Author Steve Elliott ~alapoet~

Washington Legislature Looks At Two Marijuana Bills

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 18, 2011 Legislation, News

Graphic: Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Directory

Dispensaries already exist in at least King, Pierce and Snohomish counties, but if SB 5073 passes the Washington Legislature in 2011, they could operate statewide

Washington lawmakers are spending some time on cannabis this week, discussing both outright legalization as a source of revenue, and legalizing medical marijuana dispensaries to provide safe access for patients under the law approved by voters in 1998.

Supporters of a bill to legalize cannabis made a push to revive a measure they say would be worth $440 million in a two-year state budget cycle, reports Jim Camden at The Spokane Spokesman-Review. With a state budget deficit projected at more than $5 billion, that’s a more powerful argument than ever for legalization in the Evergreen State.

HB 1550, the legalization bill sponsored by Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson (D-Seattle), already had one hearing in the House Public Safety Committee, “where it attracted the usual list of supporters, who noted that some of the Founding Fathers grew hemp, and detractors who warned of growing usage by teens and drivers should marijuana become legal,” noted the Spokesman-Review.

Feds Threaten Marijuana Dispensaries Nationwide

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 17, 2011 Dispensaries, News

In a little-publicized memo, the U.S. federal government has indicated that the gloves are off regarding medical marijuana dispensaries, regardless of state laws.

Previous memos had indicated a loosening of federal prosecutions of medical marijuana; however the new memo states very clearly that the feds consider all dispensaries illegal under federal law and that their prosecution is a “core priority” of federal agents, according to the Cannabis Therapy Institute (CTI).

The “Haag Memo” [PDF], written on February 1, 2011 from U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag (Northern District of California) to Oakland City Attorney John A. Russo, was a response to an Oakland City Council request for guidance regarding medical marijuana and federal law. The memo was written with consultation and approval from U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, according to CTI.

Bill To Take Marijuana From Cancer Patients Gets Trashed

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 17, 2011 Legislation, Medical

Photo: Torsten Kjellstrand

Oregon voters approved medical marijuana in 1998, but conservative legislators are trying to restrict which patients can qualify.

Legislators got an earful Wednesday from medical marijuana advocates who opposed a proposal to greatly restrict who can legally use cannabis to combat illnesses.

It’s the second time the issue has come up recently, with some lawmakers claiming too many people are scamming the law that allows the use of marijuana to treat some diseases and symptoms, reports Harry Esteve at The Oregonian.

“I personally think the program is out of control,” sniffed the self-righteous windbag Sen. Jeff Kruse (R-Roseburg), sponsor of one of the bills targeting the growth of medicinal cannabis use. “I know people who just find it a legal way to smoke pot,” he claimed.

WA Paper: Strip Medical Marijuana Bill Of Onerous Amendments

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 17, 2011 Legislation, Medical

Graphic: Spokane Spokesman-Review

A major newspaper in Washington state has called for legislators, currently trying to revamp and clarify the state’s medical marijuana law, to drop onerous amendments which threaten to torpedo what started out as a good piece of legislation.

“The present bill does a thorough job of establishing a system for the legal production and distribution of marijuana, but heavy-handed amendments were added in the Senate before that body passed it,” editorialized the Spokane Spokesman-Review.

“The amended bill would not allow medical marijuana to become a commercial enterprise, unlike other drugs,” the Spokesman-Review wrote. “Nor could it be advertised as other drugs are. In addition, individual communities could choose to outlaw dispensaries.

No Charges Yet In MT Dispensary Raids; $4 Million ‘Seized’

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 17, 2011 Medical, News

Photo: THC Finder

Dumb-ass DEA agents felt they needed to wear masks and respirators while raiding and killing medical marijuana gardens in Montana on Monday, because otherwise they might get some of that evil cannabis on them.

There are still no charges related to this week’s medical marijuana dispensary raids across Montana, but an examination of civil seizure warrants reveals a possible motive behind the raids: The warrants authorized federal agents to “seize” more than $4.2 million from dispensary bank accounts.

Following what authorities claimed was an 18-month investigation, 26 search warrants targeting seven dispensaries were executed on Monday, reports Angela Brandt at the Helena Independent Record. Federal agents claimed they were looking for evidence of “large-scale trafficking” as well as tax evasion.

Colorado: Proposed Ban On Cannabis Edibles Dropped

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 17, 2011 Legislation, Medical

Photo: THC Finder

Colorado patients will still be able to use their cannabis in the form of edibles after one busybody lawmaker backed down on her effort to ban the treats

A Colorado state lawmaker on Tuesday withdrew her proposal to ban cannabis-infused products for medical marijuana users in favor of optional childproof packaging standards.

The House Judiciary Committee approved the bill 7-3 after it was changed to allow — but not require — state regulators to call for tamper-proof packaging, reports The Denver Post. No edible cannabis products were banned.

Earlier this month, the prospect of a ban on medicinal cannabis edibles galvanized patients and advocates. Dozens of activists testified against the ban.

Wake Up: A Cannabis Commercial [Video]

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 17, 2011 Culture

“Wake Up: A Cannabis Commercial” by Kain Derrick is Toke of the Town‘s Video of the Day.

R.I. Selects Three Medical Marijuana Dispensaries To License

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 16, 2011 Dispensaries, News

Graphic: Potspot 411

A long-awaited decision was announced Tuesday afternoon, with the Rhode Island Department of Health selecting three applicants, the maximum allowed under state law, to operate state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries.

Applicants selected were Summit Medical Compassion Center in Warwick; The Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center in Providence; and Greenleaf Compassion Center in Portsmouth, reports W. Zachary Malinowski of The Providence Journal.

Top officials at the Department of Health determined that nine of the 18 applicants were qualified to open dispensaries in Rhode Island, but state law limited them to selecting a maximum of three centers. Health Department spokeswoman Annemarie Beardsworth refused to name the other six approved applicants, saying that was “protected information.”

Dispensary Raids In Hollywood As Obama Breaks Promise

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

Photo: Los Angeles Times

Federal agents carry away stolen merchandise, I mean “evidence,” March 15, 2010

Drug Enforcement Agency agents, with the help of the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, raided two medical marijuana dispensaries in West Hollywood, California on Tuesday. It was the first such action in the city since the Obama Administration decided two years ago to take a hands-off approach to dispensaries in compliance with state laws.

The federal warrants were served on the Zen Healing Collective and on Alternative Herbal Health Services, and one individual was taken into custody, which may result in arrest. Both shops were among the four dispensaries the city had authorized to operate, reports John Hoeffel at The Los Angeles Times.

New York City Spends $75 Million A Year On Marijuana Arrests

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

Graphic: Law Firm Blog

In 2010, New York City spent $75 million arresting 50,383 people for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

That’s just one of the startling facts in a new report released Tuesday which documents the crushing costs of misguided marijuana enforcement in the city. Every day, about 140 people are arrested for marijuana offenses in New York City, making it the leading cause of arrest.

A full 87 percent of those arrested are black or Latino, a particularly outrageous number since people of color do not use marijuana at higher rates than the rest of the population.

“Incredibly, the NYPD has quietly made marijuana infractions their top law enforcement priority without even a pretense of public input or debate,” said Neill Franklin, a retired narcotics officer who heads Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP).

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