William Breathes

Medical Marijuana Group in Illinois Would Donate Half of Earnings for Education

By William Breathes on November 28, 2014 Medical, News, Say what?

Jon Loevy, a notable civil rights attorney in Illinois, says that if his group is allowed to open up a legal medical marijuana farm they will donate half of their earnings to education initiatives around the state.
“Illinois has created a real opportunity for profits, and a lot of the groups chasing this are hedge funds and private equity firms trying to get rich,” Loevy told the Chicago Sun-Times. “We see this as an opportunity to reroute millions of dollars to education in Illinois when it’s really needed.

Canada Tells Medical Growers to Curb Advertising Benefits of Cannabis

By William Breathes on November 28, 2014 Global, News, Say what?

The Canandian health department has issued a warning to the country’s medical cannabis growers and sellers, saying that advertising the benefits of medical cannabis online and in print has gone too far.
Health Canada sent letters to 20 licensed pot growers that outline how and when they can advertise their products – including banning photos of actual buds or linking to any third-party websites that the government deems to be “promoting” weed. Producers can’t even talk about which strains help certain conditions.

Colorado Airport Decision on Marijuana Souvenirs Could Take Weeks

By William Breathes on November 28, 2014 Follow that story, News

Denver International Airport is suffering through one of its busiest weeks of the year as Thanksgiving travelers jam the ticket and security lines, baggage claims and cab stands, and the restaurants and souvenir shops. And while their suitcases may be full of warm sweaters, early holiday presents and leftover pie, travelers won’t be able to find many last-minute marijuana-themed souvenirs while they’re waiting for a delayed flight.
And soon, DIA may not allow the sale of any pot-themed merchandise at all.

Texas High Court Rules Warrantless DWI Blood Draws Are Unconstitutional

By William Breathes on November 28, 2014 News

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has upheld a lower court’s ruling that warrantless blood-drawing in DWI cases is unconstitutional.
In a split 5-4 decision last week, the majority justices disagreed with prosecutors’ argument that driving on Texas roads is a privilege — not a right — and that “the driving public” is presumed to have read the statute outlining no-refusal blood draws. (We must say, there are plenty of roads in Houston that don’t really feel like a “privilege” to drive on.)
More at the Houston Press.

See Denver Cop Punch Suspect Six Times in Face, Trip Pregnant Woman

By William Breathes on November 28, 2014 FTP, News

On an evening of largely peaceful protest in the Mile High City after a Ferguson, Missouri grand jury’s failure to indict a police officer who shot and killed unarmed teenager Michael Brown, video has surfaced in which a Denver cop can be repeatedly punching a drug suspect in the head, as well as tripping a woman said to have been seven-and-a-half months pregnant.

Colorado’s Cannabis Credit Union Moving Forward

By William Breathes on November 28, 2014 Follow that story, News

For years, financial hassles have forced a multimillion-dollar industry to rely almost entirely on cash and to keep any bank accounts under hush-hush names because fed-fearing financial institutions are wary of doing business with state-legal pot shops. But dispensaries in Colorado are finally seeing a ray of hope, now that a marijuana banking co-op that received its charter from the state is moving forward with plans to open in the new year.

Woman Locked Out of House Calls Cops, Gets Arrested for Pot Inside

By William Breathes on November 26, 2014 News, Say what?

If you live in a place where marijuana is illegal and get locked out of your apartment and have left weed sitting out on the table and live plants growing in a back room, suck it up and call a locksmith or break a window and pay the cost to replace it. Whatever you do, don’t raise a scene outside and get the cops called on you. And if you can’t help yourself and have to bang and scream on the window so loud that the cops do come, do not let them let you in the door.
An Iowa woman clearly didn’t understand that very simple logic last week.

New Mexico Lawmaker Begins Legalization Talks for 2015 Session

By William Breathes on November 26, 2014 Legalize It, News

The 2015 legislative session is still months away, but already the smoke signals are starting to rise from certain legalization camps.
State Rep. Bill McCamley, a Democrat from the southern part of the state, said in an interim Health and Human Services Committee meeting that he would like to see the state seriously discussing pot legalization this session.

Arizona Pot Researcher Sacked for Politics Finds Home in Colorado

By William Breathes on November 26, 2014 Follow that story, Medical, News

The strange (and shameful) tale of Sue Sisley, a woman who was set to lead the nation’s first large-scale study of medical cannabis for vets with returning post-traumatic stress disorder but fired for her outspoken support of medical cannabis at the state level, seems to have found a happy ending.
Monday, the state of Colorado announced that they will put $10 million toward medical research – including $2 million going towards Sisley’s study.

Georgia Lawmaker Wants Legal, Regulated Pot and Outright Medical Cannabis

By William Breathes on November 26, 2014 Medical, News

Georgia state Sen. Curt Thompson has two plans for legalizing pot next year and he’s not wasting any time getting them into the legislative process. The first bill would give lawmakers the ability to legalize the sale of medical cannabis for patients with certain debilitating conditions — currently there’s a limited, CBD-only law in place.
Thompson’s second bill would legalize the sale of cannabis for adults 21 and up, taxing sales and putting the money toward schools and improving mass transport around the state.

Author William Breathes