of marijuana, Woodstock resident Gary Christ has not given up the fight to change the laws on growing hemp and using marijuana for medicinal purposes. Voters Support Hemp, Poll Says October 27, 1998 - Honolulu Advertiser Hilo, Hawai'i - Six in 10 Hawai'i voters support medical uses of marijuana and the growing of hemp, marijuana's non-intoxicating cousin, for fiber and food products, said a poll commissioned by a pro-marijuana group. Approve I-692 October 26, 1998 - Bellingham Herald ELECTION: Patients with terminal, debilitating illnesses should be able to legally use marijuana. Marijuana Initiative Narrows Its Focus October 26, 1998 - The Spokesman-Review Spokane -- Bob McCaslin is a Republican state senator, a 72-year-old who defends conservative causes and likes small government. Congress suspends DC medical marijuana election October 25, 1998 - Colorado Citizens for Compassionate Cannabis Washington, DC -- In the history of the Republic, Congress have never suspended an election. Even in wartime, this nation adheres to the democratic process and principles it promotes and defends throughout the world. Yet an amendment included on the FY 1999 D.C. budget prohibits the certification of election results conducted in the District of Columbia on a citizens' initiative which protects the sick and dying, Initiative 59. (see text of the Barr amendment to the DC Appropriations bill at http://www.levellers.org/dcbarr.htm) Medical Views Mixed On Marijuana October 24, 1998 - The Herald Will marijuana, the unofficial poster child of the war on drugs, get long-sought legal approval for some types of medical uses in Washington? Pot Backers Not Giving Up October 24, 1998 - Denver Post Supporters of a measure that would legalize the medicinal use of marijuana asked the Colorado Supreme Court on Friday to order county clerks to tally the votes cast for and against the controversial initiative on Nov. 3. Reject Marijuana Measure October 23, 1998 - The Olympian Initiative 692, the legalization of marijuana for medicinal use, is a vast improvement over last year's ballot measure. But it still comes up short. Ruling Ends Some Marijuana Sting Operations October 23, 1998 - New York Times In a ruling that will limit the way police departments conduct some sting operations involving marijuana, the State Court of Appeals in Albany, N.Y., Thursday reversed a Monroe County Court decision that allowed people who believed they were buying marijuana to be charged with criminal solicitation. Senate Gives Final Approval To Illegal-Drug Tax Bill October 23, 1998 - Associated Press North Carolina's tax on cocaine and other illegal drugs will drop to what legislators hope are constitutionally acceptable levels with the Senate's final approval of a bill Thursday. With I-692, patients would grow their own October 22, 1998 - Seattle Times Initiative 692 would allow people suffering from illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, AIDS, epilepsy and glaucoma, as well as nausea related to chemotherapy or other forms of "intractable pain," to use marijuana for relief. Will Medical-Marijuana Initiative Ease Their Pain? October 22, 1998 - Seattle Times Is marijuana a safe and effective medication? Reno: Science, Not Ballots On Marijuana October 22, 1998 - United Press International WASHINGTON, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Attorney General Janet Reno says voters should let science, not the ballot box determine whether marijuana should be used for medical purposes. Oakland Allows Emergency Marijuana Use October 22, 1998 - Dallas Morning News OAKLAND, Calif. - A public health emergency was declared after a federal court closed the city's medical marijuana club, leaving 2,200 patients with no legal source for the drug that they say quells the pain of AIDS and cancer. U.S. Congress Approves $2.7 Billion For Drug War October 21, 1998 - Los Angeles Times WASHINGTON--U.S. Congress gave a $2.69 billion shot in the arm to the fight against Latin American drug traffickers Wednesday, saying the Clinton administration had lowered its guard on the narcotics front. Oakland Council Declares Marijuana Health Crisis October 21, 1998 - San Francisco Chronicle The day after the state's largest remaining medical marijuana club was shut down, the Oakland City Council threw its support behind the dispensary, but exactly what the city can do to help remains unclear. Medical marijuana stirs opposition October 20, 1998 - KING 5 TV Does the illegal drug marijuana really provide relief that certain patients need? Voters will decide marijuana for medial use in just two weeks, but a number launched an aggressive campaign Tuesday in opposition of Initiative 692 and the use of marijuana as medicinal drug. Dope Backer Fined October 20, 1998 - Calgary Sun Moments after he was sentenced yesterday for trafficking pot on the courthouse steps, Grant Krieger said he's planning to broaden his distribution operations. Wealthy Benefactors Stoke Campaigns For Medical October 20, 1998 - Washington Post PHOENIX - A war against the "war on drugs," fueled by millionaires, not pot-smoking hippies, is taking place in six states and the District of Columbia this month. Voters in Alaska, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and the District will find initiatives on their Nov. 3 ballots allowing physicians, under defined conditions, to obtain and dispense marijuana as a palliative to their patients. Here in Arizona, the medical marijuana question is before the voters as part of a broader referendum on decriminalizing a wide category of drugs. Proposition 300 Prompts Anti-Drug Rally October 20, 1998 - Arizona Republic Republican leaders rallied in front of 150 children at the Thomas J. Pappas school for the homeless Monday, urging a "yes" vote on Proposition 300, to gut Arizona's medical-marijuana law. Medical marijuana: Yes October 19, 1998 - Tri-City Herald Last year, the Herald urged a "no" vote on an initiative that would have authorized the use of medical marijuana because it would have decriminalized marijuana possession. Oakland Marijuana Club Closed By Feds October 19, 1998 - Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- California's largest remaining medical marijuana club was closed Monday by a court order obtained by the Clinton administration's Justice Department. McCormick Tests Positive For Pot October 19, 1998 - MSNBC LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19 - Medical marijuana advocate Todd McCormick, who was arrested last year for budding a pasture of pot in a rented Bel-Air mansion, has again tested positive for marijuana use, a prosecutor said Monday. Drug-war politics shouldn't prevent doctors from easing patient's suffering October 18, 1998 - Tacoma News Tribune As a hospice physician, I have seen marijuana work to relieve suffering. I have seen patients start eating again. I have seen them stop vomiting after chemotherapy when they used marijuana to relieve their nausea. I have sat at the bedside of sick and suffering patients long enough to learn that modern medicine often falls short in offering complete relief of suffering among our sickest patients. Legal alternatives to smoking marijuana make change unnecessary October 18, 1998 - Tacoma News Tribune Last November, the sponsors of the failed Initiative 685 - the measure that would have legalized marijuana and other drugs in Washington state for those suffering from "serious illnesses" - claimed voters simply "weren't educated enough about the issue." Indeed, 60 percent of Washington voters rejected the measure. Yes on Initiative 692 (medical marijuana) October 18, 1998 - Seattle Times Should patients with terminal illnesses or debilitating pain be allowed to smoke marijuana prescribed by their doctors without fear of criminal prosecution? Marijuana Seizures Multiply With Fall Harvest October 18, 1998 - Arizona Daily Star With the fall marijuana harvest, loads of weed are coming across Arizona's southern border - and the Border Patrol has snagged more than a ton of it since Wednesday, spokesman Rob Daniels said. D.C. To Decide On Marijuana Legalization October 17, 1998 - Washington Post When Jim Fairchild's partner was dying of AIDS eight years ago, the gravely ill man smoked marijuana to help increase his appetite. State Won't Count Marijuana Vote October 17, 1998 - Rocky Mountain News It's official. Coloradans won't get to vote Nov. 3 on whether to use marijuana as a medicine. Judge Gives Oakland Pot Club A 3-Day Break On Closing October 17, 1998 - San Francisco Chronicle An Oakland medical marijuana club that had been ordered shut down was granted a three-day reprieve by a federal judge yesterday, just hours before U.S. marshals were to padlock its doors. Priest Calls For Legalised Cannabis And Ecstasy October 16, 1998 - Scotsman A Roman Catholic priest argued yesterday that today's young people have been cast as a generation of "modern-day lepers" simply because they take ecstasy. Yelm police number improperly listed in voter pamphlet October 15, 1998 - Tacoma News Tribune The Yelm Police Department's telephone number was improperly listed in the state voters guide as a number to call for information opposing a ballot initiative to legalize medical use of marijuana. Pot Club To Fight Court Ruling October 15, 1998 - San Jose Mercury News The Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative vowed Wednesday to fight a federal court ruling that would prevent it from providing medical marijuana, either through an appeal or perhaps by breaking up into smaller, independent groups. I-692: Approve medical marijuana October 14, 1998 - Lynwood Enterprise Despite some medical opposition to Initiative 692, which would legalize prescription of marijuana for medical purposes, we support it. Pot-as-medicine proposal returns, free of baggage October 14, 1998 - Tacoma News Tribune A proposal to legalize marijuana as medicine is on the ballot again, but this year the issue is not accompanied by heroin, LSD and changes in drug sentencing laws. Legalizing Pot for Medical Use a Largely Overlooked Ballot Initiative October 14, 1998 - Las Vegas Sun With Nevadans focused on high-profile races for governor and Congress a statewide ballot initiative to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes isn't generating much smoke. Judge Orders SF Jury Trial In Marin Pot Club Case October 14, 1998 - Sacramento Bee In the latest development in the federal government's attempt to shutter marijuana buyers' cooperatives in the wake of Proposition 215, a judge Tuesday ordered a jury trial in San Francisco in the government's case against a Marin County pot club. Oakland Co-op To Be Shut Friday October 14, 1998 - San Francisco Examiner A federal judge has taken another step toward closing medical marijuana clubs, ruling they cannot fight off a federal shutdown by claiming the drug is essential to relieve patients' pain or save their lives. El Nino Year Ravages Pot Crop October 13, 1998 - Associated Press It's one loss blamed on El Nino that's not covered by insurance--the marijuana crop. Pot Grower Tells Police 33 Plants Were Medicinal October 13, 1998 - Sacramento Bee Sacramento police Monday night seized at least 33 marijuana plants as they arrested a Rio Linda man who claims he grows the pot for treatment of a stomach condition. Harvest Festival Returns October 12, 1998 - The Badger Herald Hemp lovers had a homecoming of their own this weekend as the Harvest Festival returned to UW-Madison Saturday. Medical marijuana is bad presciption October 12, 1998 - Tacoma News Tribune Initiative 692, authored by Tacoma physcian Rob Killian, is a new and improved version of a "medical marijuana" measure voters soundly rejected last year. Initiative 692 will ease pain of many suffering patients October 12, 1998 - Everett Herald Last year, I voted against the marijuana Initiative 685. Its target was far too broad -- way beyond the medical use of marijuana. This year, I'm going to vote for Initiative 692. By contrast, it is sharply honed and carefully worded to have Washington follow the lead of Arizona and California in bettering the quality of life of seriously ill patients. And it will do so without "legalizing" marijuana -- without treading on the turf of those militaristic purists seemingly dedicated to banishing any and all drugs of abuse from the face of the earth. Public should wait for proof that supports I-692 October 12, 1998 - Everett Herald Since 1992 the facts are that public concern for marijuana has decreased and teenage usage has increased. Research by the National Institute on Drug Abuse as well as the National Institutes of Health show clear and convincing evidence that marijuana causes "amotional syndrome," which is characterized by "decreased drive and ambition, impaired communication skills and a diminshed effectiveness in interpersonal relationships." These the same background factors that are associated with those who commit violent criminal acts. These the same background factors that educators say are impeding our youth to receive a good education. What does it take for us to make the connection between marijuana use and societal ills? Plight of the desperately ill deserves marijuana access October 12, 1998 - Everett Herald The difficult and serious question of medical marijuana is back. Case Tests Legality Of Swiss Marijuana October 12, 1998 - Reuters ZURICH, Oct 12 (Reuters) - In little shops springing up around Switzerland, you can buy all the marijuana you want. You just aren't supposed to smoke it. I-692 A Proper Use For Marijuana October 11, 1998 - Seattle Post-Intelligencer There are two simple motives for voting yes on Initiative 692 Nov. 3. They are compassion and common sense, two solid virtues possessed by the majority of Washington voters. Pro-Marijuana Group Settles Suit it Filed Over Ouster From '92 Fair October 09, 1998 - Salt Lake Tribune A pro-marijuana group's lawsuit over its ejection from the 1992 Salt Lake County Fair has been settled out of court for $32,500. A Pot Professor's Day In Court October 08, 1998 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette BELLEFONTE, Pa.--Centre County President Judge Charles Brown paused, delicately felt around for the right touch of understatement, then told jurors in his courtroom yesterday they were hearing "a rather unusual case." Voters Should OK Medical Use Of Marijuana October 07, 1998 - The Columbian Marijuana is no different than morphine. If used properly, both can have therapeutic benefits for people with severe health conditions. If used improperly, both can have health-threatening side effects. Marijuana Product May Aid in Traumas October 07, 1998 - Boston Globe A drug modeled after a chemical found in marijuana could offer hope to hundreds of thousands of victims of severe head trauma, reducing the death rate and letting more people resume a normal life, according to a study being released today at an international conference in Seattle. Medical Pot Curb Backed October 07, 1998 - Sacramento Bee A City Council committee agreed Tuesday to recommend to the full council that smoking of medicinal marijuana in public be severely restricted, but the panel forwarded the matter with more questions than answers. Proposition 2 Foes Lead The Fund-Raising October 07, 1998 - Anchorage Daily News A California group funded in large part by billionaire philanthropist George Soros has pumped $126,000 into the campaign for an Alaska ballot measure to legalize the medical use of marijuana. It's Medicine: Supporters of medical marijuana rally October 06, 1998 - University of Washington Daily Hoping to convince voters to legalize the medicinal use of marijuana, a dozen speakers strove to communicate a message of compassion to more than 50 supporters at Harborview Medical Center's Initiative 692 rally Monday night. Hemp Raid Goes Up In Smoke October 06, 1998 - Toronto Star A threatened hemp raid on The Body Shop became a bust when it turned out Health Canada was just blowing smoke. Accounting Of Pot Petitions Ordered October 06, 1998 - Rocky Mountain News The state Supreme Court Monday ordered a line-by-line count of petitions to legalize marijuana for medicinal use. Oakland, Fairfax Cannabis Groups Face U.S. Attorneys October 06, 1998 - San Francisco Examiner A federal courtroom was the scene of a showdown Monday between federal prosecutors seeking to shut down cannabis clubs in Oakland and Fairfax, and defense lawyers who argue that doing so would deny the clubs' clients a medical necessity. Abuses In America Put Under Scrutiny October 05, 1998 - Chicago Tribune WASHINGTON -- The world's leading human-rights group, Amnesty International, is launching its first worldwide campaign aimed at the United States, claiming abuses such as "widespread and persistent" police brutality, "endemic" physical and sexual violence against prisoners, "racist" application of the death penalty, and the use of "high-tech repression tools" such as electroshock devices and incapacitating chemical sprays. Doctors Won't Back Marijuana As Medicine October 04, 1998 - Seattle Times Despite an impassioned plea by a former president of the organization, the Washington State Medical Association voted yesterday not to endorse a ballot initiative that would legalize marijuana use by terminally ill and chronically debilitated patients. Marijuana Issue In Air October 04, 1998 - Las Vegas Review-Journal CARSON CITY -- A new poll shows the Nevada ballot question to allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes is a tossup, with the margin of support just less than the poll's margin of error. Marijuana Rally Draws 45,000 For October 04, 1998 - The Boston Globe Most of them were not yet born when John Lennon wrote a song about a man named John Sinclair and his legendary marijuana bust, but nearly 30 years later, thousands of people rallied in Boston yesterday for the legalization of a drug that remains extraordinarily popular - and controversial. Marijuana Supporters Sue Orlando To Use Park October 03, 1998 - Orlando Sentinel A Gainesville group trying to legalize marijuana has sued Orlando in federal court, contending its right to free speech is being denied because the city wants to charge it to use Lake Eola Park. Senator Blasts National Drug Control Office For Using Tobacco Ad Company October 02, 1998 - Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The White House anti-drug office has decided to award an advertising contract to a company that handles publicity for cigarette brands, the Los Angeles Times reported today. Supporters Of Pot Initiative Will Stop Citing Gov. October 02, 1998 - The Oregonian Supporters of Oregon's medical marijuana initiative say they will stop using Gov. John Kitzhaber's name in their campaign materials. Group Revives Anti-Pot Effort October 02, 1998 - Rocky Mountain News The campaign to fight a medical marijuana proposal is slowly getting back into shape. Hemp Out Of Fashion At Spring Valley High School October 01, 1998 - The State Necklaces made out of hemp twine are no longer welcome at Spring Valley High School. News Archives In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 and The Berne Convention on Literary and Artistic Works, Article 10, news clippings are made available without profit for research and educational purposes.