New Jersey to be #14?

The New Jersey State Senate has approved a bill that would legalize the use of medical marijuana in their state.

The bill will now go to the state Assembly, which is expected to pass it, and then will continue on to the governor’s desk. The outgoing Dem. Gov. Jon Corzine has indicated that he would sign the measure if it reaches him before he steps down in January, reported the Wall Street Journal.

Rep. Chris Christie, soon Governor or New Jersey, may also sign the bill, but spokeswomen told the Journal that Christie thought that one draft he read didn’t have enough restrictions.

Marijuana Dispensary Joins Local Chamber of Commerce

Fallbrook, CA chamber of commerce has a new, unlikely member in their community. The Mother Earth Medical Marijuana Dispensary has joined their local chamber.

Bob Riedel, a co-founder of Mother Earth’s Alternative Healing Cooperative Inc., said he joined the chamber for the same reasons that other members join: It’s a good way to get involved in the community and to network with other members. The co-op has already signed up as one of the sponsors for Fallbrook’s Dec. 5 Christmas parade.

“We wanted to get involved with the community and to let people know who we are,” Riedel said of his decision to apply for chamber membership. “We have an actual retail license. We are completely by the book.”

The chamber directors said that their was no real reason to deny the co-op membership, after all, it is a state-sanctioned business.

Visit the Mother Earth MySpace website.

Colorado to Legalize Pot in 2012

Brian Vicente and Mason Tvert, the head runners for the legalization of Marijuana in Colorado, have announced a new personal goal. They want to pass a statewide initiative in 2012 to completely legalize the use of marijuana for Colorado persons over 21.

Vicente and Tvert announced their plan Monday, November 23, 2009 at their Marijuana-Reform “Thanksgiving Celebration” at the Gilmore Art Center at Mile High Framing.

Their are currently efforts out to legalize marijuana in California next year, but if that fails Colorado would become the fore runner for the legalization movement in the United States.

Read more on the issue at Westword Online.

Do they have a chance or are they stretching the limit?

California Doctors now Recommending Medical Marijuana for Minors with ADHD

Since legalizing medical marijuana in 2004, California has issued over 36,000 cards to California patients, and the number is growing in young adults and children.

Doctors are not just signing off on medical marijuana use for teens and children, but they’re now recommending the use of it for children with ADHD.

“For some kids, it appears to be more effective than traditional treatments. And marijuana certainly has fewer potential dangers than Ritalin.”

The use of medical marijuana in children is still a growing “hot topic” but it would appear that many doctors have given it the thumbs up.

Students Taught How to Grow Marijuana in New Cannabis College

Detroit,Michigan has opened up a new Cannabis College for students to learn how to grow, harvest, cook and sell marijuana (for medicinal purposes only at this point).

The instructors at the college range from horticulturalists, doctors, and lawyers. The students get hands-on experience cultivating plants and guidance on how to protect their stash from the criminal element.

MedGrow Cannabis College charges $475 for 6 evening classes, and is located in a small office block.

Visit MedGrow Cannabis College online.

New “Coffee Shop” Opens in Portland, Oregon

While it’s not the first of it’s kind in the United States it’s certainly gotten the most attention. Portland, Oregon opened a “Coffee Shop” or a cannabis cafe earlier this week. It’s really more of a private club because only card holding, Oregon medical marijuana patients can buy from the shop. There are about 21,000 patients registered to use medical marijuana in the state.

Patients with a medical marijuana license usually have to buy it at a dispensary and take it elsewhere to smoke or eat it. In the new “Coffee Shop” medical marijuana patients can buy and use all in one location.

Eric Solomon, the owner of the cafe, said he is looking forward to holding marijuana-themed weddings, film festivals and dances. His coffee shop was originally just that, a coffee shop. He’s converted it to this new themed marijuana coffee shop. He says that he’ll still be running a normal coffee shop and events venue as he did before.

Wisconsin — One Step Closer

November 17th, Two state lawmakers put forward a bill for the legalization of  medical marijuana in Wisconsin.

The hearing for the bill will be held on December 15th, 2009.

Colo. to Start Medical Marijuana Sales Tax

As of November 16th, Colorado medical marijuana dispensaries can start collecting sales tax on medicinal marijuana.

“Medical marijuana is tangible property that is generally subject to state sales tax,” Attorney General John Suthers said.

CBS News Legal Analyst Andrew Cohen says “This is another in a series of significant steps toward some sort of legalization of marijuana. Once local and state officials in Colorado and elsewhere realize how much income they can generate from this tax it will be harder for them or anyone else to argue that pot shouldn’t be legalized and regulated in some fashion.”

Autistic Boy Uses Medical Marijuana With Suprising Results

A family in S. California reportedly resorted to medical marijuana when their 10 year old son’s autism symptoms began to worsen.

His father states that he began hurting other children at school and pulling appliances down in their home. He said that he would have to hold him for an hour until he would calm down.

The boys parents turned to medical marijuana after consulting the conventional doctors who put him on drugs that had all kinds of negative side-effects.  His parents say that they made him gain 20 pounds, “He was getting more dangerous, bigger, stronger.”

The family finally opted for an unconventional and controversial treatment; medical marijuana. They report that it has resulted in a much calmer Sam.

Initially they made appointments with a cannabis doctor to get his medicine, but now they’re growing Sam’s new medicine in their backyard.

His rage and anxiousness just went away. They began the new treatment when Sam was 8 and they give him the medicine as needed, not necessarily everyday. His father puts it in a piece of melon and gives it to the boy.

Watch the interview by KTLA by clicking here.