So-norml

It's 1984 - Does your local sheriff know where you are?

He will!!!

In the Spring edition of Oregon Sheriff, Medical Marijuana and those that use it are targeted for Law Enforcement interference. The entire back cover is a Wanted Ad, offering a 1-800 toll free snitch line and rewards for turning in Marijuana grows and gardens. Click >> HERE << to read it .

Now your neighbors can get rewarded - probably with YOUR tax dollars for calling and reporting you.

This goes hand in hand with Medford Police's recent Town Watch newsletter which encouraged neighborhood Town Watch patrols to report marijuana grows. Read that >>HERE.<< Please note, this is housed on the city web site, also paid for by YOU. Was this written on the clock? Was city time used to create this attack on patients and those that care for them?

Big Brother - the one with the badge and the gun - is watching.

Sentencing delayed again-possibly for 3 months

UPDATE

Yes, you read that right. In the near future, patient Josh Brewer will be sentenced for his felony convictions which resulted from police actions taken against him last September, here in Medford. At that time, police confiscated Josh's FRESHLY CUT, WET Medical Marijuana, and used that as evidence that he was over his limits. And a Medford jury convicted him!

There are irregularities and outright violations of the law throughout this case, all perpetrated by the court, the DA and Law Enforcement. Ignoring the Oregon law that allows law enforcement to ONLY take that portion of cannabis which is IN EXCESS of the allowable amounts, MPD took everything. Including Josh's pipes, listed as "illegal drug paraphenalia". And a Medford jury convicted him.

Josh is facing sentencing in the next 3 months. We need every single person who can be, to be there to let the officials of Jackson County that we will not tolerate this blatant violation of our constitutional rights. It is Josh today - will it be you tomorrow???

If you are among those who have believed that this kind of outrage would never happen here - it's time to smell the cannabis burning! It IS happening here - and it will continue to happen here until and unless WE THE PEOPLE stop it and hold these public officials accountable for the same constitution that we are held responsible to obey!!!

Information about a defense fund for Josh follows: Please mail all donations to:

CWA

P.O. Box 1173

Eagle Point, OR 97524

The memo line needs to read "Brewer Defense".

They also accept major credit and debit cards, and that can be acomplished by calling (541) 826-6528

This situation is unfolding daily, and we will keep you updated as quickly as we can.

Sonorml is not responsible for the Brewer Defense Fund. Please use the CWA information to donate.

In May of 2007, a Jackson County Medical Marijuana patient filed a renewal for her concealed handgun permit. The application was denied by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office based on the applicant's disclosure that she used Medical Marijuana. She fought the decision in Circuit court, and won. The sheriff was required to approve her application, but appealed that decision to the Court of Appeals.

On June 16th, the Appellate Court released its ruling, which upheld the lower court's decision. Using Medical Marijuana is NOT sufficient reason to deny a patient a concealed handgun permit. See the full ruling >> HERE <<.

The issue in this case hinged, as does so much, on the disconnect between State Medical Marijuana laws and Federal prohibition of Marijuana overall. As long as Federal prohibition remains in effect, taxpayers and citizens will have to continue to fignt these issues in court, expending inordinate amounts of time, money and energy in resolving them. Until the Federal Government bows to the will of the people, we can expect more of these legal challenges to surface, clogging court schedules, enriching the legal community, and making patients feel as though their fundamental rights as US citizens are being thrown under the bus, simply because of their personal choice to handle their medical issues in a way that is most effective for them.

We applaud the Court of Appeals for their willingness to recognize that using Medical Marijuana does not invalidate someone's Constitutional Rights - in this case, Amendment II - the right to bear arms. We only regret that the Federal Government's position on Marijuana forced this case to even be heard in the first place. This can be changed, but only if enough of us care enough to work for those changes. Contact our Federal legislators, and express your frustrations with the Federal feet-dragging on Marijuana legalization.

Rep. Greg Walden - US House of Representatives Sen. Jeff Merkley, US Senate

843 East Main Street, Suite 400

10 South Bartlett Street, Suite 201

Medford, OR, 97504

Medford, OR, 97501

Phone: (541) 776-4646

Phone: (541) 608-9102

Fax: (541) 779-0204

Contact Rep. Greg Walden via Web Form.

Contact Sen. Jeff Merkley via Web Form

Oregon Board of Pharmacy drops cannabis to Schedule II

On June 16, the Oregon Board of Pharmacy announced their decision to reschedule cannabis as a Schedule II drug. While removal from Schedule I does acknowledge cannabis as a legitimate medicine, it is the belief of many that a lower schedule would have been far more appropriate. Plans for an appeal of this ruling are being made at this time.

Marinol, the synthetic form of THC, is only a Schedule III drug. There was no explanation from the Board justifying classifying cannabis at Schedule II, while its man-made substitute is listed as Schedule III. (The higher the schedule, the more dangerous the drug).

Drug Scheduling is based on 3 factors -

The potential for abuse

Medical effectiveness

Potential for addiction and dependency

Marijuana, therefore, according to the Oregon Board of Pharmacy, has:

(A) a high potential for abuse.

(B) a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions.

Just for comparison - other Schedule II drugs include cocaine, oxycodone, opium, methadone and morphine. These are marijuana's new neighbors in Oregon.

Of course, this is relatively symbolic, at least until the Federal Government reduces the scheduling of cannabis at the Federal level. There is, and has been, a petition to do just that, which the Feds have been ignoring since 2002. Americans for Safe Access has been following this issue. Click >>HERE<< for more info.