SENATE MEETING: SENATOR TONYA SCHUITMAKER

Today was the scheduled appointment with Senate Judiciary Committee Member Tonya Schuitmaker. Unfortunately, Senator Schuitmaker, a known Schuette supporter, and anti-cannabis representative, did not attend the meeting because of a Budget Bill Delay. We were given the opportunity to speak with Schuitmaker s Communications Director, Derek Sova. The conversation started a little slow, and he seemed a little put out at first. We went around the table each of us had an opportunity to speak.

Joe Cain spoke about the civil liberties, human rights, and law enforcement issues occurring in the community, and the fact that we will be addressing these issues when securing a lawyer to take the case.

Ci Ci Taylor spoke of the beating she experienced by Cass County Police Officers, how marijuana saved her from a life of deadly, and addictive pharmaceuticals. Now that the Safe Access has been removed she is left without medicine that helps her cope with her illness.

Malissa B is a trooper, suffering with abdominal cysts, and extreme fibromyalgia has been without the Rick Simpson oil since Jackson County Prosecutor Jerry Jarzynka closed the dispensaries in Jackson County in February. Malissa explained that she is enduring not only physical suffering, but emotional suffering from her pain, and it becomes a financial issue when being forced from Jackson to Ann Arbor, and pay $50 a gram for the Simpson Oil that cures her pain. All of the Ann Arbor dispensaries are open, we guess the law only applies to a select few. The medical marijuana patients in Jackson are left without the safe access to the medicine needed to help them.

Scott mentioned that living on a fixed income, limits your spending on all medicine. Not just marijuana, but pharmaceuticals as well. Scott is a caregiver and patient, and is a front line witnesses to the pain happening in Jackson.

Sharyl fighting an aggressive lung cancer, also has squamous cells on her leg that are rapidly increasing. Her caregiver cannot supply the amount of medicine needed to fight her aggressive form of cancer. Sharyl with tears in her eyes says that she has been without Rick Simpson Oil for the better part of three days. It is harder for me to obtain this life saving medicine. My caregiver cannot grow enough to supply the amount of medicine needed to slow the aggressive lung cancer she has. The Jackson Farmers Market owned by Joe Cain had a community of caregivers that kept a steady supply for all of the cancer patients. Since the McQueen ruling the people of Jackson Michigan are without life saving medicine. We are in pain and hurting ever single day. I am on a very fixed income. There is no way that Sharyl can afford to pay $50 a gram for this life saving oil.

Malissa offered that most patients cannot afford to pay these outrageous prices at these commercialized dispensaries. It’s not bad enough that a cancer is trying hard to take over, but the pain, and mental trauma from being without life saving medicine has been too much to bear.

Sharyl speaks up with tears in her eyes as she pleads, why did the people pay into the system, get promised hope, and then have it taken away? How can this be happening, isn’t this America? Don’t we have rights?

Cain continues that we see our friends, family, loved ones, and our community suffering, but because of an unjust system, we the caregivers are choosing to continue to help these patients. It is against the law, and caregivers now face criminal charges for helping a patient that is not their own.

Vivian speaks not all patients in Michigan are suffering. It seems that many in other cities are still functioning really well at $30 a gram or higher for 1 gram of Simpson Oil. These dispensaries that have used the Supreme Court ruling as opportunity to hi-jack and push through a monopoly ridden HB 4271. Mi-Norml, which goes against its own by laws has made a futile attempt to cash in on a Michigan version of the broken Colorado System.

Cain includes that Michigan voters, patients, and caregivers inside the National Marijuana Coalition do not support HB 4271. Cain said these people paid into the system, and that system was supposed to protect them, but now the system is gearing up for big dollar interest, and the expense of the sick and poor that this law was intended to protect.

Cain continues it protects the patients, but caregivers cannot assist each other. This component was the balance needed to supply a community burdened with high numbers of cancer patients.

Vivian includes that the protection is given to a select few like Hydroworld in Jackson which remains open to this day. Even after The Jackson Farmers Market has been served with two cease and desist orders, and faces a steady stream of parked police cars in front of the building. Does this seem fair? How can the State pick and choose who gets access to this valuable life saving medicine and gets denied?

Vivian continues that as Secretary of a newly forming non-profit political activist committee we are obviously losing the battle in Jackson, and some other counties across the State. On behalf of the patients in our newly formed organization we do not support HB 4271. This newly formed organization includes an active state wide coalition of voters, patients, caregivers, and civil rights activists. As Secretary of the Board of Directors, I am speaking on behalf of a 1,423 members organization that is less than one week old. These members are active cannabis, and civil rights activists that are joining forces to address these unjust actions taken by our government.

Joe Cain finished by saying that commercialized interests have been allowed to take over. They have forced the market to close which has created a shortage of valuable medicine. This market successfully kept prices between $5 and $10 a gram. That is what the market brought to the community, and we received upwards between 200 and 300 patient and caregiver interchanging with each other.

These caregivers were able to donate the overages to the oil shiners for them to make the life saving Rick Simpson Oil. It takes 2 pounds of marijuana to make just 2 ounces of the Rick Simpson Oil. When the market was running our cancer patients, and severe pain patients were given for free, the oil needed to keep their conditions without pain.

Cain continued that it takes a community to heal a cancer patient. It takes a tyrannical government to kill them. The Supreme Court McQueen Decision overturned Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, and eliminated the rights of caregivers to obtain life saving amounts of cannabis that are needed to assist a cancer patient with aggressive cancers. Caregivers need to be able to work with other caregivers, that is what the Michigan voters intended when they voted yes to support this law.

Derek Sova, somber faced, almost appearing with a corner tear, just maybe, after listening to Sharyls emotional plea. Maybe these people just didn’t understand the entire scope of the patient hardship and suffering this injust attempt . He took lots of notes, said he would be reviewing the collection on CannaTV, at part of the system. He took lots of notes, and was emotionally stirred, you could see it in his eyes. We shook his hand, thanked him tremendously for taking the time to hear all of us speak. For this we were very grateful.

We are asking abNorml members to please write an email to Derek Sova, and copy Senator Tonya Schuitmaker. Please tell them you speak on behalf of the newly formed political action committee that is focused on taking care of the people in our communities. Tell them that you are not criminals, you are compassionate, tender humans, and tell them your story. We need everyone to jump in on this one.

We Got this My Friends!! It only gets better from here!

Viv TakeIt-Easy Breezy, Secretary on The Board of Directors for Newly formed PAC that is still working on their name.

Please Email:

Senator Tonya Schuitmaker- sentschuitmaker@senate.mi.gov

Communications Director- Derek Sova- dsova@senate.michigan.gov

Michigan Medical Marijuana – SB-377 –

Urge Senate to VOTE NO on Michigan Medical Marijuana – SB-377 –

This one says that “Within 48 hours after issuing a registry identification card, the department shall forward information concerning the issuance of the card to the department of the State of Police.  The department of State of Police shall make the information concerning registry identification cards available to state and local police officers in a form that allows immediate access to information necessary to determine whether an individual in custody for possession or distribution is a qualifying patient or primary caregiver”(Legislature, MI, 2012)

Why is it necessary for the police to know that I am a medical marijuana patient? My health records are not any business, or concern of the State, or the Police.  Why should my health information with personal medical files become accessible? Why must this be made available for any branch of law enforcement?

Wait a minute!

I am certainly not the first one to realize and understand that PERSONAL MEDICAL RECORDS are not a need for a branch of law enforcement, and these records are meant to be kept private.

What has happened to innocent until proven guilty?

What do health records and the freedom to choose a natural harmless adjunctive therapy and that practicing licensed physician recommended for sick people to take have to do with criminal activity?

The patients are licensed by a doctor and registered through the state of Michigan and pay money that goes into the Michigan Medical Marijuana Database. These records are to be kept between a patient and a doctor.

Why are sick people being persecuted for a natural choice to medicate herbally?  Sick people are being singled out, trialed, and labeled guilty and placed into a LEIN system that the police use to keep track of criminals.

First of all I know that as a citizen of America I am protected by a Federal Law called the HIPAA- Health Records Act.  This Act says that health records are private.  This means that we do not deserve our rights taken away from us, or loss of these protections just because we are medical marijuana patients.

The police do not have the right to snoop on me at any time just because I choose to medicate with a harmless, healing herb.  These officers are not going to be required to have a search warrant.  They will only need the speculation, or a possibility of probable cause.

Persecuted, signaled out because we are patients of medical marijuana?

The Federal Government continues to lie about this harmless herbal plant.  They continue to sling propaganda, use blanket statements, talk in circles, use garbled rhetoric, and refuse to debate the facts.  In fact they refuse to talk about these issues.  These government politicians are elected by the people.  They are placed into office as public servants.  They make an oath to uphold the Freedoms giranted in the Constitution.  Why do they continue to lie about marijuana by saying it is a deadly and dangerous drug? They continue to spew lies and severely distort the truths.

The disturbing part is that our medical information cannot be disclosed to the police.  It also says that they have a right to know the nature of the debilitating medical conditions of the qualifying patients.  This is a major violation of HIPAA and as an American Citizen, and Citizen of Michigan, and a registered medical marijuana patient this revision walks all over my America rights according to HIPAA.

NEWSFLASH: HEALTH RECORD VIOLATION: REFER TO HIPAA AND RESEARCH THIS SENATOR RICK JONES AND FELLOW SUPPORTERS OF THESE BILLS:

Opinion No. 2994 (January 16, 1945) (Disclosure of Patient’s Admission) Disclosure of Data HIPAA applies because Michigan law is contrary to and provides less protection than HIPAA by prohibiting a covered entity from disclosing a patient’s confidential health information in this context without express authorization. Note: It appears from this Opinion that the attorney’s informal request did not arise in the context of judicial proceedings.”(Michigan BAR Association, 2012). Read more about HIPAA and the State of Michigan Bar Association.  Can we say class action lawsuit?

Our government is corrupt, and cannot be allowed to do this to the sick people of the State of Michigan.  Simply put “Rule 325.14910 (Content and Maintenance of Patient Records) Access to Patient Records by Staff HIPAA applies because although Michigan law and HIPAA both permit access by program personnel in treatment, HIPAA imposes limitations even on those personnel with access rights, based on the “minimum necessary” standard. Michigan law, on the other hand, would permit all personnel involved in treatment access; therefore, HIPAA is contrary to and more protective than Michigan law” (Michigan Bar Association, 2012). If you do not believe me, check it out for yourself Michigan Bar Association.

What part of the Federal Law and (HIPAA), trumps State Law is not clearly understood Senator Rick Jones and supporters?

Urge Rick Jones and his Republican Thugs, Tell them you are tired of watching them prosecute sick people!  Tell them that they MUST STOP THIS LEGISLATION AND VOTE NO SB377.

These Republican Senators are Responsible for these changes, won’t you let them know how you feel about that action against sick people:

Rick Jones – (primary sponsor) – Phone (517)-373-3447, Fax (517) 373-5849, email: SenRJones@senate.michigan.gov, visit him in person at 915 Farnum Building, Lansing, MI 48909, District Allegan, Barry, and Eaton.

James Marleau – Phone (517) 373-2417, Fax (517)373-2694, 2nd Phone (248)724-2442, email: jimmarleau@senate.michigan.gov, visit him in person at 1010 Farnum Building, Lansing, MI 48909-7536, District North Oakland.

Arlan Meekhof – Phone (517) 373-6920, Fax (517) 373-2694, email: visit him in person at S-8 Capitol Building, Lansing, MI 48909-7536, SenAMeekhof@senate.michigan.gov, District Ottawa County, Sparta Township, and Grandville City in Kent County.

Tory Rocca – Phone (517) 373-7315, Fax (517)373-3126, 205 Farnum Building, Lansing, MI 48909-7536, email: SenTRocca@senate.michigan.Gov, District Sterling Heights, Clinton Twp, and Roseville.

Darwin Booher – (517) 373-1725, Fax (517)373-0741, 520 Farnum Building, Lansing, MI 48909-7536, email: SenDBooher@senate.michigan.gov, District Leelanau, Benzi, Manistee, Wexford, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Roscommon, Clare, Osceola, Lake and Mecosta.

John Proos – (517) 373-6960, Fax (517)373-0897, 820 Farnum Building, Lansing, MI 48909-7536. Email: SenJProos@senate.michigan.gov, District: Van Buren, Cass, And Berrien

Tonya Schuitmaker – (517) 373- 0793, Fax (517) 373-5607, 405 Farnum Building, Lansing, MI 48909-7536.  Email:  SenTSchuitmaker@senate.michigan.gov, District Kalamazoo, Paw Paw, Antwerp, VanBuren.

Michigan Medical Marijuana- SB-418

Urge Senate to Vote NO!

SB-418 – “The bill would amend the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act to specify that nothing in the Act could be construed to create a private cause of action against the State or a political subdivision of the State”(Legislature, MI, 2012).

This says that the Department of Licensing and Regulation (LARA), continues to issue cards in accordance to the rule.  Let’s stop right there and read that again.  Speechless that this is even being written, because this confirms an unjust system filled with back room politics and corruption? Stripping the rights of sick people and making them criminals.  The State of Michigan trying to take away the right to defend against a politically unjust, and corrupt system all because they choose to medicate with a harmless herbal plant.

Attention Rick Jones and Supporters of this Bill did you know that the Supreme Court gives us the right to sue the State?

In fact “The Michigan Supreme Court says anyone can sue the state if they believe it’s acting in a way that harms the environment” (Williams, 2011).  Nice try State of Michigan for trying to take away more of the rights of sick people Michigan Radio.  This harms medical marijuana’s environment by creating an unjust judicial system that prosecutes, and discriminates people who choose natural herbal medicines instead of harmful synthetic poisons. These poisons are destroying the environment, and health of those who use them.

Attention Rally Bashers and those people still against the September 19, 2012 rally here is a question for you: Do you still want us to believe that knocking on the doors and asking any of these politicians for help is going to change their minds?

News Flash! Wrong answer

Check it out in the past 2 weeks we have sent out over 7,000 emails and letters to these politicians.  We have made more than 300 calls to their offices.  We have circulated petitions asking for representation, support, and protection.  We plead for the opportunity to have a table discussion.  They continue to prove to us that they are far too corrupt, very broken public servants. These corrupt politicians are far too busy to talk to the common folk.  The definitely are not interested talking to the sick people of Michigan.

They are in fact bought and paid for by the friendly pharmaceutical lobbyist.  They are in cahoots with commercialized corporate marijuana industry.  Lurking like sharks waiting to take over the show.  We the people are left with no choice but to promote and assemble in Lansing.  We must continue to address our grievances against the tyrannous government.  The community must become educated and made aware of the violations against the sick people in our State, and across the Nation.

The sick people of the State of Michigan cannot afford to pay for a Lobbyist.

Instead, we must pull together all of our resources.  Recruit manpower to prove to these Republican Senators of the State of Michigan that the sick people of Michigan WILL NOT continue to be prosecuted, and criminalized.  They will not be discriminated against because of a harmless herbal choice for medicating.

SB 418 goes on to say that “A qualifying patient or primary caregiver who has been issued and possesses a registry identification card is not subject to arrest, prosecution, or penalty for the medical use of marihuana if the amount does not exceed quantities specified in the Act and the possession and use of marihuana meet specified standards” (Legislature, MI, 2012).

It sounds like they are saying that because we are patients of Michigan Medical Marijuana, any actions against the State of Michigan or subdivision of the State are not acceptable.  This just leaves way too much room for speculation.  Translation of SB 418 is required because this is totally and completely bogus.

Not only is it bogus but it is a complete violation of civil rights.  Just because we choose to medicate with a harmless herbal plant we are being treated like common thugs.  Criminalized and stripped of the rights to defend ourselves against an unjust politically corrupt system.  Guess what the Supreme Court gives us permission to sue, regardless of your load of peanuts SB 418.  This is why we are urging the sensible politicians to VOTE NO on SB 418.

What kind of people sit back and watch as the State of Michigan Republican Senators kick around the rights of their sick people?

Letting the sick people become singled out by allowing them to be persecuted, discriminated against, rights removed.  Then forced to accept laws designed to revoke even more freedom.  This is a criminal act against sick people.  We are tired of being discriminated against and being considered common criminals.

Whatever happened to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all Americans?

We will not sit back quietly.  We will not go back to lurking in dark corners like lepers. We are tired of being shamed into thinking that a natural herbal medicine is vile, obscene, or destructive.  We are not dumb, stooge, stoners that the government thinks we are.  We are tired of being called criminals.  We are tired of watching our friends, family, and neighbors.  We watch as co-workers destroy their health with destructive, toxic pharmaceuticals because you could be fired if drug tested at work.

We watch the gluttonous pharmaceutical pigs suck the life out of everything while a select few continue to benefit at the price of health, and happiness for the majority.  The political trend of corrupt government, corrupt corporate interest at the expense of the majority will not be allowed to continue.

Please Contact the following Senators and tell them to VOTE NO on SB 418.

The REPUBLICAN Senators sponsoring these changes:

Rick Jones – (primary sponsor) – Phone (517)-373-3447, Fax (517) 373-5849, email: SenRJones@senate.michigan.gov, visit him in person at 915 Farnum Building, Lansing, MI 48909, District Allegan, Barry, and Eaton.

James Marleau – Phone (517) 373-2417, Fax (517)373-2694, 2nd Phone (248)724-2442, email: jimmarleau@senate.michigan.gov, visit him in person at 1010 Farnum Building, Lansing, MI 48909-7536, District North Oakland.

Arlan Meekhof – Phone (517) 373-6920, Fax (517) 373-2694, email: visit him in person at S-8 Capitol Building, Lansing, MI 48909-7536, SenAMeekhof@senate.michigan.gov, District Ottawa County, Sparta Township, and Grandville City in Kent County.

Tory Rocca – Phone (517) 373-7315, Fax (517)373-3126, 205 Farnum Building, Lansing, MI 48909-7536, email: SenTRocca@senate.michigan.Gov, District Sterling Heights, Clinton Twp, and Roseville.

Darwin Booher – (517) 373-1725, Fax (517)373-0741, 520 Farnum Building, Lansing, MI 48909-7536, email: SenDBooher@senate.michigan.gov, District Leelanau, Benzi, Manistee, Wexford, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Roscommon, Clare, Osceola, Lake and Mecosta.

John Proos – (517) 373-6960, Fax (517)373-0897, 820 Farnum Building, Lansing, MI 48909-7536. Email: SenJProos@senate.michigan.gov, District: Van Buren, Cass, And Berrien

Tonya Schuitmaker – (517) 373- 0793, Fax (517) 373-5607, 405 Farnum Building, Lansing, MI 48909-7536.  Email:  SenTSchuitmaker@senate.michigan.gov, District Kalamazoo, Paw Paw, Antwerp, VanBuren.

Rally Call for September 19, 2012

Attention:

Citizens of America

Citizens of Medical Marijuana States

Citizens of Michigan

United Medical Marijuana Patients and Caregivers

The Time Has Come To UNITE and defend our RIGHTS!

 

***************************PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT*****************************

Assembling of the People in Lansing, Michigan on September 19, 2012 at 12:00 PM, We will gather on the front steps of the State Capital Building on behalf of the Sick Patients in The State of Michigan.  Together we will join as one solid voice speaking as The Michigan Patients and Caregivers United (MiPACU), and supporters of the State of Michigan Medical Marijuana Act of 2008.

We are uniting to protect the sick, condemned, criminalized people that continue to be persecuted without mercy by the State of Michigan and the corrupt government.  We are writing to inform the 63% of Michigan Citizens who voted Yes, in support of this act, that the bills have been hi-jacked from the original form, and turned into the bogus legislation being sent to the Senate.

We the sick people would like to inform you the compassionate people of the State of Michigan who voted yes to support this act, that our current political representation is doing a great disservice to the sick people of this great State.  The current State of Michigan House Representatives, and Senators that we elected to represent the people, have taken it upon themselves to support special interest.

It is our responsibility to inform the great citizens of the State of Michigan that they are starting with Marijuana.  If they can get away with this then what will they do next?

Patients are insulted and outraged about the changes that have been made to the original Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, and the evidence is clear that special interest prevails over the rights of the citizens and the sick.

These changes amazingly passed through the State of Michigan House of Representatives.  The reason they passed so easily is that the people were not aware of its existence.  We were warned at the last minute and could not prepare to alert the people to assemble.  It is ok we know who voted to pass these through.  We will remember these people at election time.  The trust that the people have in our government has depleted.  The truth will be revealed and a call to action is necessary if we are to fix these problems that we face that are now on their way to Senate for approval.

We as patients of the State of Michigan Medical Marijuana Act are publicly crying foul play.  The foul play is against the innocent sick people that this bill is supposed to represent.

We are not just upset but we are not willing to accept any of the suggested changes on the way to the Senate floor. There appears to a breakdown of communication and a serious disconnect between the lawmakers, and the people.

These changes were not made to protect, help, or assist the sick patients that this bill was created to help, and that the people of Michigan voted to become law.  These bills were changed to suit a niche of select corporate interest.  These changes are written with corporate interest’s best interest and not the best interest of the sick patients in the State of Michigan that this original law was designed to protect.

It is the disrespect of the patients, and the protecting of corporate Interest that make these issues intolerable.  That is why these changes must be stopped.  The detail provided explains why the patients of Michigan Medical Marijuana have a major problem with the bills on the way to Senate.

These changes only protect and benefit a select few, while making criminals out of the rest of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Patients.

These corporate interests represent a “select few” inside the Michigan Medical Marijuana Community.  These “select few” will continue to be called “CORPORATE INTERESTS” for now.  Please stay tuned as more information about these corporate interests will be detailed in the coming weeks.  The details continue to unfold daily.

These Corporate Interests sold out the patients of Michigan, and the rights of the sick.

Corporate Interests have met with a select few Republican Senators Rick Jones (primary),Michael Green, Mike Nofs, John Proos, Tory Rocca, Tonya Schuitmaker, John Pappageorge, James Marleau, Darwin Booher, Arlan Meekhof, Mark Jansenin the State of Michigan.  These corporate interests (Names revealed at a later date), and a series of back room deals were conjured up wheeling, and dealing with the State of Michigan Medical Marijuana Patient Rights.

These deals are the beginning of the end to the Medical Marijuana Act in the State of Michigan.

These corporate interests approved, supported, and agreed with these backroom politicians and together they chopped up the original bill into tiny bits and pieces.  These lawmakers made side deals with these corrupt corporate interests, who gives these people the right to speak for the majority?  These corporate interests claimed that they represent the people.  These corporate interests were told that they would be rewarded monetary if they were successful at keeping the patients, caregivers, and the 63% of the Michigan citizens uninformed about these changes.

These changes have not been approved by the majority of the people in fact they go against the originally established Michigan Medical Marijuana Act of 2008.  These interests (Names revealed at a later date) were told by the politicians mentioned above to keep the sick people and supporting citizens out of Lansing and away from the media until after the elections.  They do not want this information in the public eye before elections. 

The War on Drugs is a war on Marijuana

The War on Drugs is a war on Marijuana

The time has arrived people, look around and let’s weigh in on the cold hard facts about the war on drugs.  We should realize by now that the war on drugs is a full frontal assault on the American people.  What gives the government the right to continuously support synthetic pharmaceuticals at the expense of poisoning our people, land, and our environment?

This article will present the facts about the war on drugs, and encourage you to evaluate your choices.  As an American Citizen we are told we are born free.  We as people understand that we have choices in life.  The government should not have the right to tell us what we can eat, drink, or use on our own bodies.  We have freedom of choice.  The government makes possible addictive substances that are killing people in record numbers, but refuses to act responsibly when it comes to societal acceptance of a harmless herb.

The war on drugs, who is winning? The question is irrelevant because nobody is winning this war.  We are obviously failing.  We are failing as a society because of this senseless war.  The facts prove that the only people winning this war are the people with fat hands sitting at the receiving end of the money syphon.  They are laughing all the way to the banks at your expense.  These fat cats are sucking every last penny from our wallets, and still the war continues.  Clare Suddath a journalist with Time Magazine indicates that “Despite the ad campaigns, increased incarceration rates and a crackdown on smuggling, the number of illicit drug users in America has risen over the years and now sits at 19.9 million Americans. And a large portion of their supply makes its way into the country through Mexico” Time.

People will argue the fact that the war on drugs has been a good thing for our country.  However, when people review the facts and understand that the truth will be a bitter pill to swallow.  According to Associated Press “Using Freedom of Information Act requests, archival records, federal budgets and dozens of interviews with leaders and analysts, the AP tracked where that money went, and found that the United States repeatedly increased budgets for programs that did little to stop the flow of drugs” 40 Years, $1 trillion and war on drugs failed to meet any of its goals

The social side of this war is the true reveal.  Joseph Williams of Christian Associate for Prison Aftercare indicates “The city of Detroit, in which I live and work, is the poorest large city in America.  Michigan has the nation’s worst economy of any state.  Detroit has the poorest economy in Michigan.  The neighborhood in which this ministry is located is one of Detroit’s poorest.  I see first-hand every day the effects of poverty and crime.  In an environment of extreme poverty, system failures abound.  For instance, Detroit Public Schools graduate only between 25-40% of its students depending on which report you believe, low education rates, by the way, are also linked to high crime rates” Poverty and Crime.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT THE FACTS DON’T LIE: “The U.S. incarcerates nearly 2.4 million people, 13 including people held pretrial and those sentenced for an offense; if they were all in one state, it would be the 36th most populated, between New Mexico and Nevada.14 No other country in the world incarcerates as many people as the United States. China, a country of 1.3 billion people—about four times as many people as the U.S.15—is second, incarcerating 1.6 million people.16” Drug War Facts

POVERTY, CRIME, VIOLENCE AND ADDICTION: “Flint, Detroit, Pontiac and Saginaw are ranked among the top 10 most violent cities in the country according to FBI data. We all suffer the consequences” Michigan Governor speech on public safety.

FACT: “Detroit’s poverty rate was a startling 36.4 percent in 2009, and an alarming 35.0 percent of Cleveland’s residents lived below the poverty line. Buffalo’s poverty rate in 2009 was 28.8 percent” Detroit, Cleveland, Buffalo poorest cities in nation, Census shows

FACT:” U.S. has 5% of the world’s population, it detains a quarter of the world’s prisoners.” Embrace Marijuana Legalization

FACT:” Marijuana arrests accounted for 47.4% of the drug abuse arrests. This allows us to estimate that about 872,720 persons were arrested for marijuana offenses. Eighty-nine percent of these arrests were for possession. The 2007 arrest data is even worse than 2006 when 829,627 people were arrested for marijuana (a Project Censored top 25 story in 2008).  In 2005 there were 786,545 marijuana arrests, meaning that the number of arrests increased by 86K in just two years.   Clearly, marijuana is an intense focus of police interest and activity; far more, apparently, than the less important crimes occurring at the same time on Wall Street” Department of Justice.

When people cannot make an honest living by minimum wage jobs, and they have no education, or no means to improve themselves they epically turn to a life of crime and violence.  The problem is “the latest Monitoring the Future study—the Nation’s largest survey of drug use among young people—showed that prescription drugs are the second most-abused category of drugs after marijuana” The White House.

Disturbing is the fact that our government continues to sabotage and insult the medicinal value and healing power of marijuana.  The fact is they continue to classify marijuana as a schedule (I) controlled substance, prosecute those who choose to medicate alternatively and continue to insult humanity by denying the truth that cannabis cures cancer.  This is a direct reflection of a failed, corrupt, greedy government.  Cigarettes can be purchased legally at the age of 18 years old but “Smoking is a leading cause of cancer and death from cancer. It causes cancers of the lung, esophagus, larynx, mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, pancreas, stomach, and cervix, as well as acute myeloid leukemia” Cancer Facts.  Please be aware that the legal consumption age for alcohol is 21 years “In 2007, a total of 23,199 persons died of alcohol-induced causes in the United States, 1,126 more deaths than in 2006.” Drug War Facts.  The fact is that this speaks immeasurable volumes about the truth.

WHY IS MARIJUANA ON THIS LIST BUT TOBACCO, ALCOHOL, and PRESCRIPTION DRUGS ARE NOT?: “Schedule (I) Controlled Substances, Substances in this schedule have a high potential for abuse, have no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and there is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision, Some examples of substances listed in schedule I are: heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), marijuana (cannabis), peyote, methaqualone, and 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (“ecstasy”).”Drug Enforcement Administration

TRUTH IS: “cannabis hemp is, overall, the strongest, most-durable, longest-lasting natural soft-fiber on the planet. Its leaves and flower tops (marijuana) were, depending on the culture, the first, second or third most-important and most-used medicines for two-thirds of the world’s people for at least 3,000 years, until the turn of the 20th century” Jack Herer Book

THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW: “The ominous part is that this isn’t the first time scientists have discovered that THC shrinks tumors. In 1974 researchers at the Medical College of Virginia, who had been funded by the National Institute of Health to find evidence that marijuana damages the immune system, found instead that THC slowed the growth of three kinds of cancer in mice — lung and breast cancer, and a virus-induced leukemia” Marijuana Cures Cancer.

THE FDA, GOVERNMENT, AND BIG PHARMACY ARE IN IT TOGETHER: “The DEA quickly shut down the Virginia study and all further cannabis/tumor research, according to Jack Herer, who reports on the events in his book, “The Emperor Wears No Clothes“. In 1976 President Gerald Ford put an end to all public cannabis research and granted exclusive research rights to major pharmaceutical companies, who set out — unsuccessfully — to develop synthetic forms of THC that would deliver all the medical benefits without the “high.” Marijuana Cures Cancer

PHARMACEUTICALS, ALCOHOL, AND TOBACCO ARE DEADLY, and MARIJUANA IS HEALING: “A crucial first step in tackling the problem of prescription drug abuse is to raise awareness through the education of parents, youth, patients, and healthcare providers. Although there have been great strides in raising awareness about the dangers of using illegal drugs, many people are still not aware that the misuse or abuse of prescription drugs can be as dangerous as the use of illegal drugs, leading to addiction and even death” The White House.

FACT: “Amazingly, as consumers struggle, U.S. corporations are staging a nearly unprecedented comeback that’s largely escaping notice. The gargantuan, dispiriting job cuts that seem to dominate the news have also been the spur for an epic resurgence in profits. For 2009, the Fortune 500 lifted earnings 335%, to $391 billion, a $301 billion jump that’s the second largest in the list’s 56-year history, approaching the increase in the robust recovery of 2003. For last year the 500 raised their return on sales from less than 1% to 4%. That’s close to the list’s 4.7% historical average” Fortune 500: Profits bounce back

The facts do not lie.  The facts prove our government is not helping in fact they are hindering progress by arresting and criminalizing people because of a healing plant.  America is the prison capital of the world, we continue to convict and prosecute people at record numbers while the pharmaceutical companies are killing people at a staggering and alarming rate.  When are people going to wake up and check the facts?  We have already become a prison country, just wait until they pass that privatization law.  This law will privatize prisons, and make the bounty on people even higher.

TROUBLING THOUGHT:” the most worrisome aspect of prison privatization is the inevitable emergence of a private “prison lobby” concerned not with social welfare but with increasing its dividends, not with doing good, but with doing well. Sentencing guidelines, parole rules, corrections budgets, and new criminal legislation are areas in which private prison operators have a vested interest and could influence policy decisions. They could also benefit by manipulating public fear of crime. Unlike most other public policy arenas, criminal justice policy is largely determined not by the realities of crime but by its perception. That the fear of crime is exploited by politicians and “reality television” programming is a truism; but imagines a full-fledged corporate public relations campaign designed to whip up crime hysteria in order to increase profits” Covert Action Quarterly

Here is what can be done to stop this madness, first sign the petition Petition for a Moratorium on prison privatization and then share this article with everyone you know.  Do your part to educate, promote, and strengthen our community tell the government to stop keeping us down.  Rise up and unite together.

Join The Woosah Network on Facebook and help spread the words of Marijuana and Hemp Prohibition: WoosahNetwork@groups.facebook.com

Vivian I Curl, Blogger, Communication Major, Copy Writer, Health and Nutrition Research Journalist, Marketing Specialist, Poet. Vivian@qventerprises.com, also check out these health and nutrition websites:

Hemp Revolution

Healing Botanicals and Herbs

Oxidative Stress and the Critical link to over 200 different chronic diseases