cannabis USA -- With 16 states having decriminalized or legalized cannabis for non-medical use and eight more heading toward some kind of legalization, federal prohibition’s days seem numbered. You might wonder what America will look like when marijuana is in the corner store and at the farmers market. In three years spent researching that question, I found some ideas about the plant that just don’t hold up.
By Kristen Wyatt, Associated Press Source: Associated Press
Denver -- Marijuana as a potential tax bonanza has Colorado lawmakers wrestling with a question both sides say they don't know how to answer: How much will people pay for legal weed? The state House advanced a taxing measure Monday to levy a pot tax in excess of 25 percent, a reduction from the 30 percent rate lawmakers considered last week.
By Neal Peirce, Syndicated Columnist Source: Seattle Times
Washington, D.C. -- The time is at hand for the Obama administration to stop dithering, to take a clear position on the rights of Washington state and Colorado — and by precedent all others — to experiment with legalized marijuana. That’s what Govs. Jay Inslee of Washington and John Hickenlooper of Colorado are asking the Justice Department to do — even though they personally opposed the marijuana legalization measures their voters approved last November.
Denver -- As tens of thousands of people gather to celebrate and smoke marijuana in Denver, police will be out in full force. But it's not the pot smoking they're concerned about at the yearly event, billed as the nation's largest April 20 celebration. Instead, police say they're focused on crowd security in light of attacks that killed three at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. "We're aware of the events in Boston," said Denver police spokesman Aaron Kafer, who declined to give specifics about security measures being taken. "Our message to the public is that, if you see something, say something."
UPDATE 7:07 pm CT: In the minutes after the shooting, three individuals were shot by an unknown assailant. None of the injuries were described as life-threatening. Approximately seven gunshots were heard shortly before 5pm, less than an hour after the rally's keynote address completed. It was initially reported that two people had been shot, along with one of the individual's pet dog. However, the Denver Police Department tweeted that a third individual, a juvenile, was grazed by a bullet and escorted themselves to nearby hospital.
The attorneys at Connor & Connor Pllc. defend Nevada residents and companies who are facing charges, or need legal advice relating to medical marijuana. In order to assist our potential clients we have provided the following list of frequently asked questions and a summary of Nevada’s medical marijuana laws.
cannabis Montpelier, Vermont -- The marijuana samples were discreetly tucked into a Manila envelope. Public Safety Commissioner Keith Flynn didn’t ask for them to be brought out until the end of his testimony to the House Judiciary Committee and said he couldn’t pass them around.
Marijuana is illegal, Flynn noted, so he had to be discreet, but he wanted the committee to see what 1 and 2 ounces looked like as legislators consider decriminalizing small amounts. The definition of a “small amount” matters, Flynn said. He said he supports decriminalization, but 2 ounces is too much.
Two Hardin men will go to federal prison for their activities in Eastern Montana Cannabis, a Hardin-based medical marijuana operation that grew and distributed marijuana to people in the Hardin and Miles City communities.
Ross T. Pattison, 50, and Brandon Lee Strecker, 39, apologized and said they regretted getting involved in the state’s once-booming medical marijuana industry.
“If I never hear the words ‘medical marijuana’ again, it will be too soon,” Pattison told Chief U.S. District Judge Richard Cebull during a hearing Thursday.
Colorado -- Entrepreneurs looking to profit from Colorado's legalization of recreational pot use are praising proposed rules that could encourage marijuana tourism.
The task force drawing up regulations to govern the marijuana http://www.drreefer.com/ law recommended late Tuesday that state legislators shouldn't require those purchasing pot to be residents. Reflecting some concerns however, the task force recommended that tourists should be able to purchase only small amounts of marijuana and suggested potentially putting up notices at stores and airports warning travelers not to take marijuana http://www.drreefer.com out of the state.
By Rachel LaCorte, The Associated Press Source: Associated Press
Olympia, Wash. -- More than a dozen people, many of them medical marijuana patients or providers, testified Monday against a measure to tax medical marijuana dispensaries, an effort to undermine any black market when sale of state-taxed recreational marijuana starts at the end of this year.
The bill, which had a public hearing before the House Finance Committee, would hit dispensaries with a tax equal to 25 percent of their sales of cannabis and cannabis-infused products.
By Kristen Wyatt, Associated Press Source: Associated Press http://www.drreefer.com/ Denver -- Marijuana may be coming out of the black market in Colorado and Washington state, but the drug, at least for now, will retain a decidedly underground feel: Users may not know what's in it.
Less than a year away from allowing pot sales, regulators are grappling with how to ensure that the nation's first legal marijuana industry will grow weed that delivers only the effects that pot smokers want.
Washington, D.C. -- Advocates for the legalization of marijuana http://www.drreefer.com plan to step up their political giving and lobbying efforts now that members of Congress are taking an interest in changing federal drug laws.
The lobbyists say lawmakers who wouldn’t give them the time of day are suddenly interested in meeting with them and introducing legislation following the approval of ballot initiatives in Colorado and Washington that legalized recreational use of the drug.
Washington State -- Despite the legalization of medical marijuana in 18 states and the District of Columbia, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) still classifies pot as a Schedule I drug, along with heroin, LSD and others. State Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, wants to change this. The Senate Health Care Committee today heard Kohl Welles' formal request that the DEA reclassify medical marijuana as a Schedule II substance.
cannabis USA -- Driven by a groundswell of public opinion, Colorado and Washington state last November became the first states in the U.S. to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. That wave of support, it now seems clear, has echoed through the U.S. Congress, which Tuesday formally questioned the federal government’s prohibitionist drug policy in the form of marijuana reform bills.
Representatives Jared Polis, D-Colo., and Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., introduced two separate bills that would drastically change U.S. marijuana laws by addressing what they say are the human and fiscal costs associated with marijuana-related arrests.
By John Laidler, Globe Correspondent Source: Boston Globe
medical Massachusetts -- Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy has vetoed a proposed city ordinance restricting the location of medical marijuana dispensaries in Lynn, citing a concern that it might be unconstitutional.
Concerned about possible public safety impacts, some cities and towns have adopted or are considering local bans or restrictions on the locations of dispensaries, while others are waiting until after the state issues regulations by May 1.
USA -- When citizens of Colorado and Washington voted to legalize marijuana in November they created a conflict, because pot remains illegal under federal law and anyone who lights up is committing a federal crime and could theoretically still be arrested for it. After Colorado passed the referendum, Governor John Hickenlooper said the implementation of the law in his state would be a “complicated process” and he warned residents not to “break out the Cheetos or Goldfish too quickly.”
While it seems unlikely that the federal government will make much of an effort to arrest pot users in Colorado or Washington—Obama has said he has “bigger fish to fry”— the tension between federal and state laws on marijuana remains. Just last week, an appeals court rejected a suit that sought to lower the classification of medical marijuana under federal drug laws.
Los Angeles Times Editorial Source: Los Angeles Times
USA -- For a muscular agency that combats vicious drug criminals, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration acts like a terrified and obstinate toddler when it comes to basic science. For years, the DEA and the National Institute for Drug Abuse have made it all but impossible to develop a robust body of research on the medical uses of marijuana.
A pro-marijuana group lost its legal battle this week when a federal appellate court ruled that marijuana would remain a Schedule I drug, defined as having no accepted medical value and a high potential for abuse. The court deferred to the judgment of federal authorities, quoting the DEA's statement that "the effectiveness of a drug must be established in well-controlled, well-designed, well-conducted and well-documented scientific studies.... To date, such studies have not been performed."
Pot-law reformers to seek rehearing By Jordan Smith, 4:22PM, Wed. Jan. 23 Bid to Reschedule Pot Denied by Federal Court More than a decade after the Coalition to Reschedule Cannabis first petitioned the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to reschedule marijuana for medicinal purposes, the U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Columbia ruled Jan. 22 that the DEA was right to refuse to do so. At issue is whether marijuana should be reclassified from a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act to a less restrictive classification on Schedule III, IV, or V. Schedule I is the most restrictive of all drug classifications and carries with it the burden that the drug in question has been deemed to have no "currently accepted medical use." That determination is arrived at via a five-part test, including a determination of whether there are "adequate and well-controlled" scientific studies proving the drug's efficacy. And that is the sticking point for pot, according to the court's Tuesday ruling.
Forgive the racially offensive headline as it should inflame and anger the reader and cause an outcry for the crucifixion of the reporter but the fury should instead be directed at two other parties; a West Texas juror who uttered this phrase and the U.S. federal court who sentenced a Jamaican National musician to thirty years in prison for possessing marijuana seeds. For sixteen years, his story has gone unreported.
And you may remember Federal District Judge Robert Junell who vacated Yolanda Madden’s sentence after a notorious NeverGetBusted investigation labeled, “KopBusters,” caught the Odessa Police Department raiding a trap house set by this reporter and his team of investigative journalists. Keep reading.
cannabis Yakima, Wash. -- Irrigation canals line Washington’s Yakima Valley east of the Cascade Range, transforming a desert landscape into one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world — including crops for some of America’s biggest vices. Thousands of acres of wine grapes dot the landscape, contributing to Washington’s No. 2 rank for premium wine production behind California.
Farmers grow more than two-thirds of U.S. hops for big beer companies and craft brewers alike, and a large tobacco field is flourishing on a valley Indian reservation. Now that Washington voters have legalized marijuana, will a region long recognized as one of the country’s leading fruit bowls, best celebrated for Washington apples, become known as the vice belt? Not necessarily.
If you suffer from a condition or disease that you feel can benefit from medical marijuana or are currently using marijuana to treat your condition, it's time you get a legal recommendation from a physician who specializes in medical marijuana.
Wellness Center is a network of highly trained doctors who specialize in providing safe, affordable, and reliable access to patients seeking a medical marijuana evaluation. All of our physicians are board certified in Nevada, knowledgeable about NRS 453A and are dedicated to providing outstanding care.
Las Vegas -- In a decision destined for appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court, a state court judge has ruled the state's medical marijuana distribution law is unconstitutional. At the same time Friday, Clark County District Judge Donald Mosley dismissed drug trafficking charges against two men who operated a storefront pot dispensary in Las Vegas.
USA -- Former President Jimmy Carter gave a full-throated endorsement of state efforts to legalize marijuana during an appearance at a CNN forum aired on Tuesday. Carter, who as president supported an era of marijuana decriminalization in the mid-1970s, told CNN's Suzanne Malveaux that he was "in favor" of states that were taking steps to legalize the drug. "I think it’s OK,” Carter said. “I don’t think it’s going to happen in Georgia yet, but I think we can watch and see what happens in the state of Washington for instance, around Seattle, and let the American government and let the American people see does it cause a serious problem or not.”
Washington, D.C. -- In the weeks since voters in Colorado and Washington legalized the sale and possession of marijuana, speculation has mounted over what the Obama administration will do in response. Will the administration bend to the will of the electorate in these two states and allow a legal marijuana industry to set up shop, despite federal laws that still bar such trade? Or will Washington instead intervene and crack down? This week, Attorney General Eric Holder suggested the suspense will soon end with an announcement of the administration’s position. One particular group has expressed annoyance that a new policy is forthcoming, given its exclusion from the deliberations: the marijuana industry.
USA -- In light of recent referendums in the Colorado and Washington that have legalized marijuana, could the drug war be headed for a serious meltdown? Such a notion would have been unthinkable just a short while ago, but there is no denying that America is in the midst of cultural change. Even though the federal authorities continue to prohibit marijuana, baby boomers and a more youthful and progressive electorate seems to be headed in the opposite direction and could force a serious rethinking of the authorities' heretofore disastrous and misplaced approach to narcotics, which has resulted in the incarceration of 500,000 people at staggering financial cost. If that was not enough, the drug war has also racked up racially biased arrests, absorbed police time and money, and enriched Mexican drug lords.
By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ in Dispensaries, Legislation, Medical Monday, October 22, 2012 at 4:20 pm Democratic Rep. Kathy Webb of Little Rock cast her ballot on Monday, the first day of early voting in Arkansas. According to The Associated Press, Webb reported that she voted "Yes" on the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Act.
On the first day of early voting, Webb cast her ballot for the proposal that, if approved, would make Arkansas the first Southern state to legalize cannabis for medicinal purposes.
By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ in Culture, Global, News Monday, October 22, 2012 at 11:35 am Last week, a major independent study called for the decriminalization of cannabis in the United Kingdom. The publication of a six-year study from the UK Drug Policy Commission (UKDPC) likened cannabis use to "moderately risky" gambling or junk food.
The report prompted the BBC's Sunday Morning Live Show, a weekly topical political news show aired at 10 a.m. every Sunday, to hold a debate on cannabis.
The show included a debate in the studio with journalists and broadcasters Germaine Greer, Peter Hitchens, James O'brien, Gary Parker and contributions via Skype from former government drugs advisor Prof. David Nutt, drugs rehab worker, Gary Parker, and Clark French, a medicinal cannabis user with multiple sclerosis who is also NORML UK's national spokesperson.
By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ in News Monday, October 22, 2012 at 12:20 pm Fort Worth, Texas attorney David Sloane occasionally happens across appellate cases where the court's blind acceptance of the police account of events surrounding a marijuana arrest is astounding -- even for a seasoned trial lawyer like himself. A case from Dallas suburb Carrollton certainly fits this description, according to Sloane.
In $27,877.00 Current Money of the United States v. The State of Texas, an asset forfeiture case, the Carrollton Police Department alleged their dog "Bosko" was able to "sniff" and "alert" -- from under a garage door -- on the mere scent of marijuana on currency concealed in a gym bag under a bed in a back room of the defendant's parent's home.
The trial court accepted this, and the appellate court agreed!
medical Los Angeles -- One year after federal law enforcement officials began cracking down on California�s medical marijuana industry with a series of high-profile arrests around the state, they finally moved into Los Angeles last month, giving 71 dispensaries until Tuesday to shut down.
At the same time, because of a well-organized push by a new coalition of medical marijuana supporters, the City Council last week repealed a ban on the dispensaries that it had passed only a couple of months earlier.
By Jonathan Martin, Seattle Times Staff Reporter Source: Seattle Times
cannabis Washington -- A new crime-data analysis has found that 241,000 people in Washington were arrested for misdemeanor marijuana possession over the last quarter-century, adding fuel to a campaign seeking to make this state the first to legalize recreational marijuana sales.
The analysis estimates those arrests translated to nearly $306 million in police and court costs � $194 million of it the past decade. African Americans were arrested twice as often as whites for possession in Washington in the past 25 years, even though whites use marijuana more.
