Growing

Colorado Man Facing 10 Years To Life In Pot Case

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 6, 2010 Growing, News

Chris Bartkowicz’s TV appearance led to the loss of his freedom and all his plants

Chris Bartkowicz is facing 10 years to life in federal prison — and up to a $4 million fine — for growing more than 100 medical marijuana plants in his Highlands Ranch, Colorado basement.

Bartkowicz was indicted Tuesday by a U.S. District Court grand jury on three felony counts, and he appeared in court Wednesday, waiving a reading of the charges against him, reports Felisa Cardona at The Denver Post.

According to the federal indictment, Bartkowicz grew more than 100 plants with the intent to distribute marijuana, maintained a “drug-involved premise” and conducted that business near a school — all, mind you, for growing medical cannabis legal under Colorado law.

Canada: Conservatives Push For Stiffer Pot Penalties For Renters

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 6, 2010 Global, Growing

Graphic: The Non Conformer

Tenants caught growing as few as six marijuana plants in their homes could face automatic jail terms of at least nine months under a federal drug-sentencing bill revived Wednesday in Canada. The bill imposes harsher penalties on home renters than on homeowners for growing identical amounts of pot.

Introduced for the third time after dying twice before, the bill, S-10, removes discretion for judges to sentence as they see fit, proposing instead mandatory minimum jail terms for a variety of drug related crimes, reports Janice Tibbetts at The Vancouver Sun.

Doob Tube? Man Arrested For Growing Marijuana In TV

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 5, 2010 Growing, News

Graphic: Reality Catcher

The Nielsen ratings were really high, man. A Georgia man is cooling his heels in jail after marijuana was found growing in his TV.

Gwinnett County Sheriff’s deputies found the pot and the television while evicting Warren English from his home Wednesday, reports Mashaun D. Simon at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Six marijuana plants were discovered growing from the back of a hollowed out big screen TV, police claimed.

English and his family, including two children under 6 years old, were evicted from their home in Snellville, Ga.

420 University Kick Starts Cannabis Education In Michigan

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 4, 2010 Growing, Medical

Photo: 420 University

Ed Rosenthal will present “Let’s Get Growing,” a cultivation workshop, as part of 420 University’s seminar on compassionate care in July.

Michigan’s growing medical marijuana industry will have available an instructional series of classes on compassionate care and the cultivation of cannabis at a July seminar.

On July 10 and 11, Kalamazoo, Mich., will host 420 University’s first-ever weekend seminar, with instruction from prominent industry educators including cannabinoid scholar Dr. Robert Melamede, who is CEO and president of Cannabis Science, Inc., and the celebrated Guru of Ganja, Ed Rosenthal of Quick Trading.

As students, professionals, and educators gather at 420 University for the inaugural weekend of training in compassionate care, experts like Rosenthal and Melamede will provide instruction on cannabinoid science, certification, cultivation, cooking, legal issues, and public policy. All full listing of course topics can be found at 420University.com.

Canada: Tories Want Mandatory Minimums For 5 Pot Plants

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 2, 2010 Global, Growing, Legislation

Photo: Chris Wattie/Reuters

Canada’s Justice Minister Rob Nicholson: “It does cost money to incarcerate people and I believe that Canadians have been willing to pay those costs up to this point and they’ll continue to do so”

Canada’s Tories are trying to revive a bill that would impose mandatory minimum sentences on people convicted of growing small numbers of marijuana plants.

The Conservative government will re-introduce its drug bill this week in the Senate, as part of its continued attempt to revive “tough-on-crime” legislation that died when the last Parliament was prorogued, reports Mike Blanchfield of The Canadian Press.

The new legislation will revive a controversial provision — a mandatory six-month sentence for people convicted of growing as few as five cannabis plants, hinted Justice Minister Rob Nicholson on Sunday.

New Zealand: Police ‘Testing Courts’ In Garden Supply Case

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 28, 2010 Growing, News

Graphic: Joe McGarry

Lawyers say New Zealand police are testing the courts in their unprecedented drug bust targeting gardening equipment suppliers, which the cops are claiming “are complicit in cannabis cultivation.”

Police on Tuesday raided indoor gardening stores, including all 16 branches and the headquarters of Switched On Gardener, busting 35 businesses and more than 100 homes throughout New Zealand, reports Michael Dickison at the N.Z. Herald.

Officers claimed the gardening supply businesses were the “cornerstone of the illicit cannabis cultivation industry.”

Auckland barrister Andrew Speed said police would have to prove the gardening shops knew their equipment would be used to grow “illegitimate herbs.”

New Zealand Sweep Targets Cannabis Cultivation Industry

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 27, 2010 Global, Growing

Photo: Stuff.co.nz

Dumb cop smirks with High Times, part 1,536: Constable Anna Plowman shows off copies of that “dangerous” magazine seized at a New Zealand shop that was the subject of a search warrant Tuesday.

A nationwide “drug bust” went down in New Zealand Tuesday, as police shut down all 16 branches and the distribution center of hydroponic cultivation chain Switched On Gardener.

Hundreds of people ranging in age from 20 to 60, including customers of the stores, were arrested, with many facing charges for selling equipment for growing marijuana, reports the New Zealand Herald.

Police raided 35 businesses and homes throughout the country as part of a two-year undercover police investigation code-named Operation Lime. The bust targeted businesses and individuals selling equipment which the officers claim is used for growing cannabis.

Police seized records showing who was buying the growing equipment, then launched more stings to catch suspects in the act of growing and selling cannabis.

Police Minister Judith Collins congratulated officers on shutting down what they claim is a major source of equipment for commercial marijuana growers. Collins claimed Tuesday’s arrests would send a strong message to those who “tried to produce drugs in New Zealand” that they would be caught.

N.J. Man With M.S. Free On Bail While Appealing 5-Year Pot Sentence

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 27, 2010 Growing, Medical, News

Photo: Robert Sciarrino/The Star-Ledger

John Ray Wilson, a multiple sclerosis patient, has been granted $15,000 bail so he can remain free while appealing his five-year prison sentence for growing 17 marijuana plants behind his home

A Franklin Township, N.J., man who was sent to prison for growing marijuana which he said was used to treat his multiple sclerosis will remain free on $15,000 bail while he appeals his conviction, a Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday.

John Ray Wilson, 37, is serving a five-year sentence for second-degree “drug manufacturing” and third-degree drug possession for growing 17 marijuana plants behind the house he rented, reports Jennifer Golson at The Star-Ledger.

Humboldt County Accepts DEA Funds For Pot Eradication

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 27, 2010 Growing, News

Photo: Public CEO

Do you live in Humboldt? These idiots just got $170,000 more in federal money to pay them overtime for stealing your pot.

The Humboldt County, California Board of Supervisors accepted $170,000 from the federal government for “marijuana related law enforcement work” last Tuesday morning, despite one man’s advice to the contrary.

“Respect the sacred herb,” Tad Robinson said during the public comment portion of the meeting. “Say ‘No DEA, this is not what we want our law enforcement to do in Humboldt County.'”

The funding, from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, will be used to pay Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies overtime “for the eradication of marijuana.” The money will also pay for the salary and overtime of reserve officers, reports Donna Tam at the Redwood Times.

Pot Patients, Growers Prepare To Fight County Restrictions

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 23, 2010 Growing, Medical, News

Photo: Julie R. Johnson/Corning Observer

Ken and Kathy Prather, owners of medical marijuana dispensary Tehama Herbal Collective in Corning, California

Hundreds of people are signing up as litigants in a class action lawsuit to be filed against Tehama County, California, for its recently approved medical marijuana cultivation regulations.

Many of the potential litigants, medical marijuana growers and patients, met in Red Bluff on Thursday to fill out forms naming themselves as plaintiffs in a lawsuit being backed by California NORML, reports Julie R. Johnson of Tri-County Newspapers.

Kathy Prather, co-owner of Tehama Herbal Collective (THC), a marijuana dispensary in Corning, said the lawsuit will be filed against Tehama County because of its recent ordinance regulating medical cannabis cultivation.

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