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sabato 30 aprile 2016

ITALIA - Lotta alla droga a Perugia. Conferenza di bilancio

Si e' svolta oggi a Perugia, presso la Sala della Partecipazione del Palazzo della Provincia, una conferenza, nel corso della quale i firmatari del Protocollo d'intesa in materia di prevenzione e contrasto dei fenomeni collegati al consumo di sostanze psicoattive, a due anni dalla stipula del documento, hanno fatto il punto sulla situazione e sui risultati conseguiti. L'incontro ha inoltre costituito un'importante occasione per pianificare, tenendo anche conto delle esperienze nel frattempo sviluppate, le attivita' da porre in essere nel prossimo biennio. All'evento erano presenti, tra gli altri, il Prefetto di Perugia, Raffaele Cannizzaro, l'Assessore Regionale alla Sanita', Antonio Bartolini, il Vicepresidente della Provincia di Perugia, Roberto Bertini, il Sindaco di Perugia, Andrea Romizi, il Vescovo Ausiliario di Perugia e Citta' della Pieve, Paolo Giulietti, il Magnifico Rettore della locale Universita' degli Studi, Franco Moriconi, nonche' alcuni protagonisti dei percorsi di formazione integrata in materia di dipendenze che, nell'ambito del protocollo, sono stati realizzati nel corso del 2015: il sociologo Roberto Segatori, l'esperto di progetti di comunita' Francesco Stoppa, il primo dirigente della Polizia di Stato Mirna Caradonna della Direzione Centrale dei Servizi Antidroga, insegnanti, giornalisti, operatori dei servizi socio-sanitari e delle forze di polizia, esponenti del terzo settore e dell'associazionismo locale. Nel suo intervento, il Prefetto di Perugia, Raffaele Cannizzaro, ha presentato il documento programmatico che, sulla base dei contributi offerti da tutti i soggetti aderenti, e' stato condiviso quale base di lavoro per il biennio di prosecuzione del protocollo, e che risponde all'esigenza di un ulteriore rafforzamento della filosofia di rete, di partecipazione e di integrazione che e' alla base dell'intesa; una "rete" gia' molto ampia, che verra' ulteriormente allargata coinvolgendo nuovi partner e alimentando un sempre piu' intenso dialogo e confronto con l'associazionismo e la societa' civile. Il Prefetto ha altresi' preso atto del grande impegno profuso dalle Istituzioni e dai soggetti coinvolti nell'intesa e si e' detto certo dell' ulteriore implementazione nel prossimo biennio delle diverse progettualita'. Nell'occasione, sono stati proiettati alcuni contributi e materiali multimediali realizzati nel corso del biennio e destinati ora ad essere resi disponibili su internet sotto forma di documentario interattivo Web-Doc, denominato "Dritto negli Occhi", mentre da parte dell'Universita' degli Studi di Perugia e' stata presentata la recente proposta di realizzare un centro di documentazione sul fenomeno nell'ambito del Dipartimento di Scienze Politiche. Lo rende noto la Prefettura di Perugia. 

ITALIA - Lotta alla droga a Perugia. Conferenza di bilancio

mercoledì 27 aprile 2016

MONDO - UNGASS 2016. Il resoconto di Fuoriluogo




La nuova leadership dei latino americani: la guerra alla droga è finita

Corrispondenza da New York – L’unanimismo proibizionista è davvero finito, e l’antiproibizionismo non è più un’eresia: questa è la prima impressione ascoltando il dibattito alle Nazioni Unite. Finita la votazione del documento finale, che riconferma la cornice delle Convenzioni, UNGASS sembrava già finita. E invece i paesi latino- americani hanno preso la parola, riaprendo la discussione a tutto campo. Il Guatemala ha ribadito che il cambiamento è inevitabile: “Con UNGASS 2016 siamo solo all’inizio del percorso- ha concluso il rappresentante”. Più incisivo il Messico:“La guerra alla droga non ha funzionato: il narcotraffico è fiorente e produce morte e violenza. La mia nazione ha pagato, e continua a pagare, un prezzo eccessivo per assecondare il paradigma proibizionista”.

Il nuovo paradigma in campo mette in discussione alla radice l’obiettivo principe del controllo internazionale della droga: “Il problema principale non è di eliminare le droghe, ma di tutelare la salute”- esplicita il rappresentante messicano.
E’ toccato a Milton Romani, segretario della Giunta nazionale uruguayana sulla droga, proprio nella tavola rotonda dedicata alla riduzione dell’offerta di droga e alla criminalità organizzata, il compito di rompere il tabù sulla regolamentazione dei mercati. Il controllo delle droghe deve rientrare nell’ambito degli obiettivi più vasti dello sviluppo sociale e economico: i mercati illegali delle droghe, con la violenza e la corruzione che si portano dietro, costituiscono una minaccia allo sviluppo e non si possono combattere solo con l’arma della repressione. “La regolazione del mercato della cannabis è uno strumento per assicurare uno sviluppo sostenibile”- dice Romani.
Mi torna in mente la prima volta che ho partecipato a un meeting altrettanto importante, il segmento ad alto livello della Commission on Narcotic Drugs a Vienna, nel 2009. Allora fu il leader della Bolivia, Evo Morales, a denunciare l’iniquità della guerra alla droga: una voce coraggiosa di rottura, ma del tutto isolata nel clima di ortodossia proibizionista. A distanza di sette anni, chi parla di fallimento della guerra alla droga – e non sono pochi- non è più un outsider, anzi: si sta formando un nucleo di paesi riformatori che costringono anche chi non è d’accordo a confrontarsi con loro.

Pena di morte, pietra dello scandalo di UNGASS 2016


Corrispondenza da New York – Non è certo il meeting di rottura col passato che le ONG si aspettavano e neppure l’occasione per un ripensamento profondo delle politiche antidroga che Messico, Colombia e Guatemala auspicavano. A conferma di ciò, l’Assemblea ha approvato la mediocre risoluzione finale addirittura prima di cominciare il dibattito generale. Nonostante questo paradosso, anzi forse proprio in forza di questo, le differenze di visione politica sono emerse assai chiaramente. Molti paesi hanno espresso senza mezzi termini il loro disappunto perché l’obiettivo del superamento della pena di morte per i reati di droga non è entrato nella risoluzione finale. E il rappresentante dell’Unione Europea ha argomentato come la pena di morte per reati di droga contraddica la Convenzione Internazionale sui diritti civili e politici. La pena di morte è la pietra dello scandalo, che svela come il controllo globale sulla droga non sia in linea con la missione generale delle Nazioni Unite, di protezione dei diritti umani.



Intervento del ministro italiano della Giustizia, Andrea Orlando:

Statement by the Italian Minister of Justice and Head of Delegation, Hon. Andrea Orlando, at the Plenary Session of the UN General Assembly on the World Drug Problem (UNGASS 2016)

Thank you Mr. President, Excellences, Ladies and Gentlemen,
While aligning ourselves with the statement by the European Union, we would also like to make a few remarks in a national capacity.
Addressing the world drug problem is one of the great global challenges of our times. Since the entry into force of the drug conventions and the adoption of the Political Declaration in 2009, we have gained experience and new challenges have emerged. We thus need to adjust our domestic and international policies, strengthening projects that have proved to be effective and modifying those that have not, also in light of the Sustainable Development Goals.
This UNGASS is a unique opportunity to raise awareness of the ultimate goal of the drug conventions: the health and welfare of mankind. We should make the best use of the Conventions’ flexibility so as to implement them in a more balanced, humane and effective way, assuring that our drug policies fully respect human rights and are truly health-oriented.
The international community must fully recognize drug use as a health issue and drug addiction as a chronic and treatable multifactorial health disorder that should be treated, not punished. Our approach should be pragmatic rather than ideological: a result-oriented approach that encourages States to promote public policies motivated by the criterion of effectiveness rather than demagoguery.
The human person must be the center of domestic drug policies. We must guarantee access to the full range of measures, including prevention, treatment, risk and harm reduction, rehabilitation, recovery and social reintegration, with special attention to women, youth, vulnerable groups and underserved populations, also in prison settings.
Prevention is a key investment for society as a whole, and families and schools play a crucial role in this regard. HIV/AIDS is still a huge problem among people who use and inject drugs: risk and harm reduction approaches have proved to be effective.
About three-quarters of the global population does not have access to proper pain relief treatment: this is one of the main shortcomings of the international drug control system, and it needs to be urgently addressed.
We must make sure that domestic criminal justice systems fully reflect the principle of proportionality enshrined in the Conventions. Italian law provides a list of alternatives to detention for minor cases and assures access to health care services, also in prison. Italy decriminalized the use of drugs for personal consumption many years ago. In January 2016 we also decriminalized some violations related to the growing of cannabis for medical purposes.
We are engaged in countering drug trafficking and its many links to other serious crimes, including corruption and terrorism. We encourage all Member States to further promote use of the tools provided for by the 1988 Convention and by the Palermo Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its Protocols to strengthen international judicial and law enforcement cooperation.
The implementation of Agenda 2030 requires renewed efforts to tackle the socioeconomic roots of the world drug problem in close cooperation with all the relevant stakeholders. Strong cooperation with the scientific community, civil society and the private sector is crucial to the drafting, implementation, monitoring and assessment of drug policies. We encourage all relevant international organizations, including FAO and IFAD, to step up their cooperation with the Commission on Narcotic Drugs.
Italy firmly opposes the use of the death penalty in all circumstances, including drug-related crimes, and we regret that Member States failed to address this crucial issue in the outcome document. We urge all countries that still have capital punishment for such crimes to adopt an immediate moratorium, as a first step toward its final abolition.
Thank you for Mr. President. 

(sintesi dell'agenzia Askanews)

....
Nel suo discorso al Palazzo di vetro, Orlando ha sottolineato l'importanza da parte della comunità internazionale di "riconoscere pienamente l'uso di droghe come un problema di salute e la dipendenza dalle droghe come un disordine" che "deve essere curato, non punito". Secondo il ministro della Giustizia, "il nostro approccio dovrebbe essere pragmatico, non ideologico: un approccio che punti al risultato, che incoraggi i vari Paesi a promuovere politiche pubbliche motivate dal criterio dell'efficacia e non della demagogia", perché al centro di tutto "dovrebbe esserci l'essere umano".
Per il governo italiano, la prevenzione è fondamentale: è un "investimento per tutta la società, e scuole e famiglia hanno un ruolo importantissimo in questo", ha continuato Orlando ricordando che l'Aids e l'Hiv sono ancora un problema "enorme" e che tre quarti della popolazione non hanno nemmeno accesso a trattamenti per la riduzione del dolore.
Spiegando che il nostro Paese ha da tempo depenalizzato il consumo privato e personale di droga e ricordando che lo scorso gennaio la depenalizzazione è stata estesa anche ad alcuni casi di coltivazione di cannabis per scopi medici, Orlando ha poi ricordato che "l'Italia si oppone fermamente, in ogni circostanza, al ricorso alla pena di morte, anche nei crimini legati alla droga". Per questo il ministro ha fatto pressione su tutte le nazioni che ancora ricorrono alla pena capitale per quei crimini di adottare "immediatamente" una moratoria come primo passo per la sua abolizione finale.

sabato 23 aprile 2016

Medical Marijuana, Inc. Applauds Mexico's President for Including RSHO-X(TM) Advocate Raul Elizalde in Speech About Findings of National Marijuana Debate

Series of National Debates in Mexico Sponsored by Medical Marijuana, Inc. and Historic Approval for RSHO-X(TM) as the First-Ever Legal Cannabis Product for Import Helped Lead to Historic Change

SAN DIEGO, CA , Apr 22, 2016 (Marketwired via COMTEX) -- One person can make a difference. Unifying the voices of families and patients in need of non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD) hemp oil access in Mexico is dedicated and loving father of Grace: Raul Elizalde. On Thursday, April 21, Elizalde joined Mexico's President Enrique PeAa Nieto at a conference recapping the findings of the National Debate on Marijuana Use. The discussion took place in Mexico City outside the offices of the Ministry of Public Health.

There, Elizalde recounted his arduous battle to allow his daughter, Grace, access to cannabis oil. Elizalde's story inspired other families to fight for the right to import cannabis oil, such as the family of 11 Year-Old Alina Maldonado Montes de Oca whose father, Abelardo Maldonado Constantino, battled in court and eventually won the first-ever federal government import permit for Medical Marijuana, Inc. (otc pink:MJNA)'s Real Scientific Hemp Oil-Xa"c (RSHO-Xa"c).

Major coverage of Abelardo's winning of that first-ever import permit included:


- Reuters

- Azteca News

- CNN Expansion

Families in Mexico are now able to import Real Scientific Hemp Oil-Xa"c (RSHO-Xa"c) from Medical Marijuana, Inc. (otc pink:MJNA) with a government-issued permit. Their efforts have paved the way for all others seeking CBD hemp oil in Mexico to do the same.

Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s HempMedsA sponsored and participated with Elizalde and the Por Grace Foundation in multiple public forums including the National Debates on Marijuana Use advocating for medical cannabis access in Mexico. The forums took place from January through April of this year including a cross-border discussion with representatives from the U.S. government. There, Elizalde and the Por Grace Foundation dedicated their time and efforts to explaining why so many families would benefit from both medical marijuana and hemp CBD oil access.

"We are extremely grateful to the Elizalde family and their time and understanding of the need for hemp CBD oil as well as full-spectrum cannabis for healthcare options," states Dr. Stuart Titus, Chief Executive Officer of Medical Marijuana, Inc. "Raul speaks from his heart and is passionate about providing the best possible quality of life for his daughter, Grace, and others throughout Mexico. The Elizalde family's tireless efforts to access cannabis for medical purposes has clearly resonated with President Nieto and impacted his decision to begin the process of medical marijuana legalization in Mexico."

Earlier in the week, on Tuesday, April 19, Mexico's President Nieto addressed the United Nations at UNGASS. There he is quoted as saying, "I give voice to those who have expressed the need to update the regulatory framework to authorize the use of marijuana for medical and scientific ends." President Nieto will sign and send to Congress an initiative to reform laws allowing marijuana use for medical and scientific purposes.

Titus concludes, "From a historic perspective, there simply is no denying the fact that cannabis was been used as long ago as 2737 B.C. by Emperor Shen Neng of China as a tea for the treatment of gout, rheumatism, malaria and, even memory. As the saying goes, `History repeats itself.' We sincerely appreciate the tireless efforts of Raul, the Por Grace Foundation, and applaud President Nieto and residents of Mexico for coming to the beneficial and life-changing conclusion to allow full-spectrum medical cannabis (marijuana and hemp) access for all of Mexico."

Medical Marijuana, Inc. is a "Company of Firsts" that took nearly a decade and millions of dollars of infrastructure to establish and streamline a standardized commercial system to support the world's first and largest CBD hemp oil pipeline. MJNA recognizes and appreciates the dedication of its investors who believed in the vision of hemp CBD oil access worldwide. Medical Marijuana, Inc. is currently exporting its hemp CBD oil brands into more than forty countries. For more information on MJNA, visit the Company's website atwww.medicalmarijuanainc.com.

FORWARD-LOOKING DISCLAIMER This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements and information, as defined within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Medical Marijuana, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein.
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) DISCLOSURE These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.

LEGAL DISCLOSURE Medical Marijuana Inc. does not sell or distribute any products that are in violation of the United States Controlled Substances Act (US.CSA). These companies do grow, sell, and distribute hemp-based products and are involved with the federally legal distribution of medical marijuana-based products within certain international markets. Cannabidiol is a natural constituent of hemp oil.

About Medical Marijuana Inc. Our mission is to be the premier cannabis and hemp industry innovators, leveraging our team of professionals to source, evaluate and purchase value-added companies and products, while allowing them to keep their integrity and entrepreneurial spirit. We strive to create awareness within our industry, develop environmentally-friendly, economically sustainable businesses, while increasing shareholder value. For details on Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s portfolio and investment companies, visit www.medicalmarijuanainc.com.

The Company is committed to consistently providing the highest-quality CBD hemp oil products on the market. To see Medical Marijuana, Inc.'s video statement, click here. Shareholders are also encouraged to visit the Medical Marijuana, Inc. Shop for discounted products.

The following files are available for download: -- Raul Elizalde, father of Grace and founder of the Por Grace Foundation, at MexicoaEURa"cs final debate on marijuana use. -- President Nieto addresses Raul Elizalde, father of Grace and founder of the Por Grace Foundation, at MexicoaEURa"cs final debate on marijuana use.


FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

For further information, please contact:

Public Relations contact: Andrew Hard Chief Executive Officer CMW Media P. 888-829-0070 andrew.hard@cmwmedia.com www.cmwmedia.com

Corporate Contact: Medical Marijuana, Inc. Toll Free: 888-OTC-MJNA (888-682-6562)www.medicalmarijuanainc.comwww.facebook.com/mjnainc

Investor Relations: Nicholas R. Massalas Director of Business Development Medical Marijuana Inc. OTC Symbol: MJNA Toll Free: (877) 964.6463 Office/Direct: (858) 264-6505 Email: Nick@MedicalMarijuanainc.com

SOURCE: Medical Marijuana, Inc.

mercoledì 20 aprile 2016

Pot Advocates Want to Establish a 'Unit' of Weed So We Know How High We Are

WRITTEN BY GABE STUTMANApril 20, 2016 // 07:00 AM EST



Know how sometimes you take multiple bong rips and feel excellent, and then sometimes you take one hit of particularly potent dope and feel like you might die? Weed advocates and policy makers are trying to fix that.

At the Cannabis Science and Policy Summit at the NYU Marron Institute of Urban Management over the weekend, policy makers, academics and public health advocates discussed the challenges associated with portioning out proper dosages of THC to both recreational and medicinal users, prompting a discussion about whether a "unit" of weed should be identified, similar to one "standard” drink of alcohol.

In the US, one “standard” drink has been codified by the NIH and refers to approximately 14 grams of pure alcohol, which can be found in one 12-ounce beer at 5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV), one 5 ounce glass of wine at 12 percent, or one shot—a single ounce serving—of hard alcohol at 40 percent ABV.

“Understanding your dose is essential,” said George McBride, a former lawyer and current policy officer at the Beckley Foundation, a drug policy think tank based out of the UK. “Recommended units in alcohol is rife with problems, but at least it gives you a means to compare a shot of tequila with a pint of ale. Cannabis users have no way to compare a dab with a joint.”
The most important factor in determining the potency or psychoactivity of any given quantity of weed is its mass of THC, measured in milligrams. Generally 10 milligrams is considered one dose in both recreational and medicinal uses—however the manner in which it is ingested, say via edible, smoke or vape, can alter the effects, McBride said.

Complicating matters, weed strains can range in potency from today’s average of around 20 percent THC, to over 30 percent. This represents a stark contrast to the weed of the 1980s, which averaged around 4 percent THC concentration. So basically taking “one hit” today is a pretty opaque unit of measurement.

The debate around the weed industry’s regulatory scaffolding is going to heat up as four additional states could see recreational weed legalization measures pass this year

Though ingesting via smoking creates a gray area, regulating THC quantities in edibles is more doable; regulations went into effect in Colorado on February 1, 2015, that specified that edibles must be individually wrapped in servings of 10 milligrams of THC or fewer, and a single edible can’t contain more than 100mg of THC. This followed the death of a college student who jumped from a Denver balcony after eating a pot cookie, and a spate of incidents in which children accidentally ingested marijuana-infused food items.

However, the accurate labeling of edibles relies upon accurate measurements of THC concentration by weed sellers, which has proven elusive. In a damning report published in 2014 in the Denver Posts’ marijuana news website The Cannabist, a study of several marijuana-infused edibles showed that companies across the board misrepresent, most-likely unintentionally, the concentration of THC in their products.

The test was conducted by Steep Hill Labs, an independent marijuana research company based out of Berkely, and showed that nearly all of the products examined were significantly off in their THC levels. This is due to the fact that accurate proportionment of THC levels is difficult, and many argue that the regulatory framework is not in place to sufficiently hold companies accountable for misrepresenting their products.

Better regulations are being welcomed by consumers and weed sellers alike as a positive for consumers and for the industry as a whole.
“In clearly marking what the dose is, hopefully that will lead to more responsible use and public education,” said John Lord via interview with The Cannabist. Lord is the owner of LivWell, a company that has nine pot shops in Colorado. “It keeps us safe, and it provides uniformity for the product itself,” he said.

Many point to the absence of federal regulation by the Food and Drug Administration, which introduced guidelines for regulating alcohol such as ABV requirements, as leading to confusion, as each state scrapes together laws that would keep them safe from litigation, but are ultimately ineffective as informing consumers.

“Every single example of education in our society [has come] through the USDA, FDA, EPA,” said Rev. Dr. Kymron deCesare, Chief Research Officer at Steep Hill. “Suddenly when states are doing something different than normal, yeah it’s gonna confuse society.”

DeCesare, who researches the integration of marijuana into society as well as plant chemistry, said of the hodgepodge nature of current regulatory rules imposed by legal-weed states, “A lot of the ideas they come up with are interesting they work, a lot of them work miserably.”
The debate around the weed industry’s regulatory scaffolding is going to heat up as four additional states could see recreational weed legalization measures pass this year, in addition to the four and the District of Columbia that already have legalized.

As the legal weed industry grows nationwide, groups like the Steep Hill Labs, Inc., based out of Berkely, CA, are figuring as important thought leaders in establishing effective weed policy, emphasizing the integration of marijuana use into society via clear information for consumers and effective regulatory environments.
That said, consumers should not be relying upon the federal government to inform them on how to ingest weed anytime soon.


“Every patient has to be their own best advocate first,” said deCesare.

sabato 16 aprile 2016

Cannabis industry could bring in jobs

Let’s look at other counties around the state where cannabis is legal.

In every city and county where cannabis is legal, they are getting tax dollars for their schools, law enforcement, mental health and drug rehabilitation programs.

The small rural towns that have cannabis stores are now starting new community projects they never had the funds to do.

According to the Klamath Falls Police Department, crime and teen use has not gone up. Our goal has been to protect our children by providing them education and knowledge about a simple plant.

Taking a liberty instead of educating is complete ignorance.

Using butane to “distill” cannabis is an expensive and complicated procedure that could not be accomplished by “kids,” not to mention that extraction process is also illegal in the state of Oregon.

Oregon has a law called “The Right to Farm,” which protects farmers from neighbors who might think a giant pile of manure is offensive. It protects against customary noises, smells, dust or other nuisances from agricultural farming.

It is also supposed to limit the control of local government and special districts from administratively declaring certain farm and forest products to be nuisances or trespasses.

Klamath has banned legal cannabis for three years now. No incredible new industry or businesses have come. In fact we’ve lost even more jobs.

This winter, Winnebago opened an assembly plant in Eugene, which, by the way, has a lot of cannabis stores. Obviously Winnebago was not concerned it was opening its plant in a town that is world famously known for cannabis.

My company is opening its recreational farm in another county and we will require a 50-person workforce. That is 50 Klamath Falls employees that we do not get to put to work.

Thank your county commissioners.

It’s time to end the discrimination. Vote yes on Measure 18-105.

Ilo Ferroggiaro

Klamath Falls

Cannabis industry could bring in jobs

giovedì 14 aprile 2016

ITALIA - Cannabis Terapeutica. Processo a Rita Bernardini

Foto: Radicali Italiani
E' in programma venerdì 8 aprile al Tribunale di Siena la nuova udienza del processo a Rita Bernardini. Lo riferiscono in una nota i radicali di Firenze. L'ex deputata è imputata per disobbedienza civile dopo che, nel novembre 2014 a Chianciano Terme (Siena), durante il 12mo Congresso dei Radicali Italiani, aveva ceduto cannabis autocoltivata ad alcuni malati che ne necessitavano per finalità terapeutiche. "Vorrei oggi mandare intanto la mia piena solidarietà e il mio pieno sostegno a Rita e ai Radicali Italiani, per questa e per le tante coraggiose battaglie che fanno sui diritti civili, penso anche alla situazione nelle carceri", ha dichiarato in una nota Mauro Romanelli di Sì Toscana a Sinistra. Romanelli spiega come sia "davvero un paradosso assistere ogni giorno ad un dibattito politico in cui si innalzano a vessillo slogan come l'efficientismo e la modernità, e poi toccare con mano la realtà materiale di un Paese che mette in piedi un processo ad una ex Parlamentare della Repubblica". "Rita, intanto, venerdì torna davanti ad un Giudice. E questo è uno scandalo, ed è il segno che siamo ancora nella vecchia, provinciale, bigotta e reazionaria italietta di sempre", conclude Romanelli. 

ITALIA - Cannabis Terapeutica. Processo a Rita Bernardini

mercoledì 13 aprile 2016

Johann Hari
Once a decade, the United Nations organizes a meeting where every country in the world comes together to figure out what to do about drugs — and up to now, they've always pledged to wage a relentless war, to fight until the planet is “drug-free.” They've consistently affirmed U.N. treaties written in the 1960s and 1970s, mainly by the United States, which require every country to arrest and imprison their way out of drug-related problems.
But at this year's meeting in New York City later this month, several countries are going to declare: This approach has been a disaster. We can't do this anymore. Enough.
The drug war is now the subject of a raucous debate within the U.S. — and if you look at the stories of three influential people who will speak on behalf of their countries for change at the U.N., they might sound strangely familiar. The reasons why U.S. citizens are rejecting the war on drugs are, it turns out, also the reasons why it is being rejected all over the world, from the Caribbean to Europe to South America.
In August 2014, the justice minister for Jamaica, Mark Golding, had to make a phone call no government official ever wants to make. He had to explain to a mother that her son was dead. Mario Deane was picked up on the street because he was smoking a spliff, put into custody and beaten to death.
It was, for Golding, a moment that made him realize he could no longer support his country's drug laws. All over the world, the criminalization of cannabis has been used as an excuse to harass unpopular minorities (in Jamaica's case, the poor), and, he told me, it has “worsened the relationship between those young men and law enforcement.” So he persuaded the Cabinet to decriminalize cannabis for personal possession. “We wanted to take ganja out of the picture,” he says, “as a medium through which the police would use hard or heavy policing against younger men.”
Existing U.N. drug treaties allow decriminalization of drugs in small amounts for personal use. But they don't allow countries to create regulated structures for buying and selling drugs, which would drive the drug-dealing gangs out of business. Jamaica is therefore still required to wage a futile war on people who sell cannabis, and farmers who grow it, meaning there is still an armed conflict between police and the young men whom they accuse of dealing.
“A country should be in a position to design its own regime,” Golding will argue at the U.N. “The eradication of drugs hasn't happened, despite decades of war waged on it.” It is, he believes, unjust: “Why is it that people can buy a bottle of rum or a bottle of wine … but you can't do that for cannabis?”
In the Czech Republic, the official responsible for drug policy is Jindrich Voboril. As a teenager on the streets of communist-controlled Czechoslovakia, Voboril was guzzling opiates and amphetamines and was, he told me, a “hardcore experimenter” with almost any substance he could find.
“I was growing up on the streets, so I was a typical street kid,” he says. He was trying to escape an abusive home life where his father was an alcoholic, and a public life dominated by communist tyranny. “I was on the path of developing a serious drug problem,” he says, and before long, he was watching his friends die of overdoses or suicides.
One thing that pulled Voboril away from addiction was his discovery of the democratic resistance. When he became an activist in the Czech underground he felt a new sense of meaning and purpose, and it saved him.
Soon after the dictatorship fell, he set up the first major drug treatment program in the Czech Republic. He wanted to create practical policies that would help addicts find purpose and save people like his friends — only to find compassionate policies were discouraged, or outright banned, by the global drug war, which is built instead on punishment. The drug war, it seemed to him, was based on ideology, not results, just like the communist system he had fought successfully to overthrow. If you put pledges for a “drug-free world” in a different font, he says, it could be a Stalinist slogan.
He believes that in the real world, addicts are mostly people with mental health problems like depression, or people trapped in terrible environments. Punishing them only makes the problem worse. Accordingly he wants to see a global transfer of resources — from punishing addicts to helping them turn their lives around. Such alternatives work.
In the 15 years since Portugal decided to decriminalize drug use and invest instead in treatment and prevention services, use of injected drugs has fallen by 50%. Since Switzerland legalized heroin for addicts more than a decade ago, nobody has died of anoverdose on legal heroin.
A key figure in shaping Colombia's strategy at the upcoming U.N. conference is Maricio Rodriguez, an economist and diplomat. The drug war, he told me in Cartagena, is “the worst tragedy we have ever lived in, in Colombia and probably all of Latin America.” The combined death toll from the Latin American drug war exceeds even the war in Syria. “Every day that goes by is a day in which we are losing hundreds of people and we are losing hundreds of millions of dollars,” he explains.
Like most Colombians, he has relatives who were murdered when narco-traffickers were taking over the country. “Everybody has a story,” he says.
To explain why this carnage is happening, Rodriguez cited the late Nobel Prize-winning U.S. economist Milton Friedman, who grew up in Chicago under alcohol prohibition, and learned there what happens if you ban a popular substance. It doesn't matter whether the government targets whiskey or cocaine; a ban forces legal businesses out of the market — and armed criminal gangs take it over. They then go to war to control the trade. But once the prohibition ends, so does the violence. (Ask yourself: Where are the violent alcohol dealers today?)
Ranged against reform-minded countries at the U.N. conference will be governments that want to maintain or even intensify the global war, including Russia, Cuba, Saudi Arabia and China. Although the U.S. has historically been the most hard-line country, this time, its representatives will arrive at the conference in breach of U.N. drug treaties. The drug laws require a war on cannabis, but four U.S. states and the District of Columbia have now fully legalized the drug. Nobody knows what the result of this U.N. meeting will be, but nobody will ever be able to say again that the world is united behind the idea of a drug war.
Voboril, the Czech Republic's street user turned government minister, told me he is itching to tell the U.N. a simple truth: “This is reality: This is hundreds of thousands of people dying … for one simple reason — some governments just don't want to change. Nothing else.”

sabato 9 aprile 2016

CANNABIS SCIENCE IS VERY EXCITED AS THE DEA CONSIDERS TO RESCHEDULE MARIJUANA/CANNABIS WITH A LANDMARK DECISION AS EARLY AS MID-YEAR, 2016

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO--(Marketwired - Apr 6, 2016) - Cannabis Science, Inc. (OTC PINK: CBIS), a U.S. company specializing in the development of cannabis-based medicines, today acknowledges and is very excited about the Landmark move with the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) decision to review marijuana's federal drug classification as early as mid-2016. Rescheduling marijuana would ease restrictions on research across the country, while at the same time reducing penalties for marijuana offenses. Increased research capabilities could spur innovation and growth in the cannabis industry.

To review the Huffington Post article please click here to read the article in its entirety.

In a letter to the Senators; http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/dearesponse.pdf the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is looking to decide on the reclassification of Marijuana by mid-year.

For years, marijuana has shared the "Schedule I" classification with heroin and LSD, drugs with much higher rates of death and hospitalization for users. This classification also specifies the drug has no "current accepted medical use". Cannabis Science, along with the masses, believe this has changed emphatically, based on the many ground-breaking university and private studies along with the ever growing long list of peer reviewed articles.

"We are very pleased to hear the DEA's decision to review marijuana's drug classification scheduling. It is clear to us and to so many others that the natural drug offers a host of health benefits and treatment properties. Cannabis Science will benefit extraordinarily as our research is already on the cutting edge, this Landmark move will open the industry in leaps and bounds," said Cannabis Science Inc. President, CEO & Co-Founder Raymond C. Dabney.

The DEA hopes to publish its decision in the first half of 2016. This decision is becoming increasingly important as more states decide to legalize cannabis for medicinal use. Nearly half of the U.S. states have already made such a decision, and a schedule change would have positive benefits for each of them.

About Cannabis Science, Inc.

Cannabis Science, Inc., takes advantage of its unique understanding of metabolic processes to provide novel treatment approaches to a number of illnesses for which current treatments and understanding remain unsatisfactory. Cannabinoids have an extensive history dating back thousands of years, and currently, there are a growing number of peer-reviewed scientific publications that document the underlying biochemical pathways that cannabinoids modulate. The Company works with leading experts in drug development, medicinal characterization, and clinical research to develop, produce, and commercialize novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment for illnesses caused by infections as well as for age-related illness. Our initial focus is on skin cancers, HIV/AIDS, and neurological conditions. The Company is proceeding with the research and development of its proprietary drugs as a part of this initial focus: CS-S/BCC-1, CS-TATI-1, and CS-NEURO-1, respectively.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Press Release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. A statement containing words such as "anticipate," "seek," intend," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "project," "plan," or similar phrases may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Some or all of the events or results anticipated by these forward-looking statements may not occur. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company's reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based drugs. Cannabis Science, Inc., does not undertake any duty nor does it intend to update the results of these forward-looking statements. Safe Harbor Statement. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a 'safe harbor' for forward looking statements. Certain of the statements contained herein, which are not historical facts are forward looking statements with respect to events, the occurrence of which involved risks and uncertainties. These forward- looking statements may be impacted, either positively or negatively, by various factors. Information concerning potential factors that could affect the company are detailed from time to time in the company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

giovedì 7 aprile 2016

THE CANNABIS SCIENCE 360,000 SQ. FT., DRUG DEVELOPMENT COMPOUND EDUCATIONAL, MEDICAL FACILITIES, AND LABORATORY IN NEVADA PRESENTS A FULLY LICENSED OPPORTUNITY FOR ADDITIONAL 900,000 SQ. FT., FOR INVESTMENT TENDER TO THE QUALIFIED PUBLIC

Cannabis Science New Toll Free Number 1-888-263-0832, for the General Public

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO--(Marketwired - Apr 4, 2016) - Cannabis Science, Inc. (OTC PINK: CBIS), a U.S. company specializing in the development of cannabis-based medicines, today announced they have taken another step to improve the company's bottom line for United States cannabinoid pharmaceutical drug development programs. The Company also announced its new toll-free number 1-888-263-0832, as the President phone line has been inundated with cheer over the gifted share program. Please call the new number to ensure your information is documented. Once the Company website has been updated, a news release will point everyone in the right directions.

The Cannabis Science 360,000 Sq. Ft. Nevada pharmaceutical drug development compound is currently going through design phase; it will also include a University for higher educational curriculums, medicinal practice, and laboratory research.

The Nevada Compound presents an additional opportunity of over 900,000 Sq. Ft., for investment tender to the qualified public. The land is currently being partitioned into 1 Acre parcels that will allow for up to 36,000 Sq. Ft. each acre for cannabis cultivation, extract product development & research, fully licensed and state compliant.

The Company has now identified its next property development in the State of California, as it works through the paperwork; the Nevada development grows with more investors and entrepreneurs looking to capitalize and expand in the Nevada sector of the Cannabis Industry. 

"This business model of building very large cannabis industry complexes has grown so fast for us it is literally spellbinding," stated President & CEO Raymond C. Dabney. "The opportunity presented itself and we seized the moment. That swift move has placed us in the formidable position to become one of the premier Companies providing education, medical facilities, and laboratories across the Country on some very large land parcels.

"The Nevada design phase is certainly underway and property lines and parcels are being completed. To be able to offer such a large amount of land coupled with the opportunity to other likeminded firms and individuals is a blessing on its own; to own a major piece of the operations is for Cannabis Science the landmark breakthrough we have been waiting for. This certainly changes the face of Cannabis Science.

"We have been negotiating with entrepreneurs and companies of various sizes and packages, on five-acre, three-acre, and one-acre parcels; at this rate we are confident filling these opportunities will not take long. For those that have the vision and believe that medical cannabis is the future, this partnership program enables them to be involved right now. The advancements in medical cannabis are virtually infinite. We are hearing from people that are looking for a ground floor opportunity as this industry is still in its infancy," concluded Dabney.

About Cannabis Science, Inc.

Cannabis Science, Inc., takes advantage of its unique understanding of metabolic processes to provide novel treatment approaches to a number of illnesses for which current treatments and understanding remain unsatisfactory. Cannabinoids have an extensive history dating back thousands of years, and currently, there are a growing number of peer-reviewed scientific publications that document the underlying biochemical pathways that cannabinoids modulate. The Company works with leading experts in drug development, medicinal characterization, and clinical research to develop, produce, and commercialize novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment for illnesses caused by infections as well as for age-related illness. Our initial focus is on skin cancers, HIV/AIDS, and neurological conditions. The Company is proceeding with the research and development of its proprietary drugs as a part of this initial focus: CS-S/BCC-1, CS-TATI-1, and CS-NEURO-1, respectively.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Press Release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. A statement containing words such as "anticipate," "seek," intend," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "project," "plan," or similar phrases may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Some or all of the events or results anticipated by these forward-looking statements may not occur. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company's reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based drugs. Cannabis Science, Inc., does not undertake any duty nor does it intend to update the results of these forward-looking statements. Safe Harbor Statement. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a 'safe harbor' for forward looking statements. Certain of the statements contained herein, which are not historical facts are forward looking statements with respect to events, the occurrence of which involved risks and uncertainties. These forward- looking statements may be impacted, either positively or negatively, by various factors. Information concerning potential factors that could affect the company are detailed from time to time in the company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 

mercoledì 6 aprile 2016

GRAN BRETAGNA - Legalizzazione cannabis. Calano gli arresti. Occorre agire presto

Il 46% di arresti in meno per possesso di cannabis in Inghilterra e Galles dopo che il Governo ha dato il via ad “una politica razionale, grazie ad evidenti necessita' all'alternativa della criminalizzazione della cannabis”.


Grazie ad alcuni dati diffusi dalla Bbc gli arresti, tra il 2010 e il 2015, sono passati da 35.467 a 19.115.
Nello stesso periodo di cinque anni le segnalazioni per il possesso sono calate del 48% e il numero di persone coinvolte e' sceso del 33%.
Il numero di arresti per spaccio e' invece rimasto grossomodo lo stesso.
Lee Harris, candidato a Sindaco di Londra per il partito “Cannabis is safer than alcohol” (CISTA) ha detto al quotidiano The Independent: “Il calo del numero di arresti per reati connessi alla cannabis e' parte di una notevole trend che e' tale in tutto il mondo, dove i governi, sia nazionali che regionali, stanno sviluppando politiche razionali, evidentemente basate su alternative alla criminalizzazione dei consumatori di cannabis”. “Non solo questo aiuterà a proteggere i consumatori, ma consentira' entrate fiscali importanti che serviranno come supporto ai servizi pubblici. Qui nel Regno Unito e a Londra la depenalizzazione si sta mettendo in pratica senza evidenze normative. “Questo lascia ancora il mercato nero e la criminalità organizzata come unico fornitore. Una situazione inaccettabile visti i potenziali rischi per la salute e l'impatto sulle comunità. Sicuramente ora dobbiamo farci carico della necessità di regolamentare ed istituire una imposta di consumo sulla cannabis per il pubblico interesse". 

GRAN BRETAGNA - Legalizzazione cannabis. Calano gli arresti. Occorre agire presto

venerdì 1 aprile 2016

Marijuana Companies Stuck Doing Business the Old-Fashioned Way, in Cash

Colorado pot firms are still largely shut out of the banking sector, meaning they have to use armored trucks, security to ferry currency



DENVER—Two years after Colorado fully legalized the sale of marijuana, most banks here still don’t offer services to the businesses involved.
Financial institutions are caught between state law that has legalized marijuana and federal law that bans it. Banks’ federal regulators don’t fully recognize such businesses and impose onerous reporting requirements on banks that deal with them.
Without bank accounts, the state’s burgeoning pot sector—2,500 licensed businesses with revenue of $1 billion a year, paying $130 million in taxes—can’t accept credit or debit cards from customers, Colorado officials say.
Marijuana-related businesses instead use cash to pay their employees, purchase equipment or pay taxes to the state. Reports abound of business owners refurbishing retired armored bank trucks to transport money and hiring heavily armed security guards.
“I am concerned and we do hold our breath from a public-safety perspective,” said Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman. A Republican, she opposed the 2012 ballot referendum that legalized marijuana. But she is now trying to persuade federal regulators to allow banks to do business with Colorado companies handling the drug.
Pot displayed for sale at a dispensary in Denver. The industry and some lawmakers are urging federal regulators to issue clear guidelines for banking services to marijuana businesses.
Pot displayed for sale at a dispensary in Denver. The industry and some lawmakers are urging federal regulators to issue clear guidelines for banking services to marijuana businesses. PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lacking that clearance, “there are large amounts of cash floating in the system that makes money laundering very easy,” Ms. Coffman said in an interview. “I believe it fuels the interest of cartels and traffickers in coming to Colorado and doing business. We definitely have seen an uptick in that activity.”
Other states that have legalized recreational marijuana share similar concerns. On March 27, four Democratic senators from three states pressed federal financial regulators to issue clear joint regulatory guidelines for banking services to marijuana businesses. The letter was sent to six banking agencies.
Federal law classifies marijuana as a top-tier illegal controlled substance.
The latest disappointment for Colorado officials came in January, when a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by a credit union established with the help of the state to serve the cannabis industry that sought approval from federal banking regulators to set up a “master account.” Such an account is essential for financial institutions to do business with other banks and serve customers by taking deposits or issuing credit cards.
The judge said an order to overturn the banking regulators’ decision would “facilitate criminal activity.” He described the current situation as “untenable” and said he hoped “it will soon be addressed and resolved by Congress.”
The solar energy and cannabis movements in the U.S. are uniquely tied to a community in Northern California. Now, an idealist businessman at the center of the two industries is looking to create an eco-tourism center that highlights their intertwined history. Photo/Video: Jake Nicol for The Wall Street Journal
Last April, Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D., Colo.) introduced legislation that would provide a “safe harbor” to banks working with marijuana businesses by prohibiting federal regulators from terminating or limiting their deposit insurance coverage, among other steps. The bill and others like it have languished.
The Obama administration has issued some guidelines for banks that choose to deal with marijuana businesses in states where it is legal. In a 2013 memo, the Justice Department indicated it wouldn’t challenge states’ marijuana laws as long as they don’t conflict with its enforcement priorities.
The Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCen, implicitly suggested that it didn’t consider banks’ dealings with marijuana businesses illegal in states like Colorado by laying out rules saying financial institutions can conduct such transactions as long as they file “suspicious activity reports.” These are forms banks are generally required to file when they face a suspected incident of money laundering or fraud, a process that can be complex and costly.
The Justice Department and Treasury rules have had only a limited impact, because they don’t absolve banks from rules set by other federal agencies.
Still, those guidelines have been enough to encourage a small number of community banks and credit unions in Colorado to start offering basic banking services to marijuana businesses.  Andrew Freedman, director of marijuana policy coordination for Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper, declined to say how many, saying most preferred to keep a low profile.
Write to Yuka Hayashi at yuka.hayashi@wsj.com

Marijuana Companies Stuck Doing Business the Old-Fashioned Way, in Cash

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