Author Steve Elliott ~alapoet~

CA Supreme Court To Review Controversial Medical Marijuana Cases

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on January 19, 2012 Dispensaries, Legislation, News

Advocates Applaud Decision to Review Long Beach and Riverside Dispensary Regulation Cases

The California Supreme Court issued an order on Wednesday indicating it will review two controversial medical marijuana cases that have resulted in the suspension of several local dispensary ordinances across the state.

As a result of Wednesday’s order, Pack v. City of Long Beach and City of Riverside v. Inland Empire Patient’s Health and Wellness Ctr., Inc. have both been vacated in anticipation of the High Court’s ruling. The Pack decision held that some dispensary regulations may be preempted by federal law and the Riverside decision held that localities could legally ban distribution altogether.

STRIKE: Stop SOPA, Stop PIPA, Preserve Freedom Of Speech

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on January 18, 2012 Legislation

Electronic Frontier Foundation

███ ██ █ ████ the Drug War ███ █████ is █████ ████ ████ good ████ and you ███ █should ██████ trust █████ ██████ ███ your █████ ████ government.

(Parts of this comment have been found in violation of H.R. 3261, S.O.P.A and Senate Bill 968, P.I.P.A. and has been censored for your benefit.)

Two-Thirds Of Canadians Favor Pot Legalization Or Decrim: Poll

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on January 17, 2012 Global, News

Simple Cannabis

Two-thirds of Canadians support legalization or decriminalization of marijuana according to a new poll released on Tuesday, with just 20 percent supporting leaving the pot laws as they are now.

The poll, by Toronto-based Forum Research Inc., showed that British Columbia residents were the most likely to support cannabis law reform, with 73 percent indicating laws should be changed, reports Ian Vandaelle at the National Post. Quebec had the lowest support, although even there, a sizable majority, 61 percent, supported legalization or decrim.

Feds Raid Marijuana Collectives In Costa Mesa, California

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on January 17, 2012 Dispensaries, News

Where’s Weed?

The interior of Costa Mesa medical marijuana collective Otherside Farms as it was before today’s raids

Federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents reportedly raided at least three medical marijuana collectives in Costa Mesa, California, starting at about noon today.

Reportedly raided, according to California Cannabis Coalition, were Otherside Farms, Simple Farmer/Burning Farms and American Collective.

At least three people are reportedly in jail on federal charges.

Simple Farmer had a grow operation at the director’s home, and the federal agents knocked the door down with a battering ram and burst in brandishing machine guns.

A pregnant woman and children were at the home, and federal agents — in plain clothing — reportedly had machine guns pointed at the children’s faces, according to California Cannabis Coalition.

Granny Told Me To Use Marijuana For Ear Problems: African Man

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on January 17, 2012 Global, Medical, News

Lusaka Times

A Zambian reggae fan smoking marijuana during last May’s Bob Marley memorial concert in Lusaka

A court in the African nation of Zambia has convicted and sentenced a 24-year-old man to six months in prison with hard labor after finding him guilty of marijuana possession.

Magistrate Bathromeo (“Bathromeo”?? Shit, and here I thought “Steve” was a cool name) Kaonga of the Siavonga Magistrates’ Court slapped the sentence on Lucky Shamahoko, who was facing one count of trafficking in a “psychotropic substance” (cannabis) contrary to the laws of Zambia, reports the Lusaka Times.

Two Marijuana Bills In CA Legislature; Your Support Needed

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on January 17, 2012 Legislation, Medical, News

The Liberator Today

Californians have a chance to make two strides for human rights in the coming weeks. Two important bills before the Legislature must be voted on this month: SB 129 would grant employment rights to medical marijuana patients, and AB 1017 would reduce penalties for marijuana cultivation.

The Legislature will be voting on the bills in the next two weeks (between January 19 and 31). Both bills fell short of passage last legislative session, and both are in critical need of support fro constituents in key districts.

“We are urging supporters in key districts to contact their legislators ASAP!” said Deputy Director Ellen Komp of California NORML.

Lawmaker To Smoke Joint In Poland’s Parliament Friday

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on January 17, 2012 Global, Legislation, News

Kacper Pempel/Reuters

MP Janusz Palikot of Palikot’s Movement Party wants to test Poland’s new cannabis decriminalization law — by smoking a joint in Parliament

A Polish lawmaker plans to test his country’s new marijuana decriminalization law — by firing up a joint in Parliament.

MP Janusz Palikot has announced he plans to share a joint in the Parliament building on Friday as part of a campaign to legalize marijuana in Poland.

The ultra-liberal Palikot’s Movement Party will be using civil disobedience to test laws introduced in December that gave prosecutors a choice on whether to charge individuals who are found to be in possession of “soft drugs” for personal use, reports TheNews.pl.

This Just In! Marijuana Works Great For Marijuana Withdrawal!

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on January 16, 2012 Culture, Global, Medical

Steve Elliott ~alapoet~

For best results, apply more marijuana.

It’s already been a wacky year for marijuana coverage in the mainstream media, and we’re barely more than two weeks deep into 2012.

Already we have three major contenders for Dumbest Pot Story of the Year, which certainly points to an interesting year ahead in the cannabis information wars.

Do we really need a study on the best cure for “cannabis withdrawal”? Do people really choose to use marijuana because they were born with abnormally small brains? And speaking of brains, did you know that THC coats your brain cells and makes it hard for you to think, at least according to a self-appointed “drug expert”/counselor in Colorado?

There’s a lot of rank ignorance out there to wade through, and it ain’t pretty. Let’s put on our hippest hip boots, shall we?

The clear winner, so far, is the impending study from Australia on the efficacy of using… wait for it… cannabis to treat cannabis “withdrawal”!

Sponsor Of Bill To Drug Test Welfare Recipients Busted For DUI

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on January 16, 2012 Legislation, News

Think Progress

Georgia Rep. Kip Smith, who wants to drug test all welfare recipients, was arrested Friday morning for DUI.

Hey, if you like fat-cat politicians who want to drug test welfare recipients even as they themselves cruise around drunk as fuck in their shiny sports cars, have I found a guy for you.

A conservative Georgia Republican who wants to piss test everyone on public assistance failed a test of his own Friday morning: he showed up intoxicated after he ran a red light, according to an Atlanta police report.

State Rep. Kip Smith, 29, of Columbus, was pulled over just after leaving Hal’s Restaurant; he allegedly ran a red light, and was arrested after failing the DUI test, reports Christopher Seward at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Smith is a sponsor of Georgia House Bill 464, which would “require random drug testing” for citizens on public assistance, reports Judd Legum at Think Progress. In response to Smith’s bill, state Rep. Scott Holcomb introduced another bill last month that would require all Georgia lawmakers to be subject to random drug testing.

The traffic light had just turned red when Smith went through the intersection, according to Atlanta police Officer Z.A. Kramer, who was following the legislator’s gold 1998 Jaguar XJ8.

Former Schoolteacher Leads Fight For Medical Marijuana In FL

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on January 16, 2012 Legislation, Medical, News

Steve Cannon/USA Today

I love this woman. Florida state Sen. Larcenia Bullard: “I’m going to support this as long as I’m in office”

The cause of medical marijuana legalization has something of an unlikely public face in Florida: Larcenia Bullard, a 64-year-old former schoolteacher who is now a state senator.

If you’d told Bullard 35 years ago — back when she was teaching kids for a living — that she’d one day be the most prominent marijuana advocate in the state, she probably would have sent you to the principal’s office, reports Tim Elfrink at Miami New Times.

“I would not have possibly imagined that to be true,” Bullard said with a laugh. “It was not an issue I’d given two thoughts to before.”

But Bullard, a Democrat who spent last year lugging an oxygen cart around the state capitol at Tallahassee because of her heart problems, has become the unlikely hero of the Sunshine State’s growing cannabis movement, New Times reports.

Previous 1 … 100 101 102 103 104 … 377 Next