News

West Hollywood Councilman Backs Full Legalization Of Pot

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 16, 2010 Legislation, News

West Hollywood City Councilman John Duran: “Marijuana is no more dangerous than alcohol”

West Hollywood City Councilman John Duran says he’s the first politician in Southern California to support a statewide ballot initiative that would legalize marijuana for recreational use in the state.

The measure, which appears to have enough signatures but has not yet been certified for the ballot by the Secretary of State, would treat marijuana like alcohol, tax it and make it available to adults 21 and older, reports Dennis Romero at the L.A. Weekly.

Polls indicate a majority of Californians support legalizing marijuana.

The Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010 is funded by Richard Lee, owner of an Oakland dispensary and Oaksterdam University. His drive got 680,000 signatures; only 433,971 need be valid for the initiative to be on November’s ballot.

Marijuana Policy Project Joins National Boycott Of WalMart

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 16, 2010 Medical, News

Graphic: pyrello3000

The nation’s largest marijuana policy reform organization on Tuesday joined Toke of the Town in calling upon shoppers across the country to boycott WalMart Stores, Inc. The boycott is to protest the unjust and possibly unlawful firing of a medical marijuana patient and sinus cancer survivor who suffers from an inoperable brain tumor.

Joseph Casias, 29, legaly uses medical marijuana to alleviate the pain resulting from his cancer, which is in remission.

The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) is asking shoppers to demand WalMart abandon its discriminatory policy of firing employees who are legal medical marijuana patients under state law.

After dutifully working at a WalMart in Battle Creek, Michigan, for five years, Casias was suddenly terminated because he tested positive for marijuana during a drug screening administered after he sprained a knee on the job.

Seattle Man Changes His Name To ‘Fuck The Drug War’

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 16, 2010 Culture, News

Graphic: Gilbert Shelton

A King County, Washington resident has legally changed his name to “Fuck The Drug War.”

A district judge signed off on the name change petition last Friday from a man whose name was previously “Fuck Censorship,” reports Josh Feit at PubliCola.

According to the petition, the man changed his name to Mr. War (the middle name will be “The Drug”) because “We’re in two wars, at least, that I strongly oppose, but cannot currently stop.”

Video Interview: Fired WalMart Employee/Medical Marijuana Cancer Patient

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 15, 2010 Medical, News

Cancer patient and former employee of the year Joseph Casias says he was unfairly fired from WalMart after he tested positive for a controlled substance. He’s a registered Michigan medical marijuana patient, reports Smita Kalokhe of FOX 17 News.

Potent ‘Synthetic Weed’ Hits Miami (For Now)

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 15, 2010 News, Products

Graphic: Alta Bird Distributing

Potent fake weed, which has created a stir in other locales and actually is banned in Kansas, landed in Miami earlier this month. So far, only one head shop in town is selling the stuff, reports Tim Elfrink at Miami New Times.

The synthetic marijuana, sold under brand names such as Spice Gold, Black Mamba and K2, is sold as “incense” in smokable mixes labeled “Not For Human Consumption.”

You can get it right on the counter at Laughing Buddha, a smoke shop on Bird Road near Red Road in Miami, Elfrink reports.

Medical Pot Patient Robbed, Beaten; Cops Take Plants While He’s Dying

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 15, 2010 Growing, Medical, News

Photo: Renee Resser

Michael Shane Howard was attacked and killed by robbers who wanted his medical marijuana. While he lay dying, the cops took his plants.

A Washington medical marijuana patient has died after being attacked by robbers who were after his pot crop. When local police were called to the scene, rather than investigating the assault, they started questioning mortally injured Michael Shane Howard about how many plants he had.

The police told Howard, who had just been clubbed in the head with a crowbar, that the medics would “probably just put a big bandage in his forehead and leave him at the house.”

Two days after the attack, as Howard lay dying, the police called Howard’s good friend and roommate, Renee Resser, and asked when she was going to go visit him in the hospital.

Then while Renee visited Howard at the hospital, she got a call from a friend telling her officers from the Pierce County, Washington Sheriff’s Department were raiding her home.

When Renee rushed home, she was handcuffed and put in the back of a police car for 2-1/2 hours; officers told her it was because she lived in the same residence as Howard, even though his grow operation was outside in a shed.

“They took all his plants and equipment,” Renee said. “It’s so sickening that they are more worried about his meds than finding out who attacked him. His skull was bashed by a crowbar; it seems like they are not even trying to find out who did it. It makes me sick to my stomach!”

Rally Held In Michigan For Medical Pot Patient Fired By WalMart

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 14, 2010 Medical, News

Photo: WOOD-TV

The Michigan Medical Marijuana Association organized a rally Sunday, March 14, 2010 at the Battle Creek WalMart parking lot.

A rally was held Sunday in support of Joseph Casias, a former employee of the year and registered medical marijuana patient battling cancer who was recently fired from his job at WalMart for using the doctor-approved herb, reports Dani Carlson at WOOD TV.

More than 100 people turned out for the demonstration to support Casias, a five-year employee at the Battle Creek, Michigan WalMart store. He was terminated after testing positive for medical marijuana.

Casias has a doctor’s recommendation for cannabis and is a legal, card-carrying medical marijuana patient.

Casias, who uses marijuana for pain from sinus cancer and an inoperable brain tumor, said he shouldn’t have been fired in a state where medical marijuana is legal.

Nationwide Boycott! WalMart Fired Cancer Patient For Medical Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 13, 2010 Medical, News

Graphic: disinformation

It’s time for WalMart — and other corporate chains — to join the 21st Century.

WalMart pulled a major bonehead move this week when it sacked a cancer patient — a former Associate of the Year — for following his doctor’s advice and using medical marijuana, which is perfectly legal in Michigan. As a direct result, medical marijuana advocates are now organizing a nationwide boycott of the retail giant.

The Bentonville, Arkansas-based company, notorious for its corporate stance of social conservatism, looked like a big, dumb, lumbering, heartless beast. But WalMart still hasn’t budged, and is completely unapologetic about firing Joseph Casias, who suffers from sinus cancer and an inoperable brain tumor.

The wave of revulsion and outrage over WalMart’s treatment of Casias is growing exponentially as more people learn what was done — and with 80 percent of the American public supporting medical marijuana, the results of a boycott could be substantial.

Federal Agents Raided Hawaii Homes As Well As THC Ministry

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 12, 2010 News

Photo: Roger Christie’s MySpace

At least six and as many as a dozen homes were raided Wednesday during a federal drug sweep on Hawaii’s Big Island, reports John Burnett at the Hawaii Tribune-Herald.

“I know of about six others who were raided,” said Roger Christie, founder and director of The Hawaii Cannabis Ministry, whose downtown Hilo sanctuary and Wainaku residence were searched by federal agents, assisted by local police.

Wednesday’s police log showed 12 report numbers indicating police assistance to federal agents between 4 a.m. and just past 3 p.m. Five incidents occurred in Puna, four in South Hilo, and one each in North Hilo, Hamakua and Ka’u.

Former NBA Star Found With Marijuana ‘Between His Buttocks’

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 12, 2010 Culture, News

Photo: The Salt Lake Tribune

Robert Whaley is learning that getting busted for pot can be a real pain in the ass.

Police in Salt Lake County, Utah have arrested former Utah Jazz center Robert Whaley and found marijuana “between his buttocks,” according to a jail document.

Whaley, 27, had warrants for his arrest for absconding from probation in Michigan. A police document filed with Salt Lake County Jail said gang detectives stopped a car about 4:30 a.m. Thursday. Whaley was a passenger and was not wearing a seat belt, the document said, reports Nate Carlisle of The Salt Lake Tribune.

Unified Police Department Lt. Don Hutson said gang unit officers were monitoring apartment complexes which have had recent crime and gang problems, including shootings.

Detectives on gang patrol saw an occupied car sitting in a parking lot with no lights on, and investigated.

Whaley identified himself as Kareem Johnson, according to the document. Detectives were not fooled.

“They recognized him as being a former Jazz player,” Hutson said.

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