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Maine: New England’s Marijuana-Friendly State

jeremiah — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:48:46 -0700

In 1999, 61 percent of Maine voters passed Question 2, which sought to protect qualified patients who used cannabis medically under the guidance of their physician.

To date, a dozen other states (HI, AK, WA, OR, CA, NV, NM, CO, MT, MI, RI and VT) have enacted similar laws. However, only in Maine are patients without the guidance of a state registry.

Court Deems Law Biased Against Alcoholics, Addicts

jeremiah — Tue, 05 May 2009 12:12:10 -0700

An Ontario law that excludes alcoholics and drug addicts from receiving long-term disability payments has been found to violate the provincial Human Rights Code.

The Ontario Divisional Court ruling could have broad implications for the province because it expands eligibility for the more lucrative longterm payments instead of short-term social assistance.

A Familiar Smell Drifts Across Canada

jeremiah — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:08:42 -0700

OTTAWA -- They came, they smoked, they got the munchies.

More than 1,000 people gathered on Parliament Hill yesterday, and hundreds more converged in cities elsewhere in Canada, to mark 4/20, a counter-culture celebration of marijuana and a protest against pot laws.

Despite a federal Conservative government bent on punishing illegal drug use, many people openly puffed on the front lawn of Parliament as Mounties and city police watched from a distance.

Haze Of Controversy Surrounds 420

jeremiah — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:52:02 -0700

An estimated 5 million Americans will go up in smoke today, and we're not referring to cigarettes.

April 20 --- or 420 ("four-twenty") as it's commonly known --- has evolved into something far more significant than a random day when marijuana smokers gather to indulge in their illegal hobby.

"Whether you agree or not, 420 is one of the biggest parts of this illicit culture," said Rick Cusick, associate publisher of High Times magazine, which counts 150,000 people as subscribers. "Inevitably, some of that bleeds over to the mainstream."

420: Thoughts on Pot vs. Alcohol from a Former Police Chief

jeremiah — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 09:51:48 -0700

As 5:00 p.m. rolls around my interior clock starts chiming. I'll have an ice-cold, bone-dry martini, thank you. Jalapeno olives and a twist. If the occasion calls for it (temperatures in the twenties, a hot political debate on the tube) I may substitute two fingers of Kentucky sour mash. Four-twenty? Doesn't resonate. But with April 20 approaching and Waldos of the world gearing up to celebrate their favorite day of the year, it's not a bad time to consider, yet again, the pluses and minuses of alcohol vs. cannabis.

Did Zero Tolerance Rules Push Fairfax Teen To Edge?

jeremiah — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:51:32 -0700

Josh Anderson had just finished four homework assignments. He did his laundry. He watched TV with his mother -- "House," which he had Tivo'd for viewing that night. He played with the dogs. Then, at his mom's urging, he went up to bed. It was 12:30, and the next day, March 19, was a big one: Josh was scheduled for a hearing that probably would end with his expulsion from the Fairfax County school system.

Up in Smoke: Police Drug-Detection Tactics

jeremiah — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:13:41 -0700

“If you pull someone over who’s driving as if he’s impaired, but he blows less than a 0.08 into the breathalyzer, there are times when you say, ‘Whoa, this guy is way too messed up for that amount of alcohol.’?”

So says Mike Iwai, 37, who is not only a Senior Trooper with the Oregon State Police but also a trained DRE—Drug Recognition Expert—one of about 200 in Oregon alone. Created in Los Angeles in the ’70s—why is that not a surprise?—DRE programs are now in police forces in 45 states. Think of a DRE as the biped equivalent of a drug-sniffing beagle.

Top Court Upholds Provincial Right To Seize Property

jeremiah — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 09:40:18 -0700

OTTAWA — Provincial governments have the constitutional right to seize cash, homes and other property suspected to be proceeds of crime, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled Friday.

The unanimous decision upholds provincial laws that permit police to confiscate goods they suspect they suspect are ill-gotten, even if they do not have enough evidence to lay charges.

The court rejected an Ontario man's argument that provincial seizure laws, adopted in recent years to deter crime and compensate victims, tread on federal jurisdiction over criminal law.

Washington War On Drugs A Failure

jeremiah — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 09:29:38 -0700

Columbia's former president called upon leaders in Latin America to condemn the U.S. War on Drugs because it threatens the stability of many countries in the hemisphere.

Why I'm Standing Up Against Random Drug Testing at My High School

jeremiah — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 14:02:05 -0700

The piece of advice I heard most often before entering, and during, high school came in two words: "get involved." Extracurricular activities, I was told, give students a chance to better the school, meet new people and make the most of their four years. I took the advice to heart and got involved in numerous ways. I've written for my school newspaper, helped out with the production of musicals, and even traveled abroad through a school club. I was later inducted into the French Honor Society and the National Honor Society. Last year, I even co-founded the school's first philosophy club.

Political Winds Shift in Favor of Legalized Pot

jeremiah — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 19:39:37 -0700

Marijuana has been a part of the American cultural landscape for nearly a century, tried by millions - including, apparently, the last three presidents and the current California governor.

So why has it taken so long to arrive at a political moment of truth - a full national debate about the legalization, taxation and regulation of cannabis?

Experts say an unprecedented confluence of factors might finally be driving a change on a topic once seen as politically too hot to handle.

Pot-Selling Stores Explode in Los Angeles

jeremiah — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 13:31:08 -0700

Marijuana is widely sold across California cities, including Los Angeles and Oakland, where some observers say the pot trade has been a boon.

The Los Angeles Times reported Saturday that marijuana is available at thousands of storefronts in the two cities.

The newspaper said Los Angeles applications for retail pot outlets have surged since Feb. 26, when U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. announced the Drug Enforcement Administration would no longer raid dispensaries.

Can Senator Webb Lead America Out of the Drug War Quagmire?

jeremiah — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:23:48 -0700

More than 1 in 100 adults in the United States are now behind bars. 1 in 31 are in prison, probation or parole. The U.S. with 5% of the world’s population now has 25% of the world’s prisoners. Incarceration of drug offenders has risen 1,200% since 1980 from 41,000 to 500,000. The appetite of the American prison machine is voracious. Each year 7 million Americans are jailed and approximately 700,000 go on to serve prison sentences. When a racial prism is added to these numbers the stark reality of racial unfairness is impossible to deny.

Oakland Takes Step Toward Medical Marijuana Tax

jeremiah — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:39:03 -0700

A proposal to increase the business tax on Oakland's four medical marijuana dispensaries won the support of a four-member City Council committee Tuesday, and it could be headed for the ballot July 21.

The tax increase is billed as one way to generate a small amount of additional revenue from medical marijuana dispensaries, which require more oversight than typical businesses, for a city facing a deficit that could reach $65 million in the 2009-10 fiscal year.

Voices Urging For Reform of American Marijuana Laws Getting Louder

jeremiah — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 09:09:56 -0700

Amid a devastating economic meltdown, the issue of marijuana decriminalization hasn't exactly hounded U.S. President Barack Obama, but the calls to legalize weed are nonetheless getting louder and more persistent every day.

The issue has brought together a diverse mix of advocates, including state legislators, political pundits, a famous musician, a high-profile blogger and even White House correspondents.

Drug Decriminalization in Portugal

jeremiah — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:45:51 -0700

On July 1, 2001, a nationwide law in Portugal took effect that decriminalized all drugs, including cocaine and heroin. Under the new legal framework, all drugs were "decriminalized," not "legalized." Thus, drug possession for personal use and drug usage itself are still legally prohibited, but violations of those prohibitions are deemed to be exclusively administrative violations and are removed completely from the criminal realm. Drug trafficking continues to be prosecuted as a criminal offense.

Clinton: US Drug Policies Failed, Fueled Mexico's Drug War

jeremiah — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 03:58:19 -0700

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled to Mexico on Wednesday with a blunt mea culpa, saying that decades of U.S. anti-narcotics policies have been a failure and have contributed to the explosion of drug violence south of the border.

"Clearly what we've been doing has not worked," Clinton told reporters on her plane at the start of her two-day trip, saying that U.S. policies on curbing drug use, narcotics shipments and the flow of guns have been ineffective.

Kids Do the Darndest Things: Joe Biden's Cocaine Dilemma

jeremiah — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:07:27 -0700

I received a text message at 11 p.m. on Saturday while I was walking to a party in Brooklyn. The message was about a "breaking story": Ashley Biden, daughter of Vice President Joe Biden, has allegedly been caught on video using cocaine. My friends know that I work at the Drug Policy Alliance, so I often get e-mails or calls when celebrities or elected officials have some drug-use drama.

Marijuana Activists Take Stand Against Bill

jeremiah — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:11:56 -0700

CARSON CITY -- Medical marijuana advocates testified Monday that a bill prescribing prison sentences for growing more than seven marijuana plants will prevent sick people from getting their "medicine."

"This bill would send many patients to prison," testified Pierre Werner, a former medical marijuana patient who spent 19 months in prison.

Under current law, the sentence for growing marijuana for sale depends on the pounds of marijuana grown. Senate Bill 262 targets medical marijuana card holders and bases their sentence on the number of plants they are growing.

Obama Insults Online Community For Supporting Marijuana Legalization

jeremiah — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:40:20 -0700

At his Online Town Hall meeting this morning, President Obama joked about the overwhelming popularity of marijuana legalization questions on his online forum.

The Case For A Domestic Marijuana Industry

jeremiah — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:58:55 -0700

Violence in Mexico is getting worse by the day. There are reports of beheadings, killings in the several thousands, and an environment of fear that makes it impossible for Mexican officials to do their work. The country's very stability may be threatened.

Medical Marijuana Has Come of Age

jeremiah — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 23:19:59 -0700

Ten years ago today, the use of medical marijuana went from fringe to mainstream.

Florida Legislator Wants Random Drug Tests For The Unemployed

jeremiah — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:49:25 -0700

Employers have justified drug tests in the workplace by pointing to such negative effects of drug use as absenteeism and work-related injuries. Now a Florida legislator has proposed that random drug-testing also be applied to those receiving unemployment insurance, justifying it as a way to make state funds go further.

Ontario Wants Federal Clarity On Medical Pot

jeremiah — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:13:21 -0700

Ottawa needs to clarify the rules surrounding the possession and consumption of medical marijuana, says Ontario's minister of government services in a letter requesting a meeting with the federal health minister to discuss the issue.

Confusion surrounding the rules regarding medical marijuana and conflicts with Ontario's liquor laws have resulted in several complaints before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario from medical marijuana users who allege discrimination after they were forbidden from smoking pot along with cigarette smokers outside drinking establishments.

Jail for Selling Medical Marijuana

jeremiah — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:19:09 -0700

If the voters in your state say it's OK to do something, is it?

Apparently not.

Marijuana use for medical purposes is permitted in 13 states, but federal law is an issue.

Charlie Lynch learned that the hard way, when federal authorities raided his home and small business in southern California in March 2007.

"I hear the banging of my front door," Lynch recalled. "I opened the door and about 10 to 15 agents with shields, bullet-proof vests, guns, masks, they came barreling in."