Mother & Son: The New Face Of Medical Marijuana

By Steve Elliott in Growing, Medical
Wednesday, Mar. 10 2010 @ 3:03PM

Argentine Grandma Faces Trial For Two Pot Plants

By Steve Elliott in Global, Growing
Monday, Mar. 8 2010 @ 3:14PM
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Photo: Country.com.br
A federal appeals court in Argentina has ruled that a grandmother has to stand trial for growing two marijuana plants in her back yard.

Argentina's Supreme Court ruled in August 2009 that it is unconstitutional to punish adults for privately using marijuana, as long as the use doesn't hurt anyone else. For that reason, a federal judge had previously issued a stay against prosecuting the woman, who swore she used the cannabis solely for herself, reports CNN.

But the public prosecutor's office appealed the ruling, and a federal appeals court overturned the previous decision because the woman lives with her two sons and a grandchild.

The three-page appeals court ruling said the grandmother could not prove the marijuana was solely for her personal consumption.

Last year's unanimous Supreme Court ruling made Argentina the second Latin American nation within a one-week span to allow personal use of a formerly illegal drug.

Dispensary: Hundreds Of Pot Plants Could Perish After Lockdown

By Steve Elliott in Dispensaries, Growing, Medical
Friday, Mar. 5 2010 @ 2:24PM
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Photo: U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
Plants that could help an estimated 2,400 local medical marijuana patients are in danger of dying with the power cut at CannaHelp dispensary after Thursday's lockdown of the California pot collective's building, owner Stacy Hochanadel said Friday.

"The just pulled out all the power so the plants are going to die," Hochanadel said, reports Marcel Honore of The Desert Sun. "The heat, the lack of light, the lack of watering" puts the 400 plants "in danger of being unusable."

Covering Your Cannabis: Marijuana Crop Loss Insurance Offered

By Steve Elliott in Growing, Medical, News
Monday, Mar. 1 2010 @ 3:02PM
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Graphic: Statewide Insurance Services
A California-based insurance company says it is now offering cannabis crop loss insurance from coast to coast, targeting the rapidly growing medicinal marijuana business.

Statewide Insurance Services Medical Marijuana Specialty Division provides what the company says is "the only, nationally available insurance coverage designed specifically for the medical marijuana industry."

The company is "revolutionizing the cannabis industry with its nationwide program covering growers and their products," according to a press release.

Latest Victim Of Pot Prohibition: Public Lands

By Steve Elliott in Growing, News
Monday, Mar. 1 2010 @ 11:11AM
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Photo: Seattle P.I.
A federal agent carries plants away during the bust of a 16,742-plant grow operation at Ross Lake National Recreation Area, Washington state.
Due to the enormous profits made possible by marijuana prohibition, Mexican drug gangs are taking over U.S. public land to grow cannabis, using smuggled immigrants to cultivate the plants.

Pot has been grown on public lands for decades, report Alicia A. Caldwell and Manuel Valdes of the Associated Press, but Mexican cartels have taken clandestine cannabis cultivation to a whole new level, using armed guards and trip wires to secure grow operations containing tens of thousands of plants.

DEA To Burn Boastful Grower's Bud

By Steve Elliott in Growing, News
Friday, Feb. 26 2010 @ 10:40AM
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Photo: 9News
Chris Bartkowicz's garden is going up in smoke... but not the fun way
If you've ever found yourself wondering what's happening to the 224 beautiful marijuana plants seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration from that guy who was really good at pot farming but not so much when it came to discretion...

Well, there's no easy way to say this. They're gonna burn 'em.

Highlands Ranch, Colorado medical pot farmer Chris Bartkowicz didn't mind bragging as he told TV reporters he spent $500,000 constructing his basement grow operation, and expected to rake in $400,000 this year for his crop.


Ohio Man Kills Himself After Son Rats Him Out For Marijuana

By Steve Elliott in Growing, News
Wednesday, Feb. 24 2010 @ 9:10AM
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Photo: Portage County Jail
Robert Batsch: Another victim of the war on pot
Police said a 55-year-old man killed himself Tuesday after he and his wife were charged with child endangering in connection with growing marijuana.

Robert Batsch and his wife Pamela, 54, of Rootstown, Ohio, were arrested Monday on warrants of allowing a juvenile to live in their home where marijuana was being grown. Their son told school officials about the marijuana, which led to a police investigation, reports Michael Sangiacomo of Cleveland.com.

Pamela found Robert's body with a .22 rifle in the woods behind their home about noon on Tuesday, according to Portage County Sheriff David Doak.

A spokesman for the Portage County Coroner said Batsch's death would be declared a suicide.

Tags: growing, ohio, suicide

Medical Marijuana Becomes Gray Area For Law Enforcement In Montana

By Steve Elliott in Growing, Legislation, Medical
Monday, Feb. 22 2010 @ 12:52PM

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Photo: KTVQ
Law enforcement agencies say they have faced a bit of a struggle since medical marijuana was approved in Montana in 2004, reports Nikki Laurenzo at KTVQ.

"We are in a quandary because we have conflict between state law and federal law," said Billings Police Chief Rich St. John.

No quandary at all, Chief. Your duty is to enforce state laws. Leave the federal laws to federal agents. Problem solved!

Marijuana Could Be New Crop In New Jersey; Farm Bureau Investigates

By Steve Elliott in Growing, Medical, News
Monday, Feb. 22 2010 @ 12:17PM
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Graphic: Phawker
New Jersey farmers see a chance to add a profitable new crop now that the state legalized medical marijuana last month.

"We would all like to grow it because we think it would be a good cash crop -- literally," said Fairfield, N.J., nurseryman Roger Ruske, reports Joseph P. Smith of the Vineland Daily Journal.

The idea is being taken seriously ever since outgoing Gov. Jon Corzine, in one of his last official acts, signed the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act.

The New Jersey Farm Bureau has looked into the issue in depth, and found both good news and problems with the concept.

Farm Bureau research associate Ed Wengryn said the legislation isn't written clearly enough for the state Department of Health and Senior Services to write regulations.

"But I will say there are growers interested in it," Wengryn said.

Judge Orders DEA To Keep Seized Marijuana Plants

By Steve Elliott in Growing, News
Friday, Feb. 19 2010 @ 1:24PM
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Photo: 9News
DEA agents bag and remove marijuana plants from the home of Chris Bartkowicz during their February 12 raid of his home
A federal judge ruled Friday that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) must keep 10 marijuana plants with roots along with 10 clone starts taken from a medical marijuana grower while he awaits trial on drug charges.

Joseph Saint-Velktri, attorney for defendant Chris Bartkowicz, appeared in federal court Friday morning after filing a motion which asks the federal government to preserve all of the plants taken from Bartkowicz's home last week, reports Nicole Vap Jace Larson at 9News.

DEA agents brought into the courtroom a box of the marijuana taken from Bartkowicz's home to show the state of the plants. The marijuana shown in court still had its root system, and appeared wilted but not dried.

Tags: colorado, dea, growing