Search Results: kelly (65)

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is notorious for his staunch anti-marijuana crackdown in the city. Under Bloomberg’s watch, more New Yorkers have been arrested for cannabis than under the previous three mayors combined. What’s the problem?

Well, according to Bloomberg and NYPD Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, the reason for arresting all those people for low-level marijuana offenses is to reduce violent crime in the city.
Wait, what? The idea that marijuana turns people violent is a relic of 1930s Reefer Madness, right? Well, yeah. But a brand new study — released Friday — provides yet more evidence that the marijuana-violence connection is, as James King of the Village Voice puts it, “a load of crap.”

Christian Marijuana Organization

Faith leaders call on all Arkansans to support compassionate measure
Arkansans for Compassionate Care, the committee behind Issue 5, the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Act, on Tuesday announced a dozen clergy leaders from across the state and from a broad range of denominations have endorsed the measure. The religious coalition was announced at a press conference in Fayetteville, featuring medical professionals and Emily Williams, who used medical marijuana to cope with the side effects of chemotherapy.
 
“I am proud to be among the faith leaders who have endorsed the use of medical marijuana by seriously ill patients,” said Reverend Howard Gordon, minister emeritus at the First Presbyterian Church in Little Rock. “We are compassionate people by nature and Issue 5, at its core, is about compassion.

ShadyHousePub.com
Surprise, surprise! More gutless non-leadership from the Party of No

Senate Republicans and Conservative Party Break With Top Law Enforcement Officials to Kill Legislation Clarifying Marijuana Possession Laws; Measure Supported by Cuomo, Bloomberg, NYPD Commissioner, District Attorneys Throughout State
 
Over 50,000 Needless Arrests Cost Taxpayers $75 million a Year, Undermine Ability of Youth to Gain Employment; Majority Leader Skelos and Conservative Party Leader Mike Long Apparently Believe Wasteful, Unlawful, Racially Biased Arrests is “Right Message” for “Youngsters”
 
Operations Order by Commissioner Kelly Has Proven To Be Ineffective; Advocates, Community Groups and Elected Officials Vow to Continue Fight for Legislation That Ensures Equity, Fairness and Fiscal Responsibility
 
Monday night, lawmakers in Albany failed to reach agreement on legislation to reduce the staggering number of unlawful, biased arrests for marijuana possession in New York.
The proposal, unveiled by Governor Andrew Cuomo two weeks ago and introduced in the Assembly by Assemblymember Hakeem Jeffries, was widely seen as a responsible measure to address the inconsistency and unfairness in the marijuana possession laws in New York. Yet Senate Republicans refused to take up the matter, appearing shaken, intimidated and frightened by threats from Conservative Party Leader Mike Long, who declared he would pull the Conservative Party line from anyone who supported the measure.
The Senate – in what can only be called a stunning failure of leadership – then refused to take up the legislation, undermining reform. Because of inaction in the Senate, tens of thousands of people, predominately young men of color, will continue to be needlessly funneled through the criminal justice system at an expense of tens of millions of dollars to state taxpayers and untold damage to the relationships between law enforcement and communities in New York.

Drug Policy Alliance
An online advocacy campaign features powerful video testimonials from people who have been illegally searched and falsely charged for marijuana possession in New York City

Major Online Advocacy Campaign Features Powerful Video Testimonials; Hundreds Traveling to Albany to Pressure State Leaders
 
Drive to Pass Bipartisan Legislation Comes on Heels of Cuomo, Bloomberg and Kelly Announcing Support for Closing Major Loophole in State’s Marijuana Decriminalization Law
 
On the heels of the announcement by New York Governor Cuomo, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and NYPD Police Commissioner Ray Kelly of their support for ending the practice of arresting individuals for possessing small amounts of marijuana in public view, a major coalition of local and national organizations is launching a massive effort in the final weeks of the legislative session to win reform.

Metro
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo

NYC Mayor Bloomberg and NYPD Commissioner Kelly Follow Suit
 Advocates Applaud Governor’s Leadership
Coalition Planning Massive Push for Next Two Weeks to Pass Marijuana Reform Law; Includes Major Online Advocacy Campaign Featuring Powerful Video Testimonials, and Hundreds Traveling to Albany to Pressure State Leaders
On Monday,, New York Governor Cuomo, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and NYPD Police Commissioner Ray Kelly all came out in support of ending the practice of arresting individuals for possessing small amounts of marijuana in public view.

Cannabis Times

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday proposed lowering the penalty for public possession of small amounts of marijuana, reducing the infraction from a misdemeanor to a violation.

“This proposal will bring long overdue consistency and fairness to New York State’s Penal Law and save thousands of New Yorkers, particularly minority youth, from the unnecessary and life-altering trauma of a criminal arrest and, in some cases, prosecution,” a Cuomo administration official said in an email to the New York Times, reports Bill Hutchinson of the New York Daily News.

The state decriminalized the possession of less than 25 grams of cannabis back in 1977, lowering the penalty to a violation carrying a fine for possession. If the marijuana is lit or in “public view,” the infraction rises to a misdemeanor, which leads to arrest.

The Oakland Press
Alexander Kolanek’s lost his medical marijuana case before the Michigan Supreme Court. The Oakland County man was arrested with marijuana before he formally met with his doctor.

The Michigan Supreme Court on Thursday ruled against an Oakland County man who didn’t get a doctor’s authorization to use marijuana until after he was arrested for possession.

In a 7-0 decision, justices said Alexander Kolanek can face cannabis charges because he did not satisfy the requirements of the 2008 law, reports David Eggert at mlive.com.
The Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, overwhelmingly approved by 63 percent of the state’s voters, allows patients with ID cards immunity from prosecution if they have no more than 2.5 ounces of marijuana and 12 plants kept in a locked, enclosed space.
Patients are protected, whether or not they have a card, if a physician has said marijuana will help treat their serious or debilitating medical condition.
But Justice Mary Beth Kelly said because the medical marijuana law does not apply retroactively, Kolanek needed a doctor’s statement before his 2009 arrest. Kolanek said he smoked cannabis to deal with problems from Lyme disease.

Drug Policy Alliance – New York Office
Knock knock, Mayor Bloomberg — we want change! Illegal searches and bogus misdemeanor arrests for marijuana must stop.

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Community Members March to Mayor Bloomberg’s House to Protest Out of Control Marijuana Arrest Crusade in NYC
Under Bloomberg, More Than 400,000 People Arrested on Low-Level Marijuana Charges in NYC, at a Cost of More Than $600 Million; Most Are Black and Latino, Despite Whites Using Marijuana at Higher Rates 
Illegal Searches and Bogus Misdemeanor Arrests Continue, Despite Order by Commissioner Kelly to Halt Unlawful Police Practices
Marijuana Arrests Are #1 Offense in NYC and Make up 15% of all Arrests
On Thursday, community members and New Yorkers for Health & Safety marched to Mayor Bloomberg’s house to demand an end to illegal, racially biased and costly marijuana arrests.  While Bloomberg proposes cuts to New York City public libraries, firehouses, and after-school programs, he’s spending at least $75 million a year for these arrests.
In 2011, there were 50,684 marijuana possession arrests, the top arrest in New York City and second highest number of marijuana arrests in City history, despite a directive issued to police officers by Police Commissioner Ray Kelly last year, ordering them to end such arrests.

Celebrity Roast
In the last five years under Bloomberg, the NYPD made more marijuana arrests than in the 24 years under Mayors Giuliani, Dinkins and Koch combined

​Thursday: Elected Officials, Community Members to March to Mayor Bloomberg’s House to Protest Out-of-Control Marijuana Arrest Crusade in NYC
 
Under Bloomberg, More Than 400,000 People Arrested on Low-Level Marijuana Charges in NYC, At a Cost of More Than $600 Million; Most Are Young Blacks and Latinos, Despite Whites Using Marijuana at Higher Rates
 
Illegal Searches and Manufactured Misdemeanor Arrests Continue Despite Order by Commissioner Kelly to Halt These Unlawful Police Practices; Marijuana Arrests Are #1 Offense in NYC and Make Up 15% of All Arrests
 
Elected officials, community members and New Yorkers for Public Health & Safety will march to Mayor Bloomberg’s house on Thursday, March 29 at high noon, to demand an end to illegal, racially biased and costly marijuana arrests.

Nuggetry

​SB 409 Moves On After Stunning 5-0 Vote
 
In a huge victory for patients and their families, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee has voted 5-0 to approve New Hampshire’s medical marijuana bill, SB 409. A vote by the full Senate is expected next week.
Senators Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro), Gary Lambert (R-Nashua), Andy Sanborn (R-Henniker), Tom DeBlois (R-Litchfield), and Molly Kelly (D-Keene) all voted in favor of the bill, having considered more than two and a half hours of testimony at a March 8 public hearing.
The bill’s prime sponsor, Sen. Jim Forsythe (R-Strafford), expressed satisfaction with the vote.
“If a seriously ill patient and his or her doctor believe marijuana may be the best option, government should not interfere with that decision, and I’m very pleased to see unanimous agreement from this committee,” Forsythe said.