Remember these are just a summary, go to www.hotboxpodcast.com to listen to the show, we try to learn ya some stuff!! 

Welcome, welcome to show number seven, and our first guest Mark! Things are still going super duper well at the office, even though groups out there will have you believe that dispensaries bring crime waves. I haven’t seen one violent criminal act toward myself or anyone else, so maybe you don’t know it ALL.  On a couple lil side notes, Marc Emery is out of solitary confinement!!  He was released at the start of July after nearly four weeks in the hole. Please still write letters and do what you can to show support!! Also there is a Montana Medical Growers Association (MMGA) meeting July 20th at 6:00pm in the Kalispell library, if you’re not from Kalispell go to montanamedicalgrowers.org to see chapters in your area.  Safe Community Safe Kids is about a week away from dead line for signatures but they are just over 8,000 of the needed 25,000 so pretty sure I stand by my previous statement that this was an epic fail.  Finally, testimonials are being requested for use in Helena from Medical Marijuana patients, please send them to ed.tamarack@gmail.com.  Now ladies and gents, light em if you got em cause we’re starting the show!

• Please welcome our first guest ever on the Hot Box, Mark!  He is employed in Human Resources and Employee Recruitment/Retention for a company here in the Flathead Valley.  He is a patient and wrote Mat and I this email: I have listened to your show and have to say that I think it is a great forum and is going to become a leading voice in the Flathead Valley guiding listeners throughout marijuana prohibition, decriminalization, and ultimately legalization. I would love to talk with you guys on  the show about the medical marijuana movement from an employer’s standpoint and what the legalities are concerning employment law, hiring/termination, drug testing, discrimination, and many other pertinent subjects surrounding our somewhat vague Initiative 148 with regards to law and labor in Montana.
  As a patient and professional in Montana, according to current laws, I am not protected on a state or federal level in regards to employment and congruent use of medical marijuana, therefore the only protection at this point can be found by making sure our rights as a citizen and an employee of the state of Montana are not violated due to unjust, inconsistent or discriminatory practices in the workplace.
  The lack of knowledge and detail surrounding Initiative 148 is astonishing and leaves a patient unsure of where he or she stands in the eye of the law; employment laws can be just as vague and unless you know what to watch for you could easily be discriminated against or have your rights violated and never be the wiser. All participants in this program can and should utilize online resources with attention to discrimination and wrongful termination if you feel that you have been treated unfairly by your employer.
  MT Wrongful Discharge Act
  MT Workforce Drug/Alcohol Testing Act
  MT Human Rights Act: Title 49 Discrimination
  Aside from the legalities there are also many, and in some cases more detrimental effects to all of society directly related to the prohibition of marijuana or any other form of discrimination. Using a word I call black-market mentality [see below definition] to describe the emotional state of anyone subjected to intimidation, discrimination or any other related trauma, one can see the negative effects on the individual and larger still, the strain piled on our already faulty society, government and economic situation. Your show and people like you two are what will keep this from happening to the residents of Montana and the Flathead Valley.
  Thanks for taking the time to read this, and all the laughs the first five episodes have provided; Keep on keeping on.

• Black-Market Mentality: a state of mind induced by society standard, historical events and opinions, education, childhood, economic background, religion, race, geographic region and many other external variables fluctuating greatly between individuals resulting in the individual, group, or idea feeling inadequate, second rate, discriminated against, isolated, or foreign and forced to hide, disguise, or avoid entirely personal actions, customs, practices, ideology, or philosophy pertaining to physical, emotional, spiritual, sexual or any other personal expression unique to the human mind and body. Taken from an essay titled Black-Market Mentality: A History by: MAW

• Employers do not have to accommodate your medical marijuana use in Montana – if you’re a good employee that stuff really shouldn’t matter though.

• Stoner kids run Big Mountain the best.

• It should be common sense but I’ll type it out DO NOT SMOKE AT WORK (please) unless of course your employer has accommodated it!

• Black market mentality is a little scary and makes me angry and has been happening forever, we gotta stop it by spreading education.

• Mark had some very nice, sweet things to say about his caregiver and I would like to say to him- it is an honor helping you, it is a pleasure talking to you and answering questions, and it is my luck to have you as a friend.  Thank you for being you and for everything you do for me.

• Bad things that happen when people are using or selling marijuana is user error, please try to remember that.

• Paris Hilton was arrested at the world cup in South Africa for marijuana but was released quickly to be sent to the US we all need a playboy throw away friend!

• 8 facts you should know about marijuana but probably didn’t.

• Finally, cops are finishing the job when they find out the stuff is legal. I’m not saying it’s ok to send stuff FedEx, I’m just saying if you do, the cops get it there safely for you in the end. Usually…

• Our fun filled show is possible thanks to you, send us emails, info@hotboxpodcast.com, follow us on Twitter, and stop by our Facebook group, and drop a lil somethin somethin in the donation jar.

• Do you want Hot Box episodes more than just once a week? We are thinking of bumping up the show to twice a week, but we want to know what you think. Email us or use the comment form on the about us page. You can also write a letter with pen and paper, or send us goodies to the PO BOX.

• Until next week, smoke safe!!

These are the notes for the most current episode of the Marijuana Podcast I host with my good friend Mat.  You can find us at www.hotboxpodcast.com, always love to hear from listeners!!

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<span style="font-weight: bold;">By Jeffrey  A. Miron</span> <p style="font-weight: bold;">In November 2010, California voters will consider a ballot initiative  that would legalize marijuana in <leo_highlight style="border-bottom: 2px solid rgb(255, 255, 150); background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-repeat: repeat; background-attachment: scroll; background-position: 0% 50%; -moz-background-size: auto auto; cursor: pointer; display: inline; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" id="leoHighlights_Underline_0" onclick="leoHighlightsHandleClick('leoHighlights_Underline_0')" onmouseover="leoHighlightsHandleMouseOver('leoHighlights_Underline_0')" onmouseout="leoHighlightsHandleMouseOut('leoHighlights_Underline_0')" leohighlights_keywords="the state" leohighlights_url_top="http://shortcuts.thebrowserhighlighter.com/leonardo/plugin/highlights/3_1/tbh_highlightsTop.jsp?keywords=the%20state&domain=www.thecrimson.com" leohighlights_url_bottom="http://shortcuts.thebrowserhighlighter.com/leonardo/plugin/highlights/3_1/tbh_highlightsBottom.jsp?keywords=the%20state&domain=www.thecrimson.com" leohighlights_underline="true">the state</leo_highlight>. The proposed  law includes restrictions on sale and use, such as a minimum purchase  age of 21, but the bill gives marijuana roughly the same legal status as  alcohol. Early polls suggest the measure will pass, although full-scale  debate has not yet occurred.</p><p style="font-weight: bold;">Marijuana legalization is a far  bigger step than decriminalization or medicalization, which have already  occurred in California and other states. Decriminalization legalizes  possession of small amounts of marijuana, but it does not eliminate the  underground market or permit easy taxation. Medicalization is closer to  legalization, but it still leaves producers and consumers in a legal  gray area and collects less revenue than legalization.</p><p style="font-weight: bold;">Should  California, or the country, legalize marijuana? Yes, for a multitude of  reasons.</p><p style="font-weight: bold;">Legalization will move the marijuana industry above  ground, just as the repeal of alcohol prohibition restored the legal  alcohol industry. A small component of the marijuana market might remain  illicit—moonshine marijuana rather than moonshine whiskey—but if  regulation and taxation are moderate, most producers and consumers will  choose the legal sector, as they did with alcohol.</p><p style="font-weight: bold;">Legalization  would therefore eliminate most of the violence and corruption that  currently characterize marijuana markets. These occur because, in  underground markets, participants cannot resolve disputes via  non-violent mechanisms such as lawsuits, advertising, lobbying, or  campaign contributions. Instead, producers and consumers in these  markets use violence to resolve disputes with each other and bribery or  violence to resolve disputes with law enforcement. These features of  “vice” markets disappear when vice is legal, as abundant experience with  alcohol, prostitution, and gambling all demonstrate.</p>                                                    <p style="font-weight: bold;">Legalization would result in numerous other benefits.  Medical marijuana patients would no longer suffer legal limbo or social  stigma from using marijuana to treat nausea from chemotherapy, glaucoma,  or other conditions. Infringements on civil liberties and racial  profiling would decline, since victimless crimes are a key cause of such  police behavior. Quality control would improve because sellers could  advertise and establish reputations for a consistent product, allowing  consumers to choose low or high-potency marijuana.</p><p style="font-weight: bold;">Legalization  would also generate budgetary savings for state and federal governments,  both by eliminating expenditures on enforcement and by allowing  taxation of legalized sales. I recently estimated that the net impact  would be a deficit reduction of about $20 billion per year, summed over  all levels of government.</p><p style="font-weight: bold;">The one impact of legalization that  might be undesirable is an increase in marijuana use, but the magnitude  of this increase is likely to be modest. The repeal of alcohol  prohibition in the U.S. produced about a 20 percent increase in use,  while Portugal’s 2001 de facto legalization of marijuana did not cause  any measurable increase; indeed, use was lower afterward. Across  countries, use rates for marijuana show little connection to the  strictness of the prohibition regime. The <leo_highlight style="border-bottom: 2px solid rgb(255, 255, 150); background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; cursor: pointer; display: inline; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" id="leoHighlights_Underline_1" onclick="leoHighlightsHandleClick('leoHighlights_Underline_1')" onmouseover="leoHighlightsHandleMouseOver('leoHighlights_Underline_1')" onmouseout="leoHighlightsHandleMouseOut('leoHighlights_Underline_1')" leohighlights_keywords="netherlands" leohighlights_url_top="http://shortcuts.thebrowserhighlighter.com/leonardo/plugin/highlights/3_1/tbh_highlightsTop.jsp?keywords=netherlands&domain=www.thecrimson.com" leohighlights_url_bottom="http://shortcuts.thebrowserhighlighter.com/leonardo/plugin/highlights/3_1/tbh_highlightsBottom.jsp?keywords=netherlands&domain=www.thecrimson.com" leohighlights_underline="true">Netherlands</leo_highlight> has virtual  legalization, for example, yet use rates do not greatly differ from  those in the United States.</p><p style="font-weight: bold;">An increase in marijuana use,  moreover, is not necessarily bad. If the ballot initiative passes,  people who would like to use marijuana but abstain due to prohibition  would be able to consume responsibly; legalization would allow them to  enjoy marijuana without fear of arrest or incarceration and without  concern over quality. Some new users might generate adverse consequences  for themselves or others, such as driving under the influence, but most  irresponsible users are disregarding the law and consuming already.</p><p style="font-weight: bold;">Legalization  will not, of course, eliminate all negatives of marijuana use. But just  as the harms of alcohol prohibition were worse than the harms of  alcohol itself, the adverse effects of marijuana prohibition are worse  than the unwanted consequences of marijuana use. Legalization is  therefore the better policy.</p><p style="font-weight: bold;">The ideal way to legalize marijuana  is for the federal government to end its ban, while allowing each state  to regulate and tax marijuana as it sees fit. This would circumvent the  complicated constitutional issues that will arise if the California  initiative passes, as federal law would still prohibit marijuana.</p><p style="font-weight: bold;">But  California’s initiative is nevertheless a valuable step, since the  federal government is not yet ready to legalize. The California bill  brings attention to the issue and, if adopted, will encourage other  states and the federal government to follow suit.</p><p style="font-weight: bold;">The U.S.  experiment with marijuana prohibition is just as misguided as was its  earlier experiment with alcohol prohibition. We learned our lesson once;  it is time to learn it again.</p>

He was the most amazing man you would have ever met. The greatest father he could be. I will always be Daddy's little girl. I know that now he is watching me from above, smiling because he's finally truly happy. His addiction took him over. Addiction is a disease. Not a choice. Because I know if my dad had a choice he'd still be here. He loved my sister, my mother and I more than life itself. Now he is in a better place and no longer suffering. 

If any of you wold like to offer your condolences you can visit www.mem.com and type in Eric [first name] Hutsell [last] 

all condolences are greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking your time to read this, and may you remember his name forever. :]

Love, Amber Rain

Immediately following her Tuesday speech at the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America's national convention, a marijuana advocacy group says it will offer former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin $25,000 to deliver a similar address to supporters of a regulated cannabis market in the United States.

In exchange for the $25,000, Palin will be asked to speak at one of the upcoming events of Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws (NSML), according to NSML campaign manager Dave Schwartz.

According to Schwartz, Palin will be asked to acknowledge the fact that marijuana is just as legitimate a recreational substance as alcohol, which she is talking about at the WSWA convention (and in fact, marijuana is objectively much safer), and endorse taxing and regulating marijuana in Nevada and throughout the U.S.

"There's no reason why former Governor Palin should reject our offer," Schwartz said. "The health effects of the substance she is talking about at the WSWA convention cause some 33,000 deaths in the U.S. annually. The comparable number for marijuana is zero."

"Alcohol is also associated with violent crime and other destructive acts, while marijuana is not," Schwartz said. "If Gov. Palin is comfortable endorsing that product, we are certain she will endorse ours. We look forward to negotiating with her team to find a time that works in her schedule."

"Let me make one thing clear," Schwartz said. "In making this offer, we are not intending to attack the alcohol industry or alcohol users. Rather, we're highlighting the fact that marijuana is objectively less harmful than alcohol."

"It makes no sense to keep marijuana in the criminal market while a former vice-presidential candidate celebrates the alcohol industry," Schwartz said. "We want legitimate businesspeople in Nevada to benefit from the sales of marijuana, and we want adults to be free to choose whichever substance they prefer -- marijuana or alcohol -- when they relax after work."

NSML is a ballot advocacy group formed in Nevada to support a 2012 ballot initiative to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol in Nevada

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It's official now! California state officials announced yesterday that the initiative to legalize marijuana (the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010) has the required number of verified signatures to place it on the ballot this November. The initiative needed 433,971 signatures, and that was exceeded when the verified signatures from Los Angeles county were turned in this week.

If approved in the coming election, the initiative would legalize the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana for people at least 21 years-old. It would also allow adults to grow up to 25 square feet of marijuana per residence or parcel of land. Currently, possession of an ounce or less of marijuana is punishable by a fine of $100 (a misdemeanor).

One of the most interesting aspects of the initiative is that it would allow cities and counties to authorize the cultivation, transportation and sale of marijuana, and to tax that marijuana. In this recession and jobless economy, most government entities are having trouble balancing their budgets, and this could be the idea that pushes the initiative over the top.

There is a real chance the marijuana legalization initiative could be approved by the voters in November. Recent polls have shown that a majority of Californians are in favor of marijuana legalization. It just depends on who shows up at the polls to vote.

This could be a boon for Democrats, because it could draw many young people to the polls (an age group that favors both legalization and Democrats). While huge numbers of young people went to the polls in 2008 to support President Obama, many have been turned off by the tenor of Washington politics and weren't expected to vote this year. This initiative could change that and offset the energized right-wing voters.

It's time for marijuana to be legalized in the United States. Too many lies have been told about the gentle herb, which is not addictive, has no lethal dosage, and has far less (if any) long-term medical problems than many legal drugs (such as tobacco and alcohol). The only reason it has not already been legalized is because the government has repeatedly lied to the American people. These lies allow them to keep soaking taxpayers for millions of dollars in the failed "war on drugs" (which is nothing but a modern version of prohibition).

The nation will be watching California in November. If they do approve the legalization of marijuana, we can expect this to start spreading to other states. Whatever happens, the vote will probably be close. For now, we'll just have to cross our fingers and wait to see what happens.

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<span style="font-size:130%;"><b>Hello Everyone,
This episode is called 'Smoke Weed'  There isn't much to add to this title, what description could there be?  Roll a fat one and listen.  Whatever.

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featuring music &amp; spoken word, in order of appearance, from:

Khi Darag - "Mastom Mastom"
High Ceiling - "Reality"
Pat Condell - "The crooked judges of Amsterdam"
Lachi - "Paranoid Android"
Retro Deluxe - "Baby Its Hot"
Finlay Morton - "The Devil Aint Getting My Soul"
high - "Stop Da War"
Country Joe &amp; the Fish - "I Like Marijuana"


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By John Hoeffel



LOS ANGELES — Fourteen years after California decided marijuana could be used as medicine and ignited a national movement, the state is likely to vote on whether to take a decisive step into the vanguard of drug liberalization: legalizing the weed for fun and profit.


On Wednesday, Los Angeles elections officials must turn in their count of valid signatures collected in the county on a statewide legalization initiative. The number is virtually certain to be enough to qualify the initiative for the November ballot, according to a tally kept by state election officials.


That again will make California the focal point of the long-stewing argument over marijuana legalization, a debate likely to be a high-dollar brawl between adversaries.


Proponents will cite the financial and social cost of enforcing pot prohibition and argue that marijuana is not as dangerous and addictive as tobacco or alcohol. Opponents will highlight marijuana-linked crimes, increasing teenage use and the harm the weed causes some smokers.


But the debate also will play out against a cultural landscape that has changed substantially over the years, with marijuana moving from dark street corners to neon-lit suburban boutiques. In the months since the Obama administration ordered agents to lay off dispensaries, hundreds have opened.


The measure's supporters hope this dynamic will shift the debate, allowing them to persuade voters to replace prohibition with controlled sales that could be taxed to help California's cities and counties. "They already accept that it's out there. They want to see a smart strategy," said Chris Lehane, a top strategist for the legalization campaign.


But John Lovell, a Sacramento lobbyist for law-enforcement groups, said he believes voters will reject that argument. "Why on earth would you want to add yet another mind-altering substance to the legal array?" he asked.



Washington proposal



California is not alone in weighing legalization. Several state legislatures have considered bills, and two other Western states may vote on initiatives. A campaign in Washington hopes to put a legalization measure on the November ballot. And a Nevada measure being pushed for 2012 would allow retail stores.

The Washington proposal would remove state criminal penalties for adults who possess, grow and distribute marijuana — no matter how much. Criminal penalties for juveniles who possess marijuana and for adults who provide it to juveniles would remain in place. Driving under the influence of the drug would still be a violation.


"I am confident we have a really good shot at getting the signatures," said Philip Dawdy, campaign director for Sensible Washington, the group trying to put the measure on the ballot.


Dawdy said the group has about 1,300 volunteer signature-gatherers and needs to collect 241,152 valid signatures by July 2.



It's "a little less predictable" to gather signatures with an all-volunteer staff, Dawdy said, but the group has had success across the state. He said one signature-gatherer working the Bainbridge Island ferry run collected 800 signatures in 21/2 weeks and that a Bremerton head shop collected 400 by putting a copy of the petition on the counter.


"We're active all over town and all over the state," Dawdy said.


Gathering signatures



The 10-page California initiative would allow anyone 21 or older to possess, share and transport up to one ounce for personal use and to grow up to 25 square feet per residence or parcel. It would allow local governments, but not the state, to authorize the cultivation, transportation and sale of marijuana and to impose taxes.


By Tuesday, most local election officials had reviewed petitions circulated in their counties, reporting more than 412,000 valid signatures. To make the ballot, the measure needs 433,971. Los Angeles County, where 142,246 signatures were collected, is expected to put it over the top.


All the major candidates for governor have shunned the initiative, including Democrat Jerry Brown, who as governor in 1975 signed a law that dramatically reduced marijuana penalties.


Polls have shown that a slim majority of California voters want to legalize marijuana. Both sides will shape their arguments to take aim at wavering voters. Supporters say the undecideds are primarily women in their 30s and 40s with children.


The hope is to persuade these voters that it's time for a fresh approach to a drug that is a fact of life in California. The wisest plan, supporters argue, is to allow cities and counties to regulate sales and impose taxes to help them escape their budget disasters.


Two independent pollsters, Mark Baldassare of the Public Policy Institute of California and Mark DiCamillo of the Field Poll, said the state's budget woes may heighten the measure's appeal.


"Whether voters are really there, whether they want to legalize marijuana, I would probably tend to say no, but given the drastic state of the budget, I don't know," said DiCamillo, calling the issue a wild card. "The climate may actually help it a bit."


Opponents will cite a national survey that found an increase in teens trying marijuana last year. And they are emphasizing the danger of drugged drivers. In a column, Ventura County Sheriff Bob Brooks cited a 2007 accident in which a driver high on marijuana crashed into a stopped vehicle, killing its driver and critically injuring a Highway Patrol officer.