News

Feds cracking down on California dispensaries

By William Breathes on June 12, 2013 Medical, News

TokeoftheTown.com

Federal authorities yesterday moved to shut down marijuana dispensaries in Echo Park, Westlake, south L.A., the harbor area, Long Beach, Lancaster and Pearblossom. The action so far involves mainly warning letters to most of the 103 storefronts targeted, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles.
While weed retailing might still be legal in the city of L.A. and other California communities, the federal government still sees cannabis as a top outlaw drug. The targeted 71 dispensaries in the city of L.A. involved all remaining known shops in the LAPD’s Rampart, Newton and Harbor divisions, feds said. LA Weekly has the full story.

New Jersey voters want marijuana legalized, regulated and taxed according to poll

By William Breathes on June 11, 2013 Legislation, News

New Jersey voters are tired of locking people up over small amounts of small possession and use of small amounts of marijuana, according to a new poll by the Drug Policy Alliance.
Not that you need a poll to tell you that is the case.

Sen. Ron Wyden blames marijuana users for federal industrial hemp bill failure

By William Breathes on June 11, 2013 Hemp, Legislation, News

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon.

After his federal industrial hemp bill failed to move forward late last week, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden wagged his finger in shame not at the closed-minded Senate that wouldn’t work with Wyden, but at marijuana users.
See, Wyden thinks that because marijuana users are prone to being pro-hemp that the two issues are seen as one in the same. And it’s clearly the pot smoker’s fault according to Wyden, not the ignorant elected officials.

Jalapeños (still) not good for smuggling weed across the border

By William Breathes on June 11, 2013 News, Say what?

For the second time in two weeks, a Mexican national was busted trying to smuggle weed into the United States by hiding the product in jalapeños.
Whereas the Mexican national who attempted to bring more than 3,300 pounds of weed on May 27 stuffed the pot inside cans of jalapeños, the 27-year-old gentleman who tried to bring his haul into the country on Friday opted for the fresh variety. Valley Fever has the rest.

New proposed Canadian medical marijuana rules nix home growing

By William Breathes on June 10, 2013 News

Canadian officials with the Marihuana for Medical Purposes announced rule changes today that will eliminate home-growing for medical marijuana patients and force consumers to purchase through licensed Health Canada growers.
“These changes will strengthen the safety of Canadian communities, while making sure patients can access what they need to treat serious illnesses,” Canadian Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said today in a press release.

Nova Scotia city worker refuses drug test, admits to pot use, keeps job

By William Breathes on June 10, 2013 Global, News, Say what?

Halifax, Nova Scotia.

It may seem counter intuitive to tell your employer “It’s none of your business what I do when I’m not here” when they ask for a drug test. But that’s what an employee with the Halifax Streets Department in Nova Scotia told his boss after his boss says he smelled weed in the city truck in which the employee was a passenger.
The employee, listed only as “Mr. Jeffery” in the ruling, says he is a recreational user of cannabis and that he would have tested positive, but he maintains that there was no evidence of impairment or on-the-job drug use and refused the drug test – and the courts have backed the employee’s decision.

Prince of Pot Marc Emery in solitary confinement for rock band photos

By William Breathes on June 10, 2013 Culture, News, Say what?

Cannabis Culture.

Marc Emery.

Marc Emery, who was convicted and jailed for the non-violent “crime” of selling pot seeds to people in the U.S. from Canada, has been placed in solitary confinement in the prison where he is serving his 5-year sentence.
His offense now? Playing in a rock and roll band and being proud of his accomplishments in learning the bass guitar over the last two years.

Arrests in St. Louis County increased fourfold since 2001

By William Breathes on June 10, 2013 News

Over the past decade, the number of marijuana arrests in St. Louis county has steadily climbed to levels four times greater than in 2001.
“They seem to be prioritizing marijuana arrests in St. Louis county,” John Chasnoff, program director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri, tells Daily RFT. “The war on drugs is increasingly becoming a war on marijuana.”
Sam Levin with the Riverfront Times has the rest.

St. Louis cops arrest blacks 18 times more often than whites

By William Breathes on June 7, 2013 News

St. Louis.

This past week we’ve been linking you stories from our sister papers all revolving around a recent ACLU report showing racial disparity in marijuana arrests across the country. Nationally, blacks are four times more likely to be arrested for cannabis than whites, but in St. Louis, that likelihood jumps significantly.
In the city of St. Louis, black people are arrested for marijuana possession eighteen times more often than white people. Riverfront Times reporter Sam Levin has the rest.

Louisiana bill removing marijuana from three-strikes laws, lessening penalties killed in Senate

By William Breathes on June 7, 2013 Legislation, News

TokeoftheTown.com

A Louisiana bill to reduce crimes for repeat marijuana offenders and rid the state of abhorrent “three strikes” laws for possession of any amount failed to pass the state Senate yesterday.
House Bill 103 had already cleared the state House late last month, but Senate members refused to call the bill up for a vote on three separate occasions.

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