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‘Mexico’s Bravest Woman’: Police Chief, 20, Seeks U.S. Asylum

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 4, 2011 Global, News

Photo: AFP

Marisol Valles, 20, was the only person in town willing to serve as police chief. Now she is reportedly fleeing to the U.S.

The 20-year-old college student who was called “Mexico’s bravest woman” after she was named police chief of a small Mexican town when nobody else would take the job has reportedly fled and is seeking asylum in the United States.

Marisol Valles “received death threats from a criminal group that wanted to force her to work for them,” a relative told AFP on Thursday. However, an official from the town of Praxedis, which is just across the border from Fort Hancock, Texas, denied that their young police chief was leaving town.

Town Secretary Andres Morales told the El Paso Times that Valles had asked for some personal days off to tend to her child, but is expected to be back at work on Monday, reports CBS News. As for the reports of Valles seeking asylum in the U.S., “Right now, those are rumors,” Morales said. (Note to the credulous: this could be a cover story to throw off her would-be assassins.)

Seattle Protesters Tell Drug Czar: ‘Gil, Get With The Times’

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 4, 2011 News

Photo: Chris Egert/KIRO

Marijuana advocates held a protest outside the Seattle Times on Friday as Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske met with the newspaper’s editors. The protesters, holding signs reading “Get With The Times” and “De-Fund The Drug Czar,” said they believe the Drug Czar was sent to change the editorial’s board’s minds.

Kerlikowske asked for the meeting with the editorial board soon after the newspaper called for the legalization of marijuana in a recent editorial, reports KIRO 7.

In an interview with KIRO 7 Eyewitness News Anchor Chris Egert on Friday morning, Kerlikowske denied the White House sent him to Seattle just to speak with the editorial board. He said he was in Seattle for a previously scheduled event.

Marijuana Advocates To Protest Drug Czar’s Seattle Appearance

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 3, 2011 Culture, News

Photo: TopNews

Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske requested — and got — a meeting with the editorial board of the Seattle Times after the newspaper endorsed marijuana legalization. The Drug Czar is bound by law to oppose marijuana legalization.

Immediately after the Seattle Times ran an editorial supporting marijuana legalization, Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske made plans to visit the newspaper on Friday, March 4 — presumably to tell them where they have erred. In response to that, cannabis legalization advocates plan to protest Kerlikowske’s appearance at the paper by rallying on public sidewalks around the Times building.

Yes, it may be the first time in history that protesters have shown up to support a newspaper editorial on any subject!

Some observers have wondered whether the meeting is an attempt at intimidation by the Drug Czar, especially since the Times is one of the largest newspapers yet to support legalization.

Protest Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske’s Appearance at the Seattle Times

LOCATION: Sidewalks adjoining the Seattle Times at 1120 John Street

TIME: From 7:30 a.m. until the Drug Czar departs the Seattle Times building

Poll: 57% Of Floridians Support Legalizing Medical Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 3, 2011 Legislation, Medical, News

Graphic: Zazzle

A big majority of Florida residents support the legalization of medical marijuana, according to a new survey from a Republican pollster. According to the poll, 57 percent of Floridians would back such a move.

The news comes just as there is a serious movement to bring the issue to the Florida ballot in 2012, reports Bob Norman at our Village Voice Media sister blog, the Broward Palm Beach New Times. Under Florida’s election rules, such a referendum would require 60 percent of voters to approve before it became law.

In the poll, 800 voters were asked the question, “If there was a Constitutional amendment on the statewide ballot to legalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes only when prescribed by a practicing physician and the election were held today, would you vote Yes to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes or No to stop it?”

Cops Charged After Being Caught On Tape In Botched Pot Raid

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 3, 2011 Medical, News

Graphic: Action News

The corrupt cops were caught on tape discussing the spoils of their “drug raid” — which netted a quarter-ounce of marijuana.

Two Michigan police officers have been criminally charged after being caught on tape during a botched marijuana raid.

Lt. Luke Davis and Lt. Emmanuel Riopelle face dozens of charges in the case, reports Action News WXYZ. Davis headed the undercover narcotics unit. The indictment alleges that he and the others sold drugs and confiscated goods for personal profit.

The rogue cops were caught on audio tape by a local man, Rudy Simpson, during a pot raid (you can hear the audio at the end of this story). Simpson alleges he was the victim of heavy-handed and unprofessional police tactics during the raid on his home. Of course, it was just business as usual for the cops — except this time, a tape was rolling.

Texas Bill Could Make Pot Possession Like Traffic Ticket

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 2, 2011 Legislation, News

Graphic: Simple Cannabis

A legislator in Texas has introduced a bill which would reduce penalties for the possession of marijuana.

House Bill 548 [PDF], introduced by Rep. Harold Dutton Jr (D-Houston), would reclassify possession of less than an ounce of marijuana from a Class B misdemeanor to a Class C misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of a $500 fine, reports My Fox Austin.

Possession of two ounces or less, but more than one ounce would remain a Class B misdemeanor.

Currently, possession of up to two ounces of marijuana is a Class B misdemeanor in Texas, with a maximum penalty of six months in jail and/or a $2,000 fine.

Utilities Are A Cop’s Best Friend For Finding Marijuana Growers

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 2, 2011 Growing, News

Photo: COTO Report

Smart energy meters send lots of data to power companies — which can then be subpoenaed by law enforcement.

Police have started the Orwellian practice of subpoenaing energy-use records of people suspected of indoor marijuana growing operations.

At least 60 such subpoenas are filed every month in Ohio alone, reports Dean Narciso at The Columbus Dispatch.

Utilities, while “sensitive” to their customers’ expectation of privacy, are compelled by law to provide information about electricity use, said Terri Flora, spokeswoman for American Electric Power, an Ohio utility.

Synthetic Marijuana Is Now Officially Illegal

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 1, 2011 News, Products

Photo: Chicago Tribune

Yes, it’s garbage and no, it’s not a good replacement for real cannabis. But today a whole new class of substances was added to the failed policy of drug prohibition.

As expected, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on Tuesday announced that five variations of so-called “synthetic marijuana,” also known under brand names such as Spice, K2, and Black Mamba, have been added to its official list of illegal drugs, reports Jessica Fender at The Denver Post.

Pot Charges Dropped Against N.J. Medical Marijuana Patient

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 1, 2011 Medical, News

Photo: Tim Larsen

David Barnes argues for medical marijuana with Gov. Chris Christie during a town hall meeting in Flemington, N.J., September 8, 2010.

A New Jersey prosecutor has decided to drop a marijuana possession charge against a man who argued he uses cannabis to treat a seizure disorder.

Police in Readington, N.J., found a small amount of marijuana on David Barnes in February 2010, reports The Associated Press. His case became a rallying point for local medical marijuana advocates.

Although the New Jersey Legislature last year legalized marijuana for patients with certain medical conditions, implementation has been delayed as the administration of Republican Gov. Chris Christie labors over regulatory details.

Colorado Rep Wants To Ban Pot Edibles ‘To Protect Children’

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 1, 2011 Dispensaries, News

Photo: Colorado Medical Marijuana Dispensary Review

Marijuana-infused edibles such as these delicious-looking cookies would be banned in Colorado under a bill being debated Tuesday in the Colorado House.

The Colorado House is scheduled on Tuesday to debate a measure which would ban the medical marijuana edibles industry in the state. Most observers gave the bill a low chance of passage.

House Bill 1250 co-sponsor Rep. Cindy Acree (R) claimed the medibles business is bad for both children and patients, and adds that patients can still make their own cannabis edibles, reports Michael Roberts at Denver Westword. “They can use it however they want: bake with it, drink it, whatever,” she said. “And it doesn’t ban any of the base product, like the oils, the tinctures.”

“The way it’s written now preserves the integrity of the constitutional obligation to make sure patients have access to medicinal products,” Acree said. “But the bill would ban edible food and beverage products.”

And why, exactly, is a ban needed on commercially prepared marijuana edibles?

“Things like ‘pot tarts’ have been showing up on school grounds,” Acree claimed. “And they don’t have regulated doses. I think even patients are misled by some of these things.”

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