William Breathes

Overzealous marijuana enforcement in infamous Texas town a burden to local taxpayers

By William Breathes on September 26, 2013 News

Sierra Blanca, Texas.

Sierra Blanca, Texas. It’s not in any worthwhile tour guide books and you probably would have never heard of it except for Sheriff Arvin West and the Hudspeth County Sheriff’s department. See, it’s in Sierra Blanca that police love to search musician tour buses (and us normal citizens) and bust them with marijuana.
They don’t care who you are. Snoop Lion, Fiona Apple, and even Texas hero and legend Willie Nelson have been pulled over and arrested near this tiny wetfart of a West Texas town at an “interior border checkpoint” on I-10. But now county officials are saying they can’t pay for all of this enforcement unless the feds keep ponying up to foot the bill.

Unhappy birthday 2: TSA find 100 pounds gift-wrapped in luggage at LAX

By William Breathes on September 26, 2013 News, Say what?

Californians: Wrapping weed in birthday presents does not prevent cops from finding them.
We’ve been over this before, yet still some people keep trying it. Take the two geniuses who checked into LAX headed for Atlanta with about 100 pounds gift-wrapped up in their luggage yesterday, for example.

Numerous Colorado ski towns approving of recreational cannabis sales

By William Breathes on September 26, 2013 News, Stoned Sports

Thinking of taking a ski vacation in the high country of Colorado in 2014? Last week, Telluride officially approved sales of recreational cannabis, joining a majority of other tourism-reliant ski towns around the Centennial State that have given an okay to the ganja.
Which towns, exactly? Denver Westword has the growing list.

West Virginia lawmakers hear pro-medical marijuana testimony

By William Breathes on September 26, 2013 Follow that story, Legislation, Medical, News

Marijuana Policy Project’s Matt Simon.

West Virginia lawmakers have begun considering the possibility of allowing for legal medical marijuana use and cultivation in their state. As we reported earlier this week, an interim joint health committee (no pun intended) has been called to evaluate whether legalizing medical cannabis is the right move for the state. Yesterday was the first of the hearings, with Marijuana Policy Project analyst and spokesman Matt Simon taking the stand and urging politicians in his home state to come to their senses.
“Those are some of the really tragic cases in my opinion, patients who have to move to another state just to try a plant that would work for them,” Simon told lawmakers.

High-profile Mexican attorneys, actors, writers and other luminaries urge marijuana legalization

By William Breathes on September 26, 2013 Global, News

Over the last six years, more than 80,000 Mexicans have been killed due to excessive drug violence in their country – in part due to the marijuana trade. Legalizing marijuana would help curb that violence and help repair a country that has been torn apart in places by drug cartels and the criminalization of marijuana consumers.
That’s the message from 67 high-profile Mexican businessmen, ministers, artists, attorneys and even a Nobel Prize-winning scientists delivered Wednesday in a paid petition in several newspapers across the country.

Second-ever medical marijuana dispensary opening in New Jersey

By William Breathes on September 25, 2013 Medical, News

There are about 1,500 marijuana plants being harvested right now, with a final resting place somewhere in the hands of sick New Jersey patients.
Starting October 15, the Compassionate Care Foundation in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey near Atlantic City, will open its doors to patients – provided they have made a reservation.

Colorado Springs mom says son died from “synthetic marijuana,” sues convenience store

By William Breathes on September 25, 2013 News, Say what?

These synthetic smokables do not resemble marijuana.

Stephane Colbert says her 19-year-old son died in 2011, allegedly after he smoked a synthetic, lab-made c compound called “Mr. Smiley” that many news outlets are calling “synthetic marijuana”..
Synthetic weed was banned federally in May of 2011 but Nicholas Colbert still was able to purchase some of the stuff in September of that year from a neighborhood Kwik Stop in the Springs.

Synthetic weed ring causes multi-state police busts

By William Breathes on September 25, 2013 News

Mmm, plastic.

Consider this a public service announcement for smokers of K-2 and similar products. There’s a widely available, all-natural product — a miracle, really — that delivers that synthetic marijuana-like high you crave without any unfortunate face-eating side effects. It’s called weed, and it’s about as easy to find as a case of Bud Light, except on Sundays, when it’s easier.
Yet somehow a surprising number of people choose to smoke the synthetic stuff, enough of them that a moderately sophisticated, multi-state manufacturing and distribution chain is emerging. Dallas Observer has the full story.

Washington state looking for pot-friendly bank

By William Breathes on September 24, 2013 News

Washington state is looking for a bank to handle their finances – including large sums of money collected from recreational cannabis sales and licensing.
Banking has been a problem for some time now for medical cannabis dispensaries and other businesses that are tied to medical cannabis funds. Basically, since marijuana is federally-illegal and banks are insured by the federal government, major banks have steered clear of marijuana businesses. But this latest move by the state could finally push the issue to a head.

Michigan police currently scanning for outdoor grows by chopper

By William Breathes on September 24, 2013 Growing, News

State Police in Michigan announced how much they love burning gasoline and wasting taxpayer money earlier this week, bragging about a costly flyover search in Livingston County that – so far – hasn’t resulted in any arrests according to the Detroit Free Press.
But if you live in Deerfield, Handy or Cohoctah and have an outdoor grow, you might want to reconsider harvesting your crops now.

Author William Breathes