NORML's Weekly News Bulletin -- October 6, 2005

[IndianaToker]

Weekly Press Release
Source: NORML

NORML Launches Cash Prize Video Blog Contest October 6, 2005 - Washington, DC, USA

Washington, DC: Educate the public on the failure of cannabis prohibition and compete for up to $5,000 in cash prizes in NORML's first-ever Video Blog contest.

NORML is seeking original video content highlighting the need to reform America's cannabis laws. Contest submissions will be showcased in coming weeks on NORML's Video Blog, with monthly winners awarded cash prizes.

Further details regarding contest rules and submissions are available at: http://normltv.blogspot.com

NORML's Video Blog contest is sponsored in conjunction with the communication technology companies YOUTUBE.com and VEOH.com.

"NORML believes that the Internet's emerging peer-to-peer communication technology offers the organization a unique and effective way to build community and mobilize the tens of millions of US cannabis consumers to demand that the government stop arresting responsible marijuana smokers," NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre said. "We are thrilled to launch this first-ever Video Blog contest and to be able showcase the talents and visions of the cannabis community as part of our long-standing efforts to end cannabis prohibition."

For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, or Jack Olmstead, NORML Video Blog Coordinator.

DL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6692




Cannabis Now Top Canadian Cash Crop

October 6, 2005 - Ottawa, ON, Canada

Ottawa, Ontario: Cannabis has surpassed wheat as Canada's most lucrative agricultural crop, Bloomberg News Wire reported last week. The report estimated Canada's illicit cannabis market to be worth $8.5 billion annually, approximately three times the size of Canada's largest legal crop.

"Only by enacting a system whereby cannabis is taxed and regulated in a manner similar to alcohol can Canada begin to capitalize on the revenue generated by this booming multi-billion dollar underground economy," NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre said.

Last year, a report published by the Vancouver-based economic think-tank The Fraser Institute estimated that taxing cannabis would generate $2 billion per year in federal revenues.

More recently, a US economic analysis estimated that legalizing cannabis would yield $6.2 billion in annual revenue if it were taxed at rates comparable to those imposed upon alcohol and tobacco.

A previous report by the NORML Foundation estimated the annual value of the US cannabis retail market at $25 billion.

For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500.

DL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6694




Medical Cannabis Reduces Patients' Reliance On Other Medications, Study Says

October 6, 2005 - Sydney, Australia

Sydney, Australia: More than half of Australians who use cannabis medicinally use it to treat symptoms of chronic pain and depression, and more than 60 percent report that it has led to a decrease in their use of standard pharmaceuticals, according to survey data published in the October issue of the Harm Reduction Journal.

One hundred and twenty-eight Australians with a long-term history of medical cannabis use participated in the survey, performed by the University of South Wales' National Drug and Alcohol Research Center. "[R]egular medical cannabis use was frequently reported for multiple medical conditions including chronic pain (57 percent), depression (56 percent), arthritis (35 percent), persistent nausea (27 percent) and weight loss (26 percent)," authors found. "Cannabis was perceived to provide 'great relief' overall (86 percent), and substantial relief of specific symptoms such as pain, nausea and insomnia. It was also typically perceived as superior to other medications in terms of undesirable effects, and the extent of relief provided."

Researchers further noted: "Almost two-thirds (62 percent) of respondents claimed they decreased or discontinued their use of other medicines when they started using cannabis medicinally. ... For some people this was a substantial change, representing a shift away from chronic, high-dose medication use."

Participants in the survey ranged from 24 to 88 years old, with more than half reporting having used cannabis medically for at least six years. Ten percent of respondents reported that they used cannabis on the recommendation of their physician.

Overall, respondents considered cannabis inhalation to be the most "helpful" route of administration for symptom relief, though many expressed concerns regarding the potential health effects of smoking.

"Consistent with users elsewhere, ... Australian medical cannabis users ... claim moderate to substantial benefits from [the drug's] use in the management of their medical condition ... [and] show strong interest in clinical cannabis research, including the investigation of alternative delivery methods," authors concluded.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at (202) 483-5500. Full text of the study, "Survey of Australians using cannabis for medical purposes," is available online at: http://www.harmreductionjournal.com/

DL: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6693

NORML's Weekly News in Audio: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6650

Source: NORML Foundation (DC)
Published: October 6, 2005
Copyright: 2005 NORML
Contact: norml@norml.org
Website: http://www.norml.org/
Link to article: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread21170.shtml