The romantic comedy “It’s Complicated,” which stars Steve Martin, Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin, was recently given an R rating by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).  The rating was not due to explicit language, graphic violence, sex or nudity (many acts often seen in PG-13 movies), but because of a scene in which Martin's and Streep’s characters smoke marijuana, something over 100 million Americans have done, and nearly 15 million do at least monthly.

The most alarming aspect of this story is that the R rating was apparently not given for the actual use of marijuana, but for MPAA’s concern that the movie did not show the negative consequence of the behavior.  No drug is harmless, including marijuana, but independent scientific and government studies have concluded that the health risks of marijuana are significantly lower than those of alcohol or tobacco.

Will the MPAA now start giving movies R ratings for alcohol or cigarette use portrayed in a positive light?  I don’t think that’s necessary. But neither is giving a silly romantic comedy an R rating for a brief scene in which two responsible adults use a substance far less harmful and addictive than alcohol.

Seattle Mayor-elect Mike McGinn says he supports efforts to end marijuana prohibition in Washington state.

In an interview Friday Mayor-Elect McGinn said that marijuana should be regulated “like alcohol…not treated as a criminal activity.”  In 2003, city voters approved a measure making enforcement of marijuana laws the lowest priority for Seattle police and it now seems Seattle citizens want to go a step further.  On Mr. McGinn’s website, which asks for ideas on how to improve Seattle, “Legalize marijuana and tax it” is in second place behind expanding the city’s light rail and subway system.  If you recall, “legalizing marijuana,” was the top idea on President Obama’s change.gov website earlier this year.

Last week two Washington state Legislators submitted a bill calling for the end of the state’s prohibition on marijuana, a bill McGinn says he will support.

A few weeks ago, we asked our supporters to vote for MPP via Facebook in a holiday fundraising challenge sponsored by Chase Bank. Days before the first round of voting closed, it seemed like MPP had garnered enough votes to place in the top 100 and win $25,000, with the chance of winning $1 million.

But as you can read in this New York Times article, it appears that Chase intentionally excluded MPP and several other groups (including Students for Sensible Drug Policy) from its list of winners, presumably because they did not want to be associated with our cause.

Chase’s PR people have not admitted to any vote tinkering, even though the vote tallies were mysteriously removed several days before the contest deadline. But it is clear that Chase was being dishonest (at best) when it told voters on Facebook, “You Decide What Matters.”

Maybe someone should remind officials at Chase that ending marijuana prohibition is now—without a doubt—a mainstream issue. So why is Chase helping to censor a much-needed national debate?

John Wilson, the New Jersey man who had been charged with operating a drug manufacturing facility for the marijuana he grew to treat his multiple sclerosis, was found guilty yesterday of two lesser charges, and now faces five to 10 years in prison.

Throughout most of his trial, Wilson had been prevented from mentioning his condition, any evidence of marijuana’s therapeutic value, or the fact that New Jersey may be weeks away from becoming the 14^th state to pass a medical marijuana law.

In a small victory, Wilson was found not guilty of the most serious charge (operating a drug manufacturing facility) perhaps in part because he was finally allowed to mention his disease before the jury in the trial’s closing days. Regardless, this 37-year-old with a debilitating disease is now facing the possibility of spending the next decade of his life behind bars, simply for trying to relieve his symptoms with “one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man.”

When will the insanity stop?

The prestigious Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) published a statewide survey this month showing that 38% of likely 2010 voters in California consider legalizing marijuana a "very important" issue. Another 24% consider the issue "somewhat important." This includes voters who are passionate about ending prohibition and voters who strongly support continuing the war on marijuana.

While the 38% figure is lower than other issues expected to be on next year's California ballots, it's worth noting that just a year ago this question would not have been asked by PPIC and wasn't even on the radar for the mast majority of voters. This is a testament to the success of advocates in putting the problem of marijuana prohibition onto center stage.

How far will we push it next year?

A pair of Washington State legislators has submitted a bill to end the state’s prohibition on marijuana, similar to the one introduced by California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) back in February.  The primary sponsor of the bill, Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson (D-Seattle) says she’s happy to start the conversation about ending marijuana prohibition to get the attention of Congress.

A bill more likely to pass is the decriminalization bill introduced earlier this year, which was recently endorsed by the Washington State Bar Association.  The bill stalled last year without reaching a vote, but remains active in the upcoming 2010 session.  Lets remain hopeful that Washington lawmakers do the right thing and stop throwing citizens in jail for using a substance less harmful than alcohol.

The president signed the omnibus spending bill into law yesterday, lifting the ban on medical marijuana in Washington, D.C. It is now 100% official, and the nation's capital can begin to implement the original medical marijuana initiative from 1998.

Last week, we brought you the story of John Wilson, a 37-year-old New Jersey man who stands accused of operating a drug manufacturing facility, even though he says the marijuana he grew on his property was for personal use only to treat his multiple sclerosis. Nevertheless, Wilson is facing 20 years in prison and—most outrageously—had been prevented from mentioning his disease or anything about the effectiveness of medical marijuana to the jury, even though New Jersey might soon become the 14^th state to pass medical marijuana.

Luckily, that is no longer the case.

While taking the stand on his own behalf yesterday—and after a series of conferences between the judge and lawyers from both sides—Wilson was permitted to explain what he told police officers when they asked him about his marijuana plants: “I told them I was not a drug dealer,” he said, “and I was using the marijuana to treat my M.S.”

This is a small victory, yes, but now at least the jury has a better understanding of why Wilson was growing marijuana. If that realization still results in Wilson being found guilty, two state senators have said they will ask Gov. Jon Corzine to pardon Wilson before he leaves office next month.

Stay tuned for updates.

We told readers a few weeks ago that MPP would update them on how the government was responding to the American Medical Association’s new policy on marijuana. To refresh everyone’s memory, the AMA’s new policy is:

Our AMA urges that marijuana’s status as a federal Schedule I controlled substance be reviewed with the goal of facilitating the conduct of clinical research and development of cannabinoid-based medicines, and alternate delivery methods. This should not be viewed as an endorsement of state-based medical cannabis programs, the legalization of marijuana, or that scientific evidence on the therapeutic use of cannabis meets the current standards for a prescription drug product. (source)

So they don't go as far as we do, but they are calling for a review of marijuana's Schedule I status (Schedule I drugs being defined as having no medical value). Now, lets look at how the drug czar is characterizing it. To quote the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s latest anti-medical marijuana literature:

The American Medical Association: “To help facilitate scientific research and the development of cannabionoid-based medicines, the AMA adopted (a) new policy … This should not be viewed as an endorsement of state-based medical cannabis programs, the legalization of marijuana, or that scientific evidence on the therapeutic use of cannabis meets the current standards for a prescription drug product.” (source)

Notice the ellipses? Here is what the press release they’re quoting from actually says in full:

"To help facilitate scientific research and the development of cannabionoid-based medicines, the AMA adopted new policy urging the federal government to review marijuana's status as a Schedule I substance. Despite more than 30 years of clinical research, only a small number of randomized, controlled trials have been conducted on smoked cannabis. (source)

What you’re seeing here is a blatant misrepresentation of the American Medical Association’s policy on marijuana. The ONDCP should be held accountable, and you can help do that by sending them an e-mail here.

A new survey showing, among other things, a slight uptick in teen marijuana use, got considerable press yesterday and today. A widely-circulated Associated Press story, along with many other reports, included this claim: “The increase of teens smoking pot is partly because the national debate over medical use of marijuana can make the drugs seem safer to teenagers, researchers said.”

Baloney.

Medical marijuana burst onto the national scene in 1996, when California passed the first effective medical marijuana law, Arizona passed a flawed initiative with similar intent (whose value turned out to be only symbolic due to its wording), and the Clinton administration went ballistic. It stayed a major issue in 1998 and 1999 as a further wave of initiatives passed and the Institute of Medicine issued a report giving a qualified endorsement to medical marijuana, which has been in and out of the spotlight ever since.

In 1996, the last survey taken before any medical marijuana initiatives passed, 11.3 percent of eighth graders reported current (past 30 days) marijuana use. For 10^th graders the figure was 20.4 percent, and for 12^th graders it was 21.9 percent. In 2009, after 13 years of medical marijuana laws that now exist in 13 states, the figures for current use are 6.5 percent for eighth graders, 15.9 percent for 10^th graders and 20.6 percent for 12^th graders.

The pattern is the same for lifetime use: In every age group, marijuana use is down, not up, since the medical marijuana debate hit the national stage. That’s even true in California, where the lack of tight regulation has led to the most allegations of abuse, according to the official California Student Survey. Alas, the state no longer seems to have the data posted online, but we compiled it (and other state surveys) here.

It’s a shame that researchers who’ve been enlisted in the war on marijuana choose to repeat unfounded propaganda rather then address the reality that their federal bosses prefer to avoid: Teen access to marijuana isn’t caused by laws that let sick patients use it, it’s caused by a failed policy of prohibition that prevents the sort of sensible regulation we apply to tobacco.