Toke of the Town — Marijuana and Cannibis News

Rally Held In Michigan For Medical Pot Patient Fired By WalMart

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

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.

Bill Calls For Five Marijuana Dispensaries In Vermont

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 12, 2010 Dispensaries, Legislation

Graphic: Darwinek

A state Senate panel voted 3-2 Thursday to support a bill that would allow the establishment of five medical marijuana dispensaries to serve the needs of 169 Vermonters who have registered with the state as cannabis patients, reports Nancy Remsen of the Burlington Free Press.

Supporters on the Senate Government Operations Committee argued that patients with permission to use marijuana shouldn’t be forced to deal with criminals as they try to obtain cannabis to help cope with debilitating medical conditions.

Opponents claimed Vermont couldn’t afford the new oversight and enforcement expenses that would come with the establishment of dispensaries, which would be called “compassion centers.”

The bill must be reviewed by at least one more Senate committee before it comes before the full Senate for a vote, Remsen reports.

Despite the split committee vote, the bill might receive a push from Senate President Pro Tempore Peter Shumlin (D-Windham).

“I’d like to see it pass,” Shumlin said. “We get calls in my office from elderly Vermonters, sick people, who have followed the law and ask us what a drug dealer looks like so they can get the medicine they need.”

Canada: All 3 National Parties Support Prince Of Pot

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 12, 2010 Culture, Global, Legislation

Photo: Jodie Emery

Jodie and Marc Emery in a legal industrial hemp field outside Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.

MPs from all three of Canada’s major national political parties — Conservative, Liberal, and New Democrat — are about to submit petitions calling for marijuana activist Marc Emery to not be extradited to the United States.

Scott Reid of the Conservative Party, Ujjal Dosanjh of the Liberal Party, and Libby Davies of the New Democratic Party will submit the petitions, reports Carlito Pablo at Vancouver’s Georgia Straight.

According to press reports, the petitions will likely be submitted by the three MPs on Monday, March 15.

Last Summer, Emery agreed to a plea bargain with American authorities that will probably see him thrown into a United States prison for at least five years for distributing marijuana seeds through the mail.

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.

Naturopaths Included In Washington’s Medical Marijuana Law

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 12, 2010 Legislation, Medical

Graphic: Emerald Herb

A bill to expand Washington State’s medical marijuana law cleared the Legislature Thursday, and is headed to the governor’s desk.

Gov. Christine Gregoire is expected to sign SB 5798, which allows naturopathic doctors, nurse practitioners, and advanced physicians’ assistants to recommend the medical use of cannabis to their patients.

The new law will increase patient access to health care professionals willing to authorize medical cannabis.

Because of the conflict between state and federal pot laws, many doctors fear retribution from the federal government and are reluctant to sign medical cannabis paperwork. To comply with the law, many qualifying patients are forced to travel to the city and pay $200 to see a doctor willing to sign a medical marijuana authorization form.

WalMart Fires Associate Of Year, Cancer Patient For Medical Marijuana

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

Graphic: Reality Catcher

Despite medical marijuana being legal in Michigan, WalMart has fired a cancer patient and former employee of the year who tested positive for the drug, which was recommended by his doctor.

“I was terminated because I failed a drug screening,” ex-WalMart employee Joseph Casias told WZZM-13.

In 2008, Casias was Associate of the Year at the WalMart store in Battle Creek, Mich., despite suffering from sinus cancer and an inoperable brain tumor.

Colorado: Medical Pot Records Seized In Grow Op Search

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 11, 2010 Growing, Medical, News

Photo: Bayou Perspective

A Colorado search warrant executed Tuesday authorized the seizure of records for more than 300 medical marijuana card holders, including doctors’ recommendations and personal contact information.

The warrant was issued after officers from the Grand Junction Police Department were called out Tuesday to investigate a suspicious odor emanating from a building near the offices of the U.S. Census Bureau, reports Paul Shockley at The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.

The warrant, signed by District Judge Thomas Deister, allowed for Western Colorado Drug Task Force officers to confiscate records “in order to verify who the current primary caregiver is” for the approximately 308 patient files found inside a large marijuana grow.

Feds Raid The Hawaii Cannabis Ministry

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 11, 2010 News

Photo: mixed meters

The door to the THC Ministry’s upstairs space at 94 Kamehameha Avenue in Hilo was locked.

Federal drug agents raided the downtown Hilo sanctuary of The Hawaii Cannabis Ministry Wednesday morning, assisted by local police.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Muehleck said that no one had yet been arrested or charged in connection with the raid, reports John Burnett at Stephens Media.

Shortly before 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Muehleck declined to provide other details and would not say whether THC Ministry director and founder Roger Christie had been detained.

“There’s gonna be no comment from our office talking about anything that’s occurred in Hilo or on the Island of Hawaii at this point,” Muehleck said.

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