By Mike Maharrey

Yesterday, the California Assembly overwhelmingly passed a bill that would set the foundation to nullify in practice some Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules that deny access to experimental treatments by terminally ill patients.

A massive bipartisan coalition of 29 Assembly members introduced Assembly Bill 1668 (AB1668) on Jan. 15. The legislation would give terminally ill patients access to medicines not yet given final approval for use by the FDA.

On Tuesday, the Assembly passed AB1668 by a 77-2 margin.

The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act prohibits general access to experimental drugs. However, under the expanded access provision of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. 360bbb, patients with serious or immediately life-threatening diseases may access experimental drugs after receiving express FDA approval.

AB1668 would bypass the FDA expanded access program and allow patients to obtain experimental drugs from manufacturers without first obtaining FDA approval. This procedure directly conflicts with the federal expanded access program and sets the stage to nullify it in practice.

“Americans shouldn’t have to ask the government for permission to try to save their own lives,” said Darcy Olsen, president of the Goldwater Institute. “They should be able to work with their doctors directly to decide what potentially life-saving treatments they are willing to try. This is exactly what Right To Try does.”

Last year, the California legislature passed a similar bill, but Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed it. Despite the overwhelming support in the legislature, there was no attempt to override the veto.

The legislation features several provisions that would facilitate the state program. It would authorize, but not require, a health benefit plan to provide coverage for any investigational treatment pursuant to the law. It would also prohibit the Medical Board of California and the Osteopathic Medical Board of California from taking any disciplinary action against the license of a physician based solely on a recommendation to an eligible patient regarding treatment with an investigational drug. Finally, the bill would prohibit a state agency from altering any recommendation made to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regarding a health care provider’s certification to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid program based solely on the recommendation from an individual health care provider that a patient have access to an experimental treatment or drug.

More than two-dozen other states have already approved ‘Right to Try’ legislation. However, passage in California would prove particularly significant, not only because of the impact of the state’s politics on national policy in general, but also because it follows a path that voters there started 20 years ago.

Back in 1996, California voters recognized that keeping medicine away from sick people was a federal policy they could no longer ignore, and they passed Prop. 215 to legalize medical marijuana. The Right to Try Act is based on the same principle. And when enough people and enough states say no to federal bans, there’s not much that Washington D.C. can do about it.

AB1668 will now move to the Senate for further consideration.

Michael Maharrey [send him email] is the Communications Director for the Tenth Amendment Center, where this article first appeared. He proudly resides in the original home of the Principles of ’98 – Kentucky.

(activistpost.com)

By Justin Gardner

A curious thing is happening as the war on weed crumbles before knowledge and reason. The propaganda campaign orchestrated during the 20^th century by the State and its corporate allies is unraveling, exposing the absurdity of prohibition.

Since the gates have been pried open–to an extent–for medical cannabis research, we are discovering amazing benefits of this plant for a variety of ailments. Yet it is still classified by federal government as a Schedule 1 drug with “no medicinal value and high potential for addiction.”

Meanwhile, alcohol and cigarettes—other psychoactive drugs that actually do kill people—have no medicinal value and are highly addictive, yet are not subject to Controlled Substances classification.

Now, one more false tenet of Reefer Madness believers is being dispelled.

A major study from Washington University School of Medicine, to be published in June, found that teen use of cannabis has significantly decreased as states legalize cannabis.

Researchers examined 12 years of data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Instances of cannabis use fell by 10 percent, while “the number of adolescents who had problems related to marijuana — such as becoming dependent on the drug or having trouble in school and in relationships — declined by 24 percent…”

This raised an important point. While responsible adult cannabis use is far less harmful than “legal drug” use, the abuse of any drug—including cannabis—is detrimental to one’s health, especially on the developing adolescent brain. Cannabis has legitimate therapeutic benefits, but like any drug can exacerbate problems that kids have in dealing with school or troubling facets of their life.

“We were surprised to see substantial declines in marijuana use and abuse,” said study author Richard A. Grucza. “We don’t know how legalization is affecting young marijuana users, but it could be that many kids with behavioral problems are more likely to get treatment earlier in childhood, making them less likely to turn to pot during adolescence. But whatever is happening with these behavioral issues, it seems to be outweighing any effects of marijuana decriminalization.”

While this study cannot show a causal connection between the decline in cannabis use in adolescents and state legalization, the fear-mongering of prohibitionists that hordes of kids are going to start smoking weed has been proven wrong.

The results of this study suggest another intriguing reality—as the taboo of something is removed, it can become less appealing or less ripe for abuse. Since kids can get real information on cannabis instead of lies and disinformation, they can make better choices.

If this is true, as well as teen cannabis use declining in part due of legalization, it follows that government is once again promoting sustained harm on the well-being of the populace. By keeping cannabis illegal, while stifling real information and pushing propaganda, the State may have increased abuse and behavioral problems among our nation’s youth.

All in all, kids seem to be taking a turn for the better.

“Adolescent crime rates have been declining for about 20 years,” Grucza told Forbes. “Teenage pregnancy rates are at an all time low. Binge drinking among high school students is dropping. (Though you wouldn’t know any of this from news coverage).”

Grucza went on to say:

It is likely that more states will continue to legalize, and no matter how well it is regulated, it will make it easier for kids to get access to marijuana, and some portion of these kids will develop problems. However, I think our results suggest that overall, kids are becoming less susceptible to getting hooked. My bet is that this will outweigh the effects of legalization.

Justin Gardner writes for TheFreeThoughtProject.com, where this article first appeared.


(activistpost.com)

During the last 10 days close to 40 volcanos worldwide have been showing signs of activity and great deal of them, 34, are located along the very active Ring Fire.

Considering that in the 20th century the average number of volcanic eruptions was 35 per year, what we are seeing just this week is above last century´s average for an entire year. This increasing volcanic activity around the the Ring of Fire is not new, the region is home to 452 volcanoes, 75% of all earth's, and geologists have been warning that this 25,000 mile stretch of active and dormant volcanoes is becoming more unstable in recent years.

Sinabung, the deadliest eruption of the week

During the weekend of May 21 and 22, the northern skies of the Indonesian island of Sumatra were covered with a thick black cloud of ash and gases resulting from the eruption of Mount Sinabung, Indonesia's most active volcano. Several cities in the area were evacuated and in the village of Gembar, seven people lost their lives, all of them farmers, after inhaling deadly gases. Sinabung is one of the many active volcanoes in the island, and after showing signs of activity back in early November of 2014, many residents in the area were forced to relocate in other villages of northern Sumatra located at a safer distance from the volcano.

OBAMA PROCLAIMS JUNE LGBT PRIDE MONTH

"We recognize all they have done to bring us to this point..."

The Obama administration yesterday declared the month of June to be LGBT Pride month.

As in the previous seven years, an official declaration on the White House website Monday calls for Americans to unite behind the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community.

“The fight for dignity and equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people is reflected in the tireless dedication of advocates and allies who strive to forge a more inclusive society,” the president wrote. “They have spurred sweeping progress by changing hearts and minds and by demanding equal treatment — under our laws, from our courts, and in our politics. This month, we recognize all they have done to bring us to this point, and we recommit to bending the arc of our Nation toward justice.”

“NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2016 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month,” dictated the 44th US president. “I call upon the people of the United States to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, and to celebrate the great diversity of the American people.”

The latest proclamation arrived with little fanfare; no tweets, Facebook posts or rainbow-colored White House.

The president’s announcement comes as the administration has inserted itself amid a heated debate over public school transgender bathroom rules, with the White House currently embroiled in a legal battle with North Carolina, as several states sue the federal government claiming overreach.

Last June, Obama stoked controversy when he ordered the White House lit in the colors of the rainbow following a Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage.

An issue of Newsweek in May 2012 also labeled Obama “The First Gay President” for his legacy in progressing the gay-rights movement.

Follow SnakeMannn @SnakeMannn @AndreaTantaros The Feminization of America comes directly from the 1st Gay president #Obama i.e. Newsweek Magazine 12:43 PM - 22 Dec 2015 66 Retweets 55 likes

(infowars.com)