William Breathes

Michigan medical marijuana dispensary owners shut down, reopening with new business model

By William Breathes on June 17, 2013 Legislation, Medical, News

A sample Michigan medical marijuana card.

Medical marijuana dispensaries in Michigan are reopening using a new model this month after being shut down since February thanks to a state Supreme Court ruling making patient-to-patient sales illegal.
Higher Expectations Medical Partnership in Battle Creek, Michigan says his shop now doesn’t have any marijuana on site to sell anymore. Instead, HEMP acts as a clearinghouse for caregivers and patients – a relationship that is still allowed by state law.

Texas gov. approves drug testing for wellfare benefits law

By William Breathes on June 17, 2013 News

Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

Governor Rick Perry signed a bill into law Friday that will require people applying for unemployment benefits to submit to a drug test, if their responses to a screening questionnaire indicate possible drug use. The bill, written by Woodlands Republican Senator Tommy Williams, doesn’t set aside any new money for drug treatment programs, because of course it doesn’t. And if it’s anything like similar programs in other states, they’ll waste tens of thousands of dollars implementing it all while “saving” at most several hundreds when they “bust” some poor Texan who just wanted to get high one Saturday night with friends.
“The message is strong,” Perry said at a bill-signing ceremony today at the Capitol, according to the Tribune. “If you’ve got a drug problem, there are ways that we can help you get that licked, but we’re not going to entice individuals to not be responsible.” Dallas Observer has the rest.

NORML calls for Colorado THC-DUI bill re-do after state health department incompetence exposed

By William Breathes on June 17, 2013 Legislation, News

Last week, defense attorneys weighed in on a damning March report aimed at the Colorado toxicology lab, which conducts blood tests for cases of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
Now several activists and attorneys have said that the release of the report was postponed until June for fear it would undermine the THC driving bill, which passed last month after two failed attempts. Now, NORML (which was in favor of THC driving limits just a few months ago) wants the state legislature to revisit the law. Denver Westword has the rest.

PRISM and pot: Someone is always watching you

By William Breathes on June 14, 2013 Box Corner, Culture

It always feels like somebody’s watching me.

Well, crazy tokers of the internet: you were right. I’ve argued for years that no one gives a shit what you do online as long as it doesn’t involve kids or weapons, even though a tiny hit of Durban Poison will have me drawing the shades and painting mental pictures of what prison is like.
But apparently the NSA cares what EVERYONE is doing. All the time. Our prized privacy is under attack, but here are some positives:

Missouri music fest founder goes to jail for other people’s marijuana and drug use

By William Breathes on June 14, 2013 Culture, News

The St. Louis Riverfront Times cover story this week tells the horrible and frightening tale of Schwagstock founder and Grateful Dead cover band musician Jimmy Tebeau, who was sentenced to federal prison not for any drugs he bought, used or sold – but for the drug usage of the people who attended his festival.
For simply being the venue owner, federal agents have ruined the 45-year-old’s life and put him in prison for the next 30 months.

Obama administration has spent nearly $300 million busting medical marijuana operations

By William Breathes on June 14, 2013 Medical, News

In less than five years, Barack Obama has spent nearly $290 million to arrest and prosecute medical marijuana caregivers, patients and dispensary owners. It’s a huge number, but interestingly only makes up about four percent of the overall Drug Enforcement Administration Budget.
According to Americans for Safe Access, which compiled the report using DEA and other federal statistics, says federal intervention flies in the face of state-legal cannabis patients, which number more than 1 million people nationally.

Oklahoma passes zero-tolerance marijuana driving bill

By William Breathes on June 14, 2013 Legislation, News

Oklahoma toughened their marijuana driving laws this week, creating a limit of zero THC in a driver’s blood and setting it as a per se limit. That means that if you have any marijuana or marijuana metabolites in your system whatsoever, you’re guilty of driving under the influence.
So, if it wasn’t already on your list of life rules, you should add DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH OKLAHOMA on there. Sorry Oklahoman’s but your state is about as far from being okay with marijuana as it gets.

Arizona craigslist full of (illegal) medical marijuana posts

By William Breathes on June 14, 2013 Medical, News, Say what?

Despite the fact that Arizona has a medical-marijuana law, that law does not turn a neighborhood weed dealer into a bona fide medical-marijuana salesman.
This apparently comes as news to several Phoenix residents, as a New Times review of superior court filings shows that police have busted several dealers over the last few weeks, and were discovered by police because they offered “medical marijuana” for sale on Craigslist. Phoenix New Times has the rest.

Arizona man begins push for statewide legalization initiative in 2013

By William Breathes on June 13, 2013 Legislation, News

Dennis Bohlke is determined to get a lot of autographs. The 59-year-old computer programmer is heading up the campaign for a bill that would legalize the possession, cultivation and sales of limited amounts of cannabis in a plan nearly identical to one passed in Colorado.
But all that can” come without signatures. More than a quarter million of them.

Federal judge rules that pot mags can’t be treated like porn in Colorado

By William Breathes on June 13, 2013 Follow that story, News

A United States District Court judge officially upheld Colorado’s ban on pot-related magazines unconstitutional Tuesday, putting the matter to the grave once and for all with a permanent injunction.
The ruling came after several parties suing the state reached an agreement with the court that kept the whole issue from going through a lengthy hearing.

Author William Breathes