by Dan Erusha – MTN News

 
A long-time advocate medical marijuana passed away this weekend. Lori Burnam, who was in her 60’s suffered from glaucoma and used cannabis to keep her symptoms in check.
She worked for the legalization of medical marijuana since the legislation was first proposed, and would travel across the state from her home in Hamilton to testify in support of the cause.
 
Full Article:
http://www.kxlf.com/news/long-time-mt-medical-marijuana-backer-passes-away/

Roi Mandel
 
Will the Ale Yarok party ‘out’ pot-smoking politicians? The Ale Yarok (Green Leaf) liberal party has threatened to reveal the names of 18 Knesset candidates, all in realistic slots in their respective parties, who have or still smoke marijuanarecreationally but oppose legalizing the drug.
“We will expose the hypocrisy. Candidates must admit (to smoking) and explain why they find it okay to tarnish the good name of cannabis smokers with a criminal file, but not their own,” the party said Sunday.
 
Full Article:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4331979,00.html

By Reuters

 
San Diego Mayor Bob Filner declared an end on Thursday to the city’s legal war on medical pot with a letter to city authorities ordering civil prosecutors to “stop the crackdown on marijuana dispensaries.”

 
Filner, a Democrat who was sworn in December 1, said in the letter sent to the police chief, city attorney and the city’s Neighborhood Code Compliance Department that such shops could still be scrutinized for other code violations like any other business.
“Until we have a new set of regulations for medical marijuana distribution, I have asked the Neighborhood Code Compliance Department and the Police Department to temporarily halt all prosecutions of city zoning code violations when it comes to medical marijuana dispensaries,” Filner said in a statement.
 
Full Article:
http://www.thedailychronic.net/2013/14508/san-diego-mayor-orders-end-to-war-on-medical-marijuana-dispensaries/
 

By KENNY COLSTON

 
The push to legalize industrial hemp in Kentucky has picked up another major supporter.
The state’s largest business group, the Kentucky Chamber, announced Friday that it supports hemp as a crop for oil and fiber.
 
Full Article:
http://wkyufm.org/post/kentucky-chamber-commerce-joins-hemp-supporters

By Dennis Romero

 
Valerie Ann Okun, a Southern California woman, is getting her pot back from the Arizona cops who seized it.
Yay!
 
Full Article:
http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2013/01/valerie_okun_marijuana_back_yuma_arizona_court_ruling.php

On Monday, January 7, Chief Federal Magistrate Maria-Elena James ruled in favor of Harborside Health Center (HHC), and denied motions by Harborside’s landlords asking the court to order an immediate halt of medical cannabis sales at their properties. Judge James also declined to grant a motion from the City of Oakland to immediately enjoin the federal government’s legal efforts to close Harborside, but scheduled a hearing later this month to hear further arguments in the City of Oakland’s lawsuit released in a highly significant, 17-page opinion.
Full Article:
http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2013/01/08/federal-judge-says-nations-medical-cannabis-model-harborside-health-center-can-stay-open
 

The president of a medical marijuana advocacy group said Friday he will remain in that position despite a judge’s order that he no longer use the drug.
Chris Lindsey was sentenced in Missoula to five years of probation and ordered not to use marijuana after pleading guilty to conspiracy to maintain a drug premises for his role in a dispensary raided in 2011.
Lindsey was one of four partners in Montana Cannabis, a dispensary with locations across the state that was raided in a federal crackdown on large pot operations.
Lindsey also is an attorney and president of the Montana Cannabis Industry Association, an advocacy group that filed a lawsuit against medical marijuana restrictions passed by the Legislature in 2011. The group also organized a voter referendum that failed to recall the law.
U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen ordered Lindsey to undergo regular drug testing, complete 200 hours of community service, stay away from firearms and forfeit $288,000 in bank accounts held under the name Montana Caregivers Association.
Lindsey said he intends to remain as the head of Montana Cannabis Industry Association and has the blessing of its board.
 
Full Article:
http://www.necn.com/01/04/13/Montana-Cannabis-partner-sentenced-to-pr/landing_health.html?&apID=624c7dd4f6cc47479880254212ec7cff
 

Posted by Johnny Green

 
A number of Show-Me Cannabis supporters from across the state have now written letters and submitted them to papers in their areas. We are also collecting these letters on our website as part of a new feature called Missourians Speak Out. This section will be devoted to supporter-submitted content explaining why you think we should end cannabis prohibition.
This isn’t just limited to letters, either. If you use cannabis medically and want to tell your story, we’d like to hear it. If you have been abused by the criminal justice system and want to prevent others from enduring the same, let us know about. If you fled to another state because of Missouri’s draconian cannabis laws, remind the people of Missouri how the state’s unjust laws forced you to become a refugee.
 
Full Article:
http://www.theweedblog.com/missourians-speak-out-against-cannabis-prohibition/

By Rebecca Onion

 
 

By NORML

 
The availability of cannabis retail outlets in The Netherlands is not associated with the greater incidences of cannabis use or an increase in the intensity of the public’s consumption of marijuana, according to a study published in the European Journal of Criminology.
 
Full Article:
http://www.thedailychronic.net/2013/14140/amsterdam-marijuana-retail-outlets-not-associated-with-rise-in-use/