William Breathes

Florida medical marijuana activists collect 1.1 million petition signatures

By William Breathes on January 16, 2014 Follow that story, Medical, News

Toke of the Town.

The push to legalize medical marijuana in Florida is one step closer today, as the People United for Medical Marijuana (United for Care) are claiming that they have officially collected 1.1 million petitions.
Last week, New Times reported that the group thought it had reached the 1.1 million mark. An email sent out Wednesday night by the United for Care campaign director, Ben Pollara, confirmed — that the group has collected “over 1.1 million in all.” Broward-Palm Beach New Times has the details.

Colorado Marijuana-for-food stamps story fake, but laws preventing it are real

By William Breathes on January 15, 2014 News, Say what?

Photos and more below.

In recent weeks, we’ve posted about several satirical Colorado marijuana sales stories that some are taking seriously, including one that claimed pot overdoses killed 37 people and another about Representative Michele Bachmann supposedly driving stoned that prompted an official denial from Fort Collins.
A piece about folks buying weed with food stamps is a joke, too. But there is now actual legislation intended to ban this nonexistent practice. Denver Westword has more.

Illinois pharmacist wants medical marijuana sold only in pharmacies

By William Breathes on January 15, 2014 Medical, News, Say what?

Joseph Friedman deals drugs. Oxycontin, valium, morphine, even cocaine are things that he can get his hands on for a price. The one thing he can’t sell, though, is marijuana. Friedman is a pharmacist in Illinois who is helping to lead the charge to change marijuana from a Schedule I controlled substance (meaning it’s federally illegal to prescribe or dispense) to a Schedule II substance that he can legally sell over the counter.
Friedman is part of a growing interest by Big Pharma in the plant, including a push by lawmakers in Michigan to allow for “medical grade” cannabis to be sold in pharmacies, and he made his case Tuesday before the Illinois State board of Pharmacy.

New bill offers hope to Washington medical patients under fire by recreational rules

By William Breathes on January 15, 2014 Legislation, Medical, News

Washington state medical marijuana patients have been under attack by lawmakers attempting to force the state’s existing medical cannabis providers and patients into the heavily-taxed, limited recreational cannabis program. Namely, that attack has come in the form of House Bill 2149, which restricts home growing and forces existing medical clinics to follow recreational rules and laws.
The bill would essentially guts the medical program according to many patients and activists. Lawmakers say the law is justified and medical dispensaries have been running too unregulated for too long. But a newly-proposed bill stemming from a group of patients and physicians could protect the current medical program by introducing a regulatory system catered specifically for medical marijuana.

West Virginia lawmaker wants state to legalize exporting pot (but not using it)

By William Breathes on January 15, 2014 News, Say what?

Earlier this week we told you about a West Virginia state delegate’s latest quest for medical cannabis. Even though he wrote and sponsors it, Del. Mike Maypenny regards the bill as a long shot due to lawmakers who simply don’t want to consider a natural, safe alternative for sick, suffering patients in their state.
But if there’s money to be made in cannabis while keeping it illegal, it seems lawmakers are all over it. State Sen. Clark Barnes openly admitted as much yesterday when he hinted that the state should grow cannabis and sell it to states where it is legal. Apparently nobody has told him that interstate commerce off of cannabis remains a pretty high-priority federal crime.

Washington D.C. marijuana decriminalization measure gaining steam

By William Breathes on January 15, 2014 News

Washington D.C. may soon decriminalize marijuana, making an ounce of pot or less a $25 fine on par with a parking ticket instead of the $1,000 fine and six months in jail possession of that amount currently carries. Councilman Tommy Wells says that the move is necessary to help curb the overwhelming racial profiling by police in D.C. as well as keep down court and legal costs.
“We have to take action to decriminalize possession of an ounce or less of marijuana and reform our criminal justice system,” he wrote in a press release week.

Florida medical marijuana advocate spends $2.8 million for final signature push

By William Breathes on January 15, 2014 Follow that story, Medical, News

John Morgan.

Orlando-based attorney and pro-medical marijuana advocate John Morgan has put $2.8 million into the effort to get the legalization of medical marijuana on the Florida ballot come November.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that Morgan has given the folks at United for Care a $909,000 loan to advance the effort.
Morgan and United for Care have until February 1 to turn in 700,000 signatures to force a vote in November, and the lawyer is pushing hard and opening up his wallet as the deadline draws nearer. The Broward-Palm Beach New Times has more.

Are new pot smokers an even bigger danger when they drive high?

By William Breathes on January 14, 2014 News, Say what?

Even before the passage of Colorado’s Amendment 64, which allows adults age 21 and over to use and possess small amounts of marijuana, law-enforcement agencies have campaigned against driving under the influence of drugs, even though, from a statistical standpoint, alcohol-related DUIs dwarf pot-related ones.
This weekend, Colorado’s Keith Kilbey became a part of the debate after crashing into Colorado State Patrol vehicles investigating an earlier crash. Photos and details about the incident and more below. Denver Westword has more.

Mizzou receiver Dorial Green-Beckham arrested with pound of pot

By William Breathes on January 14, 2014 News, Stoned Sports

Dorial Green-Beckham

A week after helping the Missouri Tigers win the Cotton Bowl, sophomore receiver Dorial Green-Beckham was arrested in Springfield after police found a pound of weed in the car.
Green-Beckham and four people in their twenties were pulled over just before 10 p.m. Friday night when a police officer noticed the car’s plates were expired by three months. Riverfront Times has more.

St. Louis mayor puts up online pot poll, city says “legalize it”

By William Breathes on January 14, 2014 News

Francis Slay.

The mayor’s office wants to know what St. Louisans think about legalizing marijuana, so it put out a poll. The results aren’t surprising: People want it legalized.
The ten-question poll asks respondents about their views on legalization, the effect on crime and how marijuana should be regulated if it were to be legalized. After taking the poll, the results from all participants are shown. Here were the results at the time of writing (we’ll update if things change). The Riverftont Times has the full details.

Author William Breathes