Hi Everyone in Riverside and San Bernardino County - From Lanny

1-11-9
Hi Everyone,
Once again – there is just so much going on that it is almost mind-boggling. With the economic disaster the country is going through (some pundits are now using the word “depression”), the two seemingly never-ending wars we are in and the looming (if not already here) disaster to our environment, medical marijuana and marijuana law reform pale in comparison. Cannabis cannot solve all these problems, but it can make a significant impact on each one.
As fuel and especially fiber, cannabis can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, practically eliminate the need to cut down forests for paper and hence have a significant impact on global warming and can be cultivated almost anywhere and needs less water than cotton. Solve all our environmental problems? – of course not. Make a significant improvement – absolutel y yes.
As for the economy, we can save $20 billion a year by ending law enforcement’s addiction to marijuana law prohibition and probably raise close to $50 billion a year in taxes (sin tax, sales tax, income tax and tax tax) on the legal sales of marijuana. With job losses and unemployment soaring to new heights, marijuana legalization will give jobs to hundreds of thousands. Will marijuana solve all our economic problems? – also of course not. Will it make a significant improvement? – Well I don’t know what world our elected officials are living in, but $50 billion plus hundreds of thousands of jobs isn’t something to ignore just because law enforcement wants to keep its pig trough of marijuana law prohibition and the pharmaceutical industry doesn’t want the competition from cheap pot.
As for the two wars – well there are some things even marijuana can’t help – although I am thoroughly convinced if everyone could just sit down and pass around some joints with some really killer weed, maybe the perspective and tolerance that pot seems so capable of inducing in its users may lead them to want to stop all this crap. I know that this is beyond fanciful thinking – but you know damn well that it wouldn’t hurt.
OK – so if you agree with the above, then you should get involved and look at all that is happening that you can ge t involved in.
1. MAPP patient support group & law reform meetings.
Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the THCF Medical Clinic, 647 Main Street, Riverside 92501. Click here for a map.

Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Castle Inn, 1388 N. Golden Slipper Lane, Landers 92285. Click here for a map.

At both meetings we will be discussing what is happening in both Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. With lawsuits being filed in SB County, dispensary ordinances being passed in Palm Springs and Yucca Valley, patient collectives forming and patients still under threat by law enforcement and drug warrior organizations, there is lots of stuff going on that you need to know about and get involved with. If you live in those areas an ywhere within reasonable driving distance to the meetings, you would be greatly benefited by making the time and coming on down.

2. THCF Medical Clinic 1st Anniversary Celebration
January 17 marks the one year anniversary of the opening of the THCF Medical Clinic - the first cannabis therapeutics clinic in the Inland Empire. Since the first day, the clinic has provided medical marijuana recommendations to over 500 patients, effectively and safely treating a variety of ailments from arthritis to depression to chronic pain.
Located at 647 Main St. in Riverside, the clinic is centrally located within the Inland Empire and has become the center of medical marijuana activism in the region.
To celebrate the one year anniversary, the THCF Clinic is hosting a one year anniversary party on Saturday, Jan. 17 open to the general public. The highlight of the celebrati on will be the presentation of plaque of honor to California medical marijuana pioneer Anna Boyce.
Anna Boyce, who is a retired R.N. became the public voice of medical marijuana advocates and was seen in many TV commercials advocating for the passage of Proposition 215.
Mrs. Boyce will discuss how Proposition 215 came into existence and her role in educating voters about this groundbreaking legislation. Her task and that of other Prop. 215 advocates was formidable, but through their concerted advocacy they overcame the opposition by law enforcement on every level including the concerted effort by every California District Attorney, save one, to convince the voters not to pass Proposition 2 15.
There will be desserts and other refreshments so this indeed will be a festive as well as an historic occasion. I hope you can make it – this is one of those all too rare chances to get together and celebrate our knowledge that our use of cannabis is beneficial for our health and the community rather than all this try-to-figure-out-the-legal BS we always seem to be meeting over.
There is no charge to attend the THCF Medical Clinic’s first year anniversary party. The celebration will be held at the THCF Medical Clinic, 647 Main Street in Riverside 92501. Information may be obtained by calling 951-782-9898. Click here for a map.
Plan now to attend this event and meet Mrs. Boyce and many other patients and advocates in what promises to be very enjoyable evening on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m. So as to get an idea of about how many desserts and drinks we are going to need , I would really appreciate it if you would either send me an email back letting me know that you are planning on coming or giving me a call at 760-799-2055.
3. Important phone call you can make to stop DEA raids!!!!
I am passing along to you this NATIONAL ACTION ALERT – please take 60 seconds to help stop the DEA raids by making a phone about the US Attorney General Confirmation! During his election campaign, President-elect Obama pledged to end DEA raids on individuals who use or provide medical cannabis in accordance with their state law. The U.S. Attorney General is the cabinet official who will carry out President-elect Obama's policies. Confirmation hearings for Obama's nominee, Eric Holder, are scheduled to begin on January 15th before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT). Help us make sure the next Attorney General keeps the promises made by President-elect Obama!=2 0

*Call Sen. Leahy's office at (202) 224-4242 and say: "Hi, my name is ___________ and I am calling about the Attorney General confirmation hearings. President-elect Obama said numerous times during his campaign that DEA raids on individuals legally qualified to use medical marijuana in their states are a waste of resources and that he would end that policy. 72 million Americans live in the 13 states with medical marijuana laws. Please ask Eric Holder if he will uphold Obama's promise and end DEA raids on legal medical marijuana patients."

This is really Really REALLY important. It will take less than 60 seconds and YOU CAN CALL ANYTIME 24/7 because if the Senator’s office is not open, you can leave a message on the voice mail. I believe Senator Leahy has supported us in the past, so make sure he continues this support by asking him to ask AG nominee Eric Holden if he will uphold President elect Obama’s pledge to end DEA raids against medical marijuana patients in states that have legalized the use of marijuana medicinally.

Call his office RIGHT NOW at (202) 224-4242.

You may have heard about President elect=2 0Obama’s transition team website www.change.gov. Marijuana issues have been among the top issues and in a number instances, it is the number one issue. If you want to join in and let them know that marijuana law reform and medicinal marijuana is an important issue go to the following link.
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/legalize_the_medicinal_and_recreational_use_of_marijuana


4. Yucca Valley City Council recently passed a medical marijuana dispensary ban, but the one collective that was already up and running was grandfathered in. Now there is a concerted effort to try and close it being whipped up by the Inland Valley Drug Free Community Coalition. In another atrocious column by these anti-harm reduction drug warriors published in the Hi-Desert Star, they spread falsehoods and lies in order to whip up public support against medical marijuana and direct that anger at Yucca Valley’s lone medical marijuana dispensary. I have printed at the end of this email the IVDFCC column and an article about the meeting held in=2 0Yucca Valley last week.
This is an example how the IVDFCC works to defeat us (and with your tax money to boot).
I am not aware of anywhere else in the state of California where law enforcement is using public money to get the public to take action to close down medical marijuana facilities, but that is exactly what is happening here and if it succeeds here I don’t doubt for one second that other law enforcement agencies up and down the state will take their cue from San Bernardino law enforcement and channel public money to these organizations that are out to defeat us.
If we don’t challenge them by responding to their threats, then their BS becomes reality for the general public. Please read the article and column at the end of this email and then write a response and send it to: editor@hidesertstar.com
At the Wednesday, Jan. 21 MAPP meeting we will be dealing with this challenge. I strongly urge all of you up in the High Desert to attend this meeting. If you don’t challenge them and stop this illegal and unethical behavior on the part of law enforcement, then no one will and if you think it is difficult and dangerous to obtain your medicine, it will only get worse.
5 . Send us a donation!!!!! Please!!!!
Any cause organization in order to be effective relies on their supporters to help provide them with the financial resources needed to do what needs to be done. Could you take a moment and go to our website, www.marijuananews.org, and help provide us those resources by making a donation?
As you can see we are up to our neck in alligators and we need your help to get a boat.
Donations can also be made by sending a check made out to MAPP to:
MAPP, PO Box 739, Palm Springs CA 92263.
If you would like to make a tax deductible donation, please contact me.

Take action today. There’s so much you can do it. Will you do it?

Lanny