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Gila/Mimbres Community Radio hosted a lecture on medical marijuana Thursday night by writer Martin A. Lee, author of Smoke Signals: A Social History of Marijuana – Medical, Recreational, and Scientific.
Lee's lecture elaborated on the chemicals and legislation at the core of the medical marijuana debate, a subject touched upon in his book. Specifically, he focused on the chemical cannabidiol. Cannabidiol is a lesser known chemical present in cannabis of which even government-funded scientific studies have found numerous health benefits.
At the open of his lecture, Lee admitted that he was not a scientist, but a journalist who had, for decades, covered the marijuana industry in California and around the world.
While Thursday evening's lecture covered mainly the medical aspect of marijuana, it followed another at noon. At the earlier presentation, Lee stuck to his book more and focused on the social history of the plant.
These also worked as fundraisers for the radio station, with donations accepted.
Lee's appearances are the first in what Kyle Johnson hopes will be many writer visits at the burgeoning station.
Years ago, Johnson, secretary/treasurer of the Gila/Mimbres Community Radio Board of Directors, worked with the International Relations Center, a Silver City-based progressive policy think tank. Through this group, he became acquainted with a large pool of writers – journalists, activists, authors and academics.
"At the time, the best way for these men and women to spread their knowledge was by trying to get an op-ed somewhere," said Johnson.
The problem was that often the information was quite academic and required more breadth than they would be allotted in a publication.
"I always thought radio would be as better vessel for this type of thing and now with programs like Al Jazeera and other radio programs, these same people are getting their word out," Johnson said. "That's one of the things I would like for us to do here."
The idea for Gila/Mimbres Community Radio first arose in response to the vacuum left in 2005 by the closing of several local radio stations. In 2007, the FCC finally opened a "window" for full power FM non-commercial/educational licenses. What followed was a period of close competition with other parties interested in the same radio market and a series of many hopeful grasps at fruition. In the end, Gila/Mimbres Community Radio pulled through and received authorization to begin construction. In late October of last year, the radio station held its first open house at its current location, 519 B Bullard St.
Since then, they've been busy, recording and airing a number of regular local programs like "Men Speak Out Against Domestic Violence," a series in partnership with El Refugio in which men who are leaders in the community read stories of domestic violence; and "Earth Matters," an expansive, full-length environmental program in collaboration with New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, Gila Resources Information Project and Upper Gila Watershed Alliance. GMCR also airs syndicated programs like Al Jazeera and Democracy Now. There office has regular hours now, from noon to four, Monday through Friday.
The next step is live broadcasts, which they hope to begin very soon. They have recently found two engineers, Andrew Madden and David Sylvester, who will be able to share recording duties with Johnson to lighten the load.
Lee was impressed.
"If I lived in Silver City, I would definitely be a member of Gila Mimbres Community Radio," he said.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: scsun-news.com
Author: Benjamin Fisher
Contact: bfisher@scsun-news.com
Website: Author discuses benefits of medical marijuana during radio lecture - Silver City Sun-News
Lee's lecture elaborated on the chemicals and legislation at the core of the medical marijuana debate, a subject touched upon in his book. Specifically, he focused on the chemical cannabidiol. Cannabidiol is a lesser known chemical present in cannabis of which even government-funded scientific studies have found numerous health benefits.
At the open of his lecture, Lee admitted that he was not a scientist, but a journalist who had, for decades, covered the marijuana industry in California and around the world.
While Thursday evening's lecture covered mainly the medical aspect of marijuana, it followed another at noon. At the earlier presentation, Lee stuck to his book more and focused on the social history of the plant.
These also worked as fundraisers for the radio station, with donations accepted.
Lee's appearances are the first in what Kyle Johnson hopes will be many writer visits at the burgeoning station.
Years ago, Johnson, secretary/treasurer of the Gila/Mimbres Community Radio Board of Directors, worked with the International Relations Center, a Silver City-based progressive policy think tank. Through this group, he became acquainted with a large pool of writers – journalists, activists, authors and academics.
"At the time, the best way for these men and women to spread their knowledge was by trying to get an op-ed somewhere," said Johnson.
The problem was that often the information was quite academic and required more breadth than they would be allotted in a publication.
"I always thought radio would be as better vessel for this type of thing and now with programs like Al Jazeera and other radio programs, these same people are getting their word out," Johnson said. "That's one of the things I would like for us to do here."
The idea for Gila/Mimbres Community Radio first arose in response to the vacuum left in 2005 by the closing of several local radio stations. In 2007, the FCC finally opened a "window" for full power FM non-commercial/educational licenses. What followed was a period of close competition with other parties interested in the same radio market and a series of many hopeful grasps at fruition. In the end, Gila/Mimbres Community Radio pulled through and received authorization to begin construction. In late October of last year, the radio station held its first open house at its current location, 519 B Bullard St.
Since then, they've been busy, recording and airing a number of regular local programs like "Men Speak Out Against Domestic Violence," a series in partnership with El Refugio in which men who are leaders in the community read stories of domestic violence; and "Earth Matters," an expansive, full-length environmental program in collaboration with New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, Gila Resources Information Project and Upper Gila Watershed Alliance. GMCR also airs syndicated programs like Al Jazeera and Democracy Now. There office has regular hours now, from noon to four, Monday through Friday.
The next step is live broadcasts, which they hope to begin very soon. They have recently found two engineers, Andrew Madden and David Sylvester, who will be able to share recording duties with Johnson to lighten the load.
Lee was impressed.
"If I lived in Silver City, I would definitely be a member of Gila Mimbres Community Radio," he said.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: scsun-news.com
Author: Benjamin Fisher
Contact: bfisher@scsun-news.com
Website: Author discuses benefits of medical marijuana during radio lecture - Silver City Sun-News
