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November 2011
You are browsing the archive for November 2011.
DEA, police raid at least a dozen Seattle-area marijuana dispensaries
Multiple news outlets are reporting DEA and local officials raiding over a dozen dispensaries in the Seattle-area counties of King, Thurston, and Pierce in Washington State.
Smaller California cities can’t afford to out-sue marijuana dispensaries
Gee, what a shame it is when the people whose rights you’re oppressing have the capital to put up a fight, huh? Now, go tell your little “Garden Grove can’t afford to ban pot shops” sob story to one of the thousands of California cannabis consumers who get caught up in a marijuana charge and have to cop a plea because they can’t afford to fight the limitless resources of the district attorney. Tell it to thousands more who lose their property and money to a civil asset forfeiture so they don’t have the resources even if they do have the resources.
Obama’s crackdown illustrates contempt for marijuana-using voters
I would not underestimate the GOP desire to recapture the White House. I would not be surprised at an eventual GOP nominee whose political team calculates that the marijuana vote could be enough to swing a close state or two and advises a friendlier medical marijuana position than Obama’s. (Mitt Romney is just the kind of guy to make such a 180, too.) Paint it as a “get tough on those abusing medical marijuana” plan by institution strict guidelines and federal regs that would actually clear up the picture and end federal raids. Play the “states rights” and “limited government” cards by crafting those regs to defer to the states on the issue.
Oregon medical marijuana clinic owner gets 16 months for 200 pounds
We could have directed that natural desire of some people to make money growing and selling pot and other’s need to access pot into a regulated system where the buyer, the seller, and the state all benefit. However, Oregon voters rejected that in 2010, foolishly thinking the vote was yes-or-no on whether there’d be dispensaries. The vote was truly about whether the marijuana market would be sane or cruel, and we picked cruel. Now Brenda Thomas is the latest victim of that cruelty.
NORML SHOW LIVE #812
“Radical” Russ keynote speech at the Atlanta Capitol Cannabis Reform Jam; music by THE Dubber.
Former Seattle FBI Chief endorses Washington State Marijuana Legalization (and per se DUID) Initiative
The former head of the Seattle FBI office has come out in support of Washington State’s I-502 legalization (without any home cultivation and new unscientific 5ng/mL THC / under 21 zero tolerance per se DUID for pot) initiative*
California marijuana arrests way up, despite one million medical users protected from arrest
As California NORML estimates, there are between 750,000 and 1,125,000 medical marijuana patients in the state protected from arrest for possession, sale, and cultivation. This represents roughly 25% to 37.5% of the estimated 3,026,000 annual cannabis consumers in California aged 18 and older, according to the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use & Health (the most recent state numbers available).
Another way to look at it? Even as over one in four California pot smokers became “legal”, more than twice as many were being arrested for it.
Mexican drug gangs torture and behead bloggers, planning cyber warfare
The problem is Los Zetas, the particular drug gang in this story, doesn’t like even the local news media “snitching” on their activities, much less the entire world reading through the internet. And unlike everyone else on the internet (except Jay & Silent Bob), they have the resources to go door to door and literally kill every local blogger they consider a troll.
NORML SHOW LIVE #811
Capt. Joe Brooks, retired 30-year Connecticut police officer, says legalize drugs; Rant: WeedMaps made a huge mistake… telling the truth; music by Chuuwee.
Happy Birthday, Carl Sagan!
In honor of the late Carl Sagan’s 77th birthday, I present again the great astrophysicist’s account of his personal experiences with cannabis use. If you don’t know much about Carl Sagan, take this opportunity to learn more.