Author Steve Elliott ~alapoet~

Colorado Medical Marijuana Bill Passes; Governor Will Sign

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 12, 2010 Dispensaries, Legislation, Medical

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Colorado lawmakers are finally sending a measure regulating the state’s medical marijuana industry to the desk of Gov. Bill Ritter, and Ritter has indicated he’s inclined to sign it into law.

The State House voted 46-19 on Tuesday afternoon to approve House Bill 1284, report Jeffrey Wolf and Adam Schrager at 9 News. The bill mandates that dispensaries are licensed and monitored throughout the state, but in a very controversial provision, also gives local communities the ability to completely ban them.

Finally, A Count On L.A.’s Pot Dispensaries: 583

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 12, 2010 Dispensaries, News

Photo: The Fresh Scent

After countless media reports about Los Angeles’s “1,000 medical marijuana dispensaries,” which news organizations repeatedly said was “more pot shops that Starbucks,” we finally have a number, repots Dennis Romero at the L.A. Weekly — and it’s 583.

The hard number comes courtesy of the Los Angeles Police Department, which looked at a list of dispensaries forwarded to it by City Attorney Carmen Trutanich. The LAPD then had officers confirm the outlets that were up and running throughout the city.

Tacoma, WA Medical Marijuana Dispensary Busted

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 12, 2010 Dispensaries, News

Photo: KOMO News

Guy Casey, North End Club 420: “I’m calling for everybody in the medical marijuana community to stand behind us”

Law enforcement officers served three warrants Tuesday morning in their attempt to shut down a Tacoma, Washington-based medical marijuana dispensary, North End Club 420.

The warrants were served at two Tacoma addresses — a home and an office building — and an Olalla home, according to the West End Narcotics Enforcement Team (WestNET), reports Stacey Mulick of The Tacoma News Tribune.

The multi-agency WestNET force, which focuses primarily on Kitsap and Mason counties, claimed it had been working on the case since January with the help of undercover snitches.

The North End Club 420 is one of three new medical marijuana dispensaries in Tacoma.

Cops Say New Obama Strategy Just Like Old Drug War

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 12, 2010 Legislation, News

Photo: Philly NORML

Neill Franklin, LEAP: “…We can’t let them get away with claiming that they’ve ended the ‘War On Drugs’ while we continue to arrest 800,000 people a year on marijuana charges alone”

The Obama Administration released its National Drug Control Strategy on Tuesday, claiming it represents a “balanced new approach” to drug policy that focuses on treatment over enforcement.

However, a group of police officers who support legalization is pointing out that despite the administration’s words, the drug budget dedicates nearly twice as much funding to policing and enforcement as it does to public health and prevention, virtually the same ratio as the previous budget under President Bush.

“The Drug Czar is saying all the right things about ending the ‘War On Drugs’ and enacting a long-overdue balanced strategy focused on a public health approach,” said Neill Franklin, a former Baltimore cop and incoming executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). “Unfortunately, the reality of the budget numbers don’t match up to the rhetoric.”

Egypt, Israel Face Hashish Drought

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 11, 2010 Global, News

Photo: Fotolog

Damn, that looks yummy. This is Blond Lebanese, and right now it’s hard to find, even in the Middle East.

Once again, Egyptians and Israelis are sharing the pain. A hashish shortage in Egypt, where a government crackdown resulted in a dry spell that has driven prices up, has spread to Israel.

The Hebrew daily Maariv has reported the hash prices there have doubled in recent months and good hashish is nowhere to be found, reports Batsheva Sobelman in the Los Angeles Times.

In Israel, too, the shortage is largely attributable to a government crackdown. The establishment of three special police units at Israel’s northern and southern boundaries, as well as at its international airport, have brought a 30 percent increase in major drug busts.

Canada: Prince Of Pot Surrenders; MPs Oppose Extradition

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 11, 2010 Global, News

Photo: The Globe and Mail

Marc Emery, the Prince of Pot, might not be taking another bong rip for awhile.

Two Vancouver MPs are criticizing a decision to support the extradition of marijuana activist Marc Emery, the self-styled “Prince of Pot,” to the United States.

The Prince of Pot has been out on bail for the past six months. With the period of his release expiring, Emery surrendered himself to authorities Monday at the Vancouver courts.

Emery was arrested in 2005 as part of a joint Canada-United States law enforcement operation. He was charged in connection with an alleged online marijuana seed-selling business based in Vancouver, British Columbia, reports Stephen Thomson at the Vancouver Straight.

Maine: Some Marijuana Patients In No Hurry To Register

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 11, 2010 Dispensaries, Medical

Graphic: Digital Journal

Maine officials will accept applications starting this week fro residents who want to register as medical marijuana patients under the state’s new distribution system. But some who are already using marijuana under the current rules say they are in no hurry to put their names on the list.

Rules created after last November’s statewide referendum allow eight non-profit medical marijuana dispensaries to be set up in Maine, reports John Richardson at the Kennebec Journal. Prospective dispensary owners have until June 25 to file applications and business plans under guidelines posted last week.

All individuals who want to use medical marijuana must register with the state by January 2011, under the new rules. Applications will be posted online as soon as Tuesday, May 11, ac cording to Catherine Cobb, director of licensing for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

Will Medical Marijuana Be Legalized In Nebraska?

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 11, 2010 Legislation, Medical

Photo: Diana Sunshine Wulf

Diana Wulf, spokeswoman, Nebraska HEMP: “It is one of the safest plants on Earth to use”

The discussion has begun about legalizing marijuana for medical purposes in Nebraska.

Three members of the State Board of Pharmacy will quiz their colleagues on the topic at the annual meeting May 22-25 of the National Boards of Pharmacy in Anaheim, Calif., reports Paul Hammel of World-Herald News Service.

The Nebraskans hope to learn more about the pros and cons of legalization and any problems that have arisen in the 14 states that now allow cannabis to be used medicinally.

“It’s probably an issue we’re going to have to address in the future” said Board Chairman Rick Zarek, a Gothernburg, Neb., pharmacist, who said he had no personal opinion on the subject.

Nebraska legislators declared the issue dead in March, even after the state pharmacy board in neighboring Iowa voted unanimously to recommend that medical marijuana be permitted there.

‘Not In Our Town’: Firebombs Target Two Marijuana Businesses

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 11, 2010 Culture, Dispensaries, News

Photo: Larry Mayer/Billings Gazette

Billings Police and Fire Departments investigate the scene of a firebomb thrown through the front door of Montana Therapeutics, a medical marijuana store, May 10, 2010.

Hateful rhetoric leads to hateful actions. This should-be self-evident axiom was once again demonstrated when two medical marijuana businesses were firebombed in the last two days in Billings, Montana.

“It was ugly, and it was a hate crime,” said David Couch, owner of Big Sky Patient Care, one of the two medical marijuana provides vandalized in the last two days, reports Kahrin Deines of the Billings Gazette.

The firebombs thrown through the front door of two medical marijuana businesses in Billings were accompanied with a hateful message. “NOT IN OUR TOWN” was spray painted on the fronts of both buildings, according to the owners.

State Rules Could Force ‘Green’ Dispensaries In Boulder

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 10, 2010 Dispensaries, Legislation

Photo: Marty Caivano

Todd Young stands among his growing medical marijuana plants at the Therapeutic Compassion Center in Boulder last year. A combination of state and city laws being considered would force all dispensaries to offset 100 percent of their electricity use with wind or solar power.

A Colorado bill that sets regulations for the growing medical marijuana industry would probably have the unintended side effect of forcing all dispensaries in Boulder to use 100 percent wind or solar energy.

House Bill 1284, which appears to be on its way to the governor’s desk this week, contains a provision requiring all dispensaries to grow at least 70 percent of the marijuana they sell, reports Heath Urie at the Boulder Daily Camera.

At the same time, city regulations being considered in Boulder, which will probably be approved May 18, would require dispensaries that grow any amount of their own cannabis to offset 100 percent of the electricity they use by subscribing to wind power, connecting to a community solar garden or using on-site solar panels.

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