News

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?

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.

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?”

Medical marijuana ownership no longer required to open recreational pot shops in Colorado (but residency is)

By William Breathes on July 8, 2014 Legalize It, News

Colorado marked its its six-month anniversary with recreational cannabis last week. And as with many committed relationships, there’s more trust going forward.
Starting July 1, Colorado applications for retail marijuana business licenses no longer require current ownership of an operational medical marijuana business. The state is currently accepting new applications, with approved companies able to open as early as October 1. But even though the MMJ requirement has been removed, an applicant must still qualify as a resident of the state — for at least two years. Learn more over at Westword.com

HOA ruling forces Colorado hemp grower to give away his plants

By William Breathes on July 3, 2014 Hemp, News

Jim Denny has 7,500 square feet of hemp plants and a problem: His homeowners association has found that his plants are a violation of the HOA rules and has ordered him to “replace” them by the end of next week. The reason? The HOA board says that Denny failed to get approval for “landscaping modifications” to his lot and that his 75-foot-by-100-foot hemp plot is a home business in violation of the Todd Creek Farms HOA rules.
To comply with the board’s findings, Denny is giving away his hemp plants (and in some instances, selling them for a small fee) to anyone who is registered with the Colorado Department of Agriculture to grow industrial hemp.
Melanie Asmar at the Denver Westword has the full story.

Washington set to open legal pot shops July 8, will they be ready?

By Thomas Mitchell on July 3, 2014 Legalize It, News

Colorado just marked six months since the launch of legal recreational marijuana sales. Washington, for its part, is set to follow suit on July 8. But the state may experience some growing pains. Of the 335 retail dispensaries awaiting approval in Washington, only about twenty are expected to obtain licenses by the state on July 7– leaving the new shops just one day to stock and prepare for the weed-hungry stampede anticipated the next day.
This small glimmer of sunlight for stoners comes after a long course of delays in the enactment of State Initiative 502 — the bill legalizing retail marijuana in Washington. However, many industry and regulation authorities expect high bud prices and shortages during the beginning of retail sales, similar to what Colorado went through earlier this year.

University of Arizona denies firing MMJ/PTSD researcher over political pressure

By William Breathes on July 3, 2014 Medical, News

The University of Arizona isn’t saying much about the firing of medical-marijuana researcher Sue Sisley, but officials deny any political motivations. In an email sent to our sister blog, the Phoenix New Times, in response to our questions this morning, a U of A representative also notes that the university has “championed” medical-marijuana.
Sisley, an outspoken MD who’s been pushing to study how marijuana affects post-traumatic stress disorder patients, was told last month her contract with the U of A’s Telemedicine Program wouldn’t be renewed. She claims that Joe “Skip” Garcia, the University of Arizona’s senior vice president for health sciences, told her that Senate President Andy Biggs had questioned Sisley’s activism, and soon after she received the letter announcing her contract would not be renewed.
The Phoenix New Times has more on this story, including the U of A response.

There are 88 places that legally sell weed in Denver, see them all here

By William Breathes on July 2, 2014 Legalize It, News

Additional photos and more below.

Today marks six months since recreational marijuana sales began in Colorado, still the only state where such purchases can be made. (The first licensed retail shops in Washington are expected to open on July 7.) By the January 1 launch, eighteen stores had been licensed in Denver, and since then, the total has grown steadily. Some outlets have come and some have gone, but the latest total, as vetted by Westword‘s Amber Taufen, stands at a whopping 88 — fifteen more than our previous update in April.
All the licensed shops are included here, along with photos, videos, links and excerpts from reviews of the ones visited by Westword marijuana critic (your’s truly) William Breathes. See the countdown thanks to Michael Roberts below.

Operation Grow4Vets gets boost from CBS TV spot

By William Breathes on July 2, 2014 Medical, News

A screen capture from the CBS report about Operation Grow4Vets, on view below.

Back in May, we told you about Operation Grow4Vets, an organization dedicated to providing free cannabis to veterans who may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Now, founder Roger Martin’s brainchild has gotten its biggest boost yet: a CBS profile on view below. And he hopes the exposure will help bring the project to the next level.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock’s treatment of pot industry “beyond insulting,” activist says

By William Breathes on July 2, 2014 Medical, News

Press releases don’t typically stir passions. But cannabis activist Wanda James was incensed after receiving a missive from Mayor Michael Hancock (see it below) in which he thanked the Denver City Council for passing his $3.35 million marijuana budget proposal but offered no kudos to the pot industry that generated all that extra cash.
James says that’s nothing new. In her view, the way Hancock and Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper have treated the cannabis industry to date is “beyond insulting.” Denver Westword has more.

Four NORML college chapters suing universities over logo disputes

By William Breathes on July 2, 2014 Culture, News, Say what?

ISU NORML Facebook.

An ISU student picks up trash around campus in one of the banned shirts (in red) during a volunteer day.

Iowa State University is under fire in federal court after the Iowa State National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws says they were unfairly told to remove the school mascot, Cy the Cardinal, from their t-shirts.
Two students, juniors Paul Gerlich and Erin Fuleigh, have filed a suit in Iowa arguing that their First Amendment rights were trampled by the college, who demanded NORML remove Cy from their shirts after a state lawmaker complained that it sent the wrong message. Their lawsuit is part one of four filed this week, the others coming from students at Ohio University, Chicago State University and Citrus College in California.

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