PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND - The Rhode Island House of Representatives voted to override Gov. Donald Carcieri's veto of the Marijuana Policy Project"s medical marijuana bill today, making Rhode Island the 11th state to make medical marijuana legal and the first to enact a medical marijuana law since the Supreme Court's June decision in Gonzales v. Raich. Rhode Island's medical marijuana law is the third to be enacted by a state legislature, and the first passed by overriding a governor's veto. (The other eight states' medical marijuana laws were enacted via ballot initiatives.)

While images of joints and bongs will permeate cannabis lore for decades to come, alternative consumption methods have existed for thousands of years. From the drinking of tea-like Indian bhang (cannabis buds soaked in hot milk and spices) to the ancient middle eastern tradition of marinating cannabis flowers in olive oil for anointment to the skin, the smoking of cannabis is actually a fairly contemporary means of ingestion.

The emergence of the medical marijuana movement has motivated the development of alternative cannabinoid consumption methods. Joining sublingual sprays, tinctures, pills, and edibles is a relatively old technology: vaporization. This method of extracting THC and other valuable cannabinoids from the cannabis plant offers the advantages of decreased harm to the lungs, considerable long-term cost reduction, and significantly decreased smell during consumption (aiding in stealth).

Medical quality vaporization requires a device called, appropriately enough, a vaporizer. Available in a wide variety of forms—from temperature controllable forced air vaporizers, such as the $700 German-produced Volcano, to simple manually operated glass devices for under $20—vaporization is more than a cultural experiment. In fact, it is becoming common for smoking cafes and compassion club dispensaries to rent or offer free use of high-end vaporizers. In the world of vaporization, the terminology is different.....

To read more, subscribe today

The second trial of 2005 was on January 5-7. It was a great surprise to us when Honourable Judge Harvey found Ted guilty of trafficking in cannabis (resin) for the production of edible and skin products at the club. Reasons for Judgement and Sentencing may be found on Hempology.com, October 14, 2005. In sentencing (pp3) she stated, "Mr. Smith admits possessing, in fact creating these items, albeit not for a great deal of profit and basically for humanitarian purposes." In pp18 she continues with,"we are not talking about medicinal marijuana. The definitions by the government are clear. They do not include cannabis resin." She stated, "I am not without sympathy for what it is you are trying to do, and I accept that... many people are frustrated with the government." Ted was sentenced to a 9 month conditional discharge. Ted filed an appeal, which the Department of Justice agreed to and invited the Court to enter an acquittal. (See Hempology.com, Sept.29/05.)

Later in Jan. 2005, Honourable Judge Kay found Ted Guilty of possession for the purpose of trafficking as a result of sharing joints at UVIC. He was sentenced to 1 day in jail. Ted has filed an appeal before the B.C. Court of Appeal and will be representing himself early in 2006.

Many of the club members have had a remarkable reduction in the use of pharmaceuticals, if they have cannabis readily available as an alternative. This has led us to launch an independent research study to show in dollars and sense the value of cannabis as a medicine

To read more, subscribe today

I do not need to tell you about the benefits of either medical cannabis or industrial hemp. However one thing you may not know is that without agronomic research we will not be able to be successful in large scale industrial hemp production, and to keep up with the production issues like fertility, pest, and disease and weed management. Furthermore, every cropping system, farm, producer, contractor, processor and retailer works somewhat differently so what might work for one might not for another.To read more, subscribe today