Unified Collective Boasts More Flavors than Baskin Robin -by Ben Horner

     The quality and availability of medical grade cannabis in Michigan is increasing exponentially.

National News -by Rachel Bunting

Rhode Island
     Christine Callaghan, a graduate student at the University of Rhode Island, is receiving the help of the American Civil Liberties Union after a fabrics company withdrew their internship offer due to Callaghan’s status as a medical marijuana patient. 

Michigan News -by Rachel Bunting

Wyoming, Mi
     In 2011 the DEA was led to Wyoming, Michigan while investigating a drug plot and arrested several men after discovering 12,000 pounds of marijuana valued at $50 million. However they were unable to capture three men they believe were connected to the bust and are also involved with the Mexican drug cartel. Adrian Nunez Gonzalez, Alex Parra, and Angel Santos-Rodriguez are all wanted in Western Michigan for their connection to the drugs. Authorities say Santos-Rodriguez was the head of the operation and that the bales of marijuana were smuggled across the U.S./Mexican border. Santos- Rodriguez put Parra and Gonzales in charge of the operation when he left town after hearing law enforcement was closing in. They too left the state when hearing of officers getting close to catching them. Authorities believe they have been active in Kent County since 2009. The last time Gonzales and Parra were seen they were headed to Chicago. Police are unsure of the men’s true identities stating they were able to obtain drivers licenses by falsifying documents. Investigators are asking for help in finding these individuals, who are believed to be extremely dangerous with ties and resources for a Mexican drug cartel. “Alex Parra is believed to have also have ties to North Hollywood and Sun Valley in California, as well as the state of Illinois. He’s 5’6” and 220 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Adrian Nunez-Gonzalez is believed to have several aliases and local connections to Berrien and Washington as well as California and Illinois. He’s 5’8” and 150 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. The mastermind, Angel Santos-Rodriguez, also has several aliases and connections to Puerto Rico, Texas, and Mexico. He’s 5’8” with brown eyes and black hair.

Grand Rapids
     Shawn Andrew Taylor, the leader of an illegal operation that sold medical marijuana to ineligible patients, plead guilty to his role in using the Medical Marijuana Act as a disguise to manufacture marijuana at more than a dozen locations in four counties. The operation, which called themselves the Medical Marijuana Team, involved buying and selling marijuana, hash, wax, and other pot related products. Taylor had his hand in many manufacturing operations that would be sustained by those who had a patient or caregiver card. He even began searching for patients and caregivers and would pay for their certifications and licensing fees. The organization advertised on craigslist and sent text messages to potential customers. In all 38 people will be charged in the conspiracy about half of those will be sentenced early next year.

The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan
     Christmas is a time of giving, not only to our own families, but to those who are strangers to us and are hungry this holiday season. The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan is always collecting food for those that need it most. This holiday share some food from your pantry with those who don’t have any. More than 22,000 people are helped each week by this organization. Check with your local distributor to see if they participate in this wonderful program and what you can do to help.

Grow Tip -by Ben Horner

     So, if you have been growing for a while you have probably been to one of your local indoor gardening stores (AKA the tongue-in-cheek store you buy supplies to grow hydroponic tomatoes) and the store owner or manager hands you a bottle of what they say is the newest, best and greatest additive for your plants. Boisterous claims have been made so many times that we don’t even try half the stuff that
people offer. 

Colloidal Silver: The Do’s And The Don’ts -by Drew Dorr of Pure Michigan Genetics

       When trying to make a feminized strain I have found that the best method is to use colloidal silver to turn a clone of the strain into a male. Colloidal Silver when made properly and used properly can change the genetics of a female marijuana plant so that it will grow male pollen satchels instead of female bud calyxes. These pollen satchels do not contain the male Y chromosome because they are on a female marijuana plant and are made of female genetics and chromosomes XX. So when these genetics land on another female marijuana plant they produce female seeds. 
       So what exactly is colloidal silver?

World News -by MMM Staff

Santiago, Chile
      In Chile, consumption of marijuana is legal, but growing, selling, or transporting it is illegal and carries a penalty of up to five years in jail. The laws haven’t stopped a group of about 100 parents, named Mama Cultiva or “Mama Grow”, who have begun to grow their own and “share knowledge about cultivating marijuana to extract cannabis oil”. A majority of the parents in this group have children that suffer from seizures they use the oil to ease the intensity and frequency of the seizures.

MOSTLY VICTORY: 2014 Election Results -by Chuck Ream

     Thanks and congratulations to every person who helped
carry the torch of cannabis freedom forward! We won on Nov. 4, 2014 in Saginaw - pop. 50,790, Mount Pleasant – pop. 26,016, Berkley –pop. 14,070, Port Huron – pop 30,184, Huntington Woods – pop. 6,238 and Pleasant Ridge pop. 2,526. Lapeer – pop 8,841, lost by 6 votes. Frankfort – pop. 1,286, Onaway pop. 880, Clare pop. 3,118, and Harrison - pop. 2,114 were unsuccessful by wider margins. When you look at the numbers it seems that the real determinant of whether we won or lost is how rural the city is. It seems that majorities of voters in small towns, far from urban centers, are not with us at this time.

Free the Weed 45 -by John Sinclair

   

    Highest greetings from New Orleans, where I’m completing the last leg of my fall visit to the United States with a whirlwind of activity involving 9 performances in 7 days, most of them with the Carlo Ditta Trio & friends and the last one with pianist Tom Worrell. That’s why they call me the Hardest Working Poet In Show Business.  
     

Breakfast Ribbon Cutting With Buddy from Clio Cultivation -by Ben Horner

      Buddy from Clio Cultivation has decided move the store to a bigger location. Over the last four years Clio Cultivation has grown to become more than just a typical indoor gardening store. If you are from the mid-Michigan area you may have heard Buddy’s radio advertisements for Clio Cultivation on the Banana 101.5fm. The store doesn’t just pride itself on great prices but on great values and principles based on a commitment to make everyone a top shelf grower.
      As a family man and a grower, Buddy knows what it takes to learn how to grow. He has taken the time to find out what the best growers in the world buy. Buddy was instrumental at the Michigan High Times in Clio event this year and has networked with the top growers around the world. Many will always remember the pre-party for High Times that was held at the old location for Clio Cultivation, in the property behind the store. It was a pleasure to hang out with Buddy, his beautiful wife and kids, and of course the great staff from the store. The live music, vendors and great medicating areas everywhere, made for a great start to the weekend.
      Clio Cultivation‘s new location at 12196 North Saginaw road, is more spacious and convenient. Although store is independently owned, Buddy believes that he has a genuine partnership with the growers that frequent his shop. “The new store will accommodate every growers needs,” Buddy explains with a smile on his face. “We will have the Wall of Nutrients, which will be stocked with all of the relevant nutrients on the market in every size. I’m doing this because we can take care of the new smaller grower as well as the big boys. I hope to have shopping carts soon so people feel like they are in a supermarket.” A large inventory and great customer service has always won the day in retail.
      The grand opening at the new Clio Cultivation is December 19th, at 10am. After the ribbon cutting, breakfast will be served until the food is gone. Give-a-ways, swag and product samples will be available until they’re not. According to Buddy, everyone is welcome.

Cannabis History: The Mid 90's -by Joe Dauphinais

1994: Study Shows Cannabis Boosts Immunity
      A 16 year study of Marijuana use in HIV-infected women begins. With funding from several national organizations, the Women’s Interagency HIV Study collaboratively finds that: “Although many women reported using marijuana for social and relaxation reasons, marijuana use for symptom relief was also noted as an important motivator among these HIV-infected women.”
     

9th MMM Conference: Raising Medical Marijuana Awareness -by MMM Staff

      Medical Marijuana has made lots of positive changes in people’s health, paving the way to legitimate alternative medicine. It is good to know that people have the option to choose which medicine they are putting in their body. It is great to be able to decide between harsh chemicals like pharmaceutical drugs & a naturally grown plant that you will be using as medication. Marijuana gives us the opportunity to maintain our body’s health & well-being. Our health is the most important thing we have to achieve success in anything that we do.
   

Post-Election Statement for November 4th 2014 - by Safer Michigan Coalition

 
     We shout out our grateful thanks to the voters in all of the Michigan cities who voted Nov. 4 for cannabis law reform. These voters showed patriotism, wisdom, and courage. They affirmed common sense and American values. They won’t accept the budgetary or human costs of perpetuating “Reefer Madness” myths. They don’t want their tax dollars wasted, and they know that laws against cannabis are much more dangerous to society than cannabis. They know that pot never killed anyone, and they are watching heroin and methamphetamine become a deadly part of Michigan life. Reality is the opposite of “Reefer Madness”. We have seen that in states where cannabis is available, that death from opioid drugs drop 25%, traffic deaths drop about 9%, suicide drops, violent crime drops, and teen pot use goes down.
MICHIGAN VOTERS ARE CLEARLY READY FOR MAJOR MARIJUANA POLICY REFORM. 

VGIP UPDATE: Can We Wrap Up 2014 Already? - by Ben Horner

The November elections gave the marijuana movement

in Michigan six big wins in cities around the state, as well as some of the Safer Michigan Coalition’s first losses at the polls. The cannabis reform leaders are already gearing up for local initiatives in 2015. Now that the elections are over for the year, many activists attention has shifted back to the two bills in the Michigan legislator that many had hoped would already be passed earlier this year. 

     The Provisioning Center Bill (hb 4271) and the Concentrate and Infused-Product Bill (hb 5104) have been in the Senate for almost a year. Although the bills passed the house with an overwhelming bipartisan majority, getting the bill amended to everyone’s satisfaction has proven to be more difficult. According to current Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, law enforcement groups like the MSP and the Michigan Sheriffs Association have concerns that there are too many loop holes in the bills that could lead to more illegal marijuana sales. Inside sources tell the MMM Report that recently reelected Governor Rick Snyder would like to set up some kind of statewide dispensary oversight. As introduced, the bills leave the responsibility to local municipalities throughout Michigan to regulate these Provisioning Centers. Currently several communities, such as Ann Arbor, Detroit, Flint, Burton, Ypsilanti and others, have began licensing centers after enacting medical marijuana favorable city and township ordinances. According to a statement by Robin Snyder from the NPRA, the National Patients Rights Association, who are currently negotiating with the Governor’s staff to find a compromise before this year’s legislative session is over. The republican caucus is reluctant to approve a bill prior to the blessing from the Governor prior to moving forward with a vote in the senate. There are only nine voting days left in December, and if the bills die in the senate this year the process will start all over again next year. If they do pass, look for some last minutes deal to be cut with the Michigan Republican majority that will be different from the bills that we have seen so far. The bills would go into affect on April first next year if they are passed this December, otherwise it will take several months or maybe years to get another set of bills as far as 5104 and 4271 have come. Considering how much time, money and resources the Medical Marijuana Community has dished out on the dispensary bills, a failure here would be a big surprise and a huge let down.