Many Oregonians were aghast recently when Oregon’s chief federal prosecutor announced that he would charge Warm Springs teen Devontre Thomas with a federal crime for allegedly possessing one joint’s worth of cannabis. Williams eventually backed down in the wake of the public outrage, led most notably by Oregon’s Congressional cannabis policy crusader, Earl Blumenauer. But […]
Steve Holmes
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Reefer Madness
The DEA is in denial about cannabis
Even though there is a metaphoric mountain of evidence that cannabis can treat several serious medical conditions, the Obama administration’s Drug Enforcement Administration has again declined to loosen restrictions on the drug. Currently, cannabis is treated the same as heroin and LSD under federal law, which states that cannabis has “no currently accepted medical use […]
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Feds Back Down on Cannabis Prosecution of Warm Springs Man
Last week, Smoke Signals shared the story of Devontre Thomas, a 19-year old member of the Warm Springs Tribe. Last year, Thomas was a student at Chemawa Indian School in Salem when one of his classmates alleged that a very small amount of cannabis found in his backpack was supplied by Thomas. After hearing the […]
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Think a Pot Prosecution Can’t Happen to You? Think Again.
Cannabis prosecutions of two Warm Springs tribal members shed light on a double standard in the state. Native Americans have been subject to centuries of discrimination and mistreatment in the United States—and unfortunately, that legacy lives on in today’s cannabis laws. Cases in point: two recent prosecutions of Central Oregon tribal members. According to federal […]
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Cannabis Bliss
A CBD product that treats animal ailments
Many Benditos are familiar with “runner’s high,” the feeling of euphoria that people experience after intense exercise. Runner’s high is caused by the brain releasing endocannabinoids into the blood stream. That six-syllable term is a portmanteau of “endogenous,” meaning “coming from within” and “cannabanoids,” meaning “chemical compounds of the cannabis plant.” Yes, the human brain […]
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NFL Just Says No to Pot
Chronic pain no excuse for cannabis use, says league
Back in March, Smoke Signals wrote about the state of cannabis in the NFL. The league has a zero-tolerance policy on cannabis, with a cannabis-related arrest or positive urine test costing players upward of $500,000, depending on salary, and resulting in a suspension of one to four games, up to a quarter of the season. […]
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Legal Weed: One Year In
What’s on the horizon for cannabis laws in Oregon?
On July 1, 2015, a little over a year ago, it became legal for Oregonians 21 and older to grow and consume cannabis. Although Oregonians voted to legalize so-called recreational cannabis consumption in 2014, state officials still have not begun issuing business licenses for the recreational market. That is expected to happen around October, nearly […]
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This Is Your Brain on Drugs
New study shows cannabis may treat Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is set to join epilepsy, cancer, chronic pain, and several other illnesses on the list of medical conditions that cannabis may treat, according to a new study from the Salk Institute. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that gradually robs the sufferer of the ability to think and remember things, ending in dementia, social […]
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Union Helps Win Cannabis Case
One of the strangest situations created by cannabis legalization in Oregon and elsewhere in the US is the effect, or lack thereof, of legalization on state employment law. Oregonians can get a doctor’s prescription for cannabis to treat a variety of illnesses in the state’s medical marijuana program, and Oregonians 21 and older can now […]
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Microsoft is Ready to Make Money From Weed
It is often said that making money is one of the oldest highs. That might be the mantra of tech giant Microsoft, now peddling products ranging from PowerPoint to pot. This week, Microsoft welcomed cannabis business compliance company KIND Financial to its Azure Government cloud platform. The pioneering, Seattle-based company becomes the first major tech […]