NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR THE REFORM OF
MARIJUANA LAWS
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Internet http://www.norml.org/
... a weekly service for the media on news items related to Marijuana Prohibition.
February 22, 1996
Law Enforcement Raids Cincinnati Buyers Club
February 16, 1996, Covington, KY:
The home of activist and medical marijuana user Richard Evans has
been raided by law enforcement officials. Evans' house
served as the home base for the 9-year-old Cincinnati Cannabis
Buyers Club.
Evans, who was not home at the time of the raid, subsequently
checked himself into a local hospital to combat onsetting
symptoms of manic depression -- a medical condition which he is treated
for. Evans stayed at the hospital throughout the weekend
and intends to turn himself over to local authorities.
Evans informed NORML that he still has "no idea"
what charges may be pending against him, but speculated that he
may be facing felony offenses for two marijuana seedlings that
were present in his home. Ironically, witnesses report that
law enforcement officers failed to seize the seedlings.
The Cincinnati Buyers Club is one of an estimated 30 underground
cannabis buyers clubs located throughout the country. The
Cincinnati CBC has an eight member board of directors and distributes
marijuana to approximately 30 patients. NORML will
attempt to update this story next week.
For more information on Richard Evans' case, please write to:
Americans for Compassionate Use, P.O. Box 2175, Covington, KY
41012.
Missouri Medical Marijuana Bill Unanimously Passes Senate Public Health Committee
February 15, 1996, Jefferson City, MO:
A medical marijuana bill (Senate Bill 573) introduced by State
Senator Joe Mosley has unanimously passed the Senate Public
Health Committee. The bill states that "no criminal or
civil penalty shall apply to any person for the act of possessing
marijuana provided that ... a [physician] certifies in writing
that the person is under professional care [and] ... needs
marijuana as part of a therapeutic regimen.
Missouri NORML Coordinator Dan Viets says that he is pleased with
the committee's recommendation to the Senate to pass the
bill. However, he added a note of skepticism regarding a
last minute amendment to the bill that instructs the University
of Missouri to conduct research on the efficacy and safety of
whole-smoked cannabis to that of the synthetic-THC drug Marinol.
"I hope this doesn't bog the bill down and undermine the
overall purpose of the legislation: to stop seriously ill
individuals from going to prison for their medical use of
cannabis," Viets said.
The bill will now go to the Senate floor for a vote.
For more information, please contact Dan Viets of Missouri
NORML @ (314) 443-6866.
Hemp Businessman Sentenced To More Than 8 Years In Prison
February 15, 1996, Minneapolis, MN:
Hemp activist and founder of the U.S. Hemp Company, Arlin Trout,
was sentenced to more than eight years in prison after being
found guilty of conspiring to possess more than 100 kilograms of
marijuana.
Trout accused the prosecution of utilizing paid informers and
snitches to frame him and labeled himself a political prisoner
who is being targeted for his beliefs. Arlin's wife, Cathy,
will now be left to run the successful clothing business and
raise the Trout's six children on her own.
Prior to his sentencing, Trout gave an impassioned speech to U.S.
District Judge James Rosenbaum. "I was charged and
convicted of conspiring to sell a plant that grows wild in this region
and [that] once provided legal jobs for Minnesota. This
plant is the oldest, safest source of food, fuel, fiber and
medicine on Earth and has infinite industrial and medicinal value
to society.
"... Fear and ignorance guided by greed and blind ambition
created the prohibition of hemp. I am morally and
intellectually compelled to resist these forces. When the
American people find out what hemp is and why it's really
illegal, may they deal with this government as harshly as it has
dealt with me.
Although Trout's supporters applauded Arlin's bold speech, Judge
Rosenbaum was unmoved and sentenced Trout to the maximum sentence
recommended under the U.S. sentencing guidelines.
When asked if she felt that her husband's speech may have
increased the length of his sentence, Cathy Trout responded,
"Why not stand up for your rights? One day in jail is
too long. You can't be expected to admit you're wrong when
you don't believe you are. You've got to live with yourself.
Besides, the extra time isn't going to destroy the fact that I
love him and his children love him, and no matter how long he's
in [prison], that won't change."
Despite Trout's incarceration, he is reportedly planning to run
as the United States vice presidential candidate for the
10-year-old Grassroots Party.
For more information on this case, please contact either Cathy
Trout of U.S. Hemp @ (602) 983-7065 or The Grassroots Party of
Minnesota @ (612) 722-4GRP.
Additional text relating to Trout's trial is available on the
Internet at: http://www.winternet.com/~grp/
America Online Poll Reports That 91 Percent Of Americans Favor Marijuana Decriminalization
February 19, 1996: An informal poll
conducted on America Online following this past Monday's debate
between former Drug Czar Lee Brown and NORML Deputy Director
Allen St. Pierre reveals that 91 percent of those responding
favored decriminalizing marijuana.
A second poll conducted the following day, asked the question: Is
the drug war failing? Of the respondents who answered, 92.8
percent said "yes.
A transcript of the February 19 debate is currently available
on NORML's homepage @ http://www.norml.org/
Public Hemp Display Under Attack From Local Residents
February 21, 1996, Norman, OK: A
month long hemp display arranged by the University of Oklahoma
NORML chapter is under fire from parents and local officials.
The three case exhibit, currently on display at The Norman Public
Library, advocates the legalization of the hemp plant for
industrial and agricultural purposes. On display are
various products made from hemp such as hats, shoes, and
backpacks as well as a caption next to a picture of former
President George Washington encouraging farmers to: "Grow
hemp."
School patron Robert Coffman, who said he was representing other
parents, recently criticized the display at a City Council
meeting and argued that such an exhibit was inappropriate for children.
In addition, Mayor Bill Nations reports that he has had at least
a dozen calls from people opposed to the exhibit. Nations
admits that both city and library officials had tried to prevent
UO NORML from running the exhibit.
Tony Smith, a member of UO NORML, states that the library has
received an equal number of compliments as well as complaints
from patrons regarding the controversial exhibit. He
further argues that children should be allowed to view the
exhibit so they can learn about the historical and industrial
uses of the hemp plant.
"We teach our children that we have a free country where
dissenting opinions can be expressed," Smith says.
"Our children are well-informed about the government's
position on marijuana. Our exhibit in a public forum
demonstrates that we ... live in a country where freedom of
expression exists."
For more information, please contact Eric Copenhaver of
University of Oklahoma NORML @ (405) 366-7610.
Man Held In Texas Jail Begins Hunger Strike
To Protest Incarceration For Marijuana Possession
February 21, 1996, Macogdoches County, TX:
A native of New York who was arrested in Texas for possessing a
minor amount of marijuana has announced that he has begun a
hunger strike while in jail to protest Texas' harsh stance on
marijuana possession.
Robert Magill of Buffalo informs NORML that he is in his
third day of a hunger strike to bring attention to the severity
of Texas laws regarding marijuana possession. Magill is
currently being held on a $1500 bond and is scheduled to be
arraigned on February 27.
Magill explained to NORML that he was in the process of
hitchhiking to California and does not possess the necessary
funds to bail himself out of jail. He notes that under New
York state statutes, he would have faced only a minor fine for
possessing marijuana.
Magill intends to continue his hunger strike at least until his
arraignment.
Marin County Police Chief Supports Medical Marijuana Initiative
February 14, 1996, Fairfax, CA: Jim
Anderson, a long-time police chief for the town of Fairfax is one
of the latest law enforcement officials to speak out in favor of
California's current medical marijuana initiative.
"I believe there is adequate unbiased and scientific
evidence that marijuana does have medicinal benefit. When
we consider the associated consequences of other prescription
drugs it seems illogical to exclude marijuana as another
alternative available to physicians for prescription. ..."
"... Even if there are no other benefits than relief of pain
or stimulation of appetite, there appears to be a legitimate
place for marijuana in the wide array of legally prescribed
drugs. The legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes
seems to strike a reasonable balance between the abuse and illegal
use of the drug and its legitimate medicinal value that could be
available through prescriptive use.
"With the increased public attention on my own support of
the medicinal use of marijuana, I find that many other
conservative persons share this belief. ...Marijuana is not
the street degenerate that ravages society."
Anderson has been employed in law enforcement and public safety
since 1964 and has been a police chief for 14 years. He is
also a member of the U.S. Army Reserve with rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
The Californians for Compassionate Use coalition is attempting to
place an initiative on the 1996 general election ballot that
would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana as a therapeutic agent.
The coalition needs to collect 600,000 signatures by April 20 to
place the initiative on the November ballot.
For more information, please contact Dennis Peron of
Californians for Compassionate Use @ (415) 621-3986.
Marijuana Reformers Demonstrate In New Zealand
February 20, 1996, Wellington, New Zealand:
According to a Reuters news feature, an estimated 250 people
demonstrated outside of New Zealand's parliament for the
legalization of marijuana. The demonstrators were members
of the Aotearoa (New Zealand) Legalize Cannabis Party.
Spokesman for the party, Mike Finlayson, told supporters that the
government should get out of people's lives and concentrate
police resources on fighting violent crime. The
marijuana-reform group estimates that half a million New
Zealanders use the drug.
Police made 11 arrests during the protest after several of the
demonstrators lit marijuana cigarettes. The eleven
individuals were detained for possession of marijuana and
obstructing police.
-END-
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