Oregon Medical Marijuana Business Conference Just One Week Away!The timing of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Business Conference (OMMBC), just two weeks ahead of recreational sales starting in Oregon, could not really be better. The Oregon Health Authority has released the rules that will allow existing medical cannabis dispensaries to sell up to 7 grams of marijuana flower to non-patients age 21 and over starting on October 1st. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) is in the middle of developing the rules for opening up full cannabis commerce among adults in 2016 as the rules are scheduled to be finalized the first week of November. Cities and counties across the state are developing local regulations and some localities are banning marijuana businesses outright while others are giving their voters an opportunity to make the call at the 2016 general election.

The OMMBC will provide updates on all of the latest information regarding local and state law from advocates, experts and industry participants with hands-on experience. In addition to the local and state updates, conference attendees will gain insight into current federal law and where it is headed. Congressman Earl Blumenauer, who leads the way on the all cannabis law reform issues in Congress, will be providing a keynote address and Henry Wykowski, the nation’s preeminent cannabis business tax attorney, will discuss 280e IRS tax law. Judge Jim Gray, the  2012 Libertarian Party vice-presidential candidate is keynoting the first day.

Whether you are a cannabis grower, processor, dispensary owner or own an ancillary business,the OMMBC is the conference to attend for those in the Oregon cannabis industry, or thinking of joining the business. The conference provides all attendees the opportunity to pick the brain of lawyers, experts and industry participants, as well as great networking events. With music on Saturday night and comedy on Sunday, the OMMBC provides not only great information, but also engaging, entertaining networking events. The downtown Portland Hilton is hosting the OMMBC conference while Spirit of 77 is the networking event venue. Regular tickets are are on sale for $399 and discounted hotel rooms are still available. Get yours now before they sell out!

Update: The “controversial” ad made some headlines. 

Even after marijuana is legalized in a state, the fight for true equality continues. The fight can be personal, such as the unjust firing of a TV news anchor, or it can be on behalf of a business, or industry as a whole, like KATU in Portland refusing to air a commercial for the Oregon Medical Marijuana Business Conference (OMMBC). Portland is known as being one of the most cannabis-friendly cities in the world, so it comes as a great surprise to me that a marijuana commercial airs in Eugene and Medford after Portland TV rejects the ad. The OMMBC commercial is currently playing on KMTR in Eugene and KTVL in Medford, both network stations are playing the commercial during prime time, including the news.

A commercial for a cannabis vaporizer was supposed to air in Colorado, but was pulled at the last minute recently and some medical marijuana clinics, like Ashland Alternative Health, have advertised on television, but this is, I believe, the first marijuana business commercial to mention “recreational” marijuana on network television in Oregon, or anywhere in the country (if there are other “recreational” marijuana commercials airing on network television, please let me know in the comments). It is a shame that KATU, broadcasting in a progressive place like Portland, Oregon, would refuse to run the ad, especially when TV stations in Eugene and Medford were happy to air the commercial.

While we work to change federal law, it would be more understandable if TV stations would shy away from commercials that advertised a particular marijuana strain or cannabis-infused product, but it seems very odd to discriminate against a business that merely wants to help people comply with state law, as adhering to state law is one of the major priorities of the federal government. The OMMBC has lawyers, experts and politicians on hand that will help cannabis businesses and entrepreneurs comply with ever-changing local and state law, in addition to federal tax law that legally allows some deductions for marijuana business expenses, but not others.

Inadvertently, the rejection of the OMMBC commercial has probably led to more media attention for the conference and the commercial, so KATU may just be kicking themselves for turning down the revenue. Here’s hoping that in future years, the airing of marijuana business commercials will be much ado about nothing as the cannabis community and industry has achieved the equality and equal treatment that we all deserve.

The commercial “too controversial” for KATU in Portland, but airing on KMTR in Eugene and KTVL in Medford:

Monmouth University released its first Republican poll following the first presidential candidate debates and the new GOP poll is good news for Donald Trump and other outsiders, bad for news for the establishment candidates. The conventional wisdom immediately following the first Republican debates seemed to be that Donald Trump would sink as his bombastic style would sink most politicians, but Trump has bucked that trend and continues to rise among Republican voters. Neurosurgeon Ben Carson,  another Washington political outsider, also has gained in the polls and is the only Republican candidate that beats Trump head-to-head (55% to 36%).

Donald Trump cracked 30% support nationally for the first time, while Carson has surged to 2nd place at 18%. Jeb Bush, the one-time frontrunner has plummeted to 8%, while Rand Paul, the favorite of many libertarian-minded cannabis law reform advocates has slid all the way down to 2%. Thankfully, Chris “Reefer Madness” Chris Christie (2%) and his prohibitionist comrade, Marco Rubio (5%), are still struggling to get out of double-digit support.

I watched some clips of the first GOP debate and posted on my Facebook page on August 7th: “Admittedly, I have only seen a few snippets of the Republican debate last night, but from what I have seen, I think that Donald Trump will either rise in the Republican polls or at least maintain his lead. As much as I find many of his comments repugnant, I think that (unfortunately) a large swath of GOP primary voters will like Trump even more.”

However, my political punditry isn’t infallible according to the latest Monmouth poll as I have been telling my friends and colleagues that I though that much of Trump’s success was because of the large field of candidates and that his ceiling of support would be too low if the race got narrowed down. We’ll see how the race plays out as the votes start coming in for real, but currently Trump is beating the GOP establishment candidates handily in head-to-head matchups: 56% to 37% against Jeb Bush; 63% to 30% against Christie; and so on.

Interestingly, Ben Carson bests Trump and Ted Cruz (who has spent his time in the Senate clashing with the GOP establishment) only loses to the Donald by 7%. Rand Paul, who made the mistake of attacking Trump for being “not Republican enough” in the first debate, doesn’t even crack 30% support heads up, losing by more than 30%. If I was advising Paul, I would certainly encourage him to actually back up Trump on some of his anti-establishment rhetoric and come out with a bold civil liberties platform that includes marijuana legalization and greater Drug War reforms so he can energize his libertarian base.

This Monmouth poll and the rise of Bernie Sanders against Hillary Clinton clearly demonstrate an anti-establishment mood among voters across the country. Personally, I believe that this anti-establishment sentiment is good for our country and for cannabis policy moving forward. Prohibitionist policies certainly aren’t helping Christie and Rubio while Trump doesn’t seem to be harmed by supporting medical marijuana 100% and basically adhering to a states’ rights position on recreational cannabis, putting him in a more progressive position than the Democratic frontrunner. Ted Cruz has “evolved” on marijuana policy to a states’ rights position and Carson is certainly a mixed bag on the issue, but both are better than Christie and Rubio. It will be interesting to see how everything shakes out when the caucuses and primaries arrive, but right now, establishment candidates have to be very concerned.

Photo Credit: AP

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, a liberal darling that many wish would have run for president and hope will be the vice-president on the 2016 Democratic ticket, has had one glaring flaw on her resume: she has previously opposed cannabis legalization. Disheartening to many cannabis law reform advocates, Warren opposed marijuana legalization in 2012, but it looks like she may have evolved on the issue. It is not only uplifting, but also a sign of the growing momentum growing for reform progressive icon Elizabeth Warren is now open to marijuana legalization.

Masslive.com reports:

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren says she’s open to proposed ballot questions that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana.

The comments mark a shift for Warren, who supported the medical use of marijuana but opposed full legalization during her 2012 campaign.

Warren said the country has learned more about legalizing marijuana since then, noting a couple of states have already taken the step.

While many understandably feel that Warren, Bernie Sanders and other politicians should just endorse legalization, most mainstream politicians are going to be very cautious on the issue. These elected officials tend to be of an age group that is least likely to support legalization, they will have advisors urging them to be conservative and the conventional wisdom has been that politicians should be stay away from controversial issues. Fortunately, more and more politicians and political operatives are wising up to the fact that supporting marijuana legalization is not a political detriment nationally. Poll after poll and election after election, and the facts on the ground, demonstrate that marijuana legalization is both good policy and good politics.

My experience lobbying politicians is that that elected officials tend to be very “conservative” in most of their political actions as they are likely to keep their political seats so long as they don’t rock the boat. It is up to us, cannabis law reform advocates and citizens concerned about the detrimental impacts of the War on Drugs, to educate politicians and give them no choice, but to support marijuana legalization and greater Drug War reforms. It appears that we are accomplishing that feat, slowly but surely, step by step.

Boston.com has the video:

We all know the usual stereotypes about stoners, being both dull-witted and lazy couch potatoes. Well, the cannabis community does like to point out the fact that Carl Sagan was an admitted marijuana smoker as was Choom Gang member Barack Obama and both went on to great success academically and in their careers. There are also great examples of sports champions who used marijuana as well. Super Bowl champion lineman Mark Stepnoski;Heisman Trophy winner and NFL rushing champion Ricky Williams; gold medalist Michael Phelps; and the fastest-man in world history, Usain Bolt, immediately come to mind. While golfers aren’t exactly known to be the greatest athletes, they are certainly more energetic than Floyd, Brad Pitt’s iconic stoner character in True Romance.

The Greener Side’s 2nd annual Oregon Cannabis Classic shatters both the lazy and unprofessional stereotypes by bringing the cannabis community to the Mallard Golf Course this Friday. Despite a fire at the course last Monday, the show is going on.  The Oregon Cannabis Classic raises money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Portland and gives those in the cannabis community and industry to network and have fun. The tournament uses a scramble style for teams, where each team uses the best shot from its members, so it works for a variety of skill levels.

Joseph and Chelsea Hopkins, owners of the Greener Side, are two of the best people you will ever meet, so I’m not surprised that they have organized this charitable event. The Greener Side is an amazing dispensary that puts its patients first and foremost, providing special deals every Tuesday, discounts for veterans and hosting vendor days so patients can interact with growers and processors in person. You likely won’t have anything more fun to do this Friday, so get your tickets now and hit the greens this Friday to shatter those stereotypes for a great cause. You can learn more about the Greener Side and the Oregon Cannabis Classic on Facebook as well.

I shed happy tears when I first heard that Jeff Mizanskey got paroled and I was happy to have more tears of joy when I saw my Facebook feed full of photos of Jeff surrounded by friends, family and cannabis law reform advocates. It is amazing how a rallying cry to #FreeJeff turned into the celebratory #WeFreedJeffMizanskey!

Thanks to Jeff’s family, sympathetic politicians and the amazing activists at Show-Me Cannabis, Mid-Missouri NORML and others across the country, not only is Jeff a free man today, but Missouri changed its laws to ensure that no nonviolent marijuana offender would suffer the same cruel fate of a life sentence without the possibility of parole for such nonviolent offenses. Show-Me Cannabis is leading the way to end marijuana prohibition in the Show-Me State and you can help them pass legalization in the very important bellwether state by donating to their fight for freedom.

As NBC reports, Jeff was the only Missouri prisoner serving such a life sentence and other states are looking to pass similar Drug War reforms:

Mizanskey was the only Missouri inmate serving such a sentence for a nonviolent marijuana-related offense when Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon agreed in May to commute his sentence. Nixon’s action allowed Mizanskey to argue for his freedom.

Nixon cited Mizanskey’s nonviolent record, noting that none of his offenses involved selling drugs to children. The law under which he was originally sentenced has since been changed.

***

In Connecticut, a new law will make possession of small amounts of hard drugs, including heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine, a misdemeanor for a first-time offense, rather than allowing for the current maximum seven-year prison sentence. Nebraska and Alabama expect to save hundreds of millions of dollars by cutting down on the number of offenders locked up for possessing small amounts of drugs under new laws.

Here in Oregon, after passing marijuana legalization, New Approach Oregon helped successfully improve criminal marijuana laws even further and pass an expungement provision that was the model for federal legislation introduced by Congressman Earl Blumenauer and. Hopefully, other states will follow suit. While we are pleased with our progress and victories, we are determined to pass even further Drug War reforms as we look to successful policies implemented in places such as Portugal.

I can only imagine more than two decades behind bars, not able to be at important family events, all because of marijuana prohibition. I can only hope that Jeff understands the inspiration that he has given to activists across the nation to work even harder to legalize marijuana and end the greater Drug War. Too many lives have already been lost and ruined by a harmful and failed war that we are waging upon our own citizens. And make no mistake, anyone can fall victim in the war, even those 100% innocent. I know that every Drug War horror story motivates me even more to fight for freedom and the happy pictures of Jeff and his supporters make me want to see similar pictures for the many nonviolent people unjustly incarcerated by this unjust war. You can help Jeff Mizanskey by donating to his “Coming Home” fund here.

Update: Jeff Mizanskey is now a free man!

The tragic plight of Jeff Mizanskey, a Missouri man sentenced to die in prison with a life sentence, amazingly gets out of prison tomorrow thanks to the tireless efforts of his caring family and a group of advocates that started a massive movement for one man’s freedom. The fact that a nonviolent man could be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, galvanized Drug War reform activists across the globe.

Thousands of people joined the Free Jeff Mizanskey Facebook page and signed online petitions. Thanks to the great activists at Show-Me Cannabis (full disclosure, I am proud to have once been a board member), particularly SMC Chairman Dan Viets, who went on to become Mizanskey’s attorney, the Republican-dominated Missouri Legislature passed a bill to ensure that no one would ever be subjected to the same draconian sentence of life. Unfortunately for Jeff, the bill wasn’t retroactive, so he still needed assistance from Democratic Governor Jay Nixon, who did indeed commute his sentence.

Dan Viets, my first marijuana activist mentor, argued brilliantly (I presume) before the Missouri Parole Board, because the state announced that Jeff would be getting out of prison just several days later. It is amazing that the day of freedom for Jeff Mizanskey has finally come. Between 8am and 10am Central Time tomorrow morning, Jeff Mizanskey will be exiting prison for the first time in more than 20 years and into the loving arms of his family and advocates that dedicated their lives to the freedom of one man. I am so happy for Jeff, the entire Mizanskey family and everyone that invested themselves in this important fight for justice. A sincere and heartfelt thanks to everyone who took the time to fight for his freedom. It is amazing that #FreeJeff became #WeFreedJeffMizanskey thanks to the dedication of some tremendous freedom fighters that weren’t going to let such an injustice stand any longer.

Press Release sent out today by Show-Me Cannabis:

For Immediate Release — Aug. 31, 2015

Contact: Dan Viets, Mizanskey’s lawyer: 573-819-2669.

Travis Maurer, Show-Me-Cannabis co-founder: 503-333-8184.

Chris Mizanskey, Mizanskey’s son: 660-221-3040.

Jeff Mizanskey, symbol of drug war, released from prison tomorrow

Life without parole for nonviolent marijuana offense: Governor commuted sentence after international campaign to free him.

THE STORY: Freeing Jeff Mizanskey took 21 years, signatures from 391,254 petition signers, a documentary, letters from 126 Missouri lawmakers, a plea for clemency from the prosecutor, a bill from Republican state representative Shamed Dogan, billboards, and a sustained effort by nonprofit criminal justice reform organizations like Show-Me Cannabis. Because of Missouri’s “prior and persistent drug offender”  law, Mizanskey had been sentenced to life in prison, without the possibility of parole, for nonviolent marijuana charges. He gets out Tuesday morning.

WHAT’S HAPPENING: Mizanskey will be freed from the Jefferson City Correctional Center.

WHEN / WHERE: Tuesday, Sept. 1, between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., at the Jefferson City Correctional Center, 8200 No More Victims Rd, Jefferson City, Missouri, 65101.

VISUALS:

• Tearful family members, including Mizanskey’s son and grandchildren, will meet Mizanskey outside of prison for the first time in 21 years.

• Mizanskey plans to make a short statement to the media.

• Travis Maurer will talk about how a paramilitary drug bust at his home spurred him to co-found Show Me Cannabis and help free Mizanskey

PHOTOS:

(Credit: Show-Me Cannabis)

• Jeff Mizanskey, with his children, before going to prison (credit: Jeff Mizanskey family, 2 photos)

• Jeff Mizanskey after 20 years in prison (credit: Jeff Mizanskey family, 2 photos)

• Billboard asking for his release (credit: Show-Me Cannabis)

BACKGROUND MATERIALS:

• My dad is serving life without parole for marijuana

• Timeline of events from Mizanskey’s lawyer, Dan Viets.

• 130 lawmakers ask for Mizanskey to be freed

• Petition for clemency

• A plea for clemency from the prosecutor who put him away.

• A documentary about Mizanskey’s plight.

• The “prior and persistent drug offender” law Mizanskey was sentenced under has been repealed effective 2017.

TK:

• A full press release before and after his release.

###

Marijuana Majority recently released the group’s first poll, conducted by Public Policy Polling, to question registered voters in Iowa and New Hampshire on whether the federal government should respect state marijuana laws. The poll found that strong majorities of Democrats, Republican and independents want Uncle Sam to stay out of states’ cannabis policies. While it might surprise some to find that a strong majority of Republican voters in the Hawkeye and Granite States want the federal government to respect the will of the voters who have passed medical and recreational marijuana laws, it really shouldn’t. States’ rights has long been a foundation of conservative and libertarian-minded GOP voters.

Earlier polls have had similar findings. A Pew Research Center survey in April 2013 found that 57% of Republicans nationwide wanted the feds to leave state marijuana laws alone. The Marijuana Majority commissioned poll likely signifies both that Iowa and New Hampshire voters are more independent-minded than many other states and that this is a continuing trend among all voters across all demographics. It makes sense that voters, regardless of affiliation, want the federal government to better prioritize resources when there are so many more important law enforcement and public safety issues facing our country.

When Marijuana Majority asked, “Do Iowans want the next president to respect state marijuana laws?” 71% of Iowa voters overall stated “Yes” comprising of 80% of Democrats, 64% of Republicans, and 70% of independents. When Granite State voters were asked the same question, the numbers were very similar: 73% overall, 77% of Dems, 67% of the GOP, and 76% among independents.

Marijuana law reformers are going to press the Democratic and Republican candidates on their cannabis policies in these early states very often. Bernie Sanders is likely to get the edge on the Democratic side as he has had the more progressive and bold platform on marijuana and the greater Drug War thus far. Hillary Clinton, as usual, has been very risk-averse, adhering to an outdated conventional wisdom on the issue and many haven’t forgotten the fact that she opposed marijuana decriminalization in her failed 2008 presidential run. While Sanders calls for an end to private prisons, the prison-industrial complex remains major donors to the Clinton Machine. Joe Biden, if he decides to enter the race, has a long history of being on the wrong side of Drug War history.

On the Republican side, Donald Trump, Jeb Bush and Rand Paul will likely benefit from their marijuana policies. If I was advising Paul, I would encourage him to be true to his libertarian philosophy and come out strong in support of marijuana legalization; instead, he seems to be trying to portray himself as an establishment Republican, but that goes against his strengths, in my opinion and voters see through that. Chris Christie and Marco Rubio are hurt most by the states’ rights marijuana position of voters as each of them have pledged to waste federal resources by trampling the will of voters by using armed federal agents to raid, arrest, prosecute and imprison cannabis cultivators, providers and consumers.

Many people may shrug at these poll numbers and suggest that federal marijuana policy isn’t a big deal, but the candidates who don’t listen to voters will pay the political price. The proper utilization of federal resources is a huge deal to everyday American citizens, many of whom are living paycheck to paycheck. Hard-working Americans don’t want their tax dollars being wasted and enforcing federal marijuana law over the will of over half the country’s population is certainly a waste.

The cannabis lobby is growing more powerful by the day, with more and more dollars to donate. More importantly, the cannabis community is, contrary to stereotypes, very engaged in politics as our livelihood and freedom is literally on the line. Poll after poll and election and election make it very clear: the American people are tired of marijuana prohibition and that out-of-step politicians adhering to a Reefer Madness mentality, will pay a political price.

As it has been written many times now, Bernie Sanders has become the mainstream candidate of many cannabis law reform advocates, especially following his comments about the Drug War ruining lives and the failure of the War on Drugs; his announcing a bill to abolish private prisons; and his openness to legalizing marijuana at the federal level. Many libertarians and conservatives in the Drug War reform movement favor Rand Paul, of course, and while I’ve been an unabashed fan of Sanders for a while, I hope that Paul’s polling numbers rise, but I’m afraid that he’s lost the GOP anti-establishment vote to Donald Trump.

Hillary Clinton is still the odds-on favorite, but her campaign has to be worried about the rise of Sanders and the potential entrance of Joe Biden. Iowa cannabis law reformers need to put all candidates, Democrats and Republicans on-record early and often about their position on marijuana and the greater Drug War. An Iowa mother desperate for federal medical marijuana legalization spoke with Ms. Clinton at the Iowa State Fair and Clinton aides took her info, so I hope that the Democratic frontrunner moves the right way on cannabis law reform.

From NBC News, who notes that Iowa caucus goers seem to be in a growing anti-establishment mood:

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and businessman Donald Trump — the two biggest anti-establishment candidates in the Democratic and Republican presidential primary fields, respectively — have seen their support surge, according to a new survey of voters likely to participate in the Iowa caucuses.

In the Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Politics poll, Sanders is now polling just seven points behind Democratic front runner Hillary Clinton, nearly doubling his share of the vote since the last survey was conducted in May.

Sanders takes 30 percent support, while Clinton draws 37 percent, marking the first time she’s dropped below 50 percent in the poll.

The conventional wisdom has been that Bernie Sanders doesn’t stand a chance against the Clinton Machine and could never win, but the momentum we are seeing in the polls has got to change a few minds. Secretary Clinton enjoyed many of the same advantages that she has now against first-term Senator Barack Hussein Obama and we know how that played out. Clinton was leading in the polls in Iowa, but an Iowa surprise victory launched Obama into legitimate contender status, even after he lost New Hampshire. Sanders has the opportunity to win both Iowa and New Hampshire, likely putting to bed the notion that he can’t win and Americans love winners, so a Bernie sweep of the first two states should change the political narrative if it hasn’t already.

While Sanders doesn’t have the charisma and oratory skills of President Obama, his supporters are passionate and he has a long history of being on the right side of history, from the Vietnam War to the Drug War to the Iraq War. Marijuana legalization, the War on Drugs, the prison-industrial complex and racial justice will continue to be big issues during the Democratic nomination process and Sanders is in the best position to match the ideals of primary and caucus goers. No Democratic candidate has actually won both the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary outright and then gone on to lose the nomination. For cannabis law reform advocates that support the Vermont Senator, it is imperative that we do all that we can to help all voters, but particularly Iowa caucus voters, #FeelTheBern.

Several months ago, our very own Russ Belville helped publicize the plight of Douglas Floyd Ponischil, a 94-year old veteran of World War II, who had been arrested in Charlotte, North Carolina, on felony marijuana possession charges (“Rest Easy, Charlotte. The 94-Year-Old Marijuana Consumer Has Been Arrested!“). Mr. Ponischil wasn’t growing any marijuana and he certainly wasn’t a marijuana dealer. The absurdity of that felony arrest against an elderly war hero with absolutely no criminal history, galvanized national support for the man and just further added to the motivation that fuels Drug War reformers.

I decided to check up on Mr. Ponischil, but found that any update of his case was lacking any media attention and it didn’t pop up on “Google News”. I was pleasantly surprised to see that his lawyer had posted an update on his firm’s page. The charges had been dismissed! From the Law Office of Christopher Connelly:

Attorney Chris Connelly was honored to represent Douglas Ponischil in this marijuana felony case and secure a dismissal.  Mr. Ponischil is a 94 yo WWII combat veteran who survived a U Boat attack that left him in the dangerous waters of the Caribbean for several days until rescue.

He had never had any adverse contact with the law until March of 2015 when police raided his house and arrested him, accusing him of felony possession of marijuana. This arrest ocurred several weeks after marijuana had been mailed to his home on someone else’s behalf.  Instead of investigating whether this 94 year old vet was perhaps being taken advantage of by others, law enforcement arrested him and put him in jail.

After months of negotiations with prosecutors, Attorney Chris Connelly was able to convince them to dismiss these charges against Mr. Ponischil.

I would like to personally thank attorney Christopher Connelly for his work on this case and I’m sure that I’m joined by the entire cannabis community. The thought that a man could survive a Nazi U Boat attack in World War II and then be arrested and taken into a jail because of an American Drug War being waged upon its own citizens is sickening to me. It is rather astonishing that trained law enforcement officers didn’t think that they could do some further investigation or just write a ticket and felt the need to arrest a man in his mid-90s.

I’m just glad that Mr. Ponischil had good representation and can hopefully put this whole ordeal behind him and enjoy the rest of his time on this planet without worrying that the next knock on his door isn’t going to be armed officers taking him to jail. Despite the dismissal of these ridiculous charges, the fact that a World War II war veteran without any criminal record would be arrested for cannabis possession demonstrates the fact that no one, or even our pets, are safe until we end the failed and harmful Drug War.

Such a shame that police officers felt the need to arrest a 94-year old WWII vet with no criminal record and haul him off to jail.

Are you a marijuana activist, entrepreneur, in the legal field, a happy partaker or a writer interested in sharing your thoughts and knowledge with others in the cannabis community?  Then this contest is tailor made for you!  The prize is a big one!  You will not only be published in the prestigious MarijuanaPolitics.com site, but will also receive a ticket to the upcoming OMMBC conference in Portland, along with a room Saturday night in the downtown Hilton, where the conference is being held.  The OMMBC (Oregon Medical Marijuana Business Conference), which takes place on September 12-13 in beautiful downtown Portland, Oregon, is one of the most sought after tickets this year. The conference will be covering all aspects of not only medical marijuana, but also the new recreational laws and how they affect you and your businesses.

• We are now accepting submissions – just use the submission form below this post or email us at writers@marijuanapolitics.com..
• The entrance deadline is only a week away on Sept 1, 2015 at 5pm pst so get your entry in quickly!
• We will not accept any previously published works.
• We do accept simultaneous submissions, so show us what you got.
• Make sure to also subscribe to the email newsletter (form is below as well) to receive updates on the contest.

Marijuana Politics is one of the fastest-rising and most respected cannabis blogs in the nation; what you write will be seen and discussed intelligently in the community at large. Our success makes us want to share our platform with others and invite bloggers that have good information to share with the cannabis community and industry.

MarijuanaPolitics.com of course focuses on politics, but we welcome blogs on culture, science, entertainment and business that will appeal to the cannabis community and industry. The winner will be chosen based upon a variety of factors, including originality, overall quality and relevancy to the cannabis community and industry today. We’ll have a winner picked by Friday, the 4th, to give you plenty of time to make travel plans.

The OMMBC pass is a great prize that will provide lots of networking opportunities and is will be an informative, fun and engaging time for any cannabis advocate or entrepreneur. Judging by past conferences, it will definitely be an amazing time for all attendees. Good luck to everyone that enters! I look forward to reading your work.

Don’t forget to come visit us and introduce yourself at the Marijuana Politics booth at the OMMBC.

To enter, email writers@marijuanapolitics.com and put “OMMBC Blog Contest” in the subject line.

Contest ends Tuesday, September 1st at 5pm. This contest is open to adults 21 and over; is for an OMMBC pass and one hotel night only; winner still responsible for other travel costs and expenses. The winning blog will be licensed to Marijuana Politics. No purchase necessary.

Please use the form below to submit your entry.  Don’t forget to join our newsletter in the form below to keep up with ongoing entry news and updates!

Please add yourself to our email newsletter as we will be communicating to all entrants via the newsletter.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture has been dragging its feet on issuing hemp production licences for several years now, so maybe it shouldn’t have come as a surprise to me that the department just announced that it would stop issuing new licenses to Oregon farmers. Senate Bill 676 legalized the production of hemp all the way back in 2009, but the state took several years to issue the first license. The Department of Agriculture used to state on its website that no hemp licenses would be issued until a change in federal law, so the Measure 91 marijuana legalization measure included language that prohibited the department from relying upon the feds to stifle hemp farmers, but it looks like they have found reasons aside from Uncle Sam.

After political and PR battles between outdoor cannabis farmers (who fear cross-pollination) and the burgeoning hemp industry, I assumed that hemp production licenses would continue unless future legislation was passed. A bill that would have placed a moratorium on the Oregon hemp farming licenses  failed in the Oregon Senate last session, seemingly allowing the hemp industry to proceed full-speed ahead. However, not so fast my friend, as the Bend Bulletin reported:

The pause is essentially a win for Southern Oregon medical marijuana growers, who asked the Legislature last session to instill buffer zones and other regulations to ensure hemp and marijuana plants don’t cross-pollinate with potentially ruinous effects for both plants.

The state’s hemp farmers, including some in Bend and several in the Willamette Valley, said the state was picking favorites between the two cannabis crops. Oregon voters legalized marijuana for adults 21 and older last November. Lawmakers in 2009 voted to allow farmers to grow hemp, which is still illegal federally because of it is in the cannabis family despite lacking psychoactive effects.

After a lengthy rule-making process by the state Department of Agriculture, hemp farmers sought to get the first legal plants in the ground last spring and enter the highly profitable CBD oil market. The oil is sold to patients for its potentially soothing qualities on debilitating diseases and is a compound found in hemp and marijuana plants.

Apparently, the fact that a majority of the hemp farmers have been looking to produce CBD oil played a major role in the state’s decision. From KTVZ.com:

Lindsay Eng, who oversees the hemp program for the Oregon Department of Agriculture, said Tuesday the law authorizing industrial hemp production in Oregon was written to regulate it as an agricultural crop, with large fields of densely planted hemp grown for fiber, seed and oil.

Instead, the nine operations inspected by the department this year seem more interested in producing compounds known as CBDs, which don’t get people high, but are believed to have some medical benefits. They are also found in marijuana.

As a result, Eng says the current law does not work well to regulate growers, who are growing small plots, sometimes in greenhouses, with the emphasis on producing buds that contain the CBDs.

This surprise announcement won’t impact the 13 hemp farmers who have acquired licenses already, although I suppose that any hemp harvested will be even more valuable. The Department of Agriculture won’t consider issuing any more hemp farming licenses until after the 2016 legislative session, giving the state and its lucrative cannabis industry and could-be-lucrative hemp industry time to work out the details.

I, of course, am a huge supporter of the Oregon cannabis industry and community and understand the fears of growers who don’t want their livelihood, or the health of the patients, hindered by hemp-pollinated cannabis. I am also a big believer in hemp as it has so many uses and is beneficial for our environment and our health (it is literally, the breakfast of champions). As many politicians state, “I’m not a scientist”, so I’m not going to presume that I have the right answers regarding the cross-pollination of hemp and cannabis, but I’ll continue to express my hope that there must be a good policy, based upon science, that will allow both hemp and cannabis to prosper in Oregon and help become a model for the rest of the country. I don’t presume to speak for the late legend, but I’m guessing the Jack Herer, the godfather of the cannabis hemp movement, would hope that cannabis and hemp can find a way to coexist for the benefit of all of us.

Oregon’s marijuana laws and regulations are undergoing rapid change, making it hard to keep up, even for the most astute, attentive observer. It is part of my job to stay up-to-date on the latest developments, so I know first-hand how difficult it is. I also know that I’m not alone as I discuss changes and potential changes virtually daily with activist and industry colleagues. These important, rapid changes are just a few of the reasons why you should purchase your early-bird tickets for the Oregon Medical Marijuana Business Conference (OMMBC) by this Friday, before prices go up. You have until 11:59:59pm this Friday to pay $299 for the conference, before tickets go up $100.

The Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) went through several important changes this past legislative session, some good, some bad, while the Oregon cannabis industry welcomed the huge news that the state had released the rules and regulations regarding the early start of cannabis sales to non-patient adults on October 1st. Rules have changed or will change for medical growers, patients, processors and dispensaries. I haven’t even gotten to the recreational marijuana regulations being developed by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) through the agency’s main Rules Advisory Committee (RAC) and subcommittees following Oregon’s historic Measure 91 legalization campaign.

The OMMBC features experts in the field of marijuana law, from the local level to the Halls of Congress. Attorneys Leland Berger and Paul Loney have a vast amount of experience representing the Oregon cannabis community and industry. Attendees will get the latest information on local control issues as some cities and counties have implemented reasonable time, place and manner regulations while others have banned marijuana businesses outright.

I, as an OLCC RAC member, will provide the latest information regarding OLCC recreational rules, as will others with expertise in various fields. Senator Floyd Prozanski and Representative Ann Lininger will provide an update on state legislation and provide a peak into where the Oregon Legislature will be headed. Renowned tax attorney and IRS 280e expert, Henry Wykowski, will be on hand to provide great information on what is deductible on your federal tax returns. And the one and only Congressman Earl Blumenauer will have the latest on federal law and let us know where he sees Congress taking cannabis law in the upcoming years.

In addition to the great information provided by attorneys, politicians and experts, the OMMBC gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn from each other and network in fun, engaging settings. Great music and comedy have been staples of the OMMBC and this year won’t be any different. The downtown Portland Hilton provides a great venue for this event and I am confident that everyone will have a fun, informative time. I know that the economy is tough, but $299 is really a bargain to be able to pick the brain and network with some of the best minds in the cannabis industry and marijuana politics. Get your tickets by Friday and save yourself some bucks! Hope to see you there!

Recently, I had heard from a friend that owns an Oregon medical cannabis dispensary, that there was a cart driving around Portland, Oregon, offering “free” marijuana while charging for waterproof containers. My dispensary-owning friend wasn’t exactly happy about the fact that his state-licensed business must pay a $4,000 fee to the Oregon Health Authority, comply with numerous safety regulations and undergo audits and inspections, while someone else can seemingly provide medical marijuana completely unlicensed and unregulated.

The Oregonian has confirmed the existence of this cart, with a few photos of the “Smoke Buddy”. Jessica and Larry, owners of the Smoke Buddy cart claim to provide organic cannabis, while not accepting “donations” larger than $100.

The Oregonian reports:

In a city where nearly every type of food can be found in a mobile cart, it’s no wonder someone adopted that model for medical marijuana.

It took less than a week for local residents Larry and Jessica, who declined to give surnames, to build their “Smoke Buddy” cart, complete with Rastafari colors and a green cross.

The pair have taken it to several neighborhoods around Portland in the past week.

The concept of providing “free” marijuana to go along with other goods and services isn’t a new one, but a mobile cart that plays into Portland’s love of food carts is certainly unique. If the state decides to allow such carts, I imagine that licensed and regulated dispensaries will open up their own carts. If they can’t beat the low prices offered by the carts, then, like any other business, they’ll just join ’em.

Update: Oregon state officials state that the Smoke Buddy isn’t exactly street legal.

From The Oregonian:

A mobile cart selling marijuana in Portland is illegal, the Oregon Health Authority said Monday.

The Smoke Buddy cart has been seen in North Portland. Jonathan Modie, a spokesman for the health authority, which oversees the state’s dispensary system, said mobile marijuana operations and delivery services are illegal underOregon’s rules.

“Any transfer of marijuana to or from a dispensary must take place at the registered address of the dispensary,” the state notes on its dispensary website.

Back on May 3rd, I asked, “Will Bernie Sanders Become the Cannabis Candidate?” As regular readers of Marijuana Politics can certainly tell, we are big fans of the Vermont Senator and mainstream presidential candidate, praising his position on cannabis issues and the greater Drug War in post after post. Media outlets are now reporting that cannabis advocates across the nation have hopped on the #FeelTheBern bandwagon. In addition to his stance on the failed Drug War, we are also drawn to the fact that Sanders has been on the right side of major issues, going all the way back to the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War to George W. Bush’s Iraq War.

Drug law reform activists hoped that Sanders would support sensible federal marijuana policies and help end harmful Drug War policies that disproportionately hurt people of color and people battling poverty. These issues aren’t just good policies that help correct decades of injustice, they are also good politics during the Democratic primary. While Sanders hadn’t necessarily been one of the most vocal Drug War reformers, he had been on record against the failed War on Drugs decades ago and Vermont has been one of the better states on cannabis policies, particularly among those without the initiative process, where statewide reforms must come from the state legislature, not put on the ballot be advocates.

It appears that Bernie Sanders and his campaign advisors have realized the utility of Drug War reform, particularly following the #BlackLivesMatter protest that interrupted one of his appearances in Seattle. The Drug War has undoubtedly devastated black communities; so much so that Professor Michelle Alexander wrote the influential best-seller: The New Jim Crow. Senator Sanders has since made Drug War reform and the abolishment of private prisons staples of his campaign.

Social media has been a huge foundational element of the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign as supporters have been able to take the debate to their own friends and family members because the mainstream media and Democratic establishment have tried to discount the campaign from the start. The inevitability of Hillary Clinton has been the conventional wisdom among political pundits and the media elite, but that notion is starting to crack just a bit as Clinton hasn’t been able to dodge questions about wiping her email server clean and Sanders continues to surge in the polls. The “unelectable” tag that some have tried to pin to Sanders, certainly seems to have faded a bit, especially now that Donald Trump has become the Republican frontrunner and polls show that Sanders does just as well, if not better, than Clinton against Republican challengers.

When I saw on my Facebook feed a picture of Bernie Sanders with the statement, “There Is No Question That the War on Drugs Is a Failure,” I assumed that it was a meme created by supporters. I was ecstatic to see that the picture was posted by the official U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders Facebook page. It is easy to predict that Drug War reform and marijuana legalization will be much bigger issues during the Democratic primary, than on the Republican side, and I think that bodes well for the challenger from Vermont.