Search Results: altier (5)

In a recent interview, University of Denver law professor Sam Kamin outlined three ways Donald Trump could shut down state-legal marijuana — a prospect that has raised increasing levels of concern among cannabis reformers since the president-elect’s nomination of pot-hating Senator Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General.

Erik Altieri, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, shorthanded as NORML, acknowledges that such worries are prevalent right now, and he doesn’t dismiss them out of hand. Indeed, he encourages NORML supporters and anyone who objects to the federal government treating marijuana as a substance on par with heroin to be prepared for a crackdown, even if one has not yet been announced.

What will President-elect Donald Trump’s administration do about marijuana? In a recent interview, Erik Altieri, executive director of NORML — the Washington, D.C.-based National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws — sees reason for optimism following votes in favor of recreational and medical marijuana in numerous states across the country during last month’s election. And he thinks additional progress can be made even with Trump in the White House and pot-hating Jeff Sessions serving as attorney general, the nation’s top law-enforcement official. But some readers are still concerned. Says Terri:

The election of Donald Trump and his nomination of marijuana-hating senator Jeff Sessions as attorney general has raised concern among members of the cannabis community about a crackdown on pot laws in states such as Colorado.

Such worries aren’t without merit. University of Denver law professor Sam Kamin recently outlined three ways Donald Trump could shut down state-legal marijuana, and NORML executive director Erik Altieri told us that “we need to make sure we’re ready to stand up and fight should that time come.”

Like Altieri, Aaron Smith, co-founder and executive director of the National Cannabis Industry Association, among the oldest and largest marijuana business organizations, stresses the importance of lobbying Congress to hold the line against a pot-biz crackdown. But in a wide-ranging interview on view below, he describes himself as cautiously optimistic that the worst-case scenario won’t come to pass.


In a move that has state police in an uproar, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court yesterday ruled that the smell of unburned pot in a car isn’t enough of a reason for cops to search it because the state decriminalized small amounts back in 2008. Basically: because some amounts of pot possession aren’t a crime, the cops can’t use the smell of weed to justify their search.
Not only that, but the court pointed out that they made a similar ruling three years ago, deciding that the smell of raw weed wasn’t enough to justify the search of someone on the street. According to the judges: the police should “focus their attention elsewhere.”

Photo: ABC 6 On Your Side
Om nom nom nom.

​An Ohio man faces up to 10 years in prison and up to a $20,000 fine after law enforcement officers found 4.5 pounds of marijuana-laced Rice Krispie treats during a traffic crash investigation.

Patrick Altier, 22, of Boardman, Ohio, was charged with possession and trafficking of marijuana, both third-degree felonies, after Ohio State Highway Patrol troops detected a “strong odor of marijuana” on him during the crash investigation in Boardman Township, Mahoning County, on August 25.
During a “probable cause” search of Altier’s vehicle, based on the pot smell, troopers found individually wrapped Rice Krispie-like treats (the photo actually looks like it could be some Fruity Pebbles and Cocoa Pebbles, and trust me, I’m an expert in such matters).