Toke of the Town — Marijuana and Cannibis News

Snitch Site For Marijuana Informers Backfires In Utah

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 14, 2010 Culture, Growing

Graphic: NORML

The state of Utah had what it thought was a brilliant idea to eradicate marijuana farming on public land: Ask citizen snitches to report any pot patches they run across.

The state made it easy with a website with helpful links to assist its deputized citizenry in identifying marijuana and signs of grow operations, reports Greg Campbell at dscriber.

“Did you know marijuana is being illegally grown in Utah?” the site, with a keen grasp of the obvious, ominously warns. “Have you ever been hiking or camping and seen what looks like an illegal marijuana growing operation? We have created this website to make it easier for people to report this illegal activity, so we can crack down and keep these illegal drugs out of our state and off our streets.”

Yeah, it seemed like a great idea. That is, until NORML posted a story about Utah’s misguided efforts. Within 24 hours, pot-friendly visitors flooded the site with fake tips.

Medical Marijuana Bill Introduced In Pennsylvania

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 14, 2010 Legislation, Medical

Photo: WHYY

State Senator Daylin Leach has announced the introduction of legislation to legalize medical marijuana in Pennsylvania.

Under the bill, Pennsylvania would join 14 other states and the District of Columbia in allowing doctor-supervised medical marijuana for patients with debilitating medical conditions, reports Main Line Media News. Neighboring New Jersey passed its own medical marijuana law earlier this year.

“It’s long past time we move beyond the misinformation and ancient wives’ tales and allow people to have the medicine that will make them feel better,” Leach said. “Medical marijuana has been proven repeatedly to help people who are desperately ill. It is nothing more than gratuitous cruelty to deny it to them.”

IL Lawmakers Still Scared Of Medical Pot; Only Two Votes Away

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 14, 2010 Legislation, Medical

Photo: Lou Lang News Weblog

Rep. Lou Lang: “I’m not done; I’m gonna keep trying”

A vast majority of people in Illinois say they support medical marijuana. The most recent poll shows 68 percent of state residents want to make cannabis legal for medical purposes, reports Anna Davlantes of FOX Chicago News.

So why won’t Illinois lawmakers make it happen?

Predictably, most law enforcement agencies claim giving anyone legal access to marijuana increases the supply for potheads.

Opponents also point to the fact that cannabis hasn’t been approved by the FDA — conveniently forgetting to mention that the reason this is so is the lack of research mandated by its federal classification as a tightly-controlled Schedule I narcotic, with no accepted medical uses.

CO Congressman Presses AG On Medical Marijuana Raids

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 14, 2010 Dispensaries, Legislation

Photo: Colorado Connection

Rep. Jared Polis: “I would certainly encourage that the question of whether or not it’s consistent with state law certainly be left to state enforcement actions”

Rep. Jared Polis of Colorado on Thursday quizzed Attorney General Eric Holder about federal enforcement of marijuana laws in states like Colorado which have legalized it for medical use and are now seeing a growing number of dispensaries.

In his very first appearance as a new member of the House Judiciary Committee, Polis, a Democrat from Boulder, quizzed Holder about comments from a federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agent suggesting the Justice Department planned to raid Colorado dispensaries, reports Michael Riley of The Denver Post.

Holder denied any such plans are in place, saying there were “higher enforcement priorities” and citing a directive by the deputy attorney general giving specific criteria under which federal agents would shut down dispensaries operating legally under state law.

“There are a variety of factors that are contained within the memo… that United States attorneys and assistant United States attorneys are supposed to apply, supposed to consider, when trying to make the determination about whether or not federal resources are going to be used to go after somebody who is dealing in marijuana,” Holder equivocated.

WA: Marijuana Dispensary Operators Plead Not Guilty

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

Drew Perine/The Tacoma News Tribune

Before the bust: North End Club 420’s Guy Casey tends to marijuana plants

Two men who operate a Tacoma, Washington medical marijuana dispensary pleaded not guilty Thursday to drug charges stemming from an undercover police operation.

Michael Jonathan Schaef, Guy Lewis Casey and their supporters say authorities unfairly targeted them. Medical marijuana was legalized by Washington state voters in 1998.

The dispensary, North End Club 420, was open again Thursday morning, two days after it was raided, report Adam Lynn and Rob Carson with the The Tacoma News-Tribune.

“Helping sick people get their medical marijuana is not illegal,” said Kristine Casey, who works at North End Club 20 and is married to Guy Casey.

Both men were allowed to remain free Thursday after posting bail following their Tuesday arrests.

Police claim the two sold marijuana to people who were not authorized patients, kept a larger supply on hand than allowed, and charged exorbitant prices to enrich themselves.

Schaef and Casey said statements from police and prosecutors “grossly misrepresent” their motives, their operation, and their legality.

“They said we were in this because of greed and that we’re making thousands of dollars,” Schaef said. “That is crazy.”

MPP Partners With Slightly Stoopid, Cypress Hill For U.S. Tour

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 13, 2010 Culture, News

Photo: Cornerstone Recording Arts Society

Slightly Stoopid began in 1996, influenced by SoCal skatepunk, thrash and copious amounts of weed. They now mix a California-centric sound of loopy sampledelic pop, hip-hop, sunny marijuana affirmations, dub and reggae influences.

As the debate over ending marijuana prohibition heats up across the country, the Marijuana Policy Project is partnering with renowned San Diego-based band Slightly Stoopid for their upcoming United States tour, “Cauzin Vapors … Legalize It,” on which they will be accompanied by hip-hop superstars Cypress Hill, The Expendables, Collie Buddz, and reggae legends Steel Pulse on select dates.

Starting in mid-July, the tour will wind across the country, from California to New York, with stops at this year’s acclaimed Lollapalooza festival in Chicago and, appropriately enough, the Mile High Music Festival in Colorado.

MPP will be tabling at performances and have representatives at each show to answer questions and provide information about the ongoing campaigns to end marijuana prohibition in the U.S.

“We are delighted to be included in this opportunity to expand awareness about the need to change our country’s marijuana policies,” said Mary Patton, director of VIP relations at the Marijuana Policy Project.

“Slightly Stoopid, Cypress Hill and all the acts on this tour are vocal, well-known supporters of ending marijuana prohibition, and we look forward to joining them in this effort to change attitudes and inspire activism on marijuana-related issues across the U.S.”

Hawaii Officer Guilty In Las Vegas Marijuana Case

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 13, 2010 Culture, News

Graphic: Media Junkie

A Honolulu, Hawaii police officer was convicted Wednesday in Las Vegas of misdemeanor driving under the influence and marijuana charges, resulting from his arrest last August while taking part in a softball tournament.

A felony driving under the influence charge was dropped for 38-year-old Kevin Fujioka because it conflicted with the misdemeanor DUI charge, according to prosecutor Bruce Nelson, reports Fox 5 News.

Fujioka was found guilty Tuesday of the two misdemeanor charges by a Las Vegas justice of the peace, who fined the police officer $580.

A misdemeanor marijuana possession charge against another Honolulu police officer, 47-year-old Shayne Souza, was dropped last month after he pleaded guilty to “obstructing a police officer.”

Souza and Fujioka were arrested August 15 as they smoked pot in a van near a park several miles west of the Last Vegas Strip.

Clark County Police said they spotted the stoned officers in a van at Desert Breeze Park.

Tribes Say Medical Marijuana Illegal For Montana Indians

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

Graphic: Arizona Dream

Don’t pass the peace pipe, partner — Flathead definitely does not equal pothead. Medical marijuana providers on the Flathead Indian Reservation who sell to American Indians can be charged with felony distribution, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSTK) of Montana announced Wednesday.

After consulting with elders from the Salish, Kootenai and Pend d’Oreille peoples, the Tribal Council decided to keep their policy, which makes the possession or sale of marijuana for any reason a criminal offense, according to CSKT spokesman Rob McDonald, reports Vince Devlin of The Missoulian.

Oregon Pot Legalization Initiative Needs 95,000 More Signatures

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

Photo: Oregon Medical Marijuana Program

The Oregon Cannabis Tax Act (OCTA) campaign to tax and regulate marijuana, which is circulating petitions to get the measure on the ballot for November’s election, has collected fewer than 5,000 signatures, with 100,000 signatures needed by July.

OCTA would effectively legalize the cultivation, possession and personal use or marijuana in Oregon, and would be the first law of its kind in the nation, reports Ian Geronimo at the Oregon Daily Emerald, the independent student newspaper at the University of Oregon.

City Says Ruling Could Shut Down All Pot Shops In California

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 13, 2010 Dispensaries, News

Graphic: DispensaryFinder.com

A California Superior Court judge on Wednesday issued a ruling allowing the city of Lake Forest to shut down all medical marijuana dispensaries. An attorney representing the city said the ruling could eventually shut down every dispensary in California.

Jeffrey Dunn, an attorney who is representing Lake Forest, wasted no time in issuing an over-arching, hubristic crow of victory, saying that he believes Chaffee’s ruling could eventually force the closure of all marijuana dispensaries in the state.

The ruling only applies to Lake Forest for now, because it is only a trial court decision. Dispensaries located in the city limits will have to close down immediately unless they get a temporary stay.

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