Now Modesto is showing some compassion with almost 5 Medical Marijuana doctors consulting with patients regarding there cannabis use and effects.
Listing coming soon with prices.
Contact Doctors@compassionatecaregivers.com for specials in your town.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Monday, July 4, 2011
Businesses raided, 2 arrested in NorCal pot probes - State News - Modbee.com
Businesses raided, 2 arrested in NorCal pot probes - State News - Modbee.comNEWARK, Calif. -- State investigators have raided a California medical marijuana dispensary and the offices of two psychics.
Two men were arrested and a Salinas storefront was also raided during Tuesday's state Department of Justice operation.
The Oakland Tribune says the NBD Collective in Newark was the focus of the investigation into drug-related crimes. Officers from the Southern Alameda County Major Crimes Task Force and the Newark Police Department served the search warrants.
http://www.oaklandtribune.com
Authorities also raided the offices of psychics in Fremont and Salinas. Investigators say they were targeted because marijuana was being sold at those establishments.
More than $30,000 was seized.
Read more: http://www.modbee.com/2011/06/29/1753961/businesses-raided-2-arrested-in.html#ixzz1R7SwWxcF
Two men were arrested and a Salinas storefront was also raided during Tuesday's state Department of Justice operation.
The Oakland Tribune says the NBD Collective in Newark was the focus of the investigation into drug-related crimes. Officers from the Southern Alameda County Major Crimes Task Force and the Newark Police Department served the search warrants.
http://www.oaklandtribune.com
Authorities also raided the offices of psychics in Fremont and Salinas. Investigators say they were targeted because marijuana was being sold at those establishments.
More than $30,000 was seized.
Read more: http://www.modbee.com/2011/06/29/1753961/businesses-raided-2-arrested-in.html#ixzz1R7SwWxcF
Pot farm with 36K plants raided in Tulare County - State News - Modbee.com
Pot farm with 36K plants raided in Tulare County - State News - Modbee.comSPRINGVILLE, Calif. -- Authorities say they have destroyed nearly 36,000 marijuana plants found growing on U.S. Bureau of Land Management land near Sequoia National Park.
The Tulare County Sheriff's Department said several suspects fled when detectives raided the pot farm Wednesday morning and at least one exchanged gunfire with deputies. One man, Gregorio Montero of Livingston, was arrested on suspicion of marijuana cultivation.
The Visalia Times-Delta reports that officials found guns and about 400 pounds of partially processed marijuana on the land. The sheriff's department estimates all the seized drugs would have been worth more than $143 million on the street.
A Tulare County grand jury this week issued a report saying the county has over 100 illegal known marijuana gardens at any given time, but lacks law enforcement resources to deal with them all.
Read more: http://www.modbee.com/2011/06/30/1756301/pot-farm-with-36k-plants-raided.html#ixzz1R7RqtAIz
The Tulare County Sheriff's Department said several suspects fled when detectives raided the pot farm Wednesday morning and at least one exchanged gunfire with deputies. One man, Gregorio Montero of Livingston, was arrested on suspicion of marijuana cultivation.
The Visalia Times-Delta reports that officials found guns and about 400 pounds of partially processed marijuana on the land. The sheriff's department estimates all the seized drugs would have been worth more than $143 million on the street.
A Tulare County grand jury this week issued a report saying the county has over 100 illegal known marijuana gardens at any given time, but lacks law enforcement resources to deal with them all.
Read more: http://www.modbee.com/2011/06/30/1756301/pot-farm-with-36k-plants-raided.html#ixzz1R7RqtAIz
Pot activists to sue over Colorado rules - Nation - Modbee.com
Pot activists to sue over Colorado rules - Nation - Modbee.comDENVER -- Marijuana groups representing thousands of patients and caregivers are suing to block Colorado's sweeping limits on how pot can be sold starting Friday.
Four groups, including the Rocky Mountain Caregivers Collective and the Cannabis Patient Alliance, prepared to file suit Thursday in Boulder County. The lawsuit seeks to void large parts of a law passed last year setting up the nation's most regulated pot marketplace.
The plaintiffs say lawmakers went too far in requiring caregivers to do more than grow pot for their patients, and that caregivers shouldn't be limited to five patients or banned from making a profit.
http://www.twitter.com/APkristenwyatt
The lawsuit also challenges whether patient information should be available to tax regulators or law enforcement, not just the health department. Advocates say that because the constitutional amendment passed by Colorado voters in 2000 described a "confidential state registry" maintained by the health department, others in government shouldn't be able to see who is using pot.
"It's a fundamental violation of the constitution," said Kathleen Chippi, a plaintiff in the suit and president of the Patient & Caregiver Rights Litigation Project.
The lawsuit comes hours before regulations set up to comply with the 2010 law take effect July 1. The regulations also give dispensaries hundreds of pages of regulations, including mandatory video surveillance of all transactions and rules governing how marijuana can be grown and turned into edible products such as pot brownies. A second Colorado marijuana law, mostly refining the one passed last year, also takes effect Friday. That law isn't being challenged by the marijuana advocates, but they say they may challenge that one next.
Another plaintiff, Timothy Tipton of the Rocky Mountain Caregivers' Cooperative, said he's most interested in challenging the caregiver restrictions. Tipton says it's unfair to say that dispensaries can make a profit, but home growers serving small numbers can't.
There's considerable time and expense associated with this," Tipton said of growing small amounts of marijuana.
The lawsuit filed Thursday did not address new rules on dispensaries. Some advocates have vowed to challenge some of those regulations, especially a requirement that dispensaries grow 70 percent of the pot they sell.
A marijuana advocate in Colorado Springs who isn't part of the lawsuit said most commercial pot shops are going ahead with compliance and not suing. But Tanya Garduno, president of the Colorado Springs Medical Cannabis Council, added that many are hoping the lawsuit prevails - or that lawmakers loosen rules as the industry matures.
"We're hoping that as people see this isn't a criminal-riddled business the regulations will open up a little bit," Garduno said.
Follow Kristen Wyatt at http://www.twitter.com/APkristenwyatt
Read more: http://www.modbee.com/2011/06/30/1756372/pot-activists-to-sue-over-colorado.html#ixzz1R7ROXgto
Four groups, including the Rocky Mountain Caregivers Collective and the Cannabis Patient Alliance, prepared to file suit Thursday in Boulder County. The lawsuit seeks to void large parts of a law passed last year setting up the nation's most regulated pot marketplace.
The plaintiffs say lawmakers went too far in requiring caregivers to do more than grow pot for their patients, and that caregivers shouldn't be limited to five patients or banned from making a profit.
http://www.twitter.com/APkristenwyatt
The lawsuit also challenges whether patient information should be available to tax regulators or law enforcement, not just the health department. Advocates say that because the constitutional amendment passed by Colorado voters in 2000 described a "confidential state registry" maintained by the health department, others in government shouldn't be able to see who is using pot.
"It's a fundamental violation of the constitution," said Kathleen Chippi, a plaintiff in the suit and president of the Patient & Caregiver Rights Litigation Project.
The lawsuit comes hours before regulations set up to comply with the 2010 law take effect July 1. The regulations also give dispensaries hundreds of pages of regulations, including mandatory video surveillance of all transactions and rules governing how marijuana can be grown and turned into edible products such as pot brownies. A second Colorado marijuana law, mostly refining the one passed last year, also takes effect Friday. That law isn't being challenged by the marijuana advocates, but they say they may challenge that one next.
Another plaintiff, Timothy Tipton of the Rocky Mountain Caregivers' Cooperative, said he's most interested in challenging the caregiver restrictions. Tipton says it's unfair to say that dispensaries can make a profit, but home growers serving small numbers can't.
There's considerable time and expense associated with this," Tipton said of growing small amounts of marijuana.
The lawsuit filed Thursday did not address new rules on dispensaries. Some advocates have vowed to challenge some of those regulations, especially a requirement that dispensaries grow 70 percent of the pot they sell.
A marijuana advocate in Colorado Springs who isn't part of the lawsuit said most commercial pot shops are going ahead with compliance and not suing. But Tanya Garduno, president of the Colorado Springs Medical Cannabis Council, added that many are hoping the lawsuit prevails - or that lawmakers loosen rules as the industry matures.
"We're hoping that as people see this isn't a criminal-riddled business the regulations will open up a little bit," Garduno said.
Follow Kristen Wyatt at http://www.twitter.com/APkristenwyatt
Read more: http://www.modbee.com/2011/06/30/1756372/pot-activists-to-sue-over-colorado.html#ixzz1R7ROXgto
Feds won't give assurance on medical pot - Nation - Modbee.com
Feds won't give assurance on medical pot - Nation - Modbee.commarijuana cultivation centers
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Justice Department says that marijuana dispensaries and licensed growers in states with medical marijuana laws could face prosecution for violating federal drug and money-laundering laws.
In a policy memo to federal prosecutors obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, Deputy Attorney General James Cole said a 2009 memo by then-Deputy Attorney General David Ogden did not give states cover from prosecution.
Starting in February, 10 U.S. attorney's offices have asserted they have the authority to prosecute medical marijuana dispensaries and licensed growers in states with medical marijuana laws. Prosecutors, the states complained, are not even willing to declare that state employees who implement such laws are immune from prosecution.
State officials say that following a two-year period in which federal prosecutors gave breathing room to state medical marijuana laws, the Justice Department is now toughening up its position as more states move toward opening facilities to dispense marijuana.
Sixteen states and the District of Columbia have legalized the medical use of marijuana, with programs in various phases of development. The states are: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
In 2009, the Justice Department told prosecutors they should not focus investigative resources on patients and caregivers complying with state medical marijuana laws.
The new memo says that view has not changed.
"There has, however, been an increase in the scope of commercial cultivation, sale, distribution and use of marijuana for purported medical purposes," says the new memo by Cole.
The deputy attorney general said within the past 12 months, several jurisdictions have considered or enacted legislation to authorize multiple large-scale, privately operated industrial marijuana cultivation centers.
"Some of these planned facilities have revenue projections of millions of dollars based on the planned cultivation of tens of thousands of cannabis plants," Cole wrote.
Cole said that the Ogden memorandum "was never intended to shield such activities from federal enforcement action and prosecution, even where those activities purport to comply with state law."
Cole added: "Persons who are in the business of cultivating, selling or distributing marijuana, and those who knowingly facilitate such activities, are in violation of the Controlled Substances Act, regardless of state law."
On Thursday night, Justice Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said that the medical marijuana statement by Cole does not represent a new policy, but rather clarifies the policy, as reflected in the recent letters by U.S. attorney's offices to officials in a number of states.
In view of the letters sent by the prosecutors in recent months, Arizona officials have taken the U.S. government to court, seeking a ruling on whether strict compliance with the state's medical marijuana law protects Arizona residents and state employees from federal prosecution.
Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee suspended plans to license three dispensaries after U.S. Attorney Peter Neronha warned that opening such facilities could lead to prosecution.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has said he wanted assurances from federal officials that they won't pursue criminal charges against state-sanctioned medical marijuana programs before he agrees to implement a state law that allows the programs. New Jersey adopted a law to allow medical marijuana in January 2010, just before Christie took office.
DeFalco reported from Trenton, N.J. Associated Press writer Geoff Mulvilhill in Trenton contributed to this report.
Read more: http://www.modbee.com/2011/06/30/1756570/feds-wont-give-assurance-on-medical.html#ixzz1R7QcsIFv
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Justice Department says that marijuana dispensaries and licensed growers in states with medical marijuana laws could face prosecution for violating federal drug and money-laundering laws.
In a policy memo to federal prosecutors obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, Deputy Attorney General James Cole said a 2009 memo by then-Deputy Attorney General David Ogden did not give states cover from prosecution.
Starting in February, 10 U.S. attorney's offices have asserted they have the authority to prosecute medical marijuana dispensaries and licensed growers in states with medical marijuana laws. Prosecutors, the states complained, are not even willing to declare that state employees who implement such laws are immune from prosecution.
State officials say that following a two-year period in which federal prosecutors gave breathing room to state medical marijuana laws, the Justice Department is now toughening up its position as more states move toward opening facilities to dispense marijuana.
Sixteen states and the District of Columbia have legalized the medical use of marijuana, with programs in various phases of development. The states are: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
In 2009, the Justice Department told prosecutors they should not focus investigative resources on patients and caregivers complying with state medical marijuana laws.
The new memo says that view has not changed.
"There has, however, been an increase in the scope of commercial cultivation, sale, distribution and use of marijuana for purported medical purposes," says the new memo by Cole.
The deputy attorney general said within the past 12 months, several jurisdictions have considered or enacted legislation to authorize multiple large-scale, privately operated industrial marijuana cultivation centers.
"Some of these planned facilities have revenue projections of millions of dollars based on the planned cultivation of tens of thousands of cannabis plants," Cole wrote.
Cole said that the Ogden memorandum "was never intended to shield such activities from federal enforcement action and prosecution, even where those activities purport to comply with state law."
Cole added: "Persons who are in the business of cultivating, selling or distributing marijuana, and those who knowingly facilitate such activities, are in violation of the Controlled Substances Act, regardless of state law."
On Thursday night, Justice Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said that the medical marijuana statement by Cole does not represent a new policy, but rather clarifies the policy, as reflected in the recent letters by U.S. attorney's offices to officials in a number of states.
In view of the letters sent by the prosecutors in recent months, Arizona officials have taken the U.S. government to court, seeking a ruling on whether strict compliance with the state's medical marijuana law protects Arizona residents and state employees from federal prosecution.
Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee suspended plans to license three dispensaries after U.S. Attorney Peter Neronha warned that opening such facilities could lead to prosecution.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has said he wanted assurances from federal officials that they won't pursue criminal charges against state-sanctioned medical marijuana programs before he agrees to implement a state law that allows the programs. New Jersey adopted a law to allow medical marijuana in January 2010, just before Christie took office.
DeFalco reported from Trenton, N.J. Associated Press writer Geoff Mulvilhill in Trenton contributed to this report.
Read more: http://www.modbee.com/2011/06/30/1756570/feds-wont-give-assurance-on-medical.html#ixzz1R7QcsIFv
Judge blocks parts of Mont. medical marijuana law - Nation - Modbee.com
Judge blocks parts of Mont. medical marijuana law - Nation - Modbee.comHELENA, Mont. -- A judge on Thursday blocked Montana from prohibiting commercial medical marijuana operations, saying that ban on profits from pot sales will restrict access to patients and deny people the right to seek health care.
Helena District Judge James Reynolds issued a preliminary injunction against portions of a restrictive overhaul of the state's voter-approved medical marijuana law, which was due to take effect on Friday. One part of the law would have limited marijuana providers to distributing to a maximum of three patients and barred them from receiving anything of value for their product.
Montana hasn't banned any other industries from receiving compensation for their goods and services, and the state has declared medical marijuana a legal product, Reynolds said in his ruling. A profit ban would limit the number of willing marijuana providers and deny patients "this fundamental right of seeking their health care in a lawful manner."
"The court is unaware of and has not been shown where any person in any other licensed and lawful industry in Montana - be he a barber, an accountant, a lawyer, or a doctor - who, providing a legal product or service, is denied the right to charge for that service or is limited in the number of people he or she can serve," Reynolds wrote.
Reynolds also blocked provisions of the law banning advertising of medical marijuana, allowing unannounced searches of providers and requiring an investigation into any doctor who recommends marijuana for more than 25 patients in a year.
But he left other changes to the law in place, including stricter requirements of proof of chronic pain before a person can receive a registration card for that condition.
The ruling means medical marijuana providers for now will continue to operate under many of the rules approved by voters in 2004 until the full case can be heard. Critics say the voter-approved initiative is riddled with loopholes and has allowed the industry to spin out of control.
Montana has more than 30,000 medical marijuana users in a state with a population with just below 1 million. That's one of the highest rates among the 15 states that allow medical marijuana use. Critics say the law is too permissive and has created a booming retail industry that peddles a product considered an illegal drug under federal law.
The overhaul passed by the 2011 state Legislature followed an attempt to repeal medical marijuana use in Montana altogether, a bill that was vetoed by Gov. Brian Schweitzer. Lawmakers approved the restrictive measures after federal agents in March raided more than two dozen medical marijuana operations and warned state leaders that prosecutors will pursue anybody suspected of trafficking in the drug.
The Montana Cannabis Industry Association sued the state after the bill was passed, saying the restrictions were an unconstitutional violation of the right to pursue good health. The group had asked the judge to block the entire law from taking effect Friday, and spokeswoman Kate Cholewa said that blocking only portions of it "makes things a little more messy."
The ruling "demonstrates the need to regulate medical marijuana instead of trying to get rid of it through backdoor ways, such as the law that was passed," Cholewa said. But, she added, "Access will be made more difficult for chronic pain patients."
She said her group will move ahead with plans to gather signatures for a proposed referendum to block and repeal the law.
State Department of Justice officials said in a statement that they were pleased Reynolds did not block the entire bill and that important provisions will still go into effect that should curb some of the worst abuses.
"Based on an initial review of the decision, however, we are concerned about the potential consequences of allowing providers to grow and sell marijuana to an unlimited number of cardholders," the statement said.
In his ruling, Reynolds said the other provisions he blocked raised constitutional questions: the ban on advertising medical marijuana could be impair freedom of speech and the unannounced searches of registered premises were a possible violation of the protection against searches and seizures.
He also said the additional checks on physicians was worrying because of testimony from doctors their reputations could be harmed and they might stop certifying patients.
Mike Smith, owner of the Healing Center, which provides medical marijuana for about 100 patients, said the judge's ruling is a victory for patients' rights. He said he hopes the result will ultimately be better changes in the law, which he believes is too open now.
But Smith said he won't reopen his storefront yet. He changed his business model to delivery only after the March raids targeting medical marijuana operations.
"I'm not going to be hanging out on Main Street, but I will be caring for patients," Smith said.
Read more: http://www.modbee.com/2011/06/30/1756517/judge-blocks-parts-of-mont-medical.html#ixzz1R7PUsHJX
Helena District Judge James Reynolds issued a preliminary injunction against portions of a restrictive overhaul of the state's voter-approved medical marijuana law, which was due to take effect on Friday. One part of the law would have limited marijuana providers to distributing to a maximum of three patients and barred them from receiving anything of value for their product.
Montana hasn't banned any other industries from receiving compensation for their goods and services, and the state has declared medical marijuana a legal product, Reynolds said in his ruling. A profit ban would limit the number of willing marijuana providers and deny patients "this fundamental right of seeking their health care in a lawful manner."
"The court is unaware of and has not been shown where any person in any other licensed and lawful industry in Montana - be he a barber, an accountant, a lawyer, or a doctor - who, providing a legal product or service, is denied the right to charge for that service or is limited in the number of people he or she can serve," Reynolds wrote.
Reynolds also blocked provisions of the law banning advertising of medical marijuana, allowing unannounced searches of providers and requiring an investigation into any doctor who recommends marijuana for more than 25 patients in a year.
But he left other changes to the law in place, including stricter requirements of proof of chronic pain before a person can receive a registration card for that condition.
The ruling means medical marijuana providers for now will continue to operate under many of the rules approved by voters in 2004 until the full case can be heard. Critics say the voter-approved initiative is riddled with loopholes and has allowed the industry to spin out of control.
Montana has more than 30,000 medical marijuana users in a state with a population with just below 1 million. That's one of the highest rates among the 15 states that allow medical marijuana use. Critics say the law is too permissive and has created a booming retail industry that peddles a product considered an illegal drug under federal law.
The overhaul passed by the 2011 state Legislature followed an attempt to repeal medical marijuana use in Montana altogether, a bill that was vetoed by Gov. Brian Schweitzer. Lawmakers approved the restrictive measures after federal agents in March raided more than two dozen medical marijuana operations and warned state leaders that prosecutors will pursue anybody suspected of trafficking in the drug.
The Montana Cannabis Industry Association sued the state after the bill was passed, saying the restrictions were an unconstitutional violation of the right to pursue good health. The group had asked the judge to block the entire law from taking effect Friday, and spokeswoman Kate Cholewa said that blocking only portions of it "makes things a little more messy."
The ruling "demonstrates the need to regulate medical marijuana instead of trying to get rid of it through backdoor ways, such as the law that was passed," Cholewa said. But, she added, "Access will be made more difficult for chronic pain patients."
She said her group will move ahead with plans to gather signatures for a proposed referendum to block and repeal the law.
State Department of Justice officials said in a statement that they were pleased Reynolds did not block the entire bill and that important provisions will still go into effect that should curb some of the worst abuses.
"Based on an initial review of the decision, however, we are concerned about the potential consequences of allowing providers to grow and sell marijuana to an unlimited number of cardholders," the statement said.
In his ruling, Reynolds said the other provisions he blocked raised constitutional questions: the ban on advertising medical marijuana could be impair freedom of speech and the unannounced searches of registered premises were a possible violation of the protection against searches and seizures.
He also said the additional checks on physicians was worrying because of testimony from doctors their reputations could be harmed and they might stop certifying patients.
Mike Smith, owner of the Healing Center, which provides medical marijuana for about 100 patients, said the judge's ruling is a victory for patients' rights. He said he hopes the result will ultimately be better changes in the law, which he believes is too open now.
But Smith said he won't reopen his storefront yet. He changed his business model to delivery only after the March raids targeting medical marijuana operations.
"I'm not going to be hanging out on Main Street, but I will be caring for patients," Smith said.
Read more: http://www.modbee.com/2011/06/30/1756517/judge-blocks-parts-of-mont-medical.html#ixzz1R7PUsHJX
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