NEW MEXICO: A STATE THAT GETS IT AND GROWS IT

N.M. Law Requires State to Grow Its Own

Saturday June 30, 2007 10:31 AM
By DEBORAH BAKER
Associated Press Writer

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) - New Mexico has a new medical marijuana law with a twist: It requires the state to grow its own.

The law, effective Sunday, not only protects medical marijuana users from prosecution - as 11 other states do - but requires New Mexico to oversee a production and distribution system for the drug.

``The long-term goal is that the patients will have a safe, secure supply that doesn't mean drug dealers, that doesn't mean growing their own,'' said Reena Szczepanski, director of Drug Policy Alliance New Mexico.

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ALLISON MARGOLIN , AT LAST TO DO A NORML INTERVIEW

After a tough, and not too pleasant day in court battling with the DA's, I craved some type of diversion to ease my anxiety. While driving back to the office I got a call on my cell informing me that the National chapter of Norml in Washington DC had called and asked if I would do a podcast interview with them for next week.

Hell yeah! I may just vent a bit...

THE ALLURE OF DRUGS - ALLISON MARGOLIN'S SUNDAY DAILY NEWS ARTICLE

This courtroom story/opinion piece was published in Sunday's Daily News - 6/24/07

Media, laws glamorize drug use
BY ALLISON MARGOLIN, Guest Columnist

I’m sitting in Glendale court, waiting for the judge to call out my client’s name, relatively bored. To pass the time, I am reading the June issue of Allure magazine. As I flip through the mag, I pass an article purporting to be an expose on drug use among celebrities. At first I don’t read it. As much as drug use is a part of my practice, and though it has been a source of interest for me as long as I can remember, sometimes it gets too much.

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PHIL SPECTOR WILL BE ACQUITTED - PREDICTS ALLISON

LA's Dopest Attorney gives us her legal opinion
on why the jury will find Phil Spector innocent.

MARIJUANA DOES NOT CAUSE CANCER !

Study Finds No Cancer-Marijuana Connection

By Marc Kaufman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, May 26, 2006; A03

The largest study of its kind has unexpectedly concluded that smoking marijuana, even regularly and heavily, does not lead to lung cancer.

The new findings "were against our expectations," said Donald Tashkin of the University of California at Los Angeles, a pulmonologist who has studied marijuana for 30 years.

"We hypothesized that there would be a positive association between marijuana use and lung cancer, and that the association would be more positive with heavier use," he said. "What we found instead was no association at all, and even a suggestion of some protective effect."

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GO ASK ALLISON - MYSPACE FRIEND ON SEARCH AND SEIZURE

Allison Margolin takes a question from her myspace friend about search and seizure

JAIL TOM FOR DRUGS - SIZEMORE VIOLATES PROBATION

Actor Sizemore sentenced to 16 months in prison

LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters Life!) -- Actor Tom Sizemore, best known for battle-hardened film roles in "Saving Private Ryan" and "Black

Hawk Down," was sentenced Monday to 16 months in prison for violating his probation in a drug possession case.

But the 45-year-old performer must return to court Tuesday for a hearing on whether he will receive credit for the time he has spent in residential drug treatment facilities.

The actor admitted in court last week to violating his probation on a previous felony drug conviction and tearfully pleaded with the Los Angeles Superior Court judge for leniency, begging her, "If you would please just give me one more chance for myself."

LARRY KING SCORES PARIS HILTON POST PRISON INTERVIEW

Larry King will give us what we most hunger for once again when he interviews Ms. Paris Hilton Wednesday about prison life on Cnn's Larry King Live

HIGH SCHOOL IDOL PAYS ALLISON A TRIBUTE

HELEN JUPITER didn't know it at the time but she was one of my idols growing up . A superb writer, Helen won a big writing contest in High School and I remember aspiring to be her equal. So I'm especially thrilled about the blog she just wrote, and also for her allowing me to get on board with Suicide Girls radio.


LA's Better Half: Allison Margolin, LA's Dopest Attorney
posted by Helen Jupiter at 2:00 PM on June 21, 2007

Los Angeles gets a lot of grief for being home to an inordinate number of celebretards, pseudo-celebretards, star fuckers, and vain VIPs. Although the city is thusly stereotyped, it's also home to a thriving population of unique and noteworthy people whose pursuits add diversity and depth to a seemingly shallow pool. Each week, LA's Better Half will profile one distinctive Angeleno doing something remarkable and original in his or her field. This week: Meet Allison Margolin, LA's Dopest Attorney.

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BRUCE WILLIS ON HOLLYWOOD AND REHAB

Liz Smith
Originally published June 22, 2007

"I'M CYNICAL about the media's point of view that rehab is all entertainment. But anybody who makes a choice to go into rehab - or go in and out of rehab, if that's what it takes - is brave. You fall down, you've got to get up!"

That's my guy, Bruce Willis, talking to Playboy and he is not making fun of young stars whose habits lead them to seek help. Willis points out that despite relentless publicity about Hollywood excess, drugs and alcohol are not some kind of "special failing" only for people in La-La Land. (After all, the methamphetamine scourge began and reigns in America's very heartland.)

Bruce says, "The big problem is the reasons people want to anesthetize themselves. We fight it the wrong way. The war on drugs is a joke. If somebody weren't making money off cocaine and drug traffic in general, it wouldn't exist."

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IMPLYING HILTON "SPECIAL TREATMENT" COULD MAKE ROCKY BUFFOON

Delgadillo used his staff for baby-sitting, errands



A spokesman for the city attorney says work and favors were done on personal time.
By Matt Lait, Times Staff Writer
June 21, 2007

City Attorney under fire:
Delgadillo's wife pleads no contest in '98 traffic case Los Angeles City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo has enlisted members of his office staff to run personal errands and baby-sit his two young children, including taking them to museums and other local attractions.

In response to inquiries from The Times, Delgadillo confirmed through a spokesman Wednesday that he relied on his staff to attend to some family and personal needs, but he declined to give many details.

"On occasion, city staff members — some of whom the city attorney has known for many years — have watched the Delgadillos' children on their own personal time," according to a statement released by Delgadillo's office. "They were personally paid by the Delgadillos, but sometimes declined payment.

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GO ASK ALLISON - ON WHY IT'S CALLED A "RECOMMENDATION"

LA ATTORNEY SARA CAPLAN HELD IN CONTEMPT

Ex-lawyer for Spector held in contempt

By Michael Muskal, Times Staff Writer
3:01 PM PDT, June 18, 2007

Sara Caplan, a former lawyer for Phil Spector, was formally held in contempt this afternoon for refusing to testify about what she saw when defense experts searched the music producer's home where Lana Clarkson's body was found.

In a hearing lasting about 20 minutes, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler ordered Caplan sent to jail until she was ready to testify before the jury in the Spector murder trial. He stayed the sentence, however, to allow the attorney time to appeal to a higher court.

Today's legal action was as stylized as Kabuki theater.

Caplan was sworn in and took the stand. Deputy Dist. Atty. Alan Jackson then asked the first of several questions that Caplan said she could not answer because of her role as Spector's former attorney.

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ALLISON MARGOLIN PROFESSES

I am considering applying to teach drug law at one of the local universities and law schools here in LA this summer. I really love to teach and here is an article I wrote for the Harvard Record which explains why:

This morning, at Piedmont Alternative School, Berkeley, Calif.; I teach my high school senior class a little bit about child abuse and neglect and then assign them an exercise in which they have to consider whether a mother is neglecting her child

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JANA FINALLY MEETS BOB WOODWARD

In case your not up to speed with my long time pal Jana Rausch, she and I get together almost every week and review the tabloids and gossip rags. Jana has always had a keen interest in Mr. Woodward (to put it mildly) and we often joke about it. Well Jana finally got to meet the man of her dreams - the picture tells it all!

START SPREADING THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA NEWS - IT'S UP TO YOU NY!

State Assembly Passes Bill Legalizing Medical Marijuana
June 13, 2007

The State Assembly passed a bill legalizing medical use of marijuana Wednesday, after about a decade of attempts to approve similar legislation in the state.

“This would mean an awful lot to thousands of suffering New Yorkers,” said Manhattan Assemblyman Richard Gottfried. “The current prohibition in keeping them from that medical benefit is just political correctness run amok.”

The bill allows caregivers and seriously ill patients with diseases like cancer or aids to register with the state to purchase up to two and half ounces of marijuana and grow up to a dozen plants

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CONNECTICUT'S PUSH FOR MEDICAL MARIJUANA

Marijuana Law in Connecticut Gains Ground

NY Times Article Tools Sponsored By
By STACEY STOWE
Published: June 11, 2007

HARTFORD, June 10 — Seventeen years ago, Mark Braunstein dived 60 feet off a footbridge into a river, landed wrong and became a paraplegic. A librarian at Connecticut College, Mr. Braunstein, 55, walks with the aid of crutches and leg braces. He smokes marijuana every three days or so to control the pain and spasms in his feet that would otherwise immobilize him.

To alleviate pain and spasms, Mark Braunstein smokes marijuana, which he buys from a friend.

“I grew it in my woods, but the penalties for cultivation are higher than for possession, so people are forced to patronize the black market,” said Mr. Braunstein, who lives in Waterford. “I have a friend who grows it organically, and I buy it from him.”

In addition to potential legal jeopardy, people who use marijuana for medical reasons endure a financial pinch, he said, as an ounce can cost $300 to $400, depending on its quality. For five years, Mr. Braunstein and others have pressed the Connecticut General Assembly for an alternative. A few weeks ago, they came closer to getting one.

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PARIS HILTON'S EARLY RELEASE MY VIEWS IN THE DAILY NEWS - FRIDAY!

The editor over the Daily News was kind enough to ask me to write a piece on my opinion on Paris Hilton's early release. Pick up a copy Friday and let me know what you think!

GO ASK ALLISON: HOW BIG IS THE STEPHANIE LANDA CASE

A petition of writ on behalf of Stephanie Landa is now the hands of the supreme court. Ms Landa, sixty years old, is currently serving 43 months in federal prison for a marijuana related offense.

SIGNATURES POINT TO LEAGALIZING MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN MICHIGAN

Published June 7, 2007 [ From Lansing State Journal ]

Medical marijuana petition approved
Group still needs at least 304,101 voter signatures

An effort to legalize marijuana for medical use in Michigan cleared a key procedural hurdle Wednesday.
A state elections board approved the form of petitions being circulated by the Michigan Coalition for Compasjavascript:void(0)sionate Care.
The group still needs to collect at least 304,101 valid signatures of Michigan voters within six months to send its issue to state lawmakers.
If state lawmakers vote to accept the proposal, it becomes part of Michigan law. If the Legislature doesn't vote on the measure or rejects it, the initiative would appear on the November 2008 ballot.
The group has been collecting signatures for less than two weeks and so far likely has fewer than 10,000 signatures.

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DR EIDELMAN HOOKS YOU UP WITH HOW TO KICK BUTT & MAKE CHANGES

The Easy Way to Get Off Cigarettes and All Other Addictive Drugs

Don't let anyone tell you there is no good treatment for addiction. I'm
here to tell you about an amazing treatment that I am offering every day at
my office. Any addict can try it out for free. Just walk in the door
craving any addictive drug (tobacco, alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamine,
heroin/morphine/opiates, xanax, etc), and we'll hook you up to the cure.

The cure is a tiny micro-electric current with sophisticated wave forms.

Continued

PARIS HILTON READY TO GET JAIL OVER WITH

Paris Hilton Checks Into LA County Jail

Socialite Sentenced To 45 Days, Will Serve 23

LYNWOOD, Calif. -- Paris Hilton is in jail.

The social celebrity checked into the Los Angeles County jail late Sunday to begin serving a three-week sentence for violating probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case.

The 26-year-old heiress was booked into the Century Regional Detention Facility, which is in an industrial area southeast of downtown LA.

Earlier, Hilton attended the MTV Movie Awards show, telling reporters, "I am trying to be strong right now." She said she was ready to face her sentence, but was "really scared."

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MY INTERVIEW IN THE JUNE "HEADS GIRLS" ISSUE IS OUT!

Interview excerpt:

HEADS MAGAZINE What are your goals/aspirations?

ALLISON "To become drug czarina, legalize drugs and consequently, help erase the stigma associated with drug use...."

In the interview I discuss everything from my favorite strain of weed to my best stoner story. You can download the June Heads issue right now at HeadsMagazine.com

Let me know what you think!

VERMONT PASSES MEDICAL MARIJUANA BILL - CONNECTICUT POISED TO BE NEXT

Marijuana Policy Project Alert: Vt. May 31, 2007

Victory! Vermont medical marijuana improvement bill becomes law

Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas (R) let S.7, the bill to improve Vermont’s current medical marijuana statute, become law without his signature. It will take effect July 1. This will help many suffering Vermonters by adding conditions under which patients can qualify to use medical marijuana. Previously, Vermont’s law was the most restrictive of all the states with medical marijuana laws, because only patients suffering from cancer, HIV/AIDS, or multiple sclerosis could qualify. Under the new legislation, the state will add serious conditions that cause nausea, wasting, chronic pain, or seizures to the law.

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Medical marijuana bill wins final approval in legislature
By STEPHEN SINGER
Associated Press Writer

HARTFORD, Conn. -- A measure legalizing medicinal marijuana won final legislative approval in the state Senate Friday night, capping a five-year struggle that pitted broader patients' rights against concerns of easier access to an illicit drug.

The bill, which was approved 23-13, now heads to Gov. M. Jodi Rell, who has said she has mixed feelings about the measure. A spokesman said Friday she has not yet made a decision.

The state House of Representatives approved the measure on May 23.

Sen. Andrew McDonald, co-chairman of the General Assembly's Judiciary Committee, steered the bill to Senate approval. The measure has taken a "long odyssey through almost every committee of the legislature," McDonald, D-Stamford, told colleagues

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