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Marijuana Odor Overpowers Police Station

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 16, 2012 News

Cannabis 1, Cops 0

The strong odor of marijuana from the evidence room at a local police station in Florida seems to be a real problem for some whiny cops.

“The biggest complaint is how strong the odor is,” said Atlantic Beach Police Commander Victor Gualillo, reports ActionNewsJax.com.

All seized dope collected during busts is stored in a 200-square-foot evidence room at the station.

“Anytime you store that much marijuana it’s rather pungent,” Commander Gualillo complained.

But it seems you count on this bunch of overwrought weenies to dramatize the situation way beyond just the smell. They’re talking about “doing something” before “somebody gets hurt.”

Medical Marijuana Dispensary Bill Dies In Washington Legislature

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 16, 2012 Legislation, News

The Pacific Northwest Inlander

Almost 14 years after Washington state voters approved the medicinal use of cannabis, patients in many parts of the state still have no safe access to it. A bill which would have formally legalized medical marijuana dispensaries in Washington has died in the Legislature.

Thus ends yet another effort to clearly define the legal status of the cannabis storefronts, of which there are already more than 100 in Seattle, Tacoma and surrounding areas, reports Jonathan Martin at the Seattle Times.

Although there were enough votes in the Senate to pass the bill, according to sponsor Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-Seattle), it didn’t make it past the deadline for bills to advance because of limited time in the short session, as well as due to opposition from some Republican lawmakers and a handful of cities.

Drive Launched To Inform Voters Of Obama’s Hostility To Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 16, 2012 Medical, News

Marijuana Policy Project

The Patient Voter Project is distributing postcard flyers to dispensaries around the state (front of the flyer is reproduced above)

Leaders of a broad coalition of national and Colorado-based marijuana advocacy organizations held a press conference in Denver on Thursday to announce the launch of the Patient Voter Project. Its mission is to shine a light on the Obama Administration’s behavior in the state and to keep medical cannabis patients, their families, and their supporters in the state up-to-date about the latest hostile actions being carried out by the feds.

The project is a joint effort of the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), Americans for Safe Access (ASA), the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), Sensible Colorado, Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER), Medical Marijuana Assistance Program of America (MMAPA), Just Say Now, and others with a combined reach in Colorado of more than 40,000 online supporters.

Parole Board Agrees To Early Hearing; Mother Serving 8 Years For Pot

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 16, 2012 News

John Clanton/Tulsa World

Patricia Spottedcrow is serving eight years in an Oklahoma prison for selling $31 worth of marijuana to a police informant

A young Oklahoma mother of four who is serving an eight-year prison sentence on a first-time marijuana offense — for selling $31 worth of pot — has a chance at parole after the parole board unanimously agreed to hear her case early.

Patricia Spottedcrow, 26, is scheduled to appear on the Pardon and Parole Board’s docket between April 17 and 20 in Oklahoma City, reports Ginnie Graham at Tulsa World.

Marijuana Activists To Protest Obama’s Crackdown Thursday

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 15, 2012 Culture, Medical, News

Americans for Safe Access [PDF]

Protest Will Take Place In 9 Cities, 6 States

Coordinated day of action calls attention to unprecedented attack on medical marijuana community

Medical marijuana activists are planning to protest the Obama Administration’s attack on medical marijuana states this Thursday, February 16, by staging protests in nine cities and six states.

Rallies are planned to take place at an Obama fundraiser in San Francisco, as well as at the president’s campaign headquarters in Sacramento (CA) and San Diego (CA), and at federal buildings in several cities, including Trenton (NJ), Phoenix (AZ), Seattle (WA), Eugene (OR), and Portland (ME).

The rallies are an attempt to draw attention to Obama’s failure at keeping his promise not to “circumvent” state medical marijuana laws and to highlight the unprecedented attack on patients and their providers across the country. During Obama’s tenure in office, his Justice Department has conducted nearly 200 SWAT-style raids on legitimate dispensaries and growers, resulting in more than 60 federal indictments, costing the taxpayers tens of millions of dollars at a time of fiscal crisis.

Vermont Voters Support Decriminalizing Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 15, 2012 Legislation, News

WPTZ

A majority of Vermont voters favor removing criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana, according to a Public Policy Polling survey released on Wednesday. Of those polled, 63 percent supported replacing criminal penalties for possession of an ounce or less of cannabis with a civil infraction and a fine of up to $150, with no threat of arrest or jail.

Under current Vermont law, the penalty for possession of cannabis is up to six months in jail and up to a $500 fine.

The poll also reported that a majority of Vermonters would support politicians who also supported making this change. When asked if they would be more likely to vote for a legislator that voted to replace criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana, 52 percent reported that they would be more likely to support such a lawmaker.

Detroit Voters May Have To Keep Waiting To Legalize Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 14, 2012 Legislation, News

Cannabis Culture

Detroit voters who were hoping to vote on a ballot proposal which would legalize possession of small amounts of marijuana may have to keep waiting.

The City of Detroit plans to file an appeal with the Michigan Supreme Court, likely delaying attempts to place the measure on the August primary ballot, according to Krystal Crittendon, corporation counsel for the city’s law department, reports Jonathan Oosting at MLive.com.

The Michigan Court of Appeals had ruled 2-1 last week that Detroit acted illegally in keeping the proposal off the ballot despite the fact that organizers collected far more signatures than needed to put the question before the city’s voters.

Sweden Approves Liquid Cannabis Prescription Drug Sativex

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on February 14, 2012 Global, Medical, News

GW Pharmaceuticals

Medicinal cannabis — or at least a liquid pharmaceutical extract made from it — is available as a prescription in Sweden after the Medical Products Agency approved Sativex, a cannabis-based mouth spray, for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS).

“This is great news for those who can’t get any relief from the most common drugs,” Jan Hillert, an MS researcher at Karolinska Institute, told the Dagens Nyheter daily newspaper, reports The Local.

The agency said that it plans to closely monitor prescriptions for Sativex to ensure against abuse.

Whitney Houston’s Death Prompts Call For Drug Policy Reform

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

Celebrity Picnic

Whitney Houston, R.I.P.

Over the weekend, as news of the tragic passing of Whitney Houston spread, speculation about the cause of death and the award-winning singer’s history of drug use caused many people to reconsider our nation’s failed war on drugs. Among them was fellow singer Tony Bennett, who called on attendees of a pre-Grammy gala to join him in the fight to end drug prohibition.

“First it was Michael Jackson, then Amy Winehouse, now the magnificent Whitney Houston,” he told the audience. “I’d like every person in this room to campaign to legalize drugs.”

“Let’s legalize drugs like they did in Amsterdam,” Bennett said. “No one’s hiding or sneaking around corners to get it. They go to a doctor to get it.”

While Holland hasn’t actually legalized drugs, its policies are focused on reducing the harms associated with drugs, rather than arresting nonviolent drug users.

Most significantly, the possession and sale of small amounts of marijuana are tolerated by the government, which has separated marijuana from the market for harder drugs. As a result of this policy and more readily available treatment options, drug use and addiction rates in the Netherlands are far lower than in the United States.

Medical Marijuana Bill Introduced In West Virginia

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

The Weed Blog

Delegate Mike Manypenny, who said he’s convinced the Lord put marijuana in His grand scheme of creation to provide mankind with relief from chronic pain, has introduced a bill in the West Virginia House of Delegates which would allow the medicinal use of cannabis in the state.

According to Manypenny, the Bible itself proves that God intended that man use marijuana for medical reasons, and he thinks his fellow members in the House of Delegates realize this, reports Mannix Porterfield of the Beckley Register-Herald.

HB 4498, new bill Del. Manypenny introduced to the chamber on Friday, would allow the use of marijuana for medical reasons.

When some constituents asked him a few years ago to sponsor the bill, “I thought, ‘They’re crazy,’ ” said Manypenny, a Democrat from Taylor County.

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