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North Carolina: Senate Blocks Testing Themselves When Passing Welfare Drug Testing Bill
By Steve Elliott
Hemp News
Republicans in the North Caroline Senate on Monday pushed through a bill that would take away food stamps and job training for people who fail a drug test. At the same time, they rejected an amendment offered by Democratic Senator Gladys Robinson which would have drug tested the governor, cabinet secretaries and the lawmakers themselves.
In a 35-15 vote almost completely along party lines, the senators passed SB 594. One lone Democrat voted for the bill, and no Republicans voted against it, reports David Edwards at The Raw Story.
The bill requires Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) applicants to pay for their own suspicionless drug tests. Those who test negative would be eligible to have the cost of the tests reimbursed.
The policy could cost the state more than $2.1 million.
"We receive state funds, we represent the law, we institute policy," Sen. Robinson told the other senators on Monday night. "So, it should not be above any of us to submit to drug screening."
Republican Sen. Jim Davis claimed he didn't mind being tested, but said that he would vote against the amendment because it had no mechanism to reimburse him for the $100 test. He didn't seem overly concerned that welfare applicants -- who have far less money than Senator Davis -- will face the same problem.
U.S.: Marijuana Pill May Be Better For Pain Than Smoked Form, Study Finds
By Steve Elliott
Hemp News
A new study confirms what medical marijuana patients have known for years -- that ingesting cannabis through eating works longer than smoking -- while also possibly representing a further move by Big Pharma for a strategic takeover of the medicinal cannabis business.
The study found that a pill form of marijuana may work just as well to relieve pain as the smoked form of cannabis, but with fewer side effects and a longer duration, reports Rachael Rettner at MyHealthNewsDaily.
In the study, people who either smoked cannabis or took the pharmaceutical drug dronabinol (also known by the brand name Marinol) -- a pill containing a synthetic form of THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana -- were able to hold their hands in ice water for longer than participants who took a placebo.
The pain-reducing effect of the dronabinol lasted longer than that of smoking marijuana, according to the researchers. While smoking pot reduced pain sensitivity for about 2.5 hours, taking the dronabinol pill continued to reduce pain for about 4.5 hours.
However, the analgesic effects of the pill took about an hour to kick in, while the pain-relieving effects of smoked marijuana start almost immediately. Patients also report they can control their dosage more precisely by titrating the dose with smoking.
U.S.: Supreme Court Says Marijuana Possession Not A Deportable Offense
By Steve Elliott
Hemp News
The United States Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that a legal immigrant is not subject to deportation for being convicted of possessing a small amount of marijuana.
The court voted 7-2 that Adrian Moncrieffe, a citizen of Jamaica, could not face mandatory deportation, because the basic possession of marijuana is not a federal felony, reports Lawrence Hurley of .
The federal government can deport legal immigrants when they are convicted of an aggravated felony.
Immigration officials tried to deport Moncrieffe after he was convicted under Georgia state law of possession and intent to distribute 1.3 grams of cannabis. The case is Moncrieffe v. Holder,, U.S. Supreme Court, No. 11-702.
A conviction for marijuana possession does not rise to the level of an aggravated felony if it's a small amount and the defendant was not being paid for it, Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote on behalf of the majority in Tuesday's ruling.
Moncrieffe could still be subject to deportation, Justice Sotomayor wrote, but he and others would now be able to contest the decision in further immigration proceedings and the U.S. Department of Justice would be able to use its discretion.
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito both wrote dissenting opinions.
California: San Diego City Council Set To Hear Mayor's Proposal For Medical Marijuana Rules
By Steve Elliott
Hemp News
The San Diego City Council is set to hear Mayor Bob Filner's proposal for medical marijuana dispensary zoning regulations on Monday, April 22 at 2 p.m.
The mayor's proposal is based on the recommendations of the medical marijuana task force organized by City Council President Todd Gloria in 2010. It allows medicinal cannabis dispensaries to exist to designated commercial and industrial areas of the city with large buffers from "sensitive" areas including a 600-foot buffer from schools and parks, as well as between dispensaries.
The proposal also contains strict operating requirements including security systems, and restrictions on hours of operation and signage.
"We want there to be access in San Diego City," said Ken Cole, president of the United Patients' Alliance, a trade association of medical marijuana distributors. "However, we also want operators to behave in a responsible manner, where the patients and public can feel safe and respected.
"Mayor Filner's proposal provides both access to patients and enhanced safety to the community," Cole said.
"What the county enacted was a good start, but while it succeeded in creating oversight, it failed at the ultimate goal of giving patient access," said Bob Riedel, president of the United Patients' Alliance. "Mayor Filner's proposal achieves both -- patient access and public oversight."
Connecticut: Public Comments Being Accepted on Medical Marijuana Rules
By Steve Elliott
Hemp News
Starting on Monday, April 22, public comments are being accepted on regulations that would govern how medical marijuana is grown and distributed in Connecticut.
Seventy pages of "stringent" draft regulations have been prepared by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, reports Neil McNamara at the New Haven Register. The regulations are intended to mirror the controls over the distribution of such pharmaceuticals as Oxycontin.
The state's medical marijuana bill was signed into law last May by Governor Dannel P. Malloy; in October, the state began accepting patient applications for medical marijuana licenses. The state has, so far, gotten about 400 applications and has issued about 300 licenses, according to Consumer Protection Commissioner Phillip Rubenstein.
The department drafted the regulations in consultation with drug policy experts and legal experts, according to Rubenstein, and took into account regulations used in other medical marijuana states. They decided to follow a "stringent" model of regulation, similar to how prescription drugs are controlled, he said.
"The intent was really to use a controlled pharmaceutical substance model very directly," Rubenstein said. "I think we're the only state that has used that model as completely as we have."
New Jersey: State's Second Marijuana Dispensary To Open In September
By Steve Elliott
Hemp News
A huge warehouse that once housed Donald Trump's surplus blackjack tables in an industrial park outside Atlantic City will be the site of South Jersey's first medical marijuana farm -- the second in the entire state -- where plants will be started next month and cannabis is scheduled to be sold starting on September 9.
The state's second "alternative treatment center" will be opening in Egg Harbor more than three years after the state's medical marijuana program became law, reports Jan Hefler at the Philadelphia Inquirer.
"Only force majeure could stop us... or acts of God," said William Thomas, chief executive at Compassionate Care Foundation, as he monitored the progress of his $1.7 million renovation project last week.
Although three previous launch dates have failed to materialize, the plan now has momentum, according to Thomas.
Once Compassionate Care gets the final go-ahead from New Jersey to begin cultivation, 2,000 marijuana seeds will be imported from Spain, which produces strains that target spasticity caused by multiple sclerosis, Thomas said. Lights are being installed in the 85,000-square-foot warehouse to grow the crop.
Arizona: Phoenix's First Licensed Marijuana Dispensary Opens
By Steve Elliott
Hemp News
The first licensed medical marijuana dispensary in Phoenix, Arizona has opened its doors, but couldn't serve any customers at its 4/20 grand opening on Saturday.
A computer server run by the Arizona Department of Health Services was down on Saturday, affecting all of the state's medical marijuana dispensaries, said Bloom Sky Train executive director Lezli Engelking, reports The Associated Press.
The dispensary has rescheduled its grand opening for Wednesday.
Bloom Sky Train is next to the Phoenix's new Sky Train Terminal and the 44th Street light rail station.
Arizona voters approved the legalization of medical marijuana by about 4,300 votes in 20109, authorizing its use for certain medical conditions with a doctor's authorization.
The state Department of Health Services administers Arizona's medical marijuana program, regulating dispensaries where patients and caregivers can legally buy cannabis. More than 35,000 Arizonans have medical marijuana cards.
Colorado: Two Shot At Denver 4/20 Rally
By Steve Elliott
Hemp News
Colorado's first legal 4/20 ended badly on Saturday as two people were shot and wounded at a rally in Denver, disrupting the first celebration of marijuana's symbolic holiday since voters approved legalization last November.
A man and a woman, each between 20 and 30 years old, were each shot in the leg, reports Keith Coffman of Reuters, but those wounds weren't life threatening, Denver police said on Twitter. A third victim, a juvenile, was grazed by a bullet and walked into a nearby hospital, police tweeted.
Officers were looking for two suspects in the shootings, which happened as the Civic Center Park rally was drawing to a close, causing thousands of people to flee the area.
The investigation into the shootings during Saturday's rally is being turned over to the Denver Police Department's Gang Unit, according to a tweet the department posted on Sunday, reports Kim Nguyen at The Denver Channel.
Police described the first gunman as a light complexioned black man, about 6 feet tax and weighing about 180 pounds. He was wearing a gray hoodie, black pants and a Carolina blue baseball cap.
US CA: Measures Stir The Electoral Pot
Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr 2013 - Three rival initiatives on May 21 ballot have divided L.A.'S medical marijuana industry. Dozens of medical marijuana activists rallied outside Los Angeles City Hall last week, declaring war on an enemy.
CN MB: Officer Prefers Pot Smokers To Alcohol Drinkers
Winnipeg Free Press, 21 Apr 2013 - 4/20 Participants Hope to 'Free the Plant' Scott Webster was sitting on the lawn of the legislature, about to load up a bowl of orange kush into his pipe. In fact, the usual residence of provincial lawmakers was going to pot on Sunday afternoon, the gathering place for an annual 4/20 celebration to legalize marijuana, which culminated Saturday at 4:20 p.m.
CN BC: Public Weighs In On Grow-op Bylaw
Maple Ridge Times, 18 Apr 2013 - Council Is Considering Restricting Legal Marijuana Production to Industrial Areas Legal medical marijuana grow operations could be good for the local economy, according to former Maple Ridge councillor Craig Speirs.
US IL: Column: Illinois House Stirs The Marijuana Pot
Chicago Sun-Times, 19 Apr 2013 - Growing old has drawbacks - you tire easily, you start to look like hell and you get jostled by packs of young folk sporting full sleeve tattoos, braided beards and Polynesian ear lobe discs, all earning what you earn at their entry-level tech jobs. But aging has good aspects, too. The technology that youngsters shrug off still will awe an older person - when I first used an iPod, it made me proud to be a human being, to be part of the same race that made this.
CN BC: Nothing stops RDCK from growing medical pot: MP
Nelson Star, 17 Apr 2013 - Could municipalities and regional districts get into the medicinal marijuana growing business? There's nothing to stop them, the MP for Kootenay-Columbia told the Regional District of Central Kootenay board Thursday. David Wilks made a presentation on new rules to be phased in over the next year, which will see mom-and-pop medical grow operations replaced with larger operations with greater security.
CN BC: Compassion Club Trial Delayed
Kamloops Daily News, 17 Apr 2013 - Two men involved in a Kamloops compassion club shut down by RCMP in 2011 will mount a constitutional challenge to charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking. Lawyers met Tuesday afternoon with Provincial Court Judge Stella Frame for a pre-trial conference.
US CO: The Pot Business Suffers Growing Pains
Wall Street Journal, 20 Apr 2013 - DENVER - Like any farmer, Elliott Klug understands the highs and lows of living off the land. But his crop requires a rigorous effort. To keep output going, it is harvested every week. It is also grown only indoors. And though you won't find this tip in the Farmer's Almanac, his workers believe that blaring Grateful Dead songs boosts productivity.
US CO: Column: Recreational Pot And Redefining Crime
Summit Daily News, 18 Apr 2013 - How about some good news today? This year, reports Time magazine, drug cartels in Mexico stand to lose $1.4 billion. Why? Because Colorado and Washington decriminalized recreational marijuana in November.
US FL: OPED: Legalizing Pot Will Increase Abuse, Magnify
Orlando Sentinel, 19 Apr 2013 - With sales estimated at $15 billion a year, marijuana is already the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. A movement has been spreading across the United States to legalize marijuana. Next year, Florida voters could see a proposal on the ballot to legalize this illicit drug for "medical" purposes.
Alabama: Former Police Officer Admits He Sold Marijuana
By Steve Elliott
Hemp News
A former police officer in Alabama on Thursday pleaded guilty to a federal drug charge, admitting he conspired with an Irvington dealer to sell marijuana.
Lynvanh Rasavong, 43, said nothing except to answer "Yes" and "No" to questions from U.S. District Judge Kristi DuBose, reports Brendan Kirby at al.com.
Judge DuBose accepted the guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for July. Rasavong faces up to five years in prison, but defense attorney Richard Holmes said he expects his client to be eligible for probation under advisory sentencing guidelines.
"We're hoping for straight probation, but he understands that's at the discretion of the judge," Holmes said.
Rasavong resigned from the Montgomery Department of Public Safety in December during the marijuana investigation. He had worked for the Montgomery Police Department since 1998, and was working at a desk at police headquarters when he resigned.
Law enforcement had learned that codefendant Somphith "Mike" Khemmanivanh was selling marijuana from his home in Irvington, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina Vann. The Mobile County Sheriff's Office got a warrant to search Khemmanivanh's home, according to Vann, and when deputies arrived, they found Khemmanivanh and Rasavong inside with four pounds of weed.
"Both of them confessed, and here we are," Vann said.
Rhode Island: First Medical Marijuana Dispensary Opens
By Steve Elliott
Hemp News
Rhode Island's first medical marijuana dispensary has opened in Providence.
The Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center opened its doors on Friday to what a spokesman said was a "steady stream of patients, reports The Associated Press. The dispensary got its licensed from the Rhode Island Department of Health earlier this month.
The Slater Compassion Center is initially selling cannabis grown by patients participating in Rhode Island's medical marijuana program, but it will immediately begin growing its own medicine to sell.
"Finally, Rhode Islanders with serious illnesses who find relief from medical marijuana will be able to access it safely at a state-regulated nonprofit," said Karen O'Keefe, director of state policies for the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP). "Fortunately, they will no longer have to put themselves at risk by purchasing it in an underground market."
