Alaska
Christmas robbers take personal stash
The News Miner
A Fairbanks man reported his marijuana stolen at gunpoint on Christmas morning.
Fairbanks police were called to a 22nd Avenue residence around 5 a.m. after the residents said that two men came in, displayed a gun and demanded drugs.
The robbers, described as a Native male and a black male, took an undisclosed amount of cash and “a personal use baggie of marijuana,” said Sgt. Greg Foster.
One of the victims gave chase to the men as they headed on foot toward Barnette Street when the black male turned around and fired one shot at him, which missed.
Sgt. Eric Jewkes said that if police recovered the marijuana, the owner likely wouldn’t face criminal charges if it was a small amount, but that authorities would not return it to him.
Arizona
Phoenix Attorney General says he would be willing to consider decriminalization
Douglas Dispatch
Goddard said marijuana sales make up 75 percent of the money that Mexican cartels use for the other operations, including smuggling other drugs and fighting the Army and police in that country. He said that makes fighting drug distribution here important to cut off that cash.He acknowledged those profits could be slashed if possession of marijuana were not a crime in Arizona. But Goddard said a number of other hurdles remain before that even becomes a possibility.
Australia
Cops use Google Earth to find pot plants
The Age
VICTORIA Police have turned to satellite technology to hunt green-fingered crooks who grow marijuana in suburban backyards, on farms or on Crown land. With most outdoor crops maturing over the next four months, police are increasingly relying on Google Earth to identify cannabis crops, which can be worth up to $2500 a plant.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman has confirmed that Google Earth is a tool in the battle against outdoor growers and has helped with several recent investigations.
A senior member of Victoria's drug tasking unit told The Sunday Age the Big Brother technology would be used more when satellite images were updated more frequently.
"The detail is extremely good and allows us to pick up small plots of cannabis virtually anywhere," the source said. "The clarity is improving all the time, and I think it's something we'll probably use more down the track."
California
Stockton caves in to pressure to issue ID cards
Tracy Press
San Joaquin County medical marijuana users can get identification cards in Stockton beginning Monday.
The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors in November agreed to allow county denizens to legally buy and use pot for legally deemed medical reasons.
Since 1996, the state has allowed Californians to use marijuana medically, but it’s up to municipal governments to grant that permission within city limits.
The federal government still considers all marijuana use illegal. The Drug Enforcement Agency has the legal authority to arrest cannabis users on federal drug charges.
San Bernadino County to be sued for failure to issue medical marijuana ID cards
Contra Costa Times
A medical marijuana user announced this week that he will file a lawsuit Monday against San Bernardino County to compel the county to issue ID cards to medical marijuana users.
Scott Bledsoe, of Crestline, will also seek a court order halting the Sheriff Department's practice of arresting medical marijuana users for possession even when users present evidence that the drugs are for medical use, according to a news release.
Although a state law passed in 2003 compels counties to issue ID cards to medical marijuana users, San Bernardino county and several other counties have refused to do so, citing the state law's conflict with federal law, which prohibits marijuana possession.
San Bernardino County joined San Diego County in a 2006 lawsuit against the state challenging the constitutionality of the state's medical marijuana program.
A San Diego County judge ruled in favor of the state, and that ruling was affirmed in July by a State Court of Appeal.
The State Supreme Court declined to consider an appeal of the decision brought by the counties. The counties have said they intend to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.
ASA files suit for return of illegally seized medical marijuana
Whittier Daily News
LOS ANGELES - Medical marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access filed legal briefs Monday accusing the city of Montebello of contempt of court for refusing to return medical marijuana wrongfully seized more than four years ago.
On Oct. 15, 2004, local police seized marijuana plants, growing equipment, and personal correspondence from the Montebello home of Terry Gene Walker.
Police criminally charged Walker, regardless of his status as a medical marijuana patient, said Joe Elford, chief counsel for Oakland-based ASA, who is representing Walker in his contempt claim.
Walker's criminal case was dismissed.
Canada
Cannabis tourist attraction in Toronto
Toronto Star
When police raided the Kindred Café Nov. 20 for allegedly trafficking marijuana, it shone a spotlight on one of the city's biggest open secrets. There are places where you can smoke weed with relative impunity, provided you don't make a scene.
With a couple of well-known pot cafés and a smattering of private smokers' clubs – not to mention a thriving network of bong shops and hemp stores – Toronto's marijuana scene rivals Vancouver's, according to some herb aficionados.
Most of the action centres on "Yongesterdam," a strip of Yonge St. near Wellesley St. nicknamed after pot-friendly Amsterdam.
Each summer, pot activist Matt Mernagh leads a weekly tour of the area's cannabis community, showing off what he considers one of the city's untapped tourist attractions.
Hawaii
Police chief defies the law
Hawaii Tribune Herald
The Police Commission on Friday shelved a misconduct complaint against outgoing Chief Lawrence Mahuna over his words about the county's new marijuana law.Marijuana proponent Roger Christie had claimed that Mahuna's statements to the Hawaii Tribune-Herald after voters passed the Peaceful Sky initiative -- which makes marijuana possession for personal use the county's lowest law enforcement priority -- violate the police department's own rules, which state "Officers and employees of the department shall observe and obey all Federal and State laws, Ordinances of the County of Hawaii, and all orders, policies, directives, regulations, etc. of the department."
Mahuna told the Tribune-Herald that Peaceful Sky is "not a law. It's a resolution." He also said there "will be no change in how we prioritize the enforcement of marijuana."
Massachusetts
State officials enumerate strategy for new marijuana law
Gloucester Times
BOSTON — Once admittedly flummoxed at the prospect of implementing a new voter law decriminalizing the possession of an ounce or less of marijuana, state officials are now offering a first glimpse into their strategy. The strategy, addressing the new marijuana law that went into effect today, includes encouraging cities and towns to pass new penalties for using marijuana in public, and reaffirming public schools' right to expel or suspend students who smoke pot on school grounds.
In a wide-ranging legal opinion issued this week, the state's Executive Office of Public Safety had one over-arching message: things won't change much procedurally.
With the exception of the major thrust of the new law — reducing the penalty for possessing less than an ounce of marijuana from an arrestable offense to a $100 civil fine — police searches, firearms issuances, public school punishments and court proceedings will be largely unchanged.
"We want to be able to assure people, through our legal analysis, that there can be an effective implementation of this new law," state Secretary of Public Safety Kevin Burke said in a phone interview.
Under the guidelines, disseminated by the state Executive Office of Public Safety, officials note the law's expanded definition of possession, which includes "metabolized products of marijuana or THC" — marijuana's active ingredient — "in one's bloodstream."
Public safety officials also recommend that municipalities supplement the $100 fine with additional civil and criminal penalties of their own for the use of marijuana in public.
A sample bylaw offered by Attorney General Martha Coakley would include a $300 civil penalty and the possibility of criminal indictment for the use of marijuana "upon any street, sidewalk, public way, footway, passageway, stairs, bridge, park, playground, beach, recreation area, boat landing, public building, schoolhouse, school grounds, cemetery, parking lot, or any area owned by or under the control of the town."
Voters passed the law in November over the objections of Gov. Deval Patrick, district attorneys and Coakley, who likened it to "the de facto legalization of marijuana."
In its opinion, the Patrick administration's public safety office concludes that law enforcement may still search people suspected of marijuana possession when probable cause exists and may stop and detain suspects, as well.
Officials conclude that it is "unlikely" that police would be able to arrest those in possession of less than an ounce of marijuana — backers of Question 2 sought to eliminate such arrests — but said "an argument can be made" to continue such arrests.
"However, proponents of Question 2 would likely argue that by decriminalizing possession of an ounce or less of marijuana, Question 2 revoked officers' power to arrest for this civil offense," according to the guidelines.
Other guidelines say recipients of civil fines for marijuana possession would not be categorically prohibited from owning firearms, and police officers in possession of an ounce or less on the job would still be subject to collectively bargained agreements regarding substance possession or abuse.
In the guidelines themselves, state public safety officials acknowledge they are testing uncharted legal terrain. Burke agreed, but said his office has "every confidence" that their interpretation is valid.
In a memo to school superintendents sent last week, Education Commissioner Mitchell Chester said Question 2 "does not affect the existing authority of school officials ... to impose discipline" on students who possess marijuana on school grounds.
But Chester acknowledged the uncertainty of state officials as they tread on uncharted legal terrain.
"Since no court has yet addressed the proper interpretation of Question 2, or applied it to the public school context, this advisory reflects best judgment based on the language of Question 2 and existing case law regarding public school discipline issues," he wrote in the memo.
Question 2 requires that offenders under 18 years old participate in a drug abuse awareness program designed by the Department of Youth Services. The EOPS guidelines, however, note that Question 2 authorized no funding for such programs, nor has the Legislature appropriated any.
"DYS and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services are in the process of designing a drug awareness program to comply with Question 2 to the best of their ability," according to the guidelines. "Information concerning these plans will be available in the coming weeks."
Marijuana decriminalization goes into effect
Boston Globe
January 2, 2009
It's no longer a crime to have one ounce or less of pot. The state's new marijuana decriminalization law, approved by voters in a November referendum, goes into effect today.
Those who are caught with an ounce or less would get a ticket similar to a building code citation. They could appeal the civil infraction in court within 21 days or pay a $100 fine set in the law. Juvenile violators would have to pay the fine and attend a drug abuse counseling course, or have the fine increased to $1,000.
The state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security released guidelines Monday in response to questions about the law. The state noted that the new statute applied to all substances that contain THC, which includes hashish and hash oil. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the active ingredient in marijuana that gives users a high.
Mexico
Four tons of cannabis seized
El Paso Times
The Mexican army seized more than four tons of marijuana earlier this week at a warehouse in east Juárez, military officials said.
Soldiers were patrolling Manuel Gomez Morin Boulevard at 12:30 a.m. Tuesday when they spotted a suspicious vehicle they followed to a warehouse named Concentration Center, officials said.
Soldiers searched the warehouse and found 603 packets of marijuana of various sizes, packing materials and a trailer.
Several men seen entering the warehouse after getting out of the vehicle, which sped away, could not be found.
Michigan
New rules create difficulties for patients and caregivers
Michigan Messenger
Advocates say the state’s plan for administering a new medical marijuana law, approved by state voters on Nov. 4, focuses too much on law enforcement concerns and not enough on health.
Michigan’s medical marijuana law–which passed in every county while winning 63 percent of the vote–allows people with qualifying medical conditions to grow 12 marijuana plants and/or possess 2.5 oz. of marijuana for medicinal use. Those who use marijuana medicinally may also designate a caregiver to grow the drug for them. The mood-altering plant relieves chronic pain and nausea.
Patient advocates say they see many shortcomings in the proposed rules.
“I think they were written by people who don’t have a clear idea of how something like this would work,“ said Greg Francisco, director of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Association (MMMA), an education and advocacy group for patients and caregivers. “I think they [MDCH] took on some responsibilities and roles that were not given in the law.”
The rules suggest the state envisions its role as one of law enforcement, not administering a public health program, Francisco said, adding that MMMA has compiled 21 concerns with the draft rules which it will air at the Jan. 5 hearing.
One problem, Francisco said, is a requirement that caregivers or patients provide detailed cultivation records and track where each and every plant goes.
“This is akin to telling a farmer who grows beets he must track which beet goes to which processing facility,” he said.
The MDCH proposed rules require that any marijuana leftover when a patient no longer qualifies or dies be handed over to police–something Francisco said is unreasonable. Because medical marijuana remains illegal under federal law, he suggested that patients and caregivers might be hesitant to provide police with evidence by handing over excess marijuana.
Mississippi
Growing marijuana for Uncle Sam
New York Times
Q. WHAT EXACTLY DOES THE MARIJUANA PROJECT DO? A. Though cannabis had been used by man for thousands of years, it wasn’t until 1964 that the actual chemical structure of the active ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol — THC — was determined. That stimulated new research on the plant.
At this laboratory, which began in 1968, we often investigate marijuana’s chemistry. We also have a farm where we grow cannabis for federally approved researchers. Our material is employed in clinical studies around the country, to see if the active ingredient in this plant is useful for pain, nausea, glaucoma, for AIDS patients and so on. For these tests, researchers need standardized material for cigarettes or THC pills. We grow the cannabis as contractors for the National Institute on Drug Abuse — NIDA. And the only researchers who can get our material are those with special permits. We have visitors at the building now and then who ask, “Oh, do you give samples?” We say, “No!”
Q. WHY BOTHER CULTIVATING YOUR OWN MARIJUANA WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATIONS SEIZE BRICKS OF IT EVERY DAY?
A. The most obvious reason is that with confiscated marijuana, you don’t really know what you have. When researchers are performing clinical tests, they must have standardized material that will be the same every time. And it must be safe. You certainly wouldn’t want to give a sick person something sprayed with pesticide or angel dust, substances we’ve detected in some illicit marijuana.
When this project first started in the late 1960s, people thought, “Oh, we’ll get materials for testing after a big bust happens.” So the first batch was acquired that way. They made an extract out of the seized material, and it turned out to be contaminated with tung oil. That brought home the point: if you’re going to do clinical trials on humans, you’d better know what you’re using and where it came from. Hence, our farm.
New Mexico
Hearing to consider expanding medical marijuana use
Santa Fe New Mexican
The New Mexico Department of Health's Medical Advisory Board will hold a public hearing in Albuquerque to discuss making new health conditions eligible for the Medical Cannabis Program. So far, the department has received petitions to add medical conditions such as Crohn's Disease, chronic pain, post-traumatic-stress disorder, hepatitis C, bipolar disorder, arthritis, asthma and anorexia.
Right now, conditions are limited to cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, damage to nervous tissue of the spinal cord with intractable spasticity, epilepsy and HIV/AIDS.
After the meeting, the board will make recommendations to the Health Secretary, who will make final decisions.
UK
Cannabis Factory busted in Norfolk
Norfolk Eastern Daily Press
Police last night hailed a key victory in the battle against drugs production in Norfolk after uncovering a huge cannabis factory in a disused former MoT testing station.Officers estimate cannabis worth up to £400,000 a year could have been produced in the sophisticated operation in the anonymous-looking brick unit on the Threxton Road Industrial Estate at Watton.
Good old-fashioned policing was at the heart of uncovering the factory late on Saturday night as two officers patrolling the estate stopped a car which had been parked outside.
Three people from the Yarmouth area were inside the vehicle and officers found buckets full of cannabis in the back and a set of keys which fitted the lock to the unit.
The discovery is the latest in a series of drugs factories which have been found in Norfolk at homes and in industrial units, including in Norwich, Lyng near Dereham, Yarmouth, King's Lynn, Terrington St Clement, Thetford and Attleborough.
72 yr old milkman delivers cannabis
BBC
A milkman supplied cannabis to pensioners to ward off their aches and pains, a court heard.
Robert Holding, 72, delivered the drug while doing his rounds to 17 customers he had built up through "word-of-mouth", Burnley Crown Court was told.
Judge Beverley Lunt said Mr Holding said in his police statement that the cannabis was for "elderly people who had aches and pains".
Mr Holding, of Fair View Road, Burnley, admitted supplying cannabis.
Custodial sentence
He also admitted possessing cannabis resin and will be sentenced at a later date.
Philip Holden, for the defence, said Holding's customers "were of a certain age" and he built up his clientele through "word of mouth".
The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report. Holding was released on bail and will be sentenced at Burnley Crown Court on 6 February.
Judge Lunt warned him: "You must understand these are serious offences and in my judgment the likely outcome is an immediate custodial sentence."
Burnley Express
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USA
Norml Top 10 events that shaped marijuana policy
Norml.com
#1 Landslide At The Ballot Box: Election Day Voters Reject Bush War Doctrine
Millions of Americans nationwide voted on Election Day for marijuana law reform, approving nine out of ten ballot measures to liberalize penalties on cannabis use and possession. In Massachusetts, where 65 percent of voters decided to reduce marijuana possession penalties to a $100 fine, and Michigan, where 63 percent of voters approved legalizing the medical use of cannabis, supporters for pot law reform outnumbered supporters for President-Elect Barack Obama.
#2 Members Of Congress Demand An End To Federal Pot Possession Arrests
Members of Congress convened a Capitol Hill press conference in July to demand lawmakers enact legislation to eliminate the government’s authority to arrest and prosecute adults who possess marijuana. Lawmakers called on colleagues to endorse HR 5843, which sought to remove federal penalties for the possession and non-profit transfer of marijuana by adults. The legislation was the first proposal introduced in Congress in 30 years to eliminate criminal marijuana penalties.
#3 California Courts Rule: Medical Pot Statutes Don’t Conflict With Federal Anti-Drug Laws
State provisions allowing for the possession and use of medical marijuana do not conflict with federal anti-drug laws, according to a series of California court rulings. In two separate cases, the California Supreme Court refused to hear challenges to the state’s 12-year-old marijuana law – finding that counties are obligated to issue identification cards to qualified patients and that police cannot seize marijuana from state-sanctioned medical pot users.
#4: Marijuana “Exceptional” At Reducing MRSA
The administration of natural plant cannabinoids significantly reduces the spread of drug-resistant bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphyloccus aureus (aka MRSA), according to a study published this fall in the Journal of Natural Products. MRSA is responsible for over 18,000 hospital-stay deaths each year.
#5 Marijuana Arrests For 2007 Reach All-Time High
Police arrested a record 872,721 Americans for marijuana violations in 2007, the highest annual total ever reported by the FBI. Since 1965, over 20 million Americans have been arrested for violating state or federal marijuana laws.
#6 Cannabis Determined To Be Less Harmful Than Alcohol
The potential health risks associated with cannabis are less than those associated with alcohol and do not justify the continued criminalization of the plant or its users, according to a report published in October by The Beckley Foundation
#7 Teen Pot Use Declines In States With Medical Cannabis Laws
#8 Medical Marijuana Use Not Associated With Adverse Side Effects
#9 California Attorney General Issues Guidelines Recognizing Patients’ Medical Cannabis Use
State and local law enforcement should not arrest state qualified patients who possess, cultivate, or travel with medical marijuana
#10 NORML Daily Audio Stash Gains record Listenership
Why Obama might legalize marijuana
Esquire Magazine
The stoner community is clamoring to say it: "Yes we cannabis!" Turns out, with several drug-war veterans close to the president-elect's ear, insiders think reform could come in Obama's second term -- or sooner. Famously, Franklin Delano Roosevelt saved the United States banking system during the first seven days of his first term.
And what did he do on the eighth day? "I think this would be a good time for beer," he said.
Congress had already repealed Prohibition, pending ratification from the states. But the people needed a lift, and legalizing beer would create a million jobs. And lo, booze was back. Two days after the bill passed, Milwaukee brewers hired six hundred people and paid their first $10 million in taxes. Soon the auto industry was tooling up the first $12 million worth of delivery trucks, and brewers were pouring tens of millions into new plants.
"Roosevelt's move to legalize beer had the effect he intended," says Adam Cohen, author of Nothing To Fear, a thrilling new history of FDR's first hundred days. "It was, one journalist observed, 'like a stick of dynamite into a log jam.'"
Many in the marijuana world are now hoping for something similar from Barack Obama. After all, the president-elect said in 2004 that the war on drugs had been "an utter failure" and that America should decriminalize pot:
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