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Case Dismissed; Men Want Their Medical Marijuana Back

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 25, 2011 Dispensaries, Medical, News

All charges against Guy Casey, above, were dismissed — but the cops still don’t want to give his medical marijuana back.

Two operators of a Tacoma, Washington medical marijuana dispensary beat drug charges earlier this year. Now they want their cannabis back.

Guy Casey and Michael Schaef said they are legally authorized to possess the marijuana seized during a raid and that the government no longer has any interest in the pot, reports Adam Lynn at the Bellingham Herald.

They’ve asked a Pierce County Superior Court judge to return to each of them 48 ounces of harvested marijuana and 30 plants — or their equivalents in cash.

Petulant Police Refuse To ‘Participate In’ Medical Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 22, 2011 Medical, News

Graphic: Chico Police Officers’ Association

Members of the Chico Police Officers’ Association have revealed themselves to be some real grandstanding hot-doggers. These “public servants,” the lowest-paid of whom makes $70,000 a year straight out of your taxpayer pocket, are refusing to do their jobs.

Did you know police officers got to pick which laws they enforce? Did you know these big-bellied buffoons in blue, if they personally disapprove of a law, feel entitled to ignore the damn thing? Hell, maybe we should have all gone into law enforcement, if it’s that cushy a gig.

These drama queens, apparently trying to make some sort of point but mostly just ending up with “we’re a bunch of unprofessional ass-bags,” have sent a letter to Chico, California City Councilman Mark Sorensen stating that under federal law, they cannot be involved in any part of the city’s recent commercial growing and marijuana selling ordinance.

Frontline: ‘The Pot Republic’ Airs On PBS July 26 & 29

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 21, 2011 Culture, Growing, News

Photo: Frontline

Mendocino County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Randy Johnson (left) visits a marijuana farm run by Matt Cohen (right), as featured in “The Pot Republic,” airing July 26 and 29 on PBS.

Frontline is presenting “The Pot Republic,” a report on the effort to legalize marijuana in California, this month on PBS.

While the bulk of cannabis used in the United States used to come across the border from Mexico, Colombia, Canada and elsewhere, more than half of it is now believed to be domestically grown, much of it in California, “where an enormous black market has emerged under the cover of the state’s medical marijuana law,” at least if PBS is to be believed.

With more than a third of the U.S. now experimenting with some form of legalization and decriminalization — and several California counties attempting to openly regulate cannabis production — Frontline and the Center for Investigative Reporting teamed up to take a look at the country’s oldest, largest and most wide-open marijuana market.

Deputies Arrest 84-Year-Old Running Marijuana Grow House

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 21, 2011 Growing, News

Photo: WTSP

Some of the plants seized from the home of 84-year-old Bernardino Gonzalez. Of course, asshole cops couldn’t resist going ahead and mutilating the plants, just to prove what macho ass-bags they are.

An 84-year-old Florida man faces drug-trafficking charges after Sarasota County, Florida sheriff’s deputies busted into his home and claimed they found 60 marijuana plants in what they described as an “elaborate” grow house.

Members of the Special Investigations unit conducted surveillance on the home, wasting untold thousands of taxpayer dollars in the process, after a butt-insky deputy responding to an unrelated call in the neighborhood claimed he smelled the odor of cannabis coming from the area.

The Sheriff’s Office claims it pinpointed the smell as coming from a home in Island Date Street and were able to get a search warrant, reports Beau Zimmer at WTSP.

Washington: 5 Indicted In Federal Medical Marijuana Crackdown

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 21, 2011 Dispensaries, News

Photo: KREM.com

Charles Wright was one of the five men federally indicted Wednesday in a federal crackdown on medical marijuana in Spokane, Washington

A federal grand jury has indicted five medical marijuana dispensary owners in and near Spokane, Washington. On Wednesday, a laundry list of federal marijuana charges, including distributing and selling near an elementary school, were announced in the indictments.

Four of those indicted consist of two two-man owner teams from two separate Spokane dispensaries, while the fifth person indicted was allegedly cultivating more than 100 marijuana plants in Loon Lake, Washington.

Missouri Group Works To Legalize Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 20, 2011 Legislation, News

Graphic: Show-Me Cannabis

Petitions have been filed with the Missouri secretary of state’s office, and it could be the first step toward the legalization of marijuana — if it attracts enough support.

Show-Me Cannabis, an initiative organized by Missourians and businesses that believe marijuana prohibition is a failed policy, filed two petitions with the secretary of state this month, reports Kim Norvell at the St. Joseph News-Press. One of the petitions would amend Missouri’s constitution, while the other would involve a change in statutes.

Former Cop Seeks Out Marijuana Grows For Landlords

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 20, 2011 Global, Growing, News

Photo: CTV

Brian Gladstone, Griffin Security: “The only way to be certain is to go inside and have a look, but this gives the landlord a reason to go have a look”

A former Canadian Mountie in British Columbia is offering a controversial new service designed to help landlords tell if their tenants are cultivating indoor marijuana gardens.

Brian Goldstone of Griffin Security uses infrared cameras to detect unusual amounts of heat inside a home from the outside, reports Brent Shearer at CTV News. He wants landlords to hire him to search for marijuana operations on their properties.

A Fitting Tribute: Wanna Coburn A Joint At My Place?

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 20, 2011 Culture, News

Photo: Big Government

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) has been an implacable foe of the marijuana community. Let’s extend the hand of friendship and give this man the honor he deserves.

Coburn: The consumption of marijuana via human oral cavity by two persons gathered together.

The marijuana culture is adopting a new term, and for U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D., of Oklahoma, is an honor richly deserved. You see, Coburn seems obsessed with marijuana, to the point that he has, several times, attempted to get state medical marijuana laws declared illegal under federal law.

In 2007, when the Senate approved a bill to reauthorize the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Dr. Coburn added a provision that would apply FDA regulations and fines to those who sell medical marijuana.

That didn’t work, but Sen. Coburn tried again in 2009, when he attempted to add a similar amendment to S. 982, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. Frustrated by the Obama Administration’s pledge to not interfere with state medical marijuana laws, Coburn attempted to slip in legislation designed to undermine those programs.

Governor: N.J. Going Ahead With Marijuana Dispensaries

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 19, 2011 Dispensaries, Medical, News

Photo: Livestream

N.J. Gov. Chris Christie: “I have been struggling — as has my administration — to try and find a way to accomplish what I wanted to accomplish … which is to provide compassionate treatment to people who are suffering”

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced at a surprise press conference on Tuesday that he has decided to allow six Alternative Treatment Centers, as the state calls medical marijuana dispensaries, to move ahead.

The governor, who has been accused of deliberately stalling implementation of the medical marijuana law approved by the Legislature in January 2010, said he would take full responsibility for the move, reports Freedom Is Green.

“I have been struggling — as has my administration — to try and find a way to accomplish what I wanted to accomplish … which is to provide compassionate treatment to people who are suffering in a way that will not expose them, the operators of our dispensaries or employees of the State of New Jersey to criminal liability,” Christie said.

Cop Who Gave Snitch A Pound Of Marijuana Resigns

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 19, 2011 News

Photo: San Leandro Talk

Jason Fredriksson allegedly decided he liked informant nookie so much, he’d give the snitch a pound of weed.

A San Leandro, California police detective accused of giving more than a pound of marijuana to a female informant with whom he was having an extramarital affair, has resigned.

Jason Fredriksson, 38, told San Leandro officials of his decision on Friday, said his attorney, Harry Stern, reports Chris De Benedetti of the The Oakland Tribune.

“He weighed his overall situation against the idea if litigating the employment aspect of it, and he decided it would be in everybody’s best interest for him to resign,” Stern said.

Fredriksson, one of four detectives in the department’s vice/narcotics unit, has been a San Leandro officer since 2002. He has admitted to banging a police snitch.

He pleaded not guilty on May 20 to one count of transporting and furnishing marijuana to the woman.

“There is no evidence concerning the idea that he provided marijuana to the informant,” Stern said “Jason took responsibility for having the relationship with the informant. He let down his family, first and foremost, and the department. And it was on that basis that he chose to resign.”

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