| A plant of “Charlotte’s Web”. |
Charlotte Figi has been through more hardships in her six short years than most people do in a lifetime. About a year and a half ago, seizures caused by a rare genetic disorder would rip through her tiny body up to sixty times in a day.
Things had become so bad, that her parents had signed “do not resuscitate” forms for their daughter – deciding that if it was her time to go, then it would at least be the end of her suffering. At the end of their rope, her parents tried one last thing to prolong their daughter’s life: medical cannabis. Not only did it work, it’s drastically improved the quality of life for little Charlotte and other children around Colorado. Unfortunately, the treatment isn’t legal for most U.S. children affected by this condition.
Last week we gave you several headlines about a recent ACLU survey which showed that statistics covering marijuana arrests across the nation were falling along strict, and disturbing, racial lines.
According to the report, on the national level blacks are four times more likely to be arrested for a weed-related crime, despite the fact that blacks and whites use marijuana at relatively equal rates. That disparity in arrest rates jumps as high as 18 to 1 in cities like St. Louis where local Metro Police Chief Sam Dotson dismisses accusations of racial profiling with blockhead quotes like, “Law enforcement is not…black and white.”
| Organization of American States logo. |
Leaders and representatives of the 34 nations that make up the Organization of American States (OAS) held its annual general assembly meeting last Thursday in Guatemala to discuss a range of issues, with a debate about marijuana legalization expected to take center stage.With many of the OAS member-nations being wracked by drug war related violence, a debate over immediate solutions to curb illegal narcotics trafficking was considered to be a top priority by many attending and observing the 3-day meeting. Instead, the conference concluded with no specific judgment being given regarding the decriminalization or legalization of drugs like cannabis in the Western Hemisphere.
| TokeoftheTown.com |
Federal authorities yesterday moved to shut down marijuana dispensaries in Echo Park, Westlake, south L.A., the harbor area, Long Beach, Lancaster and Pearblossom. The action so far involves mainly warning letters to most of the 103 storefronts targeted, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles.
While weed retailing might still be legal in the city of L.A. and other California communities, the federal government still sees cannabis as a top outlaw drug. The targeted 71 dispensaries in the city of L.A. involved all remaining known shops in the LAPD’s Rampart, Newton and Harbor divisions, feds said. LA Weekly has the full story.
| Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon. |
After his federal industrial hemp bill failed to move forward late last week, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden wagged his finger in shame not at the closed-minded Senate that wouldn’t work with Wyden, but at marijuana users.
See, Wyden thinks that because marijuana users are prone to being pro-hemp that the two issues are seen as one in the same. And it’s clearly the pot smoker’s fault according to Wyden, not the ignorant elected officials.
For the second time in two weeks, a Mexican national was busted trying to smuggle weed into the United States by hiding the product in jalapeños.
Whereas the Mexican national who attempted to bring more than 3,300 pounds of weed on May 27 stuffed the pot inside cans of jalapeños, the 27-year-old gentleman who tried to bring his haul into the country on Friday opted for the fresh variety. Valley Fever has the rest.
Canadian officials with the Marihuana for Medical Purposes announced rule changes today that will eliminate home-growing for medical marijuana patients and force consumers to purchase through licensed Health Canada growers.
“These changes will strengthen the safety of Canadian communities, while making sure patients can access what they need to treat serious illnesses,” Canadian Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq said today in a press release.
| Halifax, Nova Scotia. |
It may seem counter intuitive to tell your employer “It’s none of your business what I do when I’m not here” when they ask for a drug test. But that’s what an employee with the Halifax Streets Department in Nova Scotia told his boss after his boss says he smelled weed in the city truck in which the employee was a passenger.
The employee, listed only as “Mr. Jeffery” in the ruling, says he is a recreational user of cannabis and that he would have tested positive, but he maintains that there was no evidence of impairment or on-the-job drug use and refused the drug test – and the courts have backed the employee’s decision.
| Cannabis Culture. |
| Marc Emery. |
Marc Emery, who was convicted and jailed for the non-violent “crime” of selling pot seeds to people in the U.S. from Canada, has been placed in solitary confinement in the prison where he is serving his 5-year sentence.
His offense now? Playing in a rock and roll band and being proud of his accomplishments in learning the bass guitar over the last two years.