Toke of the Town — Marijuana and Cannibis News

Michigan Court: Medical Marijuana Law Isn’t Retroactive

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 15, 2010 Legislation, Medical

The Michigan Appeals Court ruled Wednesday the state’s medical marijuana law cannot be used retroactively to save people from cannabis charges.

The court reversed a decision by a Tuscola County judge who had dismissed charges against a man caught with nine marijuana plants and “drug paraphernalia,” reports the Grand Haven Tribune.

Keith Campbell said he was using marijuana for medicinal purposes, but the bust occurred in 2007, a year before Michigan’s medical marijuana law took effect.

Montana Medical Marijuana Advocate Arrested

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

Photo: Missoula Independent

Jason Christ of the Montana Caregivers Network was arrested Monday afternoon.

Montana medical marijuana advocate Jason Christ, the polarizing founder of Montana Caregivers Network, was arrested in Missoula late Monday afternoon and charged with disorderly conduct and criminal mischief, both misdemeanors, reports Matthew Frank at the Missoula Independent.

“The incident that occurred was about marijuana, but his charges were not related to marijuana, if that makes sense,” said Sgt. Bob Bouchee of the Missoula Police Department.

Poll: Most New Yorkers Want To Legalize Medical Marijuana

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

Photo: Polls Boutique

A new poll has found that a solid majority of New Yorkers — more than 60 percent — are in favor of legalizing marijuana for medical uses.

According to the Cornell University Survey Research Institute poll, there is a marked difference between Democrats and unaffiliated voters on one side and Republicans on the other. Among Democrats, 66 percent support medical legalization, as do 68 percent of independents, reports Cara Matthews at LoHud.com.

But a plurality of Republicans — 48 percent — are against medical marijuana legalization.

Two Charged In Daycare Marijuana Growing Operation

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 14, 2010 Growing, News

Photo: KBOI

Police in Suffolk, Virgina have charged two adults in Friday’s discovery of an alleged marijuana growing operation in a home that doubles as a children’s daycare center.

Warrants for possession of marijuana were served Tuesday for Michael R. Cabrera, 26, and Angie M. Cabrera, 25, of Suffolk, reports Tracy Agnew at the Suffolk News-Herald.

Police answered a domestic disturbance call about 8 p.m. Friday in the Hillpoint neighborhood, according to city spokeswoman Debbie George.

MT: Pot Dispensary Applications Exceed Cap In Just One Day

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 14, 2010 Dispensaries, News

Graphic: KXLF

It took only one day after a cap was proposed for the number of medical marijuana dispensary applicants to exceed the number of available slots in Bozeman, Montana.

Eight medical marijuana providers applied Tuesday for licenses to do business in Bozeman, leaving the city with one more application than the 32-dispensary cap the City Commission has proposed.

“It’s too early to know what the final end game is because we’ll have to see what happens with those applications,” said Commissioner Chris Mehl on Tuesday afternoon, reports Amanda Ricker at the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.

If the city ends up with too many people competing for not enough dispensary licenses, “We’ll have to deal with that if and when it happens,” Mehl said.

Blind Woman’s Medical Marijuana Suit Thrown Out

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 14, 2010 Dispensaries, Medical

Graphic: Cannabis N.I.

There is no constitutional right in California to obtain medical marijuana, according to an Orange County Superior Court judge. The judge on Tuesday threw out a lawsuit filed by a blind San Clemente medical marijuana patient who said she had a state constitutional right in California to cannabis to help her cope with cerebral palsy and other illnesses.

Judge Tam Nomoto Schumann showed an unbecoming heartless streak as she granted a motion to dismiss Malinda Traudt‘s lawsuit against the city of Dana Point, Calif. Her attorney, Jeffrey Schwartz, vowed to appeal, reports the Long Beach Press-Telegram.

Traudt buys medical marijuana from Beach Cities Collective in Dana Point, and is trying to stop the city’s attempts to shut down the dispensary.

Michigan’s Silverdome Slated For Major Marijuana Event

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 14, 2010 News, Products

Photo: ArchiThings

The Silverdome, in Pontiac, Michigan, is scheduled to host a marijuana expo on Halloween weekend. Organizer Bruce Perlowin said he expects 100,000 visitors.

What is being called “the largest cannabis/wellness event ever held in the Midwest” has been scheduled for Halloween weekend in Pontiac, Michigan, at the renowned Silverdome, according to Medical Marijuana Inc.

“The sheer size of the Pontiac Silverdome will allow for the sale of hundreds of exhibitor booths, a hundred thousand visitors and live band performances,” said Bruce Perlowin, the CEO of MJNA.

According to Perlowin, the experience his company has gained from the past year of doing small educational seminars has prepared MJNA to roll out large scale expos throughout the United States.

Medical Marijuana Appeal To Set Landmark Precedent This Week

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 13, 2010 Legislation, Medical

Photo: WeedMaps.com

Premium Organic Treatments Patient Collective Association (POT PCA) is located at 3148 East La Palma Avenue, Suite J in Anaheim.

A moment of truth for medical marijuana dispensaries will come this week when California’s Fourth Appellate District Division Three will issue its opinion in the Qualified Patients vs. Anaheim case by July 19. The decision will come after a years-long appeal process closely watched by patients, advocates, politicians, lawyers, and the press.

California’s localized approach to interpreting the state’s medical marijuana law has some distinct drawbacks. Among those is the fact acting identically can either lead to profits or to jail, depending where a patient lives, points out David Downs in the East Bay Express.

Cities in conservative areas — like Anaheim in Orange County — have effectively re-criminalized dispensaries, setting up an appeals court showdown scheduled to end sometime within the next week.

Nebraska Pharmacy Board Urged To OK Medical Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 13, 2010 Legislation, Medical

Photo: NORML Blog

More than a dozen people on Monday asked the Nebraska Board of Pharmacy to reclassify marijuana so it can be authorized as medicine.

Those testifying included a medical doctor, a lawyer, one of the original Yippies from the 1960s and an Iowa trucker wearing a “Reverend Reefer” t-shirt, reports Paul Hammel at the Omaha World-Herald.

They urged the board to help Nebraska join 14 other states the allow medicinal cannabis to relieve pain and ease the symptoms of diseases such as cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis.

Cops, Judge Sign Pro-Legalization Ballot Argument For Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 13, 2010 Legislation, News

Photo: Judge Jim Gray

Judge James Gray: “We need a common sense approach to control marijuana”

A retired Los Angeles Police Department deputy chief, a previous San Jose chief of police and a former superior court judge from Orange County have all signed the official ballot argument in favor of Proposition 19, California’s statewide measure to legalize, tax and control marijuana.

“Outlawing marijuana hasn’t stopped 100 million Americans from trying it,” says the pro-legalization ballot argument from the veteran law enforcers. “But we can control it, make it harder for kids to get, weaken the cartels, focus police resources on violent crime and generate billions in revenue and savings.”

“We need a common sense approach to control marijuana,” the argument reads.

The signers, Los Angeles Deputy Chief of Police Stephen Downing (Ret.), San Jose Chief of Police Joseph McNamara (Ret.) and Judge James Gray (Ret.) are all members of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), an international organization of police, prosecutors and judges who are working to change failed marijuana laws.