Monthly Public Meeting Agenda
Lawrence Township Library, Room #3
Tuesday, March 13, 2012; 7:00 PM -- 9:00 PM
7:00 PM: Call meeting to order. Approve February 2012 minutes. Discuss:
National Medical Marijuana Week, 2/12-18 (phone calls to White House and Congress); Rally at Trenton Federal Bldg., 2/16/12 at noon; at 1 pm, SCR 89 (Free John Wilson) released by Senate Judiciary Committee after testimony.
Jim Miller’s update of his ongoing efforts to educate congressmen in D.C re: medical marijuana trial for veterans with PTSD. See also Facebook page: Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access
Camden Zoning Board rejected ATC application, 6 – 0, on 3/5/12. Update from Frank Fulbrook.
Eric Hafner rally 3/12/12 @ 8 am Middletown Court. More info at: Medical Marijuana Rally Raises Awareness for PTSD Use: http://wobm.com/rally-raises-awareness-for-medical-marijuana-use-for-ptsd/
Recent events: CMMNJ Board meeting, 3/3/2; Nick Mellis joined CMMNJ Board. Metuchen MS Self-Help Group, 2/21/12.
Upcoming events: Rally to support Ed (NJWeedman) Forchion at Burlington Co. Court, Mt. Holly, April 10, 2012. 4/20 Strike—no buying. NORML NJ meeting at 7 pm on the 2nd Monday of each month, Joe’s, Trenton; St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Trenton, 3/17/12. Seventh National Clinical Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics, 4/26-28/12, Tucson, AZ.
Treasury report: Checking: $2965; PayPal: $3339.
CMMNJ meetings are the second Tuesday of each month from 7 - 9 PM at the Lawrence Twp. Library, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence Twp., Tel. #609.882.9246. All are welcome. (Meeting at the library does not imply their endorsement of our issue.) For more info, contact:
Ken Wolski, RN, MPA, Executive Director, Coalition for Medical Marijuana—New Jersey, Inc.
219 Woodside Ave., Trenton, NJ 08618
(609) 394-2137 ohamkrw@aol.com www.cmmnj.org
Monthly Public Meeting Minutes
February 14, 2012
7:00 PM: Call meeting to order. January 2012 minutes approved. Discussion:
January 18, 2012 Press Release and State House press conference. Great media coverage.
Plans made for National Medical Marijuana Week, 2/12-18; Rally at Trenton Federal Bldg., 2/16/12 at noon, followed by Senate Judiciary Hearing on SCR 89 (Free John Wilson) at 1 pm. Reassuring reply from NJ DOC MD re: Wilson’s appropriate treatment while in prison.
CO, RI, WA & VT Gov.’s petition the feds to reschedule marijuana. Encourage NJ to join.
CMMNJ supports FDA-approved study on marijuana for veterans with PTSD; stalled by NIDA. Jim Miller’s last trip to educate congressmen in D.C. See blog at CMMNJ.org. See also Facebook page: Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access
ATC hearing at Camden City Hall Zoning Board on Monday 2/6/12 at 5:30 pm; CMMNJ members testified, coordinated by Frank Fulbrook. Per Frank, decision to be made on 3/5/12.
Upcoming events: Eric Hafner rally 3/12/12 @ 8 am Middletown Court. Rally to support Ed (NJWeedman) Forchion at Burlington Co. Court, Mt Holly, 4/10/12. NORML NJ meeting at 7 pm on the 2nd Monday of each month, Joe’s, Trenton; St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Trenton, 3/17/12. Seventh National Clinical Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics, 4/26-28/12,
Tucson, AZ. CMMNJ Board meeting scheduled for March 3, 2012 at noon at Ken’s house. Metuchen MS Self-Help Group, 2/21/12 at 10 AM.
Treasury report: Checking: $2791; PayPal: $3046.
CMMNJ meetings are the second Tuesday of each month from 7 - 9 PM at the Lawrence Twp. Library, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence Twp., Tel. #609.882.9246. All are welcome. (Meeting at the library does not imply their endorsement of our issue.) For more info, contact:
Ken Wolski, RN, MPA, Executive Director, Coalition for Medical Marijuana—New Jersey, Inc.
219 Woodside Ave., Trenton, NJ 08618
(609) 394-2137 ohamkrw@aol.com www.cmmnj.org
Recent Media Coverage and Blogs:
Small towns - and small minds - reject medical marijuana sites
http://videos.nj.com/star-ledger/2012/02/small_towns_-_and_small_minds.html
Montclair: Foofy Dogs and Pot Dispensaries
http://www.baristanet.com/2012/02/montclair-foofy-dogs-and-pot-dispensaries/
Blurred Boundaries: The Therapeutics and Politics of Medical Marijuana
http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(11)00021-8/fulltext
Medical Marijuana Activists Set to Destroy DEA Ruling
http://www.freedomisgreen.com/medical-marijuana-activists-set-to-destroy-dea-ruling/
With medical marijuana now legal in N.J., Gov. Christie should commute John Ray Wilson's sentence
http://www.nj.com/times-opinion/index.ssf/2012/02/editorial_with_medical_marijua.html
Gov. Christie: No clemency for Somerset County man convicted of growing pot
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/03/gov_christie_no_clemency_for_s.html
New Jersey Medical Marijuana Sales Delayed
http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/health/New_Jersey_Medical_Marijuana_Sales_Delayed_022712_New
sCore_ncx
NJ OKed Medical Pot in '10 —but It's Still Not for Sale
http://www.newser.com/story/140534/nj-oked-medical-pot-in-10-but-its-still-not-for-sale.html
Medical Marijuana Debate Lands on Jackson Township’s Door Steps
http://www.jacksonnjonline.com/2012/02/29/medical-marijuana-debate-lands-on-jackson-
townships-door-steps/31628/
BATC still looking for tract to grow medical marijuana
http://exa.gmnews.com/news/2012-03-08/Front_Page/BATC_still_looking_for_tract_to_grow_medical_marij.html
Camden rejects medical marijuana dispensary
http://articles.philly.com/2012-03-06/news/31127736_1_dispensaries-marijuana-operation-
zoning-board
Marijuana center: End the hysteria
http://www.app.com/article/20120303/NJOPINION01/303030012/Marijuana-center-End-hysteria?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7COpinion%7Cp
Gov. Christie out of line questioning diagnosis of Somerset County man convicted of growing
pot
http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2012/03/gov_christie_out_of_line_quest.html
NJ Senate Committee Supports Medical Marijuana Patient
http://www.examiner.com/norml-in-philadelphia/nj-senate-committee-to-gov-christie-commute-medical-marijuana-sentence
News from the Senate Democrats:
LESNIAK-SCUTARI RESOLUTION URGING CLEMENCY FOR MS SUFFERER
CONVICTED ON MARIJUANA CHARGES ADVANCES
Senators Say Five-Year Sentence Amounts to
'Cruel and Unusual Punishment'
TRENTON – A resolution sponsored by Senators Raymond J. Lesniak and Nicholas P. Scutari which would urge Governor Christie to exercise executive clemency to commute the five-year prison sentence for John Ray Wilson, a multiple sclerosis (MS) sufferer who was convicted of marijuana manufacturing in an attempt to self-medicate for his disease was approved today by the Senate Judiciary Committee by a vote of 8-1 with two abstentions.
"It rises to the level of 'cruel and unusual' punishment to imprison a man who was only seeking some small measure of relief for his debilitating disease," said Senator Lesniak, D-Union, and a member of the Judiciary Committee. "In the case of John Ray Wilson, the court system is seeking to make an example of a man suffering from multiple sclerosis, who was seeking to self-medicate because he could not afford the high cost of prescription drugs. Rather than treat this man with the leniency and decency that basic fairness and human compassion would warrant, the courts decided to throw the book at him, and now it's up to Governor Christie to correct this injustice."
"Whether you agree or disagree with the provisions of the medical marijuana law, the particulars in the John Ray Wilson case are so extreme that you have to wonder what purpose is served by locking away a man suffering from multiple sclerosis for five years," said Senator Scutari, D-Union, Middlesex and Somerset, and the Chair of the Judiciary Committee.
"I would think that it would make more sense – given that medical marijuana is now legal in New Jersey – to commute John Ray Wilson's sentence, and get him access to the medications and health coverage he needs to control his symptoms. Instead, we're wasting taxpayer dollars to incarcerate a nonviolent offender who grew marijuana for personal use."
The resolution, SCR89, would urge the Governor to commute the sentence of John Ray Wilson.
The resolution notes that imprisonment for Mr. Wilson is an injustice, because he cultivated marijuana to treat his multiple sclerosis, was barred from presenting a personal use defense at trial or referencing his medical condition, and was convicted for the criminal manufacturing of marijuana, a crime which holds much higher penalties than other drug offenses on the books. The sponsors noted that the sentence is even more egregious considering that the State legalized the medicinal use of marijuana in 2010 with the "New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act," a bill sponsored by Senator Scutari and co-sponsored by Senator Lesniak.
John Ray Wilson was convicted for the criminal manufacturing of marijuana – a crime usually reserved for drug cartels and large-scale pushers – in early 2010, just as the State's medical marijuana law was signed. In August of 2008, a National Guard helicopter conducting a "marijuana search mission" identified marijuana plants growing in Mr. Wilson's backyard in Somerset County. At the time of sentencing, Mr. Wilson asserted that he did not have health insurance and could not afford the cost of prescription medication, and was resorting to alternative treatments, including "bee venom therapy" and daily use of marijuana to control his disease.
The resolution now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
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