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Democratic Senator Backs Industrial Hemp In Farm Bill

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 14, 2012 Growing, Legislation, News

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon: “My amendment to the Farm Bill will change federal policy to allow U.S. farmers to produce hemp for these safe and legitimate products right here”

Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) explained the difference between industrial hemp and marijuana on Wednesday in a floor speech backing an amendment to a Senate farm bill which would allow farmers in the United States to grow hemp.

Wyden’s amendment would remove the federal rule which prohibits farmers from growing hemp, replacing it with a state-administered permit system, reports Daniel Strauss at The Hill. Amendment 2220 is cosponsored by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.)

“This is, in my view, a textbook example of a regulation that flunks the commonsense test,” said Wyden. “There is government regulation on the books today that prevents America’s farmers from growing industrial hemp and what’s worse is this regulation is hurting job creation in rural America and increasing our trade deficit.”

N.Y. Assembly Approves Medical Marijuana In Symbolic Move

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 13, 2012 Legislation, Medical, News

My Daily Complaint

In a move seen as mostly symbolic, the New York State Assembly on Wednesday voted 90 to 50 in favor of legislation that would make the Empire State the second-largest to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes. It was the third time the Assembly, controlled by Democrats, has passed such legislation, which would allow registered patients to possess up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis or grow up to 12 plants.

But the New York Senate, controlled by Republicans, is unlikely to vote on the bill this session, reports Reuters. The GOP-controlled Senate has never allowed the bill to come up for a vote, despite its being passed three times by the Assembly, using the lame excuse that it would “violate federal law.”

Rhode Island Decriminalizes Possession of Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 13, 2012 Legislation, News

StoptheDrugWar.org

Gov. Chafee Signs Bill Making Rhode Island the 15th State to Remove Criminal Penalties for Small Amounts of Marijuana

Governor Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island on Wednesday signed legislation that will reduce the penalty for possession of marijuana to a $150 civil fine for most offenses.

Last week, the Rhode Island General Assembly voted in support of the two identical bills that will make possession of up to an ounce of marijuana a civil infraction, similar to a parking ticket, and will remove the criminal penalties that currently exist. Minors found with marijuana, in addition to the civil fine, will be sentenced to drug education courses and community service.

Marijuana possession is now punishable in Rhode Island by up to a $500 fine and up to a year in jail. The new law will go into effect on April 1, 2013.

Meghan McCain: I’m Not A Cannabis User… Frequently

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 13, 2012 Culture, News, Products

CrackpotPress.com

Meghan McCain: “I decided to come out publicly in support of it”

Meghan McCain, daughter of Arizona Senator and 2008 Presidential candidate John McCain and now something of a media darling herself, supports the legalization of marijuana — that’s something many learned with the publication of her new book, America, You Sexy Bitch. But she also apparently smokes the stuff, at least occasionally, based on her Wednesday morning interview on The View — and her famous dad knows and accepts that she tokes up.

Voicing her support for cannabis legalization on The View, McCain added that she’s “not a cannabis user … frequently,” reports Evan Lambert at People.

When Barbara Walters joked that her “father’s going to be so proud,” Meghan responded, “He knows everything … and he loves me.”

Meghan’s Wednesday morning appearance on The View followed her Tuesday night Tonight Show interview with Jay Leno, in which she strongly endorsed the legalization of marijuana and admitted smoking weed in New Orleans on at least one occasion.

Holder Urged To Oppose Colorado Cannabis Legalization Initiative

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 13, 2012 Legislation, News

Smart Colorado

They always seem to trot out the kids. Aren’t there adults in Colorado too — who get to make adult decisions?

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has been urged by an anti-cannabis group to weigh in with his opposition to a November ballot issue which would legalize marijuana in Colorado.

Amendment 64 would allow adults statewide to possess up to an ounce of marijuana for personal, non-medical use, reports Lynn Bartels of The Denver Post. The measure is opposed by a “citizens group” calling itself Smart Colorado, represented by the Denver law firm of Holland & Hart.

Smart Colorado attorney Jon Anderson (not the Yes vocalist) claimed in a letter to Holder that Colorado’s ballot measure “parallels” California’s Proposition 19, defeated by voters 54 percent to 46 percent in 2010.

Goodbye, “Weeds”: Show’s Last Season Begins July 1

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 13, 2012 Culture, News, Products

Senses Lost

“Weeds” star on a Golden Globe Award in 2006 for her portrayal of pot-dealing suburban mom Nancy Botwin

Showtime’s envelope-pushing television series, Weeds, will come to an end after this season, the cable network announced.

The comedy series, covering the adventures of suburban-mom-turned-pot-dealer Nancy Botwin, will conclude after eight seasons, reports James Hibberd at Inside TV. Created by Jenji Kohan, Weeds helped open the door for other daring and innovative programming, and made Showtime a force in the creation of original series.

“There were two shows, Weeds and Dexter, that really got Showtime taken seriously for cutting-edge original programming,” said Showtime Entertainment President David Nevins. “How they get brought home is really important, in this case, both for the sake of the two women [series creator Kohan and star Mary Louise Parker]and an audience that’s really invested in the show.

“TV fans love nothing better than to complain about how shows end and we really want to end this one the right way,” Nevins told Inside TV.

Kohan admitted she is “sad” about the end of Weeds, saying “sometimes ignorance is bliss,” but the writer said she does appreciate the rare opportunity to wrap up a series properly.

Cop Takes Home Seized Marijuana; Claims His Dog Ate It

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 13, 2012 News

Serious Lawyers

“The dog ate it.” Really? Really?? A police department in Washington state is under fire after an officer took home seized marijuana, only to report his dog ate the weed.

The Soap Lake Police Department, in eastern Washington, has been accused of numerous other instances of mishandling evidence as well, reports Aaron Luna at KXLY4. An outside investigation by the neighboring Moses Lake Police Department and two other agencies found that the Soap Lake cops didn’t get required training on handling evidence.

Evidence was improperly tagged and placed in insecure areas, according to the investigation. In one case, a rape kit was found in a refrigerator next to the police chief’s lunch.

Police evidence in Soap Lake is supposed to go into a locker in the day room and then into a safe, but the investigation found that this doesn’t always happen.

Marijuana Activists Kick White House’s Butt In Softball

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 12, 2012 Culture, News

Anastacia Cosner

The One Hitters were already kicking the Drug War’s ass — now they kicked the White House softball team’s butts, too.

The White House softball team was unceremoniously smoked by the One Hitters, a team of pro-marijuana activists, in softball last week by a humiliating score of 25 to 3.

The Softball Team of the U.S., its official name, didn’t do so well against the cannabis reformers, but at least the White House team showed up for the game. Last year, the Czardinals, from the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP, the Drug Czar’s office), cancelled on the One Hitters, claiming they had a scheduling conflict.

4 Dispensaries Licensed To Sell Medical Marijuana In Nation’s Capital

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 12, 2012 Dispensaries, News

On Tuesday, the District of Columbia Department of Health announced the four prospective medical marijuana dispensary operators whose scores were high enough to be granted licenses from the city. Herbal Alternatives, Center City Care, Metropolitan Wellness Corporation, and Takoma Wellness Center — which will be owned and operated by a rabbi — will be the four entities licensed to dispense marijuana to qualifying patients later this year.

“Today’s announcement comes as welcome news for patients in D.C. who have waited a long time for the District’s medical marijuana program to get up and running,” said Dan Riffle, a legislative analyst with the Marijuana Policy Project. “Congratulations to the operators of these four dispensaries, who will be at the forefront of one of the nation’s safest medical marijuana programs right here in Congress’ back yard.”

Yippie Dana Beal Fights For His Freedom On Marijuana Charges

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 12, 2012 Culture, News

Free Dana Beal

Dana Beal: “I’m not a run-of-the-mill drug runner. I’m a medical advocate. I had to do it.”

Dana Beal was one of the original Yippies back in the late 1960s, helping organize the radical counterculture group which disrupted the 1968 and 1972 Democratic conventions, advocating a society powered by people rather than profit. Years later, Beal organized marches in New York City calling for the legalization of marijuana, and helped open a clinic which dispenses cannabis to AIDS patients in the Big Apple.

But Beal, 65, says he’s now fighting for his life from a Nebraska jail, reports Paul Hammel at the Omaha World-Herald. Just nine months after a serious heart attack, he faces up to five years in prison after a 2009 arrest near Ashland, Neb., riding in a van holding 150 pounds of marijuana.

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