Author Steve Elliott ~alapoet~

Marijuana Decrim In Arizona? Pot Could Become $100 Fine

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 2, 2011 Legislation, News

Arizonans could be paying only a $100 fine for possession of two ounces or less of marijuana if Rep. John Fillmore’s bill passes and is signed by the governor

The penalty for possession of two ounces or less of marijuana could soon carry a fine of only $100 in Arizona.

Pot isn’t a gateway drug, as critics claim, and all the time and money spent on marijuana prohibition would be better spent elsewhere, according to State Rep. John Fillmore (R-Apache Junction). Under his decriminalization bill, minor pot possession would become a petty offense, reports Ray Stern at Phoenix New Times.

Fillmore said he’s currently looking into how much money the state would save if his bill, HB 2228, passes.

Dad Tells Cops 14-Year-Old Stole Weed From Son, 16

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 1, 2011 News

Photo: Gambling 911

Ahhh, gotta love life in suburbia, 2011. An Arizona man was arrested after he told police a 14-year-old neighbor took $400 worth of marijuana from his 16-year-old son and refused to pay for it.

Police in Surprise, Arizona (yes, that’s really the name of the place) found Sean Corwin, 35, beating on the front door of a residence, reports Taylor Hill at The Arizona Republic. He told the cops that an occupant of the home had taken marijuana from his son, according to Sgt. Mark Ortega.

Police said they suspected Corwin had used his son to sell marijuana to the 14-year-old at a nearby park. Cops believe the 14-year-old boy grabbed the cannabis and ran home without paying, leading Corwin to drive to the home to demand payment.

Experts: Medical Marijuana Patient Registry Working In Oregon

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 1, 2011 Legislation, Medical

Graphic: Potspot 411

Washington state has no medical marijuana patient registry, but the Legislature is considering following Oregon’s lead as part of a sweeping overhaul bill pending in Olympia.

Patients in Washington are anxious about the proposed registry, seeing it as an invasion of privacy and a tempting tool for police, who strongly favor it, reports Jonathan Martin at The Seattle Times. Reflecting those fears, the current proposal in Washington calls for a voluntary registry.

But Oregon’s 11-year experience with a mandatory registry has resulted in patient advocates, police, attorneys and health-care professionals describing it as the least controversial part of the Beaver State’s medical marijuana law.

Malaysia: 3 Sentenced To Hang For Selling Pot At McDonald’s

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 1, 2011 Global, News

Graphic: Cracked

If you get caught selling marijuana in Malaysia they’ll give you more hemp — a hemp rope around your neck.

If you are going to sell cannabis, please do it somewhere besides Malaysia. Three people, including one couple, were sentenced on Thursday to death by hanging by the high court at Temerloh, Malaysia for trafficking 4.5 kilograms (just under 10 pounds) of marijuana last year.

“Death by hanging is the only sentence provided for offenses under Section 39B (1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1952,” said Judicial Commissioner Datuk Akhtar Tahir, reports Bernama, the official Malaysian national news agency.

Tahir said the prosecution had proven a prima facie case against Ahmad Mukamal Abdul Wahab, 37; Suhana Kamarudin, 28; and her husband Shawal Hashim, 37.

Ahmad Mukamal and Shawal reportedly shook their heads when the sentence was announced.

“I am not guilty,” Suhana shouted from the dock. “I have a child and had promised to return,” the young mother said.

Series Two Of Medical Cannabis Collector Cards Released

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 1, 2011 Culture, Products

Graphic: PCC

Collect ’em all!

Following the success of the first 10 Medical Cannabis Collector Cards, the Patients Care Collective (PCC), a Berkeley, California medical marijuana dispensary, has introduced “Series Two.”

“Our patients loved the first set so much, we felt compelled to bring them Series Two sooner than we originally planned,” said David Bowers, PCC manager and creator of the cards.

“We are excited by the response we’ve received so far, and love hearing that patients are being inspired to learn more about their medicine,” Bowers said.

The new cards are numbered 11 through 20 and feature beautiful bud photos taken at PCC, along with genetic, flavor, effect, and medicinal use information for each of the strains showcased.

For Series Two, the featured strains are MK Ultra, Purple Kush, Morning Star, Durban Poison, Peak 19, Ogre, Purple God, Sage & Sour, Blue Moonshine, and Blackberry Kush.

Charges Dropped; Sleazy Deputy Stole Medical Marijuana Card

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 1, 2011 Dispensaries, Medical, News

Photo: Calaveras County Sheriff

Deputy Steve Avila admitted he stole a medical marijuana patient’s I.D., falsified the birthdate, then bought pot with it — and arrested the man who sold it to him!

Prosecutors have dropped drug dealing, cultivation and possession charges against a medical marijuana dispensary owner in which a Calaveras County sheriff’s deputy used a legitimate — but stolen — medical marijuana card to induce the man to sell him cannabis.

Jay R. Smith, 37, pleaded no contest Friday to a single charge of aiding and abetting another person to commit a felony, according to court records, reports Dana M. Nichols at the Stockton Record.

Smith was sentenced to pay a $160 fine and serve 90 days in jail, but will not be subject to probation. The plea deal means he will be able to continue work as a medical marijuana patient advocate, Smith said.

His arrest on January 4, 2010, prompted protests by medical marijuana patients and providers. At the time, Smith was operating K Care Collective, a medicinal cannabis dispensary.

Calaveras County Sheriff’s Deputy Steve Avila, also known as “that sleazy piece of shit,” posed as a legitimate medical marijuana patient named Robert Shaffer of Ione, California, and contacted Smith seeking to buy cannabis.

Deputy Avila had “gained possession” (I guess that’s what they call stealing when a deputy does it?) of Shaffer’s medical marijuana card in late 2009 during an earlier drug case against Shaffer. Deputy Avila then proceeded to falsify the birthdate on the card to persuade Smith to sell him marijuana.

California Green Rush: Real Housewives Or Weeds Wanna-Be’s?

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on January 31, 2011 Culture, Growing

Photo: Qwickstep.com

By Jack Rikess

Toke of the Town

Northern California Correspondent

“Angela” blames most of her problems on the economy. “I had a total of three houses, the one I lived in and two others I bought as investments in early ’04. After my real estate business stalled in ’08, I was basically sitting on three empty houses that I couldn’t move or even rent. That when I decided that maybe there was another way: I would grow marijuana.”

And that’s where all of Angela’s troubles started.

Worth Repeating: Marijuana Halves Lung Cancer Tumor Growth

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on January 31, 2011 Medical

Graphic: NORML Stash Blog

By Ron Marczyk

A 2007 study, performed at Harvard University (yes, that Harvard) by Anju Preet, PhD and the Division of Experimental Medicine, is further evidence that supports the study performed by Donald Tashkin, M.D. (reported in Toke January 27) originally published in 2005, indicating that THC appears not to start or promote lung cancer, and if anything, appears to slow or stop lung cancer.

In other words, THC, marijuana’s main active ingredient, appears to have anti-tumor effects!

Dr. Preet’s conclusion is that the THC is the main player in stopping cancer. Tetrahyrocannabinol appears to stop epidermal growth factor (EGF) released by lung tumors. EGF is used for angiogenesis (it’s a growth factor released by a tumor to encourage new blood vessel growth to feed it; this also allows the growth of the tumor and allows it to spread).

When mice (whose biological functions are identical to humans’ in many ways) were implanted surgically with human lung cancer cells which were allowed to start growing and then treated with THC for three weeks, the cancer tumors shrunk by 50 percent in weight, and there was a 60 percent reduction in the number of tumors in their lungs.

Enforcement Of Colorado Marijuana Rules Begins March 1

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on January 31, 2011 Legislation, Medical

Photo: Cannabis Therapy Institute

The MMED’s new badge and logo. Whoever thought they’d see a law enforcement badge with the words “medical marijuana” on it? Just in case we forget how they look at medical marijuana patients and providers, it has ‘CRIMINAL’ right up at the top and center.

The Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division (MMED) of the Colorado Department of Revenue said on Friday that “serious enforcement” of its 99 pages of new rules will begin on March 1. Public comment on the rules will be accepted until February 11.

The rule-making was necessary to implement HB 10-1284, a bill passed by the Colorado Legislature in 2010 which created Medical Marijuana Centers (MMCs), which is what legislators there call dispensaries.

The MMED concluded two days of rule-making hearings on January 28, taking testimony on the new dispensary rules. Even though the new rules will affect hundreds of dispensary applicants, fewer than 10 MMC applicants testified at the hearings.

Medical Marijuana Employment Rights Intro’d In CA Legislature

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on January 31, 2011 Legislation, Medical, News

Graphic: Rose Law Group

California employers would be prevented from discriminating against medical marijuana patients under a bill introduced to the California Legislature on Thursday.

Senate Bill 129, introduced by State Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), would not change the current law which prohibits employees from using medical marijuana at the workplace. “This bill is not about being under the influence while at work,” Sen. Leno said. “That’s against the law, and will remain so.”

According to Sen. Leno, his bill “simply establishes a medical cannabis patient’s right to work.”

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