This is a longish post, blog-style. Thanks in advance for getting active!

Marijuana History - Live and in Progress: Don't Sit On The Sidelines

2/26/09 - Chris Goldstein 

At no other time in recent memory have so many broad marijuana law reforms been in progress. Here is a review of w… Read full post »

Open Letter to Bill Maher: The High Heckler
Chris Goldstein 7-15-09

INTERVIEWER: Are you still on the board of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)?

BILL MAHER: You know, that's a good question. I haven't had much contact with them in recent years. I was a little… Read full post »

This was a blog I posted in January, but the shorter version was here on OS... here's the longer version that was living over at wordpress. At the end of the piece is a CNN clip of Economist Jeffrey Miron last week. 

The Marijuana Bailout

January 29, 2009 - Chris Gol… 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 »

Commentary: Let Them Smoke Cake

3/26/09 Chris Goldstein

Let Them Smoke Cake

President Obama asked the online community to speak up and pose questions about what was most important, in our view.

The answer was: Marijuana.

Many were… Read full post »

Ecstasy at Pat’s Steaks

6-16-09 Chris Goldstein

It was 9:30PM on a cold and rainy night in Philly. We were hungry. But not just plain hungry: Massive waves of ravenous sensations accompanied by nearly visual fantasies of food crashed into our brains until no conversation was possible. The only… 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 »

This one was not easy folks. It is scarier over there than any of us thought….This long version is for OS readers.

Report – Drug Czar’s Office Is Out Of Control

or The ONDCP Has Gone to Pot

3/10/09- Chris Goldstein

The National Academy of Public Administration r… Read full post »

OS Meet-up Philly 4/16/09

freedomisgreen, ktm and Lairderg

2009 has been the first year I really started blogging. Sure there were websites, my MySpace blog and podcast pages etc. But OpenSalon, CelebStoner and my  WordPress page have been a concentrated effort this year. Few  ende… Read full post »

The American Marijuana Market 

The CNBC report Marijuana Inc. offered this unavoidable message: As the domestic and international financial markets continue their dismal decline, one homegrown economy is thriving: marijuana!

Marijuana production and consumption are ubiquitous, yet the market is v… Read full post »

Across the Universe- Medical Access on BattleStar Galactica

3/12/09 - Chris Goldstein

BSG Episode 420 (no kidding):

The seasoned old military commander, Admiral Bill Adama, sits gently reading to his longtime friend and lover, President Laura Roslin, amidst their broken down shi/… Read full post »

Philly Marijuana March

On Saturday May 2^nd 2009 I joined hundreds of my like-minded friends for the Global Cannabis March seeking an end to prohibition. The event takes place in over 200 US cities. Philly hosts one of the largest.

It is not always sunny in Philadelphia,… Read full post »

Coming To Pennsylvania: Medical Marijuana

On April 29, 2009 Rep. Mark B. Cohen, the Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, introduced the first bill ever in Pennsylvania to legalize medical marijuana.

The bill, HB1393, is solid legislation that would allow registered patients to… 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 »

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 »

2/23/09

The New Jersey State Senate has passed SB119 The Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana Act in a 22-16 vote.

There was passionate floor debate on the subject, "Can there be a greater calling for us than to actually ease people's suffering?" That was from Republican Seantor Bill Baroni.

The bi… Read full post »

 A Beautiful Day in New Jersey

2/24/09 - Chris Goldstein 

Chuck Kwiatkowski moves his body in manner that is hard to describe, there is a hesitance or mild shakiness. It comes from pain and discomfort. It is there when he walks or extends his arm to shake&nbs… Read full post »

OK....Trig inspired this with his post

Thanks to Steve Bloom at CelebStoner.com and Russ Belville at NORML's Daily AudioStash for pointing out this story.

Student Shot By Police: Calls for Peace

3/14/09- Chris Goldstein

This week saw another near-deadly casualty of marijuana prohibition in the story of Derek Copp; a… Read full post »

 Everyone Is Asking The Prez About Pot

President Obama is asking for questions from the public in a new experiment from the White House called Open for Questions.

Mainstream media seem a little tiffed that our popular prez would sidestep them and go directly to the people for their input.… Read full post »

Patients Arrested: NJ Needs Medical Marijuana Law Passed

4/13/09- Chris Goldstein

Advocates for medical marijuana speak about the patients who need this therapy so desperately. Many of those patients are waiting in pain for this bill to pass and refuse to engage in the underground marij… Read full post »

Therapeutic Cannabis Growing in Pennsylvania

Chris Goldstein 5/24/09  

Seemingly against all odds we have a medical marijuana bill moving forward in Pennsylvania. There are only about a dozen states that have never considered the issue, ever: PA being one of them. 

Yet the… Read full post »

LIVE-NJ Assembly Committee passes Medical Marijuana!

Chris Goldstein 6/4/09

 The New Jersey Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee passed the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, forwarding the bill to the full Assembly for a vote this fall.

 The  Senate… Read full post »