"Jim Miller supporting John Ray Wilson mycentraljersey.com"

Despite a public call from two state Senators for a pardon, the criminal trial against John Ray Wilson is moving ahead.

John lives with MS and used cannabis therapy for treatment. He now faces 15 years in state prison… Read full post »

10/30/2009  by Chris Goldstein

On October 19th the Ocean County College in Tom's River, NJ hosted a debate on medical marijuana. A professor of Social Science, Brad Young, moderated.  The opposition was Terrence Farley, a former county prosecutor and the now head of the NJ Narcotics Task Fo… Read full post »

 10/27/2009 by Chris Goldstein

In a major development in New Jersey today, two of the state Senators sponsoring The Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act asked for  Governor Corzine to pardon John Ray Wilson.

 John faces 15 years in state prison for being caught with 17 marijuana pl… Read full post »

Rant drive - engaged.

 So, last week I fed a breaking news story to OS - The Department of Justice medical marijuana memo, cross posting at the CMMNJ Blog and the NORML-NJ blog.

Before there were stories in over 1,900 newspapers, websites and radio/tv, before the memo was even officially… Read full post »

Scoop:  Staffers at Americans for Safe Access met with Department of Justice officials before the memo on medical marijuana was released last week.

My role with several marijuana reform non-profits in New Jersey and Pennsylvania requires interaction with the n… Read full post »

Intense. That’s the only word to describe the recent focus of the national mainstream media on issues related to cannabis. Three Newsweek articles, an investigative piece on PBS Newshour, FOX News segments and an absolute frenzy over the new Department of… Read full post »

 Chris Goldstein 10/19/09

This is truly an historic day for the issue of safe cannabis access in America. It is the first order issued by any White House Administration in support of patient’s rights and upholding the existing programs in place through ballot initiative or legislation. The… Read full post »

Chris Goldstein 10/18/09

 Breaking news tonight from the AP reports a new federal set of guidelines on medical marijuana.

AP Newsbreak: New medical marijuana policy issued

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration will not seek to arrest medical marijuana users and suppliers as long as they c… Read full post »

 OS, please get on this and I sincerely hope this is not a trend.

 10-16-09

frank florent to freedomisgreen

Hello

Please Do accept my sincere apologies if my mail does not meet your personal ethic. By introduction, I am Mr.frank flornet a Fund Manager with SOCIETE GENERALE DE BANQUES EN -RC… Read full post »

President Obama: A Plea For Peace At Home

10/9/2009 - Chris Goldstein

In my opinion, this Nobel Peace Prize is well awarded. It may be also the strongest-ever political act of the premier peace-forwarding organization in the world. They offer the prize to President Obama not only for his achievements… Read full post »

An NJN crew was out on the streets of Newark pulling people aside to ask questions of the New Jersey gubernatorial candidates for a televised debate. Little did they know that a member of the NORML-NJ Board of Directors and the Associate Publisher of High Times Magazine would stroll on by...… Read full post »

Corzine and Christie favor Marijuana in first debate

10/2/2009 - Chris Goldstein

Politics in New Jersey could not be hotter with a very close race for governor between Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine and Republican challenger Chris Christie.

The negative a… Read full post »

Boston: 30,000 smoke pot, celebrate decrim

9/20/2009 -  Chris Goldstein

An estimated 30,000 people were crowded onto the Boston Common at the peak moment of the 20th annual Boston Freedom Rally on September 19th 2009.

That moment was 4:20PM ET.

The thousands… Read full post »

The REAL Tea Party

9/17/09 Chris Goldstein

In two days I have the honor of speaking before a crowd of about 15,000 people at the 20th annual Boston Freedom Rally.

 There is something wonderfully patriotic about seeing so many people happily consume cannabis on America's oldest public meeting… Read full post »

New Jersey: Patients vaporize marijuana on video

In the newest Newark Star-Ledger online video spotlighting the medical marijuana effort in New Jersey, some courageous cannabis patients have stepped forward in front of the camera.

 Often the news media are keen to photo or video people consumi… Read full post »

Check out the new Fortune Magazine Cover

This is the print version of the piece featured this week at CNN Money.

NORML's founder Keith Stroup and Executive Director Allen St. Pierre feature prominantly in the piece.

Nothing is greener than dollar signs, even expertly grown mar… Read full post »

NEWS: Marijuana arrests for 2008 = 847, 864

9-14-2009

For the full  and expert rundown please visit the NORML Blog post on this item.

The 2008 FBI Uniform Crime Rpeort was released today.

Personal Note- The pot arrest stat is a tough number...hard to get your head around for sure.… Read full post »

Irv Rosenfeld lights federally supplied  medical cannabis at the NORML conference in 2007. Photo c/o NORML

CNN Declares Marijuana Legal

9/14/09 - Chris Goldstein

In one of the best pieces of recent mainstream journalism on the reality of cannabis in America, CNN uses a bold title:

How m… Read full post »

 More marijuana soon...this year I just felt compelled to get this all out....

Silent Wings on 9/12/2001

On September 12, 2001 I drove out to my office at the Santa Fe Airport. The route on CR-599 was always… Read full post »

On September 11th 2001 I was working in commercial aviation at a jet charter company. It was an idyllic job: Sexy airplanes, a beautiful airport and celebrity clientele. Yet the position afforded a unique and disturbing perspective on the events of 9/11/01 as they unfolded in re… Read full post »

Obama Speech and The Green Healthcare Solution

9/10/09- Chris Goldstein

Like many other political junkies in America I was waiting for the speech last night from President Obama. Thankfully there would be something for the talkers other than the town hall teabaggers.

What we look for in the sp/… Read full post »

Medical marijuana advocates protest at Somerset courthouse

The Coalition for Medical Marijuana in New Jersey gathered to support John Wilson at the Somerset County Courthouse in Somerville, NJ.

More information and links to donate directly to the Wilson family at www.cmmnj.org Read full post »

In an effort to blog more frequently…..so, herein:  some prose, photos and info

The Hottest Day for Pot in NJ/PA 2009 (so far…)

8-14-09 Chris Goldstein

If you were out and about in the streets of Philadelphia on Monday August 10th the experience was akin to standing in a pot… Read full post »

A Civil Right to Marijuana: The John Ray Wilson Case

8/6/2009 by Chris Goldstein

Our nation has pioneered humanitarian reform in the modern industrial world. African-American Civil Rights, Women’s Suffrage, GLBT Equality, Labor Fairness, Hispanic and Latino Equality even Environmental Righ… Read full post »

Here's a Star Ledger Video about medical marijuana in New Jersey