Toke of the Town

West Hollywood Councilman Backs Full Legalization Of Pot

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By on Legislation, News

Photo: FosseTheCat
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.
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Missouri: House Snuffs Out Medical Marijuana

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By on Legislation, Medical

Graphic: Joplin NORML

​The Missouri House snuffed out efforts to legalize medical marijuana during the middle of a debate on banning fake pot. One ignorant Representative called medical cannabis “a party, not an illness.”

The amendment, which popped up in a House debate to criminalize the “synthetic marijuana” sold under K2, Spice and other brand names, was voted down. But the bill banning fake pot received first-round approval, reports Marty Swant of the Columbia Missourian.
“Who are we to tell terminally ill patients that some substance that can provide them relief isn’t good enough for them?” said Rep. Jason Holsman (D-Jackson County), one of a small group of Democrats who pushed for the measure.
Holsman also said there were several other benefits to allowing limited medical usage of cannabis. He said it would keep non-violent drug offenders out of prisons, and allow the state to tax marijuana purchases.
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Marijuana Policy Project Joins National Boycott Of WalMart

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

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By on 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.”
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Dutch Coffee Shops In Danger; ‘On Strike’ On Election Day

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By on Dispensaries, Global, Legislation

Photo: Bachrach44
Pick Up The Pieces, one of the many “coffee shops” in Amsterdam

​Dutch “coffee shops,” a euphemism for outlets selling cannabis, are in danger, and have announced they are going “on strike” on June 9, the day the Netherlands will hold parliamentary elections.

“The idea behind closing for the day is to encourage all those who like to smoke a joint to get out and vote for the parties which will ensure that coffee shops will not be banned in the Netherlands,” reports Johan van Slooten at Radio Netherlands Worldwide.
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Idiocy In Illinois: Anti-Blunt Pot Wrap Legislation Pushed

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By on Legislation, Products

Photo: Marijuana Reviews

​Good news, folks. Preachers, police and politicians in Illinois must have already solved all the real and important problems troubling the state, because now they seem to have time to go after blunt wraps.
Clergy and cops are backing a plan being pushed in the General Assembly to classify blunt wraps — made of tobacco leaves, and often used to roll marijuana — as “drug paraphernalia,” reports Kristen Mack at WGN-TV.
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Potent ‘Synthetic Weed’ Hits Miami (For Now)

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By on 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.
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Referendum Would Challenge L.A. Pot Dispensary Law

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By on Dispensaries, Legislation

Photo: Monica Almeida/New York Times
A medical marijuana dispensary on Santa Monica Boulevard offers prizes.

​Medical marijuana advocates are gathering signatures for a voter referendum to block a recently passed Los Angeles law that will shut down hundreds of pot dispensaries.

The referendum is designed to overturn the city’s medical marijuana dispensary ordinance before it takes effect in May, reports The Associated Press.
The group is looking for 27,425 signatures by Monday to get the issue on the ballot. Organizer Dan Halbert, who runs the Rainforest Collective in Mar Vista, said it’s going to be close.
Halbert’s dispensary opened last year, and is one of around 700 that would have to close under the ordinance, which caps the number of pot shops at 70.
The law has a loophole for about 128 dispensaries that registered in 2007, before the City Council instituted a moratorium.
Marijuana collectives reportedly outnumber both public schools and Starbucks outlets in Los Angeles.
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Medical Pot Patient Robbed, Beaten; Cops Take Plants While He’s Dying

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By on 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!”
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