William Breathes

Arizona will allow medical cannabis for post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms

By William Breathes on July 10, 2014 Medical, News

Arizonans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder now qualify for medical cannabis recommendations in the state, according to a health department ruling Wednesday. This is the first time a condition has been added to the list since voters approved the program in 2010 and is a huge victory for Arizona’s large veteran population.
According Arizona Department of Health Services director Will Humble there is at least one study showing that cannabis can help with PTSD symptoms and that the study, combined with numerous of anecdotal accounts, was enough to sway his decision.

Massachusetts Supreme Court: Smell of raw marijuana not enough to justify search of a car

By William Breathes on July 10, 2014 News

In a move that has state police in an uproar, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court yesterday ruled that the smell of unburned pot in a car isn’t enough of a reason for cops to search it because the state decriminalized small amounts back in 2008. Basically: because some amounts of pot possession aren’t a crime, the cops can’t use the smell of weed to justify their search.
Not only that, but the court pointed out that they made a similar ruling three years ago, deciding that the smell of raw weed wasn’t enough to justify the search of someone on the street. According to the judges: the police should “focus their attention elsewhere.”

9-year-old Minnesota girl snitches on parents for growing pot

By William Breathes on July 10, 2014 News, Say what?

Not the parents grow, though that would be impressive.

A 9-year-old girl recently walked into a police station in the western Minnesota town of Barnesville and calmly reported her parents for growing marijuana inside their home.
“Her and one of her friends came here and just had these concerns about her parents,” Barnesville Police Chief Dean Ernst tells our sister paper, the Minneapolis City Pages, adding that the friend was about the girl’s age.

Memorable tweets from Washington’s first day of legal recreational pot sales

By William Breathes on July 9, 2014 Culture, Legalize It

Tweets and more below.

Better late than never: Today, Washington launched limited recreational marijuana sales for adults age 21 and over, just over six months after Colorado did likewise. And naturally, Twitter Nation wanted to talk about it.
Look below to see the twenty most memorable tweets we found, with authors ranging from a high-profile celebrity to just plain folks.

Brooklyn district attorney will stop prosecuting many low-level pot cases

By William Breathes on July 9, 2014 News

Commons/Postdif.

“You know the Bronx is up and I’m Brooklyn down.” -MCA

Police in New York City just don’t get it. Nobody likes their racially-biased marijuana law enforcement nor is their abuse of a legal loophole to put people in jail for otherwise decriminalized amounts of pot going to be tolerated much longer.
They are hearing that message a little louder this week as the Brooklyn district attorney’s office said they weren’t going to be pursuing low-level possession cases anymore. Police, predictably, are against the move – even though they’ll still be able to arrest people.

Montana anti-pot proposal fails to get enough signatures for fall ballot

By William Breathes on July 9, 2014 Follow that story, News

Back in June we told you about Montana used car salesman Steve Zabawa’s quest to rid his state of all forms of cannabis – recreational, medical, legal or illegal. He was so against cannabis that he started gathering signatures for a ballot initiative, I-74, that would ban the use and possession of all federally-controlled, schedule 1 substances including pot. Basically, it would force the state to submit to federal laws.
If pushed through and approved, it would have wiped out state-legal access to the roughly 8,500 Montana medical marijuana patients. But thankfully, Zabawa isn’t very good at selling his initiative. He should probably stick to used cars.

Georgia Governor pushes for clinical CBD trials to start by 2015

By William Breathes on July 9, 2014 CBD, News

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal.

Georgia Governor Nathan deal isn’t going to sit by and let a CBD-only medical cannabis bill he pushed this past session go to waste. Instead, the Republican says he is going to spearhead the effort to get clinical trial programs started.
Deal met with officials yesterday to kickstart the program.

Seattle’s City Attorney stood in line to buy legal pot yesterday for personal use

By William Breathes on July 9, 2014 News, Say what?

Joe Mabel

Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes speaking at the 2012 Seattle Hemp Festival.

Legal sales of limited amounts of cannabis to adults 21 and up began in Washington state yesterday, with long lines an high prices the theme of the day ($160 quarters?!).
But those issues aside, it was also a monumental day as the state became the second in the nation with open, recreational pot shops. It was one that Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes personally wanted to celebrate, so he stood in line and bought some pot.

On Denver visit, Obama asked: “Want a hit, man?”

By William Breathes on July 9, 2014 Culture, Say what?

Obama and his stoner buddies in high school.

Our president has admitted to puffing plenty of Jah herb back in the day, something we can’t fault him for (Hawaii is the perfect setting for getting blazed). But these days the man seems to pass on pot — at least when asked in public.
Last night, the POTUS had dinner in Denver with several local families. After a good dinner, nothing beats a good puff, which is exactly why we assume Instagram user Matt Anton offered up a puff to the prez. Even better? Obama’s reaction. Check out the clip below.

Broward, Florida sheriff deputy illegally searched home after minor pot bust, homeowner claims

By William Breathes on July 8, 2014 News, Say what?

Valarie Joaceus looks beat. Inside her tidy living room in North Lauderdale, the blinds drawn tight against the July sun’s bite, she’s slumped on a leather couch, a heavy-set, middle-aged mom overloaded with worry. Joaceus’ two sons — 26-year-old Jonathan and 25-year-old Gregory — have had their trouble with police. The oldest even spent two years in prison on a drug charge. But the latest conflict has crushed Joaceus’ patience. Because this time, she says, it’s a Broward Sheriff Office deputy who broke the law.
“That day was just the icing on the cake,” she says. “What the hell was that man doing in my house?”

Author William Breathes