War On Drugs: Worth It, Or Worthless? Debate Sept. 21

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on September 20, 2011 Culture, News

Should we continue to fight the War On Drugs, or should we look toward alternative approaches such as legalization? If you have an opinion on this question, you’ll be interested in a debate scheduled for Wednesday night.

The University of Arkansas Chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), in coordination with University Programs, is hosting a debate between Ethan Nadelmann, a former Princeton professor and current executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, and former DEA Administrator and U.S. Congressman Asa Hutchinson.

The two will debate whether we should continue to fight the War On Drugs or look for other solutions including regulation.

Both speakers bring years of experience to the table, of vastly different kinds.

Hutchinson held the top position at the Drug Enforcement Administration from 2001 to 2003. Ethan Nadelmann is a leading voice in the drug policy reform movement worldwide, and is executive director of the DPA.

Great Midwest Marijuana Festival To Mark 41 Years

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on September 20, 2011 Culture, Products

Jay Selthofner

When it began 41 years ago, it was an anti-war protest. It soon morphed into a cannabis legalization rally, and the Great Midwest Marijuana Harvest moves into its fifth decade September 30-October 2 at the Library Mall adjacent to the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison.

The festival will feature live music, guest speakers, a parade, vendors, and plenty of good munchies, according to organizers. Sponsors include Wisconsin NORML, Is My Medicine Legal Yet? (IMMLY), and Madison NORML.

Banks Refusing To Deal With Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on September 20, 2011 Dispensaries, Medical, News

THC Finder

Even as protesters decrying how out of touch bankers are with everyday Americans are occupying Wall Street, home of America’s banking industry, many financial institutions in states where medical marijuana is legal are refusing to do business with cannabis dispensaries.

Sixteen states and the District of Columbia have legalized medicinal marijuana, but possession or sale of cannabis for any use is still illegal under federal law. It is this disconnect that is giving rise to an unwillingness on the part of many banks to do business with the marijuana collectives.

The banks fear that federal regulators will target them, reports Kathryn Glass at Fox Business, because the federal government says that banks which do business with dispensaries are supporting activities that are illegal under federal law.

Cannajobs Fights For Arizona Medical Marijuana Patients’ Rights

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on September 20, 2011 Dispensaries, Legislation, Medical

Protect Arizona Patients, Inc.

Cannajobs, a cannabis jobs service, has announced that they are founding members of Protect Arizona Patients, Inc., a nonprofit organization fighting the state’s refusal to fully cooperate with the will of Arizona voters by licensing medical marijuana dispensaries. Cannajobs said it has contributed financially to the nonprofit to help it file the first lawsuit against Arizona for ignoring the rights of medical marijuana patients in the state.

Arizona voters passed the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act (AMMA) last November, legalizing medical marijuana in the state. But Governor Jan Brewer in May blocked the rollout of the law, claiming clarification was needed about whether state employees would be subject to federal prosecution, as cannabis is still prohibited under federal law.

Gov. Brewer and the Arizona Department of Health (AZDHS) put all dispensaries on hold while they filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona seeking clarification about the potential federal response.

Montana Law: Fewer Legal Marijuana Patients, More Illegal Users

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on September 20, 2011 Legislation, Medical

KTVQ

A study on the effects of Montana’s tough new medical marijuana law, adopted by the Republican-controlled state Legislature last year, shows the number of patients and providers has dropped since the makeover of the law passed by voters in 2000.

But the new law has also created a lack of access and forced many patients to return to the black market, according to Kate Cholewa, policy director for the Montana Cannabis Industry, reports Ryan Whalen at Beartooth NBC. Cholewa who said patients were scared they won’t be protected from the federal government by the new Senate Bill 423.

“This doesn’t necessarily end up with fewer people using cannabis,” Cholewa said, reports Charles S. Johnson of the Helena Independent Record. “It just ends up with more people you can put in jail for it.”

Marijuana Dispensary Re-Opens As Patient Resource Center

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on September 19, 2011 Dispensaries, News

Steve Porter/Northern Colorado Business Report

Tina Valenti, In Harmony Wellness: “As a patient services and advocacy center, In Harmony Wellness will continue the tradition of assisting patients in need”

After voters in the city of Windsor, Colorado last November staged a citizen-initiated shutdown of the city’s medical marijuana dispensaries, one collective, founded in 2008, found a way to survive even after being forced to stop operations in May 2011.

When City Attorney Ian McCargar offered the perspective that In Harmony Wellness didn’t necessarily have to close its doors, but simply needed to step selling cannabis, it sparked an idea.

Marijuana Prosecutions Near Record High In 2010

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on September 19, 2011 News

NORML

Police made 853,838 arrests in 2010 for marijuana-related offenses, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s annual Uniform Crime Report, released on Monday. The annual arrest total is near the highest ever reported by the agency, and is nearly identical to the total number of cannabis-related arrests reported in 2009.

More than half — 52 percent — of all drug arrests in the United States are now for marijuana, according to the report. An estimated 46 percent of all drug arrests are for offenses related to marijuana possession.

One Drug Arrest Every 19 Seconds In The U.S.: FBI Report

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on September 19, 2011 News

East County Magazine

A new FBI report released on Monday shows that there is a drug arrest every 19 seconds in the United States. That’s right, three people a minute, 180 people an hour, 4,320 people a day.

A group of police and judges who have been campaigning to legalize and regulate drugs pointed to the figures showing more than 1.6 million drug arrests in 2010 as evidence that the War On Drugs — really a war on U.S. citizens — is a failure that can never be won.

“Since the declaration of the ‘war on drugs’ 40 years ago we’ve arrested tens of millions of people in an effort to reduce drug use,” said Neill Franklin, a retired Baltimore narcotics cop who now heads the group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). “The fact that cops had to spend time arresting another 1.6 million of our fellow citizens last year shows that it simply hasn’t worked.

Washington Democratic Party Endorses Marijuana Legalization

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on September 19, 2011 Legislation, News

Graham Lawyer Blog

The Washington state Democratic Central Committee endorsed a marijuana legalization initiative in the state over the weekend, calling cannabis prohibition a waste of taxpayer money.

Simple marijuana possession charges now account for fully half of all drug arrests in Washington, according to the Democrats, who pointed out pot’s status as the second biggest cash crop in the state. reports Jonathan Martin at The Seattle Times.

The group said cannabis has the potential to raise $215 million in new tax revenues each year if a current legalization drive, Initiative 502, also known as New Approach Washington, passes.

I-502 is sponsored by the ACLU of Washington and endorsed by prominent figures including former U.S. Attorney John McKay (who was responsible for the prosecution of “Prince of Pot” Marc Emery), Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes and travel host Rick Steves.

It is expected to gather enough signatures to go before the state Legislature in the upcoming session. At that point, the Legislature can either take action or, more likely, let the initiative be decided by the state’s voters on the November 2012 ballot.

Sticky Fingered Ex-Deputy Pleads Not Guilty In Pot Theft

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on September 16, 2011 News

WSIL

Greedy Pig? Here’s future prison popularity contest winner Caleb Craft, the deputy who allegedly stole four ounces of marijuana and $5,000 in cash from the evidence room

A former deputy in southern Illinois is facing three felony charges after authorities claimed he stole marijuana and money from an evidence room, and transferred the pot to a third party to sell.

Caleb Craft was a deputy for the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department before becoming an inmate at the county jail. He is charged with theft over $500, unlawful possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, and official misconduct, reports Andy Waterman at WSIL.

Craft stole more than $5,000 and more than four ounces of marijuana from the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group’s evidence room in Carbondale, according to court documents.

Yearly Archives: 2011